Pipers Workout Journal

[Piper]

Ok ok... I've been nagging myself to do one of these for a good while... Now I better start or I never will (well duh!).

I'm gonna try to get pics this weekend (my camera is somewhere else), and i'll (hopefully) be doing a fitness test this afternoon (for BF% etc...).. Otherwise I'll try to post as much info as possible, so you can laugh/comment/provoke/criticise. :thumbup:

Goals (in order of preference)
1. Get down to maybe 10% BF.
2. Increase cardiovascular fitness.
3. Get bigger (everywhere.. lol)

Nothing strange there... I better give a little of where I'm coming from...


Background
Joined here about 15 months ago, but after about 2 months of work I injured my knee severely playing All-Weather Soccer (astroturf). I have not been going to the gym since, so that's like a year or so without the gym... I have been putting on a little fat because of this and I just want to get back into the routine. I'm guessing i'm about 15% BF, so I wanna reduce that to about 10%.. No timeframe - as quick as my body will go without living on 500 calories/day


Stats
Sex: Yes please (I mean.. male )
Age: 26 (and a half)
Height: 162cms/ 5'3.5"
Weight: about 160 lbs (will check later)
Will measure the rest later.... it might cause problems at work :P


Plan
30 minutes Light Bike * 5 days/week - unavoidable as it's my main transport everywhere.
1 hr weights session * 4-6 days/week - breakdown tonight
30-60mins cardio * 3-5 days/week - cardio will always be after weights if I do both together. See ** below



************COMMENTS************
My main aim at first is to put on cardiovascular fitness as if I do heavy weights without doing so, I will feel sick after every training session (lactic acid), so I'll be doing a 4-6 week stint of high cardio work until I am ready to cut back on it. My main aim at the moment is to lose fat, so I'll be spending the next 4-6 weeks 'cutting'. Then, depending on results, I will go on a bulking phase.

I'll update later with my Stats, Planned Diet, and Workout.

** I'm thinking of breaking my workout up and doing 30-60mins cardio every morning at 6am, then going to work afterwards. Then going to the gym later on, after work. What do you guys think? At the moment I am doing my weight session, then doing the cardio straight afterwards...

Also.. I have joined a 2nd gym, so i can go there at the weekends. This leaves me with about 6 days/week weights sessions (although it'll be more like 4-5)... But I was thinking of breaking it up into 2 different 3 day splits.. eg...

Day 1 - Monday - Back & Biceps
Day 2 - Tuesday - Chest & Triceps
Day 3 - Wednesday - Legs & Abs
Day 4 - Thursday - Rest
Day 5 - Friday - Back & Biceps (workout 2)
Day 6 - Saturday - Chest & Triceps (workout 2)
Day 7 - Sunday - Legs & Abs (workout 2)

Reason for this is on Fri-Sun, I will be in a different and not as good gym as I will be in during the week. This will mean I don't have as much resources available to me, so I will have to change some of it, but from what I understand this is a good thing as it'll be harder for my muscles to get 'used' to it.

Comments/Opinions/poke fun anyone?

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[Piper]

Monday 17-Nov-03

Diet

Breakfast: Weetabix (wheat biscuits), Milk, Toast
Snack: Banana, Orange, Apple
Lunch 2pm: Chicken, Turkey, Cheese, Diet Cottage Cheese, Tuna Sandwiches. (this was a little much.. I felt full after it)
Other 6pm: 500ml Apple juice (I know I shouldn't have this late in the day..)

Cals 1967
Protein 86gms
Carbs 340gms
Fat 29gms

Workout
AM: 30 mins light cycling
PM: Completed 1/2 of my Back/Bicep routine.. will start posting details in a day or 2...

************COMMENTS************
I'm planning for about 1900-2200 calories a day.. remember I'm trying to LOSE fat right now and I am not even 5 foot 4, so I don't need as much calories as you tall people! :P

I started on a Back and Biceps routine, but felt sick half way through it, so I stopped and did some light swimming instead. I need to get my fitness back up to a decent level before I start lifting properly or I'll get really bad lactic build up...
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[Piper]

Tuesday 18-Nov-03

Diet

Breakfast: Porridge, Diet Yoghurt, Milk, Toast
Snack: Apple, Orange
Lunch 2pm: Chicken, Turkey, Cheese Sandwiches, .5 liter Apple Juice.
Dinner 8pm: Cabbage, Chicken, Veg (Green Beans, Carrotes etc), Potatoes, Basmati Rice.

