give your meat

Turkish ice cream

Turkish ice cream
Originally uploaded by renfield

Morning routine poster

Morning routine poster
Originally uploaded by renfield

Let's see if this helps keep us moving in the morning!

20120722_075437.jpg

20120722_075437.jpg
Originally uploaded by renfield

More eating

More eating
Originally uploaded by renfield

Yoshida feast

Yoshida feast
Originally uploaded by renfield

Sleeping with the ipad

Sleeping with the ipad
Originally uploaded by renfield

Cooking time

Cooking time
Originally uploaded by renfield

Staying up late setting up my new galaxy IIIs - awesome phone!

Staying up late setting up my new galaxy IIIs - awesome phone! http://twitter.com/renfieldk/status/226329310124982272

Unbreakable crypto: Store a 30-character password in your brain's subconscious memory http://t.co/QXNedWk4 via @extremetech

Unbreakable crypto: Store a 30-character password in your brain's subconscious memory http://t.co/QXNedWk4 via @extremetech http://twitter.com/renfieldk/status/226219736571187200

Gweek 061: Trust Me, I'm Lying - Boing Boing http://t.co/GiLRUlLF via @BoingBoing

Gweek 061: Trust Me, I'm Lying - Boing Boing http://t.co/GiLRUlLF via @BoingBoing http://twitter.com/renfieldk/status/226177668050206721

I earned 988 points for my workout on @Fitocracy! http://t.co/iIQnJPmv

I earned 988 points for my workout on @Fitocracy! http://t.co/iIQnJPmv http://twitter.com/renfieldk/status/226156960708456448

I earned 212 points for my workout on @Fitocracy! http://t.co/GhvcbSwQ

I earned 212 points for my workout on @Fitocracy! http://t.co/GhvcbSwQ http://twitter.com/renfieldk/status/226146465934897152

I'm at bodyplant http://t.co/lTVpJSCT

I'm at bodyplant http://t.co/lTVpJSCT http://twitter.com/renfieldk/status/226145482173464576

I'm at 劔和会　青山道場 http://t.co/L5xWKXTo

I'm at 劔和会　青山道場 http://t.co/L5xWKXTo http://twitter.com/renfieldk/status/225917859879063552

Cabbage salad

Cabbage salad
Originally uploaded by renfield

RT @DailyYomiuri: Temperature in central Tokyo topped 35 C for the 1st time this year today. Katsunuma in Yamanashi had 37.8, Tokyo's Nerima had 36.9.

RT @DailyYomiuri: Temperature in central Tokyo topped 35 C for the 1st time this year today. Katsunuma in Yamanashi had 37.8, Tokyo's Nerima had 36.9. http://twitter.com/renfieldk/status/225878681392910336

my co-worker speaking the gospel: http://t.co/GOf1AX5x #pride

my co-worker speaking the gospel: http://t.co/GOf1AX5x #pride http://twitter.com/renfieldk/status/225877846520905730

I'm at Starbucks Coffee 錦糸町テルミナ2店 (墨田区, 東京都) http://t.co/NxCrfqI7

I'm at Starbucks Coffee 錦糸町テルミナ2店 (墨田区, 東京都) http://t.co/NxCrfqI7 http://twitter.com/renfieldk/status/225799254613041154

I am helping to formally establish our "Pride" group at work, but I am stuck on the Big Issue: is it LGBT? or GLBT?

I am helping to formally establish our "Pride" group at work, but I am stuck on the Big Issue: is it LGBT? or GLBT? http://twitter.com/renfieldk/status/225782404835577857

FLASHBACK: Romney Challenged Kennedy To Release Tax Returns — Will Romney Release His Own? http://t.co/4TCPhDMi via @thinkprogress

FLASHBACK: Romney Challenged Kennedy To Release Tax Returns — Will Romney Release His Own? http://t.co/4TCPhDMi via @thinkprogress http://twitter.com/renfieldk/status/225777935305560065

Lunch

Lunch
Originally uploaded by renfield

Princess shoes!

Princess shoes!
Originally uploaded by renfield

Living the alternative lifestyle agenda

Commuters

Commuters
Originally uploaded by renfield

RT @cs2nd: Olympics 2012: sexism row as Japan's female athletes fly lower class http://t.co/qxh7ZuQ3 via @zite

RT @cs2nd: Olympics 2012: sexism row as Japan's female athletes fly lower class http://t.co/qxh7ZuQ3 via @zite http://twitter.com/renfieldk/status/225723994563817473

Motivation

Motivation
Originally uploaded by renfield

Dinner!

