Getting a strong, fit body for sporting performance (and vanity) - consistency

[bccfc92]

Background: I am a university student in England and play sport competitively (cricket) and need to be lean, fit and strong. I give my all in sport and in the gym, training and practise wise, but have had weight problems. As a child, I was always fairly chubby and strong at around 87kg when i was 16. By the time i was 18 in Summer 2010, I had dropped to well under 80kg through an improving exercise/dieting routine reading around sites like this, but since then I got up to 92kg at the highest during Autumn 2010 as a result of a sudden spurt of binge eating in which i gained a lot of weight quickly, which was obviously a very difficult period. From then to the end of summer 2011, i yo-yo dieted and struggled painfully. From September 2011 to now, I have had successes being very strict but then letting go every now and then and slipping into the binge eating for 1-2 days after dieting down, probably more as a consequence of dieting too hard through calorie restriction, high protein, with some Intermittent Fasting which lasting 4 weeks, but i am determined to end it and get into great shape. Nevertheless, I have managed to get my weight down to about roughly 86kg at around <18% body fat at the moment and you lot can judge when i put pictures up (I will weigh, measure and take progress pictures on Thursday 8th or Friday 9th and add progress pictures i have from the end of the summer, a month later and then another month later).

Training is not the problem, I rarely miss workouts, but my diet goes bad for 1 or 2 days every now and then, which needs to stop so my progress isn't halted anymore.

Intentions: I am very determined in my sport and want to get into great shape, but need to overcome this obstacle through willpower and hard motivation. I want to maintain my muscle/strength as much as possible, while getting very fit (at the end of October, I bleeped 13.3, which is good but body composition isn't ideal). I also intend to bulk before summer 2012, getting to a low enough body fat before then. I want to cut down for 3 weeks, then I am going abroad from 27th December to 7th January for a training camp and will still cut during this period, albeit slower so I have lots of energy to practise and train hard at the same time. From then, I want to cut hard for another 4 weeks, before going on a very lean bulk (if my body fat is low enough, hopefully 12%) for 5 weeks before going on tour in March 2012 and then the season. I look forward to this period where I can eat more of my favourite foods like peanut butter on wholemeal bread, yoghurt muesli/bircher muesli, more carbs like brown rice with more energy generally so i can also train hard every time and not have to worry about losing any weight. Recently, the only real problem has been getting too relaxed visiting home at the end of weeks, probably something to do with being hungry and low on carbs, but now i just need to nail it and get in the routine of going to the gym early in the day and getting everything done early in the day and just stick to the diet.

Plan:
Part 1: 3 weeks - 5th December to 25th December - Strict cut - obstacles: overeating/giving in when down, cricket training (energy) - lose 3kg ish (or 6 pounds more accurately), 86kg to 83kg (15% body fat)
Boxing day carb up - sensible - add brown rice, birchermuesli, toast and peanut butter
Part 2: 11 days (including 2 travel days) December 27th to December 7th - Lighter cut - obstacles: travel days - lose 1/2kg, lots of cricket practise at teh same weight as I hopefully will start the season, continue gym/fitness, 83kg to 82.5kg
Light carb up? - sensible
Part 3: 3 weeks, 5 days - Sunday 8th January to Thursday 2nd February - Strict cut - obstacles: uni essay deadlines 10th January, exam 11th January, fitness testing 18th January, cricket training (energy), 82.5-83kg to 79.5kg (12% body fat)
Part 4: 5-6 weeks - Friday 3rd February to mid-March (weekly early morning 6:30am cardio training starts Friday 3rd February and I don't want to keep keep on cutting while that is on, but may have to depending on body fat levels) - gain 2-3kg of lean muscle mass, make strength gains, base cardio more on explosive sprint work, lots of cricket practise, introducing higher variety of foods to fuel lots of activity, 79.5kg-83kg (keeping at 13% body fat or lower)
Then it's pre-season and the season where I hope to at least maintain or make some slower progress in body composition, maybe lose body fat slowly over the summer to 10% by the end of the summer? A slow rate of fat loss at 2lbs a month surely won't harm performance.
Next winter, I can hopefully get shredded

Current plan/diet:
1000 calorie deficit daily
Diet: 225g protein, 35g fats roughly, rest carbs, 10-15+ portions fruit/veg - minimum 2250 calories daily
Eating around workouts - from 4-6 meals a day - main workouts straight after breakfast where most of my carbs are
A few extra bananas in the morning before something I need more carbs for, for example, practise and fitness testing
Tapping into fat stores through reduced carbs and fats, higher protein to maintain muscle
Team fitness training has been going on for 5 weeks now (2 weeks left till Christmas holidays) - I do all that and extra

