Blonde will make you STRONG

[Karabiner]

28th June 2017 - Weight 16st 10lb, waist 37.5"

5th July 2017 - Weight 16st 5lb, waist 37.25"

12th July 2017 - Weight 16st 7lb, waist 37.25"

19th July 2017 - Weight 16st 4lb, waist 37.25"

26th July 2017 - Weight 16st 4lb, waist 37"

2nd August 2017 - Weight 16st 3lb, waist 36.5"

Another pleasing week with my waist now noticeably smaller despite minimal effort regarding the diet. Haven't trained for a few days as my back has popped a bit again but that shouldn't be an issue as long as I can get back in the gym towards the end of the week.

My waist is probably artificially small today as I've hardly eaten anything due to various timing throughout the day. Only had fruit smoothie for breakfast and tuna/rice for late lunch then weighed in before egg whites on pitta. Another possibility is that I've now started on diet pills and they've done what they're supposed to. More likely the food as I'd never expect that sort of result from pills after just a few days.

Beer and curry tonight with Stu. Love this diet.

Hmmmm.... Beer and curry + diet pills...... Makes perfect sense

Bloody hell I bought a new pair of shorts the other week which has probably brought about the change in the weather.

There is actually a point to this apparent non sequitur - they are the first 36" waist trousers of any description that I have ever needed.

Do you suggest BW lunges, pullups or a little power-lifting to restore my waist to its former waspishness?

[EvilPie]

28th June 2017 - Weight 16st 10lb, waist 37.5"

5th July 2017 - Weight 16st 5lb, waist 37.25"

12th July 2017 - Weight 16st 7lb, waist 37.25"

19th July 2017 - Weight 16st 4lb, waist 37.25"

26th July 2017 - Weight 16st 4lb, waist 37"

2nd August 2017 - Weight 16st 3lb, waist 36.5"

Another pleasing week with my waist now noticeably smaller despite minimal effort regarding the diet. Haven't trained for a few days as my back has popped a bit again but that shouldn't be an issue as long as I can get back in the gym towards the end of the week.

My waist is probably artificially small today as I've hardly eaten anything due to various timing throughout the day. Only had fruit smoothie for breakfast and tuna/rice for late lunch then weighed in before egg whites on pitta. Another possibility is that I've now started on diet pills and they've done what they're supposed to. More likely the food as I'd never expect that sort of result from pills after just a few days.

Beer and curry tonight with Stu. Love this diet.

Hmmmm.... Beer and curry + diet pills...... Makes perfect sense

Bloody hell I bought a new pair of shorts the other week which has probably brought about the change in the weather.

There is actually a point to this apparent non sequitur - they are the first 36" waist trousers of any description that I have ever needed.

Do you suggest BW lunges, pullups or a little power-lifting to restore my waist to its former waspishness?

Hi Ralph

The only way those exercises will help with your waist is if you do sufficient quantities to burn the excess calories that have caused your increased waistline. You'd have to do them for a long time to burn significant calories and you'd likely be better off going for a brisk 2 mile walk every night instead. I'm not saying that you shouldn't do lunges or power lifting, both are brilliant. If your goal is purely to shift a few inches off your waist then there are better ways.

What you really need to do is find something in your diet that you can cut out to reduce your daily intake of calories. For me it was easy, I eat loads of pitta breads which are 143 calories each. Cut them down from 7 to 1 per day on average and I go from a calorie surplus to a deficit without really having to put in any effort.

Is there anything you regularly have that you could cut out or reduce easily? It's not about making one big drastic change which for me would be cutting out my weekly treat of going out for a few beers and a curry. Doing that would be awful and make me resent what I was doing. You need to find something easy if you can. Something has put you in a surplus so figure out what it is and cut it out.

If there's nothing you can easily cut out then it's back to burning a few calories and as I said the easiest way is by taking a walk every day. Do you still have a glass of wine with your evening meal? How about you make a commitment to never buy a bottle of wine when you're in your car or from within two miles of your house? That way you have to walk 4 miles every couple of days if you want to have your glass of wine...

