60 Day Challenge
Discussion
Hey Chaps,
I thought I'd post my 60 day results to see what you think! So I entered the Crackberry challenge to make the biggest change in my body in 60 days.
I actually trained for 45 days since I started late but here we go;
And 45 days later
http://crackberry.com/60-day-blackberry-fitness-ch...
It's being judged this coming week so I wonder how I will do!
What do you think?
I thought I'd post my 60 day results to see what you think! So I entered the Crackberry challenge to make the biggest change in my body in 60 days.
I actually trained for 45 days since I started late but here we go;
And 45 days later
http://crackberry.com/60-day-blackberry-fitness-ch...
It's being judged this coming week so I wonder how I will do!
What do you think?
ShadownINja said:
Well done. You must feel proud (even though you're coming across as a closet gay). If you keep going, you could probably get some decent definition and muscle bulk as you have that "type" of body.
Haha @ closet gay! But thanks!I took the pics for the competition.
I wanted to post to show even in a short period time a good change is possible. It's different for everyone but I find I gain weight easily if I make sure I keep my protein levels high (the cheap stuff from holland & barret, although there's far better stuff out there).
I'm cutting then I'm going to bulk and to be honest more is possible than what I acheived, I slipped several times (I love to drink) and also my diet wasn't always clean.
Edited by Ordinary_Chap on Friday 27th August 23:55
ShadownINja said:
Yeah, that's the problem. It's a balance, really, and deciding on priorities. I'm not too bothered about specifically looking good (although there isn't any visible fat on me) as I am being functionally fit for what I want to do.
I can completely understand that, I did martial arts for years too.My balance I think is pretty good, training at least 5 times per week and a good diet with very few suppliments.
I'm kind of a fan of doing anything at full tilt though and my last 4 training partners quit because I push hard and they weren't mentally in the same place.
K87 said:
Thats an incredible difference!
What was the programme you were following?
Thanks.What was the programme you were following?
Chest/Tricep day, Carido day, Back/Bicep day, Cardio day, Shoulder Leg day etc. Training sessions typically last about 45 mins to an hour.
All carido days were done for 45 mins doing a variety of exercises, running, cycling, swimming etc.
All weights days where followed by 15-20 mins of HIIT training, usually running or cycling.
All exercise was followed by protein drinks.
Then the rest is down to diet and suppliments.
Breakfast - (omlette, porridge etc) + protein drink
Snack - berries or almonds
Dinner - Myoplex lite meal replacement drink
Snack before training like fruit or berries
Tea - Lean protein meal, chicken, turkey based meals etc
Before bed protein drink
I did all of this on quite cheaply. The Myoplex meals work out at just over a pound each and taste amazing, like drinking a milkshake that fills you up.
The protein drinks came from Holland and Barrett and each tub cost £10 and lasts me about 3 weeks.
I may do more with suppliements in the following months like creatine and some others.
Hi Rob, I'd be glad to help.
I actually think I saw you once in Mcdonalds (Congleton).
Anyway what I did was pretty simple, I just had to get rid of all of the rubbish from my head to do with diets and everything else. I spent a lot of time lurking on uk-muscle and reading their journals to see how they were transforming themselves. One of the biggest things I learnt was my body is about 70% made up of the food I put in it.
Here's my journal; http://www.uk-muscle.co.uk/competitive-journals/11...
Anyway in terms of lifting I always use compound lifts, so benchpress, squat etc exercises that hit as many muscles at once and also the body is seemingly designed for.
Anyway I will put a full exercise plan on here in a little while.
As for suppliements, I was just using a protein shake from Holland & Barrett but learned the ingrediants aren't so good. I've since ordered from (myprotein.co.uk), not only are they cheap but they are really good in terms of the quality of the product, it also tastes very nice too!
Once I learnt how to do the basics properly (good diet/lifting etc) the gains came quickly and still are.
I actually think I saw you once in Mcdonalds (Congleton).
