Calories in: +2473
Calories out: -3177
Deficit: -704 (22%)
Monday 30 July 2012
Day 238. Week 34 stats
Calories in: +2058
Calories out: -2196
Deficit: -138 (6%)
Calories out: -2196
Deficit: -138 (6%)
Week 34 stats (in bold):
Stomach: 29.5 in -> 29.5
Chest: 30.0 in -> 30.5
Biceps: 10.5 in -> 10.25
Hips: 36.0 in -> 36.75
Thigh: 19.25 in -> 19.5
Calf: 13.5 in -> 13.5
Waist: 27.0 in -> 27.25
Skinfold: 8 mm -> 8
Weight: 134.0 lbs -> 134.7
Day 236. New 5 RM... again! + body composition test
Calories in: +2892
Calories out: -2753
Surplus: +139 (5%)
Hit a new max for the rest of my lifts today.
Deadlift: 60 kg -> 87.5
Overhead press: 17 kg -> 25
Dumbbell chest press: 10 kg -> 14
First number is what I started with four months ago. Second number is my new 5 RM that I set today. Exception is the dumbbell chest press, which is a new exercise I added one month ago.
Got my body composition tested today. Now at 18.4% body fat- an increase of 1.3% from four weeks ago. I've gained 3 lbs muscle and 2.5 lbs fat.
New BMR: 370 + (21.6 * 49.9) = 1447
New NEAT: 0.2 * 1447 = 289
Calories out: -2753
Surplus: +139 (5%)
Hit a new max for the rest of my lifts today.
Deadlift: 60 kg -> 87.5
Overhead press: 17 kg -> 25
Dumbbell chest press: 10 kg -> 14
First number is what I started with four months ago. Second number is my new 5 RM that I set today. Exception is the dumbbell chest press, which is a new exercise I added one month ago.
Got my body composition tested today. Now at 18.4% body fat- an increase of 1.3% from four weeks ago. I've gained 3 lbs muscle and 2.5 lbs fat.
New BMR: 370 + (21.6 * 49.9) = 1447
New NEAT: 0.2 * 1447 = 289
Wednesday 25 July 2012
Day 234. New 5 RM
Calories in: +3387
Calories out: -3323
Surplus: +64 (2%)
It just occurred to me that I have never written about my strength training progress before. Today's post aims to rectify the situation somewhat.
When I first started lifting weights some four months ago, I couldn't lift much. Since then, I've slowly progressed, and I'm pleased to say that I am now so so so much stronger than I was when I started! In fact, here are some numbers:
Squat: 40 kg -> 72.5
Bench press: 22.5 kg -> 37.5
1-arm dumbbell row: 19 kg -> 22
Dumbbell step up: 16 kg -> 22
Dips: 5 -> 11
The first number is my 5 rep max when I first started in March. The second number is my new 5 RM that I set today. The exception is the triceps dips, which is a new exercise I added one month ago and which number reflects the maximum number of reps I can do at once. What's listed here is not my entire set of exercises. I'll be hitting a new 5 RM for the rest on Friday.
Calories out: -3323
Surplus: +64 (2%)
It just occurred to me that I have never written about my strength training progress before. Today's post aims to rectify the situation somewhat.
When I first started lifting weights some four months ago, I couldn't lift much. Since then, I've slowly progressed, and I'm pleased to say that I am now so so so much stronger than I was when I started! In fact, here are some numbers:
Squat: 40 kg -> 72.5
Bench press: 22.5 kg -> 37.5
1-arm dumbbell row: 19 kg -> 22
Dumbbell step up: 16 kg -> 22
Dips: 5 -> 11
The first number is my 5 rep max when I first started in March. The second number is my new 5 RM that I set today. The exception is the triceps dips, which is a new exercise I added one month ago and which number reflects the maximum number of reps I can do at once. What's listed here is not my entire set of exercises. I'll be hitting a new 5 RM for the rest on Friday.
Tuesday 24 July 2012
Monday 23 July 2012
Sunday 22 July 2012
Day 231. Week 33 stats + photo
Day 231 photo
Calories in: +1982
Calories out: -1999
Deficit: -17 (1%)
Week 33 stats (in bold):
Stomach: 29.5 in -> 29.5
Chest: 30.0 in -> 30.0
Biceps: 10.25 in -> 10.5
Hips: 36.0 in -> 36.0
Thigh: 19.25 in -> 19.25
Calf: 13.25 in -> 13.5
Waist: 27.0 in -> 27.0
Skinfold: 8 mm -> 8
Weight: 133.4 lbs -> 134.0
Friday 20 July 2012
Thursday 19 July 2012
Wednesday 18 July 2012
Day 227.
Calories in: +3443
Calories out: -2997
Surplus: +446 (15%)
In attempting to make up for yesterday's low intake, I overshot... by a lot. Oops. Good thing today was a lifting day, so some of that surplus will go towards some muscle.
Calories out: -2997
Surplus: +446 (15%)
In attempting to make up for yesterday's low intake, I overshot... by a lot. Oops. Good thing today was a lifting day, so some of that surplus will go towards some muscle.
