Build Muscle Now!

Plate Pinch

2009-10-14T12:07:00.002+02:00

Last week I felt completely broken down and it was most likely due to overtraining, so I decided to take a break from Wednesday to recover a bit. Hitting the gym for almost two hours 5 days a week was perhaps also not ideal, so I also decided to also reduce my training volume for a while.

I decided to try a modified version of the Westside Barbell training method and is enjoying it thus far. Hopefully, even if I don’t really increase in size, my strength will increase a bit, which is always nice.

One of the exercises I did this morning was plate pinching (an exercise with the purpose of increasing your grip strength) and discovered my right hand is far stronger than my left. I think this is kind of a cool exercise and have never seen anybody else in the gym even attempting it. So check out the video below and give it a try!

Getting Frustrated

2009-10-01T09:59:00.004+02:00

Every once in a while I look in the mirror and think, shit, is it really worth punishing myself like this? Do I really want to get up at 4 in the morning every day to go to gym and have sore muscles all over when I don’t see much change in my reflection?

My wife said feeling like this means I am human after all. I think it means I am getting extremely frustrated...

Here is a good quote to read when you are feeling like I am feeling today:

"A man goes to an old-fashioned well to pump some drinking water. The man pushes the pump's lever over and over again, and is seemingly making no progress whatsoever. The man is indeed making progress, however, it just isn't visible to him at the time. Deep in the underground pipes, suction is being created and is slowly siphoning the water to the surface. If he gets discouraged and stops pumping, the water will fall again, and he'll have to start all over." - article by Skip La Cour.

Food Pyramid

2008-10-29T09:26:00.002+02:00

I've learned many things since I first joined the gym, one of them is that you need plenty of the right nutrients if you wish to grow.

Even Marilyn Manson agrees with this! Have a look at the video below where he dispense some valuable advice, especially regarding eating sweets.

Today At Gym - 10/28

2008-10-28T10:56:00.006+02:00

...or rather "today not at gym"

Up to this point I've been going to the gym 5 times a week, every week, and since I've been gaining only a little bit of weight (mostly fat) I decided to try something new.

For a while I am going to drop my 2 cardio sessions per week and only go to the gym Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for weight lifting.

Today is therefore the first day of the week I did not go to the gym, and I must say I feel great and full of energy. Hopefully these additional 2 days of rest and recovery will help me build some more muscle than I have been able to in the past.

Sure more fat is to come, but I will get rid of that once my arms and legs no longer look like twigs...

Don't Procrastinate

2008-10-22T09:40:00.001+02:00

Today At Gym - 09/04

2008-09-04T16:40:00.002+02:00

It was once again a cardio machine only session at the gym today. I must admit, I actually struggled quite a bit since my muscles were still pretty sore from yesterday.

Start Time	06:20
Duration	80 minutes
Calories Burned	1076 kcal
Session Type	Cardiovascular Training
Session Focus	Rowing Machine (20 min), Stationary Bike (20 min), Arm Cycle (20 min), Elliptical Trainer (20 min)

Today At Gym - 09/03

2008-09-03T14:38:00.002+02:00

Today was squat day again - I used the same weight on the barbell as last Wednesday and it actually went a lot better this time.

On the very last rep of the last set I wanted to make sure I squat deep enough and when I did this "deep squat" I was unable to get it up again... Thus next week it'll be the same weight again until I get it right!

I am also starting to really enjoy deadlifts. They really make me sweat quite heavily, but that's just part of the fun!

Start Time	06:20
Duration	65 minutes
Session Type	Strength Training
Session Focus	Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes

Have a look at this video in which Mark Rippetoe illustrates what good deadlifts should look like. Next Wednesday I will be sure to follow his guidelines.

Today At Gym - 09/02

2008-09-02T17:36:00.000+02:00

This morning we managed to get a booking for the only available squash court and it was great fun playing again!

Although I am a bit of a cardio junky a little variety is awesome. I would definitely rather play squash than spend then same amount of time on those cardio machines!

Start Time	06:21
Duration	80 minutes
Calories Burned	1078 kcal
Session Type	Cardiovascular Training
Session Focus	Stationary Bike (20 min), Elliptical Trainer (10 min), Squash (50 min)

After getting to the office I felt very sad for a large part of the morning. At noon I decided to head back to gym to swim some laps. It was a very pleasant discovery when I realized it's impossible to swim and be sad at the same time.

After getting back from my second session at the gym my day really improved and I felt much better.

Today At Gym - 09/01

2008-09-01T10:05:00.001+02:00

Today is the first of September and it is spring day. Here in Cape Town it was however a very chilly morning and I definitely did not have much of a spring feeling.

Of all the exercises in my program barbell squats are by far the most difficult of all, with flat barbell bench presses not lagging far behind.

On Mondays I know that I need to do the presses first, and on Wednesdays I must do the squats first while I am still fresh and able to handle the intensity.

Unfortunately the weight pit was a little crowded today and I had no choice but to carry on with the other exercises instead of standing around wasting time. In hind-sight this was a bad decision as I later ended up kinda dropping the barbell on my head during the second set - I still have the red bruise on my forehead...

Start Time	06:17
Duration	65 minutes
Session Type	Strength Training
Session Focus	Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

It goes without saying that I am now a bit afraid of doing bench presses without a spotter. I think next week I am rather going to do this same exercise with dumbbells instead as it is much easier to drop them besides me instead of on my head...

Today At Gym - 08/29

2008-08-29T17:49:00.003+02:00

Today I trained in one of my Adidas TechFit tops. Besides the fact the TechFit clothing makes you look really cool (unless you have big love handles) I actually find them quite useful.

They make you more aware of your body and I find when I do barbell rows and deadlifts it's much easier to check up on myself to ensure that I am not rounding my back. Sure this may be more of a psychological thing, but even in that case it still helps.

Start Time	06:23
Duration	60 minutes
Session Type	Strength Training
Session Focus	Biceps, Calves, Back

Since these compression garments are designed to fit very tightly around your body I opted not to wear my heart rate monitor to avoid looking like a dork, which is why you will not find any calories burned figures above.

Female Bodybuilder: Jennifer Abrams

2008-08-29T11:06:00.019+02:00

Name: Jennifer Lynn Abrams
Birth date: 26 February 1975
Height: 1.66 m
Weight: 67 kg

Jennifer is a natural body builder who have been training for the past 16 years.

This mother of two young children owns a personal training business and strives to be a positive role model to others.

She firmly beliefs that there is nothing more important than your health and is living proof that becoming a mother does not mean you have to loose yourself.

Today At Gym - 08/28

2008-08-28T11:31:00.004+02:00

I am totally addicted to the cardio machines at the gym - this morning I spend 80 minutes on them again and loved it.

It wasn't always like this though, I remember the first time I climbed on the elliptical my knees was burning so badly after 5 minutes that I thought I would never ever get on that thing again.

