Project X

NTA

So after two years on the previous thread, I felt the title was no longer appropriate as it sounds too resigned; too defeatist. And its the first day of Spring! So here we are with a new start. 
 
Almost a year ago I put up a thread titled â€œTHE GOALSâ€ (<a class='bbc_url' href='http://www.daimenhutchison.com/rugby/index.php/topic/37436-the-goals/'>http://www.daimenhutchison.com/rugby/index.php/topic/37436-the-goals/</a>). In that thread I expressed the following as a long-term goal: 
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' data-author="NTA" data-cid="319673" data-time="1350901010">
what I want is to be lean and hard. Body fat somewhere in the 10-12% range. Decent muscle, but not bulging. Hugh Jackman as Wolverine style, perhaps... </blockquote>
 
Iâ€™ve been hovering in the low-mid 90s for the last few months, still carrying enough body fat to feel uncomfortable with it. I realistically think I could lose another 10kg in strict weight terms and, all going to plan, that will all be fat. 
 
The name of this title is a reference to the Marvel character Wolverine - the Weapon X Project - this the thinking is more relevant to Hugh Jackmanâ€™s preparation for the movie role. Heâ€™s got more time and money to get ripped, but heâ€™s older than me so that is my advantage :) 
 
The goal therefore is simply to lose body fat while increasing athletic performance. 
 
Any other positive effects (e.g. weight loss) are happy by-products. The time set is 10 weeks. 
 
Measurement is by my recently purchased body fat calipers, as well as tape measure for chest, waist, hips every week. Iâ€™ll step on the scales, but only so Iâ€™ve got a weight to plug into my exercise app and keep track of kg of fat lost. It will largely be a product of what Iâ€™ve learned the last two years, but taking it to another level. 
 
The food will comprise as much unprocessed content as possible. It will still challenge the willpower on a big scale because the wife surrounds herself and the kids with savoury snacks, chocolate, biscuits, and all sorts of other sugary crap. This is Calories In. 
 
Exercise (Calories Out) will be things I like doing so I donâ€™t get bored. Running is good for my endurance, clears my mind, and prepares me for the flee-from-zombies scenario. Aiming for a couple of hours a week minimum. To that Iâ€™ll throw in the odd bike ride on weekends and maybe the occasional commute when school duties allow. This covers the cardio stuff. 
 
For strength/body shaping, Iâ€™ll be using the Shift Weight workout from Search4Hurt as it has been fun so far. Iâ€™ll throw in sprints once per week and some circuits at home to cover the other muscle groups. This should be high intensity for as long as I can stand it. 
 
Karate is a set thing every Tuesday evening, so that isnâ€™t going to shift even if my son gives up on it. Good for the body and mind, and helps turn me into a finer killing machine ;) 
 
Getting enough rest is the final part of it, to ensure I can get up and go again, and avoid illness which has been quite a bastard this year for some reason. 
 
So here we go.

NTA

So Day 0 with minimal exercise or diet restraint in the last couple of weeks:
 
93.6kg, Chest 107, Waist 98, Hips 103, Caliper suprailiac 20mm = 23.2% BF
 
Is Father's Day here so won't be as hard core as you'd imagine. Still, I'll be sticking to water and healthy stuff as much as possible. The 2 kg I lost in the last weight cycle is back, but that will fall off once I get going again.

JK

Good stuff mate. 
Strapping myself in as a passenger on your journey

NTA

5 km in 27 minutes. Was a bit warm in the sun so I'll have to start getting up earlier for runs, which means getting to bed earlier. But again, it was Father's Day so breakfast and presents etc...

NTA

3.5 km walk in around 30 tonight. GPS cut out after 1km do had to start again

Rancid Schnitzel

Yeah the heat is something I forgot after 12 years in Northern Europe. Wanted to Go 10km but had to stop after 5. It was only 9:15am!!!! Felt like I'd been doing spinning in a sauna. 
Good luck for the next 10 weeks. Are you doing the treat meal/day thing?

