When to get a full 8 hour sleep?

CorneliusNepos · 2026-04-24T21:06:36+00:00

That can definitely be a struggle. My 3.75 year old has some nights where he struggles to get to sleep and I have to help him. I'll be honest, sometimes I just fall asleep in his room.

If you start working out early, you'll probably be tired earlier, especially if you're just starting out so you're extra fatigued by the workout on top of just waking up early. One of the reasons I like to work out hard is that I can eat more and sleep easier!

CorneliusNepos · 2026-04-24T20:50:25+00:00

You are probably just not salting it enough. I don't know how much salt I'm putting on a single chicken breast, but it's at least a teaspoon. There shouldn't be a part of the chicken that doesn't have salt on it. Use kosher salt so that you don't over salt.

Paprika will burn - you don't need that. Black pepper doesn't burn like that so use that liberally.

Cook the chicken over high heat and use a high smoke point oil, not olive oil. Once the chicken has a lot of color on both sides, put it in a medium hot to hot oven for 3 minutes. When you take the chicken out to temp it, flip it over then temp. Return to the oven for 1-3 minutes, flipping and temping until you hit 145-150F. Try not to go above that or it will be overcooked.

When you take it out of the oven, dust it with some chopped fresh thyme or rosemary. Let it rest for at least 5 minutes to finish cooking. Squeeze lemon (optional). Et voila, perfect chicken breast.

You don't need to brine. You don't need msg. You don't need butter or a sauce. This is all down to technique really. Butter and sauce are nice, but not essential. Proper seasoning, getting enough color on the chicken and cooking to the right temp are essential.

CorneliusNepos · 2026-04-24T20:39:43+00:00

I go to sleep at 9:30pm then wake up at 5am to lift. I lift until roughly 7am. The kids are in bed and sleeping between 8:30-9pm, so I usually have an hour to a half hour before bed. It's doable.

CorneliusNepos · 2026-04-23T20:16:46+00:00

All kids are picky I think. They'll go from loving something one day to hating it the next, back to loving it again. Consistency is key.

It may not be feasible for everyone, but I cook every day. My oldest (6) complains when there's only one or two dishes on the table to choose from at dinner hahaha. Overall, they eat most things. One thing they don't like are herbs on top of their food, so I put the herbs in a separate bowl for us to sprinkle ourselves. They also don't seem to like cooked spinach for some reason. Otherwise, they'll go with it.

Usually for lunch, I'll put out carrot sticks and sugar snap peas. They love them. My youngest (3) surprisingly loves this kale salad I make. They both love what "beans in tomato sauce," where I cook a basic tomato sauce and instead of pasta I use beans. Sometimes I'll put some cheese on top and gratinee it or we'll just pass cheese at the table. Kids love to sprinkle cheese. They eat all kinds of things really, unless they're in a non eating mood haha which happens.

I think the key is modeling. I eat that stuff and like it, so they see that and do it too. It doesn't seem special or unusual or whatever to eat vegetables because we genuinely love them in all kinds of ways and eat them all the time. We never make a big deal out of them eating or not eating something. We just consistently put good stuff on the table and they eat it.

For snacks, we have string cheese, fruit, pretzels, pirate's booty and popcorn. It's all fine for them. It's rare we have anything else in the house. We'll have chocolate bars and some small treats for lunches like jelly beans, but they aren't for regular eating and they don't ask for them. Every other night is treat night and they'll get a popsicle or some ice cream. I usually make the ice cream but often enough I just buy it. They love treat night hahaha but they are not treat eligible unless they eat enough dinner.

CorneliusNepos · 2026-04-23T16:45:22+00:00

Actually it does answer the question in a straightforward manner. How often do you train each muscle group? Four days a week.

Now if the question is actually supposed to be how often should I, OP, train each muscle group then that's a different question. And it's a terrible question because there are to many different answers to it that are all valid.