From this experience I now know that the hardest part of gym is actually getting started. I dare to say that the first couple of months you may really hate the gym and will struggle to keep yourself motivated, but after a while it becomes easy, a way of life, and something you almost can't live without.

Start Time	06:18
Duration	80 minutes
Calories Burned	1196 kcal
Session Type	Cardiovascular Training
Session Focus	Rowing Machine (20 min), Arm Cycle (20 min), Stationary Bike (20 min), Elliptical Trainer (20 min)

Today I was particularly motivated and wondered how it was even possible that thoughts of quitting ever came into my mind. The truth however is that all of us sometimes feels down and perhaps even a bit depressed, and it is during these times that we may make "bad" decisions like giving up on gym.

I came to realize that going to gym, exercising and trying to become more healthy in general is an inherently worthwhile thing to do. Sure, slow progress (or an apparent lack thereof) might obliterate your motivation, but don't quit when you feel like this, rather try and push though and still go to gym, in no time you will be wondering how you could ever even think of quitting!

And besides, if you quit gym and go back to being a couch potato you are 100% guaranteed to have absolutely no progress...

Today At Gym - 08/27

2008-08-27T09:14:00.003+02:00

Following my progressive overload strategy I had to squat 4 sets of 10 reps with 60 kg this morning.

Last Wednesday I really struggled to squat 57.5 kg and have been worrying the whole of yesterday whether or not I would be able to handle 60 kg.

This probably means that part of the reason I could not do all the reps on the last two sets were partly psychological.

Start Time	06:23
Duration	73 minutes
Calories Burned	550 kcal
Session Type	Strength Training
Session Focus	Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes

Next week I will attempt 60 kg squats again, and I am pretty confident that soon I would be able to do them for all the planned sets and reps. The fact that my squat weight is slowly approaching my body weight is also a great confidence booster.

I will however never be able to squat 540 kg like world record holder Jeff Lewis, even the thought of that is just scary...

Today At Gym - 08/26

2008-08-26T14:28:00.000+02:00

The gym is busy refurbishing the squash courts so once again we did not have a game today. This meant that I really hard cardio session had to be completed.

Start Time	06:14
Duration	80 minutes
Calories Burned	1187 kcal
Session Type	Cardiovascular Training
Session Focus	Arm Cycle (20 min), Stationary Bike (20 min), Elliptical Trainer (20 min), Rowing Machine (20 min)

I decided that I really need to start doing something about my abs training and to this end I started doing 3 sets of crunches last night before bed and will carry on doing this every night now. I know this sounds silly, but a couple of crunches every day is better than completely neglecting your abdominal muscles altogether!

Today At Gym - 08/25

2008-08-25T10:49:00.002+02:00

On Saturday and Sunday I went to gym to swim some laps. Not only did this make me feel great all weekend, it also made my Monday morning workout much easier - no Monday blues for me today.

That's not saying my weekend was completely without incident: I finally decided I do not want a girlfriend anymore as they are just too much trouble, plus I am really getting tired of being disappointed or having my heart broken constantly.

On the way back home after the "breakup" I got caught in a speed-trap at 180 or 190 km/h - karma is such a bitch!

Start Time	06:19
Duration	70 minutes
Calories Burned	719 kcal
Session Type	Strength Training
Session Focus	Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

As a side note it seems like I am putting on a lot of fat around my abdomen while not really gaining much muscle. Naturally this is the last thing in the world I want and I am pretty upset about it, but I will have to give my diet some time still and see how it goes...

Today At Gym - 08/21

2008-08-21T11:05:00.002+02:00

The day at gym started of with a game of squash which was quite enjoyable. I still really suck at the game, but I decided once and for all that it does not matter since I have no aspirations of becoming a competitive player.

Bodybuilding is not a team sport and if you are serious and focused you avoid socializing at the gym as much as possible since it is just a distraction and a waste of time.

Start Time	06:26
Duration	70 minutes
Calories Burned	1026 kcal
Session Type	Cardiovascular Training
Session Focus	Stationary Bike (20 min), Elliptical Trainer (10 min), Squash (40 min)

I do however think a friendly bi-weekly game of squash is great since it reminds me to be a little less anti-social and experience the joys of participating in a "real" sport.

Today At Gym - 08/20

2008-08-20T14:26:00.002+02:00

After reading various topics on the matter I decided that I definitely must include more compound exercises in my workout and started by doing deadlifts this morning.

Obviously this being the first time it wasn't a piece of cake and made me sweat a lot. I did however really enjoyed doing this exercise and hope to get better at it!

During my session one of the personal trainers also walked up to me and enquired where I got my cool Adidas top as he wanted one like it - thank you Benjine for buying it for me!

Start Time	06:19
Duration	70 minutes
Calories Burned	540 kcal
Session Type	Strength Training
Session Focus	Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes

Most of the machines I use have weight increments of 5 kg which is actually way to much of a weekly increase. I will thus be changing my program around to almost exclusively using free weights, with the exception of machines like the seated calf raises which allows me to add the same weight plates I am used for the barbell/dumbbell exercises.

Today At Gym - 08/19

2008-08-19T10:23:00.002+02:00

This morning I did not play squash as usual and spend a lot of time on the cardio machines instead.

Looking at my maximum and average heart rate it would seem that a game of squash puts a lot more strain on you. I also had to be satisfied with a slightly lower calories burned reading than usual.

I did however really enjoyed my cardio session - I could go at it quite hard when I wanted to without getting too tired. It is such an amazing feeling to know that you are fit!

Start Time	06:12
Duration	80 minutes
Calories Burned	1170 kcal
Session Type	Cardiovascular Training
Session Focus	Rowing Machine (20 min), Arm Cycle (20 min), Stationary Bike (20 min), Elliptical Trainer (20 min)

Like I mentioned before progressive overload is a very important part of any body building routine. While I am still very happy with the program I am currently following I do feel that it is time to begin adding weight in a more systematic fashion.

What I intend to do is to increase the weight I am lifting every week (for every exercise) with the smallest increment available to me. This will ensure that every week I will be attempting to lift more weight, thereby stimulating continued muscle growth while preventing my body to adapt.

Naturally it will be naive to think that I will just be able to keep adding weight indefinitely, eventually I will stall on one or more exercises and will not be able to perform all my reps.

What I will do is if I fail to perform all the reps is to try two more workouts with the same weight. If after this I am still unable to do all the repetitions I will perform what is known as a deload.

When deloading I will decrease the weight I last tried to use by 10% and then repeat the incremental scheme again to get past my stalling point within a couple of weeks.

You will notice that with deloading I am basically just giving my body time to recover from build up fatigue to help me reach new heights.

Today At Gym - 08/18

2008-08-18T10:30:00.004+02:00

My Monday morning gym sessions are always a bit tough, especially after nice lazy and relaxing weekends.

This morning I particularly struggled with the bench presses - something I was never actually very good at.

Start Time	06:24
Duration	80 minutes
Calories Burned	583 kcal
Session Type	Strength Training
Session Focus	Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

I've been thinking that one way to overcome the Monday morning blues may be to quickly visit the gym on Sundays for a swim or something.

