Brat's January/05 Journal

[CF-OC_gal]

The new 3 week plan after my 20 week success at consistency.

The Workout Plan
I have a fitness test (predicted VO2 max) set for the 27th of this month. The weekly plan is designed to see if I can perform the same or better in the test than last time. The test is done on a stationary bike with increasing load intervals. Here is my weekly workout schedule planned around my goals, gym hours and my work schedule:

Monday - 30-40 min. cardio on bike (including 5 min. warmup and cooldown)
Tuesday - circuit training
Wednesday - 30 min. cardio on bike
Thursday - 30 min. cardio on bike
Friday - 30 min. cardio on bike
Saturday - circuit training
Sunday - day off

I got the circuit plan from here. The first circuit.

If I can't make it to the gym I can still do this circuit at home subbing in running or stair climbing for the cardio. If I am getting too exhausted from too much too fast I'll sub in a lower body weightless stability training circuit using one leg at a time exercises.

The nutrition plan:
I'm also going to see what happens doing this method of carb loading. I've set out the calories according to body weight not BMR calculators which always seem to be based on weight loss not sufficient energy supply.

The carb loading session should require 400gms, my protein requirements based on .7 x BW @ 95 gms and at 30% dietary fat that takes me to 95gms, a third of which can come from saturated sources (if I follow the common recommendations). So that is @ 2850 cals per day when I do some rounding and reality check buffering. Roughly it's aiming for a 60%C, 15%P and 25%F diet. If I'm wrong the worst that could happen is that I would gain maybe 3-6 lbs over the month (didn't I say I wanted that?). On the other hand if I am right about the calorie target then I should be better fueled for my workouts.

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Jan.10 - Lifecycle Workout

TOD: 11:30AM
WT: 133.5 lbs
Duration: 30 min total

5 min warmup - level 1 (resistance)
5 min level 2
10 min level 3 (HR 140-152)
5 min level 2
5 min level 1

Carb Load every 15 min/4hr
-5 dried apricots
-med apple
-10 raw almonds
-2/3 c jello
-2 rye crackers w/2t butter
-1 c OJ
-2"x2"x1/2" HM shortbread
-1 c curried lentils
-english muffin with i egg and 1 tsp butter
- 1/4 cup raisins

I couldn't eat anymore. I took a break for a couple of hours . I didn't get all my carbs in today. Eating vegetables is going to be hard just because of the shear volume in them versus the carb content. I couldn't eat enough celery or salad in 15 minutes to get 24 grams of carbohydrate!

[gcs118]

I know it's a new journal and all...but props on the 20 weeks of following your workout plan! :

[CF-OC_gal]

Jan. 11 Workout Circuit Training

"Well this was humbling!" The plan #'s are in brackets and my ability follows.

TOD: 12:15 pm
WT: 133lbs
HR range: 132-161 bpm
Duration: 1 hour (incl warmup) + cooldown
At home with runs outside.

Warm up with 10 to 15 minutes of easy jogging (or cycling) - fast walking

1. Run 400 metres (or pedal for 1600 metres) - fast jog
2. Do 5 chin-ups - 3 attempts & 5 attempts
3. Complete 36 ab crunches - 28 & 22
4. Perform 15 squat thrusts with jumps (burpees) - 14 & 9
5. Do 15 press-ups (pushups) - On knees 15 & 15
6. Complete 30 body-weight squats (fast) - 28 & 21 (moderate speed)
7. Run 400 metres again (or cycle, see step 1) - stair climb and descend for 2 minutes both times
8. Do 12 squat and dumbbell presses (with 3-5 pound dumbbells) 12 &14
9. Complete 10 feet-elevated press-ups - On toes 10 &10
10. Perform 36 low-back extensions - 15 on stability ball both times
11. Do 15 bench dips (triceps) - 15 & 11
12. Complete 15 lunges with each leg - 15 & 15
13. Run 400 metres - light jog
14. Repeat steps 2-13 one more time (for two circuits in all), and then cool down with about 15 minutes of light jogging or cycling. - cooldown was 10 min leisurely walk.

* Had to sip orange juice through the second half. I was wiped after the first round. Also have a low grade headache from normal hormone levels dropping off.

Carb loading right now. This 15 min business needs to be set out right at the start of the day or it is time consuming. Tonight we're celebrating my B-day so there will be wine, refined sugar, caffeine and saturated fats for all. I'll post some nutrition tracking goals tomorrow.

[CF-OC_gal]

Originally Posted by gcs118

I know it's a new journal and all...but props on the 20 weeks of following your workout plan! :

Thanks for the props! Now I need a bigger challenge - doing something I don't naturally like to do..., but I'm curious about what can be done.

I like this workout. It is tough. You did good.

[CF-OC_gal]

Originally Posted by pierini

I like this workout. It is tough. You did good.

Thanks for the encouragement. It wasn't so bad of a workout that I felt overwhelmed, just like I have something to work at bringing up to speed.

-----------------------------

Jan.12 Cardio Workout

TOD: 13:30AM
WT: 133.5 lbs
Duration: 30 min total

4 min warmup - level 1
4 min level 2
Tried level 3 but it felt like I had lead legs so I dropped it back down to level 2 and worked in 3x 1 minute intervals at level 3
Level 2 - 17 minutes (incl. L3 intervals)
5 min level 1

This is how the cardio endurance test is given: increasing watts at 4 min. intervals.

Carb Load every 15 min/4hr

[Life]

Originally Posted by Brat

Jan. 11 Workout Circuit Training

"Well this was humbling!" The plan #'s are in brackets and my ability follows.

