Fat Loss Week 12 results

• Weight - 14st 5lb (no change)
• Body Fat % - 26% (bio-impedance) but 5.8% (digi callipers)
• Waist - 34.5 inches (slightly over suspect no change since last time)

Been training hard this past couple of weeks and have now finished the Fat Loss III sessions. I've been working out my next plan of action and have committed myself to the Strength I sessions initially as I have mentioned previously. I'll see how my body reacts to them and then make a decision as to whether I stick with them for another round on Strength II or whether I move back to Fat Loss I.

In terms of cycling the charity ride is in a couple of weeks and I've been trying to get some extra miles in for preparation. I think I may have overdone it a bit because my right knee has been a bit twingy and temperamental since I did a ride with a proper riding Group. Basically they were going too fast and so I had to keep the bike in a higher than normal gear to keep up which put added strain on my knees. I think the right one has suffered because it is the leg I ten to lead with. That aside I've been cycling well, most noticably over the last two or three occaisions riding home up the big hill I've twiddled much faster and made good headway. My candence has improved. I have avoided doing an extended cycle ride this weekend as I decided it might be wise to give the knee a little rest as I'll be cycling to and from work all next week.

So that's where things are at the moment. I'll try to keep you updated as things progress and supplement with the odd additional posting if I can.

Cheers, BustaGut!

Quick Update!

Hi there, just wanted to give you all a quick update in terms of training. I did the last workout A of the current cycle of Fat Loss III sessions and will be completing the final workout B tomorrow. I've been hitting the cycling hard and have perhaps over done it slightly since I've been experiencing a few problems with my right knee.

That aside I have managed to do a 40mile (slightly over) ride on the bike on Saturday with the brother-in-law and the knee felt relatively okish. as I had rested it on Friday. I did an additional 14mile on Sunday as the weather was nice and forgot the suncream so have burnt my shoulders and ended up with an invisible vest look. Not good. This is one of the reasons why I didn't produce a detailed update this past week. Hopefully the lines will have faded a little over the coming week before I do a proper update again.

I hopefully intend to do some cycling again this weekend as the charity ride is only a couple more weeks away 13th June so I need to make sure that I'm ready. I've been gaining sponsorship at work today and hope to get as much as I can for the good causes allocated to the ride fund. I am contemplating riding with a group on Sunday that will be doing 80 to 85miles ride. If the weather and knee holds up then it should be a very good test in terms of distance (although the terrain is generally flat - where as the charity ride has a few hills thrown in). We'll see how it goes. At worst I'll pop out on my bike myself at somepoint over the weekend just to keep things ticking over.

Like I said earlier I'll be doing the last session of the Fat Loss III sessions tomorrow so will have to consider my next step. The most probable is to move across to Strength I and then plan further a head once these have begun. Ideally I'll want to revert back to some Fat Loss sessions before I go on vacation in August. The Fat Loss III sessions have gone well and I am pleased with the progress that I've made from session to session (especially lately). The last few sessions I've managed to up the weight in a few of the exercises and also reduce the overall time it took to complete the entire workout. Let's hope I can continue that trend into the final session tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes.

Cheers, BustaGut!

Workout Update.

Just finished the 2nd Fat Loss workout of the week (workout A, Tue & workout B today). I have made a really good stab at these this week increasing the intensity by either increased weight, decreased time or a combination of both. I've worked hard and will only have another week of Fat Loss III until the program changes again. Potentially I'm looking at moving across to Strength I and then figure out where to go from there. I had intended also to go on a bike ride with the Group I rode with last weekend but have had an offer of a ride on Saturday with the brother-in-law so will take this offer instead. By way of update I have also purchased another bike which the brother-in-law is getting into shape so that I can ride it. It's a different type of bike to my others, a racer / cyclecross bike so we'll see how it goes. I'll let you know.

Cheers, BustaGut!

A New Ride

Just wanted to post a quick update and let you know that I got everything sorted and made an effort to go on the big ride today. It was a new experience meeting a group of regular cyclists who were all kitted out and riding nice light racers carrying the minimum of baggage. I was there with the much heavier commuter bike that had a rack on the back where I stored my stuff in a top box. I was by far the heaviest vehicle there. So as you can expect I was a bit apprehensive, especially as the group set off at a very quick pace. Apparently one of the riders had a tendancy to use the Sunday rides as part of his cycle training and the organiser who usually pulls him in and sets a more realistic pace wasn't there.

So for the first few miles the pace was brisk to say the least. One of the other guys dropped back and said to me if I was to lose the group I could drop off and cycle an alternative route with J the 78 yr old rider. Now that did do wonders for my fragile confidence. Anyway as luck would have it the pace calmed down a little and the rest of the ride out was very pleasant indeed. We stopped for a short bite to eat and a drink then headed back an alternative route which generally had a few more hills involved (though not too big). Again the odd period of where the pace picked up was noticable but generally I was able to stick tightly with the Group. A few of the members actually said that I had done 'remarkably' well considering that I didn't have spd shoes and pedals and I had the heaviest bike. I took the compliment and said thankyou.

