Month 16: Body by Wade

Week 1 vs. Week 69 - front

Week 1 vs. Week 69 – front
[Click image for a larger version.]

Measurement Sept. 1, 2012 Dec. 30, 2013 Change
Weight (pounds) 121.8 129.9 +8.1
Body fat percentage 23.5 20.3 -3.2 percentage pts.
Fat weight 28.6 26.4 -2.2
Lean weight 93.2 99.3 +6.1
Total inches 113.6 120.0 +6.4

Exercise Start* Dec. 29, 2013 Change
Kettlebell swing 32 x 20 lbs. 58/17 x 60 lbs. +200.0 percent
Myotatic crunch 6.5 x 2.5 lbs. 10.0 x 20 lbs. +700.0 percent
Single-arm kettlebell swing 25 x 15 lbs. 8/4 x 40 lbs. +166.7 percent
Isolateral dumbbell
incline bench press
2.4/3.0 x 30 lbs. 0.3/0.3 x 40 lbs. +33.3 percent
Yates row 7.0 x 55 lbs. 3.3 x 165 lbs. +200.0 percent
Reverse drag curls 6.0 x 25 lbs. 0.3 x 55 lbs. +120.0 percent

*I started these exercises on different dates.

I’m a believer. After only 3 months on the Slow-Carb Diet, I’ve seen great results.

weight 12-2013

Weight – Dec. 2013

I’ve dropped 11.5 pounds. I started out in September 2012 at 121.8 pounds, peaked at 141.4 pounds this summer, and am now at 129.9 pounds.

I’ve been less concerned about the scale reading and more concerned about my body fat percentage. The weight for a skinny guy like me had little bearing on my overall health, but my body fat level was cause for concern.

body fat percentage 12-2013

Body fat percentage – Dec. 2013

From today’s Bod Pod test, I am at a record low of 20.3 percent body fat. Wow!

I could hit my target of 15 percent by March. I started out at an unhealthy 23.5 percent in September 2012 and jumped to an even worse 26.7 by April 2013. (It was about the same by Aug. 30.)

So, in just 3 months, I decreased my body fat percentage by 24 percent! Same workout routine of about 73 minutes a week, but big shift in eating … and now 29 percent less fat on me.

adding muscle, losing fat

Adding muscle, losing fat

All that weight I just lost? Pure fat.

In the 90 days I’ve been on the Slow-Carb Diet, I actually gained a half-pound of muscle.

And to show I’m serious about sticking to my diet, I’ve listed all 70 yummy fattening foods I had on my 14 cheat days …

  • apricot oatmeal bar
  • bacon
  • bacon cheeseburger
  • beer
  • biscuit
  • bread pudding
  • candy
  • cashew chicken
  • cereal
  • cheesecake
  • chicken
  • chicken baker
  • chicken nuggets
  • chicken sandwich
  • chocolate croissant
  • chocolate tart
  • chorizo
  • cinnamon roll
  • Coke
  • cole slaw
  • cookies
  • corn
  • corn muffin
  • cranberry sauce
  • Cuban sandwich
  • doughnuts
  • dressing
  • egg roll
  • eggs
  • french fries
  • fried chicken
  • fried shrimp
  • gelatin
  • gravy
  • green beans
  • ham and cheese croissant
  • hash browns
  • hot dog
  • hushpuppy
  • ice cream
  • Kung Pao beef
  • macaroni and cheese
  • mashed potatoes
  • Mexican sweet tamale
  • milkshake
  • Nutella
  • oatmeal raisin cookies
  • orange
  • peanut butter and jelly
  • peanuts
  • pizza
  • potato chips
  • protein bar
  • rice
  • salad
  • salmon
  • sashimi
  • sausage english muffin
  • spanish rice
  • spring rolls
  • Sriracha popcorn
  • sushi
  • sweet potatoes
  • tamale
  • Three-Cup chicken
  • toast
  • tortilla chips
  • tortillas
  • turkey
  • waffles

I’ve pigged out every Saturday for fun. And it has paid off.

I’d share my copy of  “The 4-Hour Body” [Amazon | iTunes aff. links] by Tim Ferriss, but I recently lent it to a friend. But all the details for the Slow-Carb Diet are already in a previous blog post.

