Post Velocity Diet - 3 weeks

It is three weeks now since I completed the diet! Here are my current composition stats:

Weight: 187
Waist: 34"
Neck: 15.50
Bicep: 14.25
Body fat: 15% (Navy Tables)

I am up two pounds (rounding up) from last week; my waist measurement is the same and my bicep is bigger. I feel good and happy to be adding ,what seems to be, lean mass.

I continue to use the thermogenics but I will quit when this last bottle is empty.

I am doing a fair job keeping Berardi's 7 habits although I seriously slipped up this past weekend. I blame great friends, excellent wine and good cheese. Not my fault!

My training for the upcoming TSC is going well and this post-diet goal seems an excellent compliment to the diet itself. I think that stepping up the training level encourages the body to put the extra calories to good use. Just speculating.

Post Velocity Diet - 2 weeks

It is two weeks now since I completed the diet! Here are my current composition stats:

Weight: 185
Waist: 34"
Neck: 15.50
Bicep: 13.75
Body fat: 21.9% (bathroom scale)
Body fat: 15% (Navy Tables)

So the numbers have not really changed since last week. This is great because I continue to eat about 2700 calories a day and it feels like a LOT! This is solid evidence that my metabolism did not tank over the course of the diet. I am certain the quality calories, lots of protein and frequent eating are helping to maintain and boost my metabolism.

I must have become addicted to the morning weight-vest walks (39lbs) during the diet. I still get in about two miles a day and really look forward to starting my day this way.

I have decided to train for the upcoming Tactical Strength Challenge in March. I have just a few weeks but it seems like a good idea to set some sort of physical goal after completing the diet and the TSC is perfect for this. I have baseline numbers from last year and hope to see improvement.

Post Velocity Diet - 1 week

Its been one week since I completed the diet! Here are my current composition stats:

Weight: 184.5
Waist: 34"
Neck: 15.50
Bicep: 13.75
Body fat: 21.9% (bathroom scale)
Body fat: 15% (Navy Tables)

In the past week I have gained a couple of pounds and 1/2 inch on my waste. I actually thought I would gain more than this since I assumed that I had lost several pounds of water given the low salt and carbohydrate content of the diet.

I have probably transitioned back to my maintenance level of calories (~2700/day) too quickly but the composition of my diet is much better than it was. The biggest changes are those recommended by Berardi:

5-8 meals a day, veggies/fruit with each meal , at least 200g protein, etc.

This seems to be working for me so I'll continue and keep monitoring. I just ordered a pair of calipers since there seems to be consensus that this is the most accurate mechanism short of paying for a submersion test.

Velocity Diet - Last Day!!

I have completed this 28 day diet! Here are my ending composition stats:

Weight: 182
Waist: 33.5"
Neck: 15.50
Bicep: 13.75
Body fat: 21.2% (bathroom scale)
Body fat: 14% (Navy Tables)

I lost 13 pounds and 2.5 inches off my waist. I reduced my body fat percentage by 3-4 points so I probably lost about 8 pounds of fat; the rest of the weight being water. I lost very little if any lean mass based on my stable bicep and neck measurements and the fact that I actually got stronger over the course of the diet.

I really could not be happier with the results. My goal was to lose fat and spare lean mass; something I have had a very hard time doing in the past. This diet did deliver on its promise.

But, the V-Diet is tougher than I thought it was going to be. I would certainly do it again if I had to but I hope that, with proper planning and better habits, I never do. Many have reported no hunger whatsoever while on this diet but I was hungry; real hungry; a lot! I also got pretty grumpy.

So, going forward, here is my eating plan based on John Berardi's "7 healthy habits":

• I'll eat clean and 5-8 times a day
• Each meal will include complete protein (minimum of 200 grams a day)
  
• Vegetables and/or fruit are the primary source of carbs and included with each meal
  
• 25%-35% of calorie intake will be from good fats

Since you cannot manage what you do not measure, I will make assessments/measurements periodically and adjust my plan accordingly. I'll report back whether I continue to make progress or tragically slide backwards. :-)

Velocity Diet - Day 25

I am nearing the end of this diet and starting to think about what's next in terms of an eating plan. I have been doing a lot of reading and I have decided to apply the diet and nutrition concepts of Dr. John Berardi. Dr. Berardi has a strong following among strength athletes and he backs up all of his views with science.

I will ease off of this diet and and into regular meals while trying to establish his "seven habits" which are:

1. Eat every 2-3 hours, no matter what. You should eat between 5-8 meals per day.
2. Eat complete, lean protein with each meal.
3. Eat fruits and/or vegetables with each food meal.
4. Ensure that your carbohydrate intake comes from fruits and vegetables. Exception: workout and post-workout drinks and meals.
5. Ensure that 25-35% of your energy intake comes from fat, with your fat intake split equally between saturates (e.g. animal fat), monounsaturates (e.g., olive oil), and polyunsaturates (e.g. flax oil, salmon oil).
6. Drink only non-calorie containing beverages, the best choices being water and green tea.
7. Eat mostly whole foods (except workout and post-workout drinks).

