5:45pm - 5 BCAA, 2 HotRox, 1 scoop whey, NEPA walk (3.3mph,4deg incline) @ 60 mins
6:45pm - 1 scoop whey, 3g EPA/DHA, CLA, multi-vitamin
10:30pm - Solid Meal - 1 chicken breast w/ lemon-pepper + steamed broccoli
1:30am - 1 scoop Strawberry MD, 1 scoop Banana MD
4:30pm - 2 scoops Vanilla MD, 3g EPA/DHA, CLA, 4 BCAA
6:30am - 2 scoops Chocolate MD, 3tbsp flaxmeal, 1tbsp p-butter, 3g EPA/DHA, CLA, melatonin
7:30am - 3 BCAA, 3 ZMA caps

Today was more or less standard. It was my first day off from work, so I spent most of it with my family, friends, and relaxing at home. I decided to save the progress pictures for next Friday, which marks the last day of the diet. Now that I have regular whey available again, I’ll be taking it before and after my morning walks, and counting it as one meal (shake). Tomorrow is the beginning of Transition Week 2, which means that I’ll be having 2 whole meals a day. It feels so naughty. Plus, I have a workout also.

This post was brought to you by Project Phatko

6:00pm - 4 BCAA, 2 HotRox, NEPA walk (3.3mph,4deg incline) @ 55 mins
7:00pm - Gym - 10×3 Routine (lat pull-downs, one-arm standing db shoulder press, lunges), Half serving of Surge, 5g creatine
7:45pm - Half serving of Surge, 5g creatine
9:00pm - Solid Meal - 1 chicken breast w/ lemon-pepper + steamed broccoli, 3g EPA/DHA, CLA, multi-vitamin
12:00am - 1 scoop Strawberry MD, 1 scoop Banana MD
3:00pm - 2 scoops Vanilla MD, 3g EPA/DHA, CLA, 4 BCAA, 1 HotRox
6:30pm - 1 scoop Strawberry MD, 1 scoop Banana MD
9:45am - 2 scoops Chocolate MD, 3tbsp flaxmeal, 1tbsp p-butter, 3g EPA/DHA, CLA, melatonin
10:30am - 3 BCAA, 3 ZMA caps

With little time to spare before I left for work, I managed to get both my morning walk and gym workout completed. Had Surge and my solid meal before I left for work, and carried 3 shakes with me to work. No real challenge anymore, just grinding it out day by day. Actually, the biggest challenge is when unexpected circumstances come up, like earlier this week. Those are always the biggest tests. To give myself a day of rest, I’ll being doing tommorow’s normally scheduled workout on Saturday. Next week I’ll be swapping the Monday workout with my Wednesday muay thai. The reason is because I work weekday nights, and my gym routine is flexible to my schedule, whereas I have to fit my schedule around the set class times. It shouldn’t make a big difference doing it that way.

This post was brought to you by Project Phatko

7:30pm - 5 BCAA, 2 scoops Banana MD
9:00pm - Solid Meal - 2 chicken breasts, steamed brocholli
12:30am - 2 scoops Banana MD, 3g EPA/DHA, CLA, multi-vitamin
3:30am - 2 scoops Banana MD, 3g EPA/DHA, CLA, 4 BCAA, 1 HotRox
7:45am - 2 scoops Banana MD
10:45am - 2 scoops Chocolate MD, 3tbsp flaxmeal, 1tbsp p-butter, 3g EPA/DHA, CLA, melatonin
11:30am - 3 BCAA, ZMA

It was bound to happen eventually. I had to stay home to chaperon the contractors this afternoon when I woke up (after only 4 hours of sleep, again), which left me with no time to either do my morning cardio or go to the gym. Diet didn’t suffer, so that’s the most important part I guess. Due to lack of time, I had to make my shakes at work, so I could only take one bottle with me, which is why it was officially Banana Day today. To compensate for the missed workout, I will do today’s workout tomorrow instead, which shouldn’t be a problem, except for the slight disruption to my groove.

Today also begins my trial of a ZMA supplement from Biotest. It contains zinc, magnesium, and vitamin B6. Allegedly, it provides better quality rest and recovery, so it’s gonna be replacing my current calcium/magnesium pre-bed supplementation. We’ll see how it goes.

Tomorrow is my last night shift for the week, and then it’s a good 4 days of proper rest, relaxation, and routine. This Friday marks the end of the Week 5, which leaves one more week to go. Today I looked in the mirror and surprised myself by the amount of definition around my ribcage (serratus anterior), mid-to-lower back, and chest. I don’t remember ever being this lean. Good things. I’m not sure whether I will post progress pics this Friday or wait until next Friday, which will mark the end of the transition period, and ultimately the Velocity Diet altogether.

