Lex29’s Body Forum

What up Fam!!

So I went to the ole Dr. today, and she told me that my BP was still high.  First question she asks, "Are you back on those protein shakes??"  Ofcourse I couldn’t lie to her, so I told her…"Maybe".  OK, fine I admited it after she started ranting.  Unfortunately for me the protein shakes while providing good protein, also are too high in sodium for me.  A little history, my family has a history of high BP, so ofcourse you’re truly is at risk. 

So the bad news is that I have to nix the supplements.  2nd part of the bad news is that I have to nix heavy lifting for about 2 weeks!!  Truth be told she wants me to nix all lifting….but cmon.  The only thing that she said i can do is "moderate" cardio until my next visit.  Truly irony at its highest form.  Those who know me know that cardio and I have just called a truce, and have only recently agreed to work together.

So ofcourse as with all my blogs I try to leave a lesson to learn from for all you freaks!  This lesson is for those who like to lift heavy but do no cardio.  Its a bad move.  You know those "sick" pumps we all love to feel while working out?  Well imagine yourself as your heart, which technically is the size of your fist.  Your hearts job is to pump blood at normal levels throught the body.  Now when we work out and are muscles get filled with blood, i.e the pump, our heart has to work over time to recycle that blood.  The harder the heart works, the larger it gets.  An enlarged heart is not a good thing.  So to combat that, training your CARDIO-vascular system will help your heart deal with the days you weight train. 

So for the next two weeks I’ve adjusted my training to lighter weight, and light cardio.  This could actually be a good thing for me seeing as how I’ve decided to do more cardio.  Doc’s got me on some meds, and I’m researching what other foods need to be stricken from my kitchen.  In the mean time, I’ll be working on my abs I guess.  Summer is after all, around the corner. 

Whats up Fam!

So today was back and Tri’s, and I was a little sluggish getting into my warm up.  I always start off with my back, and do tri’s last.  I’ve been doing Pullups now for about three weeks, and today I was determined to do 8-10 full range motion reps without assistance.  I envy you guys that can do this exercise in your sleep.  At 240lbs, never having done them before three weeks ago, It was the focal point of my back training.  Well I am proud to say that I did 8 full range and 3 partial reps. 

When I first added pullups to my back routine, I was certain I’d be able to bust out 10-12 on the first set.  I think I was able to do 2-3.  I was dejected, and slightly embarrassed.  I’d see guys half my size repping 25, 30, and sometimes more reps with ease.  It wasn’t until one of the guys in the gym talked to me and told me that I wasn’t alone.  According to him pullups are not the easiest exercise to master.  As with everything else it takes time, your muscles have to get accustomed to the exercise, thereby getting stronger the more you do them. 

So I stuck with it and now I am proud to say I reached my goal for today.  I said I’d do 8-10, and I did 8.  Next week we’re going for the full 10. 

Lesson - Patience is virtue.  Set small goals along with bigger ones to keep you motivated.

Peace!

So as I’ve said many times, the weekends are my nemesis for staying true to my diet.  Mainly becuase I’m around family, as well as friends for the better part of Saturday, and while I can control Sunday breakfast, i’m basically at the mercy of the crowd for the rest of the day.

However…..I learned yesterday that what I mentioned above, was just an excuse.  Yesterday I stayed true to my diet, while still eating on campus with friends, and while attending a formal dinner event Saturday night.  Today, as I’ve said I control whats for breakfast since I do the cooking, but even though we’re going to be out all day, I can still control what I eat.  Granted my protein consumption is not as high as it is during the week, but I can still eat clean regarding everything else. 

Yesterday proved to me that this time around I am serious about obtaining a total, complete, and balanced physique (inside and out).  I proved to myself that this time around its not about just building muscle mass, but reshaping the body.  This time around my mental training is on the same page as my physical training.  And that feels great!!

So today i had my last training day for the week, and I was feeling a bit sluggish earlier.  Legs were weighing me down from their training yesterday; so looking forward to this afternoons training, I knew I would have to dig deep to push through it.

Well wouldn’t you know that my being on Bodyspace all damn day (I do have a life truly I do) I ran across a users blog today that provided the spark i needed.  I’m not going to put her name out there like that but if she reads this she knows who she is, becasue we spoke about it earlier.  Folks, this lady has got a pair of guns on her!  And the progress that she’s made inspired me to the point that i couldn’t wait to get into the gym. 

I increased my poundages on almost every exercise.  I walked around the gym like I was the owner.  Strict tunnel vission.  No time for talk, wheres the next F’n machine, I got work to do!  My intensity was high, energy was high, and afterwards I felt like Leonitas standing on top of 1000 surbians screaming his F’n head off, WHO’S NEXT!!. 

All thanks to one users progress.

Point being:  Inspiration isn’t always found in the same place, or by doing the same thing.  You can be inspired through music, through stress, through joy, and through anothers success.  We all go through episodes where we dont even want to see the gym, it happens.  But if we look for new methods of inspiration, we might be able to reach new levels of success!

