Strength I: Week 4 (week 16) belated results: New Start

• Weight - 14st 6lb (up 3lb since last week - higher than plateau weight - bad)
• Body Fat % - 25.5% (bio-impedence) 5.5% (digi-callipers)
• Waist - 34 inches (still slightly over)

Right so this is where my yearly quest begins again. The figures aren't as bad as I intially thought with body fat and waist measurements now coming in the same as last week. The only figure to have risen is the weight figure and had it not risen by too much I don't think I would have been too bothered but 3lb is too much. Like I've said previously I'll just keep with the programme and it should sort itself out. The main figures are of course the body fat figs and so long as they progress (or in this case don't go up) then I'm relatively happy.

The bike ride yesterday was pleasant, it didn't feel like 50miles which I suppose is a good thing and shows I'm getting better at it. In terms of reaching my goals I will have to be a little smarter with the eating and get into the habit of eating smaller meals more freaquently to ensure there is a constant stream of nutrients to feed my body rather than the three big meals that I've reverted back to. This might help keep the metabolism stoked at a higher burning level as will the reintroduction of intervals into my training. I'll keep you updated on how things go.

Cheers, BustaGut!

Birthday Bomb out!

As a quick follow on from the update post I gave yesterday I am going on a bike ride this morning, my birthday no less with a new group to see how things go. I jumped on the scales this morning to check the damage caused over the past few days as I tended to overeat yesterday as well. The results were 14st 5lb (back to the plateau again) but body fat was up a full percentage point to 26% so not pleased. There's no point crying (infact that would be sad) I just have to readjust and keep moving. I intend to make a fuller assessment tomorrow with pictures to know exactly where I'm starting from as I re-embark on the quest for visible abs. Wish me luck. Take care.

Cheers, BustaGut!

Repercussions update

Having spent a couple of days away this week I have tried to eat to plan the best I could. Unfortunately many of my choices included far more carbs (an quantity if I'm honest) than I should have consumed. Although they were better than the other choices that I could have made realistically they weren't within TNT. For instance things were covered in breadcrumbs and sauces but had I avoided these I would have eaten little if anything over the two days which is also bad. I did avoid the bread, eating the filling of some sandwiches, no alcohol as I stuck to dilute / fruit cordiel and I even did a token gesture jog for 15 to 20mins on one morning before breakfast. It would have been longer but my hamstrings were still recovering from the leg session on Tuesday (workout C). I know being away from home and not having control over where the Group I was with ate has resulted in stalling and losing ground after making some progress last week. I'll just stick with it and evrything should sort it self out eventually. I'll try to produce some figures and pictures if possibe sometime over the next couple of days.

Cheers, BustaGut!

Strength I: Week 3 (week 15) results

• Weight - 14st 3lb (down 2lb from last week)
• Body Fat % - 25.5% (no change on bio-impedence) 5.5% (Digi-callipers)
• Waist - 34 inches (fraction over but down 0.5 inch from last week)

These strength programs are tough going but seem to be doing the trick. There is now some movement in the figures. Granted this may not be as marked as the differences above illustrate since I've measured myself at a different time, did a cycle ride yesterday etc and these things would have some bearing on the figures so close to weigh in. Anyway that aside I have noticed a very slow but measureable change in the way I feel and look from the training so know that I have made progress regardless of what the figures say but to have them support that is doublely satisfying especially after the weeks of no movement.

Next week I'm away for periods so wont be able to get in the customary commute rides too and from work so suspect the figures may rise again next week. It's not too much of an issue because I now know the training has an impact on the plateau I found myself in for the past few weeks and if I've moved forward once I can do it again, so no worries there. Psychologically it is a big barrier that has been removed. I will still be doing the 2 weight sessions and the next one up is workout C, it's the one with all of the dead lift variations in and the one where my legs took a few days to recover fully from. Strangely the effects of the workout where felt a day or two afterwards (which seems to me the case with me generally). I suppose that is why it's important not to train on these sessions on consecutive days.

I'm one week away from my 34th birthday and I wanted to achieve visible abs by then but I suppose it will be a longer process than I initially thought it would be. I've made improvements but after some diet plan experimentation I put myself back a bit but then again it's all a learning process. Anyway, I think that the visible abs (without tensing dream - sorry objective) will become a long term goal to be achieved within a time frame of a year to fall around my 35th birthday. It's important to have a long term goal to aim for but I also need to break this down into markers of smaller goals so that I know I'm moving in the right direction. I suppose on the surface wanting visible abs might seem very superficial and vain but it's so much more than that. I've always been chubby as a child and have never, and I mean never seen my abs even though I 've always been an active person playing rugby for various teams etc so for once in my life I want to achieve that badge of health and fitness to prove to myself I am fit, active and alive!

Right so enough with the philosophising I just wanted to give a little insight into my reasons for wanting what first appears to be a vain objective. So I'll keep with the trainig and keep you uptodate on how things progress.

Cheers for now, BustaGut!

Strength I: Week 2 (week 14) results

• Weight - 14st 5lb (no change)
• Body Fat % - 25.5% (bio-impedance)
• Waist - 34.5 inches (again still slightly over so no change since last time)

I've now completed my first run through all of the 4 workouts within the Strength I programme. I must admit they are very good, hard work but in a good way. I now need to build on the ground work I've laid down in the first pass through so that I'm improving a little all the time. I think that pschologically that is important. Probably more so when the weekly readings seem to have frozen and show little or no change week on week (no matter how hard I work). I'm determined to do and be the best that I can so I just have to press on and try to break through this stubborn plateau that I'm currently stuck in.

Yesterday was the day of the Charity bike ride that I've been harping on about. It was tough going with the 2 big notorious hills but I didn't get off and push as I was determined to stay on the bike the whole way (70+ miles). The weather was extremely kind and the glourious sunshine and light winds made the whole experience so much more enjoyable. So much so that I will probably do the event next year as well (although I doubt the weather etc will equal this years). It is another glorious day outside today so I'm going out to enjoy it as it will be short lived as the rain returns tomorrow (infact later today it's forecast) so see you later.

Cheers, BustaGut!

Strength I: Week 1 (week 13) results

• All results show no change but personally think that there is a slight improvement.

The process of change especially as you get nearer to a goal seems to become ever more difficult and ever more slow. I am certain that there are a great number of things that I could be doing better that would speed the process back up again but unfortunately I'm uncertain what to tweak. For the immediate time being I think I should stay focused and push on with the training and see where that takes me over the coming weeks.

This time next week I will have completed the charity ride (hopefully the weather will be better than it has been this week). I'll have to give you a run down of how it all went this time next week. Whilst I'm working my way through the Strength I sessions of NROL I'll also be seeking the advice of others about how to achieve my goals on a Low Carb diet. I have never seen my abs, and whilst the quest to gain any type of definition on the abs may seem vain I assure you it isn't - it's a personal quest.

Cheers, BustaGut!