I started writing this post a couple days ago and every time I think I'm good, I delete everything I had in my head and restart it. Why? I just don't know how to resolve my issue. I don't know exactly what to say. Often (VERY OFTEN) I criticize people (yes, I am as critical of others as I am of myself - equal opportunist) for not taking action. For just sitting around and "thinking" about what to do next. Instead of just picking a fucking route and moving forward. If its the wrong direction, well then take a step back and change direction. The worst thing you can do (in my opinion) is nothing. Sitting around and saying you are thinking about doing something or trying to map out this fucking long term master plan is a waste of fucking time. Doing something to move forward, even if later it proves to not be the best solution, is better than doing NOTHING.
Yet - here I am. Sitting and thinking about nutrition. Why would I do that? After all, on a good day I'm down 27lbs on an average day I'm doing 23/24 lbs. I am proud of that accomplishment. I truly am. It has taken a lot of effort, discipline and consistency to get this far - but if there is anything I have learned throughout my journey (which dates back a lot farther than this blog) is if you don't set goals, you will fail. You need to have a target you are trying to hit. If you hit that target, you find another target to hit. You need to have something to keep working towards - if not, whats the point?
My goal is to have a frigin 6 pack. For as far back as Power90 (hmmm, 11 yrs ago or so?) I've said - I can do this and I will get a 6 pack. Yet, despite all my successes and failures, I've never achieved that. Sure a 6 pack is kind of a generic goal. What do you need to get to that goal? You need consistency with fitness and you need consistency with nutrition. Fitness is typically the easier of the two (IMO). You need to find a time (or make time in your schedule) for it. I've found a way to do that. I've put in the time and continue to due so. Every morning I get up, grab my shorts off the floor and head down to the kitchen to grab my water bottle and then head to the basement to get my workout in. Every. Single. Morning. Why do I need to do that? I mean - I'm already down over 20lbs and according to other people I look great!
I sincerely appreciate people's support and their kind compliments. It is not my intent to give them the feeling that their compliments do not matter or that I don't care what they have to say. It is not. Ultimately though I have to be happy with my results and I am not there. I want to believe that I will know when I get there, but I'm not there. That much I do know. My core could/should be stronger and more defined. I've often though about doing doubles of P90x3 and T25 to accomplish this - but I'm guilty of "over thinking" the situation. Is it the right thing to do? Just double up on the work, increase the workload of your body to reach the goal.. or what you perceive to be the goal? What happens if you get injured and you can't even do the first workout for a while... what do you do then?
It brings me to nutrition. Probably my biggest downfall. Yes, I know Doritos and beer aren't good for me. No shit. I can read ingredients and see that, but you know what.... I like to have them from time to time. Some weeks more than others. Should I have a second plate of whatever dinner is that night? Probably not. Should I go back for more pizza? Probably not. These are things I do though. They are also decisions that are preventing me to getting to my next goal. These are MY decisions and I have no one to blame for them but myself. I had been teetering on the weight of 170lbs for weeks. Some time last week I saw myself about 173 and honestly I haven't stepped back on the scale since. I know if I do, it won't be what I want - because I haven't changed the things I need to change.
In addition to all my nutrition struggles - the past week I have really struggled to get these workouts in. I'm getting them done. Haven't missed a single one, which I should be proud of. I'm fighting it though. My body is tired and I promised myself I wouldn't overtax my body like I did last time and injure myself. Yet another reason why I haven't done doubles with T25. I've been doing the 30 day burpee challenge (30 burpees a day for 30 days) in conjunction with restarting P90x3 and it has been SO tough to get through these burpees as the week goes on. Honestly, by the end of the week it was taking me 10 minutes to finish 30 burpees. Fucking ridiculous. I'm more fit than that. The issue though (IMO) is when I choose to not fuel my body right. Indulge in some alcohol, even if its just a beer or two, and some empty calories the next day my body is completely drained. Even more than if I instead chose just to go to bed hungry. Not that I typically do, I'm usually quite satisfied with dinner (unless we have shrimp for some reason) and I typically do not eat another thing after dinner. I try to go by the "eat nothing within 3 hrs of going to bed" rule, with the exception of Saturday nights when we have our "date night".
