Week 12 Hypertrophy I - Finish line reached!

Weight 14st 3.5lbs which has increased slightly over the last week but nothing to get too hung up about.

Having completed the Hypertrophy I sessions over a 12 week period of 2 sessions per week I thought that I’d look back over any improvements within the workouts that I’ve made. So lets start with workout A which is effectively what you would call the upper body session of a traditional split programme. It consists of Dumb-bell incline bench press (approx 45 degrees) superset paired with Cable seated row, Dumb-bell shoulder press superset paired with Widegrip lat-pulldown and Barbell close grip bench press superset paired with High pulls.
With NROL Hypertrophy I the difficulty comes in the form of changing rep ranges and the number of sets. The rest periods between sets are also adjusted as well. So in order to illustrate what happened over the twelve weeks I’ll have to identify the set and rep range being discussed. The best way to do this I think is to simply list the exercises and any increases achieved, so here goes;

Workout A:
For 5 sets of 5 reps
Dumb-bell incline bench press – weight increased by 10KG
Cable seated row – weight increased by 1 plate
Dumb-bell shoulder press – overall weight increased 5KG (that’s 2KG/side)
Widegrip lat-pulldown – weight stayed the same
Barbell close grip bench press – slight increase of 2.5KG (that’s only 1.25KG/side)
High pull – weight increased by 7.5KG (that’s 3.75KG/side)

For 3 sets of 15 reps
Dumb-bell incline bench press – weight increased by 5KG
Cable seated row – weight increased by 1 plate
Dumb-bell shoulder press – overall weight increased 5KG (that’s 2KG/side)
Widegrip lat-pulldown – weight increased by 1 plate
Barbell close grip bench press – weight stayed the same
High pull – weight stayed the same

For 4 sets of 10 reps
Dumb-bell incline bench press – weight increased by 5KG
Cable seated row – weight increased by 1 plate
Dumb-bell shoulder press – weight stayed the same
Widegrip lat-pulldown – weight stayed the same
Barbell close grip bench press – weight stayed the same
High pull – weight stayed the same

Clearly from the above we can see that for workout A the best improvements were achieved within the 5 sets of 5 reps range. The two largest improvements of 10KG and 7.5KG respectively were achieved here. The least productive range for workout A was the 4 sets of 10 reps range where the majority of the exercises remained at the same weight. I did experience some problems within this workout for about 2 to 3 weeks in I was struggling with the Widegrip lat-pulldowns as I was experiencing a sharp nipping in my right shoulder. That aside this workout was enjoyable.

Moving on to workout B, the lower body portion of a traditional split programme approach. This encompassed the Squat superset paired with the Deadlift with shrug and the Bulgarian split squat superset paired with the Step-up. As with workout A these were also dealt the changing rep and set ranges so I’ll list the exercises and any improvements under the appropriate approaches;

Workout B:
For 5 sets of 5 reps
Squat – weight increased by a fantastic 27.5KG (that’s 13.75KG/side)
Deadlift with shrug – weight increased by 22.5KG (that’s 11.25KG/side)
Bulgarian split squat – increased by 5KG (that’s 2.5KG/ dumb bell)
Step-up – increased by 5KG (that’s 2.5KG/ dumb bell)

For 4 sets of 10 reps
Squat – weight increased by 10KG (that’s 5KG/side)
Deadlift with shrug – weight increased by 5KG (that’s 2.5KG/side)
Bulgarian split squat – increased by 5KG (that’s 2.5KG/ dumb bell)
Step-up – increased by 5KG (that’s 2.5KG/ dumb bell)

For 3 sets of 15 reps
Squat – weight increased by a mere 2.5KG (that’s 13.75KG/side)
Deadlift with shrug – weight increased by 5KG (that’s 2.5KG/side)
Bulgarian split squat – increased by 5KG (that’s 2.5KG/ dumb bell)
Step-up – increased by 5KG (that’s 2.5KG/ dumb bell)

From these results we can see that the two largest increases appear within the 5 sets of 5 reps range for the Squat and Deadlift with shrug respectively. At 27.5KG, the squat holds the record for the biggest improvement during the Hypertrophy I sessions over the 12 weeks. It’s interesting to note that the third largest increase for workout B, 10KG also appeared within the Squat for the 4 sets of 10 reps range. The Bulgarian split squat and the Step-up experienced a consistent 5KG increase across the board of rep and set ranges.

Not to neglect the Core work the Slant board crunch (that I substituted for the swiss ball crunch) in workout A and the Reverse crunch of workout B were performed consistently over the 12 week period at 3 sets of 20 reps.

