Fat Loss Report

I have now completed Waterbury's 10 x 3 for Fat Loss, with good but not great results. I attribute any shortfall less to the program and more to my own performance.

The program, for a fat-loss program requiring only two days of lifting per week, was fun. I like the heavier work that could be done with a 10 x 3 format. I liked the cycle sprints after the lifting, something I may keep. I liked jumping rope, which I also hope to keep up. I kept increasing many of the weights I was using, which also led to a sense of accomplishment, particularly when doing things such as heavy deads (305, I believe, was my last work set weight) that I had trouble believing I could do.

The challenge, as expected, was my diet. I generally did okay, and doubt that I ever ate over maintenance, but I fluctuated quite a bit, between 2300-2800 calories on most days. (For comparison, I estimate my maintenance to be 3300.) As a result, my weight loss was only about three pounds - not the 6-8 I had hoped for.

That said, weight loss is not my goal here; fat loss is. That's been hard for me to quantify, as my Tanita scale has that all over the place, with measurements from 21-25% and fluctuating by as much as 3% within a few days. Clearly, that is not accurate, and something else is affecting the numbers (hydration?).

Still, I look and feel leaner. My suits fit worse - the pants and jackets are too big, and my jeans won't stay up without a belt. I am also stronger - I do not doubt that I have gained some muscle. So, to that effect, I certainly believe that I have lost some fat in this process. I just have more to go.

Would the program have been better with an ever stricter diet? Yes. In fact, simply stricter adherence likely would have produced even better results. But, all in all, I am happy where I am right now.

Next, I have to decide what to do for the next four-to-six weeks while our life adjusts to the impending birth of our new son, due in about one week.