I definitely see the difference Wakiki. You definitely look a lot leaner, especially around the waist and upper body. Congrats on the diet bro.
Good job Wakiki. You made it! Next you´ll want to fly to the Moooon.
Congrats!! Thanks for such detailing your experience so well. You definitely look leaner - how do you feel? If you did it over again, would you do anything differently?
[quote]yerba wrote:
Congrats!! Thanks for such detailing your experience so well. You definitely look leaner - how do you feel? If you did it over again, would you do anything differently?
[/quote]
Thanks!
I feel great. Actually, a little “too full” after my solid meal, but I have felt that way after every solid meal on this diet - I am not used to the feeling of food in my stomach so much.
I can’t think of anything I would change - I just stuck to the plan, and added some BCAA in there. Stress management and proper sleep are key on this plan.
This first week off the V-Diet, I will be eating two solid meals per day. Breakfast and lunch. The following week, probably 3 meals per day, and the third week I will end my transition period. I will continue with the HOT-ROX but a smaller dose - 3 caps/day the first week, 2 the second week, then none.
Props to Chris Shugart, and all the folks here on T-Nation who have been a great help. I have enjoyed posting to this journal and will continue to do so. Best of luck to everyone. Don’t take any shit from anybody.
Photo: Today’s meal. Sorry V-Dieters if it makes you want to kill 
Congrats on finishing the V-Diet! Much props to keeping such a great attitude throughout as well.
OK, I counted what supplements I have left for after today.
HOT-ROX: 84 caps
BCAA: 175 caps
So I’ve split it up for the next 4 weeks: Here are my daily doses:
Week #1: 4 HRX, 7 BCAA, 2 solid meals per day - breakfast and lunch
Week #2: 3 HRX, 6 BCAA, 3 solid meals per day - breakfast, lunch, PWO
Week #3: 3 HRX, 6 BCAA
Week #4: 2 HRX, 6 BCAA
That should nicely finish off what I’ve got left.
Training: I have been doing WM for the past 8 weeks.
I am considering switching to TBT. Any recommendations?
I will be lifting 3x/week full-body workouts, cardio 30 mins 3x/week, and a NEPA walk on the 7th day.
Great JOB!
Not everyone can accomplish something of this magnitude!
You need to recognize this and use this success to breed more success.
bill
[quote]BillO21 wrote:
Great JOB!
[/quote]
Thank you!
[quote]
Not everyone can accomplish something of this magnitude!
You need to recognize this and use this success to breed more success.
bill[/quote]
Amen to that, brother!
In fact, I was thinking along the lines of that last statement as I took my NEPA walk in the park today. Completing the V-Diet (by tonight, anyways) has given me a whole lot of perspective.
First off, the timing for it was spot on. I graduated college last week, and throughout the studying for final exams, the senior research, all the school-related stress, where I would normally have been pretty lax about my eating, I had the V-Diet to keep me disciplined. During this transitional stage in my life, where I am looking for a job and looking to relocate out of NY, the V-Diet provided the discipline, and forced me to manage stress and manage emotions in order to be able to stick to the diet. It forced me to remain positive where previously I might not have chosen to be so.
I learned a lot through this experience. As cheap as it sounds, I speak genuinely when I say that the process of systematically setting a clear goal, with detailed steps to accomplish it, and being persistent and refusing to fail, has really taught me a great lesson. I can now approach anything I set my mind to, establish a specific goal and plan of action, and apply myself.
Also, the psychological influence on my relationship with food is undeniable. First off, I now hold a greater appreciation for food - when I make my eggs for breakfast tomorrow morning, for instance, I will not take it for granted. Also, my strength to resist temptation from “bad” foods, and maintain my integrity in light of the value I place on health, is enhanced.
Finally, it feels wonderful to reflect that, while most of the people around me continue to let their health deteriorate, continue to rationalize crappy food and lack of exercise, and continue to be negative, pessimistic, and sarcastic, I strive to rebel against all of the above and take steps to better myself, giving little notice to what others say or think.
Enough rambling now… until later.
Wakiki
Awesome job! It’s tough to see the upper body changes because of the hair, but your waist is looking way trimmed down. Very impressive.
That kind of focus just says:
“No F#cking Excuses!!!”
Definitely A milestone!!
I’ve done only one week
and now know you and others that succeeded
taking it through the 4 weeks.
Earn my respect!
