Adrian's fitness & training log

[adrian]

Though rather nervous about the massive commitment attached to starting a thread here, and not currently in a position to perform any of the training, and by association logging that one might readily associate with a "training log" ("why?", you ask - "keep reading" I say - if indeed your patience remains), I remain motivated, and hopefully the action of committing to paper (for want of a more accurate term) will help me to clarify not only my goals, but also the methods I plan on employing to achieve them. I have previously found when considering the effects of my training, that the information which would help me in proper analysis is sadly drawn from hazy memory, and thus my calculations are no more useful than had they been divined from tea leaves.

To begin, a little history - having ever been overtly self-conscious, particularly with regard to being overweight, it was around 4 years ago when first I ventured inside a gym (I am 25 now). The weight dropped off overnight, and I discovered an enthusiasm for athletic pursuits that I would never have previously imagined. In hindsight, there were plenty of hints I could have picked up on (really enjoying the occasional game of football, and a mean competitive streak etc etc), but I never followed through on it. I recall when I was very young (early teens) doing thing like feigning sickness to get out of cross country runs, and hating impending school sporting events, whereas now I would bite your hand off to do any kind of competitive activity.

Though I never really tracked my weight, I recall reading numbers from the scales of the order of 16stone (220 lbs), and my mother's cutting remark that my Dad's trousers would not fit me. I now weigh 156 lbs w/10% bf. It seems somewhat odd to me to write those numbers down, because they present a loss which is a lot more significant that I believed it to be. Thinking about it as I type, I remember always being the big guy at school, and always getting picked first for the likes of rugby (because the big guys are traditionally effective), whereas now people will call me 'skinny' - not lean, I hasten to add - 'skinny'.

My training has largely been unfocused, with a big emphasis on cardio, lost if you will amongst a barrage of different information and approaches, but what I have never lacked is effort - I never really made solid decisions about how to best channel my energy, because I didn't know what I was trying to achieve - this changes now.

As I said before, my big emphasis was on cardio - I'm a runner, and have done a small amount of competitive distance running in the last couple of years - I run a sub 40 minute 10k, and a sub 100 minute 1/2 marathon. I feel somewhat addicted to the training, and if I go 1 day without a run I develop massive guilt, in spite of the fact that I know I am probably doing myself more harm than good. In amongst all the running, I do no small amount of resistance training, and am pretty well defined, if obviously lacking completely in bulk @ 156 lbs. I have arrived at the conclusion that my hours doing squats\benches\etc etc are largely wasted because of the sheer volume of activity in which I engage.

This all came to a head in December when I slipped whilst running and took a chunk out of my leg which prevented me from bending it at the knee for more than a month. In spite of the fact that it has now healed, I (inevitably) tried to do too much too soon in coming back, and am now nursing a gastrocnemius tear, as well as something wrong with my lower back (I wonder if this is related to having been sitting strangely for so long with the injured leg). Having taken days off here and there for the past month to try and let these things clear up, I succeeded only in making them worse, and am now on day 2 of an enforced lay-off. I could go out running tonight, and I could go and do some deadlifts etc, but I keep telling myself that I would only make things worse. I have to give them a chance to heal, and so I plan on at least 3 more days on the sidelines (until Saturday at the earliest). I will not have gone that long without a work out of some description in longer than 2 years.

In nutritional terms, it used to be that I had a very sweet tooth, whereas now I eat completely clean, and I feel that may be something of a problem for me in terms of getting enough calories on board - I love my food, and eat to the point of stomach ache every day for no weight gain. Note that this does not stop me from over analysing everything that passes my lips with regard to undesirable fat gain. I'm reasonably sure that I need to go with more calorie dense choices, especially pre-and post cardio, but for right now am going to start by tracking my foods properly (that will go in this thread too). I've got the 6 meals a day, and food-every-3-or-4-hours things nailed, but I do feel that I back load my day somewhat, engaging as I do in the bulk of my activity after 5 o'clock, and not wanting to over-eat during my (very sedentary) time at work - the food log will confirm my suspicions.

