Week 12 Measurements & Photos

I'm half-way to Ryan Reynolds! Woo hoo!

I meant to post these measurements and photos last week when I took them on March 29, 2011, but I've been having trouble syncing my pics and I been too busy to write. Nevertheless, I'm back in action. I've decided to start posting measurements every two weeks instead of weekly now because I'm not seeing any macro changes in body composition at this stage. In fact, my weight and measurements have really stabilized. Notice I didn't say they "plateaued" because when I put on clothes or look in the mirror I'm still seeing incremental progress. So, I'm still happy with my progress and continue to feel motivated to push forward.

Without further ado...the measurements and photos:

Week 7 & 8 Measurements and Pics

My Week 7 measurements did not reflect much of a change from the prior week. In fact, the only changes I saw were a 1 pound weight gain from 192 to 193 and a half inch loss on my hips at the widest point from 40" to 39.5".

Week 8 marks the close of Phase 1 of my Visual Impact Muscle Building Program! I think I'm at a decent peak for muscle growth and I'm excited about changing it up and focusing workouts that blend growth and strength gains to increase muscle density. My final measurements for Phase 1 show a few small but significant changes from last week. Here they are:

Weight = 190 (down 3 pounds!)

Neck: 16 (no change)

Upper arms: left = 14.5; right 14.5 (no change)

Shoulders: 49 (up 1 inch!)

Chest at nipples: 41 (up .5 inch!)

Waist at navel: 31.5 (no change)

Hips at widest point: 39.5 (down .5 inch)

Legs mid-thigh: left = 23; right = 23 (no change)

Total inches: 252 (up 1 inch)

I'm encouraged by the fact that I have consistently gained in my chest, shoulders and arms while losing in my waist and hips. That's the direction I need to go!

Last week I made a shift to a "primal" or "paleo" diet that completely eliminates grains in favor or increased intake of organic fruits, vegetables and meats. The result is 3 pounds of weight loss. Can't argue with that! (A side benefit is that I LOVE the food!) I'll be posting some primal recipes in the coming days so you can see how amazingly tasty this style of eating can be. (Another side benefit is that it's MUCH easier to eat out at restaurants and at so

cial gatherings...as opposed to eating vegan or vegetarian.)

Oh, and of course, the pics! These turned out a little blurry because two of the light bulbs over my mirror just burned out.

Week 4 Measurements & Pics

One month down...five to go! Watch out Ryan Reynolds, here I come!

After a whole month, I'm feeling pretty good about my results so far. Here's the run down of measurements:

Weight = 191 (that's down about 9 lbs. from my starting weight)

Neck: 15

Upper arms: left = 14; right 14

Shoulders: 48 (up 1.5 from last week)

Chest at nipples: 40.5 (up 1 from last week)

Waist at navel: 32.5 (down 1 from last week)

Hips at widest point: 40

Legs mid-thigh: left = 23.5; right = 22.5

Total inches: 250 (up 1.5 from last week)

Measurements are one thing, but let's do a little visual comparison. In the left column are my Day 1 photos and in the right column are my Day 29 photos. It may be wishful thinking, but I think I see a little more definition and a greater contrast between my shoulder width and waist size. Still a long way to go, but I'm on the road.

Day 1 Pics: Ouch, This is Painful!

Part of my commitment to keeping this blog is fueled by the need to hold myself accountable. I recognize that accountability requires the baring of one's soul...or maybe just taking off your shirt at the crack of dawn to take unflattering pictures of yourself alone in your bathroom. In these pics the date is January 5, 2011, I'm 36 years old, 6'1", and 199 pounds.

You'll note that I'm barely awake and not really smiling. Well, of course! These are the "before" photos. Everyone knows your smile should slowly grow (along with your muscles) month after month until you're beaming and looking like a rock star.

Without further ado...