Evening readers (all 2 or 3 of you!! :) )
Well, here is todays progress.
Feeling tender in the muscles all over today, so I must be doing something right the last couple of days with my strength training. So, today been feeling a bit groggy/flabby.. don't know if you know what I mean. Some days you feel super lean, and others you feel flabby! Well today is a flabby day! Think its because last week after challenge 1 I took a break from the cardio I had been doing to do that bootcamp, which in hindsight I think was more a replacement for the weights than the cardio, so this week will be ensuring I have my stregth training to schedule and my cardio at least 3 times this week for 30-40mins min each session. My weigh in this morning threw me off a little, but I'd had a bad nights sleep so could explain it all.
Diet: High carb day today, so was on Oatmeal and protein shake for brekkie and a bananna, snacked on fruit + protein shake, had avocado & tuna in wholemeal pittas for lunch (probably could have been higher carb), and then had Burittos for dinner. Water consumption could have been better during the day, better in evening.
Excercise: Good today, was off day for muscles (no harm they need it), and was in on the treadmill for a 40min walk. Got good sweat up on it. So happy with that.
Mind: Head is getting more focused on the challenge. Feeling like this will be a bigger transformation than challenge 1..like I'm going to really step it up a notch and get the remaining weight off. I can feel the muscle underneath now and know that I just burn that layer of fat off it would make a big difference. Not easy, but if I maintain 2lbs a week over the next 12 weeks thats 24lbs, and I only want to lose 15-16lbs of fat at this stage. So I think its quite achievable..and allows for any hickups and plateaus along the way that I need to change my technique about for. Also glad to hear from Andrew via text that he's back in the gym working away. Looking forward to july 25th already!!
Weight: still at 14st 10lbs, bodyfat read at 23%, but I don't know, will probably be down to 22% again tomorrow, not sure why? anyway, weight is static at least, so cardio this week will hopefully push that down. Will try get a good night sleep tonight also and get that fat coming off.
Hoping for some drop in weight for sat. Hoping to see more more come off the bodyfat% each week. I was reading about how much should be possible and 0.5% off a week should be possible, meaning over a 12week period I will be capable of losing 6% bodyfat, bringing me down to my target of 16% bodyfat. I'll keep you posted, that will mean I'd need at 21.5% reading on saturday's weigh in. Still the rest of the week to go, so need to work my butt off.
So, here's looking forward to a good workout week! back in on shoulders, chest, abs tomorrow...but will also try get cardio done in morning prior to work.
good night and thanks for listening!
Dara
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
Challenge 2 - The Goals
Good evening,
I've been a little busy these past few days, it seems every time I sit down to get something posted I get called away to do something. I was also on call so that didn't help too much eother, makes it hard to concentrate, messes up sleep and so on and so forth. Any way, here I am, setting my own personal goals for the coming challenge!
Weigh In Stats:
Below are my stats, here I'm also setting out my goal for challenge 2, which is over the next 12 weeks and brings us up to July 25th!
Target for July 25th:
Target weight: 21.79 st (305lbs)
Target Fat loss: 28lbs
Day 1:
Current weight: 23.94st (335.lbs)
Left to go: 28lbs
I've been a little busy these past few days, it seems every time I sit down to get something posted I get called away to do something. I was also on call so that didn't help too much eother, makes it hard to concentrate, messes up sleep and so on and so forth. Any way, here I am, setting my own personal goals for the coming challenge!
Weigh In Stats:
Below are my stats, here I'm also setting out my goal for challenge 2, which is over the next 12 weeks and brings us up to July 25th!
Target for July 25th:
Target weight: 21.79 st (305lbs)
Target Fat loss: 28lbs
Day 1:
Current weight: 23.94st (335.lbs)
Left to go: 28lbs
Challenge 2 - Day 3 - Dara
Good evening, better day than expected from this challenge point of view.
Had a trip to Dublin for my brothers bday so that's a 2 hr drive. So this usually involves a micky D stop. So I did indulge in a few nuggets but with water no fizzy drinks.
