Sport Relief 2012

It's been a few weeks since my last post. So what better time to update than on Sport Relief weekend.

I've been going to the gym roughly four times a week, following the plan given to me by my trainer. I've also been very good with my diet. I've dropped 2kg in weight and two inches from my stomach. Clothes that were straining under the pressure are. Now
feeling comfortable. If I keep this up a new wardrobe will be on the horizon.

I did something incredibly crazy today. Today I jogged three miles in aid of Sport Relief. I managed this in a respectable 34mins 10secs. Which I consider amazing as I've only been doing 10mins at a brisk walk pace on the treadmill at the gym for the last month.

But I did it and got my medal for doing so. But more importantly I raised £30 for charity, which I'm immensely proud of doing.

Version 2.0

Since recovering from the flu I never got my motivation back to get in the garage and carry on where I left off.

I quickly fell back into bad habits of old and became lazy. I was in a self destroying cycle of killing my self with food. I knew I was fat for no other reason than I was greedy.

I had to do something to get my mojo on. I had enough of my own self loathing and noticed a decline in updates of the blogs I am following that helped raise my motivation.

I decided to stump up the cash and join a gym. I never thought I would do so, swapping sweat with prima donnas and elderly ladies that stroll on the treadmills.

But I needed a new motivation, and the thought of spending money on gym membership and not going, would annoy me to no end.

So I went looking and signed up to a gym. Going to cost me a fortune, but it will force me into going, so money is not wasted. I got inducted and given a tour of the gym.

I then had a fitness assessment, which comprised of having my height recorded and my weight. I then had my body fat measured along with my resting heart rate and a peak flow test. Below are the results.

Height: 6ft 5ins
Weight: 117.5kg
Body Fat: 31%
Blood Pressure (Systolic): 135mmHg
Blood Pressure (Diastolic): 85mmHg
Resting Heart Rate: 64bpm
Lung Function (PEFR): 700 1/min

I also finally received my starter kit from USN, which consisted of a tub of Whey Protein shake, Protein dessert, CLA Pure 1000 tablets and XEDRA-CUT, all of which will supplement a healthy eating plan, as I take on the USN Body & Lifestyle Challenge over the next 12 weeks. I've also taken to record some body measurements that I will monitor as I progress.

Biceps: 14ins
Chest: 47ins
Abdominal: 45ins
Waist: 44.5ins
Thighs: 24ins
Calfs: 16ins

I also had a starter basic workout programme given to me by staff at the gym. Below is what I'm following, it is basic. As I've been too inconsistent with my workouts previously, and dialled right back to basics.

Warm Up: Brisk stroll on treadmill for 10mins to raise heart rate

Chest Press: 8-12 reps, 3 sets at 30kg
Lat Pulldown: 8-12 reps, 3 sets at 40kg
Shoulder Press: 8-12 reps, 3 sets at 20kg

Cross Trainer: 15mins
Treadmill: 10mins
Bike: 10mins

Cool Down: Treadmill 5mins

This workout will be repeated 4 days a week. Most likely Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday

I will also keep a log of my workouts with a food diary.

Winter Blues

Haven't posted for a wee while, the weather and being un-well have slowed things up. But am slowly getting back on track. Keep getting niggling back pain and strains to my wrists and forearms from the physicality of my work.

So to keep you going are some winter pics I took:

Survival of the Fittest!

So I signed up to the Men's Health Survival of the Fittest. What have I signed myself up for!!

I'm cursed!!!

I can not believe it! I truly believe I am a cursed soul, I must have peeved off the gods in all my former lives.

After one week on my challenge, I fall ill. Severe case of blocked sinus, that I had to find other means to breath. Coughing so hard and loud, like I smoked 20 a day. I'm sneezing so hard I'm like the big bad wolf.

I've hardly eaten during the week as I haven't felt like it or been asleep for the majority of the week. I kept it quite clean, with additional carbs in the for of toast. My stomach managed to accept the odd slice of toast.

But tonight I made a bad bad food choice. I hadn't prepared any meals this week due to illness, so I made the fatal decision of buying my meal tonight whilst hungry. I'm not feeling 100% and not on top form, I fell into old habits.

I chose a packet of Chicago Town Deep Dish Peppironi pizza. I wanted something quick, easy and what I now class as crap. I got it home, undid the package and removed the two mini pizzas from the package. For a moment I did pause and question myself. But by then I was ravenous

Once the pizza was cooked. Placed on the plate and I sat down. Disaster struck. The gods of Health and Fitness played their card. Off the plate flew the pizza and topping side down did it land on the carpet. The gods had spoken, I wasn't meant to have the pizza or any other crappy food ever again.

So in the bin went the pizza, and for the last hour I cleaned the carpet. But this is not the only punishment I have suffered this week. There was a power cut at the beginning of the week. Which has damaged the communal dish , shared between the flats in my block. Someone came out today, but as always didn't have the right part. So current estimate is Monday for the TV to be working again. So no crappy food, no TV and a head full of cold. This week my life sucked. Roll on next week.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Well my first week has gone reasonably well. Managed to keep to healthy eating, all except last night. When an un-expected guest turned up and relented to a very small portion on Chip shop fish & Chips.

I managed four out of an planned five workout sessions, but due to finishing work so late on Thursday I just didn't have the energy for it. But I got straight back to it on Friday.

At the beginning of the week I took some starting stats, which are in the previous blog entry. I'll update the stats in week 3, 6, 9 and finally 12

I will put up the ghastly starter image next blog entry. Which will also be used as my for my USN Challenge.

I'll also put up my training programme. For now a few images of what I have been eating this week.

USN: Body & Lifestyle Challenge

As the above title tells you I have committed myself to the Body & Lifestyle Challenge. Its a 12 week fitness challenge run by www.USN.co.uk. They sponsor such athletes like DOOM and ENIGMA from Gladiators and UK Female Body Builder Carly Thornton. Its much like the Body for Life programme been run for years in the US and equal to that of the one that Maximuscle does yearly.

I've signed up for this went for my first training session in my makeshift gym (garage). Suffice to say I'm weak and have alot of work ahead of me. But I am up for the challenge and so full of determination its un-real. This is just the first step and will not end at the 12 weeks. Once I have done this i will start all over again and get bigger and stronger each time.

I have also committed myself to applying for the MEN's HEALTH Survival of the Fittest 10K obstacle course in LONDON 17th November 2012. I don't run and have never trained for an event. But this is my end of year goal to reach. I've told family about it a tweet'd it and now placed it on my blog. I am well and truly outed about the whole thing, and will not allow the shame of not doing it. For i would be too embarrassed to disappoint my family.

As this is Day 1 of my 12 week challenge I shall add below my starting stats, suffice to say I disgust myself and these numbers. I have images taken also, they will be my inspiration and motivation to see this filth animal go and a new hot rod model appear.

Age: 34
Height: 1.98m (6'6")
Weight: 120kg (19st)
BMI: 30.57 (Estimated)
Neck: 44cm (17.5")
Chest: 122cm (48")
Bicep: 37cm (14.5") both arms
Waist: 114cm (45")
Hips: 110cm (43.5")
Thigh: 64cm (25") both legs
Calf: 41cm (16") both legs