ExRx.net

Still making slight changes to get things that feel right so tonight was 3x10 of:

Split Squats (No Weight, learning technique)
Straight Leg, Straight Back Dead Lift
Bi Cep Curls
Overhead Tri-Cep extensions
DB Raises
DB Military Press
DB Bent Over Rows
Push Ups (with slight plyo effect, lifting palms off of floor, no clapping yet!)
Twisting Crunch (10 each side)
Superman Opposing Arm and Leg (10 each side)

Nutrition:
Breakfast:
Crunchy Nut Cornflakes
100ml 1% milk
Instant coffee, skim milk no sugar

Morning tea:
1 Medium Banana
Instant coffee, skim milk no sugar

Lunch:
Same Salad as yesterday
Instant coffee, skim milk no sugar

Afternoon Tea:
Potato Chips (there was another pack in the draw, naughty!)
500ml Water

Dinner:
3 Home Made Burritos (225g lean mince, 3 tortilla wraps, lettuce, 1/2 cup grated cheese, tomato, packet sauce)

Post Work Out:
Protein Shake (2 scoops of powder instead of 1 as protein previouslyl ow today)
200g White Seedless Grapes

Approx. 2300 calories
Fat: 76.9g (34.6g Saturated)
Protein: 157.2g
Carbs: 258.6g (105.6g sugar)

Still not getting the calories right. I want to work on the amount of calories 1st being consistently around 1900 to 2100, then consentrate more on the make up of the calories ie 40% Protein, 30% Carbs, 30% fats (lower saturated fats though). Today was 29% fat, 27% Protein and 44% Carbs.

Didn't get in any stairs last night, had to do a Job Application that took FOREVER due to a slow internet connection! However I did walk for an extra 30 minutes at lunchtime, not the same amount of calories burned or the same type of exercise but exercise none the less! Also decided to help myself avoid disappointment and only do "weights" Monday and Wednesday as I've realise I'll be travelling every Friday night until I go back to Australia. On weeks that I get back early enough on a Sunday I'll change it to Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, but for now I'll make it 5 circuits per night 2 nights a week, which adds a set to the weeks total anyway!

Nutrition:
Breakfast:
Crunchy Nut Cornflakes
150ml 1% fat, low sugar milk

Morning Tea:
120g White Seedless Grapes
Coffee

Lunch:
Chicken Salad (140g Chicken Breast char grilled no skin, 1/2 small Red Capsicum, 1/2 small Green Capsicum, 1/2 small Yellow Capsicum, 2 cups Lettuce, 1 medium Carrot, 1 small tomato, 45g diced Cheddar Cheese)
500ml Water

Afternoon Tea:
125g Raspberries
200g Vanilla Low Fat Organic Yoghurt (didn't notice the high sugar content in the supermarket damn it!)
Coffee

Dinner:
6 slices Weight Watchers Malted Danish Bread
4 wafer thin slices smoked ham (30g)
45g Chicken Breast
30g Cheddar Cheese, Grated
3 tablespoons Ketchup

Snack:
125g Raspberries
200g Vanilla Low Fat Organic Yoghurt
1 scoop (20g) protein powder

Other Fluids:
1500ml Water
750ml Pepsi Max

Approx. 1990 calories
Fats: 41.7g (21.4g Saturated)
Protein: 158.2g
Carbs: 246.8g (136.9g Sugar, 30.8g Fibre)

Goals:
Need to check labels better at the supermarket for sugar content, need to still get carbs down a bit and increase fats. Checked my Caloric need on ExRx and BMR is 2133 calories, with daily exercise included (not exercise routine, just walking to and from work and activities at work) my caloric need goes up to 2977, so getting a good deficit with current intake and daily exercise amounts. Haven't tried adding exercise routine to find out caloric need for those days yet.

Motivation:
Haven't mentioned this before but my motivation is way up compared to normal, just need to keep it there! The Forum is helping!

Had a reasonable weekend for exercise. Did a lot walking on Friday night and Saturday in Edinburgh and on Sunday walked around Dundee for 2 hours and then did a 45 stroll called grocery shopping but I carried a 10kg back pack to add to the calories burned.

