End of day 1

Today was interesting… in a very good way! Work was insane… moving forward with the HSBC project, which is great, but busy. I also had to come back home over lunch to let my electrician in, which took more time than I anticipated (I should’ve known it).

Training was good this morning, albeit non-intensive. I guess I wanted it more intense, but did anticipate it’d be more light and easy.

Anyways – food today was interesting. I found it tough to eat all that nice and chicken that I’d prepared. I see that as being a problem moving forward. It’s not that I couldn’t eat it… it’s just that it wasn’t the nicest food to eat :s I’ve got to try and find that sweet spot again… between reasonable food and good taste. There was too much plainness about the chicken and rice. Not bad for a meal by itself, but I’d need to really spice up that chicken – A LOT – to make that work.

But I did maintain nutrition throughout the rest of the night. Which is quite impressive. So – with the thought of one day at a time – today was good day. Now chilling at home in the loft which feels more and more like home. And I love it. Can’t wait to keep this going!!!

Phase 4 – Day 1

So today’s the first day of Phase 4. Met my trainer today, after getting into the gym really early… good guy. Knows his stuff, and I’m sure he’ll be kicking my ass soon enough.

Today was a meet and greet – trying to focus on form. We caught up, learnt about each other, and prepped things for Thurs. I’m feeling good about it.

I’ve started my nutrition plan – right now I have my chicken fried rice that I cooked yesterday – quite yummy! And warmed up nicely in the microwave!

One thing I’m going to remember is One Moment At A Time / One Day At A Time. Focus on the moment, not the larger picture. Each day I commit and meet my goals – both training and nutrition (as well as meditation / spiritual), the better focussed and happier I’ll be. Can’t forget that. Bigger picture at this precise moment.

Gym experience was good… walking up there, going in to work, showering, training… it also wasn’t very busy, which I really appreciated.

So – day 1 has started… and so far, so good. Bring it on.

Oh – and PS – discussed with Adrian (trainer) about how many workouts, frequency, etc… and we’re looking at 3 a week to start off with. Giving the body time to adapt, and sufficient time to recover. That may change, but that’s the plan for now. We’ll see how it evolves.

End of Phase 3

Apologies for my lack of posts in the past few days… it’s been getting quite intense on this end.

I decided to wind down. Too much was happening. Primarily I wasn’t able to concentrate on much else other than the loft. Something had to quit. I quit meditation a week or two ago, and the gym just needed to end – for a while. Too much to cope with.

So – this is planned… the absence from posting, etc… although I will admit that I’m trying to keep nutrition at a reasonable level. Sure, it’s not A+ right now, but neither is it full of lemon meringue.

So – an update… I had my consultation with Extreme Fitness yesterday. That was an eye opener. Truly. I didn’t realize it was going to be a personal training session, albeit a body weight one. I am in pain today. My legs primarily hurt like ffing hell. Which opened my eyes. I have been working out under the presumption that because I had a personal trainer way back when, I’d remember how to maintain form, etc… turns out that presumptions isn’t quite valid. I had to be corrected on a number of levels yesterday, and it HURT. Like hell. But that’s good… I think.

I also learnt something that surprised the hell out of me: I’m at 13% bodyfat!!!! Yeah – that bears repeating – I’m at 13% bf. I’ve reached my goal. Wow. That was a shock to the system.

But that was also tempered with the fact that I’m now underweight for someone of my age, size and height. I’m like – d’uh! Of course. Apparently the average should be 180-195lbs. And apparently that’s now my goal! Interesting.

So I learnt a lot. What’s interesting are the next steps… they (of course) recommended a personal training plan, but I saw through the whole strategy. I saw it for what it was… and to be honest, I can feel the value in it. That’s not me rationalizing. Because working out with a trainer is going to be an intensely painful experience, so I’m not going to jump on that bandwagon without serious commitment of consideration.

So I’m thinking about it… if I wanna commit, I can do so this weekend. Then I can get my nutrition plan worked out next week, to start the following week, which’ll mark the start of Phase 4 of training, which – in the words of Jason, the cute consultant (there had to be something more for me in it right eh ) – I’ll be in a conditioning phase which is preparing my body. That’ll last about 10-12 weeks, which’ll take me right up to Peru. After that I’ll be in a muscle development phase which should take me to Newfoundland. Here’s hoping.

So it works… it fits in, and it makes sense. But it’ll require a bit commitment from me – both financially, motivationally… I’ve done it before, albeit not to this extent. So I’m still learning. And I’m willing to push it.

The goals Jason set for me are quite intense… 20lbs of muscle, 1lb of fat to be gained over the next 6 months. That’s intense. Amazing as a goal, but intense. That’ll take me to about 180/185lbs. I told him – and will maintain on this site – that my goal is to be between 170-180lbs. I think that’s more realistic. But if I can get more, I’m never going to say no. But I need to be realistic, and set realistic goals.

