haakuturi - kill the flab!

[haakuturi]

I don't have a witty title, sorry!

Here's the basics:

Height: 5'5" (I can never remember cms)

Weight: 77kg

BF: Last test (2 weeks ago) was at 26%

Aims:

Weight: don't care

BF: sub-20 to begin with, then re-evaluate

gain muscle, lose fat!

At the moment, my PT has me on a routine of lots (for me) of cardio (3x 5km or 500cal, whichever's first on the x-trainer per week), coupled with endurance weights.

Supplements = l-carnitine before/after cardio, 1x chromium & 4x fish oil daily.

I've been good with the cardio, but am terrified of doing the weights by myself - I really don't know why. I think possibly 'cause I've never done endurance-weights by myself before, I've only ever done the "3 sets of 10-12 reps" style before...

So.

Wed 10 Feb

05:45 session with PT

boxing to warm up

intro to endurance weights

discussion about supplements & cardio.

Fri 12 Feb

5Km on x-trainer - 36 minutes.

Sat 13 Feb

x-trainer 500cal - 54 minutes!! I don't know what the hell happened here, I think it was a gammy xtrainer!

Sun 14 Feb

5km on x-trainer - l-carnitine 1/2 hour beforehand - 24 minutes.

Mon 15 Feb

planning to do 5Km on x-trainer, again with the l-carnitine taken at work before I walk to the gym (takes about 20 minutes).

That's it for me so far - previous to this I was doing strength-weights (3 sets of 10-12 reps etc etc).

When I actually have written down what machines I'm using for endurance, I'll slap 'em down here!

[haakuturi]

oh - and the cardio is at the moment

1 minute at level 12

30 sec at level 1

rinse & repeat for 5Km/500cal

Basically going for the interval training, but 'cause I can't run (stupid shin splints!), it has to be on the xtrainer!

[teamfatboy]

Nice to see the journal - another one of us slaying the flabbular mass

As far as calorie-burning goes, have you thought about a cheap heart-rate monitor? That would let you use equipment that isn't fitted, and you'd get consistency because you'd always be using the same readout, regardless of workout.

[Maximus]

What is your diet like at the moment?

[haakuturi]

Monday 15 Feb - 5.07km, 30 minutes, 350 cal.

I took the l-carnitine at about 1645, which was about 50 minutes before I actually got onto the x-trainer. Didn't seem to burn as hot as the first time I tried, so I think that's too much time between taking it, and actually doing the cardio. Anybody got tips on l-carnitine?

TFB - I haven't thought about a heart-rate monitor at the moment, I'm still very new to cardio. Most cardio I ever really do is the 15-20 minute walk to and from work - that is, until I met my new PT! He did mention something about ideally having a heart-rate monitor 'cause I seem to break the in-built ones on the x-trainers

Maxiumus - my diet has improved a great deal over the last few months! yesterdays diet is as follows (don't judge me on the softdrink, it was a busy day!!):

0615: sultana bran, yoghurt & a banana. 2x fish oil, 1x chromium

0800: protein shake w/ lite blue milk (work doesn't have trim!)

1115: SeaLord tuna & brown rice. Can of diet coke.

1415: last night's chicken-mince lasagna (made with ricotta cheese instead of edam etc)

1540: 600mL coke zero.

1630: SeaLord tuna & brown rice.

1650: 2 tbps L-carnitine.

1850: 2 tbps L-carnitine.

2020: home-made baked wedges (tiny serving as starter)

2045: beef-mince lasagna

2100: 2x fish oil

My PT has me keeping a food diary, which is actually working really well - making me think about stuff before I pig out on shit! ^.^

[Draft]

Watch the artificial sweetners in those diet cokes/coke zeros. I read a couple of studies suggesting they can be detrimental to weight loss. Nothing rock solid but just thought I would mention it.

Keep at it though bro, good stuff on starting a journal, really helps keep you honest eh?

[haakuturi]

Yeah I know the diet sodas aren't any good for me - I just needed the caffeine/fake-sugar buzz yesterday! That, and I thought they've still gotta be better than 'actual' coke

Food diary & journal here I think will be very good at keeping me on track!

I'm seriously not looking forward to Winter though - too many excuses to not go to the gym!!

[haakuturi]

Wednesday 17 Feb

PT Session at 05:45!

told PT that one of the muscles on my shoulder cuff was hurting (I think it's the supraspinatus?) so he showed me a stretch to help it out - worked magic almost instantly!

Warmed up with boxing and crunches (I hate crunches. More than I hate cardio!).

Moved onto the weights - did endurance stuff again, but I can't remember the name of the machines.

Then did 3K on the cross-trainer.

He stretched out my legs, so I had a leg over his shoulder and he made my ass sore. All in public too! ;-)

We had a good chat, just like every time we have a session and he's advised me to take the L-carnitine just before I do my weights (which should only take about 15 minutes apparently) and it'll kick in by the time I start my cardio!

He's also said that we're basically just priming my body for working hard and doing better at weights. Feels more like he's just trying to make me cry or make loud noises with dismally low weights in front of the gods that haunt our weights area! :doh:

I guess I'll cope. If I want to lose the flabular mass (thanks for that term TeamFatBoy!) I have to!