Foods: Oats, skimmed milk, flaxseed, eggs, meat/fish (chicken, lamb, cod mainly), fruit (bananas, apples, blueberries, melons, pineapples etc), veg (salad - romaine lettuce, spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, radish etc, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots etc)
Some seasoning/herbs like cinnamon, ground pepper

Supplements: Multi-vitamin (first meal), omega capsule (first + last meals), l-glutamine (first meal), l-carnitine (pre-workout), ON thermocuts (pre-workout), HMB (last meal), ZMA (before bed), ON whey protein powder (after weights or for extra protein)

Routine:
Monday - Own run (4 miles probably), other cardio.walking, sports team weights 6:15pm
Tuesday - Unsupervised sports team run (endurance based - 40 mins ish usually in total), extra core, physio (shoulder exercises), other cardio/walking
Wednesday - Sports team weights + track sprints, own light run (probably 1-2 miles), other cardio/walking
Thursday - Own run (probably 2-3 miles), other cardio/walking, extra core, physio, sports team spinning 45 mins-1 hour7pm
Friday - Unsupervised sports team circuit, own run (probably 3 miles), other cardio/walking, core, physio exercises
Saturday - Own weights, unsupervised sports team sprints (on machines, intervals), other cardio/walking, physio/exercises
Sunday - Walk, light cardio - treadmill run, stationary cycle, rowing ergo machine

Weights:
Monday - (changes under sports routine but at the moment until Christmas holidays) A1 back squat, A2 incline alternative dumbbell press, B1 barbell reverse lunge B2 pull-ups C1 kettlebell side squat, C2 push press, core - 5 in 5 (5 mins, 40 secs on/20 off, 5 exercises) + bent over dumbbell rows (all 3-4 sets x 6-8 reps)
Wednesday - (ditto) A1 sumo deadlift/clean pulls, A2 plate lowers, A3 dumbbell split jerks, B1 nordik hamstrings, B2 barbell bent over row, B3 single leg squats, C1 calf raises C2 prone shoulders + bench press, lat pull downs (all 3-4 sets x 6-8 reps)
Saturday - (own) Front squat (3/4x6-10), forward barbell lunge (3/4x4-7), chin ups (3 sets), bench press (3/4x6-12), bent over barbell rows (3/4x8-12), shrugs (3/4x12)

30th October fitness testing results (no weights testing :s but you will get a general idea of the weights I'm lifting + testings after Christmas holidays and in March before pre-season also):
92.5 kg (with food weight, ie not first thing in the morning)
Vertical jump: 44.3 cm
4 jump: 0.27 (secs?)
20m sprint: 3.33 secs
3 x 20m sprint + turn: 11.4 secs (left), 11.46 (right)
Left cut: 3.33 secs
Right cut: 3.37 secs
Right hop: 165cm (93.77% of bodyweight)
Left hop: 170cm (96.05% of bodyweight)
Bleep: level 13.3
Explosive LP?: 1.9

I will post daily updates on my diet, workouts and comments. The idea of this log is so I can keep everything in here and hopefully stick to the plan much better. I will post progress pics on Thursday or Friday when I start weighing myself again, along with previous pictures from September 5th when I was close to my heaviest and a few pics since then. I will then post weekly progress pictures, while weighing and recording every morning.

I really want to see some good progress this winter so I am in great shape again for next summer, better than 2010 - stronger, better body composition and fitter, with more knowledge of nutrition/training to take me forward (I have learnt a lot over the last 2 years). All help with motivation, advice and general comments are all appreciated. I shall edit this first post if I remember to put anything else in.

Thanks

[bccfc92]

Monday 5th December:

10am - 100g oats, 2 tablespoons cinnamon, 30g flaxseed, 200ml milk, 300ml water, 1 banana - 675 calories, 20g protein, moderate fats, plenty of carbs
1 egg + 2 egg whites - 125 calories, 15g protein, some fat

4 mile treadmill run in 31 minutes + 5 min warm down walk - burn 550 calories
2 mile dog walk - burn 200 calories

12:30pm - 300g blueberries, 1 apple, ON strawberry whey shake - 350 calories, 25g protein, plenty of carbs

2:15pm - (from Pret a Manger, had on train up back to uni) Tuna, mixed salad, cucumbers, tomatoes, green beans, 1/2 egg white 150 20g protein

