RocketsMcGuire in Not Without My Pullup Bar

[RocketsMcGuire]

Stats

Sex: Male

Age: 22

Height: 5'10"

Weight: 90kg (approx)

 

Goals

- Fat loss

- Permanently modify diet

- Make exercise part of my life

- Pass military fitness test

 

How?

- Walking

- Improved diet

- Bodyweight exercises

 

Exercises to be added gradually to become daily habits, instead of 'oh god exercise time'. I will use bodyweight exercises because they appeal to me, and the self-discipline required to keep at it will be a good change for my personality. The other part is to build up a 5 mile walking route, and once that becomes easy enough switch to jogging, and eventually intervals.

 

The next 6 months will be spent getting myself up to scratch, which should take approx. 3 months. The other 3 will be seeing if I can sustain the exercise and dietary changes. After that, I can shout 'VICTOLY' and the real training can begin.

[RocketsMcGuire]

Week 3

Finally started a battle log. There is no time for being shy about this sort of thing.

 

Exercise

3rd week of walking. Vigorous pace, roughly 5 miles a night Mon-Fri. Seems to take about 1h 15m to complete, hoping to get it under an hour soon.

 

2nd week of pushups. Some setbacks, mostly to do with form. Switched to negative pushups for now, to concentrate on form and developing the basic strength to do full pushups correctly. Usually 1 set of 10 in the morning, followed by 2 sets of 5 during the day three times a week.

 

Food

Mostly paleo. Completely gave up potatoes, which was a lot easier than I thought. Drink water mostly, occasionally black tea or coffee with a splashet of milk. Thinking of trying decaf. No alcohol as of yet, but god knows what the weekend will bring. Simple and inexpensive changes so far. See no problem in keeping it up.

 

Results

Increased leg strength and balance from the walking. Keep a faster normal walking pace about the day now. It's also helped build arches in my feet (wearing orthotics) and eliminated joint pain. For some reason I can stand taller than I used to (slouchy 5'8'' to a full 5'10''!).

 

The dietary changes made my hair all shiny, and my skin has never looked better. Clothes are looser than before Week 1.

[RocketsMcGuire]

Week 4

Not a great week. Did learn the tin whistle though.

 

Exercise

Walking went to hell. Between bad weather and not feeling good I only managed one night this week. On the plus side it's given my blisters a chance to heal, and I legitimately feel bad for not doing it.

 

3rd week of pushups. Negatives are the best thing ever. Up to 1 set of 20 & 2 sets of 10. Chest and triceps starting to feel and look stronger. One more week of this and it's time for full pushups (AMAP, then more negatives).

 

Food

Switched to decaf coffee, sleeping is a lot easier and regular now. Gotten used to no potatoes and pasta. Rice is still a problem, but I have it so infrequently it doesn't matter. Instead of going for junk I usually end up with an apple or a banana as a snack. Taste better than they used to for some reason.

 

Results

Continued weight loss, better sleep pattern, used to dietary changes. And no Easter eggs on Sunday.

[RocketsMcGuire]

Week 5. Or 6? I don't know anymore.

A pretty okay week. Or fortnight.

 

Exercise

I got this walking thing down. I walk everywhere. My nearest friend and pub are three miles away, so I walk. And I walk back. And sometimes I walk an extra five miles because why the hell not.

 

Pushups are going okay. I can do more than ever and will only get better with hard work. Three to forty in a month isn't too bad, I think. Though my shoulders have been sore the last week, so I've given them a miss. Actual pain, not 'oh lawdy things be sore'. On Monday I'll start adding planks. Considering I feared pushups nearly as much as the dreaded pullup, I might be alright this time.

 

Food

Generally healthy stuff. The paleo thing seems a bit excessive now. Food here is of the highest quality, so all I have to do is be sensible. Honestly it seems more suitable to Americans for some reason. Come to think of it, I've never known of anyone being allergic to anything apart from nuts. And that one guy who can't take banana juice.

 

Results

Steady weight loss, improved health. I still maintain the only reason I didn't get the flu in a house of sick people are my dietary changes (them being the only difference between us).

[RocketsMcGuire]

Week 7

Bought a pullup bar, now the thread title makes sense. Kinda.

