I've been on a diet (unfortunately not compatible with strength training) over the last year. I'm doing well, lost over 6 stone so far!
That is an absolutely
amazing amount of body re-compositioning you've done there Ken ! :D
I also wanted to mention that to not feel it wholly compatible with strength training is somewhat harsh on yourself. I am just thinking how your
absolute strength may have leveled or taken a drop, but of course your
relative strength ( power to weight ratio ) is no doubt meanwhile progressing very well .
A further thought ( and one I've decided to heed myself for the next few months ) is that given by a major contributor to a well known Kettlebell / Strength forum. When asked what order he ( as a personal trainer ) would place seemingly mixed objectives such as strength , fat loss , adding lean mass ( and / or specific strength qualities required for Sports ) he noted that he got the best results for his clients if he started with fat loss ( whilst pursuing a maintainence strength routine ) -
then work on increasing the base strength level with an appropriate routine - and only then, working on what the client would like to ultimately acheive some months later. Another famous Strength / Field Athletics coach described it as working seemingly 'counter intuitive' to what most Gym goers would do between Winter and Summer. He would do his fat loss in winter / spring ( whilst most where getting big and heavy in the Gym ) - then start adding in the strength stuff, so that he'd already been in great condition for months - and so just needed to add some 'new' Strength
at leisure near the start of the new Athletics season. This meant of course, that whilst most were draining themselves of much needed energy in a last minute effort to catch up with the long overdue fat loss and general conditioning phase , he was enjoying the very managable and relatively simple act of doing sets of 2 - 5 reps with large rest periods - and enjoying carrying stuff around / having functional fun outside in the increasingly pleasant weather.
I mention all that, because I not only think you've done something most admirable already , but are also ' bang on target' for an enviable power to weight ratio in the future. Sort of giving the car a smaller body,
before you fit the 3 litre engine. Yours is an inspiring story indeed ! :D