Dinner!
Originally uploaded by renfield

Cobb salad, cheeseless

Cobb salad, cheeseless
Originally uploaded by renfield

Anti-piracy group fined for stealing music - Yahoo! News http://t.co/8hyLXnul via @YahooNews

Anti-piracy group fined for stealing music - Yahoo! News http://t.co/8hyLXnul via @YahooNews http://twitter.com/renfieldk/status/225445432707395586

Lunch

Lunch
Originally uploaded by renfield

I earned 1025 points for my workout on @Fitocracy! http://t.co/1zKDS4BW

I earned 1025 points for my workout on @Fitocracy! http://t.co/1zKDS4BW http://twitter.com/renfieldk/status/225425096838365184

I'm at WOW'D! Akasaka ワウディー赤坂 (千代田区, 東京都) http://t.co/8HJtH2kD

I'm at WOW'D! Akasaka ワウディー赤坂 (千代田区, 東京都) http://t.co/8HJtH2kD http://twitter.com/renfieldk/status/225414534125461504

RT @Shogannai: The New York punctuation, no? > RT @Durf: Google Translate displays the importance of punctuation to meaning http://t.co/1yUEnz8h

RT @Shogannai: The New York punctuation, no? > RT @Durf: Google Translate displays the importance of punctuation to meaning http://t.co/1yUEnz8h http://twitter.com/renfieldk/status/225227826704551936

RT @Shogannai: Must read > Nuclear issue puts increasing pressure on Japan government http://t.co/aHbh9qlx

RT @Shogannai: Must read > Nuclear issue puts increasing pressure on Japan government http://t.co/aHbh9qlx http://twitter.com/renfieldk/status/225224957372801024

New subway train

New subway train
Originally uploaded by renfield

1000 kei!

Salad!

Salad!
Originally uploaded by renfield

Snack time

Snack time
Originally uploaded by renfield

yamada-sensei weekend

Yamada-sensei was up from Kyushu so I was in the dojo pretty much all of the 3-day weekend.
Got a late start on Saturday because his plane was delayed. Then all day Sunday and most of Monday.
A couple of serious "aha!" moments which made it all worth it. And got properly schooled (aka beaned in the head) a few times to really hammer the message home.
Recently Yamada-sensei has been drilling us on teaching, too. He makes three or four of us demonstrate a technique or kata and talk through it, highlighting the important points. Then he has us correct some of the newer students, again making sure we hit the key points and explain them in the right way. He is most concerned (and rightly so) that even if we can't perfectly demonstrate, we can at least explain what is SUPPOSED to be done. And he wants to make sure we're all teaching it correctly and in the same way.
Hugely beneficial to be put on the spot, not just to DO something, but to talk through it using the right words. He always jumps in "Mmm? Hit there? Or CUT there? Right foot out? Pointing where? Straight? WHY?"
A great weekend of learning and getting bone tired.
Even managed to jam in my weight-lifting workout, and that really killed me, too.

Lunch

Lunch
Originally uploaded by renfield

taxi after doctor

taxi after doctor
Originally uploaded by renfield

Ah, the poor Mo-ster.
Got himself a wee infection in his most precious of body parts. A little red, a little swelling, a little itchy...now he has a small tube of antibiotic ointment and (hopefully) a better understanding of the need to clean thoroughly with soap and water all the crevices and crannies of his wee man-parts.
Skipping the circumcision teaches you the hard lessons of life in harsh reality: wash that package!

Lunch

Lunch
Originally uploaded by renfield

I'm at bodyplant http://t.co/17Yk60XQ

I'm at bodyplant http://t.co/17Yk60XQ http://twitter.com/renfieldk/status/224721090059042816

I'm at 劔和会　青山道場 http://t.co/ujEs289l

I'm at 劔和会　青山道場 http://t.co/ujEs289l http://twitter.com/renfieldk/status/224664044559273985

Sleeping

Sleeping
Originally uploaded by renfield

Lunch

Lunch
Originally uploaded by renfield

I'm at 劔和会　青山道場 http://t.co/ZKASIyDq

I'm at 劔和会　青山道場 http://t.co/ZKASIyDq http://twitter.com/renfieldk/status/224302705559089152

Fish head

Fish head
Originally uploaded by renfield

I'm at 魚真乃木坂店 (Uoshins) (港区, 東京都) http://t.co/2XWEPRJA

I'm at 魚真乃木坂店 (Uoshins) (港区, 東京都) http://t.co/2XWEPRJA http://twitter.com/renfieldk/status/224087831444848640

I'm at 劔和会　青山道場 http://t.co/26xoYn9W

I'm at 劔和会　青山道場 http://t.co/26xoYn9W http://twitter.com/renfieldk/status/223976599794630656

Lunch

Lunch
Originally uploaded by renfield

Dinner

Dinner
Originally uploaded by renfield

Nuclear Operator in Japan Exonerates Itself in Report http://t.co/m7kO13y8

Nuclear Operator in Japan Exonerates Itself in Report http://t.co/m7kO13y8 http://twitter.com/renfieldk/status/223700150793666560

