The Recomp Chronicles

Tag: life

  • Mid-Week Check-In: Beating the All-Nighter Hangover

    Last Friday night’s DR fiasco could’ve wrecked my whole week — the kind of all-nighter that used to leave me foggy, cranky, and sore for days.

    This time? Different story. I gave Saturday to damage control (low movement, enough food to function, plenty of water), then made Sunday all about recovery.

    I slept great Saturday night, and spent Sunday relaxing, took a nap, and just enjoyed not getting any emergency calls from work.

    It’s proof that recovery isn’t magic — it’s a skill you can practice. Nail the basics (sleep, hydration, protein, and not pretending you’re still 19), and even a rough night doesn’t have to derail your training week.

    Monday

    Solid start to the week. A little tired, but my run felt good. Since I had missed Saturdays run due to the all-nighter, I did a run instead of leg day. After my run, Bane and Ivy enjoyed their walk. I seem to have come through the all-nighter with minimal fallout — a huge change compared to the last couple of times it took almost a week to feel normal again.

    Tuesday

    Woke up early thanks to an itchy Bane, but resisted the urge to stack another run so soon in half-marathon prep. Played the long game instead of chasing short-term mileage. The goal was to make sure the last traces of the all-nighter were well and truly gone — mission accomplished.

    Wednesday

    Wrapped up my first pass through the GMB Resilience program. I’m going to go through it again with an emphasis on cleaner form — especially transitioning from knee planks to full planks as my wrists loosen up. At 49, the joints have opinions, and my wrists still need some coaxing before they’re happy with the full range of motion.

    All in all it’s been a good week so far. The all-nighter threw me a curve ball, but I managed to come through it quickly and with no lingering effects.

    Still lifting. Still losing. Still showing up. (Usually)

  • The Recomp Chronicles – Week 2: Painful but Honest

    Week 2 of Fit by 50 is in the books, and let’s just say…it was a bit of a roller coaster. Not the exciting, loop-de-loop kind. More like one that you get to the top, feeling excited, and you go over the top and realize that they forgot to finish the tracks at the bottom.

    I started the week strong:

    • Monday was a solid legs and shoulders day, plus mobility, dog walks, and even a Kickfit session.
    • Protein was on point, water was on point, and my mood was good despite Bane’s nighttime antics.

    Then Tuesday rolled in with its favorite trick: alarm sabotage.

    • Bane decided 3 AM was a good time to go outside, so I laid back down and overslept and missed my run.
    • Energy was decent, but it set the tone for the week: start-stop, a little frustrated, but still trying.

    By Wednesday, I rallied for chest and triceps—good session, solid pump, and even a dog walk. I felt like I was back on track…until the back half of the week.

    Here’s the honest part:

    • Thursday was a “I’m doing stuff, but not the stuff I planned” day. I hit mobility and treadmill walking instead of running.
    • Friday, I woke up with a headache and waved the white flag on my gym session.
    • Saturday? Full fuck it mode. Saw the scale jump, got frustrated, and just froze up.

    But here’s the reality check I had to swallow with my coffee:

    • My waist is down 0.28 inches and tape-measured body fat dropped 0.41%.
    • Scale weight lies in the short term. Tape and trends tell the truth.

    I can see the pattern now: bad sleep + emotional scale reaction = spiral.

    Next week’s mantra:

    Move every day, lift three times, track most days, sleep like I mean it.

    Starting all of this over again reminds me of one of the old old old cars, when they had to crank the engine with a lever. It’s hard to get stared, it bucks and fights and doesn’t want to do it, but if you kept at it, sure as shit it would go. I’ll keep cranking, and eventually I’m gonna catch, and I’m gonna go.

    Still lifting.
    Still losing.
    Still showing up. (Usually.)

  • The Recomp Chronicles: Midweek Momentum – Week 2

    It’s Thursday morning, and I’m feeling surprisingly good heading into the second half of the week.

    Monday kicked things off with unilateral legs and shoulders, and I found my groove with controlled, balanced sets. GMB and core work flowed right after, plus an evening Kickfit session to shake out the legs. Even with Bane’s 1 a.m. “itch alarm,” I woke up feeling like my body is finally adapting to the early mornings. Mood was solid, soreness was manageable, and my energy carried me through the day.

    Tuesday was supposed to be a run day, but life—and Bane’s allergy wake-ups—had other plans. I slept past the alarm and didn’t force it. Instead, I leaned into mobility and recovery work, staying consistent without digging into my recovery hole. That little adjustment kept my energy high and my mood steady.

    By Wednesday, it was chest and triceps day, and I hit it hard. Machines let me push to near-max RPE without worrying about balance, and the finisher dips burned in the best way. GMB, mobility, and some wrist and elbow rehab kept my body feeling aligned. I skipped the morning steam to make time for the dog walk, but I made up for it with Kickfit in the evening—double cardio for the win.

    Despite some broken sleep (thanks, itchy Bane), my energy and mood have stayed up and positive. My macros have been on point, hydration is locked in, and soreness is low. I’m still getting my rhythm with half marathon training, but I’m not frustrated. I’m hopeful to kick off my run progression next week—and when I do, the base I’ve built over these last two weeks will make that transition much smoother.

    Takeaway for the week so far:

    • Consistency > perfection. Adjusting instead of forcing runs has kept me feeling good.
    • Hydration and macros matter. Hitting 200+g protein and nearly 200g carbs daily is paying off in recovery.
    • Sleep isn’t perfect, but I’m adapting. Naps and smart swaps are keeping my energy steady.

    I can feel the momentum building. Week 2 isn’t flashy, but it’s foundational—and right now, that’s exactly what I need.

    Still lifting. Still recovering. Still showing up. Usually. 💪🐾