More Conditioning

Today went something like this

Overhead Jump Lunges 15kg plate
Floor press * 10
Single arm row * 10
400 Meter sprint

Repeat * 4

5 minute rest

10 minutes of
8 burpees on the minute every minute

Pretty messed up now eating like a king though

Cajun chicken Sandwich

Workout

Shake

Chicken, spinich salad & sweet potato wedges

Chilli for dinner later

Will eat something close to bed time, not sure what yet...

Dieting is coming pretty easy - I'll admit it's been quite stop start. However, at the minute im 71kg, when i get to 67 i will reasses.

5 and a half months till thailand, so i have plenty of time to make sure i dont look like a skinny wretch or a fat tub of guts on the beach

Update

Did legs and shoulders last weekend.. Then i didn't get back in to the gym for a few days.
Decided to do some conditioning to burn some calories, will do more conditioning tomorrow.
then go back to normal as i should get more time next week.

Todays Conditioning

Intervals -400M on 200M off - 10 minutes
5 minute rest
10 minutes of

1. Squats * 10
2. Pressups * 10
3. Pull us *5

5 minute rest

Bike Intervals - 30 seconds on 30 seconds off

5 minute rest

15 Minutes of

1. Kettle Bell swings
2. Kettlebell push press * 10 (5 per side)
3. Swiss ball suported Kettlebell Row * 10 (5 per side)

Die

Good times :-)

Tuesday 27th July

Day 2

Back & BI's

Deadlift 5*5
Widegrip pullups 4* 6 ( I could do one full set of these unassisted now - schweet)
Bent over Row 4 *8
Dumbell Row 4*8
Wide Handle Cable Row 4* 12(wanted to do Inverted Rows but the smith machine was in use)

Straight bar curlz 4*8
Hammer curlz 4* 8

400 Meter sprints
* 4

This is so diferent to what im used to but it a definite challenge.. Deadlifting was shit tonight as plates were at a premium.

Its probably becoming clear that im basing this program around a Squat day, a Bench day & a Deadlift Im also trying to fit in the other big moves where i can, pullups, BOR, Military press etc...
Lots of tweaking as i go will likely be required, but i'm definitely going to stay with the split for the time being...

I just realised the whole point of this blog was to blog what im eating..

Today

Psyllium husk
Porridge & protein shake
Coffee
Chicken Salad,
Chicken on granary sandwich
Shake & banana
Probably steak, as i've eatin so much chicken today, im likely to grow feathers and \ or start laying eggs

no training tomorrow - so i might get time to get creative in the kitchen, either that or i'll just have chicken wings & wine ¬_¬

I R Bodybuilder

Well, not quite, but i've moved to a 3 day split. I know i would be ridiculed on a certain corner for of the internet for this, but for the next 60 days i want to see what will happen.

The reason for this is my upperbody is just not progressing as quickly, fat loss has been a little uneven, Neil advised that this type of training might help slightly, so im going to give it a try.

Today, Chest & tris

Flat Bench 4*8
Incline Bech 4*8
Flys 3* 12
Dips 4* failure
Skull crushers 4* 8
push down 3* 12
Tri push up 4*8

As I want to make sure im still getting a decent calorie burn from my gym sessions i will add a metcon at the end of each workout. Right now the plan is to use muscle groups that havn't been covered above. this makes sense to me but likely others may disagree.

Todays metcon

Kettle bell swings * 10
plate Overhead step up * 10 (5 per leg)
6 rounds for time - 8:46

not sure what this next 60 days will work out like, will keep my diet in order and hope for the best. overall goal is still fat loss, but would like if the extra volume gave me some kind of muscle gain, wishful thinking I know.

Either way, as the old saying goes, a change is as good as a rest.

Happy Friday

Day off, sun trying to shine.
I'm in doors playing internet and training, what better way to spend a morning off?

So training, Had a pretty good session this morning.

Squat clean to push press worked up to 60kg 5*5

Dumbell bench 2* 26 KG - 4* 6 reps paired with Facepulls 4* 12

Single leg deadlift 4* 8 paired with N.G Pull up 4*5

Finished it all with
AMRAP 10 minutes

5* Inverted Rows
10 * stepup (15KG plate overhead 5 per leg)
5* pushups

Managed 6 rounds

10 minute cool down

Decided to change things up completely for the next 60 days, going on a body builder style split with a metcon or some kind of conditioning to finish each session. The reason, my recovery is shit at the minute rather than fight a losing a battle im changeing things completely for a little while.

Might make it a 3 day split and leave in one of ip's conditioning sessions... Not sure yet, im looking forward to mixing it up for a while.

Over and out

Blog Fail

Ollie Reminded me today that i have a blog. Thanks Ollie!!
Busy as fuck lately work is busy but im kind of enjoying it, so will keep on prioritising it!!

