AlaskaMuscle’s BodyBlog

So the last couple of workouts have been kind of crappy.  I lost my appetite and have been very tired.  Turns out I may have strep throat and I do have some viral something or the other.  I took the day off work and did not work out.  I am still tired but am feeling better.  I was going to try the new treadmill out today but I will wait and get on it tomorrow.  Hopefully I will feel better then.  I do love the home gym.  I find it easier to get motivated because I don’t have to wait for machines or deal with people talking to me while I want to work out.  If I had a training partner I think it would be even better.  But with my work schedule it is hard to find someone who can work out when I can.  I think the key to a home gym is having the right equipment and environment.  I am including a photo of my home gym.

I have been in the gym everyday and doing no less than 30 min of cardio each workout.  My cardio has been walking uphill.  My left knee is giving me pain and problems so I don’t want to run.  We got the new treadmill in at the house and man is it cool.  I have not used it yet, I have been working out at the office, but it seems to have a lot of cool features.  My cardio has been boring as it always is but if I don’t do it I will never get anywhere with my weight loss. 

Last week marked the end of a body fat loss % bet I had with a State Trooper.  The original bet started in the fall and I lost 3%.  He did not show for the calipers and conceded to my victory.  He then wanted to go double or nothing on the bet.  I had my body fat checked the other day and I am another 1% down for a total of 4% lost since the fall.  I could have done a lot better but, insert any excuse here.  He still has to go in for the calipers but I think I have won.  Now I am sure I will bet again if he is willing.  I need that kind of motivation.  I have also lost another pound on the scale.  I am just glad I am still making progress even if it is only a little.

I am also getting strict with my diet now.  Oh I know I have told this tale before but this time I mean it, probably.

I was back in the gym today.  I did a chest workout.

DB Bench

Cable Cross Over

Pec Dec Holds

DB Pull Over

35 min fast walk on treadmill at 5% incline

I had a really good workout.  Going to the show this weekend was a real inspiration.  I stayed on diet today and kept up with my supplements.  I added the new time release Lipo 6 to my supplements today.  I really got a boost from it.  I did another 35 min of cardio tonight.  I rode the stationary bike at house.  That was not much of a workout but I am just starting to do cardio twice a day.  We bought a new treadmill for the house and should have it on Wednesday.  I can’t wait.  That has always been the downside of working out at the house, crappy cardio for a fat man.  Being upwards of 300 lbs a couple of years ago I needed commercial grade equipment and did not have it at the house.  I am glad I will now be able to get my full workout at the house if I can’t make it to the gym.  Right now I am very motivated and I just want to stay that way.  WOW a whole blog with no bitching.  I am sure I will have some tomorrow.

My wife competed in her first show this weekend.  She looked amazing.  This was her first show.  She lost her weight class to hulk_huschle, who won the overall.  Watching her on stage inspired me to want the same.  I am a long way out from being able to walk on stage but I want to move in that direction.  My wife was not discouraged by the loss.  It was her first show and she competed in the open class instead of novice.  I think she could have won the novice class.  She did win best legs.  I am very proud of her for stepping on stage and giving it her all.  I think she knows what to do to come in better next year.  Congrats to hulk_huschle, she looked great.  I took the weekend off due to my knee hurting and wanting to be there for my wife.  I will be back in the gym tomorrow working towards stepping on stage one day.

So I got and did the cardio this morning.  It was nothing to write home about, walked fast uphill for 40 min on the treadmill, but it was better than nothing.  My right knee is acting up so I could not run.  I am helping my wife with her posing for her competition on Sat.  We are in Anchorage now and she is taking it easy.  I want to go to the gym tomorrow and lift but I think I should take the day off.  I will play it by ear.  I think I am going to change up the workout next week but I will decide that on Sunday.  I am supposed to have my body fat done but I don’t want to.  I have a bet that ends this week with a co worker, most body fat lost.  I have the edge because this is a double or nothing from the last time when I dropped 3% and he lost nothing.  I have the 3% edge already.  I will wait till after my wife’s show and then have her pinch me.  So we will see.

