Synapse's Transformation Blog

Transformation Week 4

This week is a big week for changes.
Diet has been completely changed. I am always eating at least 4-5 times a day!! Protein shakes rock!

Weight is down to 325lbs!!!!!!
Muscle definition is starting to show a lot on the arms and shoulders. Body fat must be dropping by now!!
I'm also up to 50lbs on the dumbell press and 40 on the flys and arm curls. This week I am adding leg excercises! I also switched my cardio from beginning of workout to end, seems to keep my heart rate higher.

Got a banquet to go to tomorrow for Chinese New Year! Awesome food there.....crap thats gotta be cheat day i guess!

...and the battle rages on....

Synapse's Transformation Blog

Transformation End Week 3

The week has ended on quite a high note!
A number of milestones (not quite quantifiable, but definitely noticeable) have happened this week--

Funny thing happened on the treadmill......
Was doing my running/walking conditioning and something seemed....off.....I was swinging my arms at my sides....and they weren't bowing out over my handles..makes a big difference to the stride and balance....as well invested in some decent new crosstrainers....WOW...improved my running to walk ratio to 5:3..i can now jog for 5 minutes and then walk 3...not worried about tripping in the old P.O.S. runner....

All weights have increased to 40 lbs and am continually changing routines so I don't plateau.
Diet has turned around immensely....eating pretty damn clean...ok..so there is an occasional lapse..gotta go shopping again!

Weight loss has halted...more fat loss now and lean muscle increase.

K...will update again next week!

Synapse's Transformation Blog

End of Week Two
So week two has come to a close. I have actually gained some weight from muscle growth but lost more body fat.
Have done a full week of Hydroxycut, tomorrow starts 2 pills per dose.
My pant size is now down to at least a 44, gotta buy smaller jeans, dress pants and belt!
Diet has improved, have gone shopping, and have been eating cleaner, at least 4 times per day now. Planning meals out for the week helps as well!

Going to alter my workouts this week to see what kind of impact circuit training will have.

Thats about it till next week

Synapse's Transformation Blog

Transformation Week2

I am now in week 2 of the transformation challenge. I've managed to drop my overall weight from 334 to 332.
Cardio intensity has increased, and I am now starting my running training. Am doing 30 minutes on the treadmill, doing 3 minute walking, 1 minute intervals. Everyday I'm lowering my walking interval by 10 seconds, and increasing the running interval by 10 seconds.

Still doing the 300 crunches. Weights have increased overall for upper body dumbells from 20 pounds to 40. Intensity and duration have also increased.

Diet is still a bit of a sore point, as I have not been able to go grocery shopping. Its not bad, but not great. Started taking the American blend of Hydroxcut to assist in the fat burning.

Goals for this week are:
1) weight 330lbs
2) better sleep!
3) do some grocery shopping

Good luck and keep up the hard work!

Heh, funny thought....
why does it seem that working out is so negative?
we train our muscles to "failure" and we the more we lose the better......

Transformation Day 1

Transformation day 1
Today is day one of the five week journey for me. Since D-day back in October, I have been hitting the gym, and making some considerable strides in my weight loss. I used to weigh a scale-breaking 370 pounds, had a BMI off the chart, and was at risk for heart disease, a stroke or a heart attack.
I packed on the weight after quitting smoking in July 2004. I was sluggish and didn't want to do anything. A year and a half later, my wife decides to call it quits on our relationship. I turned to the gym to get my health and life. Since that point I have lost 36 pounds and 4 inches off my waist.

As quick as this may seem to lose all that weight, I changed my diet, cut out pop and carbonated beverages (except the occasional beer), changed my eating habits from one meal a day to minimum 3, count calories to ensure i'm running about 500 calories under what my TDEE is.

This is a picture of me back in July. Note my neck and chin seem to be as one.



Here is a current pic, with my jaw line becoming more defined.


My current workout plan is:
30 Minutes on a elliptical, keeping the heart rate between 123 and 145bpm
30 Minutes on the tread mill, heart rate kept at 123bpm, speed of 3.5mph, and an incline of 1.5%
300 Crunches a day (100 front, 100 on each side for the obliques) starting with 190lbs, and dropping 20lbs each successive 20 rep set
60 Back extensions and side extensions
Weights which I rotate between Shoulders and Back, Chest and Legs, Biceps and Triceps.
Once a week I do strictly a cardio day with minimum hour cardio

My diet has been mainly Subway club footlongs or salads, as it was the holidays and I was just getting settled into a new place.
Now I will be adding a variety of veggies, walnuts, no-fat cottage cheese, lean turkey breast, fish, and various other foods.

I'm taking the Transformation Challenge from Men's Health (www.menshealth.com/transform) to get all parts of my life back on track. So I will post a new pic each week to the end of the challenge. I'll also put what milestones and acheivments I hit along the way. After that I will make a short post once a week, and then a full post with Weight, acheivements, and any tips at the end of each month.

At the end of June, I'll do a six month post, and see if I hit my goals:
Lose 48 pounds, assuming I can do 2lbs per week (not unreasonable)
Start Weight is: 334 Goal Weight 286
As well, I plan to complete the Half Manitoba Marathon in June--lofty goal I know, but I may not run it all, but I WILL cross the finish line.

And by November.....my goal is to have my Body Fat in the single digits, or at least the lower teens, and weigh in at a trim 240 pounds. I WILL DO IT!!!!

Cheers for now! And good luck to everyone who wants to join me in this journey of transformation!

-Synapse