So that about wraps up this quick evaluation. I hope people find this useful and encouraging that improvements can be made over a relatively short period of time. I am sure others can and will experience better improvements that I have. Just stick with it!

Cheers, BustaGut!

Week 11 Hypertrophy I - Penultimate week!

Very near to the end of Hypertrophy I now with just another 2 sessions to go. I've kept up with the cycling and did my two sessions this week in the gym. I've been hitting it hard and putting some real effort but have had a big blow out over the weekend with plenty of carb and sugary treats (naughty). Anyhow, I have been feeling a bit run down lately so I suppose I've treated myself to make me feel a bit better. Strangely I do feel ok if a little guilty. My weight this week has remained the same at 14st 1lb so it should be alright I think. I've been doing some preliminary work one working out the weights etc for the next set of workouts that I intend to move onto Hypertrophy II. It's all been paper based and looking at what I did previously on them but it will give me a good indication of where to start. Anyway that's all for now, just a quick update this week.

Cheers, BustaGut!

Week 10 Hypertrophy I - Nearing the end!

Hi Everyone,

It's been a very busy week at home and at work but I've stuck with the training and the cycling. I have let myself down a bit at the weekend by having a blow out with sugary carbs (a no no) over the weekend (Saturday and Sunday)though I dont intend to do that for a while now I have it out of my system. I do think that it is worth doing that once in a while purely for that reason. Don't feel guilty just move on. So how's the training being going? Well apart from some nipping in my right shoulder with pulldowns very well. I've been trying to move the weights up gradually in each session even if it's not on all the exercises I know that I've done more work in each iteration of each session. I've also kept an eye on the time and tried to limit the amount of wasted time between each set(ie getting to the next exercise). I've only overshot a couple of times but generally speaking I either improve the time to complete the session or bring it in the same as previously. This ensures the intensity of the sessions are as high as possible.

So what has this equated to? Well the pictures are an improvement from last week but again I dont think they are a true reflection of where I am. The weight side of things on the Saturday morning was 14st 1lb so has fallen by a couple of pounds. I'll have start looking to what session I want to do next and at the moment I think it'll be Hypertrophy II but after that I may have to revert back to Fat Loss again as I do feel I'm putting fat on as well as some muscle. I suppose we'll have to wait and see where we are at the time. I don't really want to be restricting too much over the Christmas period so I'll make a judgement nearer the time. Well that's all for now.

Cheers, BustaGut!

What's been happening? - Update!

Hi Everyone,

Yes I know it's been some time since I last posted and for that I must apologise. So what's been happening? In terms of training somewhat of a frustration, let me explain. You may recall me telling you about the problems I had been experiencing with my knee and back. Well, I'm still having problems with them but not the same as before. I've been nursing the knee some what by lower gearing on my bike and spinning (pedalling faster) to ease much of the strain on it. It isn't perfect but it's not too bad. The problem I had with my back was what I initially put down to bad form on the deadlift with shrug exercise but whilst this wont have helped it does seem to be lingering with aches and pains if I've been sat down for long periods and first thing when I wake up in the mornings. I honestly feel like I'm falling to pieces some times. That said I have really worked on getting the form exactly right on the deadlift and it is much better and feels more like a natural movement. It's not perfect but much better than before. Right, with all of this I've been limiting myself to just two lifting sessions a week to assist recovery (given the added problems) and that seems to be about right as well. I've just finished session 9 of 12 this week for both workout A & B, basically these equate to a rough upper and lower body split. I've taken some photos below but there not very good I'm afraid and in my honest opinion don't really give a true reflection of my condition. These tend to show me in pretty bad condition but I personally feel better than these pictures show and think that the training in terms of small improvements in weights, reps and timings all adding up over the sessions that I've completed so far. Anyway take a look and judge for yourselves;

Granted I know that being on the Hypertrophy program will have the obvious smoothing effect since I'm consuming more carbs than previously. I must also confess to having the odd splurge as well which wouldn't help but these have been few and far between. I am trying hard so I'm not going to lie the pictures are disappointing. I'm not going to let it get me down though (there'd be no point) I'm just going to stick with it. Weight wise I was just under 14st 3lb and have been as low as 14st 0.75lbs but was dehydrated. As I mentioned previously the cycling to work has continued and the spinning provides an excellent cardio session especially up the hill on the way home. Well that's about all for now. I'll try and update much more frequently so as to provide a fuller picture of the program and sessions that I'm doing.