Monday 16 July 2012
Sunday 15 July 2012
Day 224. Carb cycling revisited + week 32 stats + photo
Day 224 photo
Calories in: +2118
Calories out: -2020
Surplus: +98 (5%)
All last week I ate a ton of food because of the extra exercise since I started month 2 of Insanity. Being the poor student that I am, I can't feasibly afford to continue eating at such a high rate. To combat this problem, I will begin carb cycling again to keep up a high deficit, keep my metabolism from adapting to the deficit, and keep food costs relatively stable. I can't wait until I'm no longer poor so the cost of food won't factor into which dieting techniques I use!
The carb cycling plan effective starting tomorrow: 3 days at a 30% deficit (~2000 calories), 1 day at maintenance (~2800 calories).
I've calculated these numbers based on a weekly average of my caloric needs to make meal planning easier. As a result, my daily deficit may not actually be 30%, but that's okay because it all averages out.
Calories in: +2118
Calories out: -2020
Surplus: +98 (5%)
All last week I ate a ton of food because of the extra exercise since I started month 2 of Insanity. Being the poor student that I am, I can't feasibly afford to continue eating at such a high rate. To combat this problem, I will begin carb cycling again to keep up a high deficit, keep my metabolism from adapting to the deficit, and keep food costs relatively stable. I can't wait until I'm no longer poor so the cost of food won't factor into which dieting techniques I use!
The carb cycling plan effective starting tomorrow: 3 days at a 30% deficit (~2000 calories), 1 day at maintenance (~2800 calories).
I've calculated these numbers based on a weekly average of my caloric needs to make meal planning easier. As a result, my daily deficit may not actually be 30%, but that's okay because it all averages out.
Week 32 stats (in bold):
Stomach: 29.5 in -> 29.5
Chest: 30.5 in -> 30.0
Biceps: 10.25 in -> 10.25
Hips: 36.25 in -> 36.0
Thigh: 19.25 in -> 19.25
Calf: 13.25 in -> 13.25
Waist: 27.0 in -> 27.0
Skinfold: 9 mm -> 8
Weight: 133.6 lbs -> 133.4
Saturday 14 July 2012
Day 223. Calories in vs. calories out
Calories in: +1801
Calories out: -2480
Deficit: -679 (27%)
Calories out: -2480
Deficit: -679 (27%)
A friend of mine logs his caloric consumption using calories in vs. calories out, which is probably a lot more meaningful than what I have been logging (food intake and exercises). So I will switch over to that method of logging from now on.
Some clarifications
"Calories in" is how many calories taken in through food. "Calories out" is the total calorie burn for the day, which includes basal metabolic rate (BMR), non-exercise associated thermogenesis (NEAT), thermic effect of feeding (TEF), and exercise associated thermogenesis (EAT).
How I calculate all these numbers
BMR: 370 + (lean body mass in kg * 21.6) <-Katch-McArdle formula
NEAT: (1.2 * BMR) - BMR <- I have a fairly sedentary job, so I'm using the activity factor of 1.2 to calculate total daily needs without exercise. In other words: 0.2 * BMR
TEF: 0.15 * calories in
EAT: heart rate monitor
All this is by no means exact! The numbers are estimates and do change on a day-to-day basis. The formula for calculating TEF is for an average mixed diet of carbohydrates, protein, and fat and becomes much less accurate when applied to extreme diets (e.g. ketogenic diet) since the different macronutrients produce different thermic effects. And then there's this thing called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), which I have no way of tracking whatsoever. EPOC is a temporary increase in BMR (or maybe resting metabolic rate? I don't remember which) due to exercise. The amount and duration of increase differ depending on the type and duration of exercise performed (aerobic [steady state or HIIT] or anaerobic). I've read variously that the extra calorie burn from EPOC can be anywhere from 5-15% of the EAT. This is a fairly negligible amount, and in any case it is impossible for me to track. Anyway, all the differences in the numbers account for the reason why fat loss isn't a linear process. Since there's no practical way for me to know what the daily changes in my BMR and NEAT are, I will keep those values constant. Both will be updated with each body composition test.
BMR: 370 + (48.6 * 21.6) = 1419
NEAT: 0.2 * 1419 = 283
This would be easier if I had something like fitbit or body media that tracks all of this for me. Alas, I have neither so I must do it by hand. I suppose in this way I have a better understanding of everything, but it's pretty annoying.
Friday 13 July 2012
Day 222. Forearms
Consumed 2200 calories. Cycling, insanity, weight lifting.
You know the feeling of "fullness" that you get in your muscles when doing weight training? I got that really strongly in my forearms today and was very confused. My forearms have always been really thin and without much muscle. But today. Today! I looked at my forearms and saw that both were bulging with muscle! As in, they were bulging to the point where I thought it was unseemly for me to have such forearms. I no longer have stick thin forearms :DDDDD
You know the feeling of "fullness" that you get in your muscles when doing weight training? I got that really strongly in my forearms today and was very confused. My forearms have always been really thin and without much muscle. But today. Today! I looked at my forearms and saw that both were bulging with muscle! As in, they were bulging to the point where I thought it was unseemly for me to have such forearms. I no longer have stick thin forearms :DDDDD
Thursday 12 July 2012
Wednesday 11 July 2012
Day 220.
