Ox Fit

23/07/2022

There are things that we do to keep ourselves on track that may seem ridiculous to others. For me, food has always been my kryptonite so I gotta keep that on a short leash. That short leash is writing down everything I eat and drink into this little app called myFitnessPal (great app and cannot recommend it enough).

The past week had been pretty hectic and with my mental health slipping back a little bit I felt like I just couldn't be bothered recording what I ate. There was one day where I had a 5 hour wait in the truck (5 hours is not normal) and so I had a bag of food that I just started eating....and eating.....and eating. Now the food wasn't super bad, mostly salad, apples, tuna, sardines, and a couple of protein bars. I had more than enough food but I ate the lot.

myFitnessPal counts the calories, and I don't normally worry about them, but I went 1,200 cals over my recommended limit. I felt bad about myself, negative thoughts of "you're useless/weak/not worthy/etc". All those thoughts just derailed me. So I stopped recording my food because I didn't want to feel shameful or guilty. And to some extent I was also feeling grief at the loss of my own self-control. I figured if I didn't write it down then it would be my own secret....but then I'm not being honest with myself.

The negative thoughts are what I'm desperately trying to shut out. But I should actually let them in and process them for what they are. LIES!!! I am productive. I have strength. I AM worthy. I don't need to feel guilty about eating something that's not benefiting me, instead I ned to process WHY I wanted to eat/drink that.

Thinking back to that 5 hours waiting in the truck, what could I have done different? I could have gone for a short walk around the yard. I could have called a friend. I could have done many different things. It all came down the the choices I made...even though I was oblivious to the result.

This quote from Van Gogh sums it up well for me this week. "Great things are done by a series of small things brought together."

So this week it's back to the small things. Write things down and know that it's OK to also record the speed bumps.

Slow down.

Small steps.

You'll get there.

17/07/2022

Sunday is stats day for me. Body fat percentage, weight, and body measurement. I do look forward to Sunday because I get to see the results of what I did in the past week.

Like in all body transformations, the results at the start can be drastic. But then they start to slow down a little. This is where it's important to take measurements on a regular basis so that you can see progress when you don't necessarily feel like you are progressing.

This morning I wasn't looking forward to the result. I felt sore, bloated, and flabby. But took the measurements and was pleasantly surprised.

Reduction in 0.2kg of body fat and an increase in 0.7kg muscle. My fat pinch tests wasn't a massive decrease but I think I've been having a lot more protein (and possibly a lot more fats) but muscle gain was pretty good.

What made me feel good though was the decrease to my waist measurement. This was confirmed by my belt now having to be replaced as it was on the last hole last week.

All up I've lost 1.4kg in weight. That's it in 6 weeks. But that's made up of a loss of 5.7kg in fat and an increase in 4.3kg of muscle.

Said it before and I'll say it again, your weight is more than just a number on the scale.

17/07/2022

Back day today. Deadlifts sucked but the rest was gooood. Can see a little more definition especially around the shoulder area. Man-boob flab is getting less. Tummy flab is still stubborn and not really moving much. Will do stat's in a separate post.

11/07/2022

This is not common practice amongst a lot of trainers, but I weigh myself every single day. I do this because I know that my the number on the scale is just a number, it's not a true indication of the amount of excess body weight I am carrying. This number, as you can see, is not linear. It's more like a saw-tooth pattern. I expect that this is going to happen.

Even if I as to weigh in just once a week, the same thing will likely happen. My weight will be up and down, but on a whole will be going down.

I've had clients in the past that have been so fixated on this number that they get excited because they had a really good food week and completed every exercise session, only to find the number has gone up from the week before. DEVASTATED!!! A whole week of eating right and exercise and their weight goes up is enough to derail most people. It's heartbreaking.

No matter how much I try to explain to them that the number fluctuates and is only one indication and that the body is doing a lot of work and that number on the scale, the number just doesn't match the expectation that they have.

So here's a truth. Expect your weight to go up and down when on any path to fitness. Weigh yourself every day with the expectation that it could go up for a few days. But don't use it as the only way to measure your journey.

Do your clothes fit better? Is your belt needing a couple more holes? Are you finding it easier to move, pick things up off the floor, or easier to reach into the very back of the lowest shelf of the Tupperware cupboard for that lid you lost 4 years ago?

10/07/2022

Ox's Tuna Bake.

Made this up today. 45g protein per serve and sits at about 450 cals.

Filling:
2kg froz veg
2 tins tuna
Handful of cheese
4 eggs
250g Greek yoghurt
Hot English mustard
Lime juice
Garlic
Salt and pepper
Paprika

Topping:
50g almond meal
15g parm cheese

Mix all filling ingredients in a bowl and then put into a oven proof dish (I split this into 5 small dishes).

Mix the almond meal and the parm cheese together abd sprinkle on top.

Cook in the oven for about 45mins.

It tastes pretty good. You can add more or less garlic, Paprika, S&P, and Mustard as you like. Just don't go overboard with the cheese.

PS: not as good as mums recipe

10/07/2022

This is why the number on a set of scales can be difficult to take when you've been working your backside off for the past month.

In one month I've only lost 1.9kg in weight. That's not a lot when aiming for a 1kg of loss a week. However, this number is made up of a 5.5kg reduction in body fat, and a 3.6kg gain in muscle.

Cannot stress the importance of doing a simple body pinch test with a simple set of callipers. It can totally change your outlook on that number on the bathroom scales.

26/02/2020

I discovered JEFit a few weeks ago and started to use it exclusively when I train. I used to write everything on a chalkboard in the gym and it was great, but I have to say that this app is very good at keeping you moving in the gym. I didn't realise how much time I wasted. GET ON IT!!!

Search for jefit in the app store or google play.

25/02/2020

Countless times I've got myself majorly frustrated over minor things. I've put my selfish-self before anyone else. This post from PrayFit sums it all up.

When grace walks in the gym, pride slips out the back.

20/02/2020

When God made us, He held back none of His will.

06/01/2019

Who remembers the renegade manmaker? Can't remember if any of the previous classes actually did this one. Been a while since I've done them but now I recall it's just like a burpee with weights. Brutal but good.