Andy's Journey

[Parraeels4ever]

Friday 29/01/10

Yet again not a lot of sleep. Kids swimming carnival on at school today. I have still not recovered from a weight gain Thursday 28th. So I weighed myself again this morning. This time I came in at 92.1kg. This makes me feel a little bit better. Question now is today’s reading right or is yesterdays reading right. ‘Cause I like today’s reading better I will take today’s weight. Hope I’m not going to be pissed off next week.

The scales at home are fairly good scales, so I will look at calibrating them. Normally with weigh ins, I get up eat nothing, go to the toilet twice, travel to the Gym -workout exceptionally hard with cardio & weights & then weigh at the gym. I know that this was all bad, but it is the way I did it in 2009. Mind you I did lose 25 + kg, so it was working. Now I get up go to the toilet twice & weigh in on the home scales. So the quality of the scales at home I question where I can lose 1/2kg in 1 day with no cardio work completed.

08:30 – Oats, Muesli, nuts & skim milk + 1 egg

11:00 – Orange

11:15 – 20 min 5 hill jog/sprint combo run. Yeah I know I shouldn’t do them, but I was really pissed about yesterdays weigh in.

13:30 – Wholegrain bread, Tom, egg & ham
- 1 Multi vit tab

14:00 – Gym workout
- Deadlift – 50kg. 4 x 6. No problems on the up, but struggled on the down. Will go back & review technique to ensure sound. May look at dropping some weight till I am confident that technique is 100%
- Dumbbell lunges – 20kg each hand. 4 x 6 LR. I definitely knew I had muscles in my legs in places that I had no idea that they existed, now I know where. Whilst I did get through the lunges, I knew I was doing them. Swanso5, I now that I was bludging with the reverse lunges the other night. Weight is okay to stick with.
- Dumbbell incline bench – 17.5kg each hand 4 x 6. Like the above two exercises, I have never done these, so I was not aware what to expect. I will look at 20kg each hand next week.
- Chin Ups. 4 x 6 - First set no worries. The remaining sets got progressively harder, but I did all 24 to 100% capacity meaning fully up & fully down. But I was wrecked afterwards.
- Barbell rows – 70kg – 4x6. Once again I will continue to review technique.
- Smith Machine Incline Military Press – 40kg - 4 x 6. This was intense, but I got threw them.
- Pec Dec - 4 x 6 – 50kg.

Phew what a work out session. This has been the most intense gym session ever for me. 4 of the exercises I have never done before & two I have only done once or twice. It took 1 full hour. I gave it my all & really pushed myself on a few of the exercises. I must admit with a cardio session done at 11:30am & a few nites of poor sleep, I am feeling a far bit fatigued today. So again I am going to reset myself with good eating, good sleeping, following the gym program without doing extras.

15:00 – 250mm Skim Milk & Protein Shake

17:00 – 30gr Mixed Natural nuts.

20:00 – ½ portion – Beef stir fry with vege’s & tong of coldslaw.

22:30 – 200gr Jalna Yogurt with seeds.

[Parraeels4ever]

Yeah I have noticed that, I also weighed myself this morning and came in at 91.5

AH

[fitoverforty]

Chin Ups. 4 x 6 - First set no worries. The remaining sets got progressively harder, but I did all 24 to 100% capacity

That is awesome! Good job.

20 min 5 hill jog/sprint combo run. Yeah I know I shouldn’t do them

Why? Well, maybe not on the day you do a weight workout, but I think that doing a sprint/jog combo session for 20 minutes is a great cardio workout to add to your weekly program.

[Parraeels4ever]

The reason why I should not of done the cardio is yes 'çause it was my weight day. I am still doing too much.
I am trying to tone up & the reason for poor results is that I am burning the muscle off with the cardio.

My routine has been thrown out of wack recently, so I am trying to get myself back on track.

1 of my biggest challenges is not doing extras either through boredom, guilt (through poor eating) or missing a day training and having to make it up. Making a session up means doing a cardio session & weight session in the one day.

I used to be a bit like Forest Gump & just run, but through the logical sound advice from many people on this site (Especially swanso5), I have introduced interval & hill training in place of flat distance stuff. Last week was probably the first week I really gave it my all with the new weights & cardio program. Whilst I did do it a little out of sequence, I did what was planned. I must admit that I have been pulling the training back a fair bit & I have been worried about not having enough, but with a combination full body muscle work out & interval training spread over 6 days, I can tell you I felt more wrecked this week then what I have over the past 14 weeks & I didn't even lose weight (I am not worried about the weight)

So my aim this week is to stick to my program without exception, give it my all, eat protein meals & get plenty of sleep.

