Week 11 begins tomorrow. One more week until my workout routine changes again!
Intermittent fasting is now a daily occurrence. Prior to this week, I mostly did it on the weekends - mainly out of both comfort and convenience. Doing it all the time feels instinctual for some reason, so I'm gonna roll with it.
My first meal is typically at 7am, and my calorie cutoff is now 3pm instead of 5. The times may fluctuate a bit on off days and weekends, as I try my best to sleep in a little when my schedule allows it. I'm still eating the same number of calories and macros; still eating the same number of meals, and the same types of foods. It's not always easy, but I've stuck to it.
I continue to see physique improvements; drops in body fat and increases in muscle size and density are both contributing factors. I can now comfortably wear jeans that I haven't been able to fit into in who knows how long. I've also had to buy a new belt; it felt like a moral victory of sorts, and besides - it just isn't practical to punch a second new hole in the old one, which I'll keep around as a mile marker of sorts.
I've also made significant cardiovascular improvements as a direct result of ramping up my cardio sessions a few weeks ago; the reason behind that being that I registered for and will participate in a 5k race taking place on May 12th. Aside from supporting a charitable cause, the preparation for the event gives me yet another fitness goal to achieve. Last Saturday's practice time was 44 minutes; I feel better mentally and physically prepared this week, so hopefully I can improve upon that.
Not gonna lie - it's tough. Also, there's been a noticeable drop in the energy level that I've had for weight lifting. The workouts themselves have been great; it's just been much harder to summon the required intensity to make them that way. Given that I'm not yet at the point where I'll want to take in the calories that would accompany a pre-workout concoction, the only two things that I'm willing to address it with are trying to consistently sleep more each night and/or what I consume during my allowed calorie intake window.
Formulating an idea and acting on it only amounts to one half of a good success plan; equally important is learning how to to adjust on the fly.
Saturday, April 28, 2018
Wednesday, April 18, 2018
Day 67: Breaks that Make You
My daily routine is a critical component in my drive towards achieving my fitness goals. But, as ardent as I've been in my pursuit of those goals, a few things that happened recently have reminded me how a bit of spontaneity can be equally important to my success.
On the weekend signaling the end of Week 8 and the start Week 9 - in celebration of my wife's birthday - my family and I packed up the car for a long weekend, and spent 3 days on the beaches of Florida. I wasn't aware of it at first, but it was just the respite that we all needed.
For them, it was their first 'real' beach experience; however, we all got to take in the beautiful scenery, get plenty of fresh air and exercise, dine on spectacular seafood, and spend lots quality time together as a family. All-in-all, it was the perfect disruption to the grind that life in a family of 4 (particularly with two young children) can sometimes be.
We brought along enough of our healthy snacks to make sure that we'd always have 'plan approved' foods on hand. We also did our research beforehand, and took advantage of the the culinary options that allowed us to stay mostly on track. But for the first time in this current journey, I did relax my diet just a bit.
My guilty pleasure of choice? 4 slices of meat lover's pizza from a regional chain.
To be honest, I didn't even enjoy it for that long... The way that stuff made me feel a few hours after eating it was NOT worth the price of admission. And my wife - who's been my partner on this meal plan for the past 6 weeks - felt the exact same way. We couldn't get back to eating healthy soon enough!
After returning from vacation at the start of Week 9, I switched up my weight training routine again. Simple changes; swapping one set of movements for others. Replacing barbell presses with dumbbell presses, and vice-versa. Going from bench-presses to push-ups. Going from free weight movements to cable movements in certain exercises. It may not seem like a lot, but when incorporated into the exercise philosophy that I've been employing for the past few weeks, it introduces the much-ballyhooed 'muscle confusion' that you hear so much about. The proof is in the results; there are few things more rewarding and encouraging than the soreness I feel the morning after a taxing workout, and making musculature and strength gains on a weekly basis.
Week 10 has me feeling as though I've been on this path for much longer than a couple months. So much has changed in the way that I think, look and feel during that time frame. From habits and behaviors, to getting reacquainted with my body's physical potential, I simply can't understand why I ever stopped doing this in the first place. Part of what I hope to accomplish isn't just addressing the deep-seated psychology that nurtured the unhealthy habits from my distant past, but also what allowed those same habits to reform after years of dormancy.
