3rd Cleanse plus cardio equals massive results

Yesterday was my third cleanse day and day 21 of the program. I decided that since my body was in a state of burning body fat I might as well take advantage of it and do some cardio. I faced the chilling cold with a 10km jog and couldn't believe it this morning to see I was almost 3 pounds lighter. So far I'm down 20.4 pounds since I started and I feel great! I'm only 7 pounds away from my 2012 goal. Can't wait to see what the final week will bring!

Day 17 - Tired, but it's my own fault

Monday and Tuesday were awesome with 2 workouts each day and sticking hard to the program. Had an awesome dinner with salad and bbq shrimp last night. However, the extra workouts and going to bed late because of renovating I'm doing in the basement is finally taking its toll. I got to the gym this morning and just couldn't work out. I got through some squats and lunges and just quit. Tonight I'll get to bed early and get motivated for the gym again. Anyhow, I'm down to 197 (16 pounds lost) and still going strong.

Second Cleanse Day

Today was tough. Not having any solid food while cooking for the kids was not easy. Right now, they're eating popcorn while watching a movie and my mouth is watering. I just have to keep in mind all the weight I dropped on my last cleanse day. I'm looking forward to the end of the program and going on maintenance, which will include a cheat day (Friday evening) where I will apologetically eat whatever I want. I'm already planning my first which will include beer, bacon, pizza, chips just for starters.

Getting tired of the shakes...

I'm usually a fan of protein shakes, but I usually add berries, a touch of olive oil and use skim milk instead of water. I accidentally used skim milk in my IsaLean shake the other day and it tasted great. Definitely how I'll prepare it when I'm on maintenance. Right now, they taste little more than like cardboard with a hint of vanilla or chocolate when I use water to mix them. I'm getting really creative at dinner. All main courses are salads with whatever meat we're having chopped up in it and then I usually add berries, almonds, and anything else nutritious that I can find. The continued dropping of pounds is keeping me motivated, but I am looking forward to the end of the 30 days and working on a maintenance schedule that includes food with some real flavor.

10 POUNDS in 8 DAYS

I had to do a double take on the scale. Really? 10 pounds? The cleanse day really did the trick. Just took my measurements and you might be able to fool the scale, but not the measuring tape. 1/2 inch off the neck, 2.5 inches off the waist and 1 inch off the butt. I can't believe I still have 22 days to go. At this rate, I'm not only going to hit my goal of getting under 100 pounds, I might hit my new year's goal of 185...which I haven't seen in over a decade. Maybe I will sign up for the marathon again this summer since I won't be carrying such a heavy load. Oh yeah, here's a comparison of beginning gut and day 8 gut.

1st Cleanse Day - Not a great day

First off, I wasn't hungry all day which was about the only real positive. We went out to brunch and even made a gingerbread house this afternoon and at neither time did I want to cheat and stuff something into my mouth. On the other hand, my mood was not the best. I was pretty grumpy and was very short tempered with my kids when they were acting out. I don't have a lot of energy and look forward to having a real dinner tomorrow. Anyhow, staying strong and looking forward to taking my measurements tomorrow morning.

Cheated...Damnit

Had a Timmy's Extra Large Double Double today. Was buying construction supplies at Home Depot and my hired help wanted a coffee from Tim's. Thought, "What the heck. It's freezing out." Anyhow, tasted awesome, warmed my hands and my tummy, and didn't throw me off the program. Skipped one of my morning snacks and am still motivated. Big Cleanse Day tomorrow!

Saturday - Woke up to a pleasant surprise

Stepped on the scale this morning and couldn't believe the number - 206.4. That means that in less than a week, I've dropped 7.5 lbs. I'll keep thinking of that number to keep me honest and stick to the program over the weekend. Tomorrow I start my first Cleanse day. Bit excited, bit nervous.Can't wait to take my measurements Monday.

Friday got off to a rough start

Woke up really sapped of energy. Could only get through half my workout this morning, but its better than nothing. The program is getting easier to handle. I'm not hungry, I don't really miss coffee and don't miss my usual beer or glass of wine in the evening and the results are starting to pay off. My dress shirts and pants are already feeling a bit too big, my belt is on its last notch and I've lost 5 POUNDS in 4 days. The weekend will be the real challenge as I don't have work to keep my mind occupied and usually binge snack over the two days. Sunday will be my cleanse day so it will be probably my hardest day. Still pumped, so BRING IT ON!!!

Workout Routine

I've had a few people ask me to post my workout so below you can see what I'm doing on a daily basis. I tend to work out in the mornings; not because I like getting up, but because I work in Navan and it takes 45 minutes to get there when there is no traffic. So, to avoid sitting in my car for 2 hours in the morning, I tend to leave at 5:30AM which leaves me a good 1.5 - 2 hours to kill before work. Luckily, a Goodlife is just down the road.

Also note I've dramatically changed my workout program. My previous program was focused on building muscle while this one is geared towards maintaining my current muscle mass and losing fat.