So, nothing groundbreaking here. It seems pretty straightforward and a good place to start. Once I have settled into this I will think about applying more of his concepts. He believes that it is pretty much a waste of time to worry about any other aspects of diet until these rules are followed 90% of the time. He also suggests many can attain their health, fitness and strength goals by following these guidelines alone.

Three days to go! I had an extra solid meal over the weekend and another few days of shakes should be a piece of cake.

Velocity Diet - Day 22

Nurse Sandy is holding a realistic model of five pounds of human fat! More on this later.

I completed the third week!

Here are my updated composition stats:

Weight: 184
Waist: 34.25"
Neck: 15.50
Bicep: 13.50
Body fat: 21.7% (bathroom scale)
Body fat: 16% (Navy Tables)

I lost another two pounds but the body-fat measurements are less than encouraging. The bathroom scale says I am down another 1/2% but the Navy tables put me a full point higher than last week. Based on this, fat loss has slowed down or stopped although this might be attributed to measurement error. I am hoping that my metabolism has not tanked.

On a positive note, I hit a personal best in one of my lifts this week. This is pretty surprising being three weeks into a calorie-restricted diet. I was able to press a 32kg kettlebell for five reps with each arm and do this three times. My previous best was three sets of three.

Another positive note. I am down 11 pounds now and I can safely assume that at least 5 of it is pure fat. My doctor keeps a model in his office of five pounds of human fat. It is a great visual and shocking really. He was nice enough to let me drop by and snap a shot of it.

This week was full of ups and downs. As I reported previously, I bonked while skiing over the weekend. I have been sleeping well but yesterday I broke out into a cold sweat around dinner time and felt pretty nauseous. This is the second time this has happened over the three week period and it is no fun. I am sure that some would call this a cleansing reaction or healing crisis; I have no idea really.

Just 7 days left! Lets see, thats about 38 shakes, 28 tables spoons of flax seed, 42 fish oil capsules, 28 tablespoons of almond butter ...

Velocity Diet - Day 18

Well, I learned another big lesson over the weekend. Extended, intense activity is impossible for me with amount of carbohydrates allowed for in this diet. In fact, it really hurts.

I went skiing this weekend with my wife and son. On Saturday, my wife and I skied hard for a couple of hours an I just bonked. I dragged myself back to the room and had a piece of toast but it was too late and I felt like crap for the next 24 hours. I guess that I just did not see this coming since my lifting has been going so well. But, now it seems obvious. My workouts are brief, intense and accompanied by a big serving of carbs in the form of a shake (Biotest Surge). I am sure I could have avoided this with a big bowl of oatmeal for breakfast before skiing.

I would caution others on this diet to modify their caloric and carbohydrate intake to account for any significant increase in activity.

Velocity Diet - Day 15 - Start of Week Three

The second week is in the bag.
Here are my updated composition stats:

Weight: 186
Waist: 34"
Neck: 15.50
Bicep: 13.75
Body fat: 22.2% (bathroom scale)
Body fat: 15% (Navy Tables)

This is interesting since the numbers are in conflict. My weight is only down two pounds from last week but my waist is smaller by a full inch. My bathroom scale says my body fat percentage has barely changed (-0.3%) but the Navy Scales claim a full 2% reduction!

The bathroom scale can only be correct if I lost significant muscle mass this week. That seems unlikely since I am getting stronger in my lifts rather than weaker. However, the Navy Scales can only be correct if I have actually added muscle mass this week. That would be a welcome surprise but is unlikely too because of the calorie restriction.

So, I'll assume that the real body fat change is in between the two measurements and that I lost about 1% body fat which lines up well with the 2 pound weight loss.

I had another strong workout yesterday and slept well last night although for only 7 hours. I did have a period of strong hunger in the evening and started feeling really sorry for myself. I felt much better after cooking dinner for my family :-)

On to week three!

Velocity Diet - Day 13

Made it home from the Ohio visit with relatives. It was rough making shakes on the airplane but, actually, not as bad as I thought it would be. I am near the end of the second week and feeling very good right now.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I did have an extra solid meal yesterday at the celebration for my Mother-in-law's birthday. I cut out the last two shakes and almond butter to stay under my caloric limit.

Bowl of bouillabaisse (Salmon, Scallops, Monk fish)
Large green salad w/ Oil-Vinegar
Small glass red wine

I have been sleeping very well and this seems to make a big difference as to how I feel during the day. The bouillabaisse may have helped too :-)

My workout yesterday was surprisingly strong. I dead-lifted heavier and with more volume than I have in the recent past. Pretty sore today but that was a great workout. It will be interesting to see how I fare in the next couple of weeks but I have not lost any strength so far.

Thought I'd recommend a blogger I enjoy reading. Art De Vany has been writing very interesting articles on health, nutrition and exercise for awhile now. He is completely confused regarding Kettlebells but most of his posts are excellent.

Velocity Diet - Day 11

Traveling while on this diet is certainly not the easiest thing in the world. But, it is do-able. I packed 4 days worth of supplements and have been sticking to the plan. The biggest problem is the social pressure. I suppose this diet does seem pretty crazy to most.

