The Hope Springs Journal

hopesprings41

I met a friend who I hadn't seen in a couple of years the other evening, he put his hand on my belly and said "Christ, what are you after doing to yourself" ... so here goes, a sincere attempt to turn this thing around.

I don't even know if it's possible to turn it around (see below for "the state of me" images). I've just turned 41, I've always loved being active but oh dear have I gotten out of shape. I'm busy with family and work but I have to try.

My broad plan is to lift stuff, run and cycle places, and most difficult of all, to clean up my diet. I will be keeping it simple, like lifting weights for 8 reps, 10 reps and then 12 reps and then increasing the weight. I amd hoping to get back into running and start cycling to work for the summer while my kids are on holidays and on the diet front I will be eating less and healthier, I'm not going to get into carbs and protien percentages etc. because I don't understand it.

I'm 5 feet 9 and 14 stone 1 pound (my heaviest ever).

My long term goal is to look and feel healthy for myself and those who I love. In the real world I want to stop looking like a tub of butter (one of my favourite foods), in my dreams I would like to end up looking like GSP - that's my dreams!!

I'm going to see if I can lose some fat in the next 8 weeks, I realise long term lifestyle changes are required but a short, sharp shock would be nice to get the ball rolling. I'm going to try to learn to do some pull ups and increase the number of push ups I can do.

I have read the stickies in the past but I will be reading them again in more detail, lord have mercy on me !!

This is not pretty, please excuse me, but I have to do this for my own good ... the way it is ...

20090711.JPG

hopesprings41

Monday 13th July

Ran 4 miles in the pouring rain this morning, I had to stop to walk several times, but it wasn't as bad as i thought it would be.

This evening did first day of 100 press up challenge on bodyweightculture.com.

I did a weight "complex" concentrated on my shoulders.

Food was cornflakes, ham and salad wrap, 25g crisps, fruit, rice and salmon, 2 slices bread jam & butter, cadbury's gateaux mini-roll.

celestial

hopesprings41 wrote: »

Monday 13th July

Ran 4 miles in the pouring rain this morning, I had to stop to walk several times, but it wasn't as bad as i thought it would be.

This evening did first day of 100 press up challenge on bodyweightculture.com.

I did a weight "complex" concentrated on my shoulders.

Food was cornflakes, ham and salad wrap, 25g crisps, fruit, rice and salmon, 2 slices bread jam & butter, cadbury's gateaux mini-roll.

Hey man,

Good luck with this, from your first post it sounds like you are really up for it which is encouraging. Keep taking photos as you will be able to look back and be amazed at your progress.

Just one thing though - your diet above is pretty bad, I hope that this is not the 'improved version'. You said you've read the stickies so I'm sure you know that bread and jam, crisps and gateaux cake have no place in your plan if you are serious about your efforts. Think - would GSP eat this?

The fat loss will come quickly for you given your weight - but only if you allow it to happen.

hopesprings41

Celestial,

Thanks for your input, the diet does sound pretty bad alright, especially when someone else says it - to be honest it was even worse, the same stuff just lots and lots of it - I'll have to re-read the stickies, I don't think GSP would follow my nutrition plan unless he wanted to get beaten up !!

Tuesday 15th July

4.5 mile run

I had intended doing a timed 1K in the middle of my run today but alarmingly my knee gave way, I walked home - I don't think it will be a big problem though, I have seen a chiropractor in the last year and he gave me orthotics to wear which corrected my knee problems. I have run a few time without the orthotics and I have probably put undue and unneccessary strain on my knee - I will wear the orthotics running from now on.

Still, it all (even the walk) counts towards the "burn" ... doesn't it?

Rested from the weights (in agony today), I went for a swim in the sea to try to releive the pain. I did week one day two of the 100 press-ups challenge.

Diet as Monday, cornflakes, wrap for lunch crisps chicken stir fry with rice, some bread with jam (but it was brown bread), fruit and the gatueax again

I ordered my new bike (on the cycle to work scheme).

hopesprings41

Wednesday 15th July

I took a break from the running (to allow my knee some rest time) and then proceeded to do this ...

Squat 8 x 3
Calf Raise 16 x 3
Lunge 8 x 3

The weights are baby weights in comparison to what others here lift but I was in bits afterwards.

I also did week 1 / day 3 of the 100 press up challenge.

Food was good (ahem) well at least I'm not spending 6 hours in the evening grazing on treat size mars bars any more. I restricted my crisp intake at lunch to half a 25g bag and the brown bread with jam crimes continue for now.

hopesprings41

Thursday 16th July

4 mile run. A beautiful morning, I loved this run. I didn’t make the trip, but I am getting there (I had to stop for walk breaks), love the course, the legs are in bits with the weights.

Week 1 Day 4 of the 100 press up challenge.

