C3W8D4

I usually try to leave work on Wednesday by 5:15 to make sure I get to my Spin class at 6:45. Yesterday I all the sudden realized that it was 5:25 and was out the door by 5:35 and I was making good time until there was a wreck about half way home. I got home a little after 7pm and relaxed and did some facebooking. I got to the gym at 7:45 and decided to do a mile as fast as I can before my yoga class. I did 1 mile in 7:31 the whole time wondering how someone could do this for multiple miles.
Here is another picture from my engagement photos that I like.

Physical

I have a physical tomorrow afternoon. I have not had a doctor's visit or physical since September 2009 (2 months before my first challenge) and before that it had I had not been since 2004. I noticed last month that my blood pressure was high. I went to the grocery store on my lunch break with my coworker and while I was waiting for him to check out I used the BP machine. I had high BP 7 years ago and my doctor said to stop eating "cheeseburgers and pizza" and during my last physical I had a normal healthy reading. I hope they offer some advice or options that don't involve medication. I dont like how modern medicine's attitude is to just prescribe a pill for that... It takes an act of congress just for me to take asprin or ibprofen and I can count on one hand the number of time I have taken OTC medication (excluding TUMS) in the past 8-9 years.

(Here are my stats I have been keeping)

C3W8D3

I had the best UBWO I have had in a while last night. My running buddy could only meet Monday so I switched my workouts around.

I got my engagement photos in the mail yesterday. I liked 26 out of the 40 sent and I really like this one below but might convert it to black and white as the photographer did "color correction" that makes me look kinda like an oompa loompa.

Quote of the Day

"I am not a quitter, regardless of how many times I stumble." - Bonwitty

C3W8D2

I felt alot better after my run last night. 3 days with no physical activity and poor diet choices was not helping. My motivation is usually a 9-10 and yesterday is was about a 3. I am at a 6-7 right now and will keep pushing. I found out at the funeral that my friend who died was trying to get healthy and had recently started lifting weights, he was only 28 years old. On the day I found out he had passed I dedicated my 6 rep set of preacher curls to him and loaded more weight than I usually can mentally handle and was able to manage it. This past weekend I let the stress of everything in my life knock me down. I am back on my feet and just like my sore back I will push thru the pain and heal.

Red Hot Chili Pepper - Knock Me Down

C3W8D1

Friday - Funeral, no workouts, drank alot

Saturday - Travel, no workout, drank alot

Sunday - Slept till noon, no workout, drank some

Monday - Slept till 11am, 5 hours late to work, ate fast food

I am meeting my running buddy after work both otherwise have no motivation

Workout Log

Click here to view larger

C3W7D4

Cardio done and 10 minutes early to work. I got out of the habit of morning cardio back in October and it feels good to get back to it. I have more energy all day (and hunger) and it helps me get to work early. I started to make excuses this morning saying to myself, "sleep is more important." I decided to get up and walk to the bathroom and if I was not stiff I would go to the gym. I went to spin class and yoga last night and had to sit out on a few poses and was worried I would be stiff today but I feel good.

2.23mi HIIT done 5:20-5:40am

Here is my ideal weekly schedule now that I am back at it.

Monday:
Upper Body workout after work

Tuesday:
HIIT-Treadmill 5AM
5K-outdoors 6PM

Wednesday:
Spin (cycling class) + Yoga PM

Thursday:
HIIT-Treadmill 5AM
5K-outdoors 6PM

Friday:
Upper Body workout after work

Saturday:
Treadmill or 5K+

Sunday:
Rest or Bike Ride for fun

C3W7D3

I posted yesterday but I have alot to say.