5pm - melon fruit tray, apple 125 calories, all carbs

Sports team weights:
A1 back squat - 4 sets. 6x80kg. 6x90kg, 6x95kg, 6x100kg. Had some more to give but good technique.
A2 incline alternative dumbbell press - 4 sets. 6x25kg. 6x25kg. 8x25kg. 6x25kg. Just about till I couldn't do anymore.
B1 barbell reverse lunge - 3 sets. 6x35kg. 6x40kg. 6x40kg. Had some more to give but good technique and felt it, off balance at the end.c
B2 pull-ups - 3 sets. 6, 6, 7 (with help on last 2 reps). Till failure.
C1 kettlebell side squat - 4 sets. 8x20kg. 7x20kg. 6x20kg. 6x20kg. Hard technique but felt it.
C2 dumbbell push press - 4 sets. 10x20kg. 6x22.5kg. 6x22.5kg. 6x22.5kg. Tough towards end.
Core - 5 in 5 (5 mins, 40 secs on/20 off, bench feet up lowers, Swedish dumbell half get-ups, aleknas, plank to push up position, Russian twists)
bent over dumbbell rows - 4 sets. 12x20kg. 12x26kg. 12x26kg. 10x26kg.
Burn 200 calories

10 minute row - burn 150 calories

7pm - ON banana cream protein shake - 150 calories, 30g protein

8pm - 2 small apples - 75 calories, all carbs

11pm - 2/3 chicken breasts, small lamb steak, 300g broccoli/cauliflower, plate of salad - romaine lettuce, spinach/watercress, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, radish, orange bell pepper - 700 calories, 110g protein, some fats, some carbs


Overall - 2350 calories, 220g protein, some fats, moderate carbs
Burnt - 2300 RMR + run 550 + walk 200 + weights 200 + row 150
1050 calorie deficit

About 5 litres of water

Notes: early breakfast compared to usual, felt very hungry before tuna salad - felt fine afterwards with sleep on train and throughout day, but easier having had higher calories the previous day.

[bccfc92]

Tuesday 6th December:

10:30am - 100g oats, 2 tablespoons cinnamon, 25g flaxseed, 200ml milk, 300ml water, 1 banana - 650 calories, 20g protein, plenty of carbs, plenty of fats
1 egg, 3 egg whites - 150 calories, 20g protein, some fats

Unsupervised run - 6x5 minutes on treadmill at 1% incline, 2 minutes walk in between, 5 minutes warm down walk. 1) 13.5kmph, 2-5) 13kmph, 6) 13kmph, 7.5km total - 625 calories burnt

12:45pm - ON banana cream protein shake, apple - 175 calories, 25g protein, some carbs

2:15pm - salad (mixed leaves, cucumbers, tomatos, shredded carrots), tuna mayo (hardly any mayo) - 225 calories, 30g protein, some fats

10 minute row, 2400 metres + physio - 150 calories burnt

4:30pm - chicken salad (mixed leaves, tomato, cucumber, extra virgin olive oil) 200, 25g protein, some fats
melon tray, 3 small apples - 125 calories, all carbs

8pm - 2 50g seekh kebabs (minced meat, shaped and grilled with herbs and spices), plate of salad -cucumbers, onions, tomatos- 200 calories 35g protein

10:15pm - 2 chicken breasts, salad (romaine lettuce, spinach/watercress, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, radish, orange bell pepper), 300g broccoli and cauliflower - 500 calories, 60g protein, some carbs

Overall - 2375 calories, 215g protein, moderate carbs, low-moderate fats
Burnt - 2300 RMR + walking to/around/back from uni 300 + run 600 + row/physio 150 = 2350
1000 calorie deficit

About 5 litres of water

Notes: quite heavy legged through the run - probably because of the load of leg weights the day before, hungry later in te day due to late dinner/extended eating hours maybe, but not too bad. Tired at night!

[bccfc92]

Look forward to posting my first progress pics. I originally said I'd do them on Thursday but might wait till Monday, comparing results from September/October/November so i can compare and go on from there. Reading some of the logs around is keeping me pretty well motivated/determined

[bccfc92]

Wednesday 7th December

BCAAs

Walk to uni for seminar and back
Burn 200 cals

11:30 - Chicken salad (with mixed leaves, cucumbers, tomatoes) from Cafe opposite uni, saw a yoghurt and granola pot. Can't wait to get over this fat loss! - 200 cals, 25g p

12:15pm - 100g oats, 2 tablespoons cinnamon, 20g flaxseed, 200ml milk, 250ml water, 1 banana - 650 cals, 20g p, lots of carbs, good fats
1 egg, 2 egg whites - 125 cals, 15g p, fats

1pm - apple - 50 cals

2:30pm - Team weights/plyometrics
A1 sumo deadlift - 6x100 6x110 6x110 (felt glutes well)
A2 plate lowers - 6x10kg 6x10 7x10 (each side - good for obliques when raising it by your sides powerfully)
A3 dumbell split jerk - 6x15kgs 6x15 6x12.5 (quite tough to stablise low afterwards)
B1 nordic hamstrings - with band (as opposed to partner last week) 3 sets 8 reps (find this hard but does hamstrings well)
B2 barbell bent over row - 12x50 12x55 10x55 10x55 (proper technique, not that hard - used to do much heavier but with faulty technique)
B3 single leg squats (from platform to ground) - 10 heals to ground, 8 toes to ground x 3
C1 calf raises off low step - 3x12 single heals 2 ground+10 both heels to ground
C2 prone shoulders (lifting shoulders up above head, while face down on bench, rotating around sides and back up again while holding plate with thumbs facing as upwards as possible, arms as high as possible) 3setsx6repsx5kg

