Physical fitness and diet Update mid-Jan 2020

Note: This is a follow-up to my previous fitness and health goal post at the beginning of the year.

When it comes to working towards a goal something doesn’t seem to be sticking it is okay to step back, reflect and adjust your steps.

Prior to beginning this training and plan of 5 times of cardio a week and Keto, I was a regular weight lifting gym goer. What should have been done was slowly transition myself to the exercise lifestyle of more cardio.

For the beginning of the year I went too far on the deep-end with this drastic shift to how I exercise. In those two weeks I would not say my body was felt bad or tired. Just that something didn’t quite feel right at the end of each day, despite exercising and eating a ketogenic plan.

In fact with all my habitual changes my body and mind were starting to feel pretty well.

The keto lifestyle wasn’t hindering me. However when I came home at the end of each day of work, ate dinner, rested then went to TaeKwonDo my body still felt ache-y. It wasn’t quite loose yet sturdy enough for the following sessions of athletic training. Strange don’t you think? I should be feeling quite spry if I was running 3 times a week and doing HIIT for two other days.

At the back of my mind I always had this concern of the consequence of doing this much cardio without an adequate balance of strength training.

I would lose a bit of weight but actually look “Skinny Fat”. To be honest, I sort of did!

Why do I feel this way? What am I doing wrong? What is it that my body needs?

A thought I had was from eating Keto-friendly but still toxic/inflammatory foods like almonds and dairy. I did cut those out and felt better but it didn’t address my performance later in the day.

Secondly I thought that I was not warmed up adequately for martial arts training. Therefore during the day I would often stand up and stretch at my desk and I came very early during my training session for my own warm up and stretches. While those were good habits to adopt they still did not address my body aches or satisfy this urge for weight training.

Then on one evening of TaeKwonDo practice Master Young did not have a usual lesson for us. It wasn’t normally his day to teach. He let us do whatever he pleased. So for that class I decided to lift weights.

Wow did I enjoy that, during and after the workout session!

I suppose it was my body and mind telling me that I missed and required pumping iron. I knew I had to get a proper workout in once or twice a week. However I did enjoy the shortness of a home work out or a run outside. It beat the extra time and effort of going to the gym.

Therefore I decided to take up Occam’s Protocol again! This way I would at most work out at the gym twice a week for a period of 20 to 25 minutes. Each session I would do about 5 exercises around the whole body.

Performing each exercise for one set each doing 7 reps slow, 5 seconds up, 5 seconds down.

Occam’s Protocol in short is a mass and strength building regimen that is very time efficient. Last I did it I gained 4 pounds only, but increased my overall working weight in each exercise by a minimum of 30%.

I could have gained more if I ate more.

_You might be wondering: “How can it be so short? That sounds like hack_ing?!”

Haha it definitely is, credits to where I learned this training program: From Tim Ferris’ book The 4-Hour Body!

Since last week I began training like this. Actually, now I am tired because of the greater physical exertion to lift weights at around 75% of my maximum working weight.

I feel like it balances out.

After each workout the general rule of thumb is to have two days of rest in between. To which I do not, in those times are where I do my HIIT training or running. Also that I eat very mindfully with Keto. Again, I will have to adjust this routine as I feel it out.

So far my energy levels have been consistent for the past week. It is a testament that the ketones are flowing through my body!

The key lesson here is to not be so rigid with yourself with a plan. Something wasn’t working out in my case. I was aware enough to acknowledge that my initial plan was not well thought out. Halt whatever you are doing and assess your options. From there, experiment and test your hypothesis and observe the results. Modify your plans until you find something that works for you.