Anyway what I did was pretty simple, I just had to get rid of all of the rubbish from my head to do with diets and everything else. I spent a lot of time lurking on uk-muscle and reading their journals to see how they were transforming themselves. One of the biggest things I learnt was my body is about 70% made up of the food I put in it.
Here's my journal; http://www.uk-muscle.co.uk/competitive-journals/11...
Anyway in terms of lifting I always use compound lifts, so benchpress, squat etc exercises that hit as many muscles at once and also the body is seemingly designed for.
Anyway I will put a full exercise plan on here in a little while.
As for suppliements, I was just using a protein shake from Holland & Barrett but learned the ingrediants aren't so good. I've since ordered from (myprotein.co.uk), not only are they cheap but they are really good in terms of the quality of the product, it also tastes very nice too!
Once I learnt how to do the basics properly (good diet/lifting etc) the gains came quickly and still are.
Training plan
Monday (Chest + Triceps)
Bench 1 set 30kg x 10 then 3 sets of 80kg x 8
Incline Bench 3 sets of 60kg x 8
Tricep pull down 3 sets of 30kg x 8
Flies 3 sets of 20kg (per dumbell) x 8
Weighted dips 3 sets x 8
Tuesday (Shoulders + Legs)
Squat 1 set 40 x 10 then 3 sets 80kg x 8
Dumbell Shoulder Press 3 sets of 24kg (per dumbell) x 8
Shoulder Shrugs 3 sets of 30kg (per dumbell) x 8
Calf raises (haven't done for the last month due to injury) but usually 3 sets of 8
Reverse Fly 3 sets of 20kg
+ 1 more leg exercise
Wednesday (Back + Biceps)
Lat pull down 1 set of 50kg x 10, then 3 sets of 75kg x 8
Ez Bar curl 3 sets of 30kg x 8
Upright row (close grip) 3 sets of 30kg x 8
Hammer Curl 3 sets of 22kg (per dumbell) x 8
Wide Grip pull up 3 sets of 8
+ 1 more bicep exercise
After each weights session I do 20 minutes of high intensity interval training (HIIT) which I usually do on the bike or treadmill.
Thursday
Cardio Day - This can be anything as long as it's 45-60 minutes. I swim, run, cycle etc.
Then repeat.
That's what I did to shock my body. I'd recommend most put a cardio day inbetween any weights day though to allow for recovery. When I started I didn't know what I know now and I still consider myself a novice.
Top tips.
- Weight doesn't matter, its all about form and carrying out the exercise properly. You'll grow far more by doing it properly as opposed to the crazy swinging you often see people doing in the gym. 3 months ago most exercises were less than half that weight I lift today. Also you'll injure yourself and get laughed at if you swing weights like a maniac.
- Diet equals about 70% of your body. It's also vital too for growth and recovery.
- I'd suggest counting calories (including drinks that can be packed with them!) in the early days and also figuring out what your BMR should be with exercise then reducing calories if you're looking
- Look here to figure out what your BMR is; http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/
- Now figure out how many calories you're consuming, if you're consuming more you'll not lose weight.
- Have a cheat day, eat well 6 days a week then give yourself a day off. I used to allow myself two bad meals a week now I use a cheat day. Just don't go crazy otherwise you'll wreck your progress.
- Avoid processed foods and drinks. Any packaged food that is claiming to be low fat is usually full of terrible chemicals like sodium. My general rule is, the fresher and the less processed, the better.
- If you're doing weights, if you're protein levels are not high enough you'll not give your muscles a chance to grow. Protein is essential for recovery. Most people cannot get the protein they need in their diets from weight lifting. Most believe 1.5grams of protein for 1lb of body weight. My solution is (www.myprotein.co.uk) protein powders.
- I covered some stuff on diets and outlined my diets in an earlier post but I'd suggest looking here;
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bbmainnut.htm at some diets and figuring out what works for you, just remember to count the calories!
- Sleep! Sleeping is where we grow, most bodybuilders recommend at least 8 hours a night.
Anyway this is just some of it, theres tons to it so if you've got any questions please ask or PM me, I'm more than happy to help out.
