ROBBO REVERSE 2.0.12 – The Mysteries of Age Reverse, Fitness and the Perfect 10% Body Fat.

This is the second week of my Cutting period, and I have lost 2.1% body fat this week (3% in total), whilst actually not losing any weight. Which is perfect, as it means I am losing body fat and not muscle and water.

Happy with this progress, but still a lot of dieting and hard work in the Gym to go. My Gym intensity will be pretty much standard throughout my cutting time. However I will gradually increase the intensity of my Cardio and wellness programe (Treadmill, Insanity DVDs [High Intensity Interval training] and Yoga DVDs). One of the biggest reasons people fail such fitness goals are that they try to do too much at once. I.e. strict diets with punishing cardio, when a week earlier the only exercise they got was washing the car. I will be slowly increasing my intensity of cardio, and slowly decreasing my calories – with the aim of a 1-2 pound of body fat per week – whilst obviously keeping my Lean muscle mass = ripped J.

I was using MyFitnessPal as a calorie and fitness tracker; however I have switched to CalorieCount. It’s a much better app; the main benefit is that on the home page it gives you a chart of the composition of your Calories/Carbs/protein/Fats.

My daily allowance is 2300kcal. This would be pretty easy if I was only eating 3 meals a day (ave of 766kcal per meal), but I have to eat at least 6 times a day which should ideally all include a bit of protein. This is only 383kcal per meal or snack. A mars bar is 400 and odd. Then try getting Alcohol into that allowance at the weekend …….. A LOT OF PLANNING IS NEEDED.

Still enjoying it all though, which is the main thing.

SHORT TERM GOALS – WEEK 24 – 21/01/2012 – 27/01/2012

Saturday – Insanity DVD, Yoga DVD.

Sunday – Rest.

Monday – Gym, Cardio and Yoga

Tuesday – Rest

Wednesday – Gym, Cardio and Yoga

Thursday – Gym, Cardio and Yoga

Friday – Gym, Cardio and Yoga

Long Term - Goal

Achieve and maintain 10% Body Fat by Gym week 44 which is 8^th June 2012. Current Week 23 = 20.3%. Cheeky little graph is on the link below via Evernote.

https://www.evernote.com/shard/s85/sh/de9fcd44-28fd-4a66-a595-bdec0af5444b/ee5d9ef069b18f73654c0e1d852c01e5

CURRENT GYM WORKOUT PROGRAM

TEMPO	LIFT	1 SECOND
	LOWER	4 SECONDS
	PAUSE TENSION	2 SECONDS
REPS	POWER	5
	MUSCLE	10
	BURN	40
CHEST AND TRICEPS	TYPE	SETS
BENCH PRESS	POWER	4
INCLINE DUMBELL PRESS	MUSCLE	3
CABLE CROSS OVERS	MUSCLE	3
TRICEP DIPS	POWER	2
TRICEP PULLDOWNS	MUSCLE	2
ABS	BURN	1
BACK AND BICEPS	TYPE	SETS
CHIP UPS	POWER	4
LAT PULLDOWN	MUSCLE	3
ONE ARMED ROWS	MUSCLE	3
PINWHEEL CURLS	POWER	3
EZ BAR CURL	MUSCLE	2
ABS	BURN	1
SHOULDERS	TYPE	SETS
SHOULDER PRESS	POWER	4
ARNOLD PRESS	MUSCLE	3
BENT OVER REAR DELTS	MUSCLE	3
LAT RAISES	MUSCLE	2
FRONT RAISES	MUSCLE	2
ABS	BURN	1
LEGS	TYPE	SETS
SQUAT	POWER	4
GOOD MORNING	MUSCLE	3
DEADLIFT	POWER	4
ROMANIAN DEADLIFT	MUSCLE	3
CALVES	BURN	1
ABS	BURN	1

Iphone Apps and Websites – I am currently enjoying

The Random Show – Tim Ferris - website

I will teach you to be rich – Ramit Sethi - website

Quantified Self - website

Calorie Count - App

Iron Man Mag - App

Fitness Explorer – Website

TED Conferences – Website and App

Cultfit - Website

APPENDIX

The reason why I blog is all down to author Tim Ferriss. One of the best ways to stay motivated is to make goals public. So that people are aware if you achieve or fail, which is a powerful motivator.

