It's been exactly a month since I have posted. Time sure flies when you are busy doesn't it and boy I have been busy! My wife and I are in the process of buying a house and packing up our townhouse. In addition to that, we are looking for renters, attended my brother's wedding, enjoying my daughter's first communion and waited on my sister to have her first baby! All that in the last month and coming up in the next few weeks. Phew, that makes me exhausted all over again just thinking about it.
My workouts and diet have suffered a bit over the last few weeks. I can't say with any certainty that my weight has changed because I have not weighed myself but I do know that my clothes still fit like always so that is good. My progress in the gym has come to a bit of a halt though. I seem to have plateaued and my eagerness to go to the gym is started to wane. Looking back, I have been doing reverse pyramid for close a year now and have had really good progress doing it. But now I need a change for a few weeks. Something simple. Something that I have already done in the past and that I have all the notes on. No, its not P90x. It's Visual Impact and more specifically, Visual Impact Phase II and III. In fact, I started with it today and the change is exactly what my body needed. My excitement is starting to increase and I am getting eager to hit the new few days to see if my enthusiasm returns. Heck, I might even take a few progress pics. :)
My diet has waned a bit the last few weeks but overall its still pretty good. I have had a few too many cheat days and although they have not caused my waistline to increase, I often think about how great I "could" look if I just had a little bit of self control. I always say this but I am going to try and really reign my diet in over the new 30 days along with the Visual Impact and some HIIT and see what kind of results I can get.
One Life to Live
Showing posts with label Visual Impact. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Visual Impact. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Quick Change
In my last post I know I stated that I was going to do the second phase of Visual Impact and then post my results. Well things have changed a little bit. As also previously posted, I am in a weight loss challenge at the company in which I work. The top 30 teams will win an extra weeks vacation. To make matters worse, I am the team captain. To add to the fire, I have put on some weight since my initial weigh in. This combination of things has put quite a bit of pressure on me to put up a weight loss number.
The combination of reverse pyramids and Visual Impact had me putting on a solid bit of muscle. More muscle than I ever had before. The has caused my weight to increase. Normally I wouldn't care but this contest means a lot to my teammates and I do not want to be the one to gain weight.
So with that said, I am somewhat sorrowful to announce that I am doing the first phase of P90x and am currently on week 1. I am doing P90x because it's a quick and proven system for me that I know works. Even though I don't care for the 6 days a week workouts, I only have to do it for the next 30 days and then I am done with the contest. After that I am going to go back to either reverse pyramids or Visual Impact and cut my workouts down to 2-3 days a week with a mix of sprints and clean eating. At that time, I will again be posting more progress stats and I will stop stepping on that darn scale!
The combination of reverse pyramids and Visual Impact had me putting on a solid bit of muscle. More muscle than I ever had before. The has caused my weight to increase. Normally I wouldn't care but this contest means a lot to my teammates and I do not want to be the one to gain weight.
So with that said, I am somewhat sorrowful to announce that I am doing the first phase of P90x and am currently on week 1. I am doing P90x because it's a quick and proven system for me that I know works. Even though I don't care for the 6 days a week workouts, I only have to do it for the next 30 days and then I am done with the contest. After that I am going to go back to either reverse pyramids or Visual Impact and cut my workouts down to 2-3 days a week with a mix of sprints and clean eating. At that time, I will again be posting more progress stats and I will stop stepping on that darn scale!
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Time For Density
2 weeks ago I decided that I had reached the peak of my mass building objective. My wife noticed a difference and so did I. However, we noticed it in two somewhat different areas. She commented that my shoulders, arms, and chest looked bigger. I noticed that as well but I also noticed a 25lb gain on the old scale. That scared me….alot. So I decided that I didn’t want to gain anymore mass and instead, transition to a hardening/strength phase. Something that is called Myofibrillar Hypertrophy. My end goal to all of this is the Hollywood look: lean and muscular.
I decided that I want people to look at me and see someone that is in great shape. I don’t want them to look at me and see a guy that walks like he spends all of his time in the gym. That is the direction I feel like I was headed.
