Day 12

It may seem like I'm not posting but I am....just not publicly.

Some of the things I wrote were going on in my mind but they are not truly how i feel. This diet is affecting my mood just like it did before. Any time you restrict food and calories you will get testy. This is no different.

My boot camp girls were telling me to eat a piece of cake on the weekend to cheer me up. Hahaha. I'm really glad to have a group that understands what I'm going through.

Today's workout is:

Up to 25 reps, 4-5 reps each set, 30 second rest

a. Front Squat
B. Close grip bench press
C. Chin up
D. Push Press

My buddy is back from a 3 month jaunt in China and I'm bumping up my Healthy Solid Meal day to have some lunch with him. I can't wait to eat again...

Day 9

It feels like groundhog day today. Well despite the busyness of today it was the same as usual

I'm just looking to get through each day and get to the next right now.

I'm working on 3 different projects at once and my brain just doesn't seem to be processing information because I'm low carbing.

On a brighter note I have been researching this new nutrition program by Joel Marion called cheat your way thin and I will using it on my own body once I'm done V-dieting.

It actually makes sense. I just have to be careful. Being a former fat boy makes you a little wary about feeding yourself with all your fave foods.

My body is my laboratory and I am willing to give it a shot. If this pans out I will be recommending this to all of my clients. It just sounds too good to be true.

Day 8 and I'm runnin

This diet is easy...yet it is hard...just like everything else that is worth doing.

I cheated a little too much on my healthy solid meal day. My stomach shrank so much that I couldn't finish my meals.

Today is the same as always. As much as I think this diet will get harder....I'm starting to think that it might just get a little easier.

I'm playing around with different things and seeing what works for me. I'm not changing the diet at all but I am trying out different feed timings.

The weekend was a little bit of a challenge. I had a party to hit on Sunday and food was all around. I'm glad I enjoyed the company I was around because I was kept pre occupied with conversation most of the time.

I'm getting more careful in selecting my words, my thoughts...it's easier to lose my temper now that I'm restricting my calories. So I have to keep my emotions and thoughts under control and relaaaaaxxxx.

Workout day today....Should be exciting

Day 6...it'll only get harder from here

I was reading my old blog posts last night to see what challenges lie ahead of me for the next 3 weeks.

From what learned....the 1st week was a cakewalk....easy....nothing compared to the next 3.

FACK.

And here I thought the worst was over.

I'm really getting cranky on this diet program....it's just what happens when you are seriously dieting.

I'm normally a nice dude. Just right now...don't eff with me.

Solid meal day today. I think this will elevate my mood a little bit. Happy birthday to my little buddy Titan. I hope you like the Iron man helmet and baku gan thinamajiggies.

Away we go...TRAINING DAY

I love training day. It gets me out of the house, it keeps me fit, it gives my brain something else to focus on, it gets me off my desk chair, it allows me to do some swimming and sit in the jacuzzi...it is something I have honed in on and used as an escape for the past 11 years and counting.

I remember I ran into friends at the mall and I just same from the gym and they asked me, "Is that all you do?"

I WISH IT WAS.

It's a lot better than what I was doing before...which was sitting on a couch and doing nothing...well watching TV and playing video games...not exactly productive stuff.

I can think of nothing better to do with my free time than workout. I'm a gym rat for sure.

Today's WOK OUT

Heavy loads (insert dirty joke here), 4-5 reps, work up to 25 reps

Front Squat
Bench Press Close Grip
Chin ups
Push Press

I'm going to add some abs in there at the end and then swimming.

If exercise was a girl we would be soulmates. I love you exercise...til death do us part.

Btw this is the look i"M going for:

I was going to post a picture of the New Moon dude Taylor lautner but...dude's like 18 years old. It just doesn't seem right to strive for an 18 year olds body.

Okay this may be me but...

I see personal trainers and boot camp instructors who don't even work themselves out on a regular basis...

I see people who have not been or have not have any successful relationships doling out relationship advice...

