My journal-Modified single factor 5x5

[asdfzxcv]

Hello all

As the title stipulates I will be starting the novice version of bill starr's imfamous 5x5 soon.However due to the lack of a bench at home madcow 2 suggested that I substitute push press for bench and clean pulls in place of rows due to my interest in olympic lifting(found a coach so I will be shown correct technique).Anyway,the program should look something like this-

Monday-Heavy day
Squat-5 sets of 5
Push press-5 sets of 5
Clean pull-5 sets of 5

Wednesday-Light day
Front squats -5 sets of 5
Deadlifts-5 sets of 5
Military press(light) -5 sets of 5
Chin ups/pull ups- probably 5 sets of 5 depending on how exhausted i am

Friday-Medium day
Squats- 4 sets of 5,1 triple,back off
Push press -4 sets of 5,1 triple,back off
Clean pull- 4 sets of 5,1 triple,back off

Aside from the exercise substitutions the layout is pretty similiar

Here are my current stats after about 4weeks of serious lifting
height-6'4
age-19
weight-200lb
bodyfat-too high,estimate around 18-22%,hoping to get this down to about 15%
Current(Pathetic) lifts (lb)
Squat-225x5,actually 8 reps but the last 3 were spaced out about 15-20seconds so i dont count them
Front squat-175x5
push press -130x5,150x1
clean pull-About-155x5,but this will change as i learn proper technique
military press(strict)-105x5
Deadlifts-Not too sure,extra weights are arriving in the next few days so ill be able to test and begin this program(only got 225lb weight +oly bar currently,with an extra 225lb on the way),probably around 285-315 1rpm

I hope to run this till I can no longer gain strength increases from it,which will probably be a few months hopefully.Weight wise I know i need to gain a lot for my height(6'4),but given my bodyfat(18-22%) it is probably better i stay this weight for a bit until i lean out a bit,then aim to increase my weight.

If anyone has any input please feel free to respond

 

[anotherbutters]

It's good to see someone incorporating more of the oly lifts into this. It'll be interesting to see how you get on. I presume you're going to be starting low and working up to PR weights in a few weeks time?

 

[Madcow2]

Hey Hey!! I said clean pulls from the hang if you are doing them M/F in addition to deadlifting and all the squatting. Keep the weight reasonable too as typically people will clean pull above their best full clean. I'm trying to save your legs here.

Really, if you have access to a coach, get his thoughts. You'll benefit from a lot of work and it is very rare that you'll find an OL coach that's a moron so do this for now but definitely ask him what he'd suggest and how he'd incorporate the OLs.

 

[asdfzxcv]

Sorry about the mistake madcow,forgot to mention the cleans are from the hang.

 

[asdfzxcv]

It's good to see someone incorporating more of the oly lifts into this. It'll be interesting to see how you get on. I presume you're going to be starting low and working up to PR weights in a few weeks time?

Thanks for the encouragement anotherbutters.I will definatly ramp up from lighter weights as i have been working hard for the last few weeks and i am beginning to feel a slight drop in performance/general wellbeing(getting real tired/sluggish) which i think can be attributed to overreaching/overtraining.

About the coaching situation,I dont think it will be a viable proposition in the long term as he is located about 3 hours away and is only availible 5.00pm-8.00pm,which makes for a long day.I will probably go a few times just to get some insight/technique instruction but after that its unviable to travel so far on a consistant basis.

 

[Madcow2]

About the coaching situation,I dont think it will be a viable proposition in the long term as he is located about 3 hours away and is only availible 5.00pm-8.00pm,which makes for a long day.I will probably go a few times just to get some insight/technique instruction but after that its unviable to travel so far on a consistant basis.

It's still fantastic. Even a couple of sessions will make night and day difference, plus you can always go back for tuneups when you get the itch. I try to stress this to people but I think some come away with it as coaching = 2-3 sessions a week for 6 months and don't bother. It's a crap drive and a lot of time, but your time and effort will absolutely be rewarded. Believe me, a small time investment up front will save you 50x the amount of time later trying to break bad habits on fundementals.

 

[asdfzxcv]

Started program today,here is how it went

Squats
5xbar(warm up)
5x85
5x115
5x145
5x175
5x215
These felt pretty decent today,not too heavy or light,form stayed pretty good during the sets.All the squats are performed as low as i can go,which is well below parallel.

Push press
5xbar
5x75
5x85
5x95
5x105
5x115
Again these were pretty decent,beggining to get more stable with weight overhead.

