Here we go! Florida in 62 days, that's my motivation.
The Rules:
- Generally a low carb, low sugar diet. On run days I’ll have a higher carb intake (usually through oats and fruit) - Nothing with added sugars (this includes dried crans and sweet rice cakes) - No breads, pasta, rice - Snacks: fruit on run days only, vegetables otherwise - 3 runs per week - 6 workouts per week - Meals on side plates only - No alcohol - No snacking on almonds as I get out hand with these. I’ll use them as part of meals only. - Any cheating will be fessed up to
Workout Plan:
I've just begun a new workout routine utilizing my TrainRite logbook. Love this thing; I never have to think about what I have to workout each day – I did all the pre-planning. I actually began this regimen a while back, but due to a neck injury and illness I never got into the full swing of it. Now that I’m 100%, I’ll use it for the entire 62 days. 6 days a week and one rest day. Here’s the breakdown:
Sunday: Rest Day Monday: Lats/Bis Tuesday: Legs/Core Wednesday: Chest/Tris Thursday: Various*/Core Friday: Legs/Shoulders Saturday: Back/Core * “Various” refers to exercises that use a multiple muscle groups, or muscles I couldn’t classify with the other days
Cardio: 3 runs per week – Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday (generally quick 5km runs)
Supplements: - Protein shake immediately before and after workouts - 5grams Creatine on workout days (taken with the aforementioned protein) - 10grams BCAAs, daily - Daily men’s multi vitamin - Daily fish oil
Exceptions: - 1 Cheat item per week (NOT a whole meal) - 1 alcoholic drink per week *I’ll adjust any of these that I deem effective or not as I go.
Keeping Track: Call me lazy, but I’ve found that the best way for me to track my results are weight and photos. A lot of people do measurements, but I don’t really think it’s necessary for me. Does anyone else have a method they’ve used before?
Results
Day 1: Monday, June 10, 2013
Weight: 176.2lbs
End Week 1
171.8lbs
completed all 6 workouts and 3 runs as planned
Cheats: rhubarb pie+vanilla icecream, 1/2 glass of red
Overall: a very good week!
Final Week
164.9lbs
This is my final week of the challenge I began on June 10th. While there definitely were some challenges (took 2 weeks off in the middle due to illness), I definitely made some progress. I’m nowhere near where I wanted to be by the end of this, but all in all I’ll take the progress. I’ll outline below some thoughts I have on the experience, and I plan on beginning some new training when I get back from some much needed vacation!
Results: definite muscle development in shoulders/back, and <12lbs.
Positives
- The planning was key, I used a solid plan with defined rules. This is the only way this type of thing would work for me. I need something to reference. My TrainRite log book is my bible!
- I was actually developing muscle while keeping a strict diet, and was increasing my weight almost regularly.This is extremely hard to do while trying to lose fat, and tells me I was probably taking in more calories than I should have while cutting.
- New 5KM run PR @ 18:08!!!
Setbacks:
Illness really hurt me for 2 weeks, I wasn’t able to keep my routine or meal plan in check.
Cheats: I don’t do well with them, I tend to stretch them out for more/longer than I should. Next time, I’ll avoid this altogether. This is likely why there was little visual fat loss in the toughest area: the gut!
Fat loss seems insignificant, again – need to go with no cheats and firm portion sizes. I started straying towards the end with all the delicious summer BBQs
Now, time for a vacation!