[iRaise]

28th June 2017 - Weight 16st 10lb, waist 37.5"

5th July 2017 - Weight 16st 5lb, waist 37.25"

12th July 2017 - Weight 16st 7lb, waist 37.25"

19th July 2017 - Weight 16st 4lb, waist 37.25"

26th July 2017 - Weight 16st 4lb, waist 37"

2nd August 2017 - Weight 16st 3lb, waist 36.5"

Another pleasing week with my waist now noticeably smaller despite minimal effort regarding the diet. Haven't trained for a few days as my back has popped a bit again but that shouldn't be an issue as long as I can get back in the gym towards the end of the week.

My waist is probably artificially small today as I've hardly eaten anything due to various timing throughout the day. Only had fruit smoothie for breakfast and tuna/rice for late lunch then weighed in before egg whites on pitta. Another possibility is that I've now started on diet pills and they've done what they're supposed to. More likely the food as I'd never expect that sort of result from pills after just a few days.

Beer and curry tonight with Stu. Love this diet.

Hmmmm.... Beer and curry + diet pills...... Makes perfect sense

Bloody hell I bought a new pair of shorts the other week which has probably brought about the change in the weather.

There is actually a point to this apparent non sequitur - they are the first 36" waist trousers of any description that I have ever needed.

Do you suggest BW lunges, pullups or a little power-lifting to restore my waist to its former waspishness?

Pretty much what Matt said

[byronkincaid]

Yes but as you get older you lose muscle and because of this your BMR goes down which means that Ralph needs to be consuming fewer and fewer calories every year to keep his 34" waist, which sucks. If he were to do some resistance exercise at the very least he could maintain his muscles and not have to eat ridiculously small amounts to keep in trim. I'm pretty sure I've heard of studies where very old people* have started lifting weights and have gained strength so it may be that doing power lifting would enable Ralph to have 2 glasses of wine in the evening as well as being able to throw his fat man's shorts in the dustbin.

*not saying Ralph is very old just saying he's certainly not too old to be able to do a few pull-ups.

I haven't read this book but I heard the author being interviewed on the radio and he came across very well.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Age-Just-Number-breaker-growing/dp/0751565377

[Karabiner]

28th June 2017 - Weight 16st 10lb, waist 37.5"

5th July 2017 - Weight 16st 5lb, waist 37.25"

12th July 2017 - Weight 16st 7lb, waist 37.25"

19th July 2017 - Weight 16st 4lb, waist 37.25"

26th July 2017 - Weight 16st 4lb, waist 37"

2nd August 2017 - Weight 16st 3lb, waist 36.5"

Another pleasing week with my waist now noticeably smaller despite minimal effort regarding the diet. Haven't trained for a few days as my back has popped a bit again but that shouldn't be an issue as long as I can get back in the gym towards the end of the week.

My waist is probably artificially small today as I've hardly eaten anything due to various timing throughout the day. Only had fruit smoothie for breakfast and tuna/rice for late lunch then weighed in before egg whites on pitta. Another possibility is that I've now started on diet pills and they've done what they're supposed to. More likely the food as I'd never expect that sort of result from pills after just a few days.

Beer and curry tonight with Stu. Love this diet.

Hmmmm.... Beer and curry + diet pills...... Makes perfect sense

Bloody hell I bought a new pair of shorts the other week which has probably brought about the change in the weather.

There is actually a point to this apparent non sequitur - they are the first 36" waist trousers of any description that I have ever needed.

Do you suggest BW lunges, pullups or a little power-lifting to restore my waist to its former waspishness?

Hi Ralph

The only way those exercises will help with your waist is if you do sufficient quantities to burn the excess calories that have caused your increased waistline. You'd have to do them for a long time to burn significant calories and you'd likely be better off going for a brisk 2 mile walk every night instead. I'm not saying that you shouldn't do lunges or power lifting, both are brilliant. If your goal is purely to shift a few inches off your waist then there are better ways.

