The Greek yogurt is awesome. As you see in my log I have one almost everyday as a snack. I get Yoplait 100 with fruit in it but am about to switch to plain and add frozen mixed fruits to cut some of the sugar. 2 hard boiled egg whites at lunch is nice. A couple egg whites for breakfast. 1 6-8 oz grilled chicken breast, salmon or talapia and a whey shake spread throughout the day and you're almost there. Quest Protein bars are also great 20g protein and only 170 calories.

Thanks for the tips, guys. I've tended to avoid the likes of shakes/bars, figuring that I enjoy eating and want to enjoy every calorie. My mindset is definitely changing though. Its not always easy for me to buy stuff either. I could do with more variety as I have chicken breast so much, maybe I'll have some red meat now and then.

Cardio

Today (Thursday) I did workout 2 of Day 4 of the couch to 5k program:

http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

Weights

On Wednesday I did weights

seated calf raise 3 x 8 x 40 kg
seated row 3 x 12 x 40 kg
biceps curl 2 x 12 x 10 kg, 1 x 8 x 10 Kg
leg press 3 x 12 x 80 kg
shoulder press 1 x 12 x 50 kg, 2 x 10 x 50
triceps pushdown 2 x 12 x 10 kg, 1 x 8 x 10 kg
lateral pulldown 3 x 12 x 35 kg
Bench press 3 x 12 x 25 kg

I'm close to getting it up to the right level on most exercises now. Bench press maybe I am capable of a bit more, and leg press. Seated calf raise I could definitely do more, I'm a bit nervous about a small twinge in my knee.

Seated row the nervousness is about my back. In any case my last two reps of the third set I was struggling for form. Lateral pulldown I ought to be looking to go up a weight. The others I should still aim for getting 3 sets of 12 good reps before adding weight.

These are the accurate weights used, I may have got a couple wrong the last time I reported. I wrote it down in the gym this time.

Weights - Friday 23/11/2012

Weights

On Friday I did weights

seated calf raise 3 x 12 x 40 kg
seated row 3 x 12 x 40 kg
biceps curl 2 x 12 x 10 kg, 1 x 10 x 10 Kg
leg press 3 x 10 x 90 kg
prine leg curl 3 x 12 x 10 kg
shoulder press 1 x 12 x 50 kg, 1 x 10 x 50, 1 x 8 x 50
triceps pushdown 3 x 12 x 10 kg
lateral pulldown 3 x 8 x 40 kg
Bench press 3 x 10 x 30 kg

50kg on the overhead press?

That seems high when compared to your other lifts.

OK I had a look on youtube and its not what I thought it was. On this weight machine, I start with my arms wide apart, on the outside of a pad. I then move my arms close together until the pads come together. Come to think of it, its not really doing the shoulders that much.

Sounds like chest flies

Or pec deck.

Yes, its a pec deck. What would I do without you guys?

I suppose I need to think about getting something different to do my shoulders.

Are you doing bench press with a barbell? Just alternate overhead press days with bench days. Overhead press has few of the difficulties that you're worried about for barbell work. You don't need a spotter and form is pretty easy.

Yes I am doing the bench press with a barbell. I guess that is helping my shoulders some.

Week 12 Weigh-in November 24th 2012

Start weight: 228 pounds
Last week: 212.5 pounds
Current weight: 214 pounds

Weight gain this week: 1.5 pounds
Total weight loss: 14 pounds

I'm going to follow my rule of not worrying about it unless it happens two weeks in a row.

4-weekly Stats

Start weight: 228 pounds Last month: 216 pounds Current 214 Monthly weight loss 2 pounds. Total weight loss 14 pounds.

Starting body fat: 37.7 Last month 34.9 Current 33.7 Total loss 4.0%

Starting waist measurement: 47.5 inches Last month 45.0 Current waist measurement: 44 1/2 Loss this month 0.5 inches Total loss 3 inches (finding this difficult to measure though).

Very nice

Next time youc ould skip the bench press and do overhead press instead to work the shoulders more. Usually 2/3 of the bench weight is about right.

Now that you're doing more resistance training, you should expect the weight loss to slow, but your fat loss may increase slightly as you're no longer catabolizing any muscle @~600 calories/pound.

You might be retaining some extra water in your muscles due to your workouts (sarcoplasmic hypertrophy), which would explain the 2# bump.

Good work, keep it up!

Thanks for the encouragement guys. I wasn't too happy about putting on last week, but I can feel the extra muscle and people have noticed it.

Overhead press I'll pencil in to try on Wednesday. I may need to think about it a bit. I guess its a flat bar I use? Like the bottom one in post #209. The bench press is actually set up as a station, I can't use that bar.

Also is there anything to stop me doing both bench press and this overhead press in the same session?

