Week 3 - Belief

Week Three – I’m starting to believe….

1 Year Ago....

After 19 workouts, I’m starting to see how this program of training really works...on me.  It’s been an interesting period, learning and working through this program, especially because I have been trying to generate a workout routine that fits with my work and watch keeping routine. I generally workout during lunch time, and eat a green alkalizing berry smoothie after my recovery protein shake. I’ve started saving my breakfast’s boiled eggs for snacking on between meals, plus for the extra protein I’ve been chucking down a small tin of tuna and some nuts whenever I feel hungry too.

2014 Health Challenges

40 Days Clean

It has actually been 41 days clean – no coke, no soft fizzy carbonated drinks, no alcohol. I feel great. I’m way more hydrated, and I’ve even cut down my coffee intake… Wifey will be pleased will this! My energy levels are way more regulated since I have cut this drastic sugar intake out of my diet, and reduced my stimulant intake. So, for those trying to give up their ‘vice’, it is possible – but trust me willpower only works when you believe in the end objective… 100% or not at all.

Local Coconut Water Rehydration - Yummy

Local Coconut

Power & Strength

By breaking up my workouts into a heavy day for each muscle group I’m getting sufficient physical respite before the next heavy day (usually heavier), for the same muscle group.  This means I’m starting to be able to push harder and get more from each progressive session.

Today, on Back day, I just smashed two personal bests – Landmine Inverted Row: 100kg, Deadlifts: 110kg and I managed all 5 reps each set on both! On Inclined Dumbbell Rows I worked up to 32.5kg on each dumbbell, which is also a new maximum! This is development is happening across the board, so it should be interesting when I reduced the weight a little and return to 8-10 repetitions on heavy days!

Endurance & Stamina

I believe that by increasing the number of repetitions and dropping the weight right off, I’m working my muscles differently and the ‘pump’ of doing multiple repetitions is developing a new level of endurance. This is really improving my muscle stamina. It’s getting harder, and in this rotation will push me to knock out up to 30 repetitions. I think this is a huge element in how the ‘shred’ of fat tissue will also occur. I’m not looking forward to this final phase of the third rotation. 

Speed & Fitness

So the High Intensity Interval Training, between each set is really making me feel fit. It’s turbo-boosting my heart rate and my workouts are really pumped up as a result of it. This, coupled with the awesome power of Oxyshred has really made me heat up during my workouts. My speed during spinning, rowing and cross-training has been dramatically improving, although between day 4 and day 6 I struggle a little, but I think this may be mild fatigue! I’ve spinning at around 0.7km per minute, which is like 42kph! So, in 1-minute bursts, for around 15 repetitions, I’m busting out 10km, which is pretty intensive! From a fitness point of view, I’m really starting to see additional fitness gained from doing cardio sets of leg press, and seated calf raise with comfortable weight. I’m feeling stronger in my lower body, especially with all the stairs and long, tiresome rounds I conduct as a watch keeper.

Week Two – Getting Harder (Saturday 25 October 2014)

So it’s day 13 on this new program. I’ve done as many days of heavy-weight, low repetition and light-weight, high repetition exercises and I’ve smashed myself with intense cardio intervals. Today’s Chest, Abs, Cardio smash was freaking brilliant – plus I had the gym to myself…. This meant Oasis, The Killers and Ministry of Sound being played on the music box for around 90 minutes! J

On this ship, we have a selection of cardio machines and I’ve mostly been using the spin bike (of course), the rower and cross trainer. I’ve also been making up my HIITs with rapid high repetition (low weight) leg press, calf raise and hamstring curls. The spin bike and I have covered close to 120km of 1km sprints, the cross trainer has seen me smash 4km per 12 minutes of 1 minute intervals per session (4 sessions so far means 16km total), and the rower and I have effectively travelled 10km in 4 sessions of 1 km sprints. So, I’m going pretty hard!

The abdominals everyday element is highly addictive and increasingly more difficult, but it is helping me feel less ‘blubbery’ and more taught if that’s possible (?) coupled with my program’s intensity. I’m researching and trying new exercises for abdominals, and feeling constantly that I’m working them. I even feel my core getting stronger, especially during the weights exercises, meaning I can lift heavier, or for more reps! Awesome.

That’s about all from me for now, except I’m still feeling the pinch of, maybe, a trapped nerve or muscle tweak in my shoulder – but I’m not made of glass and Yoga has taught me to listen to my body better. I’ve even started to Savasana at the end of my really hard workouts (most days!) – which must look weird since I’m doing it on the gym floor for 2-3 minutes as my cool down, calm down meditation. Love combining all this stuff I’ve learnt in the past few years.

6 Days into the program I switched my supplements around. The ON Hydro Builder is dee-lish! Plus, it’s giving me what I need to replace lunch (alongside a WinGaz style berry, superfood smoothie-yum!). The OxyShred is an interesting product because it really kicks my workout into a new gear; the thermogenic is less aggressive, but it turns up the heat! The good this is the absence of heavy stimulants and I’m not ‘buzzing’ just getting into the ‘zone’ of my training. Happy.