Consumed 2600 calories. Weight lifting, Insanity, cycling.
Omg so much exercise... This is just a little ridiculous. Well this sounds familiar. I went through this exact same thing a few months ago: 3 hours of exercise a day, and I felt like it was excessive because I literally had no time for anything else once I factored in cooking and eating times. I did gain quite a bit of muscle last time though, so it was worth it, in my opinion. I may start carb cycling again given the extra stress I'm putting myself through now. Possibly beginning next week... The decision will be made this weekend.
Omg so much exercise... This is just a little ridiculous. Well this sounds familiar. I went through this exact same thing a few months ago: 3 hours of exercise a day, and I felt like it was excessive because I literally had no time for anything else once I factored in cooking and eating times. I did gain quite a bit of muscle last time though, so it was worth it, in my opinion. I may start carb cycling again given the extra stress I'm putting myself through now. Possibly beginning next week... The decision will be made this weekend.
Tuesday 10 July 2012
Day 219.
Consumed 2050 calories. Cycling, Insanity.
I was so sore from yesterday that I barely made it through today's exercises. Should have taken the Cordyceps sinensis first thing in the morning, but, alas, I did not and so I suffered from DOMS all day.
I was so sore from yesterday that I barely made it through today's exercises. Should have taken the Cordyceps sinensis first thing in the morning, but, alas, I did not and so I suffered from DOMS all day.
Monday 9 July 2012
Day 218.
Consumed 2200 calories. Weight lifting, Insanity, cycling.
Oh my god, 1400 calorie burn from exercise today. That was seriously crazy.
Oh my god, 1400 calorie burn from exercise today. That was seriously crazy.
Day 217. Week 31 stats + photo
Day 217 photo
Consumed 2200 calories. Rest day.
Consumed 2200 calories. Rest day.
Week 31 stats (in bold):
Stomach: 29.5 in -> 29.5
Chest: 30.0 in -> 30.5
Biceps: 10.0 in -> 10.25
Hips: 36.5 in -> 36.25
Thigh: 19.25 in -> 19.25
Calf: 13.5 in -> 13.25
Waist: 27.0 in -> 27.0
Skinfold: 9 mm -> 9
Weight: 130.6 lbs -> 133.6
Saturday 7 July 2012
Friday 6 July 2012
Thursday 5 July 2012
Wednesday 4 July 2012
Tuesday 3 July 2012
Day 212. Earthquake
Consumed 1800 calories. Cycling, Insanity, pole fitness.
I'm not sure I like how many earthquakes are hitting NZ. They're increasing in frequency and getting closer to my town. Just an hour ago a 7.0 earthquake occurred 210km/130mi from where I live and it shook the entire country. My house was shaking pretty alarmingly for several seconds. Luckily, no damage ensued.
While the earthquake was going on, several thoughts passed through my mind. First and foremost was, "I need to eat more food before I die." Face palm.
I'm not sure I like how many earthquakes are hitting NZ. They're increasing in frequency and getting closer to my town. Just an hour ago a 7.0 earthquake occurred 210km/130mi from where I live and it shook the entire country. My house was shaking pretty alarmingly for several seconds. Luckily, no damage ensued.
While the earthquake was going on, several thoughts passed through my mind. First and foremost was, "I need to eat more food before I die." Face palm.
Monday 2 July 2012
Day 211. Mindless eating
Consumed >4600 calories. Weight lifting, Insanity, cycling.
Heh, I sat down with a book and started eating and then didn't stop eating until I finished an entire bag of potato chips. I need to stop reading and eating at the same time because I totally just mindlessly reach for food even though I'm not hungry.
Heh, I sat down with a book and started eating and then didn't stop eating until I finished an entire bag of potato chips. I need to stop reading and eating at the same time because I totally just mindlessly reach for food even though I'm not hungry.
Day 210. Week 30 stats + photo
Day 210 photo
Consumed >2000 calories. Rest day.
Week 30 stats (in bold):
Stomach: 29.55 in -> 29.5
Chest: 30.0 in -> 30.0
Biceps: 10.0 in -> 10.0
Hips: 36.0 in -> 36.5
Thigh: 19.0 in -> 19.25
Calf: 13.25 in -> 13.25
Waist: 26.75 in -> 27.0
Skinfold: 9 mm -> 9
Weight: 130.2 lbs -> 130.6
Saturday 30 June 2012
Day 209.
Consumed 2300 calories. Insanity, pole fitness.
Back to the usual calorie deficit tomorrow.
Back to the usual calorie deficit tomorrow.
Friday 29 June 2012
Day 208. Body composition test
Consumed 4400 calories. Weight lifting, Insanity.
Results from my body composition test this morning say I lost fat and gained the same amount back in muscle. Now at 17.1% body fat, a new all time low!
Yesterday I set a new 5 rep max for some of my weight lifting exercises, and I finished the rest today. I'm beyond pleased at how strong I'm getting!
