Greetings and Salutations

[dustinthewind]

Dustin here.

 

Vital stats: 

• Male
• 36 years and 11 months of age
• 5' 10.5" 
• 198 lbs
• BF% via BIA scale = 24.6%

Where I started:

• 236 lbs
• BF% 36.4
• pack-and-a-half a day smoker
• 2 LITERS of Coke every day
• 12-18 beers a week (we're talking that dark European stuff made by monks).
• Fast food for EVERY MEAL, plus lots of "snacks":

Changes I have made so far, but still need improvement on:

• Stopped smoking cigarettes ( I still have a pipe/cigar once in a while )
• Switched to Coke Zero (down to 40 oz a day at that)
• Cut out most junk food
• Trying to learn to love coffee black
• Fast food once or twice a week
• Severe rationing of beer; 0-4 a week

Changes I am making right now.

• Phasing out processed foods. i.e. frozen "healthy" box dinners
• New power tower for pull-ups and dips when I am ready for them (the manufacturer is gladly sending the missing parts)
• New rowing machine
• Dumbbell bench and some dumbbells
• New running shoes (I hate running, but these are supposed to be good for crossfit too)

What I started doing today:

• Rowing
• The NF Beginner Body Weight Circuit (BBWC)

Today's report: 15 minutes of rowing at ~40% resistance about 18-20 strokes per minute to warm up. BBWC x 2. Stretch. Guzzle 48oz water.

Well, the BBWC kicked my ass. I hadn't how out-of-shape I really was until today. I thought I was reasonably fit (still remembering college fondly, I guess), but I know better now.

I had to do the push-ups on my knees. MY KNEES!!! Oh, and the Lunges, I couldn't do all the reps--sixteen the first set, eight the second. By the end of the second circuit I was toast; gasping for air and all that. Sadly, no third circuit today.

 

But that's OK. I will get better.

 

So, what are my goals?

In 18 months I want to have earned the right to say "THIS. IS. SPARTA!!!" in my bathroom mirror knowing that appearance is a consequence of fitness.

I know I have to have a game plan. Like Commander Shepard, I'm not ready to fight the Reapers just yet. Like Commander Shepard, I will need allies. You, dear readers, are some of them. Co-workers are others. I will need that constant motivation.

My step, by step goals are as follows

• Go 80% Paleo over the next few months
• Complete the BBWC in full for two weeks straight.
• Move to the Scaled ABWC, once I can complete it for a week, progress to the...
• ABWC. Increase reps or sets as needed
• Row X miles a month (still working on this one)
• Drink single malt scotch whisky instead of beer (this will be the easiest, as I already have an affinity for the MacAllan, )
• No Coke Zero
• No occasional cigar
• January 2014 or before: Crossfit for 3+ months (I live in an apartment and the local crossfit place is very pricey, so I don't know If I can swing more)
• Scotty, MORE POWER. I would like to try parkour even though I now live in a small town in farm country.

My question to you, Rebels, is how often should I row, when, how long, what resistance, and intensity?

 

Oh, and thanks for taking time to read this.

[Jakob Kopfeld]

Hello Dustin

 

It's awesome that you decided to get into shape! I see you already took your first steps on your own, and now you're here to continue improving. That is amazing! One step at a time, a lot of tiny steps add up to a huuuge amount of progress. 

 

Welcome to the Rebellion! Everyone I've met here so far is a really nice person and very supportive of each other. Comeing here was the right choice! I wish you the best of luck, and as much willpower as you need to complete your awesome transformation.

[marybelle]

Hi! Welcome and congrats on starting! I am doing the BBWC as well. Do not feel bad, it seems so simple and easy yet it will kick your butt! I do my pushups on my knees too, and struggle to do the ten, which sucks because I used to do pushups like a boss back in the day. Our bodies will get used to it again, and soon push ups will be no big thing. I actually had to stop completely after two circuits the first time because I felt like I was going to be sick, but your body will continue to progress more quickly than you would think. You have some awesome goals! Good luck with everything!  

[sumdawgtwigg]

Your goals are very close to my own. I'm a huge coke drinker and it's one of my toughest challenges. I think quitting smoking was easier for me haha. I had to start drinking Coke zero to lose weight because I just couldn't drop the habit. Another big help, if you like it, is sparkling water such as perrier. It's what really helped me kick the habit completely. 

 

Best of luck and welcome to the rebellion. 

[Laureleye]

You've made a lot of progress already, and I'm sure you're well on your way to Sparta.  If you've done the BBWW a couple of times, you'll have found by now that it's pretty darned tough - so it will probably take you more than 2 weeks to move up to the advanced version.  I didn't have much luck transitioning from knee pushups to full pushups, so I'm trying another method - you can read about it on my challenge thread if it sounds interesting.

 

Recommended practice is to do your strength training no more than 3x week, so you can have a rest (non-strength training) day between.  On your "rest" day, you can do your cardio.  If you wish to do both on the same day, the recommendation is to do the cardio last.  You need one full rest day/week (although you can do some light cardio - I walk a mile on my day off).

If you don't like running, don't do it.  Why do something you hate? 

 

The challenge has already started, but you can join in late.  It's a great way to join the community.  Welcome!