Exciting News

Well - what sort of results have I been getting for all my hard work this year?

In January 2007, (when I was within a kg or so of goal weight) I had a skin fold test done at the gym - and it showed that I had 30% body fat. This was much better than what my body fat scales were telling me - they showed 42%. So my aim was to drop fat/build muscle this year.

I've complained all year about how I seem to gain weight so easily - despite eating really well most of the time, and exercising hard - 1 - 2 hrs/day. I've blamed it on a poor metabolism - and not one to just whinge - I've worked hard at fixing that too.

The scales however continue to show 42 % body fat - they're not budging. I've been a bit suspicious of this - I thought that even though they are higher than the results from the skin fold test - it wouldn't matter - I could just use them to see changes.

Well today - I decided I needed to do another skin fold test and really see whats going on. I am now the proud owner of Fat Track - which is an electronic skin caliper - just take 3 measurements and it calculates the body fat for you.

So I did.

Three times in fact to make sure

And there is no doubt about it - my body fat is:













17 % wooooooohoooooooo!!!!!

I even pulled out my results from January and compared the individual skin fold readings, and even allowing for user error - they are significantly different.

So since January, I have:

Gained 3 kgs in weight
Lost 10 kgs of fat
Gained 13 kgs of muscle
And my body fat results put me in the lean category!!!!

Who cares about a 3kg gain in light of this!!!!! I am stoked - I feel like someone has given me a gift from heaven. Even though my image in the mirror is no different to when I thought my body fat was higher - it has changed my whole attitude. It means that I have not worked hard all year for nothing. It means that what I have been doing has worked and I have achieved what I was after. Actually my original goal was to achieve 22% body fat - well I've smashed this! All my whinging was misinformed. I was gaining because I was gaining muscle - not fat.

I still have a soft belly - I don't think I will ever be able to change this without surgery because I have so much excess skin that hangs around my hips at the front like a belt - and I think this is what has stuffed up the % on the scales. It is not fat (using the calipers on this area actually scores a very low reading), it is just skin surplus to my needs as a result of losing so much weight. - but if I disregard this - the rest of me really is quite muscly and toned. I want a more ripped look, but at least I know I'm on the way to this. I'm going to keep at it, and measure weekly (not weigh) and see how long it takes me to hit 16%! (and then.... and then....)


Its so exciting!

Long Time Between Posts!

Last week a truck took out our phone lines and we have been without a phone or internet for an entire week! In celebration of having the internet again (life's been hell without it!), 'I thought I would let you know what's been happening lately....

About 4 to 6 weeks ago I read "Feed the muscle, burn the fat" by Tom Venuto. It provided very detailed information about how to build muscle and burn fat - and was just what I needed to hear - as it really focussed on revving up your metabolism - which you would know is where I have been focussing my energies lately. In summary - I'm frustrated that as soon as I eat a semi normal diet - I gain weight - despite exercising 1 - 2hrs day - and it all relates to long term calorie deprivation slowing my metabolism.

Tom's info has helped me to fine tune the strategies I already had in place - and they go like this:

Eat every 2 - 3 hours - I was already doing this, but I learnt that this is really critical PLUS it must be evenly balanced calories - not main meals at B, L and D with snacks in between.

ACTION: I now eat 5 small meals a day at roughly 7, 10, 1, 4 and7 pm. AND they are approx 300 cals each, and consist of about 25gms protein, and starchy/fibrous carbohydrates - depending on the time of day (avoiding starchy carbs late in the day)

Don't lower your calorie intake by more than30% of maintenance calories, PLUS, Zig Zag your calorie intake so that your body doesn't get used to a low intake all the time

ACTION: I eat no less that1540 cals/day, and every 4th day up this to 1900 cals. This allows me 2 cheat meals/weak out of my 35.

Maintain a calorie deficit at all times, (as above) but increase the deficit through exercise not diet - as this has a positive effect on metabolism.

ACTION: - Didn't need to change anything here except the mindset (don't eat less and less to lose weight - just exercise more)

Find a balance between protein, carbs and fat that works for you, through continually evaluation of results, but you should be aiming for high protein, mod carbs and lowish fat.

ACTION: I'm trialling 55% carbs, 30% protein, 15 % fat. I also learnt that whilst low carb will result in weight loss, and body building competitors will do this in the 6 weeks or so leading up to the comp, once refeeding commences the body increases weight dramatically and the loss is not sustainable.

Whilst starchy carbs such as sweet potato, rice etc are important, having them in first part of the day, and not at night increases fat burning whilst sleeping

ACTION: Starchy carbs for meals 1, 2 and 3, and fibrous carbs (ie vegies) for meals 4 and5 only

Need a combo of weights/cardio - must train to fail to gain muscle bulk and have sufficient rest between training - already doing that

IMPORTANT LEARNING: You can either lose a little fat and gain muscle, OR lose a lot of fat and gain little muscle - you can't do both at the same time. Tom strongly recommends that you don't lose more than 500gms/week - otherwise you are losing fat AND muscle - and this is counterproductive to gaining a lean ripped body!

So I have been following all this advice, preparing my food every night and have finally found a protein powder that I really like - Lean Dessert - I have it in Banana Cream, and Choc Fudge and it is really yummy! So finally I am getting enough protein.

And the results ? Well over the last 4 weeks I have lost 4 cm around the waist and increased my bust (some may think this is good (aka husband) but its a problem because I don't fit into my shirts. And I have lost....maybe 500gms - not much - could it be muscle gain????

By the way I have been developing my gym at home- have some piccies here for you, and I am getting an eliptical (X trainer) for Christmas (actually it is coming next week!)

Here's my gym in the shed. Its set up with old toys stored around it - hence the colourful backgrounds. These are my dumbells - its taken me a while to purchase three sets - but really helpful not having to change the weights all the time between sets. I've thrown away the 2kg ones - the lightest I now use is 4kgs and only for lateral shoulder raises. Then its 8 kgs for bicep curls and similar single arm exercises, and 10kg for two arm overhead exercises like back pullovers

Here is my latest acquisition - my very own bench press -currently pressing 22kgs

It also inclines for preacher curls and incline curls, and has an area for hamstring curls/leg extensions (and there is an ezy curl bar on the floor - use this for 21's and nosebreakers)

In front of the messy background is my treadmill which is frequently in use, and to the right of it my Ab King Pro - one of my earlier pieces. Don't actually use it for abs work any more - but it makes a great bench for weights etc

Very important piece of equipment here - TV/DVD player - can watch TV and movies whilst working out -and in front of this - I have my very own step if I feel inclined to do a DVD
I have a fit ball, and just sneaking in the photo to the right is my yoga mat for floor exercises

Here's one of my favourite pieces that I still can't use properly - the chin up bar!

I use this blackboard to keep track of what weights I have on each dumbell - as they're all odd numbers, and the posts to the dumbells weigh different amounts - it was always brain drain trying to remember how much each one was - much easier now!
And lastly - if you figure ground perception is good enough - you should be able to make out my home gym - it has upper and lower cables, (add attachments for lat pull down, triceps push downs, bicep curls, shoulder rows etc, plus pec flye, leg extensions etc

And that's it!