~~Tim Ferriss ~~ The Four Hour Body ~~ Review ~~

“How do you manage the self-discipline to bear down on learning a skill? Ferriss suggests you begin by treating your new regime as a trial (vowing permanence can be discouraging)--- give it 2 weeks or 5 serious sessions. By that point early rewards from the discipline will keep you going. You have to measure to detect the rewards ("What gets measured gets managed"--Peter Drucker), and score-keeping lets you make your progress a competitive game with others---which becomes its own motivation. Make public bets about your specific goals, where you'll pay painfully if you fail. "Loss aversion" is a surprisingly powerful incentive.”

I will tweet daily regarding my diet and mental and physical workouts. Then every Friday, I will do a summary blog. Regarding weekly goals, and my progress to my Mid and Long term goals. These are personal goals only, and will not include career goals. As Joey Barton the philosopher has found out Twitter/blogs can get you into a lot of trouble in your Job. Plus I find it distasteful.

This blog is called Robbo Reverse. This is about how I can improve my body and mind, aka Age Reversing. I am 31 and I intend to improve and indeed better that age for years to come…..confused ????

The Roberts Definition of Age Reverse.

Obviously I will age, my cells will pack up and I will die. This can not be stopped.

However your fitness age is something completely different. This is quantified by brain functioning, metabolism, cardio health, hormone levels etc

I am 31 years old. So my body is unfortunatley on the decline. A lot of the problems of fitness age, can actually all be slowed – by the very things I am doing at the minute = weight training, yoga and cardio. One instance, as a 31 year old man my testosterone levels will decrease by around 4% a year until they are all gone, which has some various and obvious side effects….poor little Robbo!!! However, weight lifting increases testosterone levels, as your body has to start producing more to help build muscle. In fact most areas associated with declining fitness age, can in fact be slowed and actually improved. So as in my opinion as an above average fitness aged 31 year old, can I slow time – i.e. when I am 40 year old man, could I have a fitness age of a 35 year old. I believe I can, so have therefore slowed time! But can you go further than that? As a 40 year old man, could I have a better fitness age than I do now? Again, Yes I believe I can. Meaning – I have reversed time. There is no reason as a 40 year old for example I couldn’t have a fitness age of 30 or below….. Hence age reverse is possible with warped logic….. But it will take dedication and hard work. Not always one of my best attributes. 

Robbo Reverse 2.0 - The Mysteries of Age Reverse

Robbo Reverse 2.0 – The Mysteries of Age Reverse

I had a sports massage last week, in the hope that it would resolve my sore neck issue. Apparently I am prone to sore necks because of my desk job, the slouching over the computer has been coupled with the fact my pecs are naturally stronger than my lats. My front delts are also stronger than my rear delts. All this has resulted in me having rounded shoulders….meaning my chest is pulling my shoulders forward, which is puling my chin forward, which is putting strain on my neck. So she worked out stiffness in my neck and shoulders, and I am going back for a session next week. Then after that, I need to build up my rear delts / rotator cuffs, as well as doing a few stretching exercises and remembering to try to sit up straight. My Yoga should help in the long run also.

Apart from the above, it now all about 10% Body Fat and how to get there whilst maintaining and indeed building muscle still. Although its nothing to stress about at the minute, not too concerned with results until after xmas….but I ll still be working hard in the Gym and at Yoga. Which is especially important as I am doing no cardio what so ever until the winter months are over.

I must also confess I am enjoying the TED Conference Website…….mega geeky I know. I also enjoy The Economist articles, I used to enjoy reading the magazine, but it was too time consuming and expensive for a weekly publication.

Also found a new social media Iphone app called OINK! It was created by Kevin Rose aka fame from Tim Ferriss’ “The Random Show”. If only Google had brought this out instead of the rather lame Google+ and they might have given Facebook some competition.

Short Term - Week 17 Goals – 03/12/2011 to 09/12/2011

4 Gym sessions – my own devised program based around 5*5 - 5 reps for 5 sets. COMPLETED

0.33% decrease in Body Fat. So target is  18.43%. COMPLETED, increased a bit but still under the ceiling – 17.75%

Continue reading “Power” by Jeffrey Pfeffer. FAILED – haven’t had time to read this week

Watch 2 articles from the Website – TED conferences. COMPLETED. Enjoying this website.

