GabrielBlack’s BodyBlog

I’m tentatively trying out the "Burning fat on a Budget" nutrition experience. Unfortunately I can only go so far with this plan for now, however it seems to be working.

I’ve been stuck in a weight rut of about 78kg for a few months now. I’ve definately been building muscle and slowly putting on the weight I’ve lost with such hard work. I’ll re-itterate that the scale is merely confirming change and my end aim is to look good i.e. lose a considerable amount of body fat and tightened up my muscles!

The only thing I’ve changed again is diet. I’ve included more boiled eggs and yogurt plus really watching those carb intakes. It seems to have shaken something loose somewhere because this morning my weight was 77.8kg. WOW!

The diet also recommends Protein shakes (high in protein) which is expensive here! The other ingredients are pretty pricy too! This is a beef-eating country and therefore beef is less expensive than chicken most of the time! Problem is our beef is fatty. This lean lifestyle has a foothold here, but only a foothold. Very few are ardently lean seekers.

I battle on.

Ciao for now.

The most wonderful thing happened yesterday! I’ve had my eye on an item called a "Power Cage" by Trojan for some time now, hoping I could one day afford the thing when out of the blue I get a call from Tickle - my lady.

She’s returning an item to a porn shop when she spots a Power Cage in mint condition that’s just come in. The porn shop’s selling it for R1600 with weights and accessories (preacher’s curl and leg extension parts) included.

Considering that a Power Cage off the shop floor is R3999 and doesn’t come with any weights or accessories, that’s a damn good price and Tickle knew it!

After work we go through to the porn shop and as true as hell it is in mint condition! The bench’s sliding adjustable parts aren’t even slightly scratched and it still had that new stiffness to it - definately never been used! Needless to say, I bought it! We found out that it was a prize form a competition. The winner wasn’t really interested in it and had entered in the hopes of winning something else.

I can’t wait for tomorrow morning when I can train with the Power Cage! Seriously, I’ve been wanting one for more than 4 years now!

This puts serious motivation in me!

Ciao for now.

So I did the 8km walk and managed to finish. That was big for me with my heart abnormality and all. I was frikken exhausted! It’s possibly the worst I’d ever felt after a bout of physical activity, but I was glad I finished.
I thought I’d see a marked drop in weight, but I didn’t.
I started the new gym routine  finally and feeling good…
I’ll keep at my weights and include cardio like I intend to do but never get to, well, except for this week.
My lady & I have started that Tae-Bo thing in the comfort of our own lounge. All I can say is “damn!”. It’s already showing results! I can see my lady’s already firmer than she was last week and I can feel my trousers are uncomfortably loose!
 

Ciao for now and remember – Make out like a Muppet and Fcuk like a Fraggle!

On Sunday, my lady & I do an 8km walk. It’s a huge event organized and sponsored by a leading health insurance company and a talk radio stataion. It’s the first time I’ve participated in an event like this where you get a number and everything! I’m nervous and excited all at once.I think it’s going to be great. I also think I’ll have lost some more weight after the event.

I’m also finally up to speed (or weight) after the recent spate of the sniffles and other unfortunate events. I believe it’s also time for a bit of change in the exercizes. I’m going to try that Pyramiding technique and the workouts that were proposed in the article. (see list of articles on my profile - I think it’s the "Bodybuilding for beginners" article in three parts.) It’s also time I varied the ab exersizes I’m doing.

Remember, life’s short so make out like a Muppet and fcuk like a Fraggle!

Ciao for now.

I wear a belt with three holes in it. For all the time I’ve had it (about 6 years) I’ve always used the biggest setting. There was a brief moment - of about a month or two - three years ago when I used the middle hole but then reverted back to the biggest setting.

I am proud to announce and pleased to realize that I’ve used the middle hole consistantly since February!…now to get to the last hole…

Ciao for now!

Yesterday was my first workout in a while since the sniffles and other disruptions and needless to say, my pecs have that comforting stiffness today.

I love that soreness. It remids me that I did some work towards the body I’d like and I keep pressing them periodically to feel the soreness a little more.

I can’t wait till Saturday when I use my new Ez bar!

Remember: Life’s short so make out like a Muppet and fcuk like a Fraggle! 

Ciao for now!

I’m finally getting rid of the sniffels and next week I start lifting weights again! YAY!!!

My lady also bought me an Ez bar! I’ve been dying to try it out but simply couldn’t take the chance until I felt better.

Wednesday is gym day. Hopefully the sniffels will leave me alone until then…

Ciao for now.

My sniffels turned into Tonsilitis. Yes, I still have my tonsils because of my heart abnormality. The Prof. thought it best that they stay where they are.

I’ve started feeling better and the course of anti-biotics is almost done. One pill left! I’m impatient - I want to feel good enough to hit the gym again dammit!!!!

Later…

My fiance’s brother died in a motorcycle accident on Friday night. It was a freak accident. There’s only a tiny dent in the car and superficial damage to the motorcycle. By all acounts he should have got up and walked away…but he didn’t.

I’m exhausted and the cold I was getting rid of so well is taking advantage of the situation and re-surfacing. Any ideas on how to hold it at bay? From my side I believe I need more quality and quantity of sleep than I’ve been getting in the last 5 days and I’m going to get a multi-vitamine this afternoon. Hopefully I’ll be able to push some weights tomorrow. I desperately need to work off some frustration.

Ciao for now.

I’ve managed to avoid my little ill carrier-monkey colleagues for months now. I suppose it’s an inevitability in winter (yes, it’s winter in this hemisphere) though. I’ve finally caught a snotty sniffle. This upsets me because I cannot train while I have this. The training sessions leading up to this haven’t been good either. They were lacking in energy, which should’ve been my fore-warning of the comming cold.

I’ll look after myself and hopefully be on top form by next week and ready to step onto the narrow road of ‘tight like a tiger’ next week again.

Ciao for now.