Gnomzed Gains, a workout log/ Fitness history

Gnomzed

Active member
Barbarian from Alberta
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 40
"Working on the 30 day Gauntlet program."
Starting this off with some history to remind myself of my past successes and failures.

My weight loss journey has been a roller-coaster ever since high-school. I graduated in 2010 at the age of 17 and weight of 210, I'm only 5'5" so this was not ideal at all.
During this time I was living with my high-school sweetheart, however I was not active and fell into a deep depression over some circumstances surrounding that relationship.
While I was biking to work at the time, I was not watching my diet and intake of junk and still managed to gain weight.

in 2011 that relationship fell apart, I was lost for a while as expected. I had to move back in with my parent and find myself again. This took a while and I lost my job during that time.
While looking for work I found that my city had a program, anyone who made under a specific amount a year could qualify for a special membership that allowed access to any leisure center in the city for free. Thinking that exercise is a wonderful way to get out of the funk that I was in, I applied. Once my card arrived I was going to the gym every day, however as I was inexperienced and had no one in my life at the time familiar with the process I made a mountain of mistakes, This however did not stop my progress as going to the gym every day sometimes for 2-3 hours at a time I over trained and lost a lot of weight. My self confidence sky-rocketed and I ended up in the best shape of my life up until that point.

This continued for about a year and a half, by 2013 I was 160 lbs. with around 10-12% body fat. I felt great. Then I started working at a mechanic shop, the heavy labor and long hours started interfering with my workouts and eventually I stopped going as often opting for more of a 3 day workout week rather than a 5-6. However things quickly took a turn as I started to develop issued with my stomach and I was always in pain and bloated I took time off work and went to the doctors to find out what was going on. However after many tests there was no diagnosis and i was looking hope. this was around 2014 I stopped working out and took a medical leave from work at this time as well. Fell back in to a depression and started to gain the weight back. While eventually the pain and stomach problems subsided and no longer was an Issue, going to the gym was no longer a routine of mine at this point. I started going to a trade school to try and get back to work. During this time i met my now wife and my physical fitness really started to take a back seat.

in 2016 I moved from my city to by with my now wife as we also had a kid on the way, He was born March 11, 2016, No longer depressed but having to get used to a huge life change I found work in another tire shop (which is probably the only reason I wasn't completely overweight), A few years later we also had a daughter, she was born September 5, 2019. Shortly after that I was laid off from my job as there wasn't enough business, I was told I would get a call back in the spring to come back for the busy season, I figured this was perfect as I got to spend a lot of time with my Wife and my children, however spring came and went with no call to go back to work. I figured that they may have cut their losses for whatever reason and I would not be getting that job back. I spent a few more months on EI before finding work again. So for almost a year of not being active at all I was shocked to discover that I was now the heaviest I have ever been at 245 lbs. Looking at photos I was disgusted in myself and decided to get back to weight loss and working out.

This burst of motivation kept me going for a while, I started working out from home, doing lots of cardio thinking it was a great way to get in shape, I quickly started loosing weight and just under a year later I was 149 lbs. felt amazing, I was working again, it was a minimum wage job that I took to pay the bills while studying for something else. I kept this up for another half a year for a total of 2 years I felt amazing. Once I got my license in my new job I continued by working out at a gym near my Office, However I now went from very physically demanding jobs to an office job where I don't get to move around a lot. While I was able to maintain this for a while eventually I was unable to continue working out at such an early time in the morning as my sleep schedule has always been an issue

So I cancelled my membership and decided to workout from home I quit smoking. The exercises were great and i maintained my weight but I was really starting to struggle with mental health and a lot of other things. Eventually I was diagnosed with General Anxiety Disorder, and have to be placed on a short term disability leave. during this time i stopped working out to focus on myself ( a Terrible decision) and never got back into working out.