Thanks for your supportive comments.

Last two days
Trained well on the Saturday with a 25 min hill sprint session & a 40 min mountain bike ride. All intense stuff.
Eat well through Saturday & Sunday except for a few drinks & nibbles on the Saturday nite
I made sure that I had 100% rest on Sunday. All I have done today is a few stretches.

[Parraeels4ever]

Monday 01/02/10

Wow where has the first month of the year gone already.

08:30 - Oats, Muesli, nuts with a dash of skim milk + 1 egg
- 1 skinny cap + 1 sugar

11:00 - Banana

13:30 - 2 whole grain bread with tomato, ham & egg

14:00 - Gym Workout all 4 x 6 in 2pr supersets
Bench Press – 70kg + Seated Row – 90kg
Squats barbell – 80kg + Shoulder Press 75kg
Dips 4 x 8 + Lunges forward 4 x 6L & 6 R @17.5kg each hand

‘cause I was a little naughty on the weekend with food, I ran on the treadmill for 8 min with a sprint jog combo. Nothing serious.

15:45 - 250mm Skim Milk Protein Shake

17:00 - 30g Mixed Natural Nuts

20:00 - Asparagus Risotto with Veges

22:00 - 200g Jalna yogurt with seeds.

With the intense gym session on Friday & the intense big hill cardio session on the Saturday morning coupled with a mountain bike ride on Saturday afternoon, I was still sore in the quads today. Therefore I was very careful with the forward lunges & backed the weight down to 17.5kg this week from the 20kg last week. Other then that the gym session felt good today.

[Parraeels4ever]

Tuesday 02/02/10

08:00 - Muesli, Oats & nuts with skim milk + 1 egg

09:30 - Cardio Workout
Mountain Bike Ride. 1 Hour 15 min
Plenty of gnarly hills with lots of opportunities to increase my heart rate, recover & increase my heart rate again. Plenty of leg pump & sweat.

10:45 - Protein Shake

13:45 - Whole grain bread, Tom & Ham

17:00 - 200g Jalna Yogurt with seeds

20:00 - Sheppard’s Pie with Veges

22:30 - 30g mixed natural nuts.

Quads are still a bit sore from the massive cardio session on the Saturday, Whilst they did have the Sunday to recover, I did lunges & squats on Monday and the mountain bike ride today which are putting the quads under ongoing pressure.

[Parraeels4ever]

Wednesday 03/02/10
10:00 Oats, Muesli, Nuts with skim milk
Skinny cap with 1 sugar
13:00 2 slices wholegrain bread with Tom, ham & fetta cheese. (No butter)
14:00 Gym Workout all @ 4 x 6
Warm up
Leg press @100kg
Good Mornings @ 60kg
Military press 40kg
Wide grip pull ups unassisted. 6 + 6 + 6 + 4 + 2 x ½ attempts
2 arm bicep curls 35kg
Skull crushers 35kg
Face Pulls 110kg
Warm down.
Need to add weight for leg press, A much better improved wide grip pull up exercise this week, struggled on military press & bicep curls, but got through them. Quads feel good today. I need to allow more time for workouts. Above is taking a full hour.

15:00 250mm Skim Milk Protein shake
17:00 200g Jalna yogurt with seeds
20:00 Beef curry with veges
22:30 30g mixed nuts

Other then the cap for breakfast, only water is consumed. I am still concerned with diet. I am not hungry or suffer from cravings, but a review on the website informs me that there is a little too much fat & not enough protein & carbs in my diet as noted above. Also overall cals count is down. I understand the importance of diet for muscle growth, so I need to get better at this. I have a lot of work to do with diet to firstly get the counts right, but to also create variety. I know there is heaps of choice out there, I just need to find them.

[Parraeels4ever]

Thursday 04/02/10

Weigh Day
I’m Excited. (For the Aussies out there like Big Kev) Yeah Hah. I have hit under 90kg’s for the first time in 6 years. My actual weight was 89.9kg. I was way too scared to jump back on the scales to retest the weight, for I was really enjoying the moment & didn’t want to spoil it with numbers starting with 90 flashing up in front of me. Good buy to the 90’s for ever.