Cals 2287
Protein 104gms
Carbs 519gms
Fat 75gms

Workout
REST DAY

************COMMENTS************
So much carbs ... I'm not worried about the fat as I had spread on my sandwiches... This is practically all unsaturated fat, so it's not so bad. I'll try not to have dinner so late.... esp with so much carbs.

Wasn't feeling good today so decided to take my rest day today.
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[Piper]

Wednesday 19-Nov-03

Diet

Breakfast: Toast & Milk
Lunch 2pm: Gnocchi & Baked Beans
Dinner 5pm: More Gnocchi & Baked Beans
Other 7pm: Had 4 small biscuits (you guys call em cookies) and a packet of sweets.. Damn.. it was going all so well!!!

Cals 1490
Protein 64
Carbs 278
Fat 14
**Note: These values don't contain the sweets + cookies.. I don't know the values for them anyway....


Workout
Skipped...

************COMMENTS************
I feel like I wasted the whole day.. I felt so tired all day and I fell asleep at 8pm by mistake and woke up at 3am, so I missed my workout.. and after cheating myself with sweets + cookies. Calories would probably be more like 1900 for today, so don't let the values above fool ya :P

*smack* Will have to do better tomorrow!
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[Piper]

Thursday 20-Nov-03

Diet

Breakfast: Low Fat Milk & Toast
Snack: Banana & Cookie (damn!!)
Lunch 2pm: Chicken, Low Fat Cheese, Turkey, Diet Cottage Cheese Sandwiches. (brown bread)
Dinner 9pm: Chicken, Tomato & Cheese Ravioli (lots of chicken). 1/2 a Plaice plain.

Cals 1852
Protein 142gms
Carbs 241gms
Fat 37gms

Values don't include the cookie as I dunno it's values.

Workout
30 mins Light Cycling
30 mins Medium Swimming

Restricted for time today as I had to meet someone in the city centre, so will try to be better with my workout tomorrow.

************COMMENTS************
I'm a lot happier with my diet today. I am looking for other ideas for what to eat as I wanna try avoid making sandwiches. I'll use up the rest of my cheese tomorrow, but if there was something else that was quite good for a Lunch meal.. I have about 30 mins at lunch so cooking isn't much of an option.. I can have something prepared from the night before though.
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[Piper]

Percentage Vals so far...

Week 1 Prot/Carb/Fat
Monday - 19/75/6
Tuesday - 15/74/11
Wednesday - 18/78/4
Thursday - 34/57/9

These seem a bit wrong even though I was very happy with Thursday. I don't think I'll do much better than 35% protein. Should I aim for 35/55/10????

I'm cutting at the moment, and trying to stay at 1800 cals/day (ish). I'll be doing quite high cardio compared to the amount of weights I do. I'll be gradually increasing the amount of time doing weights and reducing cardio, but not for a few weeks.

Opinions/Questions????

[Piper]

Friday 21-Nov-03

Diet

Breakfast: Skipped
Lunch 2pm: Chicken, Tomato & Cheese Ravioli (lots of chicken).
Snack: Banana
7pm: 2 Fat Free Yoghurts, 350ml Orange Juice.
10pm: Scrambled Egg, with Fat Free Bacon & Cheese (normal cheddar.. doh!), 2 slices toast.

Cals 1319
Protein 104 (37%)
Carbs 133 (48%)
Fat 41 (15%)

Workout
Completed half a Chest/Arms workout... Kinda doing random stuff now until I get my program sorted out.


************COMMENTS************
I know.. Not enough calories.. I was hungry all day and very busy at work, so it just didn't help. I like the percentages more though.. it means I'm not getting 60+ % carbs...

Weekends are tough for my diet... I'll try to be good tomorrow. Hopefully I'll have my program complete too.
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[Piper]

Ok.. Got a fitness assesment... Here are the results for me to build on. (bear in mind I'm only 5 foot 3 and a bit.. :P

Date: 22/11/03
Blood Pressure: 122/74
Resting Heart Rate: 64bpm <-- was walking to the gym before this, so don't think it's too accurate.

Measurements:
(all in inches I think... )
Upper Arms: L: 11, R: 11
Chest: 35
Waist (obliques): 34
Stomach (abs): 32
Thighs: L:19.5, R: 19.5
Calves: L:15, R: 15
Grip Test: L: 44, R: 45
Peak Flow: 475ml <-- quite low cos of asthma
Weight: 64.5kg
Body Composition: 9.3% (6kg fat mass) <-- I don't believe this.. I think I'm about 14%, but will post pics to see what you think. I got it done with an Omron BF analyser, but don't know the model #. I did it three times, and the readings were... 8.1, 7.6, and 9.3... Hmmmmm
Flexibility: 13cm <-- quite bad also.. will try to improve this.. but one reason for this is because I injured my knee last year and still can't flex it properly.