After work I met up with my running buddy. We decided to do a new route and I was feeling sore from stupidly doing the oblique machine on Monday. (I went for a run on Sunday and averaged a 10 min mile exactly) We were going at a pace the felt slower than our usual. It got windy and felt like I was just jogging in place. As we got near our starting spot we decided to cut the usual 5k short and ended up doing 2.73 mi in 28:09 (10:18min/mi). In the last stretch a truck drove by and a guy yelled "d****bag" at us. My friend asked what that was about and I said he was just announcing what he is to us. After we got to our stopping place he drove by again and started yelling at us and taunting us to fight him. We just kept walking and then he started yelling at a man in his late 40s to early 50s. My friend gave me a ride home to be safe and drove around to see if he could get his license plate number. I am a pacifist and a advocate for non-violence. I have had people yell out of cars at me but never anything aggressive like this before.

Horoscope

Sure, practice makes perfect, but where's the fun in that? Discovery, exploration and making mistakes -- that's where growth and knowledge come from. Give yourselves room to trip, stumble and fall.

C3W7D2

Week 5 & 6 are behind me. I no longer feel held back by an injury. I feel about 95% and still have some pain but nothing that will slow me down. Last night I had a great UBWO. I hit my 10s on chest and shoulders. I added back back in for the first time since W5D1.

This morning I finally got to do HIIT cardio. 2.22mi, just slightly under of my personal best. Weeks 7-12 are an open book and with my injury behind me (literally) I have a renewed motivation and excitement.

Quote of the Day

"Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself." - Leo Tolstoy

C3W7D1

Yesterday I jogged 3.4 miles in about 34 minutes then ate a whole pizza to myself. Tonight is an Upper body night!

C3W6D5

Last night I had the first cardio session since I fell last week. I did 10 minutes of intervals on the elliptical (1.0mi) then I got on the treadmill and did 1 mile in just under 8 minutes. The clock said 8:36 when I started and was around 0:55 when I hit (slammed) the cool down button so I do not have an exact time. I want to finish my next 5K (April 16th at UNT) in under 29 minutes!

Quote of the Day

Remember that the next 12 weeks is going to pass whether you exercise and eat correctly or not - so why not get exercising NOW, instead of waiting for the "perfect time" to start, and be that much further ahead when summer is here?

On This Day...

8 Years Ago

7 Years Ago

6 Years Ago

5 Years Ago

4 Years Ago

3 Years Ago

2 Years Ago

1 Year Ago

Spring is Near!

C3W5D1

Saturday I did a photo shoot with Justin & Danica. I am the photographer for their wedding nest Sunday and they wanted a last minute photo to put in a frame at the wedding.



I had an active free day and rode my bike to my favorite hangout yesterday. It was sunny and 60 degrees so I wore shorts and a t-shirt but I ended up staying past sunset and it got chilly. I was in bed by 9pm and I had crazy dreams last night then I kept waking up feverish. I am starting to feel better now and I don't want to get sick because I am the photographer for a wedding this coming Sunday. I am looking forward to tonight's upper body workout!

One Year

3-6-10
The best shape I have been in ever (weight and body fat percent wise)
3-4-11
Trying to lean out again

Untucked gut comparison

Body for Life Challenge 3 Week 1 to Week 4

Week 1:

Body fat percent 19.1%

Pant size 34

Measurements:

Chest 39.5in

Shoulder 45in

Neck 15.25in

Biceps 14in

Waist 38in

Hips 38in

Thigh 22in

Calves 17in

Week 4:

Body fat percent 16.8% (-2.3%)

Pant size 32

Measurements:

Chest 39.25in (-.25)

Shoulder 47.5in (+2.5)

Neck 15.25in

Biceps 14.75in (+.75)

Forearm 11in

Waist 35.75in (-2.25)

Hips 35.25in (-2.75)

Thighs 22.5in (+0.5)

Calves 17in

Here are some side by side shots

Can anybody say loose skin? Atleast I am 80ish pounds lighter than I once was...

