Body Sculpting – Week 52

Last week I said I would do the following:

• Iron out current routine with pullups & core exercises
• Eat less for lunch meals

Sorry I missed last week, guys.  I’ve been busy going to interviews, yard work, side work for a local realtor, and dealing with my poor quality of sleep.  All excuses, I know, but at least I’m being proactive, hehe.

I’ve ironed out my exercise routine to include pullups (MWF) and core exercises (I’m doing the P90X Ab Ripper on Tues & Sat.  So, my current exercise routine looks like this:

M: 16 min tabata + 20 min chest & back

T: 20 min tabata + Ab ripper

W: 16 min tabata + 20 min legs

R: 20 min tabata + core work on exercise ball (I’m actually experimenting on this day)

F: 16 min tabata + biceps & triceps (I’m thinking to work on biceps & triceps one other day as well)

Sat: 20 min tabata + Ab ripper

Sun: Rest

I have been eating less for lunch meals, but I haven’t been doing good about eating two small lunch meals, due to my sporadic schedule.  I thought about preparing next day’s lunch meals during dinner the night before, so we’ll see how that goes.

I also started taking kung fu lessons!  Woo-hoo!  Something I’ve always wanted to do, but held back because I didn’t have enough money.  But, I finally reached a point where I decided, “F*** it.  I’ll look into it at least”.  Turns out this local kung fu studio is going to work with me on payments, which is amazing.  My instructor gave me some drills to do everyday, as well as a fighting combo.  I’m toying around with fitting it into my current routine.  My current goal is to be able to do a flip.

Next week:

• Experiment with preparing two lunch meals night before
• Include kung fu drills into exercise routine

 

Body Sculpting – Week 50

Last week I said I would do the following:

• Look into integrating (as opposed to substituting) “The Ultimate 28-Day Six-Pack Programme” into routine
• Research local wushu/kung fu schools

Looked more deeply into the exercises in “The Ultimate 28-Day Six-Pack Programme” – they have a lot of really great exercises.  I’m hesitant to incorporate them into my routine just yet, because I’m actually still trying to find middle ground with my current routine.  I want to do at least 40 pullups MWF, and I’ve also been toying around with doing P90X’s Ab Ripper twice a week.  For now, I’m confident I’m getting a decent workout that works out all major muscle groups.

I’ve been putting more attention and focus into my diet; the phrase, “It’s 60% diet, 40% exercise” is really starting to sink in.  I noticed from year-old photos of myself that I have indeed gained weight around my mid-section.  Ugh.  I remember my diet a year ago – steel-cut oats for breakfast, tortilla chips & hummus for lunch, and dinner was usually whatever was available at the house.  I’m thinking one portion of that diet worked extremely well – not eating a lot for lunch, since I like eating a big meal for dinner.  So,  this week I have been eating very little for my one or two lunch meals – less than 10 almonds, some dried seaweed, some sort of protein.

I visited the two local kung fu schools today.  One was closed.  I’m going tomorrow to the other school for a free 30-min lesson.  I want to learn some sort of acrobatic martial art, because I’ve always wanted to be able to do flips and move gracefully.  I always wanted to take gymnastics when I was younger, but my family couldn’t afford it.  So, I figure an acrobatic martial art combines aerial movement with self-defense – the best of both worlds.

The teacher at the latter school informed me that the type of kung fu I want is called wing chun.  I’ve heard of this type of kung fu, but didn’t know it was acrobatic.  The teacher said that at this particular school, they actually do a more grounded form of kung fu, but that their school in the surrounding suburb offers wing chun.  I’m excited to go tomorrow and learn some basics.  I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to start this journey.  It’s been because of lack of money.  But, I guess I’ve finally reached that point where I’m not ashamed to barter; I was thinking of offering to clean the studio or something.

Next week:

• Iron out current routine with pullups & core exercises
• Eat less for lunch meals

Body Sculpting – Week 49

Last week I said I would do the following:

• Replace eggs with egg whites
• Add more ab/core exercises & cardio to routine, in order to burn fat and have abs show:

M: 14 min tabata + chest/back strength training, 3 sets of 10 myotatic crunches, 3 sets of 10 cat vomit, 3 sets of 10 pullups

T: 20 min tabata + Ab ripper + 3 sets of 10 deadlifts

W: 14 min tabata + biceps/triceps strength training, 3 sets of 10 pullups

R: 20 min tabata + 3 sets of 10 deadlifts

F: 14 min tabata + legs strength training, 3 sets of 10 myotatic crunches, 3 sets of 10 cat vomit, 3 sets of 10 pullups

Sat: 20 min tabata + Ab ripper

Sun: REST

Been doing great about my diet for the majority of the week – it consists mostly of legumes or brown rice, protein, and veggies.  I’m still enjoying my modified routine, so that’s awesome.  I feel good about working out a different muscle group every other day.

