Clarity

I am at that stage again when i'm getting very excited at a lot of different prospects. I feel very enthused about the prospect of the Google Tasks/Calendar for really "getting it together." This begs the question, "for what purpose am I getting it together?"

It occurred to me last night as I was doing my pre-sleep brain dump/jotting down of ideas that while I know what the things are that I want to work on in terms of their type, I am very unclear about the specifics for each type. For example, I know that I want to work on my diet, but I don't know what "work on" entails at the moment. Likewise for my training and others. Let's start by looking at what I do have some clarity on, then use that as a guideline to analyse the other areas.

Sleep

I am working to get myself into a consistent and repeatable sleep schedule. I am doing so by waking up at 7am (or earlier as is the case today) every morning, and by implementing the Freedom software to kick in at 9pm so that I have a cue that it's time to start winding down for the day, and so that I am shifted out of any state of inertia that internet based distractions tend to induce.

In this instance, I know both the desired outcome and what I have to do to achieve it (outcome and process)

Training

Based upon the insight gained from analysing what I am doing for my sleep, it would be prudent to give some consideration as to my desired outcomes from training. I want to improve my powerlifting total while building/retaining as much muscle mass as possible.
What process would I have to follow to achieve this out outcome? I would need to follow a weight training program that is designed towards these goals, and follow it consistently for many months.
Thankfully I already have this, as I have Emm as my coach!

What can I do to make sure that I actually enact this process?

1. Get plenty of sleep on a consistent basis so that I have the energy to train after work. In fact only one "proper" training day falls on a work day (Wednesday)
2. Keep my training spreadsheet updated.
3. Communicate at least once a week with Emm
4. Formulate and act out a "getting home from work" routine that keeps me on my feet and gets me to the gym after work/at the appropriate time.
5. Plan my training sessions into my daily and weekly schedule. Friday and Saturday sessions in the morning perhaps? Going to the gym in the middle of the day on a Saturday really splinters it.
6. "If in doubt, go to the gym." I can sack off if I really want to, but I can only make that decision if I am at the gym. Pre-workout, coffee etc is all fair game if it gets me there
7. In the winter I will need to develop a system for getting to the gym in the dark by always having lights and high vis ready to go. Gloves and waterproof trousers too for cycling in the rain?
8. Keep the sessions short! Focus on what matters, do the accessories on GPP days.

Diet

I am quite overweight even taking into account that I am quite well muscled. Whichever way you look at it, I am carrying an excessive amount of body fat. My desired outcomes are therefore a reduced bodyweight through fat loss, while maintaining all my muscle mass, thus resulting in vastly improved body composition. A scale weight of 90kg would be a good target to aim for.

What process would I have to follow to achieve this out outcome?

1. Track the food that I eat on an app such as MFP so that I am in an appropriate calorie deficit.
2. Measure my bodyweight regularly. This is so that I know that I am on target and that my calorie target is appropriate.
3. Make a rough plan of the meals I will eat over the course of the week as part of my weekly review & plan process.
4. Have ready made meals (such as those from Musclefood) in the freezer for when I am tired. This way there is always a "proper" meal in the house for when my willpower lapses.

There's an expectation that I have that I need to violate or at least need to subvert in order to stick to this, which is that I will get substantially weaker in the lifts that I care about in the process of losing body fat. **This is not true. In fact, not only will I at least maintain my current performance, I may even get substantially stronger!