Ok.. now I have my base to work on... Lets get some of that 6kg (if accurate) fat off me!

[Piper]

Saturday 22-Nov-03 - Sunday 23-Nov-03

Didn't write down everything I did, so I'll put the basics...

Diet & Workout
Diet was pretty good all weekend except that I had an indian curry on saturday night. No doubt packed with calories, but I had a lot of cardio to make up for it. Breakfast time lacked as I got up and didn't feel like eating, so went without for a while.. This doesn't happen on weekdays as I kinda need it to wake up

I've had at least 100grams of protein each day, but probably loaded on the carbs and fat... I did a great workout on both days, so hopefully made up for it a little.

I bought a swiss ball for home this weekend, so I can do some ab work at home *groan*

I find Abs, and Shoulders the hardest to work out...

Abs because I can't push myself that extra bit... When my abs hurt, I stop working em.. You know the way on other weights when you are straining and need to push yourself to get that last rep in.. Well.. this doesn't work with my abs

Shoulders are tough for me.. I have pretty weak shoulders, but even if I have light weights and do lat raises, it kills my shoulders and I don't have the extra strength in them to push that last rep in

My back sometimes has a problem when I'm doing stuff like deadlifts.. I can't push for that extra rep like I can with arms, chest and legs....

Is this a stamina thing? Any ideas/opinions?

[Piper]

Monday 24-Nov-03 - Sunday 30-Nov-03

Diet
Argh.. what a week. I'm a little annoyed that I didn't update my journal, but I'll try to get better this week.

I have been sick most of last week, so although my diet wasn't too bad, I didn't take in enough calories as I spent a lot more time in bed. Diet was a little iffy at the weekend as I had friends visiting, so this was a once off. I am back to eating properly now and I actually feel a lot better because of it.

Diet
I only went to the gym three times in the past week and even then I only did weights twice and cardio the other... I will try to improve on that this week also (now that I feel better).

I found a new sport that I like.. Wall Climbing.. I was wall climbing on Friday and Sunday.. damn that gives your arms a workout!!!

Aim this week: to get back into routine, write down everything I do, and update my journal daily.

Oh.. I got 2 packs of protein at the weekend too... My brother said he wasn't gonna use it, so I took them off his hands.. This is good because it's one thing I have a problem eating a lot of.

[Piper]

Monday 01-Dec-03

Diet
Breakfast: Toast
Lunch 2pm: Chicken, Rice, Veg
Dinner 7pm: Chicken, Pasta (white), Tomato Sauce.
Supper: Toast & Peanut Butter

Cals 1774
Protein 127gms (32%)
Carbs 241gms (60%)
Fat 33gms (8%)
23g Fiber


Workout
AM: 30 mins light cycling
PM: 45 Minutes Gym....

Back & Biceps

RepsxWeight, where no kg is displayed, it means there is a machine with that amount of plates added... Red means increase weight next time.

Seated Row (Low Row): 15x9, 13x10, 9x11
Lat Pulldown: 9x10, 9x10, 9x10
Dumbell Row: 15x12kg, 15x14kg, 15x14kg
Seated Twisting Bicep Curl: 8x4, 8x4, 8x4*
Cardio: 30 Mins Swimming

*Note: Biceps were hurting at this stage... Like I tore them or something, so I stopped the workout and started Cardio.

Relaxation:
10 Mins Sauna
10 Mins Jacuzzi

Supplements
1/2 Dose ECA Stack.

Other
Sleep: 7 hours
Nap: 2pm for 15 mins

************COMMENTS************
I'm happy with the diet part, although I want to have a better breakfast and eat my Lunch earlier (12:30pm)... Cals and Prot/Carb/Fat Proportions were good (I think).

I will include relaxation as I feel it is important to relax/meditate after a good workout.. This, I feel will keep me motivated to keep going.

Felt tired at lunch, so I took a 15 minute nap. This made me feel a lot better throughout the rest of the day.

ECA stack didn't affect me much, maybe I have bad stuff, or I need to take the full dose.. Will try tomorrow. It did leave me a little bit more awake and gave me a little bit of indigestion and a bad taste in my mouth.

Biceps felt much better after relaxation session.

I bought a multivitamin today, so I plan on taking one per day.
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