Long story short, all of this awesomeness happening at once resulted in me deciding I deserved a reward and so I had pizza today. A lot of pizza haha!
Results from my body composition test this morning say I lost fat and gained the same amount back in muscle. Now at 17.1% body fat, a new all time low!
Yesterday I set a new 5 rep max for some of my weight lifting exercises, and I finished the rest today. I'm beyond pleased at how strong I'm getting!
Long story short, all of this awesomeness happening at once resulted in me deciding I deserved a reward and so I had pizza today. A lot of pizza haha!
Thursday 28 June 2012
Wednesday 27 June 2012
Tuesday 26 June 2012
Monday 25 June 2012
Sunday 24 June 2012
Day 203. Week 29 stats
Day 203 photo
Consumed >2300 calories. Rest day.
Week 29 stats (in bold):
Stomach: 29.75 in -> 29.5
Chest: 30.0 in -> 30.0
Biceps: 10.25 in -> 10.0
Hips: 36.25 in -> 36.0
Thigh: 19.0 in -> 19.0
Calf: 13.25 in -> 13.25
Waist: 27.0 in -> 26.75
Skinfold: 10 mm -> 9
Weight: 128.8 lbs -> 130.2
Saturday 23 June 2012
Day 202.
Consumed >3600 calories. Cycling, pole fitness, Insanity.
Not sure what happened with my intake today. Just couldn't stop eating.
Not sure what happened with my intake today. Just couldn't stop eating.
Friday 22 June 2012
Thursday 21 June 2012
Day 200. OMG 200!
Consumed 1900 calories. Cycling, Insanity.
I can't believe it's been 200 days already! Today I talked to a friend I hadn't seen in a while. When he asked what I've been doing lately and I said that I'd been doing a lot of exercise as per usual, his response was a shocked "Still??" As if once I'd gotten to a point where I was happy with my body I'd stop! Fitness isn't a 2 week crash diet, it's a lifestyle. There is no way I will let my body slip back even a little to the sorry mess it used to be. No way.
I can't believe it's been 200 days already! Today I talked to a friend I hadn't seen in a while. When he asked what I've been doing lately and I said that I'd been doing a lot of exercise as per usual, his response was a shocked "Still??" As if once I'd gotten to a point where I was happy with my body I'd stop! Fitness isn't a 2 week crash diet, it's a lifestyle. There is no way I will let my body slip back even a little to the sorry mess it used to be. No way.
Wednesday 20 June 2012
Tuesday 19 June 2012
Monday 18 June 2012
Day 197. Applesauce substitute
Consumed 1850 calories. Weight lifting, Insanity.
As I went to bake some protein cake today, I discovered that I needed applesauce but had no applesauce or apples on hand! I certainly wasn't going to run out to buy some, so I improvised. What is applesauce really but pureed apples? And what is pureed apple but fiber and apple juice? From this line of reasoning, I decided to mix fiber in the form of oat bran with some mango orange juice in a 1:1 ratio. The result was a mixture that had an applesauce-like consistency and texture. Surprisingly (or maybe not?), 3 tbsp oat bran + 3 tbsp juice = 1/4 cup. The final baked product came out exactly as if I'd used applesauce! High five!
The ramifications of this discovery are profound. Not only can I put applesauce into baked goods, but also grapesauce, lemonsauce, and every other kind of fruit sauce! No longer am I confined to apples as the sole supplemental source of moisture and sweetness in my cakes etc!
Am I perhaps a little too excited about this? Nah :)
As I went to bake some protein cake today, I discovered that I needed applesauce but had no applesauce or apples on hand! I certainly wasn't going to run out to buy some, so I improvised. What is applesauce really but pureed apples? And what is pureed apple but fiber and apple juice? From this line of reasoning, I decided to mix fiber in the form of oat bran with some mango orange juice in a 1:1 ratio. The result was a mixture that had an applesauce-like consistency and texture. Surprisingly (or maybe not?), 3 tbsp oat bran + 3 tbsp juice = 1/4 cup. The final baked product came out exactly as if I'd used applesauce! High five!
The ramifications of this discovery are profound. Not only can I put applesauce into baked goods, but also grapesauce, lemonsauce, and every other kind of fruit sauce! No longer am I confined to apples as the sole supplemental source of moisture and sweetness in my cakes etc!
Am I perhaps a little too excited about this? Nah :)
Sunday 17 June 2012
Day 196. Week 28 stats
Day 196 photo
Consumed 1750 calories. Rest day.
Week 28 stats (in bold):
Stomach: 30.0 in -> 29.75
Chest: 30.0 in -> 30.0
Biceps: 10.0 in -> 10.25
Hips: 36.0 in -> 36.25
Thigh: 18.75 in -> 19.0
Calf: 13.25 in -> 13.25
Waist: 26.75 in -> 27.0
Skinfold: 11 mm -> 10
Weight: 128.8 lbs -> 128.8
Saturday 16 June 2012
Friday 15 June 2012
Thursday 14 June 2012
Wednesday 13 June 2012
Tuesday 12 June 2012
Day 191.
