Thursday

Did 45 minutes on the treadmill @ 6.8kph.

Food:

Wednesday

Did 45 minutes at 6.8kph.

Food:

Tuesday

OK - back on the saddle. Did a full 45-minute weights workout at the gym and then followed that up with 30-minutes on the treadmill. Need to kick-start the old system; I've been so crap of late.

Workout:

I've figured out why my row times have gone down the shitter, too - it all comes down to the quite vast differences between the various rowing machines. The rowers at my gym all have a fixed level of resistance - you can't change it like you can on some systems. The machine I normally use is, according to one of the trainers down there, set correctly. However, when the place is busy, beggars can't be choosers, etc, and I've often been stuck with another machine (which, for reasons I'll now explain, is always free), that is set so loosely that no matter how hard you work you can't get the bastard to go faster than 250m/minute. Overall, that equates to a 40-second difference (or thereabouts) in the 4-minute time trial.

Food:

No chocolate, but the alcohol is a killer as usual.

Monday

Went a bit pear-shaped today:

The chocolate has got to go. That's it from tomorrow onwards.

I should point out that I'm not actually eating at Subway every day of the week; I do occasionally, but the items above are generally the Subway club I've replicated at home, which basically means as healthy a wheat sub-roll I can buy at the store, some thinly spread light mayo, and 4-6 slices of different lean high-quality meats (chicken, ham, beef etc.)

Sunday

Food:

Back to the gym tomorrow and this week I'm hitting the motherfucker hard.

Saturday

Food:

Friday (188.5)

Somehow I lost a pound and a half this week. Lord only knows.

Missed the gym again. Terrible. I'm back at work tonight and Saturday's are nearly always a right off as a result. Must, must get back on track Sunday, and hit it hard. Week #8 will begin on Monday.

Here's what I ate:

Thursday

OK - the first six weeks finished last Saturday, and I'm almost through week #7, now.

We're on a slightly different six-week program (of the overall sixteen weeks.) Now, it's still a 'light/heavy' ON and OFF weight rotation, but the reps in the 'light' weeks have come down, to 12, 14 and 16, respectively. Heavy weeks remain 10, 8 and 6.

Also, to improve on shoulder muscle, definitely an area I feel I've lost an edge in the first six weeks, I've removed the lateral rotation from the workout and replaced it with the lateral shoulder raise, like this:


(Not me.)

As for the weight itself, my week #7, #9 and #11 sessions have been raised about ten per cent from what I did in week #1, #3 and #5.

I'm currently doing 12 repetitions, over four sets, three times per week, and 2-3 cardio sessions.

Did 40 minutes at the gym. I skipped the row as I ran out of time. My row has been shocking lately, actually. You'll see when I backdate the sessions I missed on here, but it's totally collapsed for some reason. No idea why.

Weigh-in tomorrow; I'm pretty sure I've gained a pound or two. At best I'm even Steven. One of the biggest problems of not being able to access the Internet the past couple of weeks, and Calorie-Count.com, is how unaccountable your eating quickly becomes. Whereas before on each and every day I'd know what I'd eaten and could take measures the next day if I was over (or short), while it hasn't been a case of 'anything goes' I have definitely got very lax about it all.

I really need to tighten things up.

Here's what I ate:

Had dinner round my folks, and naturally you pay the price.

Wednesday

Food:

Update #2

OK - my Internet connection was finally sorted out around 2pm today. As I said, I've kept a log of everything I've eaten and done at the gym and will update this blog with all those entries over the next few days, probably working backwards.

Cheers.

Tuesday (Spurs 5, Arsenal 1)

Went to see Spurs thrash Arsenal 5-1 at White Hart Lane tonight, in the Carling Cup semi, and it's yet another example of how such a day can get away from you.

Took a day off from the gym, too. Not a winning combo.

Here's the food:

Those nice folks at Calorie-Count.com rate that an A-, but there's no way. I've developed a real craving for chocolate the past couple of weeks and that's got to go.

Update

I've lost my Internet connection at home. Tiscali, my ISP, have no idea what the problem is, and seem no closer at all to a solution.

Hence, I haven't been able to update at all. I have kept a log of all my food and exercise, etc, and will go back and update the days when I can.

Cheers.

Friday (190)

Lost 4 pounds this week - that's quite a result this late in the game, and particularly over a week in which I've struggled a bit and not felt especially well.

That's two stone I've lost in total now (28 pounds) - I'm well chuffed with that.

Did an hour on the treadmill today.

Here's what I ate:

Thursday

I think there's definitely a chance I'm over-trained/over-tired because I had to skip the gym again today. A constant pounding headache, lethargy and general fatigue are the usual signs of not getting enough rest, and that's what I've got.