Anywho I need to just end this sorry ass post and get back to work. I can't keep over thinking the situation. I need to just prepare my food better and make the healthiest choice available to me at that given time and I will get there. KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid).
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Monday, March 31, 2014
P90X3 re-started!! Nutrition. blah
OK - so I just realized that I never went back on Saturday and weighed myself in for the "weekly" weigh in. My bag. Oh well. I wouldn't have expected a better weigh in. My nutrition was spotty at best. I think I drank alcohol 4 days last week. 4 fucking days. That's not going to get it done. Do I really need to wonder why my belly isn't getting smaller?
This weekend I didn't do any structured workouts. Saturday I helped my youngest brother move, but that honestly wasn't that difficult. So thanks Justin! I feared the worst, but it wasn't bad at all. I was supposed to do Combat 30 on Saturday, but my morning was spent just trying to get the kids ready and help Christie get out the door before I left. Sunday was going to be a rest day and it was. I did NOTHING.
Overall I've been really tired. I'm pretty sure its due to the nutrition or lack there of that I've been consuming. Again - drinking 4 days last week (7 beers total)...wait.... was it only 4 times.... might have been 5. Either way, it just drags you down. As much as you may enjoy it while you are doing it the energy level after just plummets. I've been drinking my Shakeology for breakfasts and that is great. I love it. Love the taste of it and honestly its quick & easy. I'm not helping myself with some of my other choices though. I have to get back on track and just have my 1 night a week where we consume some bad food. Limiting myself to 1 or 2 beers.
P90x3. I did a workout last week to test my shoulder and overall I felt great. My muscles were sore and it was a feeling I had not had in a while. It felt great and I definitely missed it. Initially I thought to myself "I'm going to go crazy and do doubles every morning of X3 and T25!". I definitely want to work in more T25 because the program is phenomenal. It totally works your core and the cardio is awesome. Something X3 seriously lacks. My focus though needs to shift back to nutrition and portion control. Anywho, I'm getting sidetracked.
X3 is great. I LOVE the strength workouts. This morning I did 11 unassisted pull ups. 4 chin ups with you pulling your knees up to your chest after you have your head above the bar. 7 pull ups where you bring your legs around in a circular motion across your chest after you pulled your head above the bar. So - completely different exercises, but still 11 when all is said and done. It felt great. There was a time though when I was telling Tony to just shut the fuck up and get on with the workouts. lol Its all good though. He didn't mind. lol
Tomorrow will be Agility X which is by far one of my least favorite workouts ever. I just don't enjoy it. I'll focus on form though and try and make the best of it. Until then!!
This weekend I didn't do any structured workouts. Saturday I helped my youngest brother move, but that honestly wasn't that difficult. So thanks Justin! I feared the worst, but it wasn't bad at all. I was supposed to do Combat 30 on Saturday, but my morning was spent just trying to get the kids ready and help Christie get out the door before I left. Sunday was going to be a rest day and it was. I did NOTHING.
Overall I've been really tired. I'm pretty sure its due to the nutrition or lack there of that I've been consuming. Again - drinking 4 days last week (7 beers total)...wait.... was it only 4 times.... might have been 5. Either way, it just drags you down. As much as you may enjoy it while you are doing it the energy level after just plummets. I've been drinking my Shakeology for breakfasts and that is great. I love it. Love the taste of it and honestly its quick & easy. I'm not helping myself with some of my other choices though. I have to get back on track and just have my 1 night a week where we consume some bad food. Limiting myself to 1 or 2 beers.
P90x3. I did a workout last week to test my shoulder and overall I felt great. My muscles were sore and it was a feeling I had not had in a while. It felt great and I definitely missed it. Initially I thought to myself "I'm going to go crazy and do doubles every morning of X3 and T25!". I definitely want to work in more T25 because the program is phenomenal. It totally works your core and the cardio is awesome. Something X3 seriously lacks. My focus though needs to shift back to nutrition and portion control. Anywho, I'm getting sidetracked.