Burn 200 cals

ON banana cream whey protein shake - 125 cals, 25g p

Team indoor - mobility exercises (12 mins, 40 secs on/20 off,
- shuttle sprints (90 secs, 3 mins off, 60 secs on 20 yard dash, pick up tennis ball, turn and through to person at other end (in groups of 3), who places it down, then pick it up and through it to other guy who puts it down and you go and pick it up then throw it back to the first guy etc)
- and tabatas (3 mins (i think, though it was meant to be 4 :s) side to sides and burpees, 20 secs on, 10 off x 3 of each + 4 mins shuttle sprints and deep squat jumps 20 secs on/10 off x 4 of each). Too wet for track... good job too as it was freezing as well and it was going to be 10x100s, 8x120s, 6x150s!
Burn 200 cals

Apple 50
One small chunk of chocolate from a mate - 25 (not counting as was minimal)

Anti-doping talk

7:30pm - Chicken tikka starter from cafe, with normal salad, blueberries, 2 small apples, pineapple pack - 400 cals, 40g p, carbs

2 mile jog on tredmill watching the champions league football (soccer), 1km walking
10 minutes row, 2300m
Burn 450 calories

11pm 3 chicken breasts, big usual uni salad, 240g veg (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower) - 750 cals, 120g protein, some carbs, few fats

Consumption: 2350
TDEE - 2300 + 200 + 200 + 200 + 450 = 3350

About 6 litres of water

Notes: Tough, busy day but not too bad. Felt drained after team fitness but all fine, tired in a good way at night and relatively satieted with all the veggies! Enjoying reading around the side, especially logs which are helpful. Always craving bulking type foods though, but that's only natural, especially when cutting aggressively. Very ready for Christmas holidays! But it's harder to stick to diet at home but I'm keen to finally get in that routine. When I've been home, it's gone bad with all the comforts but I'm just gonna do it earlier in the day and nail it so it's done!

[bccfc92]

Going to wait till Monday to weigh/measure/take pictures. Should be the lightest i've been since Summer 2010 by then.

[bccfc92]

Updated fat loss/cutting goals:
Part 1: 3 weeks - 5th December to 25th December - Strict cut - 86kg-83.5kg
Boxing day carb up - sensible - add brown rice, birchermuesli, toast and peanut butter, more fruit, lentils etc
Part 2: 12 days (including 2 travel days) December 27th to December 7th - lose 1kg+, 83.5kg to 82.5kg
Light carb up? - sensible
Part 3: 3 weeks, 5 days - Sunday 8th January to Thursday 2nd February - Strict cut - obstacles: uni essay deadlines 10th January, exam 11th January, fitness testing 18th January, cricket training (energy), 82.5kg to 79.5kg - workout calorie surplus needs, first ever 'bulk' (12% body fat)
Part 4: 5 weeks - Friday 3rd February to mid March (if selected for tour) - Bulk/intense training 79.5kg to 82kg (13% body fat?) to ideal playing weight
Part 5: Pre-season - depends on tour selection
Part 6: Season - Maintain fitness/strength - decide composition goals at the time but don't sacrifice energy/performance

Got to get down and to a low body fat asap!

[bccfc92]

Thursday 8th December

Couldn't type up last night as i was travelling home late after training. But anyway, screwed up at night diet wise, but probably a good thing so I can tackle it and get used to just getting on with the next day. Going to try to focus on sticking to 2250 calories for 3 days till Monday, when I go back to uni for training for 3 days and then back again for Christmas, so i can get used to nailing the diet at home for the Christmas period.

Not going to try and recall the overall deficit just foods and exercise

100g oats, cinnamon, flaxseed, 3 bananas, milk/water - 850, 25g

1pm - Cricket training - 1 hour, bowl then bat

Apple, blueberries, pineapple, chicken salad - 400 25gp

Walk to gym

Gym -
Bench press - 6x80 (PR), 10x72.5, 8x72.5
Lat pulldown - 8x80, 10x75, 6-8x75
2 mile run, 13kmph, walk down
10 minute row, 2350 metres

Tuna mayo salad, 2 egg whites - 450 60gp

Walk back and pack

Team spinning - 45 mins

Protein shake - 125 25gp
Fruit tray - 150

Lamb korma, salad, veg - probably around 750 calories, 80g protein

But then: 3 sweet amoretti biscuits, one tablespoon peanut butter, 1 peanut butter on a rice cake, a few nuts, lamb mince with potatoes,
Had an alli weight loss slimming tablet that blocks some fats - try to avoid them but i suppose it's ok this once - i could have been worse as well - at least i still probably was in a deficit

Overall - probably still in a calorie deficit of 250-500 with plenty of protein

Plan is just to move on and nail 3 days at home Friday-Sunday, then do the weighing/measuring/pics on Monday and go again. 3x2250 calorie days with normal exercise. Then i can try and blitz it through till Christmas/Boxing day where I'll take a bit of a day off but still keep it healthy and not go over the top! Maybe around 750g of carbs and then move on and lose some weight when I'm abroad training, 4 weeks again when I get back and hopefully that will do, otherwise I can maybe extend it for another week max to try and get to as close to 80kg as possible, or below.

