In the first month of my 12-week transformation challenge, I kickstarted my journey with a focused exercise routine and a not-so-strict carnivore diet. Despite facing some food cravings and minor slip-ups, I managed to lose 4.5kg, mostly water weight, and felt healthier and slimmer. Having built a solid foundation, I was then ready to tackle phase two with renewed energy and determination. Here’s how the next four weeks unfolded:
Week 1 Recap
I gained a lot of water weight after eating a lot of carbs for four days straight during my reset days. I started the new week with a three-day Sardine Fast Challenge. My weight dropped back to what it was at the end of week 4 right after those first three days. I had a carb cheat day, which made me crave more food and feel uncomfortable. I’ve decided not to have a carb cheat day anymore unless it’s absolutely necessary.
Workout Experience
I felt weak during my workouts because of the very low-calorie diet (VLCD) I followed during the Sardine Fast Challenge. The VLCD was not intended, but I just couldn’t eat much. In the first week of phase 2, I just did some weight lifting and simple exercises, like walking and a 16-minute Tabata session.
Stats (Omron):
Starting Weight: 76.8kg
Weight by End of Week One: 74.3kg
Total Weight Change: -2.5kg
Week 2 Recap
This week, everything was normal diet-wise. I did have a big cheat day with some KFC and delicious Chinese food. My weight loss slowed down, and I gained 0.2kg.
One thing that affected me was an injury from running. It slowed down my progress and messed up my workout plan. I decided to take a break and switched to just walking and weight lifting for the rest of the week.
Stats (Omron):
Starting Weight: 74.3kg
Weight by End of Week Two: 74.5kg
Total Weight Change: +0.2kg
Week 3 Recap – A Challenging Week
This was a tough week for me. Something went wrong, and I ended up eating moderate carbs all week long. I even did a bit of binging on the weekends.
I’m still recovering from my injury, so I just focused on weight lifting and rope skipping.
Stats (Omron):
Starting Weight: 74.5kg
Weight by End of Week Three: 73.3kg
Total Weight Change: -1.2kg
Week 4 Recap – Adjusting My Plan
I’ve decided to stick with carbs this week and will reintroduce the carnivore diet in phase 3. To make up for the extra carbs I ate, I did a 36-hour fast on Monday.
I’m still recovering from my injury, which is taking longer than I thought. So, it’s been mainly skipping and weight lifting for the whole week.
Stats (Omron):
Starting Weight: 73.3kg
Weight by End of Week Three: 72.8kg
Total Weight Change: -0.5kg
Reflects on Phase Two
I’m pretty disappointed in myself for not sticking to the plan I set at the beginning of phase 1. There were some things I did that messed up my transformation plan. For example, I ate a lot of carbs on my weekly cheat day and quit the carnivore diet halfway through. I ended up eating dirty carbs like potato chips, ice cream, and cakes during the 3rd and 4th weeks.
It’s no excuse, but I want to point out a couple of things that affected me. First, the injury has been a big hit to my motivation. Second, my sister visited from overseas, and with all the family gatherings, there were more chances for me to eat carbs. I admit I don’t have a strong will, and I should stay away from carbs if I want to avoid them. The temptations are just too big for me to handle, lol.
On the bright side, even though I didn’t follow my plan properly, I still lost a little bit of weight and inches off my waist compared to the end of phase 1. I could have done better, and I really should have, but life is life. Moving on and doing better in the next phase is the only option I have.