NIraq2TransForm’s BodyBlog

Wheeeew…just finished a yummy protein shake + glutamine after a kick butt workout at the embassy gym (in the good old green zone here in Baghdad, Iraq!)…. This trainer said he had the "PERFECT" workout for me to help me lose the last 12-15 pounds that I need to lose to get to 10% bodyfat. Goes like this;

8 reps of the following, total of 8 sets, with 60 seconds rest between sets:

Bent Over Row

Upright Row

Military Press

Good Mornings

Right Side Lunge

Left Side Lunge

Jump Squat

Roamnian Deadlift

Uh huh, I know what some of your thinking….EASY!!! HAHAHAHAHA…..puhhhleeease, just try that workout, ONCE! I’m sweting like a ho in church! Yea, so finished it off with an easy 10 minute run. I barely finished the last set. I soooo did not feel like hitting the gym tonight, but I dragged my booty there, and per usual, glad I did about 10 minutes into the workout.

Last, I found a yummy new food that I PRAY that chow hall serves more. Cold chicken cubelets, covered with low fat yougurt, mixed with almonds, raisins, and cubed apples!! YUMMMMMM…..

Tomorrow morning is High Iensity Interval Training. Treadmill or Elliptical?? hmm……E is easier on knees, but the T is more difficult…hmm…Lata peeps, I know I’ll have a HUGE fan base soon…Riiiiiiight, muhahahaha…

Well, tonight I had a trainer at the base gym show me a HIIT all body workout. The nice compliment I received was that I did 6 sets of HIIT on the workout, wheres he said most ‘big’ bodybuilders can not finish even 4!!! Therefore, I know my cardio conditioning (thanks to HIIT cardio) is paying off quite well.

I wont weigh myself or have my body fat % taken until may 1st. I do hope to weight in at 175, three weeks ago I was 180. My goal is 160 and 10% bf by July 1st!!! On July 1st I will fly from Baghdad to Minnesota for 20 days of vacation, six of which will be on a cruise!! whoo hooo!!! Booo-yah! haha

The best part of being over here is that I can SO concentrate on working out! I mean, I work so much in he Green Zone here in baghdad, that off duty hours there just isnt much to do…watch DVDs, workout, more DVDs or go to the small coffee shop, or the PX (which is the size of a large convenience store)…I guess some people booze it up pretty good here, but I dont even go down that road. Therefore, working out is how I fill up my "down time"! Ok, the money as  civilian contractor is good as well, but health wise, being here is as good as it gets, I dont evne prepare my meals! HHAHAHA…

Alright, I’m sitting at 180 pounds, 20% bodyfat. I’m lifting 3-4 times/week, and usually doing a circuit all body workout which elevates my heart rate.. PLUS, I do 2-3 HIIT cardio sessions of 20-30 mns per week. My question: Should I do steady state cardio another 2-3 times per week as well? IAM VERY motivated to get lean by July 1st when I go home for vacation to Minnesota for 20 days (I’m a civilian contarctor in Iraq)… How much cardio and can I do HIIT AFTER a lifting workout (normally wouldnt feel like it, but is it possible, beneficial?)….

 Plus, how many calories shoudl I be eating/day?? haha… I ask a lot. I have lost 42 pounds in the last 13 months, 18 or so in the last 10 weeks, but only lost 3 pounds in last 3 weeks (mayeb gained some muscle???)… I RARELY eat more than 2400 calories in a day, and usually it is 2000-2200, and easily do 180-200g of protein per day. Its clean eating (except on wednesdays! Guess what tomorrow is?? heheh WENDSDAY!)

Ok, so tonight I tried a "new" approach to my workouts, because Iam no satisfied with my progress pics and weight loss in the last three weeks. So rather than do another "all body" lifting workout, I did a Giant Supeset on my legs, because my chest is still sore form my all body workout two days ago. I figured why not split up 2 giant superset workouts between upper and lwoer body, so I do both upper/lower two times/week?!! Hey, sometimes I think I’m smart.

So anyway, here it went tonight:

smithsquats, to:

stiff legged deadlift, to:

reverse leg curls  (imediately back to top)…rest 1 minute, to:

Weighted barbell on abck one leg lunges, to:

step ups (no wight), to:

one legged lunge (no weight)…..*repeat for three sets*  to:

leg extensions, to:

one legged lunge with toe on bench (repeat once more)

DONE!!! My ass, thighs and quads feel TIGHT!!!!  hhmm…..will I feel this tomorrow?? haha…I did take 5g glutamine and HMB afterwards wiht gatorade and creatine! Will that help? time will tell??