Weight Loss and Fitness 2015

Time to make this annual thread...

I haven't actually been too bad over the xmas period. I've been going to the gym regularly.

I'm glad that now I am back in a routine, well started one. I did chest on Sunday, arms yesterday and back today. Also did 5k runs in the past two days.

I plan to do shoulders tomorrow and then legs Thursday. Rest on Friday and start it all again on the Saturday with chest. I'm going to try and do two weight sessions at the weekend and three during the week. I commute to Leeds so I like to get up super early (5am) so I can go to the gym before I catch the train. I am just too tired/lazy in the evening to even consider exercise. I have also been running along the Leeds - Liverpool canal on my dinner breaks. I have been and plan to do this 3 times a week.

On Thursday night i'm running 10 miles around Leeds after work with two colleagues. I'm training for a charity half marathon run between Bradford and Leeds next week. Should be fun.

Diet wise - well not so good. I am just rubbish at eating good. I have no will power. I have done quite well since xmas but I just tend to eat chicken/fish and rice which quite frankly is quite boring.

My body fat is about 23% and i'm quite stocky so I pack on the muscle easily but struggle to get rid of the body fat.

Here's to a successful 2015!

This year I'll try to reduce my body fat. Mainly with jogging and I'll also start weight training again.

A combination of building up muscle and reducing body fat will be my program for the first 6 months. Depending on how it went I'll focus on building up muscle for the latter half of the year.

Need to buy some good running shoes next week. Went for a run just now and had to stop after 15 minutes as my left ankle hurt like hell Damn my flat feet

I'm still doing Stronglifts. Made good progress with it before Christmas and had a two/three week break as we went to Belgium and also visited my family back home. I'm back on it now but have dropped the weight by a fair bit to get me back into it. It's also another opportunity to make sure that my form is good.

I was squatting yesterday and Ine noticed that I was getting good depth with it. It felt really comfortable yesterday and think I did better this time around than when I was previously reaching that weight for the first time under stronglifts. My legs definitely feel stronger.

Woke up at 5am this morning and went to the gym. Trained legs. I then got the train to work and did a full day. Just ran 11 miles round Leeds in preparation for my charity run next week. I'm currently sat on the train back to Sheffield feeling really ill

Woke up at 5am this morning and went to the gym. Trained legs. I then got the train to work and did a full day. Just ran 11 miles round Leeds in preparation for my charity run next week. I'm currently sat on the train back to Sheffield feeling really ill

That's good going. I squatted yesterday, played football today for two hours and I'll be squatting tomorrow.

MEIN LEGS!

Full day at work then ran a half marathon from our Bradford office to our Leeds one. I had to tackle the wind, avoid traffic and not slip on ice!

All for charity

Did it in 2hr 15mins

Boss took us out for beers and pizza afterwards.

Good going Blade!

I've been going to the gym a couple of times after work for two weeks now since a gym opened across the road from Tesco.

I've just been flitting from various machines. I start with about ten minutes on the cross trainer and then a couple of sets on some other machines. Can't remember what muscle they focus on. I try to focus on upper body since I do alot of walking and want to build up my guns. Pew pew.

I've been going to the gym a couple of times after work for two weeks now since a gym opened across the road from Tesco.

 

I've just been flitting from various machines. I start with about ten minutes on the cross trainer and then a couple of sets on some other machines. Can't remember what muscle they focus on. I try to focus on upper body since I do alot of walking and want to build up my guns. Pew pew.

You should check out StrongLift..it's a great way of putting on muscle, especially on the upper body!

The android/iOS app for it is fantastic too.

Got new training shoes last week and been trying them out since. They are really comfortable albeit a bit warmer than my previous shoes - I can see that becoming a problem in the summertime but right now it's lovely. It's Inov8 bare XF something something. Good for lifting!

I've been doing some one-legged kettlebell deadlifts recently - due to a strength program that I follow - and I wondered which arm is best to hold the weight in. Anyone knows? Google is in two minds!

Started an argument in my gym's locker room yesterday. The workout was to row 200 m every minute for five minutes, the rest of the minute was break (I did it in 40 seconds so I had a 20 seconds break). Some guy then said that he stopped at 170 and let the machine glide to 200, to which I said "Then you're only cheating yourself of the last three rows" but he disagreed and said that he had fulfilled the task. It's not that he's wrong but still...

What would you guys do, stop rowing at 170 and glide the rest of the way or stop at 200 (and then glide to 230 m)?

Started an argument in my gym's locker room yesterday. The workout was to row 200 m every minute for five minutes, the rest of the minute was break (I did it in 40 seconds so I had a 20 seconds break). Some guy then said that he stopped at 170 and let the machine glide to 200, to which I said "Then you're only cheating yourself of the last three rows" but he disagreed and said that he had fulfilled the task. It's not that he's wrong but still...

 

What would you guys do, stop rowing at 170 and glide the rest of the way or stop at 200 (and then glide to 230 m)?

Stop rowing at 200m. The workout was to ROW TO 200M, not row to 170m. He is completely in the wrong and if he was in my gym, he'd have been disqualified for a race.

Reminding me of which, I was the fastest to row 500m in my gym. I beat absolutely everybody. Me and this lad rowed to 500m in 1 minute and 35 seconds only I beat him by a few nanoseconds. It was unreal, haha.

