VeganResistance's lifestyle diary.

[VeganResistance]

Today I got to 10 pullups! Yes! 10-6-6.

 

Feels so good to reach that goal. Wonder how long before I hit 20, but 15 is the next aim

 

Will switch to chinups on Sunday and will be interesting to see what I can get to there.

 

Lookin' forward to the gym

[vege]

what can I say? keep that spirit, and the sky will be your limit!

I was close to 10, and then I've put on 5 kg of bodymass lately, so I have to try harder.... excuses, excuses....

[VeganResistance]

Had my first session at the gym on Monday. Logged what I did, but it's not on me right now.

 

I really learned a lesson about stretching though!

 

I ran there for my warm up (around 4km)

Got into my training - a few machines, finished with some bicep curls and deadlifts.

Went to jog home, and I think it was the deadlifts that prevented that one... So I enjoyed a lovely walk home in the afternoon sun.

Didn't stretch (I originally planned to once home after my jog, but after walking had cooled down and just got home and got into other things)

Yesterday I felt it.

Last night I felt wiped out.

During the night I kept waking, felt uncomfortable, woke feeling groggy. Called in sick (not what i want to do when unpaid xmas break is coming up).

 

So this morning I got into some good yoga. During Uttanasana I could at first only just get my hands below my knees (usually I can have my hands flat on the ground with my legs straight). After 20 minutes I felt great again.

 

Also, I ate some chocolate, chocolate ice-cream and sorbet last night. Probably didn't help with the sleep. And I didn't have a fresh vege salad yesterday. naughty.

 

SO, I must try to avoid sugar, keep up my Yoga, STRETCH after workouts, and eat more fresh raw veg (I still eat heaps of raw fruit, nuts, seeds).

 

Back to the gym this afternoon Looking forward to my session with a P.T as I want to get more into free weights but don't know what to do at the moment.

[VeganResistance]

Sweet, today I had a session with a personal trainer, and was good. When I start on my new program early next week (going away for the weekend) I'll post some figures and start logging my progress here.

 

Feeling GOOD

[VeganResistance]

Gym time!

 

When using their machines, the plates are just numbered, I believe they're 5kg plates though so here are the weights that I believe I'm moving.

 

Also, the PT I saw said that for the first set I should do 8 reps (as a warm up), followed by two more longer sets sets. Once I get to 17 reps on the weight I move it up a notch. Opinions on this training method?

 

Still sussing out my weights.

 

Seated Row: 35kg: 6/12/10 - 10-15-12 11/12/10 8-15-12

Squat: 2x10kg dumbells: 11/12/10 10-17-20

Lat pulldown: 50kg: 6/12/10 - 8-12-10 7/12/10 8-12-10

Bench Press: 6/12/10 25kgx10, 25kgx17 35kgx10 11/12/10 35kg 8-10-10

Dips: body weight 6/12/10 6-5-5 11/12/10 8-5-5 (didn't quite make the 5th)

 

Body weight ~68kgy

[VeganResistance]

I was sick for a couple of weeks before xmas, then went on holiday (so much time in a car- YUK!) but got in some running cycling and gym, and now for the last couple of weeks I haven't even been able to do a single pressup because of a horrible pain in my right shoulder.... And I was seeing good improvement in my gym program

 

Off to the Doctor in Two days....

[VeganResistance]

Verdict is nothing major in the shoulder, probably just pushed it too hard, making the original strain worse. Acupuncture in a week, might get to the gym tomorrow.

 

Yesterday managed to get out 3 sets of pullups pretty well: 9-7-6

[vege]

get well! Don't push yourself, take it easy, because healthy shoulder is one of the most important body-parts for exercising.

[VeganResistance]

I am BACK!

 

So late year I managed to injure my shoulder somehow, and have since been through Acupuncture, Osteopathy, rest and therapeutic massage. I am now a big fan of osteopathy.

 

During all this I pretty much have not worked out much at all, except for my job - which is thankfully quite physical. But in the last couple of weeks have really gotten back into it - and feel GREAT!

 

I have been on a good long run once a week, doing yoga approximately every other day, eating well, kum nye on the mornings when I have the time, and strength based workouts almost every day.

 

So it is great to be back, I love this place, and love feeling fit and healthy.

 

Now off to start a new Progress Pics thread.

 

Oh and a few days ago I started a FaceBook group 'Vegan Fitness Auckland' which has been received really enthusiastically!

[VeganResistance]

OK, I have generally not been recording my workouts, but i really shoudl if I want to track my progress. here's a few bits:

 

Wednesday: 10.12km run - 52m:37s - 5:10min/km

Thursday: A workout that I didn't log

Friday: A short but brisk bike ride. Later on intervals of 6x 30s sets of 3x exercises: commando pushups, squat and push kick, single knee tuck.