I went a year and then the medication I was on at the time stopped being as effective and I went through another short term disability leave, during this time I started smoking again, and my weight began to really get out of hand. I started doing a lot of research and discovered that because I had focused so much on calorie intake and cardio rather than resistance training I lost a lot of my muscle mass that I had prior and my metabolism had taken a huge dive, Which is probably why i was really having a hard time maintaining my weight prior to stopping. I also wasn't taking any additional protein to help maintain my muscles, so because I lost so much muscle and I stopped working out, it caused my weight gain to accelerate and just over a year later I was almost back to 245 (230). This has not diminished my drive for fitness if anything it has rekindled the motivation I once had, Now to turn that motivation into discipline I'm coming at my weight loss with a much different perspective and approach, looking to build muscle while loosing weight, a focus more on resistance training rather than cardio. making sure I sleep enough, trying to quit smoking again and get back to the best me I can be.

This time I am empowering my wife to join me in my journey, We started at the beginning of the month and while there have been some hiccups we have seen progress. Among Seasonal blues and kids getting in the way we are determined to begin with our best foot forward and looking for a great community to help us thrive in this new lifestyle we have chosen to adopt for not only our own benefit but for our children as well. While my wife has a much different story, she struggles with body positivity and weight loss as well.

We started by buying a few weights, and then finally deciding to use them we are currently on the 30 day kettle bell challenge called the gauntlet, We got to day 11 before we had a hiccup and we will be restarting again today!

We would love to hear some tips and tricks as well as advice on anything fitness!
 

MadamMeow

Well-known member
Fae from Central NJ
Posts: 1,405
"I see my vision burn, I feel my memories fade with time, but Im too young to worry..."
Welcome to the hive! :hi:

I don't have any particular advice myself, but just keep trying your best, set small goals you can attain to help stay motivated. Try to watch for results more than the scale in particular.

I'm also glad that you two can support each other as you go!
 

Gnomzed

Active member
Barbarian from Alberta
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 40
"Working on the 30 day Gauntlet program."
Welcome to the hive! :hi:

I don't have any particular advice myself, but just keep trying your best, set small goals you can attain to help stay motivated. Try to watch for results more than the scale in particular.

I'm also glad that you two can support each other as you go!
Absolutely, me and my wife plan on being each other's accountability partners!
 

Gnomzed

Active member
Barbarian from Alberta
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 40
"Working on the 30 day Gauntlet program."
Monday, Power builder day 3.
This one pushed me, I was not feeling like working out. I definitely could have put more effort into this one, Lots of distractions and poor time management I only got through 3 sets of the 5 set workout.:sad:
 

Gnomzed

Active member
Barbarian from Alberta
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 40
"Working on the 30 day Gauntlet program."
Tuesday- I started a new program, Pathfinder.
I feel my attention span is having a hard time picking one program and sticking to it. Originally going with the gauntlet was the best idea, but my wife has had a sore back all week and unable to participate. I don't want to progress that program without her so I I'll balance Pathfinder and power builder.

Chapter one Pathfinder: saved all 5 survivors!
I liked this one in-between the power builder.
Day 3 power builder left my upper body very sore. (Maybe I put more effort than I realized in.) Pathfinder chapter one provided my upper body with a good rest day while challenging my lower half with as many high knees as there was. I always end my workouts with a good stretch so I fulfilled day 4 power lifter as well.

Feeling great right now!😃😤
 

EnbyFitness

Well-known member
Boxer Pronouns: they/them
Posts: 52
"doing grad school and getting buff"
Hi there! Instant follow. Me and my partner also struggle with mental health--I myself have ADHD and recently diagnosed depression--and we both take meds for it. I love that your wife is your accountability partner. I look forward to watching your journey! You're already stronger than you think you are! You got this! ;)
 

Gnomzed

Active member
Barbarian from Alberta
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 40
"Working on the 30 day Gauntlet program."
Wednesday I completed all 5 sets of day 5 power builder!
Weight spread:
Bicep curls: 25lbs
Front raises: 6 lbs
Lunges and calf raises: Body weight.
Lateral raises: 15lbs

Thursday: Rest (High focus on lots of protein diet) Small Yoga circuit -20 mins.

Still feeling great!
 

