JOE gets ripped in eight weeks: Week 7

JOE’s resident videographer and Photoshop genius Peter Cooney wants to get ripped in eight weeks. With a lot of help from Raw Condition Gym, here’s his second last week in review.

You can check out Week 1 here, Week 2 here, Week 3 here, Week 4, week 5 and Week 6 here. So, one week left. When I began, this point seemed like an age away and I struggled to see myself getting here. But hey, here I am. And ye know what? I'm bloody chuffed. When the eight weeks have concluded, I don't see myself reverting back to my old ways. It would be a complete waste. I've finally gotten into shape and genuinely want to build on that. I believe the biggest change however, has been psychological. My mentality towards health and fitness has completely changed. I'm far more disciplined than I was previously and my willpower has improved immensely. In saying that though, there have been times in the last week when the monotony has gotten to me. At times it feels like every waking minute is devoted to eating and training, and in many ways it is. I have gone through the week feeling somewhat robotic, wake, eat every three hours, sleep, only to wake up and do it all over again. Thankfully, these feelings are the exception rather than the rule. And that's where my cheat meals come in. It restores an equilibrium and gives me a little reward at the end of the week. And speaking of rewards... Yes, I can now lift not one, but two garden chairs I met Ant this week, to get some measurements heading into the final stretch. My fears of a low carb week were allayed when I discovered my body fat had dropped to 9.7%. To say I was elated, is an understatement.  It's moments like that, when I don't mind being that robot. A finely-tuned robot called Peter. (Great idea for a screenplay). The drop in body fat means my diet remains unchanged, which is fine. A week of low carb days would have been gruelling. The workout however has been changed up. Instead of the two-day split, alternating between upper and lower body, its changed to a four-day split as you can see: I have only done the chest workout thus far, but it's a killer. But hard work reaps rewards and all that. So my reward this week was a delicious trip to Pitt Bros. Guess what? I even had a beer, I went that wild. And it may have been the greatest beer I have ever tasted. I'll try set the scene... Sunday evening, the sunlight wrestles with the buildings on Georges St, a glimmer creeps in the window of the Pitt Bros. establishment. Accompanied by my fiancé (She refers to herself as the Messi of Roller Derby BTW), I enter the restaurant. Sunkissed and hungry, I exchange pleasantries with the waiter, who shows us to our table. I sit down, menu placed in front, my eyes pace around the card before settling on the pulled pork. I stand up. Focused, I walk eagerly to the counter, 'Eh Pulled Pork with mac & cheese, fries, and a bottle of Brooklyn Lager, I say to the cashier, 'Ant won't like this', I say nonchalantly to myself. I return to my seat and wait patiently until my food is placed in front of me. Fully aware of the delicious pulled pork that sits in front, my eyes are fixed, like very fixed eyes, on the bottle of Brooklyn Lager in front of me. One sip, two sips, like liquid gold pouring down my throat, although not as hot, I assume liquid gold would have to be melted in a very high heat and would not be pleasant to drink, but you know what I mean. The beer was very cold FYI. Hmmm... sacriclicious I went even wilder afterwards and had the free ice cream. That's how mental I went on Sunday evening. A beer and an ice cream! So another week done with just one left. I'm genuinely looking forward to the final measurements on Wednesday and just need to give it one last push. I genuinely couldn't have gotten this far without the unbelievable advice and training from Ant and the lads in Raw; it has gained is reputation as one of the best gyms around for good reason. And sure I'd be nothing if it wasn't for Courtney's who have been incredibly supportive in my endeavor and always on hand to provide me with the best meat a man could be eating. Just a shame I can't be barbecuing. Til' next week. Peter (You can, and probably should, follow Peter on Twitter here).