My time to get fit - stage 1 - The beginning.

Wholemeal wrap will in general be less calorific as it will be made of "less" stuff, however of course as ever, check the ingredients and it's GI rating. :)

For veggies, see if you can buy yourself a steamer, they are cheap, and you can almost rig one up yourself if you like a challenge - it's a much better way of cooking veg.

Sorry to hear you were ill, hope you get back up to full strength soon.! :)
 
Cheers FF.

Being in the land of rice, we have a rice cooker so I can rig that as a steamer probably.

Sickness is over now I believe, just need to get back in the gym and on the healthy food ;).

RB
 
Glad your feeling better.

I am planning on eating wraps aswell.
Mainly because I seem to have developed some kind of fajita addiction....but theyre also so easy to make up.

On the steamer front, I use a pan with a collinder placed inside. Just pop a lid or something ontop of it to hold the steam in.
Does the trick for me anyway.
 
Good idea CM, may give that a go.

Well back at the gym last night, did my 3 exercises, kept tthe squats at 174lbs as the previos week gave me 4 days of DOMS. They were very hard to do and although I can feel some DOMS, it is not as much as I suspected I may get but, as all squatters know, the second day is usually the time it hits big time if it is going to......

The military press was ok and upped to 74lbs (34Kg). Hard but doable. Will up again by 5lbs next time.

The pendlay rows I like very much I decided to up by 20lbs for a bit more of a challange...... boy, that really was a challange.... 154lbs (70Kg) and I really have to watch my form as my back was trying to arch along with my upper body trying to pull up from parellel with the floor. I will stick with this to work on form for now.

I also had a go with 1 rep deadlift. Went up to 188lbs (85.45Kg) before backing off as my back was starting to feel it in a warning sort of way. After the pendlay rows really pushing it and the squats, my back was probabily fairly tired so will try again next time. There was a good deal of face gerning when lifting that but I believe I can go heavier.

Suprisingly, I don't have too much DOMS in the upper body although my mid back is a bit tight. Nothing more than DOMS though.

My instant oats are out so I got some whole rolled oats instead. Tried to cook them in the microwave and rather than turning into porridge they just seemed to stay as little pockets in a milk soup....... Not as nice as instant oats but still not too bad. If anyone has any good oat cooking suggestions using a microwave then please let me know.

I had a call from the gym over the weekend with an offer of a free kickboxing session. Now whilst I did a couple of years karate back in my teans and a very little very jujitsu and judo they are all back in my past. The only time I have ever put on boxing gloves is in a club with the oversized boxing gloves and inflatable boxing ring. I can remember being exhausted after just 10 minutes but surprised myself at beating my friend. He was throwing punches and I was looking for gaps then going for it. Anyway, so that session is tonight. I will try to recount the experience if I have not had all my bones systematically broken :eek::D.

On the injuries front the Achillies tendon is still playing up, not serious but still there, my knee is playing up a little at teh back top of the hamstring like it has been over extended a little and my left shoulder is also playing up a little which can usually be frlt more when I am lying on my side. Strangly the last two seemed to com on last week 4 days after not going to the gym :confused:. Oh well, will take it fairly easy.

I am itching to move from Rippetoes but really don't feel I have given it a fair go what with the two weeks out more or less. I will stick with it but may add some other exercises after the core workout. Want to get some dips in there just 'cos I like them and maybe some pullups but there is only one assist machine and it is fairly busy. I can at least have a fair go with a little assist rather than one or two reps and then fail :p.

RB
 
Sounds like all is going well after your little break, I train at a kickboxing gym and theyve got a week long taster session coming up in the next week or 2 so I'm seriously considering trying that out for a bit of a different cardio workout plus itl come in handy at work
 
Well I survived :D.

The session was just with a trainer and punching / kicking a bag, trainer held pads.

Interesting parts were the top (thumb side) of my wrist really started to get painful on the hand I was doing the cross with. The jab hand was fine until I changed. Not knowing which side I would be better with I tried both sides and interestingly, for me at least, was that on the first cross with my left hand the instructor suddenly said 'right, you are deffinatly stronger with your left arm' :D. I am left handed for writing but favour my right for most other things. The kicks were fine although my shin was nice and sore afterwards from the roundhouses.

The trainer then took me for a body fat measurement, yep, third time in around 2 months all with different trainers, and my weight was measured at 99.9Kg (previous day in the changing rooms it was 98.8 so below 100kg anyway) but body fat was 31.xx % which was no change on 106Kg. Not sure what formula the machine is using but the one I dug out for my spreadsheet shows 26.xx% based on height and weight and age etc. The other thing that it 'extimated' is muscle mass and fat mass on each part of my body and no surprise, the trunk won with the most fat mass..... What was good was that the machine calculated that I had slightly more muscle mass on my right side leg and arm than the left which I was pretty sure of judging by the lean to the right slightly on the squats and the left arm failing first on the banch press and military press.

I have taken today off from the gym and will go tomorrow and Saturday for my three days asmy legs are very unhappy with me :D. My forearms are also hurting a bit, I would guess from the boxing.