Read the 6 free weekly articles from my The Economist Iphone app. FAILED, haven’t had time to read this week, or haven’t made the time.

NEW WEEK

SHORT TERM GOALS – WEEK 18 – 10/12/2011 – 16/12/2011

4 Gym sessions – my own devised program based around 5*5 - 5 reps for 5 sets.

2 Yoga sessions from my Total Yoga DVD.

0.3% decrease in Body Fat. So target is 18.10%.

Continue reading “Power” by Jeffrey Pfeffer.

Watch 2 articles from the Website – TED conferences.

Read the 6 free weekly articles from my The Economist Iphone app.

Mid Term – Goals

Gain 6 pounds of lean body weight in 6 weeks. Gym Weeks 15-20. I define lean body weight as = my actual body weight minus my body fat. Did 4 gym sessions this week towards building the required muscle. Currently at the end of Gym week 17.

To be able to do 20 continuous Chin Ups with strict form, by the end of Gym Week 30. I define strict form as = start from a stationary hanging position with full extension, raise chin above bar, pause for 1 second, lower without swaying to start position. My PB at start was 7. Did a chin up set on Wendesday, managed 5, 5, 5, 3, 1 with a minute rest between sets. Not sure 20 chip ups was a realistic target, but I will continue.

To be able to do 8 continuous Pull Ups with strict form by the end of Gym week 30. My PB at start was 2. No work done towards this goal, this week.

Long Term - Goals

Achieve and maintain 10% Body Fat by Gym week 44. Start 19.4% on gym week 15. Currently 17.75%, gym week 17.

Date	Weight/lbs	Body Fat %	Lean Body Mass/lbs	Target Body Fat %
18/11/2011	197	19.40%	158.78	19.40%
25/11/2011	199	16.30%	166.56	19.08%
02/12/2011	199	16.30%	166.56	18.75%
09/12/2011	200	17.75%	164.50	18.43%

APPENDIX

The reason why I blog is all down to author Tim Ferriss. One of the best ways to stay motivated is to make goals public. So that people are aware if you achieve or fail, which is a powerful motivator.

~~Tim Ferriss ~~ The Four Hour Body ~~ Review ~~

“How do you manage the self-discipline to bear down on learning a skill? Ferriss suggests you begin by treating your new regime as a trial (vowing permanence can be discouraging)--- give it 2 weeks or 5 serious sessions. By that point early rewards from the discipline will keep you going. You have to measure to detect the rewards ("What gets measured gets managed"--Peter Drucker), and score-keeping lets you make your progress a competitive game with others---which becomes its own motivation. Make public bets about your specific goals, where you'll pay painfully if you fail. "Loss aversion" is a surprisingly powerful incentive.”

I will tweet daily regarding my diet and mental and physical workouts. Then every Friday, I will do a summary blog. Regarding weekly goals, and my progress to my Mid and Long term goals. These are personal goals only, and will not include career goals. As Joey Barton the philosopher has found out Twitter/blogs can get you into a lot of trouble in your Job. Plus I find it distasteful.

This blog is called Robbo Reverse. This is about how I can improve my body and mind, aka Age Reversing. I am 31 and I intend to improve and indeed better that age for years to come…..confused ????

The Roberts Definition of Age Reverse

Obviously I will age, my cells will pack up and I will die. This can not be stopped.

However your fitness age is something completely different. This is quantified by brain functioning, metabolism, cardio health, hormone levels etc

I am 31 years old. So my body is unfortunatley on the decline. A lot of the problems of fitness age, can actually all be slowed – by the very things I am doing at the minute = weight training, yoga and cardio. One instance, as a 31 year old man my testosterone levels will decrease by around 4% a year until they are all gone, which has some various and obvious side effects….poor little Robbo!!! However, weight lifting increases testosterone levels, as your body has to start producing more to help build muscle. In fact most areas associated with declining fitness age, can in fact be slowed and actually improved. So as in my opinion as an above average fitness aged 31 year old, can I slow time – i.e. when I am 40 year old man, could I have a fitness age of a 35 year old. I believe I can, so have therefore slowed time! But can you go further than that? As a 40 year old man, could I have a better fitness age than I do now? Again, Yes I believe I can. Meaning – I have reversed time. There is no reason as a 40 year old for example I couldn’t have a fitness age of 30 or below….. Hence age reverse is possible with warped logic….. But it will take dedication and hard work. Not always my best attributes.