What you really need to do is find something in your diet that you can cut out to reduce your daily intake of calories. For me it was easy, I eat loads of pitta breads which are 143 calories each. Cut them down from 7 to 1 per day on average and I go from a calorie surplus to a deficit without really having to put in any effort.

Is there anything you regularly have that you could cut out or reduce easily? It's not about making one big drastic change which for me would be cutting out my weekly treat of going out for a few beers and a curry. Doing that would be awful and make me resent what I was doing. You need to find something easy if you can. Something has put you in a surplus so figure out what it is and cut it out.

If there's nothing you can easily cut out then it's back to burning a few calories and as I said the easiest way is by taking a walk every day. Do you still have a glass of wine with your evening meal? How about you make a commitment to never buy a bottle of wine when you're in your car or from within two miles of your house? That way you have to walk 4 miles every couple of days if you want to have your glass of wine...

Thanks Matt.

I'm not actually a huge eater and the majority of the calories that I consume are in the wine that I drink - the best part of a bottle daily and mostly white - I assume that they are the culprit.

I do get regular excercise as I'm still a keen golfer and play a couple of times per week at least, especially during the summer although the wet weather has not really been condusive.

I don't really fancy giving up my favourite (and last remaining) vice though so I may have get used to being a fat lad.

[iRaise]

Yes but as you get older you lose muscle and because of this your BMR goes down which means that Ralph needs to be consuming fewer and fewer calories every year to keep his 34" waist, which sucks. If he were to do some resistance exercise at the very least he could maintain his muscles and not have to eat ridiculously small amounts to keep in trim. I'm pretty sure I've heard of studies where very old people* have started lifting weights and have gained strength so it may be that doing power lifting would enable Ralph to have 2 glasses of wine in the evening as well as being able to throw his fat man's shorts in the dustbin.

*not saying Ralph is very old just saying he's certainly not too old to be able to do a few pull-ups.

I haven't read this book but I heard the author being interviewed on the radio and he came across very well.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Age-Just-Number-breaker-growing/dp/0751565377

To be Devils Advocate here, do you lose muscle as you get older? Or do you just train less? Or eat worse? If all things are equal in your 20s to 60s, is muscle lost?

Does your BMR go down because you are older, through physiological reasons? Or psychological? You have less motivation to move, you are busier with work? You tire more easily? You don't need to take as many steps? You choose to drive more?

If you take anyone who's hasn't lifted, and make them lift, they are going to gain muscle? Or are they? Does age make a difference to the rate of muscle growth?

Does having more muscle burn more calories at rest? Or more calories during activity?

Hopefully that doesn't come across as argumentative, genuinely asking the questions to provoke some debate and talk about what could be the issues?

100% you're never to old to do a pull up though

[iRaise]

28th June 2017 - Weight 16st 10lb, waist 37.5"

5th July 2017 - Weight 16st 5lb, waist 37.25"

12th July 2017 - Weight 16st 7lb, waist 37.25"

19th July 2017 - Weight 16st 4lb, waist 37.25"

26th July 2017 - Weight 16st 4lb, waist 37"

2nd August 2017 - Weight 16st 3lb, waist 36.5"

Another pleasing week with my waist now noticeably smaller despite minimal effort regarding the diet. Haven't trained for a few days as my back has popped a bit again but that shouldn't be an issue as long as I can get back in the gym towards the end of the week.

My waist is probably artificially small today as I've hardly eaten anything due to various timing throughout the day. Only had fruit smoothie for breakfast and tuna/rice for late lunch then weighed in before egg whites on pitta. Another possibility is that I've now started on diet pills and they've done what they're supposed to. More likely the food as I'd never expect that sort of result from pills after just a few days.

Beer and curry tonight with Stu. Love this diet.

Hmmmm.... Beer and curry + diet pills...... Makes perfect sense

Bloody hell I bought a new pair of shorts the other week which has probably brought about the change in the weather.