Saturday (Today) AM: Kum Nye ~20 mins. PM: Pullups (mid grip): 6-4-4 This first 6 was very nearly 7 but I just couldn't pull myself up on that 7th one.

 

Pretty happy with my eating. Lots of whole grains, fruits, nuts, lentils, steamed veges, fresh vege salads.

 

Been making a milkshake after workouts: Soy milk, banana, tahini, soy yoghurt, ground flax seed, cinnamon, nutmeg.

 

It feels really good getting back into better shape.

[VeganResistance]

Started hitting the weights with another couple of guys in their basement. First day was yesterday, and I can bench 42kg, 3 sets of 6. Hope to get that figure up higher, but I am happy with it for now

[vege]

Hey, I am glad to se you are back!

[VeganResistance]

Thanks, it's good to be back. I am so slack with posting. I need to do it more, but to be honest I haven't been tracking my runs or logging my workouts - I need to do so, for personal accountability.

[VeganResistance]

Monday:

Cycled to the park and back (at speed, with hills, of course) for circuit training:

Burpees

Pullups

pistol squats

pushups

60s, 45s, 30s, 15s

 

Tuesday:

SO SICK!

 

Wednesday:

The following x3 sets each - reps until about 2 away from fail (I didn't note how many, and also my handstand pressups only go about halfway down at this point - I will get there!)

 

One armed pullups (assisted with second hand)

Ham/glut curls (using a bike innner tube as resistance band)

One handed pressups

Pistol squats

Handstand pressups

Calf raises

Crunches.

 

Bailed on the last set of handstand pressups and injured my right foot on the damn deck chair I didn't move out of the way... whoops.

 

Thursday (Today):

Carried a few heavy buckets (paint/concrete) around at work today and curled them everywhere I went, focusing on my left arm as it needs to catch up.

Once home I didn't do too much - sore foot!

Pressups (20,15,15,15), bodyweight squats (35,30,30,30) (alternating between the two with no breaks), a single set of pull-ups until failure and then a session of yoga.

 

Eating! Trying to keep up the intake of good food at increased volume.

Today:

6:45 - Breakfast - 2x Toast (organic wholegrain) with whole tahini; pear; raw macaroon (i was running late)

7:30 - Soy flat white (first coffee in a long time, what a buzz that was)

10:30 - Lunch: Indian 'Soy Nuggets' (TVP), potato curry with rice; orange juice (wished I didn't buy these - hate the days I don't pack lunch); pack of organic blue corn chips

13:00 - Snack - One Square Meal bar; raw macaroon

17:45 - Snack - 2x toast with tomato, spinach, tahini, sorrell; soy protein shake; raw fruit/nut ball, handful of almonds and brazil nuts

Have drunk ~2L of water thus far.

 

Off to make dinner! (tempeh, brown rice, homemade hummus, veges (raw and steamed))

 

Achievement this week - getting the pistol squat without assistance from any post for balance. Next week - A full handstand pressup?

[VeganResistance]

I bought a set of resistance bands earlier in the week and am loving them! They really add more variation and convenience into my workouts.

[VeganResistance]

Booya! Been going strong with the bodyweight routines, resistance bands, and now rejoined the gym. No more shoulder pain! It only took almost a year....

 

So I've hit the gym twice this week so far, with home workouts in between, and am feeling damn good. I am up from last years levels which is great.

 

I've got the upper body pretty sussed, and am getting into the squats, but lower body and core I'm not too sure about. Can anyone recommend some good weights workouts for these?

[VeganResistance]

January 31 2011 - 9pm - End of year note!

 

 

January 30

Hit the gym yesterday after 14 days of busy work followed by holidaying. Brought resistance bands on the holiday and kept up working out, although less intense and sitting in the car so much meant that by yesterday I was feeling blue and a little worn down.

 

Bench - 20kg w/up x25. 30kg 16-11-10

Bent-over Dumbell Row - 17.5kg 20-14-12

Barbell Curl - 20kg 15-12-13

Dips - 10-8-7

Squats (I am so new to squats that my technique was poor, didn't go low enough and hence managed a much bigger weight than I should be squatting) - 20-16-16

Shoulder press 9kg 12 7kg 15-12

 

I am so new to lifting weights that I am still sussing out some of my weights, technique etc. But I am getting there, which is cool.

 

Meal1 - Fresh fruit with nuts, seeds, tahini

Meal2 - small soy flat white and an oat slice

Meal3 - vegan salad bread roll

Meal4 - Post workout - Smoothie with Soy protein, tahini, banana, rice milk, cinnamon, agave. L-Glutamine Tablet, Bowl of whole grain couscous with tomato chickpea dish and greens direct from the garden

Meal5 - Pumpkin curry with brown rice

 

Januray 31 (today)

 

Meal1 - Fresh fruit with tahini, nuts, seeds, oats and rice milk with a slice of wholegrain toast spread with plum jam and tahini.

