Latest Progress Pics!

Can you see the difference?

Update

Quick update as I have been busy lately and not had a chance to post anything.

I have just got back from a 10 day holiday in Dubai. So lots of eating, drinking and generally treating my body like crap! I was a little worried as it was the first time in 6 months I have really let myself go. I was convinced that I had put on at least 7lbs.

However, got back and weighed myself and I had only accumalated a 3lb weight gain. So not that bad! Give me a week and that will be gone again!

First week back in the gym and I have decided to go back to FB for the time being. So I am doing a kind of Chad Waterbury TBT programme but using my own rep ranges. I am also incorporating back-off sets. This is where you reduce the weight by about 40% for the last set and do as many reps as you can until failure. It gives you a good pump and can really help promote muscle growth.

However, I am thinking of trying the Daniel Craig workout which is available on Mens Health:

http://www.menshealth.co.uk/Fitness-&-muscle/built-like-bond-daniel-craig-workout/v3

It seems pretty basic and straight forward and well... it worked for him!

So might give that a bash starting next week.

Am going to work hard over the next 5-6 weeks to drop as much body fat as I can before the christmas binge! Will post progress pics soon.

Christian Thibaubeau Workout

I have recently changed my workout to a Christian Thibaudeau workout based around the concept of Destroying Fat. Here is a link to the original article on T-Nation:


http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=1499282


The workout I have put together looks like this:




In addition to the above I also perform 2 HIIT sessions a week and 1 standard cardio session. I usually do the HIIT sessions at the end of the Strenth sessions and the cardio session at the end of the Lactic Sessions. The first stime I did the lactic training session I nearly went sick! I am just finishing my second week and its going well!


Will keep everyone posted on my progress over the next 6 weeks or so.

New Routine

One of the things I have learned is to change your routine on a regular basis to keep your body guessing and to mix things up. From what I gather if you keep doing the same thing day after day then sooner or later your body will get used to it and you will not see as much gains coming through. So it is advisable to change your routine every 6-8 weeks or so. In particular mixing up the rep ranges is very important. So one week you may do 3 x 12 and the next week you should do 3 x 8 etc.

As such, I have just changed my full body routine to the following:

Workout A - (3 sets of each with rep ranges between 8 -12)

• Squats
• Incline Bench Press
• Deadlift
• Military Press
• BOR
• Weighted Dips

Workout B -(3 sets of each with rep ranges between 8-12)

• Lever Hack Squat
• DB Bench Press
• Straight Leg Deadlift
• Shoulder Press
• DB BOR
• Cable Pulldown

I alternate between workout A and B three times a week (Mon, Wed, Fri). So one week I do ABA and the next week I do BAB. In terms of weight I have also started to experiment with various pyramid sets. So for instance for Squats I will start off at 70k for 12 then do 80k for 10 and then 90k for 8 etc.

In addition to the above I also start with a 8min HIIT session on the Running machine to get the blood flowing and to warm up. On Tuesday's I still play football and on Sundays I either go for a 30min run or I do 3x8Min HIIT sessions in the gym on Running Machine, Rower and Bike.

I will stick with this for the next 6 weeks or so and then will mix it up again.

Progress Pics

Its been a while since I uploaded some progress pics so here are a couple of pics to show how I am getting along. As you can see a big difference! I am currently at around 14%-15% bodyfat. When I started back in April I was at 26%.

I weighed 14st 8lbs when I started and now I am down to 11st 12lbs. So I have droped around 40lbs! My goal is to now maintain my current weight and get down to between 8%-9% body fat.

Progress Update

Just thought I would give a quick progress update. I am now 6 weeks into my FB routine and have started to mix things up a bit. Its been going really well with some great strength gains and noticable changes in my physique. For example, when I started I was Deadlifting around 70kg for 10 reps. Now I am up to 110kg for 10 reps. My bench has also improved from 45kg to over 60kg for 10 reps. Squats were also going well going from 50kg to 80kg. However, have decided to drop the weight on the squats to concentrate on technique.

The good news is I have lost another 7 lbs. So I am down below 12 stone. My body fat percentage is now 14% and when I started the FB's it was at around 18%. So its definately working.

I have also mixed up the cardio sessions quite a bit. Did my first 3 x 8 minute HIIT sessions on sunday on the treadmill. It was a great workout! I am also going to start introducing Tabata sessions probably once or twice per week on off days.

Will be uploading progress pics shortly!

New Training Programme

Well, I am now two weeks into my new training plan and so far so good as they say! Following a two week break from the Belly Off programme I booked a session with a PT at my gym in Cambridge to pull together a new plan. I also did some research on various sites and got some great advice from fellow gym goers!

My new routine is based around a Full Body routine using compound based exercises. Compound based exercises utilise more muscle groups and the more muscle groups you work the better the workout. I was referred to an article by a guy called Chad Waterbury on T-Nation on how to construct a decent FB routine:

http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=508031

So my new routine looks like the following:

Monday

Squat - 3 sets - 12 Reps
Bench Press - 3 Sets - 12 Reps
Bent Over Row - 3 Sets - 12 Reps
Military Press - 3 Sets - 12 Reps
Deadlift - 3 Sets - 12 Reps
Dips - 3 Sets - 10 Reps

Wednesday

Tuesday is a mix of Cardio and a Weight circuit so it looks like this:

5 mins HIIT session on cardio machine such as Treadmill, Rower, Bike Cross Trainer
Squat - 1 Set - 10 Reps
DB Bench Press - 1 Set - 10 Reps
Deadlift - 1 Set - 10 Reps
DB Swings - 1 Set - 10 Reps

Then I repeat the above but alternate the cardio machine between the Treadmill, Rower, Bike & Cross Trainer for a total of 4 circuits. My PT referred to this as my Fat Burning day!

Friday

Leg Press - 3 Sets - 12 Reps
Bench Press - 3 Sets - 12 Reps
Deadlift - 3 Sets - 12 Reps
Prone Row - 3 Sets - 12 Reps
Dips - 3 Sets - 10 Reps
Pull Ups - 3 Sets - 10 Reps

In addition to the above I play Football on Tuesday's and on Sunday I do a 5k run, which takes me around 25mins. On Thursday and Saturday I rest. Also, before I start my FB I tend to do a 5 min warm up on a cardio machine such as treadmill, rower, bike or cross trainer.

I'm now 2 weeks into my new training programme and about to start my 3rd week. I have dropped another 4lbs since starting the programme and am now hovering around the 12stone 2lb or if you prefer the 170lb mark. So I am pretty much down to where I want to be weight wise so now the above routine should help me to pack on the muscle and reduce the body fat.

I took some key measurements at the start and plan to review these every 6 weeks or so. So will keep you updated on my progress over the next few weeks.

Hierachy of Needs

I came across a great article on T-Nation which really helped to clarify a few things for me. I don't know about you but I certainly get pretty confused and frustrated by the wealth of information out there regarding fat loss, dieting, fitness etc.