Looking at past pages on my gym logbook I have also noticed that on Mondays I haven't been making much progress in terms of the weight I am lifting. To overcome this I will try to add very small weight increments every week, perhaps 2.5 kg or so.

Today At Gym - 08/15

2008-08-15T11:25:00.003+02:00

I enjoyed my strength training this morning and felt really strong with the bicep exercises.

While resting between sets I saw a young woman walking around with a magazine folded in half to reveal her exercise program. This made me wonder if magazines were one of the primary sources people get their gym programs from?

I also saw an middle aged gentlemen doing his entire workout under the squat rack – he did a whole bunch of body weight stuff, and everything except actual barbell squats which, by the way, is perhaps one of the best compound exercises you can do. Do you think the routine of this man also came from the pages of a magazine?

Start Time	06:20
Duration	70 minutes
Calories Burned	500 kcal
Session Type	Strength Training
Session Focus	Biceps, Calves, Back

Any sort of program you are following in a planned consistent manner is definitely better than just doing random stuff every time you are at the gym, and I suppose exercise programs form pop-culture magazines are as good a source as any.

I do however think that when you chose one of these programs you need to just double check that it includes exercises which targets all the major muscles in your body. Also important is to check that your program allows for the following principles:

Overload –They weights you are lifting should be challenging your muscles and not be too easy. When muscles are overloaded your body will compensate for the additional stress by building additional muscles.
Progression – There is no point in lifting the same amount of weight for the same number of reps week after week, month after month. You will eventually reach a plateau where no further progress will be made. At the end of every workout think about which exercises were easy, and for which you could try lifting heavier next time. Also mix things up every once in a while by changing your exercise order, number of reps, or the exercises you are performing to prevent your body from adapting.
Specificity – Your program should be suitable for your goal. For example, it will not help to just perform endless cardio exercises if your real goal is to build muscle. And while body weight exercises are great, there will also be a point where these exercises will not provide enough resistance to allow progress (using free weights will be a much better choice).
Rest and Recovery – It is very important to realize that your muscles only grow while you are resting, not while you are exercising. Never exercise the same muscle groups two days in a row as this will just hurt your progress and possible lead to over training.

I’ve had a look at the famous Brad Pitt Fight Club workout and definitely don’t think this is something we all should start doing. In it I have not seen any leg exercise, your legs are where your largest muscles can be found which can aid the most with fat loss!

Today At Gym - 08/14

2008-08-14T09:55:00.005+02:00

Firstly I am happy to tell you that my mood has lifted, today I feel 100% great - I have normal muscle soreness (especially in my quads which I gave a pounding yesterday), but I am starting to like this feeling since it confirms that I must be doing something right at gym.

In my very first post I mentioned that I was sabotaging my own progress, in terms of muscle growth, by not being able to maintain the calorie surplus required to build muscle due to the fear of fattening up again. To help me along I even came up with a six month plan and special diet.

Unfortunately my sabotaging habits seems very hard to break and I am still doing the exact same things - as soon as the scale goes up a bit I cardio more, I eat less, I worry more etc.

Start Time	06:20
Duration	80 minutes
Calories Burned	1204 kcal
Session Type	Cardiovascular Training
Session Focus	Elliptical Trainer (20 min), Stationary Bike (10 min), Squash (50 min)

This has to stop, I have to come to terms with the fact that in order for me to gain real muscle I will have to gain some fat. I must realize that I already have very light muscles and if I carry on cutting I will definitely end up looking like a holocaust survivor!

And here is another reason I can use to sell this to myself. During my 6 months bulking phase I will get quite fat, but I know (from past experience) that I can burn this off again and cut in the six months following that: This will make for another nice before and after photo...

From today onwards I am eating more, I fully intend to make the number on the scale increase, this number will not scare me, my jeans getting tighter will not upset me, my increased strength will make me feel like I can move the world, my bigger muscles will tell me that the sweat is all worth it, and I will giggle at the fat, knowing that while they may be ganging up on me their days are literally numbered!

Become More Active

2008-08-13T15:57:00.001+02:00

An active lifestyle is more than just going to the gym regularly, it is crucially important that we all find ways in which we can incorporate a little exercise into our daily routines and not be completely dependent on the gym.

Below I listed a couple of ideas of some ways you can get exercise outside the gym. These ideas are also great for sedentary individuals who would like to ease into it and lose a little bit of body fat along the way.

Walk More – When I first started to work in the Cape Town CBD I found out just what a hassle it is to find somewhere to park, and if you are not willing to spend an arm and a leg for a couple of hours worth, it’s even harder! These days I just walk everywhere I want to go, it is healthier, you see more, and you don’t have to continuously worry that your car might not be in the safest possible location.

I will admit, when it is raining walking around may not be the most pleasant of experiences, but I do still prefer it even then, instead of dealing with the hassle of a car all the time.

Park far from the entrance – I know you’ve heard this one many times before, but are you doing it? The key here is also walking a little more to burn a few extra calories. Even when going to gym I am often surprised to see cars circling around in the parking era hoping to find a spot right in front of the entrance. These individuals then get out, head straight for the cardio machines and spend 45 to 60 minutes on them. Does this even make sense?

I habitually park far away from the mall entrance, I burn a couple of calories, but more importantly it is much easier to find parking – I am saving fuel and burning calories, now that must make you smile, especially with the petrol prices these days.

Carry your shopping – Instead of pushing your shopping to the car in a trolley carry them around, you will be burning more calories and giving your arms a bit of a workout at the same time.

Take the stairs - Most of us are so spoiled by elevators and escalators and get on them without giving it a second thought. But unless you work on the 30^th floor it is actually quite a good idea to always take the stairs to give your calf and leg muscles a quick workout.

I personally find that if I am really in a rush it is often even quicker to just head up the stairs than standing around waiting for the elevator and then having to deal with uncomfortable lift etiquette and elevator music once you get in.

To make your stair exercise a little more intense try and take them two at a time, this will make you get to the 4^th floor even faster!

Use the bathroom that’s furthest from you – Or even take the stairs to a bathroom on a different floor. So what if people think you are crazy? I may be crazy, but I know they secretly envy me for being so lean!

The above list may sound a bit silly, but they are things you can do “for free” during your normal work day. When you are at home there are literally hundreds of exercises you can do without setting foot in a gym. The most obvious things are riding a bicycle, taking the dog for a walk, going for a quick jog, skipping rope, doing push-ups, doing set-up, etc.

Is the phrase “my schedule is too busy to fit exercise in” just your excuse to be lazy? It used to be mine!

Today At Gym - 08/13

2008-08-13T09:16:00.001+02:00

This morning I was still in an awful state of mind, feeling very depressed. Throughout my workout I had to find ways to keep myself motivated and crush the idea of quitting gym entirely.

The single thought that kept me going was: “Heroes stay and fight, while losers run away”. Quitting is easy, anybody can do that, but only the dedicated few can persist and see things through.

