My stats update-Mark

After a few weeks away from blogging due to illness, family commitments and the kids Easter hols I am back to it this week.

A new workout plan devised, it's time to work harder, faster, longer and better to get where I want to be!

With that in mind its my stats update time...let's see if the past couple of months is showing progress.

Weight -98kg...I have put on 1 kilo due to eating crap over the last week!
Chest - 117cm...stayed the same
Waist - 104cm...stayed the same
Biceps - 39cm...increased by 1cm
Thighs - 64.5cm...increased by 7cm
Calves - 45.5cm...increased by 0.5cm

Well, that could have been worse...much worse!
I am quite happy overall as I expected to put on some weight due to my diet being poor over the last couple of weeks...No excuses, my fault entirely.  A quote from Arnold Schwarzenegger "GIGO - Garbage In, Garbage Out"
On the plus side though my thighs have increased by 7cm of muscle and my biceps are getting bigger...remember all progress, no matter how small is still progress!

My next post will be my new workout routine for the foreseeable future.

Thanks for reading.

Mark

My eating plan Part 1...Breakfast!

Hi all,

Mark here, this is the first part of a 5 part series explaining what my normal eating plan is and I'm starting with the first and most important meal of the day...Breakfast!
I work various hours in the morning getting up anytime between 4am and 8am so I find that it is difficult 
One of my gym instructors suggested I tried drinking the following, it does work but I try not to eat it each day.

Breakfast workout smoothie

1 cup of oats
2 cups of milk
1 cup of water
1 scoop of protein powder
Optional (banana and or a tablespoon of honey)

Mix in a blender...hey presto, Breakfast!

I also have plain porridge and banana or even weetabix, I try to only swap between these and occasionally scrambled eggs on toast although, I can't normally face that in the morning.

I will be back soon with my part 2 lunch...bye for now.

Regards Mark

My gym...Zone Fitness Northallerton

Now then,

Mark here with a quickie about the gym Sarah and I go to.
It`s Zone Fitness in Northallerton.  We have both been to other gyms in the past but it hasn't felt quite right, I can't put my finger on it but something was missing.

That changed when Ryan and Mike opened Zone Fitness in Northallerton.
It is a gym that just feels right for the two of us.  They are great instructors who listen, advise, encourage, monitor and motivate.  They have helped me personally with diet, meal ideas, recommended supplements and the timing of meals, which, I struggle with due to work.
They also practice what they preach...ie exercise and healthy eating leads to healthier and better you.

Just a thanks from the both of us.
Ps Sarah's apprehensive about her challenge Ryan...dare I ask what's mine?

All the best Mark

My workout

Hi all,

I thought i'd share my current workout regime.  I have been doing this for the last 4 weeks and i have 4 weeks to go,  although my work has got in the way so i havent been able to do this religiously (thats how it goes during stocktaking when you work in a shop!)

I try wherever possible to start this on a Monday.The first 2 workouts start with 10 mins of steady state cardio...ie Bike, treadmill or the cross trainer.

Monday - legs & calves
Tuesday - Back
Wednesday - Cardio or rest day its personal choice.

Thursday - chest & shoulders
Friday - rest day
                              Saturday - Back & triceps
                              Sunday - rest day

I won't go into the individual excercises as i don't have the experience or knowledge to explain what muscles are targeted with each rep and how to perform it with proper form. 

That's it for now, I'll speak soon.

Regards Mark

People who inspire me...by Mark

My inspirations for my fitness goals are many and varied.  I do not wish to be like anybody else...I want to be the fittest and best that I can be!

To start with its my wife & children.

My son Luke in his RAF
 cadets uniform

My wife Sarah and daughter Amelia

 I was really ill for a few years and now I feel it's the right time to get my ass in gear & change for the better.
I hope it will also show them that you can change for the better after adversity.  I hope in turn I may inspire others and my children to achieve whatever they want in life.


My fitness heroes

My first & biggest inspiration is the current European strongest man, 2nd in the world's strongest man namely...

Hafthor Bjornsson aka Thor Bjornsson, but you may know him better as "The mountain" - Gregor Clegane in The Game of Thrones.

He looks like a bodybuilder and is as strong as an ox!

Next is Gizelle Higginson, a IFBB competitor and bikini fitness model, entrepreneur and a lovely person too!

She has offered words of encouragement and advice even though I have never met her yet...I wish to one day, just to say thanks!

Last and by no means least, is in my humble opinion, the man with the greatest bodybuilding physique on history...Frank Zane!

Never the biggest bodybuilder but the one with the most perfect symmetry...I love reading his articles in any magazines or online.

I'll be back soon with my current workout program!

Regards Mark

Fitness quick fixes...god they annoy me!

Hi all Mark here,

Please forgive me but I'm in a ranting mood about..."The amount of articles that seem to suggest there is a quick fix!" is really bugging me!
I have fallen for them in the past and they are all over social media, in many magazine articles and online.
You know the ones..."Lose 10lbs in 7 days" or "Use Ronnie Coleman's 4 easy exercises to get a bigger chest!" etc...etc...
Let's be brutally honest you can lose 10lbs in 7 days but 99% of the time the weight will return, it will NOT stay off.
If you want to look like Ronnie Coleman, Jay Cutler, Frank Zane or the legend that is Arnold, be prepared to dedicate years and years of pure hard graft in the gym and pure dedication in the kitchen to achieve your goals.

Sorry I had to get this off my chest but it's what I believe!
My journey is the hardest thing I have ever done, there is no quick fix, there is no easy way to get what I want.  I have put on weight through years of poor diet and very little exercise.
I have had to change my diet completely, I have reduced my alcohol intake from about 15 pints a week a few years ago to about 4 pints a month overall.

I will go into my diet and exercise plan in another post, so buy for now.

Regards Mark

My weight, measurements and goals

Hi,

This is my scary post...the one with photos.  I'm quite shy about getting my top off in public as I've always been fat.  So here goes...

My body stats and goals are;

Weight-97.6kg or 15st4lbs
GOAL WEIGHT IS 88kg or 13st12

Body fat % - 29%
GOAL BODY FAT% 15%

Waist (measured around belly button) 105cm or 41 inches
GOAL WAIST IS 91cm or 35 inches


I won't go into individual body area stats as its a bit boring to read...so catch you all later and I will update these stats each month.

Regards

Mark

My reasons for doing this

Hi,
Mark here with just a little insight into why im doing this.
I was really into sport at a young age, football, badmington and cricket were my favourites and i played all of them regular. When i turned 18 i became more interested in beer and clubbing...i then became lazy and didnt do any excercise.  After i got married to Sarah in 99' my weight (i had always been fat with a poor diet) increased gradually until i was nearly 20 stone about 4 years ago!
I had various reasons for this weight, the main one was a serious back problem which resulted in 2 operations ,a lack of mobility and the onset of depression.  I decided to do a weightwatchers diet which helped me lose about 3 stone and keep it off over 2 years.  When i got the all clear from the doctors and after consulting them abiut excercise i joined a new local gym to my area Zone Fitness-Northallerton...since then i havent looked back a lot of hard work still to do but i WILL do it!
I will put my goals and aims up in the next post.

Regards Mark

Ps Expect me to be brutally honest in my blog.  I say it as it is!