End of the 8 week challenge - how did I go?

Hi Peeps,

It was an eventful 8 weeks in more than just a health & fitness aspect. We weighed in on Monday 7th October (just after NRL Grand Final). Weight was 90.2kg (so down 2kg from end of last years 6 week challenge). Body fat measured at 19.3% (down from 26% after last years challenge)!

So I was already pumped having dropped 2kg and 6.7% body fat BEFORE starting this years challenge.

I had life throw a few curve balls:

• 10th-13th October, Bathurst 1000 V8 racing weekend camping on Mount Panorama with 20 mates (difficult to manage nutrition, especially with beer consumption),
• 18th-19th October, weekend in Brisbane for work included catching up with a school mate plus gala dinner and more drinks
• 22nd-25th October, golfing trip away with 12 mates, again, nutrition and beer consumption issues
• 5th November was my only child's 18th birthday - insert eating & drinking again
• 15th November was 34th annual reunion of Billy The Pigs (Bondi Junction Hotel) JRLFC - a lot of beer that day/night
• 18th-19th November, 2 day work conference in St Kilda with nutrition and alcohol consumption issues
• 27th November - work Xmas party - need I say more
• 2nd-3rd December - another 2 day work conference but in Geelong.

So at the end of the challenge, I was hoping for slight improvements but not holding out for anything too fantastic. Enough I hear you say, just tell us how you went!

OK - here's the before and after metrics and photo (left is before).

Lost 4.8kg, a further 2.3% body fat (so now tantalisingly close to goal of 15%), 5cm off waist and fat loss from back & love handles.
Very happy - I will continue nutrition plan but fiddle with macronutrients, dial up carbs and dial down fats. Of course, with Xmas and NY approaching, and maintaining my philosophy of making it real, I will still enjoy the food and drink that accompanies the festive season. But in between, maintain the rage, aim for that 15% BF target....the search for abs continues....

Only a few weeks to go

Well, I have resisted the urge to step on the scales, so not sure where I'm at in terms of the 8 week body challenge. Been training hard and recently got lucky.

Not sure how or when but I must have entered a competition and I won one months worth of personal training and fitness classes at Hematime Fitness! So I had my first session with Sosaia Hema Director of Hematime Fitness on 5th November which was great. We did no physical activity but spoke for an hour about my goals (drop body fat from 19% to 15%), lifestyle, training and nutrition as well as changes I could make to help me achieve (or get close to achieving) my goals during the 8 week challenge.

It was awesome - interestingly I discovered I was not getting enough (GOOD) fats in my nutrition, and probably too many carbs. His philosophy is aligned to mine around fitting my life into my health lifestyle - birthdays and other personal events are a part of life. Classic line he quoted was about how absurd it would be to turn up at a party with a protein shaker. So my Bathurst V8 weekend, golfing weekend, gala work event and daughters 18th birthday are events I enjoyed - drank beer but still made best choices on food intake (no potato chips etc.)

Sos recommended a 25% carbs, 40% fat & 35% protein macronutrient ratio. We worked out that my average calorie input was around 2,000 per day. So Sos suggested I drop to 1,500 calories per day as a start with a view to getting best bang for buck out of the 8 week challenge and then consider a further drop. I was very careful to frame the conversation around goals of body fat reductions and increased lean muscle mass.

He gave me a lot of great tips around introducing good fats, omega 3 enriched foods (and some desserts into my food). So I now have some yoghurt, blueberries, honey and cinnamon desserts (223 calories, 8g fat) after dinner, satisfying my sweet cravings. Eating more avocado (yum), substituting baby spinach and wild rocket for lettuce (not because of calorie count but nutrient 'bang for buck'), a whole egg with my egg white omelette.

So I started at 1,500 calories but after a few days, after consulting Sos, dropped to 1,300 calories per day. Not feeling hungry with energy levels good. Snack suggestions such as hommus, tzatziki with carrot have been excellent in hunger management. Using 'myfitnesspal' app, we keep in contact on nutritional and cardio activity (the latter via connection to MapMyRun app).

Today, I am catching up with school/footy team players for our annual Xmas get-together - which has been going since 1981! So again, probably too many beers BUT try to be mindful of food intake. Next week, have a 2 day conference in Melbourne so another challenge to get a workout in but one I have overcome before.

I will post final results as soon as known (I think I get weighed and have body fat measurements taken on Monday 1st December).

