3 month transformation

Sardino

I wanted to start a log to help me keep on track with my goals for the next 3 months. I'm turning 25 at the end of January and want a few things in my life to be different by then; mainly I want to be drinking a lot less, be 3 months off the smokes (1 week in), and be in top shape.

This log will be focused on training and diet to get me back to the shape I was around 6 months ago (72kg). I know the fundamentals of healthy eating - my problem is going out too much and completely going off the rails with training and diet for days/weeks because of drink. It's over the last couple of months I've realised how damaging drink is to me personally leaving me in a heap for days. So between now and mid-December I have penciled in 4 drinking sessions (Nov 6th, 14, 15th & 28th) which is a massive reduction on someone who has been going out twice or three times a week for the past 6 months.

Most of my workouts will be HIT cardio based gym classes with one compound lift session a week to maintain strength. Current stats are:

Height: 5'11''
Weight: 80.3kg
Bench: 75kg*3*5
DL: 110kg*3*5
Press: 52.5kg*3*5
Pull ups: 10

The lifts might not be completely accurate because I haven't tested maxes in a while. I use squat machine because my form isn't great with the bar. I will be taking pictures every week but don't think I'm able to upload until have 50 posts so will throw them all up at that stage.

Sardino

27/10:

All weights are ez curl + 10kg unless stated. 5 sets for time:

8 pull ups
12 dips
10 * EZ+10kg clean & jerks
20 * 50kg leg press
10 * waist high box jumps
6 chin ups
10 * EZ+10kg shoulder raises (from waist to chin; elbows facing outward)
10 * 16kg goblet squats

Time: 26:15.

That was a very tough workout particularly the pull ups which had to be done one at a time come the 5th set. I think I'll do this workout once every 3/4 weeks as a test of progress.

Sardino

Neglected the log before it had even kicked off! The last 3 weeks haven't seen much change - I've worked out and eaten well probably 3 days a week and gone the opposite route the other 4 so I'm pretty much in the same boat but have a nice clean break ahead of me to knuckle down and really commit to good health and logging it. I won't bother with weight check ups at all, will gauge everything in the mirror; will post pics every week. Just shy of 10 weeks to the birthday which is a nice amount of time. I'll probably add 5km runs to training and compete in one in Jan as it's nice to have a mix of training.

17/11:

Chin ups: 3 * 10
Bench: 77.5kg * 3 * 5 (max effort)
DL: 100kg * 3 * 5
Press: 50kg * 3 * 5 (max effort)
Pull ups: 10, 10, 8 (max effort)
Squat: 80kg * 1 * 5, 75kg * 2 * 5

Happy enough with strength as of yesterday as I rarely every train compounds alone. Will aim to routinely have 1 strength session a week and the rest will pretty much all be HIIT.

Sardino

18/11:

5 sets as fast as possible:

6 * pull ups
10 * triangle push ups (i)
10 * EZ+10kg clean & jerk (i)
20 * 60kg leg press (i)
10 * box jumps
6 * chin ups (i)
10 * EZ+10kg shoulder raises
10 * EZ+10kg bicep curls
10 * 16kg goblet squat (i)

5 sets @ 21:56. Exercises marked with i is for future reference to slightly increase weights/reps. 5th set should've been harder.

Sardino

19/11:

1 hour gym class; HIT full body workout.

Took a photo of body earlier but can't add attachment or share URL links with current post count so will put them all up together at a later date.

Sardino

20/11:

1 hour circuits class

JJayoo

Are you in Galway? if so what gym are you using?

Sardino

Yep, I have membership with NRG & have free use of Leisureland until the month's end.

Sardino

21/11: Rest day

22/11:

Bench: 65kg*3*9
Pull ups: +15kg*5, +20kg*5*2
DL: 65kg*4*9
Chin ups: +20kg*3*9
Press: 37.5kg*3*90
Superset: (100kg leg press*10, 60kg leg curl*10, 60kg leg extension*10) * 3

Think having two strength days a week might be more beneficial. Switched the reps up for this one, happy with the pull ups & chin ups in particular. I'm going to have to focus a bit more on leg strength as it's lagging behind.

JJayoo

Very strong chin/pulls

Sardino

23/11:

1 hour HIT gym class.

Completely let the diet slip last night and pigged out on junk food. Makes me think that I'm probably being too strict with diet and need to allow more treats throughout the week to avoid a major pig out like that. I'll start by introducing more fruit/carbs this week and see how that works out.

Sardino

Diet was poor again yesterday. Find it easy to stick to it Mon-Fri with work but that weekend just shows me I will have to be more vigilant future weekends and maybe prepare half-healthy snacks so at least I don't just pig out on refined sugar.

24/11:

6 sets for time:

6 * pull ups
13 * EZ+10kg clean & jerk
20 * 70kg leg press
10 * box jumps
8 * chin ups
10 * EZ+10kg shoulder raises
10 * EZ+10kg bicep curls
10 * 20kg goblet squat

Time: 31:12.

Increased some of the exercises from last week & increased the no of sets. Made the difference. Last set was pain all over. Probably increase again next week.

Sardino

Can post images now. Attached is 19th Nov & 24th. Hopefully posting pics will keep me motivated over the next 8/9 weeks.

25/11:

Bench:
77.5kg * 3 * 5
75kg * 5
70kg * 5
60kg * 5

DL:
120kg * 2 * 5

Press:
50kg * 3 * 5

Burpees:
6 * 10

Wasn't feeling it today so didn't cover too much. Mixed up the DL introducing 2 rep sets, no reason really.

Sardino

26/11:

1 hour gym class; HIT full body workout.

