31.12.08

What a great way to finish 2008! Yesterday's Chest and Tricep workout was awesome even though the 'Big Boys' gym was closed for refurbishment. A long time valued friend of mine joined me for the last workout of the year. We had to make do with the standard gym, but we made sure we put it to good use. Spotting eachother we progressed through a grueling 90 Min workout and today the DOMS have started to kick in. What a lovely feeling to end and then start a New Year. This reminds me of all the hard work I have put in and makes it complete for me.

Today DansDtoxin.co.uk celebrates it's first birthday and I have decided to take a quick look back at the year's ups and downs. The first half of the year was a great success, my fat loss was complete by April. Having worked hard on my cardio and diet I managed to get rid of the unwanted two stone of blubber. The only problems I had were shin splint and joggers nipple, but these were easily avoided and I implemented a workaround that allowed me to continue.

My next goal was to gain some muscle mass, increase my strength and work towards the sort of body I have always wanted. Over the next two months I concentrated more on Resistance Training (weight lifting) and cut down on cardio. The initial results were exactly what I was looking for and I had one of the most fantastic and confident summer's ever.

The second half the year however was not as successful, but nonetheless a step in the right direction. In July I was introduced to Exersion Migraines, something of which I had never experienced before and still to this day I do not know why or how they started. It was one of the most painful things I have ever experienced and as a precaution I even got it checked out by the hopital. Having been given the all clear it was time that healed this hindrance, but even now I still feel the occasional onset of these little bleaders. Another knock was in the form of a shoulder niggle, I managed to pull my shoulder socket while reaching out overhead with an EZ curl bar. It fu#king hurt at the time, but the pain disappeared almost instantly. But unfortunately it left me with a horrible twinch when I used it. It has improved but the occasional zing of pain is still there, I start physiotherapy for this January 12th 2009 and will let you know it goes. And finally the last little set back of the year was having the blasted flu for two weeks, this really hit hard and my training come to complete stand still. Depression kicked in and old bad habits were re-ignited, late nights and drinking mid week began creeping its way back. I still haven't put a line through these little habits yet and I really don't know why. I'm only human I suppose and still learning. I do know however that they are not going to be a part of 2009's year planner.

So whats in store for 2009? Well I obviously have goals to fullfill and some of them are to continue a healthy lifestyle & diet, correct any bad habits that have muscled their way back in and push forward towards the body physique I've always wanted. Ideally I would like to gain some more muscle mass then cut/shred down for summer and maybe see those abs that are hiding! We'll see, but the most important thing to me is to stay focused and positive. My life has turned around this year, that was my goal and I have achieved it. There's no looking back after this, just improvement upon improvement.

Remember you can do this too. The New Year brings the perfect opportunity to start fresh and make positive changes to your life. Whether you want to stop drinking, start the gym, get a new job, eat better and lose the unwanted pounds, go on course etc, personal growth and development is more than achievable. Just put your mind to it and get stuck in. My own personal quest has been made easier of the last year because of ALL YOUR support and I appreciate that sincerely. To know you are inspiring others is a real buzz, it gives me a spring in my step, a clear sense of worth and of course the pat on the back that we all need every now and again. I have made some great friends through all this and look forward to making more. Therefore I would like to wish all of you a Happy New Year and goodluck with your own personal journey's, whatever they may be. Cheers everyone, here's to 2008! See you next year! :)

 

 29.12.08

Junk in, Junk out. Thats how it goes and judging by this afternoon's gyming session it proves to be 100% correct. I returned and did 40 Minutes Aerobic Cardio and found it to be very challenging indeed. My chest felt tight and wheezy while my heart rate hit the roof within the first 3 minutes. It hasn't done that since back in March! I ignored all the chocolate and alcohol flashbacks from Christmas and pushed on to 600 calories. A good look in the mirror confirmed my worst fear, my extra Christmas pounds have headed in the 'muffin lovin' direction and in a guilt fuelled attempt to spot reduce (although impossible in practice), I calmed my conscious by giving my Obliques and Abs a good seeing to. It's Chest and Triceps tomorrow, I'll let you know how it goes.

 

 28.12.08

Well I hope everyone is having a nice Christmas? I have had a wonderful break so far. I have eaten too much nasty stuff though and am feeling a little guilty. Confidence is the key this time of year I reckon. Sure you can live a little, but just keep in mind the amount of hard work it will take to remove those unwanted pounds. I am confident that it will not take too long to remove. I start tomorrow.

 

 18.12.08

Last night's chest and triceps workout was awesome. It was the first time I have used the bench press since my headaches began back in July. Quality sets of Incline Dumbel Press and Flyes followed this then it was on to the Triceps for more punishment until failure. It was a challenge but well worth it and having the the 'Robster' spotting me makes such a difference. With his wealth of experience and knowledge, mimicking his technique and following his advice makes the whole workout 100% positively constructive. Just having someone keep and eye on your form and then being able to push each other forward helps so much, I triggered muscle fatigue every time. I find it kind of funny how quickly my body shuts down during a set of reps. It's like a switch.

This morning I am already starting to feel the DOMS kicking in my triceps and inner chest (which has become such a nice feeling). You know you have achieved something when the aches kick in. Respect to Rob for yet another diamond workout. Cheers mate. See you next week!

 

 16.12.08

OK this week my training gets back on course. I started to feel better towards the tail end of last week but only managed one gym session. It was hard work! I was unusually tired after my 10 minute warm up and so I knew the session wasn't going to be as constructive as I would have wanted. Anyways that was last week, as I previously mentioned, this week things get back on track. Yesterday I started with an Aerobic Cardio Workout followed by some heavy duty Ab Crunches (using the fitness ball) and an Oblique hit! Tonight's session will consist of some more Cardio, only staggered this time with a good leg and Ab workout filling the gaps. Wednesday's workout is a brutal Chest & Triceps workout with the 'Robster', already looking forward to that one!

Not eating properly while ill cost me nearly 5lbs in weight, it's now back but I think a lot of it is fat. It's amazing just how quick my weight dropped. I guess a lot of it was probably de-hydration but to see the scales reporting a weight loss I haven't seen in months was scary. Speaking of scary, I cannot believe it's nearly Christmas already, this year has flown by. I think the older we get, the faster time goes by. I plan to be more relaxed with my diet over the Christmas Week, not stupidly, just more relaxed. There's nothing wrong with a few justified rewards for all my hard work over the last year :).

Before I sign off from this post I would just like to thank those of you who wished me well while I was sick. It's nice to know that I have inspired some of you out there and that you keep up with my progress. Keep up the good work and you know where I am if you need me. Peace Out Laterz!

 

 07.12.08

Hello World. I live! Over the last several years I have had my fair share of colds and bugs, but I have never had one as vicious as this. It's day 5 of this one and I have only just got the use of my limbs back. I am actually up and about today, a little bit shaky on the legs but at least I'm mobile. Hot/Cold Sweats, Aching Limbs, Stiff Neck, Headache, Flem Filled Sore Throat, Blocked Nose and Ear Ache were just some of the symptoms with this mother! Today I'm left with no tastebuds, stuffy head and popped eardrums. My diet has suffered severely and my weight has dropped by 4lbs over the last 4 days. Wow!

I've come up with a blank trying to search for the positive in all this but I know when I get my energy back I'm going to pound the gym equipment twice as hard. So far I have missed a week's worth of sessions and to be honest I'm not 100% sure when I'm going to be able to return. I'm just happy having enough energy to type something!

 

 03.12.08

It was inevitable, I have the lergy :(

 

 02.12.08

Can you believe it's month 12? It hasn't started the best though. Viral infections have hit my nearest and dearest in a bad way and although I have not been infected (yet - fingers crossed), I am doing my best to help out. Last night we spent the best part of 5 hours at A&E, as my daughter was in a bad way and needed some attention. As suspected the diagnosis resulted in a Viral Infection for both my poor wifey and my daughter. Those of you with kids will probably recognise the fallout with this. Last night we managed over 4 hours sleep! Result! This obviously means my gyming sessions have come to an abrupt halt until further notice.

 

 26.11.08

Ok training is still going well. I have had the slight little niggle with a shoulder problem. It was my fault, I was doing the push / pullover EZ-Curl Bar and stretched too far, I felt something click and so I think I've torn something in there, but I am planning on continuing avoiding any exercise's that cause the pain.

Tonight I have the pleasure of another training session with the 'Robster' and it's legs and stomach. When I train with him I know it's going to be brutal, I get a pre-workout rush and within minutes the addrenaline is fueling my workout. I don't quite know what exercises are in store for tonight's workout. One thing I do know is that its going to be painful! Oooh Lovely...

 

 17.11.08

Another week begins, another set of hard training sessions lies before me. This week I have decided to continue the Staggered Cardio which I tested out last week. I am lovin' it! It not only feels superb it gives me a great sense of satisfaction that I have actually achieved something and pushed myself to the absolute limit each training session. I chucked in a classic biceps and triceps workout last week and the pump lasted for ages. I have decided to bash the abs once again this week by keeping an ab set within every staggered cardio session. Ouch!

 

 13.11.08

I tried something different last night. Staggered Cardio. This is where you mix it up a bit and intergrate weight training around a cardio session. It worked really well. I began with 10 mins aerobic cardio on the cross trainer, then spent the next 15 mins weight training my chest, then went back to cardio for another 10 mins, followed by an awesome 15 min abs workout, then finally another 10 mins cardio. It was a quality session, I did feel exhausted by the end of it, but its all good. I advise anyone who wants to begin re-introducing some possibly stale Cardio back into their weight training workouts to use the same technique. It makes it more fun and not so boring.