I see people who have not made a damn change in their bodies giving out exercise advice. Like the person who is eating donuts telling her coworker to not do weights because they make you "Bulky"

I see people who don't make money or have not actually been in the field they are an "expert" for...coaching people in that field about making them money

I should stop being so nice and just call them out on their BULLSHIT.

Day 5

Woke up in the morning
looked at the body in the mirror
and low and behold




The abs are coming back.

Down from an estimated 179-180 to 173.6 In one week.

I say 179-180 because I weighed myself with clothes on at bootcamp.

Body is rounding into form. I'm doing everything right. Results are what motivate me in the end.

It's my little buddy Titans bday today. Gonna buy him a gift after my workout.

Packed weekend. Lots of challenges. I'm ready. Oh yeah I get to eat this Saturday too. In the words of the US army....HOOO RA

End of day

Got through today and it was a little tough. Mind was tired...body was tired. I'm feeling brainless right now. Can't wait for to Oreos to begin. I mean to tomorrow...not Oreos. Dammit I'm done this post...later

need sleeeeeeeepppp

Note to self....I need more sleep on this diet. 6 hours just ain't gonna cut it.

Day 4

Had a dream yesterday that I cheated on my diet with a big ass m & m cookie. Dammn my mind be playing tricks on me. Felt so real.

I even dreamnt about the rationlizations I attached to eating the cookie. Like , "it's a cheat day, I deserve this".

Day 4 and running. Other than going delusional everything be Aiiiight.

training day

I'm doing chad waterburys workout for the v diet. This is day two:

4-5 sets 8-9 reps each set until you hit 40 reps

Pullups
Neutral grip incline bench
One legged deadlifts
Barbell bicep curls
Hanging leg raises

One word: TOUGH

It was tough getting through this workout today. Energy levels weren't there...I just wasn't feelin it. Every rep was agony.

I'm just glad I got through it and finished. At starbucks now. Time to bang out the intro to my book.

Peace

Dan

training day

I'm doing chad waterburys workout for the v diet. This is day two:

4-5 sets 8-9 reps each set until you hit 40 reps

Pullups
Neutral grip incline bench
One legged deadlifts
Barbell bicep curls
Hanging leg raises

One word: TOUGH

It was tough getting through this workout today. Energy levels weren't there...I just wasn't feelin it. Every rep was agony.

I'm just glad I got through it and finished. At starbucks now. Time to bang out the intro to my book.

Peace

Dan

Day 3

Day 3

I started off the day strong. Got a couple things off my To Do list done, going to workout then head to Starbucks to pump out another chapter of my book.

With the workout book...I write things down and I don't know whether people will like or not...all these different thoughts get into my head about whether or not people will actually read it, use it, like it, trash it etc...

It's what Seth Godin calls "The Dip".

Once you start working towards your goals you will have the little part of your brain that is resistant to change. It will give you all sorts of reasons as to why it can't work. It will try and convince you that what you are doing will fail so you shouldn't even bother to start anyways.

This is something you gotta deal with when you start to change or aim to change. And it will never go away. The best thing to do is recognize it when it happens. Get fascinated with it. At least that is what I'm doing.

I have all these thoughts of how I should write the book, what will the other fitness experts say when I write it...will they bad mouth me or consider me that kid who doesn't know much about fitness much less fat loss? Will my peers read my program and just straight up hate on it?

Will they laugh at me?

Well....there is only one way to find out. I'm not writing this for them. I writing it to make a difference in others. I'm doing the workout book so other people can experience the results people have experienced in my boot camps and personal training: getting back their high school body, wear nicer clothes, smaller clothes, gain confidence and self esteem in themselves to think that anything is possible.

They are who I am writing it for. As long as I remind myself of that...I think I'll be okay.

"The Dip" happens in everyone. I say that if it's important enough to you then just do it. If you fail you fail forward. You learn from your mistakes and make it better.

Don't fight "The Dip"...just recognize it for what it really is...anyways...what is the worst that can happen?

