Phase Two-Get Fit Challenge: Game Plan

So technically I'm not supposed to to another cut for six months buuuutttt I discussed it with my trainer aka my brother and he's agreed to let me to continue with the program. However for this next 14 week phase things are going to be a little bit different not only in training but also in eating. 

Here is the Meal Plan for the next two weeks:

MEAL #1

6 Egg Whites

1 Cup Malt-o-Meal

2 Rice Cakes

MEAL #2

6 oz Lean Meat

2 Cups of Veggies

MEAL #3

6 oz Lean Meat

1 Cup Legumes 

1.5 Cups of Veggies

MEAL #4

6 oz Lean Meat

2 Cups of Veggies

MEAL #5

1 Scoop of Protein

1 Banana

MEAL #6

6 Egg Whites

1 Cup Legumes

My new Training Schedule consists of 6 days of weight training and three days of cardio with one of the days of cardio being my off day from weight training. Cardio wise however I will be starting over from the beginning of the program with 30 minutes per session for the next two weeks with a 5 minute increase every two weeks until I reach an hour per session again. Another change will be that I will not be doing two-a-days this phase. 

I have been warned that I will more than likely gain up to 5 pounds my first two weeks as my body adjusts to not only the addition of carbs but also the increase in food and decrease in exercise with the loss of a workout a day and less cardio to start with. Hopefully I can keep this in mind when this does happen and remind myself that it is part of the program and there is a reason for the gain. 

Tomorrow morning I will be weighing in, taking measurements, and pictures. Every two weeks I will be taking photos that will be submitted to my brother for evaluation and possible alteration to my program.  I will do monthly weigh ins, measurements and photos that will be posted here to track my progress.

So there your have it Phase Two...wish me luck I am at this point pretty excited to get started.

Day 83 Get Fit Challenge...taking it up some knotches

So in the final push before the wedding I called my brother for some advice about how I could ramp up things to help me lose at least another 15 pounds in 5 weeks. It's always good to challenge yourself and switch things up so your body doesn't get use to a routine and hit a plateau regardless of the soreness that will ultimately ensue. However after working out today I think I might regret that decision for this first week. 

My diet has been changed for the next 5 weeks. Instead of chicken I will be eating lean seafood like tilapia, mahi mahi, tuna, cod, and shrimp (hopefully if I can find them). Veggie wise I am eating mostly green vegetables like broccoli, green beans, brussel sprouts, spinach, celery, you get the idea. Also no more egg whites...woohoo! Instead I will be doing a half serving of my morning protein shake as well as a couple of celery sticks for my last meal of the day. 

Workout wise my workouts are being flip flopped and I am weightlifting in the mornings and doing my HIT workout at night. I'm maxed out for my cardio at an hour each session so that will not change, but the weight training and HIT have been amped up. Weight lifting wise I am adding in drop sets to every other exercise and trying to really push myself to increase my weight every week. For HIT the times of the majority of the exercises has been increased by 15 seconds and weight as been added to a few of the exercises while the exercises that did include weight has been slightly increased. Needless to say the intensity of the whole workout has been ramped up to about level 50.

Weightlifting this morning was good though it is weird not having a lifting partner. The drop sets totally kicked my ass and by the end of my leg workout I didn't know if I was going to make it through the hour of cardio I still had left to do. After I got home and ate I immediately jumped in the hot tub in hopes of  cutting down some of the soreness that will follow in the next two days. 

This evening's HIT workout killed me. I was completely exhausted by the middle of my second cycle. Not to mention that I went through two towels and my whole shirt was soaked by the end of it. Also note to self it is a very bad idea to switch up a leg weight day and then follow it with a switched up HIT workout...all the pain! I was so fatigued by the end of the HIT workout I could only muster up enough energy to do a half hour of cardio because I couldn't feel my legs. 

Hopefully tomorrow goes a little bit better as it's chest day and hopefully the legs won't hurt as much and I can get through all my cardio.

Day 14 Get Fit Challenge (pt 2) Phase Two Meal Plan

It's been two weeks so that means the diet gets to drop 200 calories a day and I get a new daily meal plan to follow for the next two weeks.