 

 06.11.08

I think my DOMS have DOMS. My God! Following another quality session on Tuesday Night I am STILL aching today. It was a return to Deadlifts, Barbell Back Rows followed by Lateral Pulldowns. It has been quite a while since I attempted these heavy back moves and I think the time off has decided to bite me on the arse coz boy does it hurt! This morning my Lats have decided to kick up a stink and add to the pain. I've never put my socks on with such judgment.

Anyways with all this hardwork going on it has made me realise just how important recovery is (ideally quicker than this). A good tool for this is sleep. This is where I need to improve my recovery method as at present I'm probably managing 6 hours a night, which by anyone's standard is below the recommended daily amount let alone anyone who is in training. It's amazing just how important the zz's are! So with this in mind and to obviously try to nail my recovery time I am going to focus on getting the full 8 hours. This means going to bed earlier which for me is a challenge all in it's self. It's time to put the night owl to bed. No more "I'll sleep when I'm dead" attitude. Here's to hoping.

 

 30.10.08

Ouch! The bar has been raised... Last night's Chest & Tricep workout was refreshingly brutal. Headache free, I pushed forward and hit the big boys weights (20KG+) and with the help of an experienced weight lifter and first class spotter I underwent what I can only describe as one of the best Chest & Tricep workouts I have ever had. Being able to witness, take onboard and practice new technique's has lifted my spirits and given me the incentive to push forward with my training even more. I would like to say thanks to Rob and I look forward to future training session with you, even though my arms feel like they are going to fall off this morning! Its all good ;)

 

 20.10.08

Things have been moving on nicely. I seem to be packing on the weight, I know some of it is fat but for a change I'm actually ok with that. I have come to realise that with the added weight, it's practically impossible for it not involve some of the jelly belly stuff. My training sessions have become more enjoyable, I know longer worry about trying to cram in everything I can when I visit the gym, and then only to be left frustrated because "jim n bob" decided to have a mothers meeting in-between their sets! ggrrhh! I think my relaxed approach is working a lot better than the military precision technique used in the past. I even skipped a gym session last Thursday, my body felt tired, so I listened to it for a change. The added extra day of rest worked wonderful and I hit the weights twice as hard on the Friday, with ease!

 

 09.10.08

As predicted, my weight dropped this morning back down to 12:7.2st, obviously I lost the weekend water! I expect the cycle to start again tomorrow. I'm beginning to feel really good about my training again. I think the 'exertion headache' cloud is lifting, I have actually lifted weights without any NSAIDS or aspirin this week and don't plan on taking them anymore. All good! So good in fact I thought I'd post a posing picture! :)

 

 07.10.08

Another start of the week and another pound on! I have been training hard at the gym. Last night's routine consisted of 15 Mins Cardio (250 cals) followed by Weight Training my Chest, Triceps and Biceps, then another 20 Mins Cardio (250 cals). My weight this morning was 12:10.8st, my heaviest in a long time but as per normal I expect this to decrease as the week goes on. I have been mixing up my cardio lately, rather than sticking to one machine for the duration of the workout, I have been splitting my program, doesn't make a lot of difference but a great boredom breaker.

I intend to continue this workout program (bulk) for the next few weeks, then re-evaluate and make a decision whether to try a 'cut' for a while or to continue this bulk up until Christmas.

 

 01.10.08

Ok so I'm half way through my second week of getting back on track. The good news is that I have increased my weights and suffered no headaches and that I have managed to put on some weight 12:9.6st, the bad news is that some of it may be fat! I can definately feel some bloatation in my gut, when sitting my belly doesn't know whether to hang over or fit snuggly beneath my belt. Know what I mean?

I have continued to combine both chest and back workouts at the same time, leg workouts only once a week with added AEROBIC cardio and HIIT training twice a week. I did some treadmill HIIT this week and my GOD! My calves and ankles feel it, they had gotten so used to low impact cardio (Cross Trainer), still it feels good to have progressed back to doing HIIT on the runner. This mix up seems to be working so I will keep my eye out for any drastic changes i.e. my bodyfat!

This week I ordered some Arginine from MyProtein.co.uk, and I can confirm that this little supplement increases muscle energy and PUMP. Last night I did both my chest and back workout's at the same time as previously mentioned and I left the gym looking very veiny and the most 'pumped' I have ever felt! If that's what you are looking for then I advise you try some.

 

 24.09.08

Ok so yesterday I did an excellent workout, obviously starting with a good warm up then on to the weights for a double session. That's right I pushed on and did both chest, and back workouts which included dumbell press, flyes and one arm row, overhead lateral and tricep pulldown and dumbell curl drop sets. A good mixture to kick start my new training regime. It feels good today! Well saying that, the DOMS kicked in about 3pm today! So tonight following a good cardio workout I'm feeling rather pumped and hard in all the right places (ooer!).

For those of you who have asked, I still haven't started the beta-blockers, I had a brief conversation with my doctor today and he said if I have a work-around that is working for me. I should try it out and if it doesn't work out then try the betas. Mmm... the jury's still out on this one.

 

 23.09.08

I mixed up last night's training for a change. This is how it went; I spent 15 Mins (250 cals) on the XT (Cross Trainer) classed this as a warm up, then hit the legs with some good resistance training - (leg press / extension, calves) followed by some work on the Abs and Obliques. I then did 20 Mins HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training - another 250 cals worth) on the bike! Bugger! That hurt! It seemed like a lifetime since I did some HIIT training. It feels good to have my mind back on track, even though I'm still waiting for my body to catch up. This morning I weighed in at quite a hefty 12:10.2st, the heaviest for sometime, not than I'm bothered because I know exactly where this has come from. Put it this way, my body has re-hydrated! I expect to lose a couple of pound by the weekend. I'm going to hit the upper body tonight, possibly both chest and back, using dropsets, cables and free weights. Will let you know how it goes. Have a good day!

 

 22.09.08

Although I have been given the all clear from the hospital I can't help but feel there is still a dark cloud hovering above my training. Having all this upheaval has dislodged my commitment and I am finding it increasingly harder to acquire that enthusiasm I once had. I need to go into auto-pilot, get my head down for a few week's, train hard, get my diet back on track (yes, it has slipped) and then re-evaluate my situation, almost like starting again. I'm fed up with moaning all the time. I have noticed lately since all this sh#t began I have been leaking negativity from every orifice. I have had enough of feeling down in the dumps, it's time to be positive again, so let's start today!

 

 16.09.08

Following yet another long and tedious wait at the doctors my blood pressure result was on the higher end of the normal scale, but is this to be expected? I think I have had my fair share of waiting over the last few weeks and there's nothing more annoying than having to sit in a sweaty waiting room full of people coughing and spluttering all over each other.

The Beta-Blockers that the doctor has given me are of two strengths, a lighter version to begin with, then after seven days I am to start a course on the stronger ones. I then have to return to the doctor in month's time to let him know how the headaches (if any) have been. To be honest with you I am not looking forward to these things. The Doc told me that I should expect a slower heart rate, I could possibly be feeling more tired and may suffer from cold hands and feet. He told me that my gym routines should not be affected only that I will clearly see a decrease in my heart rate. Being a bit wary of this I am going to take some time out and research Beta-Blockers with training on the net. Will let you know what I come up with.

 

 15.09.08

Ok so I started the gym this week with a good CV session, 500 cals Aerobic on the Cross Trainer followed by 100 crunches, nothing too heavy just the start of something different. Following my Neurology appointment, my Doctor has contacted me and asked me to book an appointment with him to discuss the beta-blockers and take my blood pressure... Interesting how this comes about, considering how difficult it was to get an appointment with him personally over the last month or so, now he's phoning me! Weird! Anyways my appointment is tomorrow morning and I will let you know what he has to say.

Just for the record I would like point out that last Friday I went Hell Bent For Leather at the gym (upper body workout - Chest N Triceps), I guess it was to celebrate the fact that I don't have any problems upstairs etc. In my haste I forgot to take any (NSAIDS) and therefore came away with a slight headache yet felt very pumped (god I miss that!). I could have pushed it more only I felt the twinge (rush of blood in the back) tell me otherwise. The good news though is that today I am still aching. Bring it on!

 

 11.09.08

I wish I could feel ecstatic about my Neurology appointment today, the results were good, but to be honest with you the end diagnosis is nothing that I didn't know already. The consultant checked my urine and put me through a series of tests, all of which came back fine. He said that there is no chance of a blood clot, nor anything abnormal. He said that it's just an 'Exersion Migraine' (emphasis on the 'just' - tell that to my bloody head when it feels like it's going to explode). He continued to say that these are rare and he probably gets only 1 or 2 of these cases a year. He has prescribed me Beta-Blockers and told me to take it easy for a little while, then begin a slow and easy routine back in the gym to see if they work and report back to him in a month's time.

Ok so this is my plan. I intend to follow his instructions, at the end of the day it's nothing different from what I am doing now but I will try the Beta-Blockers over the Annadin and Nurofen (NSAIDS) that I am currently taking on training days. I will steadily begin to increase my resistance training, making small steps at a time and see if I can get back to where I was. I will let you know how it goes.

I would also like to personally thank those of you who have been wishing me well regarding today and my appointment. I appreciate the support and it's nice to know that you care. So with that I'm going to say that's me done for today, I'm emotionally worn out.

 

 07.09.08

Hey Hoe... I'm still about and still losing weight. This morning I weighed in at 12st 6lbs down about 4lbs to what I have been. I am definately losing muscle mass while I wait to get the all clear from the doctor. It is very frustrating. Losing weight sounds good right? But when it's muscle weight it becomes very annoying, especially when I have worked so hard. At the moment I am giving about 60% effort when I visit the gym (about 3-4 times a week). I can feel old habits returning and it's very difficult to maintain the same level of enthusiasm. The only way I've managed to stay on top of things so far is to give myself a new goal and that is to stay 100% focused on a daily basis, each day that goes by has it's own challenges, especially the days when I'm not training, it's so easy to let your diet slip when you have not put any effort in. Put it this way, if you spent an hour at the gym working hard, the last thing you'll do is WANT to stuff your face with cake when you get home! All that hard work down the drain, whats the point? However when you are not putting the effort in, the cake offer becomes very attractive and it's easy to say what the hell! I've got nothing to lose! When I was attending the gym regularly my mindset and momentum kept this kind of thing under control, now, it's becoming very challenging!