I won't go into too much detail but the nutrition over the weekend was pathetic! I had too many beers on Saturday morning (that's right 6am to 8.30am, Australian Rules Football Grand Final + Time Difference = Morning Beer!) and 1/2 a 12" Pizza (1/2 for tea Friday Night and 1/2 for breakfast Saturday) added up! Not sure of the exact breakdown of Fat, Protein and Carbs but the Calories were 2600 Friday, 2950 Saturday and 2700 Sunday. However I'm gald I didn't go over 3000 calories!

Today I've already got my meals planned out and should be taking in roughly 1800 calories. My motivation is still high for both exercise and nutrition, however I'm off to Oktoberfest on the weekend! I wonder if the Germans do low carb beer?

Got through 2 circuits, changed my form on the One Leg Split Squats to get the rear knee lower after reading Starting Strength, trying to increase flexibility for the squat, this lead me to work much harder than normal and I became 'puffed' and slightly nauseated after the second circuit so decided to lay off!

One Leg Split Squats (No Weight, learning technique)
Straight Leg, Straight Back Dead Lift
DB Bi Cep Curls
DB Overhead Tri-Cep extensions
DB Upright Row
DB Military Press
DB Bent Over Rows
Push Ups
Crunches
Superman

Felt good, my knees were a little stiff after Sunday's weighted walking but got them going with the One Leg Split Squats. Everything else felt good, surprised by form in push-ups so far, I thought my stability would be a lot worse than it is!

Nutrition:
Breakfast:
Crunchy Nut Cornflakes (last bowl, now on to chicken or tuna salads for breakfast!)
150ml Skim Milk

Morning tea:
Banana
Coffee

Lunch:
Lasagne

Afternoon tea:
Apple
Coffee

Dinner:
Pasta Bake with Chicken

Post Workout:
400ml Skim Milk
40g Protein Powder (35g protein)

Approx. 1950 Calories
Fats: 50.4g (23.9g Saturated)
Protein: 132g
Carbs: 242g (84.8g Sugar)

This is getting closer to where I want to be nutritionally as far as balance! My goal is still to gradually increase Protein and decrease Carbs. My Current goal is 233g Carbs, 130g Protein and 61g fats. I want to stick to this until the second week of October then do a swap to 220g Carbs and 143g Protein and then at the start of November go for 200g Carbs and 163g Protein. By the time I start Starting Strength in December I want to be close to 181g each of Carbs and Protein and

I've decided to scrap the stair walks except for laundry day now and concentrate on my flexibility for the squat, dead lift, power clean and bench press.

So last night I did 30 minutes of static stretching. Starting at the calves and working my way up and finishing with wrist extensors and flexors.

Nutrition:
Breakfast:
1 slice Weight Watchers Malted Danish Bread
40g Chicken Breast
1 thin slice regular cheddar cheese
1 Tbs of ketchup
1 large leaf of lettuce
1 Alpen breakfast bar

Snack:
Banana
Coffee

Lunch:
Chicken Salad (100g Chicken Breast char grilled no skin, 1/2 small Red Capsicum, 1/2 small Green Capsicum, 1/2 small Yellow Capsicum, 2 cups Lettuce, 1 medium Carrot, 1 small tomato, 45g diced Cheddar Cheese, 2 Tbsp Light Honey Mustard Dressing)
500ml Water

Snack:
80g Blackberries
200g Vanilla Low Fat Yoghurt
Coffee

Dinner:
100g Chicken Breast, baked in foil
2 medium potatoes, baked with 1 Tbsp spray sunflower oil and garlic salt
1/2 Medium Carrot peeled and boiled
1/2 Sweet Corn Cob boiled
1/3 Cup Green Peas boiled

Snack:
Milky Way Chocolate Bar

Approx. 1930 Calories
Fats: 54.2g (21.5 saturated)
Protein: 132.4g
Carbs: 234.2g (93.6g Sugar)

Happy with nutrition today, still learning how to just make it second nature to pick the healthy option instead of having to really concentrate!

Had a day off yesterday as it was the first really cold day we've had in Dundee and my knees were not adjusting well! Will massage them into warmth tonight for a decent circuit session before a beer swilling weekend at Oktoberfest! Will Continue to work on squat flexibility over the coming 2 months to prepare for the gym in December!

