Big Show Cuts for Camp (2/2)

[Big_Show]

Last challenge before Camp!

 

Last time round I tried to shift some timber before heading off to the States.  It started off well, but then stall and unfortunately reversed; I hit a couple of hiccups in my personal life and reacted... not too well.  But that's all over now, so new challenge, fresh start.

 

Simple goals:

 

1) Some form of exercise daily, even if it's just a walk.  I have started up running again, which should help matters even though it's still horribly hot out there.

 

2) DO NOT EAT AND DRINK LIKE AN ARSEHOLE.  I really cannot stress enough how big a problem this becomes when my mood suffers; at the moment I'm having at least two weeks off the sauce anyway, but I cannot afford to keep slipping back into the same old habits.

 

So that's me all set.  Four weeks until I fly to America!

[LordKronos87]

Wishing you the best in your challenge!

[bker1370]

Following along and wishing you the best.

[Merrin]

Following along! Start the countdown to CAAAAAMP!

[Charlie_Quinn]

Following along of course. 

[shaar]

Oh man I feel in a VERY similar spot right now with your quests... just do SOMETHING, and oh Shaar, stop the pizza and beer ok?!!?!

 

Here for this!  Good solid goals yo!

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Following along again, getting excited to meet you at CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMP!

[Wild Wolf]

10 hours ago, Big_Show said:

Four weeks until I fly to America!

 

I'll see your big, sexy behind soon!

 

W0lf

[Big_Show]

Yay!  Great to have all you along for the ride, guys!

 

This is essentially my Week 1, so I'm just gonna dive straight in there.

 

Week 0, Day 1

 

Back into the swing of things at work now.  Prepped four meals' worth of Bolognese-ish food for lunches (it tends to get carried away and mutate into some kind of beef & vegetable stew instead), I have my snacks sorted, and my dinners are all planned too.  This weekend is going to be an alcohol-free one (last week I got waaaaay too carried away with various events and then the weekend in Dubai), so that should hopefully eliminate the urge for pizza.  Which is frankly always lurking in the back of my head somewhere.

 

After work was the gym!  Back into things with a Chest, Shoulders & Triceps workout:

- w/u

- DB bench press - 10,10,max: 2x45lbs for 10,10,14 - increase weight next time

- DB flyes - 10,10,max: 2x30lbs for 10,10,14 - increase weight next time

- side lateral raise - 10,10,max: 2x20lbs for 10,10,12 - increase weight nexxt time (just!)

- seated DB military press - 10,10,max: 2x35lbs for 6,6,6,5 - added on an extra set as the others had missed by so much (first time with this weight)

- triceps pushdown - 10,10,max: 70lbs for 10,10,14 - increase weight next time

 

Then I drove home and got on the rowing machine for 10mins (2392m @ 2:05.4/500m average) - I haven't used this thing in ages, but I want to up my cardio as much as possible so I'm going to be gradually building it back up.  Thankfully my form hadn't suffered as much as I expected so it wasn't too bad.  More to come!

 

Tomorrow is a planned run day, so I'll be aiming for a 5k in the evening when it's mildly less sweltering (this is a very relative statement).  And now I have to go locate everybody's new threads!

[Noname123]

Woo Day 1 week 0! DO ALL THE THINGS. 

[skinNbones]

Hi BigShow, Well done with the meal prep. Good start.

They are us.

[Sloth the Enduring]

I love the simplicity.

ETA: I'm totally going to ripoff your challenge.

[Big_Show]

It definitely used to be a bolognese recipe once. Now... not so much.

[Charlie_Quinn]

It might not be bolognese but it looks damn good. 

 

Good luck with the run - If you haven't already done it? Time zones are confusing.

[Big_Show]

It might not be bolognese but it looks damn good. 

 

Good luck with the run - If you haven't already done it? Time zones are confusing.

I'm two hours ahead of you - pray for me around 3:30!

[darkfoxx]

*waves*

Sent on dragon wing

[Terra]

Good luck on that warm run!

 

[Big_Show]

Week 0, Day 2

 

I entered a race!

 

At the beginning of last week all the NF Academy quests reset themselves as they upgraded the software and integrated everything a bit more.  I took advantage of this as International Respawn Day to work my way through the various articles and starting quests again, beginning with the mindset ones.

 

Today I reached "Why Having to Restart is Great" which mentioned taking your 20 seconds of courage and signing up for something.  So I signed up for the only race in the foreseeable future in this country!

