Cam’s journey to health continues…
Cam, aged 25, came to us in September 2014 with his weight having blown out of control to 140+ kilograms. Just like many of us, Cam submerged himself in food. He found comfort and peace in it, and by having such a sedentary lifestyle he used to find nothing else to do other than eat, work and sleep.
Cam had decided to loose weight, but like so many didn’t really know what to do. He had tried and failed a tonne of different diets and exercise programs. So he half heartedly contacted us here at The Gorilla Pit to reach out for some help. From his initial consultation, he was nervous to say the least. However after understanding where Cam was at in regards to health and what he wanted to achieve we were able to draw up a blue print of how to smash those goals. He began to shift his mindset and see what an awesome opportunity this was to change his life.
If you missed Cams first week read it here: Cam’s Journey- Week 1
The words following are from Cam’s Journal and over the next few weeks he will share the triumphs and challengers of his journey to health. The purpose of this blog is to encourage, inspire and motivate dreamers into action takers….
Week 2
Monday
Oh how I love it. Especially getting up at 5:00am! Having missed Monday last week I was nervous to see what awaited me and much to my horror it was lower body (LEGS!) Needless to say there were a lot of squats and lunges. During the work out there were a few times I didn’t think my legs could take any more but I pushed on to finish the session. However I did feel I let pain scare me into not pushing as hard as I could. I remember there was one squat in particular (with added weight) and didn’t think I would get back up. That was a bit scary but I got there. Afterwards my legs where fine which is part of the reason I am a touch disappointed in my effort this morning. Last week everyday I couldn’t move the body part I worked on.
Another thing I noticed today was my attitude. I don’t like it when I am training and going to work straight after. I am changing this as of today today. Just a touch negative and I’ve been focussing on “its to hard” and “ I can’t” I want to start thinking more “I can” and “I’m not even tired” or at least just try and focus more on the task at hand instead of complaining about it in my head. Today I also had another first, and that was the urge to go back to The Pit. Just before I was heading to work this afternoon I was resting on the lounge just had a sudden urge and keenness for tomorrow morning, and found myself wishing I had a session to go to this afternoon. I also found out today that I enjoy lifting weights more than the fitness based exercises. Diet Today has been 100%!
Tuesday
Today was a good day. When my alarm went off I was ready and keen to get out of bed. Got to The Pit and my positive outlook didn’t last long. Today I think was the hardest training session to date. I gave it everything this morning I felt like I was dying. I vomited again and I literally pushed myself as far as I could. I am glad that it was a fitness session this morning because WOW do I feel a million bucks this afternoon. I just feel cleansed and reenergised. Even had enough energy to go play tennis with my fiancé before work (my legs were killing). I can’t quite explain how I feel. There has been some negatives today, in regards to diet, good news is I haven’t been hungry or had any cravings the bad news is I am not eating enough. I am finding a lot of the food I am allowed to eat is a turn off because I have had so much of it example; eggs, I have had so many eggs these last eight or 9 days now the smell of them puts me off. I will stick it out the 14 day nutritional Bootcamp. Then I think I will really have to have a really hard look at it. My biggest problem has always been I don’t like a lot of foods. I am allergic to shell fish and have made all sea food a no go zone so tuna and fish are instantly out. But overall a great day.
Wednesday
Weights day I was keen as soon as my feet hit the floor today I really enjoy doing upper body weights. So needless to say today is my favourite day. Today During the work out for some reason I didn’t feel I was doing enough. Would work to failure but seemed to happen a lot quicker than last week. I get really frustrated when I can’t finish a work out and today I didn’t finish the bench press so that’s my goal next week. As usual felt great after the work out. As I am on night shift tonight went straight home to bed and had a great “sleep in”. Nervous about tomorrow I have to go to the evening class for the first time due to night shift. On a positive note I think I am starting to see some changes in my body. Not fully sure haha will wait until someone else says it. But for now feeling good at least. Diet was good today stuck to the game plan.