Cheers, BustaGut!

Plodding on slowly but surely!

Sorry for posting in a while but it's been quite hectic. In terms of training it's seems to be going ok although very slowly. It's hard to gauge too much improvement in the sessions just yet as the sets, reps and rest periods are all changing each time but I get the impression that I'm doing ok. I've completed my two sessions this week and although I had spoke about moving to three sessions a week the external changes at work and other stuff have made that difficult to implement. In fact I have been having to go in the evening to do my workouts rather than my usual first thing in the morning. I am trying to find time periods at the gym when it is relatively quiet and that in itself has caused some problems. Also I'm still not a 100% with my right knee and so don't want to push the training too much. Although with that said it hasn't caused me much of a problem in training at the gym it just seems to be with the cycling. There is some improvement due to spinning in a much lower gear than I use to and that has taken the strain off the knee a little but it's still not right and as I cycle all of the working week it doesn't really get that much of a chance of a complete break from it all. It's also something that I enjoy doing so wouldn't really want to have too much time away from it. I think I need to just keep nursing it it some degree like I'm doing and hopefully it will sort itself out over time. If not then I'll obviously have to get it looked at by a medical professional but that's some way off as yet.

In terms of eating I've been trying hard to stick to TNT principles but I have been taking in a little more carbs than usual. Ever since starting the Hypertrophy sessions I've been taking in a few carbs before and after each workout with my protein shake. I take this in the form of dried dates, around 6 to 7 (which might be a little too much but not by a lot). I have in the past added a further supplement to my protein powder but enjoy actually eating something instead especially as I like them so much it's like eating a soft toffee or sweet and that's much nicer in my opinion. The only problem is that I do occasionally steal a couple from the fridge every now and again but see this as a treat especially as the dates are extremely low in fat. Now I know on TNT high fat is good but mixing fat with carbs is a no no simply because the fat will be stored, hence the low carb element of the diet. So whilst I'm doing this type of training and I've moved to primarily diet plan B I think it should be ok so long as I don't eat loads and loads of them (which can be easily done). On another eating related aspect I'm also trying to stick with taking a little extra lunch with me to work and then eating twice, splitting it into two meals. These are not generally equal meals or even spaced out with two hours separation but having them provides a more steady stream of food and nutrients to my body throughout the day and this is obviously better than the extended periods I have fallen back into between meals. This is something that I need to improve on further because I do believe that this will and does have a positive impact. You just have to be aware that the portion size is adjusted if you are eating more meals. What you don't want is to be eating 6 large meals instead of 3 that would just equate to an increase in weight. The same amount of food should be split across more frequent smaller meals and this provides a steady stream of nutrients and the body is more able to absorb what it needs from these smaller meals since there is a limit to how much it can take from your food in one sitting.

So have I noticed any difference? Well, in short yes. It's still early days but it is definitely something I want to stick with due to the things I've outlined above. In terms of any figures to support this I can only offer a weight measurement as it's the only one I've kept a rough eye on. Yesterday I weighed 14st 1.5lbs and so the weight that was lost initially to what I thought was illness has stayed off (with work of course) and I went training at the gym yesterday so there has been a small decrease in weight this morning to 14st 0.75lbs. Now I do expect there to be a slight rise to yesterdays levels but it shows there is movement. Also I have noticed a slight visual improvement which I hope will be reflected in the pictures I post eventually (as I'm having upload problems at the moment). Anyhow I'll try to get some photos up during these hypertrophy sessions to see if any of you notice any differences. I think the space between them should act as a good comparison but please be aware of the different purposes of the sessions being compared. The previous pictures were at the end of a Fat Loss period and this current one is supposed to be a muscle building one. Well I think I've brought you all up to date for now.

Cheers, BustaGut!

Testing The Waters - slowly back to training!

I thought that I'd let everyone know that I went training to the gym on Friday. It was a very tough session but all in all the knee and back held up. The legs were very sore for the next couple of days but it was proper soreness from training rather than any problems. Don't get me wrong the knee is definitely not great and has a tendency to hurt a little when I cycle especially up the steepest part of the hill on the way home. To combat this to some degree I've gone on my other bike that is slower but has a triple chain set and I can knock it down into a much lower gear to go up the hill. It's much slower, still not easy and the knee does still get twinges but it's much better than over exerting it even more so with the other faster bike.

