With just one week left, it doesn't look like I'm making anymore visible progress. The stubborn thin layer of fat that is left around my midsection doesn't seem to be going anywhere despite everything I've done. There is very slight separation in my rectus abdominis (which really pisses me off) and it's really only visible in certain angles of lighting. If I had to estimate, I'd still say I'm between 10-15% body fat.
I've put some thought into what I'm going to do after April 24th and I've decided to take a week off to take a step back and reevaluate everything. Everything I've been doing these past few weeks has been pretty taxing, but I also feel like I'm getting into the groove of it and making it a habit.
I stopped swimming for a while now because of hectic scheduling but once I get a day off I think I'm going to permanently sign up for that Master's swim class. There was a noticeable difference in my physique after just one session.
Ultimately, I believe that my current cardio intensity isn't taxing enough.
With that said, I've thought about my blog as a whole recently and contemplated subjects that were missing that a curious fellow fat loss individual might be interested in. Supplementation immediately came to mind as something I have not touched on yet. When training as much as 4 days a week and then doing cardio on top of it, the body quickly wears down if not given the proper nutrients to keep it going. Some examples include glutamine deficiencies (an important branched chain amino acid that is rapidly depleted after weight training), wear and tear on joints and ligaments, the all important protein powder to address muscle rebuilding, as well as just general micro-nutrient deficiencies because of the increased stress on your body to rebuild.
Without further ado, here are some of the supplements I'm currently taking to address these issues:
I've been using this protein powder since college and I can't really say anything bad about it. Fast absorbing and fairly standard and cheap if you buy a 10lbs bag that lasts you like a year. I take this post workout mainly, and occasionally in a smoothie as a meal replacement in order to get my daily protein requirements. I try to eat solid foods as much as possible though, as this doesn't usually provide the same feeling of satiety as a good meal would.
Another type of protein derived from milk that is taken right before bed. Casein has been highly underrated but studies have shown that when taken in combination with whey, it can accelerate fat loss. The primary idea behind why you take casein is that it is a slower digesting protein that is slowly released throughout the night while you are sleeping. As a result, your body never goes through a serious fast while you are sleeping and it has the necessary building blocks to regenerate while you sleep. When taken, casein reacts with your stomach acids and actually gels and coagulates giving you a stronger sensation of satiety than whey. Very useful, but needs to be taken in moderation and at the right times. Taking too much could lead to digestive issues.
A Good Multi Vitamin
This is probably a given, but it's always good to cover all your bases even if you are getting the necessary nutrients in your diet. Statistically speaking, the average American diet is highly nutrient deficient, which turns this into an essential. In addition to this, weight training usually causes your body to rapidly utilize massive amounts of B vitamins so it's important to choose a high performance vitamin which gives you higher doses of these and other nutrients, than to choose a normal one generally designed for sedentary people. I use Kirkland's Premium Performance multivitamin. It's cheap and you can get it at Costco, but for those more serious, there's also Optimum Optimen which is a high performance multi that bodybuilding.com produces that is very popular.
Fish Oil
The all important omega-3 supplement. It does everything from providing the building blocks to your brain to lowering your cholesterol and triglyceride levels as well as balancing out your hormones. As mentioned in a previous post, Our diet skews essential fatty acids away from omega-3s making us highly deficient. This isn't really hard to get as there's just billions of types out there. I like Coromega because it tastes like pudding and has more effective absorption, but I'm also currently taking Blue Ice Royal Vitamin Butter & Cod Liver Oil at the suggestion of Timothy Ferris of The 4 Hour Body. Vitamin butter not only contains omega-3s, but it also has substantial quantities of vitamin A and D plus CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) which supposedly has additional fat loss and beneficial properties. Ultimately of course, it's your choice as there's a plethora of fish oils to choose from and most of them are very good quality.
Joint Supplementation
This applies specifically to those who have previous sprains or joint aggravations. I take Move Free which is a great product that not only contains glucosamine and chondroitin (the two main ingredients to help joint lubrication and flexibility) but also a 2,000 IU supplement of all important vitamin D3 that I discussed in a previous post. The D3 in the multi usually isn't enough.
Other optionals:
A pre-workout supplement that I probably wouldn't be taking if it wasn't given to me. (Thanks Stephanie!) But this has made a HUGE difference in my ability to be consistent with working out. There's been many times where I've just felt like shit or felt too tired to workout even though it was my day to go, but after taking this beforehand, I can get through my workouts with higher intensity and faster speeds. Really an amazing effect on focus and energy without adding to caloric intake. A general concoction of caffeine, BCAAs and creatine.
Fat Burners/Thermogenics
This is getting into questionable territory and not recommended usually if you're not already at a certain level of fitness. These usually manipulate some sort of hormonal response including but not limited to thyroid hormone conversions, adrenaline release, in addition to added caffeine. I'm experimenting with one called OxyElite Pro right now, and I'm interested to see the effects, but definitely not something I plan on taking long term.
That's pretty much all I have for now. Questions, comments or responses are welcome.
Stay tuned!
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