Complete the circle of health & fitness.
Every single day.
Fitness, Food & Health is nothing but the science of a healthy, fun life :).
The following is a rudimentary overview of my health & fitness life from Jan 1, 2018, to Jan 1, 2019. Some fitness folks think the world of planning ahead, and some absolutely do need a firm plan for the months and even year ahead.
Short term goals firmly lined up and long-term goal posts holding their own further out make a world of difference for some.
And your own goals can be about certain PB´s, they can involve reaching a certain body fat % or strength goal. Other common goals have to do with cardiovascular performance and might be focused on improving your lactate levels,
running speed, zone levels or maximum heart rate. And for competitive pro athletes, those goals usually involve specific competitions and championships.
So yes, setting up a rough schedule in advance of your fitness year can make a lot of sense.
Just as how a lot of people count daily steps and calories.
2050AD
[ Oceans run the risk of having more total weight of plastic than fish.]
For me tho, on a personal level I do not actually find it very worthwhile as far as my own fitness progression goes.
You see, I already train all year round and every workout I do and every single week is all about progression.
I do my weights 5 days per week, and I do my daily low impact cardio for the health benefits it provides for us all, and I mix it up with higher intensity cardio ranging from a few days per week down to one day per week depending on my energy levels, and the time of year and how my body is feeling and responding right in that moment.
And weights in the gym are the same way, I hit it at 100% of my capacity each and every single workout, 5 days per week.
So while my actual capacity will fluctuate a little bit from workout to workout, week to week, the way it does for every other human being made of flesh and blood I always progress and maintain, all year round.
As such, I neither count my steps or my calories, and I do not spend time planning my own fitness year ahead in time, because for me, each day and workout starts from zero and the goal is to give it your all at that point in time, based on past progression and current capacity, and then to recover and progress as good as is humanly possible by making nothing but healthy science-based choices, eating healthy food and enjoying the wondrous journey that is a fulfilling life of health and fitness.
But plenty of people do need weekly schedules, just as plenty of people do need a PT that calls the shot for them all year round, and plenty of folks benefit greatly from long and short-term goals that are out there, in the open as planned and designated targets laid out by their own or their coaches. Health and fitness is a complete circle that involves your daily life, your gym routines, strength, cardio, food, and recovery. And its all about science. Science and the joy of being healthy fit and living a richer and more rewarding life.
So this year-long fitness plan is for you folks, It is a simplified look at my own fitness year as it is more or less going to take shape in the year ahead ( Jan 1, 2019 ), its not very in-depth or advanced, but on the other hand, no one on this planet can accurately plan their own or someone else's fitness year ahead of time. So this one was dead simple to do since I train all year round and my fitness levels and trajectory rarely fluctuate much and like all other natural fitness athletes, I make steady progress with few big dips.
But no matter the best laid out plans, we are all biological critters made of flesh and blood, so you always have to give yourself ( or your clients ) room to be a human being made of flesh and blood.
We all have great days and lazy days, our performance in body and mind will go up and down, and at times we´ll perform better than ever and at other times we´ll get a bit sidetracked or skip a workout or two. And all this is not just ok, it is 100% natural and it is just how it is to be a human being.
So there are no failures for anyone that is creating their own lifelong fitness and health adventure.
Whatever you had to give that day and that week, that´s what you had to give. Nothing more and nothing less. So be proud of what you do and who you are, and keep on going.
And as such, if you are noticing that you are slipping behind schedule, that´s not a failure.
You are just making progress slightly below what you expected and one day soon you´ll most likely be ahead.
So chin up and enjoy each and every day, and each and every workout no matter ups and downs. It´s just life baby and the only thing that matters is the step you are taking right now and the one you will take tomorrow. Failures are part of every journey, so burden yourself no more with that cheat day and instead, make sure to limit the number of future cheat days.
My Fitness Year
[ Jan 1, 2018-Jan 1, 2019. Food,Fitness,Gym,Cardio.]