This post was brought to you by Project Phatko

5:45pm - 5 BCAA, 2 HotRox, NEPA walk (3.3mph,4deg incline) @ 45 mins
7:00pm - 2 scoops Banana MD + 3g EPA/DHA, CLA, multi-vitamin
10:00pm - Solid Meal - 2 chicken breasts
1:00pm - 1 scoop Strawberry MD, 1 scoop Banana MD, 3g EPA/DHA, CLA, 4 BCAA
4:30pm - 1 scoop Strawberry MD, 1 scoop Banana MD
9:00am - 2 scoops Chocolate MD, 3tbsp flaxmeal, 1tbsp p-butter, 3g EPA/DHA, CLA
9:30am - 3 BCAA, calcium, magnesium

My sweet rhythm was messed up today because I had contractors doing work in my kitchen, which was unscheduled (due the coordination difficulties between them), so I only had 4 hours of sleep. I was caught off guard, and because I woke up earlier than planned, yet still had to remain awake for the same amount of time (due to work), I knew that I had a long day ahead of me. I went without food for the first two hours of the day (which should have been spent sleeping), and instead began my day as usual, walk and all, at the same time as previous days. Probably wasn’t the best thing for my metabolism, but I don’t think I had any better alternatives without consuming more calories.

In addition to that, due to the renovation work, I was without water at home! However, I didn’t let that stop me, so instead I went along with my activities as usual (treadmill walk), but then drove to my parent’s house to shower up and make my shake, along with the rest of my shakes for the day. It was some last minute improvisation, but I’ve been too perfect to screw things up now just because of circumstances. The only real casualty was the lack of veggies in my solid meal today.

The contractors were back this morning to finish the work, which also happened to be my bedtime, so it was a very long day indeed. The good news, at least, is that my supplements arrived today.

This post was brought to you by Project Phatko

5:00pm - 5 BCAA, 2 HotRox, NEPA walk (3.3mph,4deg incline) @ 60 mins
6:30pm - 2 scoops Vanilla MD + 3g EPA/DHA, CLA, multi-vitamin
8:00pm - Gym - 10×3 Routine (incline db bench press, one-arm db rows, bulgarian squats)
8:45pm - One serving of Surge
10:00pm - Solid Meal - 1 chicken breast w/ lemon-pepper + steamed broccoli
1:00pm - 1 scoop Strawberry MD, 1 scoop Banana MD, 3g EPA/DHA, CLA, 4 BCAA, 1 HotRox
4:00pm - 2 scoops Banana MD
8:45am - 2 scoops Chocolate MD, 3tbsp flaxmeal, 1tbsp p-butter, 3g EPA/DHA, CLA, melatonin
9:30am - 3 BCAA, calcium, magnesium

Today was very nice. Not only was I able to have my daily solid meal, but also had my dose of simple carbs from Surge during and after my workout. I had limited time before I had to leave for work, so I woke up, did my daily walk, then went back to the gym 1.5 hours later. It worked out well, but all these trips to the gym are causing me to do laundry far more frequently, which is a minor hassle.

What a crazy week. Not only am I coming off weekend night shift, but I’m also working weekday nights this week in order to compensate for the time off on UFC weekend next week. As a result, I won’t be able to make any muay thai classes this week, which bothers me, but on the upside, we have an inter-school tournament happening at my school this Saturday, which should be a real treat. I’ll try to snap some photos for the blog.

This post was brought to you by Project Phatko

Last week I got word from my instructor that I passed my green-level test and can now begin training with the advanced class. Even though it’s been roughly 7 months since I started training, I feel like it has just begun. I experienced my first class with the advanced students last week and it was pretty intense. By the end of class I was a little banged up and running on fumes, but my fellow students were very helpful with providing tips and guidance during drills, so I consider myself very lucky to train with them. They hold nothing back. I definitely look forward to improving.

5:00pm - 5 BCAA, 2 HotRox, NEPA walk (3.3mph,4deg incline) @ 60 mins
6:30pm - 2 scoops Vanilla MD + 3g EPA/DHA, CLA, multi-vitamin
9:30pm - Solid Meal - 2 chicken breasts w/ lemon-pepper seasoning, side of fresh spinach
1:30pm - 1 scoop Vanilla MD, 1 scoop Banana MD, 3g EPA/DHA, CLA, 3 BCAA, 1 HotRox
4:30pm - 2 scoops Banana MD
8:45am - 2 scoops Chocolate MD, 3tbsp flaxmeal, 1tbsp p-butter, 3g EPA/DHA, CLA
9:30am - 3 BCAA, calcium, magnesium, melatonin

These daily whole meals are a very nice treat. It’s weird to admit, but I almost feel guilty after coming off the strictness of the V-diet. Also, at this point I’m pretty much on my last 3-4 bottles of Metabolic Drive. Last week I placed an order with Biotest for 6 more bottles to cover the rest of the transition. Afterwards, when I begin Thibaudeau’s fat loss program, I’ll keep only a couple of bottles on hand for pre-bedtime shakes. Thirteen more days until I’m completely back to whole food. I can’t wait.

