Building a Better Jay

Fresh from the gym and a chicken breast lunch, I am sitting at my computer feeling totally wrecked but content.  Legs were on the agenda for the day and I don’t remember the last time I hit my legs like that.  Squats, press, leg curls, step-ups, and standing calf raises: it’s all just a blur of effort / (good) pain now!  I could feel every muscle with every step as I walked to my desk.  I gathered a few stares, too, because things are a bit tight and I’m walking like some sort of office zombie.  Not a big deal, I’m just glad I have a pretty clear calendar this afternoon.

Yesterday was a good day - I got in my workouts and my nutrition was perfect.  Well, nearly perfect.  I found myself out without enough food for a traffic jam on the way home!  It took me 1.5hours to get home (normally 30 minutes) and I left my late meeting about an hour later than I usually leave.  That meant I was starving by the time I got home.  I’m thinking I may just toss a few protein bars in my bag for such occasions.  I know I could’ve stopped somewhere for something to eat, but that would’ve delayed me getting home and probably compromised my nutrition - both bad things.  As it is, I got home just in time to spend some qt with my son before his bedtime and then eat a nice steak with some veggies.  Perfect! 

Today, I’m going to be tested.  I have a meeting immediately following lunch at a facility an hour away.  That means I have to skip out 2 hours before lunch so I can get in my shoulder/abs workout before leaving for the meeting.  Sure, I did get in cardio early this morning, but I need my weights!  I know that just before I leave for the gym someone will come over and start a conversation or need something.  I intend to stick to my priorities, though, and make sure to get in the workout and proper nutrition!

It’s a lower carb day for me and I’m a little nervous about it.  I remember quite well how awful I felt the last time I tried restricting carbs.  As a triathlete, I would eat so many carbs, a bb’ers head would explode!  Now, I’m trying to be healthier and adopting a more moderate lifestyle.  (20 hours of cardio a week was fun and all, but it’s not easy to fit in around a family/work/school schedule.)  With that is a self-imposed restriction on the ugly simple carbs (I’m keeping lots of veggies and fruit in moderation).  I’m also cutting back on the plethora of carbs I typically enjoy, so today I’ll only eat ~140g carbs.  Tomorrow, my goal is under 50.  Then on Thursday, I’m back up to normal intake (clean carbs only).  So, it looks like this:

Monday: high carbs
Tuesday: low (145g)
Wednesday: <50g
Thursday: high
Friday: <50g
Saturday: low
Sunday: <50g

I’ll let you know how it goes.