The truth is that sticking to a workout and diet is extremely hard. On an average day when I walk around the city (or even at gym) I would see perhaps one or two individuals who look really buff and ripped, just further evidence of how hard it is!

Start Time	06:11
Duration	66 minutes
Calories Burned	737 kcal
Session Type	Strength Training
Session Focus	Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes

Hopefully my mood will change for the better soon, but at least I know that, despite my frustratingly slow progress, it is all worth it and I should never quit.

Today At Gym - 08/12

2008-08-12T08:55:00.005+02:00

I am not even going to attempt to put a positive spin on it. Today is just one of those days I feel very unhappy and depressed.

My lopsided shoulders and the left shoulder blade that seems to "unhook" (not quite unhook, it does something weird anyway) frustrates me as I do not know what to do about it - it has been like this for as long as I can remember. And then I also have a right foot that swoops outwards, darn posture problems...

The "wise guy" at the gym, who always thinks he knows better, telling me "You are just imagining it, swimming does not use your triceps" was also a mild irritant.

Start Time	06:12
Duration	88 minutes
Calories Burned	1204 kcal
Session Type	Cardiovascular Training
Session Focus	Row Machine (10 min), Arm Cycle (10 min), Stationary Bike (10 min), Squash (58 min)

Today At Gym - 08/11

2008-08-11T08:47:00.001+02:00

I have been slacking of a little bit and haven't been to the gym quite as often as I am supposed to, when I took my measurements the machine confirmed this:

	25 July	01 August	11 August
Weight	67.6	68.6	69.2
Body Fat %	12.80	12.80	13.50

This morning I also started to incorporate EZ-Bar Triceps Extensions into my routine. I haven't done this exercise before, so I am using light weights just to get used to the movement.

I didn't burn that much calories at the gym this morning so I am really looking forward to my swimming session later. Instead of just swimming a bunch of freestyle laps I am going to start follow a pre-defined routine as I am doing for strength training.

Start Time	06:15
Duration	74 minutes
Calories Burned	678 kcal
Session Type	Strength Training
Session Focus	Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

Today At Gym - 08/07

2008-08-07T09:28:00.004+02:00

This morning was a hard cardio workout again, and as usual a very enjoyable game of squash.

I did some HIIT on the stationary bike this morning which was quite good and made me feel even better.

At this point you may be wondering what exactly I mean by HIIT so I will provide you with a brief description:

High-intensity interval training sessions consists of a warmup period, several short, maximum-intensity efforts separated by moderate recovery intervals, and a cooldown period ^[1].

While this description may sound somewhat complicated it really isn't, here is an example: Warmup by cycling at a moderate pace for two minutes, then intensely cycle (as close as you can get to your maximum effort) for a minute, after this moderate again for two minutes and then intense again, see the pattern?

Studies have been done on HIIT and it was proved that this method is more effective at burning fat and maintaining, or building, muscle mass than high-volume, lower intensity aerobic work-outs.

Give High-intensity interval training a try next time you do some cardio, but don't think you can carry on reading that book or newspaper while you are at it, it's a little harder than you may be used to.

Start Time	06:21
Duration	80 minutes
Calories Burned	1143 kcal
Session Type	Cardiovascular Training
Session Focus	Stationary Bike (20 min), Stepper Machine (10 min), Squash (50 min)

Next up I'll publish an article of how you can get a little more exercise during your normal daily routine, so be on the lookout for that!

Today At Gym - 08/06

2008-08-06T09:29:00.004+02:00

Since I joined the gym I have been on various training programs, some I've read about in books, and some I have just arbitrarily invented. Changing your routine every once in a while is actually a good thing to prevent your body from adapting and hitting a plateau.

Unfortunately on every program I've been on there is always one or two exercises I really hate that I feel is just not doing what they are supposed to. Admittedly this is probably most often due to me incorrectly performing them

Looking back at my logbook I noticed the following type of comments always appear with Dumbbell Lunges:

"Makes me sweat a lot... I am not fond of this exercise... I hate this crap... Makes me tired and nothing else... "

Start Time	06:19
Duration	57 minutes
Calories Burned	626 kcal
Session Type	Strength Training
Session Focus	Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes

Recently I bought myself a book titled Strength Training Anatomy which I cannot recommend enough. Between it's covers you will find beautiful illustrations of all the body building exercises making up good programs as well as clear description of how these exercises should be performed.

More importantly the book also clearly shows you which muscles a specific exercise targets which is extremely helpful when you are looking for alternatives. I've used the book to help me decide that I will do dumbbell squats next time as an alternative to dumbbell lunges.

Dumbbell squats are a more compounded exercise than lunges targeting even more muscles. In a week's time I'll know if this was a good choice...

Today At Gym - 08/05

2008-08-05T09:24:00.002+02:00

My squash partner is back from his short holiday so it was a tough workout again this morning, and I have the round red bruise just below my right hip to prove this!

Although my path to fitness initially started with the idea that I was only interested in lifting some weights and doing some cardio exercises (like the stationary bike) I now find that I am also much more interested in participating in "real" sports like squash and swimming.

Start Time	06:15
Duration	80 minutes
Calories Burned	1257 kcal
Session Type	Cardiovascular Training
Session Focus	Elliptical Trainer (20 min), Stationary Bike (10 min), Squash (50 min)

Since Wednesday last week I also started to go for a quick 30 minute swim every day during lunch time. You will have no idea how awesome and refreshed you feel after such a session until you have tried it!

Today At Gym - 08/04

2008-08-04T08:59:00.005+02:00

I felt reasonably strong this morning and was happy to be back at the gym after just relaxing the entire weekend.

Unfortunately my right shoulder still feels a bit uncomfortable depending on which movements I do - this worries me a bit.

I decided to substitute bench dips with push-ups since I think the bench dips place too much pressure on my shoulders; Push-ups are actually a great body weight exercises since they give both your chest and triceps a good workout.

Unfortunately I left them for last, after about 6 really good form push-ups I almost fell on my face and made the following note in my gym logbook: "Do these at home for now to prevent embarrassment".

Start Time	06:19
Duration	54 minutes
Calories Burned	530 kcal
Session Type	Strength Training
Session Focus	Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

This afternoon I am going swimming again, although I am not swim fit at all, swimming feels so great and I would like to do this daily!

Today At Gym - 08/01

2008-08-01T09:04:00.003+02:00

This morning I was very motivated, I got up early, finished my "morning chores" as quickly as I could and rushed to gym.

Unfortunately when I got there I was greeted by an automatic door which would not open automatically. After feeling a bit silly I walked to the other door to discover the gym was only going to open at 05:30.

Having some time to spare I decided it was a good time to explore the area surrounding the Foreshore gym. I walked around the building and then to the faintly lit square next to it.

There I saw a couple of life sized statues of people - a child playing, a woman presumably watching the child, another carrying shopping, a man on a cell phone, one sitting on a bench with a newspaper and a third just walking by.