Meal2 - potato Pea Risolle, Salad, fresh carrot/beetroot/celery/barley grass juice, date and almond balls

Meal3 - really just a snack of a small amount of pumpkin curry leftovers and a chocolate nut ball.

Meal4 - 5 vegan sausages in bread with some salad, and a small slice of cake. (NYE BBQ!)

Meal5 - Yet to come!

 

Just notice I seem to gravitate naturally to 5 meals.

 

Todays workout was morning Kum Nye, one set of handstand pressups (still can't quite go a full motion rep). I am about to do some sets of pullups and pressups, and in about an hour a bit of a cycle.

[VeganResistance]

A great start to the new year!

 

After yesterdays post I went to a New Years Party (after busting out 22 pushups before running out the door), came home at about 1am after a couple of drinks, did three sets of pull-ups (8-5-5) and ate a good snack.

 

TODAY:

 

Meal1 - Massive vegan benedict.

Meal2 - Curries - chickpea, and saag aloo

Meal3 - A huge helping of wholemeal pasta/brown lentil bake, some greens and a protein packed smoothie, plus an L-Glutamine tablet (this was post workout).

Meal5 - 5 grain toast with plum jam, pumpkin curry and brown rice (last of the leftovers!)

Snacks - a bunch of bananas, and plums from our tree plus a bunch of nuts and seeds. Also a small amount of chocolate and a soy hot chocolate.

 

Gym - Had a massive workout but my figures are away in my gym back and I need to sleep. Started deadlifts and made great improvement on my squatting technique. I was extremely proud of my progress.

 

MY WEIGHT! I had to weigh myself three times to believe it - 71.3kg - I have been trying to get over 70kg for AGES! I had made a plan to maintain 71kg by the end of Jan but am now bumping that upto 72kg.

 

Had a couple of great ocean swims today and overall had a very good day.

 

Peace out!

[VeganResistance]

Wow the training journals are going off big time! Very cool to see so many people getting into it

 

2 January 2012

 

No gym today, instead I waterblasted and moved picnic tables around for 6 hours at work, then came home and struggled with three sets of close grip pull-ups (8-5-4). I still believe that pull-ups are one of the greatest all-body workouts for me, though they can be extremely challenging sometimes!

 

I snacked a lot today rather than having many meals.

 

Meal1: Bowl of fresh fruit, nuts, seeds, tahini, oats, rice milk

Meal2: Steamed veges, two wholegrain tomato and avocado sandwiches, a small container of leftover pasta bake from last night, banana.

Meal3: Large plate of stir fry with heaps of veges, tofu, black beans with wholegrain couscous, garden greens and avocado

Snacks: Muesli Bar, 1L Chocolate Soy Milk, Toast, Some others I cannot remember right now.

Probably a smoothie later on.

 

Oh, and my legs are reminding me that we have discovered squats and deadlifts recently! I'm sure I'll adapt soon And on a bit of a down side, my lower back has been aching, I believe as a result of poor squat technique a few days ago.

[VeganResistance]

3 January 2012

 

No workouts today, my body was telling me to hold off for another day - lower back aching still and my thighs, well my thighs are popping up with muscles I never knew existed! I did do one set of chinups and 5ish hours of waterblasting.

 

Meal1: Fruit, nuts, seeds, oats, soy milk

Meal2: Leftover vege/black bean/tofu fry-up with wholegrain couscous

Meal3: Banana soymilk smothie

Meal4: 3x vege sausages, 2x slices bread, small amount of salad

Meal5: Tomato sausage sauce with wholegrain spaghetti and avocado

Snacks: Fresh fruit, chocolate soy milk, toast.

 

4 January 2012

 

Hit the gym after 6 hours of waterblasting (I WILL NEVER LOOK AT A PICNIC TABLE THE SAME AGAIN OMG!)

Warm-up rows: .802km at setting 12

Bench: 20kg 20 (warmup) 30kg 15-9-10 (less than previous workouts but I worked all day..)

Shoulder press - 7kg dumbells - standing x12. Then decided sitting was better, 15-16

Squat - 35kg warmup x20 - Then lost the squat rack to someone else (so much for alternating sets)

Leg Press - Setting 8 - 18-16

BB Curl 25kg - 15-9-8 (THIS is a good achievement for me!)

Some random end of workout trap pulls, followed by 10 mins of yoga

 

Meal1: Fruit, nuts, seeds

Meal2: 2x bananas, 1xcarrot, small amount of leftover vege sausage sauce with wholemeal pasta.

