An Experimental Life
For about thirty-five years, my training, nutrition and lifestyle habits have all been something of an on-going personal experiment. Ask my best mate of forty years (Vin) and he’ll tell you that he’s known Craig the 78kg endurance guy, Craig the fat 14 year-old, Craig the 118kg out-of-shape bodybuilder, Craig the 90kg in-shape bodybuilder, Craig the exhausted-looking-but-in-reasonable-shape gym owner and Craig the less-exhausted-and-in-reasonable-shape speaker-writer.
I’m not sure why but I regularly receive emails from people asking me to post a current photo and to share a little about the way I train and eat at the ripe young age of forty-nine. Well, I will warn you, it’s not very exciting stuff (at all) but for those of you who are curiously interested in how I manage my endomorphic body, here’s a very brief snapshot of what I do. And FYI, this photo was taken two days ago.
Food
Right now, a typical day looks like this:
7.00am – cappuccino (skim)
8.00am – 100 grams of rolled oats, 20 grams of unprocessed bran, 250 ml of skim milk, 1 banana
11.00am – 300ml vegetable and fruit juice
1.30pm – spinach and ricotta in filo pastry (250 grams)
2.00pm – cappuccino (skim)
3.30pm – 300ml protein drink (30 grams protein)
7.00pm – chicken breast, vegetable and basmati rice stir-fry (medium bowl)
* Most days I also consume about 3 litres of water
* I don’t eat sugar, bread, cakes, sweets, biscuits or (virtually) any high-GI carbs
* I eat red meat once or twice a week
* I don’t drink alcohol (never have)
* I never have cravings
* I eat fish twice a week (typically)
* I don’t have added salt on anything
* I ate my last piece of cheesecake (my kryptonite) about two years ago
* When I travel (which is often), I am extremely organised.
Training
Not very exciting at the moment:
Bike – 1 x 30-45 mins per week
Walk – 4 x 30-40 mins per week (sometimes with weight vest, 70-120lbs)
Upper body weights – 3 x 45 mins per week
Lower body weight – 1 x 45 mins per week (should do more)
Stretching (pfft) – not enough
Because I have a very big training base (thirty-five years), these days I’m more interested in maintaining and managing strength, function and shape than setting world records. My strength sessions are quite solid, brief, relatively fundamental and old-school.
My Stats
This morning I weighed 84.2 kgs (185lbs)
My body-fat is about 8%
I am 178cms (five, ten)
Well, quite under-whelming but there it is.
“Don’t complain about your genetics, maximise them”.
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{ 38 comments… read them below or add one }
cool craig! maybe you should bring out your own variety of canned tuna and underwear like Ian Thorpe did.. no seriously that is very inspiring to see that you are that disciplined with your food and exercise and have been maintaining and improving for many years
Thanks dieter…
Nice to see health and looking good, l love exercise lots of war injuries from teaching p.e personal training ,knee and shoulder but enjoying life hope you keep well John
Inspirational Craig. Don’t tell me you’re endomorphic.
No one’s gonna believe that after looking at that photo. 
But then that’s Craigism I guess.
No, I actually AM an endomorph Sulagna. I weigh 6 kilos less now than I did when I was 14!
Phhhhwwwoarrrrrr check out those arms!!!!!! That all sounds so bloody sensible. And phhhhwoarrrrr check out those arms!!!!!
You make me laugh PG. A lot.
Oh, seems your arms distracted me from what I meant to write, and that was that I’d like to know more about how you’re extremely organised with food for when you travel. This is the really hard bit for me and I’d love some tips on this. Thank you!!
PG, first thing I do when I arrive somewhere is find the nearest supermarket and then I stock up. I also take my pre-packed breakfasts and snacks in tupperware so I’m not subjected to hotel or airport food.
Thanks for sharing this. I feel ashamed of how I’ve let myself go. This is an example to me of what can be done. So not “not very exciting” or “under-whelming” at all. I don’t know if I can give up sugar, bread, cakes, sweets, and biscuits – I need to, but it’s going to take a major alteration in how I think, shop, cook and eat.
You’re welcome Anon. Baby steps, don’t over-think it and do it progressively and un-emotionally.
Gosh! Discipline comes to mind and cudos to you for what you’ve achieved.
Are you sure that pic isn’t photoshopped?
Suu
Definitely not photoshopped Suu – I’d have a much better head if it was.
Looking awesome Craig! Xx
Thanks Debstar
Thanks Craig, I love this type of stuff. Don’t you get hungry between lunch and dinner? Protein shakes are filling but….
No, I don’t Bridget. In fact, half the time I don’t have that protein drink.
Wow, – it is awesome to see how you go about organising your days nutrition and workout wise!
And I know Craig keeps that up and is very organised when he travels.
One requisite if wanting to work slightly in the direction of Craig is I think either really keeping off or very much moderating booze intake. Too much booze disrupts sleep, then can make one feel average the following day, – then flag any notion of a decent workout etc. Damn, as I love wine and beer. I hadn’t noticed the sleep disruption thing from a few too many drinks in one evening till I hit my 30′s but I guess that is telling me something that I have decided to listen too.
