Enough is Enough, Rich is Going To Get Buff!

[Bring it on]

I like the Title. I figure if I start a journal, it will help me on my way. I am about 12 pounds from goal.

This is my third straight week being totally on plan (Atkins) and things are working well. I just have to get my butt to the Gym.

Yesterday-26 net carbs.

A big part of my wanting to get healthy and in shape is 1. For myself.
and 2. For my Wife and Daughter.

I turned 40 in 2008 and I had a sense of urgency hit me.

Thanks Twyla for asking me if I had a journey, you got me to start one!

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

A Man With a Plan!

Go for it, Rich.

[bekki1]

[Bring it on]

Originally Posted by bekki1

Hi Bekki!

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Okay, Rich...............?

Uh, where's the "beef" of this journal?

You're slacking!

[bekki1]

Rich, 2 days and you are MIA?
Where are you buddy? Do I have to track you down or get Twyla after you?

[Bring it on]

No Bekki, LOL. I am OK. I didn't want to post anything until I did something. I hit the gym last night!! Actually Twyla did get my butt in gear. I did the treadmill for 45 minutes. It feels good. My calves were tight. I need to stretch before I do anything. I really want to get into lifting again. The funny thing is afterward I was pretty hungry even though I am very low carb. Tomorrow I hit the weights for the first time in a while.

Twyla had a great idea. The timing of carbs before a workout. I am looking for a good 10 carb snacks for before a workout. So far I have come up with Peanut butter on a crackers or some nuts.

Yesterday I stayed at 27 net carbs.

I am also considering fitday. Do you guys use the free one or did you buy the web based one? A few years ago I bought the software version, but the new one looks amazing. Also can you copy and paste your fitday into here?

Below you will see my hodge podge of a diet. Yesterday was particularly screwy as I got 9 carbs from almonds and peanut butter. Please feel free to pick it apart. Actually, I want you too.

Yes, my vitamin is 3 carbs as it is chewable. When I take e.g. New chapter or any multi it for some reason it bothers my stomach.

I also take fish oil and a folic acid suppliment. Yes I am drinking 3 cups of regular coffee a day hence the 3 carbs.


Wednesday 3/11/09 Net Carbs
B-Coffee w/ Heavy cream 3
Shake 1
almonds 5
vitamins 3

L-arti, olive, lettuce 4
cheese, dress, chicken 2

s-cheese stick 1

D=hamburger, chicken 0
cheese, brocolli 4

s-bacon 0

s-Peanut butter 4
pb8 27


All the nuts and peanut butter I was craving yesterday. A few ours after dinner I was hungry and all I wanted was peanut butter.

It's hard to keep up with Twyla. I look at her workouts and I am amazed and very happy for her.

Hope you guys have a great day!

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Originally Posted by Ricardolowcarbo

No Bekki, LOL. I am OK. I didn't want to post anything until I did something. I hit the gym last night!! Actually Twyla did get my butt in gear. I did the treadmill for 45 minutes. It feels good. My calves were tight. I need to stretch before I do anything. I really want to get into lifting again. The funny thing is afterward I was pretty hungry even though I am very low carb. Tomorrow I hit the weights for the first time in a while.

Twyla had a great idea. The timing of carbs before a workout. I am looking for a good 10 carb snacks for before a workout. So far I have come up with Peanut butter on a crackers or some nuts.

Yesterday I stayed at 27 net carbs.

I am also considering fitday. Do you guys use the free one or did you buy the web based one? A few years ago I bought the software version, but the new one looks amazing. Also can you copy and paste your fitday into here?

Below you will see my hodge podge of a diet. Yesterday was particularly screwy as I got 9 carbs from almonds and peanut butter. Please feel free to pick it apart. Actually, I want you too.

Yes, my vitamin is 3 carbs as it is chewable. When I take e.g. New chapter or any multi it for some reason it bothers my stomach.

I also take fish oil and a folic acid suppliment. Yes I am drinking 3 cups of regular coffee a day hence the 3 carbs.