12 Months of fitness, zero workout free vacations are planed.
But if I need a lower impact workout or even several days of lower impact workouts I´ll happily allow myself a few workouts with lower intensity than usual, the body needs what the body needs, and so does the mind.
My total amount of fitness hours in the year ahead is estimated to be.
1104 hours of fitness between Jan 1, 2018, and Jan 1, 2019.
Weekly:
5 days of strength training and 7 days of cardiovascular activity. And I keep at it all year round.
Intensity is much, much higher for my strength training and in total I train about 9 hours in the gym and 14 hours of cardio per week.
That gives me a total of 23 hours of physical fitness activity per week.
Currently, that looks as follows.
Monday.
Leg workout, Farmers walk (high-intensity intervals actually ) and MMA cardio.
I usually keep the amount of reps higher for my leg workout than most other muscle groups, but that does not really translate into my leg workout being lighter or less intense, it is together with my back workout by far the most exhausting workout session. Reps for deadlifts: 10-15 x 4 to 6 set. Squat: 10 to 25 reps x 5 to 8 set. And I always go to failure. All other exercises for this workout is kept at 8-15 reps. Except for Farmers walk which is done until failure sprint interval style x 2 to 4 set.
Tuesday.
Chest and abs and MMA cardio.
Reps are kept between 8 to 15 for more or less my entire chest workout until I reach failure in each set. And the amount of set depends on the exercise, but it ranges from 3 to 6 set per exercise.
Wednesday.
Back, abs, farmers walk and MMA cardio.
Standing barbell row: 5 to 6 set x 10 to 15 reps most of the time, but I do this one until failure in each heavy set, so it can go higher than 15 at times. Sitting row: I keep it between 8-15 reps most of the time, failure is the limit once again. And the amount of set is 3-4. Chins/Pullups is the same. And so is standing dumbbell row and my abs workout.
Thursday.
Biceps, triceps, and MMA cardio.
8-15 reps x 3 to 5 set depending on the exercise, and failure is the limit, not the number.
Friday.
Shoulders and abs, farmers walk and MMA cardio.
Same as above, 8-15 reps x 3-5 set. The exception is standing barbell press which I currently end with a long drop set.
Saturday.
60 minutes of HIIT interval.
Sunday.
Outdoors Sprint interval.
And to add to that, every day starts with a morning walk, and I also end every day with a low impact cardio session too.
Monthly:
My total per month will remain roughly the same all year round. Which are 92 hours of fitness per month.
I will only alter my fitness regime if and when my body needs it, in other words, I am not planning on altering the number of hours I train, they will remain the same every single week unless the situation requires a change in that point of time.
Like how I usually do a bit more sprint interval runs during the summer per week than I did this winter because the weather and energy levels usually lend itself better for that. But cardio for me is second fiddle to my strength training, it´s just a daily ingredient due to its big health impact and because I enjoy being athletic and fit in a way that you can make good use of no matter situation. And it simply put feels good doing daily cardio in the shape of both MMA and my daily outdoor sessions.
Sunshine be it during winter or summer is such a rejuvenating thing for the human soul, and our health and wellbeing, and so is the fresh air of the Scandinavian outdoors.
But I am not going to compete in any marathons or long distance sprints, so my cardio workouts for the entire year ahead will remain focused on what works best for strength training, and that is sprint intervals and MMA.
Fitness goals.
I do have a few set fitness goals that I will make sure to improve upon in the months ahead.
Squat.
My PB right now is 200kg ( 441 lbs ) x 50 reps in 14 minutes 11 seconds following 5 warm-up sets.
And I will improve on this before Jan 1, 2019. Be it in the shape of more weights and the same time, or a quicker time on the same weight and reps.
Standing barbell row.
Current PB. 130kg x 27 reps with a total of 7738 lbs/3510 kg per set.
