Moving...

Since Slim & Strong is over, I have started a new blog which will follow my exercise goals, routine, and progress. If you want to follow that it is at http://kamen-exercise.blogspot.com/. This will be the last message to this blog, I don't want to spoil it as I like it the way it is!

If this is the first time you hit this blog, and you want to read about my Slim & Strong experience, I strongly suggest reading this blog in chronological order. The later posts often drop information which was included in those before.

Ariane's blog, related to the program and the final results, is here.

It's over! The results are here! And the winner is...

When I started this a little less than 2 weeks ago, I had no idea I can achieve such result. I still have hard time believing / imagining it. I lost 20lb (14.4lb of which fat!) and I truly am in the best shape of my life. I did push it a notch up (Karate & MMA classes, running, etc.) for a total of 2.5 hours of exercise on some of the days (yeah, I am crazy, I know), but this definitely came as a result of the inspiration Ariane infused in us. I have not seen such lively, knowledgeable and determined trainer... I have had my fair share of PTs, and she is just the best. She has definitely won a well deserved place in my "most influential people to me" list. In some aspects, in the last two weeks I have learned more useful things than in any two years of my 22-year education :)

Big thank you, Ariane!

I just had to post a (censored for privacy) version of the following (from Ariane) below.

Dear Slimmer and Much Stronger Boot Campers!

Congratulations on completing 12 days of of hardcore butt-kicking! You lost a combined total of 80 lbs in the last 12 days!

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To be honest, I'm totally blown away by the results so many of you have created for yourself. I have never seen participants lose so much weight in such a short time, so I'm thinking that the short-term goal really helped you to focus on what you wanted to achieve. It was a close competition between several of you but in the end there was one guy who pulled off the most incredible results I have ever seen:

The biggest loser is KAMEN!

Kamen dropped 8.9% of his original weight (20 lbs), his body fat percentage dropped by 4.7%, he lost 14.4 lbs of pure fat (pick up a 15 lb dumbbell at the gym and be amazed at how heavy it is....) and lost 9.5 inches. Given the high intensity of his workouts he also lost some muscle, but his weight will stabilize once he cuts down on his workouts a bit and adds more calories back in. Kamen, you won a free month of Slim & Strong!

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You've all built an amazing amount of strength and endurance, built muscle and lost fat and that deserve celebration.

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Wishing you continued success and great health and I'll see you on the Bridge soon!

Cheers, Ariane

Week 2 Day 5

The last day... I just did the class in the morning. 06:30-07:30. Stay tuned for the final results...

Week 2 Day 4

Pretty lazy day... Just Ariane's class in the morning (6:30-7:30). The most interesting part is that final measurements were taken for part of the group. Results are even better than I expected. For the last 11 days I have:

• lost 20lb (225.5lb -> 205.5lb)
• lost 14lb+ of fat (23.7% @ 225.5lb -> 19.0% @ 205.5lb, i.e. 53lb fat -> 39lb fat)
• lost 3.5" on my waist

Keep you fingers crossed that nobody beats that tomorrow (from the other half of the group)!

Week 2 Day 3

Very low energy day... After Ariane's class (6:30-7:30) took a day off work, went back home and slept till the early afternoon. 5 hours of sleep are just not enough for an old man like me anymore. After that did the Mixed Martial Arts class (19:30-20:30) and a good 4 mile run (23:00-23:50).

Average speed was a good (for me) 6mph (i.e. 10 min/mile) and heart rate stayed below 180 all the time, even on the hills. With the pretty constant speed (regardless of grade of elevation), am I pretty happy with this result.

Week 2 Day 2

Nothing really special today, talking about the food is getting boring, as it is one and the same every day. No running today, so just the 6:30 - 7:30 class with Ariane and Karate in the evening 19:30 - 20:30. Thing to note is that before I started this, I was really tired at the end of the Karate classes. I now have way more energy, even after class.

Week 2 Day 1

Week 2 is starting. Special challenge of the week - no sugar and 100 extra pushups per day.

As with every other major undergoing, one gets more and more lazy as time goes by. Therefore I am simplifying the blogging format. You will see the changes as you go through it...

Exercise

• 06:30 - 07:30 Slim & Strong with Ariane
• 19:30 - 20:30 Karate
• 21:45 - 21:50 33 full body push-ups
• 21:50 - 22:10 Run (Ariane's Advanced Workout for Speed, Week 2)
• 22:40 - 22:45 33 full body push-ups
• 23:00 - 23:05 34 full body push-ups

Food (I am renaming this to "Food" because of the negative conotation of the word "Diet")

• Breakfast - Omlette with 2x Turkey, Peppers, Spinach, and Mushrooms
• Snack - Large Latte
• Lunch - Zigolini's Salad - Romaine, 2 Eggs, 1 Avocado, Turkey, Roasted Peppers, Kalamata Olives, Olive Oil, Vinegrette
• Snack - 20g Protein Shake, 1oz Raw Cashew Nuts
• Snack - 1lb of Veggies (Broccoli, Peppers, Carrots, Asparagus, Celery, Tomatoes)
• Dinner - 4cups Yogurt (plain, fat free)

Run

Ariane's Advanced Workout for Speed, Week 2: 10 repetions of (1 min run @ 7.0 mph; 1 min walk @4.2 mph). Very happy with the HR progress... it is not spiking as much anymore. Stayed below 170 for most of the run.