Hang clean pull
5x65
5x80
5x95
5x110
5x125
Really focusing on form with these,they really tire me out quickly.

Overall it was a good workout,hopefully the extra weights i ordered should arrive in the next few days so i can do wednesdays deadlifts without hassle.

 

[asdfzxcv]

Off day today,did 30mins of light cardio(walking) which will be done on tues/thurs just for general fitness and to help with the excess bodyfat.For the next 8-12weeks I will run this program at maintainance calories(about 3000) because i carry a fairly large margin of bodyfat(around 20-22%).It should be possible(due to my excess fat and relatively recent commitment to serious training) for my body to recomposition itself to a more favorable margin(about 15-16%bodyfat hopefully) while weight remains relatively steady.

Once my body fat composition is at a more favorable level I will slowly boost calories in order to bulk at a slow yet steady pace.

On a different topic I was informed the additional weights I ordered will not arrive until thursday-friday,so deadlifts will have to wait till next week .In the meantime I will sub in highpulls for the loss of the aforementioned deadlifts .

 

[RipStone]

Hey man, glad to see another guy doing SF 5x5. It's a great way way to train and will defintley help build a solid base of muscle and strength.

I am not sure how others feel about this, but I believe that you should limit the amount of warm-up sets you do prior to the 5x5 sets. Using just the bar for a few reps is probabaly fine though.

Best of luck with the program and reaching your goals.

 

[asdfzxcv]

Hey man, glad to see another guy doing SF 5x5. It's a great way way to train and will defintley help build a solid base of muscle and strength.

I am not sure how others feel about this, but I believe that you should limit the amount of warm-up sets you do prior to the 5x5 sets. Using just the bar for a few reps is probabaly fine though.

Best of luck with the program and reaching your goals.

Thanks for the encouragement Ripstone

Just looked over at your journal,excellent work so far on the strength gains.We seem to be starting this program with similiar lifts,hopefully i can make the same progress you do.

 

[asdfzxcv]

Wednesday,light day

Front squats
5x95
5x130
5x165
5x165
5x165
I really like front squats,it allows me to go even lower then back squats which is nice.Todays weight was decent,not too heavy/light,just need to remember to keep my arms up so the weight stays secure.

Military press
5x75
5x80
5x85
5x90
5x95
Pretty easy, these will go up 5lb next week

Chin ups
5xbw
5xbw
5xbw
3xbw
3xbw
Although I cant do 5x5 of these yet i am getting better.2 months ago i was hard pressed to do 2.Hopefully I will be able to finish all sets in coming weeks

Deadlifts
None-My 45lb plates will be arriving tomorrow or friday so i will do them then.Only have 225lb of plates currently,the biggest of which are 25lb,so it makes pulls from the floor difficult on my back at my height.

Another decent workout despite the lack of deadlifts,which will be rectified soon enough.

 

[RipStone]

Nice workout. I see so many people on another board totally fucking up this program, but you seem to realize that progression is key.....good for you.

For chins, try doing negatives once you cant complete a full rep anymore.

 

[asdfzxcv]

Nice workout. I see so many people on another board totally fucking up this program, but you seem to realize that progression is key.....good for you.

For chins, try doing negatives once you cant complete a full rep anymore.

Thanks again for the kind words Ripstone,I appreciate your input.In my opinion this program this is the kind of program everyone should do for the first six months of training at least(both single and dual factor versions).Novices seem to get caught up on petty isolation shit that has no real value,while they should just focusing on raising their squat/dead/overhead/row numbers.

I think increasing weight should be the main priority if one wants to get bigger and stronger.Anyone who goes from a 120lb squat to a 350lb squat is going to get bigger legs,the same applies for the other lifts too.

Thanks for the insight in regards to the chin-ups too ripstone.

 

[asdfzxcv]

I also should mention that this is not my first time squatting 3 times a week,I have been doing squats as Mark Rippetoe suggests for begginers,3 times a week trying to set a pr every workout.It wasnt quite 5x5 but it was pretty close to it.The ramp up over the next 2 weeks will be like a ''mini-deload'' I guess.If i get stuck during this program I will probably have to drop back 3-4weeks and build up again as suggested.