ROBBO REVERSE RETURNS v2.0

ROBBO REVERSE RETURNS v2.0

I haven’t blogged for 3 weeks or so, and this has coincided with a period of slacking, to put it mildly. In regard to exercise, diet and knowledge.

Although, some of it was enforced, I was unable to train this week due to a neck problem. Which is either just a body weakness (which I can improve perversely by going to the gym) or possibly a technical fault with one or more of my Gym lifts.

Friday 18^th November 2011, is the end of Gym Week 14. So from Gym Week 15 and onwards I will begin blogging again.

The reason why I blog is all down to author Tim Ferriss. One of the best ways to stay motivated is to make goals public. So that people are aware if you achieve or fail, which is a powerful motivator.

~~Tim Ferriss ~~ The Four Hour Body ~~ Review ~~

“How do you manage the self-discipline to bear down on learning a skill? Ferriss suggests you begin by treating your new regime as a trial (vowing permanence can be discouraging)--- give it 2 weeks or 5 serious sessions. By that point early rewards from the discipline will keep you going. You have to measure to detect the rewards ("What gets measured gets managed"--Peter Drucker), and score-keeping lets you make your progress a competitive game with others---which becomes its own motivation. Make public bets about your specific goals, where you'll pay painfully if you fail. "Loss aversion" is a surprisingly powerful incentive.”

I will tweet daily regarding my diet and mental and physical workouts. Then every Friday, I will do a summary blog. Regarding weekly goals, and my progress to my Mid and Long term goals. These are personal goals only, and will not include career goals. As Joey Barton the philosopher has found out Twitter/blogs can get you into a lot of trouble in your Job. Plus I find it distasteful.

This blog is called Robbo Reverse. This is about how I can improve my body and mind, aka Age Reversing. I am 31 and I intend to improve and indeed better that age for years to come…..confused ????

The Roberts Definition of Age Reverse.

Obviously I will age, my cells will pack up and I will die. This can not be stopped.

However your fitness age is something completely different. This is quantified by brain functioning, metabolism, cardio health, hormone levels etc

I am 31 years old. So my body is unfortunaltey on the decline. A lot of the problems of fitness age, can actually all be slowed – by the very things I am doing at the minute = weight training, yoga and cardio. One instance, as a 31 year old man my testosterone levels will decrease by around 4% a year until they are all gone, which has some various and obvious side effects….poor little Robbo!!! However, weight lifting increases testosterone levels, as your body has to start producing more to help build muscle. In fact most areas associated with declining fitness age, can in fact be slowed and actually improved. So as in my opinion as an above average fitness aged 31 year old, can I slow time – i.e. when I am 40 year old man, could I have a fitness age of a 35 year old. I believe I can, so have therefore slowed time! But can you go further than that? As a 40 year old man, could I have a better fitness age than I do now? Again, Yes I believe I can. Meaning – I have reversed time. There is no reason as a 40 year old for example I couldn’t have a fitness age of 30 or below….. Hence age reverse is possible with warped logic….. But it will take dedication and hard work. Not always my best attributes.

For example – check out the website ~~ Myseniorhealthcare. The “problems” below are taken from this website”

Cardiovascular problems – “Some changes that may occur in the cardiovascular system are a decrease in the elasticity of the blood vessels and heart valves, restricted blood flow due to the thickening of the vessel walls and because of the fatty deposits lining the vessels, and a decrease in the ability of the heart to pump out as much blood with each beat. As a result, you may feel fatigued, become short of breath more easily and have less capacity for physical exertion. To counteract some of these effects, maintain a normal weight, exercise regularly, stop smoking, reduce salt, sugar and fatty foods in your diet. If you do this, you will be able to tolerate natural changes more easily and still live a normal life, as well as help to deter the development of heart disease. “

Respiratory Problems - Decreased elasticity of the lungs may occur with aging. This may affect your lung's ability to utilize oxygen, as well as your ability to cough and take deep breaths. You may be more prone to fatigue and shortness of breath on exertion, and become more susceptible to infections. Once again, a regular exercise program and quitting smoking will help. Also ask a health adviser about diaphragmatic breathing. You can use these techniques to increase your lung capacity more efficiently.”

