Sunday weigh in:

195lbs @ 28.5% on tanita scales / 24.4% accumeasure calipers

Weight GAIN of 2lbs for the week. I think that I am back into in the "Obese" bracket!

Scales indicate weight gain comes from muscle. Calipers say from fat. I tend to beleive the calipers! Honestly before Tuesday my eating wasn't the greatest and I can only tell you that it went seriously downhill from there. I'm not sure where all this came from really - I was cruising along.

It has made me stop and think though and I've set out a whole new set of records and targets to tack up on the walls of my bedroom. I still have the same goals, its just that I was looking back at how far I've come instead of concentrating on going forward.

I've given myself 12 weeks to drop 20lbs and maintain muscle mass. That should leave me around 175lbs @ 15% BF - from there I'd really need to think about adding some muscle onto my frame (especially my legs!)

Z-Health
Ankle Tilts / Ankle Pulls / Hip-Leg Circles / Thoracic Glides / Neck - Turns, tilts, glides / Shoulder Circles - top, bottom, front across, side back (Nerve Glide for shoulder)/ Elbow Circles / Wrist Circles / Shoulder Dislocates

Two Arm KB Swings @ 24kgs
5 x 30 rounds 8 secs / 12 secs rest
Total: 150 reps in 10 mins

Food Intake:
3 Slices Chicken
Farl of Soda with Marmalade

200g Chicken
2 x wholemeal tortillas
Peppers, Lettuce
Salad cream

12" Pizza
3 Snickers Flapjacks

Ok - so today was a disaster nutritionally speaking. I've been mulling over why it was though, because I wasn't necessarily all that hungry. I think I ate it all because I felt so devoid of energy, like I really needed to get some gas in the tank, and I needed it now!

It has been really good weather here for the last few weeks - I've also been working hard through it - and seem to be getting less and less sleep. So along with reduced calories the recovery side of things has been steadily worsening. Looks like I've come up against my old nemesis Overtraining.

My shoulder has been causing me to wake up through the night and is certainly getting no better. This seems like a good time to take a break from training for a week or so. I shall stick with the clean(ish) eating and then add some KB stuff back in slowly if I'm sleeping better and feeling a bit more with it. I should probably not expect to lose much weight during this period either.

It may be a good time to reread Relax into Stretch.

Monday

Food Intake:
5 eggs ( 1 yoke)
2 x wholemeal tortillas
Peppers, Lettuce
Salad cream

Can of Tuna
2 x wholemeal tortillas
Peppers, Lettuce
Salad cream

155g Chicken
1 cup brown rice
2 cups stir fry veg
Hoisin Sauce

Sunday weigh in:

193lbs @ 29.3% on tanita scales / 23.2% accumeasure calipers

Weight Loss of 1.4lbs for the week. I think that I am no longer in the "Obese" bracket!

Scales indicate loss of weight comes from muscle. Calipers have finally reached the lower range and suggest that there is an increase in muscle and good few pounds fat loss. Yesterday the scales gave me a reading of 28% so I'm inclined to believe that most of this weight is fat loss and its possible (not least from all the work I've been doing) that I may have added a little muscle. The mirror and the way my clothes (don't) fit back this up.

Last week I talked about tightening it up a bit as far as the diet goes - it turns out I was all talk again. I have been upping the calories with more chicken portions so I'd guess ( I really shouldn't have to guess) that my macronutrient ratios are closer to 40/40/20 now. I suppose that as long as it works I'm not going to be motivated to change it.

Z-Health
Ankle Tilts / Ankle Pulls / Hip-Leg Circles / Thoracic Glides / Neck - Turns, tilts, glides / Shoulder Circles - top, bottom, front across, side back (Nerve Glide for shoulder)/ Elbow Circles / Wrist Circles / Shoulder Dislocates

Sledge Hammer Strikes & One Arm KB Swings Alternated
5 L/R x 100 rounds 8 secs / 12 secs rest
Total: 250 Sledge & 250 KB

