Getting strong now
By: Collin Neal
Tale of the Tape:
Starting Weight: 177 lbs.
Current Weight: 167.6 lbs.
Starting Body Fat: 26.5 %
Current Body Fat: 20.1 %
I’m worried! I think I’m plateauing.
After a great effort in the Fitness Challenge last week, I had some hurdles to deal with this week.
I got invited, last-minute on a two-day sailing trip over the weekend. With the amazing weather forecasted, I couldn’t say no.
The challenge on a small sail boat is that it’s impossible to exercise, plus, other than sailing, the main activity on this boat is eating and drinking.
I did my best and didn’t have a single beer or any junk food! I did eat a lot of seafood and there was a bottle of vodka on the boat. But, more importantly, I didn’t work out once and that’s got me feeling down.
On Monday I was busy with family life and couldn’t work out. On Tuesday, I forgot my gym clothes and had to settle for a modified workout at home in the garage.
Clearly, I need to step it up if I’m to beat the Mongoose, my opponent, the News’ advertising director, Rob Akimow.
Wait! Change that.
I’m going to utterly destroy the Mongoose, I just need to step it up because I’m afraid of disappointing my personal trainer, Gabrielle Payne at City Centre Community Centre.
Gabrielle has a detailed plan for me and I’m afraid that by not sticking to it, she is going to respond with some strange workout regimen that will push me to the limit.
Something like chin-ups with weights attached to my ankles or pushups with her foot on my back. That would be horrible!
As you can see by the photo above, Gabriella did step on me, but that was just for show.
What new workouts she actually introduced into my warm up was spin bike interval training, plus more chin-ups.
Five minutes of sprinting on a bike is way harder than it looks, especially when you are ordered to stand on the bike and pump your legs until they are jelly.
I have a feeling that the spin bike will be a regular addition over the final four weeks of this 10-week challenge.
The second thing Gabriella has added to my weekly routine is that every second day I am to do five pull-ups. It was pretty obvious in my last workout this week that I am a weakling in the pull-up manoeuvre and that if I can add this consistent movement to my workouts, I should at least be able to improve my strength.
Stay tuned.
All that being said, I am feeling strong, my wife has commented that I’m looking good and I’m motivated and excited for next week’s workouts, which are going to focus on more strength training and muscle growth to get me ready for the ever competitive summer shirt-off season while strolling down Kits Beach!
Weight loss worry?
By: Rob Akimow
Tale of the Tape:
Starting Weight: 168.4 lbs.
Current Weight: 165.8 lbs.
Starting Body Fat: 23 %
Current Body Fat: 19.8 %
As week six of the 10-week Fitness Challenge began, it was clear that one thought was on the collective minds of essentially everyone I know, and, I am sure, many I don’t know, who have been following this weekly challenge in the Richmond News. That thought being, “You’ve lost less than a pound?”
From far and wide, I hear it via email, text messages, Facebook and perhaps worst of all, comments from, co-workers, family and friends (complete with a perplexed look upon each message-giver’s face.)
“A pound? Like ONE pound? Are you kidding me?”
Various comments along the same line have been frequent and feature a distinct tone of pity and disappointment.
All of these comments even had me in a state as I shouted out loud in a recent conversation with our publisher, Pierre Pelletier, (which he immediately wrote down on the office white board) “I think I may be in trouble here,” — Mongoose, April 29, 2016.
But alas, all is not lost. I remembered back to the initial article when I stated with much confidence, “I’m going to win in a big way. Guaranteed,” additionally promising a “secret weapon” — which I had planned on bringing out around week six or seven.
Well, it’s week six, which leads me to A.J. Aguasin, my personal trainer at the City Centre Community Centre (C4) and “secret weapon.”
From the moment I met A.J. I knew he was going to stop at nothing in order to ensure #TeamMongoose was victorious in this challenge. A.J. takes pride in his work, constantly providing encouragement and reinforcing each time we meet (and via text) what our goals are and what it will take in order to meet those goals. He is focused and means business. To his credit, he also puts up with my verbal attacks and abuse. To be clear, these attacks are never directed at him, but he has heard me swear at the TRX bands and throw them on more than one occasion, you know, like rational people do.
We’ve switched up our routine this week and the great people at C4 have been gracious enough to add an additional five sessions for both Collin and I in order for us to achieve our results.
Gym time is now five days a week with the two days on the weekend having some form of cardio. My diet officially has no room for mistakes or cheating. A.J. is as determined to win as am I.
The dreaded TRX bands, battle ropes, mountain climbers and various other forms of torture are here to stay, and that’s okay. That’s what it’s going to take to win.
Of course, there are still #TeamMongoose supporters out there, (I call them Tailorbirds) but for all of you who have been concerned about my weight loss (or lack thereof), remember, it’s more than just weight that matters in this competition. I’ve lost two inches off my waste, my body fat is down and, low-and-behold, this week, so is my weight. Plus I’ve got A.J.
I am as confident as ever. In fact, even more so.
“I’ve got this” — Mongoose May 3, 2016
Until next week, Richmond. #TeamMongoose
