My NEW body transformation commandments

So, with a hiatus from slow carbing for the time being...probably around 2 weeks and if it goes well, maybe more...I do need to sort out some sort of eating plan to keep me going towards my getting ripped goals!


I won't be counting calories (still!) but I will be monitoring my protein, carb and fat intake properly. I will be aiming for a ratio of protein:carbs:fat of 40:30:30 on training days and

Whoops....

Ok so I have been terrible at updating this blog.

To be honest I think I am going to take a short term (couple of weeks) break from the slow carb eating plan. This last week a couple of things have made me want to step back from it for a bit and maybe re-visit at another time.

First off it was just my results this week - 11lb in a week. I have gone from 162lb on Saturday morning last week to 173lb on Saturday morning this week. Now I know I am meant to go on inches rather than weight - but 11lb in a week! Puts me 4lb above my starting weight. And I still went ahead and did my cheat day so if I got on the scales now I would probably be another 3-4lb up on top of that.

I could accept that (somehow...) if it hadn't been for my 2nd reason for taking a break from it. I had horrible indigestion on Wednesday and Thursday and must have been in the bathroom on at least a dozen separate occasions. You would have thought I would have lost SOME weight through that anyway. But I felt so uncomfortable those couple of days that I kind of developed a stigma for the plan so need a couple of weeks or so to re-boot and re-assess.

I will still be eating healthy throughout my "break" and I will see how I feel. I'll post it up on here as well, and I think a lot of the basic principles of slow carb eating will still be applied - protein-rich, lots of veg, repeating meals....but I will make a few modifications which will probably bring me into the more conventional fat loss/muscle gain school of thought.

Let's do this!

Week 4, days 2 and 3

Not sure what happened to me all of a sudden but last couple of days I just haven't been into my slow carbing. I mean I have been following the plan but it has been in a very very lazy, approximate, half-@ssed sort of way.

I have had very little appetite these last couple of days and been sort of force feeding myself to get to around 1500 calories.

Don't know why my head just hasn't been "right"

Stevia??

If I remember reading correctly, Tim Ferriss generally advises against artificial sweeteners but mentions Stevia as being the one of choice for slow carbers if they are really that intent on taking it.

I didn't think anything of it - I figured you know, drop Splenda and get on to the Stevia and satisfy those sweet tooth cravings.

Week 4, day 1

Cheat day of course!!

I completely forgot to take any sort of supplementation which was a bit reckless of me but I think it made sense as I was allegedly supposed to be taking a break one day a week anyway and hadn't done that yet.

So how did cheat day go?

Breakfast:
- 3 egg whites and 1 whole egg cooked in a bit of ghee
- Rocket salad
- Can of hot & spicy beans

Bootcamp session

Breakfast 2:
- 80g porridge, 200ml semi skimmed milk, 2 scoops of whey protein powder
- 95g bag of chocolate covered

Week 3 results

I did do these first thing yesterday morning, before my cheat day started in earnest but forgot to post.

To be honest I had no real movement in inches - a lot of very small fluctuations on various parts of my body - probably just from discrepancies in taking my own measurements.

I did lose 1lb though, so total loss of 7lb. I certainly won't be complaining about that! Wish it was more of course, but a pound off is 2 pounds lower than a pound on!

I am thinking about switching over to doing geek to freak after a couple of weeks but I'm not 100% on that. I'm starting some out and out resistance work in the coming week and want to see how that impacts before I consider changing my nutrition again.

Week 3 macros

I tracked my calories for the last week, just to test how things have been going:

• Sat 15 Jan: 5399 cal, 269 protein, 547g carbs, 246g fat (Ultimate cheat day!)
• Sun 16 Jan: 2109 cal, 225g protein, 122g carbs, 84g fat (not enough legumes)
• Mon 17 Jan: 2053 cal, 179g protein, 194g carbs, 72g fat (just about right I think)
• Tue 18 Jan: 1985 cal, 191g protein, 179g carbs, 68g fat (think I got today spot on)
• Wed 19 Jan: 2268 cal, 208g protein, 87g carbs, 123g fat (not enough legumes I think)
• Thu 20 Jan: 2572 cal, 245g protein, 205g carbs, 104g fat (almond binge)
• Fri 21 Jan: 2128 cal, 240g protein, 82g carbs, 93g fat (too much protein, lack of legumes)

Average: 2645 cal, 222g protein, 202g carbs, 113g fat

So overall I am just about on course - my trainer wants me getting in around 2700 calories a day so I am averaging that fine at the minute. I am definitely getting enough protein and carbs over the course of the week. Fat should be a bit lower - this is due to high peanut butter and almond intake, which I need to cut back on.

