Before I provide the update, I should mentioned the training regime I am following:
3 times a week (Mon, Wed, Fri):
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) of Full Body Exercises using weights. This is followed by 15 - 20 minutes of heavy bag boxing for cardio (also HIIT).
2 times a week (Tue, Thu):
HIIT walking/sprinting. Basically, I start out by walking for 5 minutes, then sprinting at full speed for 10-15 seconds, then walking for 1-2 minutes, sprinting again for 10-15 seconds, and repeating the 1-2 mins/10-15 secs walk/sprint process thereafter. I do this till I have completed 4 - 5 sprints. This works for me, since I am a beginner at running. Don't get me wrong though, I am still exhausted and gasping for breath by the end of the workout. Such is the power of HIIT.
The full body workout sessions last about 30 - 40 minutes, plus 20 minutes of boxing, while the walking/sprinting sessions have a total duration of about 20 minutes.
So, after two weeks of rigorous exercise, coupled with a healthy diet plan, what do I have to show for it?
Well, it's good news so far. I checked my weight yesterday (February 22, 2010), and it was 203lbs. As mentioned before, I was AT LEAST 205 to 215lbs before working out, and have therefore lost weight a couple pounds for sure.
From now onwards, I will have a better idea of how much I am losing, since I know my current weight.
Extras:
Let me just say that I am not endorsing the below products in any way, nor am I trying to promote them for any self-gain. I am just mentioning them, to let you, the reader, know what I am using and finding helpful in my training. I am sure there are even better products out there, and if you know of, or are using, any good ones, please mention them in the comments.
I am currently using two pieces of equipment I have found pretty useful in my training. One is my ipod nano, which I use with a Nike+ sensor kit (Instead of buying Nike+ shoes, I cut a place in my old sneakers to place the sensor in). The kit helps me with tracking my running statistics, such as covered distance, time, and calories burned. And, of course, it plays my workout music.
Secondly, I have downloaded a free app for my iphone, called "Lose it!", which helps track my daily calorie intake, along with info about the fats, carbs, and proteins I have had. It may seem like a hassle to input the food you have eaten every single time, but the good thing is that the app has an extensive database of foods already, and you can combine those foods to make your own recipes, and you can even create your own foods from scratch and input their nutrient/calorie details yourself. I really like the app because it not only helps me keep track of what foods I am eating, but also opens my eyes to the pros/cons of each.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
The Beginning
It is pertinent to record my measurements before I started working out, in order for any progress to be tracked:
Chest 45.5"
Shoulder 18.5"
Waist 43.5" (+1 to 2")
Biceps: Left 15" Right 16"
Wrist 8"
Hip 45.5"
Thighs 27"
Ankle 11"
Weight 205lbs (+5 to 10)
Some of the above measurements may seem useless, like the ankle, but these are necessary to get a more accurate calculation of body fat, without having to use any sophisticated equipment. Also, the above measurements are almost a year old (24 April 2009, to be exact), and are therefore not an accurate representation of my stats of a month ago; however, I am fairy sure I am a bit heavier and fatter since last year, so a margin of error of +1" to the waist, and +10 lbs to the weight, should suffice.
My overall goal is to reach roughly 170lbs and reduce my waist to approx 33". Impossible is nothing (Adidas).
It has been six weeks since I have been working out. The first two weeks involved only light weights, in order to get my body used to the fact that I will be lifting again. The two weeks following that routine, I began hitting certain muscles each day, three times a week. That is before I read the two books I mentioned in the previous section. Mike Geary, the author of "The Truth about Six Pack Abs", says that in order to lose fat while maintaining muscle, full body exercises, especially those that strengthen the core, are most effective. I have a few friends who follow similar exercises, and I have seen a significant difference in their bodies. Therefore, two weeks ago, I decided to adopt Geary's exercise regime.
