Hi All! Long time no post! Hope you’re all well!  Thought I’d put an update on

After my heart scare last year, had a couple months of getting well.. things then took a downward spiral. I developed a blood issue caused by lack of oxygen. My breathing deteriorated and I was put on a machine to help me breathe at night. Still on it.  I developed massive chronic fatigue, couldn’t even get out bed for a while which was horrible!

health started to slowly improve and I was able to move again mainly walking..  but.. as you know me and my stupid clumsyness, I injured my Achilles quite badly and I was walking with a stick for about 4 months.  Things have started to get better this year I’ve been back “lifting” for about 2 months now, once or twice a week and nothing at all like I used to. Some days it’s just dumbbell curls and Tricep Pressdowns! Motivation has been low and I just can’t get that oompf I had back.

I’m considering getting a gym membership once all the restrictions have lifted, I think a gym environment would do me good especially for motivation, we’ll see.

Take care all!

Thanks everyone

Glad you're doing ok dude. Do you have target weight goal?  I take it the doc's want a drastic reduction.

No number goal. Just need to keep going until I’m lean. The doc was actually alright. He said he can see I have a lot muscle so the body mass index won’t really apply to me (at my height 6’3”.. anything over 93kg is classed as overweight, 111kg is obese, and 145 if morbidly obese!)

But then he grabbed my belly, pulled it between his thumb and finger l.. looked at me and said .. but this must go!

Good to hear your are out and back in the real world, whatever that is now LOL

it was so nice in the hospital. Was virtually empty which was not normal .. they really looked after me so well!

Glad you are out mate and well. I’m assuming you and the family are all isolating as no doubt you’d fall into high risk category given recent events?

20kg is a lot mate but you will correct it quick. Hang in there though and avoid the temptation to snack whilst you work!

My wife is type 1 diabetic so has been isolated the last 2 weeks.. I am not technically. I think In the UK it’s if you qualify for the annual flu jab for free. I’m just worried because when I get sick, my lungs are the first to suffer. I get really bad bronchitis and chest infections so I’m just staying clear of everyone. When I go shopping I’m in full home made hasmat and I very vocal about people obeying the distance and my personal space lol

I don’t snack. I’m on one meal a day. I’m just on lemon water and Chinese tea through out the day. I’ve given up coffee (8 espressos and 2 cans of monster probably didn’t help either)

Sounds all positive Animal.

800-1000 cal a day though dude. I’m sure you want to get the weight off fast but what happens when you stall, you want have room to drop cals further?

At your size 2000 calories would have still  been  a low starting point to see good movement but would allow for a few reductions to that crazy low level you are at now.

It is low but at my size it’s doable. I’m using the VLCD protocol morbidly obese people use when they need to drop weight for surgery. High protein, moderate fat, low carb. One meal a day. 6-8 weeks, then 2 weeks at maintenance then repeat.

This whole escapade has made me seriously address food and how I see it. It’s now solely used as fuel.. the risk of death has kind of superseded my use of it as a coping mechanism.   So that’s a positive.

I still get one day off where I can do some proper cooking. I’m still a foodie at heart (did 2 years as a chef at college) and I love to cook and experiment but my outlook has completely changed.

I honestly wouldn't lift at all till your heart rate and BP is at a decent level, the temptation to improve and lift heavier might be quite high.
You're definitely moving the right direction and gentle cardio and a low trt is the way to go. Along with the walking, stretching, yoga and very light dumbbells and ultra low calories the weight will fall off.
Good to hear you've already improved and the underlying issues have been identified and treated.

My lifting for now is going to be more endurance based. Using it as a cardio tool. No temptation to lift heavy at all right now.  Just walking 5km a day for last 10 days has improved my health so much already. But that’s steady state. I will need to eventually start increasing exercise heart rate as that’s one of the few things that can improve resting HR.

Been looking up CrossFit WODS (lord forgive me). Some are ok and will help me increase cardiovascular health. Some are just so stupid tho. I’m confident with the knowledge I’ve got I can pick the roses from the bullsh1t.

Front squat to overhead press thrusters. With 15kg dumbbells. Really not as easy at it seems and shows how unfit I am.

I’m going Ok thanks guys.

Back at work (although work is now on my laptop on the sofa!) and I feel good actually.