Diet: overall pretty good if u don't count the mcd nuggets,brekkie had scrambled eggs n pitta, had some nice homemade burgers and prawns all BBQ cooked with salad in my brothers and this evening wholemeal pitta with ham. Low enough carbs
Excercise: muscle workout: legs back biceps
Mind: head in good place but know in one way like andy mentioned, complacancy with success so far could easily slip in. Need to stay focused on my motivation and as Anthony Robbins says 'get disturbed' again. Don't let myself feel that where I am is ok or acceptable
Weight: 14st 10lbs , 22% bodyfat
Had a trip to Dublin for my brothers bday so that's a 2 hr drive. So this usually involves a micky D stop. So I did indulge in a few nuggets but with water no fizzy drinks.
Diet: overall pretty good if u don't count the mcd nuggets,brekkie had scrambled eggs n pitta, had some nice homemade burgers and prawns all BBQ cooked with salad in my brothers and this evening wholemeal pitta with ham. Low enough carbs
Excercise: muscle workout: legs back biceps
Mind: head in good place but know in one way like andy mentioned, complacancy with success so far could easily slip in. Need to stay focused on my motivation and as Anthony Robbins says 'get disturbed' again. Don't let myself feel that where I am is ok or acceptable
Weight: 14st 10lbs , 22% bodyfat
Challenge 2 - Day 2 - Dara
Evening- this is a repost- ultra quick because my original one done yesterday didn't go up using shozu on my iPhone so I'm using a new app.
Excercise: good abs chest shoulders and triceps workout
Diet: good! Low carb day
Mind: good, mentally gearing up for this challenge with shift in focus this time to improve my weight training discipline.
Weight: 14st 10lbs
Excercise: good abs chest shoulders and triceps workout
Diet: good! Low carb day
Mind: good, mentally gearing up for this challenge with shift in focus this time to improve my weight training discipline.
Weight: 14st 10lbs
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Challenge 1 - Final Weigh in 25th April - Andrew
Well, it's been a long journey but not a rough one! As you can tell from the date on this, I'm not blogging on the day of the final weigh in. I had intended to but I was travelling to see Dara for the first time in years and had to get going pretty early in the morning to pick up bits and pieces before travelling. I did, however, take the time to weigh myself and to take the pics.
And the final result was.....drum roll please..........
Weight: 151.1 kg / 23.79 stone / 333.19 lbs
So, not quite the 33 lbs I'd hoped to lose as my stretch goal but still a good result!!
And the final result was.....drum roll please..........
Weight: 151.1 kg / 23.79 stone / 333.19 lbs
So, not quite the 33 lbs I'd hoped to lose as my stretch goal but still a good result!!
Progress on challenge 1.
Starting Weight: (Feb 21st 2009): 25stone 10lbs (360lbs)
Current Weight: 23.79 stone (333lbs)
Total Loss: 1st 13lb (27lbs)
I have to say that it was an absolute blast going to see Dara and his family, both he and his wife are looking really fit and healthy and their children are amazing - playing with them for 2 days was almost as good as spending time in the gym, I have NO idea where they get their energy from!!
With challenge 2 coming up it's going to be a real challenge for me as I have a weekend away coming up next weekend (leaving Friday, returning Monday), then from the 20th of May until the 30th I have a friend over from the US, I'll be touring Ireland at that point (will try to get as much hiking in as possible though!).
So, challenge 1, all in all a good success for us both.
I would like to add one thing though, it's something that Dara and I discussed and I think that it's something worth mentioning. Complacency. I have found that, in a way, success got to my head and allowed myself "the odd" night out. Thing is, the odd night leads to another odd night, and another and so on. So, bar the 2 exceptions that I have listed above I am going to try my damndest to make sure that there are no "odd nights" and REALLY push myself.
Onwards to challenge 2!!I have to say that it was an absolute blast going to see Dara and his family, both he and his wife are looking really fit and healthy and their children are amazing - playing with them for 2 days was almost as good as spending time in the gym, I have NO idea where they get their energy from!!
With challenge 2 coming up it's going to be a real challenge for me as I have a weekend away coming up next weekend (leaving Friday, returning Monday), then from the 20th of May until the 30th I have a friend over from the US, I'll be touring Ireland at that point (will try to get as much hiking in as possible though!).
So, challenge 1, all in all a good success for us both.
I would like to add one thing though, it's something that Dara and I discussed and I think that it's something worth mentioning. Complacency. I have found that, in a way, success got to my head and allowed myself "the odd" night out. Thing is, the odd night leads to another odd night, and another and so on. So, bar the 2 exceptions that I have listed above I am going to try my damndest to make sure that there are no "odd nights" and REALLY push myself.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Challenge 2 - Day 1 - Dara
Good evening,
I'm blogging from bed this evening, just taking a nice easy relaxed night. Its raining outside and I'm tucked up with the laptop. Today is the start of Challenge 2. And I want to take this chance to say, although this is challenge 2 I'm weighing in, and going to give a quick comparrison with last weeks weight to measure progress, and I'll set out my goal for this challenge.