TBH I really quite liked the Thai boxing and would probably take some instruction if I had the spare cash which I do not. More fun than running on a treadmill ;).

Cheers
RB
 
...and the results are in....

Wholemeal wraps, well the ones I got, are bad......:(.

Carbs - same as two slices of wholemeal bread
Protein - 2/3 as much as two slices of wholemeal bread
Fat - Almost 3 time the fat of wholemeal bread.

:(

Oh well. Ever onwards :D

RB
 
RimBlock said:
I also had a go with 1 rep deadlift. Went up to 188lbs (85.45Kg) before backing off as my back was starting to feel it in a warning sort of way.
Click to expand...

After reading Toms thread and his latest lift weights, good going Tom, I felt a little weak :D. I then realised that old age is getting to me and that I don't seem to be able to add up.

Deadlift was 2*45 lbs + 2*25 lbs + 2* 10 lbs + 44 lbs bar = 204 lbs not 188 lbs so that is 1rpm of 92.7Kg. That is a little better. ;). Have Squats, Bench and DL for todays session so will try to up that a bit. Another 5.5Kg and it will be at body weight (depending on day / time / food / prevailing wind :eek:).

RB
 
Last edited:
Well, another day, another ache :D.

The session last night was pretty good although I am wondering about the squats as they really do not seem to be getting any easier even when dropping the weight slightly (10 lbs).

So the notible event for yesterdayw session......

Deadlift 1rm at 224 lbs or 102Kg, 2+ Kg over my body weight :D.

I then went on to do the 3*5 at 164 even though Rippetoes only calls for 1 set of 5.... I just keep forgetting.

So as of last night (3*5);
Squat 179 lbs or 81.4Kg
Bench Press: 144 lbs or 65.5Kg
Deadlift: 164 lbs or 74.5Kg (1rm of 224 lbs or 102Kg)
Military press: 74 lbs or 33.6Kg
Pendlay Rows: 154 lbs or 70Kg

As you may magine, my legs, middle back and shoulders are giving me what for today. My forearms are still aching a bit from the kick boxing and maybe the deadlifts.

Oh and my wife, bless her cotton socks, bought me a large tub of Maltesers home from work yesterday.... and I wonder why my stomach is not going down so much :(. No, I didn't eat them all :p.

Apart from that, life is great :D.

Back to the gym on Saturday.

RB
 
Ok, so it has been quiet. No updates and relegated to page 4 of the SA forum :eek::D.

I thas been almost two weeks since I have been to the gym. A couple of things have occured including family commitments getting in the way, my older sons end of year exams (he is 10), my younger son having stomach flu which resulted in us having around 4 hours sleep a night for most of the week (he is coming up to two years old).

After all this I had spent most of the week with no gym so came to a choice like many who workout......

Do I go back with the injuries I currently have or rest and try and get them sorted out.

I have decided to take a break and try and get them sorted out. The Achillies tendon is my main concern and although I was ready to go back to the gym last Monday, on the Monday the tendon felt quite a bit better. I then decided to take a bit more time to let it heal rather than going bakc and putting it right back to where it was. My shoulder is getting better, I still feel it but only when I am lying on my side. Back of my knee / bottom of the thigh at the rear is not really improving. I am planning to leave it for the rest of theis week then go back next Monday. If the tendon is still playing up I will concentrate on upper body.

I am getting a bit sick of the Rippetoes routine. I see the idea and quite like it but just three exercises and only 5 reps each I don't feel I have really made any progress. The only real progress has been with the new exercises like the deadlifts or pendlay rows.

So where to go from here as far as routines go. 3 day split or stronglifts...... 3 sets of 15 reps and then dropsets maybe. I do like the dropsets and they really exhaust the muscles which sould be good for weight loss.

Two weeks out and I am feeling a bit untoned again.

The diet has suffered but not reverted back to the dark days. If I do end up with a take away type meal which I am still trying to resist, I will have a normal portion rather than any upsize or two meals as I used to.

What I need to do is get back with the calorie plan and recording the intake. I am starting to have a smallish bowl of mixed veg as a snack in the evening if I feel peckish. Bread is still hard to cut out as is pasta. I need to check my portion size again. I suspect the size has increased. I have mostly cut out the protien powder since stopping the gym so I believe the calories are not too bad even if the food choices are not always the best.

I have also found that 1 in 3 salads from the salad place I would buy from for lunch at work would end up with me haaving a upset stomach. For the last two weeks I have not bought a salad from there and have been fine. Unfortunately that is the only salad place unless I buy from the supermarket as prepacked or make my own.

Action plan;
1. Calorie count in spreadsheet.
2. New exercise plan (3 day split / stronglifts / other)
3. Meal plans on a mix and match basis so like a photofit, I can add elements and randomise meals rather than getting stuck in a rut.

I believe this is the reset, reload and restart period :D.