NTA

Not sure about the treat meal thing, though psychologically it's still important not to be a food Nazi. So yeah I guess it will happen. Family events, night out with the wife. It's life. I think to get the results I'm after, it will be a case of clamping right down on sugar as a priority. Overall intake won't matter so much if I get that bit right, but I'm not about to go all Atkins or anything. A lot of literature is supporting HFLC - to much to ignore. The main thing is to shift focus to smaller meals more often, and keep up weight training, to help get the Resting Metabolic Rate sorted out. My RMR shows my maintenance level is 2177 (calculation here: http://m.wikihow.com/Increase-Your-Metabolism) so I'll be looking to go well under that, staying away from sugar to the best of my ability.

JK

Cheers for that link Nick. Hadnt seen much RMR before. The number equates pretty close to my BMR though 2388 vs 2393.
 
I see you are looking at alot of the same things I am doing diet wise. Sugar is the number 1 issue. Gotta manage that and be strong on any cravings etc. The smaller meals more often is an easy transition as like as you prepare well and arent on too much of a fixed schedule.

NTA

Quick heart starter in the garage before work: 5 pull ups concentrating on form 10 Arnies @ 14kg 10 bent rows @ 50kg 10 deadlift @ 50kg Three lots of that, untimed, then ten pushups to finish. The sore neck held up OK which is the good news. The bad news is I'm bloody useless at morning weights!

NTA

Lunch time power walk with a couple of the ladies at work - 2.62 km in 26:51. Not the fastest but at least they're keen. I shall be their pilot whale for future walks and lead them to fitness. Run morning with a few fartleks thrown in - 3.01km in 15:15.

MN5

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="NTA" data-cid="388329" data-time="1378075195">
<div>
Quick heart starter in the garage before work: 
5 pull ups concentrating on form 
10 Arnies @ 14kg 
10 bent rows @ 50kg 
10 deadlift @ 50kg 
Three lots of that, untimed, then ten pushups to finish. 
The sore neck held up OK which is the good news. The bad news is I'm bloody useless at morning weights!
</div>
</blockquote>
 
Same pal, I can't lift shit in the morning. Need a coffee and a feed before even considering it.

NTA

Eating today was awesome.

Breakfast: plain oats with a teaspoon of cinnamon and one of honey. Milk, coffee, and a banana.

Lunch 1: last night's burrito chicken around 11am

Lunch 2: bbq 500g of beef patties, plus three eggs and green salad around 1330 hours. Coffee around 2pm. I love work from home day

Dinner: meatloaf and green salad, plus a couple of chips.

Lots of water on the meantime. My metabolism should have no complaints!

Karate tonight. Really felt the heart going during kata practice for grading this weekend. Sweated like a bastard too.

NTA

So last few days catch up! Walking at work a couple of times with the ladies for 3km a hit. Dragging them upwards into the 6+ km/h range. they both like and hate me for this :) Karate grading today - sweaty like a mofo! Couple of good hours of training, kata, and kumite. Some decent contact in there.

NTA

[quote name="NTA" post="388163" timestamp="1377985509"]
93.6kg, Chest 107, Waist 98, Hips 103, Caliper suprailiac 20mm = 23.2% BF
[/quote]
91.7kg, Chest 106, Waist 96, Hips 103, Calliper suprailiac hasn't changed but then I don't really expect it to, week to week

A good start.

NTA

5km in 27 min even. Pants. Time to ditch the long sleeve gear - it is in no way that cold any more

Paekakboyz

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="NTA" data-cid="389420" data-time="1378675243">
<div>
5km in 27 min even. Pants. 
Time to ditch the long sleeve gear - it is in no way that cold any more
</div>
</blockquote>
 
And you can't deprive all the ladies in your area the NTA gun show bro!!

NTA

I hadn't thought about my public - good point!
 
Its not technically exercise, but its effort: painted the garage wall last night. Painting fucking sucks. Mentally I find it shit boring and frustrating. Needless to say I don't do it that often.