 

[asdfzxcv]

Not much to report today,did a 30min walk at a fast pace for cardio.Also I wondering whether I should repeat this week over due to the lack of deadlifts,or just press on with deads at a lighter weight next week while still increasing everything else?If anyone can offer insight it would be most appreciated

 

[asdfzxcv]

Friday-medium day

Squats

5x115
5x145
5x175
5x195
3x220
8x175
These felt good,5 reps on monday should be a breeze.

Push press
5x75
5x85
5x95
5x105
3x120
8x105
Pretty easy,the 120 felt strong and secure overhead.

Hang clean pull
5x65
5x80
5x95
5x110
3x130

Still getting the form down,not heavy yet but very exhausting.Really hit the traps and back.

Overall quite a decent workout,despite the heat outside.Also,I think I am putting on weight which is strange because I am only taking in about 2700-3000calories,which should be around maintainence level for my weight.Doesnt bother me as long as it is mostly muscle which i hope it is.

 

[asdfzxcv]

Damn I let this journal slip,oh well back on track now I suppose.Took a week off because I wasnt quite rested and continued the program where i left off.I am now eating about 3300-3500cal a day now as this program is quite demanding and I want to get the most out of it.I am doing very light goodmornings at the end of mondays workout,just to keep the posterior chain nice and strong,as it seems to be a weak point of mine.

However,I am contempling doing hang power/full cleans in place of the hang pulls.The pulls are great but it is hard to keep the height of the pull consistant every time.With cleans you either get it or you dont kind of thing.I feel my technique is getting better as I have seen a coach a few times.I no longer just rip the bar off the floor anymore,but pull slow and steady THEN explode with a second pull.Certainly a good exercise for the back and traps.

I will report this weeks workouts a little later on.

 

[asdfzxcv]

Update of this weeks workout
monday

Squat
135x5
155x5
185x5
205X5
230X5PR
Very suprised about this workout,got the 5reps on a record weight after a week off.Only scare was the 3rd rep when I went more forward then usual and almost lost it,but I kept going and prevailed.

Push press
85x5
95x5
105x5
115x5
125x5PR
Gains are slowing down here.I think i need to make up some ''micro weights''

Hang power cleans
5x5x95
Getting used to exploding with the second pull and catching the bar on my shoulders

Good mornings (light)
barx8
barx8
barx8
Awkward movement,but I feel that these hit my posterior chain hard when i do them properly.Whats truly pathetic is that my ass and hamstrings were sore for 3days after these,which indicates i have a WEAK posterior chain.

 

[asdfzxcv]

Wednesday

Front squats
135x5
155x5
175x5
175X5
175X5PR
Very hard due to gm's on monday my hamstrings were soooo sore.Should be easier next week once my body adapts to the good mornings

Deadlifts
135x5
155x5
185x5
205x5
235x5
First time doing these in about 4months with proper sized plates.Form stayed excellent during the movemet,not slouching of the back like I used to.Hopefully these go up fast and maybe have some carryover to the squats.

Chins
bwx3x5
bwx3
bwx2
Due to the introduction of deads today I was somewhat more exhausted then prior weeks so these suffered a bit.

Military press
65x5
75x5
85x5
95x5
105x5
Pretty good,although progress is slowing down so 5lb increases may be too much to ask for on this movement.

 

[asdfzxcv]

Friday

Squats
135x5
155x5
185x5
205x5
235x3PR
185x8
Felt excellent on these today,mondays increase should be easy with a bit of luck.Squats are a weird movement to me,during the warm up sets they seem so awkward it feels like the top set will not be possible.But when I get to the top set I seem to be able to pull my body together and get the PR without much trouble at all,weird.

Push press
85x5
95x5
105x5
115x5
130x3
Getting better,almost up to a 45lb plate each side

Hang power clean
5x5x95
Just more form practise here,weight was easy.

I have a big dilemma here that has been bothering me for some time,my body fat.I am a former fat boy who has lost lots of weight,however some of it still remains.I sit at around 20% bf these days and this has not changed for some time.I know that many people are proponents of the ''eat big to get big'' strategy,but that does not work for me at me current bodyfat.Even eating very clean in a mild caloric surplus lets to less then desirable fat gain.From what I read it appears as if those who are leaner (10-12%bf) gain more muscle compared to their fatter counterparts on a bulk cycle due to more favorable nutrient partitioing and insulin sensitivity.

What I am contemplating is to continue the 5x5 as indicated,but at a mild calorie defecit for a 3-4months in order to rid my body of this remaining fat forever hopefully and get down to about 10-12%.I feel that although it will most likely slow down my progress in the short term it will set me up better for the future if I have a lean foundation on which to build more muscle,as trying to bulk at this stage is futile.

