From Fit to Fat to Fit Again- My Great Experiment

[Kaiser]

Monday, December 6th

Resistance Training
BOM, Intermediate Weeks 1-3, C. Chest and back and traps. Last week of this grouping. Pretty much did what I needed to as far as maxing out my reps today.


HIIT
I didn't get into the gym until 8:20 PM, and I was too tired to do it. I did some extra calf work (my genetic weakness) and some chinups and dips though.


Diet
Basal: 2,400 kcals
Exercise: 313 kcals
Food: 2,123 kcals
Deficit: 590 kcals

28%C/25%P/47%F of which 11% of total was saturated (I raided some of the leftover fondue chocolate from yesterday).


Twilight Thoughts

-My form and prescribed tempo was perfect this evening. I worked hard to make it picture perfect, and it was.

-my scale moved down again. This is more like it!

-checking myself out in the mirror, I am approaching not being called fat. Yippeee!

-at 9 in the evening, there sure are a lot of young kids in the gym. Some hardbody co-eds too....

-not sure why all the girls were making eye contact with me in the stretching area. Maybe I had something on my face or my eye fell out of its socket or something. I was feeling shy and looked down for fear of being perceived as some lecherous old man.

-I'm getting to know some of the trainers at this gym now. I also like the bond between those who lift like they know, and how we have an unspoken communication that says, 'Look at those idiots and they way they are lifting.'

-Sandman's coming fast. Gotta go!

[cappuccino]

So how do you like the evening workouts as compared to other times of the day, not including the scenery [img]smile.gif[/img] ?

I found that when I could muster the energy to workout at the end of the day, I actually had some energy when I got home from work.

[gobbla]

Great going K. The picture of a self motivated person that will not accept anything but success.

[Kaiser]

Originally posted by cappuccino:
So how do you like the evening workouts as compared to other times of the day, not including the scenery [img]smile.gif[/img] ?

I found that when I could muster the energy to workout at the end of the day, I actually had some energy when I got home from work.

I hated it. Precisely for the reason you mentioned. I had a lot of energy to workout, and the scenery certainly was motivating, but I came home and ate and was wired and couldn't sleep until 12:30AM.

When I was in the best shape of my life, I used to workout at lunch - the company I worked at had a nice fitness center that I was responsible for pushing and was the one who picked and ordered and oversaw installation of all the equipment in. I loved it and I would get a quick workout in at lunch and then hit the showers and take about 10 mins to eat and head back to my office. The nice thing was the comraderie - for over two years I worked out 4 days a week with my friend Karen. When the weather was nice, we'd roller blade or run outside; we'd lift at least twice a week; and partnered stretches are much more effective than doing them on your own.

I am not a morning exerciser...although I do it on occasion and most of my summer bike rides start at ungodly hours of the morning, I don't seem to have the energy that I do after work, and studies I have seen seem to show that most people peak in their energy levels around 4PM, so I guess I am not alone. I loved the lunch workouts, but they are not practical now that I don't have a gym in the office. So evening it is, usually after work.

How about you C? When do you workout? Do you work in the same building as JPs gym?

Originally posted by gobbla:
Great going K. The picture of a self motivated person that will not accept anything but success.

Thanks G. Less than 2 months to go for you. Keep the faith.

[Kaiser]

Tuesday, December 7th

Aerobic/Anaerobic Intervals
Spin class; substitute instructor. Only two sets of real intervals, but they were hard because I was sitting next to a woman (we were both wearing the exact same bike shorts - how wierd) who has a high sprint cadence. I do too, so I was really going at it during the sprints - as we both tried to outrace each other. It's rare that someone can move their feet as fast as I can on the bike, but she could. Fun.


Diet
Who the hell knows? What a freaking fiasco today. I couldn't log one of the items I had at lunch, so I stopped. Then I came home from the workout and didn't want to cook anything, so I ate some extra pizza rolls that were left over from the weekend. A lot of them. That was my dinner, along with the balance of the chocolate-half and half mix that was left in the fondue pot. I know - I ate poorly BIG TIME. At least it was on a spinning class day when my kcal expenditure is around 3,000. More room for error that way.

Of note, I wasn't craving these foods. It was the lack of having something good to eat already prepared or easy to prepare that lead me to this gastronomic distaster. This morning the same thing - I had prepared cereal and milk instead of something healthy because I was running late. Ugh. I need to make sure I've planned ahead because lack of planning will mean a failure to get to my goal.

[lefty9]

Kaiser,

Just read through your log. Congrats on getting back into the game. Keep pushing and you will reach your goals. At our age, I’m very close to 37, the body does take a bit longer to respond and recover. I would try not to compare too much to the past, looking back is usually not a good thing. I’ve fallen victim to that in the past. Like when you are on the bike, if you are looking back you won’t make it to your destination without crashing.

I am very similar in that when I gain any weight, it goes right to my waist and those lumps in your shirt have a familiar look. Have no fear, the lumps will disappear.

I completed the BOM Intermediate program in July with some great success. One difference, I bulked during Stage 2 and part of 3. The program does progress into some heavy lifting and for me a bulk was in order. While your goals are different, the program will add some mass, which as you know will burns more cals. I have the spreadsheets for the rest of the program if you are interested I can e-mail them.

Good luck, you have inspired me to keep working hard.

[Kaiser]

Thanks Lefty. Yes, I sure would love to get those spreadsheets. I'm sending you a PM right now. Thanks!