NTA

This garage thing has been keeping me busy, so not much time to work out. But at least its achieving something.
 
Only dedicated exercise the last two days has been karate Tuesday and a walk at lunch time with the work wenches - 3km in 28:39. Not great pace but they're getting better.

Wairau

what happened to the pull ups in 20 minutes? actually, doing any pull ups at the moment?
I also stopped, and am now doing a lot of volume for 1-2 months before really getting back into those timed workouts.

NTA

It's definitely on the books, but this week has been a bit interrupted. I do a set of five when I'm walking through the garage - have relocated the bar a bit higher and further from where the wife parks her car. Makes me stretch for it. I'll probably start doing some gulp pull up burpees again as part of new timed work outs. Pull ups definitely going to stay part of my future

NTA

Yesterday walk at work with one of the ladies (redhead, ten years younger than me, delightfully shaped in a nerdy sort of way - hella cleavage that day too). 3.12 km in 28:09.
 
Had a bit of a sugar binge last night, so went out this morning to offset it - after the 5 km run decided to walk. Then got bored, so ran, then got bored, so walked... and ran at the end of that walk... in summary:
 
5 km run in 26:00
1.17 km walk in 10:10
0.5 km run in 2:05
1.17 km walk in 8:41 - sprint finish Then weigh in:
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="NTA" data-cid="389333" data-time="1378591571"> 91.7kg, Chest 106, Waist 96, Hips 103, Calliper 20mm</blockquote>
 
91.3kg, Chest 106, Waist 96, Hips 102, Calliper is about 19.5 so a little bit of loss there... Pretty good for a fairly inactive week.
 
EDIT: I'm weighing in a day early because I'm going camping at long last. Bit of rain around, but I'm adequately prepared for everything except Armageddon..
 
Judging by Mrs TA's mood, the Red Baron is arriving in town soon so will pack a bottle of red and a blanket to <strike>sort our her whiny shit</strike> er... manage her expectations - I've been taking coaching on "tact" at work...

NTA

Circuit at home - 3 runs of: 5 x pull up 5 x military press @ 50kg 20 x push up 10 x bicep curls @ 15 kg 20 x lunge left then right 20 x squat 10 x dead lift @ 50kg Circuit 1 - 6:24. Minute rest Circuit 2 - 6:36 (15). Two minutes rest. Circuit 3 - 7:00. And collapse...

NTA

As per the burpees challenge thread: 50 in 3:02. Then a break. Then cat vomits x 10 plus meditation. Rugby sevens tomorrow. Given we have a bit of talent (ahem ring-ins) I'll probably get a couple of minutes to make my mark per game, if that.

NTA

Corporate sevens tournament today. First game I spent about 6 or 7 minutes on. Second game about to start

NTA

Oh and I put the last pass for one of our tries. Big islander team from some security company. Hit hard.

Second game was a draw. Got involved in both our tries. Nice take and no-look offload from the kick off for one. Through the hands for the second in the last play of the game. Kick drew it. Threw a lineout but got hammered in the scrum. Neck a bit sore.

Third game against the tournament hosts starting shortly.

NTA

Played about ten minutes of game 2.

NTA

Played about half of our last game - we were up 10-0 off the first two kick offs but they came back to 14-10 at halftime then finished over the top of us 26-10. Helps that they had a premier grade flyhalf to help run things, plus a few other players with obvious top club experience. But we rattled the shit out of them.

NTA

Played the whole of the Plate semi due to injuries but we couldn't hang onto the ball. Lost 48-0. Missed a tackle, made another, cleaned someone out (next guy in was off his feet so we gave away a penalty anyway), and ran the ball into contact for the first time that day.

Anyway, about half an hour of high paced rugby to log in the fitness app.

NTA

Not a great week for exercise or eating, but I'll make it up next week, honest!
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="NTA" data-cid="390503" data-time="1379113729"> 91.3kg, Chest 106, Waist 96, Hips 102, Calliper is about 19.5</blockquote>
92.9 kg, Chest 106, Waist 97, Hips 102, Calliper about the same. Currently feeling a bit bloated from a night out. Could have addressed that with a run this morning but we have guests coming so Mrs TA has gone out to do shopping already. I've got two weeks off work so will have time every morning to bust out some weights or road work.

