Days 16-18

Quick blog as been really busy...............

Weigh in the morning of the 16th day (Tuesday):
Weight: 55.2kgs
I've lost 1.3kgs this week, whoop whoop! That's around 2.5lbs of blubber that’s no longer residing on my body, that'll do me.
Total loss so far 3.2kgs
Belly: 76.5cm (same as last weeks weigh in)
Total loss so far 6cm
Bingo wings: 29cm that's 0.5 cm loss since last week. Every mm counts!!!
Total loss so far 0.5cm

Torture time 
Went well, well as well as torture gets! Couple of days this week I couldn’t really be arsed going to the gym but once I got there was all good. I think sometimes (once a month for me ha ha) it’s harder to motivate yourself to get to the gym but once you prize your arse off the couch and actually get in there it’s soon enough done and you leave feeling even more proud of your efforts! When I’m normally in one of those moods it usually also coincides with a major craving for sweeties, but who needs sweeties and choc when you got a nice juicy apple waiting to be devoured???!!!?

Rest of the week will follow usual plan: Intervals tomorrow, rest day Saturday and workout Day 1 starts again on Sunday.
3 weeks almost complete, I’m nearly a quarter of the way and happy with my progress so far!!

Days 10-15

I haven’t been blogging much this week due to travelling but I’m back on home ground now so it’s time to catch up and plod on.
I’ve continued to follow the workout plan this last week and stuck to my Macro’s well. Hardest part during this time was obviously the change or lack of routine in my day and travelling.
Travelling:
This was particularly difficult as I started my journey very early 5.30am on an intervals day and didn’t actually reach my destination until 9.30pm so it was impossible to complete my planned interval session that day. (Similar scenario on return leg.)
As for feasting, I prepared a ‘lunch box’ of suitable snacks to take with me for the journey which included cooked sausages, protein bars, cooked meat and nuts. It was still tough though! Even though our lifestyle involves regular travel I still automatically switch to ‘holiday mode’ when Im in an airport. I had my little bag of goodies but it was still very challenging sitting in various airports with wall to wall fast food outlets calling me over. The smell of Maccie D”s and KFC were a killer but I soldiered on. Travelling is definitely a significant challenge!

I managed to complete all my gym sessions as planned apart from on the travel days. Although during this time I had a bit more flexibility as there were babysitters on hand, I found I had to plan my day well in advance as shopping, coffee sessions and other activities had to work around my eating plan.
During my trip it was my father in-laws birthday and obviously he was going to get a cake on the day. Anyway, just to tighten the screws a little further my mother in law decided to cook her own choccy cake for his birthday. The smell of baking and chocolate was a killer and I definitely came close to temptation. I think the only thing that stopped me from a slice was the fact that I was there when she actually made it and saw the massive block of butter that went into the mix! (I hate cake its dripping in butter….dirty greasy cake…)
After surviving the choccy cake torture and declining the various goodies that were knocking about (sweets galore!!!) I then had my self-control questioned further when we went for his birthday meal. Picture this…………. loads of warm, freshly cooked bread, onion soup with a huge chunk of cheesy toast swimming in it, fresh fish and chipppsssss….then think about prawn salad, grouper and vegetables, you went for the second option, right? Me too.

Really enjoyed my meal (and no it wasn’t the chippy option) and didn’t feel quite so hard done to as it really was delicious. Must admit it also made me feel better when they got home feeling like shit, wanting to do nothing but veg on the couch and I felt great!

Today, back on my home patch, fast-forwarded to Day 15. It’s an interval day so I plan to head down the gym a little later. I plan to do a weigh in tomorrow and continue with my weights session 2 as planned.
In summary, I think I’m getting into the swing of things and generally it’s been ok, haven’t felt starving and normally don’t feel as though I’m being deprived of anything. I feel good, leaner and on the way to a new me. (Duck is also doing well as she no longer copies my bad snacking habits and is eating similar meals to me, she now asks for broccoli on a daily basis!).

Days 6-9

Weekend……..…..in the bag. I’ve fallen behind on the blog a bit mainly due to travelling so here’s a bit of a catch up summary

Rest day Saturday then Sunday back to the grindstone.