I've been out a little on the bike today which in hindsight I perhaps shouldn't have done as I could have given my knee a longer rest before the cycling working week begins tomorrow. It is swollen slightly and feels a little funny but should be OK (I hope). I've taken some anti-inflammatory to try and restrict any further swelling. The cycling is the only aspect that now seems to be causing me problems as I intend to do two gym sessions this coming week as I think the last one went as good as can be expected. In terms of any progress I may or may not have made it is difficult to gauge since the illness interrupted training and eating, although I've tried to be better since starting back. I've split my lunch into two servings spaced two hours apart at work and believe that this is the way to go. I did it a couple of times last week but meetings and work schedule permitting I'll aim to do this for the full week. That said, when I got weighed on Saturday morning the scales said 14st 1.75lbs. I'm not paying too much attention to that at the moment because the reduction may simply be due to the illness that I had and may well rise back up. I'll keep an eye on it and let you know.

Cheers, BustaGut!

Hit by Mystery Bug - Training on Hold!

Hi Everyone,

Just a quick update to let you know what's happening. I've been struck down by a mystery bug (illness - virus) that is going around and it isn't very nice at all. I woke up early Thursday morning with headaches, knee and back pain (as before but much worse - it must have been partly due to beginnings of bug and not just injuries). But the worst aspect were really bad stomach pains which resulted in me being unable to eat and drink next to nothing. I reckon I drank about 2 small cups of fluid all day and laid in bed resting as I was completely exhausted. A day or two on I'm much better but still not right. I have mild fluttery stomach pains off and on all the time and my back and general joint pain is still faintly there (coming on stronger if I ignore it and don't rest when it starts).

So as you can see there's not much training going on whilst I feel like this and I believe that it would be foolish to even try. I intend to give myself a rest until next Friday and if I feel up to it I'll attempt 1 leg session ie workout B that I missed this week due to illness. If I'm still not right then I will wait a little longer. These Hypertrophy sessions are hard and demand a lot of effort, if I attempt them too soon then I wont be able to do it and will just get frustrated and annoyed with myself. I'll keep you updated of how things go and fingers crossed none of you catch this horrible mystery bug!

Cheers, BustaGut!

Second Hypertrophy I session - Workout B

I found this session quite difficult this morning because I was watching my knee was ok but ended up pulling my back a little on the deadlift with shrugs because I was forced to do them on the Smith Machine and that altered my form slightly as well as me not warming up the best I could. So there's a lesson there in ensuring that a proper warm up in conducted beforehand. On the whole though I think it went well and it was good to have gotten a try at both sessions this week and I can now work from there. I'll keep you updated.

Cheers, BustaGut!

First Hypertrophy I session - The first of many!

I started the Hypertrophy I sessions this morning and it went well. I struggled a little in sticking to the extended rest periods (compared to Fatloss III) and occasionally cut them a bit short but the longer rests are needed as I tended to struggle too much on the last set of 5 reps (this is how the sessions start but the rests and rep ranges vary each session). I have 24 sessions to complete, 12 on this workout A and another 12 on workout B. I'm hoping to attempt workout B on Saturday morning and then see how the right knee is giving it the rest of the weekend to recover. I'm still having problems with it but I suppose it's only been a couple of days since I adjusted my saddle (by quite a lot actually) so if that is the cause it might slowly ease off as there is less strain on it, especially after a few days off. So at the moment I'll just have to wait and see. Looking forward to the frequency I hope to move to 3 sessions a week again but obviouly that is dependant upon how the body reacts. I'll keep you updated.

Cheers, BustaGut!

Week 6 - Fat Loss III - End of the road!

• Weight - 14st 4.5lbs (decrease of 0.75lb)

This is a late update to the page which should really have been done at the weekend. I really hit the last two sessions of Fat Loss III and managed to decrease the time of the sessions down whilst keeping the rep ranges, weights and that all important intensity very high. I've made some improvement throughout the 12 sessions but it's time to change the programme now over to the Hypertrophy workouts as I need to add some more muscle (which wont be easy). I've been cycling over the weeks and have had a little bit of trouble with my right knee but I seem to be nursing this along for the time being. I was intending to start Hypertrophy tomorrow but I think I'll delay it for another day at least and commence on Wednesday. I'll let you know how it goes, or whether I decide to take the full week out before the new programmes begin.

Cheers, BustaGut!

Week 5 - Fat Loss III - Still Stalling near the End!