Wednesday 3/11/09 Net Carbs
B-Coffee w/ Heavy cream 3
Shake 1
almonds 5
vitamins 3

L-arti, olive, lettuce 4
cheese, dress, chicken 2

s-cheese stick 1

D=hamburger, chicken 0
cheese, brocolli 4

s-bacon 0

s-Peanut butter 4
pb8 27


All the nuts and peanut butter I was craving yesterday. A few ours after dinner I was hungry and all I wanted was peanut butter.

It's hard to keep up with Twyla. I look at her workouts and I am amazed and very happy for her.

Hope you guys have a great day!

Rich, for starters, your menu looks low on protein. If you're gonna be working out, you need more protein. Protein with EACH MEAL is going to help your metabolism (thermogenic), build/protect your muscle mass, and balance your satiety. Protein helps to control blood sugar swings, and that will help to control your hunger.

I don't know how many calories you're taking in, and that would be very helpful to know. So yes, definitely open an acct with Fitday, either online, or buy the PC version -- I began online, then bought the PC version and I love it.

Some people feel that tracking our food is obsessive. But IMO, you can't make sense out of what you're doing, you can't make progress, if you don't know where your nutrition is lacking...and nutrition is 80-90% of getting lean.

I know that the hard core low carbers will say to enter in the carbs for your vitamins and supps. I don't. So if you're factoring your carb count to include the supps, clearly you're probably not getting enough fibrous carbs, clean carbs, call it what you will. Yes, every now and then going to VLC a few times a week is very strategic and helpful, but certainly not every day. You will bottom out fast, once you commit to regular weight training.

Congrats on getting to the gym and putting in some time with cardio. Try to strive for no less than 3 x a week with cardio. The weight training is where you'll make your biggest gains and progress....it will most effectively boost your metabolism and build the lean body mass.

A good program for success includes resistance training, aerobic training, and interval training; small frequent meals containing high-quality protein and carbs, low-glycemic carbs; proper supplementation and nutrition -- pre and post workout critical; lots of water (no less than 100 oz daily); and sufficient rest.

These are proven techniques that can transform your body and improve your fitness level. Don't be afraid to eat clean, low-glycemic carbs to fuel your workouts. They're essential for muscle recovery, balanced with lean protein. You want to burn/lose fat; you DO NOT want to lose muscle.

So for starters:

Up your daily protein

Experiment with pre and post-workout carbs, balanced with lean protein

And begin a tracking program to see where you stand currently and to know what changes you need to make to your nutrition.

[little3chordme]

hey rich! love the title. you are so close to goal, i'm very jealous. i use the free fitday, mostly because i'm too cheap to purchase the other one, lol. i like it... i track my food, my weight and measurements. i love seeing the progress in their graphs, but sometimes their food search is difficult to use. i like that you can enter your own foods too and save them, makes it easier in the long run.

[bekki1]

Morning Rich, have a great day.
What are your plans for the weekend?

[Bring it on]

Originally Posted by bekki1

Morning Rich, have a great day.
What are your plans for the weekend?

Bekki,

My plans are to hit the Gym and read my new book, Burn the Fat and Feed the Muscle.

Have a great Weekend!

[Bring it on]

This mornings workout.

Upper body

Chest
Shoulders
Lats
BIs
TRIs

Also reading BFFM.

[bekki1]

I have been thinking about joining a gym but can not justify spending the money. It is expensive. How long have you been working out?

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Originally Posted by Ricardolowcarbo

This mornings workout.

Upper body

Chest
Shoulders
Lats
BIs
TRIs

Also reading BFFM.

Short and to the point.

What else is there to say, right? Hope you're enjoying the read.

[Bring it on]

Yesterday was a very low carb day, <20 As the night before was a high carb night. I am starting to feel better. My weight loss is noticable. People who I haven't seen in 6 months are really seeing the difference.

Now it is time to take those last 10 pounds of fat and switch them out for muscle. My body dimensions are pretty much where I want them to be (with exception of my waist). I need to lose a few more inches there, hence the 10 pounds) and tighten up everywhere else. A lot easier said than done.

