Inspiration

Yesterday's 5k sparked up some needed inspiration. Life has been full of changes and I let my health and fitness slip. I have written out a workout schedule on my calendar. I have some big races coming up in 7-8 months and I have to get back in shape by August just to train for them. Back in October I said I would do gomad until I hit 190lbs or 20% body fat. Yesterday I logged 194.4 and 20.1% and it is time to take action. I am back to where I was in August 2009. This time around I have more free time and better understanding of nutritional philosophy. I have not touched a set of weights since March 15th. When I put my two weeks notice in at my old job March 18th life got crazy. Next week is the first normal week for Ellen and I at our new jobs and perfect time to establish good habits to fit our new schedule.

Quote of the Day

New Shoes and 5k Registration

I just ordered new shoes for my wife and I on clearance from http://www.travelcountry.com

I had been asking for a pair New Balance Minimus Zero since October. 

In order to get free shipping I got my wife a pair of Vibram fivefingers SeeYa LS. She loves her SeeYa shoes with a strap and hopes the ones with the laces will be even better.

I also signed up for the St. Paddy's Day Dash Down Greenville 5k

I am hoping to break out of the funk I have been in the past 5 months.

New Balance MR00

Vibram fivefingers SeeYa LS

Back in Action

Things are looking up in my world. After our trip to Reno we completely lost our routine for 3-4 weeks. As January was coming to an end I looked at my calendar and noticed I had only ran 2 miles and had lifted weight twice. Since my post last Wednesday "Why wait till Monday" my mojo is back. I got off my ass and just did it and ENOYED it. 

I dropped 3 pounds since then and I am eating better. I feel better. Yesterday I had to survive on just 900 calories from 6am to 7pm and I though I would die but I just drank more coffee and I was fine. I have been eating enough or overeating for 4 months and forgot that I can control and limit myself.

After 12 weeks of bulking and lifting and 3-4 weeks of no activity I am read to tackle the next 16 weeks.

I am 15-16 pounds of fat above ideal. I am giving myself a June first deadline to lose it. Just in time for 3 trips to the beach we have planned.

Starting Wednesday I am giving up gluten, alcohol, fried foods, and all nonessential communication tools. 40 days of freedom!

Starting Monday we are following an 8 week program called The Texas Method that I downloaded from the creator of StrongLifts. It is similar to what we just finished except it adds in Pull Ups and Dip and the number of reps and intensity vary from Mon, Wed, Friday.

We are headed to Galveston Island this weekend. It will be in the 60s and rainy. I have not visited my grandmother for a whole year. She is turning 80 this summer and my last visit was on February 2-4 2012 when I ran my fastest half marathon.

February 2012 was the peak of my running conditioning. I had been training for 8 months with a 2 week break in the middle. On 2-5 I ran my fastest Half and on 2-12 I ran my longest ever run (17mi). On 2-19 I was attempting 18 miles and my knee crapped out on me ending all my plans. I am no longer motivated or interested in longer endurance running/racing. I have 8-10 pounds more muscle now and I am not going to waste it away again.

Balance is good in human fitness. Body for life was good balance for me. Running for 20 to 45 minutes is healthy. Doing 5k and 10k races is fun. After my first BFL challenge I swore off cardio and just lifted weights. After that I start running like crazy for 2 years and eventually lifting became a twice a week effort to just maintain my muscle.

How do I combine the best of both worlds? I want to bench press more than 165 pounds. I want to run 10k races in under 54 minutes. I would like to maintain a lean sub 12% body fat year round. 

Quote of the Day

The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. 
It's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are 
it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. 
You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard ya hit. 
It's about how hard you can get it and keep moving forward. 
How much you can take and keep moving forward. 
That's how winning is done! 
Now if you know what you're worth then go out and get what you're worth. 
But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers 
saying you ain't where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! 
Cowards do that and that ain't you! 
You're better than that!  
- Rocky Balboa

"I'll Start Monday"

"I'll Start Monday" is just an excuse and procrastination. Time for action starting now!

2013: A New Beginning

We just got back from Reno on Saturday. After a week of good eating I lost 3 pounds and Ellen lost 6 pounds. We have been gaining weight since June and I have been intentionally packing on the pounds since October. With a combination of the GOMAD diet and just plain lazy laid back holiday eating from Thanksgiving to Christmas I managed to pack on 19 pounds (25 pounds since June). Due to measuring body fat percent I can tell that I gained 13.5 pounds of fat and 11.5 pounds of lean body mass. Considering my history with obesity having 45% of my weight gain non-fat is pretty good.

My final weigh in of 2012 something happened that I had not seen in over 3 years. I weighed 190.6 hitting my "weight ceiling" I set on my last training session with my personal trainer back in September 2009. The good news is that although I am right at 190 I am 3 pounds leaner than my last training session. At the beginning of the GOMAD diet I planned to go to 4 week or stop when I hit 190 pounds or 20% body fat. I peaked out at 190.6 lbs and 17.9% body fat.

I have almost come full circle over the past 3+ years but now I have more confidence, more muscle, and I am stronger mentally and physically. I have gained and lost the same 15ish pounds 4 times but I am not a yo-yo dieter. I have changed my short terms (2-6 month) goals back and forth from weight lifting and muscle growth to weight loss and various running speed and distance goals. This year I plan to keep my focus on the longer term without any up and downs steadily chipping away at the goals I set in 2009 that I have yet to reach. My fast food addiction has improved but I want to eliminate it like I did my addiction to sodas. I drink maybe 2-6 cans of sodas a year now. Chipotle will be my quick healthy go to food along with almonds and beef jerky from convenience stores.

This evening we finally took our progress pictures and measurements.

January 2012 to January 2013

 January 2012 to January 2013

September 2012 170ish (Pre-GOMAD) to January 2013 190ish

StrongLifts Week 12 Day 3

Just finished my final workout of the 12 week StrongLifts 5x5 program. I started week 1 with just a 45 pound Olympic barbell focused of form. 

Here are my current 5 rep max.
Squat 220
Bench 165
Deadlift 230
Overhead Press 95 to 105
Bent Over Row 185
I highly recommend this program if you are looking to build strength and muscle.

StrongLifts 5x5 Week 9 Day 2

Squat:
Warm Up
45 x 5
45 x 5
95 x 3
135 x 2

Work Sets
170 x 5170 x 5
170 x 5
170 x 5
170 x 5


Overhead Press:
Warm Up
45 x 5
45 x 5
70 x 3
70 x 2

Work Sets
100 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 6

Deadlift:
Warm Up
120 x 5
120 x 5
160 x 3
160 x 2

Work Set
210 x 5

51 Minutes

StrongLifts Week 9 Day 1

Squat:
Warm Up
45 x 5
45 x 5
95 x 3
105 x 2

Work Sets
165 x 5
165 x 5
165 x 5
165 x 5
165 x 5


Bench Press:
Warm Up
45 x 5
45 x 5
95 x 3
105 x 2

Work Sets
150 x 5
150 x 5
150 x 5
150 x 5
150 x 5


Barbell Row:
Warm Up
95 x 5
95 x 5
125 x 3
130 x 2

Work Sets
160 x 5
160 x 5
160 x 5
160 x 5
160 x 5

53 mins