Posted March 3, 2016 Suck it up mother fucker! Seriously, it happens. Just draw a line under it. Pick a day, maybe Monday – so you can fresh start to the week – and get going again. In the meantime, don't get frustrated or beat yourself up or feel bad, just chill. You've worked super hard. Just enjoy this break but promise yourself come Monday that you're going to be back on it, better than ever. Remember, this is all about the long game; the longer you keep this up, the easier it will become. Annoyingly that's usually off-set by pushing yourself harder BUT there comes a point where this health bollocks stops being something you're trying to do and just becomes something you just do. And you definitely look better. It's really hard to see progression in yourself. And I'm super proud of you, so don't let me down. Being ill blows, but again, it happens. Just listen to your body and take it easy. And the week when you're back doing exercise, take it lightly. There's nothing more frustrating than prolonging your recovery because you jump back in too soon. Also, stop eating sugar, it increases inflammation when you're ill. Seriously, sugar is addictive. It is a drug and you are an addict. Try and not eat sugar for a month and tell me what you think. One of the best things I ever did was minimise my sugar intake. Yeah, alternating weeks. One week I'm doing strength training, the next volume. Same with Bench on PPL. Monday I do strength training, Thursday I go for volume. I happily did 8 reps on bench at 95kg today. Super pleased. That is gonna be my March challenge. Fuck you, Mary Poppins! Shove that spoonful of sugar up yer arrrrse! Thanks @Daft Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 4, 2016 That is gonna be my March challenge. Fuck you, Mary Poppins! Shove that spoonful of sugar up yer arrrrse! I promise you you'll feel much better for it once you're past the withdrawal (which may include headaches). That includes avoiding fruit juice as well, which is basically a gateway drug to more sugar. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 4, 2016 I promise you you'll feel much better for it once you're past the withdrawal (which may include headaches). That includes avoiding fruit juice as well, which is basically a gateway drug to more sugar. Good shout on the fruit juice. Loads of people don't realise just how calorific it is. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 5, 2016 I promise you you'll feel much better for it once you're past the withdrawal (which may include headaches). That includes avoiding fruit juice as well, which is basically a gateway drug to more sugar. I'm so transparent. I feel ill and then I feel bad so I just want to gorge myself in chocolate. I'm a hot mess. I'm gonna be getting a Fitbit Charge hopefully next week or even on the weekend. I've set up an account ready and waiting. How do you add people? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 5, 2016 Got my bike stolen at the end of January and just recently got a new one so I can bike to work again. One month without true biking and now back again, I can really feel it in the legs, even though it's just been three days this week. I've been altering my squats every month this year. January was 5x5 backsquat, while February was 5x8 backsquats. Now, in March, I'll do 5x8 front squats. As I don't have time for this more than once or at most twice a week, I won't progress much so varying it this way ensures that I don't loose too much strength in the legs. Arms, though, are going to wither away this semester! Only doing push-ups and the occasional pull-ups will have to do for the most. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 5, 2016 I feel Monday morning commute is really noticeable from just two days off, I can't imagine how I'd feel after a month. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 5, 2016 @Animal Get adding me on that Fitbit!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 5, 2016 Bit late to the party, but you don't wanna get reliant on sweetner, it is really bad for you. I believe there's been research in the link between it and insulin resistance (which is essentially the precursor to T2 Diabetes). Million times better having sugar in moderation than a lot of sweetner in place of all sugar, sweetner's just as addictive as sugar. The only sweetner I have these days is sugar free dilute squash. If I want something sweet, no amount of sweetner helps & I found I just ate the junk anyway, so I just cut out the middleman. Lately I've been doing the Leangains version of fasting throughout the week, I'm having a 5 hour eating window. Weekends are just eating anytime. Dunno if ive lost weight as I packed up my scales but I certainly feel better for it. There is research into it re health benefits, & fasting just makes me feel good in a way i cant describe. If anything I wont gain weight until the chaos going on in my life settles and i can get back into a routine of working out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 5, 2016 @Animal Get adding me on that Fitbit!! I have the app but I don't have the Fitbit. It's too pricey for me even second-hand so I'm going to save up and get the Fitbit Surge when I can. I do have the app though so add me if you want. I do however have a fitness tracker as I said in the 'What Have You Bought' thread. It's pretty awesome so far. Hopefully it'll carry on being awesome. Oh and by the way, I'VE OFFICIALLY LOST 2 STONE AND 2 POUND! WOOOOOOOHOOOOO! 