For two weeks, I have also rid myself of the traditional three-meal diet. I am now taking six, smaller meals throughout the day, each separated roughly by three hours. I have also started using a 100% whey protein powder. I sprinkle half a serving on my cereal in the morning. I take another half a serving in a banana, milk, and oatmeal shake, as a meal replacement shake between breakfast and lunch. Finally, I take one whole serving in a banana, honey, and water shake right after working out everyday. For my regular meals, I have switched to good carbs, fats from oil and leafy vegetables, and lean protein, whenever possible.
Finally, I have also started drinking about 2.5 to 3.0 liters (roughly 3/4 of a galon) of water everyday.
In the next section, I'll quickly update my progress up till today.
Chest 45.5"
Shoulder 18.5"
Waist 43.5" (+1 to 2")
Biceps: Left 15" Right 16"
Wrist 8"
Hip 45.5"
Thighs 27"
Ankle 11"
Weight 205lbs (+5 to 10)
Some of the above measurements may seem useless, like the ankle, but these are necessary to get a more accurate calculation of body fat, without having to use any sophisticated equipment. Also, the above measurements are almost a year old (24 April 2009, to be exact), and are therefore not an accurate representation of my stats of a month ago; however, I am fairy sure I am a bit heavier and fatter since last year, so a margin of error of +1" to the waist, and +10 lbs to the weight, should suffice.
My overall goal is to reach roughly 170lbs and reduce my waist to approx 33". Impossible is nothing (Adidas).
It has been six weeks since I have been working out. The first two weeks involved only light weights, in order to get my body used to the fact that I will be lifting again. The two weeks following that routine, I began hitting certain muscles each day, three times a week. That is before I read the two books I mentioned in the previous section. Mike Geary, the author of "The Truth about Six Pack Abs", says that in order to lose fat while maintaining muscle, full body exercises, especially those that strengthen the core, are most effective. I have a few friends who follow similar exercises, and I have seen a significant difference in their bodies. Therefore, two weeks ago, I decided to adopt Geary's exercise regime.
For two weeks, I have also rid myself of the traditional three-meal diet. I am now taking six, smaller meals throughout the day, each separated roughly by three hours. I have also started using a 100% whey protein powder. I sprinkle half a serving on my cereal in the morning. I take another half a serving in a banana, milk, and oatmeal shake, as a meal replacement shake between breakfast and lunch. Finally, I take one whole serving in a banana, honey, and water shake right after working out everyday. For my regular meals, I have switched to good carbs, fats from oil and leafy vegetables, and lean protein, whenever possible.
Finally, I have also started drinking about 2.5 to 3.0 liters (roughly 3/4 of a galon) of water everyday.
In the next section, I'll quickly update my progress up till today.
Introduction
How many times have you looked in the mirror and thought to yourself, 'Man, I wish I was more muscular" or "I wish I was slimmer and more toned" or "I wish I had six packs" or even "I just wish I didn't have this stupid pile of jello for a stomach!"? I can only speak for myself, and to be honest, I know I've thought each of those above phrases many times in my life. I assume most of us have been in that same boat at one point or another. And we've also tried to do something about the situation every now and then. I remember getting so pumped up (no pun intended) to get in shape on and off, in the past.
At age 17, I started working out at my local gym, thinking I would be looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger in no time. Boy, was I wrong! I worked out for 6 months, with very poor results. Sure, I may have increased my overall muscle size, but by very little. With the Arnold dream slowly fading away, I gave it up for the next couple of years.
Come college, I started hitting up the local gym, along with a couple of my buddies, who were brothers. They were already in pretty good shape. They had good muscle definition and athletic builds. I felt if I worked out with them, and did what they did, I would eventually end up looking like them. They took creatine and protein powders, to supplement their diet after gym, and I decided to take a protein supplement as well, without reading up on it beforehand. Sure enough, after about four months of hardcore exercising, nothing much changed in my physique, or at least not close to how much I would have wanted. Again, I scrapped the idea, and stopped working out.