That’s all from me, from the middle of nowhere. Hopefully, I can upload soon.

Do yourself a favour, immerse yourself in some good old school tunes and get sweaty. Work at whatever level you are comfortable, to achieve YOUR goals.

“Never Back Down, and don’t succumb to your own justifications. Ignore them and Just Freaking Do It!” (Thanks Mish)

Week One Reflections

Week One – Progress?

It’s only when you take the time to look back at where your journey began that you realize how far you’ve actually travelled. What you think you’re doing, seeing and achieving is probably so much less that you really are. Not a believer? Well, you and me both…until now. To help me demonstrate why I believe now, I’m going to look back over my life (briefly) and reflect on the development as I initially see it and then I’m going to delve a little deeper and prove that the things I personally take for granted are so much more valid than I realize. I want to share some of my secrets with you…..

Why? – Honesty.

I want to be honest. Honest to you, Honest to me. I want you to know. That, and the fact that I’m feeling the reflection and I believe it’s a good time to share – after all “sharing is caring”. I often feel the twang of non-development and guilt for not pushing harder, and as such I lose sight of how far I’ve come in retrospect for how far I still have to travel. Another reason I want to share is because I’ve been holding this in for many years and now I’m letting it out.

My Health & Fitness

In terms of my health, I’ve never really taken it seriously until recently. As a kid I played football (soccer), ran long distance and participated in Royal Navy Cadet sports such as Field Gun. I was encouraged to be active by my parents and enoy it. I was always motivated by movies such as Rocky and the (original) Karate Kid. A an adult I worked out irregularly in the gym, played squash and spent many years teaching and competing as a kickboxer. I don’t think I can remember a time post 18 years old where I didn’t have a belly and excess body fat. One of my oldest friends back in ‘Old Blighty’ used to say she was proud of how far I’d come (of course I never took it on board) – I was the guy who ate dunkin donuts and coke for breakfast, with a cheesy garlic bread chaser, in 1997. By 2000, I’d kicked the donuts and garlic bread but I never realized that until recently…

 I spent my twenties teaching scuba diving, which although physically demanding has a particularly fun and active social side – meaning excess drinking, eating and partying.

As a consequence, my late twenties arrived pretty quickly (in the haze of youthful alcoholism) and I landed in Sydney (after a few drinks on the 24 hour flight) – the most body-conscious city I’ve ever known as a fat heavy drinker. I weighed 118kg but I was loaded with body fat, visceral fat and was not in great shape. Bending to tie my shoe laces caused me to break into a sweat (no lie) and I’d frequently end up huffing and puffing after a short walk up stairs to my apartment. It didn’t improve until I met Winnie. She was healthy, very healthy. She trained Taekwondo and swam fairly regularly. She inspired the change.

My Diet

In terms of my diet, I was always fed nutritious meals at home. Portion sizes were massive and I was raised to clear my plate. Seconds never really happened because we were served big enough portions to leave no excess. Every meal was a mountain to climb. Every bbq was more or less a challenge where survival of the fattest/hungriest would win out. That said I was raised to enjoy veggies and salads (and I make a pretty awesome salad – thanks for that Nanny Marg!). I’ve had a sweet tooth as long as I can remember, and crave sweets, lollies, chocolate, ice cream and fizzy soft drinks. It’s not easy giving those things up. As I grew up my hunger grew too, therefore my portions kept growing too I guess. Then I reached legal age to drink alcohol. Welcome the fun of pubs and bars, enter the beer belly. Dang! Well as I mentioned the diving era was very sociable and as such I drank a lot. A lot is an underestimation. I was binge drinking by modern standards, most nights. Now, almost a decade later, I drink irregularly and I’m proud to say I consume no more than 1-2 drinks per week (more like per month) at medicals I may attend. The other side to excessive drinking, was that I’d stuff myself silly with pies, sausage rolls, chips, kebabs and other unhealthy junk foods late at night, prior to going to bed.  Now I eat a sensible, gluten free restricted diet and rarely consume alcohol. I take dietary supplements and supplements for my training regime. It seems like a huge waste of money to consume those and then ruin it with binge drink/eating.

The Present

I’m deployed. I’m focused, driven to succeed – I’m a proudly serving member of her Majesty’s Royal Australian Navy. I apply myself and test my limits every day. I work hard and smart. I train hard and often. I eat well, with occasional rewards and treats. I usually share them with my fellow watch keepers – which reduces my potential intake and keeps me satiated with small tastes of my favourite things. I stick to my planned training routines and never quit. I have developed a self-actuating mentality and I’m determined to succeed.

In my life I’ve always lived with no regrets. I still keep myself honest with this, but now I look at my own life with a greater appreciation for the present.

The Past is History, The Future is a Mystery…but the Present, that’s a Gift.

