The key to your success was your statement of looking in the mirror and noticing the change. The scale is only a small part of your transformation.
Keep it up and consistency is important, over the long run.
I went back to the gym yesterday after all. By the time I got home from work, it was really too late to head out for a walk with the family and so decided I would just go to the gym for some cardio.
So I get there and notice that there is an aerobic exercise class starting in a few minutes. I’m not exactly an aerobic class sort of guy but figured I would pop in and check it out.
So the scene is like this…girls stretching on the floor talking girl talk, the instructor sipping from a pink water bottle, everyone in coordinated outfits.
The instructor comes up to me and asks if I’m goign to take the class. I says, well do you have to know how to dance to do this stuff? She says no and that the class is pretty basic and shows me a couple fo moves… I turned around and walked out. Let’s just say I’m not nearly gay enough for aerobics apparently…
So I hit the gym. Here’s my workout.
A) Dumbell snatch. 25lb loading. 10 each side per set.
I did 6 sets. BOY!!! I was hurtin!!! After squats the day before, my thighs were basically on fire!!!
B1) Overhead barbell press: 45 lb.
B2) plate raise: 25lb
B3) plate raise front (stiff arm): 10lb loading.
I did 10 each set and 4 sets.
I finished off with 15 mintues on the elliptical. As I left the gym I happened to notice that several of the girls from the aerobics class were lettign out and going over to the cardio machines for more work.
None of them looked as if they had even broke a sweat. Imagine that, a whole hour of exercise and you don’t even break a sweat!!! Needless to say, I think I made the right decision.
The exercises you are choosing are very good. Compound, multi-joint movements done in supersets. Nice.
Training is important but the biggest impact on fat loss will come from diet. One aspect that really helps is macronutrient timing which is really just keeping track of when during the day you eat carbs, protein and fats.
There is lots of good information on this site but, basically, eat carbs earlier in the day rather than at night. Intake in the evening should minimize carbs (no protein bars, they are full of them). I like to do a protein drink with water or milk and natural peanut butter on 1/2 a pita or something similar.
There is also carb cycling (low days and high days) if you want to take it to the next level.
Stay focussed.
Tom
My take on this? You have a good base to work with and appear to have some LBM to work with. Yeah, you’re fat, but really not that “flabby” (i.e. subcutaneous flab), your adipose is relatively evenly distributed, with a chunk of viceral abdominal fat pushing out you ab wall. There are a lot of fat boys out there who would kill to be “fat like you”, so dont sing that sob song too much, you might piss them off and they’ll sit on you & smother you to death(jk), so count your blessings and quit being an asshole, you are much closer to your goal than most. IMHO, you are a bit obsessed with the small details (what with the daily log and all, but I understand that some need that discipline, as long as that’s what it is, not misplaced unhealthy vs. constructive & positive vanity/ego…Keep a logbook of your workouts for comparison purposes, and take photos at least once a month along with bodyfat measuring. A food log will help keep you thinking forward with diet patterns)…In short, you can do this, and eventually can amaze yourself, but only if you are consistent and above all dont bullshit yourself about your goals. Just avoid injuries and get it done! One more thing: look at girls. Yes, that’s right, look at girls, the kind that make you loins go ?!. Then mentally ask yourself this: “How would she react if she saw me with my shirt off?”…Don’t bullshit yourself…You’ll know what to do…