The Quest: Week 3

Survey says...

Weight: 193.8 lbs.

Bodyfat: 27.4%

Notes: This is undoubtedly the dreaded plateau I keep reading about. I haven't included my body measurements for this post as they probably haven't changed much. This week will be possibly the most challenging. Thanks to the girlfriend, I am now fighting your classic case of the sniffles, on top of the fact that most exercise routines fail around their third week. On several occasions I've found myself arguing against whatever reason I can come up to skip tomorrow. I've already decided to take it down a notch on the cardio each week, limiting the sessions between 3 and 4 per, which means I would be best advised to start exploring weight training and isometric options.

Isometric training involves keeping the body stationary to incur resistance on target muscle groups of the body. This is the cornerstone of Pilates which involves slow, controlled movements between poses that place tension on different areas of the body. Weight training benefits fat loss by stimulating the larger muscle groups, such as the back and legs, which in turn enact a "slow-burn" effect on the body. Long story short, as the muscle groups begin work to repair themselves, they utilize calories throughout the day in the process. Most sources I've read that advocate this method advise using moderate weight and high repetitions. I guess we'll see how it goes!

Overall it doesn't seem like I'm getting lighter, but I definitely feel healthier and energized. Its hard to tell if my appearance is changing any, but I feel like it is. My weight will only be so relative to a point, between reducing my bodyfat ratio and reclaiming some muscle mass. I guess time will tell. For those of you considering getting back in shape, psychologists agree that it takes three weeks to make or break a habit.

This week we'll find out who breaks first: my will, or the habit.