Struggling with my body fat percentage

I feel fitter today that I have in a very long time. It's possible that I am the fittest that I have ever been, but I'm still not content. No matter what I do, I can't get below 16-17% body fat. My goal is 13%. I've cut back drinking dramatically and am constantly watching my carb intake, but I can't get below that 16% line for very long. It's as if my body is fighting to stay at this range.

For all my exercising, once in the morning and once in the afternoon for class, you would think it would be easy. I think on the days I workout, I average about 1-2 hours of exercise. Typically, I rest on the weekend. My sleep is good too. I try to shoot for 8 hours or 7 if I get to bed late. That's more than the average person I know.

I also keep losing weight though my goal is to make muscle gains. I am currently around 150 pounds and dipping to the 140's. So if I am not losing fat, I must be losing muscle, but I look more cut than ever and I'm seeing more muscle definition than I ever have on me. I am also as strong, if not stronger than ever.

I'm not sure what the problem is or where my equilibrium is, but I really want to get a little bigger and a little leaner so I can have a hot sexy body. I'm almost certain I'm doing the right things, according to everything I have heard and read, but my body fat readings and weight tell me otherwise... I don't know what to do, but I can't stop until I make my gaol.

Back after a long break

It's been awhile since I have written or posted anything. I kinda fell off the wagon for a short while. I was unemployed for a month and allowed myself to become unfocused and undisciplined. I lost my meditation momentum and started letting my workouts slip. But I'm starting to build up momentum again and am developing my discipline once more.

I started a new morning routine. I have a kettle bell program that I've been on for two weeks. There are 4 workouts per week. Each workout is about 25 minutes long. I started week three this morning.

I'll post more content in the coming days. I also plan on making this blog more personal. I don't always feel like writing about my workouts, but I do always have something to talk about. Good, bad or just confusing, I'll be posting it all here.

Guard Pass to Side Control to Mount

Last night in basics class we drilled the guard pass to side control. From there we drilled how to get to the mount from the knee on belly. That was a new move for me, so I drilled it this morning.

Here are the key points I remember:

1. Once in side control, get your knee under your opponents arm up to his armpit
2. Your hand under your opponents head grab the collar
3. The opposite hand grabs the opponents belt
4. You then pop up to the knee on belly
5. As your opponent attempt to push your knee off
1. Move your hand from his belt to under his arm with your forearm flat on the ground
2. Nearly simultaneously, base out with the hand that was behind his head
6. Walk your hand up past his head as you side your knee off his stomach to his armpit

Monday Morning Drilling

This morning I started getting up at 6am again. I had stopped for a week since I was going to bed a little later. I thought I would be able to stay with my same routine and just start my workout and meditation later, but that hasn't been the case. I need to get up early and make Jiu-Jitsu and Meditation the first thing I do in the morning. That way, no matter what happens later in the day, I will have gotten that done and got my day started on the right foot.

Today I drilled open guard passes to taking the back and open guard passes to the armbar. I also drilled sweeps from the closed guard to the armbar. I went back and forth with that for 30 minutes while listening to the Jocko Podcast #9. Listening to Jocko talk about discipline inspired me to get back to my early morning routine. It's not about finding a time that is convenient to do your workout, it's about making time for your workout, because that is what needs to happen.

Two Times

Today I rolled twice. I rolled once at the noon all-ranks class and again at the 7:30pm basics class. I'm bruised sore and tired, but it's so worth it. I love the cardio I get out of every class. Everything we do is practical and fun. Our warmups are Jiu-Jitsu moves for passing the guard, defending the guard or take downs. There are no wasted motions. Every moment of class is fun and exciting. Even when the sweat is dripping and my body feels like it can't go anymore, I'm still having a blast. An hour class flies by.

I have bruises on both my shins and calves from I don't know what. On my right leg I have a bruise deep inside the calve. That one I know how I got. That's from a knee that came down hard while my opponent passed my guard. I didn't feel it at the time, it just felt like a lot of pressure, but now it feels like a knot deep inside the muscle. I'm going to have to roll that one out.

I also have bruises on both my biceps from drilling the spider guard in the basics class. I'm not complaining though. I'm just pointing them out as badges of honor. I have no serious injuries. This is all part of the game. All part of the struggle to learn the art that may one day save my live. In the meantime, it will strengthen and tone my body into a lean mean fighting machine. Well worth the investment.

Swinging the Bell Again

Got back into swinging the kettlebell today after about a 2 month break. I stopped when I started Jiu-Jitsu since I was constantly sore after class. I didn't want to tax my body too much while I was getting used to the new motions. Now my body has adjusted a bit and soreness is not as much of an issue anymore.

Before I took a break I was swinging a 40lbs bell and trying to get myself up to 45lbs. Today I started light with 36lbs and it felt good. I think if I stick to 36lbs I should be able to swing it at least twice a week and slowly build myself back up to 40lbs comfortably.

My goal is to get fit, build muscle and collect as many of the custom onnit kettlebells as possible. The next one I would like to collect is the 44lbs Cyclops.

Defense Soap

I got some defense soap in the mail yesterday. I heard about it on Joe Rogan. It's supposed to help protect you from common funguses and bacteria which you can pickup from wrestling. Apparently, it's a real issue in Jiu-Jitsu. Some people have even died from poorly treated infections.

The soap is supposed to help preserve your skins natural oils and flora, which is your bodies best defense. In class, we were told that you should take a shower within 4 hours of rolling to prevent whatever you might have picked up from "sticking" to your skin. I guess that is the window before the fungus or bacteria can get a chance to really embed itself onto your skin. I also heard someone mention on the Joe Rogan show that you shouldn't shower 30 minutes before class since your skin flora needs time to recover.

I used the soap last night and enjoyed it. I have sensitive skin. If I don't use the right soap, I get really dry skin, so I am really picky about the soap I use. The soap doesn't really smell like anything other than a light oily smell. It doesn't have any perfumes or other flowery fragrances I can detect, but I have a poor sense of smell. It also seems like a really dense bar, so I think it will last while. Otherwise, it did the trick and got me feeling nice and clean.