Anyone ever get the feeling that they are not getting anywhere?
I think it's just one of those days where I feel like I'm not getting anywhere in my cut. When I started using fitday and really watched my calories I initially dropped about 3kgs without losing any strength but it seems to have stopped. What made it worse is the photos I have a month apart show no change at all.
Some background stats for interest:
Height: 183cm (5'11")
Weight: 80kg (before cut 83kg)
Bodyfat: 20% on Navy test (which I don't think can be rght) and 15% on Tape measure test
I'm not going to give up but I'm definitely feeling a little deflated trying to shift maybe the last 5kgs or so. Just venting really, it is so bloody hard trying to cut just a little bit of fat off!
Can totally understand why people do crazy things to get the results they want
OK so thought I'd give a brief intro before I fire into detailing my workouts and diet. Doing this thread really just for myself, to get my thoughts and workout down so it's not all in my head and I can look back and see if I'm doing things right.
Alot can be seen in the first post, basically aiming to cut my bodyfat before I go off to Oz for 5 weeks in June.
Always been reasonably fit and been going to the gym since I was 17 - but until about a year ago I was a cardio numpty. Since changing to primarily resistance training I have put on just over half a stone, unintentionally bulking at the end of last year. Hence now aiming to cut a bit to look more defined before going on holiday. I always did things in quite a haphazard way so stayed pretty much the same (in terms of fitness and look).
Now I have more of a plan and have noticed some improvements already since counting my calories and mixing up my routine in the gym (down 3kgs and still adding weight on some exercises). However, you'll notice from the first post I was worried that I'd plaeuteud.
So as you can see from the stats I'm a bit out of proportion. In general I look just bulky rather than fat, but I have a big chest that tends to make things hang off me. The real problem area that I'm doing this for is the dreaded moobs. While they aren't that bad, still too much fat for my liking.
In terms of goals I am focusing on just cutting my bodyfat to look better. I'm not intending on becoming freakishly lean or bigger - prefer to look athletic rather than big/skinny.
All going to plan I will be leaner for Oz, put weight on chilling on the beach and eating ostrich and then bulk from July on. Training and diet to follow :)
Diet wise I'm aiming for 1800 cals a day, aiming to get a healthy mix of carbs, protein and fats.
Must admit I'm of the thinking calories are calories but I am completely truthful on my Fitday
I log absolutely everything, though did find it annoying at first as fitday is American. What I've found easier is to enter my foods as custom foods as I tend to eat the same things anyway.
I haven't completely cut anything from my diet - just make sure that I am including it in my daily allowance. I take alot of my thinking from places like T-nation - though T-nation is geared to body building rather than general fitness. A friend is testing the velocity diet, and while it is tempting - seems a little extreme for me and not suistainable
Since I started properly weight training I must say the biggest thing has been my diet. At first I used to eat huge amounts (hence the unintentional bulk) and didn't have a clue as to how many calories I should be eating. Since I have started logging my calories I have lost some weight already and today (good day) feel like I'm looking leaner.
well done on what you've achieved so far. A good thing i've found is to take photos of yourself every month. I have taken photos standing in the same place in my bathroom and it's astounding the difference. I've lost 10lb in the past 8 weeks so not loads but can see the difference in the photos.
Keep it up and keep posting, measuring, weighing and taking the photos
well done on what you've achieved so far. A good thing i've found is to take photos of yourself every month. I have taken photos standing in the same place in my bathroom and it's astounding the difference. I've lost 10lb in the past 8 weeks so not loads but can see the difference in the photos.
Keep it up and keep posting, measuring, weighing and taking the photos
Ian :D
thanks ian. I have been taking photos to track changes, but you'll know yourself that you're always your worst critic!
I should add that I'm slap bang in the middle of my exams so have been letting my diet slip a bit. But even when I am slipping it is not crazy and I am still below my basal metabolic calories so I've not been worrying bout it too much
Ok so here's the routine I've been doing since Monday, as I used to do upper/lower splits a la Boditronics lose fat routine but have swtiched to full bodies, so far every other day.
I tend to do exercises in pairs, with at most 1-2 mins between exercises (depending on setting up weights, how busy the gym is, etc).
Did try the whole 5/5 cadence thing but didn't like it so am more 2/2, hence do two sets of each exercise. I complete at least 8 of each exercise, if I can get to 12 then I up the weight next time (still adding weight to some exercises so happy days)
I try to mix it up so I'm not always doing the same exercises first, but usually start with compound moves (as I was really convinced by a T-nation article that said unless you had been working out hardcore for a couple of years, compounds were the most important).
Start with 10 mins cardio to get the blood pumping on a cross-trainer usually - much prefer this type of warming up over starting with weights straight away
Typical routine (with shiny links if you want to see how it's done):
I have done more than this before (adding a couple more exercises in) but found that it was too much volume and I wasn't working hard enough on everything else. So I tend to limit it to 8 exercises then hit the showers, as I'm usually sweating like a pedo on sports day