So that’s where I am right now… big changes in life. Fortunately work’s remaining steady (I got a full time job offer, which secures this position for a reasonable amount of time). But gym, nutrition, commute, living, etc… all of that’s changing drastically, as well as a potential love interest too… So everything’s evolving quite rapidly right now, and it’s a lot. But at the same time it isn’t. The loft is exciting… the changes in lifestyle and routine are going to be wild, but doable, enjoyable and they’ll need to be sustainable. If there are huge changes happening, I can take that opportunity and make the most of it – aka a new training / nutrition plan, one that’s likely more intense than I’ve ever had before. Now’s the time.

So this will all mark the start of Phase 4 of my training… here’s it at a high level:

• Taking this week and next week off from the gym
• Get a trainer this weekend for training and nutrition
• Next week, work with the trainer to define optimal nutrition plan
• Week after – aka March 8 – phase 4 will start with training with the trainer
• Phase 4 will go until Peru, which is May 28 – that gives 12 weeks to that phase
• From the goals set with Jason, it’s looking like a gain of 10-15lbs during that time period. I’m going to take it easy and say a goal of 8-10lbs for those 12 weeks, which still equates to a pretty intense 1lb a week!

What I’m also considering right now, is a test… take the personal training on to begin with, and see where it goes. If it’s valuable, then invest more. If it’s not – aka I am not maintaining the nutrition plan, or if it’s too much – then pull back and review choices and refocus. That’s fine. We’ll see. This is a big chance.

I would love to say that I’m excited for Phase 4 of training, especially considering that Phase 3 has been successfully accomplished and rocks… but all my excitement is focussed towards the loft right now, and there’s not much room left to be excited about anything else! For now. We’ll see where I am after the weekend. Bring it on.

Days 40 to 42

This weekend was BAD. BAD BAD BAD.

I needed a time out… last week was a tough one mentally and spiritually for me. I was exhausted, tired, not focussed… and I needed a time out. I got it. I got a beautiful one. 3 days up north at the cabin. Awesome snowboarding… everything was brilliant. Loved it.

But nutrition and exercise was BAD. I won’t say how bad… but I thoroughly expect my body fat to increase considerably this coming Friday.

Which brings me on to stuff that I’ve had time to consider this past weekend… I need to extend this time out for the next few weeks, to encompass moving into the loft. I’ve been trying to accomplish too much… and while it’s been good, I need to put more and more attention on the loft.

So from today, for 3 weeks, my focus on training and nutrition will reduce somewhat. This doesn’t mean to say I’m going to have pizza every day. Hell no. Nutrition will remain good. However there will be breaks between training. This week, for example, I’m only able to train 3 days. Next week should be good. And the week after is my first week at the new gym, so I’ll be getting used to an entirely new rhythm and routine. I can’t put too much pressure on that.

So I’m trying to accommodate the best I can. Without going completely off tangent. Which I think – and hope – is doable. I will still be writing up every day, but my progress won’t be as great… I’m managing that expectation right now…

But still… when I get back into this, my first goal is going to be getting down to that 15% bf level. That’s a huge priority for me. I wanna get there. It’ll be a huge boost. And I’d like to do it (if possible) before heading away on my next holiday – if I get a holiday. I’m going to fight for that in work. We’ll see how that nets out.

Day 39

Nutrition: 85% (had oven fries with the chicken – desperately needed a starch boost!)

Training: 90%

Meditation: 0% (I needed time alone… time outside of normality)

Yesterday was interesting… a lot of things came to a head… stress about a number of things, and I felt as though I needed a limited time out for normality yesterday. That’s why I didn’t meditate yesterday (or this morning), and had some more starch than normal for dinner. It was all good. Very good indeed

I feel like I needed to interrupt the routine… that four days in a row was a lot to take. And I’d been excellent for those four days. Extremely good. Most weeks I head out for at least one meal, but this week it’s been extremely diligent! And it got the better of me… fortunately only a little bit.

Things are a lot better now… and having a 3 day weekend, ending with my PDI on Tues morning is hugely exciting!!!!

Day 38

Nutrition: 85% (forgot my caesin and whey shake in the evening – minor thing…)

Training: 80% (was abs, but my heart wasn’t in it)

Meditation: 100%

This morning was a tough one. I got up and really didn’t feel motivated. I just want to chill out, relax and do nothing, since it’s been a LONG time since I’ve just done nothing… about 6-7 weeks in total!

So I got up, I passed on my meditation, but went straight in to the gym. As is normal when you’re less than motivated, you’re thinking that ‘I can’t accomplish the weights I did last time…’ and got a pleasant surprise when I was able to match the weights AND surpass them (which makes me think – did I not push hard enough last time????).

Being at the gym really gave me time to think, reflect, and mostly focus on the task at hand – because if you don’t, you’re going to crush yourself under the weight of a weight. And it was good… it gave me focus and more direction for the rest of the day. Which was greatly appreciated!