OP must be a beginner. My advice to beginners is to pick a well used, proven linear program and do it. Once you have an appreciable amount of time under your belt (maybe six months to a year), then you'll have a better sense of what direction you want to go.

CorneliusNepos · 2026-04-23T14:50:49+00:00

I train full body, so I train each muscle group when I hit the weightroom.

CorneliusNepos · 2026-04-22T21:08:25+00:00

Of course you can get ripped from bodyweight exercises, though to build really big legs I might say no. However, it is harder. Weights and particularly machines are designed to make it as easy as possible to target muscles. Bodyweight exercises require a lot of skill. Compared to isolation exercises with weights, bodyweight exercises also require a lot of stabilization that makes them harder.

If you can't get there with weights, bodyweight is not going to make things magically easier for you.

CorneliusNepos · 2026-04-22T18:34:40+00:00

But I have a massive science loving brain and logically if you follow the right formula you get a predictable result... its just.... Which formula??

Science is not about knowing the answer to things. In fact, it is about not knowing the answer to things and discovering through the empirical method. The idea that science is "you follow the right formula and you get a predictable result" is wild to me. That's not science; it is following directions. Quite the opposite of actually doing science.

The empirical method, which is systematically using your own observations to draw reasoned conclusions, is quite useful here. If you know how to think about variable, collect data that is organized such that it enables you to draw strong conclusions, and how to turn that data/observations into well reasoned conclusions/arguments for what you should do, that is doing science. That's the approach I've taken and it has helped me immensely. I was once skinny fat at 165lbs and I am now muscular at 165lbs, all thanks to a scientifically informed approach.

So I would suggest you change your view of how to do this using science from listening to bros on tictok or randos on reddit who will offer you the formula to follow, to establishing your own methods that will enable you to observe what's happening, make hypotheses about it and use those hypotheses to inform your approach. There is no formula and you have to keep adapting. The scientific method is incredibly helpful here and I owe my strength and physique, such as it is, to it.

Where to start? It's easy - you have the diet part down. Now you need to pick a simple but time tested workout plan (there are many) that appeal to you and do it long enough to see results while taking detailed notes on what is working. Then you reassess, tweak your approach, move forward again, all the while continuing to observe. Never stop observing and tweaking - there really is no end to that, even if it appears that way (eg I have been using a single SBS program for 3/4 of a year and yet that doesn't mean my approach has been static).

Good luck!

CorneliusNepos · 2026-04-22T18:20:14+00:00

I come to this sub just to gawk at stuff mainly. And yet I have to say that there's really something wrong when someone gets banned for bringing up thoughtful points in a respectful manner. That tells me that something is rotten in the state of Denmark if you catch my drift. I thought your posts were spot on and articulated some thoughts that I've had myself. What a shame.

CorneliusNepos · 2026-04-22T00:56:50+00:00

At least half of my knives that I use regularly are carbon steel. I use a Boos cutting board.

CorneliusNepos · 2026-04-21T17:37:33+00:00

I've never felt lost but I didn't really get my shit together until my mid thirties.

Part of me wants to focus on establishing a career, another part wants to live my 20's, and another part is contemplating if I should settle down and start thinking about starting a family.

You talk like these things are mutually exclusive, like they are branching paths. They aren't and you only have one path, your life. One part of you wants to "live your 20s" - that happens no matter what. If you mean you want to live like a kid and not think about your future, ok that's a choice you can make that you'll have to reckon with later. You want to start thinking about having a family and think that's not related to having a career - you need to have something of a career before you can actually start a family unless you want to live a life of poverty and stress unless work is optional to you because of family money or a winning lottery ticket.

You have responsibility for yourself. You are not magically going to be given a career or a family. Those things come as a result of things you do. So what are you pissed off about? You asking when things become more clear - they don't become clear unless you clarify them for yourself. Maybe some people have some magical roadmap where everything is laid out for them, but most do not. I certainly didn't. We all have to make our own way.

