New Year's Resolutions for 2007

Spend more time with family and friends

Fit in fitness

Tame the bulge

Get out of debt

Get organized

Read the bible daily

It Begins (Again!)

Four weeks. Dozens of protein shakes. Can I do it without cheating and
achieve a state of leanness I thought was impossible. That's the oft
repeated plan.

Foods I should ditch from my diet

Crisps, fizzy drinks, ready meals, shop-bought sandwiches, ice cream and fried chicken.

Started yet another 'diet'

After pigging out I woke up to find that I gained a pound putting me at 200lb. One of my MensFitness magazines suggests that you can lose a stone in 4 weeks so I reset my DietPower software. Why can't I stay to the budgeted calories? I just did weights this morning which I found hard as it involved supersets.

Developing a Lean Stomach

"the formula for losing the last few pounds of ab flab is as follows:
(1) Losing fat takes time, so get started now! Be patient and don't
expect to get "ripped" overnight (2) Burn the fat off the ab muscles
with lots of cardiovascular exercise or you won't be able to see them.
(3) Choose biomechanically correct exercises to train the abs, including
crunching type exercises and avoiding hip flexor exercises, (4) Eat
natural, low fat, low sugar, low calorie foods in small servings
throughout the day, and (5) Work out with weights; don't just train
your abs, train your entire body."

Resolve today

Resolve today that nothing will stand in your way of attaining the
success that you deserve to have happen with your weight loss goals.
Don't rely on some mystical strength or "willpower" you hope you will
have when the temptations confront you. Be ready for them ahead of time
and make up your mind RIGHT now how you will handle them. Be smart and
make healthy choices so you can see the weight loss success you so
desperately desire in your life. YOU CAN DO IT!

201lbs

What a nice surprise on the scales this morning. That's 2.4lbs less than a week ago despite another attack of the munchies last night. I've read that when you go low carb that initially you loose a lot of water so maybe that's it. I did have a couple of coffees and three can's of diet coke yesterday too.

The Fall (Autumn) 52 Challenge started on Wednesday and with an email to a few friends I managed to persuade Sara to have a go too. My personal goal is to get to 184lbs by the end of the challenge. The workouts are the easy bit. Eating clean is being hampered by midnight feasting on junk.

The Fall (Autumn) 52 Challenge started on Wednesday and with an email to a few friends I managed to persuade Sara to have a go too. My personal goal is to get to 184lbs by the end of the challenge. The workouts are the easy bit. Eating clean is being hampered by midnight feasting on junk.

Some weight - lost

Despite succumbing to two brownies and two slices of fruit loaf in the
night I'm down to 203.lb - probably dehydrated, but I'll take it. I
struggled mentally this morning but still went to spinning which I found
hard. Afterwards I managed some sets of pull-ups, dips, incline barbell
bench presses and dumbbell bent-over rows. To engage my biceps I used an
underhand grip for the last exercise.

The Muscle Mentor

1). Get into the weight-training mindset; 2). Cut down on my pork life; 3). Motivate myself with goals.

Making the right decisions

It's very simple. My first decision in the bid for getting a six-pack should be to stay within today's calories budgeted. So far I've had a protein/carbohydrate shake after the spinning session and for lunch a deli sandwich from a fast food place with fries. Still on budget for the day.

The end is in sight

Dear Diary or should I say blog! Anyway we're in the home stretch with
over 75% of the 52 Day Challenge completed. With out the use of my
Achilles I've really gone for the weights sessions and have observed a
very small change in my physique as a result. It would've been nice to
'eat-clean' as I'd have made my weight goal and as for sleeping for 8hrs
a day - well it's not happened. I know the theory but it's about putting
in the practice.

Fasting Commences

It's just gone 1130a and I'm still not feeling hungry. As I pigged out last night I skipped the scales this morning frightened of what it might reveal. The plan is to drink lots of water to keep my belly full plus assorted diet drinks but I worry about what will happen tonight when I get home.