But so far I think on balance, everything is working well. We will see what the results say tomorrow morning at my weigh in.

Week 3 review

3 weeks down.

In 2 weeks I had lost 6 pounds and around 7 inches although I thought I had done pretty badly last week - I felt a bit bloated. I don't feel bloated this week but I for some reason feel a bit sceptical about a loss in pounds or in inches. Can't explain why, call it instinct.

I have now finished the peanut butter so that won't be able to haunt me, but

Day 21

I didn't domino today like I had done with the almonds yesterday. So good news there. I think I had in total about 20 almonds. Thought I finished them until I saw another huge bag sitting there which I am going to do my best to ignore for obvious reasons.

After 12 consecutive days of hard training, I had a rest day today though. Definitely needed it and I will be waking up bright and early to train hard tomorrow. With the rest day I should be well prepared to up the intensity and annihilate myself :)

Day 20: Dominoooooo

Oops. Really understood the idea of domino foods for the first time today. I was a bit peckish and decided to treat myself to 10 almonds.

Unfortunately within an hour that 10 became something like 80. Don't know what came over me - I'm only 2 days from cheat day and its not even like I was that hungry or anything.

Goal re-assessment...

Been thinking long and hard about my goals. I have decided to change up a bit.

At first, I said I want a lean slim physique to be proud of. Then I realised that with clothes on I would look the same as any skinny guy - 6 pack or no 6 pack.

So I have decided I want to put on a bit more muscle and have a physique which looks great with my top on and even better without... ;)

Something like this, maybe a bit less on the arms:

What you think??

Day 19

Another straightforward day. I tell you cooking in bulk makes things soooo much easier. I had no temptations to go off plan, had minimal meal prep time, filled up and good, tasty, slow carb friendly food and really have no complaints.

I didn't think it would be this easy. I will see what the results say on Saturday, but assuming they are on course, I think I can get this thing getting me flying towards my goals.

Did another bootcamp - that's 11 in 11 days. I am deferring my rest day to Sunday as I now have 3 personal training sessions on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, but I am loving my training. On this plan I have so much more energy which is letting me train and push myself harder than before, which is reaping me rewards too.

My arms and legs are aching now - badly. Think I will need to rest up tonight so I can give tomorrow morning's PT my all!

Bring it on!!!

10 days 10 bootcamps

Some of you regular readers (and I believe there are a few of you??) know that I go for regular outdoor fitness bootcamp sessions at Strictly Bootcamp

Today I have completed an awesome 10 bootcamps in 10 days and I have honestly never felt fitter or stronger. Or leaner!

Amazing thing is that it has complemented the slow carb diet perfectly - the nutrition gives me enough energy to work hard in the sessions and recover quickly enough to go again the next day.

I am sensible and know it isn't sustainable and shouldn't be done regularly but I felt like setting myself a challenge to see if I could do it, and well I did. And did well.

I don't doubt it has helped me with getting the results I have had so far - well my week 2 results anyway.

My trainer is back from his holiday though so back on to some hardcore strength sessions with him to really build some muscle. Woohoo!

17 and 18

I dont know how or why I forgot to post an update yesterday. But in fairness there wasn't really a huge amount to say.

The main thing really is that since I started taking PAGG, food has been going through me more quickly. In a good way I mean. So I actually kind of feel like my insides are regularly getting cleaned out. This has kind of taken away the main downside I suffered during the first couple of weeks - bloating, feeling congested, etc.

I have seen huge benefits in cooking in bulk on Sundays - knowing that I always have something in the fridge which I can go to and eat guilt free really does help me keep on track.