5 KB Swings Left - 12 sec rest - 5 Hammer Strikes Left - 12 sec rest - 5 KB Swings Right - 12 sec rest - etc etc

Food Intake:
5 Eggs ( 1 yoke)
1 cup Stir fry veg
1/2 cup of oatmeal
1 cup skimmed milk
3 fish oil capsules
Green Tea

200g Chicken
2 x wholemeal tortillas
Peppers, Lettuce
Salad cream

100g Chicken Breast
1 Cup Oatmeal
2 Cups Milk
1 Banana
dash of Cinnamon

Pretty tired now after doing a little work this morning - my training - and a 3 mile walk with the dog. The training wasn't too bad as I was going through it but its catching up on me now. A little unprepared on the food dept and I just had to go through the cupboards to see what I could have. I'd best get myself off to a supermarket tomorrow or not only will tomorrow be a disaster it'll knock me off the whole week as I won't be about that much.

Z-Health
Ankle Tilts / Ankle Pulls / Hip-Leg Circles / Thoracic Glides / Neck - Turns, tilts, glides / Shoulder Circles - top, bottom, front across, side back (Nerve Glide for shoulder)/ Elbow Circles / Wrist Circles / Shoulder Dislocates

TGUs @ 16kgs KB: 11 L/R

Food Intake:
155g Chicken
2 x wholemeal tortillas
Onion, Peppers, Lettuce, Tomato
Salad cream

5 Eggs ( 1 yoke)
2 cups Stir fry veg
1/2 cup of oatmeal
1 cup skimmed milk
3 fish oil capsules
Green Tea

Threw the eggs and stir fry out as it was disgusting for some reason. I then ate the following:
4 Chocolate biscuits
1 Bun
1/2 Pint of Milk

200g Chicken Breast
1 1/2 Medium Potato Wedges
Onion, Peppers, Lettuce
Salad cream

Z-Health
Ankle Tilts / Ankle Pulls / Hip-Leg Circles / Thoracic Glides / Neck - Turns, tilts, glides / Shoulder Circles - top, bottom, front across, side back (Nerve Glide for shoulder)/ Elbow Circles / Wrist Circles / Shoulder Dislocates

Sledge Hammer Swings: 10 L/R x 10 Total: 200

Food Intake:
SuperShake
2 scoops protein
300ml skimmed milk
banana
1 cup raspberries
tsp Cod Liver Oil

Can of Tuna
2 x wholemeal tortillas
Onion, Peppers, Lettuce, Tomato
Salad cream

200g Chicken Breast
1 1/2 Medium Potato Wedges
2 Cups Broccoli
Salad cream

At work today again and I'm feeling pretty drained this week. I decided to just do something quick when I got back and saw the tyre and hammer laying around. I've always thought that they go well with KB swings so the plan is to do some TGUs tomorrow and then do a KB & Hammer swing session on saturday for the craic.

Working all day - too hot and too drained to train

Z-Health
Ankle Tilts / Ankle Pulls / Hip-Leg Circles / Thoracic Glides / Neck - Turns, tilts, glides / Shoulder Circles - top, bottom, front across, side back (Nerve Glide for shoulder)/ Elbow Circles / Wrist Circles / Shoulder Dislocates

Food Intake:
SuperShake
2 scoops protein
300ml skimmed milk
banana
1 cup raspberries
tsp Cod Liver Oil

Can of Tuna
2 x wholemeal tortillas
Onion, Peppers, Lettuce, Tomato
Salad cream

100g Chicken Breast
Vegetarian Pizza
200g Cottage Cheese with 1tsp of fruit salad (rotten!)

Tuesday - work all day

Food Intake:
5 Eggs (1 Yoke)
2 x wholemeal tortillas
Onion, Peppers, Lettuce, Tomato
Salad cream

Can of Tuna
2 x wholemeal tortillas
Onion, Peppers, Lettuce, Tomato
Salad cream

200g Chicken
1 cup brown rice
2 cups stir fry veg
Hoisin Sauce

Monday

Z-Health
Ankle Tilts / Ankle Pulls / Hip-Leg Circles / Thoracic Glides / Neck - Turns, tilts, glides / Shoulder Circles - top, bottom, front across, side back (Nerve Glide for shoulder)/ Elbow Circles / Wrist Circles / Shoulder Dislocates

TGUs 10 e/s @ 16kgs KB - pretty tough, not timed but more or less fired out one after the other straight away. Shoulder felt pretty good.