Weightwork

Standing Military Press 3 sets of 8
Front Lateral Raise (Dumbells) 3 sets of 8
Side Lateral Raise (Dumbells) 3 sets of 8
Barbell Curl 3 sets of 8

The front lateral raise wasn't to failure, the weight shuld be increased, all the others were a struggle towards the end of the last set so I have picked good starting points

Diet

Good day, steak burger and boiled new potatoes for dinner, no crisps today, Coke Zero though and I treated myself to a party size crunchie - hardly "clean" but a major improvement.

hopesprings41

Friday 17th July

More or less a rest day, I continued on the 100 press up challenge program.

The food continues to be good but still miles from perfect, wifey made the children fairy cakes today ... I'm only human.

hopesprings41

Saturday 18th July

The food was looser than usual today, no major crimes, but it was a bit more lax - I may have a 330 ml bottle of beer later.

9K cycle (me new bike has arrived)

100 press up challenge continues.

Weights

Squats 3 sets of 10
Calf Raises 3 sets of 20
Lunge 3 sets of 10
Deadlift 3 sets of 10

Tomorrow is a complete rest day, I'll be weighing in.

hopesprings41

Sunday 19th July 2009

Weighed in 13 stone 12 pounds, I lost 3 pounds during the week.

Next week I'm hoping to keep up the hard work and consolidate by losing another 1 pound.

No exercise today except for a spin on the bike with the 4 year old on the back. At dinner I slipped back to old bad habits - it was not a good feeling, it didn't feel good to be back, I'll put it down as a one off, I really want to keep this thing going.

superhoopess

hey im starting today and you have really inspired me to really go for it.
so keep going.
We can keep each other motivated!!!!

hopesprings41

superhoopess wrote: »

hey im starting today and you have really inspired me to really go for it.
so keep going.
We can keep each other motivated!!!!

Top class, it's nice to have some company. Eat less, exercise more - it seems to be working. I cycled into work today - LMAO - wifey thinks I'm losing the plot !!!

superhoopess

hopesprings41 wrote: »

Top class, it's nice to have some company. Eat less, exercise more - it seems to be working. I cycled into work today - LMAO - wifey thinks I'm losing the plot !!!

well lose the plot, its good for you it seems!!!!

I'm hitting the gym now, Full of beans for it!!!!
Come on!!!!!

metamorphosis

Hey - best of luck with it. I lost 5 stone albeit im now only 22 but i know of another woman who, in her 40's lost the same amount, went onto become a fitness instructor and is smokin hot!!! wouldn't believe her age at all. looks a good 15 years younger. She not only showed, but proved its never too late.

So many benefits to lose weight. it's well worth the battle and sacrifice. You will soon forget who you even were before. Keep it up.

hopesprings41

ULstudent wrote: »

Hey - best of luck with it. I lost 5 stone ... Keep it up.

ULstudent, thank you for your kind, encouraging words, and thank you for reading my log - it helps to keep me on the straight and narrow. Congrats on losing so much weight - how did you do it? Was it diet or exercise.

Monday 20th July

15K cycle to and from work.

Started week 2 of the 100 press up challenge.

Weights

Standing Military Press 3 sets of 10
Front Lateral Raise with Dumbells 3 sets of 10
Side Lateral Raise 3 sets of 10
Barbell Curl supersetted with Tricep Extension 3 sets of 10

Diet

The food was good today, fruit is becoming my new snack. When I saw that people were actually reading my log it inspired me to stay away from the never-ending supply of biscuits and sweets provided by my colleagues in our office.

metamorphosis

It happened in stages for me. After my leaving cert in 05 i began walking everwhere i had to go. Into town, work ,friends houses etc. and a stone literally fell off me. Before that i was not active in the slightest and my diet was horrendous. Everyday in school would be brekkie roll, chicken roll at lunch, choc and fizzy drinks as well as dinner whn i got home. no wonder i was so big.

Got to college that sept and tapped away a tiny bit in the gym. bit on the crosstrainer,bike etc. diet slowly started to change, would never go near a fizzy drink now. that summer i totally transformed. saw that small changes were working and it spurred me on. I am very knowledgeable about fooods and their ingredients and micro and macro nutrients. it helps you make smarter food choices. I now run, cycle a lot and nutririon and fitness is one of the most important things in my life. I love it! im a certified indoor cycling instructor and continuing on in fitness education. I train pretty much everyday, run and cycle. i Eat to supplement training - lean meats, fish , fruit, veg, nuts, cottage cheese, good carbs etc

Its a process and you pick up knowledge over time. It wont and doesnt happen overnight and it shouldnt either!

Thats my story anyway. Sorry about my life story!! got a bit carried away. You are doing well so far. Keep it up. Ill be watching.

hopesprings41

ULstudent, the model you followed sounds like what I'm trying to do.