I have been on Phase II of Visual Impact for 2 weeks now and am really starting to notice a difference in not only my strength but also my muscle definition. Along with the standard weight training outlined in the VI book, I am also doing the recommended 15 minutes of H.I.I.T cardio immediately following each weight session. The only thing I am not following in its entirety is the recommended 2on/1off schedule. I don’t have access to a gym on the weekends so I lift Monday/Tuesday and Thursday /Friday.
My diet really suffered the last year while I experimented with the Leangains approach. I'd scour the internet for people that where doing Leangains and I would see the crap they would shovel into their mouths on their workout days and I assumed I could do the same thing. However, I never saw the same ab ripping results that so many others achieved. I didn’t put on a lot of fat but I did put on a pretty decent layer over my muscle. All my clothes still fit, just not as good as they once did.
So now I am back to living the Primal lifestyle outlined on MarksDailyApple.com and in the Primal Blueprint. In the last 2 weeks, I am down 6lbs and my lifts have gone up every week. Something about this diet just works for me. I am starting to look good and I am feeling great.
The picture below is one that I took yesterday. Upon close inspection, I can really start to see the individual muscles popping in my shoulder and through my arms. Now if I could get that same definition through my abdomen area, I might start to really consider the dream I have of competing on stage.
Here is my starting lift weight as of 2 weeks ago. At the end of the 2 month Phase II program I will be posting my end lift weight.
I decided that I want people to look at me and see someone that is in great shape. I don’t want them to look at me and see a guy that walks like he spends all of his time in the gym. That is the direction I feel like I was headed.
I have been on Phase II of Visual Impact for 2 weeks now and am really starting to notice a difference in not only my strength but also my muscle definition. Along with the standard weight training outlined in the VI book, I am also doing the recommended 15 minutes of H.I.I.T cardio immediately following each weight session. The only thing I am not following in its entirety is the recommended 2on/1off schedule. I don’t have access to a gym on the weekends so I lift Monday/Tuesday and Thursday /Friday.
My diet really suffered the last year while I experimented with the Leangains approach. I'd scour the internet for people that where doing Leangains and I would see the crap they would shovel into their mouths on their workout days and I assumed I could do the same thing. However, I never saw the same ab ripping results that so many others achieved. I didn’t put on a lot of fat but I did put on a pretty decent layer over my muscle. All my clothes still fit, just not as good as they once did.
So now I am back to living the Primal lifestyle outlined on MarksDailyApple.com and in the Primal Blueprint. In the last 2 weeks, I am down 6lbs and my lifts have gone up every week. Something about this diet just works for me. I am starting to look good and I am feeling great.
The picture below is one that I took yesterday. Upon close inspection, I can really start to see the individual muscles popping in my shoulder and through my arms. Now if I could get that same definition through my abdomen area, I might start to really consider the dream I have of competing on stage.
Here is my starting lift weight as of 2 weeks ago. At the end of the 2 month Phase II program I will be posting my end lift weight.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Time for a Rewind
Last year around this time I was doing a little program called P90x and eating a strict primal diet. I felt great, looked great, and my weight was the lowest it had ever been. But for me, that wasn't enough. I started a search for a new program that would take me to the level of leaness that I so badly desired. The program that I found was Leangains and at the time I thought it was the best program I had ever heard of; cycle carbs, fast daily, lift heavy and enjoy all the foods I so badly loved and missed but only eat them on my heavy weight training days. I remember having a conversation with my wife about the program and she thought I should reconsider and continue to stay on the strict Primal style that I had been so successful on. But I thought Leangains was my missing golden ticket and I gave it a try. I wish I would have listened to her.
A few months passed on the program and I gained weight. In desperation and because I thought it was my weight lifting routine, I searched for a new program and ran across Visual Impact. I started this weight lifting program but continued to eat Leangains style. Months later and still not getting the results I wanted, I stopped doing Visual Impact and started doing a reverse pyramid routine. But I continued to eat Leangains style. The muscle was starting to pile on but so was that unwanted fat.