My goal weight is 85kg. I am not sure now if I will ever want to actually achieve that weight. I am trying to bulk up & that is going to add weight. So if I can bulk up & sit at 88kg, then I will be satisfied. Now that I am under the 90kg mark, I am no longer obsessed in loosing weight. If it happens it happens. (However I will probably want to give myself a little more breathing space the 100grams to stay away for the 90kg range) My goal now is to bulk up & remain under 90kg at 88kg. That is 193lbs

10:00 – Oats, Nuts & Muesli with skim milk
10:40 – Cardio workout. Intense - 5 Hill jog/sprint combo. (40 Min)
11:45 – 250mm Skim Milk Protein Shake.
13:30 – 2 Wholegrain, Tom, Egg & Ham sandwich
15:00 – Banana
17:00 – Yoplait fat free vanilla yogurt with seeds
20:00 – Steak, Small serv of veg & garden salad
22:30 – 30g mixed natural nuts.

I have been busy at home doing other things, to not yet have a good look at my diet. I have been fishing around on this site for some ideas, so hopefully over the weekend I can come up with some more interesting & varied meal plans. As I have previously said, I am not hungry or craving for food, I just need to increase protein, carbs & cals along with reducing fat.

[Parraeels4ever]

Thanks for you support Lesplease.
I enjoy reading your insightful posts.

Reading other peoples journals, receiving feedback & advice from other members, assists in keeping me motivated.

Regards
Andy

PS - I hope you do get to come to my wounderful country one day & don't worry, we don't have kanagroos hoping down the main street. (At least not in the city anyway)

[Parraeels4ever]

Friday 05/02/10

10:00 – Oats, Nuts & Muesli with skim milk + 1 egg
12:30 – Whole grain bread with tom, & turkey
- 1 orange
13:30 – Gym workout all 4x6
Warm up stretches.
Romanian Dead lift – 70kg
Barbell row – 70kg
Chin Ups (I squeezed a few extra in for good luck)
Pec Dec – 55kg
Incline dumbbell press – 20kg each arm
Forward dumbbell lunges – 20kg each arm 6 R&L - 4 x 6
Single arm shoulder press – 20kg each arm 6 R&L - 4 X 6
Leg raises – 5 x 30sec with 30 sec rest
Crunches – 5 x 10
5 min warm down light jog on treadmill
Warm down stretches

15:00 – 250mm Skim Milk Protein shake
17:00 – 200g fat free Jalna yogurt with seeds.
20:00 – Beef chunks with veges
22:15 – 30gr mixed natural nuts

One of the reasons I embarked upon my weight loss challenge back in September 09 was to get back into a suit that I wore on my wedding nite. My wedding anniversary 17/02/10 will be 20 years married. My wife & I are off to Cairns for a week in Port Douglas & the Great Barrier Reef. I am going to surprise my wife & turn up for dinner in this suit. I am so excited, I tried it on today & I can squeeze into it. I am only slightly heaver now then what I was 20 years ago. Hopefully within the next week I will drop another kg or so to assist in squeezing myself into the suit & there are no obvious signs of bulge. (By the way it is not a tux. I left the wedding reception in another suit – A going away suit) I can’t wait to see her face. More so then anything else ‘cause the suit is dated. Yes I am such a romantic.

[Parraeels4ever]

Weekend overview 06/07 – 02 - 2010
Overall through the weekend I was pretty good. I had my usual eat free Saturday night with a few drinks & nibbles. I was back on track Sunday as per usual. As much as I really shouldn’t have a free nite, I do enjoy & look forward to at least one night of pleasure. I don’t go crazy, just a few drinks & chips.

I worked all day Saturday so I didn’t do my cardio until the Sunday. Saturday became my rest day. I have fallen into a habit of going a little harder on the Sunday in my cardio session to try & offset some of the guilty pleasures from the previous nite.

Sunday morning I ran 8 x 400mtr 50/50 sprint jog combos + a 3.2km jog & 50 reverse bicep pull ups.

Monday 08/02/10
9:15 – Oats, Muesli & skim Milk + 1 egg
13:00 – Whole grain toasted with tom, cheese & ham
- Skinny cap 1 sugar

14:00 – Gym
Squats – 80kg
Seated row – 95kg (Increase of 5kg)
Bench Press – 70kg (Real struggle)
Dips (Did a few extra)
Reverse lunges 20kg each arm 6 - L & R
Shoulder Press 75kg (Struggle)
50 sit ups
1 km – Jog 700mtrs @ 12kmph then last 300 @ 16kmph + 200mtr cool down.

I really struggled with strength today. No doubt due to the cardio workout late on Sunday. I will need to ensure that I complete my cardio session on the Saturday from now on. The Saturday cardio session is by far the hardest of the three cardio days & I obviously need a full days rest.