Skipping - 15 mins - tougher than I thought it would be.

Food Intake:
5 Eggs ( 1 yoke)
2 cups Stir fry veg
1/2 cup of oatmeal
1 cup skimmed milk
3 fish oil capsules
Green Tea

155g Beef
1 cup brown rice
2 cups stir fry veg
Curry Sauce - not recommended

155g Beef
1 cup brown rice
2 cups stir fry veg
Curry Sauce - not recommended

Sunday

Z-Health
Ankle Tilts / Ankle Pulls / Hip-Leg Circles / Thoracic Glides / Neck - Turns, tilts, glides / Shoulder Circles - top, bottom, front across, side back (Nerve Glide for shoulder pain throughout day)/ Elbow Circles / Wrist Circles

Food Intake:
5 Eggs ( 1 yoke)
2 cups Stir fry veg
1/2 cup of oatmeal
1 cup skimmed milk
3 fish oil capsules
Green Tea

sunday roast dinner
choc cake & ice cream

100g Chicken
1 cup brown rice
2 cups stir fry veg
Hoisin Sauce
4 Choc Chip Biscuits

Sunday weigh in:

194.4lbs @ 29.2% on tanita scales / 24.4% accumeasure calipers

Weight Loss of 3lbs for the week (Under 14st again!)

Scales indicate just under 2lbs of fat loss and about 1lb loss in muscle. I've hit the same chart range with the calipers for the third week running - but if I shift less than 1mm then I'll drop over 1% BF.

So taking a break had quite a major effect on my body when I started reducing again this week. Really I've only eaten the same sort of calories I was before I re-calculated - 1800 as opposed to 2050 - and I've suffered for it by losing 1lb of muscle. Also there is still too much junk going down the hatch (there will be some more today as well!). I want to save a few "treats" for Sundays now and up my calories on a Wednesday with a shake instead of pizza and biscuits.

I've had a whole lot to lose and have been able to get away with multiple indiscretions up to now but the closer I get to around 175lbs the more I'm going to need to tighten up especially if my goal is to burn fat and feed the muscle.

Z-Health
Ankle Tilts / Ankle Pulls / Hip-Leg Circles / Thoracic Glides / Neck - Turns, tilts, glides / Shoulder Circles - top, bottom, front across, side back (Nerve Glide for shoulder)/ Elbow Circles / Wrist Circles / Shoulder Dislocates

Shoulder Dislocates x 10

Naked TGUs for 15 mins - felt awesome

Two Handed Swings - 8/12 secs for 6 rounds @ 16kgs - stopped because it didn't feel right with the injury I sustained through the week

Naked TGUs for 15 mins - felt awesome. Not sure how many TGUs I did but at the end of both 15 min periods I was doing an average of 3 per minute and was hardly even out of breath. Not bad for someone who was puffing after doing 2 not so long ago.

Shoulder Dislocates / Lying floor stretch

Food Intake:
5 Eggs ( 1 yoke)
2 cups Stir fry veg
1/2 cup of oatmeal
1 cup skimmed milk
3 fish oil capsules
Green Tea

SuperShake
2 scoops protein
300ml skimmed milk
banana
1 cup raspberries
tsp Cod Liver Oil

155g Chicken
1 Cup Brown Rice
Peppers, Red Onion
Curry Sauce

Z-Health
Ankle Tilts / Ankle Pulls / Hip-Leg Circles / Thoracic Glides / Neck - Turns, tilts, glides / Shoulder Circles - top, bottom, front across, side back (Nerve Glide for shoulder)/ Elbow Circles / Wrist Circles / Shoulder Dislocates

Food Intake:
5 Eggs ( 1 yoke)
2 cups Stir fry veg
1/2 cup of oatmeal
1 cup skimmed milk
3 fish oil capsules
Green Tea

1 Large Vege Pizza
Chicken breast
Salad cream
4 choc chip cookies

Ended up at work today and was completly unprepared. I counted up all the calories though and I should be very close if not even under my daily allowance. Not ideal but neither is it the disaster it may first look.

