Progress report 3, 4 & 5 of 32

Progress report 3, 4 & 5 of 32

So obviously took a couple weeks off the “blogging” and along with it the lifting plan.  I’ve made a half hazard attempt at keeping the calories under control.  Luckily, I’ve maintained my handy dandy spreadsheet, so I do have some numbers to report.

6/11 210 25%

6/18 212 25%

6/26 208.8 24.8% (yeah, I found an extra point on my scale, and pushed my weigh in a day)

Anyway… let’s talk about this little setback and what it’s taught me.  First, my exercise plan didn’t fit my lifestyle.  Mainly due to Saturday night socializing (read: drinking)… I didn’t want to lift on Sunday’s hungover (imagine that :P), and it was basically setting the pace for the week.  Read: I missed my Sunday exercise, so I’d drink Monday night, which lead to recovering Tuesday… followed by playing catch up on Weds (instead of working out)… and it was just all falling apart.  Add into the mix we had inventory and year end at work (read: extra stress and long hours)… let’s just say the last few weeks have been challenging.  That said, I have reigned it back in… and managed to lift Monday and again Thursday (this being the furthest two points from my Saturday libations, and thanks to a change in parenting schedule, a night without the kids—making it even easier to stick to).    So to recap, I’ve changed my workout days to allow my “social” night, you might also noticed I changed my progress report date (from Weds to Thurs)… I’m doing this to give my body as much time as possible to “re-comp” between workouts.  Mainly, because after following my weight/body fat for years, I’ve noticed it’s usually at it’s worst a day or two after lifting--I assume because I’m doing a good job a beating my muscles down.   That is one thing I’ll give myself credit for, Monday’s lifting (however brief) did get pushed to failure, and I feel it (read: doms and adjusted posture)… anyway, long story short… I think I’m back on track.

All that said, I've managed to really keep my calories tight this week, and it's feeling very good to have two workouts under my belt. Also, looking at the above trend (losing both fat and muscle) I've adjusted my target calories up from 2100 to 2300... I'll keep em there for a couple weeks and see how it turns out. 

I'll try to get some more pics up this weekend.

Progress Report 2 of 32

211lbs @ 25%

Got a walk in since my last update... had a few ridiculous eating days (upwards of 3000 cals), but at least according to the scale, not so much that I blew my progress. 

Pics

As promised before pics.  Again 215/26%

Challenges

So, I figured I’d offer a little more about me and my specific challenges with getting healthy.  The real road blocks for getting in shape, and how I hope to overcome them…  anyway here’s what I’ve come up with.

For starters, I dislike exercise…  it’s not something I choose to spend my time on.  If I’m guilty of any sin, it’s definitely sloth.  Generally speaking, I’d simply rather think than move…  That’s why I chose HIT (less reps, less exercises, less often)… I figure, if I can bang my lifting routine out in 20 minutes twice a week, my chances of sticking with it will increase dramatically.  Luckily, I can handle intense anaerobic exercise pretty well (if it’s short and sweet).  My hope is that by seeing some results (from it and the diet), it’ll provide the motivation needed to add another day, or expand upon my routine.   

More importantly, I LOATHE, detest, abhor me some cardio.  Seriously, the last thing I EVER want to do is get my heart rate up, and feel my heart pumping, I just don’t like that feeling… AT ALL.  That’s going to be my biggest hurdle.  So, I’ve decided to simply walk… now, I’ll do so briskly, but walking (at any pace) doesn’t feel like cardio (or even exercise) to me.  I think I developed an aversion to cardio from my days in sports (jumping rope, jogging etc. until I thought my head/chest were going to explode, and I was going to puke)… never liked it since, and will avoid it all costs.  I have two exceptions to that rule hiking/climbing, and working over a heavy bag.  Sadly, living in Columbus (read: glacial flatlands), the nearest hiking trails are literally an hour away, and a heavy bag isn’t in the budget right now.  So, I’ll make the drive on weekends (when possible) to hike… otherwise, it’s walks around the park and or neighborhood for my “cardio”. 

Another big hurdle is going to be my job.  I’m a food buyer, I sit behind a desk all day, and what’s worse?  I buy for a candy and snack company.  In fact, there was a bag of malt ball centers sitting on my desk all day, and it took every ounce of my willpower not to open (and subsequently demolish) them.  I also get wined and dined by prospective vendor’s regularly… it’s almost like the sales reps are in competition with one another for who can take me to the nicest, most elaborate (and often most fattening) meal out… luckily, I control what I order, and I can opt to “taste” samples in small enough qty that I don’t blow my calorie budget. 