Gnomzed

Active member
Barbarian from Alberta
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 40
"Working on the 30 day Gauntlet program."
Hi there! Instant follow. Me and my partner also struggle with mental health--I myself have ADHD and recently diagnosed depression--and we both take meds for it. I love that your wife is your accountability partner. I look forward to watching your journey! You're already stronger than you think you are! You got this! ;)
Thank you! I really appreciate this!
 

Gnomzed

Active member
Barbarian from Alberta
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 40
"Working on the 30 day Gauntlet program."
Friday Day 8 power builder
Also started taking Creatine
Saturday Day 9 power builder (Stretching and rest)
Sunday - Nothing (I moved a king size bed and figured it was enough.)
Monday day 10 power builder
 

Gnomzed

Active member
Barbarian from Alberta
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 40
"Working on the 30 day Gauntlet program."
I started the Gauntlet program again,

Thursday - Gauntlet day 1
Friday - Gauntlet day 2
Sat/sun - Rest as I had an incredibly busy weekend
Monday - Gauntlet Day 3
I will be doing Gauntlet day 4 today!
 

Gnomzed

Active member
Barbarian from Alberta
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 40
"Working on the 30 day Gauntlet program."
Forgot to post on a while, but I'm up to day 7, took a two day break this weekend!

Today I'll be doing day 8 gauntlet!
Also side note I have lost 20 pounds since I have started, I feel much stronger than I did before. It's amazing!
 

Gnomzed

Active member
Barbarian from Alberta
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 40
"Working on the 30 day Gauntlet program."
I'M BACK!

I fell down again, but its time to get back up!
My discipline, was not quite enough to keep me coming back here to keep myself accountable.
I have still been exercising but with a general lack of direction, mostly just moving for the sake of it.

I am ready to jump into and complete a program!
--------------------
Some affirmations as well (something I recently started doing to try and combat my anxiety and boost my confidence.)
- I am Worthy.
- I am Capable.
- I am Enough
- I control my own decisions, actions and thoughts. by placing the responsibility for any of those on someone else is doing a disservice to myself and the life I want to live.
Mindfulness and investing in yourself is the best way to spend free time.
- It is ok that I stopped temporarily, we don't quit until we give up.
- it's ok that I loose focus and drive.
-------------------------
Remember:
It's not ok to think you aren't interesting,
It's not ok to think that you don't have value in the world,
It's not ok to think nasty things to yourself, regardless of the situation.

Always remember to treat yourself with love and forgiveness, as you would a dear friend.
No one is perfect, and I am not going to win awards breaking my mental state to try and achieve unrealistic goals.
 

Gnomzed

Active member
Barbarian from Alberta
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 40
"Working on the 30 day Gauntlet program."
I have restarted Power Builder,
Tuesday Aug 13,
Walked the dog to the store 15 minutes.
Level 1 power builder, 45 minutes.

I have also started work fit minutes, couple dumbbells in my office, whenever I reach for my phone or a distraction I do a quick set and get back to work. Love it so far.
 

Gnomzed

Active member
Barbarian from Alberta
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 40
"Working on the 30 day Gauntlet program."
Thank everyone that likes and comments, I truly appreciate it!
I missed yesterdays structured workout/stretch.
I told myself that as its just a stretching day its not as important, which is wrong.
I let distractions and lack of discipline get in the way of my progress, of pushing through to develop new habits and transform my life.

Today, I will complete my stretching and the day 3 circuit too keep up with the program.
I will move forward with purpose and discipline to gain traction towards my goals, toward effecting my surroundings towards positive change.
I will ignore distraction which take me away from my goal and the better version of myself.

I AM CAPABLE
I AM STRONG
I AM UNSTOPPABLE!
 

Gnomzed

Active member
Barbarian from Alberta
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 40
"Working on the 30 day Gauntlet program."
I have been doing good work. but I have discovered that trying to find the time to work out sometimes is proving difficult.
I have been finding my self wanting and remembering to workout while in situations I was unable to.
Future notes, Weekends work out first thing in the morning, this way whatever happens later you have already completed your goal.