If anyone has any feedback in regards to this PLEASE feel free to respond

 

[asdfzxcv]

Feel like absolute shit today,caught the flu and as a result I got about 2hours worth of sleep.I think I will give today's workout a miss as I am in no position to lift,sucks but thats life.Hopefully I will be in better shape come wednesday.

 

[asdfzxcv]

Still feel like shit,although not quite as bad as yesterday.My weight is down 6pounds in about 2-3days,despite eating the same quantity of food as usual.This flu must really be knocking me around as I had trouble walking around yesterday.I know I was supposed to rest today but I did a mini squat workout because I couldnt let the loss of yesterdays workout rest on my mind.

Squats
barx5
135x5
155x5
185x5
205x5
235x2Probably could have gotten 3 or 4 but I didnt want to risk losing it as I was getting dizzy.

Its funny,humans are basically the dominant species on earth yet we still get our asses kicked by a influenza virus organism that is about one billionth our size,oh well.

 

[asdfzxcv]

Feeling alot better,although not 100%.Hopefully I will get a bench in the next week or so which will really help.

Here is yesterdays workout which was a little different as opposed to the normal routine
Squats
135x5
155x5
185x5
215x5
240x3PR
Cant believe I got all 3 reps on this even while sick,took a lot of willpower to get these reps.

Overhead squats
45bar x5
45bar x5
45bar x5
Major test of balance these are,almost fell on me ass a few times.I definatly want to use these as light assistance work as they work the core lots.

Hang cleans
135x3
135x3
135x3
Focused on the second pull and catching the bar on the shoulders,good sets.

Clean+jerk
135x2
145x1
150x1
155x0fail
Been a while since ive done these,almost had the 155 but it eluded me on this occasion,oh well better luck next time.

Overall it was a good workout,nice change of pace.Hopefully I will be 100% on monday.

 

[asdfzxcv]

Feeling much better today,seem to be back to normal.Overall upper body strength is down,but lower body strength has still increased.

Squats
135x5
155x5
185x5
215x5
240x5PR
Todays squat session was nothing short of a royal ass kicking.Each rep of the 240 was a uphill battle,I am glad it is over for this week .

Military press
95x5x5
Did this in order to get myself accustomed to pressing weight overhead,used short rest intervals which made it tough.

Hang clean
95x5
105x5
115x5
135x5
140x5
These were excellent today,timing seemed to flow nicely today.

I know my Non-squat lifts have been all over the place lately,but I plan on getting it all together this week.I think I will use this week to practise my form on bent over rows and bench(when it arrives) so i can stick with the most commonly used template.I have been neglecting my upper body at the expense of my lower body and I plan to bring it up to speed very soon.

 

[Jim Ouini]

Todays squat session was nothing short of a royal ass kicking.Each rep of the 240 was a uphill battle,I am glad it is over for this week .

Congrats on the PR. I know the feeling when you say each rep was an uphill battle.

At some point I want to try that 20 rep breathing squat thing. I hear it's like that from 10 to 20.

 

[asdfzxcv]

Its funny,on one hand you are relieved the set is over.On the other hand there is a fear in the back of your mind as you know you have to do it even heavier next monday.It has gotten to the point where I get very nervous on mondays and relieved once those squats are over.

In regards to the 20rep squats I believe there is a program based around the 20rep squat.You do a 20rep set 2-3times a week with some other basic exercises and eat a lot.Im not sure of its effectiveness compared to the 5x5 but I believe it would be very taxing on the CNS over a prolonged period.That being said I think a 20rep set with a weight you normally do for 10reps would be a good for getting past sticking points in training.Although it takes a great deal of mental fortitude to perform them as intended.

 

[asdfzxcv]

Wednesday

Squats
135x5
155x5
185x5
185x5
185x5
These were good,despite the doms in the hamstrings from practising good mornings on monday(forgot to record here)

Deadlifts
135x5
155x5
185x5
215x5
245x5PR
These were pretty decent,seem to be easier then the last time I did them.

Military
65x5
75x5
85x5
95x5
110x5PR
No suprises here,just a small increase.

Chins
Forgot,ill do them later.