There are a number of negative things going on right now (I’m aware that I’m choosing to imply a negative connotation to these things)… the loft, move in, mortgage, money transfers, job, holidays, etc… There’s A LOT going on, and the mind’s frantically following up on it all, and I have to admit, I think it’s loving it. After all the quiet of the first few weeks when I got back from Costa Rica, it’s like it got an injection of adrenaline or caffeine and could go wild… and it has :s

So today I looked back on things and realized that I’m moving further and further away from a Zen approach… I need to be present and grounded in this particular moment, as all that’s coming is only coming, it doesn’t impact me now. And thinking of everything that may come is overwhelming, and I feel awfully overwhelmed right now, with nobody to reach out to :s Even my Mum is MIA… which is another negative I’m trying to deal with… she was meant to be back from a 3 week holiday yesterday, but no call or email to confirm she’s returned. At least Google doesn’t have any updates on her name

Day 37

Nutrition: 100%

Training: 80% (running out of weights again)

Meditation: 75% (did full time, but wasn’t very mindful during it)

Going well… nutrition at least is a staple that I can continue without a problem… this morning was abs, and I don’t think I pushed as hard as I could’ve. Definitely not as hard as I did last week, but I guess that’s a bit of the repercussions of coming off of the ZMAs

Otherwise, motivation’s dipping a little bit, as the loft becomes more and more overwhelming. I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to both getting in there, making it my own and getting it over with. It’s turning into such a bitter sweet ordeal right now… I’m exhilerated for it, but at the same time, just want to be done with it all. Get back on track with everything, embrace the change, and go with it

We’ll see what the rest of the week brings

Oh – and on a sidenote… next week, I am unlikely able to train on Monday or Tuesday – Mon I’m up at the cabin, Tues is my PDI. So I’ll train consistently Weds-Fri with Shoulders, Chest and Back… I’ll leave abs and legs out of the routine. Following week is moving week, but I think I’ll be able to fit in a full 5 days worth of training… however nutrition will suffer during the tail-end of the week, which I hope is understandable Then back on course the following week… but probably a bit all over the place while I integrate in new routines, processes, gyms, etc…

Day 36

Nutrition: 100%

Training: 95% (still restricted by the machines / weights available)

Meditation: 100%

Yesterday was really good… nutrition and meditation at 100%… although I did find it somewhat hard to maintain the nutrition. I was getting to a point where I was thinking – why can’t I just have fries with my chicken? Fortunately I didn’t give in to the temptation… phew. So all is good

The weekend was great… but I feel the benefits of it are disappearing already :s And that’s fast. Lots is happening at work around HSBC… and it looks as though my holiday in April will be pushed a little bit – making negotiations around taking it a lot harder. I’ll be taking a holiday – I’m going to put my foot down around that, because damn do I need one after all this stuff going on – but it’ll be harder to negotiate and fit in now :s We’ll see what happens

Otherwise all is good… I’m going to have to keep a keen eye on my behaviour this week though

Day 35

Back in the routine already this morning. I felt nice and refreshed when I woke up this morning. Sure, I didn’t wanna get up, but when’s that new??? The workout was good… pushed in some areas, wasn’t able to meet others (the upright rows – for some reason couldn’t match what I did last week?!).

Looking forward to this week… partially because it’s my last ‘normal’ week for about two weeks… well, it’s my last normal week at Residences on Bloor Boo. So I might as well appreciate it and get the most out of it!

Days 33 & 34

Nutrition this weekend wasn’t great. The local grocery store didn’t have the small size of the lemon meringue, so I *HAD* to buy the large one. Of course the place was to freeze half of it. That didn’t happen. Although there’s 1/6 of the pie still sitting up at the cabin. Damn.

Outside of that, Sat’s nutrition was good… protein shake, large omelet and brown rice with 2x chicken breasts.

Today (Sun) was worse… good in the morning – omelet with meringue, but then dinner was garlic bread, pasta with 2x chicken and a tiny one bite brownie. Since then it’s been water all the way.

So we’ll see what impact that has on my bodyfat come the end of the week. I’m hoping that I’ll be as good with nutrition during the week as I was last week. I can’t see any issues arising that’d prevent that. So here’s hoping I’ll be in the 16.x% of bodyfat! That’d be awesome. Only once before been there. Then maybe 2-3 weeks and I’ll be in 15.x%! That’d be amazing… a huge treat for moving into the loft… but we’ll see how that experience corresponds with continuing losing fat… stress causes fat loss right

Activity wise, Sat was a quiet day… I almost slept through the whole day, but I really needed it. I woke up at about 1.30am Sun morning and I didn’t have a nightmare, but it was like the ‘Avatar’ of dreams… it had about 5 different scenarios with so much happening. It caught me off guard. I think my body really needed that rest, and it got it

Today went snowboarding for 3-3.5 hours, which was awesome… productive. I felt good. Next weekend is the long weekend, so going up for 3 days – God knows how that’ll impact the nutrition But we’ll see. Looking forward immensely to the downtime!!!

Bring on the week…