This article looks at the basic 'Hierachy of Needs' for anybody looking to loose fat, build muscle etc. It basically looks at the core fundamentals which are essential to the success of any fitness routine/programme. If one of these things are missing or are not being utilised in the right way then you will never fully achieve your goals. For example, there is no point spending an hour on the treadmill everyday if your diet is still a load of crap! Simple right... so why do so many people get it wrong?!

Anyway, the Hierachy of Needs are based upon the following:

• Supplements — This being the top of the pyramid.
• Lifestyle
• Training
• Diet — This being the foundation of the pyramid.

I think this is a great article and provides an excellent understanding and starting point for anybody starting out. Use this as the basis for building your programme and it will provide you with a very strong foundation.

http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do?article=201dawg2

Review of Week 8 - Belly Off

So here it is... my final review of the Belly Off programme. I completed the final Bodyweight challenge on Saturday... the 350/200 challenge, which now brings me to the end of the 8 week programme.

It’s been a truly fantastic and dare I say it... ‘life changing’ 8 weeks and although I am delighted to have successfully completed the programme I also feel a bit sad that it’s finally come to an end! However, I’m also really excited about starting my new programme but more on that later.

To wrap up I thought I would provide a review of all the core elements of the belly off programme and to summarise the key things I have learnt along the way. Apologies in advance as this could be the longest thread ever posted! However, hopefully this will provide a useful insight to anyone just starting or looking to start the programme.

The Eating Plan

The eating plan is definitely one of the easiest to follow and provides a pretty good balance of key nutrients and especially carbs, fibre and proteins. It’s what I would call ‘an everyday diet’, in other words everything is easy to get hold of and it’s the type of food that most people would buy and eat anyway. I hate those diets where you literally need your own chef working for you full time or that require ingredients that can only be purchased from specialist stores etc. The Belly Off Eating plan is very basic and easy to follow. Let’s face it, if you can’t cook chicken, Turkey or Beef and some basic veg then you are in a bit of trouble!

The key principle behind the diet is to increase protein intake from lean meats such as turkey, chicken, beef and Tuna. This is to obviously aid muscle development whilst you are also loosing body fat. The other key aspect is the reduction in carbohydrates and particularly refined carbohydrates such as Pasta, White Bread, Rice etc. Instead, more wholegrains and carbs with a low GI such as wholemeal pasta, brown rice etc. Very rarely did I find myself feeling peckish and for the most part the food was pretty filling and satisfying!

I did start mixing things up quite early on to prevent myself from getting bored and fed up. So I added Salmon, Prawns, Pork, Wholemeal pasta, chicken dishes, protein shakes, cottage cheese, wholegrain snacks etc. So now my diet is pretty varied and I must admit that the last 8 weeks has probably been the most healthiest and balanced that I have ever had!

I have been keeping a fairly strict diet plan throughout the last 8 weeks and have been recording all the nutritional values of the food I have been eating whilst sticking to the plan pretty closely. On average, if you were to follow the plan closely you should be getting around 2000 calories a day and around 100g of protein. For the average person this should be fine, but for people who are bigger then they will probably need to top this up a bit to ensure they are getting sufficient calories and protein. One thing I would suggest is to calculate your resting metabolic rate, i.e. how many calories your body will expend if you were just laying in bed all day. Then you can calculate how many calories your body will need based upon your activity levels, i.e. Light, moderate or high. Then, to loose fat you simply create a calorie deficit of around 500 calories. If you were to take me as an example, it would work out as follows:

Resting Metabolic Rate = 1800
Low Activity = 2300
Moderate Activity = 2800
High Activity = 3100

So assuming I have a moderate activity lifestyle and would like to loose fat then I would basically need to consume around 2300 calories per day (2800 – 500 = 2300). If you work this out for yourself then you can closely monitor your intake to ensure that you are getting the right amount your body needs. This is important because if you do not get sufficient calories then your body will run out of energy to burn and when that happens your body will then turn to your muscles for energy instead.

There are plenty of website resources out there which will help you to calculate your daily calorie intake and such as http://walking.about.com/cs/calories/l/blcalcalc.htm. This will give you a quick calculation based upon your age, height and weight.

The other thing to work out is how much protein your body needs. There are different calculations but the most commonly used one is 1.5g per kilo of bodyweight. So for me this works out at around 130g per day. So in order to ensure I was getting sufficient protein I have been supplementing the Eating plan with a Whey based protein drink. Again, it’s important to calculate how much protein you are getting so you top up as and when required.

One other thing I have learned over the last 8 weeks. You will actually loose more weight by eating more! Most people eat 3 square meals a day. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. Anybody who works out and has an active lifestyle will have on average 6 meals a day as follows:

Breakfast
Mid-Morning Snack
Lunch
Afternoon Snack
Dinner
Post Workout (PWO)

The theory being you eat smaller amounts more frequently throughout the day which will help stop the hunger pangs and will make you less likely to binge out! What you eat at each of these points is also crucial. So for instance your post workout should include a high protein content to help build and repair muscle following your workout and also some carbs to replenish your energy stores. So what you eat when can have a big impact on the performance of your body. Again there are plenty of resources on the web that will provide you will more detail on this.

So to summarise the key points on the Eating Plan:

· Work out how many calories and protein etc you should be getting on a daily basis
· Try to monitor your intake to work out how much you are actually getting
· Supplement your diet where necessary to ensure you get the right balance
· Plan ahead and be prepared, i.e. Try to plan your meals in advance
· Eat less more frequently throughout the day
· Pick foods with a low GI as they keep you feeling fuller longer
· Timing is key – Eat the right foods at the right times of the day
· Mix it up or else you will get bored! i.e. add Salmon, cottage cheese, pork, etc
· Be true to yourself, commit to it and it will work!
· Treat yourself now and again... You deserve it!

The Workouts

Well what can I say about the workouts. At the end of the day the proof is in the pudding and if you take a look at my before and after pics in my profile you will see a huge change in my body from week 1 to week 8. So it does exactly what it says on the tin! The workouts are very challenging to begin with, especially the first few weeks and as the bodyweight challenges increase on a weekly basis it becomes even more challenging! I have gained a significant amount of muscle and strength over the last 8 weeks, which has given me a great platform to build upon.

Most of the exercises in Workout A and B are pretty easy to get the hang of. However, there are a couple which are pretty challenging. In particular, I struggled with the 1 Leg RDL’s and the rotating stability ball jacknifes. But, as you get stronger and you build the muscles around your core these do become easier. Overall, the thing I love about the programme is that you can pretty much do the workouts anywhere. So you don’t really need to be a member of gym. Even if you don’t have access to a chin/pull up bar or stability ball you can tailor the programme and substitute some of the exercises. If you find yourself in this position just upload a post to the forum and I’m sure Craig, David or some of the other members will leave you a response with some recommended alternatives.