So, in summary this is how it panned out:

Day 6

Sat went well, resting is really tough but I soldiered on and got through it.

Feasting went well like this:

Lunch: Cheesecake made by hubby of course.

Tea: Sausages & roasted pumpkin

Snack: almonds

I definitely found it much harder Saturday as we went about our usual routine; shopping sesh, spa and butty bar. Tough going my fave butty bar and ordering a Perrier water. I wasn’t hungry as I had eaten earlier at home but the smell of the bread and the tasty cakes that were wafting past me from all directions hurt, it was painful!

Sunday, it all started again:

Day 7

Followed same plan as Day 1 (this program will run for 4 weeks) all went well.

Feasting:

Lunch: chicken and rice followed by an apple and pomelo (ancestor of the grapefruit, larger and sweeter) medley

Tea: chicken and rice.

Pomelo, similar to Grapefruit

Day 8

Should have been Intervals but due to flight delays and being stranded in various airports a session in the gym was not an option.

Feasting:

Particularly hard as what should have been a short hop to Kuala Lumpur followed on by a skip to Indonesia ended up being over 15hrs in transit. As a result it was difficult to find good, clean sources of protein and complex carbs.  All things considered I think I did really well resisting Maccie D’s and feasting went as so:

Lunch: Protein bar & cold sausage (cooked earlier by husband, ate en-route)

Dinner: Tandoori fish and chicken, baked seaweed

Snack: Almonds

Day 9

Back to the gym (as in day 3) and went well. Thought it would be harder as I’m not in my usual gym but in fact it probably went better (makes sense after an impromptu days rest yesterday). Felt comfortable doing all moves and particularly enjoyed having a barbell at my disposal for my stiff leg deadlift.

Feasting:

Lunch: Seabass followed by fruit salad of apple, banana and melon. (last resort as no other clean carbs at my disposal…..no food planning done in advance!)

Tea: Chicken breast and spinach tossed in balsamic dressing plus 2 small yummy, no scrumptious sweet potatoes.

Drinks: It goes without saying, water & green tea. Had a Starbucks spearmint green tea today though, bit weird to be honest, rather like drinking green tea with a chewy in your mouth but you’ve got to try everything once. Needless to say been there, tasted that, probably just get the green tea next time.

To sum up:

Week 1 is complete, everything has gone pretty well and I’m definitely very pleased with my effort all round. I’ve found it hard at times as I’ve never actually felt stomach rumbling, grumpy starving sensations (my hubby may disagree on the latter) and to me that’s always felt so wrong. Don’t you have to be starving most of the day, going to bed early to relieve the pain of hunger and generally feeling extremely deprived in order to achieve a better body? Well now I know the answer…….no, not with this program. You can eat, and eat well and achieve some great results. How do I know it? Well here are my week 1 results!

THE BIG WEIGH IN:

Day 1 Start weight: 58.4kg           

Day 7 weight: 56.5kg

Yes I’ve lost 1.9kg!!!! Whoooooopieeee!!!!!!!

Week 1 and I’ve lost 4lbs, bye bye 9 stone I won’t be seeing you again.

Although I’m obviously pleased with my 4lb loss, what I’m even more pleased about is the tale of the tape. It’s not weight I’m trying to lose, its fat. The following tells me that I’m moving in the right direction even more than the weigh-in:

MEASUREMENTS:

Day 1 Muffin top: 83.0cm

Day 7 Muffin top (disappearing before my eyes!) 76.5cm!!!!

Yes that’s 6.5cm of blubber currently evicted from my mid section, happy to say I’m not suffering any separation anxiety.

Day 1 Bingo wings: 29.5cm

Day 7 Bingo wings: 29.5cm   

The tape shows no loss here but I’m convinced the fat I’ve lost off the wings has been cancelled out by my new guns, can’t wait for the show ha ha.

The proof is in the pudding (protein fluff of course!) I’m happy with my results and excited to see what the next 11 weeks will bring or should I say ‘take away’!

