dj69’s BodyBlog

Well I am pleased to report that 2008 and has started in a much better way than 2007 finished in terms of my gym attendance. I’ve managed to average three visits a week so far this year, and I’ve felt a lot more focussed in the gym. I’m doing alternate workouts where I train my chest and biceps on one session, then my shoulders, back and triceps the next. I have also been training my legs once a week.

So its not like I’m training as hard as most guys on here, but certainly as much as my schedule permits. Each session is around 40 mins and I train hard during that time. I have also been working on my abs with about 10 mins core work every other day.

My plan is to make my training more routine as the year goes on.

Cardio work has suffered a bit but my plan for the next few weeks is to do 3 days a week in the gym pushing weights and 2-3 days running for around 40-60 mins a time.

My diet is clean and healthy. Unfortunately, for financial reasons, I have had to seriously reduce my supplements intake. I am now taking just one scoop of whey on gym days only. Its half the recommended amount, but I figure something is better than nothing. I am taking it in a smoothie and drinking half before and half right after my gym sessions. I was hoping not to have to cut back so much, but needs must.

I have lost a little weight, which I think is bodyfat, down a couple of kilos since December… I guess that’s a reflection on my improved diet and slightly increased workouts. I think my abs are starting to look a bit more defined. My chest and arms look the same as ever, but that’s no bad thing!

Target for the next 3 weeks is to hit my back and abs harder than ever…

Any tips, please let me know!

Well, I have been thinking long and hard on my dilemna of whether or not to accept my coveted London marathon place in 2008, and I have made a decision…

I’m NOT going to run…. yet!

However, I will be carrying my place forward to the 2009 marathon, which I am committing myself to now…

It was a tough decision, but my reasons for not running in 2008 outweighed my reasons for…

Firstly, and this might sound ridiculous, I am about a month away from having all ten toenails fully intact for the first time since losing them in the last marathon… I’m not ready to go through that again just yet!

Secondly, and far more importantly, I really want to spend the next few months concentrating on ripping up and pumping my upper body a little more. Last time I trained for the marathon I did nothing but cardio for months…. What I want to try and do is find a good split of cardio and weights work. This in effect gives me 17 months to train for the 2009 marathon instead of just 5 for 2008!

Thirdly, I am just not ready to start living on non-stop pasta and assorted other carbs.

Finally, my other half will not be in the UK at the time of the 2008 race… and therefore won’t be there to cheer me on - which may sound sappy but it makes a big difference…

Running in 2007 was such a thrill and I really want to do it again, but for now it can wait. Roll on 2009!

That is the question!

Just found out that I have been accepted into the London Marathon again in 2008. Great news! Its a great honour to have been given the place, which is pretty hard to come and highly competitive.

But, now I have a tough decision to make…

I do want to run again, but do I really want to do it in 2008? This year’s race was an awesome experience. The training itself was vile, but the race itself was one of the best days of my life.

But the thing that suffered most during my marathon training last time was my gym attendance. And to be honest I really haven’t fully regained my dedication to the gym since the race. Last year I was pushing weights 3-4 times a week. Right now its once or twice a week if that.

I have been maintaining my running the last few weeks, just in case I got a place.

Now the marathon has a get-out clause and if I choose to give up my place I can get a guaranteed place in 2009. Right now that option is sounding quite attractive. It will mean I can spend the first half of 2008 concentrating on getting myself back in the gym and working on my motivation.

Gonna give the matter some serious thought over the next day or two…. I do want to run another marathon… just not sure if I want to do it so soon!

What a dilemna!!

I’ve always been a healthy eater. On the whole, I mean, I steer clear from fried food, try to avoid chocolate and other sweets, and I always get my five portions of fruit and veg a day. I drink protein shakes when I work out and generally eat lots of fish and chicken.

I LOVE sweet stuff like cakes, chocolate and sweets, but I generally manage to beat temptation!

So, in a nutshell, I eat pretty damn healthily.

But one thing I’ve never been able to get to grips with is perfectly balancing my diet. The so-called ‘bodybuilder diet’ is a challenge I doubt I’ll ever manage.

The concept of eating similar meals at the same time every day in a set routine just doesn’t fit. I read some guys accurately measure every ounce of protein, carb, fat and salt and eat every day on-cue at 0530, 0845, 1100, 1230 and son on… How is it possible to have such a strict diet? Do these guys not have jobs? Do they never go out in the evening?

I’ve tried to set a routine but its a losing battle…

That said, I’m quite happy with my diet. I have cereal (Weetabix or porridge) every morning when I get up, a mid morning banana, a healthy sandwich (wholewheat with tuna or chicken for example) for lunch, yoghurt sometime in the afternoon and then a larger meal of meat and vegetables around 6pm-ish. Every day I drink a smoothie with at least 3 portions of fruit, and on training days I add two scoops of protein to this.

