Workout Journal - Fasting Month Challenges

I have been going to the gym this past week during the fasting month but I have yet to get into the grove of finding that perfect balance of preparation for a proper workout. I’ve been adjusting the amount of food that I take to break my fast with hoping that I wouldn’t feel too full before my workouts but that’s still an elusive success. Currently I’m down to having my iftar with dried figs, dates, RM2 worth of kuih, protein shakes and red bean porridge and still I feel like I’m carrying undigested food when I work out. I’ve tried to completely stop eating by 8pm since my usual spinning class starts at 9pm but it seems that the hour doesn’t seem to be enough to digest the food. I’m fairly certain that my metabolic rate has started to slow down during the fasting month as I am not eating as often as I usually do outside of the fasting month.

As for the workout itself, I’m happy to note that with a little adjustment, I could keep doing the same routines that I usually do. I still do the same hour long spinning class to begin the workout routine which has become one of my favorite things to do. Thanks for the late meal, I usually find myself struggling a bit by the 7th track when I start feeling a little bit of heartburn happening. I did try to work through it but I’ve found out that it just made it worse so I dial down the resistance and continue spinning my legs instead when that happens. That usually seems to help reset everything so that I can jump into the flow of the spinning class again once the next track starts which is good. Last thing I want happen is if it gets too bad that I feel like I want to puke.

After the spinning class, I usually focus on a particular muscle group for my weight training. I usually do chest, upper back and abs in one session then do shoulders, bicep, triceps and abs on a different day as well as a total upper body workout in another session. I find that I could go through them and be done within 30 minutes since I don’t really do a high rep/set regime. I keep to a 3 sets with 15 reps for almost all of them except for abs which usually be 3 sets of 30 reps of abs crunches. Most of the time I keep the weights around the mid to high exertion levels which works fairly well for me as long as I keep my form during workouts.

I’m fairly happy that I’ve manage to keep to the workout routine on the days that I get to go to the gym. There are so many buka puasa invites and good food to eat this month that is distracting me from my gymming. Thanks to the lower metabolism, all that will definitely go straight to the waist if I didn’t go and make the effort to work out. It’s a challenge to do but the returns, both physical and mental satisfaction after a workout, more than pays for the effort.

Fasting Month Workout Routine

Session 1
Cardio
Spinning class – 1 hour

Weight Training – Chest & Back
Chest Press (reps – 15/15/15, weight – 85/100/115 lbs)
Lat Pulldown (reps – 15/15/15, weight – 70/70/70 lbs)
Pec Fly (reps - 15/15/15, weight – 60/70/80 lbs)

Abs
Abs Crunch Bench (reps – 30/30/30, weight – body weight)

Session 2
Cardio
Spinning class – 1 hour

Modified Upper Body Endurance Workout (3 supersets with minimum rest in between)
Dumbbell Side Raise (reps – 15/15/15, weight – 15/15/15 lbs)
Dumbbell Front Raise (reps – 15/15/15, weight – 15/15/15 lbs)
Dumbbell Lateral Raise (reps – 15/15/15, weight – 15/15/15 lbs)
Dumbbell Shoulder Press (reps – 15/15/15, weight – 15/15/15 lbs)
Dumbbell Bicep Curl (reps – 15/15/15, weight – 15/15/15 lbs)
Dumbbell Triceps Extension (reps – 15/15/15, weight – 15/15/15 lbs)

Abs
Abs Crunch Bench (reps – 30/30/30, weight – body weight)

Session 3
Cardio
Spinning class – 1 hour

Weight Training – Bicep & Triceps
Standing E-Z Bar Bicep Curl (3 position – continuous without rest between position change)
- Low to Elbow level (reps – 9/9/9, weight – 40/40/40 lbs)
- Elbow to Chin level (reps – 9/9/9, weight – 40/40/40 lbs)
- Full extension from low to chin (reps – 9/9/9, weight – 40/40/40 lbs)
Cable Triceps Extensions (reps – 24/24/24, weight – 11.5/11.5/11.5 lbs)

Abs
Abs Crunch Bench (reps – 30/30/30, weight – body weight)

Workout Progress – June ‘08

I’ve just noticed that I’ve skipped putting up both my workout progress and InBody scan results for the last 2 months. I think it was due to an oversight on my part after my Indonesia trip and having posted all those long winded travel reports. I’m happy to report that I’m still in sync with my fitness regime regardless of the lapse in documenting my progress. I plan to have an InBody scan done later this week as well so I have some new numbers to measure against the last that I did back in March to see if there has been (hopefully!) any marked improvements.

After completing my PT sessions at the gym, I have been working on my own program with the help of what I learned previously under PT. I’m still sticking to the 4 days gym schedule when I can and each session has been a combination of cardio and endurance training. I have been quite consistent in starting my sessions with an hour long spinning class before spending the rest of my time at the gym completing 3 supersets of total body endurance workout using a 15 lbs dumbbell. I’m quite happy with the fact that I can now complete my total body endurance workout within 30 minutes compared to the hour that it took me previously. Since I only have 30 minutes left to work out after my spinning class during the work week, I’m planning to stay with the 15 lbs weight for the moment and switch to 20 lbs once I feel that I’m strong enough to finish them within 30 minutes. Of course, I get to do more on the Sundays when I do get into the gym for a workout.

Diet plan in June

Breakfast (8 am)
- 1 sachet of Quaker Oats Flavored instant oatmeal
- 1 serving of low fat yogurt
- 1 serving of protein shake

Brunch (10 am)
- 1/2 serving of plan fried rice with tempeh goreng or greens
- 1 hardboiled egg (alternate working days – 2 whole eggs total per week)
- 1 serving of fruits

Lunch (12 pm)
- 1 Spirulina cereal 3 in 1 mix.

