The Fasting And OMAD Journey

Week 5: 16-22nd July

Monday 16th: was good, I went back to fasting after breaking the fast early on Sunday. It went smoothly, I felt no hunger, thirst, just another in the office.

Tuesday 17th: I tried to push harder at a physical level, I did BJJ in the morning, Kettlebell and spin class.

I felt full of energy, I can go on and on, but I feel that I lost explosiveness. 

By the way I hit my long time lowest 80.3kg.

Wednesday and Thursday were weird, I started to feel that the weight is not moving. Quite surprising, have to put more emphasis on planning my meals.

Nevertheless, it is surprising because I am a bit stressed and feel extremely tired.  My wife was away and I have to stay with the boys and feed them and put them to bed.

When my wife came back and took over, meaning I didn't have to put them to bed. I lied in the living room and slept 1-2 hours. I felt drained... 

Friday 20th: end of the rope!

I am exhausted and burnout, from 5-6.30am I had my BJJ session and at the end of the session I was adamant, I was not going to spin!

Obviously, I did the opposite and spin really hard. I enjoyed it, but deep inside I knew I will have to pay for it. Effectively, my legs were shut, I ached, felt my blood sugar dropped. At 2pm, I had to eat something to be able to keep up with my day. 

I also started to question my hormones! I have been paying more attention to my food intake but the weight has gone up! 

Lately, I have been under pressure. I have a lot of things going on, in particular the launch of my football academy. I believe that everything Play a role in the way I felt lately. 

Saturday 21st: My guess may be right! 

I did feel a bit hungry in the morning, I put it down to search of comfort. I have been a compulsive eater my whole life. I am used to eat to feel better. the stress I felt lately make me feel about food. 

After running my training session, I felt good mentally but drained. I know that feeling, it is the way I normally feel after a BJJ competition. The mechanism is as follows, I spend weeks training and reached competition day burnt out. Nevertheless, I can focus to compete, but once I have competed my body and brain just shut down. 

It is 5pm and I had 2 coffees and 1 tea and no food so far and after relaxing a bit I feel good. Definitely, being stressed played a massive role on me being hungry, I crave for food and feel exhausted. 

On Sunday 22nd, after working I decided to break the fast and have a normal day. I started to eat quite early around 1pm and had a relaxing day. After processing all the experiences I went through, I decided to move into a 16h fasting/8h eating and 2 meals protocol. 

I almost forgot to add that I trained 9 weeks in a row without REST! I am simply physically Exhausted. 

Today till Monday I will be resting, no training at all JUST RECOVERY, IT IS TIME TO GIVE MY BODY A DESERVED REST! 

On the left 19th of January 84.7kg at my peak ready to go to the BJJ European Championship that I won. On the right 12th of July 2018, 80.7kg my lowest in 11 years and as fit or fitter!

The Fasting and OMAD Journey

Week 2: 25-1st of July

Monday 25th Fasting Day

Since I got up this morning up to 6.30pm, the day went kind of slow and I went along! 

Hunger: I felt none at all! 

Thirst: I didn't feel thirsty! 

Energy Level: I felt slow, sluggish, NOT THAT I LACKED Strength, my body just moves slow. I don't knownift it is due to the heat.

At around 6pm, things changed and I got more energy, I feel more awake. I am also in the shade at work and working obviously requires more concentration and attention.

Now 7.35pm and feeling well, I am on my way to BJJ. Today I will train technique (light intensity) for 45 minutes then spar (medium-high intensity).

The session is done, I had 5 rounds of sparring (medium intensity), I controlled my energy but didn't feel strong, just enough for the task at hand.

9.45pm, finally sitting and enjoying my food, after the meal and washing up, I fill myself with salt water, lemon squeeze and my Vitamins and another glass of salt water and apple cider vinegar and a bit of chia seeds to help the digestion. 

I go to bed BLOATED, I DRANK TOO MUCH...STUPID! 

Conclusion:  

Dry fasting is definitely HARD, the absence of water provokes headaches, then I start to feel sluggish, slow. When drinking, I normally managed to "restart" myself with a good coffee. In a dry Fast a short Nap would help if possible.

Tuesday 26th Wet Fasting: way easier!

