FazerFX’s BodyBlog

And I could really tell by the feeling of hunger gnawing in my belly! Started off with my usual oats/milk/protein. Office got in a bunch of tacos, sweetbread, and fruit around two hours later. I scarfed a whole taco, disposing of all the meat/cheese and about 1/3 of the wheat tortilla. Also ate plenty of fresh pineapple chunks, a few pieces of cantaloupe and some strawberries. Followed up soon after with a cup of my Bulgarian Yogurt (no fat) and more protein powder as well as a whole banana. After this food fest, I took an unwanted break from chompin. By 2:30, I’d had a lone banana and two handfuls of almonds. By 3:00 I found the chance to load up with another protein drink (10 oz milk/protein powder) and an apple. Didn’t get a chance to eat again until about 5:30. The 1/2 cup of black beans, tomato, and hot sauce really just awakened my hunger! At about 8:00, I had 1 cup of grilled chicken and another handful of nuts. Post gym meal was 1 cup grilled chicken, a tomato, and a protein drink. Main thing missing was my wheat bread or extra serving of oats and my insides really noticed. Hopefully, I won’t get hungry later tonight or wake up with low power!

Best!

FazerFX

At Burnet/183 again (trying to cut down on gas use).

Leg Pullups 15

Pulley Rows 80 x 20 (warmup -deadlift style 10; deadlift with arm pull & shrug 10)

                  90 X 10 X 3 (go 12 next time)

Mball situps 6# x 15

Flat Bench 65 x 10

                95 X 10 X 3

Situps on decline 15

Smith Squat 15 (bar) x 10

                   65 x 8 x 3

VKnee lift 15

Skull Crushers B+10 x 10

                      
B+30 x 10 x 2

Hanging Leg Raises 15

Wide grip Curls with E-Z bar B+30 x 10 x 3

Leg Lifts 15

Wow! What a difference endorphins and friends can make, I am feeling great today! Sure, I’ve been having trouble sleeping the last couple of nights and it will catch up with me, but right now I feel beyond fine! Though the mirror shows the flab is still there and the scale remains above 165, my feeling is that I’ve slimmed down, added muscle, and sped up overnight!

     In the last five years worth of on/off gym time, I’ve regularly felt that two weeks of consistent training revert my insides back to what they were 15 years ago. A performance testing specialist at the Big U refers to this as "lifelong athlete syndrome,"  where the entire body builds up a memory for demands it keeps getting exposed to over the years. This eventually allows the system to adjust to meet familiar challenges using little "break-in" time. So, though I won’t be hefting 300#s or swimming 75 meters on one breath anytime soon, I may be feeling the effects of 100% output at my current muscle/lung capacities. This feels great!

     Now I’ve just got to keep training safely, eating well, and getting more rest! Do-able!

Best!

FazerFX

Well, even though I’m not at full power, I decided to join the Aikido weapons class tonight and see how everyone had done over the two week break. One thing led to another and next thing you know I was partnered up and going at it with a medicine ball. The Sensei is aware I’m still healing and made it a point to get after me to take it easy, this when I’d purposely teamed with a newbie that I had to go light on! Anyways, I ended up doing the full routine of two and one arm throws, the overhead lobs, the "downward smashes," the squat launches, and even a couple dozen Mball situps (4#). I hadn’t really planned on training with weapons or doing much conditioning this semester, but I like being able to teach anything I know and maybe I’ll show up again next week…

     Did head over to Gold’s on Burnet/183 and blast away at abs/calves/shoulders as scheduled. Ran into Nick Thompson, the trainer who’s been extra cool (took my measurements correctly without subjecting me to sales pitch hassle). Anyone looking for help during the evenings at Gold’s in north Austin, look this man up, he’s a good guy (even habla Espanol!). My lifting tonight went like this:

Seated Reverse Flyes on Pec Machine 27 x 12; 35 x 12; 50 x 12

MBall situps 8# x 12; Leg pullups 15

Standing calf raises 100 x 21 x 3

MBall situps 8# x 12; Leg pullups 15

Lateral raises 12.5 x 12 x 3

Front raises 15 x 10 x 3

MBall situps 8# x 12; Leg pullups 15

Seated Calf Raises 90 x 21 x 3

MBall situps 8# x 12; Leg pullups 15

Now I lay me down to sleep, an EAS bar at my feet; If I fart so loud I wake, the neighbors do not let them take; my Gold Standard Whey from me, without it I would cease to be!

(someone has been up for far too long!)

As of Monday morn, I’ve been eating a cup of yogurt twice a day, to help with digestion. Seems my married years of taking it easy have left me with less than top notch intestinal bacteria and the recent boost in protein calls for extra acidophilus. Anyways, first yogurt down the hatch was loaded with sugar and that combined with Sunday’s Cheat Meal (2 slices veggie pizza, 8 oz beer) to leave me wanting more carbs.