So, as its challenge 2 I've to give you insight into the 4 categories as outlined in the intro to challenge 2, then I'll give stats and photos for Day 1. Daily postings won't be as long as below, but weekly I'll try to give more in depth posts.
Diet:
Low carb day on my carb cycling..I'd give it a 90% out of a 100% today. Had great breakfast of Scrambled eggs & wholemeal pitta. (3 eggs with only 1 yolk, dash of milk, mixed herbs and black pepper.) Had a great lunch of rye crackers and avocado & tuna salad, dinner then was BBQ steak, salad, vegetable skewer and v. small bit of chips. But why I dock myself 10% is that I had ICECREAM!!!! and a glass of wine! shock horror!
Mindset:
In terms of where my head is today.. its all good. Feeling very positive today and reflecting on progress and Andy and I have made so far brings me great pleasure and enthusiasm. I know we can make it all the way, whatever happens. One thing crossing my mind a lot these days is that I'm not far off my goal now. I'm just over a stone away. And I'm the lightest I've been in over 10years. But people are surprised when I say I have that much left to go. And I know this is why I got to where I was. I listened and accepted that as truth that it was ok for me to get away carrying a extra weight. I think also, that as a society we have become too acustomed to the overweight figure, that we don't recognise a truly fit, healthy body among our peers. My clothes are baggy now, so maybe that hides it more, but I know that I have a layer of fat that needs to go!
Excercise:
Well, today I took it easy... no excercise (if you don't count chasing kids around). I'm heading out walking with Ollie tomorow so that will be one thing, but will also get a session of Billy's Bootcamp done! Have done 2 sessions of it this week so far and it is one hell of a workout!
Weigh In Stats:
Below are my stats, here I'm also setting out my goal for challenge 2, which is over the next 12 weeks and brings us up to July 25th!
Target for July 25th:
Target weight: 13st 7lbs (189lbs)
Target bodyfat: 16%
Target Fat loss: -15.5lbs
Day 1:
Current weight: 14st 10lbs (207lbs)
Current Bodyfat %: 22%
Week variance : -3lbs
Left to go: 15.5lbs
Photos:
New format now for the photos - using photoshop template, The greyed out figure will be replaced each week with the current weeks photo, comparing it to todays.
Here we go!
I'm blogging from bed this evening, just taking a nice easy relaxed night. Its raining outside and I'm tucked up with the laptop. Today is the start of Challenge 2. And I want to take this chance to say, although this is challenge 2 I'm weighing in, and going to give a quick comparrison with last weeks weight to measure progress, and I'll set out my goal for this challenge.
So, as its challenge 2 I've to give you insight into the 4 categories as outlined in the intro to challenge 2, then I'll give stats and photos for Day 1. Daily postings won't be as long as below, but weekly I'll try to give more in depth posts.
Diet:
Low carb day on my carb cycling..I'd give it a 90% out of a 100% today. Had great breakfast of Scrambled eggs & wholemeal pitta. (3 eggs with only 1 yolk, dash of milk, mixed herbs and black pepper.) Had a great lunch of rye crackers and avocado & tuna salad, dinner then was BBQ steak, salad, vegetable skewer and v. small bit of chips. But why I dock myself 10% is that I had ICECREAM!!!! and a glass of wine! shock horror!
Mindset:
In terms of where my head is today.. its all good. Feeling very positive today and reflecting on progress and Andy and I have made so far brings me great pleasure and enthusiasm. I know we can make it all the way, whatever happens. One thing crossing my mind a lot these days is that I'm not far off my goal now. I'm just over a stone away. And I'm the lightest I've been in over 10years. But people are surprised when I say I have that much left to go. And I know this is why I got to where I was. I listened and accepted that as truth that it was ok for me to get away carrying a extra weight. I think also, that as a society we have become too acustomed to the overweight figure, that we don't recognise a truly fit, healthy body among our peers. My clothes are baggy now, so maybe that hides it more, but I know that I have a layer of fat that needs to go!
