Fighting the Apple

Bulking up?

Hello Diary.

I haven't been here for over a week, but I'll keep checking in from time to time.

I haven't been trying to loose weight since I hit my target a few weeks ago, but rather, increase it! I'm trying to bulk up a little, and as part of my plan, I have been eating more, eating 5 - 6 times every day, and eating more protein. I go to the gym around 5 times per week, including around 3 weight training sessions, and at least 2 cardio sessions. I'm also still dog walking of course (thats the long term commitment that I hope will help keep me fit), and doing some home-exercising, and recreational cycling. Except for my back pain, feeling fit is great!.

I have to be careful though, because I still have my back problems. My doctor has put me on a course of anti-inflammatories, and signed me off work for two weeks. I have had to give up Tai Chi for a while, as it agitated my back pain. I'm probably going to give up the naturopath treatment soon, as its not improving my back pain. I also weight train only with the weight machines at the moment, as I don't trust free weights (or some weight machines) with my back pain - and I can't use the rowing machine. Still, I'm not going to let it stop me completely! One thing that I have learnt from my weight loss, is to believe, and not to create obstacles.

Typical day's diet for me now is:

meal 1: Porridge oats with honey
meal 2: hard boiled egg sandwich/es with w/m bread. Or maybe canned fish, chicken breast meat, or even low fat peanut butter. I'm going to buy some dried semi skimmed milk powder and start making my own protein shakes. Maybe a fruit juice.
meal 3: Lean steak or chicken breast and tomato sandwich/es or, maybe can of sardines, some fruit, an apple. Maybe some beans. Glass of goat's milk.
meal 4: Chicken breast or tuna/salmon, etc salad . Sometimes some beans, bell peppers, Maybe with a little wholegrain pasta, a few boiled potatos, or wild rice.
meal 5: low fat yoghurt, fruit, mixed nuts and 3 seed mix, maybe glass of goats or semi skimmed cows milk. Sometimes a packet of beef jerky.

I also snack a little more, on things such as fruit, cereal/fruit bars, olives, beef jerky, peanut butter, etc. I still drink some red wine, and sometimes have a few beers with friends - but in moderation. I still try to have a nice tomato and/or apple each day, and make sure that I have at least my 'five portions' of fresh fruit and/or veg per day.

I do worry that I might be eating too much. On this weeks weigh in, I scored 148.5 pounds! An increase of three pounds! I am keeping an eye also on my waist line, and on my gym performance. Sometimes, I do feel 'fat'. Its all an experiment, if it goes wrong, I'll revert to a weight loss plan. The main thing is that I am still eating healthy - and still learning about nutrition.
 
Last edited:
Yesterday was resistance weight training, so today:

Nice cardio workout at the gym today: bike for 5 mins, then elliptical crosstrainer for 25 mins, ran 2.2 miles in 20 minutes on the treadmill, a few sets of crunches, finished off with another 5 mins on a bike. The machines guestimated that I burnt off somewhere between 500 and 600 kcals...

Then I was a lil naughty, had Hoisin duck tortilla wraps, around 400 kcals ;)

Hmmmm might go out for a few beers later...
 
Well... I kept away from the pub at least... but I have today eaten:

Porridge oats with added almonds and honey
An egg white with a glass of goats milk
a banana!
Those shameful Hoisin duck tortilla wraps and a pack of beef jerky.
A little chicken and turkey, and an apple. A glass of fruit juice.
Organic beef steak, grilled outdoors, with a salad, inc' a nice tomato. Followed by a low fat fruit yoghurt.
Finally, some low fat yoghurt with added cashews, walnuts, and 3 seed mix.

Mrs Ferret bought a new set of smart digital scales today. I had to program it, and it uses electrical resistance to measure your body fat percentage, as well as your BMI, and your weight! It does measure 2 pounds heavier than our old scales, so I'm going to adjust my weight to the new scales - I believe that they are more accurate than our old scales anyway.
 
Last edited:
Wow, Toothless. I have not checked up on you since you first started and you have already reached your goal. Congratulations! What an inspiration you are.
 
Thanks Pineola! I actually reached my target weight two weeks ago - 147 pounds, but its not the end of any road for me, in fact, the new direction is just as difficult. Maybe I shouldn't continue to post a diary here, as I'm not presently targeting weight loss, but I will be targeting my body fat percentage again sometime in the near future, as I still have a lot of flab to combat around my belly.