StumbledUpon this great fitness article on Men’s Health – “The Ultimate 28-Day Six-Pack Programme”.  Looks pretty much like what my research has been telling me – (quoting from the article) “You’ll raise your body’s metabolism through compound exercises, optimise fat-burning with a variety of cardio workouts, create the perfect ‘V-shape’ through back and shoulder specific routines.”  Like any new routine, I’m hesitant to completely substitute my current routine for a new one, as I’m afraid I might gain fat from any sort of drastic change like that.

This routine, for example, has you doing weight training (targeting different msuycle groups) one day, then cardio the next, then another strength training day, then a rest day, and so on.  I’m hesitatnt to leave out cardio everyday, because I want to burn as much fat as possible, and I know you can almost never overdo cardio (as opposed to weight training, where you need to rest your muscles).

I’ve also been giving major thought to doing wushu or some sort of martial art, since it’s something I’ve always wanted to do, and I think it would be a great way to sculpt my body and have fun in the process.  So that’ll be part of my tasks this week – look into local martial arts studios that offer wushu/kung fu.  I want to do wushu/kung fu specificaly, because it’s a very acrobatic martial art, and I want to improve my flexibility and be able to do flips.

Next week:

1. Look into integrating (as opposed to substituting)  “The Ultimate 28-Day Six-Pack Programme” into routine
2. Research local wushu/kung fu schools

Body Sculpting – Week 48

Last week I said I would do the following:

Stick with following workout routine and monitor results:

M: 12 min tabata + chest/back strength training, myotatic crunches & cat vomit, pullups

T: 20 min tabata

W: 12 min tabata + biceps/triceps strength training, pullups

R: 20 min tabata

F: 12 min tabata + legs strength training, myotatic crunches & cat comit, pullups

Sat: 20 min tabata

Sun: REST

I’ve been freaking out a bit, because a friend pointed out that my tummy had gotten bigger.  I knew it.  I knew I was gaining weight; whether that weight is muscle or fat, I don’t care.  It looks like fat.  After telling my friend my diet, he suggested that I stop eating so many almonds (I thought it was a good source of protein, but he says they contain more fat than protein), and replace eggs with egg whites (again, I thought eggs to be a good source of protein, but he also pointed out that they contain lots of cholesterol).  So, I will do just that.  Seeing my tummy and love handles growing makes me so crazy.  I’ve thought about reverting back to my diet a year ago, of hardly eating anything for lunch and just doing cardio and some pushups & ab exercises.  But, I reasoned, most fitness gurus say eating 4-5 times a day helps boost your metabolism.  Plus, I am having fun working out different muscle groups every day.  But, I’m thinking I might focus more on abs.

Ugh, it’s so hard to know which fitness advice to follow, as there is a lot of conflicting advice out there.

Next week:

• Replace eggs with egg whites
• Add more ab/core exercises & cardio to routine, in order to burn fat and have abs show:

M: 14 min tabata + chest/back strength training, 3 sets of 10 myotatic crunches, 3 sets of 10 cat vomit, 3 sets of 10 pullups

T: 20 min tabata + Ab ripper + 3 sets of 10 deadlifts

W: 14 min tabata + biceps/triceps strength training, 3 sets of 10 pullups

R: 20 min tabata + 3 sets of 10 deadlifts

F: 14 min tabata + legs strength training, 3 sets of 10 myotatic crunches, 3 sets of 10 cat vomit, 3 sets of 10 pullups

Sat: 20 min tabata + Ab ripper

Sun: REST

Body Sculpting – Week 47

Last week I said I would do the following:

Stick with following workout routine and monitor results:

M: 12 min tabata + chest/back strength training, myotatic crunches & cat vomit, pullups

T: 20 min tabata

W: 12 min tabata + biceps/triceps strength training, pullups

R: 20 min tabata

F: 12 min tabata + legs strength training, myotatic crunches & cat comit, pullups

Sat: 20 min tabata

Sun: REST

Well I’ve been doing a good job at sticking with the above routine.  It’s only been 2 weeks, so I haven’t seen massive progress yet, which is frustrating.  I’m still doing great about eating a balanced meal very 3-4 hours, so I feel good about that.

Not sure what else to add, as I just need to monitor my progress or lack thereof.

Next week:

Stick with following workout routine and monitor results:

M: 12 min tabata + chest/back strength training, myotatic crunches & cat vomit, pullups

T: 20 min tabata

W: 12 min tabata + biceps/triceps strength training, pullups

R: 20 min tabata

F: 12 min tabata + legs strength training, myotatic crunches & cat comit, pullups

Sat: 20 min tabata

Sun: REST

 

Body Sculpting – Week 45

Last week I said I would do the following:

1. Do full body workout before & after meals
2. Continually be on the lookout for a 20-lbs kettlebell
3. Replace white carbs with beans
4. Do myotatic crunch & cat vomit exercise 2X/week
5. Add kettlebell routine before breakfast, 3X/week
6. Do one of two love handles workouts from Kozak Sports Perform 2-3 days after core workout

To be honest, these past two weeks have been one of the lower points in my life.  Instead of progressing towards a 6-pack, I seemed to have backtracked; I noticed my love handles and tummy were a bit bigger.  Probably the most annoying thing about progressing in fitness is that it takes so long (4-6 weeks) to see results.  So, you could be constantly changing your workout routine for over a year before you actually see desired results.  I guess that’s what I’ve been doing since I started successfully losing weight in 2009.  But, at least I was seeing progress.  Perhaps this is just a low point on my steadily upward-spiraling graph of success.