Consumed 2000 calories. Weight lifting, pole fitness, cycling.
Finally well enough to return to my training. Happy day!
Finally well enough to return to my training. Happy day!
Monday 11 June 2012
Saturday 9 June 2012
Day 189. Week 27 stats
Day 189 photo
Consumed 1800 calories. Rest day.
I'm feeling considerably better today than yesterday, though still undoubtedly ill. Measurements are in, and I'm happy to report that I've finally got my calories figured out because I am once again losing fat.
Week 27 stats (in bold):
Stomach: 30.5 in -> 30.0
Chest: 30.25 in -> 30.0
Biceps: 10.0 in -> 10.0
Hips: 36.0 in -> 36.0
Thigh: 18.75 in -> 18.75
Calf: 13.25 in -> 13.25
Waist: 27.25 in -> 26.75
Skinfold: 12 mm -> 11
Weight: 130.2 lbs -> 128.8
Consumed 1800 calories. Rest day.
I'm feeling considerably better today than yesterday, though still undoubtedly ill. Measurements are in, and I'm happy to report that I've finally got my calories figured out because I am once again losing fat.
Week 27 stats (in bold):
Stomach: 30.5 in -> 30.0
Chest: 30.25 in -> 30.0
Biceps: 10.0 in -> 10.0
Hips: 36.0 in -> 36.0
Thigh: 18.75 in -> 18.75
Calf: 13.25 in -> 13.25
Waist: 27.25 in -> 26.75
Skinfold: 12 mm -> 11
Weight: 130.2 lbs -> 128.8
Friday 8 June 2012
Day 187. Sick
Consumed 1900 calories. Insanity, weight lifting.
Definitely caught my flatmate's flu. Noooo!
Definitely caught my flatmate's flu. Noooo!
Thursday 7 June 2012
Day 186. Hungry
Consumed 1950 calories. Insanity, cycling, pole fitness.
I think I finally got the calories right because I've been SO HUNGRY all week. I hate being hungry, but I'm glad that my body is finally responding again. I'm almost hoping that my Sunday measuring shows that I've lost some lean body mass so I'll have a good reason to increase my intake... This whole being hungry thing doesn't agree well with me.
I think I finally got the calories right because I've been SO HUNGRY all week. I hate being hungry, but I'm glad that my body is finally responding again. I'm almost hoping that my Sunday measuring shows that I've lost some lean body mass so I'll have a good reason to increase my intake... This whole being hungry thing doesn't agree well with me.
Wednesday 6 June 2012
Day 185. Weekly picture
Consumed 1900 calories. Insanity, weight lifting.
I've decided that I will post weekly pictures instead of daily ones. I just can't be bothered taking pictures everyday anymore. The weekly picture will be posted on sundays.
I've decided that I will post weekly pictures instead of daily ones. I just can't be bothered taking pictures everyday anymore. The weekly picture will be posted on sundays.
Tuesday 5 June 2012
Monday 4 June 2012
Day 183. Burn the Fat 2012 - Day 1!
Day 183 photo
Consumed 1900 calories. Insanity, lifted weights, cycled.
Today is Day 1 of 98 in the Burn the Fat 2012 competition. I'm very excited to be a part of this, and more so because I'm doing this with a team of four other lovely ladies.
Consumed 1900 calories. Insanity, lifted weights, cycled.
Today is Day 1 of 98 in the Burn the Fat 2012 competition. I'm very excited to be a part of this, and more so because I'm doing this with a team of four other lovely ladies.
Sunday 3 June 2012
Day 182. Week 26 stats
Day 182 photo
Consumed >2600 calories. Rest day.
Thus concludes the weekend off dieting. It was nice eating what I wanted when I wanted, but I've happily found that I prefer healthy food in small portions rather than unhealthy food in large portions. Tomorrow, the crusade against my excess fat begins anew.
Week 26 stats (in bold):
Stomach: 30.0 in -> 30.5
Chest: 30.25 in -> 30.25
Biceps: 9.75 in -> 10.0
Hips: 36.0 in -> 36.0
Thigh: 19.0 in -> 18.75
Calf: 13.5 in -> 13.25
Waist: 27.0 in -> 27.25
Skinfold: 11 mm -> 12
Weight: 130.0 lbs -> 130.2
Consumed >2600 calories. Rest day.
Thus concludes the weekend off dieting. It was nice eating what I wanted when I wanted, but I've happily found that I prefer healthy food in small portions rather than unhealthy food in large portions. Tomorrow, the crusade against my excess fat begins anew.
Week 26 stats (in bold):
Stomach: 30.0 in -> 30.5
Chest: 30.25 in -> 30.25
Biceps: 9.75 in -> 10.0
Hips: 36.0 in -> 36.0
Thigh: 19.0 in -> 18.75
Calf: 13.5 in -> 13.25
Waist: 27.0 in -> 27.25
Skinfold: 11 mm -> 12
Weight: 130.0 lbs -> 130.2
Saturday 2 June 2012
Day 181. Stuffed
Day 181 photo
Consumed >3100 calories. Walked >2 hours, pole fitness.