X3 is great. I LOVE the strength workouts. This morning I did 11 unassisted pull ups. 4 chin ups with you pulling your knees up to your chest after you have your head above the bar. 7 pull ups where you bring your legs around in a circular motion across your chest after you pulled your head above the bar. So - completely different exercises, but still 11 when all is said and done. It felt great. There was a time though when I was telling Tony to just shut the fuck up and get on with the workouts. lol Its all good though. He didn't mind. lol
Tomorrow will be Agility X which is by far one of my least favorite workouts ever. I just don't enjoy it. I'll focus on form though and try and make the best of it. Until then!!
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Mid week weigh in, Combat week 2, new pull up bar
OK - so today's weigh in was 170.6lbs I don't buy it and don't get it. I certainly don't feel it. Definitely feeling bloated. I'm killing a fair amount of calories doing Combat, but I know its not the most intense workout I've done. So it makes me wonder how many calories would I be killing if I was doing a more intense workout. Hmmmmm
Combat - Week #2. Lets see, unlike week #1 I have actually followed the schedule, not guessed which workout is the next day and just did what I thought I was supposed to do. Such a dumbass. I've used the weighted gloves all week, except for the Power HIIT workout (30 min and over 350 cals burned) and yes, its provided more resistance. Extremely difficult routine? No. Tomorrow is a scheduled "rest day" and they follow that up with Shock Plyo (jelly legs, lots of jumping) and Combat 30 to round out the week. I'm thinking tomorrow I'm going to do P90x3 Incinerator to see how many calories I kill. Great strength training and I could really use that right now.
New Pull Up bar - FINALLY I used my lunch break today on my "work from home" day and cut up the 2x6 and mounted it to the ceiling joists in the basement. Drilled a couple holes and insert 5' long x 1" thick black steel pipe. Ta-da! New pull-up bar. Why go through all this trouble? Let me just say this.... my existing one did in fact work. It did. It mounted in the door frame. The challenge with it was the door frame was at the bottom of a stair landing. Extremely easy to do "assisted" pull ups with one foot on the landing. When I did pull myself all the way up (my max is 6 unassisted) my head would either A) hit the ceiling or B) hit the light mounted on the ceiling. Kinda sucked. The new one is roughly 18" down from the ceiling so this should help avoid those scenarios. In addition, its just a straight bar. So no odd hand grippings when trying to to do any of the assorted pull ups in X3. On top of all that - as I've tested, my form is MUCH better with the new pull up bar. I'm excited to use it for a workout. LOL
That's all I've got really. Really tired and stressed lately. Things have been really busy at work, busy at home and sleep is a precious thing. I'm thankful that I've been able to workout and help with some of the stress release, but I'm looking forward to calmer times and getting past this stress.
Combat - Week #2. Lets see, unlike week #1 I have actually followed the schedule, not guessed which workout is the next day and just did what I thought I was supposed to do. Such a dumbass. I've used the weighted gloves all week, except for the Power HIIT workout (30 min and over 350 cals burned) and yes, its provided more resistance. Extremely difficult routine? No. Tomorrow is a scheduled "rest day" and they follow that up with Shock Plyo (jelly legs, lots of jumping) and Combat 30 to round out the week. I'm thinking tomorrow I'm going to do P90x3 Incinerator to see how many calories I kill. Great strength training and I could really use that right now.