The workouts do get easier as you go along so from week 4 onwards add more weight and repetitions to the exercises such as the lunges, step ups, squats etc. Increasing the intensity of your workouts will also help you when it comes to the weekly bodyweight challenges. So one of the things I introduced in the last few weeks was to try and complete the Workouts as quickly as possible. This helped when it came to the bodyweight challenges and had a big impact on the times I achieved for the last few challenges.

By far, the toughest challenge for me was the Bodyweight 500. This was tough and I was very pleased to get it done in 36mins. By comparison, the final Bodyweight challenge the 350/200 I found easier and actually finished this in 31mins. The main thing I struggled with in any of the challenges was the pull ups and chin ups. Looking through the forums I think most people are in the same boat. So a lot of people have added some additional pull ups and chin up sets as part of their workout. I think this is a good idea and will help you increase the strength in your arms and back to help you complete more reps.

I also added some additional exercises to the Workouts in the final few weeks. So I added some prisoner squat jumps and abdominal crunches to each of the workouts. I also added more cardio sessions on off days. So generally I played football on Tuesday and went for a run on Thursday or used the spin bike.

The interval training sessions were great and I think this really helps to blast the fat! Interval training is far more effective for you than standard cardio and has been proven to increase fat loss by more than 30% on standard cardio. I mixed up the IT sessions regularly between the bike, cross trainer, rowing machine and the running machine. So that helps to keep it fresh and challenging.

The workout plans and videos are great and are really easy to follow and the online community (forums) are really helpful and beneficial. If you have any questions or need help and advice I will virtually guarantee that you will find the information you need in the forums. If not, just add a post and you will get a reply.

So overall, key things I learned on the workouts were as follows:

· Start off slow and build up
· Concentrate on form and don’t worry if you have to break up the reps into sets
· Chin Ups and Pull ups are challenging for anybody, don’t be hard on yourself if you can only manage a couple to begin with
· Add more weight and repetitions from week 4/5 onwards to increase intensity
· Don’t overdo it!

Summary

When I started the programme I was 190lbs and had around 26% body fat. I set myself a target of loosing 15lbs over the 8 weeks. Up until last week I had lost 14lbs, so I had 1lb more to loose in the final week! The great news is I did loose that 1lb so in total over the 8 weeks I lost bang on 15lbs. I also had a body fat test done and I lost over 8% body fat in 8 weeks and am now hovering at the 18% mark. In fact, this is something I would recommend everyone do. Some people on the programme have been surprised that in some cases they have actually put on weight as opposed to loose weight. But don’t forget that muscle weighs more than fat so the best indicator if this programme is working for you would be body fat percentage. So get you body fat tested when you start and monitor this throughout the programme as well as your weight.

Overall, the last 8 weeks have really helped change my entire outlook on life. I have gained a new found self confidence, which comes across in everyday life at work and at home! I now have pure belief in myself and I know that if I put my mind to something and apply myself I can achieve anything. I feel healthier than I ever have in my entire life and I have not weighed 175lbs since I was 21. I have gone from a waist 36 to 33... the bad news is I have had to buy a new wardrobe of clothes!

I could not finish without saying a few words about the many hundreds and thousands of other members who form part of this community. I have really appreciated all the help, advice and support that other members have provided along the way. We are all in this together and we share a common goal... we all want to be fitter and healthier individuals and we’ve all taken a huge step to try and achieve those goals. I have been truly inspired by a lot of the other members in this community and I thank you all for your support along the way.

Also, a big thank you to Craig Ballantyne who pulled this programme together and has helped people like myself to make a truly positive and significant change in life. Thanks for all your support along the way Craig, it’s greatly appreciated so thank you!

Finally, I have uploaded my final Week 8 pics so now you can compare my week 1, week 3, week 6 and week 8 pics and you will see a remarkable difference and progression throughout the programme. When I started this programme I was a bit dubious and did not really believe a lot of the stories I had read. However, now I am living proof of exactly what you can achieve in 8 weeks if you apply yourself to this programme... Believe me it works!

So what’s next! Well, I am starting a new training programme in a couple of weeks. First, I have a 2 week vacation in sunny Spain to look forward to with my wife and little boy Dominic. But when I get back I will be starting a new programme which will take me to the next level! In fact, I have decided that I am going to take this as far as I can possibly go. One of the goals I have set myself is to complete a Triathlon next year which will involve a 1.5km swim, 45km bike ride and 10km run. So a huge challenge as triathletes tend to be some of the fittest individuals on the planet. However, I have full confidence in myself!

So as they say... this isn’t the end... it’s just the beginning!

Review of Week 7 - Belly Off

So the penultimate week and the Bodyweight 500 challenge! This is what it all comes down to! All those hard training session building up to an awesome finale!

I remember looking at the Bodyweight 500 just 7 weeks ago thinking… “there is no way I could do that”. But here I am 7 weeks later having completed the 7th Week and the Bodyweight 500… and I’m still standing… Just!

I started off the week with a real vigour! When I started the programme I set a goal of loosing 15lbs and with 2 weeks left I had only had 3 lbs to go to hit my target! So I made a commitment to myself to really give these last two weeks one last big push.

So I changed my approach slightly to the workouts. I decided to do the same with the workouts as I do with the Bodyweight challenges, which is to get the workouts finished in as quick a time as possible. So for instance for Workout A I can now comfortably finish the entire workout (except the Interval training) in just over 15mins.

I also added some additional weight and reps to each of the workouts so I am doing slightly more than the programme states. Why? Well, to be honest whilst I find the Bodyweight challenges extremely tough I feel that the workouts have now become more manageable. So adding weights and reps to the excercises helps increase the intensity and give me a better workout.

I have also added a couple of additional excercises. I have added an additional set of Hanging leg raises to target my abs and also some Prisoner Squat Jumps, which target my Glutes, Quadriceps and Calfs as well as giving a good aerobic workout.

I have also increased the intensity on my Interval training and instead of doing one 13 min and one 20 min I now do 2 x 20mins and an additional 30min session on Tuesday and Thursday. I have also increased the speed and intensity of the interval sessions.

At the same time I have added a lot more variation to my diet with fish, pork and vegetables and have stepped up my protein intake so I am now getting between 130g-150g of protein per day. I now have at least 1 protein shake a day to supplement my protein intake from lean meats etc. I did give myself a bit of a treat last week and went for Pizza with my wife and little boy! However, instead of going for my normal meat feast I went for Chicken & Spinach which was great and very satisfying.

Anyway, it all came down to Saturday and the Bodyweight 500 challenge! Let’s make this clear from the start… This was one of the toughest physical challenges I have ever done! It was tough… very tough! There is a huge step up from the 350 to the 500. Looking at the week 8 challenge (the 350/200) I actually think the 500 is the toughest of the lot. It’s down to the number of reps of each of the excercises. In particular the pull ups and chin ups represent a major increase in reps from the previous week.

The target time that Craig states is 45 mins and he mentioned that when he first did it he did it in 28mins and the unofficial world record is 22mins. Last week I did the 350/100 in just over 28 mins. So I was hoping for a pretty decent time of around 33-35mins.

