Week 2 - Rapid Fat Loss Protocol

I have neglected to update my progress since last week. I have been super busy and I am sticking to that excuse!

So I am down to about 197 - I feel great. I have some low points about mid afternoon and mid-week makes the last few days before the re-feed pretty tough.

I will post some pics when I am done.

Food cravings are minimal and easy to redirect from.

My re-feed day was this past Sunday and I loved it. I ate grass-fed beef, white basmati rice and veggies. I drank some Kvass and some Kombucha. I ate a couple handful of blue berries because I love them. Otherwise I stuck pretty close to the script.

Today is my first day on Upgraded MCT oil. So good so far.

I will update next week.

Fitz

 ‘Upgraded™ and Bulletproof® are trademarks/service marks of Better Baby LLC'.

Day 3 Bulletproof® RFLP

Amazing energy in the morning! Sleeping better as well. I am experiencing some lethargy early afternoon and also waking with a headache in the morning. I seem to be thirsty a lot but I am drinking plenty of water. A few times I had diarrhea but nothing bad and not much.

I have fleeting feelings of hunger, but again it is nothing that some water cannot handle. I may need to get some decaf because my second cup of coffee seems to wire me and then I crash.

I am shooting for Sunday as my re-feed day. That will be 6 days of the protocol. I am determined to do this. My goal is to get back to a 34 waist.

For activity I took the dog for a run/walk and lifted weights. I also did some yard work and one sprint.

Mentally, I feel more focused in the morning but can "will" myself to focus in the afternoon if needed. I feel a little more on an even keel with my emotions also.

I took the kids to a BBQ this afternoon and the food smells good, but I am sticking with this.

More tomorrow.

--Fitz
 ‘Upgraded™ and Bulletproof® are trademarks/service marks of Better Baby LLC'.

Rapid Fat Loss Protocol - Step one to Bulletproof® (Day1)

Honestly this is day 2, however it is the first day of the proper regimen with all supplements as set forth by Dave Asprey from The Bulletproof Executive®. You can read about this protocol here. (Using Coconut Oil until my MCT oil arrives)

I will post body comp pics after the fact - simply because I don't want to post pics of my shirtless self right now. After I am a ripped machine, then I won't care.

Last solid meal: Sunday - 8:00PM
Only calories consumed come from Bulletproof® Coffee

So far I feel:

Mostly alert and energetic. I was a bit tired earlier, but I went to bed late last night (11:00pm) One of the things I need to do is work on my circadian rhythm.

Tried having a third cup of BPC on the way to work at 3:45 but it seemed to give me the jitters. I didn't finish it and have switched to water.

Otherwise I feel focused and not hungry.

Weight:
Sunday PM: 210lbs
Tuesday AM: 202

I am sure this is mostly water.

I worked out yesterday. Squats - Bench press. I skipped the barbell rows. I plan on keeping this light until I start eating again. Refeed this sunday.

I will update each day.

Fitz
 ‘Upgraded™ and Bulletproof® are trademarks/service marks of Better Baby LLC'.

Mind, body and soul - inspiration from a Podcast.

Yesterday, I was listening to the Fat Burning Man Podcast hosted by the very able, Abel James. (sorry, had to). My wife turned to me and asked, "...are you going to obsess about this stuff again?" I answered a quick "Yes" and neither one of us said another word. To her credit, I have the tendency to go OCD on whatever it is I am interested in. Over the past few years there have been a few subjects that have attracted my attentions. None of them hold a candle to how I obsess about fitness and nutrition. Before I continue about that, let me give you the backstory.

Circa 2009-2010

If you take the time to search through this blog, you will be able to deduce that a few years ago I was really into fitness and nutrition. I logged every meal, counted every calorie and macronutrient. I was religious with my workouts, updated my logs and maintaining my macronutrient ratios. My wife liked how my physique was changing from an overweight and old 37 to a fit and energetic young dad. She did not, however, enjoy how my tendency to obsess over things made me rigid and inflexible within other aspects of my life. As luck has it, I was laid off from two different jobs in two years.



