For the next thirty days I will be using this platform to document an experiment. The subject for said experiment is me.

Please note that I am not a nutritionist, nor am I certified in any particular aspect of health and fitness. I am simply a listener. I engage in conversations with experts. And I read the occasional fitness magazine. Ultimately, my motivation for this 30 day fiasco is the reality that I long to be a part of the uncommon… The unfortunate truth in America is that obesity is the norm. More American’s live a lifestyle of comfort, from comforting entertainment to comfort foods, lazy seems to be our status quo.

By nature, I am not one for the status quo and this experiment shall only be further documentation of this.

The experiment is this: A 30 day cleanse/fast/diet that is very specific to what can be consumed, and how much physical activity I will take place in. Truthfully, I have an incredibly hard time sticking to a routine or regimen if there is no structure to it. So, my 2 year pursuit of health and fitness has not seen nearly the losses or gains that it could have had I been more disciplined in my diet and exercise plan.

Diet [explanations will follow]:
In the morning, more specifically for breakfast I will consume between 12 and 16 ounces of fresh fruit and/or vegetable smoothie. I will also drink my first 32 ounce serving of water for the day.

As a snack, I have portioned out 1/2 cup of raw almonds to snack on throughout the day to curb my hung pangs during the first couple weeks.

For lunch I will warm up a pre-cooked [baked at home] chicken breast. The serving of meat will likely be between 12 and 16 ounces [this is a large serving of chicken, but I am not a small dude].

Post workout I will have a serving of protein, which will likely be a powder based shake or a protein bar.

At dinner time I will have smoothie number two. I don’t really mind the taste or texture of foods that I consume, so this may get experimental and weird by the end of the month.

Before bed I will have either a protein shake or a large spoon full of natural peanut butter.

Exercise:
I will have one cardio day and three days of heavy weight training for a total of four days of intense exercise. That schedule will look a little something like this:
Monday – basketball
Tuesday – back, biceps, core
Thursday – chest, triceps, shoulders
Friday – legs, core

It is likely that I will feel a bit run down by the end of week one as my body adjusts to lesser amounts of food intake, however, if I have the energy to sustain a 5th day of exercise I will add it in.

Explanations:
As far as food is concerned for this experiment, I have chosen to take the theory of “juicing” that had its rise and fall due to the amount of fruit and vegetables that we being wasted, the time consuming clean up, and the lack of substance. Sounds like a good choice right… Well, instead of “juicing” I am going to be “smoothie-ing”. There is a great deal of nutritional value, as well as fiber in the skins of many of the fruits we eat, and I want all that each fruit has to offer! I am going to couple this with a fairly high intake of proteins, my sources will be baked chicken breasts and protein supplements such as powders and maybe the occasional protein bar if I’m on the run. The third component to this is water, lots and lots of water. Being one of the most natural cleansers, water is stimulating to your metabolism, refreshingly satisfying and a steady stream of removing toxins from your body.

Regarding exercise, it is far more effective to burn fat by building muscle, and one of my personal goals is to be deceivingly strong for my size/build.

This seems to be getting a bit long winded, but I would like to thank you for embarking on this journey with me! Please feel free to post any suggestions, exercises, smoothie recipes in the comments section. If you would like to engage in this adventure to be a part of the uncommon then I am here to support you! Post the details of your journey in the comments, and feel completely free to borrow my regimen and tweak it as you see fit.

Later today I am going to go get my measurements taken so I can include them into the results piece at the end of the next thirty days.

Thanks again and welcome to the uncommon!