     Back in Times Past, I used White Mountain Bulgarian yogurt and mixed in protein powder, tuna, or sweetened oatmeal (tablespoon of honey). My digestion was great and my urges were nothing more. Since a head injury half a decade gone, I’ve believed I have little will power and have regularly found myself eating junk on my crap list. Logically, Monday morn I went out and bought a 32 oz tub of sugary store brand yogurt! For the fourth day in a row, I am hungrier than normal and my mind turns to carbs like moths to a flame!

     In defiance of my self-believed weakness, I am resorting to one of the techniques I used to quit heavy booze and caffeine, surrounding myself with what I most want. If I fail, I’ll gain a couple of pounds and feel like crap, bottom of the barrel. Success will prove to me that I am still in control, and that better health and happiness are within my grasp. Too bad success will also mean letting my co-workers eat the pound of dark chocolate I’ve had on my desk since yesterday!

     As I wrap this up, I’ve just come from flirting with the girl in the office cafe, to the tune of a free piece of Jalapeno cornbread! (I wonder who in our office is going to need a bigger chair soon?!)

Best!

FazerFX 

Monitoring pain levels: what’s soreness, what’s injury? Things seem to be going okay so far and I hope to do this for one more 2/week cycle before turning up the heat.

My Second Workout (08/23/08)

Ab Twist on machine 30 x 10 x 4 (2 each side)
Lateral Raises 10 x 10
Leg pullups 15
Lateral Raises 10 x 10
Leg pullups 15
Lateral Raises 10 x 10
Leg pullups 15
Lateral Raises 10 x 10
MBall situps 5# x 12
Front Raises 15 x 10
MBall situps 5# x 12
Front Raises 15 x 10
MBall situps 5# x 12
Front Raises 15 x 10
MBall situps 5# x 12
Front Raises 15 x 10
Leg pullups 15
Seated Calf Raises 50 x 21
Seated Calf Raises 80 x 21 x 3
Ab Twist on machine 30 x 10 x 4 (2 each side)
Calf Raises on Leg Press 140 x 21
Calf Raises on Leg Press 180 x 21
Calf Raises on Leg Press 210 x 21
Calf Raises on Leg Press 230 x 21
MBall situps 5# x 12

"May I puke on your brain?"

To heck with  waiting, the gloves are off, whatever!

My First Workout (08/21/08)

Hanging Leg Pullups 15
Decline Bench 95 x 12
Hanging Leg Pullups 15
Decline Bench 95 x 12
Hanging Leg Pullups 15
Decline Bench 95 x 12

Seated Alternating Curls 20 x 10 x 3

Leg Press 90 x 21
Sit up with 5# Medicine Ball 12
Leg Press 140 x 21
Sit up with 5# Medicine Ball 12
Leg Press 180 x 21
Sit up with 5# Medicine Ball 12
Leg Press 210 x 21
Sit up with 5# Medicine Ball 12

Low Pulley Row 80 x 10
Low Pulley Row 60 x 14
Low Pulley Row 70 x 12

Assisted Dips 50# x 10 x 3

Thank you, Easter Bunny!

Went to the Cap Texas pre-judging this past Saturday morn and met/photographed (see my Gallery) several members of our community. Not only did I see the results of lots of hard work, I got to speak with some nice people and soaked up some great vibes.

Being among so many fitness enthusiast is a sure way for me to get motivated and I left the event feeling really pumped. Seeing as I am still hurting from my muscle tear, it’s a good thing I had volunteering duties scheduled for the afternoon and couldn’t head for the gym.

     As part of my self improvement, I help out with a program called "Groceries to Go," which is part of Meals on Wheels. The program allows me to shop for "clients" with their cash on my time with my car. I normally offer to help those who can’t get around on their own (infirm, disabled, etc.) to keep myself from having to transport them (liability) and to make my efforts go further. One of my two clients is a lady in her 80’s who can get around using a walker for short distances. She knows I am injured and gets after me if I try to bring her groceries  in from the car all in one trip. Even though it’s less than $40/15 items, I do my best to make two or more trips and prevent further strain to my muscles. My other client is a man in his 70s who can’t walk very well at all. Though he knows I am hurting and doesn’t normally ask me to take him places, this 5′10" 180# man decided I was taking him to the store Saturday afternoon, and I let him! Well, seeing as he took a cane with him, he only leaned a bit of his weight on me, but I had to take small steps so he could keep up. What I am getting to is that I over did it, even without the gym!

     Helping people brings me great satisfaction and I plan to continue volunteering. Thanks to being "high" off the Cap Texas pre-judging, I am refocusing my efforts to take time off from strenous activity so my body can heal. For now, I concentrate on diet and rest, for tomorrow, you’ll be seeing me in the gym, on the trail, and back in the saddle!

FazerFX