~ Lee
Monday (Chest + Triceps)
Bench 1 set 30kg x 10 then 3 sets of 80kg x 8
Incline Bench 3 sets of 60kg x 8
Tricep pull down 3 sets of 30kg x 8
Flies 3 sets of 20kg (per dumbell) x 8
Weighted dips 3 sets x 8
Tuesday (Shoulders + Legs)
Squat 1 set 40 x 10 then 3 sets 80kg x 8
Dumbell Shoulder Press 3 sets of 24kg (per dumbell) x 8
Shoulder Shrugs 3 sets of 30kg (per dumbell) x 8
Calf raises (haven't done for the last month due to injury) but usually 3 sets of 8
Reverse Fly 3 sets of 20kg
+ 1 more leg exercise
Wednesday (Back + Biceps)
Lat pull down 1 set of 50kg x 10, then 3 sets of 75kg x 8
Ez Bar curl 3 sets of 30kg x 8
Upright row (close grip) 3 sets of 30kg x 8
Hammer Curl 3 sets of 22kg (per dumbell) x 8
Wide Grip pull up 3 sets of 8
+ 1 more bicep exercise
After each weights session I do 20 minutes of high intensity interval training (HIIT) which I usually do on the bike or treadmill.
Thursday
Cardio Day - This can be anything as long as it's 45-60 minutes. I swim, run, cycle etc.
Then repeat.
That's what I did to shock my body. I'd recommend most put a cardio day inbetween any weights day though to allow for recovery. When I started I didn't know what I know now and I still consider myself a novice.
Top tips.
- Weight doesn't matter, its all about form and carrying out the exercise properly. You'll grow far more by doing it properly as opposed to the crazy swinging you often see people doing in the gym. 3 months ago most exercises were less than half that weight I lift today. Also you'll injure yourself and get laughed at if you swing weights like a maniac.
- Diet equals about 70% of your body. It's also vital too for growth and recovery.
- I'd suggest counting calories (including drinks that can be packed with them!) in the early days and also figuring out what your BMR should be with exercise then reducing calories if you're looking
- Look here to figure out what your BMR is; http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/
- Now figure out how many calories you're consuming, if you're consuming more you'll not lose weight.
- Have a cheat day, eat well 6 days a week then give yourself a day off. I used to allow myself two bad meals a week now I use a cheat day. Just don't go crazy otherwise you'll wreck your progress.
- Avoid processed foods and drinks. Any packaged food that is claiming to be low fat is usually full of terrible chemicals like sodium. My general rule is, the fresher and the less processed, the better.
- If you're doing weights, if you're protein levels are not high enough you'll not give your muscles a chance to grow. Protein is essential for recovery. Most people cannot get the protein they need in their diets from weight lifting. Most believe 1.5grams of protein for 1lb of body weight. My solution is (www.myprotein.co.uk) protein powders.
- I covered some stuff on diets and outlined my diets in an earlier post but I'd suggest looking here;
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bbmainnut.htm at some diets and figuring out what works for you, just remember to count the calories!
- Sleep! Sleeping is where we grow, most bodybuilders recommend at least 8 hours a night.
Anyway this is just some of it, theres tons to it so if you've got any questions please ask or PM me, I'm more than happy to help out.
~ Lee
littlegreenfairy said:
Shh...All this technical talk is spoiling the view 
Haha! You're too kind.Just so you guys know I've been corralled into setting up a Blackberry Messenger Fitness Group if anyone is interested in joining it my pin is 22991D34.
We are a friendly bunch that help keep each other motivated and share tips and other none fitness relevant stuff.
Lee.
So I decided to keep focusing on tone over muscle and I'm not 70-80 days in (can't rememeber) and here I am.
I plan to add more muscle shortly leading up to christmas, this has the added benefit of getting away with eating a little less cleanly and also the extra calories as long as they are half decent will help me to grow then cut again going into summer with hopefully some extra muscle.
I just want to say thank you to all of though on here and who I've met off here who has continued to offer me support and encouragement, it means a lot.