• Weight - 14st 5.25lbs (no change)

I've only taken the one measurement of weight this week and disappointingly there is no change. Personally I think that the pictures do show an improvement over the two weeks since the last ones but nothing really substantial. I have worked hard on these Fat Loss sessions and am entering the final week of Fat Loss III so am a bit disappointed with the results if I'm honest. I believe the training is sound and so too is the effort I just think the area I've let myself down is the eating side of things which is the biggest area when trying to lose the fat. The aspects that I highlighted as being potential sources of the problem haven't really been addressed so it is something that I need to sort out for the next cycle of training. But adding to the previous list I need to include proper rest and hydration.

After the final week of Fat Loss III I think I need to focus efforts on muscle building. My concern here is that I need to add more muscle mass whilst avoiding fat increase as far as possible. I don't want to be cycling my training and flipping from one extreme to the next and never really making any progress. That is how I feel has been happening somewhat over the last year or so. In fact having looked back over some of the pictures I think that I have been leaner so that isn't very encouraging or inspiring. My effort in training is as good if not better than before so it does point the finger at adjustments being needed in my diet approach. I'll have to get things together so that I can maximise the benefit that I'm putting into my training. That's all for now.

Cheers, BustaGut!

Week 4 - Fat Loss III - Quick Overview

A disappointing week this last one as I've slipped back a little. My weight has risen to 14st 5.25 lbs. I've been thinking hard about the reasons for the increase (1.75lbs) and can put it down to eating too many nuts again and not cycling as much as I've done in previous weeks. I'm currently nursing two niggly injuries with my back aching and right knee so I'm trying to be careful there.

I've been putting in lots of effort on the Fat Loss programmes and really smashing Fat Loss III hard to keep the intensity really high so am disappointed that I haven't got more to show for the effort I've put in. In some respects I actually feel like I'm stepping backwards in terms of visual appearance. I have no real size now and a few comments over the weekend has brought me to cement my decision to move into a Hypertrophy stage at the end of Fat Loss III. I suspect my diet needs to be tweaked in that I have gotten out of the habit of eating regularly throughout the day and reverted back to 3 large meals a day so presume that this wont help matters. Anyway I'll have to have a think about how I approach this and the Hypertrophy stage in order to be better this time next year. Continuous improvement is what I'm seeking. Well that's all for now.

Cheers, BustaGut!

Week 3 - Fat Loss III - Picking up the tempo!

• Weight - 14st 3.5lbs (down 1.25lbs from last week)
• Body Fat % - 8.4%
• Waist - just over 34 inches

I'll be honest with you all, I'm finding the Fat Loss III sessions very hard going. I find they really sap me and it takes me a while to recover from them. Realistically I've been doing two sessions a week, workout A and workout B with at least a day recovery between each session but preferably more if possible. This week my work schedule took me away at the beginning of the week so I had to squeeze both sessions into Wednesday and Friday. I'm also doing my cycling as well which is adding to my aerobic and anaerobic work. I'm still not down to pre vacation levels but do believe that I am looking much better than I did previously. Obviously I'm under no illusions that there is still plenty of work to be done but I think it was the right move to complete Fat Loss III before moving onto one of the other program types. I think I will probably move across to a Hypertrophy phase following the end of Fat Loss III and see how things go from there.

Yesterday, I went for an organised ride because the weather has been uncharacteristically good over the past few days and it seemed a shame not to take advantage of it. At the end of the ride I realised that it was just short of 60 miles so that sort of made up for the missed days whilst I was away (and was very enjoyable as well). Diet wise I've been trying very hard and stayed away from much of the bad stuff though I believe that I am overeating in places. I'm drifting a little too much onto the peanut butter and think that I'm eating too much of it (which is easily done). Desert can be a little problematic so I'm trying to pre-perpare sugar free jello with squirty cream. I think it's a good option and will help me to avoid some nasty temptions whilst I'm in this Fat Loss phase. I have noticed that since coming back from vacation I have been having cravings for flapjacks (a major weakness) and dried fruit such as figs and dates. At least when I go onto hypertrophy sessions I'll be able to allow a little more flexibility around the pre-workout so may be able to sneak a little in there without too much damage. I'll have to see how that goes.

That's all for now, Cheers, BustaGut!

Week 2 - Vacation Rest Over - Back 2 it! - Fat Loss III

• Weight - 14st 4.75lbs (down 2.25lbs in 2 weeks)

Hi everyone, apologies for not updating the blog for a while. I took an extended break from training whilst on vacation and then another week when I got back as I was doing the charity bike ride. Even though I was doing some cycling everyday (which was very nice actually) the weight went on. All inclusive holiday's!! and my weight shot up to 14st 7.25lb. I did manage to get it back down to 14st 3.75lbs last week but my weight came back up again at the back end of this week. I think that it might have had something to do with my body getting over the shock of training again.