Z-Health
Ankle Tilts / Ankle Pulls / Hip-Leg Circles / Thoracic Glides / Neck - Turns, tilts, glides / Shoulder Circles - top, bottom, front across, side back (Nerve Glide for shoulder)/ Elbow Circles / Wrist Circles / Shoulder Dislocates

Food Intake:
5 Eggs ( 1 yoke)
2 cups Stir fry veg
1/2 cup of oatmeal
1 cup skimmed milk
3 fish oil capsules
Green Tea

155g Chicken
1 Baked Potato
2 cups broccoli
Cajun Sauce

155g Chicken
1 Baked Potato
2 cups broccoli
Cajun Sauce

Z-Health
Ankle Tilts / Ankle Pulls / Hip-Leg Circles / Thoracic Glides / Neck - Turns, tilts, glides / Shoulder Circles - top, bottom, front across, side back (Nerve Glide for shoulder)/ Elbow Circles / Wrist Circles / Shoulder Dislocates

Shoulder Dislocates x 10

Naked TGUs x 10 e/s - felt awesome

Goblet Squats 3 x 5 @ 16kgs KB - felt shit

One Handed Swings - 8/12 secs for 25 rounds @ 16kgs
(5 swings every 8 secs for a total of 125) - stopped because I pulled something in upper back

Shoulder Dislocates / Lying floor stretch / Overhead hanging stretch - shoulders feel awesome

Food Intake:
5 Eggs ( 1 yoke)
2 cups Stir fry veg
1/2 cup of oatmeal
1 cup skimmed milk
3 fish oil capsules
Green Tea

155g Chicken
2 Wholewheat Tortillas
Peppers, Red Onion, Lettuce
Spices, Salsa, Guacamole

155g Chicken
2 Wholewheat Tortillas
Peppers, Red Onion, Lettuce
Spices, Salsa, Guacamole

SuperShake
2 scoops protein
300ml skimmed milk
banana
1 cup raspberries
tsp Cod Liver Oil

Re-feed night and I decided to try something different than shoving cake down my cakehole.

Z-Health
Ankle Tilts / Ankle Pulls / Hip-Leg Circles / Thoracic Glides / Neck - Turns, tilts, glides / Shoulder Circles - top, bottom, front across, side back (Nerve Glide for shoulder)/ Elbow Circles / Wrist Circles / Shoulder Dislocates

Food Intake:
5 Eggs ( 1 yoke)
2 cups Stir fry veg
1/2 cup of oatmeal
1 cup skimmed milk
3 fish oil capsules
Green Tea

155g Chicken
1 cup brown rice
2 cups stir fry veg
Schezwhan Sauce

155g Chicken
2 Wholewheat Tortillas
Peppers, Red Onion, Lettuce
Spices, Salsa, Guacamole

Z-Health
Ankle Tilts / Ankle Pulls / Hip-Leg Circles / Thoracic Glides / Neck - Turns, tilts, glides / Shoulder Circles - top, bottom, front across, side back (Nerve Glide for shoulder)/ Elbow Circles / Wrist Circles

Shoulder Dislocates x 10

Naked TGUs x 8 e/s

Goblet Squats 3 x 5 @ 16kgs KB

MP Ladders - (1,2,3,4,5) x 2 No rest between rungs

One Handed Swings - 8/12 secs for 52 rounds @ 16kgs
(5 swings every 8 secs for a total of 260)

Shoulder Dislocates / Lying floor stretch / Overhead hanging stretch
as detailed here

Food Intake:
5 Eggs ( 1 yoke)
2 cups Stir fry veg
1/2 cup of oatmeal
1 cup skimmed milk
1/2 scoop protein powder
1/2 banana
3 fish oil capsules
Green Tea

155g Chicken
1 cup brown rice
2 cups stir fry veg
Hoisin Sauce

155g Chicken
1 cup brown rice
2 cups stir fry veg
Hoisin Sauce

All about the shoulder - from my own diagnosis I have a rotator cuff problem. From a bit of searching on the web the exercises from Rif's article are recommended for pre/re-hab. I must admit that they do feel pretty good after. I was also packing the shoulder in each and every exercise today to good effect. Very happy with how it went.