Tuesday 21st July

Quiet day, continued with my 100 press up challenge, the rain kept me in the car for my commute. Food was good today, wifey made a lovely salmon with boiled potatoes and veg for dinner, mmmmm, maybe I can eat healthy and enjoy it.

hopesprings41

Wednesday 22nd July

4 mile run (a.m.)

Cycle to and from (scenic route) work 21K

100 press up challenge
Squats 3 sets of 12
Calf Raise 3 sets of 24
Lunge 3 sets of 12
Deadlift 3 sets of 12

Food continues to be good, I do allow myself one or 2 small transgressions which would probably not be recommended by the purists - hopefully they're not a big problem because the help to keep me sane.

hopesprings41

Thursday 23rd July

18.5K Cycle

100 Press Up Challenge (didn't go well)

hopesprings41

Friday 24th July

20K Cycle

Standing Military Press 3 sets of 12
Front Lateral Raise (Dumbells) 3 sets of 12
Side Lateral Raise (Dumbells) 3 sets of 12
Barbell Curl 3 sets of 12

hopesprings41

Saturday 25th July 2009

5 mile run with 2 timed 1K sections in the middle of it. Beautiful morning but the run was a bit of a slog, the 2 timed 1Ks went well though. I thought I would struggle to get inside 5 minutes, I did 4:37, followed by 4:32.

100 press up challenge, I've stalled on this big time, I need a good session at it tomorrow that shows progress to get me back on track and get a bit of momentum on it.

Weigh-in tomorrow morning.

hopesprings41

Sunday 26th July

Weighed in 13 stone 9 pounds, I lost 3 pounds during this week.

This is the end of week 2 of this 8 week challenge, I have decided to take more photos in 2 weeks time, this should concentrate my mind and keep me focused in the short term. I'd like to be 13 stone 7 at that point.

There was a party in the house today so I did a bit more picking than usual but nothing too mad. I also did the last day of week 2 in the 100 press up challenge - I like to keep Sunday free from exercise but I had missed a session and I didn't want to let it slip.

hopesprings41

Monday 27th July

18.5K cycle to and from work.

100 press up challenge, tonight that consisted of 4 sets of max number of pressups with 70 secs rest, I did 25 on my first set with good form.

Weights

Standing Military Press 3 sets of 8
Front Lateral Raise with Dumbells 3 sets of 8
Side Lateral Raise 3 sets of 8
Barbell Curl supersetted with Tricep Extension 3 sets of 8

Diet

I'm really surprised at myself that I've been able to make such big changes to my diet, another bit of tuning and I could almost say I'm eating "clean"

hopesprings41

Tuesday 28th July

24K Cycle to and from work

No weights but I continued with my 100 press up challenge, making great progress there.

I've really cleaned up my diet, I just don't have the same cravings for chocolate anymore.

hopesprings41

Wednesday 29th July

4 mile run (a.m.)

100 press up challenge
Squats 3 sets of 8
Calf Raise 3 sets of 16
Lunge 3 sets of 8
Deadlift 3 sets of 8

I tried to do a weight complex that I found on t-nation a couple of years ago called the "blood on the barbell" complex, I was too tired, I crashed and burned !!

Con.

Fair play to you hopesprings. Keep it up! Heh no harm crashing and burning sometimes

I'll keep following you're log and hope it works out. Well done so far and stick at it.

hopesprings41

Con.,

Thanks for reading, and your encouraging words.

Thursday 30th July

18.5K cycle to and from work.

100 press up challenge, they asked me to do 40% of my max with 15 secs rest, then 70% of my max with 60 seconds rest, repeat this cycle until failure, it went as bad for me this week as it did last week, otherwise I think tthis is a good programme.

Weights

Standing Military Press 3 sets of 10
Front Lateral Raise with Dumbells 3 sets of 10
Arnold Press 3 sets of 10
Side Lateral Raise 3 sets of 10
Barbell Curl supersetted with Tricep Extension 3 sets of 10/12

* I did another exercise at the end - it didn't work out, not worth repeating.

Diet

Continues to be pretty good, a few slips - like today when wifey makes rice crispy buns for the kids, back on the wagon tomorrow.

hopesprings41

Friday 31st July

It was Mrs Springs' birthday so I spent the day with her and one of the junior springs in town shopping - I can't really count that as cardio can I ?

Diet

I took it easy but there was a celebratory air about, I haven't splurged out in any way this week, but it hasn't been as tight as the first 2 weeks.

hopesprings41

Saturday 1st August

4 mile run (a.m.), my only goal on this run was to complete it without any stops, which I did, anything else would have been a step back.

100 press up challenge - on the menu today was 90% of my max with my hands at various widths - I can pump out 22 pressups pretty hany now, progress !!