No further issues with my heart and I have been discharged by cardiology. But I now where a heart rate and ECG on my wrist all the time and I have to check my BP every day. Im having further tests done on my kidneys as they suspect they are not functioning correctly and have contributed to the super high blood pressure. That has come down in the last 15 days but I still need more.

I’ve had my blood work come back and I have been told I have an underactive thyroid and will need meds to address that. Got a haematology appointment mid may.

Weight wise when I went into hospital I was 166kg! So about 20kgs more then I thought. It fvcking blows my mind I could be that heavy as my waist has not changed in the last few months. Either way it’s too much and this was the kick up the arse I needed.
I’m on a very low calorie diet. 800-1000cals a day 6 days a week and walking 5km a day.  I’m down 11kgs since 23 March. Did a light dumbbell only workout yesterday and doing lots of stretching.
The consultant said there is no reason I cannot continue to lift but until I’m at a reasonable body fat level and my resting heart rate and BP is in an adequate range cardio must be prioritised.

Gear wise I’ll just be doing standard TRT dose ( 100mg test p/week  going forward ). I came off for 3 months in October and it just wasn’t pleasant. Funny thing is i haven’t done a proper big cycle in over year but it’s def over for me.

Hope you’re all well and staying safe! Now go wash your fvcking hands!

Thanks guys

So I’ve been admitted to cardiology ward overnight. I had a cardiac event on Sunday morning. There is inflammation of the heart, they have had to check for adequate supply and blockages, I’m now waiting for an echo and an angiogram. I’ve been pumped full of statins and other anticoagulants. Blood tests came back good, blood pressure is high, cholesterol is low.

I’m annoyed that I ignored the warning signs for a week. I never have an issue with my appetite and when that didn’t come back after my dads op I probably should have taken it more seriously. I also walked around all day yesterday in pain ignoring it because of this poxy virus and I didn’t want to put extra strain on docs/hospital.

For the guys that lift at commercial gyms, what would you do if they were forced to close like has happened in other countries? Lots of pushups and dips?

My Kung Fu school has from Friday implemented minimal to no-touch training on advice of sports UK.. no pad work with hands either...for the next month it’s going to be a lot of airwork, form training and lots of kicks.

No I don’t think so. Besides my dad going into hospital and the new job stuff, I’ve been rather chilled. And both of those have now been sorted.

The media fearmongering doesn’t bother me.. I’ve been prepared for societal collapse for years lol

I think it must just be a bug. And the lack of appetite just having a knock on effect on everything else.

Only getting concerned about the ages of those dying getting closer to my age LOL

Stockpiling is a catch 22.... I can never get any pasta or rice, so when I can I am now buying more than 1 because next week I probably won't be able to get it again but I am eating it not saving it for an apocalypse

I’m not saying have a cave with 2 years worth of food in but seriously why do you only have enough pasta and rice for a week? Rice especially. A 5kg bag doesnt take up hardly any room and it’s cheaper then chips. We have become too accustomed to everything being available with a quick pop to the shops. They teach you to always have a few months mortgage payments saved up In case of the worst but we all just assume food will be readily available.

This whole scenario shows how fragile our lives really are. Imagine this virus had a mortality rate similar to Spanish flu of 100 years ago... people wouldn’t be fighting over TP and pasta, they would be killing over it.

I popped to Aldi today to get some pasta.. no spaghetti, macaroni, tagliatelle, not even the shittty shell pasta.. everything was gone... except for hundreds of boxes of lasagne lol.. people obv don’t want to faff about making a cheese sauce in times of crisis!

13 March 2020

I’m really not feeling great at the minute. I had 2 hours sleep last night and my appetite is still way down.

Just doing the minimum required when lifting.  Shoulder Strength is still on the up tho.

Shoulder Prehab/W Warmup Giant set

x10 Dislocations to Front
x10 Dislocations to Rear
x20 Banded Beard Pull

Strict Overhead Press - Smolov Jnr Jnr: week 3, day 2

20x10
60x5
80x5

95x5
95x5
95x5
95x5
95x5

Squats - Low Bar

60x2
60x2
100x2
100x2
130x2
130x2

Beard Pull

30x20

Tricep Pressdown

30x20

Dumbbell Curls

15’sx12