Less than a month now until weigh-day. My re-dedication to fitness just happens to have coincided with several friends and acquaintances who've embarked on weight loss journeys of their own; some with the help of surgery, others who've either gone keto, paleo, or some hybrid between the two. My success will be made manifest regardless... But I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I'm eager to see how my own weight loss results stack up against theirs.
On the weekend signaling the end of Week 8 and the start Week 9 - in celebration of my wife's birthday - my family and I packed up the car for a long weekend, and spent 3 days on the beaches of Florida. I wasn't aware of it at first, but it was just the respite that we all needed.
For them, it was their first 'real' beach experience; however, we all got to take in the beautiful scenery, get plenty of fresh air and exercise, dine on spectacular seafood, and spend lots quality time together as a family. All-in-all, it was the perfect disruption to the grind that life in a family of 4 (particularly with two young children) can sometimes be.
We brought along enough of our healthy snacks to make sure that we'd always have 'plan approved' foods on hand. We also did our research beforehand, and took advantage of the the culinary options that allowed us to stay mostly on track. But for the first time in this current journey, I did relax my diet just a bit.
My guilty pleasure of choice? 4 slices of meat lover's pizza from a regional chain.
To be honest, I didn't even enjoy it for that long... The way that stuff made me feel a few hours after eating it was NOT worth the price of admission. And my wife - who's been my partner on this meal plan for the past 6 weeks - felt the exact same way. We couldn't get back to eating healthy soon enough!
After returning from vacation at the start of Week 9, I switched up my weight training routine again. Simple changes; swapping one set of movements for others. Replacing barbell presses with dumbbell presses, and vice-versa. Going from bench-presses to push-ups. Going from free weight movements to cable movements in certain exercises. It may not seem like a lot, but when incorporated into the exercise philosophy that I've been employing for the past few weeks, it introduces the much-ballyhooed 'muscle confusion' that you hear so much about. The proof is in the results; there are few things more rewarding and encouraging than the soreness I feel the morning after a taxing workout, and making musculature and strength gains on a weekly basis.
Week 10 has me feeling as though I've been on this path for much longer than a couple months. So much has changed in the way that I think, look and feel during that time frame. From habits and behaviors, to getting reacquainted with my body's physical potential, I simply can't understand why I ever stopped doing this in the first place. Part of what I hope to accomplish isn't just addressing the deep-seated psychology that nurtured the unhealthy habits from my distant past, but also what allowed those same habits to reform after years of dormancy.
Less than a month now until weigh-day. My re-dedication to fitness just happens to have coincided with several friends and acquaintances who've embarked on weight loss journeys of their own; some with the help of surgery, others who've either gone keto, paleo, or some hybrid between the two. My success will be made manifest regardless... But I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I'm eager to see how my own weight loss results stack up against theirs.
Friday, April 6, 2018
Day 55: Mental Gymnastics: Combating Melancholy and Discouraging Words
The effort of pursuing any worthwhile endeavor is about producing a desired result. And while we can exercise great control (often more than we realize) when it comes to said result, it's equally important to realize those things that we must simply accept.
It's the end of week 8, which means that it's time for my muscle periodization training to cycle again. Sunday night will bring about a new weightlifting routine, so that the results keep coming as my muscles are forced to adapt to the unexpected rigors they'll be put through. I'm still working out the specifics, as I'm torn between returning to the movements from the first 4 weeks and trying something completely different. There's a good chance I'll combine the two ideas - we shall see.
I've bumped up the intensity level for my early morning and nightly cardio sessions, and for my hourly activities at the office. At work, I try to do a minimum of 250 steps an hour (thanks for the reminders, Fitbit); sometimes it's just walking across the building and back, but I also take advantage of the workout room by getting in some table tennis or jumping on one of the treadmills. For certain, it's a lot of little things, but it all adds up to big results.
No real changes to my diet over the past eleven days. I continue to explore new recipes (the best of those I'll be adding here) which helps cope with the small portions. On weekends I do intermittent fasting as my schedule allows, but by and large I'm simply adhering to the same food restrictions that I imposed at the onset - very low carb/low GI/low fat foods. I purposefully didn't count macros as closely during the first six weeks or so, but I've begun paying a bit more attention to them now as I expect the weight loss to begin slowing down a bit.