4 pound down! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 6, 2016 Bit late to the party, but you don't wanna get reliant on sweetner, it is really bad for you. I believe there's been research in the link between it and insulin resistance (which is essentially the precursor to T2 Diabetes). Million times better having sugar in moderation than a lot of sweetner in place of all sugar, sweetner's just as addictive as sugar. The only sweetner I have these days is sugar free dilute squash. If I want something sweet, no amount of sweetner helps & I found I just ate the junk anyway, so I just cut out the middleman. Lately I've been doing the Leangains version of fasting throughout the week, I'm having a 5 hour eating window. Weekends are just eating anytime. Dunno if ive lost weight as I packed up my scales but I certainly feel better for it. There is research into it re health benefits, & fasting just makes me feel good in a way i cant describe. If anything I wont gain weight until the chaos going on in my life settles and i can get back into a routine of working out. I would disagree with this. I've read a lot of research that suggest different things but there's nothing concrete i've found. In terms of taste, I actually prefer a sweetener to using sugar. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 7, 2016 I think one should just limit the intake of both sugar and sweeteners. Neither is really good for you. Personally, though, I prefer Coke Zero rather than Regular (cola is the only place I get artificial sweeteners, I think) partly because regular gives me a stomach ache but also due to the fact that it doesn't contain calories. I drink around 1 L a week or something, so I wouldn't really call it serious. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 7, 2016 (edited) I'm so transparent. I feel ill and then I feel bad so I just want to gorge myself in chocolate. I'm a hot mess. I'm gonna be getting a Fitbit Charge hopefully next week or even on the weekend. I've set up an account ready and waiting. How do you add people? I think the best thing about the FitBit is the heart-rate monitor. I would really hold out for the Charge HR if I were you, it's the feature I use the most. The Surge doesn't really offer anything extra, the Charge HR is everything you need and its cheaper (£99 at Argos). Lately I've been doing the Leangains version of fasting throughout the week, I'm having a 5 hour eating window. Weekends are just eating anytime. Dunno if ive lost weight as I packed up my scales but I certainly feel better for it. There is research into it re health benefits, & fasting just makes me feel good in a way i cant describe. Welcome to the club. I really love fasting. I just feel so much sharper in the morning. On a seperate note, I've decided to really try and incorporate more bodyweight fitness into my routine (again). This time my aims are a little more focuse, I'm going to try and work my way up to a free-standing handstand. So, at the moment I'm just working on the crow position I learned when I did yoga for a bit. And I'm hoping that gives me a good base for moving on to a headstand and a wall handstand. Anyone have any tips? I've no clue what I'm doing really, my flexibility is pretty bad in my arms. Edited March 7, 2016 by Daft Automerged Doublepost Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 7, 2016 I'm feeling great! I had a photo taken at a family meal yesterday (now in insta) and I think i'm starting to see the progress. I've just finished a dinner time run too Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 7, 2016 I'm feeling great! I had a photo taken at a family meal yesterday (now in insta) and I think i'm starting to see the progress. I've just finished a dinner time run too Good lad, you're doing well mate, keep at it. I, on the other hand, am not going to the gym as much as I should really... and when I do go I'm not doing cardio, which really I should keep on top of too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 8, 2016 (edited) On a seperate note, I've decided to really try and incorporate more bodyweight fitness into my routine (again). This time my aims are a little more focuse, I'm going to try and work my way up to a free-standing handstand. So, at the moment I'm just working on the crow position I learned when I did yoga for a bit. And I'm hoping that gives me a good base for moving on to a headstand and a wall handstand. Anyone have any tips? I've no clue what