So I'm two weeks into Fat Loss III and working hard. The first weeks sessions (only 2/week) made me feel ill it was really hard going. This last week it was still extremely hard but I did better than the previous week by beating the time and doing more work in terms of reps so was pretty pleased by they way it all went. I've also been keeping up with the cycling to and from work and my legs have become harder and in my opinion look better than they previously did. It is getting a bit easier to wander out on the bike when the weather is nicer at the moment. I'll be training a bit later in the week this week as I'm away on business for a couple of days. I should be ok but admit I would have felt better had my weight not fluctuated back up. I'll just have to be careful. Hopefully I'll be able to provide more metrics with my next write up and get more of a comparison with the results. Well that's all for now.

Cheers, BustaGut!

Week 19 Fat Loss II - Workout Extension

• Weight - 14st 1.5lbs (down 2.25lbs in 2 weeks)
• Body Fat % - 7.0% (apparently down 0.9% from 2 weeks ago)
• Waist - just under 34 inches (33.75 inches - no change in 2 weeks)

I didn't really want to start a new programme before I go on vacation so have extended the Fat Loss II workouts to cover the interim period. I have been making progress on added weight and shorter rest periods so I'm happy that the intensity is being maintained. I've also been cycling hard in preparation for the Charity ride in the beginning of June which has incorporated a couple of longer rides and taking the changed route home up the extended hill. I'm not going to lie it's been really hard work and if I'm honest I don't think that the pictures reflect the amount of effort that I've been putting in. However, I will say that I do look better than this as it's not the best lighting - oh well.

Anyway I hope to be able to enjoy myself whilst I'm away (volcanic ash permitting) and I'll worry about training when I get back sorting out a new programme and stage for development. Whilst the pics don't appear to present a true picture the figures at least have made some improvement so that's something. Progress is very slow and is one of the reasons why I decided to go to reporting every couple of weeks for the meantime because I doubt there would be much to report on, which obviously can be a bit demoralising and sort of defeats the object and purpose of the blog in the first place. So, I am where I am. I'll try to report back as and when over the next couple of weeks and then once I've decided what my next course of action will be I'll set things in motion and let you know.

Cheers, BustaGut!

Week 17 Fat Loss II - Hard Slog!

• Weight - 14st 3.75lbs (down 1.25lbs in 2 weeks)
• Body Fat % - 7.9% (apparently up 0.3% from 2 weeks ago)
• Waist - just under 34 inches (33.75 inches)

I didn’t get a chance to report back last week so obviously there’s been a two week gap between my last post. It’s been a hard week this week for training as the weights have increased again as the reps and rest periods have reduced to 8 reps and 30secs respectively. Workout B, with the Bulgarian Split Squat with Overhead Press coupled with the Chins combo really got me flagging on Friday’s session. I find this particular workout very hard. I’ve cycled the full working week this week and I’ve used the alternative hard route home which has a steeper hill to contend with. My legs have ached a bit I can tell you.

It will soon be vacation time and I only have another couple of sessions left on the Fat Loss II workouts but I’m tempted to carry them on for a little to pull me across till vacation time. Whilst on vacation I intend to enjoy myself so I want to be more flexible with the eating program. I do have to be careful for I have the Charity Bike Ride soon after I get back so will be doing some cycling whilst I’m away to help. Once that’s out of the way I’ll get my eating sorted properly again and start planning a new attack phase for my body’s development. Well that’s all for now, as always I’ll try to keep you updated.

Cheers, BustaGut!

Week 15 Fat Loss II Something of a turnaround!

• Weight - 14st 5lbs (down a full 3.75lbs from last week)
• Body Fat % - 7.6% (apparently down 0.6% from last week)
• Waist - just under 34 inches (down slightly from last week)

This week I've been more careful with the intake of peanut butter. In fact I've avoided it completely although I've had some roasted monkey nuts in shells (peanuts) though much smaller portions than I usually would have had. I believe that this combined with a more controlled eating week where I didn't eat late and not too much have all helped to bring about the turnaround in the figures above. I'll be honest that the eating late aspect was a little unplanned and due to being away from home in London for work a couple of days. However, I think it will be something that I will initially continue with but to a less strict approach (just to keep a little more control for the time being). With being away from home part of the week I've only managed to cycle twice and workout in the gym twice as well. I'm doing another organised cycle ride tomorrow of about 60+ miles so that should compensate somewhat.