On Thursday I am due to have my consultation with the Neurologist, let's hope it's all good. I have not had a headache for sometime, but then again I haven't pushed it for sometime. I cannot wait to get back to the gym more regularly with 100% effort & commitment and only then will I feel on top of my game.

 

 27.08.08

Sorry no new picture as yet, have been really busy busy, but plan on getting a new one done asap. It was the last Bank Holiday of the year last weekend and I kept my diet under control, usually I say what the hell and eat and drink without a care in the world. However taking a different aproach seems to have had it's benefits. I am currently 2lb down on my usual weight for this time of week. Some of you may have noticed that my weight has been roughly the same for the last couple of months, but my body shape has changed, due to my maintenance / bulk workout program. I'm usually my heaviest on Monday (following the weekend ;)) then at my lightest Friday or Saturday. Using this pattern I can almost perfectly predict my weight for the week and if there are any unusual flunctuations they easily stand out, like this week. So my only conclusion to this week's weight decrease MUST be because I'm having to temporarily hold off pushing it with my resistance training and therefore doing more Cardio work. Bye-Bye Muscle!!! Ouch...

 

 21.08.08

I have my Neurologist Consultation at last! 11th September 2008, yes that's 2008! Not bad! I thought it would be early next year the way things were going. So that's 6 weeks since I first complained about my headaches. And they call this an emergency! C'mon Mr Brown... sort it out! Rant over...

Well the good news is that the headaches have stayed away during my workouts this week, I have continued to use (NSAIDS) and I have maintained a steady and well balanced control over myself; I have not pushed it, keeping things simple and it seems to have worked. I must say it feels fantastic to be back and active again, I feel so much happier. This has been confirmed by my wife who noticed the difference, the moping around in doors being a resentful miserable basta#d has stopped! :)))))

On Tuesday evening I worked my back, biceps and delts, the DOMS arrived today (Thursday) which I can feel in my Lats and Traps, it feels nice! I plan to mix some cardio with a leg workout tonight, and then a chest and triceps workout on Friday, obviously taking it easy at around 70% effort. At the moment I am trying a little bit of resistance training every other day with Aerobic Cardio in between. My weight seems to be following the usual pattern so I have no plans on changing my temporary routine. Some of you have requested an update to the photo gallery so keep an eye out as I will be uploading a new photo this weekend.

 

 18.08.08

Success! Last Friday afterwork I decided to try a medium workout, as a precaution I took an aspirin at lunch time (thin my blood), then at 5.00pm I took some Nurofen (NSAIDS) and made the decision to go for it. I started with a 10 min warm-up at 80% effort (150 cals) to make sure I got some decent heat in all the nooks and crannies. Then I headed for the resistance weights. I decided to try chest and triceps, I took it very easy, nervously I started on the chest press machine, I concentrated on my breathing exhaling on effort and made sure the resistance was at a decent weight. I managed 3 sets of 12 with no headache! To say it felt good is an understatement. I would have been happy with that but decided to push on and hit the tricep pulldown and free weights, taking it one step at a time I completed my workout, the first in over three weeks!!! I finished up with another 10 mins cardio warm down (150 cals) on the cross trainer, stretched and left the gym smiling like a cheshire cat! Over the weekend I welcomed the DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) which were quite considerable considering the low weights I was lifting.

Speaking of the weekend it was hectic one, two birthdays and a wedding. Usually trying to balance this sort of time management would have stressed me out, but the karma foundations were laid friday evening during my workout so nothing was going to phase me! Fingers crossed this week at the gym will go smoothly, I will keep you informed. Enjoy your day.

 

 14.08.08

I'm still waiting on my Neurologist Appointment! It's been 2 weeks now and nothing... I'm really glad that I spend all that money on the National Health, it pays off!

Well I have continued to do Aerobic Cardio this week, only 40 mins a pop to avoid burning muscle. It does feel good to be doing something but I know I will begin losing the hard gains I achieved over the last couple of months very soon, in actual fact I can feel it already. I did pick up the 12KG's to do some bicep preacher curls, I concentrated on my breathing, took it slowly and as I got to the 12th Rep I felt a sudden rush of warmth rush up my neck to the back of my head, followed by a slight twinge in my head. This is where I stopped and I had a slight dull ache for the rest of the day. It's obviously still there! The only good thing is that if I get the all clear from the Neurologist I can find out whats causing this pain, create a work-around and then depend on "Muscle Memory" to get back where I was.

 

 12.08.08

I returned to the gym yesterday as I have not had any migraines since last Wednesday which was a 2 dayer! I didn't do any weight training, just Aerobic Cardio, I got my heart rate up to 175 bpm and had no nugget throbbing going on. It's been two weeks since I have done any resistance training and I miss it badly. With my CV success last night, I felt much better than I have been and I would like to say "Happy Days" but until I get my appointment at the hospital I will not tempt fate.

I would also like to say a big thank you for all your support about this, some of you have suffered similar and have given me some excellent advice. Thanks guys.

 

 08.08.08

Welcome to dansdtoxin online pharmacy. I had another massive headache / migrain wednesday afternoon at work after running up some stairs! So then having been seen by two other Doctors in the last 3 days I have been prescribed more drugs than Pete Dogherty and Amy Winehouse put together. It's crazy just how easily these things are given out. All but the last Doctor really couldn't give a stuff and just wanted me out the door "here's some super painkillers, much better than that Nurofen crap, and oh yeh while I'm at it here's a week off work" he said as he ushered me out of the door. I wanted neither, just a sympethetic ear and an possible explanantion as to why this is happening to me, but obviously the drugs do help.

I chased up my neuroligist appointment at the hospital and the secretary told me that the Neurologist I need to see is on holiday playing golf, he will look at my referal letter when he returns next week. So my appointment will be when? The last Doctor, whom I saw today was better, another locom, but he actually took an interest and advised me to take a trip to A&E if I get another bad one. "However, in the meantime here's some more drugs to tied you over, these are good" he said "they cost the NHS £27.00 each" - Whoopie Do!

 

 06.08.08

I skipped the gym yesterday as I already had a slight headache before I left work, didn't want to push it. They are obviously getting worse and it's becoming very annoying for me. It's all I can think about and not being able to resistance train is seriously getting me down. I haven't felt like this in years, the onset of depression is looming. It's very easy to get de-motivated by this but I will do my best to stay positive. Until I know exactly what the deal is here I have a feeling I'm going to find it very hard!

I did a bit of research to see how long it takes the body to begin muscle breakdown due to the lack of exercise and the results vary. It all depends on maintained diet structure and daily physical activity. Eating the right foods, maintaining good protein levels while doing some form of aerobic cardio 3-5 times a week is ok to keep lean body mass at a good level. However by not maintaining a sufficient diet and the lack of exercise can cause lean body mass decrease within 7 days!

 

 05.08.08

I think the frustration is kicking in. My irritation levels are increasing, I feel like I'm being punished. Last night at the gym I saw the regular guys head on down to the weights while I stayed upstairs working the Cross Trainer yet again. And for the first time I felt a little bit jealous. It's been a week today since I suffered the king of all migraines following a chest, tricep workout and to say I'm missing it is an understatement. I feel like I'm going to waste away.

 

 04.08.08

The weekend is over and I had no headaches. Then again I didn't exercise or train, so that makes sense! It was a friends Stag Do so I threw the rule book on diet out of the window and got on with the days activities. Obviously I won't go in to detail, but lets just say I started losing count of the amount of pints consumed once we hit double figures! It was a class day, see you in a couple of weeks Paul, hopefully the Hena Tattoo of the word "COCK" would have fadded by then mate!

Anyways all joking aside, the weekend off has also given me time to reflect on my current situation. Not being able to resistance train is hitting me hard and although I have been told to steer clear of the gym until I get my appointment at the neurologist I will continue with 3-4 days of light cardio. I'm afraid it's impossible for me not to, call me a figit bum, but I cannot just sit on my arse and let the calories build up. I'm not wasting 8 months of training!

 

 01.08.08

Not the best way to start the month with a trip to the Doctors but that's exactly what I had to do. A few days ago I mentioned that I stopped taking the Creatine Supplement (CEE) because I thought it might have been given me headaches and mood swings. Well, although the cloudiness and mood swings disappeared instantly when I stopped taking it, the actual headaches continued with a vengence! During the week I have suffered terrible migraines the moment I began lifting heavy weights, sometimes they continued into the next day. In the end I had to quit my workout because the pain was so severe, my head throbbed so bad it made me feel sick and dizzy.

Yesterday, I tested the water, so I did 20 press ups on my office floor and BANG there it was, the evil migraine for the rest of the day. Ibuprofen helped a little, but it still hurt behind the back of my eye. I had already done a little research of which pointed me at "weight lifters headache" and "exertion headache" , the symptoms ring true and all remedies mentioned getting it looked at by a doctor. So that's exactly what I did.

Shock, Horror! I have been instructed to stay away from the gym! My Doctor has booked me an emergency appointment at the neurology clinic! Which could mean I get seen within 14-21 days, good old NHS a? No more provoking exertion of any sort until I get seen by a neurologist! I could swear right now!