One more note before reading below: Don't be a slave to your workout. If you want to try something different or if you just can't do another Ab and Core day, mix it up. Anything is better than doing nothing.

Alright, here is my workout which is a modified version of the Ripped Freak workout.

MONDAY
Incline Dumbell Press - 4 sets, 6-8 reps
Oblique Raises (Stand with dumbell in one hand, lean down to that side and stand up straight.) - 4 sets, 40-30-20-10 reps
Chin-Ups - 4 sets, 6-8 reps
Bench Press - 3 sets, 10-12 reps
Russian Twist (Favorite Core Exercies) / Back Extension / Leg Raises - 3 sets, 10-15 reps
Tricep Pushdown - 3 sets, 12-15 reps
Standing Barbell Curls - 3 sets, 12-15 reps
Burpees - 4 sets, 10 reps
Treadmill - 30-45 minutes

TUESDAY

Note: The first 6 exercises are done one after another as a giant set

Back Extension - 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Hanging Leg Raises - 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Weighted Crunch - 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Side Planks - 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Bicycle Crunch - 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Lying Leg Raises - 4 sets, 12-15 reps
Swing Burpees (Swing a barbell plate down between your legs and then up with straight arms to eye level and follow with the same number of burpees) - 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 reps
Treadmill - 30-45 minutes

WEDNESDAY
Barbell Squats - 4 sets, 6-8 reps
Dumbell Lunges - 4 sets, 6-8 reps
Russian Twist / Back Extension / Leg Raises - 3 sets, 10-15 reps
Lying Leg Curls - 3 sets, 10-12 reps
Leg Extension - 3 sets, 10-12 reps
Calf Raise Machine - 3 sets, 12-15 reps
Burpees - 4 sets, 10 reps
Treadmill - 30-45 minutes

THURSDAY
Repeat Tuesday or
Treadmill - 60-90 minutes

FRIDAY
Dumbell Shoulder Press - 4 sets, 6-8 reps
One Arm Bent Over Dumbell Rows - 4 sets, 6-8 reps
Lateral Dumbell Raises - 3 sets, 10-12 reps
Russian Twist / Back Extension / Leg Raises - 3 sets, 10-15 reps
Seated Cable Rows - 3 sets, 10-12 reps
Dips - 3 sets, 12-15 reps
Alternate Dumbell Curls - 3 sets, 12-15 reps
Burpees - 4 sets, 10 reps
Treadmill - 30-45 minutes

SATURDAY / SUNDAY
Run and play with my kids

Feel free to fire off any questions.

One notch closer...

Day 4 - Just closed my belt on a new notch today. I'd be ecstatic if I hadn't just bought the belt and this is the last notch ;-P

3 Pounds in 3 Days

Had to jump on the scale to see if there's been any payoff for pounding back the shakes and not indulging in my morning double double or evening ale. So far, I've dropped from 213.8 to 210.8. Not bad for 3 days work. Only 27 to go!

Awesome Snacks

These snacks are AWESOME. Taste like hot chocolate and curb the appetite until my next meal.

Giving Blood

Tonight I'll be donating blood like I do every 3 months. Hopefully the drop in calories won't cause fainting or anything.

Day 3 - Get out of bed, Princess!!!

Didn't want to get out of bed - Quit whining
Didn't want to go to the gym - Cry me a river
Didn't want to finish with cardio - Get your fat ass on the treadmill
Didn't want to pass Tim Horton's on the way to work - Suck it up

Now that I'm awake, had a workout, had my shake and vitamins, I feel 1000 times better. Let the day begin!

Day 2 - Tired

Day 2 - Got a little hungry before dinner. The chocolate wafers to curb the appetite are awesome, but I still had some rumblings. Really tired last night and have no energy tonight. I've read that this is normal for the first few days. Hoping it will pass soon.

 

Yep, That's what I need to fix.

Day 1 Stats

BMI - (Taken using Calipers) 23.2. Puts me on the cusp of Normal and Overweight. I never use the Weight and Height method for BMI as it is pretty inaccurate and always puts me as obese since it doesn't take muscle mass into consideration.

Weight - 213 lbs

Height - 5' 10"

Chest - 45.5"

Waist - 44.75"

Hips - 42.75"

Legs - 24.5"

30 Days to Shred the Fat

Going to try the Isagenix 30 Day Cleanse and Fat Burning System. My awesome friend, Tenely, hooked me up with kit, went through the program with me and I started on the 9th of January. My goal is to drop under 200 lbs which my body hasn't seen in years.

My Goals are as follows:

1. Drop to under 200 lbs
2. Get in shape to do lots of races this summer
3. Reduce coffee consumption
4. Reduce alcohol consumption
5. Have more energy
6. Look great naked!

I've got a great support from my family and friends and look forward to the results. I'll keep updating this blog with my workouts, notes, challenges and successes.

Wish me luck!