Taking this weekend off from strict dieting to recoup my wits before the 3 month-long competition. I wasn't planning on eating so much today, and I have to say, I don't like feeling stuffed.
Consumed >3100 calories. Walked >2 hours, pole fitness.
Taking this weekend off from strict dieting to recoup my wits before the 3 month-long competition. I wasn't planning on eating so much today, and I have to say, I don't like feeling stuffed.
Friday 1 June 2012
Day 180. Depressed...not
Day 180 photo
Consumed ~2500 calories. Lifted weights.
I haven't been this sad in a long time. What is all the calorie and macronutrient counting for if it doesn't produce the desired or expected results? Two months wasted. Granted in the last week or two I haven't been completely compliant with my nutrition plan, but I certainly did not eat so much as to gain an entire pound of fat. And what about the rest of the 2 months? Was I not compliant then? Obviously I shouldn't have ignored my increasing measurements. But what of it? I ignored it because visually I think I look better. I can see my abs when I flex. I have muscles everywhere.
Indeed, why should I let a number dictate my emotions? Well, there is the matter of the madman commitment I'd made several months ago. But was it not made so that I'd work to get a body I was happy with? And just last night, I was posing in front of the mirror like the vain supermodel that I'm not and I was really pleased with what I saw! Fuck the numbers. I'm happy with my body. I don't need a number to make me happy.
That having been said, I will continue to work to improve my body. In fact, I will redouble my efforts. I'll be lowering my calorie intake to an even 1900 calories/day, no carb cycling. Should I plateau at any point, then I'll start up the carb cycling again, but I don't think it's necessary at this point in time. I'll stay with the 45% carbs / 35% protein / 20% fat because I do like this diet much better than what I had before, though this diet is admittedly more expensive. Eh, if it gets to the point where I am short on cash, I'll revert to my previous diet of moderate rather than high protein intake.
This morning when I was feeling really glum, I took my frustration with me to the gym and smashed through all my personal bests in terms of weight lifting.
You know, when I started writing this post I was still wallowing in self-pity. Now I feel empowered and motivated again. I'm taking this weekend off from strict dieting, though I don't plan on binging. On monday I will begin the physique transformation competition with my four teammates. The journey continues.
Consumed ~2500 calories. Lifted weights.
I haven't been this sad in a long time. What is all the calorie and macronutrient counting for if it doesn't produce the desired or expected results? Two months wasted. Granted in the last week or two I haven't been completely compliant with my nutrition plan, but I certainly did not eat so much as to gain an entire pound of fat. And what about the rest of the 2 months? Was I not compliant then? Obviously I shouldn't have ignored my increasing measurements. But what of it? I ignored it because visually I think I look better. I can see my abs when I flex. I have muscles everywhere.
Indeed, why should I let a number dictate my emotions? Well, there is the matter of the madman commitment I'd made several months ago. But was it not made so that I'd work to get a body I was happy with? And just last night, I was posing in front of the mirror like the vain supermodel that I'm not and I was really pleased with what I saw! Fuck the numbers. I'm happy with my body. I don't need a number to make me happy.
That having been said, I will continue to work to improve my body. In fact, I will redouble my efforts. I'll be lowering my calorie intake to an even 1900 calories/day, no carb cycling. Should I plateau at any point, then I'll start up the carb cycling again, but I don't think it's necessary at this point in time. I'll stay with the 45% carbs / 35% protein / 20% fat because I do like this diet much better than what I had before, though this diet is admittedly more expensive. Eh, if it gets to the point where I am short on cash, I'll revert to my previous diet of moderate rather than high protein intake.
This morning when I was feeling really glum, I took my frustration with me to the gym and smashed through all my personal bests in terms of weight lifting.
You know, when I started writing this post I was still wallowing in self-pity. Now I feel empowered and motivated again. I'm taking this weekend off from strict dieting, though I don't plan on binging. On monday I will begin the physique transformation competition with my four teammates. The journey continues.
Thursday 31 May 2012
Day 179. Baking with protein powder success
Day 179 photo
Consumed 2000 calories. Cycled, pole fitness.
I had pretty much given up on trying to bake with either brown rice protein powder or Myofusion because of negative reasons for each. The brown rice protein powder produces a grainy, dry, and crumbly product that tastes very strongly of brown rice (surprise surprise). The Myofusion messes with the baking process I think because of its high xanthan gum content. It prevents the baked good from baking properly- no matter how long you keep it in the oven, it stays wet in the middle! It also has a sickly sweet taste that masks everything else.
Today I had a burst of brilliance. I mixed the two powders together and made English muffins. The muffins came out fantastic! They were not quite as moist as English muffins should be, but I think adding some more milk and/or Myofusion should fix that.
Consumed 2000 calories. Cycled, pole fitness.
I had pretty much given up on trying to bake with either brown rice protein powder or Myofusion because of negative reasons for each. The brown rice protein powder produces a grainy, dry, and crumbly product that tastes very strongly of brown rice (surprise surprise). The Myofusion messes with the baking process I think because of its high xanthan gum content. It prevents the baked good from baking properly- no matter how long you keep it in the oven, it stays wet in the middle! It also has a sickly sweet taste that masks everything else.