Being able to drink makes fasting really easy, I don't normally suffer from hunger or thirst, so to know that I can hydrate myself is aliviating.

I AM SO FAR SEARCHING FOR THAT  "High Energy State" that is advertised when people do intermittent fasting.

Taking into account that I am Known to be really slow and laid back when I don't train, I am wondering.

Hear me out, there are things that I do which surely  not help me. These are hypothesis but worth consideration. 

1. Although I have a meal a day, it is is worth two meal and account for a minimum of 3000 calories.

2. I do not restrict my carbs intake, I simply eat what my wife cooks and add a massive portion of vegetables. 

I wonder if eating less CARBS WOULD MAKE ME LESS LETHARGIC. I have to test! 

Conclusion:

Tuesday was good, as I had no headaches, no hunger, thirst and as soon as I felt low, which normally happen around 2-3pm, I had a cup of and felt good again.

I finished the day with a 6-6.45pm spin class and had a good class. 

Definitely Tuesday was a good day! 

Wednesday 27th: The Confirmation!

Wednesday was as Tuesday, it was a really good, I would add even better!

The only difference was at dinner time, I ate mainly vegetables to start with and I felt hungry so I topped up as I normally do with a peanut butter sandwich. Apart from that, a good day

Thursday 28th: The Balance! 

As of today, I will group the Week in 3 groups, Monday on its own, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Finally Friday, Saturday and Sunday. 

Monday is Hard and different, as I fast without liquid and I train really late, I break the fast after 25-27h hours.

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are very similar and enjoyable as I can drink, nevertheless the dinner is still late.

Friday-Sunday are harder as most of the workouts are early during the day, but I get to eat earlier.

I will only write something special if something special occurs.

Friday: As expected!

I learnt from last week mistakes, I worked hard during the weight session and had more control during the spin session.

I have to admit that I fear the spin sessions, I don't feel comfortable till I finish the class. Paul has recently started to do intermittent fasting and had and experience like the one I had last Friday after a spin class. To have low blood sugar is scary, you feel empty and weak. It is a feeling I don't want to experience anymore!

But in general everything went well, I had these little blackouts around 12-2pm and second wind around 4pm. 

I also decided to Listen to my body and stop eating as soon as I am full. That same evening I cut on 500-600 calories by not having my 2 slices of bread, buttered and peanut butter sandwich.

Saturday & Sunday: Back On Track!

The immediate result of not eating that peanut butter sandwich was the scale started to move again. I am losing weight again. My weight loss stopped since Monday 25th, simply because I was eating more than I needed. Now my hunger and my food intake are synchronized, I don't Force Food down my throat BECAUSE I CRAVE IT.

Sunday was a copy of Saturday, I have lost in two days more weight than I did in the 10 last days together. 

If I could eat all that food...

Yearly Celebration

43>42 yo... Like a good wine I get better with the time! Guys I recently turned 44 and I looked back at my miserable 42 compared to my magnificent 43yo and I SHOUT, "don't give up on Yourself!!!"

Your Life is and Will Be what you Want it to BE.

My 42 was terrible, I had terrible back pain and other injuries, as an example I once lifted 130kg back squat (BS, my max is 150kg) and couldn't train my legs for 3 weeks. That year I went to BJJ European Championship and lost my first fight...A bad Year!

But, I didn't give up on me. I refused to lose to what seemed to be my fate, I tried a lot, failed a lot and learn a lot. This morning I did 3 sets of 3 125kg BS, I won the BJJ EC. I now lift weight 4x a week train BJJ 5x, read like I never did.

I FEEL LIKE BEAST, LIVE LIKE A BEAST BECAUSE I AM A BEAST!

Don't doubt yourself, never give up on yourself. #wisdom #beast #beastmode #bjj #bjjlifestyle #weightlifting #squats #faith #champion #read #learn #fail #trainforlife

Quote Of The Week

When I am With YOU, I AM STANDING IN AN ARMY... E, Goulding. 

No, no I am not a fan of E Goulding but I definitely agree with the title of that song. When I used to train on my own and compete for myself I was achieving stuffs. I was progressing slowly and winning a bit. The day I understood that I was part of the team, a clan, a crew an Army, things started to change drastically. 