Wt=202lbs

I went to the hospital this morning regarding the ring finger on my right hand. Basically the doctor say's (and the X-ray) thatI've chipped the bone but surgery is rarely sucessful as it leave stiffness. I thought they were pretty efficient at NGH and hope the pain disappears completely. Thought I should go to the gym during lunch on the way back and then we did the shopping. Nathaniel claimed to have lost his pocket money but we found it under my bed.

Weight = 203.8lb

Abs Diet Power foods:

D = Boiled Egg
T = Chicken Wings

Other foods:

Lamb Chops
Sweet potatoes
"White" potatoes
Home fries
Diet coke
2 cherry scones
Chocolates (boo! hiss!)

Workout: Phase One Maximum reps per set: 12. 1 min rest b/w sets; short rest b/w quads.3 sets; [ex: total wt/reps (method)]

Quad A

squats: 90/8, 90/8, 90/8 (BB)
incline bench press: 70/8, 70/8, 70/8 (BB)
dead lift: 110/8, 110/8, 110/8 (BB)
pull-up: Bodyweight/8, Bodyweight/8, Bodyweight/8

Quad B

dips: Bodyweight/8, Bodyweight/8, Bodyweight/8
lunges: 30/8, 30/8, 30/8
cable seated rows: plate 11/8, plate 11/8, plate 11/8
hanging leg raises: Bodyweight/8, Bodyweight/8, Bodyweight/8

Weight = 201.2lbs

On holiday Thea had a party to attend so during that I nipped to the gym and did a weights workout.

Abs Diet Power foods:

• D = Boiled Egg
• T = Chicken Wings

Other foods:

• Lamb Chops
• Sweet potatoes
• "White" potatoes
• Home fries
• Diet coke
• 2 cherry scones
• Chocolates (boo! hiss!)
  

Workout: Phase One Maximum reps per set: 12. 1 min rest b/w sets; short rest b/w quads.3 sets; [ex: total wt/reps (method)]


Quad A

• squats: 90/8, 90/8, 90/8 (BB)
• incline bench press: 70/8, 70/8, 70/8 (BB)
• dead lift: 110/8, 110/8, 110/8 (BB)
• pull-up: Bodyweight/8, Bodyweight/8, Bodyweight/8
  

Quad B

• dips: Bodyweight/8, Bodyweight/8, Bodyweight/8
• lunges: 30/8, 30/8, 30/8
• cable seated rows: plate 11/8, plate 11/8, plate 11/8
• hanging leg raises: Bodyweight/8, Bodyweight/8, Bodyweight/8

Weight = 203.4lbs

I'm going to try and base my eating on the Abs Diet principles so will refer to my intake using the first letters of the associated acronym.

It's day one of the 52 Day Challenge so time to try and be a good boy again. Started the day needing more than one 'go' probably as a result of some late night chocolates but could be due to the making way for breakfast. By the end I succumbed to junk food like I always do. Didn't make too many trips to the cupboards early morning.

Abs Diet Power foods:

• D = Skimmed Milk
• I = Oats 2 Go
• W = Ham on brown roll

Other foods:

• Crisps (but low GI!)
• Apricots
• Diet coke
• 2 cherry scones
• 3 pcs fried chicken
• 4 fun-size chocolates

Workout: Phase One Maximum reps per set: 12. 1 min rest b/w sets; short rest b/w quads.3 sets; [ex: total wt/reps (method)]

Quad A

• squats: 90/8, 90/8, 90/8 (BB)
• incline bench press: 60/8, 60/8, 60/8 (BB)
• dead lift: 110/8, 110/8, 110/8 (BB)
• pull-up: Bodyweight/8, Bodyweight/8, Bodyweight/8

Quad B

• dips: Bodyweight/8, Bodyweight/8, Bodyweight/8
• lunges: 30/8, 30/8, 30/8
• cable seated rows: plate 11/8, plate 11/8, plate 11/8
• hanging leg raises: Bodyweight/8, Bodyweight/8, Bodyweight/8
  

Weight 204.6lbs

HGM Phase One Week 3 Workout 7

I need to commit to doing my workouts at a particular time of the day. Be that straight after work or after the kids have gone to bed. I'm reluctantly accepting that my running days are suspended for now until my Achilles get better - but then again! I signed up for another 52 Day challenge and will try to track my meals following the Abs Diet Power 12 principles of eating.

