Under Construction!! Tim's Journal

[timbo]

Here goes nothin'! First day on the 9-week Men's Health "Testosterone Advantage Plan" (TAP)! Think I'll be a little sore tomorrow.

Well, a little embarrassing to post my starting measurements, but here goes...

Age: 35
Weight: 62kg
Body fat: 14.5% (electronic scale reading)

Following measurements are in inches:

Chest: 37.5
Waist: 30.75
Hips: 31
Shoulders: 42.75
R Bicep (relaxed): 10.5
R Bicep (flexed): 11.5
Neck: 13
R Calf: 13.25
R Thigh: 20.25

Phew.... glad that part's over!

Now for the TAP dietary info. My goal is to put on weight (obviously, in view of the figures above), so my daily calorie intake target (calculated as part of the TAP) is 2410. This is made up of 21% protein (so as to get 2 grams protein per kg of weight), and 39.5% carb & fat each. Yes, that looks to be a huge amount of fat - most of this, according to the book, must be 'good' fat (ie mono or polyunsaturated) and is necessary for keeping testosterone at an effective level for building muscle. Not 100% convinced, considering we're always told low fat is best, but I'm willing to give it a try. Oh, and in terms of bodyfat, yes, I do intend to eventually focus on reducing my BF%, but not initially.

And now the gruelling exercise regime... first two weeks on the TAP are a preparatory phase, consisting of two or three circuit-type workouts per week. The aim is to do between 15 & 20 reps of each exercise each in the rhythm 1-1-2 (lift-pause-lower), and with 1min rest in between. When reps get to 20, that's a sign that the weight is to be increased next time.

Today's stats (1st circuit, 2nd circuit):

Split squat (no weight): 15, 20
Pushup: 13, 11
Leg curl: 10/20, 16.8/15
One arm dumbbell row: 6.4/15, 8.6/15
Leg extension: 13.4/15, 16.8/15
Lateral raise: 4/12, 2/15
Standing calf raise (no weight): 20, 20
Reverse fly: 4/6, 2/15
Crunch: 10, 10
Seated dumbbell biceps curl: 6.4/15, 8.6/15
Superman: 15, 15
Lying dumbbell triceps extension: 4/15, 4/17

*another sigh of relief!* Embarassing to post these stats too, but it's a start at laying the foundation for something more substantial, hopefully!

Oky doky... that was a lengthy post for my first journal entry, but I expect that future updates will be more brief. If anyone reads this, feel free to make honest comments, but please be gentle! I've struggled with motivation many times in the past and sometimes feel like I'll never make any progress, but I know I have to be consistent to see results. Hmm... maybe I should put up a few inspirational posters in my loung-turned-gym to help keep me motivated... any suggestions?

Over and out... for now

Tim

[Sicdog]

Hi Tim,

Good luck with your goals.
I'll be starting training today and will post my stats in a new thread.
I also want to put on weight so we can compare training and results.
Looking to overcome motivation problems also.

Damn, your neck is thin!! I thought I had a small neck at 15inches.
It will grow though with training.


Good Luck.

[timbo]

Heya SicDog!

Too true.... my head is like a lollipop on a stick!! Probably explains why people at work have recently been asking me if I've been unwell and lost weight! Actually, both are true after my stressful moving-house experience! Neck was 13.5 a couple months back, but I don't think it's ever been more than 13.7.

Fantastic.... looking foward to checking out your journal and ongoing progress... hopefully I might be able to add to the motivation factor for you too!

Now to have a think about how I can get a bigger neck - or start wearing footy scarves!!!

Tim

[Kate0680]

If only... I can't imagine what it must be like to have trouble gaining weight. But i'm guessing its just as frustrating as trying to lose it. Great to see your journal is up and running. I'm quite a newbie myself, but it's great to see our little forum community getting bigger. The more support and motivation the better i say

[timbo]

lol... yes, I guess most people have the reverse problem, which must be why it's so hard to find transformation stories (with before & after pics) of those who have gone from scrawny to brawny! As a kid I was overweight and even had the nickname "chubby checkers", but ever since a period of sickness in my early teens I've struggled to put on weight - the good kind that is!

ok.... now for a mini journal update...

Diet:
Saturday - 2453 cal, 20% protein, 40% fat, 40% carb
Sunday - 2136 cal, 20% protein, 38% fat, 42% carb

So far reasonably on track, although today's calories a little lower than target - could have had a bedtime snack but worried it will keep me awake.

Have had a mini migraine all day today (making me feel sick too), so didn't do any exercise. Intending to do a workout tomorrow morning, but depends on whether or not the headache is gone (usually lasts a couple of days). And no, it's not a hangover!

Tim

[Sicdog]

Hi Tim,

If you want to see hundreds of real life transformations of scrawny to brawny, you could check out bodybuilding.com forums.


Good luck.

[JayBon]

Hey Tim, great to see you're journal up and running

This TAP will be really interesting to follow. There are so many different training plans out there...you really need to find one with some merit, stick to it and measure your results. Those measurements are a great place to start....in 9 weeks time you'll have something to go by.

I work with another PT who is an avid reader of the Mens Health magazines...so I'm sure that there is really good content in there. I've only ever flicked through them myself.