Snacks (4 pm)
- 1 Nature Valley Granola bar (Apple Crisps, Almond and Pecan have lowest calories)
- Green Tea

Dinner (7 pm)
Non workout days (Tues/Sat)
- buy something roughly less than 300kcal

Workout Days (M/W/Thurs/F: 8:30 – 10:30 pm, Sun: 4 – 7pm)
Pre workout
- 1 serving of protein shake
- buy something roughly less than 300kcal

Post workout
- 1 serving of protein shake

Supplements :
MuscleTech Nitro-Tech Hardcore Protein Shake – 2 servings per day
GNC Pro Performance Creatine Monohydrate – 2 servings per day
21st Century’s HerbalLipo Tea – 1 serving per week day
GNC MegaMen Dietary Supplement – 1 tablet per day
GNC Big 150 Vit B Complex – 1 tablet per day
GNC Fish Oils – 1 tablet per day

I’m still sticking with the same diet plan that I’ve been on for the past few months. I guess I’ve got used to it but lately I’ve been trying to add variety to it by switching to different flavored oatmeal and adding some raisins or prunes to the diet plan. A friend once remarked that it must be boring eating the same things day in and day out for extended periods of time. I totally agree with him and that’s why I only stick to the diet plan during the work week. Weekends would be when I indulge in other foods and I try to do it in a healthy manner although that’s not always the case. I guess as long as I don’t over do it then I should be OK as far as the diet plan is going.

Looking ahead to July, I don’t think there would be any major changes in my workout schedule or my diet plan. It’s encouraging for me to note how integrated my gym time has become in my daily schedule. I have to admit that I look forward to go to the gym on my workout days and feel a bit restless when I don’t get to for whatever reasons. The social aspects of my gym membership has also come into play since I’m more or less a regular in my spinning class and have been enjoying the group that I work out with. Still have to learn the names of the other regulars who join in the same classes that I do but I’ll get there eventually.

Workout Journal – 2008 Personal Training Program Day 27

Program Day 27 (muscle group: Total Body – duration 1 hrs)

Warm up – Cross Trainer (20 minutes - 180 kcal target burn)

Total Body Endurance Circuit Training – EZ Barbell

Set 1
Squats (reps – 12, weight - 25 lbs)
Shoulder Press (reps – 12, weight – 25 lbs)
Upright Row (reps – 12, weight – 25 lbs)
Deadlift (reps – 12, weight – 25 lbs)
Bicep Curls (reps – 12, weight – 25 lbs)
Triceps Extension (reps – 12, weight 25 lbs)
Abs Crunches (reps – 30, weight – body weight)
Push Ups (reps – 10, weight – body weight)

Set 2
Squats (reps – 12, weight - 30 lbs)
Shoulder Press (reps – 12, weight – 30 lbs)
Static Lunges (reps – 12, weight – 30 lbs)
Upright Row (reps – 12, weight – 30 lbs)
Deadlift (reps – 12, weight – 30 lbs)
Bicep Curls (reps – 12, weight – 30 lbs)
Triceps Skullcrusher (reps – 12, weight 30 lbs)
Abs Crunches (reps – 30, weight – body weight)
Push Ups (reps – 20, weight – body weight)

Set 3
Squats (reps – 12, weight - 35 lbs)
Shoulder Press (reps – 12, weight – 35 lbs)
Static Lunges (reps – 12, weight – 35 lbs)
Upright Row (reps – 12, weight – 35 lbs)
Deadlift (reps – 12, weight – 35 lbs)
Bicep Curls (reps – 12, weight – 35 lbs)
Triceps Skullcrusher (reps – 12, weight - 35 lbs)
Abs Crunches (reps – 30, weight – body weight)
Push Ups (reps – 30, weight – body weight)

Abs
Abs Crunch Bench (reps – 30/30/30, weight – body weight)

Note:
This was my last PT session with my trainer. It was quite sad to know that the journey that we started way back in January has finally came to the last workout session with PT. To say that I have reaped many benefits from the training program would definitely be an understatement given the changes that I have gone through these past months since I started the program. Not only do I now see improvements physically compared to how I was in January, I also gained a lot of knowledge from the experience.

Moving ahead, I would be using my own programs which are a combination of the exercises that I have gone through with my PT as well as RPM sessions thrown in for my cardio. My PT and I have also discussed what areas I should try to develop more and which exercises I could do by myself. I have to maintain a balance between weight training and my cardio since I want to both bulk up and lose fat in the days to come. Staying on a 4 days on, 3 day off gym schedule per week currently works best for me so I don’t foresee that changing after my PT sessions. I have been able to stay disciplined enough to follow through with that fixed schedule.

My PT will still be at the gym should I need some advise so I could look him out if I needed help in the future. I can always ask to train again with him in the future should I decide to sign up for another block of PT sessions. At the moment, I want to try out working out without a PT to see if I can match or exceed the gains that I’ve seen while under the PT program. It would definitely be a challenge without a PT as a spotter to tackle the heavier weights that I’ve attempted while in the program but I could get the same benefits with more reps on lower weights that I can handle by myself.