Now here I am a year later and I have gained 24lbs over my lowest weight. Could some of it be muscle? Well I suppose so. After all, my clothes are still fitting although a little snug at times. But I notice a significant layer of fat as well. Gone is the defined area of my stomach that I had last year.
There is no doubt in my mind that Leangains works. I just know that it hasn't work for me like I had hoped it would. My biggest issue with food is that if you give me an inch, I will take a mile. Leangains gave me that inch. It allowed me to eat carbs after a workout. Lots of them. In my mind, this transformed into chips, rice, granola bars, etc. Deep in my mind I knew that I shouldn't eat this stuff but I did anyway. After all muscle building needs carbs right!? I would gorge on lifting days and low carb on non-lifting days. This may work for some people but it does not work for me. I need to be strict or I fall off of the wagon way too easily. I would fall off of the wagon several times a week.
I am not happy with the way I look or feel. Therefore I am doing an intervention on myself. A rewind of sorts. Starting today I am back to 100% primal with one relaxed "cheat" day a week. No more counting carbs, calories, or fat. I will just eat what is on the allowed foods list and go with that. On days that I lift, I may up the amount of carbs a bit but nothing crazy like I have been doing.
I will continue to lift using the Reverse Pyramid routine. I have been very happy with the muscle and strength I have received from that program. I am also going to add in some more heavy HIIT days.
My goal is to lose 25lbs in the next 2 months. It's an aggressive approach but obtainable if I stick to the plan.
A few months passed on the program and I gained weight. In desperation and because I thought it was my weight lifting routine, I searched for a new program and ran across Visual Impact. I started this weight lifting program but continued to eat Leangains style. Months later and still not getting the results I wanted, I stopped doing Visual Impact and started doing a reverse pyramid routine. But I continued to eat Leangains style. The muscle was starting to pile on but so was that unwanted fat.
Now here I am a year later and I have gained 24lbs over my lowest weight. Could some of it be muscle? Well I suppose so. After all, my clothes are still fitting although a little snug at times. But I notice a significant layer of fat as well. Gone is the defined area of my stomach that I had last year.
There is no doubt in my mind that Leangains works. I just know that it hasn't work for me like I had hoped it would. My biggest issue with food is that if you give me an inch, I will take a mile. Leangains gave me that inch. It allowed me to eat carbs after a workout. Lots of them. In my mind, this transformed into chips, rice, granola bars, etc. Deep in my mind I knew that I shouldn't eat this stuff but I did anyway. After all muscle building needs carbs right!? I would gorge on lifting days and low carb on non-lifting days. This may work for some people but it does not work for me. I need to be strict or I fall off of the wagon way too easily. I would fall off of the wagon several times a week.
I am not happy with the way I look or feel. Therefore I am doing an intervention on myself. A rewind of sorts. Starting today I am back to 100% primal with one relaxed "cheat" day a week. No more counting carbs, calories, or fat. I will just eat what is on the allowed foods list and go with that. On days that I lift, I may up the amount of carbs a bit but nothing crazy like I have been doing.
I will continue to lift using the Reverse Pyramid routine. I have been very happy with the muscle and strength I have received from that program. I am also going to add in some more heavy HIIT days.
My goal is to lose 25lbs in the next 2 months. It's an aggressive approach but obtainable if I stick to the plan.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Program Jumping
Admitting you have a problem is usually the first step towards recovery. I hope that is true because I am about to admit something big.
I have a problem sticking with a workout program for any extended period of time. Phew! I said it.
Strange.
I don't feel any different.
Background
If you are new to this blog, you may not have a real good understanding of what I am talking about so let me enlighten you a bit. In the past year I have done P90x, Primal eating, Visual Impact, Whole30, Leangains, homebrew workouts, etc. Of all of those, I am currently only still doing the Primal eating.
Problem
It's really two-fold. First off. I get bored with workouts easily. By about the 3rd phase of P90x I am ready to call it quits. Even though P90x has you switch it up with their "muscle confusion" tactics, going back and doing old exercises in that third phase really bored me.