Muscular system – “There tends to be a gradual loss of muscle tone, elasticity and strength. In some areas, the muscle is often replaced with fatty tissue leaving you with little rolls or soft, flabby spots. But what is more significant is that your endurance or strength to perform certain tasks may also decrease. A balanced diet and regular exercise may improve muscle tone and strength. Adapt to decreased muscle strength and endurance and do not try to do everything yourself and give yourself more time to accomplish a task.”

Skeletal System – “The skeletal system gradually changes over the years until it is porous and brittle, as the bones lose calcium and also their density. This may be more pronounced in women. As a result, you may become more prone to fractures, notice a decrease in height or even develop a stoop in your posture. To retard this process, eat a diet high in calcium and vitamin D. Ask your doctor whether you would benefit from calcium and vitamin D supplements. Also, moderate amounts of exercise such as walking and exercising on a stationary bicycle are helpful and prove to be very enjoyable.”

Metabolic System – “There may be a gradual decline in the activity of the thyroid gland, as well as decline in the ability of the pancreas to produce insulin. As a result, there is a decrease in the body's ability to use fats and sugars and to convert them into energy. You may note an increase in weight, an increased blood sugar level when you go to the doctor, who may tell you that you have adult onset diabetes. You may find a decrease in energy as well as decrease in your ability to handle stress. Reduce your caloric intake, avoid junk food, reduce your sugar and fat intake, and exercise regularly.”

The Roberts – GOALS

As mentioned previously, I will blog weekly on a Friday. In the Roberts world it is Week 14 (14 weeks since I joined a Gym). Therefore my next summary blog will be Week 15 Friday 25/11/2011.

Short Term - Week 15 Goals – 19/11/2011 to 25/11/2011

4 Gym sessions – my own devised program based around 5*5*5 - 5 exercises, 5 reps for 5 sets.

2 Yoga sessions from my Total Yoga DVD.

0.3% decrease in Body Fat. So target is 19.1%.

Continue reading “Power” by Jeffrey Pfeffer.

Watch 2 articles from the Website – TED conferences.

Read the 6 free weekly articles from my The Economist Iphone app.

Mid Term – Goals

Gain 6 pounds of lean body weight in 6 weeks. Gym Weeks 15-20. I define lean body weight as = my actual body weight minus my body fat.

To be able to do 20 continuous Chin Ups with strict form, by the end of Gym Week 30. I define strict form as = start from a stationary hanging position with full extension, raise chin above bar, pause for 1 second, lower without swaying to start position. My PB is currently 7.

To be able to do 8 continuous Pull Ups with strict form by the end of Gym week 30. My PB is currently 2.

Long Term - Goals

Achieve and maintain 10% Body Fat by Gym week 44 (aka 29 weeks from now). Start 19.4%.

As per my weekly goals, I will factor in a 0.3% decrease in Body Fat. This will be judged weekly but will be a part of the bigger picture. So I will lower 0.3% weekly from the Body Fat weight I am now, which I will need to keep under. This means I have 29 weeks to get to 10% Body Fat. This is a sensible but challenging time frame, because my control of Body Fat will come from increase in Muscle more than Diet. In fact there will be no calorie constriction at all. What you eat IS important though, so a cake shaped piece of Meat is ok, but not a piece of cake….. well not often anyway.

10% is not an easy target but is achievable. For example even skinny people will have more than 10% body fat, as they often have a lot of hidden fat wrapped around the organs. In fact been to skinny carries more long term health problems than being slightly over weight.

A good test is can you see your abs in the mirror? In male’s abs generally only become visible between 10-12% body fat, no matter how many crunches you do. It’s generally between 14-18% for women. We all have abs - so if you can’t see your abs, then you have probably greater than 12% body fat – even if you look skinny.