Regardless, everything seems to feel more heavy when you don’t have an income.  I equate lack of income with failing at life.

Seems that eating as many beans as you want doesn’t really help with fat loss/muscle gain.  I suspect it might be because I’ve gone back to eating three meals per day.  So yesterday I started eating four meals per day.

I’m at a loss for what to do now.  I’ve researched how to get a body like Zac Efron – slim & toned – and basically learned that high weight, low rep strength training plays a critical role.  That, and a high-protein diet.

Today I took a break from working out, because I’ve read that one should take at least one day of rest.  I don’t know.  I don’t know anymore.  I don’t know what to do.  I’m discouraged by all the fake, misleading spam shit on the internet promising to give you 6-pack abs.  I feel so immobilized as a result.

I realize this is a depressing post, and I debated whether or not to post it or talk about something else.  I think it’s important to showcase all aspects of a journey, including struggle and hardship.  For the first time since I started this blog, I’m at a loss for actions to take.  I figure dividing my lunch meal into two smaller meals will greatly help me increase my metabolism.  I’m also going to do pullups every other day, as I noticed that really helped strengthen my back and broaden my shoulders.

Next week:

1. Do full body workout before & after meals
2. Continually be on the lookout for a 20-lbs kettlebell
3. Eat 4-5 meals per day
4. Do myotatic crunch & cat vomit exercise 2X/week
5. Add kettlebell routine before breakfast, 3X/week
6. Do one of two love handles workouts from Kozak Sports Perform 2-3 days after core workout
7. Do pullups every other day

Body Sculpting – Week 20

Last week I said I would do the following:

1. Continue 3-month pullup regimen (third week)

Well, I had a bit of a setback since the upper door frame fell off my door, so I was unable to do any pullups Thurs – Mon.  Sucky, but shit happens.  I’m going to start back up today.  Below is my progress:

11/22 – 3 pullups

11/23 – 5 pullups

11/24 – 7 pullups

11/25 – X

11/26 – X

11/27 – X

11/28 – X

11/29 – 8 pullups

11/30 – 9 pullups

12/1 – X

12/2 – 7 pullups

12/3 – X

12/4 – X

12/5 – 8 pullups

12/6 – 10 pullups

12/7 – 11 pullups

12/8 – pullup bar broken

12/9 – pullup bar broken

12/10 – pullup bar broken

12/11 – pullup bar broken

12/12 – pullup bar broken

So I’m steadily increasing my total amount of pullups, which is exciting.

Stumbled upon this great vid, of this guy listing 5 effective strength training exercises that work out multiple areas of the body:

http://www.wimp.com/efficientway/

Here are the 5 exercises:

1. Squat
2. Deadlift
3. Pullup
4. Bench press
5. Cleans

It definitely makes me want to get a barbell set & bench.  I think I will get one soon, if not for Christmas.  I realize now that compound exercises are, overall, better than isolation exercises.  Check out this informative article on the matter – Which Is Better – Compound or Isolation Exercises?

Some great news!  I posted a comment on a Physical Living post, asking John (the owner of the site) if he could do a post about how to increase one’s metabolism.  He recommended I read the ebook “Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle”, by bodybuilder Tom Venuto.  I was very hesitant to invest $40 into this ebook, because the website looks so spammy.  But after reading some reviews (on different sites), I felt better about buying it.  My awesome boyfriend actually got it for me and I am really jazzed about this ebook for the following reasons:

• Venuto, whether he realizes it or not, promotes using the Law of Attraction as a major factor in achieving any goals –

“What you think about repeatedly every day is eventually accepted by your subconscious
mind and your subconscious mind guides your actions on ‘auto-pilot.’ This is the basis
for the entire positive thinking movement.”

• Simple & easy to read
• Venuto stresses importance of understanding that goal-setting is crucial to achieving your goals
• Venuto stresses importance of understanding that muscles are crucial for weight loss
• Any many more myth-busting, inspirational, informative facts

The ebook is 340 pages long, comprised of 17 chapters.  I’m on chapter 3 (page 50) and Venuto just finished talking about importance of goal-setting and daily affirmations.  Now, I’ve never been a huge fan of affirmations, because I feel like when you repeat something over & over, the meaning of it tends to get lost (“Pledge of Allegiance”, anyone?).  But one big thing I didn’t realize is that it’s important to visualize and feel yourself already having your goal when you say your affirmations.  So starting today, I’m going to be saying the below affirmation (among others) twice a day:

I love my chiseled, toned body with six-pack and V-shaped obliques.  I love that I turn people’s heads whenever I take my shirt off.

So for next week:

1. Continue 3-month pullup regimen (fourth week)
2. Continue reading “Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle”
3. Eat every three hours (as directed in “Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle”) to increase metabolism rate
4. Continue reading affirmations twice a day, with belief and visualization