Ok I got in the gym today and actually did the correct workout.  Or at least the workout I was supposed to do yesterday.  Chest, shoulders and triceps, low rep long rest.  I had a good workout but I really think I need a break.  I am going to do back and biceps tomorrow and then only cardio for the rest of the week.  It’s a good time anyway because we are going to Anchorage on Thursday for the last prep days before my wife’s first contest on Saturday.  She will be entering as a novice bodybuilder and I think she is going to place very high.  I can’t wait for the show.  I am thinking I might try to do a pre contest prep starting Monday.  It will be a long prep if I do it because the contest is in October.  I will need the time anyways.  I think if I have a goal like that with a deadline it will motivate me.  I will wait and see.  I am looking forward to the show and seeing Lee Priest again.  He was up here a few years back.

So I went to the gym this morning and did legs.  For some reason my legs were weak.  As I pushed through the work out I was discouraged with my legs feeling week and I pushed them harder and harder.  I could not figure out why they felt the way they did.  I ate well yesterday, I finally got some sleep and I ate a good pre workout meal.  Near the end of the work out I had the following epiphany.  Why are my legs week, when I did legs yesterday they were strong, OH CRAP I DID LEGS YESTERDAY.  That’s right; I screwed up and was supposed to do Chest, shoulders and triceps today.  I must be really out it.  I need to take a week off I think.

It was 3:45am on Friday morning and I found myself standing next to my alarm wanting to smash it.  I take the high road, turn it off and start my day.  I walk into the living room and pick up my remote thermometer to check the outside temp.  It reads -2; a relative heat wave compared to Wednesday’s -8.  I walk outside, start my truck and go in to get ready to leave.  As I enter the house my cell phone rings, it’s now about 3:50am.  Its work, someone did something bad to someone else and they need me to come to work early.  There goes my workout.  I have no time for a shower or to eat.  I rush to work, freezing on the way.  The rest of day I am hammered with work.  I eat as I can and power on.  At about 1pm I slow down to go to a meeting.  As I enter the meeting I realize all I have eaten all day is a banana and an apple.  I am offered and eat about 7 thin mint cookies and a couple of red vines, fore shame.  The meeting, which should have taken an hour, lasts until 3:30pm.  I go back to the office and get my required paperwork done.  Still have no time to eat because I have to get to babysitter to pick up my kids.  I leave work at about 4:30pm, get my kids and go home.  After cooking diner, cleaning, playing with the kids, giving them a bath and putting them to bed I am wiped out and can’t workout.  Not to mention I have to go to bed.  I chalk it up to a lost day and go to bed.

So that leads me to this morning.  I think I was walking outside to start my truck at about 3:50am when I realized I was awake.  I went to gym and muffled my way though a workout.  I am glad I went to the gym but I felt hung over due to my lack of eating yesterday.  I think I ate less than 1000 calories yesterday.  Today is the day to refuel.  Good lifting.

Still sick, hate light savings time, but holy crap what a workout.  I was having an crappy day and just wanted to sleep but at about 3:30 I decided to drink a couple of scoops of NO-Xplode and work out.  I am so glad I did.  I had one of the best lifts I have had in a long time.  I was doing 8 to 10 reps with 2 min rest.  I put up 85 pound dumbbells on the bench, I almost never do DB press.  I did incline bench, seated DB shoulder press, wide grip upright rows, side laterals, front raises; triceps push downs, dips, kick backs and abs.  I did not do cardio because I am going to run and do a spinning class tomorrow.  I love to lift.  Days like today make the whole thing worth it.  By the way I still hate the scale.

Got some sleep last night and am feeling better.  Still hate the scale but I did not have to shoot the alarm again so that was good.  I had a cheat meal last night.  We went to a buffet.  I could have killed it if I wanted to.  But for some unforeseen reason I had one plate and did not even want to go get more.  I did not go crazy with the food selection and that’s crazy for me.  My view has always been if I’m eating out and paying for it I will go all out.  I wonder why I’m fat and have food issues?  Today is my off day but I must tell you I want to work out.  No I don’t want to go for a run as some psycho people would want to do.  I want to lift and lift hard.  I feel like I have to take the day off or I will over train and screw up my progress.  Happy lifting to all.