I'm still learning more about nutrition and fitness. As I approached my target weight, I realised that losing weight fast - especially by cutting calories, and even with using cardio exercise, eats muscle quicker than it eats body fat. One body fitness expert called it the skinny fat man phenomena.

I don't regret losing weight at all, but I now want to go through a period of building up muscle by using cardio and resistance training at the gym, while eating a diet aimed at building muscle ie. lots of protein. Funny thing is, a few extra pounds, and eating so much meat and so often (5 or 6 meals per day) - I keep feeling really fat! I have to tell myself that its in my mind. Later, I will cut again to reduce a bit more body fat.

Its not that I expect to become Charles Atlas, but losing weight and becoming more active has given me a bit of a fitness bug - I really love the challenge of running and lifting, and I believe that I have a long way to go yet.
 
I feel as though I ate too much yesterday:

porridge oats with almonds and honey
chicken sandwiches and an apple
protein shake
apricots and a satsuma
A salad with both a rump steak and a chicken breast
Low fat yoghurt with walnuts, cashew nuts and 3 seed mix
beef jerky

Writing it down, it doesnt seem so much - maybe a little greedy with the meat during the evening. I could have missed out on the beef jerky or one of the salad meats.

Exercise: Today is targeted for cardio. Normally these days, I do it in the gym on the treadmill, crosstrainer, and bike. However, the weather has finally cooled down, so as soon as my porridge has settled down, I'm off to the forest for a proper outdoors run/jog.
 
I did the jog - first time that I have run outdoors for weeks (although I do my hamster thing on the gym treadmill a couple of times per week or more) - AND IT WAS GREAT!

Despite a 10 minute heavy shower, I ran a three mile trail in Thetford Forest, from forest rides to trails sneaking through pine compartments, and I only took a few short slowdowns to catch my breath - I ran like the wind! Ok, maybe thats a slight exaggeration, but the point is - I enjoy running - its my new lifestyle, my new body can do this - my old one couldnt.

Food? I had my usual porridge oats, almonds and honey earlier, and had my cheapo homemade protein shake straight after the run.

I took the kids on the train to the City to do some shopping. Lots of walking and shopping. I had a baked potato with beans, a rollmop (do Americans or Canadians have this? Its a herring fish - meat, skin and all, wrapped around pickled onions) and water.

Then I succumbed to a (this is awful) salted pretzal. I bought it for my boy, but he didnt want it - I am going to burn in fitness hell...

Even worse - I really might go to the pub in a little while for a beer...
 
Last edited:
Cottage cheese and Strength Training.

Breakfast - usual porridge oats, almonds and honey.
Morning exercises and stretches - 5 sets of 8 crunches as usual.
Dog walking twice today - I sure got in my 10,000 steps today.

I have discovered a new food love - low fat cottage cheese. Bought a bigger pot of it and have added it to my protein menu. Today I had steamed tuna steaks, yellow bell pepper, tomatos, cottage cheese sandwich (w/m bread), home made el cheapo protein shake (after gym), mixed fresh fruit, mixed nuts and seeds, an apple, fresh onion... I'm going to have an two egg whites and more cottage cheese as my 5th meal later, and maybe a little low fat yoghurt.

Strength training day at the gym! I'm enjoying the weight machines as much as I enjoy cardio and running. I would love to try free weights, but I dare not for my bad back. As it was, I managed to agitate it on the resistance machines today :( Other than the bad back - it was a good session!
 
Last edited:
Confession - I drank two and a half pints of Portuguese cerveja, followed by a single measure of whisky.... I am a sinner...
Click to expand...

omg - that made me laugh!
You and me both TF!

I swear, I get together with my girlfriends for camping or book clubs, and the alcohol starts pouring...and ohhh, there goes resolve ;)

I've had to seriously think about your post, and you're right, resistance training is a must, I have to start including that into my routine sooner then I thought.

Good for you for reaching your target weight goal and even better on your new goal of fitness & a better body!
 
Thanks M2M!

As I understand it - strength training is a good way of finishing off - or maybe the next step in getting what I want. Losing weight quickly by cutting diet, maybe even with cardio, doesn't build a lot of muscle - and most probably burns it. I got down to my target weight - but still have this 'middle age spread' thing. If I had carried on cutting, then I think that I would have become a weak wimp before I lost the last excess body fat. So I stepped up food, protein, and meals, and more strength training. I strength train three times per week, and cardio (in the gym or outside jogging) two to three times per week. I look forward to exercise - its quality time for myself!