I plan to add more muscle shortly leading up to christmas, this has the added benefit of getting away with eating a little less cleanly and also the extra calories as long as they are half decent will help me to grow then cut again going into summer with hopefully some extra muscle.
I just want to say thank you to all of though on here and who I've met off here who has continued to offer me support and encouragement, it means a lot.
When I first started training I wasn't fit enough to do one minute of hard work followed by 30 seconds of rest.
I can now do that fairly easily even after a very heavy session but over the past month I've reduced cardio since I'm trying to bulk up and add some more muscle.
My main aim was to achieve 20 minutes of HIIT so if I couldn't manage the time because the rest periods were too short then I lenghtened them until I could do it.
I can now do that fairly easily even after a very heavy session but over the past month I've reduced cardio since I'm trying to bulk up and add some more muscle.
My main aim was to achieve 20 minutes of HIIT so if I couldn't manage the time because the rest periods were too short then I lenghtened them until I could do it.
obob said:
Is that a 5 day a week routine? i.e Weekends off? Or are you just on a cycle with no days off?
And the Protein Shake before bed? Is that a normal whey shake as most recommend having a casein shake before bed. But I don't really want to start buying loads of different supplements as I have no idea how long I will stick to it.
I too am looking to lose fat (not body weight) for more definition. Pretty similar diet to yours although I throw in a Protein shake directly after the gym and then eat a meal about an hour later.
Currently not having one before bed but probably a good idea as I eat quite early.
It was a 6 or 7 day routine although now I do 5-6 days.And the Protein Shake before bed? Is that a normal whey shake as most recommend having a casein shake before bed. But I don't really want to start buying loads of different supplements as I have no idea how long I will stick to it.
I too am looking to lose fat (not body weight) for more definition. Pretty similar diet to yours although I throw in a Protein shake directly after the gym and then eat a meal about an hour later.
Currently not having one before bed but probably a good idea as I eat quite early.
It is certainly true a casein protein is better since its a slower acting protein before bed but like you I just wanted to buy one type so I went with normal whey, plenty of other folk do this too.
Or you could eat some low fat cheese and drink a glass of milk before bed since they also have casein protein in them too.
Protein is important before bed since your body does most of its recovering whilst you're sleeping.
obob said:
Ordinary_Chap said:
obob said:
Is that a 5 day a week routine? i.e Weekends off? Or are you just on a cycle with no days off?
And the Protein Shake before bed? Is that a normal whey shake as most recommend having a casein shake before bed. But I don't really want to start buying loads of different supplements as I have no idea how long I will stick to it.
I too am looking to lose fat (not body weight) for more definition. Pretty similar diet to yours although I throw in a Protein shake directly after the gym and then eat a meal about an hour later.
Currently not having one before bed but probably a good idea as I eat quite early.
It was a 6 or 7 day routine although now I do 5-6 days.And the Protein Shake before bed? Is that a normal whey shake as most recommend having a casein shake before bed. But I don't really want to start buying loads of different supplements as I have no idea how long I will stick to it.
I too am looking to lose fat (not body weight) for more definition. Pretty similar diet to yours although I throw in a Protein shake directly after the gym and then eat a meal about an hour later.
Currently not having one before bed but probably a good idea as I eat quite early.
It is certainly true a casein protein is better since its a slower acting protein before bed but like you I just wanted to buy one type so I went with normal whey, plenty of other folk do this too.
Or you could eat some low fat cheese and drink a glass of milk before bed since they also have casein protein in them too.
Protein is important before bed since your body does most of its recovering whilst you're sleeping.
I'll go with the whey mixed with milk. Bit of both there!!
So I've had some requests for updates and the document over the past week or so, so I thought I'd update my plan with what I'm upto and what I've learn't. As most of you know I'm still in the phase of learning more about the subject and I'm refining the process as I go along.
I have trained very little over the past 2 months due to moving across the country and living in hotels until I'd got my new place sorted.
Anyway this year is going to be a year of maximum attack for me in both learning and training.
So the first thing was to identify a way to improve my knowledge outside of all of the BS magazines, online forums and NVQ gym instructors who I found out know less than me (which isn't much).