 

 31.07.08

Well it's coming to the end of another month and my training continues. I have been on a bulk / maintenance program for the last two months and my weight HAS increased by roughly 4-5lb. It is a lot harder to put weight on than I imagined, especially when my mindset was carved so deeply in to losing weight. Of course I could have stuffed myself stupid with french fries and double whoppers but that's not the sort of weight intended. Over the next couple of month's I have decided to continue to push my weight workout program and stick in an extra couple of 45 min cardio workouts, possible early morning before breakfast. I feel I have made progress in the top half of my body, my legs need some work and it would be nice to get back to cutting into that rubbery ring that still sits around my waist.

 

 30.07.08

Someone recently asked me if I had ever thought about quitting during this journey. And to be honest I haven't, not one bit. Even my wife was shocked when I said to her that my estimated progress towards my goal (so far) is about 1%. Yes that is 1%. I am in this for the long haul, I intend to continue learning and maintain a healthier lifestyle, be it diet, fitness, cardio or some form of personal growth (both pysical & mental) for the rest of my life. Besides when you experience the true euphoria of achievement you won't want to quit, ever! Take for example the 'pump' experience, some even compare it to sex, don't take my word for it, check out what the big man himself says below. He's in heaven ;)

 

 29.07.08

Thanks for all your advice on Creatine, I have received numerous emails on this subject but have decided to stop taking this supplement. Even on days that I wasn't training I was still getting the headaches and mood swings. I increased my water intake and practised my breathing but it was gradually getting worse, along with the feeling that my head was going to explode I was starting to feel sick at the end of every set. I have been off it now for three days and I already feel better. It's a shame because I really felt positive about using Creatine to boost my energy and looked forward to recording the gains. There was none in the short time I used it. I guess I'll just have to do it the old fashioned way, of which a lot of you have been advising.

 

 28.07.08

This is as much guilt i feel. Can you see it? Nah neither can I. I decided to extend the weekend. It's not normally this sunny in Blighty, 3 full days of mediterranean sunshine is almost un heard of so as soon as I finished work I decided to rush home, crack open an ice cold beer and spark up the BBQ. Two quality quarter pounders, 2 chilli chicken & 2 pork kebabs later I was ready to burst. No protein shakes needed today!

It's strange but this sort of "splurge a little" attitude is what makes the whole thing work. As long as you stay dedicated and are hitting the mark everywhere else with your training, a surprise reward every now and then will not do enough damage to expand your waistline. Part of getting in shape involves giving your mind a break, only to get right back to healthy eating after. It's now 20.30hrs and it has just started to rain with the rumbling of thunder in the distance. It was a nice british summer!

 

 25.07.08

My neck is a lot better today, it's not 100% as there is a slight niggle when I look down. Not sure if my neck problem has been causing my headaches or whether it's the Creatine I'm currently taking. I looked into it yesterday and apparently Creatine headaches can be caused by not drinking enough water. I currently drink around 2 litres a day, but according to a few forums out there I should be drinking a minimum of 4 litres a day when using a Creatine supplement. Another possibility is not breathing properly when performing resistance routines, which is interesting because the headaches I've been getting are short yet abrupt and always occur towards the end of my reps when I am approaching muscle fatigue. So I will drink more water and concentrate on my breathing and see if the headaches improve.. if not I will stop the Creatine and see if they go away.

 

 24.07.08

Some news of the bad variety.... I pulled my neck last night. It's not that bad, just left with a twingy dull ache today. My Work-Out was going fine apart from an exertion headache (Creatine?), but as I finished up on the Tricep Machine something must have gone 'pop'. I didn't really notice it until I went to stretch out. I've had this before and hopefully it will clear up fast. Therefore I plan to throw in an extra Cardio Workout this evening and see how I feel tomorrow.

 

 22.07.08

Ok so it's my 4th day using Creatine supplements and during last night's training I noticed something. Although I wasn't able to increase my weights I was left with an almighty "pump". I thought my head was going to explode during the declined flyes. When I got home, the wifey accused me of using roids!!! LOL.. I do not ache as much today either. Psychological? Lets wait and see. There is one thing for sure, I woke up this morning feeling a little bloated. The scales then confirmed this. I know it's just water because my gut feels like liquid jelly. I will keep you posted...

It's amazing how things can change over time. When I awoke this morning the first thing that went through my head was what work-out session is due today, is it Legs, Back or CV, should I shake it up a bit, push harder, try something new? Whereas it used to be what alcohol will I be drinking tonight with dinner, will it be red or white, lager or shots! It's been 7 month's since I began this detox program and every now and again I get a flashback of my old life, something will trigger it off. But the best bit is the warm contented feeling that I get when I look in the mirror, the realisation kicks in that all my dedication is paying off, I am achieving my goals and the little smirk in the corner of my mouth just confirms this.

 

 21.07.08

I started to take CEE (Creatine Ethyl Ester) tablets last week to see if it will help out my work outs. If you don't know Creatine increases the body's ability to produce energy rapidly. With more energy I should be able to train harder and more often, producing faster results. I expect to put on weight quite quickly using this stuff, I reckon I will probably put on about 2-4lbs of water this week alone. It's still early days, I will report any progress gains over the next week.

 

 17.07.08

I have discovered a few things this week. One is the magazine "Muscle & Fitness" which makes "Mens Health" look like a flyer for a sunday rambler and the other is to do my Resistance Training before any Cardio work! Duh! All this time! I can't believe I've been doing my HIIT training before my workouts! Anyways... you live, you learn.

Monday's chest workout was the best ever, I'm still hurting today (Thursday) so rather than doing two chest workouts this week I will be doing one chest, one back just in case I overload my chest muscles before complete repair. Yesterday I took the day off work and travelled to Bewl Water on the Kent / Sussex border with my brother. We took the mountain bikes with us and did the 13 mile off road course around the lake. It was a top cardio workout and it was great seeing the countryside in all its foilage beauty. I would advise anyone who wants to get of the gym and who obviously has a keen interest in the countryside to check this place out.

 

 09.07.08

The Salter Mibody Scales conundrum continues... By changing my Fitness Level to level 3 (see below), I have miraculously dropped 6% body fat overnight. So what is my true body fat pecentage using these scales? As far as I am concerned this result just confirms the inaccuracy of these scales. They are relying too much on honest user input and equations. However as previously mentioned they are GOOD to monitor weight gain and trends (as with any scales I suppose). I will continue to use these scales but will fallback to using body fat calipers and myo tape for body fat percentage and lean mass results. I will create a new page shortly to reflect these new statistics. Onwards and upwards folks... have a good day!

 

 08.07.08

Wow! Last night's workout was a cracker! It was upperbody split 2 which basically boils down to a classic back workout (delts, traps, lats etc), I also hit the biceps and abs while I was at it. This morning I still feel pumped.

My batteries in my Salter Mibody Analyser Scales died this morning, not bad after 135 days of use! My opinion on these scales has changed recently, although they are not bad in tracking the trends in your progress and are obviously excellent for weight measurements they do have one downfall. And this morning I realised what it was. As the scales reset themselves following the battery change I had to re-enter the time and date settings. This meant I had to find the instruction manual for reference and as I was flicking through I noticed the "Fitness Levels" under the "Personal Profile Data" entry. There are 3 settings for this:

Fitness Mode One: This category is for people who exercise lightly or infrequently (for example, less then 20 minutes of light aerobics one or two times a week). Most people will fall into this category.

Fitness Mode Two: If you engage in moderate activity for about thirty minutes, three to five times a week, select this category.

Fitness Mode Three: This category describes a person who is highly active, engaging in 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise five times a week.

Now as you may be aware when I started this detox I worked out 5 days per week for around 30-40 mins (most of which was Aerobic Cardio). As I have progressed I now weight train with cardio 6 days a week for a minimum of 60 minutes per day. This puts me in Fitness Mode Three and not Level 2 where my profile is set up at the moment. I don't know how the scales conclude the results, but surely the fitness level input must alter the equation used. I was beginning to dismiss the results as I have clearly put on more muscle recently and yet my body fat and other information follows the same pattern as when I was on my original fat loss phase.

I plan on updating the Fitness Level on my profile this evening and look forward to seeing if the results are different tomorrow. Some of you are STILL having problems with the Salter Mibody Scales software, if so go to www.mibody.co.uk where you can get the latest information and update patch.

 

 07.07.08

Usual fluctuations this weekend. I maintain the philosophy that you HAVE to live a little, therefore my cheat day still remains (for now). Last week's training went very well. I managed a few personal bests, even without a spotter and look forward to this week's program - Week 2 Cycle. It's still early days with this program, a few of you have pointed out some useful tips which I have implemented - thanks for that. I have increased my cardio on a few of the days in an attempt to keep the body fat at a minimum. Well it's going to be a busy week for me so I'm off to get on with it...

 

 01.07.08

In one month I have put on 6lb of weight. This morning I weighed in at 12:10.4st (white shorts), some of this is clearly water retention and regretably fat, but hopefully there is a good amount of muscle in there too. I still have not come to terms with gaining weight, it still feels very alien, I know its only to build some lean bulk but I still look forward to cutting into it. As it's a bit of head doer for me I took some more pictures this morning and compared my body structure to how it looked 15 days ago when I was 12:6.6st (blue shorts), I think its an improvement in the right direction.



It just goes to show that eating an average 500 calories a day above maintenance level really works. I have been consuming around 2700 to 3200 calories a day for the last month and have been doing less cardio and more resistance training. Yes it has been nice being able to eat a few extra treats but it's been very hard not getting carried away. I have been feeling a lot more powerful, more energy during my New Training Program followed by superquick recovery and have pushed my weights up quite considerably. I have progressed to the "Big Boys" gym (more heavier free weights less machines) and have received acknowledgement (the nod) from the superfit bodybuilders contained within. I'm not aiming to look like body builder so I plan on ending this bulk phase in a couple of weeks, possibly sooner. As I have never tried this before and didn't know what to expect I gave myself a limit of 13 stone followed by a revaluation.