Nutrition:
Breakfast:
2 slices Malted Danish bread
80g Chicken Breast
2 thin slices of cheddar cheese
1 Tblsp Ketchup

Snack:
1 Alpen Breakfast Bar
Coffee

Lunch:
Tuna Salad (140g Tuna in Spring Water (drained), 1/2 small Red Capsicum, 1/2 small Green Capsicum, 1/2 small Yellow Capsicum, 2 cups Lettuce, 1 medium Carrot, 45g diced Cheddar Cheese, 2 Tbsp Light Honey Mustard Dressing)
500ml Water

Snack:
150g Vanilla Low Fat Yoghurt
80g Blackberries
Coffee

Dinner:
2 slices Malted Danish bread
120g Steak, grilled
30g Grated Cheese
1 Tblsp Ketchup

Snacks:
2 slices Malted Danish Bread
30g grated cheese
4 tsp Nutella Hazlenut spread
125g Raspberries
125g Strawberries
80g Blackberries

Approx. 2050 Calories
Fats: 67.9g (33.9g Saturated)
Protein: 165.8g
Carbs: 199.5g (88.2g Sugar)

Still needing to think too much about diet goals, but getting slowly easier. appetite starting to get under control. Also I haven't been noting that I drink approx. 3 litres of water per day, but rest assured even though I don't write it down I do drink it!

Ugh, terrible weekend for exercise!

Between Thursday and Monday the only exercise I did was walking, sometimes with a pack on, and few laps up and down stairs in the airport and at home.

I went to Oktoberfest and got wasted 2 nights in a row and set myself back about 2 weeks on the weight loss goals and injured my knees and left ankle. I went through a 'Fun House' which had a roller/conveyor belt bridge that my drunken brain couldn't work out and I fell down crashing my kneecaps into the steel rollers and hyper-plantar flexing my left ankle and straining my left tibialis anterior at the tarsal insertion, it's not too bad but doing anything other than dead lifts and DL variations is out until the pain stops in my knees!

Diet was rubbish obvioulsy, pretty much ALL meat (pork knuckles and roast chicken) and breads for the weekend! So I'm not going to try to remember it all, but start again by keeping my diary of food for today and get in some upper body and SLDL's tonight and journal them tomorrow! No use crying over spilled milk right?

John

Had a dissappointing night last night, the roof of our flat decided to leak down the hanging light fitting in my 'work out' room and cause the glode to blow up. Electrician is fixing it today but it meant no space to work out in so I just did a few laps of the stairs with the pack on to burn some calories.

Nutrition:
Breakfast:
1.5 Chicken and Bacon Sandwichs

Snack:
Banana

Lunch:
Steak Stew with Hot Chips

Snack:
Yoghurt and Strawberries
1 large chocolate 'hedghog' (23.5g)

Dinner:
1.5 Egg and Bacon Sandwiches

Bad snack:
Cadbury Chocolate, 12 pieces from a 250g block

Approx 2950 cals
Fat: 136.2g (47.3g saturated)
Protein: 147.3g
Carbs: 254.1g (99.9g sugar)


Terrible day but a 'come down' day from the weekend. Much more focused today on better food intake, NO MORE SANDWICHES OR CHOCOLATE!!! The good news is I jumped on the scales this morning and I'm now 115kg, down from 117kg a week and a half ago! That was a good motivator to cut out days like yesterday and the weekend!

John

So got a little weighed down this week with healing bits and pieces and trying to keep the eating plan going. Doing okay but not getting much help from the wife. Decided that keeping a Journal of doing nothing for the week would be counter motivational. That given I have still been losing weight which is the major goal right now, I'm "weighing in" so to speak fortnightly instead of weekly as weekly in my opinion is too close together!

Anyway, I will be back at this as of tomorrow giving todays nutrition and (limited) exercise. Hope to be back to my circuits tomorrow night.

Okay so the last few days i've been back into some added exercise just for calorie burning and increaseing flexibility for my return to lifting in December.

Sunday:
Stair Climbs with 7.5kg pack:
Changed up a little and went 2 steps at a time with a single step at the top (7 staris per flight) felt a lot more like it was work the 'thighs and glutes' than just the quads. So it was 6 trips of 6 flights of 7 stairs (3 large steps and 1 small step per flight) alternating 1st leg each flight.

Nutrition:
I'm keeping a nutrition diary elsewhere and have decided instead of putting in everything i eat to just put in the daily Calorie total and the break down of Carbs, Protein and Fats.