I have to say that my workout experience with a PT has been very positive. I have not had any problems with him and generally very satisfied with the way he guided me and the progression that we went through with each sessions. More importantly, I could see measurable gains that I got from enrolling myself in the gym’s PT sessions. I would definitely recommend it to someone looking to make changes in their workout but it also boils down to how dedicated you are to stick to the program. It’s very easy to give up when it starts to feel too hard but once you get past the first bump in the road and realize that you have it in you to do it, the next bump would not seem too daunting.

Workout Journal – 2008 Personal Training Program Day 26

Program Day 24 (muscle group: Upper Body Conditioning – duration 1 hrs)

Warm up
Cross Trainer (20 minutes, 200 kcal target burn)

Chest
Pec Fly (reps – 12/10/8, weight – 50/70/90 lbs)
Incline Push-Ups (reps – 10/10/10, weight – body weight)
(note – push-ups are done in between the pec fly sets)
Chest Press (reps – 12/10/08, weight – 55/100/120 lbs)

Back
Bend Over Row (reps – 12/10/08, weight – 45/65/85 lbs)
Deadlift (reps – 12/12/12, weight – 85/85/85 lbs)

Shoulders
Cable Upright Row (reps – 12/12/12, weight – 30/30/30 lbs)
Cable Side Raise (reps – 12/10/08, weight – 20/30/35 lbs)

Abs - Obliques
One-Handed Side Abs Bench Crunches (reps – 20/20/20 per side, weight – body weight)

Abs
Isolated Lower Abs Crunches (reps – 30/30/30, weight – bodyweight)

Workout Journal – 2008 Personal Training Program Day 25

Program Day 25 (muscle group: Total Body Endurance – duration 1 hrs)

Warm up
Cross Trainer (20 minutes, 200 kcal target burn)

Total Body Endurance Workout (3 supersets with minimum rest in between)
Dumbbell Side Raise (reps – 12/12/12, weight – 20/20/20 lbs)
Dumbbell Front Raise (reps – 12/12/12, weight – 20/20/20 lbs)
Dumbbell Lateral Raise (reps – 12/12/12, weight – 20/20/20 lbs)
Dumbbell Shoulder Press (reps – 10/15/20, weight – 20/20/20 lbs)
Dumbbell Bicep Curl (reps – 12/12/12, weight – 20/20/20 lbs)
Dumbbell Triceps Extension (reps – 12/12/12, weight – 20/20/20 lbs)
Static Lunges (reps – 20/20/20, weight – body weight + 40 lbs barbell)
Raised Knee Upper Abs Crunches (reps – 20/20/20, weight – body weight)
Push-Up (reps – 10/20/30, weight – body weight)

DropSet

Chest Press (reps – 3 sets x till fatigue failure rep, weight – 85/75/65 lbs)
Back Row (reps – 3 sets x till fatigue failure rep, weight – 100/90/80 lbs)

Abs
Isolated Lower Abs Crunches (reps – 30/30/30, weight – bodyweight)

Note:
Added a new routine – DropSet where you start at a high weight and execute the exercise with as many number of sets as you are able to do before losing the correct form then dropping the weight to the next level down to restart the new set doing as many number of sets again with the new weight.

The goal is to go through all of the sets with either no or the barest duration of rest in between sets.

Workout Journal – 2008 Personal Training Program Day 24

Program Day 24 (muscle group: Total Body Conditioning – duration 1.5 hrs)

Warm up
Cross Trainer (20 minutes, 200 kcal target burn)

Lower Body
Seated Leg Press (reps - 15/15/12/12/4, weight – 121/209/275/341/429 lbs)
Static Lunges (reps – 15/15/15/15, weight – body weight)
(note – static lunges are done in between the leg press sets)

Chest
Pec Fly (reps - 15/12/12, weight – 50/55/60 lbs)
Incline Push-Ups (reps – 10/10/10, weight – body weight)
(note – push-ups are done in between the pec fly sets)
Isolinear Bench Press (reps – 15/12/12, weight – 25/35/45 lbs)

Back
Iso Lateral Row (reps – 15/12/12, weight – 25/35/45 lbs)

Abs - Obliques
One-Handed Side Abs Bench Crunches (reps – 20/20/20 per side, weight – body weight)

Bicep
Standing E-Z Bar Bicep Curl (3 position – continuous without rest between position change)
- Low to Elbow level (reps – 7/7/7, weight – 20/30/40 lbs)
- Elbow to Chin level (reps – 7/7/7, weight – 20/30/40 lbs)
- Full extension from low to chin (reps – 7/7/7, weight – 20/30/40 lbs)
Single Hand Hammer Curl (reps – 15/15/15 each side, weight – 10/10/10 lbs)

Triceps
Cable Triceps Extensions (reps – 15/15/12, weight – 14/25/30 lbs)

Abs
Isolated Lower Abs Crunches (reps – 30/30/30, weight – bodyweight)

Workout Progress – April ‘08

A little late in posting the workout progress for this month what with the trip and what all.

There has been a slight change in my workout program in April due to the fact that I’m finishing my PT sessions soon and I have been missing quite a few gym sessions due to my Indonesia trip. So instead of 3 PT sessions a week, I cut them down to 2 per week with one session concentrating on specific muscles groupings (alternating between chest-bicep-shoulders-abs groups and back-triceps-shoulders-abs group) and the other being a total body endurance workout using either dumbbells or barbells depending of which section of the body being emphasized (dumbbells for upper body endurance and barbell for lower body endurance).

I’ve also decided to drop one gym day from my schedule since I was not allowing for sufficient rest days for muscle recovery which led to the muscle loss that I’ve been seeing. So instead of my previous 5 days on - 2 days off schedule, I opted to do 4 days on – 3 days off schedule with the off days properly sandwiched between the workout days. Hopefully that would help reduce the rate of muscle mass loss from over training. Given that the 2 PT sessions per week are usually of medium or heavy intensity, I should give myself allowance for more recovery time.