My morning walks have basically become a ritual at this point. The first things I do every morning are: go to washroom, wash face, get dressed in shorts and t-shirt, take Hotrox and BCAA, grab water bottle from fridge, iPod from kitchen table, then I’m out the door. It’s like clockwork. The heart-rate increase, light sweat, and roughly 1L of fresh water consumption really does something special to my mind and morale in the morning. It really sets a positive and optimistic tone for the rest of the day. I’ll frequently also bring along some printed articles and do some reading during my walk. If I don’t, then when I return from the gym, following my shower and shake, I’ll grab a book and read for 20-30 minutes. It’s an amazing habit that I will continue long after this diet is finished. What better way to start each day.

In the past, many times I would avoid doing cardio because I’d always rationalize to myself that the machines would all be occupied. Well, it has been the case at times over the past month, but I can honestly say that it has been probably happened only 3 or 4 times in the past month. On those occasions, I would simply ride a stationary bike (those are always free) until a treadmill became freed up. I’ve never waited longer than 10 minutes, in which case I also benefited from a light warm-up. Bonus.

This post was brought to you by Project Phatko

5:30pm - 4 BCAA, 2 HotRox, NEPA walk (3.3mph,4deg incline) @ 60 mins
6:30pm - 2 scoops Vanilla MD + 3g EPA/DHA, CLA, multi-vitamin
9:30pm - Solid Meal - 2 chicken breasts w/ lemon-pepper seasoning, and side of fresh spinach
1:30pm - 1 scoop Strawberry MD, 1 scoop Banana MD, 3g EPA/DHA, CLA, 3 BCAA, 1 HotRox
4:30pm - 2 scoops Banana MD
8:45am - 2 scoops Chocolate MD, 3tbsp flaxmeal, 1tbsp p-butter, 3g EPA/DHA, CLA
9:30am - 3 BCAA, calcium, magnesium, melatonin

Today was my first transition day. I began with a morning walk, followed by a regular shake. During my walk on the treadmill, I endured a good 30 minutes of gourmet cooking on the TV because someone chose to watch the Food Channel in the gym. The dishes looked amazing, but I didn’t get the same physiological mouth-watering that I used to get, probably because I no longer consider those foods and option. Now to transfer the same logic to other aspects of life.

Three hours later I had my solid meal, which was very satisfying and flavorful. I used 1tbsp of mayo with the chicken and 1tbsp of ranch dressing for the spinach leaves. No carbs (outside of the fibrous kind in the spinach.)

Back on night shift. Tomorrow should be almost identical to today in almost every way. Legs are a bit sore from lunges yesterday, so walking up even a flight of stairs is taxing. Energy levels are high though and resolve remains solid.

This post was brought to you by Project Phatko

4:45pm - 4 BCAA, 2 HotRox, NEPA walk (3.3mph,4deg incline) @ 60 mins
6:30pm - Solid Meal - 14oz New York Steak, ceaser salad, diet coke + 3g EPA/DHA, CLA, multi-vitamin
8:50pm - Gym- 10×3 Routine (lat pull-downs, standing one-arm db shoulder press, lunges)
9:30pm - One serving of Surge, 10g creatine
1:15pm - 1 scoop Strawberry MD, 1 scoop Banana MD
4:30pm - 2 scoops Vanilla MD, 3g EPA/DHA, CLA, 3 BCAA, 1 HotRox
8:45am - 2 scoops Chocolate MD, 3tbsp flaxmeal, 1tbsp p-butter, 3g EPA/DHA, CLA
9:30am - 3 BCAA, calcium, magnesium, melatonin

Well, the hard part is over. The strict phase of the Velocity Diet is done and I’m feeling good. I will be doing a full write-up with regards to my Velocity Diet results and journey, so instead I will just talk about today.

Began the day with the usual morning walk, followed by my weekly solid meal, which was steak once again. You can probably tell from the photo that it was cooked more to the medium side as opposed to well. Very juicy, however, I prefer drier. As a result of the big steak meal, I decided to go with 3 shakes instead of 4 or 5. It was manageable, especially with the post-workout shake I consumed early on in my day.

Tomorrow begins the first day of my 2 week transition period. During the first week, I’ll be eating 1 solid meal per day, along with 4 shakes. During the second week, I’ll be eating 2 solids meals per day, along with 3 shakes. That makes my final day of the velocity diet April 18th. What makes it even better is that I’ll be flying to UFC 83 in Montreal the following day to watch the first UFC event ever in Canada! What a nice way to end the diet. However, starting that Monday (April 21st), I begin my 7-week journey on the the “Destroying Fat” program to prepare me for my trip to Europe in June for Euro Cup 2008.

I predict that by the end of the transition period, I’ll be just below 205, but probably not exactly at my goal of 200. Even still, if I fall between 200-205 lbs, I’ll consider that a huge success. 200 on my 6′1″ frame is nice indeed, but 190 would be much better. I can’t wait. It’s just around the corner.

This post was brought to you by Project Phatko

Although I still have 2 weeks left of transition to complete, I thought I’d post a photo evolution of that last four weeks, with a couple of first and last day comparisons. Very interesting.

Day 1 vs. Day 28 (Front/Back)


Day 1 vs. Day 28 (Sides)


Weekly Evolution (Front/Back)

Weekly Evolution (Sides)

I’ll do something similar when the final 6th week is complete.

This update was brought to you by Project Phatko