So glad you put the pix side by side. You can see a huge difference. I’m amazed at the changes in your face.
Next set of pictures I want to see those pearly whites!!! Smile, smile, smile 
Again…FANTASTIC JOB!!
B-3
Day 1 Post-V-Diet
Plan for breakfast this morning was 8 eggwhite-omelet and dried fruits.
Breakfast was… surprising.
First off, I hardly finished the omelet - it was too much. Gonna go for 6 whites next time. Funny, because before the V-Diet, I would have wolfed it down. I actually considered not finishing it, and almost didn’t. Again, that never happened before.. with any food, really.
Next, the dried fruit, which had been perhaps my strongest craving on the V-Diet. I had an assortment of dried fruits, and in the past I had been able to eat large amounts of it, it was somewhat an ‘addictive’ food for me. The mix included dried apricots, raisins, dates, figs, prunes, peaches, pears, apples, papaya, and pineapple.
I began to taste one of each, and what I noticed was that - I couldn’t believe this - I had lost my taste for most of them! They just did not taste as good as they once had. The only ones I still like are the raisins, figs, and dates. I’m shocked. And I am curious to continue evaluating every “new” food I taste, keeping in mind that my preferences are not necessarily what they used to be.
That, and I actually don’t give a damn right now for crap like pastries, cookies, etc. Which is unbelievable, because part of me had feared that, once off the V-Diet, I would feel like someone let out of prison, and be tempted to go eat all sorts of garbage. I don’t. Unless I am smelling something fresh-baked, I don’t care - and even when I do smell it, it’s not hard for me to resist.
I’m still “digesting” all these developments..pun intended.
Wakiki
[quote]wakiki wrote:
Day 1 Post-V-Diet
Plan for breakfast this morning was 8 eggwhite-omelet and dried fruits.
Breakfast was… surprising.
First off, I hardly finished the omelet - it was too much. Gonna go for 6 whites next time. Funny, because before the V-Diet, I would have wolfed it down. I actually considered not finishing it, and almost didn’t. Again, that never happened before.. with any food, really.
Next, the dried fruit, which had been perhaps my strongest craving on the V-Diet. I had an assortment of dried fruits, and in the past I had been able to eat large amounts of it, it was somewhat an ‘addictive’ food for me. The mix included dried apricots, raisins, dates, figs, prunes, peaches, pears, apples, papaya, and pineapple.
I began to taste one of each, and what I noticed was that - I couldn’t believe this - I had lost my taste for most of them! They just did not taste as good as they once had. The only ones I still like are the raisins, figs, and dates. I’m shocked. And I am curious to continue evaluating every “new” food I taste, keeping in mind that my preferences are not necessarily what they used to be.
That, and I actually don’t give a damn right now for crap like pastries, cookies, etc. Which is unbelievable, because part of me had feared that, once off the V-Diet, I would feel like someone let out of prison, and be tempted to go eat all sorts of garbage. I don’t. Unless I am smelling something fresh-baked, I don’t care - and even when I do smell it, it’s not hard for me to resist.
I’m still “digesting” all these developments..pun intended.
Wakiki[/quote]
That’s what I am hoping for more than the extreme fat loss while on the diet.
GREAT JOB.
Thanks to all for the compliments!
Today, I got through a very intense set of 10x3 squats in the gym and then basically felt like I crashed - I felt nauseous and canceled the rest of my workout. I am not one to usually ever want to do that, but I felt sick.
I have decided to focus on recovery this week, because I suspect I am suffering from overtraining. The reasons I believe this to be the case are as follows:
- Increasing trouble staying asleep at night during the past week
- Been training at very high intensity while on the V-Diet, in order to retain muscle mass - usually at around 90% 1RM. Actually, before that for a few weeks too.
- Hitting a wall with strength increases
- Intermittent feelings of weakness and headaches recently
I am going to continue transitioning off for this week and next, as I planned. The only modification is that I will be very cautious with the carbs, after reading Berardi’s “Get Unshredded” article. Carbs will be concentrated PWO.
============================================
I plan to do a second round of the V-Diet beginning Sunday, February 3 (2 weeks from today).
I went down from 18.8% to 15.2% body fat on the first round, and on the second round I want to try getting down to 12%.
This time though, I am not going to make it unnecessarily hard on myself - I will follow a program such as TBT or WM with the suggested %1RM, working up from something like 75% to 87.5%, instead of trying for max the whole time at 90%.
