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I just got my fitness eval results and I went from 15.2% to 13.3 % body fat in 3 weeks. I’m stunned and loving it! I didn’t think I could pull this off in such a short amount of time on a mostly plant-based diet. I’m ecstatic! Feeling like a lean machine. My next goal is to fine tune my diet, in order to optimize my athletic performance.
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Three More Weeks to Go On My 100 Mile Diet
I went into my 6th fitness evaluation with high expectations. I was hoping there would be more dramatic changes in my results, but that is not exactly what I got. I was happy to learn that my body fat percentage went down from 15.6% to 15.2% and that my cardiovascular capacity has consistently improved since I started running. On the other hand my flexibility has been declining ever since.
Our fitness coach (William Black) explained that my body was adapting to the new goal that I have set for myself, running a marathon. My body was losing fat at a slower rate than I had expected, because my body was holding onto its energy stores in anticipation of the new demands introduced by endurance running. Another key factor was the introduction of starchy carbohydrates at every meal. Even though eating carbohydrates was helping me during my runs, it also resulted in more water retention, getting in the way of the muscular definition that I was after.
Regarding my flexibility, he recommended some stretching exercises to help loosen the muscles, but he said not to overly worry about it, “It comes with the territory.”
After going through all the results we discussed priorities and goals. He knew that training for the marathon was the most important thing for me right now, but that I also put a high priority on lowering my body fat percentage even further. With these things in mind we talked about how I can make adjustments to my diet without sabotaging my training goals. I would have to study my food journal, and see where I could cut down on carbs and/or moving the starchy carbohydrates for the first part of the day when I would need them the most.
We both hope that by slightly modifying my diet, I will be able to see more significant results without sacrificing muscle and energy.
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Spring Forward!
For the past 10 weeks I have been working hard at getting myself into shape. My goal was to be in excellent cardiovascular condition by the time I started the grueling marathon training schedule that awaited me on March 23. I manage to reach my goal while at the same time increasing my lean body mass and decreasing my body fat. After a long winter break, it was a nice come back!
Now to the second phase of the marathon training – 18 weeks of sweat and tears in the horizon. Got to love that.
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Back on Track
During the last 5 months I have been going to the gym irregularly, there were months where I didn’t go to the gym at all. It was in December that I decided to slowly start integrating weight training and cardiovascular exercises back into my daily routine. Even though we had scheduled some vacation time during the Christmas holidays, I managed to get some workouts in before and after our trip.
The Holiday season always takes a big toll on my training. For me, it was all downhill from the end of September all the way through December. We had a series of family celebrations and/or holidays to look forward to every few weeks. And yes, there was a lot of food, drinks and late nights. We managed to survive on a locavore diet during these festive days with the exception of our vacation trips, where we enjoyed food and flavors we have been deprived of.
Now it is time to come clean and assess all the damage. My body composition test revealed what I already knew. In terms of fitness I was back where I started on May 27, 2008. There is a lot of work ahead, but I thrive on challenges. I’m looking forward to a fitter and leaner me.
The one thing that is different from past years is that this time around, I do not have regrets or guilty feelings about all the pecans that I had, or the delicious brown rice blueberry muffins I was enjoying… muffins that Adrian and Katerina had worked so hard perfecting. And we can’t forget the mouthwatering food that my mom prepared for all of us during our vacation stay in Honduras. I was eating highly nutritious meals and I felt healthy and good while enjoying them.
Now it is time to get back on track.
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Skinfold test, tricep. |
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Job accomplished!
During the past 4 weeks I have manage to increase my lean muscle mass while reducing percentage of body fat. That is quite an accomplishment. I feel stronger and fit, I am lifting more weights than I had lifted before and I am steadily losing body fat. My body has been adapting to the 100 Mile Harvest diet very well. Craving for sugars are more manageable and I feel more in control.
The next step for me is to work on my lower body. Overall I am after a leaner more define physique. Will Black, our fitness consultant will design a workout that will target these goals, taking into consideration my diet and protein restrictions.