Second - I read too much. I have a blogroll of about 200 fitness blogs that I scroll through on a daily basis. Combine that with about 500 fitness "experts" that I follow on twitter and one can easily see how I get bombarded with the latest and greatest in workouts and nutritional advice. Combine boredom with new ideas on eating and workouts and you can easily see why I end up switching workouts so often. I always think what someone else is doing is better than what I am doing and I need to try it ASAP. At least my diet has stayed consistent!
The biggest problem with going through life this way is that I never really achieve the fitness goals that I originally set out for. I need to settle down and give a workout time to really develop. If I don't, I will continue to just stroll through life. I don't want to stroll...I want to sprint!
Resolution
I didn't start writing this post with a real resolution in mind. I have a few things that I am tossing around in my head that I will discuss in further detail later. But as of right now, I am just sort of mulling along at the gym while I wait for that next big thing to come along. Hopefully that is soon because even mulling has me bored.
Comments?
I would love to hear from you on some of the workout programs that you are currently involved in. Who knows, I may join ya!
I have a problem sticking with a workout program for any extended period of time. Phew! I said it.
Strange.
I don't feel any different.
Background
If you are new to this blog, you may not have a real good understanding of what I am talking about so let me enlighten you a bit. In the past year I have done P90x, Primal eating, Visual Impact, Whole30, Leangains, homebrew workouts, etc. Of all of those, I am currently only still doing the Primal eating.
Problem
It's really two-fold. First off. I get bored with workouts easily. By about the 3rd phase of P90x I am ready to call it quits. Even though P90x has you switch it up with their "muscle confusion" tactics, going back and doing old exercises in that third phase really bored me.
Second - I read too much. I have a blogroll of about 200 fitness blogs that I scroll through on a daily basis. Combine that with about 500 fitness "experts" that I follow on twitter and one can easily see how I get bombarded with the latest and greatest in workouts and nutritional advice. Combine boredom with new ideas on eating and workouts and you can easily see why I end up switching workouts so often. I always think what someone else is doing is better than what I am doing and I need to try it ASAP. At least my diet has stayed consistent!
The biggest problem with going through life this way is that I never really achieve the fitness goals that I originally set out for. I need to settle down and give a workout time to really develop. If I don't, I will continue to just stroll through life. I don't want to stroll...I want to sprint!
Resolution
I didn't start writing this post with a real resolution in mind. I have a few things that I am tossing around in my head that I will discuss in further detail later. But as of right now, I am just sort of mulling along at the gym while I wait for that next big thing to come along. Hopefully that is soon because even mulling has me bored.
Comments?
I would love to hear from you on some of the workout programs that you are currently involved in. Who knows, I may join ya!
Friday, January 21, 2011
Quick Update
I am exhausted and ready for bed but I have been wanting to get a good post up for awhile so here I am. It will be a post but I cannot vouch for how good it will be.
As some know, I have been doing a combination of Visual Impact and Leangains for roughly 2 months now and I am really starting to see a difference. Just today I had to cinch my belt up to the very last (homemade) hole. The one usually reserved for when I wear tighter style dress pants. And for the first time ever, that last notch didn't feel uncomfortable!
Although I am losing body fat and weight on the scale, I am not quite ready to take new progress photo's quite yet. Maybe in another month or so. I really want to go for the ab shot before I put up another picture. If not, I am afraid no one would be able to tell the difference.
Well that is about all I have for now. I am hoping to post about my Whole30 challenge that I have been doing at the office. Maybe by the end of the weekend I can get that up as well.
As some know, I have been doing a combination of Visual Impact and Leangains for roughly 2 months now and I am really starting to see a difference. Just today I had to cinch my belt up to the very last (homemade) hole. The one usually reserved for when I wear tighter style dress pants. And for the first time ever, that last notch didn't feel uncomfortable!
Although I am losing body fat and weight on the scale, I am not quite ready to take new progress photo's quite yet. Maybe in another month or so. I really want to go for the ab shot before I put up another picture. If not, I am afraid no one would be able to tell the difference.
Well that is about all I have for now. I am hoping to post about my Whole30 challenge that I have been doing at the office. Maybe by the end of the weekend I can get that up as well.
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