New Pull Up bar - FINALLY I used my lunch break today on my "work from home" day and cut up the 2x6 and mounted it to the ceiling joists in the basement. Drilled a couple holes and insert 5' long x 1" thick black steel pipe. Ta-da! New pull-up bar. Why go through all this trouble? Let me just say this.... my existing one did in fact work. It did. It mounted in the door frame. The challenge with it was the door frame was at the bottom of a stair landing. Extremely easy to do "assisted" pull ups with one foot on the landing. When I did pull myself all the way up (my max is 6 unassisted) my head would either A) hit the ceiling or B) hit the light mounted on the ceiling. Kinda sucked. The new one is roughly 18" down from the ceiling so this should help avoid those scenarios. In addition, its just a straight bar. So no odd hand grippings when trying to to do any of the assorted pull ups in X3. On top of all that - as I've tested, my form is MUCH better with the new pull up bar. I'm excited to use it for a workout. LOL
That's all I've got really. Really tired and stressed lately. Things have been really busy at work, busy at home and sleep is a precious thing. I'm thankful that I've been able to workout and help with some of the stress release, but I'm looking forward to calmer times and getting past this stress.
Saturday, March 22, 2014
End of week weigh in, Combat 1st week opinion, etc..
End of week weigh in. I was expecting good things. I really was. I figured I'd be below 170 without a doubt. I was 170.8 on Wednesday, I've not eaten junk all week. I've stayed on track with my nutrition. What was the weigh in? Which one? I got on the scale the first time and it was 171.8lbs. Said to myself, no - that can't be right. Stepped off, let it zero out and stepped on again. 171.4lbs. OK - that's a little better, but why am I getting 2 different readings? Let's go a 3rd time and see what it is. 172.2lbs. WHAT!!!! This is BULLSHIT. Step off, clear, try again. 171.8lbs. We are going to stick with 171.8lbs.
Yet another reason why I hate the scale as a measurement tool for success. I haven't been feeling "thin" like I had been and my jeans aren't as loose as they were, so that is why I was using it. Christie will be taking my measurements later today to see if I am completely losing my mind or not.
Les Mills Combat. OK - today was "Extreme Cardio 60". A 60 minute workout, which by the way is only 55 min long. I'm sorry - but accuracy is a pet peeve of mine. If you say 60, you fucking better be 60. I don't care if 60 min includes a warm up, a cool down, etc... Just as long as the video run time is at least 60 min. T25 says get your workout in 25 min a day. You know what, you hit that clock and you start at 25 min and you stop when 25 min is up. Your cool down is another 3 min AFTER that workout. P90x3 the workouts are 30 min. Meaning each routine is 30 min long. PERIOD.
In addition to my bitch about that inaccurate time keeping they do (like the 30 min workouts being 27), I don't understand why they are stopping. OK - you want to show me how to do a transition, fine. Do you need to completely stop and practically rest to do that? Probably not. I'm clearly fighting this program. I even got the 1lb fighting gloves (1lb each hand). Wore them today. Egh. I'm sure it helped me work "harder", but nothing extreme.
OK - that's the end of my bitching about my weight and workout. I'm doing SOMETHING, but I'm just not sure what I'm doing is the program for me.
Yet another reason why I hate the scale as a measurement tool for success. I haven't been feeling "thin" like I had been and my jeans aren't as loose as they were, so that is why I was using it. Christie will be taking my measurements later today to see if I am completely losing my mind or not.
Les Mills Combat. OK - today was "Extreme Cardio 60". A 60 minute workout, which by the way is only 55 min long. I'm sorry - but accuracy is a pet peeve of mine. If you say 60, you fucking better be 60. I don't care if 60 min includes a warm up, a cool down, etc... Just as long as the video run time is at least 60 min. T25 says get your workout in 25 min a day. You know what, you hit that clock and you start at 25 min and you stop when 25 min is up. Your cool down is another 3 min AFTER that workout. P90x3 the workouts are 30 min. Meaning each routine is 30 min long. PERIOD.
In addition to my bitch about that inaccurate time keeping they do (like the 30 min workouts being 27), I don't understand why they are stopping. OK - you want to show me how to do a transition, fine. Do you need to completely stop and practically rest to do that? Probably not. I'm clearly fighting this program. I even got the 1lb fighting gloves (1lb each hand). Wore them today. Egh. I'm sure it helped me work "harder", but nothing extreme.