This is what 3,000 calories a day will consist of:

Meal #1 

9 egg whites

3 servings of cream of rice

3 rice cakes

*I will still be doing a protein shake instead of the egg whites

Meal #2

5 oz chicken

1/2 cup of rice

6 oz sweet potato

1 cup veggies

Meal #3

5 oz chicken

1.5 cups rice

1 cup veggies

Meal #4

5 oz chicken

1/2 cup of rice

6 oz sweet potato

1 cup veggies

Meal #5 

5 oz chicken

1 cup veggies

8 oz sweet potato

Meal #6

9 egg whites

3 servings cream of rice

3 rice cakes

1 gallon of water

So compared to the last 2 weeks these next 2 weeks involve eating more potatoes and less rice (thank goodness I am riced out). Other than that the only difference is the decrease in the number of egg whites a day. 

I'm still in search of some different recipes for things but so far it's been hard to find ones that mean all the criteria for what I'm doing. We'll see how it goes, hopefully my metabolism will kick into gear pretty soon and it won't matter that I am eating the same thing over and over because I'll actually be hungry when it's time to eat.

Day 1 Get Fit Challenge....Why is there so much food?!

I have officially begun my new journey to fitness and a healthy lifestyle. So before I get into anything lets get down to brass tax and start with my beginning measurements.

Weight: 260 lbs              

Chest: 49 1/2"

Biceps: 15 1/4"

Waist: 43 3/4"

Hips: 49 1/2"

Thighs: 29 3/4"

Calves: 18 3/4"

My overall goals for the next 8 months are:

Weight: 160 lbs

Chest: 38"

Biceps: 12"

Waist: 29"

Hips: 39"

Thighs: 24"

Calves: 15"

For the next two weeks (phase 1) I am on a 3200 cal/day meal plan. This is how it breaks down:

Meal #1 eat at 7am

10 egg whites

3 servings of cream of rice

2 rice cakes

*because I am working out in the morning I am supplementing the eggs and cream of rice with an isopure shake that has a cup and a half of multigrain oats so I am not so full while I'm working out

Meal #2 eat at 10am

5 oz chicken breast

2 cups of jasmine rice

1 cup of vegetables

Meal #3 eat at 1pm

5 oz chicken breast

1.5 cups of jasmine rice

1 cup of vegetables

Meal #4 eat at 4pm

5 oz chicken breast

1/2 cup of jasmine rice

10 oz of sweet potato

1 cup vegetables

Meal # 5 eat at 7pm

5 oz chicken breast

1 cup fresh vegetables

8 oz sweet potato

1 cup jasmine rice

Meal #6 eat at 10pm

10 egg whites

3 servings of multigrain oats

1 rice cake

Also within this time frame I have to drink 1 gallon of water

It's A LOT of food and combined with all the water I am drinking I am definitely not hungry EVER...well not at this point anyway. Once my metabolism kicks in about 4 weeks I should be hungry every 3 hours if not before then. Which will be great because right now I feel like I have perma-bloat.

Now the hard part....The Workout. For now I am on two a days doing a HIT program in the morning combined with 15 minutes of cardio and weight training at night with another 15 minutes of cardio.

Here is what my HIT workout consists of:

Warm up with 2 mins on a stationary bike

1 set 30 seconds of alternate heavy rope training 

1 set 1 minute each of thrusters with 10lb bar

4 sets of tire flips timed for speed (5 flips)

1 set 30 seconds of straight heavy rope training

4 sets of shuffle sprints with 20lb medicine ball throw downs (end of wall to middle of wall)

4 sets 30 seconds each of overhead medicine ball throws with an 8lb ball

1 set 15 seconds of sweep heavy rope training

4 sets 45 seconds each of box step-ups with alternate knee crunches (lowest height)

3 sets 30 seconds of planks 

Rest for 30 seconds between sets
Rest for 1 minute between cycles

I went into my first workout this morning a little worried and with the hope that I wouldn't puke or cry during it and that I would be able to complete everything that was asked of me. It went better than expected and I didn't cry, puke, or fail at anything but man it was challenging about half way through I got a massive headache which made it a bit more difficult to push through the last couple of complexes. At the end of the session my legs felt like jello and my forearms were fatigued. Cardio was a breeze and a much welcomed rest after the HIT circuit.

This afternoon's workout consisted of weights focused on leg supersets, 4 sets of 12-15 reps finished out with another 15 minutes of cardio. If I am being honest I thought that the weight workout was more fatiguing than the morning circuit, but that could be because I got another massive headache halfway through....well that and all the squats and reverse lunges. Hopefully this headache thing is not a trend because man does that really make finishing sets difficult.

So yeah first day down feeling pretty good not too sore...hopefully that continues tomorrow.