Meal3: Falafel kebab wrap, 2x OSM bars

Meal4: Smoothie with hemp protein, 2x bananas, apple juice and tahini.

Meal5: About to make it Mashed steamed kumara and potato with steamed veges and a fresh garden salad with chickpeas.

Snacks: Fruit, RAW bar.

 

Weight: 70.7kg

 

Sleep: Last night was about 7 hours.

[Nicholas_Weir]

 

MY WEIGHT! I had to weigh myself three times to believe it - 71.3kg - I have been trying to get over 70kg for AGES! I had made a plan to maintain 71kg by the end of Jan but am now bumping that upto 72kg.

 

 

Peace out!

 

 

I know how you feel, once I broke past the 70kg mark I was so happy!

[VeganResistance]

5 January 2012

 

~ 7.5 hours sleep.

 

No workout today, just work which was at least enough to keep me quite active. After work I needed to do shopping and then do work for my gfs music which I manage and get the house sorted for my daughter staying tomorrow. The sun came out this afternoon!

 

Meal1: Fruit, Nuts, Seeds, tahini, Hemp Seed Powder - first and last time I pile hemp seed over my fruit. ICK!

Meal2: Leftover steamed spuds, kumara, chickpea salad, slice of wholegrain bread

Meal3: Leftover tofu, black bean, vege dish

Meal4: Mung Bean + kelp Salad, vege dumplings, tofu, seasonal veges. MASSIVE amount of food.

Large amount of time between 3+4 unfortunately. Snacked but not really enough.

Snacks: soy flat white, large soy with raw cacao, plums, bread, RAW bar.

 

It is 11:46pm and I hoped to get up at 4:30am to get to the gym pre work. Sigh.

[VeganResistance]

6 January 2012

 

I DID IT! Up at 5am to hit the gym before work. It felt great..... and then I got to work to find that someone had changed this weeks hours to start an hour later. Gah. But I had a good sit down with a spirulina.

 

Sleep: 4.5 hours

Weight: 70.9kg

 

Gym:

w/up rows: .786km @ setting 12

Bench: 20kgx25 40kg 8-8-6

Leg Press 20-20-20 Setting 9

BB Curl 20kgx15 25kg 9-8 (these were hard today!)

dips x8 ultra wide pullups x3

 

Obviously lack of sleep is not great.

 

Meal1: Tomato tahini sandwich in walnut wholemeal bread, soy + cacao with hemp protein

Meal2: Lentil pie, banana, organic carrrot

Meal3: chickpea curry, samosa, potato and bean curry

Meal 4: I am about to make this - one of Vege's recipes!

Yet to come: smoothie, fruit

Snacks: Fruit, toast

[VeganResistance]

7 January 2012

 

I have felt terrible all day today. Neighbours had a very loud party most of the night, and their back deck is metres from my bedroom window... Noise control were absolutely useless also.

 

SO, today I have done a few pullups and that is it thus far - I do plan to bust out a few sets of pushups and handstands a wee bit later though.

 

Eating has been good - massive breakfast of fruit, hemp, banana, soy smoothie and fried tomatoes, garlic, mushrooms of wholegrain toast. mmmmm

Lunch was wholemeal pasta with homemade vege sauce.

Dinner chickpea dish with brown rice.

 

Snacks were fruit and nuts mostly. Had a soy mocha around mid day which made me feel much worse for the rest of the day.

 

I look forward to a good sleep but can hear the neighbours starting up again :/

[VeganResistance]

8 January 2012

 

My daughter is up for school holidays so getting to the gym will be hard over the next two weeks - back into bodyweight exercises.

 

Overslept last night - around 10 hours.

 

Had a big walk into the city, played on my daughters ripstick for a bit (those things are hard!), and had a good home workout:

 

~200 rope skips as warmup (until I hit my toes...)

Pullups: 5-5-5-5-4

Pressups (knuckles): 5-5-10-10-10

Seat dips: 10-10-10-10-10

One legged squats: 5-5-5

 

Meal1: Bowl of fresh fruit, nuts, seeds; smoothie with rice milk, soy milk, hemp protein (3Tbs), cinnamon, 1 sml banana.

Meal2: Pad Pak with white rice

Meal3: 2x toast with avocado and tomato; L-Glutamine tablet; smoothie with banana, coconut cream and hemp protein (post workout)

Meal4: Great salad, whole tempeh pattie, steamed potato and kumara, vege dumplings; soy ice cream with strawberries and dark chocolate.

Snacks: Oat slice, fruits, raisins, nuts,

 

Heh, half the 8 meals many people recommend. Hope I still manage to gain!