Calories: 2116
Carbs: 222.8g (60.7g Sugar)
Fats: 85.6g (34.3g Saturated)
Protein: 120.2g

Monday:
3 Circuits of 10 reps of:
Using makeshift DB's of water bottle in shopping bags
DB Box Squats (or the end of the bed bas with the matress moved away)
SLDL's
BiCep Curls
Overhead TriCep extensions
Uprigth Row
DB Military Press
Bent Over DB Row (both DB's in one hand, 8kg)
Push Ups (with hands on 2 rolled up sleeping bags to get better ROM)
Crunches
Superman
5 minutes rest

Nutrition:
Calories: 2120
Carbs: 244.6g (157.7g)
Fats: 82.1g (36g Saturated)
Protein: 106g

Tuesday:
No added exercise

Nutrition:
Calories:
Carbs: 260g (76.3g Sugar)
Fats: 55.6g (26.6g Saturated)
Protein: 131.6


Notes:
My diet has been somewhat erratic due to a lack of preparation and adding bread into the diet when I couldn't get to the supermarket to get stuff for salads. Also finding it REALLY hard to get protein up when I live with someone who is not willing to give up their carb addiction with me! So I am concentrating on getting 2 main meals in (breakfast and lunch) that have a high amount of Protein and low-ish carbs to off set high carb dinners at home, also doing exercise at night time to burn off some of those carbs before bed time. Fats tend to fluctuate on a daily basis but average out over the week to just a littel over my goal so not too concerned about that!

Anyway mornign tea beckons!

John

Just an update:

I have decided to stop journalling until I get home in December. The lack of routine and scheduling was doing more to de-motivate me then motivate me so I am sticking to recording my diet on another site and I will restart journalling in December when I can give getting into a routine and fullfilling my exercise dietary goals my full attention!

Until then I still plan on taking part in exercise that is as regular as possible, but I just won't be journalling it on the forum!

John

Thursday 7th May 2009:

0630: Jogged for Approx. 300m, achilles tendons and left knee tender from Volleyball last night, walked home.

0645: Decided to do Squats and Deadlifts in the PM but did Bench Press this morning:
2x5x10kg
1x5x20kg
1x3x30kg
(At this point went to load 40kg and discovered one of my 5kg plates' and one of my 10kg plates' holes are too small and that the weights my friend gave me have a smaller hole too! Am returning the 5kg and the 10kg to be replaced and am buying a rotary wire brush for my drill to file out the holes in the smaller weights!)
3x5x50kg

0800: Walked approx. 1.5km to a work study day

1530: Walked approx. 1.5km bck to car

1630: Jogged 2.7km and walked 400m

1700:
Squats:
2x5x10kg
1x5x20kg
1x4x30kg
*No 40kg See Above*
3x5x50kg

Deadlifts:
2x5x20kg
1x3x30kg
*No 40kg See Above*
1x5x50kg

1900:
55 minutes stretching routine

Just about to head off to the harware shop to buy the rotary wire brush for smaller weights for Saturday!!!

0830:
500m jogging on treadmill and stretches for warm up

0845:
Squats
2x5x10kg
1x5x20kg
2x3x30kg
3x5x50kg

Press
2x5x10kg
1x5x13kg
1x3x20kg
1x2x23kg
3x5x30kg

Power Clean
2x5x10kg
1x5x13kg
1x3x20kg
1x2x23kg
3x5x30kg

I think I need to ramp up the Power Cleans as they felt way too easy, however I did misread the program and did 3 set of 5 reps instead of 5 sets of 3 reps!!!

1000:
Volleyball specific training for 90 minutes

Doing a 4km "Fun" Run tomorrow morning so hopefully I recover well! Will probably walk at least half of it due to low cardio fitness though!

Sunday 10th May 2009

Today's Training was:
4km "Fun" Run, jogged and walked about 2km each and I did it in about 30 minutes, times aren't out until Tuesday afternoon! If I averaged 7 to 8km per hour I'll be happy as I wasn't 100% after Volleyball Training yesterday!

Monday May 11th 2009

Squats:
2x5x10kg
1x5x20kg
1x3x30kg
1x2x40kg
3x5x55kg

Bench Press:
2x5x15kg
1x5x25kg
1x3x35kg
1x2x43kg
3x5x53kg

Deadlift:
2x5x20kg
1x3x30kg
1x2x43kg
1x5x55kg

Exchanging the 5kg and 10kg weight plates this afternoon so I can get the correct weights prescribed in the SS spread sheet!