[bccfc92]

Also, i realised there was a sports log section on the site, but this is more of a nutrition issue as I do all the training - could ask for it to get moved in the future but don't think it really matters right now.

Another thing to note is that we had an anti-doping talk on Wednesday night talking about checking our supplements. I need to check whether Optimum Nutrition thermocuts has any banned substances. Will probably just stop taking it at some stage, maybe at Christmas time, just in case.

[bccfc92]

In 8 weeks, early morning training starts and my aim is to be done cutting by then. I aim to lose a stone till then to get my under 80kg, 12% body fat. This means pushing hard till Boxing Day where I will carb up with something like 750g carbs after a morning jog - must keep it healthy though and do it properly. Then the next one will probably by the day after fitness testing on 18th January (I think), where I will do the same thing. I need to enjoy doing all my fitness, which will obviously keep on improving my fitness levels and keep persisting until I can eat more on my first bulk mid-February. 8 weeks is a good time, but i could go one more week if I had to. Then I can bulk up till the season, and then recomp through the whole season (March/April-August) so hopefully I can get my body fat down now!

[bccfc92]

Friday 9th December:

11:30am 100g oats, cinnamon, banana, 20g flaxseed and goji berries, water/milk - 675 20gp
1 egg, 2 egg whites - 125 15gp

Apple, grapes - 75

Row - 10 mins, 2350m
Core -
Get ups - 12x8kg, 12x10kg, 12x10kg, 12x10kg
Side raises - 20x20kg x 3 on each side
Medicine ball crunches - 10kgx15 8kgx20 8kgx15 8kgx15
Russian twists - 15x10kg (touching each side) x 3
Leg raises - 10 knees up, 10 feet up x 3
Run (treadmill) - 5km, 12.8kmph-17.5kmph sprint finish 23 ish mins, .8km warm down
Burn 650 calories

Melon fruit tray, apple, 2 clementines, ON strawberry whey protein shake - 300 25g

Sports team circuit - 40/20 secs on/off x 10 exercises x 3, 2 mins in between circuits
Lunges
Press ups
Front planks
Side squat
Slow squat
Side planks
Prone shoulders (swimming)
Crossover lunges
Burpees
High plank walk outs
- Can't remember exact order
Burn 300 calories

Chicken shish salad with humous, clementine - 450 65g

Dog walk - 2.25 miles
Burn 250

Chicken breast, salad, vegetables, grazed on nuts - 750 115g

Apple, hazlenuts - 75 (got hungry at night)

Consumption - 2400 calories
TDEE - 2300+650+250+250 = 3450
1000 deficit

Felt good through the day - probably because I had some extra food yesterday. Persistence comes in here! Need to stop all grazing though in the next 2 days to get into good habits for when I'm properly home for xmas.

[bccfc92]

Saturday 10th December:

11:30 am - (decided to mix it up a little) 3 x wholegrain toast, peanut butter, mashed banana 650 20gp
1 egg, 6 egg whites - 200 30g
2 apples. clementine, nuts - 250 5g,

Gym -
Row - 10 mins warm up, 2350m
Weights -
Front squat - 4 sets, 6x80kg
Forward barbell lunge - 4 sets, 5x85kg
Bench press - 3x82.5kg, 4x80, 5x77.5, 5x75
Chin ups - 8, 6, 5
Bent over barbell row - 10x60kg 10x60 8x60 8x60
Power shrugs - 10x120 x 3 wide grip, x 1 close grip

Then I tried doing sprints, but the treadmill went bust after I was on 20kmph for about 15 secs - cheaper gym means older equipment - only December at home at this gym then gotta sort something else out after I go away. I just ran long instead.

Run - 4 miles in 31 mins ish 7.5mph with 10mph sprint finish

Overall burn 900

Melon fruit tray, ON strawberry protein shake - 200 25g

Chicken salad, veg, apple, peanut butter, blueberries - 500 45g

Dog walk - 2.25 miles
Burn 300

Chicken sheekh kebabs, chicken tikka pieces, lamb chop, bit of roti (wholewheat bread), peanut butter, cheese (shouldn't really have had the extras) and fish - 900, 125g

TDEE - 2350 + 900 + 300 = 3550
Consumption - 2700, 250g protein!
850 calorie deficit

Felt good during the day, great weights session and a decent run. Will do sprints tomorrow i think. Very hungry late at night - never feel too bad during the hours of eating because I eat all my food in about 9 hours intermittent fasting style. Get stricter tomorrow and under 2400 ish quite early before weighing.