The good news was I finished everything bar the final 25 chin ups in just over 31mins. However, it took me 5 mins to finish the last 25 chin ups as I literally had nothing left. By the end I was absolutely shattered! Of course, I had to break up a lot of the reps into sets in order to have a bit of a breather and give my body time to recover. So most of the press ups, rows, pull ups, chin ups etc I did in sets.

So in total it took me 36 mins, which is still a lot quicker than the recommended time but a little longer than I was hoping but I was just pleased to get through it! Would love to see the guy who did this in 22 mins! Man that is awesome!

So how much did I loose in week 7? The great news is I lost another 2lbs! So now after loosing a total of 14lbs in 7 weeks I am only 1lb away from hitting my target!

I went shopping on the weekend and for the first time in 10 years I had to by a pair of jeans with a waist 34 and a medium size top as opposed to a large. What a great feeling! I have now got to the stage where people can’t help but notice how much weight I have lost! I not only have I lost weight but the overall shape of my body has completely changed!

I’m looking forward to the final week but not because I can’t wait to finish, but more because I can’t wait to go onto the next training programme. So bring on week 8 and the final bodyweight challenge!

Review of Week 6 - Belly Off

This should have been my 7th week on the Belly Off programme but I was on vacation last week in Vienna, Austria. I still managed to complete the workouts and the 350/100 bodyweight challenge on the Saturday but I had to substitute some of the exercises as I did not have access to a chin/pull up bar, inverted row bar etc. So I wanted to repeat week 6 again.

I was really worried about going away to Vienna. The Austrians are famous for their food and in particular their deserts. I was very strict whilst I was over there and every time we ate out I only ate salad with chicken. I ate virtually no bread and just stuck to lean meats and wholegrains. I also managed to work out quite a bit. I did two 5k runs along the river Danube (beautiful) and also did two workouts including the 350/100 challenge. So the net affect was that I still managed to loose 1lb that week, which is pretty good when normally I would have expected to put on around 4/5lbs when I was on holiday!

Anyway, onto this week and the repeat of Week 6 of the Belly Off programme. I changed the timing of my workouts this week to Tuesday and Thursday and then did the Bodyweight Challenge on Saturday. I have actually started to add more reps and weight to a lot of the exercises in the Workouts to give me an even harder workout. And it worked because this was the first week for a while where I suffered a bit of stiffness after doing Workout A on Tuesday. But I was fine again by Thursday.

One other thing I did this week worthy of note. At the gym where I am a member every month the set a new gym challenge and for May it was how fast you could complete a 1000 meters on the rower. So on Tuesday before Workout A I gave it a go and I managed to do it in 3.33secs which was a pretty good time and put me at around 15th place on the board. So on Thursday I wanted to give it another go and I managed to do it 5 secs faster and finished with a time on 3.28, which was good enough for top 10. So I was really pleased and most of the people above me were either personal trainers or extremely fit athletes! So not bad!

Came to Saturday and the Bodyweight 350/100. I normally do my Bodyweight challenge on the Saturday morning but this weekend we went into London to take my little boy to watch Playhouse Disney. So I did the workout in the evening instead. One thing I have noticed is that I seem to workout better in the evening than in the morning. I think it’s something to do with the fact that I have more energy in the evenings having taken on board more fuel during the day.

I watched the Week 6 pep talk and bodyweight challenge video by Craig and he mentioned that the unofficial record for the bodyweight 350/100 is 22mins and that when he first did it he managed to complete it in 27mins. I was aiming to do it in around 30-33mins. On week 5 I finished the 350 in 28 mins and the bodyweight 100 in around 6 mins. So combined I was sure I could do it quicker than 33mins. I did the challenge and I managed to get it done in 28.36 which I was delighted with! I actually finished the 350 in 22mins, which smashed the time I did the week before. So I was really pleased .

Important to note that I am still completing most of the exercise reps in sets. The only ones I don’t have a problem with completing in one go are the squats, lunges , step ups , stability ball curls and jacknives and jumps etc. For the press ups, pull ups and chin ups I still break these down into more manageable chunks. So for instance on the press ups I did 30/10, for the close grip push us I did 20/10/10 and for the chin ups I did 5/5/5. So if any of you guys out there are still worried that you can’t complete all the reps in one go then don’t worry, I think most people are in the same boat.

So what’s the bottom line this week? To be honest I don’t know as I have not weighed yet but will be weighing tomorrow. So far I have lost 11lbs in 6 weeks since I started the programme, so I am on track to do my target weight loss of 15lbs for the full 8 weeks. I am going to step it up even more in the final 2 weeks to give it one final push.

I have also taken pics this week and updated my Belly Off profile page. So now you can compare the difference between Week 1, 3 and 6. And boy is there a difference. Please take a look at my profile page below and let me know your comments/feedback.

http://bellyoff.menshealth.com/SNC/ViewItem.aspx?pguid=f11af873-2ef5-4d59-802c-892406ffe605&itemguid=c09509c9-eb40-44f0-9ff3-07bbb0cabad5

Review of Week 5 Belly Off

Hi Everyone,

Slight delay in posting the review of Week 5 because I am currently on vacation in Vienna, Austria. Anyway, heres a fairly quick review!

Like most people I guess I had a big shock when I logged into the website on Saturday morning to watch the Week 5 videos only to see that everything had changed to this new Summer Special workout! Luckily the boys from Men’s Health didn’t forget about us lot still doing the old Belly Off programme and added the links to all the previous workout materials and videos! Phew!

So on Saturday 17th May I did the Bodyweight 350 and I did find it easier than the previous weeks challenge which was the Bodyweight 200 x 2. I was happy with the time as I managed to complete it in just under 27 mins. But must admit by the time I got to the last 15 chin ups I was struggling so had to do these in 3 sets or so. After week 4 I was a little bit disappointed that I only managed to loose a 1lb, but then on reflection I thought that was probably about right as I am definitely beginning to replace fat with Muscle, and seeing as muscle weighs more than fat you will naturally see a gradual decline in weight loss week by week. So I decided to take Craig’s advice and get a body fat test done. So I booked myself in with a personal trainer on Saturday after the Bodyweight challenge.

It’s the first time I have had a body fat test done and I wanted to get a feel for how much body fat I think I might have lost since starting the programme just over 5 weeks ago. I took some old pics with me that I took for my profile page and the trainer estimated that I had between 25%-27% bodyfat in week 1 (which sounded about right to me). I then did the body fat test and the result was I now have 19% body fat. So to go from 25%/27% to 19% in 5 weeks is very impressive. So I was pretty pleased and it shows how effective the programme can be if you stick to it.The best thing about week 5 was that I actually lost 3lbs, which is the most I have lost in a Week since starting the programme. (That's 10lbs in total in 5 Weeks which is pretty good!) Why? Well I did add a lot more additional training sessions in where I played football one day, went for a run and added some additional time on the interval training sessions. So that probably helped. I was also very careful about what I ate and since I started to keep a daily diary of all my food intake and nutritional values you can keep control far more easily.