SO now, I’m 95kg and I’m not bothered about my weight. I’m bothered about transformation. I’ve been working hard to make 2014 my year of transformation. I have travelled so far, I’ve done a full 360 on who I was, and I’m loving the person I’m becoming. Today for instance, I worked out in the gym. Granted I was motivated by Rocky 3, and the Eye of the Tiger is playing in my head right now, and I pushed harder. The result was an awesome workout, Arms and Abs day flew by in a blur. My arms kill right now, and my body is sore – but that’s making me feel more alive.

I’m the luckiest man in the world. I have a super wicked awesome family, a pretty cool job that I enjoy and the best wife ever. She supports, motivates and inspires. She challenges me and gives me a reason to be better. To prove how good I am to the world. I Love my darling, little bear.

Personal side to my journey has been even more epic, and I’ll save that for another day….

My Goal – Moving Forwards

My biggest, most difficult goal is to transform my life, my habits and my thought processes to being healthy and active. For my future family, I wanna be the kind of dad who runs around with, plays games with and enjoys the journey of bringing children into being. I don’t want to be restricted with aches, pains, excessive blubber. I don’t want my future teenage kids to be ashamed of me, to think of me as a poor role model. Na-uh. I’m going for the opposite.

I want my wife, my family and my kids (one day) to be proud of who I am, where I come from and where I want to be.

“In defence of my country, I will make my family proud”

Next….

Three Questions

To finish, I’d like to pose three questions for you. Take them on board and use them at will for any aspect of your life. It helps me and its part of my meditative practice to mull over them:

1.     What have I learnt?

2.     What am I learning?

3.     What am I yet to learn?

Challenge yourself, push hard but remember looking back to lubricate your journey onwards from now is vital.

Looking Back to Move Forwards

New Regimes....

New Regimes

Now, here we are. Firstly, welcome back and thanks for staying tuned to my blog, and here is my first hello from “nowhere” on this, my first deployment. Oh and for the record: 1 month no soft fizzy carbonated drinks. Boom.

Life aboard this ship is pretty comfortable, and the work involved long days and nights. Between my “watches” I eat, sleep, work, study and train. My gym and workout routines have needed a serious overhaul. My nutrition has needed careful preparation ahead of deployment, with new supplements that can withstand a long duration at sea. I even purchased a portable tri-voltage (12/24/240v) Freezer, that's got a  35 litre capacity...Its gonna keep me away from the sweet stuff and bad health choices available...

Nutritionally speaking, I’m finishing off my last container of BNRG Pept-1 Ultra Burn protein and then I start an entirely new series of supplements. I’ve got thermogenics, complex protein and casein and post-workout supplements to complement my dietary supplements. Here’s a quick breakdown of what’s coming in the nearing weeks:

Training Supplements:

Optimum Nutrition Platinum Hydro Builder Protein

Optimum Nutrition Platinum Casein

Optimum Nutrition Amino Energy

Ultimate Nutrition BCAA’s

EHP Labs Oxy Shred

Stocked Up...

Dietary Supplements:

Bioceuticals Ultraclean EPA / DHA Plus

Activated B6

Vital Greens

Spectrum-ceuticals SB-500 High Potency Probiotic

Thorne Research Basic B Complex

(Gluten Free Weet-Bix) :)

(Frozen Fruit for smoothies: Bananas, Berries, Mango, Pineapple) Yummy!

The Anti-Junk Food Haven

I’ve conducted hours and hours of research, consulted experts and for me and my body these were the best for me. (That’s for the neigh-sayers).

I’m very keen to include the use of the Oxy Shred and the Hydro Builder into my training regime. The plan is to build lean muscle mass and get some definition over next few months.

The Plan Ahead

At least for the time being, I’m directing my energy toward a new workout. It’s a little interesting because it spans 8 days! It covers the 4 major muscle groups (excluding legs as they are involved in my day to day routine and throughout the program) and switches between 4 days of heavy weight and low repetitions, and 4 days of light weight and high repetitions. It also builds over three rotations, which are then repeated.

Progress through each day on program A, then start over in program B, and again for program C. Then rotate through again.

Here’s a table to explain:

DAY	EXERCISE	WEIGHT	A	B	C
1	CHEST & ABS	HEAVY	8-10	6-8	2-5
2	SHOULDERS & ABS	HEAVY	8-10	6-8	2-5
3	BACK & ABS	HEAVY	8-10	6-8	2-5
4	ARMS & ABS	HEAVY	8-10	6-8	2-5
5	CHEST & ABS	LIGHT	12-15	16-20	21-30
6	SHOULDERS & ABS	LIGHT	12-15	16-20	21-30
7	BACK & ABS	LIGHT	12-15	16-20	21-30
8	ARMS & ABS	LIGHT	12-15	16-20	21-30

The cool thing about this workout is that it incorporates cardio and abdominal work every day.

Each exercise set is followed up with a 60 second high intensity cardio interval (to keep heart rate up).

I’m currently at the end of the first 4 days, so I’m a little sore and achy. I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s chest session!

This program is already showing promise. It should help me shred the excess blubber and build lean muscles. My plan is to return to Winnie as fit-looking as possible.

To my darling Winnie, I Love You; To the Moon & Back. I Miss you very much. I cannot wait to see you when I return, on FaceTime and in my dreams...