[bccfc92]

Meanwhile, I've been reading up on recomping and that sounds a good option to do during the season - eating at maintainance, going to the gym 3 times a week when I can, never a day before a match. Cut to about 79, bulk to 83 including water weight, then recomp through the season for 6 months and get to 83kg, 13% body fat to 10% body fat in 6 months, or whatever I can do. With 75 gym sessions, that seems possible! Plus lots of cardio through playing, practising and the odd run. Could do a little surplus on training days (which could also act as a greater incentive to get to the gym), but a slight deficit when not going to the gym.

[bccfc92]

Weighed myself this morning at got to 85kg which was pleasing. I will post progress pictures from September to today with rough weights and also measurements from September. Will measure again at Christmas time and take my next progress pictures then I think, or on Boxing day probably. Gotta hustle for just 2 and a bit weeks and hopefully get to 83-83.5kg by persisting! Sprints today, not in the mood but going to try and get through it. Hopefully I get to use the big treadmill for it!

[bccfc92]

Sunday 11th December

Got up late because I stayed up late to watch the Amir Khan fight, but wasn't too tired as I have slept well for the last couple of weeks.

12:30pm - 100g oats, milk/water, cinnamon, flaxseed, 2 bananas (one mashed in) - 750 20gp
2 sheekh kebabs, dal (lentils) - 250 30gp
Apple - 50
Blueberries 100

Gym -
Row - 10 mins - 125 burned
Couldn't do proper sprints so improvised with some interval training

5 min warm up 12kmph, 1km
walk
10 mins, 30 secs 17-18kmph, 30 secs 8.5kmph - was hard to change speeds on the old cheap treadmill but worked hard and it was good fitness
walk
10-11 mins on 1% incline, 7x45 secs 17-18kmph, 45 secs 8.5kmph
walk
1 mile jog
5 miles in total - 700 burned

Cycle - 10 mins, 125 burned

+ physio - dumbbell holding shrugs and high rep shrugs with shoulders up and back, rotator cuff stuff by my sides and higher up - 3 sets of everything

Fruit tray, ON strawberry protein shake, apple, clementine, lentils 350 25kg

Chicken breast, salad, veg, wholewheat roti and peanut butter - 450 75kg

Dog walk - 2.25 miles in rain - 300 burned

(Went out for dinner)
6oz Sirloin steak, glazed carrots with parsley, French beans, mixed salad, peas - 600 50g
Lamb chop, nuts - 100 15g

Consumption - 2650, 215g protein
TDEE - 2300 + 125 + 700 + 125 + 300 = 2550
Deficit - 900

[bccfc92]

Off back to uni for 3 days now

Will do cardio before leaving tomorrow, then weights at uni, improvising a little on meals but still a similar plan with lots of protein
Big breakfasts Tuesday and Wednesday with a salad for lunch, some fruit/protein shake in the afternoon and then dinner.

Progress pics up when I find the cable for my phone with rough weights, along with some food pictures and measurements from September that I will compare at the end of cutting. Looking forward to getting past this time till February and look trim, then bulk up a little with a summer recomp while I'm playing... Now is the important time though - losing fat is the hardest part and the results should be good!

I also like to track some tips and motivational ideas/other things to think about to keep me going. One is to think of cutting as not actually being in a calorie deficit because you are using fat stores - you need enough macros for the time being and lots of micros with foods to fill you up and so you have enough energy, but otherwise, your body composition will keep on improving.

I also realised that smell in my urine are ketones from burning fat... bit of a dodgy smell but at least I know i'm doing it right. It shows the importance of having plenty of urine - I have about 5 litres a day.

Supplements wise - I have kept consistent.

[bccfc92]

Gone back to uni for a few days training but forgot to pack the laptop/phone wire so will have to wait till Wednesday night/Thursday before uploading anything. Today, felt like sleeping in so only took the dog on a walk in the morning. then did some cardio in evening after weights while watching the Chelsea vs Man City game.