I am facing a dilemma with training,my posterior chain needs to get stronger.I am thinking of doing a 8week run of westside when I get my bench(Next monday hopefully) with particular emphasis on things like good mornings and other movement that work the core+posterior chain.I know it is somewhat different from 5x5 but I think it would be a good way in which to correct this inbalance whilst still getting stronger(hopefully).At any rate if I decide to pursue this particular course of action it will provide a nice change from the repetitive(Although highly effective) 5x5,which I will return to once I correct this problem.

 

[asdfzxcv]

Ive have decided that it is probably unwise to switch to westside at this stage of development.I will instead opt to increase the amount of work done at the top sets as suggested by madcow in ripstones journal,and the rippetoe novice program fit the bill perfectly with 3x5 for the work sets.Come monday I will do this

Workout A
3x5squats
3x5deadlift/5x3power clean(alternate every workout ''A'')
3x5bench

Workout B
3x5squats
3x5Overhead press
3x5+Chinups
3x8 Good mornings

These workouts will by alternated on non-consecutive days,Monday,wednesday and friday

With the good mornings my Posterior chain should get brought up to speed pretty fast.

 

[anotherbutters]

Congrats on the PRs. The routine you just posted with A and B workouts is the complete beginner program, where you attempt to increase your squats each time you go into the gym. What were you saying about fearing Mondays?

Why do you think you have a weak posterior chain? Is it because you deadlift about the same as you squat? I wouldn't worry about it because it sounds like you still have some slack to take up in your dead, whilst you're pretty close to being maxed out on your squats. I'd say just carry on as you have been doing on the SF. Your deads will go up in due course.

 

[asdfzxcv]

Come to think of it my deadlift seems to have plently of slack left in it,as I have only started them recently and have missed them a few time due to sickness etc.The 245 was pretty easy,I feel I could probably go up into 275-285region without much hassle.I think I am just being paranoid as I have never been this high on my squat before,so I am basically in uncharted territory in regards to what my body can take.

Next week I changing to the original bench/row template ad sticking with it,as my non squat lifts have been all over the place.

 

[anotherbutters]

Unchartered territory is always fun, whatever the hell you're doing

 

[asdfzxcv]

Unchartered territory is always fun, whatever the hell you're doing

True,but it can be scary without a power-rack and spotters.I think I will also try to buy some chain to make ''micro-weights'' so I continue to increase the weight when I can no longer manage 5lb jumps.

 

[asdfzxcv]

Friday

Squats
135x5
165x5
195x5
225x5
245x3PR
Pretty decent squatting today,I think I will get the 5 reps easy on monday if I feel as good as I did today.

Front squat(just to see if I could get 2plates)
225x1


Pendlay rows(Practise for next week)
95x5
95x5
135x5
135x5
135x5
These felt a little bit difficult to get the proper position due to my height.Do you have to keep looking forward or can you look down a bit,as long as your back stays at 90degrees?Nevertheless these will be my monday/friday pulling movement from now on.

Military Press(testing micro weight and temporary sub till bench gets here)
65x5
75x5
85x5
97.5x5
112.5x5PR
Testing the new micro weights I made out of chain,which luckily came out to almost exactly 1 1/4lb each,so I can now make smaller jumps on military,bench,and rows.

From now on I will make a note of my weight every workout as well as general eating habits.

 

[carlsuen]

wow.. nice lifts.. so now u are doing the program u recommended me eh.. you're a year younger than me.. but 2-3" taller.. and much stronger too.. yeah.. post ur eating habits.. i'll post mine later too..

good luck to the both of us eh..

 

[asdfzxcv]

Dude my lifts are in pounds,they are complete shit for a person my size.I will consider my self decent when I reach the following goals
bodyweight military press
2xbodyweight squat
2.5xbodyweight deadlift

I think I will stick with the 5x5 for now,as I have been doing everything except squat all over the place and have still gained heaps of lower body strength.With the immenent arrival of my bench,my recent re-introduction to deadlifts and switch to barbell rows I will do this program as intended with no bullshit.

My diet is not too great at the moment,I just choose foods that are pretty healthly.My current weight is about 191lb

7.00am Cup of oats+1scoop whey

10.00am Can of tuna on wholemeal bread(sandwich)

1.00pm after training-Scoop of whey+scoop of dextrose

4.00pm steak or large chicken breast with a cup of broccoli+a cup of oats in a seperate bowl

8-10pm(depending on hunger)Cup of low fat cottage cheese+tablespoon of natural peanut butter

I also drink 6-8glasses of low fat milk during the day,which adds a big chunk of calories.