Whatever happens I'll get back tomorrow before the weigh-in but this has not been a good week; I think I just haven't got enough sleep. It's that simple.

Here's what I ate:

Wednesday

Skipped my workout. Took a day off, and all that. I slept terribly - and annoyingly briefly - have had a headache all day and it only dawned on me about 4pm that I've been to the gym seven days in a row. So, a bit of a breather was clearly in order.

Here's what I've eaten:

Back to the grind tomorrow.

Tuesday

45 minutes on the treadmill. I'm aching like a bitch today, after yesterday's workout.

Here's what I've eaten:

The gym has been really busy the last two days. I guess the cutoff point for folk to get into shape is the day they go back to work, which for many was yesterday, I'm guessing. I'm a month ahead, suckers!

Monday

Yesterday was the workout from hell.

Believe me, I've never done anything so difficult at the gym. The olympic lift and squats were fair enough, but 25 reps on the bench followed by 25 push-ups is a total killer. 200 reps for chest in about 8 minutes? Leave it out, son.

All told, very, very taxing.

When it came to the row, it was all I could do to sneak under four minutes.

The entire workout took 80 minutes in total. What didn't help is that absent-mindedly I'd eaten very little yesterday - even post-dinner (after my workout) I'd only consumed a fraction under 400 calories. Had some mixed nuts and fruit later that evening to add a little more, but still came in very low. Obviously will need to take in more carbs before this workout (which is next on Wednesday.)

It just shows that you can eat foods that are seen as being quite bad that are actually healthy and low calorie.

Treadmill tomorrow. And lots of sleep.

Sunday

Back to work tomorrow night, so that's the drinking done for the next few days. Which is a good thing, as for some reason I've been hitting it a tad hard this past week.

Did an hour on the treadmill.

Here's what I ate:

25 reps tomorrow. The joy.

Saturday

Good weights session at the gym - really, very straightforward. Managed a 3:39 on the row which is just outside my PB.

Nutrition, however, was a bit of a disaster. Problem is I'm one of those people who hates wasting food, and we've had quite a few leftovers from Christmas and New Year's. They've all pretty much gone, now, so my late-night snacks and Key Lime Pie days are over.

Here's what I ate:

Poor show.

However, that's week #4 complete. Week #5 begins with the treadmill tomorrow and the hell that is four sets of 25 starts on Monday. This is where it's really going to hurt.

Goals & Objectives (Redux)

Four weeks in it's probably time to have a bit of a refresher about why, and how, I'm doing all of this. Objectives and goals are constantly modified and re-addressed as one progresses along a plan like this, and it's useful to stand back and see exactly what you're doing at key points.

(You may want to read my original post about goals.)

The 16-Week Plan

The purpose of all of this is to get into shape - great shape. Pro athlete, six-pack sporting, fucking hell, how did you manage that? kind of shape. In 16 weeks.

To do this, you have to hurt yourself a bit.

Primary Goals

1. To significantly lower overall bodyfat, whilst maintaining muscle mass.
2. To get my weight down to 180 pounds.*
3. To have a six-pack (and then take lots of pictures.)

* This number may have to be modified depending on the shape I'm in when I get there.

Secondary Goals

1. To prove that you can pretty much eat what you like as long as you do everything in moderation - life blows if you can't have some of the good stuff. I'll try to eat as much good food as possible, but won't obsess too much about what it's made of. A calorie is a calorie, and all that.
2. To accomplish all of this by spending as little time in the gym as possible - 45-60 minutes per session.

I will weigh myself once per week, each Friday, and publish the results.

Nutrition

At all times I'm mindful about calories, fat and protein intake, but not obsessive about them. I will try and keep main meals in the 500-600 calorie range, and snacks between 100-150 calories. There will be three main meals a day, and 2-3 snack meals.

To do this, I'll:

1. Always reach for non- or low-fat options where available (particularly in dairy, cheese and meat.) Mayonnaise will be low-fat and butter and condiments will be kept to a minimum (unless low-fat options are available.)
2. Avoid white sliced bread completely, consuming only wholemeal. I will, however, have white bagels and pitta bread.
3. Avoid fried food and things like chips, etc, for the most part, except on 'treat' nights. Meat will be, wherever possible, cooked in its own fat.
4. Avoid starches and heavy carbohydrates after 2pm.
5. Not eat anything after 7pm (unless I'm working a night shift, when my shift food will replace my lunch for the next day.)
6. Consume alcohol only 3-4 days per week (having 3-4 days of complete abstinence). Beer and wine will be kept to a minimum. All spirits will be consumed with zero-calorie mixers (energy drinks, lemonade, tonic etc.)
7. Drink as much water as possible (2+ litres per day), and only consume sugar-free, zero-calorie soft drinks. I take my coffee black with sweetener as it is, so no problem there.