Apologies, I have my photos from Day 1 but unfortunately they are currently stuck on my camera. Something’s gone dodgy (don’t ask me what I’m a complete technotard) and I cant get them off and on my blog. Mission this week will be to get the camera to a camera shop and get it sorted so photos will be on as soon as poss!            

Day 5

Daily Supps:
First thing in morning/Pre workout: BCAA
With evening meal: Fish oils (6-10 1000mg per day), Vit C (3 1000mg per day)

Torture Time
Performance day today!
DB Deadlift 14kg - Still not 100% confident with my Deadlift using DB’s , much prefer using a barbell but there aint’ one so I need to get over it. DB Deadlift will be going on to my ‘must practice move’ list
Press ups - (full ones whoop whoop!) Press ups were ok, need to try and get lower next week though.
Box jumps - Done on the bench, they went pretty well.
DB squat press 6kg - They went well.
V up’s - 4kg Went well.
Total time: 31 min 28 sec
Woke up this morning feel good but by time got to gym at lunchtime I was starting to flag and feel really tired. Body is aching (generally all over, but I’m not complaining!!!) so the session was difficult but it’s done now and complete…. thank God!

Feasting (without the e)
Lunch (PWO meal) – Chicken Fried Rice. Hubby cooked it in a tiny amount of coconut oil (literally just brushed the pan) fried off some shallots, chicken and then some leftover rice. He says he used low sodium soy sauce, a little oyster sauce, a little xylitol and some chilli sauce. Well It was absolutely gorgeous, loved it!!!
Tea- Cheesecake, yes cheesecake & protein shake (my Friday night goodies, Ripped to shreds styleee)
Hubby made a low fat high protein cheesecake and it was amazing!!!!
The macros for the whole cake:
Cals: 1,420
Protein: 184g
Carbs: 97g
Fat: 20g

I married well.

It was a keeper and it WILL be getting made again!

Drinks- Water & green tea, of course!
Macros met. Rest day tomorrow, think I’ve earned it!

Day 4

Daily Supps:
First thing in morning: BCAA
With evening meal: Fish oils (6-10 1000mg per day), Vit C (3 1000mg per day)

Torture Time 
Duck not in nursery rest of week so its late afternoon (about 5pm ish) when hubby’s home that I go the gym. Felt good today, legs a little achy but other than that I’m fully motivated and raring to go.
Interval training
Chose the treadmill today: 5 min warm up followed by 30 sec all out/90 sec rest for 8 rounds.
Abs Supersets
Following on from this I did the abs workout (the one I forgot to do on Day 2..ooopppss!!!
Total time in gym was 60 mins
 (45 secs rest between sets) Felt the burn!
1a) Straight leg raise 4x15
1b) Kneeling cable oblique crunch (weighted) 4x15. Changed to DB windmills 4kg as gym didn’t have equipment for cable crunch. Found this move really difficult to master; plan to practice before next session.
2a) Reverse curl (decline bench) 3x15. Not a lover of these, found them tough.
2b) DB roll out 3x15. DB’s had a mind of their own at the start but I definitely improved my technique as the sets went on.
Finisher: Plank 1 min

So how was the lovely treadmill?
Challenging!!! Tough and sweated like a pig but it was over soon enough. By the end of the session felt like I was going to spew!

Feasting (without the e)
Lunch- Omelette (2 yokes, 3 egg whites), ham, spring onions, folded over like a calzone pizza (not quite but you get the picture) and filled with cottage cheese. Seasoned with paprika, sea salt and pepper.
Tea- Chicken breast stir-fried in coconut oil with a leafy (literally only a mixture of leaves) salad & almonds. Dressed the salad in a homemade dressing of: olive oil, balsamic vinegar and some seasoning.
Drinks- Water, water, water. Green tea late afternoon.
Macros met. Actually quite shocked at how tasty my lunch was. I’ve never been a huge fan of eggs (would spew if anyone sat next to me with egg and cress butty’s…foul!) and I took a dislike to cottage cheese many moons ago based on its look…..reminds me of spew! Anyway, I have vowed to give it my all and with my hubby bestowing the virtues of cottage cheese I decided to give it a go (albeit hidden inside my folded over omelette). Anyway, really enjoyed lunch. It was thoroughly tasty and very filling, really struggled to eat it all. I think I’m an egg and cottage cheese convert!