I'll be honest, I'm pleased with the figures this week but disappointed that this hasn't been reflected within the pictures. That might be because they have just not been taken well but I don't know. I still think that I need to look more closely at both the diet and the training over the coming weeks to see if I can notice or identify anything causing the peculiarities that I'm experiencing. One of my plans of action will be to revisit the TNT text in the book to ensure everything fits with it. It's been a while since I last looked through so it will be good to double check that there is nothing obvious that I've slipped up on. If I find anything then I'll let you know.

Cheers, BustaGut!

Week 14 - Fat Loss II results slide continue!

• Weight - 14st 8.75lbs (up a full 2lbs from last week)
• Body Fat % - 8.2% (apparently up 0.9% from last week)
• Waist - just 34 inches (up slightly from last week)

If I'm honest I'm very disappointed with the results returned this week. The worrying thing is that I'm not sure why this has happened. At first glance there's nothing that stands out in anything that I've done that I can say yes, I did that wrong and this wrong which would account for the increases. As far as I can see I've been sticking to plan so that fact alone is quite worrying. Let's take a closer look at the results. The weight issue is something that I cannot explain but perhaps it may be that I've reduce the sessions down to 2 per week after Fat Loss I and maybe I've been consuming too much peanut butter as a regular treat. If it's not that I don't know and to be honest I'm clutching at straws really.

The BF% result is a big difference but it may be that last weeks result was the one out of sync and that it was reporting a truer figure this week as it is in line with the reading recorded two weeks ago (exactly in fact). So perhaps this isn't as bad as a result as it first looks. However, there is not getting away from the fact that the waist measurement has slightly increased which is definitely not what I want so there is something not quite right. My intention this coming week is to try and discover what that is and I'm going to start by cutting out most of the peanut butter I consume and seeing what effect that has.

On a quick note I have been cycling hard this week and taking an alternative route home a couple of times to try a different hill (variety the's spice of life and all that). Anyway I'll try and keep you updated on how things go.

Cheers, BustaGut!

Week 13 - FatLoss II and a Backward Step?

• Weight - 14st 6.75lbs (up 1.25lbs from last week)
• Body Fat % - 7.3% (apparently down 0.9% from last week)
• Waist - just under 34 inches (no change from last week)

I've been a little late with this week's update because things have been a bit hectic. Yesterday I was on an organised bike ride which was about 55 to 60 miles long. It is part of the preparation for the big charity ride in June. I have another organised ride in two weeks time and then another in early May. Hopefully by the time the charity ride comes around I'll be ready and carrying a little less body fat to make things a bit easier. I'm a bit confused by the results above because the bf reading suggests positive movement but this is not materialising visually in the pictures. Granted the weight has gone back up which is a little disappointing. The waist measurement shows no change which after one week is expected so there's no surprises there.

I only did the two workouts this week both A and B. That will be my intention now for the weeks leading up to vacation time (that is unless the results continue going pear shaped). Of the two workouts it is B that is the harder of them with the Bulgarian Split Squats with Overhead Press - they are a killer exercise. I just hope that there is some positive and noticeable difference in the visuals over the period and that I get some return for the effort that I'm putting in. I don't believe that I'm doing anything vastly wrong so I'll keep with it for the moment and if there isn't improvement over time I'll have to break things down and take a closer look at the individual aspects of my training and diet to get them right. I'll keep you updated the best I can.

Cheers, BustaGut!

Quick Comparison Over Fat Loss I

Right, based on my previous weigh in post I thought that instead of just talking about a comparison I might as well do one. There isn't much change over the 4 weeks but there is some to note, more so on the side and back profiles.

Cheers, BustaGut!

Week 12 - Bye Bye FatLoss I

• Weight - 14st 5.5lbs (no change from last week)
• Body Fat % - 8.2% (apparently up 0.3% from last week)
• Waist - just under 34 inches (down a little from last week)

This week saw the end of the Fat Loss I sessions. I've been working hard in the gym this week but due to a number of circumstances I've only managed to cycle to and from the office twice this week. Now, this coming week there is the Easter weekend to contend with and so the gym will be closed partially therefore, I will just do two sessions within the new Fat Loss II sessions whilst I should manage to use the bike at least 4 times (Mon - Thurs). I still have a lot of work to do before the vacation in about 7 weeks but in terms of time left it should comfortably take me to the end of Fat Loss II. I'm not sure what condition I'll be in then but I do think I need to be a bit more focused in my approach.