C3W4D5

I gained big (4.8lbs Friday to Monday) on "Free day" this week and it did not come off until I had the follow crazy 24hrs:

3-2-11

6:45pm - 7:45pm Spin Class (first one in 5 weeks so I really felt it)

8pm - 9pm Yoga (I started going on 11-10-10 and have made it 11 out of the past 16 weeks)

Sleep 9:45pm till 4:45am

3-3-11

5:05am - 5:25am BFL HIIT (2.19mi)

6am leave for work

6:45am-5:15pm Work

6pm - 6:30pm 5K in 30:56 (all hills) with my new running buddy. Avg slope 1.9% max slope 15.2%

I slept in till 6:30am today and my energy levels are SKY HIGH!

C3W4D4

It worked! I was done with my morning cardio by 5:30am. I did 2.19mi in 20:03 on the squeakiest treadmill at the gym. I did not know it was noisy until 2 mins into the workout and didn't have time to switch. I was annoying the whole gym when I hit my 10. I don't usually complain but I told the front desk girl.

Now I am at work and I just got an email that the pics from the 5K are ready to view.

I an considering ordering a copy but the cheapest thing is 13.99 for one 5x7. At that price I might as well order the 8x10 for 3 bucks more. It wasn't about speed or setting records, it was about the two us doing it together as a symbol of our commitment to our health and each other. :)

Quote of the Day

"Nothing tastes as good as being fit feels!"

C3W4D3

My running buddy and I changed up our route as we went along last night and did 2.83mi in 27:22. This is steady state cardio and it make me wonder how some of you do 2+ mi in a 20 minute HIIT cardio session. I ordered a headphone adapter and new battery for my phone. I can finally have some music with my workout. Also I need to add $3 more dollars to my amazon order to get free shipping and I found this www.amazon.com/.../B0039NI4FI It is perfect for runs and I usually carry my car key, drivers license, and health insurance card (you never know)

I am excited to do my first BFL style HIIT cardio tomorrow since the end of September. My PR to beat is 2.19mi in 20:10. That was week 12 of C2 and now it is week 4 of C3 (taking pics/measurement this weekend). I was struggling to remember what speeds I did at what level but luckily I wrote it down. I might try to add 0.5 MPH to these speeds.

I won a free gift card to this website yesterday and I wanted to order this t-shirt www.palmercash.com/p-62-mens-mad-spreadsheets-t-shirt.aspx but it only came in a small :( I am stuck at a computer for 10 hours a day so for me making spreadsheets is entertaining. My morning ritual when I get to work is to open Excel and log my previous day/weekend in my workout log and add my time and distance. Thursdays are extra fun cause I enter my weight and body fat percent. I bought a Body-for-Life Success Journal and it is just collecting dust with nothing written in it.

This past Friday I went to my favorite second hand store and tried on some size 30 pants. I could button them but they just pushed out my loose skin on my love handles and I could not fit my hands in my pockets. I always seem to be 10-15 pounds from my ultimate goal weight (at my current muscle mass)

I started out the year wearing 34s and now I fit back into my 32s (with a little room). These are my goal pants for 8 weeks from now. I should have bought them. It is hard to find 30s and 32s that fit 23in thighs and 17in calves (I do yoga instead of BFL Lower Body Work Outs luckily).

C3W4D2

Last night was Ellen's last night in town and instead of my usual UBWO (which I love) I did her Jillian Michaels 30 day shredder workout video with her. It is a circuit training workout that mixed strength and cardio.

All this talk about burpees (on the BFL Coffee Crew Forum) makes me think about my days with a person trainer, Ray. I did something similar and never knew the word burpee till much later.

He called it the "16 point exercise"

I will put the counts in ( )

Start stand holding two dumbbells 10-15lbs

double bicep curl (1)

overhead shoulder press (2-3)

drop to a squat still holding weights (4)

kick out to plank/push-up position

4 mountain climbers (5-6-7-8) Click here to see how to do a mountain climber

1 push up (9-10)

4 more mountain climbers (11-12-13-14)

jump back to squat (15)

stand up (16)

repeat....

You keep the weights in your hand the entire time