But REALLY Craig? Have you had no cheesecake for 2 years?
Seriously Pip. I’m reformed. Having said that, I still miss it (a little) but don’t tell anyone.
8% body fat …. oh I wish! In fact, I’d be happy with 18%! I have been pretty lean and have exercised all my life but as I age (now 46) my body fat is going up in correlation with the years. It is now 33% — yet my sister who weighs 10 kilos more than me has lower body fat percentage? Friends and family still tell me I’m small but they don’t feel how I feel, or see the reality without clothes.
Medication played a big part in my initial ‘fat’ gain 2 years ago. I believe it has also negatively affected my metabolism, possibly permanently. I am also a professional sitter (ie at the computer all day) which doesn’t help.
Craig, I just can’t believe you can have arms the size of my midriff and only 8% body fat. Maybe I should take up weights?
Merry Christmas everyone.
Weights help build lean muscle mass which is metabollicaly active – which means you burn more calories at rest (compared with a person of the same body-weight but less muscle)..
Wow, fantastic Craig! Am very interested to read how you go about your training and workout days!
Yes, I am in awe about how committed/organised Craig is with keeping his lifestyle up when he travels such as not skipping workouts, taking care to eat optimally and all!
I think the fact that you don’t drink alcohol is a very good thing regarding staying committed to your lifestyle. While I love wine and beer (too much while having it due to it’s taste and how I feel in the moment at the time), – too much of it often seems to cause problems later on, – such as a disrupted short sleep later that night, then feeling somewhat average the next day, unable to perform well at training, disappointed in self etc etc. I hadn’t noticed alcohol affecting my sleep till my 30′s. Now I either have to have none, – or if I choose to have a beer or wine, – keep intake very moderate or I will pay for it!
I’ll detail my workouts (more specfically) soon Pip…
Now that is even more hawt than hugh, lucky I was lying down when I was exposed to that. All that nutrition and exercise and organisation is SO worth it! I am actually surprised by the small quantity of food you actually need to maintain that V8 machine.
I often eat less than what I have listed Nury. I seriously believe that the majority of us simply eat too much food.
…and what about your hair care plan Craig? What happened there! Don’t complain about your genetics … beat them to the punch!!
Dag, my hair care plan involves a pair of clippers, some nudity and four minutes of my time, once a fortnight. Don’t think about that too much.
Hi Craig,
I love getting your emails in my inbox. So much information and so much wisdom. Thank you for sharing. I have a question for your today. Something you mentioned in your post…Protein drink. Is the protein we get from meat, eggs, beans and nuts, to name a few, not enough for our bodies? Why do we need to supplement?
Thanks heaps,
Wendy
Most of us don’t need a protein supplement Wendy. Most of us get more than enough protein through our normal diet. I use a supplement when I want a convenient high-protein snack and I’m a little time-poor and peck-ish!
What a spunk
x
Wow…Nice work Harps!
Next time, give us a front double bi
Good idea Watto… and…..STRIKE!
Looking good, keep it up!
About how many calories do you get each day? I’m your height, ever so slightly younger, slightly less weight, and slightly less active (increasing slowly but surely) strength training 2x per week and walking a few times a week. I’m not sure how to find a good calorie spot as I really love to eat.
Do you know of a quick way to find my calorie sweet spot? Or do I have to crunch all the numbers (activity, meals, etc)?
Cheers!
Hey Craig! Sorry I replied twice saying almost similar. The first reply didn’t go up straight away and I thought the computer may have lost it, (it’s happened a bit recently) so I re-wrote it.
Cheers!
OK you look great!
not too shabby at all Craig! My experience has been a really positive journey over the past 4 years. Consistency has been the key for me and not beating myself about the very occasional piece of chocolate cake but rather savouring every morsel! I initially dropped 24kgs and since starting CF have gained 2.5kg and dropped another two dress sizes. I really like being strong and taking responsibility for my own lifestyle.
Craig you are huge and look very fine.
I think my body is the same size as an arm. I eat similarly except stay clear of grains/rice except for the odd basmati and dark rye or sough dough sandwich, but not often. I struggle to lift my own body weight 5ft 8 63 kilos. I am an ectomorph and it really is hard to build muscle. I need a testosterone shot haha. I think I need to eat more. I love wine, there is my downfall amd my body weight is 20%. Def some improvement required.
Yep. Your looking mighty fine, Craig. Should feel pretty damn pleased with yourself
Two years, no cheesecake. Amazing.
I wish I had never drank alcohol, like you. But I did and now there is no turning back. It’s one of my simple pleasures in life. Don’t get me wrong. Had no problem abstaining when pregnant and breast feeding, so defo not an alcoholic and don’t need or even want it every day. It does hold weight loss back though. Tend to sip and pick at the same time.
Keep up the great work and maybe I’ll see you round Facebook land soon.
Hi Craig, I’m a bit late getting around to writing this but how do you get to the stage of having no cravings? I cannot imagine having no cravings but it would be great, then I think are cravings true or just the mind messing with the emotions
Have a great 2013