On my 2 non-PT workout days, I primarily focus on attending the hour long RPM classes and a full body workout using a combination of the stack machine and free weight. Using what I’ve learned from my PT sessions, I’ve cobbled together a sequence of exercises that I’m comfortable doing alone without a spotter that works out my chest, back, biceps, triceps, shoulders and abs. I rarely do legs exercises much nowadays because I get leg workout mostly from my RPM classes and I wanted to develop the other parts to catch up to the progress that I’ve already accomplished for my leg muscles.

Diet plan in April

Breakfast (8 am)
- 1 sachet of Quaker Oats Flavored instant oatmeal
- 1 serving of low fat yogurt
- 1 serving of protein shake

Brunch (10 am)
- 1/2 serving of plan fried rice with tempeh goreng or greens
- 1 hardboiled egg (alternate working days – 2 whole eggs total per week)
- 1 serving of fruits

Lunch (12 pm)
- 1 Spirulina cereal 3 in 1 mix.

Snacks (4 pm)
- 1 Nature Valley Granola bar (Apple Crisps, Almond and Pecan have lowest calories)
- Japanese Green Tea

Dinner (7 pm)
– non workout days (Tues/Thurs/Sat)
- buy something roughly less than 300kcal

Workout Days (M/W/F: 8:30 – 11:30 pm, Sun: 3 – 6pm)
Pre workout
- buy something roughly less than 300kcal
Post workout
- 1 serving of protein shake

Supplements :
MuscleTech Nitro-Tech Hardcore Protein Shake – 2 servings per day
GNC Pro Performance Creatine Monohydrate – 2 servings per day
21st Century’s HerbalLipo Tea – 1 serving per week day
GNC MegaMen Dietary Supplement – 1 tablet per day
GNC Big 150 Vit B Complex – 1 tablet per day
GNC Fish Oils – 1 tablet per day

No changes with the diet plan for this month. Still sticking with what works when I can. I do still occasionally skip the plan especially when I’m out for meals with friends. I guess that’s the beauty of knowing what to eat and how much that you don’t have to feel so guilty about not sticking to a diet plan so strictly. I had to do the same while I was traveling as well since I couldn’t stick to having 5 meals that I normally do when I was away. It would have been silly of me to deprive myself all the wonderful food that I saw in my travels just because I wanted to stay on the diet. A little indulgences once in a while doesn’t hurt.

I’ve also decided to reduce my protein shakes to 2 servings a day partly because I’m going through them quite fast and they have been really working well on me. I’ve definitely bulked up quite a bit this past month that not only are my clothes that fitted nicely last month are feeling bit tight around the chests but I’ve also have had a few people who commented on me appearing more bulkier than before. Given that I have yet to develop a nicer muscle tone, I rather not bulk up too fast and end up being too top heavy.

For the coming May, I will only have 4 more PT sessions to go before I start working out on my own. 2 of those PT will be concentrating on specific muscle groups and the remaining 2 will be for total body endurance workouts. I will definitely miss working out with my PT but I feel that I’m ready now to workout on my own thanks to what he has taught me. I will be trying out new combinations of what I have learned from him after the end of the PT sessions and will be monitoring closely if there are continuous improvements from that point on. If I feel that I’m not making any progress, I definitely would still be able to talk to my PT to see if any part of my program needs to be tweaked. If needed, I can get more sessions later if I’m finding myself stuck in terms of new progress.

Still looking out for a workout partner/spotter if anyone out there working out at California Fitness, Sunway Pyramid is interested. Don’t let my obsessive documentation of my workout progress scare you, I’m not that much of a gym junkie … I think.

Workout Journal – 2008 Personal Training Program Day 23

Program Day 23 (muscle group: Total Body – duration 1 hrs)

Warm up
Cross Trainer (20 minutes, 200 kcal target burn)

Total Body Endurance Workout (3 supersets with minimum rest in between)
Dumbbell Side Raise (reps – 12/12/12, weight – 10/15/20 lbs)
Dumbbell Front Raise (reps – 12/12/12, weight – 10/15/20 lbs)
Dumbbell Lateral Raise (reps – 12/12/12, weight – 10/15/20 lbs)
Dumbbell Shoulder Press (reps – 10/15/20, weight – 15/15/15 lbs)
Dumbbell Bicep Curl (reps – 12/12/12, weight – 10/15/20 lbs)
Dumbbell Triceps Extension (reps – 12/12/12, weight – 10/15/20 lbs)
Static Lunges (reps – 20/20/20, weight – body weight)
Raised Knee Upper Abs Crunches (reps – 20/20/20, weight – body weight)
Push-Up (reps – 10/20/30, weight – body weight)

Abs
Isolated Lower Abs Crunches (reps – 30/30/30, weight – bodyweight)

Workout Journal – 2008 Personal Training Program Day 22

Program Day 22 (muscle group: Total Body – duration 1 hrs)

Warm up – Cross Trainer (20 minutes - 180 kcal target burn)

Total Body Endurance Circuit Training – EZ Barbell

Set 1
Squats (reps – 15, weight - 30 lbs)
Shoulder Press (reps – 15, weight – 30 lbs)
Upright Row (reps – 15, weight – 30 lbs)
Deadlift (reps – 15, weight – 30 lbs)
Bicep Curls (reps – 15, weight – 30 lbs)
Triceps Extension (reps – 15, weight 30 lbs)