Since the sun was still sleeping, unable to illuminate the area, these figures looked very-very lifelike, so much so that I almost felt like striking up a conversation with the slender woman watching the child... This reminded me of scenes from the movie I Am Legend.

Start Time	05:43
Duration	74 minutes
Calories Burned	757 kcal
Session Type	Strength Training
Session Focus	Biceps, Calves, Back

Up to this point I have been grossly neglecting my abs exercises since I always leave them for last at which point I am so tired and end up doing them very half heartedly. I thus think it might be a good idea to also get up relatively early on Saturday mornings and just work on those abs a little.

Today At Gym - 07/31

2008-07-31T09:13:00.004+02:00

If there ever was any doubt in my mind about this it has been completely erased last night – I now know that I am absolutely rotten at romantic relationships.

I am also not very good at gym (not that strong, very slow progress, occasional bad exercise posture, etc) but at the very least it is an unchanging mistress always willing and eager to welcome me thorough her doors and hang out with me for at least an hour almost every single day.

Yes, occasionally she makes me angry, often she frustrates me, and sometimes even depresses me slightly, but she is always there to welcome me back. The very next day after we had a fallout I can come back to her as if nothing ever happened – she would have long forgotten the nasty things I may have said, and never will she bring up, or even recall, past arguments we had.

Like all women she is very demanding and even place a lot of physical strain on my body but, all things considered, she is a very positive influence and has brought many great things into my life like:

True sense of wellbeing
Better image of self
Much more confidence in myself
Sense of purpose
More discipline
A better appearance
A healthier body that very seldom get sick
A healthier mind better capable of dealing with daily stress
A fitter and more physically capable body

She also helped me a great deal with any shyness I may have had. Some situations (especially social ones) may still make me feel a bit uncomfortable, but long gone are the days where I would break out in a cold sweat – worst that can happen now is I will just smile and stand around looking pretty…

Start Time	05:39
Duration	78 minutes
Calories Burned	907 kcal
Session Type	Strength Training
Session Focus	Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Abs

At this point I realize that I am heading right at becoming that dreaded gym bunny that is spending an obsessive amount of time in the gym, but I ask you this: If you had such a wonderful girlfriend/boyfriend would you not also want to spend as much time together?

Today At Gym - 07/30

2008-07-30T09:23:00.004+02:00

One of my Facebook friends once had "I'm a gym bunny" set as their profile status. Today I could not stay away from gym (it's an addiction you know) and thought about gym bunnies.

After reading the following definition of a gym bunny on Urban Dictionary I realized that this is something I should avoid becoming...

"A (gay) man who spends an obsessive amount of time in the gym working on sculpting his body -- not for health reasons -- only to show it off in a club or on the beach.

Hey dude... can you spot my glutes while I do some squats? "

Start Time	06:17
Duration	57 minutes
Calories Burned	543 kcal
Session Type	Strength Training
Session Focus	Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

I suspect that last Monday I strained my shoulder slightly with either bench dips or side lateral raises. I attempted a couple of dips this morning and really thought that is was the most likely suspect. I will thus be looking for another triceps exercise to replace this.

I am also varying my diet slightly today, my lovely girlfriend made me fruit salad which is so much healthier and tastier than that second PB&J sandwich!

Overtraining

2008-07-27T18:01:00.003+02:00

Today I feel very fed up with gym. Yesterday while swimming I noticed a pain in my right shoulder, and since tomorrow is shoulders day I don't really feel up to it.

I have been continuously training for a couple of months and think it might only do me some good to take an entire week for resting.

I am also not sure if bulking at this point is such a good idea. I took quite a few pictures of myself and all I see is a short fat guy with skinny arms - no wonder I can trick the Virgin Active machine into thinking I have only 11.7% body fat since this machine takes the measurement on my right bicep...

See you in a weeks time when I will be re-examining my situation and goals.

Weekly Feedback - 07/26

2008-07-26T20:29:00.007+02:00

This morning I felt like going for a swim in the nice heated pool at gym - yes indeed, that red Speedo is not just for having half naked pictures of myself taken.

While there I decided to quickly take my measurements again, and now my body fat is showing as 14.6% on the machine, amazing how fat I've gotten this week!

I basically lost all faith in the Virgin Active health zone machine and can clearly see that it is a totally rotten tool to try and track your progress with...

	18 July	25 July	26 July
Weight	67.8	67.6	69
Body Fat %	11.7	12.8	14.6

I'll keep measuring and posting the results though, like I said before, perhaps I will see monthly trends. I have noticed that if you take multiple measurements without moving your arm you also get different results, so I will also just take the first measurement I get and not bother doing it again.

Being told you are 3% fatter than you were a week ago does however not do wonders for your motivation levels.

Today At Gym - 07/25

2008-07-25T10:06:00.002+02:00

First thing I did this morning was to take my measurements for the week.

As I suspected I still lost weight despite being on a 3165 calorie diet. What really discouraged me quite a bit was when I took my body fat measurement and the percentage came up as 13.3%

My initial thoughts of shock were that I am getting fatter while losing weight, which must means I am losing a lot muscle which is totally not a good thing!

I took two more measurements which came up as 11.7% and 12.8%. Feeling very annoyed with the darn variability of the machine (which uses the FUTREX 6100 Body Fat Analyzer) I proceeded to do my workout for the day.

Start Time	06:22
Duration	64 minutes
Calories Burned	684 kcal
Session Type	Strength Training
Session Focus	Biceps, Calves, Back

Doing some Internet research I discovered that even hydrostatic weighing, which is perhaps the most accurate way of measuring body fat, is also only accurate to within 2%-3%^[1]. Another thing I came to realize was that my cheap plastic USN body fat callipers are also a complete waste of time since there is no way I can take the measurements at the exact same locations, with the exact same amount of pressure every time.

I will therefore have to accept that there will be inconsistencies in my readings every time I take a measurement, and that I will perhaps only be able to see trends from month to month. I have to admit, this still annoys me quite a bit since it makes it so much harder to determine whether or not I am making real progress on a weekly basis...

Today At Gym - 07/24

2008-07-24T08:48:00.001+02:00

Today we started off with a game of squash instead of doing other cardiovascular training first.

As you may already know from past blog posts, squash mornings are never uneventful. Today I got struck by a ball from behind (I suppose I ran in front of it) and later was hit on the head with a racket.

Next week I will be without a squash partner as Christo will be on leave, this makes me feel almost sad as the games on Tuesdays and Thursdays truly are the highlights of my week.

Start Time	06:19
Duration	80 minutes
Calories Burned	1252 kcal
Session Type	Cardiovascular Training
Session Focus	Squash (50 min), Stationary Bike (20 min), Elliptical Trainer (10 min)

I guess next week I will do some additional cardio machines while I can't play squash, or perhaps start swimming again, I haven't been doing that in quite a while.

