A few other people have said that the 3rd week is "the hump" and I think it's true. Generally feeling a bit tired and lacking in "oomph". Few reasons come to mind:

(1) Due to laziness I've not got up early since Monday but have got up, fed baby, dressed baby, taken baby to nursery and wife to work and then worked out. All on an empty stomach/cup of green tea. By this point I am starving. Solution - set the alarm clock.

(2) I don't think I'm eating enough as a result of this. By the time I finish exercise its too late for breakfast so I have a protein shake, then I don't want lunch etc etc. College two nights a week really throws routine (and its quite tiring) and so I'm probably only eating one decent meal a day (BAD boy).

Other than that I'm actually pleased with progress. The weight I can lift have increased rapidly and so has my bike speed. I quite enjoy the weights but loathe the aerobic exercise (does this mean something?).

Funny - my wife was looking at the body for life book and her comment was "All very well but I don't want a husband with a four-pack - I think they look silly". I found this very amusing. I've told her I'll do my best not to develop a "four-pack"

Cheers

Jon

Well Jon the other reason could be that it is now Autumn and the weather has been pretty awful: damp, dark, dreary. It is much harder to jump out of bed on such mornings.

How about setting a minimum exercise regime for the day?

Take care and keep your spirits up.
Take care

Well I finished the 3rd week and I'm into the 4th and still going ok. Sunday morning is the four week weighing and measuring session so that should be interesting.

Weight training I enjoy but not the cardio - even though it's only 20 minutes I have to make a real effort to do it. Not easy at 5.30 am. Have to admit that once I've done the first few minutes it's not so bad.

I'll updat the stats on sunday.

Jon

hi Jon,

Judging by your new avatar pic, I would say the stats update should be quite impressive indeed!

I'm in agreement with fiona on the dark & dreary aspect of the early morning hours. I do have a special bright-light therapy lamp, which simulates full-sunlight ... and 30 minutes in the morning really does make a difference. Perhaps there's some way you could ensure that your exercise area is brightly lit .. mirrors placed behind lamps will increase the light output (yes!) .. etc.

Keep up the good work - you're an inspiration

Doreen

Thanks for the kind words Doreen.

The garage/gym has some old, dim, flickery fluorescent lights but there's also a bright halogen light over the "workshop" area. This morning I moved it a bit and the whole room was lit up. I think I moved a bit faster so I'll give it a try.

Cheers

Jon

Been busy - 2 assignments had to get done. And the baby was sick (everywhere!). Exercise still going good - not missed a workout yet, though it's come close.

I've added something called "guerilla cardio" to the end of my aerobics which is basically a series of 20 sec all out sprints interspered by 10 second jog recoveries. Awesome !! Up to 5 sprints per session after a week, managed 1.5 first day. Also lost 4 pounds this week so perhaps its done something.

Weights I find more fun than cardio especially upper body but have a bit of a sore R shoulder (?? biceps tendinitis - its in the right place) so will have to take it easy.

Jon

Hi Jon

{ And the baby was sick (everywhere!). } Babies are clever you know! She knows Daddy just LOVVVVVVVES exercise so she’s doing her best to provide you with plenty! Seriously though is she better?

Glad your exercise is going soooo well. You are truly an inspiration.

By the time we meet up you will be wonderfully trim and muscular – btw you are coming to London and it is OK to meet up on Saturday afternoon is it? You did say you would check if you were going to the matinee show and confirm.

Take care

Jon, I bought the BFL book on Friday (yesterday) and read it cover to cover Today I'm going out to pick up some weights and a bench; I am so psyched to try this. Came by and re read your Journal from start to finish to get some ideas. How are you finding the food aspect of the program? I am going to stick with PP but up the carbs slowly (to about 50g a day); exercise isnt new, but HIIT will be and working out with heavier weights will be. Not sure what to expect, but I am excited to find out. Any adivce or tips from someone who's been there?

Nat

Well I've done 7 weeks (missed 2 workouts) and its done wonders.

Advice:

1. Plan well. Get the sheets from the book or http://www.bodyforlife.com , get a file, take some efore pics and measure everything etc. Choose which exercises and work out the weights you are to start with - I did this for my first few w/o's using advice from BFL Bob (under finding your perfect "10" weight). I have an Excel worksheet for calculating your weights that I can e-mail you - can't remember where I got it from. Record what you do and when sorting out your next session always increase something.