Getting more snap in my hips off the 1 hand swings, and I like them better as my left hand doesn't go to sleep with the high volume. I'd like to work my way up to 30 mins of this protocol for a few sessions and then start using the 24kgs KB.

Sunday weigh in:

197.4lbs @ 29.6% on tanita scales / 24.4% accumeasure calipers

Weight Loss of 0.4lbs for the week

Scales indicate just under 1lb of fat loss and about 1/2lb gain in muscle. Calipers chart isn't quite as accurate a reading as the scales - so although I've dropped 1mm in the reading I am still in the same range as last week.

I'd say that I've more than likely gained a little muscle and lost a little fat from last week. I thought the difference might have been greater - and it may well have been if I didn't scoff down a few extra treats through the week.

Overall it was mission accomplished. A week where I got a good amount of calories to re-feed my body after roughly 8 weeks of a large deficit. I figured that I needed to add in roughly 1000kcals per day, but the shake only comes to about 700kcals. Let's just say that I didn't mind erring on the side where I wouldn't gain weight.

Hopefully my body is now primed and ready to lose some more. I shall spend part of today re-calculating calorie intake and doing another meal plan.

Let's see if I can't get under 14 Stones (196lbs) for next week!

Z-Health
Ankle Tilts / Ankle Pulls / Hip-Leg Circles / Thoracic Glides / Neck - Turns, tilts, glides / Shoulder Circles - top, bottom, front across, side back (Nerve Glide for shoulder)/ Elbow Circles / Wrist Circles

Naked TGUs - 5 e/s

Goblet Squats 5 x 5 @ 16kgs KB

MP Ladders - (1,2,3,4,5) x 3 No rest between rungs

One Handed Swings - 8/12 secs for 45 rounds @ 16kgs
(5 swings every 8 secs for a total of 225)

Food Intake:
5 Eggs ( 1 yoke)
2 cups Stir fry veg
1/2 cup of oatmeal
1 cup skimmed milk
3 fish oil capsules
Green Tea

100g Rump Steak
1 Cup Brown Rice
Peppers
Pasta Sauce

SuperShake
2 scoops protein
300ml skimmed milk
1/2 banana
1 cup raspberries
1/2 cup oats
tsp Cod Liver Oil

100g Rump Steak
1 Cup Brown Rice
Peppers
Pasta Sauce

Good session of practice today. Purposefully didn't drive myself into the ground.

By really focusing on keeping my shoulders away from my ears I think that I'm beginning to "get" just how good for your shoulders this exercise might be. The same is true for the MPs -' put your shoulder in your back pocket' is a great cue me.

I do ok with the goblet squats - I get good depth and think I'm pretty much upright. I hate them though, it feels like I'm tearing my hips off my body. Also I can't recreate the movement with bodyweight, I need the KB to counterbalance me.

Looking forward to see what's happened to my body this week at tomorrows weigh in. I'd say that I'll be roughly the same weight but that I'll have dropped fat and gained muscle.

Z-Health
Ankle Tilts / Ankle Pulls / Hip-Leg Circles / Thoracic Glides / Neck - Turns, tilts, glides / Shoulder Circles - top, bottom, front across, side back (Nerve Glide for shoulder)/ Elbow Circles / Wrist Circles

Food Intake:
5 Eggs ( 1 yoke)
2 cups Stir fry veg
1/2 cup of oatmeal
1 cup skimmed milk
3 fish oil capsules
Green Tea

100g Chicken
Potato Salad
Lettuce Peppers, Tomatoes

SuperShake
2 scoops protein
300ml skimmed milk
1/2 banana
1 cup raspberries
1/2 cup oats
tsp Cod Liver Oil

100g Chicken
2 Wholewheat Tortillas
Lettuce Peppers, Tomatoes

Slice lemon Cake
4 Cookies
1/2 Pint milk - Ooops!