I used to play football till my early twenties and I was often frustrated as I felt I was working harder than some of my teammates. I eventually quit playing and started Thai-Boxing, I thought that doing a Martial Art where you are totally accountable for your mistakes was the way to go.

At first I didn't realise that Thai-Boxing was a TEAM BUSINESS, I just saw myself on the ring, running on my own, obsessed with my OWN TRAINING...I JUST SAW ME, ME, ME...  

I was pretty good, I won after 7 months of practice with no previous background the Spanish Semi-Pro Thai-Boxing Championship.

Thanks to my first sonorous LOSS BY KO and the reaction of my coach and my teammates, I REALISED THAT I WAS NEVER ALONE. 

Bernardo my coach, he was and is STILL LIKE A FATHER TO ME, HE TOLD ME: "When You Lost Part of Me Lost With You, I Felt Your Pain..."  

Since that day I know that I NEVER WALKED ALONE. When I go to train even if I am on my Own, I Feel The Support, When I Compete I know I REPRESENT MY PEOPLE, MY FAMILY, MY CREW. 

WHERE I REALLY FEEL IN AN ARMY IS WHEN I TAKE THE SPIN CLASS AND I AM SURROUNDED BY MY OFFICIALS, Rachel, Daniel, Kirsten and Paul and the other soldiers, Lucy, Emma, Anita.... 

Theses guys push me, make better, hungrier...I would definitely go to war with them! 

You Can Only Do So Much On Your Own, Surround Yourself With The Right People And YOU WILL NEVER WALK ALONE! 

Hard Work, Works

YES I AM BJJ EUROPEAN CHAMPION AGAIN.  For the 3rd time I won the BJJ European Championship, first time as a white belt, then blue, then bronze as a brown and NOW GOLD as a BROWN BELT.

IT WAS MY HARDEST COMPETITION BY FAR! 

It has been a hard, tensed and painful journey to make it to the top of Europe. This journey started in November 2015 when I received my brown belt. It was an honor to become brown belt after only 5 years of BJJ practice. 

Nevertheless precocity comes with a price, lack of knowledge and experience.  

As a newly become brown belt I wanted and needed to work the extra hours to make up for my lack of knowledge and experience. 

THIS IS NOT THE WORST, the worst for me was that I had to LOSE IN ORDER TO GROW, TO LEARN. 

Why to LOSE? Very simple, if I kept doing BJJ the way I did till now my evolution would eventually have stopped. I needed to get out of my comfort zone and learn the basics, the fundamentals and add new skills.

WHEN YOU GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE, YOU FAIL AND A LOT. 

I HAVE LOST MORE FIGHTS IN 2 years as a brown belt than I did in my 5 previous years.

I CAME THIS YEAR TO THE BJJ EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP UNDER PRESSURE! 

My record previous to the competition was 5 losses as a brown belt for 2 victories and now I can SAY IT, only one guy was BETTER THAN ME. SO I WAS FRUSTRATED, REALLY FRUSTRATED! 

Today before the Competition I COULDNT SEE MYSELF LOOSING...IT WOULD HAVE SHATTERED MY SELF CONFIDENCE. I WORK HARD, I HAVE FAITH (I am Muslim) BUT I WORK HARD. I AM UP AT 4am MONDAY TO FRIDAY TO PRACTICE ON MY CRAFT.

My BJJ is getting better and I still have a lot to work on, BUT MY CONDITIONING IS TOP. As a matter of fact I won the Championship because I was the FITTEST GUY OUT THERE. 

Apart from my first fight that I could have lost, as it was draw and a referee decision in my favor that sent me through the following round.  

The next 3 fights followed the same scenario, hard fights till we reached the 3 minutes cap, beyond the 3 minutes, I smashed all my opponents. 

I won the 1/4 final 7-0, the semi final 18-2 and the final 9-0, and to my delight I had to FIGHT REALLY HARD AS IN THESE THREE FIGHTS I escaped various submission attempts from my opponents.

After winning the gold medal in my weight category (under 88.3kg) I decided to fight in Absolute. Absolute means all the athletes who made the podium in my age group category from 60kg to hundred plus kilos.

My opponent weighed 121kg...36kg more than me... I lost that one lol... 