SMART Goals

2008-07-23T14:58:00.002+02:00

SMART is a mnemonic I borrow today from the project management field to help me set my training goals. The five keywords mean the following:

S – Specific
M – Measurable
A – Actionable
R – Realistic
T – Time-bound

I will now use each one of the above keywords and apply them to my personal training goals for the next 6 months.

Specific

As mentioned before I would like to weigh 74 kg and only have 10% body. I realize that this will be a two step process of bulking up and later cutting the fat. For now I will focus only on the bulking phase.

If I am at my ideal weight my lean body mass will be 66.6 kg. During the bulking phase I must thus try my best to overshoot this as I will inevitably loose muscle again during the cutting phase.

Right now I am at 68 kg with 11.7 % body fat, which means I currently have about 60 kg of lean mass. My goal should thus be to pack on, at the very least, 6.6kg of muscle with 7 kg or more perhaps being the ideal to compensate for later muscle loss during fat cutting.

Whether or not this is actually possible I don’t know yet, we are still getting to the “R”.

Measurable

This is one of the easy parts since I am already measuring my weight and body fat percentages every week. In addition to this I can also take a normal tape measure to measure my biceps, calves, waist etc to help me identify where changes are happening.

I will measure my weight and body fat every Friday at the same time to make sure that “outside factors” does not influence the measurements.

Actionable

To attain my goal I will have to be very strict with my diet and ensure that I am getting the right amount of calories that will be necessary for muscle growth. I will also have to keep an eye on my progress and adjust the diet when necessary. Since I have followed a strict diet before I am sure that I can manage this.

Naturally another important part is my training at the gym; again I must consistently follow a program that will be in line with my goals. I have already started to keep a training log in a little A5 book I carry around the gym. I can use the notes I write down as a feedback mechanism which will help me determine when adjustments needs to be made.

Realistic

This is the difficult part and the part where reality can actually de-motivate me a tad. While 7 kg may not sound like all that much it may actually take much longer than I think to build that amount of muscle.

According to what I read on the Internet ^[1] it would seem that if everything goes perfectly I can only expect to put on at most 2 pounds of muscle per month.

Thus to build 7kg of muscle it would take me almost 8 months if everything goes perfectly. 8 months for 7kg of muscle is perhaps not that bad, and also not completely unrealistic – the fact that I am still reasonably new at strength training also counts for me as beginners can gain muscle a little more rapidly.

Time Bound

I don’t want to spend too much time on the bulking phase as I will be potentially gaining a lot of fat during it. I am going to set a 6 month limit on it. If I only gain 4 kg of muscle in the next six months I will be very happy about it and will proceed to the cut phase.

I must however be vigilant at all times to ensure that my diet and training is optimal as the last thing in the world I want is just to spend the next 6 months in gym wasting my time!

Today At Gym - 07/23

2008-07-23T08:56:00.004+02:00

When I stepped on my bathroom scale this morning it almost seemed like I am still loosing weight, but I realize it is too early to tell...

This leads me to confess my worst fear: Every day at gym I am not playing around, I really try as hard as my body allows and I am putting in a consistent focused effort - my worst fear is that despite all my efforts I will stay about the same and not really gain much muscle.

But as one of my friends pointed out yesterday: "You haven't been training for that long, and anyway, you look better already than when you started, don't you?"

Start Time	06:21
Duration	68 minutes
Calories Burned	864 kcal
Session Type	Strength Training
Session Focus	Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Abs

When I look in the mirror I see lots of loose skin hanging around and some fat still hiding underneath, but I know very well that there will be no point in slimming down even more, I will just loose too much muscle in the process and end up looking like a very-very skinny guy, which is definitely not my goal!

Today At Gym - 07/22

2008-07-22T10:15:00.005+02:00

At gym I again managed to be a source of amusement for my squash partner on two separate occasions...

First I tried to make a "great save" and dove into the glass wall at the back of the court, we both laughed so hard that we had to "rest" for a moment to shake it off.

The second time I don't even know what happened, I went into one direction and my left shoe went flying into another!

Start Time	06:17
Duration	86 minutes
Calories Burned	1332 kcal
Session Type	Cardiovascular Training
Session Focus	Stationary Bike (20 min), Stepper Machine (10 min) Squash (56 min)

Somebody mentioned that up to this point I have not been very specific on what my goals are other than to build some muscle, so now is perhaps a good time to mention this briefly.

A general rule of thumb is that for every centimetre your height is above 1 meter you must weigh 1 kilogram. Since I am 1.74 meters tall this would mean my ideal weight should be about 74 kg.

If you want to be more "scientific" about this you can use the following BMI formula to calculate how much you should weigh to have a body mass index of 25 which will place you in the upper range of the normal category.

upper normal weight = 25 x height²

So here is my medium term goal: Weigh 74 kg and have only 10% body fat.

This is medium term goal since at the very least this will take me 12 months: 6 months of bulking and 6 months of cutting to get that body fat down.

See you in the next post where I will be discussing SMART goals!

My Diet

2008-07-21T16:28:00.005+02:00

Below you will find the eating plan I intend to follow in the coming months.

I must admit that my mom will not be very proud as you will not find any veggies in there, but I promise mom, I am taking a multi-vitamin daily...

Since I am living as a bachelor a very important requirement is that my food must be easy and quick to prepare. I am also working in an office which, for some obscure reason, does not have a microwave on our floor, so another requirement was that my lunch must be one I can eat cold.

I used the calorie calculator to work out my basic caloric needs and added 357 (2500 / 7) calories to it to try and achieve a weight gain of 0.45 kg per week.

			Mass	Calories	Carbs	Protien	Fat
Breakfast Oats
1	cup	Oats	100.0	362.6	58.4	11.7	9.3
1	serving	Pure Protien	56.0	196.5	3.0	40.0	2.0

Gym Drink
1	serving	Whey Protien	34.0	132.2	2.3	25.0	2.4

Work Breakfast
1	medium	Green Apple	93.0	59.3	12.1	0.0	0.0
0.5	cup	Instant Porridge	80.0	298.1	66.7	4.9	0.8
1	serving	Pure Protien	56.0	196.5	3.0	40.0	2.0

Peanut Butter-Jelly Sandwich (Snack 1)
4	slices	Wholewheat Brown Bread	160.0	400.4	76.3	14.9	3.4
2	teaspoons	Medium Fat Spread - Lite	10.0	49.6	0.0	0.0	5.5
2	teaspoons	Crunchy Peanut Butter	18.0	112.6	4.2	4.1	9.0
1	tablesoon	Apricot Preserve	19.0	50.0	12.0	0.0	0.0

Peanut Butter-Jelly Sandwich (Lunch)
4	slices	Wholewheat Brown Bread	160.0	400.4	76.3	14.9	3.4
2	teaspoons	Medium Fat Spread - Lite	10.0	49.6	0.0	0.0	5.5
2	teaspoons	Crunchy Peanut Butter	18.0	112.6	4.2	4.1	9.0
1	tablesoon	Apricot Preserve	19.0	50.0	12.0	0.0	0.0

Supper
		Lean Beef Mince	140.0	307.8	0.0	38.4	15.8
		Wholewheat Linguini	100.0	326.2	65.5	11.7	1.4
3	tablespoons	Pasta Souce	60.0	61.7	5.9	0.5	1.9
				3165.8	402.1	210.0	71.4

I invite you to watch my progress in the coming weeks, you must be as eager as me to see how this is going to work out!