Excercise:
Well, today I took it easy... no excercise (if you don't count chasing kids around). I'm heading out walking with Ollie tomorow so that will be one thing, but will also get a session of Billy's Bootcamp done! Have done 2 sessions of it this week so far and it is one hell of a workout!
Weigh In Stats:
Below are my stats, here I'm also setting out my goal for challenge 2, which is over the next 12 weeks and brings us up to July 25th!
Target for July 25th:
Target weight: 13st 7lbs (189lbs)
Target bodyfat: 16%
Target Fat loss: -15.5lbs
Day 1:
Current weight: 14st 10lbs (207lbs)
Current Bodyfat %: 22%
Week variance : -3lbs
Left to go: 15.5lbs
Photos:
New format now for the photos - using photoshop template, The greyed out figure will be replaced each week with the current weeks photo, comparing it to todays.
Here we go!
Anyway, chuffed with this weeks progress. I'm down 3lbs on last weeks weigh in, though I think really last weeks was artificially high, However it is all good as I thought I was starting to hit a plateau again! But no, its a keepin a comin off! Which I think Carb Cycling has a big thing to answer for.
So, Until tomorrow!!! have to blog daily now! with quick updates .. will keep u posted! :)
Dara
Challenge 2 is here - Come Join Us!
Good morning everyone,
Challenge 1 finished last week for myself and Andrew and we both made great progress on our weight loss goal, though we didn't quite hit the initial target set, Andrew wasn't far off it and I still lost a good amount of weight. So, for Challenge 2 we're making a few amendments to how well be blogging and the details we post. We learnt a few things on challenge 1 which we feel will improve the experience and keep us on track better. The outlines of the 'rules' so to speak are outlined below. Secondly, having now found great benefit in doing this process of blogging we're inviting people to join us on challenge 2 and kick start their own weight loss journey and transformation, you can choose to join us on this blog here at noweighback.blogspot.com and we'll give you blogging access, or b. you can setup your own blog and we'll link to you and you just follow us. I can give you a no-weigh-back graphic to put in your header!
So, quick run down of what's changing in challenge 2 and general requirements for this.
1. 12 weeks challenge instead of 8 in challenge 1 (starts May 2nd ending July 25th)
2. Daily Accountability - quick update on your daily progress - no pics required (optional)
Daily info should include quick notes on 4 things Excercise, Diet, Mind & weight.
4. Weekly Saturday Weigh in as per challenge 1 but with day1 versus current week photo (photoshop template available).
3. Stats reporting each week (saturday) now must show original day 1 weight and 12 week target weight and progress against that target. e.g.
Day 1: 230lbs,
Bodyfat %: 22%
Target weight: 200lbs
Target bodyfat: 16%
Fat loss target: 30lbs
Current weight: 220lbs
Bodyfat %: 20%
Weeks variance : 2lbs
Left to go: 20lbs
4. Day 1 you should weigh in under above headings, setting your target for the 12 weeks and upload your day1 photo, and any other goal as part of the challenge (e.g. to fit in to 32" jeans, get more definition, or just fat loss!). If you are joining us midway, you can adjust your target to suit the deadline date of 25ht July.
5. Enjoy yourself, and do your weight loss healthy - no faddy diets - u must excercise regularly, eat clean, and keep a positive mindset !! :)
6. This is the key for those wanting to lose weight...Get your head in the right place and define your motivation. Most humans are driven by what gives them pleasure or pain! We move towards pleasure and avoid pain! In the past if you haven't successfully lost weight, it is most likely because you have associated more pain with doing excercise than by not doing it, thus avoiding excercise to avoid pain! The avoid pain motivator is the strongest one, as much as we'd like the pleasure motivator to be the key one! So define your motivation on these grounds:
1. Your pain motivation - by not following through, what will be the negative 'pain' consequence.
2. You pleasure motivation - by following through, what will the positive 'pleasure' consquence.
Let me give you an example with my motivation:
1. Pain: I've modelled my weight on my father / parents who are overweight, my father had a heart attack, if I don't excercise and lose weight my kids may model me, and become overweight and could potentially have heart attacks. I don't want to be responsible for that.
2. Pleasure: I'll be fit & healthy and much more confident about my body, and be in best shape of my life. And the sense of achievement will be great.
7. We also reccommend you get your hands on a copy of 'Burn the fat, feed the muscle' by Tom Venuto as a guideline on how to lose weight effectively. This is the basis of how Andrew and I are losing weight.
