The Masterplan

OK. I've given you the spiel. Now for some detail. Here's how it's going to work.

The 16-Week Plan

Basically, this is a 16-week plan that's split into three chunks - two 6-week blocks and one 4-week. The basic workouts remain the same in terms of the exercises that will be done, but the sets, repetitions and weights will change as the body does. Additionally, the program works on a consistent easy/hard week on/week off pattern, although even that has some unique elements.

As such, the weight-lifting part of the program for weeks 1-6 is like this:

Week 1 - Moderately high reps, very low weight
Week 2 - Medium reps, slightly heavier weight than week #1
Week 3 - High reps, very low weight (as week #1)
Week 4 - Low reps, slightly heavier weight than week #2
Week 5 - Very high reps, very low weight (as week #1)
Week 6 - Very low reps, slightly heavier weight than week #4

Each weight-lifting session is a full body workout, with three major power exercises (Olympic lift, squat, bench press), then pull/push-ups, dips, bicep curls and some rotatory shoulder work, then some abdominal crunches. This covers the entire body. To finish, there's a session on the rowing machine against the clock. This will mark my progress in terms of fitness.

I'll lift weights 3 times per week, with a full 48 hours in between. On these off days, I'll do a 45-minute cardio workout. So, it goes:

Day 1 - Full body workout (weights)
Day 2 - Cardio
Day 3 - Full body workout (weights)
Day 4 - Cardio
Day 5 - Full body workout (weights)
Day 6 - Cardio

etc.

I will have one rest day per week, which I will 'float', rather than putting on a fixed point (i.e., Sunday), as there's always one day a week where the gym never seems to work out. That day will then, by default, be my rest day.

The reason why this works (or should do!), is that on every odd week (week 1, 3, etc) I'll be doing a full session at the gym but the weights will be fairly light and the reps will be high. This will give me additional cardio work and also encourage good and proper form in all exercises, as well as allowing some level of 'rest' in preparation for the even weeks (2, 4, etc) where I'll be hitting the dumbbells a lot harder. As the weeks progress, the even weeks become tougher. The off (odd) weeks allow my body to recover enough to go all-out seven days later.

In all cases rests between sets and exercises will be minimal. Really, no more than 30 seconds between sets and a maximum of a minute between exercises. The point here is to shock the body into muscle growth whilst getting the heart rate up at the same time. Weight training like this not only burns a lot of calories while you're doing it, but keeps the body working extra hard while you're off-duty (i.e., resting), too. That, my friends, is a winner.

The first week of the first six weeks of the sixteen week program (!) is basically a 'primer' or warm-up week. It has one less set than the rest of the program. This is important because the body doesn't usually do well being through immediately into the deep end. Don't lose sight that this is going to be tough. It's a bitch, is what it is.

In weeks 2-6 I'll be building a solid base that should see me safely through weeks 7-12, where the real gains should be made (in terms of muscle strength and fat loss), and finally, weeks 13-16 where I'll do fine tweaks and really be pushing the iron around. Hopefully.

Nutrition

One of my goals throughout all of this, as I said, is to prove that you can eat reasonably well and still get into decent shape. However, while I won't be living the life of a Siamese monk, I will be watching my calories.

My aim is to take in between 2000-2400 calories per day.

Now, for most of the week this will be reasonably straightforward. However, I work night-shifts, 3-4 days per week on a three days on/three days off basis, and this means my eating schedule is a little different to most other folk.

As an example, my shifts run from 10pm to 9am. I'm working tonight. What this means is that I'll eat during this shift, get home about 9.15am, have some breakfast, and then go to bed. I will sleep through lunch. I'll wake up about 3-4pm, hit the gym, have some dinner, and then repeat this routine for two more days. Hence, my 'lunch', and my snacks, are consumed overnight, as opposed to during the day. I have breakfast and dinner as per normal.

On my days off, I'll eat at a more regular schedule. Breakfast, lunch and dinner, and 2-3 snacks.

Snacks will typically consist of fruit, fat-free yoghurt, nuts, etc. I'll try to limit snacks to 150 calories a piece.

My main meals will mostly be 500 calories or less. Two to three times per week, depending on how I feel my progress has been, I'll allow myself some kind of 'cheat' meal, but I won't go overboard. This can and will include pizza, burgers, kebabs etc, but in all cases I'll set out to make the 'best' version of each (i.e., wholemeal bread, no mayo, etc.)

I will cut out white bread almost entirely, and, except on 'treat' occasions, or if I'm working late or working out late have no bread, starches (potatoes), rice or pasta after 2pm. I will eat wholemeal bread for either breakfast or lunch (remember my 'lunch' can sometimes run overnight.) I will eat a minimal amount of dairy, aside from the odd yoghurt or non-fat milk with cereal. I will be careful to measure all usages of condiments and spreads.

I will allow myself to consume alcohol 2-3 nights per week, but never to excess. I'm going to mostly avoid beer (lager) and wine, focusing instead on 1-2 glasses of Guinness (packed full of antioxidants) where at all possible, and single measures of vodka or gin, with a sugar-free, diet mixer. When you're eating less you get drunk - or at least merry - a lot faster, so it shouldn't be much of an issue.

I will only consume water, diet soft drinks and black coffee (with sweetner). These are all zero or near-zero calorie drinks. I will drink at least two litres of water per day, aiming for three or more. This will help flush out my system and help the body take care of my protein digestion.

I will eat and drink a bit more over Xmas, although I'll do my very best to limit this to 2-4 days of moderate excess.

Supplements

In the first six weeks I won't be using any supplements at all, aside from a basic multivitamin and a cod liver oil tablet. In the second six weeks I may introduce some or all of the following - creatine, glutamine and protein shakes - but will wait until the second stage of the program before making a final decision on that.

Thoughts

While I'm very confident that this will work, my main concern is sickness or injury. Either or both can seriously limit progress. I had a four-day cold just last week and I'm hoping that I won't be seeing the likes of this, or anything remotely similar, in the foreseeable future. But shit does happen; I'll have to deal with it if and when it does. Hopefully my improved diet and those crazy endorphins racing around my gym-loving body will see off the minor ailments.

At all times I'd be interested in your thoughts and comments. Spammers and haters will naturally be given short-shrift but anyone with anything interesting to say is more than welcome!