WEEK 7 - HUNGRY ALIENS FROM DEVON

"Someone carry me to the nearest A&E unit before I start crying like a 6 month old with colic."

Day 43 - 59

I didn’t mention in last week's post that myself, pregnant Sorrell and a bunch of lovely bootcampers completed the Desert Warrior Challenge.This was not in the training schedule but what’s 10km and 24 obstacles in 40 degree heat anyway? Perhaps that’s why I’m so bushed this week. I upped my calories by 1000 but in hindsight it took a lot longer than expected and so I should have double that, I still wan't prepared for what an impact this and my already fatigued body would have.

Pic: Desert Warrior Challenge with team b2b

It left me feeling knackered and it was reflected in my training, i trained legs the following day and did my two runs but for the first time on this program I was struggling in the gym and struggling to get my ass out of the door in the morning. Lesson learned. I have to stay focused on my specific goal and not get sidetracked by anything.

Although this added exercise looked like a good idea, it was actually a wolf in sheep's clothing. I can’t help but think that it could have actually been more damaging to progress than a night on the lash. I’m right on the edge of rest and calories as it is and this has definately had a negative affect on my training.

6 weeks of exercise and super clean eating might not seem like a long time from an outsider's point of view, but it is. This is tough. I’m tired and after calculating that my morning and evening runs equate to a marathon a week, I’m not surprised. Add the five weights sessions on top and you have a polished equation for how to rip someone up and leave them feeling sodomised. Someone carry me to the nearest A&E unit before I start crying like a 6 month old with colic.

Back to week 7

This week has been the most testing by far. Sorrell's parents arrived on Wednesday night so naturally wifey's been out buying all measure of delicious holiday food to welcome them with. We have beer, wine, cheese, chocolate, crisps, icecream, biscuits and more cascading from every cupboard. For someone eating what I’m eating at the moment it’s like waving Jamesons Irish Whisky under the nose of Shane Macgowan whilst he’s in rehab...not that he’ll ever bother with rehab, it’s too far from the pub.

The barrage of bacon smells and crackling crisp wrappers isn’t the biggest challenge this week. The biggest challenge is that we’re staying in Abu Dhabi this weekend as a staycation and I will be an hour away from the safety of my daily routine and cooking facilities. So how will I survive? Very simply, I will be prepared. So prepared that Baden Powell would be been smiling down on me like the Chesire cat.

I worked out, that by the time we arrived 13:00 I would need 8 meals. We had a fridge in the room so went prepared with 7 tupperware containers of the same old gruel and was prepared to take a risk when we went out for dinner that night to make up the 8th meal. I had several servings of protein, BCAA’s and my multivits as well. All set.

It was lucky that I was prepared. When I asked the waiter at the pool whether the chef could bring out grilled chicken and salad, he said he would check only to come back with “sorry sir you have to stick to the menu”. Fair enough but the healthiest thing on the menu was the stray uncooked bean sprout protruding from a deep fried spring roll. Needless to say If I wasn’t prepared I would have been stuffed, literally.

That evening we went to the buffet which as mentioned was a gamble. Luckily it paid off as there was unmarinated tenderloin steak and fish that the chef was barbecuing at a live cooking station, I checked to confirm that it wasn’t covered in oil and watched as he quickly seared the steaks and plonked them on my plate. Result . I had this with steamed veggies in an awesome surf and turf combo. Double result. And yes I did watch my family annihilate sushi, dim sum, bread and pasta by the ton, all washed down with corona and finished off with a mass of individual puddings that would have made fat bastard wince. Halo...getting bigger.

The morning after I indulged in a large americano whilst the fam tucked into pancakes and loads of other amazing looking crap so I made an early exit and hit legs in the gym. I haven't touched upon the weights training much yet but I will. I have written exactly what I completed in the gym that morning and had to adapt my routine to the equipment that I had acces to. Luckly I'm a Personal Trainer ;)

Warm Up

5 Mins Running Machine

I always do a warm up set of 15 reps before each different exercise.

Smith Machine Squats - 3 x 12 Reps (If I fail then I'll go again until I reach 12 reps)

Leg Extension - 3 Triple Drop Sets of 15 Reps

Hamstring Curls - 3 Triple Drop Sets of 15 Reps

Barbell Walking Lunges - 3 Sets of 24 Reps

Single Leg Dumbel Deadlifts - 3 Sets of 12 Reps (each leg)

Dumbell Goblet Squats - 1 Set of 50 Reps

Walk out of the gym like I've been tasered.

Week 8 coming up. Ive got photos at the end of week 8 so I need a really consistent 7 days of food and smash. Lets do this.