Day 3

Daily Supps:

First thing in morning/Pre workout: BCAA

Post workout: BCAA & meal

With evening meal: Fish oils (6-10 1000mg per day), Vit C (3 1000mg per day)

Torture Time

Had to do my workout after hubby got in from work (around 5pm), no childcare! Much prefer packing Duck off to nursery and doing my workout early morning but it wasn’t to be today (long story). 

It’s super-sets again with 90 sec rest between each super-set

1a) Front squat 5x5 10kg

1b) Shoulder DB press 5x5 8kg

Did pretty well on this and completed the set.

2a) DB stiff leg deadlift 3x8 8kg

2b) DB upright row 3x8 6kg

Completed full set no problem.

3a) Bulgarian split squat 3x10 (just bodyweight). Really felt the burn.

3b) DB side lateral raise 3x10 4kg

Found this to be the toughest set but completed all reps. 

Completed all sets to max rep stated. Not sure whether to up the reps/sets or weight next week???

Finisher: 60 squat jumps in as short a time as possible, 2 min 5 sec today. They were a killer after the first 20, felt pretty pathetic doing them, they were horrid and I walked out the gym with proper jelly legs. In and out in 40 min though!

Feasting (without the e)

Snapper, Broccoli & a fruit megamix

Lunch - sausages again & smoked basa, followed by apple & banana

Mid afternoon- protein shake

Tea - Red snapper & broccoli, followed by a mammoth fruit cocktail of pomegranate, orange, apple...delish! 

Would have liked a sweet potato but the broc needed using up so I decided to use what was in the fridge & enjoy a nice big bowl of fruit instead.

Drinks - Day 3, no diet coke (no headache this morn, feel good). Managed to get my green tea and had a cup. Its pretty nice & I’ll drink it along with water all day. Surprised to say I’m actually not missing diet coke at all. Haven’t even thought about it to be honest so thumbs up for me.

Macros met. Going away next week (nothing too exotic, hubby’s on business) so I didn’t do a big shop this week. Consequently we only have a few sources of protein in our fridge/freezer and so I struggled to choose my protein for today. Ended up finishing off the sausages from yesterday and supplementing it with the smoked basa for lunch. Really, and I mean really struggled to eat the basa, think there’s a fine line between love and hate when overkill comes into play and I’ve deffo been eating too much basa that’s for sure (basa, basa, basa so far). Need to stock up on a variety of sources of protein or I'm gonna really struggle. Ended up having to have a protein shake mid afternoon to make sure I was meeting my macros as nothing else was defrosted, tut, tut. I feel like I've got most things sorted apart from the planning side of it. The more I plan the easier the week will be. At the moment there's a bit too much improvisation going on and last minute decisions. If this is going to work and work well then I need to be planning my meals well in advance and stocking the fridge up to suit. Planning your meals a week in advance would seem overkill and a bit anal to most people but I know that if I don't do it, the week is a bit chaotic and this here housewife has got not 1 but 3 hungry (1 of them VERY hungry) mouths to feed. What makes it complicated is that Hubby is doing a similar sort of regime also (based on the book) but he has chosen a different eating methodology and a different workout methodology to me, he's a right awkward git! In all honesty it's a case of horses for courses, me and him are like chalk and cheese and a regime has to fit the user otherwise well...........it doesn't fit duh!