Day off tomorrow, so im gonna knock out a strength session nice and early, if anyone sees this and wants to give me some shortish metcons to do afterwards... Post a comment and i'll give it a shot after.

No Burpees though - i like them but aint really got the cajones to them in my local gym

Odds on me starting this again and forgetting about it in one week??

Busy...

Yes I am training, no I don't have time to tell the entire internet about it.

Lower Back feels like shit the last few days, will probably ditch the squats for some single leg stuff tonight to give it a break..

Will try and give an update on my training this evening, if i can drag myself away from Portugal V Spain

Adios,

P.s. Ollie is gay, LOL

Life Getting in the way..

I've been busy...

I have been training, but my diet has been average at best. When I could be good, i was flawless, but living out of a hotel in the UK for a few days, made shit of my diet.

I have been training, got 3 sessions in since my last blog post, not great, but better than nothing.

Dont have time to blog up all my training sessions, but here is the latest

Squats 90kg 5* 10
Plank -> side plank (15, 15, 15, 30) *3
Weighted dips +7.5kg 5* 8
Inveted Rows (fully parrallel) 3* 15
Push press 55kg 4*10
good mornings 40kg 3*10

10 minute 30\30 intervals

Hopefully i can start hitting my sessions with good regularity again over the next month or two

Weak as a Kitten!!

Todays training lowlights

Informedperformance.com iprogram 9 Strength 2

Deadlift 115KG 5*5
Goodmornings 40KG 4*8
Plate Shifting 3 sets
Pull ups 5,5,5,3,2
Military Press 40KG 5*5
Plate Rotation 10KG 3* 10
Skull Crushers 15KG 4*8

Numbers down on every lift. Not great shock as I've not trained strenght with any great gusto in about 4 or 5 weeks.
Have some work to do to get my numbers back to where they should be.

However, It felt good to be following a structured strength training programe again!
Probably be my last training session till the middle of next week :-(

Starting to get my mojo back

I'd like to apologise to my loyal reader for a lack of posts. Been quite busy the last few days.

Quick update on my training today. Today i did one of Informedperformance.com's conditioning, its from iprograme 9.

Went a little something like this.

Bike Intervals
30 seconds Level 10 - attempt to keep over 100rpm
30 Seconds Level 0 - easy spin
10 minutes

15 minutes strength block
Circuits of
Walking Lunges 10 (5 per side) 12kg dumbells
Push ups * 10
Bent over Row * 10 12 kgDumbells
9 rounds

5 minute rest

10 Minute 12 kg Kettle Bell swing
20 seconds on
40 seconds off
10 rounds

5 minute rest

15 minute strength block
Body Squats * 10
Floor Press * 10 28 KG dumbells (14 KG per hand )
Inverted Rows * 10
11 Rounds

No rest

400 Meter Run @ 15 kmph

Some stretching

Felt awesome doing this today, quiet gym and good music kept us going.

really starting to get my fitness back now time to hit a strength session tomorrow and to see how much of a weakling i've become in the last few weeks

Food today has been a chicken on granary sandwich, not sure what else i'll be eating today.

I Hate Cardio

I really do, its a sack of shit.

With that said, I will have to do some tonight, my muscles are sore and i can feel the DOMS kicking in.

I ended up doing some front squats last night and am really feeling it this morning. The Plan for today is to do the following

Warm up 15 minute steady state run

Sprint Intervals. 400M on 200M off 4 rounds

Short Met Con - Something like

10 kettel bell swings
10 body squats
10 Pressups
As many rounds as possible in 10 minutes

5 -10 minute easy row

The steady state jog should loosen me out just enough to hit the high value exercises. Sprinting & a met con. Then an easy row to cool down.

The 400 Meter sprint intervals are a fucking nightmare, but the masochist inside me is enjoying them.

My carb intake will be low today. Will probably take in a piece of fruit before this session.
Will maybe have about 30 g's after.

Lastly, This morning I found it next to impossible to get out of bed. When I did I was boderline mentally retarded for the early part of the morning. This would indicate that I have hit the early stages of ketosis. The exhaust fumes I am breathing out this morning would seem to support this. I'm quite shocked this has kicked in so quickly, especially as i have been carbing up before and after training. It could be that I am tired and just naturally have bad breath. Time will tell.

Will do an official start of diet weigh in next week and start to tighten up the diet with exact totals when i return from london next wednesday.

keep on keepin on

Workout Planning

Yesterday was a dreary & wet bank holiday in Dublin. That means that “International Bench press, Curl & Shrug day” aka Monday, will be taking place tonight instead.

In my gym, this will likely mean that slightly portly, yet stupidly strong eastern European dudes will be using the smith machine to shrug every single plate in the gym for a good hour. I won’t lie, this major feat awesome never fails to impress me, but it can make getting a good workout in quite difficult.