Just had to get that off my chest. Thanks for listening.

Dan

Day 2 - A collection of ramblings

Okay I didnt' have much access to the internet so I did all my journal posts on my Itouch:

Day 2

10:30am

Just got to My favourite starbucks in York Region (woodbine and Denison). I just had my morning bootcamp class today and the group of girls killed the workout.

As a matter of fact I may be biased when I say this but I have the coolest clients ever. When I say cool I mean that they have a great sense of humour, they work hard, they are dedicated and they don't make excuses.

The funny thing is that I wouldn't even mind hangin with these girls outside of class. I think that is the true definition of coolness in my books. If I can actually voluntarily hang with you without feeling obligated :P

I'm so lucky to have cool clients because I know that on the other hand I could be stuck with women completely opposite of these girls and I would be one depressed trainer.

So I'm a very happy and appreciative trainer.

Day 2 started weirdly. I woke up at 5am AGAIN for some ungodly reason.

Not sure why but I'm sure after I get used to the diet my sleeping patterns will get normal.

So far sooooo good. I gotta make sure to do something active today to keep my energy levels on par. If I don't do something I will have major lack of energy later on.

It's a funny thing to say. I need to expend energy to get more of it later on. It's weird but it works. On the days I don't exercise I am T-I-R-E-D.

On this diet it's important that I get my activity in even on rest days.

Talk soon...

11am

I'm starting this new thing called zen meditation where you sit down, relax your body and focus only on your breathing.

It's really getting the clutter out of my mind and helping me concentrate on the task at hand.

I can end up thinking about 50 things at once. One thought leads to another and it's just a vicious cycle that goes on in your brain.

It's just so nice to be focused on one thing...even if it your breathing.

Try it out for 5 minutes and tell me you don't feel diffrerent afterwards.

1pm

I did my Nepa (non exercise related activity) by walking around Markville mall getting my fitness on.

Nepa is kind of like moisturizing. You don't see immediate benefits when doing it but over time he rests add up to smoother skin and in my case...a better body.

Saw my friend jay and he asked what I'm doing...feeling proud I told him "I'm getting my walk on homie."

4pm

It's only day 2 but the sheer monotany of this diet is getting to me. At least I know I have a solid meal waiting for me on Saturday.

What I notice now is that before whenever I am bored I reach for something to eat. It takes my mind away from things.

Damn how could I miss that? I guess you can label this under emotional eating. Boredom is an emotion.

Damn two days and I'm already getting effed up. Just 26 more days to go. Yay. I may be complaining now but I know i'll persevere through this.

No excuses. I chose to do this and I must "finish strong" like I always tell my girls.

The good news is that I was able to use my rewards points toward my trip to Cali in April. Ill be there for a fitness conference so I'm hopin to hit some surfin in Laguna beach. Maybe chill with Lauren from the Hills. Yah right.

Okay rambling now. Time to chill the brain. Peace out.


Sent from my iPod

End of day 1...not bad...not entirely great either.

Okay so Day 1 kinda went by faster than I thought it would. That was the good part.

The bad part is that my body is not used to this diet yet (obviously...it's the first freaking day) and I had bouts at the end of my day with mental clarity and energy.

After my boot camp class I literally felt myself slurring my speech and trying to keep a normal conversation.

I think this'll get better as time goes on and I get used to things. Cranky Dan is not out in full force yet but further down the road I can see myself getting a little perturbed.

I was talking to Janice (my boot camp trainer) and even when she diets down she says she gets "bitchy". I can definitely understand that.

Anywho I'm out for tonight....don't even try to contact me because I'll be in La La land...doing something totally mindless until I go to bed.