My big idea is that the duration of my layoff will provide me with sufficient time to analyse what I need to do in order to (in the next 100 days-ish):

1) Gain 5 lbs of lean tissue, with no (massive) fat gain side effects.
2) Complete the Sheffield 1/2 marathon (20th may) in under 100 minutes.

Above all, I want to make sure that I am no longer frustrated by injuries for which I know I can blame myself - this starts by not forcing my comeback, and continues with some fact-based (as opposed to fuzzy-recollection based) nutrition and exercise decisions.

[.V.]

Welcome to online fitness journaling. Many of us watch but don't always comment. Keeping a journal does help keep one motivated and honest in their training. It's great to help stay on track to reach your goals.

Adding 5lbs of LBM without becoming too fat isn't that difficult if your training and diet are on track.

From one formerly too fat, now too skinny guy to another...best to you in your training efforts.

Welcome Adrian. I'm glad you've committed to an Online Journal here at DiscussFitness.

You've got a decent 10k time under your belt. I'll be paying attention to the details of your journal so I can learn something from you.

Have a great day!

[tim_mcf]

Such lovely sentence structure...

Welcome to DF!

[minime]

welcome to df... you write beautifully

[gymgirl]

adrian, welcome to online journaling! Your comments regarding the slight depression/guilt you felt when missing a run/workout or injury really resinate with me. i had similiar issues, hurt my back, then knee, the shoulder and it was so hard to just take it easy. i was always overwhelmed with guilt. you are very smart to rest and recover, jumping back into things too soon will lead to futher injury as you mentioned.

best of luck!

[adrian]

Thank you all for your words both encouraging and complimentary - I shall endeavour to persist not only with the act itself of making the diary, but with making it of interest to others too - I have certainly been interested and subsequently inspired in reading of other members travails in their journals.

a_welch503 - I would concur that the addition of 5lbs lbm represents a fairly modest goal - I would however hesitate to set myself a target that I might not reach, having persisted for so long with a training regimen for which growth has not been the primary concern. I plan on weekly measurements, commencing when I feel fit enough to start back in the gym - however accurate or inaccurate electronic body composition scales may be (such are those available to me), I would consider the relative data produced to be the most important.

Numbers for today, 13th February 2007:

13/02/2007		Weight	Protein	Carbs	Fat	Cals
Reflex Instant Whey	30	23.4	1.2	2.07	112.89
Quaker Oats		25	2.75	15	2	85
Shredded Wheat		25	2.95	17.475	0.65	86.25
					
Tuna			130	32.5	0	0.65	134.55
Apple			200	0	28	0	112
Raw Carrots		200	2	20	0	88
					
Mullerlight Strawberry	200	8.2	15.8	0.2	97.4
Quaker Oats		25	2.75	15	2	85
Wholemeal Bread		28	3.64	11.48	0.84	66.36
					
Boiled Carrots		100	1	8	0	36
Boiled Broad Beans	100	8	20	0	112
Boiled Cauliflower	75	1.5	3	0	18
Boiled Broccoli		150	3	10.5	0	54
Grilled Sausage		100	20	0	20	220
Grilled Chicken Breast	165	37.95	3.96	2.97	188.43
					
Mullerlight Vanilla	200	8.6	15	0.2	95.8
Quaker Oats		50	5.5	30	4	170
Shredded Wheat		25	2.95	17.475	0.65	86.25
					
Strawberries		130	1.3	10.4	0	46.8
Reflex Instant Whey	30	23.4	1.2	2.07	112.89
					
Brazil Nuts		28	3.92	3.36	18.48	158.48
Walnuts	28		4.2	3.92	18.2	159.88
Shredded Wheat		25	2.95	17.475	0.65	86.25
					
Day Total			202.46	268.245	75.63	2412.23
				33.6%	44.5%	21.9%

(note the table columns are perfectly aligned on my screen - is the same true for everyone?)