I will freely admit that I am not a model person. I can be selfish, childish and would most likely be diagnosed with some kind of emotional abnormality if I were to succumb to a test. I have had serious self esteem issues centered around my body, my situation in life and my financial outlook. Since my lay-offs, we decided it made more sense for me to stay home with my kids and play Mr. Mom. So as to not drag out this story, let me just say that what I became over 3 years was not the kind of person I was proud of. I was not the kind of person my wife wanted to have anything to do with and I am pretty sure my kids were not real keen on my recent personality flaws.

This brings me to my undiagnosed and unofficial OCD. When my wife asked me if I was going to be obsessed again, about my fitness and nutrition, it got me thinking. At first, I could see her point. Now she was going to have to deal with me forgetting to do simple things around the house or neglecting the kids because I was buried up to my Lats in nutritional data. Then I thought about it again and reflected on the recent information I had absorbed through Abel James's Podcast. Not only was I learning about a new way to eat (much of this information I knew already, but I needed to learn again) but I was also learning about becoming a better person. The lessons discussed by Abel and his very knowledgeable guests were covering myriad of different subjects related, but not limited to fitness and nutrition. There is an underlying theme in there that is very very subtle. It is about becoming happy with yourself. I have never been happy with myself.

Somehow, I have extrapolated this theme from these Podcasts.

Being happy has always been an issue with me. I have never been happy with my body, my job, my finances and my family. But recently, I think I am learning more about myself and analyzing it differently. I am thinking outside of that very tiny box containing my brain. I have always considered myself to be a creative mind, but in all honesty I have been very rigid and unable to change. I am learning that the ability to manipulate my reality is easy and can be done without substances. I don't need to have a drink when things get tough. I don't need to have junk food to make myself feel better. I simply need to change the way I think about thinking.

Believe it or not, I learned this from listening to a health and fitness Podcast. I don't think Mr. James intended on this result - at least not primarily. So, when I think about whether or not I will obsess about my fitness and nutrition - I will answer, NO! I will, however obsess about being a healthier human being - mind, body and spirit. It is all connected and must work together moving forward. This is the natural way - the Paleo/Primal way. Thanks Abel.

Fitz

Return to Health (Fitness Journal)

"The Iron never lies to you. You can walk outside and listen to all kinds of talk, get told that you're a god or a total bastard. The Iron will always kick you the real deal. The Iron is the great reference point, the all-knowing perspective giver. Always there like a beacon in the pitch black. I have found the Iron to be my greatest friend. It never freaks out on me, never runs. Friends may come and go. But two hundred pounds is always two hundred pounds." -- Henry Rollins

Week 1 - Day 1 - 1/7/13

Getting back to a schedule. Easing into the regimen so I don't injure myself. Will post progress pics once per week.

2 glasses of water and a Whey/Skim shake at 3:30am

Modified Stronglifts 5x5 

Front Squats - Cross Arm Grip 4:00 - 4:45

95lbs - 3/2/2/2/3   Hip flexor and lower back issues. Need more stretching.

Bench Press

95 - 5/5/5/5/5 - Too light, but I want to make sure I am using proper form to avoid shoulder injury.

Inverted Rows

Body Weight - 5/5/5/5/5 - Doing a barbell row would be too much on my lower back right now. Also, it is a loud exercise and I am lifting at 4:30am.

Push Ups

10/6/5 - Decent form, I want to work up to 5x15

Treadmill  4:50 - 5:20

30 minutes

Breakfast:

3/4 cup egg whites (Wegman's Egg Busters)
1 slice Ezekiel Bread
1/2 slice American Cheese (real)
1 egg

3 cups raw spinach + tomatoes and FF Honey Dijon Dressing
8oz Skim Milk

Sticking to a 1800-2000 kCal regimen. 40% Protein 40% Carb 20% Fat

-Fitz

Getting your body back - a primer. 

 Nutrition is the key factor for your life. What you put in your body for fuel will decide on the returns you get in the form of energy, concentration, mental well-being, everything. Food is like a drug, a very addictive drug. Your brain as well as your body will become accustomed to the way you eat, especially if you eat for pleasure. Once you decide that you want to take a step toward a healthy lifestyle - the key to success is the old phrase, "One Step at a Time". For anyone trying to accomplish anything big or small, this idea is paramount. Alcoholics and drug addicts repeat "One Day at a Time", because they are trying to accomplish a huge lifestyle change and only have the energy or ability to focus on one day. If addicts try to look forward to something in the future, they have a greater risk of relapsing into drug use, because the change is so enormous, their defenses are weakened. It really is no different when it comes to nutrition changes. Some folks may say that it is even harder to lose weight than to quick alcohol and drugs. This may be  a bit naive of an idea - but I get it - it's damn hard to do.