Peace! 

Hey Fam.

I’ve been reading the blogs for a while, and I notice that a lot of you out there swear by cottage cheese.  However, I am not a fan.  Is there some kind of alternative to cottage cheese?  Please say yes!

If so I’m all ears.

To be on a diet, is almost like being in a marriage.  It’s not always easy, there are going to be good days, and bad days, and there are going to be times when you just dont even want to be in the same room.  Thats pretty much how I see my diet.  Its a second marriage for me.  Since I revamped, i.e, started my diet, its been a serious love, hate affair.  I’m still working on finding that nitche which will get me in a comfort zone of calorie consumption. Dont get me wrong, I’m not discouraged……yet.  Mainly because I already put in the mindset that this is going to be a process.  A rather long process. 

If i had to choose one thing that was a hangup for me it would be my meal choices.  Right now my main protein sources are egg whites, chicken breast, salmon, and protein shakes.  During the week I make an attempt to keep the carbs low, along with fat.  Still working out a good ratio.  I think my body is starting to adapt to these meals, because for the past two days, I’ve been feeling kinda hungry after eating.  Its wierd becuase in the begining I was stuffed.  So right now I’m not sure if I’m, taking in enough or if its just a phase.  Being that my focus is on losing bodyfat, I’m unsure as to how many calories I really should be taking in.  At the moment I am taking in about 2000 cal, and a little over 200g Protein.  My carbs are under 100g a day and fat under 50.  So, we’ll see how the rest of the week goes.  Like I said, this hunger thing could just be a phase, seeing as how i just noticed it.  I’ll figure it out. 

Aside from that my diet today was slightly off track.  The first part of the day went great, and I was right on, however due to a last minute appointment I got caught heading to a client right after the gym, causing me to miss my post workout meal, which was in the fridge at the job.  Got to the client hungry and left even hungrier.  Ended up going into McDonalds.  BUT, I didn’t do too badly.  Got two regular hamburgers, no cheese, ketchup or pickles, and only ate one part of the bun.  Being that I used to be a double quarter pounder junkie, I’d say I did pretty well.  We’ll get back on track tomorrow.

Peace!

OK, i’m trying…..I really am trying to get this water consumption down to a "T", but I’m struggling here.  I dont know how some of you do it.  A Gallon of Water a day??  I’m JUST now getting my daily 8 ounces, and afterwards I feel like a beach ball from the bloating.  A few months ago, I was a cronick soda drinker.  My office has a coke machine, that sells soda for a quarter……man I used to be at that machine like it was a video game.  But since the new year, I have not had one can of soda from that machine.  (Applaud me)

But this water thing…..its kicking my ass!!  I’ve grown accustomed to drinking it so its not like I don’t like the water, but to put in more than 8 cups a day, I don’t get it.  Today I started drinking my water from about 7am.  I usually get my water on around 9, but i started early, just to see if I could make it past the 8 oz’s. 

I just want to know if I’m the only one giong through this.  Do i need to set up a group…lol.  If there’s something I’m doing wrong, or some way to overcome the bloating, please let me know.

Whats up Fam!!

So by now many of you know that me and cardio go together like Archie Bunker & George Jefferson.  We tolerate each other, but there’s very little love there.  Until recently I have never really incorporated cardio into my training.  Maybe becuase I was always involved in some sort of sporting activity, and told myself that would count as cardio. 

But since I have refocused my efforts into creating an overall package, both outside and inside, I’ve given cardio a clean slate.  My training has been great since I got back into the gym a little over a month ago, at times it feels like I was never gone; Before I got back in the gym, I had already laid out a diet plan, which has been tweaked since my training started, and that is going well; and lastly, I dedicated a day to cardio.  I hate to admit it, but I wish I had gotten my cardio game on a lot sooner.  I’ve definately felt the difference since I seriously added it to my routine.  First time I got back on the treadmill I figured I’d be able to jog for at least a few minutes.  And thats basically what it was…..a few minutes.  What a wake up call!!  So now i have to pace myself and work my way into some sort of a rythm so that I can run for a good amount of time.  In the next few weeks the track will be opened in the park by my home, and I’ll be able to hit that.  (Shout out to Sexy2Me, who claimed we can run some track provided I dont wear spandex…lol)

The health benifits of cardio have also become important to me.  That first session gave me a vivid indication that I need to improve my endurance levels.  Not only will it help me shed bodyfat, but more importantly it will improve my cardiovascular system, and have a great benifit to my hearts health.  The hearts a muscle too so I gotta train that as well.

So I’m working on improving my relationship with cardio.  I know its not going to be the easiest, but by now you guys know my motto…….Lets Go Get It!!!

Peace!!