I enjoyed my second solid meal today:

6 oz grilled steak
grilled onions, bell peppers, mushrooms
small glass red wine
large serving of pico de gallo
small serving of beans

Strangely, the shakes are starting to taste better. They seemed much too sweet at the beginning of the diet but now seem fine. I guess I have adapted to that too.

Day 9

Everything was going great today. I had a super walk this morning although it was about 9 degrees F! Then a good day at "the office"; a very strong workout ... then boom! I felt like crap. I think two things contributed to this:

1. I let myself get dehydrated
2. Too much time between shakes

After the workout I slammed down the post-training shake and ran out the door for some errands. After an hour or so I started feeling horrible and then realized I was very thirsty and hungry. I started drinking water but was not able to get a protein shake for another hour or so.

Anyway, I felt much better after a liter of water and my last shake of the day. I am certain that this could have been avoided. Lesson learned.

I have been using probiotic caps along with chewable fiber tablets. The fiber in this brand of tablet, inulin, works synergistically with probiotic beasties as they thrive on it.

I gratuitously included my iron supplement in the background :-).

Day 8 - Start of week two

I completed my first week!
Here are my updated composition stats:

Weight: 188 lbs
Waist: 35”
Neck: 15.50”
Bicep 13.75”
Body fat: 22.5% (per my bathroom scale)
Body fat: 17% (per the Navy analysis tables)

So, I have lost 7 pounds and one inch around my waist. I have dropped 1.5% body fat per my bathroom scale and 1% per the navy tables. Based on the new percentages, I assume that I have lost 2-3 pounds of fat and 4-5 pounds of water.

My workout yesterday felt very strong so I don't think I have lost any strength but my neck measurement is down 1/4 inch which may indicate muscle loss. Hopefully, it just indicates poor measuring technique.

I am not sleeping as well as I usually do. It may be the thermogenics or reduced carbohydrates; not sure. All-in-all, I am happy with the results so far. On to week two!

Day 6

My dog thinks this diet is the greatest thing ever. Every morning, first thing, we start the day with a couple of miles through the neighborhood. It was pretty cold this morning but beautiful.

I wear a weight-vest loaded with about 35lbs. Its more than a stroll but I do take it easy since I am not after any kind of aerobic work.

Day 4

I had my first of four "cheat" meals today:

6 oz. grilled sirloin
small salad
1/2 baked sweet potato
grilled vegetables
handful of nuts
small glass of red wine

This was just what I needed and I am now ready for another 6 days of shakes!

Felt pretty good all day and I think that I have acclimated to the thermogenics. I slept well last night and I took the full 4 caps today without experiencing any jitters.

I reread Dan John's V-Diet Test Drive and I highly recommend this article to anyone considering this diet. I also recommend just about anything Mr. John has written.

Day 3

Today was a bit tougher. I increased my dosage of thermogenics (Biotest Hot-Rox) and this, along with a big cup of coffee, made me a bit jittery for much of the day. Things have settled down now and I feel better this evening.

Yesterday I put together my workout plan. I want to keep things simple so each workout will consist of just three big lifts. I have two plans (A,B) and I will alternate between them.

Plan A:
Bar Bell Dead Lift
Bar Bell Bent Over Rows
Kettle Bell Side Press

Plan B:
Bar Bell Front Squats (Initial Power Clean)
Weighted Pull Ups (Rings)
Double Kettle Bell Floor Press

I've started with a weight appropriate for 5 sets of 5 reps for each of these exercises. Based on a welcome suggestion from Zach Salazar, I will vary the rep scheme, load and speed throughout this 4 week cycle. Hopefully, this routine will provide my lean mass with enough reason to stick around.

Day 2

Made it through the 2nd day and everything is going well so far. Based on my initial weight, this diet calls for me to consume between 1400 and 1700 calories a day and get at least 195 grams of protein. This is what I have come up with:

Non-Training days:
5 protein shakes (BioTest Metabolic Drive)
4 tablespoons flax seed (ground)
2 tablespoons almond butter
4 caps fish oil concentrate

Training days:
5 protein shakes (BioTest Metabolic Drive)
1 Post work out recovery shake (BioTest Surge)
4 tablespoons flax seed (ground)
1 tablespoons almond butter
4 caps fish oil concentrate

This works out to about 1500 calories/210 grams of protein on non-training days and 1730 calories/235 grams protein on training days.

I also take a couple of probiotic caps a day.

Day 1

I started the diet today! My supplements arrived early so I decided there was no reason to put this off any longer.

Here are my baseline composition stats:

Weight: 195 lbs
Waist: 36”
Neck: 15.75”
Bicep 13.75”
Body fat: 24% (per my bathroom scale)
Body fat: 18% (per the Navy analysis tables)

And, here are my baseline strength stats:

Kettle Bell Side Press 70 lbs (triples, each arm - moderately difficult)
Bar Bell Dead Lift 305 lbs (triples - moderately difficult)

My goal here is to lose a significant amount of fat mass without sacrificing any strength or lean mass.

Four weeks of eating out of a blender. We'll see how it goes!