Week 35 – No Change

Weight: 74.0 (KG 163 lbs)
BMI: 26.2
Weight-Change-Total: -34.6 KG (-76.3 lbs)
Weight-Lost-Week: 0.0 KG (0.0 lbs)
Bodyfat: 7.8%/12.3%/27.8% (Navy/Calipers/Resistance-scale)

Date	Weight	Waist	Hips	Chest	Thigh	Calf	Bicep	Body Fat %
3/25/2009	163.1 lbs / 74 kg	31	32	43	21	15.5	12	12.3

Blood-Pressure: 112/69/44 (Sys/Dia/Pul)

Well after last weeks spectacular (more than a kilo) drop this week I see nothing.  I ate a bit too much last weekend, but not really sure what is up.  I don’t mind slow weeks at this point, as now I am less intersted in losing weight as much as losing fat safely and I need time for my skin to catch up with body.  For fat los, I do believe I have lost a little bit as I am pully my belt a bit tighter around my hips thi week than previously, and a little less sag in the skin.

I was injured this last week.  I sprained my ankle on Tuesday night of last week.  This meant no running on Saturday, and modified workouts for Thursday and Sunday.   My cleans and jerks do put tension on the ankle, so I switched to lighter weights and more reps (17.5kg DB vs 24.0kg KB).  Also did fewer standing versions and some more sitting.  Including the controversial arm curl.    I don’t work my biceps directly and it showed.  The first time it was hard, but even just two days later it was much easier, I think this was more of a case of innervation that physical strength.  Going from 5reps to 10 in two days is too fast for muscle tissue.  I work biceps indirectly via chin-ups and renegade rows.

Still on the no calorie counter plan.  Did have a big meal last Thursday in celebration of my anniversary.  Fondue Shinois (broth fondue) beef, turkey, and pork in Chicken broth + lots of condiments and salad.  Overall I think I am doing OK.  I did do my 24hr fast (skip a dinner and a breakfast) but since I ate around noon it wasn’t that big of a deal.  I ate a lot more carbohydrates last week than usual (some bread for breakfast, second piece of bread for lunch, ice-cream for dessert several nights), but I was eating the same lunch every day in a restaurant because I was in way too many meetings and this one restaurant can server me and let me finish in 30 minutes, but is still a sit down place where I can relax (and it is 5Euro including tip).

I would like to see some decline in the next week, and I happy to not see any gain this week.

Week 34 – Results “Body Fat Ideal”

Weight: 74.0KG (163lbs)
BMI: 26.2
Weight-Change-Total: -34.6KG (-76.3lbs)
Weight-Lost-Week: 1.8 KG (4.0 lbs)
Bodyfat: 12.3%/9.7%/27.6% (Navy/Calipers/Resistance-scale)

Date	Weight	Waist	Hips	Chest	Thigh	Calf	Bicep	Body Fat %
3/18/2009	163.1 lbs / 74 kg	31	32.5	43	21	15.5	12	12.3

Blood-Pressure: 104/55/42 (Sys/Dia/Pul)

Well this last week was proof of sucess of the non-calorie counter weight loss system.  Having lost 1.8kg (a bit fast) but also having gone to brunch on Sunday and had a cocktail night at my place on Saturday night, and last nigh celbrated Saint Patrick’s day at an Irish pub listening to a live band.  Means I don’t need an ascetic lifestyle and I don’t need a calorie-counter to keep my weight under control.  Traveling is always difficult and I am still getting used to it.  My biggest helper rules are.

1. I must do exercise on a day when I have a big meal
2. 24hr of fasting (not more) is a good way to reduce about 500Kcal for a week
3. eat a protein rich breakfast whenever possible (this leaves me full and makes it easier to get lunch in a normal restaurant)
4. target low-fat foods (but only if also low-carb)

Today was also the trip to the Doctor.

Highlights:

1. I am healthy, and don’t need blood pressure medication or treatment
2. I have “ideal” bodyfat (even if my BMI says I am overweight)  11.72% Bodyfat, 27.3 BMI on Monday 2.03.2009 (which also tells me that my Calipers are the most accurate measure)
3. I am old for my age.  blood pressure and pulse suggest I am almost 5 years older than where I show up.

Bodytype

I am doing pretty well.  My upper-body is a bit “underdeveloped”  I am also asymetrical.  Me right upper-body is bigger than my left, and my left lower-body is bigger than right.