Thursday
I knew today would be tuff, but I didn’t expect it to end the way it did. Lesson learned not eating can sometimes be worse than eating bad foods. So being on night shift Wednesday night I went to bed about 0700 and woke up about 1500. So when I woke up I was not really feeling hungry and it was shopping day (no food in the house anyway) so I just had a protein shake and bummed around until training.
Training was a tough session, but I felt good before and during. When we were doing our last exercise I felt I had a bit more in the tank so I pushed harder than I think I ever have before and it nearly killed me and after I felt like throwing up (nothing unusual).
But tonight was different, I had tennis straight after training. Now I play division 1 tennis so its not exactly ‘easy’. Anyway, on my way to tennis I started getting the shakes. I was not feeling well at all. I put it down to lack of food so I bought a powerade to help with energy and hopefully just give my body enough energy to finish tennis. Remembering I am 134kgs at the moment and used to eating about 3,000 calories a day. So I played tennis and regretted it the whole time. I was sore, sick, and eventually light headed. I was drinking water but not to much. I knew something was wrong in the second set but didn’t want to let my partner down so I pushed on to finish all three sets. By the time I finished tennis I was fully shot I had nothing left I got to the car and made it home before collapsing followed by waking up to twenty minutes of vomiting every bit of fluid I had consumed and more.
I tried to eat dinner but every mouthful made me vomit again. I knew I needed more energy but had to go to work anyway so I got in the car (looking back wouldn’t do that again) and on the way to work stopped in at a service station and bought a powerade and lemonade (I know the sugar ☹). I spent another ten minutes throwing up out the front of the service station. At this point I wanted to call an ambulance. I was so scared and it felt like my body was shutting down. I survived somehow and learnt a very valuable lesson. If you are trying to loose weight and are exercising, you need to eat enough to support you work out. You need that “tackling fuel”. By the way we won tennis.
Friday
Today was uneventful had plans to work out but after last nights episode I decided to take it easy. Diet wise I am starting to get sick of the food and feel I’ve had enough. I’m sick of vomiting and just wish it wasn’t this hard. But as they say ‘if it was easy everyone would do it’.
Sunday
I’m over it! I want carbs I want to eat what I want, when I want I don’t want to go to the gym tomorrow. I know I need this but it is so hard. Especially when everyone around me is eating what ever they want including at home. I gave in tonight after not eating all day because the thought of food was making me sick I had subway. Everyone at home was having KFC and I wanted that but decided that was a little too much, anyways I feel like shit now and regret doing it. But at the same time I am glad. And it was delicious.
Week 3
Monday
So after yesterday’s episode I wanted to quit, I didn’t go to training this morning, I just couldn’t do it and I didn’t. But as the day wore on my conscious started to get the better of me. I texted Corey at The Gorilla Pit and asked if I could attend an evening class. He was great about it and I ended up going to the night class and it was an awesome workout too. Did upper body (my favourite) also we started recording our weights which I like the idea of because I hope to see the result at the end of the 16 weeks. Still struggling with the diet, I am not eating right and no matter how hard I try the thought of eating meals I don’t enjoy is off putting and makes me not want to eat. I know, I have to eat and it sounds like a cop out but I just am struggling hard with the diet side of things but loving the work outs. Every time I go I feel amazing it’s the food that’s killing me. I briefly mentioned it tonight to Corey. I’ll give it a week and if things don’t improve ill have to sit down with the guys and see what we can do. One thing is for sure I can’t go on like this. Also I decided I am going to stop weighing myself from now on. I am too caught up on it. Also won’t be training tomorrow as I am working a quick turn around which sucks. I will try and work out at home.
Training at The Gorilla Pit (the rest of week 3)
So I decided due to time issues I am going to do a weekly recap rather than a daily blog from now on. I have been a bit slack so this is more of a recap from a couple of weeks ago now. I wont say much about this week although looking back it was probably the turning point for me in terms of my eating and my mind set towards training was still pretty negative but I made it every day. What I did enjoy was recording our weights for the weight sessions. So not much else to be said from this week.
Cam M
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