GUYS MY MESSAGE TO YOU IS DREAM BIG, NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER GIVE IN. TO BE SUCCESFUL IS HARD, IT IS NOT A STRAIGHT PATH, THERE ARE FEW UPS AND MANY, MANY DOWNS. 

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, SURROUND YOURSELF WITH THE RIGHT POSITIVE PEOPLE AND ABOVE ALL WORK HARD!

HARD WORK, WORKS! 

Me  with a gold Medal, courtesy of my son Milo. He drew this before the tournament I kept the drawing as my iPad wallpaper and could see it everyday and make sure I keep my promise if bringing the gold home. 

2018 here We Come.

Definition of Success:

What is success?

Guys, success is something totally personal, You are successful when you reach a goal you set.

how do people succeed?

By setting a goal and achieving it.

IN THE END THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT SUCCESS IS TO KNOW THAT IT IS SELF ORIENTED.

People can feel or see that you are successful by the way you walk, talk, carry yourself or because you have a big if it is what you are after.

For some to be successful is to have money for some others is to look good or just feel blessed to do what you like.

In my case success is to be able to do whatever I like and be surrounded by the people I like.

The society sells a fake idea of success or being happy. Check the news the so called successful people always have drug problems, love issues and so on...

Look around you, you are surrounded by happy, inspiring SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE, I will go further and name a few of them.

All of them are inspiring, happy and successful for different reasons. Nevertheless they have something in common, they are passionate and KNOW WHAT THEY WANT!

Paul D, Rachel G, Car R, James L, Igor F are SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE IN THEIR OWN TERMS. I look at these guys and they radiate positivity, I love the way they live what they do. They are Real!

GUYS THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU LOVE, PLAN AND ACT UPON IT!

Quote Of The Week

 "Don't downgrade your Dreams Just to fit your Reality. Upgrade Your Conviction To Match Your Destiny!"

2017 is reaching its end and I look back, to be honest I look back at my whole life and try to see to which extent I have applied or am I applying the quote above. 

I do believe that very few of us have a clear vision, a dream to start with or can actually realize that everything they have done in their lives lead towards the dream that they always had.

As Steve Jobs said in a famous speech he gave during a graduation: " you can only connect the dots going backwards". Meaning actions you have done in the past only make sense later in life! 

Till my late twenties I have been searching for myself and what or who I wanted to be! After few years in Spain I definitely decided that I will be as I used to proclaim back in the day: " HAPPY BECAUSE I WAS BORN TO BE HAPPY".

It was a bold statement at the time but it is one of my MOJO! I have always been outspoken, stubborn and with a strong will, the right combo to get what you want.

The good thing about life, is that life is a wonderfully TOUGH TEACHER, but if you hang in there YOU GROW, YOU FLOURISH! 

I am happy looking back, "joining the dots" to realize that everything, any achievements that I can be proud of came through pain and MANY FAILURES. 

I failed in everything, studies, sports, personal life, work BUT I have NEVER GIVEN UP and eventually I got the reward.

I failed in my university years in France (18-21yo) but aged 32yo I turned the table and got an English degree (BA Hons in Business Management) in Spain having to learn Spanish in the process.

I stopped football aged 24yo as I was going nowhere and became in 7 months of INTENSE practice Spanish semi professional Thai-Boxing Champion.

I met in my life as entertainer many female partners but could never settle. When I expected the least, I met my wife and after 7 years together, 5 married, I am a father of two boys.  

After years working in the hotel industry during a promotion interview that went the wrong way, my career took a U-turn and I became a fitness professional. I AM LIVING THE DREAM!

As I said previously, I WAS BORN TO BE HAPPY JUST BECAUSE I SAID SO AND I BELIEVE IT! 

2017 has been a good year, because I am healthy, my family and friends are good. I have few dreams and goals that I am chasing after and right now it is TOUGH as things are not going my way.

I am pretty sure that I have FAILED MORE THAN THE MAJORITY OF YOU! The point is that YOU ONLY FAIL BECAUSE YOU TRY. BECAUSE YOU DREAM AND IF I DREAM I NEED TO DREAM BIG!

Set big dreams and work your hardest to make things happen, it will surely be tough the bigger the dream the more you suffer, but to MAKE IT HAPPEN IS YOUR DESTINY! 