So, if you have just recently decided to change your nutritional lifestyle you have to create your own mantra. Most people need something to focus on, a photograph of how they want to look or something they wish to achieve by reaching their goals. I would suggest your goals are small, short-term and achievable. It is easier to drop 50 pounds when you are only striving for 5 at a time. You will often have to deal with plateaus and such which can discourage you at around the 35 pound mark. Then you may go drown your sorrows in a garbage plate(s).

I only wanted to make sure that it is understood that, as important exercise is, nutrition beats it hands down. get yourself on a good eating regimen.

Calories in vs Calories out. The math is simple and difficult.
Physics is the study of mathematical and physical laws that exist in the universe. Imagine your body is this universe and it controls the physics. The only problem is, everyone's body is an ever so slightly  different universe and so the rules are all slightly different. I cannot get into all of it right now - but metabolism (your universe) is the key to your body's math.

So you have to eat at a deficit to lose the weight (and you really need to lose fat and not weight)
But that is all the complicated mess for another day.

First step is changing your lifestyle and eating right. We will concentrate on the nitty gritty later.

Anyway....

Firstly eat only clean foods 90% of the time. One cheat meal per week if you really must.
The closer to nature the better.
The fewer the ingredients the better.
Microwave meals are loaded with sodium and other preservatives.
Fresh or frozen veggies only, canned stuff is pack with sodium and sugary syrups.
Try a 50% clean carbs - 25% Lean Protein - 25% Healthy fats (75% Monounsaturated fats - 17% Polyunsaturated fats - 8% saturated fats).
Eat loads and loads of leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables.
Some fruit is OK, but watch out for the Glycemic Index!

So this is what I am doing now..

Fitz

Trying to find my way again...

2007 - I was 34 and sick of how fat I had become. I had 3 kids and didn't want to be the fat old dad you see sitting on the park bench while his kids played at the playground. I wanted to run with them and not get winded. I took matters into my own hands, learned a bunch of information about weight lifting, nutrition and fat-loss. Two years later I was 40 lbs. lighter, much stronger and had a nice lean body fat percentage of about 12%. My wife was happy with my new physique and I was finally confident. I knew I looked better and I felt better. I stopped snoring and was performing better in every aspect of my life. Then I was forced to stay home with my kids and I lost it. Almost 3 years later I have gained it all back - I am unhealthy and sad. I cannot fit into any of the clothes I used to and I am miserable. So I am going to get it back. When I first did this I posted all of my progress and kept a very precise journal. I managed to inspire many people who followed my progress and I was happy to give them advice and motivation. Sadly, those people are all gone from the sites I once frequented. The sites themselves have all changed to become pay-sites and are no longer free. I will post my progress the same way I did before and will take you day by day through my struggle to regain my health and well-being. I am documenting this more for my own purposes, but you are welcomed to follow, comment, motivate and possibly be motivated. Tomorrow - I will be up at 3:50am. I will have a whey-skim shake and 2 glasses of water. I will give my spine 30 minutes to dehydrate (it hydrates while you sleep, so unless you give it time to dehydrate, you risk injury if you lift too soon after waking). I will stretch. I will lift my modified 5x5 Stronglifts routine starting at the bar. It will be light, but I am going to do this right. After I lift, I will run for 30 minutes. After the run I will be ready for some more protein and fruit. My carbs will be only from complex sources like rice, pasta or sprouted grains. My intake will be limited because I believe I am carb-sensitive. My macro ratio will be 40/40/20 (Protein/Carb/Fat). Considering my carb consumption may be less than 40% I will have to see how it goes. Adding some fruits may keep the numbers up. I will eat approximately 2300 kCal per day for one month and then adjust. I will limit my alcohol consumption to only on Fridays or Saturdays, no more than 2 mixed drinks total. I am going to attempt to cease all alcohol intake, but I am irish, so we shall see. I will post my progress in journal form. I will take pictures, however I will not post them initially. Let's do this! SF