6 week workout plan

I've got 6 more weeks doing what I'm doing before I make any real changes. What am I doing?

• 3-4 workouts a week. No cardio, just weight training.

• Intermittent fasting. 8 hour eating window from Noon-8:00pm every day

• Walking 2-4 miles a day

• Having 2700 calories on days I do not work, around 3100 calories on the days I do

• Sleeping a little more than usual/Keeping my condo at 68 degrees

In a nutshell, that's the plan for the next six weeks. I'll do an Inbody scan 5/6 and 6/2. That second scan will mark 6 weeks from now, and about 10 weeks total on this regimen. My focus is on losing body fat which is a very different kind of goal for me to focus on. I think one of the handy things about strength training is how easy it is to assess progress. Is it heavier than last time? Yep! Stronger. Is it more reps than last time? Yep! Stronger. Losing body fat is all about the process. The damned process. Feels like progress is barely noticeable, if it's happening at all, and it just doesn't feel good physically. Part of what has to happen for body fat reduction specifically is that "Goldilocks Zone" of caloric burn. Too much, you're burning up muscle you want to keep. Too little and you don't stress the system enough for the need to use up those stored resources in the body. It's got to be juuuuuuust right, for MONTHS. For now I feel like I'm in that zone.

I'll have my caffeine during my morning workout, probably one other serving shortly before noon. Right now I'm only working out on machines. That is the best way to keep progression without focusing on performance. Even if I get to a point where I'm working with a full stack of plates, which isn't the goal, I can focus on increasing reps. Good focus on muscles. I was dealing with a shoulder/neck issue last week so I'm getting back to normal with my workouts. I've got a few things I work in consistently:

• Shoulder hinge- front/lateral raises

• Shoulder rotation- usually a chest press and lat pull down

• Hip rotation- hack squat/belt squat

• Hip hinge- kettlebell swings/good mornings

My lower body workouts really lack flavor. I need to work more variety with some hip hinging movements, specifically adding more deadlift moves. My upper body routines are fine. My shoulders have traditionally been an area I've been deficient in so I'm focusing a little less on biceps and triceps and putting a little more effort into my delts. I also need to work more lunge movements into my leg days. Seems like I can't come up with leg day ideas so writing these down makes for a good brainstorming session.

I think the worst part of my current routine is the nausea I feel during the mornings before I eat at noon. My workouts put some stress on my blood sugar so that my metabolism has to balance that deficit with my body fat. Trying to stay in that Goldilocks Zone during that time is difficult. I get so bored I want to eat, so that's usually when I go for a walk. The length of sidewalk where I live is .9 miles, so I'm comfortable calling it a mile walk. Usually 2 walks in the morning and 1 in the afternoon. If I'm feeling antsy those numbers might increase. On days I work I have a 32 oz Gatorade just to make sure I don't get too far away from that zone. My walks stay casual but things can get pretty active when I'm coaching.

Someone told me earlier this week they could see changes in my face. That was a really nice thing to hear. I am so hyper focused on my stomach that I don't see the progress in other places. In 6 weeks I expect to drop my calories a bit and probably switch up my menu. I'm working with it but I am starting to get sick of my options. Never a good place to be. Having no options leads to cheat choices. Convenient choices. I think what I might also do is switch my window to the mornings. Based on some of what I'm reading there is a significant benefit to being fasted before sleep where as I've been ending my fast within an hour of going to bed. Thinking about it I will probably make that change starting next week when I do my InBody scan.