Power Builder Day 4 was completed on Sunday Day 5 was completed on Monday.
Today Day 6 is a rest and Stretch day, I'm trying to load up on as much protein as possible.

Power builder is tougher than I remember, maybe its in my head or because I'm focusing on my technique, or making sure that I either make the 5 sets, or go to failure.
This is how progress is made.
I will not give up!
I will not quit!
I will give it everything I have, every time!
I am strong!
 

Gnomzed

Active member
Barbarian from Alberta
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 40
"Working on the 30 day Gauntlet program."
Update: I got sick again for majority of the last week, just now starting to feel better and get back into the swing.
I will restart the program to make sure that I am developing healthy habits to complete more programs moving forward.

Tonight is day one of Power lifter again, I really enjoy the program and pushing myself to the limits.
 

Gnomzed

Active member
Barbarian from Alberta
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 40
"Working on the 30 day Gauntlet program."
I changed my approach after being sick, the idea of starting powerlifter again was quite daunting and I realized that I was procrastinating.
Not wanting to have another setback, i compromised and started off with the gauntlet instead as its a lower difficulty scale.
I need to remind myself that this is a journey not a sprint and I should not try to take on the more challenging workouts that I have a hard time completing before building my foundations back up. I like the gauntlet program and I find since the reps diminish as the sets continue and there are less sets I am able to complete the exercise based on my fitness level and push myself rather than not be able to complete the full 5 sets of power lifter and lose motivation and confidence in the process.
I have completed day 1 and 2 so far while pushing for the maximum reps listed for each set, If i find that I still have more to give by the end of the 4th I will do another 1-2 sets to push my limits and increase my confidence as I am able to complete more rather than less.

For example
Day 1: consists of 4 sets of
-Squats with a rep count 10,8,8,6, I completed 4 sets of 10 and then a fifth of 10.
- reverse lunges rep count 5, 4, 4, 3 (per leg) Completed 5 sets of 10 again.
I did this for the remainder of the workout where I could I just need to get better at tracking my reps for future knowledge.

Important information that I have learned over the last few days that I would like to internalize:
- All of our memories are stored in the form of a narrative or story,
for example singing the ABC's rather than reciting them enables younger kids to easily grasp the narrative of the alphabet. These narratives are changeable and can affect our subconscious beliefs. If you have the narrative in your mind that you are lazy & messy because that's how you grew up, or that's the environment you are used to seeing or whatever the story is will program your brain naturally to fulfill that narrative. If we simply change the descriptions of the narrative rather than the whole story replacing the key words you need to change and writing it down or repeating it in your mind can naturally open neural pathways to help you achieve whatever narrative you are trying to rewrite. everyone subconsciously operates on these narratives and if you can change that subconscious programming, you change your life.

- Medication and psychotherapy are wonderful tool that can drastically help reduce the effects of depression and anxiety. I can not site the source myself but I would love to do some research myself on this. In a podcast from "On Purpose, with Jay Shetty" he did an interview with Senada Greca, she is ther personal trainer of Kim Kardashian, (normally something I wouldn't care about) but this interview with her was wonderful and opened up a lot of lines in my mind. one statistic that was mentioned: medication and therapy can be 20%-30% effective in reducing the effects of anxiety and depression, but simply 150 minutes a week of physical activity can reduce the effects of both by 40%-60%. THATS HUGE! so while im am pushing my body for a healthier life, I am also directly combating my anxiety in a way where I can naturally manage my own mental health and not have to rely on medication, while Therapy is still incredibly helpful i think a combination of exercise and therapy is where I need to find my balance and equilibrium to move forward with a more fulfilled life and healthier mindset.
 
Last edited:

Gnomzed

Active member
Barbarian from Alberta
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 40
"Working on the 30 day Gauntlet program."
Checking back in, I am making more changes to see how it can fit my schedule better, Saturday I went for a long walk with my dog. No gauntlet completed.
Sunday I went swimming with my family, attempted to keep my weekends filled with activity but I did notice that I wanted to complete workouts and I could not find the time.