My Window to the World: Things Happen For A Reason...

As I grow older, I start to look back at my life and make sense of what I have done, missed...

I often refer to myself as a happy and contempt person, as I realized that to be unhappy and moaning all the time does not change anything!

I now have reached 43 yo and a quarter...man! I see more grey hair...

A good time to stop and reflect on my physical state, my fitness and any Wisdom I may have acquired...

My physical state could be summed up like, what does not ache today?

Nevertheless, this reminds me a post I saw years back on Social Media from the brand "Old ManStrenght".

It was a picture of an Old Man in his 50/60s, the man looked, Young, in shape and fearless and with scars on his face. The post stated, " I Am Old For A Reason"!.

The translation of the quote could be, "I made it this far because, I am Strong, a fighter a True Warrior!

Returning to my Physical state, I feel like that Old Man, no matter what aches in my body, I find a way to Train.

I love lifting weight, doing Kettlebell and Exercising in general.

Truth being told, I LOVE EXERCISING, SO NO MATTER WHAT I DO, AS LONG AS I EXERCISE, I DO MYSELF GOOD...I KEEP ON FIGHTING, I GROW STRONGER AND LIVE THROUGH THE PRINCIPLES I BELIEVE IN.

My Fitness Level is NOT THE SAME...

This is hard to admit but it is true! I can't do today what I used to do consistently 3 years ago when I was 40. Should I cry about it or move forward and make the best of it.

I decided to move forward! Years back, I used to train 3-4 times/day at a very high intensity.

Last week Thursday I had my first SERIOUS CONDITIONING SESSION in MONTHS, 5 days later I AM STILL FEELING IT!

As I am writing, I am smiling about the situation, Why? Simply because this is my New REALITY. I have to face it and make it work. I am not the one I used to...

Now I Have ONE AWESOME DAY IN TERMS OF FITNESS AND MANY (many) REGULAR ONES.

I believe in Being proactive and makes things work, so I look for the bright side and enjoy the fact that I can STILL EXERCISE!

Wisdom...

I believe wisdom encompasses everything else, to make a point, I will take an everyday life example that has a repercussion on my fitness level.

A month a go, my sons left the lights of the car on (I didn't realize) and I found myself with a flat battery. I was obviously not happy, I get my neighbor to jump start the car to be able to get to the gym. The same day I ordered some jump start cables.

A week later, I was in France with my wife and boys in the car ready to hit the road back to Norwich... and as you can imagine the car didn't start...BUT I had the cable in the boot so found someone working in the hotel where we stayed and 5 minutes later we were on the road...

Finally this Saturday, the car didn't start and I had to WALK to the gym and then get the car fixed in the afternoon (£240 BILL)...

Where did the Wisdom kick in? Every time something "Negative" Happened, I was "proactive" and a final bill of £240 IS NOTHING IN COMPARISON TO BE STUCK IN FRANCE WITH THE WHOLE FAMILY IN THE CAR AND HAVING TO ARRANGE ALL SORTS TO GET BACK TO NORWICH.

This Last episode convinced me to use my road bike 5 times a week to commute from the gym to my place and even to walk once a week.

I do it for several reasons, one is I want to BE ACTIVE, if I can't Run, I will WALK. If I can't train 2-3 times a day I want to be on my Bike, I want TO BE ACTIVE!

I do it for my conscience, as a personal trainer, as someone who want to contribute to our kids future in terms of pollution. Driving twice less is SOMETHING I CAN DO, IT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD AND SAVE ME MONEY!

What is the Take?

Things happen to us everyday, how we decide to handle the situations will make us happier, positive person or TOXIC MOANERS...

GOOD AND BAD THINGS HAPPEN EVERYDAY, WE CANNOT CONTROL YESTERDAY BUT WE CAN HAVE AN IMPACT ON TODAY...

"Live The Dream (Your Life), Don't Dream Your Life..."

5 years separate the 2 pics, in 2011 as a Fresh White Belt I became BJJ European Champ and 5 years later as brown Belt, The Old Man with a dodgy Back won Bronze...the only difference between pics is my Age. The PASSION AND DESIRE ARE INTACT!