I am currently doing 14 reps @ 140kg so my goal is to up the number of reps with this weight until I have improved on my 7738 lbs total per set.
Sitting row.
136 kg x 7 reps, for a total of 952kg/2099 lbs.
Same thing here, I´ll slowly improve on this in the next 9 months.
Outdoors sprint interval.
I have this lovely outdoors forest path I enjoy running all year round. And it roughly takes me 20 minutes to complete a pretty solid sprint interval run that taxes both my legs and my central cardiovascular system. The amount, pace and intensity, and frequency do vary over the year and from week to week, but it is one more all year round thing and I do it weekly.
My goal until July 1, 2018, is to cut this time with at least 2 minutes.
And to cut it further with 1 additional minute before Jan 1, 2019.
Food wise there´s no need for me to change anything, energy levels and recovery is pretty much top notch all year round.
And I consume about 2,2g of protein per kilo of body weight. A lot of fibers and plant-based food. Slow quality carbs, lots of fruits, fresh berries, greens, grains, nuts.
The one exception to that is my postworkout meal which always makes use of 40g of protein, chia seeds, slow to medium quality carbs and plenty of fibers. The reason I am keeping my protein that high postworkout is that it scientifically speaking maximizes your protein synthesis. And the slow to medium carbs is all I need to recover and refill my energy levels and muscle glycogen. Even tho I am at a tiny calorie deficit.
The outcome of my fitness regime and my food ( Vegetarian Paleo ) is that I am slowly progressing my strength while I am able to slowly lower my body fat percentage.
So my daily calorie levels are just a tad bit below a perfect calorie balance and that is perfect for me since I do enjoy being fit and toned all year round too. And if you are looking for a number, let us speculate and say that I keep it at a 200kcal deficit per day.
So for now, I´ll continue my slow progress in strength and my slow body fat percentage decline for a few more months before I simply put switch over to maintaining my new and slightly lower body fat %.
I do not bulk at all since I do not see the point in that, at all. You can increase all the strength and lean muscle mass you ever wished for while being at a calorie balance. And I am living proof of that.
So whenever I find a body fat percentage that I enjoy I simply put maintain that level while I keep up lifting weights, doing MMA and cardio and eating healthy food all year round.
I told you before that I do not count steps or calories, and that is because I find it super easy to just listen to my body.
My body fat tells me how I am keeping my nutrients, and so do my strength and endurance. If its too low, or too high the progress and capacity of my body let me know that right away.
But a lot of people absolutely love and need a proper guide for their daily nutrients because a lot of people enjoy and thrive on set guidelines.
And so I do that for a lot of my clients because it makes it easier for those people to keep their health and wellbeing and goals on track,
I just do not need it for my own fitness and health regime. Neither for making progress or for staying on track.
And neither way of doing it is wrong.
We are all unique and wonderful individuals so approach your own life of health and fitness in the way that works the best for you.
How will I fulfill my fitness goals for the year ahead?.
Science baby :). Science and a genuine love of living a fit and healthy life, day in and day out.
If you are wondering about my protein intake, or why I combine sprint intervals and MMA with my weight lifting, just check out my long range of Scandinavian.Fitness articles, they are all based on up to date, cutting edge health & fitness science. But I have provided you with a few select links at the bottom of this article.
Such as how you increase your protein synthesis by opting for 40g of protein instead of 20g post workout.
Which is a beneficial choice for your health and wellbeing and your muscular recovery and progression.
And that simple scientific truth holds true no matter if you are into weights or cardiovascular performance.
Or did you really think that only strength and weights benefit from consuming protein?.
If so, think again. High-intensity cardiovascular activity, no matter if it is running, swimming, skiing or cycling exhaust your body and skeletal muscles, and protein is nothing but rejuvenating and essential blocks for your entire body.
Be it your heart, your hair, your skin, your organs or your muscles.
And whenever you train hard you exhaust and tax your entire system, and so, you need the proper nutrients in the right amount to stay healthy fit.