DealBook: Geithner Tried to Curb Rate Rigging in 2008 http://t.co/lQxbf8gp

DealBook: Geithner Tried to Curb Rate Rigging in 2008 http://t.co/lQxbf8gp http://twitter.com/renfieldk/status/223698389806751745

Afternoon tea

Afternoon tea
Originally uploaded by renfield

Sorry, Romney, You Can't Be Chairman, CEO, And President And Not Be Responsible For What It Does... http://t.co/ytNlMtPV via @bi_politics

Sorry, Romney, You Can't Be Chairman, CEO, And President And Not Be Responsible For What It Does... http://t.co/ytNlMtPV via @bi_politics http://twitter.com/renfieldk/status/223621624023355392

Lunch

Lunch
Originally uploaded by renfield

Rice, chicken, spinach, broccoli, cucumber

I earned 1000 points for my workout on @Fitocracy! http://t.co/lBF3JmoC

I earned 1000 points for my workout on @Fitocracy! http://t.co/lBF3JmoC http://twitter.com/renfieldk/status/223612785307820033

I'm at WOW'D! Akasaka ワウディー赤坂 (千代田区, 東京都) http://t.co/4iWP670R

I'm at WOW'D! Akasaka ワウディー赤坂 (千代田区, 東京都) http://t.co/4iWP670R http://twitter.com/renfieldk/status/223602351246819331

ESPN The Magazine http://t.co/pjKqKdfi

ESPN The Magazine http://t.co/pjKqKdfi http://twitter.com/renfieldk/status/223588980246061056

WikiLeaks claims victory in case against VISA — RT http://t.co/zVgt0odV

WikiLeaks claims victory in case against VISA — RT http://t.co/zVgt0odV http://twitter.com/renfieldk/status/223569521036894210

I'm at 劔和会　青山道場 http://t.co/uFpP6faM

I'm at 劔和会　青山道場 http://t.co/uFpP6faM http://twitter.com/renfieldk/status/223366912963391488

chicken fajita burrito

chicken fajita burrito
Originally uploaded by renfield

90g chicken, lettuce, 1/4 avocado, grilled green peppers and onions, pinch
of cheese, tomato salsa, tortilla

goodbye, hello

goodbye, hello
Originally uploaded by renfield

Every now and then, my starbucks receipt has a URL and a secret code number. Going to the URL and entering the secret code number leads to a simple customer survey, easily completed in minutes. The result of the survey is yet another secret code, this one good for ONE FREE ANYTHING BEVERAGE.
My Jewish mom taught me well; anything free needs to be maximized to the full extent possible, specifically regarding food.
So I have inhaled this artery-clogging behemoth: venti soy chocolate chip macha cream frappuccino, with whipped cream. Six hundred and eighty calories.
And with that, I say good-bye.

I have done a number of healthy endeavors these past couple of years; started with Peak Condition Project, then Kung Fu Body, Six Week Chisel, and recently a Repeak.

For the past few months I've played around with various other healthy fads and schemes: Intermittent Fasting and LeanGains, weight training for strength, MMA, running...

But I am basically lazy and like being told what to do, so I have embarked upon a new adventure.
For the next 12 weeks, I am going to get ripped.
The premise is quite simple:

Lift heavy weights three times a week

Squat
Deadlift
Overhead Press
Row

Eat for 8 hours, fast for 16

Sleeping counts, since I'm not eating!

Eat appropriate macros (carbs, protein, fat)

Cycle carbs
Lots of protein
Lots of green veggies
Whatever else that fits in my macros

So: good-bye nasty giant frappuccino; there is no room in my macros for you. Hello spinach, chicken, shrimp, and spinach. You have all been good friends, and will continue to be.
Hello rice, it's been a while but you can forgive me.
Hello occasional chocolate, too. Our love-hate relationship will get better. You are still awesome, but only in moderation.

Though I will be tracking all kinds of nifty numerical metrics to gauge progress, I don't have any specific target numbers in mind. Instead, the trends I want to see are:

Lifts: heavier weight, or at least no decline in strength since am 'cutting' to lose fat and hopefully will not lose too much muscle
Waist: smaller
Body-fat percentage: no clue, as I don't have a good way to measure anyway
Weight: could not fucking care less; likely to go up as fat is replaced by more dense muscle
More abdominal vascularity
Height: + 10cm at least

I will start blogging all my food again, for those who missed that old habit of mine.
Will also keep tracking my workouts on Fitocracy.com, if you care.

As you must realize by now, the real point of publicly blogging about this is to force accountability on myself. If I wimp out days or weeks into it, I face potential Scorn On Teh Intertubes, a fate my fragile ego is unlikely to handle well.
Your support (and humiliation when I weaken) is much appreciated.