The bad thing about Week 5 was that I did pick up a slight injury. On Thursday morning I went to work and literally as I was walking down a flight of stairs I felt a twinge in my right hamstring and since then its been pretty sore. The key lesson I learnt was not to overdo it! I did the week 4 bodyweight challenge on the Saturday, a 4km run on the Sunday, workout A on Monday, football on Tuesday, Workout B on Wednesday… So it’s no wonder I picked up a bit of an injury. Far too much in a short period of time and it was my body telling me to take it a bit easier!

Anyway, I have just finished Week 6 (sort of!). Because I am away in Vienna I don’t have access to my usual Gym facilities so in the Bodyweight challenge I had to substitute some of the excercises for others. So not being one for cheating or cutting corners I am going to do the Week 6 challenge again next week. So I will post my review of Week 6 next week.

Anyway, I hope all you guys are getting on well with your Belly Off challenges! Keep up the great work!

http://bellyoff.menshealth.com/SNC/ViewItem.aspx?pguid=...93-b76e-19d9c94defc3

Review of Week 4 Belly Off

Hi Everyone! Well, the sun has finally arrived over here in the UK and we have had a week of great weather! Everything seems so much better when the weather is nice and I found it gave me even more motivation than normal. (I think it may have something to do with all those lovely ladies walking around in short skirts and skimpy tops! ;-)

Well, I have just completed Week 4, which means I am now half way through the programme! Wow, 4 weeks have absolutely flown by! It’s been a very good but hard week and there is no doubt the Bodyweight 200x2 challenge is the toughest so far and will give anybody a run for their money! I have also been reading a lot more on various forums and magazines and have picked up a few good tips that I can share with you. So here goes:

Eating Plan

I have noticed over the last couple of weeks that my energy levels were not that high which means workouts become harder and it’s more difficult to maintain motivation. This might be something to do with the weather as no doubt the sun can sap energy out of you, but I was also worried that I was not getting enough energy fuel in my diet. Since I started the programme I have dramatically reduced my carb intake and have not had any white bread, pasta, rice or potatoes for over 4 weeks! So I was worried that this was beginning to have a negative impact on my energy levels and performance.

As such, this week I started to have porridge in the mornings for breakfast with a slice of wholegrain toast and peanut butter. I also read that a bowl of porridge 30mins before a workout is one of the best workout fuels and also helps you to burn more calories. So I tried that a couple of times this week and it did work. It gave me more energy to complete the workouts and I did not feel as tired afterwards. So if you are starting to feel a bit low on energy then maybe this will work for you. Remember, carbs are essential and as long as you eat the right ones at the right time of the day then they will provide a great source of fuel for your body and will not negatively impact your weight loss goals. Stick to wholegrain carbs and eat them for breakfast or lunch but avoid having them later in the day unless it’s before a workout.

Another thing I did this week was to buy my first Protein Supplement from Maximuscle. They say you need at least 1.5g of protein per kilo of your bodyweight so ideally I should be getting around 120g – 130g of protein. I have calculated that I have been getting on average around 80g - 100g of Protein per day from food. The protein supplement is a Whey protein drink that provides around 25g of protein in every serving along with a load of amino acids that aids weight loss and the development of lean muscle. So it should be taken in conjunction with your daily Protein intake. So the trick is to calculate how much protein you get from normal food and then top this up with a supplement so that you the right amount of Protein. Remember, if you get too much protein the excess will be stored as fat. So it’s important to calculate how much you need to get the right amount on a daily basis.

So I have started to record all my meals in a spreadsheet where I record all the nutritional values of all the foods and drinks I consume. This way I can easily see how many calories, fat, saturated fat, protein, carbs and salt I have every day. Its sounds like a lot of work, and to be honest at the beginning it is but after a week or two you have done all the hard work and then it’s simply putting together a daily and weekly eating plan based around what you need to achieve. This will help you to ensure your body gets the right amount nutrients it needs. It also helps you to vary your eating plan so you don’t get bored, let’s face it sooner or later you are going to get sick of eating Turkey! Once I have finished I am more than happy to share this with others so if you want a copy let me know.

Workouts

I’ve had a pretty good week this week and have mixed up my workouts a lot more than usual so on Monday I did Workout A, Tuesday I played Football (Soccer), Wednesday was Workout B and I took Thursday and Friday off before doing the Bodyweight 200x2 on Saturday followed by a 4km run on Sunday. I also varied my interval training between the running machine, cross trainer and bike. I think this is a great way to ensure you don’t get bored.

One of the reasons I took Thursday and Friday off was because I felt my body needed a rest. I was pretty tired after the workout on Wednesday. I think this might have had something to do with the fact that I did not train until late on Wednesday (I only finished the workout at around 10:30pm) and also because I played football on the Tuesday and running around for 90mins was pretty tough going. So I listened to my body and took a couple of days off in order for my body to recover in time for the Bodyweight challenge on Saturday. Remember, a day or two rest is as good as a workout and is essential to help your body and muscles to recover and prime for growth.

So, Saturday came along and the toughest challenge yet. The Bodyweight 200x2! As Craig says, this is by far the biggest challenge yet and a significant step up on previous weeks. So I will not lie, it was tough. I finished the first 200 in just under 13mins and then took a 5 min break. The second 200 was a lot tougher and by the end I was really struggling to do the number of reps required. By the time I got to the final 5 chin ups I had nothing left in the tank so those last 5 chin ups were almost impossible. However, I did manage to get it done inside 30mins, which I was really pleased with. I then finished off with a 20 min interval training on the cross trainer.

Have you ever wondered just how effective the Bodyweight workouts and challenges are in terms of burning fat and calories? Well, I have so this week I wore a heart rate monitor throughout the workout and the results were pretty impressive. Including the Warm Up, the bodyweight challenge and the 20 mins interval training on the cross trainer it took me 1hr 5mins. In that time I burned off 947 calories. The Warm up alone took up nearly 100 calories and the bodyweight challenge took up around 600 calories. So this proves that the bodyweight workouts and challenges are not just good for building muscle but also for burning fat and calories!

As mentioned above, I did a 4km run on Sunday. It was a beautiful day and the thought of working out indoors was not very appealing so I thought why not go for a run. I have not done any road running for a very long time as I have week ankles and suffer quite a bit from shin splints. So I was not sure how I would get on. I did a 2.5 mile circuit (4km) and I managed to do it in 21mins, which meant I was doing a km every 5mins 25secs which is a pretty good pace. There is no doubt I would not have been able to do this 4 weeks ago and the best bit was my body felt great afterwards with no pain or stiffness in my legs or ankles. I also used the interval training technique so I was jogging at a light pace for a minute and then sprinting at a high intensity for a minute and this definitely helped.

So what’s the bottom line?