There is actually a point to this apparent non sequitur - they are the first 36" waist trousers of any description that I have ever needed.

Do you suggest BW lunges, pullups or a little power-lifting to restore my waist to its former waspishness?

Hi Ralph

The only way those exercises will help with your waist is if you do sufficient quantities to burn the excess calories that have caused your increased waistline. You'd have to do them for a long time to burn significant calories and you'd likely be better off going for a brisk 2 mile walk every night instead. I'm not saying that you shouldn't do lunges or power lifting, both are brilliant. If your goal is purely to shift a few inches off your waist then there are better ways.

What you really need to do is find something in your diet that you can cut out to reduce your daily intake of calories. For me it was easy, I eat loads of pitta breads which are 143 calories each. Cut them down from 7 to 1 per day on average and I go from a calorie surplus to a deficit without really having to put in any effort.

Is there anything you regularly have that you could cut out or reduce easily? It's not about making one big drastic change which for me would be cutting out my weekly treat of going out for a few beers and a curry. Doing that would be awful and make me resent what I was doing. You need to find something easy if you can. Something has put you in a surplus so figure out what it is and cut it out.

If there's nothing you can easily cut out then it's back to burning a few calories and as I said the easiest way is by taking a walk every day. Do you still have a glass of wine with your evening meal? How about you make a commitment to never buy a bottle of wine when you're in your car or from within two miles of your house? That way you have to walk 4 miles every couple of days if you want to have your glass of wine...

Thanks Matt.

I'm not actually a huge eater and the majority of the calories that I consume are in the wine that I drink - the best part of a bottle daily and mostly white - I assume that they are the culprit.

I do get regular excercise as I'm still a keen golfer and play a couple of times per week at least, especially during the summer although the wet weather has not really been condusive.

I don't really fancy giving up my favourite (and last remaining) vice though so I may have get used to being a fat lad.

There does become a point where its just not worth it, thats true.

Although you may be surprised where energy comes in from peoples diet. Most people get away with one vice, unless you are a 45kg sedentary women.

Its just most people don't have one vice, or at least they are only aware of one vice.

If you are playing golf regularly, you are probably getting in a good amount of steps a week. The heavier you are, the more you burn too, fat or muscle. So if I dare to have a 'House' moment, I would say you are probably consuming energy you don't think you are. Orange juice, milk, oils, butter, cake, sweet, etc etc you eat but just don't acknowledge it. Cheese and biscuits to go with wine maybe?


Wine is about 750kcals a bottle. You probably burn that off in a round of golf.

[arbboy]

http://www.espn.co.uk/blog/pittsburgh-steelers/post/_/id/24375/hydrations-massages-ivs-yoga-what-nfl-players-spend-upwards-of-300000-on-to-stay-young

Interesting read on the lengths NFL players go to privately financially to increase their health (and length of their careers).

[Karabiner]

28th June 2017 - Weight 16st 10lb, waist 37.5"

5th July 2017 - Weight 16st 5lb, waist 37.25"

12th July 2017 - Weight 16st 7lb, waist 37.25"

19th July 2017 - Weight 16st 4lb, waist 37.25"

26th July 2017 - Weight 16st 4lb, waist 37"

2nd August 2017 - Weight 16st 3lb, waist 36.5"

Another pleasing week with my waist now noticeably smaller despite minimal effort regarding the diet. Haven't trained for a few days as my back has popped a bit again but that shouldn't be an issue as long as I can get back in the gym towards the end of the week.

My waist is probably artificially small today as I've hardly eaten anything due to various timing throughout the day. Only had fruit smoothie for breakfast and tuna/rice for late lunch then weighed in before egg whites on pitta. Another possibility is that I've now started on diet pills and they've done what they're supposed to. More likely the food as I'd never expect that sort of result from pills after just a few days.

Beer and curry tonight with Stu. Love this diet.