Today I had a burst of brilliance. I mixed the two powders together and made English muffins. The muffins came out fantastic! They were not quite as moist as English muffins should be, but I think adding some more milk and/or Myofusion should fix that.
Wednesday 30 May 2012
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Monday 28 May 2012
Sunday 27 May 2012
Day 175. Week 25 stats
Day 175 photo
Consumed 2000 calories. Walked for >3 hours.
I have concluded that a social life is not amenable to keeping up a strict nutrition/exercise plan. My whole week and weekend were far less than ideal. I usually avoid social gatherings but I was obliged to be social all week because a friend came from afar to visit me.
It's interesting that to be human one must include some chaos and spontaneity in one's life.
Week 25 stats (in bold):
Stomach: 30.0 in -> 30.0
Chest: 30.25 in -> 30.25
Biceps: 10.0 in -> 9.75
Hips: 36.0 in -> 36.0
Thigh: 19.0 in -> 19.0
Calf: 13.25 in -> 13.5
Waist: 27.0 in -> 27.0
Skinfold: 12 mm -> 11
Weight: 130.2 lbs -> 130.0
Consumed 2000 calories. Walked for >3 hours.
I have concluded that a social life is not amenable to keeping up a strict nutrition/exercise plan. My whole week and weekend were far less than ideal. I usually avoid social gatherings but I was obliged to be social all week because a friend came from afar to visit me.
It's interesting that to be human one must include some chaos and spontaneity in one's life.
Week 25 stats (in bold):
Stomach: 30.0 in -> 30.0
Chest: 30.25 in -> 30.25
Biceps: 10.0 in -> 9.75
Hips: 36.0 in -> 36.0
Thigh: 19.0 in -> 19.0
Calf: 13.25 in -> 13.5
Waist: 27.0 in -> 27.0
Skinfold: 12 mm -> 11
Weight: 130.2 lbs -> 130.0
Saturday 26 May 2012
Thursday 24 May 2012
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Day 171. Yerba mate
Day 171 photo
Consumed 2150 calories. Lifted weights.
I got about 2 hours of sleep last night because I made the terrible mistake of drinking Yerba mate in the late afternoon. This is a type of tea that is most commonly drunk in South America in a social setting. There is even a special drinking vessel and metal straw to go with it! It's typically drunk in a hollowed out and dried gourd through a metal straw. The loose tea leaves are placed in the gourd and hot water poured over them. As one person drains the gourd, he/she refills it with hot water and passes it on to the next person and so on. The tea leaves are not replaced with each draining because somehow they retain their strength even after several steeps. And now to the point, Yerba mate is very high in caffeine, higher than coffee. It also contains other mental stimulants. I drank one cup of this at about 4pm yesterday and ended up lying awake in bed with my eyes wide open for most of the night. I fell into a very light sleep towards morning that can be more accurately described as hypnagogia rather than actual sleep.
This morning I drank another cup of mate, brewed using the same leaves as yesterday's cup, and I felt completely normal all day, until I went to do my weight lifting routine. Even though I had mental clarity and focus, my body was obviously feeling the effects of the lack of sleep because I was struggling SO MUCH throughout my entire routine from start to finish. Never again will I attempt to lift weights without a full night's sleep.
Consumed 2150 calories. Lifted weights.
I got about 2 hours of sleep last night because I made the terrible mistake of drinking Yerba mate in the late afternoon. This is a type of tea that is most commonly drunk in South America in a social setting. There is even a special drinking vessel and metal straw to go with it! It's typically drunk in a hollowed out and dried gourd through a metal straw. The loose tea leaves are placed in the gourd and hot water poured over them. As one person drains the gourd, he/she refills it with hot water and passes it on to the next person and so on. The tea leaves are not replaced with each draining because somehow they retain their strength even after several steeps. And now to the point, Yerba mate is very high in caffeine, higher than coffee. It also contains other mental stimulants. I drank one cup of this at about 4pm yesterday and ended up lying awake in bed with my eyes wide open for most of the night. I fell into a very light sleep towards morning that can be more accurately described as hypnagogia rather than actual sleep.
This morning I drank another cup of mate, brewed using the same leaves as yesterday's cup, and I felt completely normal all day, until I went to do my weight lifting routine. Even though I had mental clarity and focus, my body was obviously feeling the effects of the lack of sleep because I was struggling SO MUCH throughout my entire routine from start to finish. Never again will I attempt to lift weights without a full night's sleep.
Tuesday 22 May 2012
Monday 21 May 2012
Saturday 19 May 2012
Day 168. Week 24 stats
Day 168 photo
Consumed 2050 calories. Rest day.
Week 24 stats (in bold):
Consumed 2050 calories. Rest day.