Set 2
Squats (reps – 20, weight - 30 lbs)
Shoulder Press (reps – 20, weight – 30 lbs)
Static Lunges (reps – 20, weight – 30 lbs)
Upright Row (reps – 20, weight – 30 lbs)
Deadlift (reps – 20, weight – 30 lbs)
Bicep Curls (reps – 20, weight – 30 lbs)
Triceps Extension (reps – 20, weight 30 lbs)

Set 3
Squats (reps – 25, weight - 30 lbs)
Shoulder Press (reps – 25, weight – 30 lbs)
Power Lunges (reps – 25, weight – 30 lbs)
Upright Row (reps – 25, weight – 30 lbs)
Deadlift (reps – 25, weight – 30 lbs)
Bicep Curls (reps – 25, weight – 30 lbs)
Triceps Extension (reps – 25, weight - 30 lbs)

Push Ups (reps – 10/20/30/40, weight – body weight)

Abs
Abs Crunch Bench (reps – 30/30/30, weight – body weight)

Surprisingly I was able to complete the first set within 15 minutes and transitioned into the second set after 1 minute resting time. I was able to keep up the pace up to halfway into my static lunges when I started to lose balance holding up the barbell. This was definitely a big improvement from my last attempt when I had to rest quite a few times even during the first set.

Being able to do that is definitely an achievement that I can mark down as progress regardless of how small it seems.

Workout Journal – 2008 Personal Training Program Day 21

Program Day 21 (muscle group: Back, Triceps, Forearms & Abs – duration 1 hr excluding warm up)

Warm up
Cross Trainer (10 minutes, 80 kcal target burn)

Back
Assisted Chin Up (reps - 15/15/15, weight – 33% of body weight)
Isolinear Front Lateral Pull (reps – 15/12/10, weight – 25/50/60 lbs)
EZ Barbell Upright Row (reps – 15/15/15, weight – 40/40/40 lbs)
EZ Barbell Deadlift (reps – 15/15/15, weight – 40/40/40 lbs)

Triceps
Cable Triceps Pulldown (reps – 15/15/15, weight – 30/40/50 lbs)
Seated Dips - Bench (reps – 15/15/15, weight – body weight)

Forearms
Cable Forearm Pulldown (reps – 20/20/20, weight – 50/60/70 lbs)
Cable Reverse Forearm Pulldown (reps – 20/20/20, weight – 40/50/60 lbs)

Abs
Abs Crunch Bench (reps – 30/30/30, weight – body weight)

I’m planning to skip doing cardio as my workout cool down to reduce muscle loss so instead I will be going to the abs bench and do crunches instead. It doesn’t burn off as much calories but if done properly will definitely help in toning up my flabby tummy. That’s always a good thing to have happen!

InBody Check Progress – March '08

I’ve gained weight this month (shoot!) but on the upside it seems that the weight increase is due to the increase in my overall lean body mass (yay!). It this point I’m not so worried about gaining overall weight as long as I know that it’s healthy weight (lean/muscle mass) instead of fat mass.

Having said that, the muscle mass increase seemed to be a little bit on the low side compared to what I was expecting having going through the new PT program. I guess I should try to find out what would be the expected gains baseline that I can use to compare my progress for this. If I look at the month to month increase then there is definitely improvements after following the new PT plan since I gained 0.8kgs for muscle mass compared to 0.1kgs in the Jan-Feb timeframe when I just started on the PT program.

Fat mass loss seems to be stagnant this month (boo!) but percentage wise it is still on the right downward track. Still a ways to go before I hit my 18% fat percentage for this year though. I definitely could lose more by doing more cardio but my PT advised me to cut down on my cardio to reduce the risk of reducing the gains I made with muscle mass total. Guess I just have to watch my fat intake more closely this coming months.

I still have about a month’s worth of PT sessions left which I would be using mainly to correct any lingering form mistakes so that by the time I will be doing them myself, I would be able to fully gain from what I learned from my PT. Taking my PT’s advice, I’m cutting down my cardio sessions down to a max of 2 x 40-minute spinning (RPM) sessions a week and 3 x 10 minute workout warm-ups on the cross trainer. Those sessions should be sufficient to fulfill my cardio needs for the moment.

The journey continues.

Workout Progress – March ‘08

March was another good workout month for me. To avoid my muscles from retaining muscle memory from repetitive exercises, PT and I decided to vary the type of exercises that I had to do per PT session. By doing it this way, my muscles are forced to adapt faster to the changes and mentally I would not have mental barriers set up because I don't know what to expect my limits for that day was. We also ventured into more total body endurance training as one of my goals is also to build up a more balanced body tone instead of just a particular body group. Endurance training is good for that as you get to work out a lot more muscles groups per set compared to isolated muscle trainings.

I am also proud to say that I have been fairly consistent with my attendance in the spinning (RPM) classes at my gym. I was finally able to find a timeslot that worked best for me and have been attending at least once a week. I try to get 2 classes per week but it’s hard to go to the Sunday class without me sacrificing my social life (as if!). Once I got used to the extremely hard bicycle seat and the fact that my fat bum would be bouncing around in public (the fly wheel studio is practically an aquarium at my gym) when I cycle, the classes were actually an enjoyable way to burn off calories. Strange that a few months ago I was so self conscious to join in the class but now I’m arguing with my friend on whether or nor should we cycle to the beat of the provided music instead of just increasing the level intensities when the instructor calls it out. He says no but I say yes … anyone can settle this argument? For me it’s a whole other level of enjoyment to challenge your paddling to be in sync with the downbeat.

