Mental and Physical Recovery Log

[StrongAt45]

101kg now. Have been on and off crutches, ill again, and generally had no time to workout. Trying to find time but it's so tough with a little one, work stress and house stuff.

I have a date for my ankle surgery, and that'll rule out any weight bearing exercise for the whole of August.

I will at least have the whole of winter to strengthen and get my ankle back to fully functional (assuming this op cures the pain).

Hey Cbrit, i read through your logs, and i too went through something like you did for sometime, and it just yoyoed all over for me too. weight goes up when i eat lunch, or skip a run - the guilt that comes with that... I was tired, and hungry all the time. The more I exercised, the more i wanna eat. Worse still, a few years back, while trying to lift heavy, i tore my shoulder muscle and cant lift anymore. Now I even have trouble sleeping on my side. Now, i have ballooned due to excessive drinking during the covid period. I was like f*** this ****, i cant do this no more, and so i stopped. I thought to my self, i have to calm down and think things through. am i not doing enough or am i just crap destined to be fat?

Luckily i chanced upon Dr Fung on you tube and his advice on how obesity is all about your hormones and whatever we do affects these hormones.

I have resorted to the other way to lose the weight - which is to move less, and eat even lesser (almost nothing). The kilos started to fly off and actually i feel great. And most importantly, i think i can sustain this for sometime to get the weight off easily. Check for water fasting on youtube..you might wanna consider it. I eased into it, ate a bit lesser, skipped a meal here and there, went to one meal a day, after a few weeks, i started to do longer periods between meals.

I realized that finally, what i did was wrong previously. Calm down, think things through and research a bit.

[CBRIT89]

I'll read up, but it's not in my genetics to be overweight. My "normal" weight before having an eating disorder was 12 stone / 168lbs. Then cancer, illness, eating disorder etc has had me closer to 190-225 for the majority of the last 3 years.

Still 101kg today. Eating at a slight deficit, and focusing on high protein consumption. Plus, having 4g/day of creatine.

Workout program I'm doing has just finished intro week. Now it's 12 weeks of workouts 3x a week. I'm also cycling to work twice a week.

[StrongAt45]

I'll read up, but it's not in my genetics to be overweight. My "normal" weight before having an eating disorder was 12 stone / 168lbs. Then cancer, illness, eating disorder etc has had me closer to 190-225 for the majority of the last 3 years.

Still 101kg today. Eating at a slight deficit, and focusing on high protein consumption. Plus, having 4g/day of creatine.

Workout program I'm doing has just finished intro week. Now it's 12 weeks of workouts 3x a week. I'm also cycling to work twice a week.

Years ago, i did what you are doing now, exercise and eat less. A guy here said eat less and move more. So i did just that. I basically just ate diabetic bread all day, it comes up to about 1000 cals a day. No prep needed, and the macros was just perfect though it was a bit low on the fat side which i supplemented with eggs. And i did exercise daily. All sorts of weights and cardio. I cant do that now, cos of my torn muscle and probably because i grew older. I tried to go back to doing that, but the weight doesn't come off, and i keep getting hungrier and tired. Well, if it works for you, which is the most important thing, then go for it. At the end, you just need to be happy.

A side note, i also read that fasting is good for cancer patients as the cancer cells cannot survive the fast. Please do look into it.

[CBRIT89]

32 miles on the bike today. Smashed a pizza tonight to get calories back in me. At negative 400 today, which is ideal as tomorrow I will be eating out for lunch.

[StrongAt45]

I bought a ketone blood meter and i found it to be a useful tool. It measures the ketones in our blood and lets us know if we are using any fat or not. Of course if you have a high fat meal, then the ketones are up too. But it's a great way to track if there is any fat being burned. Its not too expensive (I got FreeStyle Optimum Neo Glucometer Ketone Meter Monitor System for about 40 USD that came with 10 free test strips) though the test strips are costly i feel (it's about 2 to 2.5 usd per test for me). I feel that i can observe what i am doing and if that triggers fat loss and that should show in the blood rather than to keep at doing something, not knowing if it burns any fat. Some people uses it for glucose measurement as well, as they calculate their glucose/ketone ratio in their blood. Especially if you are on a keto diet. If you workout and don't eat carbs, then your glucose level should be low. But the downside of it all is that if you eat fats, then the ketone meter will also reflect that since it wont distinguish between body fat or dietary fat. But anyway, I found it useful, so i suggest it! I hope all goes well for you!

[CBRIT89]

Sub 101kg for the first time in a while.

Feeling really good today, and intake has been 140g protein / 2000 calories. Hit the weights again today.

I'll be cycle commuting tomorrow, so aiming to eat around 2700 calories given I will burn off 500 on the commute, and normally go on a lunchtime walk. 2200 calories net on a cardio day is normally a good amount for me.

Wednesday will be another weights workout. I'm thinking about a boxing session on Thursday, cycling on Friday, and weights again Saturday.

[CBRIT89]

100kg on the dot today. Very happy with that! I have 54 days until my Op, so I figure I can lose 4kg in that time and weigh in somewhere around 96kg come the Op, and then it'll be a case of modified workouts until I am back on my feet.