 

 24.06.08

I'm up! Today I weighed 12st 9.2lbs, thats a big increase and the mirror would suggest that a lot of it is muscle, although I can see a little more podge on the belly. Let's see if it's just water, following the weekend I usually end up a couple of pounds heavier, then by the end of the week its gone. Difference this time is that if I follow the usual post weekend trend I should be up 1lb. Quite a lot of you have commented on my pictures, most of which are complimentary where you mention the noticable increase in my chest and shoulders. Hopefully I will continue to bulk successfully without putting too much fat on. This week I plan on purchasing some MyoTape so that I can begin measuring my muscle mass and along with the body fat calipers I should be able to begin recording my weight statistics more accurately.

 

 20.06.08

Ok so this week has been a good week for me, apart from the unforgiving hayfever but at least my gym has air conditioning which seemed to help. I am still finding it difficult trying to put the weight on, but I have a feeling I am getting there. The trend is to go up two pounds but then I seem to rubberband back down to 12:6.0, it seems my body likes this weight.

On another subject, I have created a training program using excel and it really helps me focus on what I'm doing. I can now hit the gym with a positive and structured mindset, whereas before I would tend to float from one routine to another. By doing it this way I can almost perfectly split my routines so that I can get the best of of my workouts. As soon as I can work it out, I will post my new training program for you to check out. Tonight's session is Upper Body Split 2! Have a good one.

 

 17.06.08

I'm not 100% sure what it was, but I felt like sh#t yesterday. I felt so fatigued and run down I was convinced I was coming down with the dreaded flu! I am suffering from hayfever and those anti-histamine tablets sometimes make me feel drowsey, I did take two so it could explain why I felt a little zombified. My legs felt like I'd run a marathon which was probably just DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) from Sunday's squats and deadlifts. It must have been bad because I skipped my workout, but thankfully I'm feeling much better today, so it's onwards and upwards. Chest and Triceps tonight.

 

 15.06.08

Well it's been another month since I updated my pictures, so I decided to update the photo gallery section. As you may already know this month I decided to start, or should I say attempt, my lean bulk phase so as you can see from the latest picture, even though I have put on 2lb I should have some more muscle (well look closely, it is there). The reason behind this attempt to gain more muscle is to help burn more fat and avoid the skinny fat look.

Also this week I increased my resistance training, I have upped my weights and learnt the correct form while doing squats & deadlifts. I cannot believe I have left it so late to learn these techniques. They are excellent for working the core and releasing the growth hormone. It feels like the beginning of something new and spectacular, these movements wipe the floor with the machines I've been using. I know this because my arse is killing me! In a good way!

 

 09.06.08

Fu#k Me! That was a weekend to remember! The Foo Fighters have to be the best Rock Band in the world ever! Don't take my word for it, we were with 86,000 others who are more than likely going to agree. Wow, what a night! Dave Grohl belted out the spine tingley, goose pimpling melodies we have grown to love, the Wembley crowd went into euphoric meltdown and I was left blown away by the whole atmosphere. I have never experienced anything like it.

Speaking of experiences, I now know what its like to put on 2lbs in just one weekend!! Thats right, you get out what you put in, so let's just say I'm not expecting this weight increase to be of a good nature. I threw caution to the wind and ate what I liked, when I liked, this included Pizza Hut, Chocolate and Crisps. It's not big and it's not clever! I am now no longer on the long road to ruin (see what I did there?) and will be re-focusing all my energy on getting back on track. I have posted this month's posing picture to inspire myself and therefore push that little bit harder in the gym.

Before I go I just wanted to congratulate my brother who has returned from Spain with his new Diploma in Personal Training and Gym Instruction. He has already picked me up on my form and has shown me a few secrets on gaining muscle mass quickly. I am your apprentice my master!!

 

 06.06.08

I'm confused... According to my new Accu-Measure 300 Body Fat Calipers my body fat is an awesome 11%. Shocked! Yes.. In disbelief I spent all yesterday evening researching the correct way to measure body fat using these instruments. Even my Wife helped me do a 7 point Skinfold test several times throughout the evening and everytime I kept getting the same results. Now either we're totalling doing it wrong or my Salter MI-Body Scales are right off kelter. I am going to look into this in more detail and try and get a professionals opinion.

I'm not expecting this weekend to be a culinary delight (well not from a healthy perspective), my Wife and I are taking a well deserved weekend trip to London to see the Foo Fighters at Wembley Stadium and while we're celebrating our 3rd Year Wedding Anniversary we'll be staying a swanky Hotel by the Thames, I've already seen the menu and lets just say its orrriiiigggghhhhhtttttt! Obviously I will not be taking my healthy snacks because last time I went to Wembley, Security bundled me when I opened my bag and they saw it contained an Apple, Banana and some snacks! Anyone would think they were ticking or something! Besides why would you want to eat fruit when you can eat Hot Dogs, Chocolate and Pies all at a reasonable priced £500!!! I'll let you know how it goes...

 

 04.06.08

Hey Hey. there seems to be a result. I am up 1lb this week. How strange? It seems so wrong putting on weight after all this time. To be honest with you it scares me, although I'm still focused on my goals there is this little struggling doubt feeling that I'm going backwards, its weird, hard to describe. Lets just hope it's all muscle I'm putting on and not fat! Speaking of fat, I recently purchased some Body Fat Calipers and am ready to try them out. Stay tuned for the results...

 

 02.06.08

This is hard! I didn't realise how difficult it is to eat more (clean calories) and more often. Just the amount of organisation it takes to arrange my meals in three hour slots, keeping them all healthy and well balanced (carb vs protein) is going to take a lot of practise. If last weekend is anything to go by then this could be my hardest challenge yet! On a positive note: my workouts are going great, its a breathe of fresh air to be able to hit the weights more often and I am already receiving comments on my new visable progress. Eating more often has definitely given me an energy boost, there seems to be no slumps during the day and I have been able to push a lot harder in the gym. I will keep you posted...

 

 28.05.08

Still here, still training. Following yet another bank holiday I am not surprised to see my weight has increased, however, what I am surprised about is the fact that its still increasing. I was planning on beginning a clean bulk next month, thats right my first step in a new direction, but it seems it may have started already. What I intend to do during June is to create a calorie surplus (500 cals) above my TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) in an attempt to gain some lean mass, hopefully muscle which in turn will help me burn more body fat. I will begin by hitting my TDEE (2700 cals) a day which equals my maintenance level, then depending on the results will increase my calories until I hit my surplus. This gradual technique should allow me to avoid any unnecessary weight gain, i.e. I start to eat more than I can burn early on and pile on the pounds.

As with everything I do, it wil be more of an experiment than anything else, if I fail or do not like it I will revert back. I have spent the last 6 months losing weight, so to start a program to gain weight is going to feel quite alien to me and according to the advice given, it could actually be quite difficult. I will concentrate on eating more, but cleanly and will lower my cardio workouts in favour of more resistance training. There is a high posibility that I could actually gain some fat during this program which I will deal with afterwards, I will be taking regular pictures to moniter any changes.

 

 21.05.08

Yesterday's gym session was a cracker, I started with a quick 10 mins flat out on the bike, I must have pelted it because when I got off I couldn't walk properly, my legs were all stiff, but feeling good. Anyway this warm up was followed by a heavy full on upper body workout (delts, traps, lats and biceps) and by the time I'd finished I felt PUMPED! I have reached the point where I can dumbbell bicep curl the 20Kgs and dumbbell shoulder press the 18kg's. I have taken to doing supersets to mix things up a bit and have started to see veins pop up on my biceps, whether that looks nice is a matter of opinion, but I like it. Well tonight its 20 mins HIIT, then legs..

 

 20.05.08

If your like me, you probably dont mind a bit of porridge in the morning, but isn't it boring? Of course you can add fruit pieces, yoghurt etc but having to prepare this first thing is a major pain in the arse. Until now.. I stumbled accross Weetabix Oatibix Porridge at the weekend and finally got to try some this morning. It was delicious, not too heavy or sweet, yet it seems to have done the job. I would advice people out there who enjoy porridge yet want to pimp it up easily and quickly. In the words of Borat "itz naazzzz".

 

 19.05.08

Looks like the milestone honeymoon period is over! Nice while it lasted, but over the weekend I managed to put on nearly two pounds!!! Ouch. I know why.. and I'm not proud. I decided to have a cheat day on saturday, thats right a cheat DAY, not a cheat meal. I guess one of the reasons behind this was curiosity, just to see if pigging out big time would make a diference. Well judging by my post weekend weight I would 100% say it does! I need to get back on track immediately starting now!

 

 15.05.08

Ok so I checked my diet, I checked my workouts and decided to mix things up a bit. My diet DID have a few nasty things creeping back in, late night snacking was one, no matter how hot it gets, having a Mars Ice Cream is not always the answer! Tut tut. With regards to my workouts; well I have put HIIT training back in the schedule 4 times a week and it seems to have done a good job this week.

 

This morning when I weighed myself I noticed a mammoth decline, I was 12st 4.2lbs which means I have reached my 2 stone goal! Thats 2 stone of blubber down the drain, the equivilant weight of my 2 year old daughter and definately warrants the posting of some new pictures.

 

 09.05.08

I'm not too happy with this week's results, I have been hovering around 12st 6lbs for a little bit longer than expected. Considering that at the start of the month I was actually 12st 5lbs, this could be classed as a negative week, but with the usual weight flunctuations I am willing to let it go... for now.

As expected then, I will be keeping a close eye on my weight over the weekend, check my diet and ready myself for another plateau! Along side this entry I have posted a picture (posing admitidely) taken this morning to remind me of my progress and cheer myself up. Til next time...