[haakuturi]

Yeah so I failed at keeping a journal - just like I thought I would

Since February (cripes!), I've been continuing on doing 5km on the cross-trainer 5x a week and weights once per week + the session with my PT.

I took a few weeks off about a month ago so I could have a minor surgery, but now I've decided that enough with the lazy; it's time to get back into the swing of things!

This morning I only managed 3km on the cross-trainer - but did it in 13:30 which is frankly amazing to me - I appear to have actually not lost any speed on the cross-trainer in all my time off!

I've also shuffled my PT sessions around. Instead of once per week for an hour, I'm now seeing him twice a week for 30 mins each. So at least that way I'll get a good weights workout twice a week

I hope drizzt doesn't find this disturbing ( ), but I'm now using the progress pics of you as my motivation! :oops:

*edit* I might start adding my food diary here as well; I've stopped keeping a paper one and I've noticed that my eating is slowly becoming more & more un-clean >.<

So far today;

Hubbards Bran & Sultanas w/ megamilk, glass of Fresh Up & (1x Vit B, 1x Vit C & 1x Chromium)

2x 750mL bottles of water

2x poached eggs on toast & a trim latté at Massimo (I spend too much money at this café!)

[haakuturi]

small quick cereal breakfast this morning (at 04:40!!!) of the usual Hubbards Bran & Sultana and a 750mL bottle of water.

Did 5km on the cross-trainer; took 24:00 minutes so not as good as yesterday's time (I'm noticing a difference between cardio at 05:30 and cardio at 06:30).

Had breakfast at the café again - scrambled eggs on wholegrain toast with mushrooms (quite oily, I don't think I should continue eating them lol) and a trim latté.

[teamfatboy]

Did 5km on the cross-trainer; took 24:00 minutes so not as good as yesterday's time (I'm noticing a difference between cardio at 05:30 and cardio at 06:30).

Funnily enough, I was at a seminar a few years ago, talking about workplace performance... and an apparently well-respected behavioural psychologist gave a spiel about health... including mention of some of the features of one's 'body clock'.

As he explained it, in addition to the 24-hour cycle, the body operates on an approximately 90-minute sub-cycle. He said "if you get up at seven am, and have difficulty waking, poor performance through the day, try getting up 30 minutes earlier or later". That simple shift, either way, would bring you closer to the high-point in that cycle - and it seems to be born out in fact, certainly I know that it's been my experience. It might explain some of the difference you've noticed.

Now, it may all be pseudo-science, I haven't researched it accurately...but for what it's worth.

[haakuturi]

Thanks teamfatboy - that's pretty interesting

Hopefully I can keep up with this; do people get bored of looking at food logs? 'cause I'm semi-considering setting a section of my web domain aside to keep a log online. That way I wouldn't fill up space here!

[Pseudonym]

This is your journal, Haakuturi. Log whatever you like (with the possible exception of the X-rated stuff). Actually, I think a food log is a damn good idea.

Oh, and you're not alone in finding Drizzt's progress motivating. I'm so tantalisingly close to his stats, and yet... not quite! Grrr! :pfft:

[haakuturi]

This is your journal, Haakuturi. Log whatever you like (with the possible exception of the X-rated stuff). Actually, I think a food log is a damn good idea.

Oh, and you're not alone in finding Drizzt's progress motivating. I'm so tantalisingly close to his stats, and yet... not quite! Grrr! :pfft:

Heh good to know! I'm still light-years away from his stats >.<

On a totally different note; last night (about ... 17:30ish?) I got out of the car at a mates' place and instantly felt like I was spinning/falling. Now this happens relatively often and if I stop for a few seconds it tends to go away.

This time it didn't. I managed to make it into my mates place and sat on her couch waiting for it to go away but it didn't! I was really nauseous and still felt like I was spinning/falling if I opened my eyes.

Apparently I also went bright red.

I broke out in a whole-body sweat and it was a BIG sweat - people on the other side of the room could see the sweat forming on my face :oops:

It passed after about 15-20 minutes, and I still felt very fragile for a good hour afterwards.

Eventually though I was back to normal. It was WEIRD! I was quite concerned during, but when I came right, I just wanted to forget about it.

Is it worth seeing a Dr at some point, even though I feel fine now? :-s

[Ronin]

.

Is it worth seeing a Dr at some point, even though I feel fine now? :-s

UUmmmmmmm, yes. I'm no doctor, and e-diagnosis is generally a bad thing, but dizziness, faintness, massive all-over sweats, nausea, are not the normal things for your body to spontaneously do. And if it seems to be getting worse, I wouldn't waste any time. Get down to an urgent doctor asap

[teamfatboy]

On a totally different note; last night (about ... 17:30ish?) I got out of the car at a mates' place and instantly felt like I was spinning/falling. Now this happens relatively often and if I stop for a few seconds it tends to go away.

This time it didn't. I managed to make it into my mates place and sat on her couch waiting for it to go away but it didn't! I was really nauseous and still felt like I was spinning/falling if I opened my eyes.