With that fat intake, that's spot on. Fat is responsible for nutrient transport and also hormone production. Good fat, that is. If you don't have enough fat in your diet, don't expect to build any muscle. Plus, if you are looking to GAIN weight, you need a surplus of calories. Fat is very dense in calories and can aid you in reaching this caloric surplus. Never underestimate the power of good fats!

You might find reading the course that I have been publishing of interest:

http://www.aminoz.com.au/course-introduction-physical-freedom-ac-48.html

It delves into training methods and also nutrition. Both are absolutely vital.

If you're interested in reading up on fat, carbs and protein, lesson 103 might be of assistance:

http://www.aminoz.com.au/lesson-macronutrients-detail-a-201.html

Although I recommend reading the previous lessons first.

Motivation...music, workout partner, posters, weight lifting DVD's and videos etc. Oh and of course this forum

[timbo]

Thanks sic.... had a look and found a thread for the posting of "skinny to mass" pics.... started going through the posts, but took forever to download the pages - my damn dialup internet is frustrating me no end! Signed up for ADSL2 3 weeks ago, so hoping my frustrations in that area will be over soon!!

Thanks for the feedback Jay! Intending to give the TAP my best shot over the 9 weeks, and hoping I'll have reason to post some pics by the end! This diet doesn't seem all that difficult to follow, at least for now - was much harder to consume heaps of calories when I was trying to cut my fat intake right back. I'll have a closer look at those lessons on the weekend... looks like some good reading! Good ideas there Jay... I must start looking around for some motivational music, posters and videos.. a workout partner would be great... if only one of my friends was like-minded!

Have been struggling with that headache and nausea all day again, so didn't do the workout I intended to. Still sore from the last one, so perhaps my body needs the rest - will try and get to bed early tonight in the hopes that I'll be able to have the workout tomorrow morning. In any case, tomorrow evening I have my weekly tap dance class so I'll at least get a good (and fun) cardio workout!

Time to stop looking at the computer screen now and dim the lights...

[JayBon]

[Kate0680]

[timbo]

Father... I have sinned....

Oky doky.... gonna make this a regular feature of my journal, but hopefully not too regular! Time to fess up about all the 'bad' things I've done recently... only those that are related to the purpose of my training journal of course!! Here goes...

Confession Time:
Sunday: had a chunky kit kat (yummers - my favourite)
Monday: Snickers bar (lowest GI of popular chocolate bars they say? that was my excuse anyway!)
Today: Double chocolate muffin!

Oh, and to be completely honest, I also had a chocolate whole wheat biscuit each of those days too...

If these are my only diet-related failings, I must still be reasonably on track hey? I think next time I have a double chocolate muffin, I'll only have half - over 500 calories worth of bad fat and sugar laden pleasure! Thankfully I went to my tap class and got over an hour's worth of high intensity cardio to make up for it!

I think I'll stick to chocolate whole wheat biscuits for my occasional guilt snack - I have them in the freezer to minimise the temptation (though they taste just as nice frozen!)

Must go and do my penance now.... 100 pushups I hear you say??!!

[timbo]

ooh.. ooh... ooh... I just realized.... I'm on the TAP (Testosterone Advantage Plan) and I love to "TAP" dance too! Must be a sign!

*everyone yawns*

ok... I get the hint... was just so excited I had to tell someone!!

g'nite

[timbo]

Today's workout stats (1st circuit, 2nd circuit):

Split squat (no weight): 20, 20
Pushup: 15, 12
Leg curl: 13.4/20, 17.5/15
One arm dumbbell row: 6.4/20, 8.8/15
Leg extension: 13.4/20, 17.5/15
Lateral raise: 2/20, 2/20
Standing calf raise (no weight): 20, 20
Reverse fly: 2/20, 2/15
Crunch: 12, 12
Seated dumbbell biceps curl: 6.4/20, 8.8/18
Superman: 14, 15
Lying dumbbell triceps extension: 4.4/20, 4.4/20

Comment: Some small improvements, which surprised me considering I've felt quite weak and tired all day. But actually felt better after the workout than I have all day too - even motivated enough to do the dishes straight after my post-workout meal!

Diet Update:
Monday - 2485 cal, 21% protein, 29% fat, 40% carb
Tuesday - 2582 cal, 19% protein, 40% fat, 41% carb
Today - N/A (didn't keep a record)

Comment: Staying reasonably close to the target figures on the whole, apart from today...

Confession Time:
Today was a write-off as far as diet was concerned. I slept in (alarm clock didn't wake me up) and I didn't have any food prepared to take to work. Lack of preparation combined with stress saw me heading for the lolly jar a few times. Tried to redeem myself at lunch, but had a couple more lapses in the afternoon. I really need to get organised and be more consistent in preparing my food and recording it too - it's when I don't that I end up in trouble.

[JayBon]

now just dont try doing a tap dance with the split squats

great to see the strength is increasing - you can expect something like this in the initial weeks.

diet is of course extremely important. You don't have to eat 100% to a plan in order to achieve great results. However your diet, as a whole, must be sound. it's a matter of trial and error, you can't expect to have a clean diet right from day 1. So long as you continue to improve it, you're on the right track. Focus on good quality carbs, fats and proteins.

[Kate0680]

I had no idea eating was of huge significance when you are trying to gain weight (muscle mass). I kinda just assumed you boys could eat pretty much whatever you pleased Within reason of course. Especially when you have so many calories to consume.