My girlfriend and I are both foodies and beer snobs…  the beer I’m going to just accept I have to let go… but I can satisfy the foodie in me with healthy meals (more fresh herbs, seasonings etc.)… I’ll probably do poorly with my sodium intake, but I can (and will) make healthy taste good.

Lastly, genetics.  Now, I’m not going to cry about being a hard-gainer, cause I’m far from it (I actually respond well to weight training)… but my body fights to retain some fat, and in that respect, I’m a “hard-loser”.  The only time in my life I’ve been lean (sub 10%) was when I was at the peak of my training for kickboxing… to achieve that, I was exercising a minimum of an hour a day (on my off days)… and on my training days, it wasn't at all uncommon to see 4+…  what upsetting about that, is I know other guys on the same program were at half my body fat%.  The fact is, I’ve got Norseman genetics (tall, fair skin, light hair, blue eyes), and my body loves it a layer of “protective” blubber…  getting below 15% body fat is damn difficult for this fella…  especially considering I pack the stuff on everywhere.  But I guess that’s what diet and exercise are for…  and I’m hoping, that having my LBM at the highest it’s ever been (which it currently is), will change the rules of what I know about how my body hangs on to fat…  if not, I may have to work a little harder (than I’d like) as I get into the home stretch.    

Progress Report 1 of 32

So… 32 weeks until 12/31.

So for this progress report, I’m 215lbs, 26% body fat.

I’ve got the better part of a week of healthy eating under my belt, and my introductory workout complete (legs and chest are not happy today :P).  I’ve managed to get good rest, and stay away from drinking.  It’s a slow start… but I’m happy with myself for getting this ball rolling!  Planning to go for a walk tonight (assuming Ohio’s monsoon season lets up).

Tracking/Reporting

I’ve already mentioned I’ll be monitoring my progress with my phone.

Calorie Counter by Fatsecret for diet

JeFit for exercise

I’ve also got a spreadsheet that I’ve been using for years (when I’m serious about getting in shape)…  I track target calories, weigh-ins, workout plans etc… hopefully I can link or attach it, because it offers some valuable insight into my progress and tons of history. 

Again, I’ll be using the same scale (with electronic fat monitor)…  I don’t trust it to be completely accurate (it was less than $20) but it’ll be some gauge of my progress.

I’ll post some before pics here this weekend, I may or may not photo document the rest of my progress (I like to see big changes)… and at the very least give a weekly progress report with weigh-in and advise of any changes in my plan, challenges I’ve faced etc.

The plan/how I'm going to get there

So… first order of business is my terrible diet. 

Common sense tells me, if I don’t want to feel like garbage, I’ve got to stop consuming garbage…  so, no more bacon cheeseburgers, greasy foods, or soda.  The drinking stops too, and I’m weaning myself off the cigarettes as well.  I will allow myself one cheat meal a week, and with it a couple of beers… but it’s getting reigned in big time. 

Using Scooby’s calculator (and several others), I’ve determined I need to be about 2100 calories to drop a pound a week.  Now, I’m a busy guy, and this is a big change… so to start, I’m going to give myself a 100 calorie window  (2000-2200), and I’m not going to concern myself with macros.  To make sure I hit my target, I’m tracking everything I eat with the “FatSecret Calorie Counter” on my phone. 

I’ll be supplementing daily within the rules of Scooby’s contest:

Fish Oil

Creatine Monohydrate

Protein

Multivitamin

Brewed Tea and Coffee

For exercise, I’m going with low volume/HIT and walking, with a weekly bonus exercise.  My lifting routine will be 10 exercises with a target of 10 reps to failure, 2 times a week.  I’m using a dumbbell set (that I spent way more than Scooby’s $40 budget on… but that was many years ago, so hopefully you’ll cut me some slack :P).  For now, I’m going to be easing myself into it… last night I only did a set of squats and floor presses (but I’m already feeling the doms set in), and I’ll do that again this week…. Next week, I’ll step it up to 5 exercises, and the following week I’ll graduate to my full 10… changing up the routine every 4-6 weeks.  Additionally, I’ll make it a point to go for a 30 min walk 2-3x a week… and aim to do something fun like an hr or longer hike/climbing once a week.  I’ll be tracking my exercise on my phone too (with Jefit). 

In addition to this, I’ll be aiming for a minimum of 8hrs sleep, sucking down tons of water, and hopefully incorporating some daily mindfulness meditation too.