Week 4 Results

Going to delve straight into the results:

• Weight: 165.3lbs to 168lbs = +2.7lbs
• Bodyfat: 27.7lbs to 29.3lbs = +1.6lbs
• Net Muscle Gain = +1.1lbs
• Bodyfat: 16.8% to 17.4% = +0.6%

So what I thought would happen, has happened… I’ve put on too much fat – a total of 1.6lbs. But, compensating for that, is the fact that I’ve also put on 1.1lbs of muscle! And that’s pretty huge.

So it tells me a few things:

• My nutrition plan is working to increase muscle mass – albeit at the expense of additional fat – that’s the goal… to reduce the increase in fat.
• I need to cut down on the amount of fat that I’m eating… cutting out the cheese in the lunch pasta, as well as the cheese in the omlette at night.
• The post-workout nutrition seems to be working nicely – I gained muscle for the first time in months. This is great! I think the carbs are really helping – really, really. As is the creatine.

So for next week:

• Be far more nutritionally aware – less fat, maintain carb and protein level (this should be OK, as I’m only going out for dinner once this coming week)
• Introduce SuperPump into the mix again, along with more BCAAs prior to workout – focus on greater gains

Of course, all of this change in focus starts to impede my goal of 12-15% bf by the time I get to my next trip. I’m perfectly satisfied where I am right now - aesthetically - although certainly want to push things further. I’m going to see if I can find that balance – having no chocolate tart from Andy (damn it was good), no fried foods (damn Horseshoe Valley), and no pizzas (damn friends)… that should really help things out this coming week. I somewhat hope that I go under again, so I can enjoy more food But we’ll see. This week was good – and the results were favourable given the circumstances!

UPDATE

I’ve been thinking about some of the goals I put up for next week, and I’m going to take one of them off the table – I’m not going to include SuperPump in my training regime yet. Reasons are a fewfold: cost of it – wrong time, ability to take – there’s insufficient time between pre-workout and workout. I’ll start taking it when I move into the loft… I’ll have sufficient time on my walk up to the gym to be able to take it, for it to kick in, and for the world to be right again

Philip Lowry Transformation

Phil is pretty incredible. In the space of under a year, he gained 20lbs of muscle. It’s insane.

The article’s interesting… he talks a lot about his training plan, but not his nutrition (other than he had a plan). What I think could make a great plan is to mix Phil with Bryan – take Bryan’s nutrition plan and Phil’s training plan (pretty intense). That could work quite nicely

Brian Kenny

Mr Brian Kenny. He’s been someone I’ve admired for quite some time… an excellent blend of lean and muscle – nicely showcasing it. Right now, Mr Kenny stands as my goal, but I’m realizing more and more, that he’s an ideal that’s hard to reach.

I should’ve known – anyone who looks this good is kinda tough to replicate. A very low bodyfat, with a fair chunk of muscle too. Don’t know weights of bf, but I’d guess around 165lbs with 5-8% bf.

A stretch goal for sure :s More pics after the break.

Day 25

4 weeks back from Costa Rica. Jan almost over… this is insane how fast things are happening! Argh!

Back and bis today, and it went really well… I pushed up most of my weights, tried to maintain form throughout… the only thing I need to improve is the level of rest I’m getting, because I don’t feel rejuvinated when I wake up in the mornings.

I have to admit – in general – that this week has been a bit of a tough one. And I don’t know why. I’ve been tired, felt a bit lethargic. I’m not sure why. I’ve got a friend popping down from Ottawa this coming weekend, but hoping we can just chill for most of it… just take it easy, relax, sleep lots and just recover.

I’m also excited but nervous to discover what’s changed in the body since last week. I will comment that my hormones got out of whack, as I’m seeing the spots appear on the face right now… so I know that last weekend made that happen. But this week has been good, and I hope to continue being good – although a brownie from WholeFoods is tempting… but again, not late night so as to spike the insulin! Lunch’d work Or as a replacement snack

Other than that… I’m nervously awaiting 5pm today when I can check weight and bf. Then sleep. Then have the awesome bacon wrapped chicken I bought Muhahahaha…

Day 24

Today was really good… I didn’t wanna get up out of bed (but that’s been consistent all week LOL). But when I did, I was thinking about things… had my meditation session and then the 90 min workout was fantastic. And I may be kidding myself, but I think that I’m showing some volume growth in the shoulders and chest. That may just be me… but I think it’s there.

I was also looking in the mirror, and while this impression changes depending on my mood, the love handles are at one of the lowest points I’ve ever seen them – which is fantastic! I’m discovering that most of my fat now is contained around the back – the back of the love handles. The stomach area is pretty tight now – tighter than it’s ever been, but I can still grab hold of reasonably large chunks of fat around the back. They’re less visible now, but I still want to target them. I think it’s still really important to do that.

Today I realized that I’m now 3 weeks into my current workout, and there are (potentially) 4 weeks left in this apartment, at the gym downstairs. That gives me a few options – most of which will be dependent on results this week. I have to bear in mind that the results WON’T be optimal given the nutrition – the bad weekend, and the last two nights of pizzas. But if I take that into consideration, hopefully I’ll be able to make a good assessment of how to continue.

On a slight tangent – my training program is quite interesting now. I seem to find myself flipping… rather than – body – this is what you’re going to do… you’re going to lose X% bf or X lbs… I’m like – this is what I’m doing, how is my body reacting? OK… it’s reacting that way… this is how I’m going to adapt my program to best take advantage or leverage what’s going on.