 

Exercise

I can finally do an acceptable amount of proper pushups, usually between 30-40. For now I do them in sets of 10, but the goal is to get that up to sets of 20 (for army fitness test). When it gets comfortable it's time to increase it gradually. 20 may be enough for the army, but not for me.

 

Decided to focus on upper body strength for now, so planks can wait. Bought and assembled a pullup bar a few days ago. It's very disheartening not being able to do one pullup, but you have start at zero I guess. For now I'm using a chair until I can progress to negatives.

 

Food

Been too lax about food this week. More biscuits than are acceptable. God damn custard creams are irresistable. Feeling great shame about it, so that's an improvement. A month ago I wouldn't give a shit.

 

Results

Equal amount pride and shame in my abilities but my determination will not be broken.

[RocketsMcGuire]

Week 8

A shit week if ever there were one.

 

Exercise

One session of bodyweight exercise before I started feeling pain. Either I'm trying too hard or my form is just that bad. Taking the week off to see if I recover okay, if not it's time to see a doctor. Having serious doubts about whether bodyweight exercise is practical for a fat weakling, so I've dusted off the weight set in the garage. Never let personal bias get in the way, especially in something as black and white as exercise. No room for debate when weights are the fastest and most efficient way of losing fat and gaining muscle.

 

Food

About the only thing I've gotten right over the last two months. Weight loss is steady, and I like what I eat.

 

Results

FISSION MAILED

[RocketsMcGuire]

Attempt 2

Things didn't go to plan. But that's okay, failure is part of the process. OF LIFE. Bodyweight exercise is not the way to go right now. I learnt this over two months of hard work, it is useful knowledge that I will apply in my quest to not suck physically. The plan now is to begin the StrongLifts 5x5 program. For the first month or so I think I have enough weights in the house to exercise here, but any heavier than 80kg and it's off to the gym.

 

I failed, I learned something, and maybe hurt myself in the process. Somewhere along the line I might fail again, but at least I have this thread to show that I'm doing something, trying to change myself for the better. This week will be spent taking it easy, as I have serious concerns about my shoulders. Hopefully another week of rest will sort me out.

 

I'll continue walking everywhere for the flimsiest of excuses too. It's enjoyable, taking in the scenery. Beneficial to mind and body and really puts things in perspective. Nothing is too far anymore, there's no reason to avoid friends or social situations because it's only 3 miles to town. My diet has improved considerably the last two months, and I intend to keep it up. Perhaps maybe get a little stricter, but the important changes have been made.

 

It was a bit of a downer failing like this, but I want to be fit more than I want to lie about being depressed.

 

 

New Goals

-My country isn't recruiting for the army this year, and when it starts up again I'll be too old. That options out, but there's always the British forces. So becoming military fit is still a goal, incase I decide to turn traitor.

 

-Start and complete StrongLifts 5x5 program. No fannying about, just get the plan from their website and follow it to the letter. After that I'll ask NF for advice.

 

-Summer's coming up. I want to go shirtless on the beach for once. No more moobs by July.

[RocketsMcGuire]

OH GOD DAMMIT ATTEMPT 3

I should rename this 'The Continuing Fails of RocketsMcGuire'.

 

One month out. One fucking month. Unacceptable I say. Between pure sloth and milking shoulder injury for all it's worth I have disgraced myself in the eyes of ...myself, I guess. No one else does or should care.

 

I look to all the distractions in my life, and I will destroy them. No xbox, no tv, no internet. I will return to the fucking mountains themselves where there is nothing to do but exercise. Failure is not an option here. First I'll sell or dump anything that takes up my time, I'll allow myself to keep reading though because books are awesome. Second I guess I should ask my relatives in the mountains if I can stay instead of just showing up one day. There's no weights there, so I'm back to bodyweight. Harder and inefficient by comparison, but what can you do? Plans are funny like that.

 

 

One day I'll look back on this and laugh. I'm laughing now, but it's more maniacal than anything.

[RocketsMcGuire]

Sold all my crap, got enough money for some bitchin' exercise gear. Bags are packed and I leave for the desolate hills of Leitrim in a few hours.

 

brb fixing life