Today At Gym - 07/21

2008-07-21T09:12:00.003+02:00

When I got up this morning I was full of energy and ready for the day. I think this was because I slept enough and had enough to eat this weekend.

After a while at the gym I did however start to struggle a bit. I could not do all the reps I planned to do, and on some exercises I also had to drop some weight. Constantly I said to myself: "Try harder, try harder!"

The fact that I could not complete all my reps is however also positive feedback - when I will be able to do all the planned reps with the same weights than I use now I will know that I have managed to increase my strength.

Start Time	06:19
Duration	75 minutes
Calories Burned	808 kcal
Session Type	Strength Training
Session Focus	Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

Today I packed a lunch of Peanut Butter Jelly sandwiches. During the course of today I will be publishing the diet I intend to follow. Bear in mind that I am not a dietician and the diet I plan to follow will possible have many shortcomings, but you can watch my progress in the coming months to see how well it works out, or doesn't work...

Nutritional Facts Table

2008-07-20T18:35:00.010+02:00

Today I sat down and made a list of all the food I like eating and which I actually have in my house right now - you will see the results of my efforts in the table below.

I intend to use this list to help me come up with an eating plan which I can follow in the coming months that will help me reach my goal of gaining weight. Like I mentioned before I wish to gain weight in the form of muscle, but naturally my weight gain will also include fat gain, I will thus have to go into a pure fat loss diet at a later stage.

Compiling lists like these are very easy, all you have to do is read the label on the food. The only thing that might throw you off is when the energy of the food are given in kilo joules (kJ) instead of calories, but you can easily convert to calories with the following easy equation:

calories = kJ x 0.239

Brand	Name of Product/Food	Mass	Calories	Carbs	Protien	Fat
	Chicken Breast	100	160	0.0	28.9	4
	Lean Beef Mince	100	220	0.0	27.4	11.3
Black Cat	Crunchy Peanut Butter	100	625	23.6	22.5	50.2
USN	Pure Protein	56	196	3.0	40.0	2
USN	Whey Protien	34	132	2.3	25.0	2.4
Ace	Instant Porridge - Strawberry	100	373	83.4	6.1	1
House Brand	Oats	100	363	58.4	11.7	9.3
Albany	Wholewheat Brown Bread	100	250	47.7	9.3	2.1
Woolworths	Organic Wholewheat linguini	100	326	65.5	11.7	1.4
Monteverde	Farfalle (Pasta)	100	361	73.2	12.4	1.5
	Potato	100	109	23.3	2.3	0.1
Harvestime	Mixed Vegetables	100	53	10.0	2.0	0.5
	Green Apple	100	64	13.0	0.0	0
	Naartjies	100	51	9.0	0.8	0.2
Danish Preserve	Apricot Preserve	100	263	63.2	0.0	0
Fatti's & Moni's	Pasta Sauce - Picante	100	103	9.9	0.9	3.2
Kraft	Real Mayonnaise - Lite	100	318	6.0	0.6	34.6
Blossom	Medium Fat Spread - Lite	100	496	0.0	0.0	55
	Carrots	100	34	7.5	1.4	0

All weights are in grams.

Weekly Feedback - 07/19

2008-07-19T17:18:00.009+02:00

This week I did gym pretty hard but followed my "diet" rather haphazardly as I actually have not worked out a diet that will help me reach my goals - I ate almost anything I felt like during the week.

As you can see from the results below no miracles happened and I essentially stayed the same - not necessarily a bad thing...

	14 July 2008	18 July 2008
Weight	68	67.8
Body Fat %	11.7	11.7

My priority now is definitely to pay more attention on diet and watch what I eat more carefully. In the next post I will be making a list of foods I like to eat and will provide the nutritional information for each which will help me work that diet out.

Today At Gym - 07/18

2008-07-18T09:28:00.006+02:00

Part of my routine focused on calve exercises. I have always had rather small calves and I am not sure if these exercises are making any difference.

Currently I am using 90 kg on the standing calve raises machine. This thing always just bruise my shoulders more than doing anything else...

Sure I could use heavier weights since the 90 kg don't feel particularly difficult to do, but I know not to. For one thing I'll just end up bruising my shoulders even more, and also, I have seen quite a few gentlemen at the gym setting the machine on the maximum weight and then stacking on even some barbell weights, but guess what, I never see them again for the rest of the week at the gym after such a session!

Start Time	06:23
Duration	60 minutes
Calories Burned	671 kcal
Session Type	Strength Training
Session Focus	Biceps, Calves, Back

Next up I'll be posting my stats for this week. I have also taken a photograph first thing every morning (except Monday, when I overslept) so also keep an eye out for those!

Today At Gym - 07/17

2008-07-17T09:21:00.006+02:00

This morning my cardio workout started off with 20 minutes on the rowing machine which happens to be my favourite machine in the gym.

Every since I first sat on it I knew I would like it - it conjures up vivid images of a romantic day where you and that special someone hires a boat and blissfully row around a lake while enjoying each others company, and perhaps some Champaign.

I have to admit though that 10 minutes or so into the exercise, when I start perspiring, the romantic image rapidly changes and I imagine myself as one of the oarsmen propelling a big Viking galley across the ocean trying to dodge cannon balls...

Start Time	06:19
Duration	80 minutes
Calories Burned	1308 kcal
Session Type	Cardiovascular Training
Session Focus	Rowing Machine (20 min), Stationary Bike (10 min), Squash (50 min)

All I can say about the above figures is that I am just happy I burned that much calories - last night I was feeling a bit sad and lonely and had a large pizza and some ice-cream...

Today At Gym - 07/16

2008-07-16T09:06:00.009+02:00

Today was strength training - on Wednesdays my routine starts of with squats, which reminds me:

When I initially started to include squats in my gym routine I really hated them, the very first time I thought I was going to pass out!

As with anything you keep doing it becomes easier after a while, and now if the squat rack is not occupied this is the very fist thing I do and I quite enjoy it.

Start Time	06:19
Duration	73 minutes
Calories Burned	984 kcal
Session Type	Strength Training
Session Focus	Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Abs

This morning I could not find the padding to put around the barbell bar which meant that it did dig into my back more than usual and caused a bit more discomfort, but this actually made me feel stronger, almost like I could squat more weight - I might try it "bare" again next Wednesday...

A pound of flesh

2008-07-15T15:10:00.003+02:00

It is widely accepted that one pound of fat contains about 3500 calories.^[1]

What this means for us is that if you are desperately trying to loose some weight you will have to cut your calories by 3500 per week to loose a pound of fat every week.