Monday 12th December

Bircher muesli, bread and peanut butter - 500, 25gp

Dog walk - 3 miles
300 burned

Tuna bean salad, chicken leg, roti (wholewheat nan), peanut butter 750 70g

2 apples, blueberries, banana - 300

Fruit tray - 100

Team weights
A1 back squat - 3 sets. 6x90kg. 6x90kg, 6x95kg Did these last so were tough to do - ran out of time also but will push weights when I do them all on my own over xmas
A2 incline alternative dumbbell press - 3 sets. 6x27.5kg. 6x25kg 8x25kg
B1 barbell reverse lunge - 3 sets. 6x40kg. 6x50kg. 6x40kg. 6x55kg. Pretty tough.
B2 pull-ups - 3 sets. 6, 6, 6, 6 (with help on last 1/2 reps of each). Till failure.
C1 kettlebell side squat - 4 sets. 6x20kg. 6x20kg. 6x24kg. 6x24kg. Harsh on the groins. Struggled with technique a little.
C2 dumbbell push press - 4 sets. 6x22.5kg. 6x22.5kg. 6x25kg. 6x25. Pretty strong and tough on 25s.
Core - 5 in 5 (5 mins, 45 secs on/15 off, bench feet up lowers, Swedish dumbell half get-ups, aleknas, plank to push up position, Russian twists) - PAINFUL by the end!
200 burned

Fruit tray - 100
ON banana cream protein shake 150 30gp

Treadmill - 3 mile jog, walk 2 miles- 650 burned
Cycle - 35 mins - 275 burned
Row - 10 mins - 125 burned
(while watching football/soccer)

Healthy takeaway - steamed veg, piri piri chicken salad (breast), 2 chicken seekh kebabs, peanut butter - 600 80g

TDEE - 2300 + 300 + 200 + 1050 = 3750
Consumption - 2500, 205g

Weird that i started the day wanting to eat but ended up in a bigger calorie deficit after all that cardio while watching sport which makes it so much easier! Might do that more often when there's sport on tele at the gym.
Buffet breakfast tomorrow morning so it will be a big breakfast and I will try and up protein again to 225g.
Didn't do any bent over rows afterwards but it's Christmas next week and my routine will be even more consistent 3 times a week from the end of the week onwards for about 5 weeks pushing weights hard every time.

[bccfc92]

Tuesday 13th December

9:30 - Hotel breakfast (stops at 10)
Scrambled eggs, baked beans, orange segments, 1 wheat biscuit + muesli with milk 1000 - 40gp

Back to sleep

2 apples - 100

1pm - Walk to uni - burn 200

Tuna mayo salad - 500 60gp

Banana - 100

Cricket training - burn 200

Fruit tray, apple - 100

Gym -
6x5 minute runs on 1% incline with 2 mins walking in between - sets 1-4 13kmph, sets 5-6 13kmph, walking rest/toilet break, 5 mins 12kmph warm down - overall 6 miles covered - 825 burned
Cycle - 30 mins, 12km ish, 250 burned
Row - 10 mins, 2300m, 125 burned
Physio
(did a lot to pass the otherwise boring time)

Powerade Zero

Healthy takeaway - steamed veg, 2 chicken seekh kebabs with salad, 2 x piri piri chicken breast salad - 750 120gp
Red Berry Special K bar (was on too big a deficit so went down and bought one!) - 100 calories

Consumption - 2650 consumed, 225g protein
TDEE - 2300 + 200 + 200 + 1200 = 3900!
1250 calorie deficit

Went into high cardio mode and thus got another big calorie deficit in - made up for the slightly lacking weekend but hoping that fat loss is high. Will try and get a 1000 calorie deficit in tomorrow despite travelling home and need to make sure I only have my planned chicken and veg + salad + curried spinach dinner tomorrow.

[bccfc92]

Travelled back home for Christmas for training which turned out to be fitness testing! Came back, did an hour of cardio at the gym. BUT complacency grew and I had a little junk binge with some biscuits which meant I ended up eating at maintenance or just a bit over. Just goes to show that you always need to be determined. The days that I come home from uni always seem to be problematic but that won't happen again for a while now that it's Christmas - now I need to string 11 days of 1000 calorie deficits together before a small Boxing Day carb up with maybe 750 carbs, mostly post-workout with a surplus of maybe 1500 calories max, then get back to it while I'm abroad until another carb up mid-late January and then next thing after that I WILL hopefully be done cutting in early February.

Like last Thursday I won't count calories exactly - probably ate 3700, burned 3600 - might end up being good for my metabolism, I also had 2 alli fat blocker tablets. Now i must push for 11 good days till boxing day.

Wednesday 14th December

Hotel buffet breakfast - same as yesterday with 4 apples - 1200

Uni walk
Chicken salad, banana - 300
Peanut butter - 150

Team fitness assessment - will post up results when I get them but didn't do sprint tests. Bleeped 13.9! But I think I got docked some because I missed the bleep on the last few. 2 rep maxes for front squat and trap bar deadlifts were taken and i won both of those at 95kg and 210kg. Also did max chin ups. Jumps/explosive stuff weren't great and that's what I want to nail as soon as the cut is over before the season.

