October Reflections

Noah Mallory – Oh My October

My first month was full of some success and some struggles. My nutrition plan was solid, but I found that it was far easier to stick to the meals when I had another individual doing the plan with me. Accountability is key. Unfortunately, I did not have the same accountability in the weight room. I found that my weight decreases slightly because of my healthy eating but I was seeing little to no change in my physique because exercise was not a part of my regular plan. I needed accountability in both exercise and nutrition if I wanted to see growth in my physical wellness. I did this by creating a workout plan that was tailored to my week. For example. My Wednesdays are consistently crazy so I know that a quick cardio session in between classes is all I would have time for. However, Fridays I have the whole afternoon off and can do a longer strength day. These specific days helped to make my workouts more realistic and I started my month off very strong with this schedule. Unfortunately, my school schedule started to pick up and with interviews on the horizon, I felt the need to cut things from my days, and many times, these cuts came in the form of my workouts. As I progress through this semester, things will only get more crazy so I am seeking ways in the following month to reorient myself.

Conner Vastola – October: Refining My Plan

With the first full month of the semester under my belt, October was filled with hope and aspiration. I was determined to refine a personal fitness plan to maximize both my physical and mental health. I wanted to continue developing my physique and feel comfortable in my own skin. The idea behind this was simple. How I felt inside about myself would project out in my everyday life. My confidence, work ethic, and personality would benefit from a positive self-perception. The first step was deciding a plan. A plan would lay the foundation for what is to come. For me an effective plan consists of pre-determined workouts, time needed, and a nutrition guide. My goal was to lose 5 pounds over the month, and this would require consistent exercise and a steady nutrition plan. I logged all my exercises and food intake on my phone for easy monitoring and progress tracking. Below is an example workout logged in excel.

Tracking it this way let me see the progress made in my lifts over the month. My nutrition plan focused on consuming roughly 1.5 grams of protein daily per pound of bodyweight. I minimized carbs as well to accelerate fat loss. A typical meal would be 10 ounces of grilled chicken with a quarter cup of rice and fruit of my choosing. This was easy to follow as long as I was disciplined. Campus dining had substantial food meaning that outside prep was kept at a minimum. I alternated lift times between morning and night to avoid crowds and stay focused. I ended up losing 3 pounds which was shy of my goal. I am continuing this program for another cycle more determined than ever after seeing results in the mirror. I have found the gym and physical activity a great vehicle to release stress as midterm cycles begin to start. Pursuing physical wellness affects several areas of one’s life, and I will continue to pursue wellness. There is always room to improve. That being said, going into November I want to track my nutrition more accurately as I believe that was the limiting factor in achieving my goals.