Workout performed 27 May 2006: Maximum reps per set: 12. One minute rest b/w sets; 1 minute rest b/w quads.

[Quad: Exercise (method): weight/reps; weight/reps; weight/reps]

Quad A:

• Squat (BB): 90/8; 90/8; 90/8
• Incline Bench Press (DB): 60/8; 60/8; 60/8
• Romanian Dead Lift: 90/8; 90/8; 90/8
• Pull-up: 8; 8; 8

Quad B:

• 
  Dip: 8; 8; 8
• Lunge (DB): 30/8; 30/8; 30/8
• Cable Seated Row: (11)/8; (11)/8; (11)/8
• Abs machine: timed out

Homegrown Muscle (HGM): Phase 1; Week 3, Workout 6
Weight = 204.6lbs

After the excesses of the weekend a chaste start to the day left me feeling hungry again after the workout. Carlisle was still here but hadn't touched the beer I'd left over from Sunday. I scoffed that plus too much other stuff but managed to stay off chocolate; biscuits however were the downfall. I ate those when I was bored. Enough said.

I find the prospect of the lifts worse than the actually performing. Chin-ups were good until the last set so is an area that requires work. I bunged a bit more on the bar for the dead-lifts but found the new weight on the bench press harder than previous. I do tend to the the exercises in the order that the kit is available which means I might be tiring out certain muscle groups early.

I continued to skip the hanging leg raises and used the abs machine instead. My lower abs are still sore from 5-a-side.

Meals:

• Br = BF Whey Protein
  
• Sn1 = BF Whey Protein
  
• Lu = Tuna nicoise salad
  
• Sn2 = Almonds & raisins
  
• Dn = Prawn stir fry
  
• Sn3 = Biscuits!
  
  

Workout performed 22 May 2006: HGM Phase One Maximum reps per set: 12. One minute rest b/w sets; 1 minute rest b/w quads.

[Quad: Exercise (method): weight/reps; weight/reps; weight/reps]

Quad A:

• Squat (BB): 90/8; 90/8; 90/8
  
• Incline Bench Press (DB): 70/8; 70/8; 70/8
  
• Romanian Dead Lift: 110/8; 110/8; 110/8
  
• Pull-up: 8; 8; 8
  
  

Quad B:

• Dip: 8; 8; 8
  
• Lunge (DB): 30/8; 30/8; 30/8
  
• Cable Seated Row: (11)/8; (11)/8; (11)/8
  
• Abs machine: 12; 12; 12
  

Homegrown Muscle (HGM): Phase 1; Week 2, Workout 5

Weight = 203.6lbs

Sara 'phoned me to let me know that they couldn't come up with a reason why she was getting iritis. It was a surprise to hear her voice on the mobile but nice all the same. She couldn't text as they'd put drops in both her eyes. It was Nathaniel's football presentation night and after 3 pints I was artificially hungry. I'd been on a course in the afternoon where I'd managed to keep my food intake down but McDonald's won its way into my heart.

Meals:

• Br = Dried apricots
  
• Sn1 = Crisps
  
• Lu = Chicken breast sandwich, orange juice and banana
  
• Sn2 = McDonald's deli chciken tikka sandwich
  
• Dn = Grilled salmon and mackerel
  
• Sn3 = 3 pints, 2 cheesecakes and 2 muffins
  

Workout performed 20 May 2006: HGM Phase One Maximum reps per set: 12. No rest b/w sets; short rest b/w quads.

[Quad: Exercise (method): weight/reps; weight/reps; weight/reps]

Quad A:
Squat (BB): 90/8; 90/8; 90/8
Incline Bench Press (DB): 70/8; 70/8; 70/8
Romanian Dead Lift: 90/8; 90/8; 90/8
Pull-up: 8; 8; 8

Quad B:
Dip: 8; 8; 8
Lunge (DB): 30/8; 30/8; 30/8
Cable Seated Row: (11)/8; (11)/8; (11)/8
Abs machine: 8; 8; 8

Weight = 202lbs

I'm already struggling with clean eating having binged on chocolate biscuits last night. Started the day by telling everyone I'd be late for my team meeting. We have some of these outof the office which strangely to me has caused consternation amongst some. Yorkshiremen like to think they are saving money I suppose.