I'm doing really, my flexibility is pretty bad in my arms. I can try! - You must pull your shoulders back when standing on your hands. It may sound weird but try hanging in a bar with tightened shoulders. They should be in the same position as that. - Stay tight in the core and glutes and push your feet together. - Look at the ground right between the hands through the top of your eyes. It works better if there is something on the floor to look at, a spot or something. - When getting up, put your hands further from your feet than you initially would like to. This is a good way to get up there in a steady fashion, it's harder to lose your balance and tip over this way. I aim to place my hands at somewhere between 1 and 1.5 metres from my feet though this depends on your height - I'm 1.81 m. - When you get used to standing against the wall, try to push your feet off it and stay 1-2 cm from the wall with your heels. - Keep the balance bending in the elbows and pressing through the fingers. If you are falling forward, press against the floor with your finges, when falling backwards, bend a bit in the elbows. This is the hard part of handstands without support! Hope it helps. Edited March 8, 2016 by MindFreak Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 8, 2016 Awesome! I'll keep all those in mind. - Keep the balance bending in the elbows and pressing through the fingers. If you are falling forward, press against the floor with your finges, when falling backwards, bend a bit in the elbows. This is the hard part of standing of handstands without support! Hope it helps. I definitely noticed that if I was unsteady that it was because my elbows were too stiff. I realised that it's not too dissimilar to balancing on your legs; the tendency is to stiffen your legs when you're unsteady which make everything worse, so bending your knees/elbows is the way to go. I've slightly tweaked my shoulder so I'm going to take it easy over the week but I'll try hanging with tightened shoulder to get a feel for the position. Great idea. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 9, 2016 I officially have a Fitbit Charge HR for the bargain price of £65 so you FitBitches better be adding me to these challenges! xD Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 9, 2016 You won't regret it. It's so discrete, I love it. Been so useful tracking my sleep. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 9, 2016 (edited) You won't regret it. It's so discrete, I love it. Been so useful tracking my sleep. It's from CEX and I've had to have it delivered to the store so it should take a couple of days. Hopefully it's in the great condition they've told me it's in. The one I go to isn't my local one but they give a much better service so I trust them when they say it's in good condition If anyone wanted to add me on Fitbit, my email is [email protected] Edited March 9, 2016 by Animal Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 11, 2016 I've lost a further 2lbs in two weeks. I can't help feel a little bit gutted as I hoped to lose more but hey ho its still a loss. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 11, 2016 I've lost a further 2lbs in two weeks. I can't help feel a little bit gutted as I hoped to lose more but hey ho its still a loss. A loss is a loss, mate. It's a good result! Well done! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 11, 2016 (edited) So this is my first day of properly starting weights and my mates were helping me. I did 3 sets of 6 deadlifts at 100kg. The video above is me doing my one rep max: 150kg. Everyone was stunned considering this is my first time doing weights properly. I'm very chuffed! Edited March 14, 2016 by Animal Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 12, 2016 There were some scales in the dressing room in the gym today so I took advantage of it and stepped up. 68 kg with pants and a sweaty t-shirt on. This means that I weigh almost the same as I did 12 years ago when I was 17. I find that a bit impressive. Hopefully the distribution has changed quite a bit, I feel I have gained quite a lot more muscle mass since then - the scales did say something about 38 but didn't see if that was % or kgs - I presume % as it would otherwise leave me only 30 kg for bones and everything else! I didn't see any number for body fat percentage but I assume it's near 10 as it was a couple of years ago. Still going strong with front squats - I do 5x8 @ 52.5-57.5 kg now and find it tolerable. Might need to move to 60 kg. before the end of next week. However, I find that it's straining my elbows to hold the bar in front rack position for that long and so I sometimes cross my arms. Weirdly, though, this makes the squat a bit harder, I find. ANyone else having this experience? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 17, 2016 MY FITBIT IS HERE! It's a brand new, sealed one too! £65 as well! Bargain of the year! Well happy! Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
