Update on Fitness

Since November 2009, I have been engaged on a full fitness program that involves me running on a treadmill, a lot.

Now almost 14 months later these are basically the results:

* Body Fat index has dropped from around 35% to 21%
* Lost over 11.5kg (Started at 98kg and now a 86.5)
* Cholesterol has dropped by almost 0.3 points
* Blood Pressure is mostly in the "perfect zone" of 120/60
* VO2 Max (according to my heart rate monitor) has gone from 31 to 52.
* Went from a size 38 pant size to now a perfect 34.

The more subjective indicators has shown that I have drastically improved my muscle definition, particularly on my legs, but I'm excited to see that I can see clear definitions on my arms, shoulders as well as abdominal areas - though they tend to be rather limited at this stage. The man-boobs that has caused much self-conscious has been drastically reduced but still a point of embarrassment for me.

I started in November 2009 setting myself the very lofty goal of weighing less than 83kg - the weight category that I fought my first Judo National Championships in. Though I weighed closer to 79kg then, I wanted to return to that category.

That goals seems so ideal at the time, now I'm going to have to redefine that goal in a combination of indicators and not only pant size and weight alone. I have gained tremendous amounts of muscle mass in my legs, and while my waistline will most probably continue to shrink using that as an indicator might be counter-productive.

When I first started, I only cared about spending A LOT of time on the treadmill doing cardio, I forgone any form of cross training and thinking back now it was a huge mistake. I started off well with stretching but lately I have been lax in that department and is not as flexible as I was 6 month ago. Diet wise I feel that I've achieve the right balance...except for the alcohol consumption in recent months, but I suspect with my own emotional turmoil settling down so should that... I think.

Now I try cross train and rotate between: Boxing, Running, Weights, Swimming. I take the occasional protein shake meal replacement for supper when I'm not able to cook properly. Focus on more efficient training will be a priority as my time has become more demanding since I started.

Without all that being said here are the objectives for the next 6 months in no particular order:

* Weight Reduction by 5kg
* Body Fat Index by another 7%
* Reduce the waistline by another size
* Improve flexibility

These are rather ambitious goals, but attainable within that kind of time frame. My vanity also wishes that by this time in June, I would be able to get rid of my man-boobs once and for all.