Z-Health
Ankle Tilts / Ankle Pulls / Hip-Leg Circles / Thoracic Glides / Neck - Turns, tilts, glides / Shoulder Circles - top, bottom, front across, side back (Nerve Glide for shoulder pain throughout day)/ Elbow Circles / Wrist Circles

Food Intake:
SuperShake
2 scoops protein
300ml skimmed milk
1/2 banana
1 cup raspberries
1/2 cup oats
tsp Cod Liver Oil

Can of Tuna
2 x wholemeal tortillas
Onion, Peppers, Lettuce, Tomato
Salad cream

Can of Tuna
2 x wholemeal tortillas
Onion, Peppers, Lettuce, Tomato
Salad cream

5 Eggs ( 1 yoke)
2 cups Stir fry veg
1/2 cup of oatmeal
1 cup skimmed milk
1/2 banana
3 fish oil capsules
Green Tea

Work today - pretty tough, warm day and very draining. Drank about 2 litres of water when I got home and was still thirsty! Also I have been fighting the urge to go downstairs and finish off the lemon cake I bought last night. I think that yesterdays KB session and todays work have tipped me over the edge and that I'll skip training tomorrow and do something lighter on Saturday.

This is the way I've felt in the past when I must have been pushing myself too hard. It always resulted in bingeing. Shouldn't be happening this week either considering I've upped the calories to maintenance level. Also on that note I've been struggling to eat as much as I have been, makes me feel sick and bloated at times.

Z-Health
Ankle Tilts / Ankle Pulls / Hip-Leg Circles / Thoracic Glides / Neck - Turns, tilts, glides / Shoulder Circles - top, bottom, front across, side back (Nerve Glide for shoulder)/ Elbow Circles / Wrist Circles

Naked TGUs x 5 e/s

Goblet Squats 3 x 5 @ 16kgs KB (good depth)

MP 16kgs KB / Assisted Pull Up Ladders (1,2,3,4,5) x 2

Swings - 8/12 secs for 76 rounds @ 16kgs
(5 swings every 8 secs for a total of 380)
First 25 rounds were 1 armed then a mixture

Food Intake:
5 Eggs ( 1 yoke)
2 cups Stir fry veg
1/2 cup of oatmeal
1 cup skimmed milk
3 fish oil capsules
Green Tea

100g Chicken
Baked Potato
Brocolli
Cajun Sauce

1 Slice bacon
100g Chicken
1 cup wholewheat pasta
1 cup peppers
Pasta Sauce

Magnum Classic
Slice of Lemon Cake
3 Biscuits
1/2 pint of milk

Decided after training that I wouldn't have time to make my dinner and a shake - it seems I did have time to abuse my diet with crap!

Training had it's ups and downs. TGUs went well and I was really concentrating on keeping my shoulders packed. The result was pain free shoulders. However the pull ups ( not the presses funnily) were really aggrivating my right shoulder so I cut the ladders short. I think I might have to cut pull ups altogether for a while. Hopefully dropping a lot of body fat will be enough to get me approaching 5 pull ups anyway and I can let my shoulder clear in the meantime.

I remembered to put on my HR monitor for the swings. The 1 handed ones were lifting my HR to roughly 170bpms and I dropped to around 163bpms for the 2 handed. 165 was the average for over 25mins work - not too shabby.

Edit: Apparently 1 RM of 198lbs would mean that at 175lbs I should be able to do 5 reps....providing I don't loss strength in the process of dropping another 23lbs. A big ask but at least it gives me some hope :)

Tuesday

Z-Health
Ankle Tilts / Ankle Pulls / Hip-Leg Circles / Thoracic Glides / Neck - Turns, tilts, glides / Shoulder Circles - top, bottom, front across, side back (Nerve Glide for shoulder)/ Elbow Circles / Wrist Circles

Food Intake:
5 Eggs ( 1 yoke)
2 cups Stir fry veg
1/2 cup of oatmeal
1 cup skimmed milk
3 fish oil capsules
Green Tea

100g Rump Steak
1 cup brown rice
Peppers
Pasta Sauce

SuperShake
2 scoops protein
300ml skimmed milk
1/2 banana
1 cup raspberries
1/2 cup oats
tsp Cod Liver Oil

100g Rump Steak
1 cup brown rice
Peppers
Pasta Sauce