In the previous three weeks I have consistently lost 2lbs per week so I was a little bit disappointed when I stepped on the scales this morning and saw that I had only lost 1lb. However, now having had time to reflect, this is exactly what I would expect. We all know that muscle weighs more than fat so if you are building muscle at the same rate you are burning fat then you will not be loosing a lot of weight. So it can be very deceiving! As Craig suggests, I think the best thing to do would be to measure body fat percentage. So this week I am going to get someone to measure my body fat percentage and then I will monitor this over the next 4 weeks as I think it’s a far better measure than just stepping on the scales. Saying that, I am still planning to loose another 6-8lbs over the next 4 weeks! Another way to look at it is like this… 1lb is the equivalent of a tub of butter! So not bad really! One thing is for sure, I am going to need to buy a new wardrobe soon as all my clothes are far too big for me. I have lost at least a couple of inches from my waist over the last 4 weeks and all my trousers are now too big for me. On top of that I have had to add another hole in my belt! So I definitely feel the difference and as the pictures I took at the end of week 3 show, you can definitely see the difference.

At the start of this programme I remember looking at the Bodyweight challenges for each of the weeks thinking, man there is no way I will be able to do that! So to achieve what I have achieved in the last 4 weeks feels absolutely great! It’s great to see the progress and the results coming through in such a short period and it really spurs you on and helps keep you motivated. So looking forward to week 5 and another great week on the Belly Off programme!

http://bellyoff.menshealth.com/SNC/ViewItem.aspx?pguid=...93-b76e-19d9c94defc3

Review of Week 3 belly Off

A quick review of Week 3 this week as its a holiday weekend over here in the UK!

Week 3 has been really great and definately the strongest I have felt since I started the programme. Both workouts went very well and I also managed to get in an additional 30 Min interval session on Tuesday and Thursday on the bike.

Did the Bodyweight 200 on Saturday morning and managed to get it done in 13 mins so was very pleased. And I finished off with another 20 min interval session on the treadmill.

I am definately beginning to see the benefits in terms of strength as I am able to do a lot more reps of each of the excercises than when I first started.

For instance, I could only manage 1 or 2 chin ups when I started whilst this week I managed to do all 5 in a row. Like wise for the Inverted rows. Was struggling to do 8 in the beginning and now I am doing at least 12. This week I am going to add dumbells to the lunges and step ups etc for extra wight and resistance.

I am also beginning to see the benefits in terms of my body. I was planning to take pics next week after week 4, but decided to take some pics today to see if there is any difference.
To be honest I was completely amazed when I saw the before and after shots.

I have uploaded the pics to my profile page so you can take a look. You can definately see a big difference in my legs and upper body. The love handles are in decline and you can already see more muscle definition.

I must admit I was a bit dubious when I started the program and was not really expecting to see a big difference until week 7 or 8. I was definately not expecting to see the results coming through as quick as they have done so I am really pleased to see the impact it has had in just 3 weeks and can only imagine what the result will be after 8 weeks!

So bring on week 4!

http://bellyoff.menshealth.com/SNC/ViewItem.aspx?pguid=...93-b76e-19d9c94defc3

Review of Week 2 Belly Off

Hi Everyone! For those of you who read my review of Week 1 you will be familiar with the fact that I am planning to produce a weekly review of my experiences and progress on the Belly Off programme over the next 8 weeks.

Why?

Well, firstly I hope that I might be able to pass on some useful information and tips to others who are either on the programme or who are thinking of starting the programme. Secondly, it helps me to focus and to keep on track and finally it may provide some useful feedback to Craig.

So, what was my review of week 2 like?

First thing to mention is that I was actually on a family vacation from Friday to Monday this week, which was a pretty big test for me as it was the first vacation since starting the programme. So I was slightly worried about how I might do and whether I would be able to resist temptation and stick to the plan.

It also meant I had to schedule my workouts differently, which was a challenge! Anyway, here is my review of week 2 looking at the core components of the Eating Plan and Workouts.

Eating Plan

I’m sure many of you will now all about family vacations... holiday camps with fast food outlets on every corner, lot of snacks, big breakfasts, big lunches, dinners, chocolate, sweats, alcahol... the list is endless!

So as you can imagine I was pretty worried about how I would cope and how I was going to stick to the Eating Plan.

Overall, I was really pleased with how I did. The only treat I allowed myself to indulge in throughout the weekend was a fairly healthy homemade Pizza on Saturday night. Apart from that, I pretty much stuck to the eating plan with bran flakes or eggs for breakfast with Actimel and glass of OJ.

For lunch it was a turkey or chicken sandwich with handful of almonds and some fruit and for dinner it was either chicken breast with vegetables or another bowl of bran flakes and more fruit. What I really think helped was the support of my family who all know that I am on a fairly strict eating plan so they pretty much ate what I did.

We also avoided eating out in restaurants in the evening and chose to cook in the villa so I was far more in control of what I was eating. We did eat out for lunch a couple of days but we chose restaurants that had more chicken type dishes on the menu. Nando’s was great!

Chicken breast in pita with salad was a very healthy choice and tasty as well. Not to mention that the Peri peri marinade is quite spicy and helps boost your metabolism! So I guess the trick for me was to avoid temptation. If you are going to surround yourself with a whole load of junk food then sooner or later you are going to give in!

Workouts

As mentioned above, I had to schedule my workouts differently this week. So on Monday and Wednesday I did the normal workouts and I did the Week 2 Bodyweight 100x2 on the Thursday as opposed to Saturday. Not ideal, but I wanted to make sure that I stick to the programme the best I can.

After successfully completing the first week and loosing 2 lbs I was feeling pretty good and my stiffness from the previous workouts was gone. The first thing I noticed was how much quicker I was able to complete the workouts as I was far more familiar with the warm up and supersets.

So I think as the programme progresses I think it will continue to get quicker and quicker the stronger you get and the more familiar you become with the workouts. The warm up is also becoming easier and less of a workout!

Overall, I am pretty happy with the progress I am making on the Workouts and find most of the supersets OK. On workout A I am still struggling with the 1 Leg RDL’s. I just do not have the balance or technique to do this justice and am really struggling (not too mention I look pretty stupid when I do it)!

On Workout B the only one I struggle with is the Stability Ball Jacknife with rotations. Without the rotations are fine but with the rotations I keep falling off the ball! I am getting better at it and maybe as I get more strength in my abs etc then it will help further.

The other thing I have started to notice is the number of reps I can do on the Inverted Rows. In week 1 the maximum number of reps I could do in one go was 8. By the end of week 2 I was able to do 12 reps in one go on the first superset and 10 in the second superset. So not bad progress for 2 weeks of effort! I was also able to do 4 chin ups in a row as opposed to the 2 I managed in the first week! So I can definitely see the strength gains starting to come through already.

I had to do the Bodyweight 100x2 on the Thursday which was pretty tough considering I did Workout B the day before. I can definitely see why you need a couple of days rest in between. I was fine for the first 100 but the second 100 was a bit of a killer!