Apparently I also went bright red.

I broke out in a whole-body sweat and it was a BIG sweat - people on the other side of the room could see the sweat forming on my face :oops:

It passed after about 15-20 minutes, and I still felt very fragile for a good hour afterwards.

Is it worth seeing a Dr at some point, even though I feel fine now? :-s

Not "at some point" - soon.

My 2c worth, this doesn't sound like something to be trifled with.. it may be benign and easily treated but if it's not, the sooner you know, the better.

[haakuturi]

I ended up going to the A&E 'cause I spent most of today with a horrid migraine-like headache & still felt like vomiting!

The (young) Dr has diagnosed me with Benign paroxysmal postional vertigo which explains the dizziness, but I'm not 100% convinced because it's only meant to last "up to" a few minutes. Not half an hour, and not accompanied with full-body sweats etc.

So now I have anti-nausea tablets to take to see if that helps things. If not, it's back to the A&E I go! And at $97 per visit, I'm bloody glad I have Southern Cross healthcare!!!

On the plus side, I felt well enough to attend the Julian Clary show Lord of the Mince tonight (I won tickets yesterday at work!!) and enjoyed myself immensely! That man has such a posh voice and yet such a massive potty mouth

[haakuturi]

So far today I've had:

06:30:

Sultanas & Bran w/ milk

cup of tea

2x 1000mg Fish oil <-- for joints

1x 400μg Chromium picolinate <-- as directed by PT

1x Vit B / executive stress thing from Blackmores <-- helps with sleeping

1x Vit C, horseradish & garlic <-- fighting off the last vestiges of a cold

08:00

trim latté <-- which was not up to FRED's usual standards!

Now it's time for a 15 minute break and I've discovered I forgot to bring my protein shakes! =/

Went & got a Sealord tuna w/ crackers thing (Basil & tomato). $3.90ea =/

Lunch -12:30

4pc katsu chicken sushi & 3 moochi.

500mL genmai flavoured green tea.

2x ibuprofen - my neck & shoulders seized up! I'm putting this down to the episode on Friday night, and the near-constant headache I've had since.

15:45 - final 15 min break

Sealord tuna w/ crackers again; only this time it was lemon pepper. Slightly closer to being palatable, but seemed really oily!

I have my first 1/2 hour PT session @ 18:30 tonight - I was planning on doing cardio from the time I get to the gym until it's time to see my PT. But seeing as how this headache is *still* lingering, I'm thinking I might skip that and do more in the way of stretches etc before my session.

[haakuturi]

so, while I was waiting for my pt session I jumped on the tanita scales:

height 165cm

weight 77kg

bmr 1772kcal <-- is this what I need per day?

fat% 25.4. <-- not bad about a month off!!

fat-free mass 57.4kg

desirable fat% is apparently 8-20%! that's a ways off... :-(

then I did 2km to kill some time

[teamfatboy]

so, while I was waiting for my pt session I jumped on the tanita scales:

bmr 1772kcal <-- is this what I need per day?

Have a look at this thread which explains the main equations for working out daily cals...

[haakuturi]

heh thanks - I'd just posted there complaining at all the acronyms!!

[haakuturi]

omg omg I've broken through to two pages!

Saw the PT last night (and found out he's leaving in 3 weeks :cry: ).

Did some machines-work:

* press-thing - grips are a little lower than shoulder height. One foot forward/one back. Brace down and explode out and pressing through shoulders to end up with arms fully extended above my head. (I can't believe I haven't asked what the machine is called!)

* Seated overhead shoulder press (same brand of machine as previous. Big white monstrosities)

* Tricep press on cables

* seated overhead pulldowns

* crunches :cry:

No gym this morning - still feeling shitty and queasy in the mornings! =/

* 06:30 - bran & sultana + supps

* 08:00 - protein shake & banana (I was hungry!!!)

* 10:30 - protein shake

* 11:30 - lunch!

* fettucine w/ pasta sauce, brocolli & grilled chicken.

* 13:00 and I'm starving again!!

Not happy with the continually feeling queasy thing so have booked to see my GP at 15:15 today. Will update when I'm done with him!

[haakuturi]

Saw my GP yesterday - he's reassured me that from what he can tell; everything checks out and I don't need to be overly concerned about the weird dizzy spell on Friday night.

He's ascribed my constant headache & neck/shoulder pain down to too much upper body workouts & not enough postural care. Apparently I'm doing well with having my shoulders down & back a bit, but my head is still a bit too far forward So when I see my PT tonight I'm guessing it'll be a legs session! \:D/

Anyway; Wednesday.

06:15 - bran & sultana w/ milk. 2x fish oil (1000mg), 1x Vit B & 1x Chromium.

Already halfway through my first 750mL bottle of water as well!

[haakuturi]

Friday morning, just finished my 5k on the cross-trainer. 24:38 and 282cal.

I think I'm just going to accept my 05:30 Friday starts as not as good as an 06:00/06:30 start. My partner opens the gym on Fridays, otherwise I'd be there later!!

Time for coffee & scrambled eggs @ Café Massimo now! :-D

[startinfromscratch]

happy bday brah!