Hi
Well here I am into my 30s, married 2 kids. 15 years ago I was ultra fit, once I even rode 250km in a day with a mate just for the hell of it. But you get married and fitness takes a back seat. 4 years ago I almost died from influenza and since then even basic fitness has been a struggle.
Joined the gym again a month ago with my wife. Was told at the assesment im well under average fitness, which I expected but it was still a shock thinking of the days where I was ultra fit.
Ive always been very lean, tall and lanky. Since I recovered from being sick, ive managed to pile on some weight thanks to my love of good food and wine and a nice desk job.
Anyway a month ago at 6'3" and 84kg, i was pretty happy with my weight, its the heaviest ive been but i had a bit of flab around the mid section which was a novelty!
So my aims are to stay at least at the 84kg and convert the flab into muscle and to regain fitness.
After a month I am pretty happy. I have dropped to 83kg, but ive lost a hell of a lot of flab around the middle and packed on a bit around the shoulders and chest. Ive hit 21:08 on the 5000m row and 8:08 on the 2000m row which tells me im a lot fitter than a month ago. My aim is to go under 8 minutes before Easter!
A typical workout for me is:
2000m or 5000m on the rower at a good clip
Bench Press 2x sets of 14 reps 40kg 2x sets 10 reps 35kg (bench pressing is my weak point, chest has never been a strength - Im aiming to get back to 5 reps of 60kg which I have done before). This feels good and occassioanlly i hit it hard by adding on the seated
machine press
Independant lateral pull downs 36kg 3x sets of 14
Assisted dips. 2 sets -66kg 14 reps
Seated row, 3 sets 14x 36kg
Some stretches for my patheticly short and infexible hamstrings.
Maybe some bike but the bikes bore me silly
I do that TU,W,TH,SA,SU and it takes approx an hour
Occassionally i will just go do a hard 5000m row and a few bicep curls at home on days off or on a day i dont make it.
The first month ive been trying to 1. Get in the habit of going, make it a lifestyle thing. Like even pushing myself through 2000m on a rower was a mental challange as ive become a bit lazy 2. Eat better and lose the flab.. Ive cut out basically all naughty foods. No Chips no pies no softdrinks, nothing deep fried, no takeaways, no ice cream, no desserts, next to no cheese and alcohol only fri or sat nights. Healthy sandwiches etc but i still have to learn to eat more for breakfast. Im not a breakfast man. 3. Get a bit fitter.
Ive done a bit of weights before so i sorta know a few things that work for me as i move into trying to bulk up a bit phase. I feel over the next couple of weeks I will look to start eating a bit more and move to some different exercises
I have no intention of becoming a sad fitness nazi though. I have some realistic goals and I have no intention of forcing putrid
protien shakes down my throat every 2 hours (although i have some beaut recipes for 600 Calorie shakes I got when I left hospital)!! I want this to be a maintainable lifestyle thing
Anyway any advice appreciated and I will log my progress here
PS. My wife is 5'3" 59kg and coming along too. Her aim is basically to trim her tummy down, the rest of her is pretty hot for a mum of 2!! Any advice here would help. Ive told her to get on the rower as I reckon it will do a better job with that aim than the bike or treadmill. Agree??
Cheers
C.
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