On the morning of January 25th I weighed 251 lbs. Progress - ever-slowing progress, but I'll take it.
Temptation is like a torpedo. And that's all I'm gonna say about that.
My increases in strength, muscle mass and conditioning are coming at an ever-increasing rate, though - I'll take that, too.
I've upped my carb intake a bit, and I'm currently only doing carb reduction after days where I didn't eat as cleanly as I'd liked to have. It's helped with my energy levels - definitely getting more from my workouts than at any point previously.
The allure of going keto still isn't enough to make me want to adopt that approach. The results look fine and well, but I'm not sold on the potential long-term repercussions. And until I basically stop getting results doing what I'm doing, I'm going to do my best to stay on my current course...
...Torpedoes be damned.
Onward.
Thursday, January 26, 2017
Friday, January 13, 2017
New Workouts vs. Time Tested Training
Last weekend I signed up for a 12-week fitness challenge via a leading health and fitness website, hoping that it would provide additional fuel for me to stay focused and motivated in the new year. The site hosting the challenge offered a plethora of services and tools to help competitors achieve their best results, including what seemed like a hundred different workouts - many of which are branded by well-known (and some not-so-well-known) experts in the fitness industry.
After several hours of searching, I found a 4-week routine that, at least at first glance, seemed to be both a good fit for my own personal fitness goals and more than capable of helping me compete as it relates to the aforementioned contest. The deal-maker for me ended up being that the program was branded by a trainer who just so happened to be someone whom I admire, and had watched extensively on YouTube.
I began the program in earnest on Monday, with high hopes and the expectation that I'd have my ass handed to me directly.
I was right, but unfortunately, in the absolute worst way.
The routine, while challenging, wasn't worth the time or effort that I spent researching it - much less the injuries incurred from what I believe to be an ill-conceived, poorly thought-out series of movements. I've been nursing an injured back and knee for the past few days that's damned near incapacitated me. Despite the pain, though, I still managed to stay active and gut out my scheduled cardio and weight-training since then (thank you, ibuprofen).
Weigh-in on the 25th will be interesting... Clothes still getting loser, but I'm visibly gaining muscle mass - possibly a few pounds a week, which would more or less equal the rate of fat loss I'd been averaging before I stopped getting on the scale every morning.
Hopefully this long weekend won't bring too much temptation my way. Time to go take a hot shower to ease these aches and pains.
After several hours of searching, I found a 4-week routine that, at least at first glance, seemed to be both a good fit for my own personal fitness goals and more than capable of helping me compete as it relates to the aforementioned contest. The deal-maker for me ended up being that the program was branded by a trainer who just so happened to be someone whom I admire, and had watched extensively on YouTube.
I began the program in earnest on Monday, with high hopes and the expectation that I'd have my ass handed to me directly.
I was right, but unfortunately, in the absolute worst way.
The routine, while challenging, wasn't worth the time or effort that I spent researching it - much less the injuries incurred from what I believe to be an ill-conceived, poorly thought-out series of movements. I've been nursing an injured back and knee for the past few days that's damned near incapacitated me. Despite the pain, though, I still managed to stay active and gut out my scheduled cardio and weight-training since then (thank you, ibuprofen).
Weigh-in on the 25th will be interesting... Clothes still getting loser, but I'm visibly gaining muscle mass - possibly a few pounds a week, which would more or less equal the rate of fat loss I'd been averaging before I stopped getting on the scale every morning.
Hopefully this long weekend won't bring too much temptation my way. Time to go take a hot shower to ease these aches and pains.
Saturday, January 7, 2017
Weekly check-in
18 days until weigh-in.
Staying on point with workouts and the diet have been easier over the last week; things feel more like they did during the high points of this process, when results came easy, and motivation and focus didn't have to be conjured from deep within from rep to rep, meal to meal.
Can't stress enough how meal prep is paramount to any sort of dietary success if you're an on-the-go type, which work makes most of us into. My meals this past week were essentially as follows:
Meal 1 (6:45 AM): Egg, turkey bacon, or sausage for protein and fat; whole-grain toast and and either 1/2 a granny smith apple or mixed fruit (bananas, blueberries, pineapple) for carbs.
Meal 2 (9:30 AM): Nuts and seeds for protein and fat; plantain chips for carbs.
Meal 3 (12:00 PM): Baked chicken or boiled eggs for protein; green salad with fresh veggies for carbs
Meal 4 (3:00 PM): Baked chicken or boiled eggs for protein; green salad with fresh veggies for carbs
Meal 5 (5:00 PM): Strawberry protein shake
I like what's happening with the increases in muscular definition and tone from top to bottom, but I've still got a sizable challenge as it relates to fat loss. I'm more at peace with the fact that it's going to take a while - maybe a calendar year total - to achieve my target weight and look. That's well beyond even my conservative estimates from the beginning of this journey, but I can accept the truth of that much better today than I could a few weeks ago.
Onward.
Staying on point with workouts and the diet have been easier over the last week; things feel more like they did during the high points of this process, when results came easy, and motivation and focus didn't have to be conjured from deep within from rep to rep, meal to meal.
Can't stress enough how meal prep is paramount to any sort of dietary success if you're an on-the-go type, which work makes most of us into. My meals this past week were essentially as follows:
Meal 1 (6:45 AM): Egg, turkey bacon, or sausage for protein and fat; whole-grain toast and and either 1/2 a granny smith apple or mixed fruit (bananas, blueberries, pineapple) for carbs.
Meal 2 (9:30 AM): Nuts and seeds for protein and fat; plantain chips for carbs.
Meal 3 (12:00 PM): Baked chicken or boiled eggs for protein; green salad with fresh veggies for carbs
Meal 4 (3:00 PM): Baked chicken or boiled eggs for protein; green salad with fresh veggies for carbs
Meal 5 (5:00 PM): Strawberry protein shake
- The cold weather here in north Alabama has made for some frosty morning cardio sessions at the start, but by the time they're over I'm warmed through from the effort, which is a nice way to begin the day.
- After cardio, it's 10-15 minutes of body-weight exercises before I hop in the shower to get ready for work.
- I've remained consistent about getting on the treadmill on my breaks at work for anywhere from 10-15 minutes (mid-morning, noon & afternoon).
- Still hitting the treadmill for 30-40 minutes before lifting weights. As far as weight-training, I'm still cycling body parts daily, with no days off. Biceps, Triceps, Shoulders, Back, Legs, Repeat. Abs every day.
I like what's happening with the increases in muscular definition and tone from top to bottom, but I've still got a sizable challenge as it relates to fat loss. I'm more at peace with the fact that it's going to take a while - maybe a calendar year total - to achieve my target weight and look. That's well beyond even my conservative estimates from the beginning of this journey, but I can accept the truth of that much better today than I could a few weeks ago.
Onward.
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