Cycled yesterday as planned - 20 miles total.
Weights today - leg day, which sucked, but it's done now.

Boxing Thursday
Cycling Friday
Weights Saturday
Rest Sunday

[StrongAt45]

100kg on the dot today. Very happy with that! I have 54 days until my Op, so I figure I can lose 4kg in that time and weigh in somewhere around 96kg come the Op, and then it'll be a case of modified workouts until I am back on my feet.

Cycled yesterday as planned - 20 miles total.
Weights today - leg day, which sucked, but it's done now.

Boxing Thursday
Cycling Friday
Weights Saturday
Rest Sunday

Very good sir! I hope you get under 100kg very soon, push for it, it's a milestone!
Boxing is great exercise isn't it? I wished i can box. My apt is small, haven't got a place to hang a bag. only boxing i can do is just boxing in the air Thought of joining a gym, but i know i wont like it.

[CBRIT89]

Boxing done:

10 x 3 minute rounds w/ 1 minute rest.
1369 punches thrown.
Average HR of 138

My punch speed and power are pretty crap - Speed 18kph and power of 10.5g - so I will be working on that going forwards.

Today I weighed in at.... 99.85kg! Sub 100kg for the first time in about 4 months!

I'm treating myself to a steak tonight. I've earned it.

[CBRIT89]

Weighing in consistently under 100kg now - I was 99.35kg today.

I have 46 days left until my operation. Just over 6 weeks. Changing target slightly, but I would love to see 96.x by the day of the surgery.

I don't want to start maingaining or a lean bulk until I am back at 84-86kg, or winter kicks in and I do less cardio and more weights.... Timing is everything here.

[CBRIT89]

44 days until the op. Weighing in at the low 99's.

Shooting for 96kg by Op day.

This week:

Monday - Weights
Tuesday - 30 miles of cycling
Wednesday - Weights
Thursday - 30 miles of cycling
Friday - Weights
Saturday - Boxing

[StrongAt45]

Hey cbrit, whatever you are doing seems to working for you! Keep it up, you'll get there!

[CBRIT89]

98.4kg - lowest weight in 4 months or so.

I'm really cautious with my lifts as I have necrosis of the shoulder, and I don't want to antagonise the area and risk a shoulder replacement.... However.... My lifts are still going up or staying the same.

Hitting my protein goals every day, eating slightly under or at maintenance every day, working out with cardio 2-3 days a week, and strength 3 days a week.

I feel really good right now, which is a relief after I was mentally struggling with the eating and desire to binge last week.

[CBRIT89]

I've had a bit of a setback today. I had a decent bike ride before work - 25 miles - and then 8 miles home, but I've irritated my ankle and have a very uncomfortable lower back.

As per previous entries, my ankle is borderline FUBAR, so it's not hard to end up suffering. My back has also been as issue since hurting it in my Teens.

Hoping I wake up feeling better tomorrow, as I have a workout to do in the gym...

98.35 this morning. I'll be 98 something again when I wake up.

Until it says 97, I don't give a damn. I just want to see movement on the big numbers.

[CBRIT89]

97.2kg today. It's been a good week.

Saturday - Boxing
Sunday - Cycling
Monday - Weights
Tuesday - Cycling, Rowing
Wednesday - Weights
Thursday - Weights

Not a great weekend ahead tho:

Friday - away with work
Saturday - away with work
Sunday - childcare and family BBQ

I will be doing bodyweight workouts in the hotel on Friday and Saturday - just pressups, planks, situps. Anything to keep myself active, because I will be in a car for 5 hours each day, and limited in what I can get to eat.

[CBRIT89]

Well, it was inevitable. Socialising at work led to eating and drinking way more than I should have done, and I was probably 10,000 calories over my allowance for Friday and Saturday.

I'm not going to try and reduce calories this week to rush it back off. I'm just going to stick to the plan that was working. 300-500 calories down each day, and just be patient whilst working out hard.

I did a hilly 36 miles today on the bike, and loved it. I was home by 8.30am which was even better. Burned close to 1000 calories, have eaten 650 back so far.

-350 for the day, off to a BBQ now. Will be on best behaviour to make sure I'm eating the right things, but also enjoying myself.

[CBRIT89]

I'm 6 days out from my ankle operation now. It's so close, but they can be cancelled at a moment's notice, so I'm still nervous - I might get covid, the doctor might, there might be another emergency that causes cancellation etc.

Also, I'm starting a YouTube channel, because I've always wanted to, and it's the first step towards a bigger goal of setting up a charity.

It's fitness based, so my journey will be going on there as well as here.

[CBRIT89]

Operation in 12 hours or so.

If I don't post again, things went south badly.

Hopefully this is the final step to solving my physical issues left over from cancer.

[CBRIT89]

Seems to have gone well. They've removed some bone, shaved some other bone on the tib, fib and talus. Cleaned up where they could, and stitched me back together.