Going back to the topic of perfection I touched on yesterday. Ideally I would be doing a very heavy day today, I have a strength program that I am itching to try. Rather than try it and get a shit workout in. I need to make sure I can get the best workout I can in tonight.
The program below is both practical and I can do at a suitable intensity in what will likely be a very crowded gym tonight.

My plan for tonight goes something like this:

Deadlift \ Single leg Deadlift or Bulgarian Split Squat
Medball Twist
Neutral Grip Pull up
Weighted Dips
Inverted Row
Some Ab work – this will likely be a rollout and maybe some planks & side planks

This is the main structure of the workout for this evening. I will work the big moves into the 5*5 rep range and go heavy as I can. I may also pair up the dips and Inverted Rows.
The Inverted Rows & NG pull up will be done for reps.

Finishing the workout:

Cardio pisses me off, It is boring. I try to add some Met cons to finish my workouts when I’m not feeling lazy.

The finisher I am aiming to try tonight is

3 rounds for time of
10 Kettle Bell Swings @ 16kg
10 Power clean to press @ 30 kg
400 metre run

Diet is starting to fall into place – I should hit my protein totals today ( I will probably rant about protein at some point.)

A brief outline of diet is:

7AM Porridge & protein shake
7 AM Pint of Psyllium Husk
Any Minute now: Massive black coffee
1PM: Chicken Salad
5 PM: Chicken sandwich on Granary Bread
After Gym: Shake & a piece of fruit
1 hour after above: Likely some left over madras from yesterday with a shitload of carbs
This is starting all starting to fall into place; I haven’t started counting calories yet. It’s likely I’m taking in too little, but I don’t really care just yet.
I’m in London for work, 2 days next week so I would like to make this week, the best week it can be.

Peace out

Introduction

I feel slightly hypocritical writing a health and fitness blog as I polish off a chocolate muffin, smothered in Ben and Jerry's baked Alaska! I have decided to attempt to diet down sub 10% body fat and am indulging this morning before I start this afternoon. The awesome Leigh Peele, in one of her recent podcast advised against waiting for the perfect diet. She advised to get into a deficit ASAP and fine tune as you go! Lets hope she's right, as I'm feeling slightly guilty now!!

Why am i wasting time writing a blog that no one will read?

This is a good question and one I don't know the answer too!
I Think its because I get questions from friends, family etc on my diet, training & how I keep my diet interesting while on a diet. The plan is to share all this info here. Besides that, Ollie keeps spamming my training journal on McT's site, making it unreadable, More about Ollie later!

About me, I'm coming off an injury and would estimate that I'm about 14% body fat. This is quite high for me. I am however, unconcerned about this increase in fatness. In May 2009 I was pushing 14stone and was almost a 40" waist. At age 27 I had all the markers of poor health. Fast forward 12 months and I was 68kg's at about 10% body fat.

How did I do it?

The term lifestyle change is thrown about too often. It conjures up images of celery sticks and water for most people. This has not been my experience. I love what I eat and eat what I love. I will try and share recipes as this goes on.
I think it would be good to give a shout out to where I have taken my inspiration from and to who has helped & inspired me over the course of the last year or so.

First Up, Neil McT.
At this point in time if Neil told me to jump off a mountain, I probably would.
Neils Diet Plan is where my journey started. I still live by it principles.

Ollie- the spamming maniac mentioned above. If ever i need inspiration I read Ollie's
Blog or training journal. I will ask him to update with his latest pics. Ollie has lost more than 8 stone in 30 weeks, he has gone from a self confessed hog, to a lean mean spamming machine.

Stratty - Stratty is a legend, always on hand to offer advice on training and diet to everyone. Check out his new venture here. My blog intends to be far more self centered than his


The Fitcast - I love the fitcast. It is awesome, download it, listen to it. Enjoy the Knowledge bombs

Dom - Dom's blog usually has some good nuggets of info on it. Take a look here

So now to the purpose of my blog.

What have stuffed in between my chins today??

Well the day started off terrible, the chocolate muffin and Ben and jerry's no doubt played havoc with my blood insulin levels.

since then, I have had the following

1* banana
1* Chocolate shake - one of the best tasting out there, in my opinion

As you can see the day started off a mess!
however, I am in the process of fixing it.

Chicken fajita & spinach salad.
Peppers, Onions, Chicken, chili, garlic - covered in Smoked Paprika & Ground Cumin.
This is served up on a bed of spinach covered in Olive oil & home made salsa.

Chicken Madras - Peppers, onions, chick peas, coriander, chillies, garlic, canned tomatoes, pataks madras paste (not ideal but the carb content isn't too high and is quicker and easier)

Eggs and bacon.

Training

I'm not training today, i am sore and have an evening of foam rolling ahead of me. Not something i really enjoy, it hurts like hell and i look a bit of a fool dry humping a piece of foam, but needs must!

I'd like to thank my girlfriend for reading this, its likely she'll be the only reader.