JJayoo

Good idea with the pics, will def help you keep motivated

Sardino

27/11:

1 hour circuits class

Sardino

28/11:

1 hour HIT class.

29/11:

Bench: 67.5kg*9, 9, 8
Chin ups: +20kg*3*5
DL: 100kg*2*5
DB shoulder press: 17.5kg*3*12
Leg Press Machine: 130kg*3*9

Good session. Going to enjoy some drinks now & try keep the hungover treats to a minimum tomorrow.

Sardino

Went out on Saturday and ended up in a rough way again, missing work Mon & today and generally doing nothing but staying in bed & eating junk. The feelings are there without the drink but it just compounds them and leaves me feeling completely drained & unmotivated to do anything. I'll get back to work and healthy eating tomorrow hopefully but really need to find out the root cause and work at getting back to enjoying life.

Image of today's body weight attached.

Sardino

03/12:

1 hour HIT gym class

04/12:

1 hour circuits class

Sardino

05/12:

Great session. Think Friday evenings are good time for strength training with the boost of having the weekend ahead to relax.

Bench: 77.5kg*3*5 ... Max effort
DL: 110kg*3*5 ... Could have done another 5kg here I'm sure
Press: 50kg*3*5 ... Felt easier than usual also
Squat Machine: 130kg*3*5
Pull ups: 16 (max)
10*waist high box jumps superset w/ 20 push ups * 3
Chin ups: 13 (max)

Quite pleased with everything there. Still neglecting legs but classes I do really tire them out. Still should squat heavy more often.

Sardino

06/12:

1 hour HIT gym class

Sardino

08/12:

Bench: 70kg*3*9
DL: 130kg*3*3
Shoulder press: 22kg DB*3*12
Squat machine: 90kg*3*10

Image of progress attached. Don't think any improvements made on last week as diet was clean half the days and bad the other half. Still, happy overall with things.

Sardino

09/12:

Squat machine: 150kg*3*5
100kg*3*10 superset w/ 3*10*box jumps (height = half way up thigh)
Pull ups: +20kg*3*5
Lunges: 18kg DBs*3*10
Chin ups: +20kg*3*5
Dips: +20kg*3*10
3*10 box jumps (height = waist) superset w/ 3*10 plyo push ups

Sardino

10/12:

1 hour HIT full body gym class.

Going to start doing 1 mile runs at end of workouts as a sort of challenge. Will clock best time tomorrow & try to shave a minute or two off over the next 2 months.

Sardino

11/12:

Bench: 80kg*5,5,4
DL: 115kg*2*5
Squat machine: 160kg*3*5
Max pull ups: 16
Press: 52.5kg*3*5

Decent numbers. BW still 78kg. Ah well, happy overall.

Sardino

12/12:

DB bench: 24kg*3*12
Incline DB bench: 20kg*3*12
Tricep extension: 27.5kg*3*12
DB shoulder press: 20kg*3*12
Max chin ups: 19
Lateral DB raises: 6kg*3*12
Frontal DB raises: 6kg*3*12
Dips: +10kg*3*12
Cable flyes: 22.5kg*3*12
Cable bicep curls: 32kg*3*12

Don't do these sort of exercises much anymore unless it's part of a cardio workout so hitting them all today & tomorrow (legs/back). A lot there but got it all done in ~45 mins, supersetting exercises in twos and taking 30-45s rests.

Christmas is pretty much starting for me tonight. Will be out at least twice a week for next 3 weeks so my goal is just to maintain weight around 78kg while still enjoying myself. Pretty sure I can achieve that if I just avoid sugar pig outs hungover. Plan then is to keep cutting fat until end of Jan and reevaluate then.

Sardino

13/12:

Squat machine: 115kg*3*12
Pull ups: 3*12
Lunges: 16kg*3*20
Lat Pulldown: 100lbs*3*12
3*10 burpees into box jumps (half way up thigh)
DB shrugs: 32kg*3*12
Bent Over Row: 28kg*3*12
Leg Curl: 77kg*2*12 (knee felt a bit sore during these so cut it short)
Leg Ext: 64kg*3*12

Again, hangover = terrible diet. Don't know how people stay committed hungover!?

Sardino

14/12:

DL: 110kg*3*12
Squat machine: 170kg*3*12
Bench: 70kg*3*9
Max pull ups: 18
Press: 40kg*3*9
Max chin ups: 16

Not sure where these max pulls & chins have come out of lately but I'm not complaining!

Sardino

15/12:

Arrived to gym with the intention of just doing upper body HIT stuff but gym was packed so space was at a premium. Decided on the following two sets, only ~20 mins of exercise but was a great workout.

21-15-9-5-3-1 (Reps; 21 of each; 15 of each, etc.):
32kg goblet squat
Pull ups
Push ups
Time: 8:55.

21-15-9-5-3-1:
20kg goblet squat
EZ curl + 20kg Clean & Jerk
Chin ups
Time: 11:27.

Sardino

16/12:

1 hr boxing class in gym.

Image as of today attached. Hope to maintain this shape to first week of Jan and will push on from there.

Sardino

Haven't updated this in a while. I overindulged for an extended period over Christmas. Started back training and good diet on Monday so am back in a good routine and back on track for goal come end of Jan. I joined a new gym yesterday which I'm delighted with because it has way more facilities than my old one, and more importantly facilities that I will definitely add to my training (e.g. sprint track, sled push, monkey bars, ropes). Unfortunately, I pulled something around shoulder/neck area doing yesterday so will probably be out of action until midweek. I'll upload a photo later to montior progress.