I’ve got a few things to do at the beginning of this week such as buying a new pr of shoes & a belt for my suit that I taking away to Cairns next week for my 20th wedding anniversary & off course getting that suit dry cleaned. All without the wife seeing or knowing what is going on.

15:00 – Protein shake
17:00 – 200g Jalna yogurt with seeds
20:00 – Veal & Veges
22:15 – 30g nuts

[fitoverforty]

One of the reasons I embarked upon my weight loss challenge back in September 09 was to get back into a suit that I wore on my wedding nite. My wedding anniversary 17/02/10 will be 20 years married... I am going to surprise my wife & turn up for dinner in this suit... Hopefully within the next week I will drop another kg or so to assist in squeezing myself into the suit & there are no obvious signs of bulge... I can’t wait to see her face. More so then anything else ‘cause the suit is dated. Yes I am such a romantic.

Oh my gosh! That is SO sweet! You are so thoughtful to do this for your wife. She will no doubt be swept off her feet all over again when she sees you in that suit! Congrats on celebrating your 20th!

I had my usual eat free Saturday night with a few drinks & nibbles. I was back on track Sunday as per usual.

I don't see anything wrong with having a free night as long as you get right back on track, which you did.

Sunday morning I ran 8 x 400mtr 50/50 sprint jog combos + a 3.2km jog

Awesome workout!

Skinny cap

okay...gotta ask...what is a skinny cap?
You're doing a great job Andy! Keep it up!
I'm sure you will be able to get everything done this week for the surprise for your wife. She is a lucky lady! Good luck with everything!

[Parraeels4ever]

I luv your user name - fitoverforty. It sort of sums me up as well & I'm sure many others.

Okay - a skinny cap. For us lazy Aussies instead of saying a cappuccino with skim milk, we just say a skinny cap. So there it is a skinny cap is just the use of skim milk.

Thankyou so much for your kind words & support.

[Parraeels4ever]

Tuesday 09/02/10
3 more sleeps before I fly out to Cairns. Can’t wait

Cardio day today. This is the day that I do my mountain bike ride. I started the morning off with mowing my lawns. Gee the grass was long, I guess I haven’t mowed them for a while & I was doing it tough. I think I sweated it out more doing the lawns, then when I go for a run. Bloody humidity. Anyway in not being perturbed, I set out for my bush bashing mountain climbing & more mountain climbing adventure. 1 hour & 10 min later I arrive back. Gee this is a tough course that I have set out. I tell you I certainly get a tough workout.

08:00 - Muesli, Oats & skim milk
11:15 - 1 egg
Midday – Mountain Bike Ride (I guess its about 20km with 12km bush & 8km Rd)
13:30 – Protein Shake
15:00 – Toasted Linseed & Soy bread with Tom & Ham
17: 00 - 200g Jalna Yogurt with seeds
20:00 – Grilled chicken with Ham & Pineapple & Veges + 1 serving spoon of soya diced beef
22:30 – 30g mixed natural nuts

[Parraeels4ever]

Wednesday 10/02/10

I felt drained & sapped off energy all day yesterday, but I just put it down to doing the lawns & an intense mountain bike ride.

Today I woke up & felt even worse then yesterday.

One of my problems is that I push myself too hard. So with the combination of me pushing myself, not enough sleep & a diet that is not complete, I am feeling washed out.

Today in the gym, I really struggled & post workout I feel even more washed out. I am going to have to tone down my cardio days & even drop one of completely so I will have a program that looks like this.

Gym, Cardio, Gym, Rest, Gym, Cardio, Rest

08:45 – Oats, Muesli & skim milk
10:45 – ½ Skinny milk shake + 1 raisin toast
12:30 – Gym workout – All 4 x 6 in pounds
- Leg Press x 264 pounds
- Wide grip pull ups (Could not do 6 straight) 6 x 4 instead
- Face pulls x 264 pounds
- 2 arm bicep curls Ezy Bar (Backed it down to 132 pounds)
- Skull crushers Ezy bar (Backed it down to 132 pounds)
- Military press x 88 pounds. A real struggle. Only did 5 ½ reps on the last set
- Good Mornings (’Cause I was working out like a Shelia. No offence intended, I ran out of time to complete.)
13:30 – Protein Shake
17:00 - Multi grain bread – Tom & Ham
20:00 – Diced beef with noodles & Veges
22:15 – 30g nuts