Back from a week off
Okay, last week I was in Vegas for five days to go to a tradeshow with work. Much as I expected, it was a huge disruption to my routine, especially my sleep cycle which still seems to be recovering (been back for five days now). I didn’t even attempt any workouts while I was there: instead I figured my body could use the rest. It was my first week off since the end of January, and a week without any supplements as well since I’d been on creatine for about 5-6 weeks. I didn’t even take any glucosamine or multivitamins. I did tonnes of walking though, and aside from one night out when I arrived, my alcohol consumption was pretty contained as well, with a pint of beer at most on the other days I was there. I didn’t go whole-hog on the buffets and in restaurants, I know I didn’t eat as I would have at home but that couldn’t be helped. The worst part is the infrequency of my meals though, as on a couple days I only had about two meals. That’s something I should have been more careful with. In all, my weight change was a gain of a pound and a half which I feel is forgivable.
The only sucky part of this weight gain is that I’m now off-track from my plan. It means that to get back on track I have to lose about five pounds by 23 April–which is less than three weeks away. I’m not sure I would want to do it: what would that weight be coming from, fat or lean mass? I think I would be happy with losing about 3.5 lbs, and even that might be pushing it. I’ll have a better idea how to adjust my goal after next week’s weigh-in, as I may shed some of the Vegas weight quite easily once I’m back into my routine. The routine will take a further hit with the Easter weekend though, eating my mother’s cooking this Friday & Saturday won’t exactly be fueling a fat-burning furnace.
The part I do regret about the last two weeks is that I missed my measurement-taking on 24 March, there was no opportunity to do it before I flew out. Not very keen on measuring post-Vegas, but I may break down and do it all the same just to see the scope of work I have to do over the next 10-12 weeks to meet my goals!
I’ve changed my routine in the gym as well. I’m keeping the interval training on Tuesdays & Thursdays as I think it’s working well, and I’ve only scratched the surface on what that strategy could accomplish. My weight routine is still Back on Monday, Chest on Wednesday, Legs/Shoulders on Thursday but I’ve changed up the exercises, and reinstated a bit of light arms work (obviously, biceps on Monday and triceps on Wednesday). I’m doing 3 sets of 5 reps with heavier weight, but may move up to four sets instead after another week, once I have the right weights.
