Day 1

Just because I don't write on hear every day doesn't mean I'm not working out, although it doesn't mean I'm working out either.  Today I decided I MUST get back on the wagon.  I decided to change the way I do things.  I decided that I'm up at 5 a.m. every day anyway to write, so I might as well sacrifice some of this time early in the morning to run.  So, today, as I had planned as I sat at work last Tuesday afternoon, I woke up today and trudged outside.  I didn't run far, because I was worried the 43 degree weather would bother my asthma, and it didn't.  I ran three long blocks down -- oh, what's the name of that street... I ran south three long blocks, cut over to James Street, and ran back.  I feel great for doing it.  Now I'm going to add to this.  I'm going to eat good today, and when I get home I'll feel GREAT knowing I already did my workout.  Hopefully I can build on this. Rick.

Day #68 of 84

Had a great upper body workout yesterday.  I did the following:

1. Chest: Chest presses followed by dumbell flyes for final 12
• 12 reps @ 115 pounds
• 10 @ 125
• 8 @ 135
• 6 @ 145
• 12 @ 135
• 12 @ 40
2. Shoulders: Shoulder presses followed by front raises for final 12
1. 12 @ 25
2. 10 @ 30
3. 8 @ 35
4. 6 @ 35
5. 12 @ 35
6. 12 @ 20
3. Back: wide grip lat puldowns, followed by close grip for final 12
4. Triceps: puldowns followed by overr head extensions at 35 pounds
5. Biceps: 20 pounds, 25 pounds, 25 pounds, 30 pounds; barbel at 20 pounds each side

Great burn.  Really worn after workout.  

Later in day set ramp on treadmill as high as would go and walked at 2.5 mph for 20 minutes.  great burn and great workout (100 calories)

Today did an interval run, with 3.5 lowest and running at 5mph for 6 of those minutes.  Great workout.  

Tips for fighting the urge to eat

So you are done eating your meal, and you still feel hungry.  Thankfully there are some things you can do do fight the urge to eat.  Here are some of my tips:

1. Chew sugar free gum
2. Have a tick-tack or a mint (but sugar free gum is better)
3. Brush your teeth when done eating.  This will send a signal to your brain that you are done eating
4. Drink water.  Drink lots of water.  It will fill your stomach.
5. If you must, eat free foods such as vegetables or pickles
6. Treat yourself after dinner to a treat (sugar free jello or pudding)
7. Find something else to do during your weak moments (like go for an extra run, play a game with your kids, go for a walk, go outside, go to the park, go to the library)

A change in diet

Well, we are now into week nine.  Yes, it sounds good to see eight weeks crossed off my BFL tracker.  I hit a wall about three weeks ago, and decided I needed not get frustrated but make a few changes in my workouts.  I discussed that last week.  I also had to make some changes in my diet.

When I start any diet I usually make my portion sizes on the high end.  I do that because I think if you start on the low end you will probably starve yourself.  Yet once your stomach gets used to the new diet, then you switch to the low end.  However, I think I went with the high end a little too long and my body figured out what I was up to.  So I hit a wall.

So this week I decided to start with the lower portions.  Its a little tougher, yet all last week I did pretty well with it.  You feel a little more hungry, but you start brushing your teeth, chewing more gum, and drinking more water instead of eating more.

Changing up your workouts is a good thing

I find that it's okay to mix and match your workouts because you'll need to confuse your body. It's good to do a variety of aerobic activities, and it's good to vary your weight training.

I notice that there are some folks who get concerned when they are lacking on time and wait 30 seconds between reps instead of a minute, but I think that's fine.  It often forces you to get an aerobic activity on a weight day, and it forces you to use a little less weight as well.  Light and rapid equals good.  

Another thing I do is mix up the way I do upper body.  Some days I do Chest, Shoulders, Back, Triceps and then Biceps.  But sometimes I do the exact opposite.  I think it's neat because on the days I do the former by the time I get to Biceps I can't lift that much.  Yet on the days I do the later, I find I can lift almost twice as much with my Biceps.  So I think it's good to mix it up.  

I think the next time I do such a workout I'm going to do back first, because that usually gets tossed into the middle.  I wonder how much weights I could lift with my back muscles if they were fresh.  

I also think it's good to do a variety of aerobic activities, such as basketball, racket ball, sprinting, etc., as opposed to getting on the treadmill each day.  Yet in the winter the treadmill is the only option for me.  So most days I do interval training, yet sometimes I mix it up and run at a slower pace and go for distance.  Yet since time is usually precious, I usually have to do the interval training.  

So mixing it up is good.  

Day #36 of 84

Yesterday was upper body day, and as promised, I mixed it up a bit: I did the workout backwards.  

1.  Biceps: (one arm curls)

• 12 reps at 20 pounds
• 10 reps at 25 pounds
• 8 reps at 30 pounds
• 6 reps at 30 pounds
• 12 reps at 25 pounds
• 12 reps Hammer curls  at 25 pounds

Result:  Great burn.  Perfect

2.  Triceps: lateral tricep pulldowns

• 12 reps at 50 pounds
• 10 reps at 60 pounds
• 8 reps at 70 pounds
• 6 reps at 80 pounds
• 12 reps at 70 pounds
• 12 reps of barbell tricep extensions with 25 pounds -- very winded after this workout

Result:  Great burn. Perfect

3.  Back: Wide grip lat Pulldowns

• 12 reps at 50 pounds
• 10 reps at 60 pounds
• 8 reps at 70 pounds
• 6 reps at 70 pounds
• 12 reps at 60 pounds
• 12 reps of back extensions at 10 pounds

Results: great burn

4.  Shoulders: Front raises

• 12 reps at 10 pounds
• 10 reps at 15 pounds
• 8 reps at 20 pounds
• 6 reps at 25 pounds
• 12 reps at 25 pounds
• 12 reps of side raises at 20 pounds

Results: good workout

5.  Chest: Incline Chest presses

• 12 reps at 25 pounds
• 10 reps at 30 pounds
• 8 reps at 35 pounds
• 6 reps at 40 pounds
• 12 reps at 35 pounds
• 25 reps of the red thing with both arms 

Overall:  Great workout.  Great burn at end.  Also shoveled snow for warmup.  

Took the rest of the day off as a free day.  

Day #34

It's been a very tough week. Monday and Tuesday I worked, and on Tuesday I was so worn out I skipped my workout.  On Wednesday I made up for it with a killer aerobic workout, the best so far.  And on Wednesday night work sucked, and I was so exhausted Thursday the lower body workout was poor.  Plus for some reason I'm staring this week.  Yet I don't give in.  Can't wait for my freeday. Yet the diet goes on well... for the most part.

Last night there was so much snow I spent most of today shoveling and blowing snow, and so I'm counting that as my workout today.  I'm sorry, but the sniffles and sneezes struck again today -- I just can't shake this cold, have had it almost two months -- so I'm taking tonight off.  I'm taking tomorrow off.  I am craving food.  I am going to have a beer and some chips and take a few days off.  

Despite the obstacles, I'm doing well on the RFL.  I will get back at it on Sunday.  I think the free day will help to recharge me.