Luckily for me I have moved to a place near a backstreet gym that has some competiting bodybuilders running it. The gym is very small but all of the folk are friendly and the chaps that run it are incredibly knowledgable and also great at articulating the points about training and how to go about the business.
So whilst people want me to I will catalogue my thoughts, successes and failures here.
I have trained very little over the past 2 months due to moving across the country and living in hotels until I'd got my new place sorted.
Anyway this year is going to be a year of maximum attack for me in both learning and training.
So the first thing was to identify a way to improve my knowledge outside of all of the BS magazines, online forums and NVQ gym instructors who I found out know less than me (which isn't much).
Luckily for me I have moved to a place near a backstreet gym that has some competiting bodybuilders running it. The gym is very small but all of the folk are friendly and the chaps that run it are incredibly knowledgable and also great at articulating the points about training and how to go about the business.
So whilst people want me to I will catalogue my thoughts, successes and failures here.
Edited by Ordinary_Chap on Monday 3rd January 17:56
So my first task I was assigned was to read up on;
- The Colorado experiment http://www.musclenet.com/coloradoexperiment.htm
- Mike Mentzer
- Arthur Jones
- Elington Darden
jimbobsimmonds said:
Right, like I said I have fallen off the wagon a bit lately...
I actually made a bet (pissed) that I could lose 16 pounds in about 3 hours or something ridiculous but am actually looking to cut that last bit off my tummy (almost shifted it in November, but alas, christmas pudding has taken its toll)...
Looking at rolling maybe 15 minutes of cardio into the end of my regular 45 minute weight sesions. bad knee so running is a no go but i enjoy cycling...
So was wondering what the best cardio is for the 15 minutes for shifting the last of the turkey and pigs in blankets?
I found cycling sprints with some resistance worked very well for me, hiit has been a great addition to my training but if your knee is bad you could try doing it with swimming? I've not tried but short bursts of intense effort is all that is required.I actually made a bet (pissed) that I could lose 16 pounds in about 3 hours or something ridiculous but am actually looking to cut that last bit off my tummy (almost shifted it in November, but alas, christmas pudding has taken its toll)...
Looking at rolling maybe 15 minutes of cardio into the end of my regular 45 minute weight sesions. bad knee so running is a no go but i enjoy cycling...
So was wondering what the best cardio is for the 15 minutes for shifting the last of the turkey and pigs in blankets?
jimbobsimmonds said:
Ordinary_Chap said:
jimbobsimmonds said:
Right, like I said I have fallen off the wagon a bit lately...
I actually made a bet (pissed) that I could lose 16 pounds in about 3 hours or something ridiculous but am actually looking to cut that last bit off my tummy (almost shifted it in November, but alas, christmas pudding has taken its toll)...
Looking at rolling maybe 15 minutes of cardio into the end of my regular 45 minute weight sesions. bad knee so running is a no go but i enjoy cycling...
So was wondering what the best cardio is for the 15 minutes for shifting the last of the turkey and pigs in blankets?
I found cycling sprints with some resistance worked very well for me, hiit has been a great addition to my training but if your knee is bad you could try doing it with swimming? I've not tried but short bursts of intense effort is all that is required.I actually made a bet (pissed) that I could lose 16 pounds in about 3 hours or something ridiculous but am actually looking to cut that last bit off my tummy (almost shifted it in November, but alas, christmas pudding has taken its toll)...
Looking at rolling maybe 15 minutes of cardio into the end of my regular 45 minute weight sesions. bad knee so running is a no go but i enjoy cycling...
So was wondering what the best cardio is for the 15 minutes for shifting the last of the turkey and pigs in blankets?
I (don't mean to brag here
) am actually a superb cyclist (retained my leg strength from my 19 stone days) and is one of the few forms form of cardio I actually enjoy. Well, I enjoy it on the road, in the gym other than it being a prime location to see my favourite gym instructor doing her stretches I find it rather boring...Would you say a minute sprint or climb followed by a minute of gentle cycling is the way?
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