I think the results this week are fair. However, if I'm honest I think I probably do weigh a little more than has been recorded for the past couple of weeks but believe the movement in the figures is a true reflection of the progress I'm making. There is some subjectivity around the fat loss results via the calipers but I can't support the readings with the handheld device because it has simply blown a fuse and is as dead as a dodo. Never mind because whilst useful I'd like my progress to be judged visually. I don't know what others think but I am finding it very hard to notice any improvements sometimes. In fact I do think that earlier pictures show me in better condition which can be very demotivating. I suppose pictures every week are too often to notice changes so I should go back and compare pictures during different phases to get a better representation.

Well that's all for now. I'll keep you updated best I can.

Cheers, BustaGut!

Week 11 - Just A Little Bit!

• Weight - 14st 5.5lbs (down 1lb from last week)
• Body Fat % - 7.9% (apparently up 0.3% from last week)
• Waist - just over 34 inches (no change from last week)

I also have the readings from the handheld body composition monitor. These are as follows;

• Body Fat% - 27.2% - (a decrease of 0.1% from last week)
• Body Water - 52.8% - (again slight rise of 0.1% in water content this week)
• Muscle - 68.7% - (no change in muscle from last week)
• BMI - 28.1 - (slight fall of 0.2 from last week)
• calories - 2, 805 - (a maintenance decrease of 9 cals)
  

This week has been another tiring one even though I have had a much shorter week in relation to cycling as I’ve been taking a few days off from work but I‘ve still found it tough. On Friday I moved into the final rep and rest ranges for the Fat Loss I sessions (10reps 45secs rest). Next week I have three remaining and then that’s goodbye to them and on to Fat Loss II workouts.

In terms of the results, there’s been only small changes and movement in some of the figures. It can be difficult putting so much effort and sticky to plan to only have small returns. I know I look and generally feel better but I sometimes wish that there was a more noticeable visual improvement within the photos but I suppose they will come eventually if I keep putting in the work. Well, let’s put it this way, there’s nothing more I can do except trust in what I’m doing and strive to be continually better each week.

Its just a quick update this time round but I'll let you know how things go over the the next week.

Cheers, BustaGut!

Week 10 - Pushing On (a few steps closer)

• Weight - 14st 6.5lbs (down 1lb from last week)
• Body Fat % - 7.6% (apparently down 1.3% from last week -suspect reading me thinks)
• Waist - just over 34 inches (no change from last week)

I also have the readings from the handheld body composition monitor. These are as follows;

• Body Fat% - 27.3% - (a decrease of 0.6% from last week)
• Body Water - 52.7% - (again slight rise of 0.2% in water content this week)
• Muscle - 68.7% - (slight rise of 0.3% in muscle from last week)
• BMI - 28.3 - (slight fall of 0.1 from last week)
• calories - 2, 814 - (a maintenance decrease of 3 cals)

This week has seen an upturn in the Fat Loss I sessions to a decreased rest period, rep range and a corresponding increase in weight lifted. This serves to keep the intensity of the exercises high and hopefully keeping me within the fat loss range. Whilst I'm talking about the exercises there are a couple in this group of exercises that I find very awkward. Now that might be because my balance isn't the best but the swiss ball lateral roll just seems to be a crazy exercise. However, I think I'm getting better because I do feel it within my side abs when trying to stabilise but I still believe that form isn't quite right. I look a little bit like I'm doing side bends whilst laying laterally with my shoulders supported by the swiss ball. I'll just have to keep working at it.

In terms of this weeks results I think that they are very pleasing. There is good positive movement. However, I guarantee that I am not 7.6% bf and believe that there is some major inaccuracies either in the way that I'm measuring, the readings I'm getting from the digi callipers, or both. The handheld device does appear to be more consistent at the moment and encouragingly supports the positive movement presented by the other readings. So, if I had to place a visual reading of BF% on my body at the moment I would say I look about 17 to 18%. I believe that to be a fair representation of where I am.

I've still been using the reserve bike in my commute to work and back this week as I still don't have the main bike back yet. I am hoping to pick it up at some point over the weekend. I've been taking a few days off this week and over the next couple of weeks as I have some vacation time to use up before the end of my current vacation year. This week I've ridden the bike only 3 times which equates to just over 42 miles. I have kept the gym sessions to 3 per week and intend to keep this up even though it is hard work as it seems to be keeping things moving in the right direction. Well that's about it for now. I have a lot of work to do but things are moving along nicely. I'll keep you updated.

Cheers, BustaGut!