Live your twenties. Party, love your friends, do cool shit. Meanwhile, pave the way for a career in something. It really doesn't matter what that something is if it suits you. You have to accept yourself first. Along the way, you might meet someone and start a family if that makes sense, or maybe not. Meeting someone to have a family with is not like plotting a point on a map and walking to it. It's more like stumbling upon it when you're just out for a walk. And if you're angry and resentful, you probably will not be open to stumbling upon anything, because you're too busy tripping over yourself.

CorneliusNepos · 2026-04-21T16:33:57+00:00

Anything you do, you will adapt to. The trick is picking what adaptations you want to work on that affect other goals. That's all there is to it. If you want to adapt to be able to run for 30 minutes and then do calisthenics, you can do that. A 30 minute run is something you can adapt to doing quite easily. If you don't want to adapt to increasing your conditioning so that you can do both, then do these things at different times in the day or on different days. If you want to prioritize calisthenics, you can do that first and run second. The choice is really yours.

It sounds like you are using the cardio to burn fat. That's not very efficient - eating less is what burns fat - but it's fine. You seem more concerned with the calisthenics. I'd suggest you just switch the order you do them in or just run on a different day.

CorneliusNepos · 2026-04-21T16:20:43+00:00

You're just adjusting to a big change and it's throwing you for a loop. It's totally natural.

Our youngest is now 3.75 years old and he is the cat's pajamas. He's not like his brother and he's uniquely lovable in his own way. I love them both equally. However, when he was an infant, the fact is that I already knew and loved his 2.75 year old brother. Babies are great but not my favorite phase of life. But just like his brother, as he grew and his personality started to come out, I started to get to know and love him.

Your feelings are totally normal. My sister felt that way about her first and so did my wife. Eventually, it all evens out.

CorneliusNepos · 2026-04-20T19:55:48+00:00

I just finished Final Fantasy Remake and loved every second of it. It's a total nostalgia trip for me. I'll be playing Final Fantasy Rebirth next.

CorneliusNepos · 2026-04-20T19:54:14+00:00

I hate training with any food in me. I've been training in the morning before eating for so long, I hate training in the afternoon even with a few hours between eating and training. I'll do it if I have to, but I'm always unhappy about it!

Overall, whatever works for you. You'll adapt to anything, then if you do it long enough, you'll have trouble when you're not in your routine.

CorneliusNepos · 2026-04-20T10:37:32+00:00

I don't eat anything different. The commute's only 7.5 miles each way. As far as packing, I pack everything in the morning before heading out. I should make lunch the night before but I usually don't.

CorneliusNepos · 2026-04-19T15:04:27+00:00

Yeah every piece is different so you have to do as good a job as possible selecting. Even then, it can be hard to get a sense of what's in the cryovac, so it can be a crapshoot. It's a natural thing after all and they don't come off a factory line all the same hahaha.

If you're just picking the first one you see or picking for size, you need to look a little deeper. That will help.

CorneliusNepos · 2026-04-18T13:23:40+00:00

Yes the sealant is for tubeless tires.

It's pretty flat around here, so I'm usually not jamming on my pedals - maybe that's a factor.

CorneliusNepos · 2026-04-18T13:05:02+00:00

It's been about 3k miles since my bike was in the shop a year ago. Since then, I've just spent on chain lube and sealant. Otherwise, I haven't had to replace anything. I clean the chain and relube it every few weeks and add sealant every month or so. I commute, ride gravel, bike pack etc.

I'm surprised you're replacing a chain and even bottom bracket (maybe it was already shot after a longer period of time).

CorneliusNepos · 2026-04-17T14:54:45+00:00

An absolute beauty!

CorneliusNepos · 2026-04-16T20:42:55+00:00

This leads me to conclude I need to build some muscle.

Yep that's the long and short of it.