Talk to you later

V Diet Day 1

Okay so heeeerrrreee we go. If you are looking for an idea of what I am doing please refer to this post I did 2 years ago:

Velocity Diet <---click here

I didn't get much sleep last night due to a nagging lower back soreness on my right side. I gotta start stretching and massaging before I go to sleep. If I am going to be successful on this diet I know that there are a number of factors involved:

1. I gotta have my "meals" planned out and organized at least the day before.

I have packed all the vitamins and EFA's in 28 little baggies to make sure I always have them on hand. I wash my cups and fill them up with the right amounts of protein the night before so I'm not scrambling to make them in the morning.

Planning is key. If you don't plan you will fly by the seat of your pants...and end up cheating on your plan.

2. I gotta know what I'm doing this for. I gotta have reasons.

Jim Rohn says that the reason people don't achieve their goals is because they don't have enough reasons to achieve them. My reasons for doing this (my deep down internal reasons) is to take off my shirt at the beach and be confident in my body.

I have EXTREMELY high standards for how I want my body to look like. This is because in the past I was not confident in my body until I changed it. This is also because I'm a freaking fitness expert. If I don't have high standards for my own body I might as well drop this profession and do something I don't love to do.


3. Set high goals.

I have also set a high goal of doing a modeling shoot at the end of this transformation. I want pictures where I look really ripped so I can use them for my "after pictures". You need a goal that motivates you. Not one that is "ho hum" and uninspiring. Shoot for the stars and you'll end up on the clouds.

Example: I would go through a wall using my head to get a round the world catamaran trip. That trip would motivate me. Let's say I make it a goal to take a trip to Ohio. Ummm....yeah...I would probably not give a damn. Unmotivating.


4. When you don't hit a goal work on a goal even bigger than the first one

When you don't hit a goal the automatic responses are either to A) give up or B) set the same damn goal you set before.

Now if you do "A" then you have given up. Not good. Persistence is one main trait you need to get to where you want to go.

Now if you do "B" then you are setting yourself up to fall short again. Why? Because of #3 we talked about above. It's just not motivating enough to try and hit the same goal.

What's more motivating is to set an even higher goal that is almost seemingly unattainable. This gets your ass motivated to get back on the saddle and work harder than ever towards it.

5. Get your adequate amount of sleep. 8 hours to be safe

This is IMPORTANT when cutting calories for fat loss. Calories = energy. If you cut your portion sizes you will be taking in less calories. This ends up making you feel a little more tired then usual. That's why you need more sleep. Don't skimp out on this or you will feel it in the morning and become the crankiest yanker on the planet.

6. Give yourself 6 weeks of no alcohol and sugar.

Now there is a way you can "Cheat Your Way Thin" and I will be touching on this in a future blog post. But for now stay away from any and all alcoholic beverages and sugary snacks/foods.

Alcohol literally sets your fat loss back at least 3 days and consuming sugar puts a stop to your fat loss until you exercise and burn it out.

If your goal is to look fabulous for the summer then you give yourself 6 weeks to eat a "clean" diet. All it really takes is 6 weeks of concentrated effort to change your body. Alcohol and sugars can wait.

I wanna thank you again for reading this blog. You are my support to keep myself in check through this 28 days.

I want you to give yourself 6 weeks to get your body ready for the summer. Stay focused on your goals and persevere through the hard times.

Wishing you nothing but the best,

Dan

Here we go again...

My first day on the Velocity Diet is tomorrow and I'm as ready as can be. I'm taking the preparation and the whole experience rather non chalantly this time around.

Am I really prepared for 28 days straight of going on a strict protein fast? I think the shine has worn off as this is the 3rd time around this this journey. The last time seemed the hardest. I'm sure this time will have it's ups and downs. My main goal coming out of this diet is to do am actual photo shoot tanned ripped body and all. I wanna get some really fantastic after pictures and do some "modelling".

I'm kinda glad you are reading this. You are definitely going to help me stay on track as I know I can't mess up because people are watching.

This is going to be the unedited unscripted unboring blog of my velocity diet plan.

Oh yeah btw the way....I so totally stuffed myself with things I don't normally eat. Total slob today. Yah I admit. For real I'm gonna do 28 days of non food hell. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.