Cardio Saturday 24/11/2012

65 minute walk/run

SS has you alternate, because both exercises engage a lot of the same muscles, but bench does more pex and OHP more shoulders. If you go hard on one, you'd be compromised on the other. You could probably do both light, no problem. Maybe that's copacetic when you're cutting, idk.

It's better to do OHP standing, but you can use the exact same station as bench and do it seated. I have to do this, because my ceiling is too low for standing and holding something over my head.

OK I'm going to include this but not today (Wednesday), as I have been busy and intend to just go, enjoy it, and get it completed with the minimum fuss. I'm also going to look into the words I don't totally get in your last two posts when I get some time!

Weights - Sunday 28/11/2012


seated calf raise 3 x 12 x 50 kg
seated row 3 x 12 x 40 kg
biceps curl 3 x 12 x 10 kg
leg press 3 x 12 x 80 kg
prone leg curl 3 x 12 x 15 kg
Pec deck 2 x 12 x 25 kg,1 x 8 x 25
triceps pushdown 1 x 6 x 30, 2 x 12 x 20 kg
lateral pulldown 2 x 8 x 45 kg, 1 x 8 x 45
Bench press 3 x 12 x 30 kg

Not only did I have the wrong exercise (shoulder press -> Pec Deck) but also counted the weights as 10 kg each when they are actually 5k each.

Also my lateral pull down last time must have been 35 or 45 not 40, as there is a 5 kg weight then a whole series of 10 kg ones.

Who knows, perhaps I am a distant relative of ytf!

Lol...Have a little moped respect for yourself and never compare yourself to him.

lol you are right I am being too harsh on myself.

Weights - Wednesday 28/11/2012


seated calf raise 3 x 12 x 50 kg
seated row 3 x 8 x 50 kg
biceps curl 3 x 8 x 15 kg
leg press 3 x 12 x 80 kg
prone leg curl 3 x 12 x 15 kg
Pec deck 2 x 12 x 25 kg,1 x 10 x 25
triceps pushdown 3 x 12 x 20 kg
lateral pulldown 1 x 10 x 45 kg, 2 x 7 x 45
Bench press missed

Ironically having left the bench press to late in my session I couldn't get on it when I wanted to go. Shame I hadn't learned the other exercise! I don't mind, the main thing was to get to the gym and I felt I had a good workout.

Week 13 Weigh-in November 24th 2012

Start weight: 228 pounds
Last week: 214 pounds
Current weight: 214 pounds

Weight change this week: 0
Total weight loss: 14 pounds

I didn't do well this week with the cardio, I have just been busy and tired and giving priority to weights. Talking of which, I skipped weights on Friday. My back was sore and I was very tired. Yes its excuses but I figure that if I go twice a week every now and then instead of 3 times it wont kill me. I'm still fully committed. The back is fine again today (Saturday). I'll drop the lateral pull down down a weight next time as I can't quite make the minimum of 3 times 8 repetitions with good form.

I am a bit disappointed at the lack of weight loss the last two weeks but my body shape is changing so its all good. I can't see me making any major changes before Christmas when I'll reevaluate. I may consider methods of dropping fat more quickly then. As it is I'll just continue logging and building my strength and (hopefully) cardiovascular fitness through running. I will try to be more careful with my logging just in case but I don't think I'm much off track.

Don't get frustrated man. As long as you see your progress in the mirror you're all good. I see in the alerts you are doing well. Keep it up. Hopefully soon you will experience a nice swoosh.

Thanks yes I get the feeling it might start dropping again soon.

Cardio Saturday 1st December 2012

I did a walk/run of just over an hour. Felt really good, I ran the whole of the first section along the road for the first time (took about 7 and a half minutes).

Weights - Sunday 2/12/2012


seated calf raise 3 x 12 x 50 kg
seated row 3 x 10 x 50 kg
biceps curl 2 x 9 x 15, 1 x 8 x 15 kg
leg press 3 x 12 x 80 kg
prone leg curl 3 x 12 x 15 kg
Pec deck 3 x 12 x 25 kg (last rep of last set was hardly a rep)
triceps pushdown 2 x 12 x 20 kg, 1 x 10 x 20 kg
lateral pulldown 3 x 12 x 35 kg
Bench press 3 x 12 x 30

Weights - Wednesday 5/12/2012


seated calf raise 3 x 8 x 60 kg
seated row skipped
biceps curl 3 x 9 x 15
leg press 3 x 12 x 90 kg
prone leg curl 3 x 8 x 20 kg
Pec deck 3 x 12 x 25 kg
triceps pushdown 3 x 12 x 20 kg
lateral pulldown 3 x 12 x 35 kg
Bench press 3 x 8 x 33

Cardio - Wednesday 5/12/2012

Slow ninety minute walk through the snow.