Returning to Mordor

I'm finally returning home after a week out and am looking forward to getting back to hard core work. I also think I'm almost physically capable of working out again, which is great since I've been on the bench and eating heavily the last month since I was injured.

I have a bunch of goals over the next few months, but the first two (in order) are easily measurable.

Goal 1: get bodyfat% to 9%. I should buy a new and improved Tanita scale to have consistent measurements one day/week. I may also get a proper measurement that I pay for once I really start getting shredded. This will most likely take me at least 3 months of consistent diet and workout to get there, but it's doable.

Goal 2: finish the "300 workout" in under 30 minutes, and have it all recorded on my iPhone so the world can see it.

Here's my plan so I can be held accountable:

• I've canceled my CrossFit for now -- it was $115/month and my gym is $34/month, and I haven't gone in two months now due to injury and travel. Also I have specific goals now that I can't achieve with three days/week of CrossFit, partially due to its focus but also due to timing and my work hours these days
• This coming week is 2 hours/day on the stationary bike, or 1,000 calories, whichever comes first. Slow cardio, nothing intense, nothing requiring I use my upper body. This is important since my arm has been injured for the last month, and while it's not hurting as much now, I don't want to push it.
• Next week I'm starting up high intensity interval training, 3x/week. I'm following the ideas listed on the site "The Lose Belly Fat Workout". I already know the benefits of HIIT, but again I have something solid to follow. The HIIT program is for 8 weeks, but if I can do 10-15 intervals by then with only 30-60 second rests, I'll be getting shredded in no time.
  
• If I'm feeling better that week, I am also going to start into a muscle building program. Basically, I am going to follow one of the 4-day workout programs listed on my iFitness program on my iPhone. (my new 3GS, by the way, which is iAwesome).
  
• I will also be doing yoga 2x/week on Tue + Thu. I like yoga, it feels good, and the studio is 90% very attractive ladies. Plus it's part of my gym membership so why not?
  
• In a few weeks I will re-assess with my new healed body and start focusing on the 300 workout. My major concerns here are the two sets of 25 pullups, since I can only do about 5 on a good way, and the 50 pushups. The dead lifts I can do after a few weeks of muscle building. I need to lose a good 20-30 lbs of pure fat to really help get to this goal.
• After I've accomplished the 300 goal, I intend to start into heavy kettlebell training and start working my way back up to the Greek statue look. I am going to work with a guy who trains the Naval Academy students and I'm told he's awesome.
• So what about diet? Of course, this is the most important part! Diet is still mostly vegan with some seafood, but I am shifting it towards the ideas listed in this article on the four hour work week. I've already been doing a lot of these anyway, but now I can focus on keeping it simple. I like the idea of making all my meals in the morning, carrying them with me, and always knowing what I'm doing. I'm a simple man, and I do like the idea of the cheating Saturdays.
  
• I am modifying his principles slightly: I will most likely have some fruit during the day, maybe just an apple/day the first thing after I wake up. Also, when I'm done my HIIT workouts outside, I will stop by the juice bar and get a 1-oz shot of wheatgrass before my 5 minute cool-down jog back to the apartment.

So to summarize the workout plan itself:

• Mon/Wed/Fri/Sat: weight training on iPhone
• Tu/Th/Fr: HIIT (yes, Fridays are going to be rough, so I may switch to Saturday as that's a cheat day for dieting so two workouts could be rewarded with heavy binge eating)
• Tu/Th: yoga in the evenings

The diet does deserve additional mention. Here are the basic rules:

1. Avoid anything white or that can be white: that means no rice, bread, pasta, potatoes. If it's white, skip it. A lot of these foods can be much healthier in their pure forms (e.g. brown rice) but to be safe, we'll just forget about them.
2. Eat lots of the same small meals 4-5 times/day, with lots of veggies, some legumes like black beans or lentils, and some lean protein (I'll probably use quinoa)
3. Don't drink calories. Basically, drink only water, black coffee if you must (but try to avoid), and at most one glass of red wine/day
4. Eat whatever you want one day/week

This is fantastic. I can make all my meals in the mornings, I can eat whatever I want on Saturdays, and I can still have my Maryland blue crabs on Tuesday evenings (with red wine though; that will be an interesting taste)

We'll see how things go and I'll report back in September. The best part is I can visualize this routine, see the lifestyle, and know that I can get there. Visualization and having a strong focus and goal is super important to getting there.