 

 07.05.08

Following the bank holiday weekend and the lovely weather that came with it I returned to the gym and will admit to finding it a little harder than usual. I managed a good session of aerobic cardio on the cross trainer, burning 200 cals in only 10 mins then continuing at a steady pace to 700 cals in total. I finished up with 75 sit ups on the stability ball. I have also noticed over the weekend that people are really starting to comment on my weight loss, I must have gone through a transitional period because everyone keeps saying to me "you're not going to lose too much weight are you?". This must be the start where everyone thinks if I keep on going I might become anorexic or something! No chance.. I love my beer too much and besides, once my fat loss (not body weight) stage is complete I will begin a maintenance phase where I will be concentrating on maintaining both my body weight and muscle mass while trying to keep my body fat under control.

 

 01.05.08

Another month gone and another 7.8lbs goes with it!!! Goodbye and good riddance. My training continues and the best thing about this has to be the rewards. I feel fantastic, I look in the mirror and see a completely new person, full of energy, clearer headed and a lot more calmer under pressure. I feel I can handle any thing that life throws at me. Not only do I now challenge myself on a daily basis, but I challenge life and am determined to live it to the full. Ooo - get me! :)

 

 25.04.08

My weight this week has been up and down to say the least. I was 1.4 lbs heavier this morning compared to yesterday, I am still getting used to these flunctuations. Many of you ask why I put myself through the misery of weighing myself everyday, well.. this is how I see it. Using my daily weigh ins and my calorie diary I am able see the results the very next day following a blow out meal, alcohol consumption or excessive exercise. So far I have learnt that when I drink alcohol, I tend to weigh less the next morning (dehydration I guess), but what is interesting is the fact that if I eat a blow out meal and send my daily calories soaring - nothing immediate really happens until about 3 days afterwards. Not sure if this is correct but I think my body works on a 3 day cycle.

I worked out my TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) yesterday. Using my BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate), Lean Mass Weight, Body Fat and Activity Level - my daily calories total for maintenance is currently 2783. This means I can eat this amount of calories per day and I should not gain or lose any weight. But as you are aware my current phase is fat loss so I have created a calorie deficit of 20% which equals to 556 calories less, bringing my total of daily calories needed to 2227 per day. Obviously I can eat less than this but I don't want to cut my body short and slip into starvation mode. Using this method with 6 days of exercise should be more than enough to remove the average pound of fat (3500 cals) per week. Let's see.

 

 23.04.08

I had a great work out yesterday. I started with 20 minutes of HIIT training on the treadmill and believe me it was raining by the end of it. Had my MP3 player cranked up and just got on with it. A serious Leg and Lower Back workout followed this, I don't know why but I never look forward to my leg workouts but once you get into it and start feeling the burn it just gets better and better. I finished off with 100 crunches on the stability ball then a good stretch. Not sure why but the gym seemed pretty empty last night, it must be the time of year where the slackers begin to vanish... just separates the "johny-no-stars" from the achievers I suppose.

 

 22.04.08

Without realising it I have managed to achieve my original goal. When I started this blog back in January I said to myself that I wanted to weigh twelve and a half stone with a body fat percentage of eighteen. Well I actually achieved this a few days ago, my current weight is 12:7.8 and my body fat percentage is registering at 17.6. Lovely! So... I have decided to continue with the weight loss regime and my new goal is twelve stone with a body fat percentage of twelve percent.

As you may know I use Salter MiBody USB Analyser Scales to weigh myself every morning, well a few months back I posted the new software for these scales as a lot of you were having trouble getting it directly from Salter. Today I have received another updated version of the software, version 1.1 - I cannot see any improvements but you can download here if you want to try it out. You must uninstall the old version first and don't forget to export your readings!

Regarding my hunger pangs: having looked at my calorie diary, the only thing I can think of is the fact that I have been skipping breakfast again. I learnt that a quality breakfast i.e. fruits, oats will help keep your stomach fuller throughout the day, thus not leaving you starving by the end of it. Bring on the porridge!!

 

 21.04.08

I have no idea why but my hunger has increases enormously over the last week. I seem to always be hungry and never satisfied with what I have eaten. I haven't given in to temptation and begun upping my portion sizes or squeezing in some extra snacks, although it has been very hard not to. I just can't work out why this has come out of the blue, my hunger patterns were settled. My weight is still decreasing but the weigh ins have been up and down, all over the place - not consistant. Will look into it when I get five and see if I can work it out.

 

 16.04.08

Home improvements can be a problem, especially when it's your kitchen! Still, nearly finished so hopefully there be no more culinary interuptions! It has been an ok couple of weeks and even though I have let a few areas in my diet slip (takeaways) the dreaded plateau did not arrive, well not yet!

I like my dance music and have recently been listening to the latest Ministry of Sound Mash Up Mix 2008, its very good, not as hard as Pendulum or The Prodigy, but motivates you all the same. What I like best is the old and new mixed together, it takes me back to my old raving days! Sad innit? Still, whatever floats your boat and helps you push that extra 100 calories in the gym!

I have decided to create a FAQ page as some of you may find it useful, I am getting quite a few emails on the same subjects. Please bear in mind this is about me and what works for me, so of course I'm not claiming it to be accurate, I am still learning and making plenty of mistakes!

 

 09.04.08

Ta-Daa... I think I'm getting to know how my body works. As predicted I am up 1.4 pounds this morning following last weekend, I guess this is due to my body re-loading water after de-hydrating due to the recent acohol consumption. My workout last night consisted of a medium paced 500 calorie mixed cardio work out, I did HIIT on the stationary bike for 15 minutes, it nearly killed me but I got through it.

Congratulations to my brother for running the treadmill mile in an amazing 6:33 and on his birthday (sorry Phil, he did it again!). I did attempt it last night but had to stop half way through. I had so much mucus I had to visit the toilet to clear my chest. Nice!

 

 08.04.08

No plateau as yet, but then again I have had a very unusual dietery weekend. My usually strict calorie and nutrition regime went out the window, along with most of the kitchen during some much needed home improvements. Although this was only temporary and now with the said regime back on track it has highlighted what happens to my body when I cheat with takeaway food and fuel my thirst with black coffee & alcohol for 3 consecutive days. Having returned to my usual food plans I cannot help notice that my cravings for junk food has increased tenfold, I feel lethargic and bloated and although I skipped the gym I have not put on any more weight (well, not yet). My face is rosey and looks puffy, my eyes look glazed / tired and my guts.. well lets just say they are constantly rumbling and it's definitely not hunger! I look forward to an increased intensity work out later to flush this crap out of me! Will let you know how I get on.

 

 02.04.08

With the possibility of another plateau looming I took time out to research exactly what I have achieved. I have lost 20 pounds / 9 kg's (hopefully of fat) which is the equilivant of burning 70,000 calories, or running the length of the UK. All that energy could have kept a light bulb burning for 56 days!! So with the thought of turning down 217 Snickers Bars, or 142 Big Macs I will at this stage give myself a well deserved pat on the back. I thank you, doo-dit-doo-hoo (the sound of me blowing my own trumpet). lol

 

 01.04.08

I may be wrong, but I have a sneaky feeling that I am approaching the "Plateau" stage part 2. Everything seems to have levelled off, my weight is staying the same, my body fat is going up and down, along with my muscle mass. Paranoia possibly? Perhaps my scales are playing a sick joke for Aprils Fools? We'll see... So in an attempt to get in there early I will tighten my belt, check that I haven't let anything slip and push that little bit harder in the gym.

I would like say well done to Phil for matching my brothers 1 mile treadmill time at 6:42, I am still to attempt this new record and am biding my time (ergh umm, clears throat). Lol... Also I will take this opportunity to say thanks to everyone who has emailed me with support and encouragement, I didn't realise how popular this site is becoming, but hey it's all good and I will try and answer all your emails. Ta ra for now!

 

 28.03.08

The bar has been raised yet again! My brother managed the treadmill mile in an amazing 6:42. Well done! I think it might be a while before I attempt that PB. Every thing is still going good although I may need to buy some new gym clothes soon as the ones I have been using are falling off me. Not sure what my waist size is, but I was fitting into 38inch suit trousers in January, I'll let you know. I think I have actually surpassed my last effort at getting fit. People are starting to notice my image changing, I have too, the mirror is my friend once more.

 

 24.03.08

There's always that chance of letting things slip when your on holiday. This Easter has been a test for me, all the chocolate eggs, large family dinners and the chance to burn the candle. Well let's just say I have compromised and it seems to have worked. I managed to stay within my calorie deficit with only a few minor adjustments to my nutritional choices, for obvious reasons I will admit that not all the calories consumed were clean, but normal service will resume this week. My weight / fat loss is still consistantly declining and my muscle mass is still increasing. This morning I weighed 12 stone 13 pounds.

I enjoyed the swimming yesterday, did another mile (66 lengths) in 50 mins and my breathing was aided with a new pair of goggles. Speaking of miles, I managed to run the dreaded treadmill mile in 7:21 in the week. It was hard work and my lungs felt like they were bleedng at the end of it!

 

 16.03.08

It's funny how it takes me 8 minutes to run a mile, yet I got just as much satisfaction swimming the same distance in a not so blinkable 50 mins this afternoon. I really enjoyed the swimming session today, it was easier than last time, more paced, calmer and well... just doable. I do not ache as much either, the first 30 lengths was the only reason to take a break then the breast stroke continued. I happy to say that I am looking forward to my next session already! I feel it's a great way of mixing up my cardio workouts, I cannot wait until it gets a bit warmer, mountain biking here we come!

Overall it has been a memorable weekend for me, most of it good, yet some of it bad. My brother and I travelled to London for an exhibition at Wembley Stadium, it was my first visit to the re-vamped national landmark and for me it was a breath taking experience. The only downside of this venture was the fact that door security emptied my rucksack of food, leaving me with no option other than to buy the over priced "crap" within the complex. Fine if you want to dine on Mars bars and Hot Dogs all day!! This totally ruined my pre-planned diet for the day and I can only take solace in the fact that it was actually a cheat meal day! Other than that it was a great day out and we even bumped into Nicolas Hoult from the Channel 4 series SKINS. A very nice bloke might we add.