Day 2

Daily Supps:
First thing in morning/Pre workout: BCAA
Post workout: Protein shake
With evening meal: Fish oils (6-10 1000mg per day), Vit C (3 1000mg per day)

Torture Time
Interval training today.
Woke up really tired, with a dull headache and aching upper body. Only been back from trip home just over a week, it’s been all go and I’m probably still bit jet lagged:
Late nights + Early mornings (Duck) = Knackered me.
The show must go on, so I dragged myself to the gym as there’s no way I can train outside it’s just way too hot plus there’s no room on the kerbs or roads for me, motorbikes galore!
So, I’ve got a whole host of beauties in the gym to choose from:
Treadmill, rower, ellip, & the bike.
Chose the rower: 5 min warm up followed by 30 sec all out/ 90 sec rest for 8 rounds.
Total time in gym was 21 min.
I don’t mind the rower, although for some reason my bum cheeks ached like hell. I don’t know whether that’s the effects of working on the rower or yesterdays session?? Quite surprised though as I came back feeling much better, with more energy and definitely less lethargic!
Later on this afternoon, whilst getting my 'Facey' fix I noticed an article, ‘Getting the most from the indoor rower.’ It was definitely a lucky find for today and a good read.

Feasting (without the e)
Lunch- smoked basa fillet (dry fried) Love it!
Tea- Sausages (made by my local Kiwi butcher specially for me, low-fat, peppery lincolnshire stylee) & broccoli, followed by almonds and rose apple.
Drinks- Day 2, no diet coke (just a thought…maybe that’s why I’ve had a headache??? Could this be a kind of craving or possibly my body adjusting to the lack of it and all the sweeteners it contains??) Nothing to drink but water all day, my body is a temple and all that yada yada yada. Forgot to have my green tea, that’s a must for tomo.
Macros met. Felt hungry this morning but it passed and I stuck to my program. I’m getting into the swing of things and much more organized with my menu. No drama today!

Day 1

Right how did my day go?

Daily Supps:
First thing in morning/Pre workout: BCAA
Post workout: Protein shake
With evening meal: Fish oils (6-10 1000mg per day), Vit C (3 1000mg per day)
Should be taking Vit D3 as suggested but unfortunately I haven’t found a store here that stocks them.

Torture Time
Gym session went well today, must admit I woke up in a bit of a grumpy mood but by the end of my session was full of the joys! I started at 9.50am and was done and dusted by 10.46am. 56 mins for the first session works for me (haven't got time to set up home in the gym!).
1a) Incline dumbbell press 5x5 10kg
Started well (90 sec rest) but it definitely got much tougher. By set 3 I failed to complete the 5th rep and again on set 4 so I increased my rest period to 120 secs, it did the trick and I just about managed the full 5 reps at set 5.
1b) Bent over dumbbell row 5x5 10kg
Mirrors were great in the gym for this, only down side was it also highlighted my gut! The side mirrors really helped me get into the correct position and make sure my back was straight. Completed all sets with 90 secs rest so think I can up the weight next session.
2a) Flat DB press (DB ie dumbbell – get me) 3x8 8kg
Full set completed, just about! 90 sec rest.
2b) Renegade row 3x8/8 6kg
Not my favorite exercise to be honest. Only circular DB’s in my gym so first hurdle was preventing them from rolling around with me following behind! Noticed the first bead of sweat roll down my arm during this move. Not sure whether it was me working hard or my deodrant!
3a) Bench Press ups 3x10
I am completely crap at these. Couldn’t get my chest even close to the bench (about half way) and my arms were shaking like jelly! Deffo making one of my goals to achieve a full set of proper bench press-ups, chest to the bench by the end of my 12 weeks! Either that or a boob job may do the trick J
3b) No Lateral Pulldown Machine, Boooo so used a Fixed Pulldown.
Started on number 26, 26 what you may well wonder?? Well I’ve got absolutely no idea, will make it my business to find out (update, Hubby tells me they are kilograms)! Anyway, knocked out the 3 sets, 90 secs rest, reckon I’m brave enough to increase the weight next session.
Feeling all pleased with myself after knocking out the workout with minimum of fuss, relatively unaided. Just finished typing and my Hubby has just pointed out that there is a reason why the exercises were grouped a/b. Because they were meant to be supersets doh! First day teething problems were inevitable…….what an airhead!