But before I carry on, lets convert the numbers to metric measurements and round a little since I could never quite grasp the imperial madness:

3860 kcal = 0.5 kg Fat

So if you want to lose 0.5 kg per week you only need to create a 550 calorie deficit per day from what it would take to maintain your current weight (you can use the calorie calculator to figure out how much you need to maintain your current weight, then simply subtract 550 from this number).

Creating this daily deficit can be as easy as not eating that extra piece of chocolate cake, or just doing some additional physical exercises, for example, this morning alone I burned a good 1354 calories at gym.

If you follow this calorie guideline your weight loss will be more healthy and more predictable at a steady pace. You can even get fancy when you realize that your weight is changing too little every week and use your results to re-calculate that calorie deficit.

It is however very important to realize that what we have just discussed are guidelines, not pure hard science. I do however promise if you follow your calorie planned diet you WILL see results, they may not come overnight, but they will come!

Up to this point we have discussed weight loss, but you will know that is not my goal, I've already done that, so you can take my word for it and know the above works. My goal is to gain weight, and by weight I mean muscle, not fat!

Unfortunately, from what I have read, muscle gain is a little less predictable than weight loss, and I am not exactly sure how many calories you will need to gain a pound of muscle. From Google research it would seem that you will need a surplus of 2500 calories per week. ^[2]

2500 calories = 0.45 kg muscle

I am quite happy to use this smaller number and I am happy to gain that amount of weight every week, assuming that most of it will be muscle.

Next up I will have to calculate the calories I will be consuming ever week, and then work out from which foods these calories will be coming from. So keep visiting the blog and post comments or ask questions!

Today At Gym - 07/15

2008-07-15T08:45:00.006+02:00

It was a pretty good morning at gym today, I started off with a little cardiovascular activities on the Elliptical trainer, then spend some time on the stationary bike before moving on to the highlight of my day, squash!

My new pair of squash tekkies made all the difference, and for the first time I can't complain about any soreness on my feet. I must admit that the thicker socks I wore also contributed to a painless experience.

Start Time	06:17
Duration	90 minutes
Calories Burned	1354 kcal
Session Type	Cardiovascular Training
Session Focus	Elliptical Trainer (20 min), Stationary Bike (10 min), Squash (60 min)

As always after a good game of squash I feel amazing right now and very happy, hey, gym becomes addictive for a reason!

Today At Gym - 07/14

2008-07-14T20:35:00.006+02:00

This morning started off as a tad blue, I woke up with a knock at the door realizing with a shock that it was Christo ready to head for gym and that I had completely overslept...

After he smiled at me and walked to his car I felt pretty upset with myself since I knew this meant that there was simply not enough time to go to gym before work and my routine for the day was ruined - from past experience I know that if I skip gym in the morning there is a high probability that I will skip gym for the day...

After the initial shock and disbelief I decided to calm down and do the only sensible thing which was to get dressed as quickly as possible to get to work early so I can leave a little early and go to gym afterwards.

I am very happy to report that I did not skip gym today and followed though on my morning plans. Only downside was the gym experience today was also a bit blue, but let's check the stats for the day first...

Start Time	16:25
Duration	59:33 minutes
Calories Burned	741 kcal
Session Type	Strength Training
Session Focus	Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

Like I mentioned, the gym experience was a bit less than optimal today. This was mainly due to the fact that I went at a very busy time with people buzzing all around me and all the benches being occupied the whole time.

Normally I first do my "bench work" with free weights while I am still fresh and able to lift "heavy" stuff, but today I had to start off with the other things first like the triceps exercises (which went pretty well and I could even do 10 kg more than I usually can without much effort) while waiting for an opening. This meant that by the time I got to inclined dumbbell presses, and seated dumbbell shoulder presses I was pretty much useless...

But actually, if you really think about it, today was a good day at gym: The change in routine was a good thing since I could lift more weights with the exercises I usually do last and struggling a bit more with the other exercises was perhaps worth it!

Tomorrow is cardio/squash day and I get to try out my new squash trainers, hopefully the blisters on my feet will be at an end now!

By the way, just to prevent the same thing happening again I bought a R 50 electronic clock radio as a back-up for my cell phone alarm clock. :)

Calorie Calculator

2008-07-14T10:49:00.001+02:00

Where I am now

2008-07-10T10:28:00.024+02:00

I joined the gym in November 2007 with the main goal of losing body fat and becoming a leaner healthier person. For years before this I “knew” that I had to get more physically active and eat better, but merely thinking about things are not enough to make it happen. What really made me jump to action immediately was when I saw in a photo just how horrible I looked in a wetsuit! You can read all about it here, and click on the picture to see the full-size version…

If you look at the “before and after” picture on the right, and the measurements below, you will see that I have become quite lean and (at least I think so) a little easier on the eye. I would certainly go as far as to say that I have successfully completed the goals I set for myself in November 2007. I can now wear smaller jeans, I feel more confident, I look better in clothes, and most important of all, I am a much happier person!

	November 2007	July 2008
Weight	81.2	68.4
Body Fat %	24.1	11.2

How did I get here, and was it easy? I would answer the last part of the question first: No, don’t kid yourself, doing nothing at all and carrying on with your normal lifestyle before joining the gym is obviously easier. Is it fun to get up early every morning and go to gym? I won’t lie to you - HELL NO it’s not fun by a long shot! Who would not want to sleep-in on a very cold-rainy winter morning?

But when I look at myself now, the question I really ask is “was it worth it?” Can you guess what my answer would be?

As to how I got here I can say with confidence that ANYBODY can do what I did, there is no magic to it. Simply follow a calorie restricted “eating plan”, stick to it, go to the gym 5 days a week and alternate between strength training and cardio training. It’s really that simple!

So now that I am lean, healthy and happy, is that it? What’s next? Next up is getting some decent muscle on my frame, right now some would argue that I look like just another skinny guy, and this is true as a matter of fact! If you have been following my personal blog, located at http://hannesfoulds.blogspot.com/, you will know that I am fighting an almost losing battle to get that muscle!

I think one of the reasons I am losing this battle is due to my own fear. To gain weight (muscle) you have to overfeed and create a calorie surplus, this is very well known, but if you gain weight you are going to gain both fat and muscle, and this is unavoidable regardless of what clever nutritional supplement companies will have you believe. I am very afraid of becoming a fat person again since it took so much sweat and tears to get to where I am now!

Sometimes I do manage convince myself that I will have to accept that I will get a little fatter, for one meal or so and eat a lot, but then that fear creeps up again, and the next time I am at the gym I just do a little bit more cardio, just a little bit more vigorous to try and compensate.

Naturally if I want to see some noteworthy muscle size increases I will need to do almost the opposite of what I’ve been doing until now, and I will have to overcome this fear I have. I now invite you to become part of my journey by regularly visiting this blog and participating by posting your comments and hints. I will be making a new post almost daily to keep you informed of how the new things I am trying are working out!

Hope to see you soon!
Hannes Foulds