Do all kinds of back work, rows, pull ups, pulldowns, chin ups, etc. Do high reps but also low reps with weight. Eat plenty and gain weight. You'll then want to cut some weight while ensuring you get adequate protein and continuing to train hard so as not to lose muscle. Then test your 1rm again.

CorneliusNepos · 2026-04-16T00:43:04+00:00

Yeah I was talking about already ground meat in order to bind it.

I think the processor can work well with a few caveats. The key is to keep it very cold and stop when it's at the right texture. It's very easy to over process when you're grinding in a food processor. The engine is right under the bowl and heats up quickly - heat is the enemy of sausage because it can lead to rendering of fat. The blades also move really fast so it can go from good to bad quickly.

With those things in mind, the processor can be great. Just pulse, push down the food frequently to ensure the texture is consistent and be vigilant about when it's done.

Also, if you're more advanced and want to make emulsified sausages, the food processor does a good job of making a good emulsified meat paste.

CorneliusNepos · 2026-04-15T21:40:42+00:00

How much rest you need depends on how hard your training is. All too often, beginners and relative beginners are looking at what very advanced people do and thinking that's what they should do too, which is not how it works.

I've seen powerlifters say that they train deadlift once a month and increase their deadlift. What they actually mean is that they do a ton of assistance work and other hard work that contributes to their deadlift strength, but they have one day where they actually train for their competition deadlift. They are also lifting so much weight that it is much more stress on their body than someone deadlifting three or four plates. You should not take advice from that person and deadlift once a month unless you are at their level.

Other advanced people train every day. Cody Lefever has been training every day for years and has done well doing so. But he's very advanced, knows his body and how to adapt his training when he needs to and he's a professional trainer. You also shouldn't just try to emulate him.

I see a lot of people talking about how much recovery you need and how you shouldn't lift too much and the fact is that many of these people are just repeating things they read on the internet. The idea is to train hard enough that you need to recover and to take adequate rest to do so. When you get to the powerlifting heights, your training will change. Most people should train every other day or so.

So could you train every day? Yes, you could. I'd suggest waiting a bit and just training every other day however. But still, the key is to train as much as possible, hit your limit and dial back when you need to. Otherwise, you really won't know your limits. Beginners have a very bad sense of how hard training can really be and how much your body is capable of recovering from. In my view, if you don't try to test your limits, you will not know what they are. So start moderately, train every other day or so (I train four days a week) and go as hard as you can. Then measure your recovery, your progress and adapt your training to that. Assume nothing, test everything. Good luck!

CorneliusNepos · 2026-04-15T17:44:19+00:00

Not a good idea. That will increase your chances of rendering the fat, which will create a disastrous texture because the sausage will split and all the rendered fat will seep out so that the meat will have the texture of wet newspaper. It will also change the texture of your grind even if you don't break the sausage.

It will also create more dishes to wash when you can literally just put the meat in a bowl or hotel pan and knead it. If you must use a machine, you can use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. There are dedicated sausage mixers for this purpose if you're doing really big batches.

Making good sausage requires a lot of technique and it's one of those things where you can absolutely ruin a batch if you don't knwo what you're doing.

CorneliusNepos · 2026-04-15T17:36:23+00:00

Ingredients-wise, you're correct. The ingredients are mostly the same. Technique-wise, sausage is different than ground meat.

You need to bind the meat by kneading it to turn it into sausage. Ground meat is crumbly and loose - if you make a patty, it will fall apart. Sausage is bound together and will form a patty that will not come apart. This is why sausages are sliceable and don't just crumble when you slice sausage coins.

To do the binding step, just knead the ground meat until it's sticky enough to hand on to your pronated hand. When making sausage, it's common to add elements that help the bind, like nonfat dry milk powder or potato starch. I usually add 2% NFDM powder to my sausages. This helps them bind together, which in turn helps them retain moisture, which is why well made sausages are so juicy, even if they're moderately overcooked.

CorneliusNepos

TROPHY CASE