Aug 10 2008
Day 50
This week is a good example of why weighing ourselves isn’t always a reliable measure of progress. When I hit the scales this morning I was really disappointed as I weighed the same as I did last week. However, when I started taking body fat pinches, measuring body parts, etc. it was clear that my body fat percentage was still going down. So I had lost fat and gained lean body mass at the same time.
This week my key statistics are:
- Weight: 12 st. 12.5 lbs. (180.5 lbs.) – exactly the same as last week
- Body fat thigh pinch reduction of 4mm (22mm down to 18mm)
- Body fat chest pinch reduction of 2mm (25mm down to 23mm)
- Body fat: 23.75% (down from 25.3% last week)
- Waist reduction of 0.5 inches from both navel and belt.
- Lean mass increase of 2.8 pounds and a fat loss of 2.8 pounds
I can believe the fat loss of 2.8 pounds as I have been consistently losing fat every week. I don’t believe that I have added 2.8 pounds of muscle though. What I think has happened is that as I have been ‘taxed’ by my runs this week I haven’t been doing 15 minutes of exercise each morning and I haven’t done a full week or resistance exercise either. This has given my muscles a chance to ‘recover’ and to take on some glycogen, which in turn requires water, and my muscles are heavier due to them being more full of energy.
After a full week of exercise I would expect a lot of this ‘additional’ lean weight to reduce as the muscles once again run out of energy and, combined with the low calorie diet, don’t get full again. I don’t want to perpetually live in a state of low energy in the muscles but as part of losing body fat it seems to be working right now. I look forward to being able to fill my muscles with energy again once I get to single digit body fat percentage.
I was right about listening to my body yesterday as I have woken up with a sore throat this morning. My body must have known it under attack and prevented me from draining its resources.
Late afternoon I went for my third run. I was pleased that I was able to run the whole mile of the old railway track in one direction, walk for a minute or so, and then run the whole way back again. So I managed to do the run in two goes rather than the seven or eight that it took me last time. I was running a bit slower today which may have contributed to the greater endurance. While I was running I remembered reading ‘Slow Burn’ by Stu Mittleman a year ago and he said that in order run long endurance he needs to run at a pace he can sustain indefinitely. I know two miles is hardly indefinitely but it is a long way for me right now.
After the run I went on the Bowflex for a resistance workout. I still don’t feel as strong as I did. I need to find out why this is but when I start a new cycle of training I think I will lower the weights and start working up from there again. I was making great progress over the first 6 weeks and the progress appears to have stopped.
Once again I am pleased with the reduction in my torso when viewed from the side. I think I am starting to look quite different now. There are lots of little subtle changes that make me smile. Looking at this photograph is going to be the once that keeps me going to the end of the project.
Although I still have big bulges at the sides my posture looks a whole lot more comfortable now. There is something more ‘balanced’ about the picture on the right.
My back looks a completely different shape also. The skin tone looks improved and the whole shape of the upper back and shoulders look leaner and more balanced.
I am not trying to kid myself. I know I still have a long way to go to get to a single digit body fat percentage. It isn’t going to happen in Phase 1 but will almost certainly happen in Phase 2.
When challenged with the two options of losing fat or building muscle I must remind myself that Phase 1 and Phase 2 are all about losing fat. I need to keep what little muscle I already have but LOSING FAT is the priority. Once I have achieved the ripped look I can then eat and train to gain additional muscle.
Health is the primary aim of this project so losing fat and eating healthily has to be a priority.