 

It's a 10k in November, which gives me three months to train for it.  I had been putting it off as I won't get a time comparable to how I used to years ago, but then I realised this is a bullshit excuse - I can commit instead to getting the best time possible based on where I'm starting from now.  And I reckon that if I build slowly and concentrate on not getting injured, a sub-45 is distinctly possible.

 

Straight after doing that, I went out for my 5k run!  It was indeed insanely warm, and by the last 400m I actually felt fairly nauseous, so I just dropped the pace a bit and breathed deeper.  It kinda helped.  3.1M in 27:06 @ 8:36/mile pace, and considering this heat & humidity that equates to at least a 1min/mile faster in a more sensible climate.

 

One thing's for sure - I am really gonna have to keep on top of foam rolling my calves.  They are already comically tight again, so they must have been seriously chronic when I used to do this kind of thing daily!

[Big_Show]

P.S. I've just been reminded that I didn't mention today's food at all!  Seeing as this is frankly the far tougher part of this challenge for me, I really should get into the habit of posting it daily.  Perhaps photos might be in order?

 

Breakfast is currently a bowl of Oat So Simple porridge made in the microwave at work.

 

Mid-morning snack was some GF oatcakes (I was away at the weekend and so had to improvise with my shopping).

 

Lunch was kinda-Bolognese-y (see above).

 

Pre-run snack was a bowl of cereal (I need something before I run).

 

Dinner was not-quite an omelette; bacon, mushrooms, red onion, and red pepper in a pan, then rather than properly whisk up three eggs and make it into an omelette, I just cracked them in and let them cook instead.  So more of a hash?

 

I didn't track the exact calorie count for this, but it kept my appetite sated throughout the day and I know from past experience it comes to around 2500, which will have me at a healthy calorie deficit for the day.

 

I have also spent some time this evening looking through recipe books for more batch cooking & snack options - I came to a few conclusions earlier on today and I'll go into them at greater length in tomorrow's post, as I now need to check up on some other threads and then get ready for bed.  Night all!

[skinNbones]

Sub 45 10k would be impressive in my book. We're doing the santa dash in Dec, and if we can stay under 1 HR I'll be pleased.

They are us.

[Raxie]

Ooh photos would totally keep you accountable! And save on typing.  I legit though about doing that last challenge............. but then I ate like a jerk and had 5 trays of leftover jerk food that lasted me 2 weeks even with freezing half and didn't, but maybe next challenge!  Eating not great is SO HARD TO STOP.  But you totally will - you got this

[darkfoxx]

Yay, 20 seconds of courage!! Way to go!

Sent on dragon wing

[EricMN]

Following.

 

Also, good job getting out and running in the heat. I'm going to repeat what I said somewhere else in the past couple weeks about heat training being good for you. It compares favorably to altitude training. Nobody likes it, and you have to be damn sure you're properly hydrating, but it's good for you. The Google can confirm.

 

Well done defeating the perfection trap and signing up for that race.

[Big_Show]

It has also occurred to me that I'm going to have to slightly modify the specifics of my weights sessions if I'm going to be back running three times a week now.

 

Before, this programme was going cycling through a three day bodypart split, with a day's cardio in between.  For example:

Day 1: Chest, shoulders & triceps

Day 2: Legs & abs

Day 3: Cardio

Day 4: Back & biceps + cardio (as it's a shorter session)

Day 5: Chest, shoulders & triceps:

Day 6: Legs & abs

Day 7: Cardio

Day 8: Back & biceps + cardio

etc.

 

I am enjoying the weights though, and frankly I still want my upper-body to both be 1) stronger than it is now, and 2) look more impressive than it does now.  Plus my gym membership doesn't expire for another two months and I can't bring myself to waste all that money.

 

So as I intend to get back to running three times a week again, albeit with very gradually-increasing distances, I think I'm going to stick with the same format of the actual sessions themselves but instead aim for:

Sun: Run

Mon: Chest, shoulders & triceps

Tues: Run

Wed: Legs & abs

Thurs: Rest/yoga/recovery cardio

Fri: Running club

Sat: Back & biceps + cardio

 

That should give a spare day in between working legs and running again, plus I'm generally always mentally knackered by Thursday evening anyway (my weekends over here are Friday & Saturday).

 

Does that all look plausible?  Obviously there is daily foam rolling now scheduled in, and extra yoga wherever possible too.  All comments & criticisms gratefrully received!

 

[Raxie]

That looks like a good schedule breakdown to me! It's pretty much the same ish as what I'm doing in terms of strength and cardio scheduling plus a recovery day and fun day (which for me is hiking/rucking/dancing and for you is running club).  I haven't died yet... but it's only been 2 weeks on this schedule and last week I skipped a lifting day haha so we shall see.