Diet plan in March

Breakfast (8 am)
- 1 sachet of Quaker Oats Flavored instant oatmeal
- 1 serving of low fat yogurt
- 1 serving of protein shake

Brunch (10 am)
- 1/2 serving of plan fried rice with tempeh goreng or greens
- 1 hardboiled egg (alternate working days
– 2 whole eggs total per week)
- 1 serving of fruits

Lunch (12 pm)
- 1 Spirulina cereal 3 in 1 mix.

Snacks (4 pm)
- 1 Nature Valley Granola bar (Apple Crisps, Almond and Pecan have lowest calories)
- Japanese Green Tea

Dinner (7 pm)
– non workout days (Tues/Sat)
- 1 serving of protein shake
- buy something roughly less than 300kcal

Workout Days (M/W/Thurs/F: 8:30 – 11:30 pm, Sun: 4 – 8pm)
Pre workout
- 1 serving of protein shake
- buy something roughly less than 300kcal

Post workout
- 1 serving of protein shake

Supplements :
MuscleTech Nitro-Tech Hardcore Protein Shake – 3 servings per day
GNC Pro Performance Creatine Monohydrate – 3 servings per day
21st Century’s HerbalLipo Tea – 1 serving per week day
GNC MegaMen Dietary Supplement – 1 tablet per day
GNC Big 50 Vit B Complex – 1 tablet per day
GNC Fish Oils – 1 tablet per day

Thanks to my birthday discount at GNC, I added a few new supplements in my daily consume list. The Big 50 Vit B Complex is to help with mental alertness as well as for metabolic processes and the Fish Oils capsules for overall health maintenance. Since I’m looking to bulk up a bit in the next few months, I’ve also added Creatine Monohydrate to my supplements list. My past experience with it showed that I was able to push myself further when I take creatine on top of my usual protein shakes. The new MuscleTech protein shake that I am taking now does have creatine in it so I’m actually doubling my intake of creatine for the moment.

For the coming April, I will be cutting down my PT session to 2 times a week considering that I only have 7 sessions left with will last me till the end of the month. I have been offered PT renewal at RM85 per session for 18 sessions but I think I want to go on by myself for a bit to see how much progress that I can get by myself. I’ve already documented my current exercise plans so I can reuse the same plan when I’m not training with my PT. I will miss being able with a PT but thanks to him, I feel more assured that what I can do on my own would be able to give me the results that I want. The only thing that I would definitely have to figure out is how to work the free weights without a spotter. I guess that I could do lesser weights with higher reps since I won’t be too confident of lifting heavy weights on my own.

If anyone works out at California Fitness, Sunway Pyramid and might be looking for a workout partner in May, do drop me a line to my email or the comments box.

Workout Journal – 2008 Personal Training Program Day 20

Program Day 20 (muscle group: Total Body – duration 1.5 hrs)

Warm up
Cross Trainer (10 minutes, 80 kcal target burn)

Total Body Endurance Workout (3 supersets with minimum rest in between)
Dumbbell Side Raise (reps – 10/15/20, weight – 15/15/15 lbs)
Dumbbell Front Raise (reps – 10/15/20, weight – 15/15/15 lbs)
Dumbbell Lateral Raise (reps – 10/15/20, weight – 15/15/15 lbs)
Dumbbell Shoulder Press (reps – 10/15/20, weight – 15/15/15 lbs)
Dumbbell Bicep Curl (reps – 10/15/20, weight – 15/15/15 lbs)
Dumbbell Triceps Extension (reps – 10/15/20, weight – 15/15/15 lbs)
Static Lunges (reps – 20/20/20, weight – body weight)
Raised Knee Upper Abs Crunches (reps – 20/20/20, weight – body weight)
Push-Up (reps – 10/20/30, weight – body weight)

Chest
Chest Press (reps – 15/15/15/12, weight – 35/55/85/100 lbs)

Back
Vertical Row (reps – 15/15/15/12, weight – 55/100/130/145 lbs)

Abs
Isolated Lower Abs Crunches (reps – 30/30/30, weight – bodyweight)

Cool down – None

Workout Journal – 2008 Personal Training Program Day 19

Program Day 19 (muscle group: Legs, Shoulders – duration 1 hrs)

Warm up – Cross Trainer (10 minutes - 90 kcal target burn)

Legs
Seated Leg Press (reps – 15/15/15/12/12/12, weight – 100/190/230/275/320/360 lbs)
Leg Extensions (reps – 15/15/12, weight – 100/120/140 lbs)
Leg Curl (reps – 15/15/12, weight – 55/77/88 lbs)
One-Leg Standing Calf Raise (reps – 15/15/15, weight – body weight)
Rotary Calf Extension (reps – 15/15/15, weight 45/45/45 lbs)

Shoulders
Shoulder Press (reps – 15/15/12, weight – 55/66/77 lbs)
Overhead Shoulder Press (reps – 15/15/15, weight – 35/35/35 lbs)
Lateral Shoulder Raise (reps – 15/15/15, weight – 20/20/20 lbs)

Cool down – none

Workout Journal – 2008 Personal Training Program Day 18

Program Day 18 (muscle group: Total Body – duration 1 hrs)

Warm up – Cross Trainer (10 minutes - 90 kcal target burn)

Total Body Endurance Circuit Training – EZ Barbell

Set 1

Squats (reps – 12, weight - 30 lbs)
Shoulder Press (reps – 12, weight – 30 lbs)
Upright Row (reps – 12, weight – 30 lbs)
Deadlift (reps – 12, weight – 30 lbs)
Bicep Curls (reps – 12, weight – 30 lbs)
Triceps Extension (reps – 12, weight 30 lbs)