[Kaiser]

Wednesday, December 8th

Resistance Training
BOM, Intermediate Weeks 4-6 A. Lats and biceps. And more lats. First day of of this grouping. Felt good.

HIIT
I get bored doing the same HIIT, so I always try to mix it up. Today I did box jumps; 30 seconds on, 60 seconds rest, as fast I could up and down. Total of 6 sets. Quads and glutes felt it, as did lungs.


Diet
Again, who knows. All I know is that I was in deficit, but I didn't log it into fitday. I'm planning tomorrow's menu tonight to avoid this continuing problem.


Various Vignettes
-my scale moved back up. So did my BF%. Damn and double damn.

-I'm getting the name of a place that does metabolic testing so I can find out what my BMR is.

-My arms seem to be picking up size and definition pretty fast. Pretty early for that, I think. My calves - not at all.

[cappuccino]

How about you C? When do you workout? Do you work in the same building as JPs gym?

Yep, I'm just 5 floors away, so it's quite convienient. And only 2.5 miles away from home. There was a stretch when I was a morning gym goer because it was the only way I could be sure to work it in before the day started. Lately it's been lunch time or right after work when I can't get away at lunch. I prefer mornings, but haven't been able to get out the door in time.

I had lunch running buddies in NO, but here it's just the regulars that I enjoy seeing while I'm there, but we don't workout together.

Of note, I wasn't craving these foods. It was the lack of having something good to eat already prepared or easy to prepare that lead me to this gastronomic distaster

I know what you mean here. I get in food ruts. Luckily my freezer stays stocked with pretty decent choices, although not what I'm craving.

[BjsAust]

John Berardi has often said the reason most people fail is failure to plan for the unexpected. I have the same problems, when things go well I can stick to my plan easy, but when there are humps in the road its too easy to find yourself falling down.

I really need to cook up a heap of meals to freeze over the weekend. Now I dont need to visit the physio anymore hopefully I can get back into a solid gym routine too.

Stick at it bro.

[Kaiser]

Thanks Ben. I think you (and JB) are right on (or do they say 'spot on' down under like they do in England?).

C, at just 5 floors away, that's pretty much the same office. Awesome. I hope you take the stairs. [img]smile.gif[/img]

B+C: my issue is that I have a family and a wife who generally prepares meals. So tonight, we had leftover spinach lasagna - yep, made with white pasta and pretty much no protein. She said she'd modify it by browning up some ground beef or something, but I feel guilty asking her to do that when she's already busy taking care of the kids most of the day. AND she made Johnka's granola bars for me, so I didn't want to complain. Bottom line: I HAVE TO plan ahead.

[cappuccino]

'bout time we got back to your log [img]smile.gif[/img]

So if you plan ahead, do you not eat what you're family is eating or do you just supplement(ie have some turkey meat on the side?) or better yet, cook for them?

What's that boy scout motto...always prepared?

[Kaiser]

Like you said, it's my log and I can talk about what I want. Hell, I do that in your log.

Hmm, I was a Boy Scout too. The motto is actually 'Be Prepared.'

No, I usually eat something competely different about 2/3 of the time. I don't want the boys consuming protein like I do - they're too young and my wife is too independent-minded to follow any eating trend I'm doing.

I used to cook a lot - I'm actually a better cook than my wife (she'll admit it), but don't like to spend the time in the kitchen. Now it seems to be relegated to once a month and on special days like her brithday and our anniversary.

Alright, I gotta go kiss the boys goodnight and actually get to sleep at a decent hour. Have a good night, C.

[BjsAust]

I'm lucky in some ways, but not in others. My GF does most of the cooking, and she's trying to get into shape also and quite prepared to follow a meal plan. On the other hand she's just as likely as I am to fall back on something easy that doesnt meet the requirements (such as say cooking some pasta rather than a no-carb meal). Of course I cant complain when she does because the obvious retort is that I can damn well cook myself .

[cappuccino]

Alright, I gotta go kiss the boys goodnight and actually get to sleep at a decent hour.

Now that's a plan!

You're both lucky you don't have to 'elimidate' people based on their eating habits. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Kaiser]

Eliminate based on food. LOL. I really hope you're kidding.

[Kaiser]

Thursday, December 9th

Aerobic/Anaerobic Intervals - 2 A Days!
AM: Ran some intervals: 6 @ 20 secs at 85% full effort, 60 seconds rest. As mentioned before, I am not a morning exercise person. Plus, I did it on an empty stomach. I don't like running at less than full out, but I just couldn't today. Note to self: you didn't work the VMOs all summer to keep a balanced quad. These sprints are exposing that-imbalance from too much cycling and not enough running/VMO work. Wow the VMOs (the inner part of the quad above the knee) hurt after!

PM: Spin class; the tall blonde instructor kicked my ass! Wow, that was the most brutal spin class I have had in over 2 years. I stopped counting the intervals, they came one after the other. There were at least 15. At two points, I was actually light headed! Once again, I was racing on the sprints with the girl mentioned above in Tuesday's log. She is fast and I was talking to her after class to get her to try track racing - with her superfast cadence, she'd do well. Oh, did I mention - she's a looker too (albeit married) - an added benefit when I am watching trying to beat her cadence. [img]smile.gif[/img]


Diet
Diet
Basal: 2,400 kcals
Exercise: 650 kcals (!)
Food: 1,914 kcals
Deficit: 1,136 kcals