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
Sunday 25 May 2008
Monday 19 May 2008
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
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
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
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.
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.
Thursday 8 May 2008
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!
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!
Wednesday 7 May 2008
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.
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.
Tuesday 6 May 2008
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:
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!
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:
- I want to share my knowledge and experiences so that it might help others learn from my successes and failures
- It helps me keep on track and stay focused
- It gives others a chance to comment and contribute so we can all learn from each other.
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!
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