OK - that's the end of my bitching about my weight and workout. I'm doing SOMETHING, but I'm just not sure what I'm doing is the program for me.
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Mid week weigh in, Combat workouts, shoulder/PT, exhaustion
My mid week workout - as expected, the vacation bloat is gone. I'm 170.8lbs, so down 4.8lbs from Monday morning. Now time to get closer to that goal weight of 165. My main focus right now is just getting under 170 and staying there. I've seen it from time to time, but clearly not there yet. Just like when I was 200, 190s and 180s - I want it in the rear view mirror.
Apparently I screwed up my workout schedule already. Yesterday I did what would have been today's workout so as a result today I did yesterday's workout. I'm actually glad that this happened. I had physical therapy last night and that was 75 min long. I don't know if I could have done a 45 min workout today. It took me a lot to just get up and press play for today's 30 min workout. It was a very awkward workout. Les Mills Combat - HIIT Power. It had weights! I was happy about that. Just kind of odd exercises and transitions in my opinion. Just not things I was used to, I'll get there. According to the fancy new Polar FT4 I got for my bday I killed 300 calories in that 30 min. Between these 3 workouts this week I've killed about 1000 calories. Not disappointed.
Shoulder - all is good. No pain, no discomfort. No longer pulling in the neck. Officially cleared and I don't have to go back to PT unless I have a relapse. I don't plan to have a relapse. I need to figure out though what schedule to do those PT exercises on and how to incorporate them. They are definitely tough and work the core/shoulder/back. Really good stuff.
Exhausted. That's all I have to say about that. Getting back from vacation and trying to catch up on everything is always exhausting. All the laundry, the house cleaning, keeping up with all the day to day stuff you didn't have to do for a bit. I know.... no boo-hoo's for the guy that just got back from fucking vacation. It's OK. So, also adjusting to getting back to work. Trying to get sleep, but sometimes your body or your environment don't cooperate and help you. Add in being extremely hammered at work and you've got an exhausted man right here. A work in progress (aka WIP). Tomorrow is a scheduled rest day, but I think I'm going to do P90x3 Dynamix. Great routine, good core stuff and stretching.
Apparently I screwed up my workout schedule already. Yesterday I did what would have been today's workout so as a result today I did yesterday's workout. I'm actually glad that this happened. I had physical therapy last night and that was 75 min long. I don't know if I could have done a 45 min workout today. It took me a lot to just get up and press play for today's 30 min workout. It was a very awkward workout. Les Mills Combat - HIIT Power. It had weights! I was happy about that. Just kind of odd exercises and transitions in my opinion. Just not things I was used to, I'll get there. According to the fancy new Polar FT4 I got for my bday I killed 300 calories in that 30 min. Between these 3 workouts this week I've killed about 1000 calories. Not disappointed.
Shoulder - all is good. No pain, no discomfort. No longer pulling in the neck. Officially cleared and I don't have to go back to PT unless I have a relapse. I don't plan to have a relapse. I need to figure out though what schedule to do those PT exercises on and how to incorporate them. They are definitely tough and work the core/shoulder/back. Really good stuff.
Exhausted. That's all I have to say about that. Getting back from vacation and trying to catch up on everything is always exhausting. All the laundry, the house cleaning, keeping up with all the day to day stuff you didn't have to do for a bit. I know.... no boo-hoo's for the guy that just got back from fucking vacation. It's OK. So, also adjusting to getting back to work. Trying to get sleep, but sometimes your body or your environment don't cooperate and help you. Add in being extremely hammered at work and you've got an exhausted man right here. A work in progress (aka WIP). Tomorrow is a scheduled rest day, but I think I'm going to do P90x3 Dynamix. Great routine, good core stuff and stretching.
Monday, March 17, 2014
Vacation is over - back to work, Les Mills Combat...first impressions
OK - well I've returned from vacation. I consumed a lot of stuff that I typically wouldn't... why? Because I could. Here is the short of it - I'm up 3.4lbs. My weight this morning was 175.6lbs. A lot of my food choices were good. I ate a lot of healthy foods, but at the same time - I drank a lot of beer. I also consumed a lot of salty/cheesy type foods that I normally just wouldn't eat. Not to mention had my fair share of desserts - again, something I don't consume on a regular basis.