Hmmmm.... Beer and curry + diet pills...... Makes perfect sense

Bloody hell I bought a new pair of shorts the other week which has probably brought about the change in the weather.

There is actually a point to this apparent non sequitur - they are the first 36" waist trousers of any description that I have ever needed.

Do you suggest BW lunges, pullups or a little power-lifting to restore my waist to its former waspishness?

Hi Ralph

The only way those exercises will help with your waist is if you do sufficient quantities to burn the excess calories that have caused your increased waistline. You'd have to do them for a long time to burn significant calories and you'd likely be better off going for a brisk 2 mile walk every night instead. I'm not saying that you shouldn't do lunges or power lifting, both are brilliant. If your goal is purely to shift a few inches off your waist then there are better ways.

What you really need to do is find something in your diet that you can cut out to reduce your daily intake of calories. For me it was easy, I eat loads of pitta breads which are 143 calories each. Cut them down from 7 to 1 per day on average and I go from a calorie surplus to a deficit without really having to put in any effort.

Is there anything you regularly have that you could cut out or reduce easily? It's not about making one big drastic change which for me would be cutting out my weekly treat of going out for a few beers and a curry. Doing that would be awful and make me resent what I was doing. You need to find something easy if you can. Something has put you in a surplus so figure out what it is and cut it out.

If there's nothing you can easily cut out then it's back to burning a few calories and as I said the easiest way is by taking a walk every day. Do you still have a glass of wine with your evening meal? How about you make a commitment to never buy a bottle of wine when you're in your car or from within two miles of your house? That way you have to walk 4 miles every couple of days if you want to have your glass of wine...

Thanks Matt.

I'm not actually a huge eater and the majority of the calories that I consume are in the wine that I drink - the best part of a bottle daily and mostly white - I assume that they are the culprit.

I do get regular excercise as I'm still a keen golfer and play a couple of times per week at least, especially during the summer although the wet weather has not really been condusive.

I don't really fancy giving up my favourite (and last remaining) vice though so I may have get used to being a fat lad.

There does become a point where its just not worth it, thats true.

Although you may be surprised where energy comes in from peoples diet. Most people get away with one vice, unless you are a 45kg sedentary women.

Its just most people don't have one vice, or at least they are only aware of one vice.

If you are playing golf regularly, you are probably getting in a good amount of steps a week. The heavier you are, the more you burn too, fat or muscle. So if I dare to have a 'House' moment, I would say you are probably consuming energy you don't think you are. Orange juice, milk, oils, butter, cake, sweet, etc etc you eat but just don't acknowledge it. Cheese and biscuits to go with wine maybe?


Wine is about 750kcals a bottle. You probably burn that off in a round of golf.

I have cut out sweet(apart from a level teaspoon of sugar in cups of tea and coffee x3/4 per day and a tiny glass of OJ in the morning) stuff like chocolate, cake, and biscuits completely for the last six months or so although I do enjoy a little cheese. Maybe have cheese on toast a couple of times a week and nibble on a piece of Gouda as a snack occasionally - I certainly almost always have cheese in my 'fridge.

I eat pretty healthily - plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit - I'm 5'8/9"* and can't seem to get below 12st 3lbs this year whereas I used to tip the scales below 12st after a game of golf regularly last year.

*Shrinking like Tikay

[iRaise]

http://www.espn.co.uk/blog/pittsburgh-steelers/post/_/id/24375/hydrations-massages-ivs-yoga-what-nfl-players-spend-upwards-of-300000-on-to-stay-young

Interesting read on the lengths NFL players go to privately financially to increase their health (and length of their careers).

Why every athlete doesn't do these things are beyond me when some of their swan song contracts are so lucrative. I heard Ronaldo has a cryotherapy pool at his home in Madrid!

[kukushkin88]

Tremendous work in this thread guys. Sorry for my long absence re: 100 press up challenge. I hurt my shoulder getting up from a side plank and was out of commission for a while. I'm restarting seriously on the press up program now. I've been doing tons of pull ups since my shoulder recovered. Current max is: 24 pull ups     62 press ups

There will be a video soon and then I'll post progress.