8. Share your tips! Support each other, keep each other motivated and accountable
Just a side note, please always use the same naming convention for your daily and weekly weigh ins, see how we did that in challenge 1. It helps keep things clearer for all to read and follow.
and, we encourage you to also put up a post under 'The weigh we were' section so you can give readers a more detailed background on your progress.
Also, we will try get together on July 25th to see everyone who's taken part!
If anyone thinks of any ideas for a reward for hitting your target on july 25th, share ideas..
So there it is, if you are up for it, come join us. Just comment below if you want to join or if you know us and have our email, get in touch!!!!!!
Good luck everyone
Dara
Challenge 1 finished last week for myself and Andrew and we both made great progress on our weight loss goal, though we didn't quite hit the initial target set, Andrew wasn't far off it and I still lost a good amount of weight. So, for Challenge 2 we're making a few amendments to how well be blogging and the details we post. We learnt a few things on challenge 1 which we feel will improve the experience and keep us on track better. The outlines of the 'rules' so to speak are outlined below. Secondly, having now found great benefit in doing this process of blogging we're inviting people to join us on challenge 2 and kick start their own weight loss journey and transformation, you can choose to join us on this blog here at noweighback.blogspot.com and we'll give you blogging access, or b. you can setup your own blog and we'll link to you and you just follow us. I can give you a no-weigh-back graphic to put in your header!
So, quick run down of what's changing in challenge 2 and general requirements for this.
1. 12 weeks challenge instead of 8 in challenge 1 (starts May 2nd ending July 25th)
2. Daily Accountability - quick update on your daily progress - no pics required (optional)
Daily info should include quick notes on 4 things Excercise, Diet, Mind & weight.
4. Weekly Saturday Weigh in as per challenge 1 but with day1 versus current week photo (photoshop template available).
3. Stats reporting each week (saturday) now must show original day 1 weight and 12 week target weight and progress against that target. e.g.
Day 1: 230lbs,
Bodyfat %: 22%
Target weight: 200lbs
Target bodyfat: 16%
Fat loss target: 30lbs
Current weight: 220lbs
Bodyfat %: 20%
Weeks variance : 2lbs
Left to go: 20lbs
4. Day 1 you should weigh in under above headings, setting your target for the 12 weeks and upload your day1 photo, and any other goal as part of the challenge (e.g. to fit in to 32" jeans, get more definition, or just fat loss!). If you are joining us midway, you can adjust your target to suit the deadline date of 25ht July.
5. Enjoy yourself, and do your weight loss healthy - no faddy diets - u must excercise regularly, eat clean, and keep a positive mindset !! :)
6. This is the key for those wanting to lose weight...Get your head in the right place and define your motivation. Most humans are driven by what gives them pleasure or pain! We move towards pleasure and avoid pain! In the past if you haven't successfully lost weight, it is most likely because you have associated more pain with doing excercise than by not doing it, thus avoiding excercise to avoid pain! The avoid pain motivator is the strongest one, as much as we'd like the pleasure motivator to be the key one! So define your motivation on these grounds:
1. Your pain motivation - by not following through, what will be the negative 'pain' consequence.
2. You pleasure motivation - by following through, what will the positive 'pleasure' consquence.
Let me give you an example with my motivation:
1. Pain: I've modelled my weight on my father / parents who are overweight, my father had a heart attack, if I don't excercise and lose weight my kids may model me, and become overweight and could potentially have heart attacks. I don't want to be responsible for that.
2. Pleasure: I'll be fit & healthy and much more confident about my body, and be in best shape of my life. And the sense of achievement will be great.
7. We also reccommend you get your hands on a copy of 'Burn the fat, feed the muscle' by Tom Venuto as a guideline on how to lose weight effectively. This is the basis of how Andrew and I are losing weight.
8. Share your tips! Support each other, keep each other motivated and accountable
Just a side note, please always use the same naming convention for your daily and weekly weigh ins, see how we did that in challenge 1. It helps keep things clearer for all to read and follow.
and, we encourage you to also put up a post under 'The weigh we were' section so you can give readers a more detailed background on your progress.
Also, we will try get together on July 25th to see everyone who's taken part!
If anyone thinks of any ideas for a reward for hitting your target on july 25th, share ideas..
So there it is, if you are up for it, come join us. Just comment below if you want to join or if you know us and have our email, get in touch!!!!!!
Good luck everyone
Dara
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