Standing Military Press set of 10, set of 8, set of 12
Squats 3 sets of 10
Calf Raise 3 sets of 20
Lunge 3 sets of 10
Deadlift 3 sets of 10

hopesprings41

Sunday 2nd August

Weighed in ... 13 stone 9 pounds, the same as last week, I had aimed to lose 8 pounds in the first 4 weeks I'm still on for that but it is disappointing not to have lost a pound or two - this will hopefully make me more determined.

Next week is the end of week 4 of this 8 week challenge, I'm going to stick with my plan to take more photos, it's hard to see how there will be any visible difference in my appearance but I am going to stick with the plan.

hopesprings41

Monday 3rd August


100 press up challenge

Weights

Standing Military Press 3 sets of 12
Front Lateral Raise with Dumbells 3 sets of 12
Arnold Press 3 sets of 12
Side Lateral Raise 3 sets of 12

hopesprings41

Tuesday 4th August


12K cycle to work (I had to curtail my cycle because of work committments.)

100 press up challenge (bombed ... ah well, good days and bad days, my diet was good today !!)

hopesprings41

Wednesday 5th August

4 mile run (before work)
50 minute cycle in the evening

100 press up challenge

Weights
Lunge 3 sets of 12
Calf Raise 3 sets of 24
Squat 3 sets of 12
Deadlifts 3 sets of 12
The Blood on the Barbell Complex, 1 round of 10 reps ... wrecked after doing this.

Diet
This is probably fairly typical for me at this stage ... breakfast cereal and toast, mid morning banana and a handful of nuts, lunch chicken salad wrap (contained coleslaw :eek:), 6 pringles 2 figroll biscuits, afternoon green apple, dinner roast beef mashed potatoes carrots sundry other veg, during the evening i had 2 slices wholemeal bread.

hopesprings41

Thursday 6th August

21K cycle to an from work, I was up late last night, too exhausted to do anymore exercise.

I'm afraid dinner time proved to be a bit of a car crash, pizza and garlic bread are two sample offences.

I'm going to Dublin for the weekend to a stag night so this is certainly a sticky wicket I'm playing off at the moment, I'll do my best - hoping to post "progress" pics tomorrow, and see where I go from there.

hopesprings41

Friday 7th August

Standing Military Press 4 sets of 8
Barbell Curl supersetted with Tricep Extensions on chair 3 sets of 12
Arnold Dumbell Press 3 sets of 8
Front Lateral Raise (Dumbells) 3 sets of 8
Side Lateral Raise (Dumbells) 3 sets of 8

hopesprings41

Saturday 8th August

Weigh In : 86.8 kilograms (13 stone 9)

This is the second week in a row that I haven't lost any weight. I'm disappointed and I'm also a bit confused, I don't know what the problem is.

I've posted my poorly named "progress" pics below, because between the start and the finish there doesn't appear to have been any progress, which is very disheartening. I feel like giving up, but I'm not going to give up, I'm going to plough on for another while at least. I want to try to discover how to do this properly.

I am lifting weights, all compound exercises, not heavy but as much as I can manage at the moment and I'm making progress all the time. I'm also doing as much cardio as I can manage to fit in, so this leads me to the conclusion that my diet may not be as good as I am convincing myself it is.

Anyway I'm plugging on. People say only a fool expects to repeat something over and over again and see different results. So I'm going to make changes to my diet, I'm leaving my exercise routine as it is but I'm going to attack my diet and try to clean it up more than I already have.
Another 4 weeks, I'll see how I get on.

hopesprings41

Sunday 9th August

The Stag "night" continues, all out to Croke Park to see Waterford put up a good scrap, I'd say this Waterford thing will go on for a few years yet !!

Monday 10th August

Still recovering, the most exercise I could manage was mowing the lawn.

metamorphosis

Post your daily diet in full OP - diet is prob the big offender here.

hopesprings41

ULstudent wrote: »

Post your daily diet in full OP - diet is prob the big offender here.

ULstudent,
Will do, I haven't been keeping a detailed food log, I will start from today.

hopesprings41

Tuesday 11th August

21K cycle to and from work

Standing Military Press 3 sets of 10
Barbell Curl supersetted with tricep extensions 3 sets of 8/16
Side Lateral Raise (Dumbells) 3 sets of 10
Arnold Dumbell Press 3 sets of 10
Front Lateral Raise (Dumbells) 3 sets of 10

hopesprings41

Wednesday 12th August

21K cycle to and from work

hopesprings41

Thursday 13th August

Press Ups 30
Standing Military Press 3 sets of 12
Front Lateral Raise (Dumbells) 3 sets of 10
Arnold Dumbell Press 3 sets of 10
Barbell Curl supersetted with tricep extensions, 3 sets of 10/20
Side Lateral Raise (Dumbells) 3 sets of 12

metamorphosis

You still following the program?