Moving forward i am going to be going to bed earlier and attempting to wake up earlier to complete my workouts as soon as I wake up.
Yesterday I did complete day 3 and I will be finishing day 4 today. Tomorrow I'm going to try to wake up at 6am and complete my workout as soon as I wake up.
 

Gnomzed

Active member
Barbarian from Alberta
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 40
"Working on the 30 day Gauntlet program."
I did not complete day 4 yesterday, but I was successful this morning, I went to bed super early and woke up @ 6am, completed day 4, I am raring to go with more energy now and that is really weird. I will continue doing this and working towards finishing my workouts first thing in the morning. I even have the idea of making a space in my basement dedicated to working out.

YOUR PERSPECTIVE CAN BE YOUR POWER OR YOUR PRISON! Breakdowns happen right before breakthroughs, we were all placed on this planet for a purpose, we are all unique individuals with our own strengths and weaknesses, through working together we can share our strengths and weaknesses to uplift everyone as a whole.
 

Gnomzed

Active member
Barbarian from Alberta
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 40
"Working on the 30 day Gauntlet program."
Thursday and Friday, I improved my sleep schedule and continued to work out in the morning before work.
This was incredible and a wonderful feeling and boost to my energy. On friday I game into the ease of letting my emotions cloud my judgement, ( I am human and this is not a setback, but a learning opportunity) I bought a bottle of vodka and ordered pizza for the family, Admittedly I drank far too much and ate far too much, I called it my cheat day.

But then something happened, Saturday I slept in and did not complete a work out. I was hungover and made excuses as things like I will work harder next time.
I had to take a step back at that time and remind myself that, all good things come with time. Mistakes will be made, and I will not judge or berate myself for taking time to enjoy the company of friends. The memories are also important to make sure I am enjoying life. Lessons to take away from this for next time: I don't need to continue drinking alcohol just because I have it around, it is not a healthy release for stress and everything becomes hurtful if moderation is not introduced.

Sunday I got back on my schedule and completed day 7, I noticed something on this day. I like having the workouts in the morning but it has become apparent that I maybe rushing my workout just to fit it into the time block I have tried to insert it. having the extra time to focus on the workout and make it feel more impactful was a wonderful feeling and portion of my day on Sunday! This lead me to understand that having extra time to complete the workout (in specific the 5th days of the workout as they are endurance days where you complete multiple sets back to back.) provides me with a greater feeling of completion and allows me to put more effort in to the movements required.

At first I thought I would save the 5th day for a weekend wout out, but realizing the timing of that is not possible....I decided that maybe doubling down on my sleep schedule is the best option. once my body gets more accustomed to early sleep and early rise, I may be able to modify that further to allow me more time in the mornings.

Last night I had a hard time shutting off so as a result I slept in this morning and missed the workout in the morning and man do i ever feel the difference.
I will be finishing day 8 today, maybe during my lunch break or when i get home.

Distractions are ok, as long as they are not the norm.
 

Gnomzed

Active member
Barbarian from Alberta
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 40
"Working on the 30 day Gauntlet program."
Moment of honesty, I was unable to finish day 8 yesterday but I did wake up and complete it this morning. Just as I thought taking a day to realize that this is benefiting me to an incredible degree as yesterday I felt completely drained today I have an incredible amount of focus and energy when compared with yesterday.

Once I have developed the habit better of better sleep and early workout I will start to focus on making sure my diet is cleaned up.
While I think I am being relatively mindful of my protein intake and nutrition, I know I can do better and cut out certain foods for a while to expedite the process.

Reminder to myself, this new schedule is a rough draft in the aid to fight my anxiety.

I will start writing down my immediate and long term goals at home to make sure I stay present and disciplined in my approach to a better me.
 

