[darkpuppet]

244.2 - THat's what the scale read this morning.

that's only 3.6 lbs down in April, but that's ok. I was down to about 241 before the weekend, but figured that since buddy I'm competing against is slightly ahead this month, I may as well enjoy a night out and get back to it in May to win the challenge.

so my start weight in May is 244.2, and if I work it out right, I may not win the $500, but I won't lose the $500 and stand to make a total of $50 out of the challenge.

Which brings me to another realization. Right now the challenge is about the money... I've lost a total of 42-45 lbs, and I've put on a tonne of muscle and lost nearly 6 inches off my waist (and still have about another 4-5 to go.. yikes!!!).

And even though I haven't lost much in April, I've still slimmed down more. Clothes I bought beginning of April are already too big on me.

So the challenge right now is a thorn in my side. I want to keep losing weight, but I'm at a point where I would like to do it at a more reasonable rate. It makes no sense to continuely lose 2lbs/week as the workout and diet schedule is KILLER! up to 14 hours of working out/week + 1500 calorie diet = feeling drained a lot.. you're really running your body at the limits.

But the progress is good, one more month, and I will aim for 10lbs.. which will get me down to a svelte 230lbs by June 1st... and then I'll revise my goals for a sensible summer of volleyball, bikeriding and the occasional patio.

I feel a helluva lot better, my endurance is definitely increased (due to all the bloody working out), and I don't crave (nor can stomach) junkfood like I did before.

one more month, 31 days, and then it's phase 2!

[Alien-Tek]

Don't know if you are using or against using supplements at all, but, I am an avid "Men's Health" reader and they had an article (quite a while back) that said they performed a study on 100 men and gave them a supplement called CLA (Conjugated Leolic Acid) and, when following the directions as stated on the bottle, they lost an average of 8% body fat over a 6 month period.

I took the advice and tried it and after 1 bottle (45 caplets) I noticed a difference.

I am totally against any supplements that make you feel funny or anything that is stimulant based. This one, I felt nothing different but I did lose body fat.

Not that I'm suggesting anything :D

CLA is actually something that naturally occurs in Milk (In case you were wondering).

Keep it up!

[darkpuppet]

^-- I drink a lot of milk already (skim milk)...

I'm trying to do it by diet and exercise alone. I need to get into a maintainable program, and supplements aren't 'maintainable' over the long run.

that and until the doctor's figure out what's causing my high iron count, I'm gonna stay away from anything that may throw my chemical balance off.

[focusnme]

jesus - i need to lose weight - i think i drink to much beer

[NefCanuck]

Weight seems to have gone up to 195 but no visible extra fat, so I'm going to assume that its muscle mass at this point until proven otherwise :ph34r:

NefCanuck

[ZX5chica]

My workout sched is coming along great! My adventure racing 'team' has completely disbanded the idea.... so I am just training now for the heck of it. I've got Dragonboat coming up in a few months. Last year we were the defending team and lost.... so hopefully we can pick it up again this summer.

FYI ... CLA --> Conjugated linoleic acid is a naturally occuring trans fat (although it's a good trans fat, because it has a different bonding mechanism) that you get from grass fed animals, and any products that they turn into. It helps to promote muscle fiber growth (as opposed to increasing the number of actual fiber cells, you are increasing their cross section and making each cell bigger), and it helps to prevent fat storage. Quite a few studies have validated using CLA as a supplement.

I don't know if any of you have been watching the milk commercials lately, but most milk companies are pushing the 1oz per hour challenge (drinking an ounce of milk per hour of the day). Essentially, it's keeping your CLA levels high, which is what a supplement would do anyways.

Darkpuppet: I would recommend increasing your fibre consumption, and maybe even adding a bit more fish to your diet. I don't know what your diet is like now, but salmon is a great source of Omegas, and their benefits are insane.
Question? Have you changed up your weights at all, or are you still doing the same exercises/weight as you were when you started. If so, you might want to try adding a few exercises, and maybe decreasing your weight a few pounds, but increasing the reps. That will help get you nice and cut

[darkpuppet]

well, as luck would have it, I have indeed introduced more fish and fiber -- lots more veggies (I'm liking the frozen baby-veggies) -- hwoever, I've noticed that my pee smells like tuna. (tuna salad for lunch, salmon for dinner).

Today, I met Anthony for lunch and had a chicken hummus wrap with side salad... so that's not the usual tuna salad.

but the weights haven't changed up too much... I'm too lazy to do more reps :P.. I'm working 12-15 reps for smaller muscle groups, 15-20 for legs, working pyramids up to max..

It's just something that works well for me musculature wise, while cardio is the main avenue for fat burning.

Funny thing.. lastnight at indoor volleyball, we play in a gym, figured, I'd make a grab for one of the basketball nets... jumped, grabbed, and pulled myself up... I actually nearly pulled a muscle lowering myself because I seriously didn't realize I was THAT high off the ground. It was very surreal for someone who never could jump or do a proper chinup....

[edit]btw.. too bad about the adventure race.. they're fun.. I'd say, I'd join a team with ya -- but I doubt I'd be able to keep up -- yet... just keep training and get a team together next season.

oh.. yeah.. how's the knee?

[Frost__2001]

I didn't really do anything last month... so I gained 5 lbs...

I talked to my partner and well we're back at the gym together for an hour each night this week so far, and I feel really good that I'm back in the habbit...

[ZX5chica]

darkpuppet,May 1 2007, 08:28 PM Wrote:oh.. yeah.. how's the knee?
[right][snapback]237004[/snapback][/right]

Turns out that it is a benign tumour... again. I just have to keep my eye on it. It'll all be alright. Thanks for asking!

In terms of weights, try switching exactly which exercises you are doing. It'll challenge your body more, and you'll get better results.

Ie: If you were just doing flat bench and incline for chest, try adding decline bench, etc.

[NOS2Go4Me]

I bruised 2 ribs (one pretty badly) early on in the month while playing ball hockey. That nerfed my workout schedule right there. Then we were out of town for the second half of the month (no working out, still healing) and on vacation in Cali.

Weighed myself this morning - 180.6 lbs. Worked out Monday at the gym, did half an hour of spread-spectrum weights (arms, legs, chest) and an hour's ball hockey yesterday. A little sore on the ribcage this morning, but not too bad. We're heading to the gym tonight and I need to grease / inspect the bikes tonight as well.

I'm also back on my protein shakes, if only for the double benefit of working out and healing. I'll stick with them now that I'm able to actually lift weights again.

So April - no loss in strength, no huge gain in weight. Kinda lucky I guess.

[darkpuppet]

thanks for the advice chica!

speaking of tumors... I got my CT scan back from my liver... nothing wrong there.... however, they did spot a small (5mm) nodule in my lungs -- which they say isn't even worth worrying about, but I'm going for x-rays anyways considering my family history.

Here's hoping that it's just a cyst, 'cause I swear with my luck....

[FocusGuy7476]

i just got a membership at the gym here in town, its going to be getting into the habit of going when i can. Its been an long time since November 2006, and I feel like absolute crap without working out at all. Also getting everything checked out the doctor to see if there are any problems with me.