OK, yesterday (2nd day off) I pretty much “fell off the wagon” nutritionally speaking. Actually, it’s more like “fell off the wagon, rolled down the hill, and into a pile of manure.” Not proud of it, but picking myself back up and moving on.
Let’s just say I realized how addictive crappy carbs are, and I never want to go there again. It became clear to me how easy it is to fall into the crap food routine, once you start eating that sort of stuff you just want more, it does nothing for you, unlike solid healthy food.
I also realized how important planning is. For those still doing the V-Diet, make sure to adequately plan your transition phase. Be realistic and allow for some flexibility, but realize that the transition phase is actually harder than the diet itself. Once you are done, and start to reintroduce whole foods, the line isn’t so clear anymore, and it is easier to slip up.
For those of us who tend to go to extremes, “all-or-nothing” people - it is especially difficult. While on the V-Diet, there is no guesswork, and as Chris said (loosely quoted here) the beauty is that you get to focus all of your mental power on adherence - there is nothing to figure out. Now, when you get off the V-Diet, things are not so clear. Your relationship with food has changed. The line is blurred, and it’s not so easy to determine success or failure as it is on the V-Diet - and it’s easy to rationalize, and to slip. If you start eating carbs, you begin to crave them - I think it has to do with insulin highs/crashes etc which are managed very well while on the V-Diet.
Today I am back on the wagon, a bit weary, a bit wiser, and as dedicated as ever. Hopefully this post will be helpful to someone, and therefore some good will come out of this situation.
Posting through the good, the bad, and the ugly…
Wakiki
What’s your goal now that you’re off the V-Diet? Shouldn’t that determine your new diet plan? For example, I’m trying to put on muscle mass so I’m guessing that’s what your goal is and there’s tons of info about that on this site.
[quote]Digity wrote:
What’s your goal now that you’re off the V-Diet? Shouldn’t that determine your new diet plan? For example, I’m trying to put on muscle mass so I’m guessing that’s what your goal is and there’s tons of info about that on this site.[/quote]
Goal is further weight loss. I am going back on the Velocity Diet beginning February 3. After that I will be putting on muscle mass. I would like to get my body fat down to 12% or below first.
man , do you always stand like that, if you stood up straight you’d look loads leaner.
try some overhead squats, they are great for posture
there is an article all about em on Dan John’s website
Sounds like we got similar plans wakiki, I finished up the V-Diet the beginning of this month and am going to start back up on it this coming sunday, 4 weeks off the diet. Not sure if I’m going to stay on the whole 28 days this time since the taste cravings have already changed, Going at least 14 days on the strict version and maybe the other two weeks one the one meal a day version depending on how much weight I lose in the first few weeks, I’m around 17% bf right now at 181.
(although I can see myself getting stubborn and addicted to the weight loss and just continue on through) Goal is to be in the 160’s and single digit bf for the first time in my life (Last time I was 160 was probably when I was 11, I was quite the chubby child).
Congrats on getting this far but as I always tell myself, no one ever got rewarded for being average. Go for the gold
[quote]Higgins wrote:
Sounds like we got similar plans wakiki, I finished up the V-Diet the beginning of this month and am going to start back up on it this coming sunday, 4 weeks off the diet. Not sure if I’m going to stay on the whole 28 days this time since the taste cravings have already changed, Going at least 14 days on the strict version and maybe the other two weeks one the one meal a day version depending on how much weight I lose in the first few weeks, I’m around 17% bf right now at 181.
(although I can see myself getting stubborn and addicted to the weight loss and just continue on through) Goal is to be in the 160’s and single digit bf for the first time in my life (Last time I was 160 was probably when I was 11, I was quite the chubby child).
Congrats on getting this far but as I always tell myself, no one ever got rewarded for being average. Go for the gold[/quote]
Absolutely. Feb 3rd I am going back on the V-Diet - I figure what I did is a nice start, but I am not where I want to be - I want to get rid of the last of the belly and actually achieve some definition. So I am steeling myself for another run at it.
This time I think I’m willing to go for longer if it takes longer, which I anticipate it will. Of course if I get down to 10% at like 135, I will be pretty puny, but what good does the fat do for me? - nothing.
I am thinking of doing the one-meal-a-day version so I can stick to it for maybe 6 weeks, but I’m worried that it will be harder to manage that way, and the psychological benefits and cravings changes might not kick in as much. Not sure yet if I will go that route.