Start of February 2017
,Yay, February is finally here! I'm sure I wasn't the only one excited about changing the calendar, what a slow month January is...
Anyway new month, and I thought I should update you on my progress in the past few weeks. Andy Graydon has given me a home workout weightlifting plan. I'm also doing short bursts of cardio, in the form of 3 km runs on the treadmill as my warm up, and also to target the jelly beans that have been eaten over Christmas!
Andy's plan covers 12 weeks and consists of a 5 rep, 5 set workout, increasing the weights in small increments on each workout. So far it's going really well, although I have struggled a bit getting back into it, but I'm getting there. Now obviously just being a week into Andy's plan I'm not expecting any big changes, but I have noticed a little bit of shape coming back to my chest and shoulders.
Everyone tells you about how important eating is, and my issue has always been not hitting my nutritional goals, although I'm doing a lot better now. Nuts have never been my thing, but I've discovered a love of cashews, and it's amazing the little boost in carbs these little fellas give you. Bad fats are easy peasy, but reaching fat goals (good fats) has always been a challenge, but again our little dry cashew friends have helped with that too!
If you're on your own fitness journey, then I hope it's all been going well and you're noticing some changes. I stay away from scales and don't often measure growth, for me I think it's about being satisfied with what you see in the mirror. You'll also notice changes when you put on your clothes. I want to grow in size, so when it's the weekend and I find my t-shirt feels a bit tighter then that's great. Getting skinny jeans off at the end of the day has never been fun, but it's getting harder as I get back into the squats and deadlifts, but I won't complain... Well, not until I have to start buying new ones!!
Anyway new month, and I thought I should update you on my progress in the past few weeks. Andy Graydon has given me a home workout weightlifting plan. I'm also doing short bursts of cardio, in the form of 3 km runs on the treadmill as my warm up, and also to target the jelly beans that have been eaten over Christmas!
Andy's plan covers 12 weeks and consists of a 5 rep, 5 set workout, increasing the weights in small increments on each workout. So far it's going really well, although I have struggled a bit getting back into it, but I'm getting there. Now obviously just being a week into Andy's plan I'm not expecting any big changes, but I have noticed a little bit of shape coming back to my chest and shoulders.
Everyone tells you about how important eating is, and my issue has always been not hitting my nutritional goals, although I'm doing a lot better now. Nuts have never been my thing, but I've discovered a love of cashews, and it's amazing the little boost in carbs these little fellas give you. Bad fats are easy peasy, but reaching fat goals (good fats) has always been a challenge, but again our little dry cashew friends have helped with that too!
If you're on your own fitness journey, then I hope it's all been going well and you're noticing some changes. I stay away from scales and don't often measure growth, for me I think it's about being satisfied with what you see in the mirror. You'll also notice changes when you put on your clothes. I want to grow in size, so when it's the weekend and I find my t-shirt feels a bit tighter then that's great. Getting skinny jeans off at the end of the day has never been fun, but it's getting harder as I get back into the squats and deadlifts, but I won't complain... Well, not until I have to start buying new ones!!
Start of January 2017
A few years ago I made the decision to cancel my gym membership and train at home. I found the gym environment intimidating, and felt I would get more done at home.
In the last house it wasn't ideal, as I worked out in the spare bedroom squeezed between the bed and the wardrobe, and it was always a challenge to not scrape the wall with the barbell doing my bench press.
I moved house in October and have just got round to setting up a dedicated room for workouts during the Christmas holidays. I've just bought a treadmill to try and get a bit more cardio into my workouts, especially after the amount of jelly beans I've eaten during the holidays! I'm not sure that jelly beans can be counted as part of my bulking phase!
I saw some big changes in my shape during 2015 and the first part of last year, but since August, when the house went on the market and all the equipment had to be hidden away, I've had a real set back. You know what it's like, plenty of excuses.
So now that we're at the start of a new year, I've decided to get back into it. Since 2015 I've been getting tips and occasional PT sessions with Andy Graydon, who has a great gym in Glasgow. It's so good going to see Andy as he has corrected my technique, which is so important to see results and to prevent injury. I thought I had been lifting with good form for years, but it was only after Andy showed me how to do it correctly when I started to see some big changes.
In the last house it wasn't ideal, as I worked out in the spare bedroom squeezed between the bed and the wardrobe, and it was always a challenge to not scrape the wall with the barbell doing my bench press.
I moved house in October and have just got round to setting up a dedicated room for workouts during the Christmas holidays. I've just bought a treadmill to try and get a bit more cardio into my workouts, especially after the amount of jelly beans I've eaten during the holidays! I'm not sure that jelly beans can be counted as part of my bulking phase!
I saw some big changes in my shape during 2015 and the first part of last year, but since August, when the house went on the market and all the equipment had to be hidden away, I've had a real set back. You know what it's like, plenty of excuses.
So now that we're at the start of a new year, I've decided to get back into it. Since 2015 I've been getting tips and occasional PT sessions with Andy Graydon, who has a great gym in Glasgow. It's so good going to see Andy as he has corrected my technique, which is so important to see results and to prevent injury. I thought I had been lifting with good form for years, but it was only after Andy showed me how to do it correctly when I started to see some big changes.
Post workout at Andy's new gym - July 2016
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Workout with PT Andy Graydon - February 2016
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Andy is going to give me a weekly home workout plan, and hopefully I'll start to see the results again soon. I know that it's a bit of a cliche to start something new in January, but I like to think of this as not something new, but getting back on track. The MuscleFood order is done and will arrive later this week, so It's time for the hard work to start again. I know lots of you will be starting your own fitness journey and I hope my blogs will be of some help and encouragement to you. Be determined and you'll see results! Let's do this...