NTA

I'm a weak prick, but at least I know it. Lots of over eating the last couple of days. Bloody family events and over-catering wife! And lack of willpower... But that gelato was fucking delicious... I've seen a Cross Fit challenge on Facebook that looks like fun - have you met Murph? 1.6 km run with 7 or 9 kg weight vest 100 pull ups 200 push ups 300 squats 1.6 km run In that order... Looks insane. Might try it while I'm on leave...

NTA

Woke up with a massive headache. Sugar toxicity combined with bad sleep patterns I reckon. Time to get back on the straight and narrow, with some exercise tonight.

NTA

6km in just over 45 minutes in mixture of walking and jogging. Headache was still there all day. Felt like after a migraine. Hope that is done with for now

NTA

Been funtin' it up while I do some repairs on the house in preparation for sale. So had spare time this afternoon to get some exercise in:
 
5 x pull up
5 x push press @ 50 kg
5 x bicep curl @ 14kg
25 x push up
25 x lunge left then right
5 x bent row @ 50 kg
25 x squat
20 x dead lift @ 50kg
 
Circuit 1: 7:53. Two minute rest
Circuit 2: 7:40. Two minute rest
Circuit 3: 9:20.
 
Fucking shattered. Felt the blood vessels popping on the last dead lifts and the push ups on circuit 3 were a struggle...

NTA

I should really do that circuit x 3 every 4-5 days to see if there is any improvement, and to build more tone...

Paekakboyz

Nice mix of cardio and lifting there bro - I need to write it down and give it a crack!!
 
Good idea to repeat I reckon, it's super satisfying when you can see clear improvement. One of the cooler things about having a set circuit like that.
 
Go hard!!!

NTA

Left Achilles and abductor flared right up when I tried to run this morning, so now walking instead. I've put on weight which sucks. bloody holidays.

El Toro supremo

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="NTA" data-cid="393728" data-time="1380393405">
Left Achilles and abductor flared right up when I tried to run this morning, so now walking instead. .</blockquote>
Welcome to my world!!! Years ago I had no idea what people meant when they said something ....flares up.. 
After a little accident some 18 months ago and everything that goes with that....learning to walk again etc....I now know exactly. 
Still stuck in a daily routine of rehab.....long, long way to go. 
Good luck with your project.....dont let that flare up get to you. Keep going.

NTA

Slack fuck. Annual leave to look after the kids arrived at the same time Mrs TA got interested in selling our house. So all I've been doing is fixing the bloody thing up or looking after the kids! Then last week went camping with my parents to get some family time. Time to weigh in again: 93.0 kg, Chest 107, Waist 98, Hips 102, Callipers about 20. So roughly where I left off.

Paekakboyz

This is the toughest time aside from being injured I reckon. Life can be a real pain when it comes to training or keep your momentum going.
 
If you can avoid getting back into bad eating habits you should bounce back quick once you are training again.

NTA

First scheduled exercise for almost ten days tonight - Karate. First class back for the term, and the boy has given up on it.
 
Me: "That's OK, but ..."
Him: "But what?"
Me: "There is no other sport available this time of year around here, so ..."
Him: "So what?
Me: "Your only option besides karate is working out with me in the garage at night"
Him: "That's OK"
Me (quizzically): "The same boy who gives up after the first ten reps of anything?"
Him: "I promise it'll be better this time!"
Me (trying not to snort in derision): "OK. Tomorrow night then"
 
Actually I'm kind of happy. Means I (selfishly) get to do karate without looking over my shoulder, and get a chance to work on his strength and try and combat the fat he's putting on, or at least smooth it out a little with some muscle. And give him some confidence too. If I can at least get 10 minutes out of him first time, we'll be getting somewhere... He'll be sore the next morning though...

TSF

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