Sorry to hear our northern lad "Downsize Dave" is not feeling too good. Hope you feel better soon dude, I know how frustrating it is, keep up the hard work mate!

 

 13.03.08

I have been getting back on the treadmill lately, taking it easy mind. Yesterday for a quick warm up session I decided to run a mile as quick as I could. I managed to do it in 8:02 mins. I think Radio 1's Chappers and Dave Sport Relief's miles have inspired me. Being used to jogging (up to 40mins) I did find it quite hard, I have only ever run in short bursts (HIIT), I know there is room for improvement, so a new challenge dawns. I finished my routine with an upper body workout, abs, obliques, delts, traps and biceps. I felt nicely pumped afterwards.

Picked up a copy of Mens Health yesterday, they have a few workouts in this edition I plan to introduce into my routine, especially the gym ball exercises. If you get a chance, pick up a copy, go check out Olly Foster's (cover model) tattoo too. I want one!

 

 10.03.08

The weight is still coming off and judging by my heath statistics I am maintaining my lean mass while the fat is coming off. Nice! It is offcial, my weekends DO put me back a pound, but hey, you have to live a little, right?
Yesterday (Sunday), my brother and I went swimming for a bit of a Cardio change, it was good to get back in the water (no, I am not a fish), it's been a while since I have taken swimming seriously, just to test the water (get me) with 30 lengths, but reckon we could double this next time. I had the usual achievement aches afterwards, only this time they were all over my body. It's amazing just how much swimming can tire you out!

Not sure if you have noticed but I have added MyProtein.co.uk as one of my friends. This is where I purchase my supplements, so far so good, reasonably priced and they seem to be doing the job. If I had one gripe about them, I would say they could speed up the delivery process.

 

 05.03.08

At first I thought the weekend was going to pass and I would get away no weight increase, but true to form Monday morning came I my weight had increased.. only slightly though. My only conclusion for this must be the fact that I have a day off at the weekend allowing my metabolism to slow down and increase my calories slightly (2000 - 2500), I guess this makes sense.

 

 01.03.08

It's month three and I'm happy to report that today I am at my lowest weight since the start of this attempt 13st 3lbs. I have upped my cardio this week averaging around 750 calories per gym visit, also I have split my upperbody weight training routine to avoid injuries and have been more strict with my nutritional choices. To remain at my fat burning best I need to keep my muscles strong, so to keep them working at optimal performance I have been using my whey / milk protein supplements to balance out my protein daily percentage to 40%, which at the moment adds up to around 190g of protein a day.

Now whether its all the above or my big blow out last saturday night (3223 cals), but it would seem my plateau has at last recieved a jolt as my weight / fat loss has been nicely consistant this week. I'm due a day off today, so it should be interesting to see if I will suffer the patterned increase in weight, which has become a regular occurrence.

Apologies: To all of you who have been contacting me the last few days via the site. I had been having some major problems with my email client, but thankfully it is all sorted now, so keep 'em coming. For those of you who have been having a problems with the Salter MiBody Scales you can now download the patch from here updated Beta Software for Salter MiBody Scales.

 

 28.02.08

It was nice being able to work out my upper body at last following my neck injury last week. I thought it would take longer to get better, but I took it easy and only did chest and triceps. Feeling nicely pumped this morning. I am planning on doing the rest of my upper body on Thursday, split it up a bit. I have been advised to see a physio about my possible shin splint as when I tried to run, the pain came straight back! I will look into it this week. Watch out cross trainer, your going to get another -900 calorie battering!!!

Following my binging weekend I am only now getting back to where I was, it has taken 3 days to make up the difference. Going to put that weekend down to experience, it has proven that the late eating, extra (dirty) calories and too much alcohol DOES have a short term negative effect.

 

 25.02.08

Monday morning blues I'm afraid. This morning I was up 1.5 lbs but to be honest I am not surprised. I will admit to having a bit of a binging weekend, not enough for a hangover and a sore head, just enough to send the calorie counting sky high! The results speak for themselves. My neck is getting better and I am hoping to back to normal by Thursday for a serious upper body workout. I'm still getting a little niggle from my leg. I am looking to purchase a proper pair of Adidas running shoes to try and avoid getting shin splint again.

 

 22.02.08

oooooo... the pain!! O yes I've gone and done my neck in! Sure I have had some niggles so far, as David Couthard once said about Montoya "its what happens when fat people try and get fit too quickly", I have had a sure sign of shin splint recently, hence I have laid off the runner for a bit, but last night... well it went PANG! Not quite sure how it happened, all was going well, then I had a slight twinge followed by a massive twang and crippling pain! Have I got your sympathy yet? Well I should, this bloody hurts like no other pain I've had before! Last night I used the hot and cold tecnique to try and calm it down, and this morning my neck feels like I have been in a car crash. Pain killers and a spell of positive thinking will get me through this terrible terrible time. Milking it enough do you think? Ok... fair enough.. Easy CV tonight me thinks!

 

 21.02.08

Now do I celebrate or not? Yesterday I purchased a nice new set of scales, Salter Mibody USB Analyser Scales. They not only measure your weight, they can also measure your body fat, visceral fat, muscle mass, body water, BMR, BMI, Bra size etc etc. All these results are downloaded via a USB stick then transfered to your PC. Magic! Anyway enough of the plug for Salter. My point here is that this morning I weighed myself on my old set of scales and it read 13st 4lbs meaning that I have officially hit a milestone of 1 stone of weight loss. Hooray! Only when I weighed myself on the new set of scales it read 13st 5lbs... mmmm? So, to stop any confusion and to keep all my reading consistant I have decided to continue with the new set of scales for my weight readings.

My new set of scales also record my body fat and muscle mass which is what I am going to record and focus on more than my weight in future. As I mentioned above I have lost a stone in weight, however I can not be 100% sure that this is fat I have lost or muscle. The new set of scales will record exactly where the weight loss in coming from.

 

 20.02.08

No matter how frustrating this gets, I will not give up. I am still hovering around 13st 5lbs and have not had any luck jolting my metabolism. I thought my cheat meal on Saturday night would have hindered my progress but in actual fact I weighed a pound less the next morning. Strange! Now does that mean I can have Pizza Hut every night? NOOO.. Damn!

 

 16.02.08

Yesterday I started HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) in an attempt to kickstart my metabolism into shifting the weight again. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it makes a refreshing change to do something new, I burned more calories than normal in what seemed half the time and effort. Still looked like a drowned rat when I finished though! I'm also going to take it easy with my daily calorie intake today by celebrating Valentines (late I know) with wifey, meal for two and all the trimmings!! I read somewhere that blowing your calorie maintenence level can also help regarding weight loss plateau! We'll see soon enough!

The pictures above show how I looked at the beginning of the year compared to yesterday lunch time. Even though the weight has temporary stopped coming off, it has given me time to reflect on the changes that have already occured. I can now fit into my old jeans, tops that were too tight now fit snug and my body seems to be changing shape on a daily basis. See latest pics for more.

 

 15.02.08

grrrhhhh... Looks like it might be time to try and shake things up a bit, my weight has been the same (give or take) for the last week with no significant changes. Now I have read up about this so called plateau effect and what I should do is mix my routine / diet up a bit. I also found out about something called zig-zagging your calories where one day you would eat under your daily maintenence amount, followed by an increased amount the next. I will keep researching this and let you know how it goes. Just another challenge to contend with, bring it on!

 

 13.02.08

mmmm... It seems my body is liking 13st 6lbs, I have been this weight for 5 days now, however my body fat index is still decreasing. I have either gained a bit of muscle or this is the plateau effect beginning...

 

 11.02.08

Ooo. It's Monday morning and I ache from last night's training session, I also feel unusually tired. My weight has levelled off once more, 3 days the same, so I expect it to drop this week. The 'Wifey' looks like she is coming down with another cold, so I am going to try and avoid that!

 

 08.02.08

I was nicely surprised this morning when I weighed myself, I wasn't expecting that. Still the weekend usually ends up with me weighing a few more pounds but I'm not going to complain. My routine is obviously working, and working well... I think I'll stick to it. The other surprise this morning was that my suit trousers don't exactly fit anymore, the belt works but it looks like I have pleats in them (is that wrong?).

I was 28% Body Fat when I started this, now this morning it was 22.5%, all this in one month! Yeh! I'm liking that! My intitial target weight is 12.5 stone, with around 15% BF but that is a long way off. I see this as an infinite journey, so my goals will change along the way. My Body mass index is 26 down from 29, my blood pressure is back to normal and I am starting to feel good again. I crave anything fishy and am loving the healthy snacks.

 

 06.02.08

Not having the best of week's! I pulled my shoulder at the gym last night, I think it's a re-occuring injury but it bloody aches this morning. Not due to work the upper body out again until Sunday so fingers crossed it will get better. My weight has come back down to 13st 7lbs following the bingy weekend, so thats a positive. However still need more sleep! Being a father means your going to get some form of sleep disturbance occasionally, just have to get on with it. Where's those match sticks?

 

 05.02.08

Miffed! Due to unforseen circumstances I missed a gym session last night and feel totally gutted! To top that I have been lacking my usual sleep pattern and have averaged 5 hours per night for the last two nights, I can really notice the difference between getting a good nights sleep and missing out! Back to the schedule today though!

