My Health and Fitness Journey – week 6
Getting back on track
So far, I started this journey by pushing hard. In fact, I would say I pushed too hard and as a result I lost the momentum a little, but what it did do, was give me immediate gains and develop a routine.
Week 5 set me back and it has taken all of week 6 to get back on track. It was like starting again. However, it also helped me find the right balance which is my next goal.
To develop a routine that is sustainable and still help me with my goals. This will include some down time on both exercise and diet but only a little.
Exercise:
I managed to get back in the gym regularly albeit with an evening and a day off. I didn’t go on the Wednesday evening, and I didn’t train on Sunday. I got back into the routine and kept the sessions to between 1 hour and 1 hour 30 minutes. Less than the 2-3 hours I started with, which gives a better balance between the drain on time and energy.
I continued a mix of short cardio warm up and weights, but with the reduced time I didn’t dally about, and I think I did close to the same level of actual activity that I had spread across a longer time previously.
Supplements:
I continued with all the same supplements as before which are:
NMN – to boost my NAD+ levels and Mitochondrial function.
Nitric Oxide (L-citrulline & L-arginine) – for cardiovascular health and reduce blood pressure.
Magnesium – to helps with sleep and rest.
Multivitamins – these cover everything and are the staple essential.
Vitamin D – helps with bone health, immune system support, muscle function, mental health, and energy.
Creatine Monohydrate – this enhances muscle energy, strength, recovery.
Resveratrol - offers antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular, metabolic, and cognitive benefits.
Vitamin K2 MK7 - offer significant benefits for bone health, cardiovascular health, and calcium metabolism.
Intermittent Fasting:
I continued with the intermittent fasting, usually from 8-9pm through until 1-2 pm the next day. This is all about routine and it’s something that I have managed every single day for the full 6 weeks. My body is used to it, and I rarely feel any hunger at all, at any point.
Diet:
I continued my low carb, high protein diet. After getting cravings back during week 5, I managed to keep these under control, and as I did, they subsided.
My daily food/meal plan usually looks like this:
Breakfast – Macha Tea, no sugar or milk, only plain Ceremonial Grade Matcha powder and hot water. Sometimes I may also have a plain black coffee during the morning. This is also when I take my NMN. But as I am intermittent fasting, I don’t have breakfast as such.
Lunch – Chicken & Avocado Salad. I use different mixes of leaves and add cucumber, peppers, and tomatoes in different combinations to give some variety. I dress the salad with Extra Virgin, cold-pressed Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar de Modena. I also add some salt, pepper, and chilli flakes for a bit of a kick. I usually cook a full roast chicken on a Sunday, and it provides me with enough meat for 4 or 5 lunches through the week. I add a dessert at lunchtime which is usually Fat Free Skyr Protein Yoghurt with a handful of Blueberries.
Snacks – I typically don’t have many snacks, or any at all but if I do have a snack, it’s a couple of Brazil nuts or a handful of Pistachio nuts. Sometimes I add in a Huel Protein Shake. I specifically say Huel as I have compared many different brands and most of them contain quite high levels of sugar even though they say, ‘no added sugar.’
Dinner – My typical dinner is a cooked protein meal such as Salmon, Steak or Pork, along with some Salad, like the salad I have at lunchtime. Sometimes, but not always, I will have the same yoghurt and blueberries as I have at lunchtime.
You will note, with it being a low carb diet I have cut out all simple carbohydrate such as bread, pasta, rice, and potatoes.
Meanwhile, I am adding in the five superfoods (as mentioned by Dr David Sinclair in his YouTube interview on the Diary of a CEO Channel – link at the end of this blog). Those are namely:
1. Blueberries - are packed with antioxidants, especially anthocyanins, which give them their deep-blue colour. These compounds help combat oxidative stress, reduce inflammation, and protect against chronic diseases such as heart disease and type-2 diabetes.
2. Avocado - is a nutrient-dense fruit, rich in monounsaturated fats, fibre, potassium, and vitamins C, E, K, and B-complex. These nutrients promote heart health by reducing LDL cholesterol and increasing HDL cholesterol.
3. Brazil Nuts – are a rich source of selenium, a trace mineral essential for antioxidant defence and thyroid function. Selenium supports immune function, protects cells from oxidative damage, and is linked to longevity.
4. Olive Oil - is rich in monounsaturated fats and antioxidants, offering proven benefits for heart health, brain function, inflammation reduction, and longevity.
5. Matcha - Matcha is a nutrient-dense green tea powder that offers antioxidant protection, supports heart and liver health, enhances brain function, and may aid metabolism and overall wellness.
Results at the end of week 6:
Weight: I lost another kilogram taking it to seven kilos lost in total since the start, which is over a stone in weight.
Body Shape: Continuing to make some progress and it’s now going to be small but important gains.
Energy: Energy wise I felt better getting back on track with both my diet and exercise fully back in place.
Mental Focus: I think it has improved again but not as high as its peak when I was on the Sardine diet.
Sleep: Still sleeping well and getting a good night’s rest every night.
So far, the effort has been worth it. I am seeing positive results in so many areas and few negative aspects. Intermittent fasting, dieting, and taking the various supplements is now easy and doesn’t take much work or effort. The only thing that does is being able to make the time for exercising and spending time at the gym. As the summer comes, I want to switch to doing more outdoor exercise and build some essential items myself, so I can workout at home and or at the park close to my new home.
Look out for week 7….
Don Marshall
Marketing & Sales Manager
Voyager Life
YouTube video from The Diary of a CEO with Dr David Sinclair which goes through several useful things and supplements for Longevity as well as the 5 super foods I mentioned:
https://youtu.be/DnvWAP99r3Y?si=AriP9_ly2J2U1kef
Links to the supplements that I am taking:
NMN – NMN Supplements UK | High Purity Nicotinamide Mononucleotide Powder – Voyager Life Limited
Magnesium – Magnesium Citrate 500mg 120 Capsules – Voyager Life Limited
Multivitamins –Vegan Multivitamin & Minerals 60 Capsules – Voyager Life Limited
Vitamin D –Vitamin D3 4,000iu 365 Tablets – Voyager Life Limited
Creatine Monohydrate – https://voyagerlife.co.uk/products/creatine-monohydrate-powder-500g
Resveratrol - https://voyagerlife.co.uk/products/resveratrol-150mg-90-capsules
Vitamin K2 MK7 - https://voyagerlife.co.uk/products/vitamin-k2-mk7-100ug-120-capsules