I envision my body the way it used to be when I was intensely lifting. It helps me to get motivated now. It will take a while but I am not concerned with the time it will take to get back to that. What is important to me is the the process.

I lifted yesterday for the first time in about 3 months and I am SORE! That's good. My muscles are waking up. If I could send a message to my muscles, it would be " get ready boys!" LOL.

I have been enjoying the book Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle. There is a really good positive aspect to it that I didn't expect. e.g. Goal setting. The way you think about yourself etc.

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Originally Posted by Ricardolowcarbo

I envision my body the way it used to be when I was intensely lifting. It helps me to get motivated now. It will take a while but I am not concerned with the time it will take to get back to that. What is important to me is the the process..............There is a really good positive aspect to it that I didn't expect. e.g. Goal setting. The way you think about yourself etc.

Good. Being visually stimulated
prompts us to keep our eye on the prize.
Goals.

And you're right, it's a process.
Not an overnight, pushbutton, miracle wand.
It's hard work work, but it's worth
every minute of time and effort.

[Glamour P!]

RICH!!!
I missed your post on my thread! How? I don't know. So glad you started a thread! Will have a proper look read thru tomorrow. Am getting a coupla posts in then its the usual watching Damages and then an attempt to sleep for me tonight.
I wish you lots and lots of successes. You're gonna do so great!
G x

[Bring it on]

Wow, I woke up this morning and I am still sore from my saturday workout.
That is typical for my body. If I have been away from the gym for more than a month or so and I lift, I am sore for about 3 days. Typically I recover for an every other day workout. I don't work out through the soreness, I believe in being fully recovered before lifting again.

I forget, at one point I took (I think) L-glutamine which really helped me to recover quickly.


Today looks like it will be a cardio day and a low carb day. I will have to time a snack before my workout.

I have been in this funky stall, the scale has read 172, 174, 173, etc.

[Bring it on]

I just got back from the gym. I tried interval training on the treadmill. I don't know if I did it correctly or not. 5 minute warm up. one minute running, (heart rate up to 140s) 2 minutes brisk walking (heart rate slowly down to 120s. 1 minute running (heart rate up to 140s) brisk walk 2 minutes. I repeated this for 25 minutes. It felt great. I hope I did intervals correctly. All the while I was manually adjusting the treadmill. At first it was funny, I thought that there was a program on the treadmill that was on button that said intervals 1/2 ratio etc etc.

I ate half a handful of almonds on the way to the gym and had a half a handful of almonds on the way home from the gym. When I got home I had 3 oz of baked ham.

My carbs today were approx 22.

I definately have to stretch out my calves and shins.

Thanks T.

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Rich, the party has officially started!

I'm excited for you.

Great job.

Be sure to listen to your body energy wise. If you can hang in there with VLC, I salute you. Go for it. If your workouts suffer, consider adding 5-10 carbs, climbing the ladder, timing your carbs appropriately. Don't be afraid of eating the RIGHT carbs at the RIGHT times.

[Radmom413]

Hi Rich!

Just checkin out your journal - but don't abandon me, the rest of the babes and Jim!

[vfCookie]

Hi Rich.

I use Cardio Coach audio workouts for jogging and biking. Cardio Power Fitness Music | Download Workout | Cardio Music Workouts | Cardio MP3 Downloads for iPods Your intervals looked good to me. The CC workouts are on sale right now. I have all of them and mix and match to make the workout the length and intensity I want, so I highly recommend them.

Well done on the lifting. We want buff pics so that I can start my calendar Mr. (insert favorite month here)

[Bring it on]

Notes to myself:

5 meals a day. 30g protein each.

Dymatize elite butter cream toffee at netrition.

[Bring it on]

Originally Posted by vfCookie

Hi Rich.