Sometimes, life just gets in the way

Well, well, my first week of 8 week body challenge, I punished myself in the gym over 4 successive days because I knew that as I was going to watch Bathurst 100 V8 Supercar race. It's a 3 day weekend (10th to 13th October) camping up the mountain with plenty of beer, no protein shakes but lots of BBQ'd protein. Tried to be measured in food intake but also reasonable thought to having fun.

Came home on the Monday 13th and decided to go for a run to begin the detox. About 3 kilometres in, felt something 'go' in my left calf. Stopped running, still went to gym that night, but next day went to physio and had diagnosis of grade 1 calf strain. Treatment sorted it out although had to give running a rest for a few days. So, flogged myself at gym Monday to Thursday even when in Brisbane for work - found a gym up there (Goodlife Health Club). No workout on Friday (4 days in a row is hard enough on my old body).

Then, up to Brisbane again for work function and catch up with a mate. Again, my Achilles heel of my celebration style, beer, was involved. I did manage to keep nutritional intake good (although did sneak in some carbs on Saturday afternoon/night).

So this week, back to normal you think? Well no, as my annual Golf Safari with mates starts on Wednesday 22nd October, in Mornington Peninsula! So, I'll smash myself for the next 2 nights, and also in cardio. I fly to Melbourne at 11am on Wednesday.

I fly back into Sydney on Tuesday 26th October, and so I should have some 'clean air'. I still have a few single events in November but mostly dinners or afternoons out. A footy club reunion on 15th, a manager work offsite in Melbourne on 19-20 November.

My point here, and tying back to the heading of this post, I exercise to live, not live to exercise. By that I mean, my 'healthstyle' needs to adapt to my lifestyle and social life. That's all for now. I'll check in after my golf holiday.

It's begun - 8 week body challenge 2014

Well, I am super stoked! I just compared my measurements from Monday 6th October 2014 to my last measurements from the 6 week body challenge on 29th November 2013.

I'll share all the measurements:

• Weight decreased by 2 kilograms (2.17% drop).
• Bicep fat% dropped 50%
• Triceps fat% increased 8% (this one confused me)
• Iliac fat% was unchanged (bloody love handles!)
• Back fat% dropped 17.5%
• Total Body Fat% dropped 25.8% (now under 20%!)

Interestingly, measurements of arms, chest and thighs didn't drastically reduce, suggesting better tone and muscularity?

• Arm measurements dropped 1.3%
• Waist measurement dropped 3.6%
• Chest measurements dropped 3.6%
• Thigh measurements dropped 1.6%

So to the program - a mixture of high intensity training using tri-set supersets with minimal (1 minute) rests between sets & 'regular' workouts, divided into upper and lower body. rest times more or less mirror my usual workouts. Every day involves some cardio, more on weekends where no workouts scheduled.

I must say, first 2 workouts which are high intensity but minimal rest were challenging. The 'trick' was finding the poundages to use that would make for a hard 12 or 15 rep set without being unable to complete 5 sets without hitting failure too quickly. I went pretty well, having to adjust poundages on workout 2 at around 4th set (of 5). The superset program is very time efficient but intense.

Nutrition plan easy to follow - with lots of information on swapping things and options. Interestingly, if anything, eating more than I normally would, especially breakfast and snacks.

Now I have a 'challenging' October - on Friday 10th I travel to Mount Panorama to watch V8 Supercar racing - a weekend of lots of beer, but a high protein diet (lots of BBQ meat). Then on Wednesday 22nd I travel to the Mornington Peninsula for a golfing trip away, again, similar diet to Bathurst. But the good news is that this is an 8 week challenge, so I have some time to recover.

Will update you again next week after my return from Bathurst.

New 8 Week Summer Body Transformation Challenge 2014

Hi Peeps, Leisuredome Gym is running another challenge. This time, it's 8 weeks not 6, and starts Monday 6th October.

We get weighed and measured on Monday, and provided with a program (nutrition and training).
I have been trying to recalibrate my training in gym with my cardio (running). Since last organised run, I've been just doing 5klm runs about 3 times per week but need to ensure I avoid doing legs at gym on same day I run.

I'll continue with 4 gym sessions per week. I really enjoy current program of Chest & Biceps on training day1, then Back & Triceps, Legs, Delts, Calves & Traps. I workout every other day except Sunday and Monday. I'll make sure I don't run on Legs day. I plan to run on my 'off' gym days and do 15-20 minute treadmill walking after each workout session.

It'll be a tough month in October - have Bathurst V8 weekend camping on Mount Panorama, where diet usually 'compromised' (insert beer drinking). Then later in month, 5 days on a golfing trip away, again, nutrition compromised. Will try to have a few runs on the golf trip to offset the fun.