Then, five years down the line, I quit smoking. It was a turning point in my life. I decided to change my diet as well, and joined the gym. I read up on the internet about the foods I should be eating before and after gym, in order to get the best results. This only lasted about three months, since the stress of just starting a new job, coupled with the fact that I fell off the non-smoking wagon, and the tiredness after work not allowing any energy for the gym, made it almost impossible to continue. I had made some progress this time, but decided I wasn't in the frame of mind to go on. This failure was a huge blow to my confidence, since I felt that if even after three months I could start smoking again, how would I ever quit and maintain a healthy lifestyle?
Today, at age 28, I am making my last ditch effort to change my lifestyle and start a better life. It has been one month, so far, since I quit smoking again. And I am adamant to remain non-smoker this time. I am taking the "What doesn't kill you, will only make you stronger" approach. My past failures should not shatter my confidence, but build it. You must crawl before you can walk, and that's exactly what I had been doing in the past, crawling. Now, I am attempting to stand up and walk. And I have already taken the first step.
A week before quitting smoking (January 26, 2010), I had joined a new gym, with a couple of friends. But this time I made a pact with myself that, despite if my friends continue working out or quit, I will stick to my regime. I read up on all the material I could, regarding the right exercises to do in order to lose fat and maintain muscle, and the proper diet I should be following. I read Mike Geary's "The Truth about Six Pack Abs" and Tom Venuto's "Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle" books. They provided all the detailed information I required to begin my mission and healthy lifestyle.
I will update this blog, weekly, on my progress. Time to get rid of this stupid fat and be ready for the summer!
"The resistance that you fight physically in the gym and the resistance that you fight in life can only build a strong character" - Arnold Schwarzenegger
At age 17, I started working out at my local gym, thinking I would be looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger in no time. Boy, was I wrong! I worked out for 6 months, with very poor results. Sure, I may have increased my overall muscle size, but by very little. With the Arnold dream slowly fading away, I gave it up for the next couple of years.
Come college, I started hitting up the local gym, along with a couple of my buddies, who were brothers. They were already in pretty good shape. They had good muscle definition and athletic builds. I felt if I worked out with them, and did what they did, I would eventually end up looking like them. They took creatine and protein powders, to supplement their diet after gym, and I decided to take a protein supplement as well, without reading up on it beforehand. Sure enough, after about four months of hardcore exercising, nothing much changed in my physique, or at least not close to how much I would have wanted. Again, I scrapped the idea, and stopped working out.
Then, five years down the line, I quit smoking. It was a turning point in my life. I decided to change my diet as well, and joined the gym. I read up on the internet about the foods I should be eating before and after gym, in order to get the best results. This only lasted about three months, since the stress of just starting a new job, coupled with the fact that I fell off the non-smoking wagon, and the tiredness after work not allowing any energy for the gym, made it almost impossible to continue. I had made some progress this time, but decided I wasn't in the frame of mind to go on. This failure was a huge blow to my confidence, since I felt that if even after three months I could start smoking again, how would I ever quit and maintain a healthy lifestyle?
Today, at age 28, I am making my last ditch effort to change my lifestyle and start a better life. It has been one month, so far, since I quit smoking again. And I am adamant to remain non-smoker this time. I am taking the "What doesn't kill you, will only make you stronger" approach. My past failures should not shatter my confidence, but build it. You must crawl before you can walk, and that's exactly what I had been doing in the past, crawling. Now, I am attempting to stand up and walk. And I have already taken the first step.
A week before quitting smoking (January 26, 2010), I had joined a new gym, with a couple of friends. But this time I made a pact with myself that, despite if my friends continue working out or quit, I will stick to my regime. I read up on all the material I could, regarding the right exercises to do in order to lose fat and maintain muscle, and the proper diet I should be following. I read Mike Geary's "The Truth about Six Pack Abs" and Tom Venuto's "Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle" books. They provided all the detailed information I required to begin my mission and healthy lifestyle.
I will update this blog, weekly, on my progress. Time to get rid of this stupid fat and be ready for the summer!
"The resistance that you fight physically in the gym and the resistance that you fight in life can only build a strong character" - Arnold Schwarzenegger
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)