Week 11...

I resisted blogging last week as I had sustained a football (soccer) related injury. In my behest to get it fixed I had nearly done equally as much damage just shifting things around my house to make me feel more comfortable.

Fabio pointing out why I am stupid

What had happened remains a slight mystery. I remember stretching for the ball and then next thing, feeling my back tweak...I struggled to walk home.

So it was back to limited movement and pain killers, all of which took the edge of slightly but the pain in total was a little too much to go exercise on - so last week could be considered somewhat of a rest week. This week perhaps more of the same.

Johnny (yes my personal torturer) and Fabio (my Milanese friend, confidante and overall p1ss taker) set about putting me right - It has nearly worked. I am recovering and perhaps may make a speedy return to the weight racks and see people train horribly in the mean time.

(Actually Fabio and Johnny have more in common than I thought, they both like to take the p1ss out of me - especially when treating!)

I'll give you another update when I am back in full action.

Peace
G 

Easter and definitely no egg!

The weekend started in the usual manner for the last 2 weeks - a visit from Johnny Fuller or catch his now official business tweets here. A video was taken but will never be shown, imagine one of those fainting goats in Algeria being attacked, yes ATTACKED by a bloke with an umbrella and you can begin to imagine the pain. Not there yet? Never fear, here, just watch what I mean...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=we9_CdNPuJg&feature=related

Back to my point, or ironically my back. After proceeding to clear knots in my back, 25 minutes one side and 20 minutes the other side, I was too "messed up" for there to be too much work done to the myofascial tissue (get me and my science terminology). In light of this, I am having to go lighter on my back and shoulders for the next 10 days or so to be able to help myself and Johnny clear up the kyphosis.

Workout
My workouts have been going fine. I have had to reduce a little on frequency because I was finding it difficult to recover in time.

I have had gains in all areas of weight being lifted and repetitions at the same time so I am definitely getting stronger. I am going to be switching to total body workouts so that way I can work out the same body part twice in a week rather than every 8-10 days.

Diet
Whilst I am trying to achieve Paelo greatness I still eat some things which are prohibited by the diet itself such as honey and some sugary pieces every now and again. However I have totally gone off chocolate and other sweet snacks. I enjoy fruit and veg a lot more. I really need to find coconut flour from somewhere though as I do miss the occasional cake and definitely my own American pancakes!

I think, and yes I did say think (it happens rarely so be prepared to revel in the awesomeness of a chimp starting a fire - I checked and no there are no youtube videos of this) but the sun really does change the way you eat. For example BBQ's which are by the way the greatest invention to ever come out of the ice age, are clearly the perfect supplement to good weather. My housemate - Tim and I bought a gas one yesterday and I am going to spend several weeks sticking the bloody thing together. In the interim, these disposable BBQ's are a great purchase and so we proceeded to eating burgers, some "Taste the difference" sausages and loads of salad one evening.


Sport
I have been playing quite a lot of football (soccer) recently and not found it difficult without the carbs - actually I am noticing no difference in terms of energy levels when I am playing. I have even got quite into cricket - shame, shock and horror to the lot of you. I seem to have an uncanny ability of bowling out people - yes I have NO IDEA what that means either.

This may hurt...

You know it's going to be an interesting sports therapy session when a trusted friend who has decided to dedicate his Friday afternoon treating my kyphosis begins by saying "this may hurt a little bit". (Basically it's a hump that forms with terrible posture - luckily it can be treated if caught early enough and exercises duly followed.) After 45 minutes, and before and after pictures to help show the difference good old Johnny did a sterling job in already helping the situation - although I was more reliably informed that I was going to need more treatment to do the trick - roll on woozyness and general pain for 48 hours.

If you want to get hold of Johnny best place to start is Twitter. (This will take you straight to his account.) Send him questions, anecdotes and some sweet love if you want!

As for the workouts, once again, overall general improvement in weights lifted and failure achieved on all sets. My back has definitely got bigger, but my diet which is quite calorifically low I seem to have lost a bit of weight,  around 3kg's - a majority of which does appear to be fat however.

I proceeded in the week with my egg whites and another fish stew only this was done with a bit more of a twist, and was delicious. I also broke my paleo diet a little bit with my first ever flump - as recommended by a new twitter follower StyleCouncillor (follow him people, nice chap and has been having some mice issues which are quite funny to see the solutions on his blog.) 

So the workouts are good and intense. The diet is going well, and the therapy...well I'll get Johnny to let you all know how that's going in a few weeks.

Peace peeps,
G 

I got Tim some cordial...

This weekend I was at a wedding, and so whilst I tried to remain as paleolithic as possible, it was a little hard - but I see this being not an issue. The issue for me would come if you started making carbs your main food supplement and not a lesser part - if that makes sense. Either way the food was great and the couple getting married looked fantastic - Nice one Chris and Laura!

I proceeded with training on the bike in my garage, getting in a few miles and then going to the gym in the afternoon...and here is where things get a little surreal.

On Friday, I had a sports massage with Johnny Fuller - there was much talking and mocking in the preceeding days before the treatment, not least between myself and Johnny. Either way we found time to actually get the treatment done. Now, from everything I have ever read, it's meant to be a strenuous routine and some things may hurt, the reason to undergo such punishment is that better blood flow to the cells and looser muscles will aide in achieving your goals.

PAIN!

A few sentences I never want to hear again are "strip the muscles" "IT Band stretching" and "this calf is more tender than I thought." Let's face it people I couldn't see the point of the bloody thing until my Sunday night session.

Each leg exercise I performed went up in weight and there was limited to no pain the day after and we are talking about PB's here, so YES I can thoroughly recommend treatment and if you are in the Chester/North West area call Johnny boy, he is quality!

Sunday night I had a mega bowl of salad with burgers and cheese - I just love the stuff. And recently I have taken to incorporating more fruit in my breakfast portion of the day which certainly helps stave off cravings and fixes my sugar drops.

Hope to catch you all soon, with more enlightening updates.

Peace,
G

p.s I did remind myself to get Tim some cordial...I did steal quite a fair bit. 

Biceps CAN cramp!

"A temporary partial paralysis of habitually or excessively used muscles" - cramp

I write this latest post in semi-gregarious agony. Yesterday evening after completing workout B I returned home and proceeded to eat an omelette and have a protein shake, so far, so good. However when performing the simple task of lifting my plate from coffee table to sink I experienced a pain like no other...BICEP CRAMP!

Yes, even I, Gino De Blasio, man of little, tiny, incadescent biceps suffered cramp.

How the hell could that happen?

Last night was the first time in a long time that I had also felt sick after my last set of weight bearing exercises. I mean properly heavingly sick! I wasn't you will all be glad to read, but I was mighty close.

As for my diet...

Breakfast
125g of Cereal 480kcal
Boiled egg and some dry bread 135kcal
Water

Snack 1
Multigrain bar 125kcal
Water

Lunch
Bag of boiled brown rice and turkey cooked with some honey 597kcal
Water

Snack 2
nothing - I know I know
Lots of Water

Dinner 
Steamed Salmon with black pepper and salad 450kcal
Water

Snack 3 
3 egg omelette with 25ml of milk  - 240kcal
Protein shake with milk - 100kcal

Tonight I played football, and lost. Mr Johnny Fuller also has my top, I'm just saying so that the digital world has proof in case he doesn't give it back!