USA79S’s BodyBlog

I joined the site just after New Yrs.  I’m not here on a "New Years Resolution" but I did come here looking for new strategies, motivation and support.  The first thing I discovered was a Jan 1st Fat Loss competition going on in the Forums.  Not really sure what all the details were I managed to get placed on team #4.  I figured I want to lose weight, so this is a good means of motivation through the web site.  I have a sense of accountability, and failing my goals of weight loss, fails the team.

Month on has gone pretty well.  I changed my workout to incorporate faster sets, mkore reps, lighter weights, abs and cardio.  Nothing new here, just increasing intensity to keep the heart rate up.  Just got weighed and taped this morning.  I am at 212 lbs, and 19.5% BF.  I am happy about the weight, but confused about the BF.  I was weighed in on 13 OCT at 229 with 20.3% BF.  Also in Jan @ 216, 18.6%.  Somehow I have droipped 4 more pounds and gained 1% BF.  Not sure what I am doing wrong, but for now I am just satisfied with the weight loss.  I just can’t beleive I am losing muscle… and gaining fat.  On this new program I’d think that to be near impossible.

OK, so 2 months to go, and 13 pounds to my goal of 199.  Aiming for 205 by Mar 1st to try and keep on target.  Let’s see how we do…

Been going at it for a while, but I feel like once I hit 220 lbs, everything just got slower.  I am down to 214 the other morning, and with only 15 pounds I am anxious to see myslef in the 1xx’s again.  Problem is I feel the weight is coming off slow.  I am going to try 2-a-day cardio and do my best to keep calories below 2500.  Wish me luck!

Today marked the end of a 12 week fitness challenge on our base.  This was essentially a "Body for Life" contest, exclusive to the soldiers assigned here on the base.  In the beginning we tried the workout they suggested which split the upper and lower body and used circuit training for resistance.  On alternating days we did cardio in the form of HIIT.  That all didn’t last long and soon we were back to our usual workout split.  I went on vacation for a month after just 2 weeks of training and came back from leave nine pounds lighter, and 1 percent fatter.  Guess I lost muscle.  So today I went in for the final weigh in and got my numbers.  Overall I am happy knowing the vacation really knocked me backwards.  Heres the results, with the 2nd weigh in coming after vacation.

OCT13 - 229/20.5

NOV26 - 221/21.5

DEC13 - 221/20.3

JAN06 - 216/18.6 

On a side note, my partner who essentially did what I did, minus the vacation and a little stricter diet went from 203/19 to 178/12.  At least I know my methodology is good, now I just need to act on it.  I just signed up for another 12 week challenge on here so we’ll see if 1 APR will bring some abs and a sub 200 lb me!

I’ve been sticking with the same routine for a few months and I think it’s time for a change.  The old Routine was:
Most workouts shoot for failure at 10 reps.  If 3 sets can be done the weight increases next time shooting for failure at 7 reps.  This workout was pretty decent, although the heavy chest day was hindered a bit by fatigued Shoulders.  Also Monday’s triceps workout suffered from the Sat Arms.  I was once alternating cardio and abs so each occured 3 x per week, but in the recent 3 weeks we began running and working abs daily.  We did this body split hoping to hit Arms and Chest twice a week.  My strength increases were very satisfying with this routine.  The Split was:

M - Chest/Tri’s

T - Back/Bi’s

W - Shoulders

T - Legs (Was an off day until  a month ago)

F- Heavy Chest ( Pyramid up to 1Rep Max)

S - Bi’s/Tri’s
S- Rest

The new workout will attempt to leave 72 hrs between lift days for each group.  I’ll continue with the 6/1 lift/rest cycle.  Shoulders and chest will be worked together much like the old push/pull idea.  Also Back and Legs will match up on days 3 & 6.  The middle day will continue to see the Arms being singled out, with the addition of some forearm exercises.  Abs and cardio will still be daily, with ab rest days taken as needed.  The split looks like this:

M - Chest/Shoulders

T - Bi’s/Tri’s

W - Back/Legs

T - Chest/Shoulders

F - Bi’s/Tri’s

S - Back/Legs

S - Rest

0505 - It is so hard to get up at this time.  Every morning my alarm goes off, and for the most part I I usually didn’t get a good night sleep.  The only things pulling me out of bed is that my partner will be there counting on me, and I know that I can’t miss another day’s opportunity to go home to my family in March looking better than ever.  I’m in Iraq, so time is on my side.  The only issue is breakfast closes at 0830, meaning if I am gonna get those valuable hard boiled eggs, I gotta do this early.  The night time is just too busy.  It takes all night to move around the routines, and I feel like I can’t get focused on what we have to do.
So I pop a couple Hydroxycut, and off I go.  I am setting my alarm right now, we’ll see what tomorrow brings.