I use Cardio Coach audio workouts for jogging and biking. Cardio Power Fitness Music | Download Workout | Cardio Music Workouts | Cardio MP3 Downloads for iPods Your intervals looked good to me. The CC workouts are on sale right now. I have all of them and mix and match to make the workout the length and intensity I want, so I highly recommend them.

Well done on the lifting. We want buff pics so that I can start my calendar Mr. (insert favorite month here)

Thanks for the support Cookie!

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Originally Posted by Ricardolowcarbo

Notes to myself:

5 meals a day. 30g protein each.

Dymatize elite butter cream toffee at netrition.

[COLOR="Green"]The aim is to increase metabolism:

Eat more frequently.

Exercise more.

Build/maintain lean body mass.

A little more protein is probably better, especially during weight loss. The extra protein helps maintain lean mass while fat is being shed.

Drink up![/COLOR]

[Bring it on]

What I learned today is that my BMR= 1714

My TDEE (Total daily energy expenditure) is approximately approximately 2356 if I am working out 1-3 days a week. (lightly active).

Creating a 20% caloric deficit would put me at appoximately 1884 calories a day to lose fat.

If I am moderately active (working out 3 times a week) My TDEE=2656
Creating a 20% deficit would put me at 2,124 calories a day to lose fat.

I am in shock at these numbers. I am almost afraid to eat that much.

I will reluctantly try it with working out.

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Rich, you can always increase incrementally and evaluate your results.

Try eating 300 more cals than you've been eating. Go from there. You can always add more as you feel comfortable.

I'm not too surprised by those numbers actually.

[Bring it on]

T,

To tell you the truth. I don't really know what I have been eating. I have been tracking for the past few days at 1600 or so and I am in a stall. Before that while in Ketosis, I am not sure.

Now that I am working out etc. I am trying to get more protein and Calories.

I didn't see your post until now. Today was:

2,005 calories.

137 G Fat 60%
40 net carbs 10%
142 G Protein 29%

I think I jumped too much on my calories and carbs. I am going to do upper body tonight in a few hours.

Maybe starting tomorrow I will try for 1800 cal for a week and a little less carbs. I am glad I got my protein up with lean Fish, chicken, a shake and some other things.

I feel great though, all day I was a tad hungry. I ordered the Dymatize Butter cream toffee Protein. When I figured out the numbers from BFFM I was surprised but I am working hard so maybe that's where I need to be.

Thanks for your help.

[Bring it on]

Last night was Upper body. Same workout as 3 days ago. I am not really that sore this morning. I guess my first day back at the Gym was an initial shock to the system. This feels normal to me. I will give myself a day or two to recoup and hit the weights again. I need to incorporate my legs, Such a large muscle group to help with the fat burning.

I am sitting here having my coffee with 1tbsp of heavy cream. Thank God for fitday. I was able to see yesterday how the calories from little things really start to add up. With that, I now feel that I can make informed choices. I can't wait for my protein powder to arrive so that I can ensure that I am getting enough protein. Little things excite me now like waiting for my package of Protein to arrive. LOL.

I want to have two gym bags. One ready in my car at all times. Right now my gym bag is empty. Before I leave for work I have to run around and wake everyone up to make sure that I have everything i need. I even rented a locker at the gym. but still. I need to go out and get another gym bag that I can just rotate, so that I can have one in my car at all times.

God, I am starting to ramble.

Positves:

Spring is pretty much here

I am off to a good start

I have great support from my Low carb friends.

oh, I forgot. I was able to get rid of a few belts yesterday because I was down to the last notch. Also, I am down about a 1/2 pound from yesterday morning.

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Rich,

Simple pleasures....like waiting for protein to arrive....I get it!

Good to see you organizing your thoughts and goals. You start with a plan, and every day is a learning process, a continual tweaking of what to do, when to do it, how to eat, when to eat, what to eat, listening to your body, respecting your body. As you get to know what works best for YOUR BODY, those "simple pleasures" will multiply, and suddenly you'll find you're hooked into this whole PROJECT ME thing. You're well on your way.

It's the healthiest addiction you'll ever have.

Congrats on the 1/2 loss.