Managed to squeeze out 5km @ 10kph on the treadmill after arrving back in Sheffield.

Meals:

• Br = skipped
• Sn1 = mints + coffee
• Lu = lasagne + dessert
• Sn2 = Biscuits (boo!)
• Dn = Pork chops + strawberries
• Sn3 = banana
• Sn4 = more chocolate biscuits (boo!)

Homegrown Muscle (HGM): Phase 1; Week 2, Workout 4

Weight = 201lbs

This means I've already lost the four punds planned for the 14 Day Challenge! My real goal is to hit 180lbs by 1 July 2006 - a tall order.

Meals:

• Br = BF Whey protein
  
• Sn1 = Crisps
  
• Lu = Chicken breast
  
• Sn2 = Canned still orage juice
  
• Dn = Roast Chicken + vegetables
  
• Sn3 = Strawberries + blueberries
  

Workout: HGM Phase One Maximum reps per set: 12. No rest b/w sets; short rest b/w quads. [Quad: Exercise (method): weight/reps; weight/reps; weight/reps]

Quad A:
Squat (BB): 90/8; 90/8; 90/8 (went deeper)
Incline Bench Press (DB): 60/10; 60/10; 60/8
Romanian Dead Lift: 90/8; 90/8; 90/8 (using olympic bar)
Pull-up: 8; 8; 6+2

Quad B:
Dip: 8; 8; 8
Lunge (DB): 26/8; 26/8; 26/8
Cable Seated Row: (11)/10; (11)/10; (11)/8
Abs machine: 8; 8; 8

Weight = 203.2lbs

I was a little stiff getting out the car this morning at Phoenix House but otherwise though anxious was prepared for the 5-a-side football this evening. It was tough as usual even by starting in goal was heart was racing. In the aftermath I could move a lot better than previous games and managed to do more running. We still lost though.

Meals:

• Br = BF Whey protein + senokot fibre
• Sn1 = Hydro active
• Lu = Tuna & cucumber sandwich
• Sn2 = Banana
• Dn = Macadamias & dried cranberries
• Sn3 = Cherry muffin
• Sn4 = Chicken drumstick

Weight = 206lbs!

Homegrown Muscle (HGM): Phase One, Workout 3

HGM is challenging. It's about as intense in terms of cardio as the Abs Diet circuits is. I have noticed the lack of arm work, but I'm sure that's compensated for throughout the program. I also like having the helpful workout sheet to record my progress.

Meals:

Br1: 08:30 = Whey protein shake
Sn1: 10:00 = Whey protein shake + 5 fibre tablets
Lu1: 12 pm = Whey protein shake
Lu2: 1pm = Tuna nicoise salad + fruit salad
Sn2: 3 pm = Whey protein shake + 5 fibre tablets
Dn: 6:30 pm = Smoked Salmon + Macadamia & Cranberries
Sn3: 10 pm = 3 slices bread

Workout: HGM Phase One
Maximum reps per set: 12. No rest b/w sets; short rest b/w quads.

[Quad: Exercise (method): weight/reps; weight/reps; weight/reps]

Quad A:

• Squat (BB): 180/8; 180/8; 180/8
  
• Incline Bench Press (DB): 60/8; 60/8; 60/8
  
• Romanian Dead Lift: 110/8; 110/8; 110/8
  
• Pull-up: 8; 8; 8
  

Quad B:

• Dip: 8; 8; 8
  
• Lunge (DB): 26/8; 26/8; 26/8
• Cable Seated Row: (11)/8; (11)/8; (11)/8
• Hanging Leg Raise: 8; 8; 8

Post workout notes: need to increase dead lifts; still determining what weights I can do 12 times.