Anyway, today is my weigh in day

I have been eating like a ruddy pig all week - 5 or 6 meals per day, lots of meat and dairy, but surprise surprise - using two different sets of digital scales twice, one with Bioelectrical Impedance body fat programming:

146 IB / 66 kg
BMI 22.1
Body Fat Percentage 20.7

I lost a pound! I was supposed to gain this week - oh well.... ;)
 
Last edited:
OK - those 5-6 meals a day are either really good, really low, or all that strength training is keeping you losing!

I also share your sentiments, that excercise is my quality time - I NEVER would have thought it ;)
 
Because my back pain was bad, I made yesterday a relaxation day - no exercise at all! However, I did have to manage 14 screaming hyper kids at my daughter's 12th birthday party, so I still had my work cut out!

My back hurts less this morning, and I am officially on holiday now - so, as soon as I get a chance - its off to the gym today :)

I did my morning stretches and exercises, including 48 crunches.
 
Hmmmmm I just had an egg white stuffed and covered with low fat cottage cheese, a slice of wholemeal bread, a slice of turkey, a little grated raw beetroot/carrot, a glass of semi skimmed goats milk .... and four squares of organic dark chocolate .... Hmmmm

Better get off to that gym now!
 
Yee hee... strength training for over an hour at the gym. Slowly increasing those weights - at 7 or 8 reps in a set. I followed it by a quick swim in the sports pool. I only swam 10 lengths breast stroke - but it was hell with the shool holidays...
 
Phew!

What a busy day!

Walked the dog two miles.

Then went to Gym. Today was Cardio Day. 10 minutes on the exercise bike, 20 minutes on the treadmill - ran a virtual 2.2 miles 8.5 mph with a few slow downs. 40 crunches, and then the grand finale - 35 minutes on the epeliptic cross trainer. Between the cross trainer and treadmill, I burnt off an alleged 600 plus kcals!

Then I took Edward swimming. Edward is our special son - he is severely disabled, with cerebral palsy, epilepsy, severe development delay, microcephaly - you name it. edward is 8 years old. I took him on my own, so was unable to do any laps - edward clings onto my kneck, gripping me with his powerful left arm - giving me a super hug and kiss every few minutes. anyway, exercise maybe - fun yes!

... and I still have to take the dog out for another walk yet!

As for food - I have cottage cheese coming out of my ears!
 
Exercises in the morning including 48 crunches.

Two approx 2 mile dog walks through the day.

Strength training at the gym for 90 minutes.

Food - chicken breast and cottage cheese coming out of my ears...
 
Awesome job you're doing! I finally found my way into your diary! :D

Keep up the great work, you're an inspiration. I've been thinking of getting a dog, my daughter and I want a pug....that'll force me to get more walking in!
 
Thanks Daye!

Buying a husky was perhaps a little extreme - but he doesn't let me sit down for too long

Today was a Cardio Day - ran 2.2 miles on the treadmill for 20 minutes, 10 minutes on the bike, 25 minutes on the eliptic cross trainer. I always feel more burnt in a 'fit' way after cardio compared with strength training. The machines reckoned that I burnt off 546 kcals...

At the moment, I feel that building muscle and fitness is more frustrating than losing weight. With losing weight - you see the results on a set of scales every week. I suppose that I am lifting heavier weights gradually, but it doesnt seem so well ... as though I am getting as much result as when I was losing weight. I guess that I am really - I think that I lost a fair bit of muscle mass from losing weight so fast.

I just had a lovely post workout meal - lean rump steak, a yellow bell pepper, grated raw beetroot and carrot, and some green olives - quality!
 
Last edited:
Todays exercise:

2 dog walks - 2 - 3 miles each.
Warm ups, 48 crunches
70 minutes at the gym doing cardio (last post).

Food:

wholewheat muesli
low fat cottage cheese sandwich (w/m bread). Grape juice. a tomato.
glass of milk, a banana.
rump steak, a yellow bell pepper, grated raw beetroot and carrot, and green olives.
two loins of steamed cod fish, mixed leaf, cottage cheese, asparagus, a pickled beetroot, almonds. A low fat fruit yoghurt.

I might have an egg white or two, with some cottage cheese later. Well, maybe.

Drink:

Three cups of green tea during the morning, plus the above mentioned grape juice and milk. Water during the afternoon and evening.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top