Set 2

Squats (reps – 15, weight - 30 lbs)
Shoulder Press (reps – 15, weight – 30 lbs)
Power Lunges (reps – 15, weight – 30 lbs)
Upright Row (reps – 15, weight – 30 lbs)
Deadlift (reps – 15, weight – 30 lbs)
Bicep Curls (reps – 15, weight – 30 lbs)
Triceps Extension (reps – 15, weight 30 lbs)

Set 3

Squats (reps – 20, weight - 30 lbs)
Shoulder Press (reps – 20, weight – 30 lbs)
Power Lunges (reps – 20, weight – 30 lbs)
Upright Row (reps – 20, weight – 30 lbs)
Deadlift (reps – 20, weight – 30 lbs)
Bicep Curls (reps – 20, weight – 30 lbs)
Triceps Extension (reps – 20, weight - 30 lbs)
Upper Body Push Ups (reps – 20/30/40, weight – body weight)

Abs
Abs Crunch Bench (reps – 30/30/30, weight – body weight)

Cool down – none

The workout for Day 18 was a diversion from my normal workout schedule. Since I can’t make it to the PT session on Friday, we decided that the last PT session for this week would be something that hit all major muscle groups that I’ve been working on. I’m sure there is an official term for it but for the time being I’m calling it the “Total Body Endurance Circuit Training” for easy reference.

Like the “Total Body Endurance Workout” that I went through on day 15 of my PT program, I had to complete all the exercises in one set before I could stop to rest before going to the next set. Given that I have to almost immediately start the next movement once the preceding it finishes, the exercises were actually tougher than they look. For the moment, we will keep to using only one weight for all the exercises but eventually I would build the endurance to increase weights for each set. Of course that is dependent on whether I could go to the next set. For Day 18, I was ok for the first 2 sets but was really struggling in the last set.

The exercises are quite easy to execute so I would definitely put them in my personal program once my sessions with PT has been completed. It feels like something that I can use when I’m working out by myself and has the advantage to training the full body instead of individual muscles. Hopefully that would give me a more balanced muscle development and not look like I was focusing on a particular part of the body.

Having more stamina and greater endurance would also be a major plus for me.

Workout Journal – 2008 Personal Training Program Day 17

Program Day 17 (muscle group: Chest, Abs, Biceps, Back – duration 1.5 hrs)

Warm up – Cross Trainer (20 minutes - 180 kcal target burn)

Chest
Pec Fly (reps – 15/12/10, weight – 50/65/80 lbs)
Incline Push Up (reps – 15/15/15, weight – body weight)
Bench Press (reps – 12/10/10, weight – 10/25/35 lbs)
Iso Bench Press (reps – 12/10/10, weight – 10/25/35 lbs)

Abs
Abs Crunch Bench (reps – 30/30/30, weight – body weight)

Biceps
Free weight Preacher Curl (reps – 15/15/15, weight – 40/40/40 lbs)
Single Arm Bicep Curl (reps – 15/25/35 – each arm, weight – 25/15/10 lbs)
Bicep Curl (reps – 15/25/35, weight – 50/35/20 lbs)

Back
Low Row (reps – 12/10/08, weight – 55/77/99 lbs)

Cool down – none

Workout Journal – 2008 Personal Training Program Day 16

Program Day 16 (muscle group: Back and Triceps – duration 1 hr excluding warm up)

Warm up
Cross Trainer (10 minutes, 80 kcal target burn)

Back
Assisted Chin Up (reps - 15/15/15, weight – 33% of body weight)
Isolinear Front Lateral Pull (reps – 12/12/12, weight – 45/45/45 lbs)
Upper Back (reps – 15/15/15, weight – 35/35/35 lbs)
Low Row (reps - 12/12/12, weight – 45/45/45 lbs)

Triceps
Barbell Close Grip (reps – 15/15/15, weight – 20/20/20 lbs)
Seated Dips - Bench (reps – 15/15/15, weight – body weight)
Triceps Pushdown (reps – 15/12/12/10, weight – 30/40/50/60 lbs)

Cool down
None

Workout Journal – 2008 Personal Training Program Day 15

Program Day 15 (muscle group: Total Body – duration 1.5 hrs)

Warm up
Cross Trainer (10 minutes, 60 kcal target burn)

Total Body Endurance Workout (3 circuits with minimum rest in between)
Dumbbell Side Raise (reps – 12/12/12, weight – 10/15/20 lbs)
Dumbbell Front Raise (reps – 12/12/12, weight – 10/15/20 lbs)
Dumbbell Lateral Raise (reps – 12/12/12, weight – 10/15/20 lbs)
Dumbbell Shoulder Press (reps – 12/12/12, weight – 10/15/20 lbs)
Dumbbell Bicep Curl (reps – 12/12/12, weight – 10/15/20 lbs)
Dumbbell Triceps Extension (reps – 12/12/12, weight – 10/15/20 lbs)
Static Lunges (reps – 20/20/20, weight – body weight)
Raised Knee Upper Abs Crunches (reps – 20/20/20, weight – body weight)
Push-Up (reps – 10/20/30, weight – body weight)

Chest
Isolinear Chest Bench Press (reps – 12/12/12, weight – 20/30/45 lbs)

Back
Isolinear Front Lateral Pull (reps – 12/12/12, weight – 25/35/60 lbs)

Abs
Isolated Lower Abs Crunches (reps – 20/20/20, weight – bodyweight)

Lower Back
Back Extensions (reps – 12/10/10/08, weight – 80/95/110/125 lbs)

Cool down – None

My PT surprised me today by springing a new workout that he created for his clients. Instead of the normal back and triceps workout scheduled today, he put me through a total body endurance circuit workout that used weight training exercise. The goal was to build muscle mass, increase endurance and reduce recovery time. Unlike the other weight exercises that I’ve gone through, the goal of this workout is to go through all the exercise in sequence as a superset before increasing the dumbbell weight for the next superset.