For the record, my 8-week average has been around 1,000 calories a day. I don't see that as being sustainable in the months to come; at some point my body will adapt, and my metabolism will slow. When that happens, I'll have to spike my daily intake and reduce my cardio levels to hit the reset button - that way, I should be able to continue progressing towards my ideal weight and fitness goals with minimal disruption. I have begun adjusting my caloric intake in 2 day cycles to address fluctuations in my energy level, but even then I never take in more than 1,400 calories in a single day.
Some days this all seems as easy as breathing, while other days it is a great struggle. Temptation to cheat on my diet or to miss a workout haven't been super-frequent, but they're present enough to provide the proverbial pitfalls that I must be wary of. I've been able to stay focused on the big picture when times are tough - remembering where I've come from, how I got here, and where I want to be. Visualizing the positive results that continued dedication will render is sometimes the only thing that gets me through.
Most of the obstacles that we encounter are a product of our own imaginations, and can be overcome with the right mental approach. Similarly, negative thoughts and opinions - whether from your own psyche, or from the mouth of others - are only as loud as you give them the power to be.
Be at peace with the fact that, though we may surround ourselves with loved ones and try to cultivate a positive, healthy environment in which to live our daily lives in, you are the lone catalyst for your success. You may receive guidance, encouragement, and sometimes even a bit of assistance, but whether or not you reach your goals is determined solely by you, and you alone.
No amount of wanting someone else to invest as fully as you do in your personal journey will make that desire a reality. Be prepared to go it alone, if that's what the situation calls for. You won't be poorer from the experience unless you quit on yourself, so don't ever give up!
It's the end of week 8, which means that it's time for my muscle periodization training to cycle again. Sunday night will bring about a new weightlifting routine, so that the results keep coming as my muscles are forced to adapt to the unexpected rigors they'll be put through. I'm still working out the specifics, as I'm torn between returning to the movements from the first 4 weeks and trying something completely different. There's a good chance I'll combine the two ideas - we shall see.
I've bumped up the intensity level for my early morning and nightly cardio sessions, and for my hourly activities at the office. At work, I try to do a minimum of 250 steps an hour (thanks for the reminders, Fitbit); sometimes it's just walking across the building and back, but I also take advantage of the workout room by getting in some table tennis or jumping on one of the treadmills. For certain, it's a lot of little things, but it all adds up to big results.
No real changes to my diet over the past eleven days. I continue to explore new recipes (the best of those I'll be adding here) which helps cope with the small portions. On weekends I do intermittent fasting as my schedule allows, but by and large I'm simply adhering to the same food restrictions that I imposed at the onset - very low carb/low GI/low fat foods. I purposefully didn't count macros as closely during the first six weeks or so, but I've begun paying a bit more attention to them now as I expect the weight loss to begin slowing down a bit.
For the record, my 8-week average has been around 1,000 calories a day. I don't see that as being sustainable in the months to come; at some point my body will adapt, and my metabolism will slow. When that happens, I'll have to spike my daily intake and reduce my cardio levels to hit the reset button - that way, I should be able to continue progressing towards my ideal weight and fitness goals with minimal disruption. I have begun adjusting my caloric intake in 2 day cycles to address fluctuations in my energy level, but even then I never take in more than 1,400 calories in a single day.
Some days this all seems as easy as breathing, while other days it is a great struggle. Temptation to cheat on my diet or to miss a workout haven't been super-frequent, but they're present enough to provide the proverbial pitfalls that I must be wary of. I've been able to stay focused on the big picture when times are tough - remembering where I've come from, how I got here, and where I want to be. Visualizing the positive results that continued dedication will render is sometimes the only thing that gets me through.
Most of the obstacles that we encounter are a product of our own imaginations, and can be overcome with the right mental approach. Similarly, negative thoughts and opinions - whether from your own psyche, or from the mouth of others - are only as loud as you give them the power to be.
Be at peace with the fact that, though we may surround ourselves with loved ones and try to cultivate a positive, healthy environment in which to live our daily lives in, you are the lone catalyst for your success. You may receive guidance, encouragement, and sometimes even a bit of assistance, but whether or not you reach your goals is determined solely by you, and you alone.
No amount of wanting someone else to invest as fully as you do in your personal journey will make that desire a reality. Be prepared to go it alone, if that's what the situation calls for. You won't be poorer from the experience unless you quit on yourself, so don't ever give up!
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