I haven’t bulked, but I have become healthier with this recent diet change. And I continue to grow stronger.

I’m thrilled with today’s Bod Pod report, and I look forward to more, or less, in the coming year.

December’s average workout time was 21 minutes and 38 seconds.

I averaged 2,154 calories a day in December. I also had 132 g protein a day on average.

The project has cost me $812.95 so far. I spent $41.96 more on food in December compared to previous monthly averages.

You can see all the numbers updated in real time on the Measurements page.

Week 1 vs. Week 69 - side

Week 1 vs. Week 69 – side
[Click image for a larger version.]

Month 15: What I eat

Week 65 - front

Week 65 – front

Measurement Sept. 1, 2012 Nov. 29, 2013 Change
Weight (pounds) 121.8 135.6 +13.8
Body fat percentage 23.5 26.8 [Aug. 28] +3.3 percentage pts.
Fat weight 28.6 36.3 +7.7
Lean weight 93.2 99.3 +6.1
Total inches 113.6 121.8 +8.2

Exercise Start* Nov. 29, 2013 Change
Kettlebell swing 32 x 20 lbs. 63/12 x 60 lbs. +200.0 percent
Myotatic crunch 6.5 x 2.5 lbs. 9.0 x 20 lbs. +700.0 percent
Single-arm kettlebell swing 25 x 15 lbs. 25/8 x 35 lbs. +133.3 percent
Isolateral dumbbell
incline bench press
2.4/3.0 x 30 lbs. 0.3/0.3 x 40 lbs. +33.3 percent
Yates row 7.0 x 55 lbs. 3.4 x 165 lbs. +200.0 percent
Reverse drag curls 6.0 x 25 lbs. 0.3 x 55 lbs. +120.0 percent

*I started these exercises on different dates.

I am full of beans. And cauliflower.

I don’t think I’ve eaten this much of one or the other in my entire life.

Each day, I have 8 oz. of black beans or pinto beans as part of the Slow-Carb Diet. And another 8 oz. of lentils. They are easy to prepare, store and reheat in the microwave oven. A dash of salt, and they’re ready.

I eat a lot more veggies these days, some fresh and most frozen: spinach, broccoli, carrots, peas, green beans. Again, dump in a bowl and heat/steam in the microwave oven.

That is a huge win in terms of convenience and nutrition.

I’m surprised how quickly I adjusted. I wasn’t a big fan of cauliflower before, but I enjoy it each time. Same with the mountain of beans I tear through each week.

I do miss rice during the week. I used to make it regularly in my rice cooker and eat it with many meals.

I miss waffles and toast and sandwiches and potatoes, as well as fruit and sweets. But I make up for all of that on cheat days wholeheartedly. I’ve probably eaten more doughnuts in 2 months than in the last 5 years.

I say no a lot. To beer, to sampling, to appetizers and much more. I’m strict about staying away from forbidden foods 6 days a week.

It has paid off. The first 9 weeks of the Slow-Carb Diet saw a loss of 9 pounds. (This week is skewed, because I had my cheat day on Thanksgiving, the day before — instead of after — my weighing. It should be back to normal by the next weighing.)

In a few weeks, I’ll return to the Bod Pod to see if my body fat percentage has also dropped.

My kettlebell workouts continue to improve, but I’m flat in my other exercises. I hope it’s not related to diet, but perhaps it’s an unavoidable trade-off.

I eat well and in good but not huge quantities. I enjoy my cheat days, and I also enjoy the return to routine on Sundays. And I don’t feel the need (yet) to go all out in preparing fancier meals to head off boredom.

November’s average workout time was 25 minutes and 25 seconds.

I averaged 2,130 calories a day in November. I also had 130 g protein a day on average.

The project has cost me $770.99 so far. I spent $129.10 more on food in November compared to previous monthly averages.

You can see all the numbers updated in real time on the Measurements page.

Week 65 - side

Week 65 – side

Week 1 vs. Week 65 - front

Week 1 vs. Week 65 – front
[Click image for a larger version.]

Week 1 vs. Week 65 - side

Week 1 vs. Week 65 – side
[Click image for a larger version.]