I have to say that I was doing well up to the end of the second circuit. Once I hit the 3rd circuit using the 20 lbs dumbbell, every muscle in my body started to scream bloody murder. It was still a good workout though as I now know that I need build up more endurance to reach the goal of doing 4 supersets.

I’m really worn out after the PT session but it was an exciting night of testing my own limits.

Workout Progress – Feb ‘08

February was a good workout month for me. With each PT sessions that I went through, I was able to see measurable improvements to the amount of loads that I was able to lift. It was not only the lifting of increasing loads that has improved but also the amount of time that I would need to recover from the effort have steadily shorten as weeks passed by. I’ve also found out that I was able to personally accomplish goals that I would never be able to imagine doing a few weeks ago so in terms of the mental aspect of the gymming experience seem to be on the improvement track.

Per my goal last month of attending at least one group class, I did finally managed to overcome my reluctance of working out in a group setting and joined in a spinning (RPM) class. Since the beginners classes were not available during the evenings that I usually spend at the gym, I had to join the intermediate level classes which I initially had reservations for fear that I would not keep up with the rest of the class. Turned out that my fears were unfounded as I was able to keep my own pace with the rest of the group as soon as I was comfortable with the bikes that they use. Having said that, the only thing that I don’t think that I would be comfortable any time soon with the bikes are how hard the seats were.

Diet plan in Feb

Breakfast (8 am)
- 1 sachet of Quaker Oats Flavored instant oatmeal
- 1 serving of low fat yogurt
- 1 serving of protein shake

Brunch (10 am)
- 1/2 serving of plan fried rice with tempeh goreng or greens
- 1 hardboiled egg (alternate working days – 2 whole eggs total per week)
- 1 serving of fruits

Lunch (12 pm)
- 1 Spirulina cereal 3 in 1 mix.

Snacks (4 pm)
- 1 Nature Valley Granola bar (Apple Crisps, Almond and Pecan have lowest calories)
- Japanese Green Tea

Dinner (7 pm)
– non workout days (Tues/Sat)
- 1 serving of protein shake
- buy something roughly less than 300kcal
Workout Days (M/W/Thurs/F: 8:30 – 11:30 pm, Sun: 4 – 8pm)
Pre workout
- 1 serving of protein shake
- buy something roughly less than 300kcal

Post workout
- 1 serving of protein shake

Supplements :
Protein Shake – 3 servings per day
21st Century’s HerbalLipo Tea – 1 serving per week day
GNC MegaMen Dietary Supplement – 1 tablet per day

I think that my current diet plan is currently optimized for my needs that I didn’t need to tweak anything from last month’s plan. I still continue to add protein shakes to my diet plan especially now that I’m savvy enough to know that the GNC near my place sells quite a few close to expiry date or dented tubs of protein shakes at least 30 – 40% off depending on the item. They are still good to use and furthermore a lot kinder to the budget. Of course this being my birthday month, I get 35% off everything in the store for one visit which meant me stocking up on protein shakes that would literally last me for months.

I don’t foresee any major changes to the work out plan or the gymming experience happening in March. I feel that I’m currently entering a phase where I’m totally comfortable with the gym schedule and variety of exercises that I’m currently doing. There might be some changes to the workout routine once I get done with this current program of 4 sets for each exercise but for the moment I don’t know what it would be like. As for the diet plan, I’m fairly certain that I would be able to stick with the same plan in March. There maybe some new supplements that I’m trying out in March which I may put some observations of in the next workout progress report.

Workout Journal – 2008 Personal Training Program Day 14

Program Day 14 (muscle group: Lower body, Hips, Shoulders, Abs – duration 1.5 hrs)

Warm up
Cross Trainer (20 minutes, 120 kcal target burn)

Lower body
Linear Leg Press (reps – 12/10/10/8, weight – 140/230/320/370 lbs)
Seated Leg Extensions (reps 12/10/10/8, weight – 99/121/143/154 lbs)
Prone Leg Curl (reps 12/10/10/10, weight – 80/95/105/105 lbs)

Hips
Hip Abduction (reps – 12/10/10/8, weight – 65/95/125/140 lbs)
Hip Adduction (reps – 12/10/10/8, weight – 80/85/90/95 lbs)

Shoulders
Shoulder Press (reps – 12/10/10/8, weight – 15/25/27.5/30 lbs)
Overhead Press (reps – 12/10/10/8, weight – 50/60/65/70 lbs)


Abs
Abs Crunch – Hammer Strength (reps – 15/15/15, weight – 55/55/55 lbs)

Cool down – None

Note:
I finally was able to tackle trying to push twice my body weight at the leg press machine tonight with was one of the records that I have set for myself. Next record to break for my leg press is 3 times body weight.

Added hips to the routine considering that my lower body seems to be developing nicely according to my PT. Both hip exercises will take a while to get used to not only because it’s a muscle group I hardly work but also the machines puts you in a position that someone like me can be a wee bit self conscious to be seen in. Lets just say that I have not had my legs that wide apart ever in my life.