At the end of the session I was really feeling it and it took me a good day to recover! So would definitely not recommend trying to cram in the workouts to close together. I did actually manage to do the Bodyweight 100x2 in 13 mins which was well within the time specified by Craig so I was very happy with that.

I also did a 13 min interval session at the end to finish off. In addition to the workouts I also did a 20min interval session on the Saturday.

Overall

The bottom line is I lost another 2lbs in Week 2, so that’s a total of 4lbs in 2 weeks which means I am still on track to hit my 15lbs belly off target in 8 weeks! This week I am actually planning to incorporate some additional interval sessions for Tuesday and Thursday to help burn off more fat.

I must admit that I am really surprised by how quickly I am starting to see improvements in both my strength and upper body. I can definitely feel the difference in my chest and arms and I am feeling much stronger than when I started 2 weeks ago.

Already when I look in a mirror I can see the differences so I can only imagine what improvement I will see after 8 weeks! I am planning to take some pics after week 4 to show the half way improvements.

So that’s it for Week 2! Another good week and it was a great personal achievement for me to loose 2 lbs even when I had a 4 day family vacation! So bring on Week 3!

http://bellyoff.menshealth.com/SNC/ViewItem.aspx?pguid=f11af873-2ef5-4d59-802c-892406ffe605&itemguid=77fc3137-25ff-4569-8505-39ab8adaa4bd

Review of Week 1 Belly Off

Week 1 ReviewI started the Men’s Health Belly Off programme on 14th April and over the next 8 weeks or so I am planning to produce a weekly review of the progress I am making on the programme and the overall experience. I hope this might prove helpful and beneficial to anyone else who is on the programme or thinking about starting the programme.

The first thing to mention is that I am by no means an expert in fitness or nutrition and I am learning as I go along. So if you are looking for expert advice then I am the wrong guy. But if like me you are a novice and want to see how people like yourself are doing on the programme then this will hopefully prove useful.

As mentioned above I started the programme on the 14th April with a starting weight of 190lbs and my goal over the next 8 weeks is to loose around 15lbs and to significantly reduce my overall body fat. Although I am around 20lbs overweight I do consider myself to be relatively healthy and play a significant amount of sport including Football (Soccer), Squash and Tennis. So I have always done at least 3-4 days of exercise per week. Saying that I have not done any kind of body workout or weights type exercises for a very long time.

Every week I plan to produce a review on the core elements of the Belly Off programme relating to the Eating Plan and the Workouts. I will also throw in any other useful information or tips that I learn on the way that might come in handy for others.

The Eating Plan

First thing to mention is that I am actually doing the Weightwatchers points diet and have already lost around 16lbs since I started the diet around 7 weeks ago. As such, I have opted to continue with the Weightwatchers points diet but at the same time substitute some of my normal meals with the meals suggested from the Belly Off Eating Plan. So in the first week I pretty much followed the Eating Plan for Breakfast, Lunch and Snacks and just varied the meals I had for Dinner.

The great thing about the Weightwatchers plan for me is that its points based and to a certain extent you can eat whatever you want. The key things I have tried to do in the first week were to lower the amount of Carbohydrates I ate and to increase the Fibre and Protein intake. As such, for breakfasts I had either All Bran, Bran Flakes, Weetabix or Scrammbled Eggs with a glass of fresh Orange Juice and an Actimel. For mid morning I then had a banana or apple and a handful of Almonds. For lunch I had either Turkey, Chicken, PB&J, or Tuna sandwich with a packet of Corn Snacks (Snackajacks).

In the afternoon I had a banana or apple. During the week I don’t get home from work until around 7pm and I mainly workout in the evenings so I don’t tend to have a big dinner. As such, I either had another bowl of cereal or a ready made ‘healthy’ microwave meal such as Spaghetti & Meatballs or Spaghetti Bolognaise. On the Weightwatchers diet in total this came to around 26-28 points and I am entitled to 28 points a day so pretty much bang on. On the weekend, I did follow the plan more with Chicken breast or a beef steak with vegetables for dinner.

Overall, the biggest change for me in week 1 was the reduction of bread and potatoes from my diet. I love bread and potatoes and during the first week I had a maximum of two slices of Wholemeal bread a day and it’s the first time I can think of when I had absolutely no white bread in a week! I also had no potatoes until Sunday when I had a handful of roast potatoes with my dinner. So overall a pretty good week on the eating plan and I would say this is one of the easiest eating plans to follow.

Workouts

My first Workout session was on Monday 14th in the evening at my local gym. I started with the warm-up routine and launched into Workout A. I found most of the exercises OK but did struggle on a couple of them. In particular, I struggled on the 1-Leg RDL as I kept loosing balance. This might have something to do with me having really flat feet or it might just be my lack of balance or strength but I did struggle. I also struggled to do the number of reps required for the Inverted rows. I was only able to manage 8 in a row as opposed to the 12 required. So I took a break and finished the other 4.

One of the things that Craig recommends for week one is to only do 1 set or a maximum of 2 sets of each superset. I did actually manage to do the three sets and felt OK, but on reflection I think it is best to do a maximum of 2 on the first Workout so as to not overdo it! I finished off with the Interval training on a running machine which was a great way to finish the workout. The next day I woke up and felt pretty good. However, as the day progressed I did get more and more stiff, particularly in my back and sides. When I woke up on Wednesday I was definitely feeling it and was very stiff. Hence the reason why I would suggest a maximum of two sets of supersets as opposed to the three.

On Wednesday despite the fact I was feeling very stiff I went to the gym in the evening to do Workout B. After doing the warm up I felt OK and launched into the workout. I really enjoyed Workout B and on the whole had no problems with any of the exercises. The only one I did struggle with was the Stability Ball Jacknife with rotation as again I kept losing balance and falling off the ball. I also struggled to do the number of reps required for the spiderman push ups but just took a couple of breaks whilst doing them. I finished off the workout with another Interval session on the running machine. Overall a great workout and it actually helped me feel much better the next morning and really helped to ease the stiffness from Workout A.

On Saturday I went to the gym in the morning to do the Bodyweight 100. After the warm up I launched into it and managed to finish it within 6 mins. So well within the 7mins that Craig specifies so I was very pleased. The only thing I really struggled with was the chin ups. I could only manage 3 to begin with and had to take a break before completing the other 2. After I finished I actually did another 20 min interval session on the bike.So overall I was very happy with the first week. In addition to the workouts above I also played Squash on Friday night and normally I would have played football on Tuesday but the weather was too bad. The only changes I am planning to introduce in the second week is to add a brief 20/30 min cardio workout on the Tuesday and Thursday.

Overall

So what’s the bottom line? In Week 1 I have lost 2lbs (only 13lbs to go) so overall pretty pleased. But better than that I really do feel like its already starting to make a difference to my body and strength. My work trousers felt loose around my waist this morning and I am definitely feeling stronger. So in summary I really enjoyed my first week on the Belly Off programme and am looking forward to week 2.