So, you see, my diet isn’t too bad… any comments welcome!!

Well, all in all 2007 has been a pretty rubbish year as far as training’s concerned. Damned ‘life issues’ getting in the way of serious gym time. I have had weeks pass me by from time to time without so much as even lifting a dumbell. And its kinda got me down.

Looking at my latest pics, I see very little difference in my physique now compared with 2 years ago. I have a lean build and I know I’m unlikely to ever be too pumped, but I really feel lost as to where to go next. Surely I should have made more progress!

The answer is simple - more attention required! Looks like a New Year resolution is coming on! I’m going to set myself a challenge - to look better in December 2008 than I do in January! I know, its a pretty loose challenge, but all I want is to see myself and feel I’ve made progress.

Harder abs, bigger arms and a V-ed back. I’m gonna do it! Wish me luck!

Well I’ve decided to do something I didn’t think I would - I’vejust applied to run in the London Marathon again in 2008!

Having succeeded with flying colours in this years’ race, I know I can do it! I enjoyed this years’ marathon but I kinda promised myself not to do it again for a while for two main reasons - firstly I think it messed up my weight training and piled on some weight, and secondly because I didn’t want all my toenails to break off again! Eeeew!

However, after careful consideration, I have applied. That doesn’t mean I’ll get a place. Its a public ballot so I may or may not get lucky. Either way I am going to start training now as if I am running in the marathon, simply by running for 30 minutes a time between weights days at the gym. My reason? I NO LONGER DO CARDIO! Since I stopped running at the end of April, I have done very little cardio training, and I think I need to find a balance between both running and weights. When training for this years’ marathon I neglected the weights. Since the marathon I have neglected the cardio. I hope not to make either mistake again so I need to try and balance the two…

The training starts today!

Well, its been a few weeks since I constructed my new training programme. On avergae I’ve been training 3 times a week during this time - not quite as much as I’d like, but I’ve certainly being quite strict on myself during those gym sessions. I am pleased with the progress so far. I have decided not to take measurements but simply to judge my progress aesthetically - its far more indicative of what success I manage!

So as I said, my training’s coming along much better, but I still feel the need to refine my training schedule. My gym is slightly limited so it seems that the majority of great new exercises I find online are out of the question. If anyone knows any amazing chest or ab exercises using just dumbells, please let me know!

I’m planning to do some more photos next weeked as its the end of the month. In the meantime, my next goal is to sort out my diet and standardise it as much as possible. My lifestyle doesn’t allow me to be too militant with what and when I eat, but I do feel the need to try and balance it more.

I am taking protein supplements before and after gym sessions and also a half measure with my breakfast cereal in the morning. I was wondering how much protein I should be taking in on non-training days or cardio days? Any tips much appreciated!

Cheers

Well as reported a couple of days ago, the targets I had previously set myself for the summer never really happened due to various circumstances - most of which were beyond my control - and a resulting lack of training and general decline in diet strictness.

Now, I’ve said it before and I’ll probably say it again and again, but it really is time to get serious!

The progress pics (see my page) I took today depressed me a little. Its clear to see the decline in my chest size and also the quality of my abs. In fact, I look at today’s pics alongside some pics that are 2 years old and see no obvious improvement.

Its not all doom and gloom, though. I do feel  motivated by today’s camera session and have spent the afternoon constructing a new workout programme which I hope will help! If it does, I’ll be sure to post it!

My goals for the next 3 weeks are to:

• Increase my chest size
• Rip up my abs
• Improve my back
• Work harder on my legs

I’ve come to the conclusion that measurements don’t mean all that much - the best way to measure success is through visuals. Taking photos helps me look at myself from a different perspective! By mid August I want to be happy with what I see!

Well a couple of months ago I set myself a weight loss and chest-pumping target for the end of June. The end of June has come and gone and now its the end of July, and, well, things haven’t quite worked out as planned.

About half way through the month of June and found myself starting to actually make some progress. Then several tons of shit hit several high-speed fans at great speed and my training really suffered a real setback. I won’t go into the ins and outs but there was lots of trouble at work and in my private life as well, and unfortunately my training was what needed to be sacrificed.

So now I’ve wiped the slate clean and I need to start again with some new goals. I’m about to start stepping up my training again and this weekend it’ll be time to sit down and start planning myself a routine. If anyone has any fool-proof gut-shredding or chest-pumping techniques to share, please bring it on!

Cheers

After my doubts about the tape measure’s accuracy yesterday, I decided to take some pics today in the hope that it would be more motivational… really the pics told me that I need to be WORKING HARDER!

So, it kinda has been motivational, but not in the way I’d hoped… I honestly can’t tell much difference between a month ago and now. My goals to increase my chest size while decreasing my waist size still stand, but its gonna be a hard road and I might need some help! If anyone has any great advice, please let me know!