Week 1 is complete! And DAMN…. That was a long week! But the best feeling I have had all week is the satisfaction of 100% compliance and achieving that success.
So let me tell you about my week and what I have already learned this far.
First and foremost I will say, as I did from the last episode, I respect the hell out of competitors for their self-discipline and preparation. I don’t know if it’s just this difficult because it’s the beginning or if it will be like this the entire 12 weeks.
Meal prepping is a pain in the ass. Straight up, pain in the ass!
So as most of you know I have been intermittent fasting for 2 years now, I meal prepped the entire time I did that style of dieting so I figured I had this handled, no problem. WRONG.
I grabbed some nuts, an apple and protein shake for my day and then prepped one big ass meal for my “feast” (dinner). But now?! Now I have to meal prep 5 meals in little plastic containers before I leave the house, not including the breakfast I make upon wakening. And just to make it easier some days, I made a super shake as a meal and had nuts with a protein shake for a meal as well.
So yeah, that is the killer for me right now. BUT, I woke up an hour early every single day and still got it done. Why? Because I am committed, and when you commit to something you do not stop until it’s complete. And that right there, gave me the biggest satisfaction this morning when I woke up… Because I did it, I completed the week without a single act of incompliancy.
[Just a tip for those of you who are planning to meal prep everyday…. Don’t! I learned my lesson and today, on this fine lazy Sunday… I will be prepping all my meat and rice for most of the week so I don’t have to daily]
Overall, I enjoyed the week. I love my new training program Luka Hocevar has given me [besides the 300 push up/200 TRX row finisher on Friday…] and the food on the diet Shelby Starnes has provided me are all good as well, just don’t like the prepping so much.
But it wasn’t the week that I was nervous about… it was the weekend. I LOVE my cheat meals and when I say LOVE them, it’s an understatement. My biggest hobby outside the gym is cooking and going to restaurants to try new things. My favorite show is Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives [my girlfriend even bought me a book so I can hit up the joints for cheat meals 😉 ].
So I knew that Saturday was going to be the most difficult day for me, but I was determined to not give in. And the thing that truly gave me the determination to stay compliant through the day, were my clients. I have many who are not able to have as frequent cheat meals as I can get away with, so I tell them to stay strong and get through the weekend…. So who the hell am I to not do the same?! That right there gave me the entire motive I needed.
So Saturday came, I hit the gym at 6AM to do some conditioning with my big sis’ Dee and here’s what we did.
-Hurdle Jumps into Sprint- 6 rounds
-Shuttle Sprints (25 yards)- 10x 15/45
-Ab Circuit: 3 Rounds
>Hanging Leg raises x10
>Windshield Wipers x8/side
>GHR Sit Ups x12-15
-Heavy Rouge Sled Push- 4x D/B
After that I ate my chicken, organic white rice, and broccoli while reading Lead Without A Title. Great start to my day, feeling motivated.
Then the storm hit… This storm, was Tony Causley… [Master Chef].
As soon as I saw him walk in the gym, I knew I was in trouble. He supplies the Vigor Team with the most unbelievable treats for our cheat days. And what did he have in his hand? A sweet potato pie, my absolute favorite.
So naturally… I ignored him.
I went to the office to eat my second meal of plain chicken, rice and broccoli; and as I was eating, Theo walked in…. With his pie….
Theo ate sweet potato fricken pie 1 foot away from me on the same desk… That bastard!
BUT, according to MTV2’s Guy-Code, you are not allowed to bitch about another mans food while you are on a diet. So I kept to myself and ignored it. And honestly, it felt great not touching it.
Later on the second wind of the storm came back, at full force… It was my girlfriend. I told her I would cook her whatever cheat meal she’d like, because of course I am a great boyfriend….
What did she want? Pizza, French fries, and wine… AWESOME… But I cooked it and didn’t take a single bite, even though her being the supportive person she is she wouldn’t have let me touch it anyway.
So being the culinary genius I am, I knew I needed something to feel like a cheat but not actually a cheat. So I made a unbelievably delicious BBQ sandwich that fit my macro nutrients to the gram!
So although that was a rough day, it was unbelievably satisfying. Now its Sunday and I feel mentally confident and energized to take on this second week. On top of that feeling, I look noticeably fuller and leaner already. Which brings me to my stats of the week:
-Starting Measurements -Start of week 2
-Weight: 174lbs -Weight: 174.5lbs
-BF%: 9.4% -BF%: 8.5%
So far so good… actually great! My body is reacting perfectly to this diet. So the hard week definitely paid off.
Now, what have I learned?
Well, meal prepping is a pain in the ass, I hate Theo, and pizza smells WAY better when you can’t have it.
But in all seriousness, what I truly learned is that satisfaction and gratification feel way better than any short/temporary fix will.
If your taking anything away from my week, take away the fact that I stepped outside my comfort zone, cringed my teeth to stay complaint and fought my way around temptations. But in the end, it was well beyond worth the effort.
I can’t describe the feeling of accomplishment I have right now, I did what I didn’t think I was going to be able to do. I got through the gauntlet and pushed through the only part of these 12 weeks I was going to be worried about. THAT feels unbelievable.
Will I have to do it again, on multiple Saturdays? Of course. But I am way more confident and ready to do it again, and again.
So if your going to step into a new journey, get out of your comfort zone, or set out to accomplish the impossible, just know that you CAN do it. You CAN and when you DO, it will be worth every single piece of energy and struggle you put forth for it.
Greatness will never come easy, or by a short path. It takes passion, determination, and struggle… And the path to get there is going to be a long one. But well worth the trip.
“Desire is the key to motivation, but it’s determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal – a commitment to excellence – that will enable you to attain the success you seek.” –Mario Andretti