TOD: 12:15 pm
WT: 133lbs
HR range: 132-161 bpm
Duration: 1 hour (incl warmup) + cooldown
At home with runs outside.

Warm up with 10 to 15 minutes of easy jogging (or cycling) - fast walking

1. Run 400 metres (or pedal for 1600 metres) - fast jog
2. Do 5 chin-ups - 3 attempts & 5 attempts
3. Complete 36 ab crunches - 28 & 22
4. Perform 15 squat thrusts with jumps (burpees) - 14 & 9
5. Do 15 press-ups (pushups) - On knees 15 & 15
6. Complete 30 body-weight squats (fast) - 28 & 21 (moderate speed)
7. Run 400 metres again (or cycle, see step 1) - stair climb and descend for 2 minutes both times
8. Do 12 squat and dumbbell presses (with 3-5 pound dumbbells) 12 &14
9. Complete 10 feet-elevated press-ups - On toes 10 &10
10. Perform 36 low-back extensions - 15 on stability ball both times
11. Do 15 bench dips (triceps) - 15 & 11
12. Complete 15 lunges with each leg - 15 & 15
13. Run 400 metres - light jog
14. Repeat steps 2-13 one more time (for two circuits in all), and then cool down with about 15 minutes of light jogging or cycling. - cooldown was 10 min leisurely walk.

* Had to sip orange juice through the second half. I was wiped after the first round. Also have a low grade headache from normal hormone levels dropping off.

Carb loading right now. This 15 min business needs to be set out right at the start of the day or it is time consuming. Tonight we're celebrating my B-day so there will be wine, refined sugar, caffeine and saturated fats for all. I'll post some nutrition tracking goals tomorrow.

Sorry I got to this too late, but, happy birthday!!!

Your workout seems extra tough... keep at it! :

[CF-OC_gal]

Thank you ! My BD was Saturday but we didn't get a chance to celebrate with family until yesterday. The meal wasn't all that bad. Nothing was in excess.

[gcs118]

Originally Posted by Brat

Thank you ! My BD was Saturday but we didn't get a chance to celebrate with family until yesterday. The meal wasn't all that bad. Nothing was in excess.

Any birthday cake? You know I don't remember who or where I read the post, but someone I think ate their whole cake in one day (12,000 calories right there).

[CF-OC_gal]

Originally Posted by gcs118

Any birthday cake? You know I don't remember who or where I read the post, but someone I think ate their whole cake in one day (12,000 calories right there).

LOL That's something I might have tried a long time ago. I had a 1/2" x 2.5" x3" piece high sugar, chocolate fat and white flour slab cake. That's all my stomach and brain can hadle these days without protesting. I also had about 6 oz of red wine, a bunch of liquer filled chocolates, a big chunk of steak, sweet potatoes and a bowl of coleslaw! I was hungry again by the time we got back from my parents house.

I might have had about 1200 calories at that meal.

That was it! I ordered my new digital camera today.

[gcs118]

Like I always say...you have a big meal like 1200 calories, just say "hey, I'm bulking". Doesn't matter how long, even if just for one meal

[Life]

Originally Posted by gcs118

Any birthday cake? You know I don't remember who or where I read the post, but someone I think ate their whole cake in one day (12,000 calories right there).

Wow. I must say, though. I've done that one time or another in my past.

[CF-OC_gal]

I do that once a week. My son who lives at home with me is in the habit of eating pizza every Thursday. We order a large half peperoni for him and half vegetarian for me (I hate the taste of cheapo pizza pepperoni). I usually have the whole half over the course fo the evening. I figure that makes up for the calories I forgot to eat during the week. I say "enjoy a fast metabolism while you can!"

According to their website (PizzaPizza) I must be eating 1000 calories, 45 g protein, 150 g Carbs, 25 g fat. That is just about right at 18% P, 22% F and 60 % C diet that I'm trying to maintain!

---------------------------------------
Jan. 13 Cardio Lifecycle Workout

TOD: 7:30PM
WT: 133.0 lbs
Duration: 30 min total

4 min warmup - level 1
4 min level 2
17 min at levels 5-9. No HR monitor today but was not 150 for sure. The watts reading was between 80-110 which is almost where I was tested at.*
5 min level 4

*This little experiment is going to be over before I figure out how to program the machines to work consistently on manual. I realized that all I want is to increase the load levels in 50 watt increments. I somehow got caught into a program again and the load was variable according to some unknown to me reason. Oh well I took the idiot's approach and kept pressing different buttons on the control panel until it felt like the work I was looking for. I get this figured out. Next week I'll be the expert.

Meanwhile I've only been back training since Monday and wholly cow. Does cardio ever do something different for the body. My legs are rock hard and getting even more compact. I'll be curious to see if just one month dedicated to cardio will make a difference in the bodyfat test. My weight has remained pretty steady at 133- 133.5. The workouts go by fast. Unfortunately we can't book the time for more than 30 minutes or I would work up to a 40 minute session.

[gcs118]

You know I looked at that website and I'm really surprised the vegetarian pizza is up there with one of the highest protein content. I would think a meaty pizza would have more but that isn't the case at all.

[CF-OC_gal]

I think they use skim milk mozzerella cheese. They are super skimpy on meat toppings. I like their style ham and pinapple pizza but only order that when my other son is around. They are pretty good at using decent ingredients. I've tried the whole wheat crust but it is not worth the extra money. It's like eating toppings on a cardboard box.