Feasting (without the e)
Its 'anabolic fasting' from here on for me. I've decided my 8 hr ‘eating’ window will be between 12-8pm. I’ve worked out my macros and I know what I can have or should I say what I can't have!
Lunch- Steamed rice & chicken (dry fried in black pepper and sprinkled with a little cajun seasoning...yummy!)
2 small bananas for my pud.
Tea- Steamed rice & smoked basa fillet.
Drinks- Went cold turkey and survived….nothing but water all day (Started the day with my pint and managed 3 litres throughout the day) and although I missed the bubbles a little bit. I did it!!!! Gonna go all out tomo and give the green tea a go.
Macros met. Enjoyed my meals and haven’t felt hungry at any point during the day,

Surprisingly haven’t craved anything sweet, not even diet coke! Must admit though went to pop a packet of vanilla wafers in the trolley this afternoon before reminding myself that they were Evil!!!!
Ok so to sum up, day’s gone great, eat well, drank plenty, feel goood!!
Hiccups to note: need to think about my food the day before as was bit chaotic at lunchtime (picture pan smoking, fire alarms going off and team of maintenance men at my door ready to extinguish the flames! Should have got the Magnolia Bark!!)
Also, having some technical difficulties with my camera. Have taken pictures but posting them up here is proving a more difficult task, they will follow.
Now the best bit, beauty sleep!

About me

Where shall I start?
I’m a mum & a housewife currently living in a foreign country with my Hubby and Daughter (Duck). I’ve never been ‘fat’ fat but have definitely felt pretty fat plenty of times and after a summer of pure hedonistic self-indulgence (of which I’ve no regrets!) I’m now left with the aftermath, a physique to die-for, albeit hidden by an unpleasant-looking overcoat made of FAT!

I love sweets, choc, crisps etc as long as its ‘carborific’ and comes in a plastic wrapper it’ll do, especially if I’m tired, bored, hung over, emotional, hormonal, happy, sad (you get the picture!) I would go as far as to say I probably have a sugar addiction and have the war wounds to show for it (mouth full of metal). Another BIG hurdle for me is sure to be my closest friend, ‘diet coke’ I love the stuff, actually I don’t know whether it’s truly love or just habit but I start most days with a can and a further 3-5 cans would usually follow throughout the day. Oh and I like to add the odd vodka to it on a night out. Not a keen water drinker, tend to use water for doing the dishes, laundry and bathing, rarely drink the stuff.

Since having my daughter most of the fat has made its home around my core with the rest ganging up to form bingo wings to rival Oprah (the original version). My wardrobe is filled with some lovely clothes that currently resemble shrink-wrapping.

I don’t get a hell of a lot of ‘me’ time as my days are usually spent with mini-me (Duck) in a foreign country with not a babysitter within 1,000 miles. So, endless hours slogging my guts out in the gym are a no-no. I don’t have a ‘fancy pants’ gym and there is no trainer to whip me into shape.
BUT……… I have the book (or Power Report as they call it)!!! The book tells me that in just 12 weeks (conveniently the time I have left before I go back home to the UK) that I will shed the flab and go from being a “fat hoarder to a fat torcher”. I’m not normally one to buy that kind of BS but having absolute trust and belief in one of the authors and knowing the form he presents (think Greek Adonis with a Liverpool accent) I thought this was definitely worth a go. I’m saying adios to the junk, sayonara to the fizzy drinks, I’ve invested my ten pounds and I’m ready to go!

So, lets see if I can do it, (anything for a free vest!). Let’s see if I can earn the right to be gifted a “Ripped to Shreds” vest and work my way into this exclusive club???
I don’t expect it to be easy but I’m willing to give it a whirl and this ‘ere blog will be my attempt to give a ‘warts n all’ account of how it goes……………

Day 0

So, here goes:
I’ve had a lovely weekend, (it was my Birthday!). I’ve eaten my weight in chocolate, drowned in a sea of diet coke, gorged on various cakes and generally made a pig of myself. It was great fun but now it’s time to knuckle down and face the music!
So, the big weigh in!!!!!

Starting weight: 58.4kgs

Starting measurements
Muffin top (stomach): 83.0cm
Bingo wings (arms): 29.5cm

Ok time to unzip the overcoat................