Men's Health challenge: Diet, exercise, water - Week 1 sorts out knotty spots

Chris Reed said he lost 1kg in the first week. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The Men's Health: Small Change, Big Gain challenge is on. Every Monday, the participants are giving us an insight into the ups and downs of their previous week.

Chris Reed
(Herald deputy editor)

I can't seem to breathe and my legs have seized up. I'm sweating. Feel sick. Done in. One of the most intense workouts of my life.

All three minutes of it.

Three minutes of interval training on a bike (8 seconds as fast as I can, 12 seconds of relative rest). It was supposed to be four but I couldn't even do that.

Crikey, I'm unfit.

After a positive first week, it was the perfect riposte from a body angry at being ignored and a reminder there's lots to do.

But there were positives from the first week. I lost weight - 1kg. Bit down that it wasn't more, but Lee-Anne was pleased. The right amount without the body going into shock, she said.

I'm feeling really good; coping a bit better with long, hard days at work and feeling more relaxed. Still sleeping better.

No real problems with the eating regime - I can cope with steak and eggs for breakfast, salmon for dinner.

My daily supplements now include fish oil tablets and a bit of coconut oil.

But week two has been mostly about stepping up the exercise - three things plus the gym session I did with Lee-Anne. Not mad things.

One bike ride, a walk with the wife and another crack at bike sprints. So far, so good.

Nigel Morrison
(SkyCity chief executive)

Is Focusing pretty hard on cutting down or eliminating sugars. Photo / Dean Purcell

Into the second week now. Focusing pretty hard on cutting down or eliminating sugars, particularly for breakfast. So there's more eggs, spinach and avocado than fruit and orange juice - but it's okay.

Tomato juice is gone. Trying to significantly increase water intake - challenging, but getting there - 1.5 litres before lunch. This amount is non-negotiable with Lee-Anne.

Popping the multivitamins and zinc tabs in the morning made me a little nauseous, but as long as they're taken after food they're okay.

Cutting down on alcohol - now only the occasional glass of red. It's amazing how you can make one glass of red last a whole meal - obviously with very small sips!

I've cut down coffee to virtually one a day. No longer lattes but long blacks with cream.

The exercise regime has cranked up a notch. A couple of 30-minute walks a week were fine.

But now after warming up on the exercise bike with resistance around 8, going flat out for 8 seconds - peaking at 140rpm - then recovering for 12 seconds and then going again and again and aiming to keep that going for 3 minutes.

I knew I was working hard when my heart rate hit 170 beats per minute!

Recovery took somewhat longer.

Winston Aldworth
(Herald travel editor)

Winston Aldworth is thankful for the ability to fantasise. Photo / Dean Purcell

No flabby Kiwi male of my age will ever sustain a long programme of physical exercise without, at some point, pretending he's Richie McCaw while he's out jogging.

I've done it for years. A little sidestep while jogging down a quiet suburban street ("McCaw cuts back in!"). A fend on a tree branch ("He's brushing off tacklers!"). A surprising burst of pace for the corner ("McCaw heads for the corner! ... of Fir St and Seaside Ave!").

Thank goodness for our ability to fantasise.

I was past 30 - and hadn't carried a rugby ball in anger in many seasons - before I genuinely, finally, once and for all gave up on the tiny nugget of weirdly delusional belief that I could be a contender. If only I, somehow, got really, really good at rugby.

So the male capacity for self-delusion is proving handy when dealing with the exercise component of Lee-Anne Wann's plan to get me into shape. With a bit of music playing in the gym in the basement of the Herald building, it's basically like Rocky III down there.

Sadly, the nutrition side of things is more difficult.

"McCaw dodges the processed carbs in a bowl of pasta! Aw, brilliant stuff! And he eats another pile of scrambled eggs and broccoli! Sensational!"

Doesn't have quite the same ring to it, really.

I like bread. I love pasta. I adore beer. I've resisted so far, but this is only week two. C'mon! What would Richie do?!

Jason Winstanley
(The Hits radio content director)

Well, the first week is over and it wasn't as bad as I expected. Having said that, my first session with our trainer and nutritionist Lee-Anne was ... um ... very hard work. Not the hardest workout I've ever had, but close.

I was hoping for something along the lines of a stroll through the Auckland Domain. Instead, I ran on the treadmill for 10 minutes, then perfected full-depth lunges, staggered arm press-ups, jump squats, bicycles and finally high knees on the spot.

By far the worst was jump squats. How on Earth do others make these look so easy?

Lee-Anne then gave me a nutrition guide for the week. Most of it is common sense - protein and veges and using organic and free-range products wherever possible.

But the biggest change for me was to drink water - 500ml when I get up and then 2 litres before 2pm every day. I have never drunk so much water in my life and then never been to the work toilet so many times.

I met almost everyone from the building in the toilet last week. Some of them must think I never leave the toilet, or wonder what I'm doing in there.

The exercise last week was okay, but I don't think I'm pushing myself hard enough.

I also have a couple of big nights out coming up, which could involve a bit of drinking.

There haven't been any instructions for me about alcohol, so maybe I'm okay to have a few. I probably should ask - but I'm scared of the response. Ignorance is bliss.

Personal trainer Lee-Anne Wann tells us here how the men liked their first week.