So I’ll put it out there – my goal is still to drop bodyfat. My goal is to get to that 12-15%. But TO NOT LOSE ANY MORE MUSCLE. That’s pivotal at this point… which is why I’m playing around so much with my nutrition: finding that balance where I can maintain muscle, gain volume (not necessarily muscle) and lose bf… I think with a greater balance of volume versus fat loss, that’ll make the physique look better, and I’ll be less concerned about losing all the weight, because the balance will be better.

Anyways… long story… but here’s what I’m thinking:

• For the next 4 weeks, continue with the maintenance diet – adjusting and evolving as appropriate
• Re-admit SuperPump into the mix
• With SuperPump, reduce reps at the gym to 6-10, focussing more on stimulating the muscle fibers than pure fat loss

It’s time for a change… and a change that will start honing the body rather than sabotaging it.

Day 23

Just completed a new abs workout. Wow. It worked. And it was gently relaxing too. Subtle focus on smaller movements – it was really good.

Nutrition was reasonable yesterday… I went out for dinner and had pizza. So not the best… but not the worst either. I didn’t want carbs at the end of the day, but where we went to eat didn’t have the greatest selection of food Tonight’ll be the same situation – pizza – as I’m going out to the movies. It’ll be OK, just not optimal.

Day 22

Legs… done.

What I’ms sensing right at this particular moment is that I’m not fully invested in my training. I’m there at the gym, I’m increasing the weights week in and week out, but I don’t really have a target, or a focus in mind. That’s true with the nutrition. Am I wanting to continue to lose weight? Or gain muscle? Or gain in general? My nutrition is somewhere in the middle – more of a sustaining thing right now.

And I think that’s OK – it’s not the best thing – but it’s OK. There’s a lot going on right now – a lot that I’m going to be very happy to get rid of… the loft is taking up a lot of time – but as I’m writing that statement, my question is – why should it? Or more to the point, why am I letting it? A lot is going on – the delays, the packing, the preparation, but it’s all under control. Everything’s under control, so why is it an issue? It shouldn’t be. It isn’t. I’ll figure that one out.

I’m eager to see what the nutrition leads to at the end of the week. Bearing in mind that the weekend was dire… But this weekend I’m hoping to keep it more focussed and on-par with what’s expected. There may or may not be snowboarding this weekend… if there isn’t, no big deal. It might be quite nice to have a quiet weekend at home… the first time since Costa Rica. Thank goodness for weeknights

You learn the most from meditation when you least want to do it

That’s what I just learnt. It’s been a few days since I meditated. I know – it’s bad. But life – sharing experiences with a good friend – took precedence. And it was great.

But this evening, I kept finding things to do to push off me meditating. And sure, once I sat down for my 15 mins of meditating, the mind was hectic. All over the place. Not controlled.

But then – some things just fit. I saw immense clarity. Things cleared – not completely, but much more so before meditation.

And it’s as Joko – the author of some of my favourite books – has been saying – the greatest ordeals give you the most need to practice. When you least want to practice is when you should, because it gives the practice greater focus, greater intent. It also provides incredible learnings. Powerful learnings.

For example – over the past few days / week, I’ve been chatting to this great guy who’s likely to move to Toronto from Vancouver. We’ve been having fun conversations, but I’ve felt myself get a bit caught up / bogged down by the whole experience. It suddenly hit me when in meditation that being with someone isn’t right for me right now – there’s too much I need to explore myself – mentally, physically, spiritually… or just in general, I don’t need to give it a label.

When the time is right… when the person is right… it’ll happen. This isn’t happening right now, and such a sense of calmness and clarity descended. I felt so good for it.

Don’t fight what doesn’t feel quite right… invest where the current is going… go with the flow. Don’t fight it. It’s through our thoughts that we chose to fight… rather than react to the pure awareness of what’s happening

Training while at the loft

Something that’s been on my mind more and more recently, is how I’m going to approach training when I’m at the loft. I’ll no longer have access to my own personal gym, so it’s going to be quite the profound change to life…

Also – the loft will necessitate a number of changes – commuting to work, no lunches at home, etc… and I was thinking of something that may work out really well.

I liked the gym around the corner from work… it looked good, but I didn’t like the ‘gayness’ of it all. Working out at off peak times would help placate that… so I’ve been thinking more and more about how it’d work if I went to workout at lunch. The first point to consider is feasibility – could I actually take the time to do it? It would mean a 90-120min lunch… but could I offset that with coming in to work 60 mins earlier? And avoiding the rush hour traffic on the subway?

So here’s what I’ve been thinking:

• Cook breakfast at the loft
• Go into work – walk up to Pape / Castle Frank stations and subway into work
• Get into work for around 8am
• Have a mid-morning snack
• Go to the gym around 11.30/12 and come out around 1/1.30
• Lunch (high carb pasta)
• Afternoon snack
• Walk home
• Dinner
• Prepare for the next day…

One thing I know I’ll miss when I move away from the apartment, is lunching. Taking time out at home to have a lunch… and that’s why I think this plan could work out really well! It helps me get better nutrition that’d fit in with my goals of weight gain… I have a break mid-day… I start earlier, so means I can get more work done in the morning… and everything seems to come together.

I’ll just see whether this will really impact work… because I don’t want it to.

Of course, there are a number of requirements here… the most important of which, is that I retain my job at Rogers! If I don’t, then this plan will take many more months to put into action… we’ll see.

Day 21

Shoulders and abs done. Note for future reference… killing the tail bone when snowboarding doesn’t help when you’re doing abs the following day. OUCH!

Today went well – I didn’t quite have the focus of mind while training. I wasn’t feeling too good yesterday – I think it was something that I ate that upset my stomach a little bit. Not a whole lot, but a little bit. I think that followed through to this morning.

Nutritionally, back on schedule – although I’ve only had 3 shakes at this point, so it doesn’t count for a whole lot Still – I’m motivated and focussed.