Still tracking calories - had about 2100 yesterday and 2000 today so I am staying in the same sort of range. I am getting in about 180g of protein a day which is a bit more than what I need or am aiming for - which is 1g per lb of body weight - but I don't see a problem in this as I am getting in enough water and good fats to help me digest it comfortably. I need the protein anyway to start getting myself ripped....

Only thing is probably a bit too much whey and not enough real food sources of protein.

Day 16

Easy peasy day, really getting the hang of things.
First day of properly trying the PAGG supplementation and I find it really does help fill you up. No other major side effects or anything to report.

Decided against weighing myself post-binge day because I think that sort of thing will probably be counter productive - paranoia creeping in and all that.

But I spent 3 hours in the kitchen this morning getting my meals ready for at least the next week, maybe the next 2! Woohoo go me. The next week I will be cruising food-wise.

Came in at about 2100 calories today and completely stuffed so things are well and truly back on track after yesterday's indulgence.

Day 15: Now THIS is a binge!!

Man I didn't think I was capable of it, but I have somehow managed to get up to 5000 calories today. Enjoyed every second and very deliberately overdid it to minimise the chance of cravings bugging me by Tuesday like they did last week.

So how did I get to the dizzy heights of more than twice my normal daily calorie intake?

What will be different in week 3

I wanted to get these thoughts down as I was thinking fresh about them. I am writing this before I get my week 2 results sorted (although posting after), so it isn't dependant on what I did in the last 7 days, but just what I think could be changed up to help me on my way.

1. Cooking in bulk
I have realised (finally!) how much easier it is to make a huge batch of things and keep them in the fridge. It would help my discipline on this plan infinitely, as I have found over the couple of days. Definitely needs to be done I think. My Sunday morning at least is going to be spent cooking.

2. Stopping the peanut butter!

Week 2 results are in...

...and 3 more lb off. Really don't know how that happened because I was really "feeling heavy" all week.
But I am so pleased.

That is 6lb off since 1st Jan 2011. Woohoo.

Another 3 inches off as well, bring my total inch loss to 7 inches. Wicked!!

The two big shifters this week were an inch around my belly button and half an inch from the hips. The other 1.5 inches were pretty spread out. Only downside is my biceps seem to have shrunk slightly, but that could just be a bit of fat getting shifted - I don't really know.

Anyway 2 weeks in I think it is all going well. I am mid way through supplementation and cheat day, kicking off week 3. Head is spinning from a sugar rush, and I already feel pretty full but I am determined to make myself sick - last week by Tuesday I was getting cravings again which I want to avoid. Lets do this!

Day 14

I think I have really got the hang of things a lot more now.

Breakfast today was some left over pork roast (yeah I don't know how I could stomach it first thing in the morning either) and my broccoli, cauliflower and kidney bean concoction. Using ghee adds such a nice flavour, it is definitely going to be a regular in all my meals. In fact today it was.

Had another bootcamp session and my goodness I was aching afterwards. If you have a fitness boot camp near you, go try it! If its even half decent you won't regret it.

Lunch I had out at Nando's so really easy to slow carb it. Half a chicken, removed skin, plus a side of ratatouille and used my diet coke quota for the day as well.

Snack was some grilled prawns with

Slow carb: Cauliflower, broccoli and kidney bean curry

I experimented a bit and came out with this gem of a recipe. I like my cauliflower and broccoli a lot more mushy, so pre-boiled it, but you can use uncooked if you want to give it that texture.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons ghee
• 5 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 green chilli, chopped
• 1 red onion, chopped
• few sprigs of cilantro/coriander, chopped
• an inch of ginger, chopped
• cumin seeds
• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 drained cans of kidney beans
• 500g broccoli
• 500g cauliflower
• salt
• turmeric
• garam masala
• cumin powder

1. Heat ghee

2. Add garlic, ginger, onions, coriander, cumin, green chilli and allow to cook until fragrant

3. Add tomatoes and other spices and continue to cook until the oil starts to separate out

4. Add kidney beans, broccoli and cauliflower and stir well

5. Add water to the level of the vegetables in the pan and simmer

6. Increase heat to dry out water

7. Enjoy.

The ghee really does work wonders for the flavour. And it is slow carb friendly (see the section on macadamia oil in Tim's book).