Wow, it seems that I am not updating this enough. Primarily due to the fact that I don’t think I have done anything that exciting that it has warranted posting about.

So let’s just recap what has happened since my last post in November.

Exercise

It has been 9 months since I started back at the gym, 6 of those months (the last 6) I had an online coach that helped me with my macros and exercise plan. Has there been some changes? Of course there has.

I have lost 14kg (31lbs of weight). As I didn’t workout my bodyfat percentage at the start I have no idea how much of that was fat/muscle. However I had definitely put on muscle so I am inclined to believe that I lost more that 30 lbs of fat over the time.

My waist has gone from 37 inches down to 30 inches. All my trousers don’t fit me any more and I will have to go on a shopping spree at some point to update my wardrobe. However, that won’t probably happen until I get a job.

Strength wise, I am definitely stronger and can easily squat/deadlift 300lbs. I can manage 12 strict chin-ups, 11 strict pull-ups and I can do 5 dips with an additional 30kg added. With my major lifts I have plateaued as I am not eating to get strong but eating to lose fat, so my caloric deficit isn’t allowing me to make gains in the lifting department. But once I remove the last vestiges of the beer belly from my stomach I’ll change how I am eating and reverse diet (trying to keep off the fat while building muscle).

How did I find the coaching? Well to be honest I am not sure if it was worth what I paid for it. Yes my coach is one of the best in the business, yes he gets results but I feel that for the amount of effort he was putting in it shouldn’t have cost so much. We have parted ways, mainly because my 6 months time with him had finished and I cannot afford to renew it – even if I wanted to.

What is the main take away from flexible dieting? I am definitely not one to starve myself. I really don’t like feeling hungry all the time. It is said that abs are made in the kitchen so it is important to get the diet right (when I say diet, I mean what you eat). Perhaps I will right a post about setting up your macros and how to flexible diet (not that I am an expert) but I can pass on what I have learned.

Studying

My studies have been going well. I passed all my exams that I had in the first semester with distinction. Which means that I am on track to get a distinction overall, all I have to do is get a distinction in my dissertation and it’s in the bag. I have apps on both the Google Play Store and on the Apple App Store. I have completed all my assignments and exams, and I am just waiting on the final results to come out. Fingers crossed that I pass them all.

The summer I will have to do a dissertation. I have luckily been able to secure a place a mobile development company that is close to where I live. I will spend 3 months with them working on an app (I think it will be more than likely and iOS app as that will be considered harder as I didn’t study iOS as part of my Masters). So that’s the plan until the end of the first week of September. Then it will be time to search for a job – eek!

Travel

I haven’t been doing much travel. I was in Italy for a friend’s wedding back in November.  Quite interestingly enough I introduced them to each other. I haven’t really had the opportunity to go away anywhere as I have been so busy with my studies. However, I will be taking a trip to the West Coast of Scotland and I will be staying on Easdale Island. I am really excited by this trip as I want to explore more of this beautiful country. Being away for 10 years is a long time and there are so many places to visit and see. I might even be going to Millport for a day out, Millport a 1950s holiday destination. But nevertheless I am excited to go.

I have friends hopefully visiting me in the summer and autumn so fingers crossed we get to do some fun things then.

That’s about it. I am going to try and write more frequently. But that may not happen…lol