Gnomzed

Active member
Barbarian from Alberta
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 40
"Working on the 30 day Gauntlet program."
1/3 of the program completed with minimal days missed. ( Started September 6th and completed day 10 on September 19th= 3 days missed)
I finished day 9 Wednesday morning and this morning I completed day 10, Really pushed myself through this workout to complete the complete 5 sets, ( Full get ups are.......interesting)

I find myself becoming impatient with the results and have to keep reminding myself while there has not been any progress yet, this is not a race but a change in lifestyle. I have not lost any "weight" since starting back up current weight 196 lbs, but there are other factors that I may not see on the scale. I have been taking Six star protein with creatine, creatine alone can cause weight increase as your muscles will begin to hold more water in order to help promote muscle growth, taking that into account as well I'm not sure how fast muscle growth happens, but I heard over a podcast with DR Michael Israetel on diary of a CEO, there was a study that found muscle grows exponentially faster if it was larger in the past, once it has reached the size it "used to be" before training was stopped it will begin to grow at a normal rate. That being said I have focused mostly on muscle building this time so part of the equation may be the creatine mixed with muscle growth is keeping the scale the same as I lose fat and gain muscle.

HOWEVER, there is a huge part that I may not be taking into account with that: My Diet.
I can definitely stand to clean up my diet a lot more, maybe i have been eating more than i have been needing and to try and determine this I have begun to use my food scale and calorie counting app to watch my intake. I have tried to out train a bad diet and it never worked well for me in the past, where I saw incredible changes in my body, I also cause all kinds of bodily issues by not following proper macro and nutrition plans.

Positive note, Progress on weight doesn't matter as my goal this time to to help my brain and mood. which I have seen incredible results already and I am excited to continue.
Celebrate your accomplishment and focus on the current goal, completing the 30 program for the gauntlet is the tip of the recent mountain I decided to climb and after that's done I will chose another, then another, then another. The journey is the real benefit and there is no finish line, no timelimit, we are working on developing focus, discipline and growth.
33% complete this program, and fixing my sleep schedule, lowering stress and having more energy where I have even been going on walks during my lunch break for 30 minutes.

That's where the real progress is for me and I need to not lose sight of that.
 

Gnomzed

Active member
Barbarian from Alberta
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 40
"Working on the 30 day Gauntlet program."
I got sick.......AGAIN!
Setbacks are only obstacles and this won't stop me permanently.
I am disciplined and motivated to continue my journey. Once I have recovered I will continue where I left off.
 

Gnomzed

Active member
Barbarian from Alberta
Pronouns: He/Him
Posts: 40
"Working on the 30 day Gauntlet program."
I am back, disciplined and ready to continue my journey!
I have deviated from my sleep schedule. However it was still easy and possible to go to bed early wake up and crush day 11 of the Gauntlet. I am proud of myself for picking myself up right after I was able to, I don't need to kill myself while sick to exercise, I could have watched my diet better through those days and I need to give up Alcohol......

I was not completely off during this time and I was still learning and growing. This was self learning as I spent a lot of time in quiet and rest, becoming aware of the things that are still holding me back through my journey. I am eating too much and not prioritizing things that need to be done/completing my goal list. I have not even written down my goals! I need to commit to this journey of self development and hold myself accountable to the goal that I have set!
There is nothing wrong with the path that I have taken as I am building momentum for change but this is the next step, the next level of change.
I have completed GIGANTIC steps in my path and began the work on changing the things I needed. Celebrate those achievements:
- I have managed to now go 30 days with no Cannabis! Incredible!
- I haven't had a cigarette in 3 weeks, (Yes I am using a vape currently as a medium) Amazing!
- I have manage to start repairing my sleep schedule and recognize my addiction to video games was holding me back. Fantastic!
I made huge steps, I am running my life now, because I get to decide and I am finally in control of my own path, I deserve to have everything I want and live my best life!

Now I will work more on confronting myself and my thoughts, We are all created to be great and do great things. Giving up and quitting is not okay anymore, I won't let anything stop me or hold me back and I will identify the habits and obstacles in my life that do and work on changing them. We are not stuck by our circumstances we are molded by opportunities and decisions. This is my opportunity and I am making my decision that this is what I want. Better mental resilience and discipline to maintain everything that I have worked toward and has given me hope over the last 3-4 weeks and this is what I want my life to be moving forward.

I am back, and hungry for more!
1727711488861.png
 
Back
Top