Fit First for September 2018

Fitness First is my monthly fitness update and the first post I publish each month. August 2018 was a busy month with a lot of interruptions and disruptions (back to school time being the biggest) was still very productive with a couple great milestones.

By the Numbers

Here is my summary of where I ended the past month in several key fitness-related measurements compared with where I ended the previous month. Not everything ended where I had expected or hoped, but once again I can’t really complain about my results.

 

Sept. 1st July August Change
Weight 282 279.8 -2.2
Waist 45 44.5 -0.5
Kilt Waist 51 50 -1
Chest 51 48 -3
Neck 17 17 0
Biceps 15 14 -1
Thigh 24.5 26 1.5
Calf 18 17.5 -0.5
Max Ride 22.74 52.26 29.52
Month Ride 431.39 583.78 152.39
Total Ride 1495.83 2079.61 583.78

 

The net weight loss of 2 pounds is a little disappointing, but it is still progress. The biggest disappointment is that I had gotten as low as 277 and then rebounded a bit in the last week of the month after taking two recovery days off riding. I also have a little trouble believing that I lost 3 inches of fat across my chest and think that it may just be an inconsistency in the measurement point. However, it can’t be that far off, because I tried on my blazer (a 56L and fit me just right about a year ago) that I haven’t worn in over 6 months and it was waaaay too big. Furthermore, an old suit that is a 46L is still a bit tight on me, but not too tight. So maybe I just had a big bout of fat loss. So why is the weight not down with such a loss of fat? All the cycling may be building the thigh muscles as evidenced by the size increase of my mid-thigh.

 

Fitness Programs

Yet again, its all about cycling. Now that I’m just over 5 weeks out from the Trotternish Trek, I’ve been pushing the cycling hard over the past weeks to ensure that I will be able to complete the full ride and have a good shot of adding the side trip up to the peak of the Quirang.

 

Major Accomplishments

I had set 4 goals for August – let’s see how I did:

Goal #1 – Long Rides. I have made many trips to the rail trail I had planned to try and although I did not reach the stretch goal of a 55 mile ride, I did get in one 50 miler and 2 rides of 52 miles all within the last 2 weeks of August. I have my next 50 miles planned for tomorrow morning, so I’m getting used to the longer distances again.

Goal #2 – Climbing. The good news is that the rail trail does have some noticeably elevation changes. It’s not much, and people from other parts of the country may laugh as the slight grade that it offers, but it is better than nothing. The steepest climb it offers is a detour where the sidewalk drops down to the trail at an overpass. I’ll definitely be spending some time on this hill in the near future.

Goal #3 – Weights. Still gotta lift them. Still haven’t done much, so I need to get this rolling.

Goal #4 – Nutrition. Still haven’t done much here, so this needs to get rolling too.

 

 

Goals

Goal #1 – Long Rides. One ride each week over 50 miles in distance.

Goal #2 – Weights. Gotta lift them. It’s time to formalize a weekly weight training plan and get it under way.

Goal #3 – Nutrition. There are 3 factors that define how much your food affects you and your weight – what you eat, how much you eat, and when you eat. I’ve noticed that at any one time I have been effectively managing any two of the three, but it never seems like I have all three under control at the same time. So this is the month we need to master menu planning and get the food take fully under control.

Goal #4 – Posting. The summer months were pretty thin for posts and what I did give was irregular. So its time to start increasing the quantity, regularity, and the quality of my posts.

 

More updates coming soon! And be sure to let me know if there is anything else specific you want to know about in these posts.