I drink about 1-2gallons of water per day

Usually comes to about 3000-3500calories,which is about maintainence level for me.

I dont take any supplements except for whey+multivitamins.

I will probably start a new journal as this one sucked and my 5x5 isnt going to be modified anymore,just normal .I will try to make a note of things such as bodyweight,motivation,diet and other such things.

Post up your diet too if you dont mind

 

[anotherbutters]

Congrats on yet more PRs.

I'd never even considered looking forward whilst rowing. Just look down. There's no point straining your neck for no good reason.

Is there any way you can get another meal in after your PWO shake? After working out, your muscles will be ready and waiting for all the nutrients you can cram into them, so I'd take advantage and eat again at say 2pm if you can, even if it's just a chicken breast and a banana. Whey and dextrose will give you a quick hit at 1pm to get your energy levels back up and aid recovery, but they won't last long.

And in the evening, I'd eat at 7pm and 10pm, but that's just my preference. I have a proper meal (chicken/veg/oils) at 7pm and a tub of cottage cheese before bed. Have you sat down and worked out how many calories are in there, because I'd estimate it's around 2500. There seems to be very little fat in there too.

Oh, and if you start another journal, adding the week number at the top of the workout posts makes them easier to look back on. Cheers

 

[asdfzxcv]

Thanks for the advice anotherbutters,I have definatly been very conservative with my eating over the last few months and its time I upped the intake I think.I guess its hard from a mental point of view to eat 3,500+cals a days as I was once around 270lb and have since dropped down to 190lb.Just for curiousity sake,what is your approx daily intake Anotherbutters?

Also,thanks for the advice on the rows.I was afraid I was doing them totally wrong,but now I know I am on the right track with the form.

 

[anotherbutters]

I'm just trying to maintain at the moment, since I'm not squatting heavy, but when I was bulking, I think it was somewhere around 4,000 - 4,500 cals. On reflection, I was putting on weight too quickly however (my target was 1.5lb/week). I'm eating the same things now, just smaller quantities (well, trying). I eat the same things most days:

6am: multivit, kiwi fruit, 1 whole boiled egg, 6 egg whites, small(ish) bowl of porrige: oats, milk, raisins, almonds, honey

- workout -

PWO: whey/dextrose

8am: baked potato & chicken breast whilst on the way to work (damned awkward)

10am: shake: pint of milk, teaspoon of peanut butter, 1 banana, handful of oats, 1/2 scoop whey

1pm: chicken/tuna/salmon sandwich on brown bread, sometimes followed by a tub of cottage cheese

4pm: another shake like at 10am

7pm: chicken breast, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, 3-4 new potatoes (and currently sprouts and swede), glug of olive oil, glug of omega 3-6-9 oil

10pm: tub of cottage cheese

Hmm, no wonder I'm having a hard time maintaining at the moment

 

[asdfzxcv]

I'm just trying to maintain at the moment, since I'm not squatting heavy, but when I was bulking, I think it was somewhere around 4,000 - 4,500 cals. On reflection, I was putting on weight too quickly however (my target was 1.5lb/week). I'm eating the same things now, just smaller quantities (well, trying). I eat the same things most days:

6am: multivit, kiwi fruit, 1 whole boiled egg, 6 egg whites, small(ish) bowl of porrige: oats, milk, raisins, almonds, honey

- workout -

PWO: whey/dextrose

8am: baked potato & chicken breast whilst on the way to work (damned awkward)

10am: shake: pint of milk, teaspoon of peanut butter, 1 banana, handful of oats, 1/2 scoop whey

1pm: chicken/tuna/salmon sandwich on brown bread, sometimes followed by a tub of cottage cheese

4pm: another shake like at 10am

7pm: chicken breast, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, 3-4 new potatoes (and currently sprouts and swede), glug of olive oil, glug of omega 3-6-9 oil

10pm: tub of cottage cheese

Hmm, no wonder I'm having a hard time maintaining at the moment

Wow I really need to start putting more effort into eating.I think around 3,500cal would be a decent starting point for me,given the fact that I dont want to put it on too quick(1lb a week is fine with me).Thats 52lb a year,which would take me to about 243lb this time next year.However since this is not an ideal world I think A goal of 30-35lb would be attainable,which would put me around 221-226lb,which is acceptable for someone my height.I will probably do some light cardio like walking just to keep the excess fat gain down a bit and for general health.

Thanks again for the help Anotherbutters