2. Try lean and strong , they're a BFL board and have a pretty good library of stuff. The main board has a few "problem" personalities and a bit of a troll and flamer problem but the team boards are good - I'm in QuadSquad and they're a great bunch. If you just e-mail the contact (Patti I think) they'll send you the URL. A word of warning - there's a bit of BFL fanaticism about and I have yet to admit I'm on Atkin's/PP as I'm afraid I'll get burned at the stake. It's all "LC diets burn muscle/ make you weak/ etc etc" I'll tell them when 12 week results are in. Stating on there what your goals are and when your starting is good motivation

3. Diet - I've stuck to mainly Atkin's induction with increased protein - about 1g/pound lean body mass plus about .25 cup of ground flaxseed perday for oil and fibre.

4. Supplements - vits/mins/CaMgZn plus lots of vit C, some chrome and I've been trying EAS betalean (an ECA stack) but I think that's a rip-off. Also taking creatine and glutamine and having a high protein whey drink post workout. Not sure what's doing what but I'm rarely too sore which people say is glutamine.

5. Tweaks - most people move abs to after cardio and do them 3/week. There's a vicious regime (ab-boot camp) which was at muscle media (the bodyforlife/EAS mag) (If it's gone - I think it is - I can e-mail it to you). I couldn't manage this and have been doing some easier things. I train forearms instead of abs with lower body as my grip strength was a bit limiting. There's a great selection of exercises with videos at the BFL site and also at the better http://www.exrx.net/ .

And so - good luck. I've never worked so hard as in the last 7 weeks but I'm beginning to grow some muscles!! In the 1st 4 weeks I lost 8lbs but dropped 4.8% body fat so that's 13lb fat gone and over 4 lb muscle gained. Amazing.

All the Best

Jon

Holy cow, Jon, thanks for the info. I am going to book everything and come back to it tonight. I had my first workout today and I just loved it!!! Thanks for the links, and if I dont happen across the excel sheet you mentioned I will hit you up for a copy of it Your progress is inspiring! I remember when you were worried you couldnt pick Helen up off the floor

Btw, I have come across many PP followers off the www.eatprotein.com website who do BFL very successfully, it can be done (as you are now demonstrating) Going to be doing some surfing later. Again, thanks soooooooo much!

Nat

What with one thing an another (mostly a visiting mother-in-law), the workouts have suffered greatly - I was incapable of grunting and panting in the gym (garage) while she was in there labouring over a (seemingly) endless bit of DIY.

Never mind - off to London tomorrow (yep to stay with the in-laws) and am going to meet some of the other UK low carbers on Saturday . I've gone a bit mad and my beard is now a GoT and my hair's a bit blonder so will they recognize me?

Going to Plan B - the exercise will resume at 5.30 on Monday morning and continue on a roll until 23/12. Not getting up and hoping to "fit it in" later in the day while doing a psychology degree, the housework and caring for an 11 month old just doesn't work.

Loads of inspiration from Nat - definitely persuading me to keep on truckin'.

Jon

It was great to meet up today Jon. You sure looked good. Keep it up.

Had a really bad week - only 1.5 workouts last week but I'm going to pick up and start over. Inspireed by the fact that my profile says I'm over half way there!!

Great to meet other UK lowcarbers at the weekend. Have to do it again some time.

Jon

Holy Cow, Jon. 54% of the way, you're doing great. Wanted to thank you again for all your help getting started with BFL; the links and information were invaluable. I'm certainly enjoying this. I thought I was imagining things, but I'm seeing a difference already

Been meaning to ask, whats "DIY"?

Nat

Hi Nat

DIY is "Do it yourself" - what we brits call home improvements etc. My MIL is a mean carpenter (so she thinks). It was all to do with a strip of our dining room teak floor. She spent 4 days fiddling with it, nearly driving me insane and then decided she couldn't do it after all!

Nasty, damp and cold here on the North Sea coast today - the mist has rolled in from Scandinavia and the foghorn is very irritating. No heating in the garage and boy the plates were cold.

Jon