2x ON banana cream whey protein shake - 250

Melon fruit tray - 50

Cauliflower and pea curry - 200

Gym -
3 mile jog on 7mph
30 min cycle

Spinach and chicken curry with salad - 600

Then - some sweet Italian biscuits, oreos, crisps, bread and peanut butter, malted raisin bread thing

Just over maintenance calories - now need to string 4 days together till Monday then another week before Boxing Day!
Also had 2 powerade 0s in the last 2 days with some salt now - I sweat a lot so the weight of the food/sugary carbs/salt/ water retention today should be completely gone by Monday.

I will weigh again on Monday, by which time all of this mini binge weight will have gone down and hopefully it will show that I have lost plenty of weight again. But until then, I need to eat totally clean/healthy according to the list at the start of the topic - next week I might cut out grains and dairy for a day or two to see what it is like. Instead, i could have 2 bananas, 2 apples with peanut butter and eggs for breakfast but I need to hustle it out until then.

Pictures will also go up as soon as I find the cable - measurements from September seemed to have been lost, but I suppose there's no real need for them as the pictures should give a good picture (unintentional pun!)

[bccfc92]

Right then, the blip yesterday was a build up for complacency and the feeling that I wanted to eat.
I now intend on planning for the next 11 days and making Boxing Day worth it, with a good amount of weight lost.

For the next 4 days, I'll strictly eat: Oats, skimmed milk, flaxseed, eggs, meat/fish (chicken, lamb, beef, cod mainly), fruit (bananas, apples, blueberries, melons, pineapples etc), veg (salad - romaine lettuce, spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, radish etc, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, peas etc)

2250-2500 calories, 1000 + deficits, 4 meals a day - porridge+fruit+eggs, fruit + protein shake, meat/salad, meat/veg/salad

Next week, I will either do this or try completely removing grains and dairy for a day or 2. Maybe 3/4 days of each just to experiment a little.

Weighing/picturing will take place on both of the next Mondays as something to aim to.

2300 calories daily for next 4 days
Thurs 15th - Gym (forward lunges, bench press, bent over rows, push press, calf raises (bodyweight) - all 8-10 rep ranges), row warm up, jogging run, dog walk
Fri 16th - Core, 3 mile jog, circuit, dog walk
Sat 17th - Gym (full body, heavy), row warm up, 4 mile run in 30 mins, dog walk
Sun 18th - 2 mile jog, 20 min row, 30 minute cycle, dog walk

Next week:
Plan on Sunday night - some more intense running on a few days and integrate Christmas programme given by uni team.
Weigh on Monday and get going for a week.

[bccfc92]

Thursday 15th December

Didn't go to plan. My mum made some mince lamb with pea curry (lamb kheema) pretty healthy, but I had some and couldn't stop so had far too much. Not sure how many calories were in it overall but will have to forget today and move on.

100g oats, milk/water, flaxseed, banana
Apple
Mince lamb with peas

Gym
Row - 10 minutes, 2400 ish metres
Weights -
Barbell forward lunge - 8x75 8x75 8x75
Calf raises - 10 each, 10 both x3 on raised platform
Bent over row - 10x60 8x60 7x60
Bench press - 7x75 (failed) 6x70 5x70
Push press - 6x40 6x40 6x40
30 min run on 7kmph - 6km, 1km warm down walk

Blueberries, melon, grapes, ON strawberry protein shake

Mince lamb with peas

Chicken breast, salad, veg

Bread and peanut butter - craved it badly and the day was screwed a little already so thought screw it, not to go overboard though.

Don't know what the calories were, plenty of protein. i am weighing on Monday and if I eat properly in the next 3 days, then i should lose any water weight i previously had as this food and yesterdays junk is digested and sweated away. Pretty annoyed that I started eating it - should have just had some salad with it after going to the gym, as the afternoon/early evening meal but ah well, **** happens.
If I don't know the calories/macros, I shouldn't eat it.
10 days to go, so gotta nail it till the Carb up. Christmas shouldn't be too much of a problem because it's not that big a thing for us. I enjoy it but we don't really have a Christmas dinner so I can wait till Boxing Day which is my last day before going abroad. Hopefully on Monday, I would have still got from 85kg to 84-and-a-bit-kg with 3 good days now.

What's more, I am now just going to go straight into it and cut grains. Breakfast will be fruit and peanut butter with eggs. So now I am going grain and dairy free to see what it is like till Monday, and then reassess if I notice any ill-effects - just fruit, veg, meat, peanut butter (instead of flaxseed previously) and eggs with the same multi-vitamins - just gotta weigh the peanut butter and only have the amount required for breakfast. I need to start my uni essays tomorrow as well so hopefully I can nail this all for 3 days until the weigh in and then for another 7 days.

[bccfc92]

**** it, this clearly isn't working. Guess I'll just have to keep battling it on myself as keeping a log doesn't seem to be working, made some progress while keeping this log but nothing different to before it.