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.