I still stayed active. We flew out Thursday and flew back on Sunday. I worked out Thursday, Friday & Saturday. Plus between Thurs & Friday we walked just over 11 miles. Not too shabby. If you do all that activity and STILL gain weight, well its got to be over-indulging. GUILTY.
In my defense - when you go to get some breakfast and they say "oh its buffet and the buffet is $22.50" or get a nice sit down dinner and they say "oh its yet another damn buffet and its $42 per person", you bet your ass I'm tying a feedbag on. lol Especially after my wife apparently became ill during that buffet, I may have tried to eat $84 worth of food. lol WHATEVER.
Again - I'm not going to beat myself up over it. I refuse to. I'm happy to be back and happy get back to those things that have become routine for me, for a HEALTHY me. Drinking my shake. Doing my workouts. All good things.
Now - I have officially started Les Mills Combat. I'm digging it. Its a badass workout. Is it as badass as the MMX workout in P90x3? So far, no - but I've only done a couple of the workouts. I've done "the basics" which is essentially a training video, one in which I will have to revisit. I've also done the "kick start 30" routine. I just got a Polar FT4 for my bday and used it this morning to see how many calories I burned. 284 calories for just under 30 min of work. I can do better. I want to be eclipsing 300 cals for each 30 min workout. I've just got to push harder. Focus more. Get more intense in the workout. Maximize these results. Tomorrow's workout is HIIT: Power Kata. No idea what the hell that is, but I'm liking the sound of it. My core already feels today's workout, can't wait to see what tomorrow brings. I'm sure by my mid-week weigh in (Wednesday) I'll probably have those few extra pounds gone. I look forward to continuing my journey and getting closer to my goals.
I still stayed active. We flew out Thursday and flew back on Sunday. I worked out Thursday, Friday & Saturday. Plus between Thurs & Friday we walked just over 11 miles. Not too shabby. If you do all that activity and STILL gain weight, well its got to be over-indulging. GUILTY.
In my defense - when you go to get some breakfast and they say "oh its buffet and the buffet is $22.50" or get a nice sit down dinner and they say "oh its yet another damn buffet and its $42 per person", you bet your ass I'm tying a feedbag on. lol Especially after my wife apparently became ill during that buffet, I may have tried to eat $84 worth of food. lol WHATEVER.
Again - I'm not going to beat myself up over it. I refuse to. I'm happy to be back and happy get back to those things that have become routine for me, for a HEALTHY me. Drinking my shake. Doing my workouts. All good things.
Now - I have officially started Les Mills Combat. I'm digging it. Its a badass workout. Is it as badass as the MMX workout in P90x3? So far, no - but I've only done a couple of the workouts. I've done "the basics" which is essentially a training video, one in which I will have to revisit. I've also done the "kick start 30" routine. I just got a Polar FT4 for my bday and used it this morning to see how many calories I burned. 284 calories for just under 30 min of work. I can do better. I want to be eclipsing 300 cals for each 30 min workout. I've just got to push harder. Focus more. Get more intense in the workout. Maximize these results. Tomorrow's workout is HIIT: Power Kata. No idea what the hell that is, but I'm liking the sound of it. My core already feels today's workout, can't wait to see what tomorrow brings. I'm sure by my mid-week weigh in (Wednesday) I'll probably have those few extra pounds gone. I look forward to continuing my journey and getting closer to my goals.
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Vacation!!
Although on Saturday my weight was 170.8lbs, today (Thursday) my weight is 172.2lbs. Off to Savannah, GA until Sunday. I'm going prepared to have lots of fun with my wife. Lots of walking, exploring, hopefully some sensible nutrition. Also loaded my tablet with workouts (T25 BETA & Les Mills Combat).
Check back next week.
Check back next week.
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