In a boot for the next two weeks, at which point the stitches will be removed, and then it's physio and another 6 weeks until I am hopefully signed off.

[CBRIT89]

Was in the gym today for a light session. No weight on the bar, just overhead pressing, benching and curls. Simple.

[CBRIT89]

No workouts today. Started my physio on my ankle, but it's so swollen that movement is really limited.

Not weighed in. Not going to until I get off crutches. That's my starting point.

[CBRIT89]

Not weighed in. Not going to until I get off crutches.

I weighed in today as I feel like I am losing a lot of muscle in my legs. I'm 96.7kg today, and was 97.7kg the day of my Op.

My eating has certainly not been at a deficit over the last week, so it looks like I am losing leg muscle.

Still a week until I will be off of crutches, and it may be longer considering there is still a significant level of swelling.

[CBRIT89]

Still really bad swelling. Still not working out properly.

I'm so miserable. This is really beginning to impact me quite badly.

I don't think I've gone 10 days without exercising since I had covid back in May 2019, and the last time before that was probably when I had my hip replaced over a decade ago.

[CBRIT89]

Since my last post 5 days back, I have really turned a corner.

My ankle flexibility has improved significantly when pushing toes away. When bringing back towards my knee, it's still knackered, but I am trying to get there - it'll be part of the physio I start on Friday I am sure.

I'm walking without the boot and without crutches now - a little limp and a struggle on stairs as I can't go knee over toe, but I can see improvements in the last 72 hours.

I have a **** tonne of free supplements arriving tomorrow, and I will restart my fitness and weight loss journey with a serious approach. It's going to start with a cycle commute, an attempt at hitting the gym for some rehab, and then a ride home.

Not bad for 15 days post surgery!

[CBRIT89]

26 miles total on the bike this week, which I'm thrilled with considering I am not even 3 weeks post surgery.

I'll get more cycling in next week as I commute to the office on Wednesday.

Intention is also to swim next week on Tuesday, which will be my first proper swim in 2 years. Absolutely mad considering I was swimming 6km non stop for weekends, and smashing sprint training in the week. I felt so fit, but I know I'll be a wreck next session.

Weight is 96.5kg today, which means over 10kg lost so far.

I'd like to get rid of another 10kg, but I'll be restarting creatine and maingaining over winter so it'll likely be next summer that I'm where I want to be.

[CBRIT89]

I wasn't able to make swimming work, so I hit the gym today instead.

Weigh in today: 95.95kg.

I'm sub 96kg and down over 11kg from the 107kg high. It's nice to have single figure weight loss required now, as my cutting aim is 86kg, so I only need another 9.95kg to go!

Sure, I'll wake up tomorrow and find I'm over 96kg again, but the mental positivity of being under 10kg away is massive for me.

It's been really hard knowing that there was 20kg to go, 18kg to go, 15kg to go... Knowing that it's always months and months away was demoralising.

I'd love to start 2023 at 86kg or below. I've got 16 weeks until Christmas. I can definitely lose than 10kg between now and then.

[CBRIT89]

I was 96kg last weigh in for this thread. I've been unwell with a severe chest infection for the last 6 weeks, and not trained. I've just been unable to do anything because of my breathing issues.

That means I'm weighing in at 97.5kg today. I had a binge episodes that lasted about 8 days, but I am back on it now. The reason for that was definitely emotional, and because of the frustration at being unwell.

I'm not setting any goals between now and new year, but am instead just looking for 88kg by April 2023.

Physical goals are hyrox in the second half of the year, which is going to take a lot of my focus - I want to go there in the best condition possible.

[CBRIT89]

97.1kg today

2000 calories for the last 3 days, since I am not actually doing anything physical beyond 4000 steps per day.

Finally on antibiotics to sort this chest infection. Week long course, so hopefully I'll be feeling good enough to start exercising come Monday.

[CBRIT89]

96.2kg today.

I joined a gym yesterday, which sucks as I have a home gym, but it's too cold to use right now. I'll use this gym until March, then freeze membership April-May-June, and restart in July when I get closer to my hyrox event and want to start doing more specific training.

I've been doing sled pushes, rowing, jogging and ski-erg training so far, and trying to make it circuit/interval style. 5-10 minutes on each machine and then move on.

Right now I'm all about the weight loss. I'm not so fussed about the lifting weights part right now - my cardio fitness is so crap right now after 3 years of busted ankle, and I really want to get that back.

I can hit the weights in February/March on a recomp, and then hard from July onwards for Hyrox strength ahead of October.

[CBRIT89]

Hit the gym again today, with a 2km non stop run at 6:00/km or 10 minutes /mile pace. That's not fast, and it's not far, but it's been 3 years since I last ran and I'm still recovering from my ankle surgery - I'm going to build slowly for this.

Also did a 2km row (8 minutes), a 4:35 for 1km on the Ski Erg, and some 20kg dumbbell carries - all building towards my Hyrox debut.

Then came the sled push, which unfortunately was only 35kg for 4x10 minutes before I had an asthma attack and decided to quit my workout.

Unsure what that means, or why it triggered.