I'll update with measurements, weight and maybe a 'before' photo. Hoping to get to 87kg?

Blackmore's Running Festival - Sydney Harbour Bridge 9klm Run

So on Sunday 21st September, competed in the Bridge Run. First time I've run that far without walking! I was really happy with result.
Finished in 52 minutes, 47 seconds, my overall rank was 3,270 out of 11,956 finishers; in my category (male, age 50-59) I was 180th out of 521.

Back on the Horse

I took a week off after the City To Surf, no legs at the Dome and no running. I was pleasantly surprised at the lack of muscle soreness, I suspect this to be due to my running preparation but also the resistance training (squats, leg presses, leg curls and extensions). But maybe it's also due to an injury enforced 6 week lay-off from running (ankle tenosynovitis) - big thanks to my physio for all his help and keeping my impatience to return to running under control.

Kicked off running training again in prep for the Blackmore's Running Festival (9 kilometre Harbour Bridge Run). Just doing 5 kilometre runs in my lunch break, but striving for average splits of 5m:30s kilometres. So far, been doing 2-3 runs per week (bloody weather permitting!), and if necessary, some post-gym cardio on treadmill.

Most recent one was great - MapMyRun Monday1st Sept - followed by legs at the gym, surprisingly not causing performance to diminish. Actually I went up a little in weight, pyramiding with a client of Sasho in the squat rack instead of my static weight/rep range. Maybe it was Sasho's presence?

Weather in Sydney crappy today - but unless it's bucketing down, another 5 kilometre run is on the cards tomorrow. Next week, look at upping distance to 6 kilometres, but maybe just twice a week?

Anyway, good night peeps!

Completed the 2014 City To Surf (Sydney) on 10th August. Really happy with result. I ran the first 6-7 kilometres, walked the aptly named Heartbreak Hill (about 2 kilometres) then ran most of the remaining 6 kilometres to Bondi Beach.
My time was 91 minutes and 40 seconds, average pace 6.5 minutes per kilometre! Really pleased given my interrupted preparation!
A URL to my certificate (My City To Surf 2014 Result) and selfie attached. Next, Blackmore's Running Festival, 9 kilometre Sydney Harbour Bridge Run on 21st September!



Time for a review of training and nutrition

My weight has remained steady at 89 kilograms. But I really want to drop 4 more kilograms to see if I can break into 36" waist (92cm). Maybe visible abs might be a stretch but flatter and tighter gut is a goal.
I need to research a bit more to find recipes and foods that I can consume that won't obstruct my path. Again, I'm not looking at a bodybuilding contest prep nutritional plan as whatever I choose needs to fit my lifestyle, personality and be sustainable into the future.

That's me 2 weeks ago at a friends 50th birthday party.  I have also attached one of me taken December 2010, just as a comparison.

From a training perspective, my jogging has taken a set-back due to an Achilles tendon injury, not too serious but requires me to stop running for a few weeks. So I'll go to a 4 day gym program and use the cross trainer/stationary cycle machines to simulate the cardio caloric expenditure I was getting from running.

I'll get the gym owner (Sasho Ognenovski) to weigh, measure and body fat test me so I have a starting point (and also see where I've moved from the end of the 6 week body transformation program I did at the back end of 2013).

Proud of myself - after Xmas and New Year, I thought I might have gained a few kilograms. So I weighed myself on 13th January 2014 to see where I'm at for the coming year. I LOST another 2.5 kilograms! Now weighing in at 90 kilograms - am pumped.

I also got 'Trainer of the Month' from my gym, with this commentary:

"Our TRAINER OF THE MONTH for December 2013 is Guy Picone.

Guy has been one of the most consistent trainers at the gym. However, he's made some impressive transformation in the last couple of months alone. First he did the 6 week challenge in which he made great progress and then he continued with his improvement even through the festive season.

When we first introduced the Trainer Of The Month Guy asked the question "How does one become a Trainer Of The Month?" The answer... is simple.
"Just how you did it now. You earn it."

Great work Guy and keep it up mate."

(https://www.facebook.com/groups/43578409941/)

So this has driven me a little more - I now interval train instead of just walking. I jog as far as I can, do some stair climbs, throw in crunches between stair sets.

Last Thursday I ran for 3.2 kilometers non-stop in a 4.95 kilometer effort. This included a stair climb at Lady Macquarie's Chair.

Bought myself a few t-shirts and sports shorts. Also bought a new pair of black denim shorts - same exact style as the ones I wear to golf, except the old ones are 42 inch waist - my new ones are 38 inch waist!!!!!!