Week 24 stats (in bold):
Stomach: 30.0 in -> 30.0
Chest: 30.25 in -> 30.25
Biceps: 9.75 in -> 10.0
Hips: 35.5 in -> 36.0
Thigh: 18.5 in -> 19.0
Calf: 13.25 in -> 13.25
Waist: 26.75 in -> 27.0
Skinfold: 11 mm -> 12
Weight: 128.6 lbs -> 130.2
This is absolutely unacceptable. My calorie calculations must be wrong somehow. I should not be gaining! Furthermore, I got the Accu-measure skinfold caliper to add another dimension of tracking. On Wednesday morning (when the caliper arrived), my measurement was 11 mm. Today, it is 12 mm. I highly doubt I could have gained that much fat in such a short amount of time considering I have always been eating at a deficit of at least 15% except on my high carb days when I ate at maintenance, but the caliper doesn't lie. Alternatively, it could be fluid build-up. Still, that would have to be a lot of fluid to affect my measurements in such a drastic way. That having been said, I have seen this kind of dramatic negative progress once before in week 13- that whole week my diet had been unhealthy, which was not the case this week. I am not pleased with these results. Time to change something.
Friday 18 May 2012
Thursday 17 May 2012
Day 165.
Day 165 photo
Consumed 2050 calories. Cycled, "relief" and "core cardio and balance" workouts.
Consumed 2050 calories. Cycled, "relief" and "core cardio and balance" workouts.
Wednesday 16 May 2012
Tuesday 15 May 2012
Day 163. Insanity: the Asylum
Day 163 photo
Consumed 2050 calories. "Performance assessment" and "speed & agility" workouts.
The weather forecast for the rest of this week: rain, rain, rain, and more rain! I love me some rain, but I don't like biking in it. So instead of replacing my usual cycling with an Insanity recovery workout, I started Insanity: the Asylum, hereafter referred to as "Asylum." I like it. It's not quite as high impact as Insanity, and the very nature of the exercises keeps you from going faster until you've got the form right. I'm not sure I like how there are virtually no rests in between exercises, but that may be because this was my first time doing it, and the first time is always more challenging. This first Asylum workout showed me that I lack coordination! Also, trying to use a jump rope while barefoot is not a good idea when the last time one used a jump rope was over a decade ago. Ah, I can only go up from here.
Consumed 2050 calories. "Performance assessment" and "speed & agility" workouts.
The weather forecast for the rest of this week: rain, rain, rain, and more rain! I love me some rain, but I don't like biking in it. So instead of replacing my usual cycling with an Insanity recovery workout, I started Insanity: the Asylum, hereafter referred to as "Asylum." I like it. It's not quite as high impact as Insanity, and the very nature of the exercises keeps you from going faster until you've got the form right. I'm not sure I like how there are virtually no rests in between exercises, but that may be because this was my first time doing it, and the first time is always more challenging. This first Asylum workout showed me that I lack coordination! Also, trying to use a jump rope while barefoot is not a good idea when the last time one used a jump rope was over a decade ago. Ah, I can only go up from here.
Monday 14 May 2012
Day 162. Creatine
Day 162 photo
Consumed 2550 calories. Lifted weights, "core cardio and balance" workout.
Two things: 1) I've decided that on days when I can't do my daily commute by bike due to weather I will do the Insanity "core cardio and balance" workout. The calorie burn and duration of exercise come out to be about the same. 2) Creatine is the new love of my life.
Creatine is one of the few fitness supplements that have stood the test of time. It's been used for many years now by many people, athletes and bodybuilders alike, to increase power output during anaerobic exercise. About a week ago I received a container of pure creatine monohydrate for free as part of a promotion, but I didn't try it until today and Oh. My. God! During my weight training I kept checking the weights because it felt like I'd accidentally picked up a 10 kg lighter one by mistake. Seriously. I was absolutely blown away by how light the weights felt. Creatine, where have you been all my life?
Consumed 2550 calories. Lifted weights, "core cardio and balance" workout.
Two things: 1) I've decided that on days when I can't do my daily commute by bike due to weather I will do the Insanity "core cardio and balance" workout. The calorie burn and duration of exercise come out to be about the same. 2) Creatine is the new love of my life.
Creatine is one of the few fitness supplements that have stood the test of time. It's been used for many years now by many people, athletes and bodybuilders alike, to increase power output during anaerobic exercise. About a week ago I received a container of pure creatine monohydrate for free as part of a promotion, but I didn't try it until today and Oh. My. God! During my weight training I kept checking the weights because it felt like I'd accidentally picked up a 10 kg lighter one by mistake. Seriously. I was absolutely blown away by how light the weights felt. Creatine, where have you been all my life?
Saturday 12 May 2012
Day 161. Body recomposition picture + week 23 stats
Day 161 photo
Today I stepped on the scale and weighed in at 128.6 lbs, which I'm rounding up to 129 lbs- the same as what I weighed when I first started this journey 161 days ago. I can't believe it's been over half a year already. So much time has passed, and I have results to show for it! Here's proof :)
Week 23 stats (in bold):
Stomach: 30.0 in -> 30.0
Chest: 30.0 in -> 30.25
Biceps: 9.75 in -> 9.75
Hips: 36.0 in -> 35.5
Thigh: 18.5 in -> 18.5
Calf: 13.5 in -> 13.25
Waist: 26.5 in -> 26.75
Weight: 127.6 lbs -> 128.6
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