Beards Over Barbells

WHAT THIS IS AND WHAT THIS ISN’T

Harvey Pekar once described his magnum opus American Splendor as

…an autobiography written as it’s happening. The theme is about staying alive. Getting a job, finding a mate, having a place to live, finding a creative outlet. Life is a war of attrition. You have to stay active on all fronts. It’s one thing after another. I’ve tried to control a chaotic universe. And it’s a losing battle. But I can’t let go. I’ve tried, but I can’t.

This blog started in September 2011 when I decided to make a third attempt at a traditional linear progression weight training program, the goal being to build a level of strength to facilitate competition in Scottish Highland Games in 2012. This was after losing 160 pounds in 8 months (starting from an untrained, chronically obese condition) and maintaining said loss for a year. Along the way I have stumbled across some problems unique to my situation, and have either found workable solutions or adjusted my goals accordingly. The end goal is the same but the course, as with most things in life, has led me through uncharted waters.

My motivation for putting this stuff online is just to provide a study (albeit one with an N=1 sample size) of specific methods and techniques relating to fat loss and muscle/strength gain. I’m not here to blog about “my journey”, inspire you to change your shit, provide you with the end-all-be-all solution to all your problems or whine about how hard it is to make this type of training a central part of your life. I’m just one data point that I hope someone fighting a similar war of attrition might find useful.

Back in 2009, I was still pretending I didn’t have a problem. That shirt is a 5XLT and it wouldn’t button.

BUT SERIOUSLY FOLKS

I’m really just doing this to get in fighting shape for the apocalypse.

OBLIGATORY DISCLAIMER

I am not a medical professional or nutritional expert, nor do I carry any certifications in exercise science or personal training. This is simply a continuing log of activities that support a fairly concrete set of goals specific to my situation. My hope is to simply provide a reference point to anyone interested in this sort of thing who might be in a similar situation or working on similar goals. I am not responsible for what you do with this information or how you might apply it to a training or nutrition program. Always check with your doctor before beginning an exercise regimen. Don’t cheat on your taxes, finish your vegetables, and don’t squat above parallel.