 

 03.02.08

I feel like death! I had a few drinks last night and believe me I am paying for it this morning. Before I started this site I used to drink quite a bit (see here), so I guess I was used to the hangovers. This one has knocked me for six, I feel physically drained, bloated, dizzy and dehydrated. It feels like poison running through my veins, not nice. I guess my body was used to feeling this way and dealt with it accordingly, now it feels like it's been hit by a truck. For what its worth and even though its probably not true, I'm going to say it anyway.... "I'm never drinking again!"

 

 01.02.08

I still don't know exactly what happened this week with my weight / fat loss. I am currently 13st 9lbs which I am more than happy with. Having tweaked what I am eating seems to help me concentrate on what I am putting in my mouth. Get this; I haven't eaten any kind of chocolate in over 5 days! I am trying a high protein diet - 40% protein, 40% carbohydrate and 20% fat. I will post my food diary as a download shortly.

Well it's been a month since I started this weblog and I can already feel the benefits of what I am doing. I no longer feel so exhausted, clarity is back, no more anxiety, calmer (my blood pressure has dropped back to the normal level), but most importantly I feel in control! Got to be some good in this!

 

 30.01.08

Something weird has happened! Yesterday I kept going to the toilet (urinating) tenfold, I had been 4 times before 10.30am!!! And then kept going frequently all day. I kept my water intake the same as usual. I was 13.11st (25.5% Body Fat) yesterday, this morning I was 13.08st (24.8%)!!! Going to find out whats going on.

 

 29.01.08

Right, yet again my weight has levelled off, not sure why this time. I was a bit dissapointed yesterday when I went back up a pound. So in order to counteract this I have improved my diet diary and will now keep a track of my Fat, Protein and Carbohydrate intake. I know this sounds a little anal, but by giving me something else to monitor it will help me concentrate on getting it right. Obviously if it don't work then I'll scrap it... no harm in trying.

 

 27.01.08

Note to self: Always have something to eat before going to the gym first thing in the morning, or YOU will pass out.

 

 24.01.08

I can't make my mind up on how many miles to run regarding Sport Relief "rise to the challenge", 1, 3, or 6? I did two miles last night, admittedly I looked like I had just had a shower afterwards, my heart rate levelled off at about 161 at a jogging pace. It took 25 mins! Is that good?

My weight has stablelised at 13st 11lbs for the last three days, it does this then drops. Fingers crossed it continues. I have noticed my podge a lot more this week, more so than when I began all this, very strange. Still only makes me more determined.

 

 22.01.08

Ok, I'm down to 13st 11lbs and there seems to be a pattern forming, (2lb a week). I am keeping up my attendence at the gym 6 days a week and plan on keeping it this way, by alternating my weight lifting routines and filling the non weight lifting days with 40 mins CV work I am managing to keep the calories down, decreasing fat and balancing it out with muscle building. I have now added a daily multi-vitamin and vitamin C.

 

 20.01.08

Had a day off from the gym yesterday, letting my muscles repair and body recover. I have started to use whey protein, along with L-glutomine supplements in my diet as this helps accelerate fat burn, helps repair and avoid muscle break down. I keep reading and have been advised by various people that the body can only burn on average 2lb of fat per week, after that it begins using the muscle tissue for energy, so you still lose weight only its coming from muscle not the fat, not what you want when your trying to shake off the globular pounds and get your body fat index down. Mine is currently 25%.

 

 18.01.08

Duh! I was right... First cock-up overcome. I was definately eating wrong, eating too little calories. Your body is designed for survival, and part of it's survival mechanism involves storing and holding onto bodyfat to be used in times of food shortages. If you make it a habit of not eating, or eating only a small amount of calories each day, eventually your body will think that you are in a time of famine and begin to slow your metabolism. Your body is just trying to conserve energy (calories) because it is getting so little nourishment. Right, so it's back to the burgers and fries... NO!!! Having researched this information I have also learnt that the food I am digesting isn't the best, I need to look at eating more cleaner foods. Next Stage... OOO I'm loving this!

 

 17.01.08

I am feeling the burn from the first decent weight session last night. Pecs, Biceps and shoulders are going off good. Tight. My weight has gone back up to 14 stone for the last couple of days, I'm not sure why this is but I'm wondering if its to do with my calories intake. I have dropped around 500-1000 calories a day (including gym reductions) and have a feeling it might be too much. I'm not feeling exhuasted but I read somewhere that if drop too many cals it can have that effect, the body gets worried about the amount of food intake and begins storing as much as possible, like a reserve tank. I'll look into it.

 

 16.01.08

Yesterday I had a physical MOT of sorts, body fat index was calculated along with blood pressure etc. My body fat stands at 28% and my blood pressure is slightly high at 178 over 91. Both these factors need to decrease in the near future, thus giving me two more goals to aim for.

I was put through my paces on the treadmill and it neally killed me, I felt my chest rattling for hours afterwards, I think it was all the mucas left from my cold, still it felt good to clear it. I ran 1 mile in 10.30mins, I think thats my fastest. However my legs fill like lead this morning, I miss that burning sensation.

 

 15.01.08

Gym went well last night, another 500 cals burnt. I am feeling quite tired this morning, my abs are still aching from sunday probably because it has been such a long time since they got a work out! My weight is 13 st 13.4 today and I must admit that checking my weight daily is a real push to keep going, I don't think I realised how important it is.

 

 14.01.08

This morning I weighed myself and to my surprise I had managed to get below the 14 stone mark. I have given this website address to a few friends and have received some great feedback and support, so I would like to say thanks for that. I have decided to continue with my calorie diary as it seems to be working very well. Looking forward to the gym this evening, time to start the workout plan at last!!

 

 13.01.08

I feel better, so much so that I managed to get to the gym today. Lovely, 550 calories later I am writing this feeling content and fulfilled. Ahhhhh.

 

 11.01.08

They say you never get the same cold twice, well good because I never want this one again. Just how long is it going to take? I hardly got any sleep last night and my nose has turned into a tap... I feel exhausted. Still I did weigh myself this morning and I am down to 14 st 1.4lbs, the lowest since I began. Looks like cutting out alcohol and keeping an eye on the calories does work.

I have created a BMI Calculator Page so I can keep track of my progress. Go there if you want to work out your BMI.

 

 10.01.08

I'm in the stuffy, mucas filled head stage, my ears are ringing constantly and when I eat I taste nothing. Nice :( Still watching my calorie intake and have worked out my BMI (Body Mass Index) which is 29. And 29 stands for "OVERWEIGHT", shocked? Nope. I am aching to get down the gym... If only I was aching!

 

 09.01.08

Still got this annoying cold, its a tough one, thick and heavy. I have postponed my gym appointment until I am healthier and have been adviced to stay away for everyone's sake. So I'm hoping to return asap. In the meantime I am keeping a calorie diary which is turning out to be quite interesting. As I have cut out all alcohol this week my calorie intake is actually less than the daily recommendation of 2500. I am thinking of posting the diary on this website.

 

 07.01.08

Yup I got a stinker.. Sore throat, shivers, aches n pains... Typical! I haven't had a cold in over a year and then I get one now! Still I will not let it get me down and will return with even more determination, what hurts you only makes you stronger!

 

 06.01.08

Ok, so I ache... a little... well my legs ache a lot actually and to make things worse I think I have a blasted cold coming. I will not be deterred though. To be honest I thought it would be worse. On the brighter side my fluctuating weight is on the lighter side today... 14st 2lb.For those of you who want to be put off their food for the rest of the day (you never know it might have it's benefits), I have posted a couple more pictures in the gallery.

 

 05.01.08

He was working hard, he was sweating, he looked exhausted, he ached before he started but kept it together.... and that was just my brother David doing his induction at the gym ;) Me on the other hand handled it rather well (erk hum... handled it ok). No seriously it wasn't that bad, I did 40 mins good CV at about 75%, couldn't keep it down at 65% my body wouldn't let me. I could tell its been a while, my heart felt heavy and reminded me that I was unfit. Still as far as I am concerned it was a good start, I do not ache right now, but I expect the pain to begin tomorrow. All good!

 

 04.01.08

Good morning. Still haven't started training yet and my weight is back down to 14st 3.2lbs today, looks like it's give or take a pound or two. In order to keep track of my weight gain / loss I designed a daily weight chart. Now all I need is a wi-fi set of scales that will automatically upload my weight. I am planning on making my return visit to the gym tomorrow afternoon, with full detox starting next week, will let you know how I get on.

 03.01.08

Today I'm 14st 4.0lbs!!! This is interesting... still I haven't started training yet. I have been busy building the gallery section for this website. Hop over and have a look if you like?

 

 02.01.08

What does it mean when you put on a pound of weight overnight? I weighed myself this morning and I was 14st 3.8lbs. Is this normal? I expect it is, I have not changed my diet yet, so it's still your average tucker going down. I re-joined the gym today and have booked my old personal trainer for some one on one. Time to wake up!

 

 01.01.08

Hey guess what? No hangover! Although these pictures would suggest different. Great puffer fish impression isn't it? I was just saying the other day I look like someone has stuck a pump up my arse!

Right my first weigh-in this morning was 14st 2.6lbs, I plan to always weigh myself when I first get up, this way I get an accurate reading. I have not re-joined the gym yet but plan on doing so this week and will admit to not looking forward to the walk of shame when I return. Still, this time I have a sparring partner, my brother is also planning on joining up, this should help us both reach our goals, well in theory?

Sorry about the quality of the photos here, as I progress I will work out a better way of taking them. I plan to take them as regularly as possible, at the moment probably about once a week, perhaps more. As you can tell I am not going to set my boundaries in concrete, this leads to disappointment so I plan on following an easy going, take it or leave it approach.

 

 31.12.07

OK so here it all begins... Total weight and nasty pictures will be uploaded tomorrow... Nice :(

 

Click Here for 2009 weblog.

• Weblog 2009
• Weblog 2008
• About the author
• Progress Gallery
• Weight Statistics
• Myo Measurements
• Training