Cheers
RB
 
hope your able to get back into soon R_B.

been inspired by this thread and the one by tom_e to get my arse into gear, joined a gym this week, had my induction as well, so we'll see how it goes.

finding it diffcult to keep form properly on some of the exercises, so might well be posting for advice before long.
 
mp260767 said:
hope your able to get back into soon R_B.

been inspired by this thread and the one by tom_e to get my arse into gear, joined a gym this week, had my induction as well, so we'll see how it goes.

finding it diffcult to keep form properly on some of the exercises, so might well be posting for advice before long.
Click to expand...

Yeah me too, just don't want to go back and end up straight back in the same position with the injuries because I didn't give them time to heal properly :(.

Best of luck with the gym and lifestyle change. Remeber the eating right side of things as this is just as important and depending on your goals there are different ways of handling food intake.

If you are finding it hard to keep form then try with a clean bar or very light weight until you get the form cracked. I started with a clean bar for bench press and it was hard and felt embarrasing but no-one cared. Now I lift up around where the bigger guys in that gym were (I changed gyms) a short period of time later. Form is more important than looking like you can lift heavy :D.

Leave the pride at the door
Lock that form in for sure
Then up the weight some more
and the girls will soon go "corr..."

:p.

RB
 
RimBlock said:
Yeah me too, just don't want to go back and end up straight back in the same position with the injuries because I didn't give them time to heal properly :(.

If you are finding it hard to keep form then try with a clean bar or very light weight until you get the form cracked. Form is more important than looking like you can lift heavy :D.
Click to expand...

yeah no point putting yourself even further back :(.

not so much a weight problem as getting myself in the right position, can't remember the name of the exercise, will check the card when i go tomorrow.

basics of it are that i'm told to have shoulders, elbows and hands level, i tend to drop my elbows down beneath the level of hands and shoulders, but hey ho, hopefully just a learning curve same as anything else :).
 
Glad to see were motivating some one else mp260767 :) funnily enough I'm starting some work in Telford next week.
Bit of a bummer your having to take time off RB but as has been said its always better to let things heal than try and plow on through them
 
tom_e said:
Glad to see were motivating some one else mp260767 :) funnily enough I'm starting some work in Telford next week.
Click to expand...

who've you upset to get sent to telford :D.

yeah the threads by you and R_B hit me at the right time, should also thank the other regular contributors for their efforts to pass on their knowledge.
 
well as im bein sent to do taxi rank marshelling for all the drunks by my door company, im pretty sure god is against me :p
 
mp260767 said:
basics of it are that i'm told to have shoulders, elbows and hands level, i tend to drop my elbows down beneath the level of hands and shoulders, but hey ho, hopefully just a learning curve same as anything else :).
Click to expand...

Ok, let us know what the exercise is and I am sure there are lots of people who can help. I seem to be Mr Squat :D.

TommyV said:
Intersting read.

What is your weight progress like Rimblock?

You seem well motivated :D
Click to expand...

Thanks Tommy.

Last measurement was just under 100Kg from an original 106Kg. I have also put on a bit of muscle. My stomach has always been bigger than my chest in side profile even when I was skinny. It was just that my stomach muscles where fairly well developed but my chest was not. Now, even with a chunk of fat on my stomach, side profile, my chest is further out :D.

Having a look at the pre exercise photos, I have lost lots of weight around the face and a chunk from the stomach. I just have to get rid of the rest off the stomach and it takes time.

My motivation is still ok, the starting photos make a big difference. The worst is the injuries stopping me going to the gym but my achillies tendon is today feeling much better than it has since I damaged it. I may need to rest it for another week to get it fully sorted but will go for upper body exercises next week only if that is the case.

tom_e said:
Glad to see were motivating some one else mp260767 :) funnily enough I'm starting some work in Telford next week.

Bit of a bummer your having to take time off RB but as has been said its always better to let things heal than try and plow on through them
Click to expand...

Always nice to see we are helping. Much better than thinking we are talking (typing) to ourselves ;).

Good luck in Telford mate.

RB
 
TommyV said:
Rim, stick some pics up man, might addto your motivation having others critique.
Click to expand...

Sure.

I am off to Thailand for a long weekend at the beginning of Dec so will look to take some before that.

Trouble is that I do photography as a hobby and have a cheapish studio lighting setup so taking snaps in the bathroom mirror is embarrasing from not just a 'photographing yourself' point of view but also from a "quality of photography' point of view :D.

Have to wait until the wife and kids are out then I can look at setting up the studio lights.

Need to get in to the gym again first though as after two weeks no training I am starting to feel a bit 'soft' (stop sniggering at the back you two :p)....

Beginning of Dec should be good I think ;). There are already a few snaps in the thread.

I may also look at a 'What have I learnt so far' section indexed from the first page as a pointer to the most relevant information for someone starting out. Save people having to trawl through XX number of pages just to see the most up to day summary of things that seem to work and running progress. I will have to give it some thought as the best way to do it. Problem with threads like gymrats is that they are so big it becomes hard to find what you want without having to spend a day or two, or ten, trying to go through the XXX number of pages.

Cheers
RB
 
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