11.7% bodyfat (middle of ideal-range)
27.4 BMI  (high end of overweight)

I am big for my height, bones, muscle whatever but it isn’t fat.

Blood

LDL-Cholesterol: 98 (should be under 160)
Triglycerides: 43 (should be under 150)

There is no justification for me taking blood-pressure meds or statins

Things that I was high in:

CK (Creatinekase) 277 U/L: evidence that I am building muscle
Ferritin: 356 ug/L: probably because I eat a lot of meat???
Kalium, Lymphozyten, Neutrophile all high: probably lightly infected when I took the test

Aerobic Capacity

253W in the safe zone of 169 bpm  (determined assuming a max Heart Rate of 186)
expected max of 222 or I have 13% more aerobic capacity than expected of somone of my age.  and 26% more power than someone of my “body-type”

Lung Capacity

FVC 6.15L (37.7% larger than average for my height) Yes I have big lungs, about average for male freedivers (of all heights)
FEV1 4.49L (19.0% larger than average for my height) I have no obstructions and get get rid of air quickly
TV 1.5L – I have an enourmous ammount of lung capacity that I don’t use most of the time, maybe I should do more exhale diving….

EKG

I have an enlarged left ventrical, not uncommon for someone who has done high intensity training (say weight-lifting or butterfly-sprints)

Blood Pressure

Pretty darn normal, my pulse and my diastolic are low.  This is part of what makes me appear “older” than my years for my body type.  My Systolic is in a normal range, and when I go to sleep both my pulse and my blood pressure drop, and I recover rapidly from strenous activity.

Nothing to worry about, even when pushing 90% of my theoretical max-heart rate.

Week 33 – Difficulties Without the Counter

Weight: 75.8KG (167lbs)
BMI: 26.9
Weight-Change-Total: -32.8KG (-72.3lbs)
Weight-Lost-Week: -0.7 KG (-1.5 lbs) [negative means gain here]
Bodyfat: 13.2%/10.3%/29.0% (Navy/Calipers/Resistance-scale)

Date	Weight	Waist	Hips	Chest	Thigh	Calf	Bicep	Body Fat %
3/11/2009	167.11 lbs / 75.8 kg	31.5	32.5	43	21.5	16	12.5	13.19

Blood-Pressure: 108/54/46 (Sys/Dia/Pul)

So I have not had much success here in losing weight without explicitly counting what goes in.  Now these last two weeks did have extenuating circumstances.  I was traveling to Finland, and business travel almost always makes progress difficult.  It is hard to get enough exercise and it is difficult for me to control what I eat.  Serve yourself cafeterias with a flat rate don’t help either.  I did still do body-weight workouts, but I had a fairly early and late meeting schedule while in Finland.  So I still have some hope for progress this week.  That is also why I skipped a week in the progress posts, I was at a hotel and didn’t have a scale.

I find when traveling for work the different schedule and such also make dealing with energy levels much harder.  I am generally low on sleep, up at unusual hours and it is much easier to use food to help with energy balance.  Not always healthy but it helps.

I also have been doing 24hr fasts on Friday night through Saturday Lunch.  24 hr fast + exercise, not enough to convert the body into pack it on (starvation)  mode or get light headed, but enough to reduce calories (and retained-water) by a bit.  As my wife puts it I “do not have insulin resistance.”  So the occasional fast doesn’t hurt and is MUCH easier for me than trying to eat less which make me feel much more hungry.  I guess my body just gets used to not eating a bit and doesn’t demand more food.

Next week I have my meeting with my doctor and I will demand all my data!

– blood test (to compare with last summer)
– 24hr blood-pressure observation
– lung volume
– blood pressure/pulse while exercising (only went up to 300W, I know I could sustain higher)

My hotel workout program was as follows:

3 rounds of:

50 declined push-ups (with legs on the hotel bed)
50 abs (hop between the arms, leg-arm extensions, v-sits)
15 Burpees
2×10 one-leg squats (that is 10 per side)
20 inverted push-ups (hang under the hotel desk and pull my chest to the desk)
2×10 one-arm push-ups (feet on the ground, hand on a chair)
61 Jumping-Jacks

It is a ~30 minute workout.  Yes I took my heart rate monitor with me and it is not as high of intensity as my normal workout.