By my calculations, thats ~800 cals from protein, ~1100 from carbs, and ~600 from fat (calculating total cals by multiplying protein & carb grams by 4, and fat by 7 - this seems not to tally perfectly with the addition of the cals of the constituent foods, but seems accurate to within ~100 cals).

A little heavy on the fat today - the sausages at dinner were largely responsible for this, though they represent something of a rarity - tomorrow I will be upping the protein and dropping the fat to try and get closer to the traditional 40/40/20 split, as I continue to read and decide upon a proper training regime. I would consider the total cals to be a reasonable starting point, which I will tweak as my new plan requires.

A side note - my measurements are not perfect - I fear the inevitable "forget it" moment when particularly hungry at some future point, and so have resolved rather to have a system of approximations, whereby I know (for example) that if I fill a given cup to the brim with oats, I get 50g worth. Would the popular opinion agree that this is sufficient, or should I be logging to the nth decimal place?

I need to jump in here like others have and compliment you on your poetic writing style. Reminds me of what I call "Kings English" when talking to a London sophisicate. I take it you are a Brit with your reference to stones.

[.V.]

No need for perfection. Even the best estimates are just that estimates anyway.
Did that chicken breast have 32g of protein or just 30?
Is my bodyfat 10% or 11%?

In the grand scheme of improving and keeping our fitness levels, this minutiae doesn't really matter, the trend is what's important.

I don't think a 5lb of LBM increase goal is too modest...it's an attainable goal and a good one that I believe anyone can reach with attention to diet and training. When you get it, simply set a new goal...whatever that may be that makes you happy to go for at the time.

Best to you in reaching it.

[CF-OC_gal]

Welcome to Discuss Fitness Adrian!

I echo what they said and will come by your journal to visit from time to time.

In nutritional terms, it used to be that I had a very sweet tooth, whereas now I eat completely clean, and I feel that may be something of a problem for me in terms of getting enough calories on board - I love my food, and eat to the point of stomach ache every day for no weight gain. Note that this does not stop me from over analysing everything that passes my lips with regard to undesirable fat gain.

This is a problem, but there are others here who have found their niche. Me I get my basic nutritional needs from the politically correct "clean" department then fill in with what keeps me going.

You and Mr. P should enjoy exchanging analysis.

[adrian]

Pierini - a sound deduction on your part regarding my geographical origins, though I assure you I would be hard pressed to employ this tongue face to face, if you will - I think I am simply making the most of the time one is afforded by the keyboard.

To a_welch503, thank you kindly for the clarification - with some proper planning I hope to get past my fear of the wrong kind of added mass, and indeed move on from there. This has always been my Achilles heel, i.e. I tended to feel rotten unless I believed I had created a calorie deficit for the day.

[WolBarret]

Damn, Adrian, that's a long ass first journal entry. Your workouts better be out of this world. I don't ever want to see:

"Walked on Treadmill for 20 mins while reading "People" Magazine"

Better be some intense training.

[adrian]

lol, WolBarret - I apologise for going on and on so, and assure you that won't ever happen - I read Hello (on the eliptical).

[WolBarret]

Originally Posted by adrian

lol, WolBarret - I apologise for going on and on so, and assure you that won't ever happen - I read Hello (on the eliptical).

No need to apologize, just make it up to me by training hard.

[adrian]

Will do. With regard to using my lay-off to make some training decisions, I have done a fair bit of reading, and decided a few things. Though I have read a fair bit on more esoteric approaches (for example ketogenics), I am going to (for now at least) err on the side of caution - the most important things for me are consistency and accountability, and the logging will enable me to properly relate cause and effect.

With that in mind, I have settled upon a "base" diet of 2500 daily calories (on a 40/40/20 split), which I will supplement with an additional 500 carb calories on a cardio day, and/or an additional 500 protein calories on a lifting day, for a min of 2500 at my least active, and 3500 at my most. I will also seek to employ reducing carb ratios - I know I do most of my eating at night, and have resolved to make sure that (by and large) cereals are for breakfast time, and bread is for lunch time - no more bowls of porridge before bed.

Decisions on nutrient timing and workout components are to follow.