As far as my diet is concerned, I will be incorporating more vegetarian dishes into my meal plan. Eggs and beans will be the primary source of my proteins, but I will still be consuming grass-fed beef and shrimp in small quantities.
By the end of the month my goal is to achieve a more sculpted body.
I am down to my last 5 workouts before our next fitness evaluation. I have been working out as hard as I can in the gym so that I can see some progress in my test results. My workout routine was designed to improve strength, and I am already feeling the difference as I’m lifting heavier weights. People in the gym are also noticing that my arms are getting more defined, even though I do not yet see those changes myself.
Throughout these past four weeks I have adjusted my diet, incorporating more protein in my meals in the form of shakes (using protein powder that has now run out) and larger portions of chicken breast at mealtimes. That alone made me feel more energetic and stronger in the weight room. Unfortunately that may be changing. After finding out that the family farms that were supplying us with eggs and chicken were using GMO corn in their chicken feed, we decided to cut out the consumption of those products until we can find better alternatives. That left me with grass-fed meat as our only protein source. However, I didn’t want to exceed more than 2-3 servings of beef a week. We just located a farmer with chicken and eggs, but the chicken is only sold whole, so the convenience (and lowfat benefits) of eating only chicken breast has gone out the window.
I can’t predict the impact that these changes will have on me in the coming months. But I know for a fact that protein-rich meals are essential for muscle development and recovery in a weight training regimen. I am hoping to find some locally grown beans to supplement my diet, but so far the supply of purple hulled peas is limited. Right now a reliable source for my protein is uncertain.
We were in the best shape of our lives. We were fit, young and free…back then we had no worries but to work, train hard and eat well. Everything else was secondary. That same year we got married and life never seem more perfect. Ten years have gone by and not much has changed, with the exception of the birth of our daughter six years ago, which brought more joy and happiness into our lives. Through good nutrition and exercise our bodies have been able to maintain their vitality and youth.
It has not always been easy. We’ve had periods in our lives when our diets have been less than perfect, and we have had extensive hiatuses where we didn’t set foot in the gym for 6 months at a time. But that never stopped us from returning to form. The beginning is hard, changes happen slowly…but once the body has adjusted to working out, eating healthy and getting adequate rest, the metamorphosis occurs.
Adrian and I are in the process of restructuring our workout routine and adjusting to the new local diet. For the past 2 months our bodies have run the range from carb deprivation to sugar overload. Now we have found a balance in our diets and we feel strong and healthy. We are eating fresh organic vegetables that are nourishing our bodies; we are buying safer sources of protein without antibiotics and hormones; and we are exercising in a way that will help us build lean body mass.
My personal goal is to transform my body into the lean machine that nature intended.
...the tough get going? We are finally back in the gym and I have set real goals that have to be accomplished within 4 weeks. There is a lot of pressure, so I’m taking it seriously. I will be focusing on maintaining or increasing (if possible) lean body mass and dropping body fat. I have a lot of work ahead of me. The only problem is that I have to get used to waking up early again. Monday and Tuesday workouts were rough on me. I was feeling so sleepy and stiff, I couldn’t get in the zone. Usually good music can take me there pretty easily, but this time around not even “30 Seconds to Mars” could fire me up. It didn’t help that we have been working late on the website all these nights. However, I finally have my fitness and meal plans up.
Performance-wise I would rate my workouts as “FAIR”. I was going through the motion with every exercise, but my head was still in bed. Hopefully I will have a chance to recuperate and get some much needed sleep this weekend.
By the way, while on the elliptical machine, I have started reading Harvest of Hope: A Guide to Mindful Eating by Jane Goodall. So far it is very good, and even though I have already been aware of some of the issues that the book touches on, I’m still finding new, interesting information. I will post my review when I’m done with the book.
100 Mile Harvest is our family's personal journey into local eating for sustainability. It will connect us to the earth and seasons, the local sources of our food and the extraordinary people who produce it. This is our world within a 100 mile radius. Join us in shaping the future of food.
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