On nights out and special days (Xmas, etc), I won't be too bothered about what I eat or drink. I'll make up for these days the rest of the week, and at the gym.

The goal is to take in 2000-2400 calories per day on average. This is important, because if you become too obsessed about hitting the right number each and every day you will fail. The average is all that matters.

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.

The Gym

I will go to the gym six days per week. This will be on a weights/cardio rotation (weights day one, cardio day two, weights day three, etc.) So, each week I will do three weight sessions, and three cardio sessions.

Weights

The 16-week plan is comprised of ON/OFF, or heavy/light, weeks, for the weight sessions.

Week #1 - Light week with 15 repetitions per set.
Week #2 - Heavy week, with 10 repetitions per set, and a 10 per cent weight increase on week #1.
Week #3 - Light week with 15 repetitions per set.
Week #4 - Heavy week, with 8 repetitions per set, and a 10 per cent weight increase on week #2.
Week #5 - Light week with 25 repetitions per set.
Week #6 - Heavy week, with 6 repetitions per set, and a 10 per cent weight increase on week #4.

(I will modify this after week #6.)

Weight sessions are made up of four sets of X reps (as above.) Each set has the same amount of reps and the same weight - gains in weight are made as per the list above (i.e., at week #2, #4, #6 etc.)

Abdominal work is three sets of reps, over two exercises, three days per week (with the weights sessions.)

The objective is to be in and out of the gym as soon as possible - during weight sessions, the minimum rest will be taken between sets and exercises, and the goal is to maintain a fairly busy heart rate whilst lifting.

My rest days will 'float' - this means that I won't have a fixed day off each week: I will take it when I have to, as there is always one day a week where you can't make the gym despite wanting to.

Cardio

Cardio sessions are quite basic - 45-60 minutes on the treadmill, with the following settings: 'random' (which means differing hills of various elevations), the maximum difficulty level (in my case, 20), and a speed of 6.6 kph+ (currently 6.8 kph.) This burns somewhere between 900-1000 calories per hour (at my bodyweight).

It's important you enter all of this data into your treadmill and don't use the 'quick start' option, as otherwise you'll have no control over what is going on. It's a good workout, but it's doable - this, again, is key to success.

Friday (194)

Lost two pounds this week - that's really quite an achievement given the high-calorie nightmares I had on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. How did I do it? Busted my ass at the gym, as usual. Losing three pounds over the Christmas and New Year's weeks is impossible unless you do that - I went to the gym ten times in the past two weeks. The four days I had off the gym was closed. As Roy Castle probably said with his last breath, that's dedication. (I think he also said, "Jesus Christ, will you put that out...")

So, I'm down to 194, or 13 stone 12. That's a total loss of 24 pounds, now. 14 to go.

Did a thousand calories on the treadmill today (61 minutes). A weight session was scheduled but the gym was so unbelievably busy that I had to put that off until tomorrow - so, I'll do my final weights session of week #4 on Saturday, and then week #5 will start Sunday.

The 1000 kcal opened up an opportunity for a nice cheat day, so I took it, and, alas, drank way too much.

Here's what I ate:

Food-wise it was pretty reasonable. The alcohol was excessive but when you have everything with zero calorie mixers it keeps it all under control (to a point.)

Thursday

Did 52 minutes on the treadmill. Last weights session tomorrow in week #4, then the weigh-in, then on to the hell that's week #5's 'easy' week, where everything is 25 reps. :\

Here's what I ate:

Key lime pie was left over from New Year's, and that slice was far, far too good to waste.

Wednesday

Here we go. Back on the wagon.

Did 45 minutes at the gym, which included a poor 3:49 on the row but I felt a bit out of it the whole time.

The rest of the workout was solid.

New Year's Day

A pretty big lunch and I skipped dinner as a result - I wasn't hungry in the slightest, and definitely didn't need the calories.

Back to 'normal' tomorrow.

New Year's Eve

Shocking. Shocking.

So much for keeping it lean, although being fair it was New Year's Eve. No gym, either - left home at 8am and was out all day getting stuff together for the night.

Here's what I ate:

A shocking 480 grams of carbs in that lot, all of them of the rubbish variety. However, as said previously, it's been a week of pretty big drinking (tis the holiday, and all that) and now that I'm back to work tonight, all that ends. No gym today (they're closed) but have three full sessions to get in before Friday's weigh-in; again, the goal is just to not have gained any weight.