That’s right, I had a hunch. That might not make a lot of sense to some of you but I have been doing this shit for a LONG time.
Last week I noted that the scale doesn’t always tell the story and that still stands. Still, I knew something was a little off because the scale going up a couple pounds while condition visually changed for the better left a bad taste in my mouth – it just didn’t add up. Now, if I was gassed and not doing the same TRT dose for the last 3 years, we all know that if I had started a new compound that the scale could go up as it did and condition improve. However, I clearly did not “add a compound” and my diet is as predictable as Joe Clark’s lame responses to my articles.
So… going into last weekend my thoughts were, “What do I do with my Skipload?” I mean, weight is up a couple of pounds and though I am still improved over last week, am I really that depleted that I need a large Skipload?
After mulling it over almost all day (which is an eternity for me – I typically take minutes to make decisions like this), I came to the conclusion that though I was leaner, I just had a soft, flat look to me that got a lot worse as the week progressed. I had just increased my Skipload a few weeks ago from one entire day to starting the night before at bedtime and thought that helped but just didn’t get that POW factor where skin was tight as hell and if you follow my logs, you will remember me saying the last few weeks that my strength was unremarkable the couple of days following my Skiploads and that struck me as odd. I typically gain noticeable strength and hadn’t been doing that, at all.
My decision?
A full 2 days of Skiploading.
My thoughts were that I am far enough out that I need to see if I am screwing myself and just not getting enough food during these Skiploads. I honestly believe this is a holdover from the fat burner that I ran for 2 weeks and didn’t load for 3 weeks. Everything was normal until then and coming off of the fat burner I had yet to really feel that I was filled out from a Skipload. The best way to find out is to go balls out – not just for a few more hours – but almost double the load time.
What happened? Let’s see … my skin was going to split the first day back in the gym. Yes, I was watery but I was full as hell – first time in a LONG time. After 2 full days of Skiploading I only took 2 full days to baseline and then am now 1.5 under baseline and keep in mind that I essentially “lost” a day this week because I loaded on my typical Sunday and then on MONDAY, as well. Typically, I am back on diet Monday and training. This week I held off until Tuesday to train and to do cardio. I also lost 2 full sessions of cardio this week due to loading on Monday.
And for anyone that thinks I ate for 2 days because I was hungry or lack discipline: Don’t make me laugh. After 1 or maybe 2 meals I couldn’t care less about Skiploading. The rest of the Skipload is a chore because I am no longer hungry. I would prefer to only load 1 or 2 meals each week but that just doesn’t work for me (and for a lot of others, as well).
I start the fat burner again next Wednesday so this Skipload this weekend is going to be the last one for almost 3 weeks. I plan to start again before bedtime on Saturday and go all day Sunday. I could probably get away with loading for 2 days again but “getting away” with it isn’t why I do things. If I thought I would benefit from it and lose more body fat I would do it. I am not convinced of that because I just loaded for 2 days 6 days ago.
I will, however, be loading longer when I finish the fat burner and go back to loading, though. That is a guarantee based on how I have responded over the last 4 weeks.
I am at 208 so I am 3 pounds higher than I wanted to be going into the fat burner but … I am hardly behind. I am getting leaner by the day and I am not at all concerned that I didn’t hit the 205 mark. In fact, MAYBE it’s a good thing because another 3 pounds leaner at 12 weeks out might be too much.
I competed in 2010 at 207 so that should give you some indication of the disparity in body weight from being gassed to TRT.
I hope you all have a great weekend as I know I will. It is going to be 80 degrees here and my bike was finished last weekend so myself and Mrs. Skip will be riding. And, yes, that is my sick bobber in the pic. 🙂
Have fun , Rick