Other areas of my fitness life come down to keeping to my own 'Vegetarian Paleo' diet because plant-based food is providing me with lots of fibers and proteins. And fruit and greens are super beneficial for fitness and health. As such, I am keeping down meat and fish and eating all the fruits and greens and berries I can find.
I supplement that with organic eggs from free walking chickens, and while it isn't a perfect food choice when we consider the life of those poor chickens, it is a very healthy choice of food.
And I also consume casein protein powder because it keeps me full for a long time and mixes wonderfully with my fiber enriched whole grains.
So, for now, it´s part of my daily health and fitness life.
But no meat baby.
While meat does taste wonderful, it causes far too many issues in our world and for our health to remain on my plate or my clients ( when they listen to my food guidelines that is :) ).
And besides, it is simply put mathematically impossible for all of us to continue consuming as much meat as the average person is currently doing.
Which is a scientific reality that both my 'Vegetarian Paleo' and WWF´s One Planet Plate food initiative recognize.
Also, did you know that doing cardio will not prevent you from gaining strength and muscular durability and increased lean muscle mass?.
Hence why there are zero problems doing 7 days of cardio all year round for me and nothing but healthy fit benefits to reap.
For most of the year, I do keep most of my daily cardio at a low impact level
( 50-70 % ), but I always end each gym workout with a bout of HIIT MMA, ranging from 5 to 20 minutes depending on energy levels in that given moment. And I always do at least one longer 60 minutes HIIT interval day per week.
But depending on my energy levels,
and the way my knees and legs and body feels I have periods during the year where I up this part of my fitness life to 2 or 3 days per week.
Those intervals range from 95-100% during the high-intensity interval all the way down to 60-70 something % during the lower intensity part.
Yes, Science is a wonderful thing. And fitness and health is all about science and enjoying life.
So let´s make a deal, leave all the personal opinions behind and join me on a wonderful journey of science-based health and fitness because the outcome is nothing but progress. For you as an individual and for the entire world, you see, healthy fit people make the entire world a bit more healthy and sustainable.
My Monthly progress, the way the months actually happened ( I´ll update this section as each month progress so keep an eye on it from time to time ).
Jan was a phenomenal month, starting the year ahead just as wonderful as I ended 2017. Strength and intensity and energy levels in the gym were top notch.
I did not get to go out and run proper sprint intervals as often as I would have wanted too, but I kept that part to one day per week.
And I can not complain since I kept making progress on both strength and body fat.
Zero missed workouts.
February.
Another wonderful month, even tho my progress last year or so started taking its toll a little bit this month.
But workouts have been wonderful and I have made steady progress in several exercises. Including new PB´s in sitting row and standing barbell row, and a wonderful progress in rear deltoid flies.
I also ended up doing a few extra workouts this month, adding a few 3d like workouts with kettlebells and a few extra exercises during my usual weight workouts.
Which obviously contributed to this month slowly taking its toll on my energy levels. But that is to be expected.
Cardio continued to be mainly low impact 7 days per week while I have slowly started to increase the time and intensity of my post workout MMA sessions.
Still only doing one longer interval session per week, and I will keep it like that for most of March as well.
Zero missed workouts for Feb.
March
A very solid month, I actually ended up increasing the intensity of my cardio this month with several higher intensity, and slightly longer than usual sprint sessions. And that felt very good.
As such, I actually ended up reaching my July goal for my outdoor sprint run this month, well ahead of time in other words :).
And after dialing back the amount and high intensity just a tiny little bit in the weight room my energy levels and strength returned in full as my body recovered completely from a wonderful but exhausting fitness autumn and winter. As a result, I ended up with a new rep based PB in sitting row and standing barbell row this month. And with rising temperatures and sunshine, I am very much enjoying the start of April. Have a wonderful one people.
Keep on grinding people, and stay healthy fit.
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