Mens Health Belly Off

Around 5 weeks ago (April 7th) I started thinking about starting a regular fitness and exercise programme to support my weight loss plan. I came across a programme on the Men's Health website in the US called Belly Off (www.menshealth.com/bellyoff2008). The Belly Off programme has been around for over 8 years and has had a lot of success with thousands upon thousands of people who have lost a combined total of over 40,000 lbs. Basically, its a combined training programme and Eating plan that supports fat loss and muscle development.


The great thing about it is that it's absolutely free! You do not have to register and you don't have to subscribe to Men's Health in order to gain access to the the various material. Its also based upon a community concept so you can register a profile and then have full access to the forums where you can get advice and support from like minded individuals.

The programme was put together by Craig Ballantyne who is one of the Men’s Health Magazine Experts, Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, and Author of Turbulence Training. Craig is very hands on and often responds to many of the posts on the forum so if you need is help and advice he will in most cases be able to respond.

Since I started the programme I have seen a significant amount of improvement in both by physical appearance and my strength. I have lost 10lbs in 5 weeks and have lost a significant amount of body fat. You can view my Belly Off profile page at the following address:

http://bellyoff.menshealth.com/SNC/ViewItem.aspx?pguid=f11af873-2ef5-4d59-802c-892406ffe605&itemguid=c672fcfe-d0e5-4293-b76e-19d9c94defc3

I would fully endorse this programme for anyone wanting to burn fat and build muscle. Its an excellent way to get into a structured programme and helps you to build the confidence to move onto the next level. The Eating plan is easy to follow and provides you with a pretty healthy balance.

I have written a review of each week on the Belly Off programme to share my experience and weight loss tips. So if you want to know more then read the reviews!

Weightwatchers

No doubt most of you would have heard of Weightwatchers as it probably one of the most widely known dieting companies in the World. I have been off and on the Weightwatchers programme for the last couple of years. I first started on the programme around 2 years ago and was successful in loosing quite a lot of weight and went from 15 stone to just over 13 stone. The problem was that like many people who go on diets I piled all the weight back on! But I don't blame Weightwatchers and my overall experience of Weightwatchers is really good which is why I am doing it again. Only this time I am only using Weightwatchers to monitor my daily intake of calories and my points value and also to monitor weight loss progress.

The thing I like about Weightwatchers is that with the points system you can pretty much eat whatever you like as long as you don't go over your daily points total. This gives you a lot more freedom and unlike other diets you don't have to follow a set meal plan etc. Some people might prefer a set meal plan where they can plan their meals in advance and they know exactly what they are going to eat from day to day, but for me I prefer the freedom that the points plan provides. Saying that I do think it help is you plan ahead so I tend to think what am I going to eat throughout the day at the start of each day and plan my day around that.

The other thing I like is that I do all this online in my own time and space! I don't attend Weightwatchers meetings and i don't go to any weigh ins! I record all my daily food intake and track my weight loss progress online at the Weightwatchers website (www.weightwatchers.co.uk). This also allows me to assess the points value of any food I am considering eating. You simply enter the number of calories and the saturated fat content and it tells you how much points value there is in that item.

The only thing that really bugs me about Weightwatchers is that it seems to me to be almost completely geared towards women. it does not seem to accommodate men at all from an advertising or marketing perspective. If you take a look at the website you will see loads of stories and pictures galore of Women but none of men. If you go to the forums then you will see thousands of posts from women and virtually none from men. So from my own personal perspective I almost feel like the only guy doing it, even though I'm sure there are thousands!

If you are looking for rapid weight loss then Weightwatchers is not for you. On the weightwatchers programme they recommend no more than 1-2lbs of weight loss per week. personally I think this is the right approach. Rapid weight loss is not good for you and will do more harm than good in the long run. Its also proven that the slower you loose weight the more likely you are to keep it off and not put it back on! So Weightwatchers is all about sensible weight loss.

The other good thing is the resources and tools that Weightwatchers provide. Online you can get hold of recipes for pretty much anything you want to cook. you can also use the recipe builder to build your own recipe and calculate the points value. It also has some pretty useful tips and advice.

So all in all my experience of Weightwatchers is very good and I would recommend it to anyone looking to start a weigh loss and dieting programme. I think its a good way to keep control over what you eat and to establish a routine. The only thing I would say is that as with any diet it only works if you are truly committed! For me its become a part of my life so I no longer look at it as a diet. Its a way of life for me! Its just part of what I do on a daily basis to make sure I eat healthily and sensibly.

Welcome to My Fat Loss Blog!

I never thought I would be one of those people who would have a blog! Mainly because I never thought I would have anything interesting to say and also because it seems a bit of a choir! However, here I am writing my very first blog post! Why??? Well, I have been on a bit of a mission over the last 8 weeks or so trying to loose weight and get back in shape! Its been a pretty tough, challenging, frustrating time but at the same time extremely beneficial and rewarding! The overwhelming sense of achievement that you feel when you step on the scales every week and see another pound or two disappear is fantastic.

The thing I have noticed since taking dieting and excercise more seriously is just how much information there is out there, and here lieth the problem! There is far too much information! Do a search on Google for the word 'diet' and you will get over 181 million search results! Much of this information is contradictory so you end up more confused than when you started. One diet will say one thing and another will say something completely opposite! So which do you trust and follow.

The other thing I have found is that a lot of diets really are hard to follow and requires a lot of hard work and dedication. So not only do you have to contend with eating less and feeling hungry but you also have to put a lot more effort in. It seems many diets to me are not "real world" diets and are not suitable for the vast majority of ordinary people who are on them. By ordinary, I mean those people with busy and hectic lives, working 9-5, children, families, boyfirends, girlfriends, committments etc.

So I have created this blog for 3 main reasons:

1. I want to share my knowledge and experiences so that it might help others learn from my successes and failures
2. It helps me keep on track and stay focused
3. It gives others a chance to comment and contribute so we can all learn from each other.

So why should you listen to what I have to say? Well, so far I have had quite a lot of success! I have managed to loose 20lbs in 8 weeks and significantly reduce my body fat percentage and I am not finished yet. I am an ordinary Joe like you who is fed up of feeling fat and miserable and I am finally doing something about it! Whats more I plan to stay that way... no more "yo yo" diets. This is all about a complete change in priorities and outlook on life for me. Eating healthily, exercising more, taking care of my body and being more aware about what I am putting in and getting out! I hate to say it but if I can do it then anyone can!

Over the next few months I am going to provide regular updates on my weight loss progress and I will share with you everything I learn throughout the process, good and bad! Anything that I see that I think is interesting and beneficial I will try and if it works or not I will let you know. In essence what worked for me and what didn't!

So hopefully, over the next few months this blog will grow and grow and become a really useful resource for ordinary Joe's looking for tips and advice on weight loss and exercise. At the very least it will help keep me focused and on track!