A few more miles in, probably with about 7 miles to go a couple of guys said there goodbyes and left the group. As I was at the back this then created a gap between me and the next last rider just as the pace picked up again. This combined with a few hills I then found it extremely difficult to keep up and maintain the required speed to ensure I didn't lose sight of them. The gap increased to about three car lengths and I was determined not to let it get any more (though my legs were really aching at this point). Somehow I managed to pull the gap in a bit to around two car lengths and as the group stopped for some red lights I was able to tuck back in as they set off again as they turned green. The pace was still brisk at 18-19mph with brief sections of 21 and 25mph. If I'm honest this part of the ride was less enjoyable infact it was too quick for me although it was a good test.

The majority of the group where riding on to home but me and another guy had to leave them to get to the original starting point to pick up our cars. Whilst the pace was now slower the terrain for the next 2.5 miles was very hilly and this was really sapping the remainning energy out of my tired legs. I had to stick with the other member as I had no idea of where I was or of how to get back to the car. If I lost him I was lost. Anyway, he kept his eye on me and didn't leave me in the distance so we both made it back to our cars safely. I fixed the bike onto the car just before the rain arrived. So all in all a sucessful ride which totalled just over 63.5 miles. As you can guess my legs are very tired but I'm quite pleased with myself.

Cheers, BustaGut!

Fat Loss Week 10 results

• Weight - 14st 5lb (down 2lb from last week)
• Body Fat % - 26% (bio impedence up 0.5%) but 6.4% (3 point digi callipers)
• Waist - 34.5 inches (down 0.5 inch from last week)

Completed the 2nd week of the Fat Loss III sessions workout A on Tuesday and workout B on Thursday. This was interspersed with cycling to and from work each day (although as I had Friday off it was only 4 not 5 days of cycling). I did the first big ride with the brother-in-law last week (just over 50miles) and it went well (although the course was nice and flat. I'm hoping to do another ride at some point tomorrow weather permitting since the forcast all week has been pretty desperate. I'll just have to wait and see and bite the bullet and give it a go. I'll see how I feel. Either way I'll let you know.

In terms of the results above. I am very pleased. I think the programme, exercise and diet generally are working well. What's more I'm enjoying it as well which more than half the battle (although I am tired). If I focus on the Fat % results above I would question both results here. The reason for the bio-impedence inaccuracy has been noted before. However, I think the 3 point calliper results are too much the other way, though I wanted to use them and note the result just to highlight the differences between the two measurements. If I were to be completely honest and take a measurement based on appearance without tensing (nice and relaxed) I would place myself around 13 to 15% body fat. To get a more accurate reading I would have to get a multipoint calliper test from the gym. Anyway its time to go. see ya later.

BustaGut!

Fat Loss Week 9 results

I haven't had time this week to take pictures but by way of a quick update I supply the following figures that I took this morning.

• Weight - 14st 7lb (up 1lb from last week)
• Body Fat % - 25.5% (down 1whole % point from last week)
• Waist - 35" (no change)

Right if I explain what picture these results are suggesting. Firstly, while there is a 1lb increase in weight last week's fall was too large so expected a rise to some degree.To do this and have a reduction of body fat is fantastic.

Training wise it has been tough this week what with starting the new Fat Loss III sessions (just two completed this week) and I did a ride to the Cotswold and back from Wetherby which equates to just over 50miles. This is the longest I've cycled so far and whilst it was relatively flat it was perfect preparation for the Charity ride I'm attempting in June (70+ miles).

I'll be completing a further two Fat Loss III sessions next week and may (depending on how I feel) attempt another ride with another local bike group. I'll reserve judgement on that for the time being. Anyway that's all for now.

Cheers, BustaGut!

Fat Loss Week 8 results

• Weight - 14st 6lb (down 4lb since last week)
• Body Fat % - 26.5% (no change)
• Waist - 35 inches (no change)

I haven't been to the gym this week as I intially planned as I've been aching a little from the cycling and I was going to be in London for a couple of days. So instead I did a little bit of cycling and gave my legs a rest. I've tried to stick with the eating plan but whilst weight has dropped (by too much really for one week) bf% has remained the same. So if the results from the scale are to believed (which they cannot truely be trusted) then they indicate a reduction in lean body mass which isn't what I'm after. I will try to start the new Fatloss III sessions this week by going twice (Tuesday and Thursday) disrupted this coming week due to the bank holiday but if I can just make a start back into the sessions it will help.

A week today I'll be doing the Cotswoulds ride with the brother-in-law which is about 50+ miles in preparation for the Charity bike ride the following month. It will be the furthest I've cycled and a good indication of how I'm doing. This is another reason why I want to gently ease myself back into the gym next week, I don't want to blast my legs so that their not able to cope with the ride. Anyway we'll see how things go. I plan to write up a brief report to let you know how it all went.

Cheers, BustaGut!