DAY 25, although I started today eating correctly. It's strange, but when I was eating too much I felt like I was eating after i was done eating. After recalculating it's almost identical to my old plan's metabolic adjustment.

Anyway, day 25 is identical to day 21, which was Sunday. 37 minutes, 282 calories burned. Stay tuned for cardio... :)

Well, my brain has been declared dead. Or should be. I dunno.

In Making the Cut, one of the first things you do is calculate your RMR. You can use an online tool, or you can do the calculations yourself with a formula provided in the book. I opted for the formula. I REALLY wish I could find the paper where I did my math, because certainly I was wrong somewhere along the line.

I had my calories set for 2166. The past 3 1/2 weeks I've been EXTREMELY careful to be as close to this number as possible. After three weeks, you're supposed to recalculate BMR. This time, I used Excel.

The formula is, for men:

66 + (6.23 * weight in pounds) + (12.7 * height in inches) - (6.8 * age in years)

My BMR is 1711!

So I was thinking, hmm. As of this morning, since I started the new plan I've gained 4 pounds. 4 pounds in 3 weeks, and I've been trying hard not to be upset over it because I've lost an inch around the middle. Still, the results certainly haven't been what Jillian Michaels claimed in the book, not even close.

So let's see... 2166 - 1711 = ~455 extra calories I've been eating every day. So I look at my log software, which will tell me each day how much deficit I had.

Today: 542 calories
4/1: 331
3/31: 320
3/30: 583
3/28: 95
3/27: 433
3/26: 730

So with JUST those, taking an average, what do we have? 433 FREAKING CALORIES!!! Sound familiar?!?!?!?!? Yup, I've been set up for maintenance.

I swear, man. There must be something wrong with me. Today's what, Day 24, off day, cardio day. 6 more days and the 30 days are up. After that I'm starting back at Day 1.

I should be an expert now, right? :)

I ran 5k again today, and once again, I felt like I was flying... but I wasn't. Today was 29:19, over a minute slower than my best outdoor time.. Still, I got to play with my GPS toy. :P I just keep wondering why my perception is that I'm running a lot faster than I really am. 11 days until the real deal!

Afterwards I walked back to work, total 437 calories burned.

DAY 23, here we go...

Circuit 1
Medium-Underhand-Grip Pull-downs, Reps to failure, 20 total
Seated Cable Rows, Reps to failure, then hold 30 secs, 20 total + 30 seconds
Jump Squat, 15 reps
One-Leg Pelvic Thrusts, Reps to failure, 67 total (whew)

Circuit 2
Wide-Grip Lat Pull-downs, 20 reps @ 100lbs
Squat Swings, 10 reps, 10 w/5kg medicine ball
Jumping Lunges, Reps to failure, 30 total

Circuit 3
Plank Rows, 10 reps (5 each arm) @ 20lbs (these are HARD!!! I can row 45lb dumbbells but not in plank position, man!)
Supermans, 20 reps
Squats w/Bicep Curls, 10 reps (5 each arm) @ 15lbs (would be more if not for balance)
Hill Run, Incline 10, Speed 7mph, 1 min

Circuit 4
Hack Squats (this is against the wall with a ball), 20 reps
Seated Hamstring Curls, Reps to failure, 40 @ 75lbs
Hammer Curls, 20 reps (10 each arm) @ 25lbs
Jump Rope, Fast, 2 mins

Circuit 5
Crossover Lunges w/Hammer Curls, 20 reps @ 15lbs
Ball Crunches, 25 reps
Hanging Abs w/Twist, 8 reps each side, 16 total
Hill Run, Incline 15, Speed 7.5mph, 1 min

34 minutes, 252 calories burned

Then tonight's stairclimber session at home, 34 minutes, hill climb, level 8, 399 calories burned

Total: 651 calories for the day