But yeah, you are completely in the right and he isn't. He's cheated himself and the workout.

I don't really think it's worth arguing over but I agree with the punter. If the clock says 200m then you've rowed that distance. Boats naturally glide with momentum.

Well, it wasn't as such an argument as a disagreement. I stopped immediately as I could see it going nowhere. But it got me wondering. If the task had been "row for 40 seconds" then it would be clear - but then, how far did you row in 40 seconds? I would say that you rowed the distance the monitor says at 40 seconds but actually the machine glides farther afterwards - should that be counted in?

I personally think we both are right. If it were a race, it would be stupid to stop rowing before reaching the goal as you reach it faster by rowing but if it's just for getting over the finish line, then sure, stop rowing. As we were doing it for the exercise, I find it a bit stupid to stop as you lose out on the last three pull-backs.

I don't really think it's worth arguing over but I agree with the punter. If the clock says 200m then you've rowed that distance. Boats naturally glide with momentum.

Brb, rowing the boat 150m and waiting for the current to carry me the rest of the way.

I've always rowed to my target and then stopped once I reached that number. If my number is 200m, I row to that and stop. If I were having a race with somebody and he stopped at 170m to glide the rest, I'd be pissed.

Brb, rowing the boat 150m and waiting for the current to carry me the rest of the way.

 

I've always rowed to my target and then stopped once I reached that number. If my number is 200m, I row to that and stop. If I were having a race with somebody and he stopped at 170m to glide the rest, I'd be pissed.

Not current, the momentum that you gave the boat by rowing it.

Don't get me wrong, if I want to row 500m I will sit down and row to 500m and then stop (and the number will grow a bit) but the punter wasn't wrong. He did the work to row to whatever distance it was.

Back in Backsquat Club 100 ! Had a 1RM test yesterday and did 102 kg in backsquat - ass to grass. Quite pleased with that. Might have been able to do 104 kg but I didn't really feel like it as I had to have energy for another hour's training (light deadlifts and 20 min on-off rowing) so bailed at the 102. It's the first time I've done 100+ kg with that kind of depth - before my injury last year I couldn't do it.

Fucking exhausted. I conquered 108kg squats for 3 sets of 5 tonight. A personal record. Also managed to deadlift 135kg for 2 sets of 5, another record!

I've knocked the squats down from 5 sets to 3 as it was beginning to have an impact on some other areas. My bench pressing in particular has stalled and I'm finding it more manageable to get through the exercises and push myself more with the higher weight by keeping the squats to 3 sets.

At some point, I'll de-load and work my way back up using 5 sets.

The Christmas break made it impossible to train as I wasn't really at home and then I had a slight problem with my ankle, which meant that I didn't work my way back up to 100kg as quickly as I had wanted to. I seem to be at a good point now where I can add the weight and lift it.

I'm doing well with the squats and deadlifts. I actually think my deadlift technique is getting better and I managed 138kg pretty easily for two sets. I managed to hit 110kg squats although this was exhausting.

Two days later, my legs are still tired and I've refereed a school football match today and had a kick about afterwards. I came home planning to exercise but my body thought NOPE. Going to have to do it tomorrow. A bit annoyed as I was hoping to come home and crack on with it, but if your body won't have it then...it'll just have to wait until tomorrow.

Overall, I'm pleased with the progress that I'm making with squats and deadlifts. My bench press and shoulder pressing has hit a sticky point though and I'm struggling to break beyond it.

Overall, I'm pleased with the progress that I'm making with squats and deadlifts. My bench press and shoulder pressing has hit a sticky point though and I'm struggling to break beyond it.

Eat more!

I managed to run/jog 4k in 20 minutes which, for me, is fooking amazing! I'm well proud of myself.

Also, my scales keep telling me I was 17st 9lb or 17st 11lb for a few months and I looked in the mirror and noticed a bit of a change.

"This can't be right!" I thought.

So I went out to this other gym I know that has a couple of scales and on their one, it said I was 17st 4lb! I weighed myself on the other scales and got the same thing. My scales have been wrong this whole time!

I chucked them out! I need to start measuring around my body anyway.

Whatever you do just keep on weighing yourself on the same set of scales at the same time of day.

I'm doing well with the squats and deadlifts. I actually think my deadlift technique is getting better and I managed 138kg pretty easily for two sets. I managed to hit 110kg squats although this was exhausting.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/others/arnold-schwarzenegger-left-hanging-after-strongman-athlete-eddie-hall-breaks-deadlift-record-with-incredible-462kg-lift-10118808.html

This guy can do 462kg no problem. What's wrong with you? Maybe your technique?

I reckon Charlie's right, it's your diet. Try eating two dozen eggs each morning.

Eat more!

Easier said than done. I feel like I'm constantly eating. I genuinely find bulking harder than cutting.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/others/arnold-schwarzenegger-left-hanging-after-strongman-athlete-eddie-hall-breaks-deadlift-record-with-incredible-462kg-lift-10118808.html

 

This guy can do 462kg no problem. What's wrong with you? Maybe your technique?

 

I reckon Charlie's right, it's your diet. Try eating two dozen eggs each morning.

Hahahha, you make funny joke LOL.

Running the London Marathon in 35 days. I am not prepared.