[EvilPie]

Tremendous work in this thread guys. Sorry for my long absence re: 100 press up challenge. I hurt my shoulder getting up from a side plank and was out of commission for a while. I'm restarting seriously on the press up program now. I've been doing tons of pull ups since my shoulder recovered. Current max is: 24 pull ups     62 press ups

There will be a video soon and then I'll post progress.

Good to have 'Mr Press Up' back. So annoying about the shoulder. I've lost count of the number of times I've injured myself doing something that you wouldn't expect to cause a problem and they really are the worst.

62 is pretty bad ass though and 24 pull ups is incredible. I'm currently doing 100 press ups most nights just as 4 x 25. Mainly doing them for shoulder health and a bit of arm strength for bench pressing. No idea what my current max would be, might give it a go next week some time but I'd imagine 35 to 40.

Never got as high as 62 even when I was doing them regularly for higher reps. Excellent work.

[EvilPie]

Favourite day of the week again

There was a bit of concern this week as I've been suffering with a bad back. I pulled something on Sunday whilst deadlifting but luckily was already booked in for one physio on Tuesday and managed to get to see the other on Wednesday. It's a problem I've had before so the Wednesday lady knew how to fix it and I was back in the gym Thursday and Friday evenings for some steady lifting.

Back in there again today for bench and I'm pleased to say it went really well and I'm almost back at 100%

Week one - 2 x 6 @ 105kg, 2 x 6 @ 107.5kg ------- 2 x 3 @ 120kg, 2 x 3 @ 125kg (slingshot)
Week two - 5 x 5 @ 110kg ------- 3 x 3 @ 120kg (forgot my slingshot.....)
Week three - 2 x 4 @ 107.5, 2 x 4 @ 110kg, 2 x 4 @ 112.5kg ------- 4 x 3 @ 120kg, 125kg, 130kg, 135kg (slingshot)
Week four - 3 x 2 @ 125kg ------- 3 x 1 @ 135kg, 140kg, 145kg (slingshot)

125kg didn't move as quickly or easily as I would've hoped but I'll put that down to confidence because of the bad back. Slingshot singles felt really good with 145kg being the most I've ever put on the bar. It's good that I now know how that's going to feel when it unracks next week

Excited to see how much I can move next week. Very confident that I'll get a PB just not sure by how much. 140kg is current PB but that was back in January. I'll be having 3 attempts probably starting at 142.5 then maybe getting as high as 150 depending how the others go.

Whatever happens it'll be fun and nice to have a catch up with Harvey after all these months.

[Karabiner]

Moaned my way down to 12st 2lbs post golf today.

Now celebrating with roast chicken and cauliflour cheese

[EvilPie]

28th June 2017 - Weight 16st 10lb, waist 37.5"

5th July 2017 - Weight 16st 5lb, waist 37.25"

12th July 2017 - Weight 16st 7lb, waist 37.25"

19th July 2017 - Weight 16st 4lb, waist 37.25"

26th July 2017 - Weight 16st 4lb, waist 37"

2nd August 2017 - Weight 16st 3lb, waist 36.5"

9th August 2017 - Weight 16st 2lb, waist 36.25"

Still going along very nicely in the run up to my little holiday next month.

Felt a bit shitty towards the end of last week so had a big carb day for a boost. Also had a family party at the weekend which involved much calories from cake

Clearly none of that has affected me too much so just getting back to it now as normal.

Probably going to bump the calories up a bit this week and also carbs Thursday/Friday ready for bench PR attempt on Saturday.

After that I'll drop the calories back and also have at least one de-load week at the gym before getting back on it with a new programme of some description.

Feeling pretty much fully fit now other than slight stomach issues probably caused by being overly hungry whilst having way to much caffeine. Chest accessories tonight and if that goes well I'll be really confident for Saturday. Looking forward to it now.