Monday, January 9, 2012

Slow-Carb Diet Weekly Update: January 9, 2012

It has been a few weeks since my last update. Since that time, I have failed miserably. As many family members have said, adjusting your eating plan right before Christmas is probably a terrible idea. I would have to agree.

For starters, there are just too many temptations. There was the macaroni and cheese, the apple pie, garlic bread, ham, cookies, pizza, and the many holiday treats. Not that you need to hear this, but the food was delicious. Unfortunately, eating like that did very little for my plan. In fact, it did the opposite. I gained more weight.

As seen by the measurements below, my weight increased by 8 pounds and my stomach grew as well. No surprises there because my stomach is where I hold all the fat. I guess that's what I get, right?

Measurements
  • Weight: 266 lbs
  • Height: 6' 2"
  • Age: 37 
  • Body Fat: 21.8%
  • Chest: 44.0"
  • Waist: 42.75"
  • Arms: 16.75"
  • Shoulders: 52.5"
  • Forearms: 14"
  • Neck: 16.5"
  • Hips: 46"
  • Thighs: 26.25"
  • Calves: 18"
  • Stomach: 46.5"
Physical Activities
I am happy to report that my son and I have been hitting the gym for a couple of weeks. We're starting off slow so as to build a good habit, but it is happening. The plan is to work back up to five exercises per muscle group and thirty minutes of cardio per day.

We just finished week two, which means two exercises and 12 minutes of cardio. Below, I'll share my exercises, weights, and reps.  

Tuesday (Chest) 
  • Bench Press: 135x12, 145x10, 155x5, 165x5, 165x3
  • Incline Bench Press: 95x12, 105x10, 115x8, 125x5, 135x3
Wednesday (Legs)
  • Barbell Squat: 135x12, 155x10, 175x8, 195x6, 215x4
  • Leg Press: Didn't record the weight because the machine didn't provide adequate resistence
Thursday (Back)
  • Barbell Bent Over Row: 150x12, 160x10, 170x8, 180x6, 190x4
  • Wide Grip Lat Pull Down: 95x12, 110x10, 120x8, 145x6, 170x4
Saturday (Shoulders)
  • Barbell Shoulder Press: 65x12, 75x10, 85x8, 95x6, 105x4
  • Dumbbell Lateral Raise: 5x12, 7x10, 10x8, 15x6, 17x4
Sunday (Arms)
  • Barbell Curl: 60x12, 70x8, 70x7, 70x4, 70x3
  • Barbell Triceps Extension: 40x12, 50x10, 60x8, 70x4, 70x3
The first week of physical activities left me extremely sore. The worst days were from the bench press and squats. During week two, the only sore muscle ended up being my forearms.

Meals
Seriously, I won't even attempt to share everything I've eaten over the past few weeks. I can tell you that for the most part it hasn't been on plan. However, when I do eat what I'm supposed to eat, it looks like the following.

Meat
  • Chicken breast: I eat Tyson's grilled chicken
  • Eggs: I eat between 6-10 scrambled eggs per meal. For color and flavor, I leave two egg yolks in the mix.
Legumes 
  • Red Beans: I cook from a can.
  • Black Beans: I cook from a can.
Vegetables
  • Broccoli: I'm eating a lot of broccoli.
  • Cauliflower: When I'm not eating broccoli, I'm eating frozen cauliflower. 
Beverages
  • Water: I haven't measured my water intake but I'll do better this week.
  • Red wine: I'm drinking around 2 glasses per day.
  • Coffee: No coffee at all this week.  
Observations & Recommended Changes
With the holidays behind me, the only real temptations are when I don't eat enough. Currently, I'm doing ok for breakfast but when I get to work I eat nothing. Then, when I get off work, I tend to eat whatever sits in front of me. Moving forward, it is really important to stock up on food and make sure I eat enough at work. This means keeping a steady stock of canned legumes and frozen chicken.

Closing Thought
With the new year upon us, it will be easier to get back into the swing of things. In the beginning, it's always difficult to find ones groove, but it will happen. Working out, eating right, and avoiding those temptations will help me achieve my goals. Failing is only a temporary condition, so let's pick ourselves up and keep moving.

Until next week.

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Damond L. Nollan, M.B.A.

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