Whats up Family:

I may strike a nerve with someone out there on this one but I gotta let this one out.  If anyone gets offended, please feel free to respond.  Thats why we write these blogs; to share opinions.  Ofcourse my opinion is the only one that matters but i’ll humor anyone.  (Kidding)

I had a horrifying experience yesterday in the gym.  I actually had to wait until today to write about it becuase I needed to put it in the right context.  The images were too vivid to speak about right away.  Some of you could be eating breakfast and I would hate to spoil the first meal of the day.  So this blog is directed to the fellas……….

Fellas, I am only going to say this one time, so please take heed.  You guys listen to me (for the most part) on some things, but this is of the utmost importance.  Fellas………….  SPANDEX "PUM PUM" SHORTS ARE NOT TO BE WORN IN THE GYM!!!!

Now for those who might be confused, pick up any muscle magazine.  You see the guy in the pictures with the hot pink, or fire bomb cherry spandex shorts…..those are what we call PUM PUM shorts.  Back to my comment.

I’m in the gym yesterday doing legs. (Do work crew stand up!!) I’m about to start my third set of leg presses, when a voice behind me asks how many sets do I have left.  I turn around to see this dude in some baby blue, pum pum shorts in what had to be a size 3XS (3 times two small).  I thought I was in a remake of the bodysnatchers, because he looked like the shorts were sucking the life out of him from the waist.  On top of that shit dude had on some calf high black boots, and tank top that looked like it was surgicaly applied to his torso.  I just stood there looking at dude in his face, like…..are you for real right now??  Completely forgetting he actually asked a question, he repeated it to which i said, I have one left. 

Now I’m all for loving yourself and your body, but c’mon.  Dude wasn’t even in shape thats what was most offensive.  One guy who i normally see a the gym, just looked at him then looked at me and shook his head.  I mean what else could you do!!?  So there he was, strutting around the gym.  Mr. I’m too sexy.  I just shook my head and went back to my workout.  After all…..this is NYC.

Bt fellas, please, leave that shit at home, or leave it alone.  You want to impress people at the gym, impress them with your dedication, and drive.  Impress them with your overall work ethic.  But please…..unless Joe Weider himself is doing a photo shoot of you, leave them pum pum shorts alone!!

What’s up Family!

Well it’s about time for me to once again get up on my soap box.  If you want to picture me with a pastors choker on be my guest.  But I felt the need to share a little positivity with all my health nut comrades.  First off I would like to thank all present and future friends for their support.  It’s really been encouraging seeing and reading the success stories, as well as the good wishes for my own sucess.  Its funny but the saying that one kind word can change another persons outlook is really true.  So once again thanks fam…the support means a lot.

I think its important to reach out to those that are just getting started or to those that have not seen the success that they envisoned.  I’ve been reading a lot of blogs this week, and unfortunately there are a lot of people on the site that are seriously discouraged.  If anyone reading this blog feels that way I have just one word for you……patience.

One of the problems that I think a lot of us might have is that we are so quick to see the flaws in ourselves that we over look our own beauty. Before you can accept change you first must accept the present.  What we do is not something that is meant to be temporary.  This here is a lifestyle.  This is something that can be taught to our children and then to their children, and so on.  Living a healthy livestyle isn’t just a physical thing.  Its mental, spiritual, and emotional.  The mental aspect comes down to preparing for a workout that you know is going to push you to the limit, its being menataly strong to stick to your diet when all you seem to be passing are fast food joints.  Spiritualy, its believing in the fact that you are a part of something that will aid in keeping you on this earth for extended years; emotionally, you are doing something that makes you feel on top of the world, feeding your self esteem.  After I work out I feel like I am UNSTOPABLE!!  Its the absolute best feeling in the world.  But in order for me to truly experience that joy I had to understand that this is not a quick fix.  I had to realize that my years of doing wrong, were not going to be replaced in a week or two.  Once I accepted that fact, it became easier for me to deal with plataeus, the occasional lack luster work-out, or the "I shouldn’t have eaten that" episode.  Patience is a vitue, and in this game right here, its an absolute must! 

What We Do, We Do For Life!!  For our lives, and the lives of the ones close to us.  Yeah we all started out wanting to improve the outside, but along the way we fell into a love affair with improving the whole.  In math we learned that the whole equals the some of its parts.  The same rule applies.  By working out, eating right, and trying to keep or improve our bodies, in turn improves everything around us.  So if you didn’t drop that pound this week, keep at it.  If the BF% slipped in the wrong direction, Keep at it!!  If the last workout was anything less than thrilling KEEP AT IT!!  Don’t let one set back compound into a bunch.  Like my man Jay-Z said, "dust your shoulder off", and keep it moving.  Every singel one of us on this site has the wil, and the ability to not just reach their goals, but to stretch beyond them.  And if I gotta ride your asses to help get you there, I got saddles ready for each one of you bastards….lol. 

Keep at it Family.  Its there, you just gotta go get it!

Peace!