Gut-Bustin’ 101

I’m lucky enough to be able to work out with a trainer about once a month - he’s an old friend of mine, competes in bodybuilding shows at age 50+, and knows quite a bit. Anyway, I was working out with him yesterday and we did some tricep kickbacks - but apparently I haven’t been doing them as strictly as I thought(!)  I started the set, he said "waitaminnit!" and pushed my arm/shoulder DOWN ever so slightly ‘cuz I was holding my upper arm too high… BOY did that make all the difference in the world! My tri’s are pretty jacked today! He also helped out with some chest presses - my left shoulder bugs if I use too much weight, and by lifting my elbows just a bit and keeping my chest up and out, he showed me how I can do the exercise without bringing my shoulder into play. So today my shoulders feel just fine, and my chest and tri’s are killing!

Trainers who know what they’re doing can bring all the benefit in the world to your routine - especially  for guys like me who THINK we know what’s best but actually don’t know squat! hahahaha

*whew* Tomorrow is pretty much booked solid with a pre-school field trip for my little kiddo (to a local kids’ pizza joint no less!) plus projects and work that’ll have me away from "home base" for a good part of the day. So I’ll be spending about an hour or two tonight cooking food and getting it all packed up & ready just so I don’t miss a meal during the craziness tomorrow.

Am I worried about temptation getting the better of me and burying my face in a pepperoni pie? nahh… Have you TASTED the pizza at these places? ‘course I’m part Italian so I might be a *little* too picky when it comes to my pizza!  I was just thinking - how funny would it be for me to "smuggle" in a healthy meal to the pizza place and chow down while the kids are playing? Anybody ever done that? lol Think they’d ‘cuff me and toss me to the curb? "Sorry sir - unless the food’s loaded with fat and causes your face to break out in pimples, it ain’t allowed in here." Actually, I’m planning to eat right before we go, so I won’t have to worry about another meal until we leave the place a couple hours later. Might pack a protein bar just in case.

Believe me, I’d rather be spending two hours tonight roaming around here on bodybulding.com, or even better, burning calories the fun way! But it makes me feel pretty good that I’m actually taking the time to do this nutrition stuff right. Nope, it isn’t easy, but the energy and the health and confidence it brings is worth every minute.

Just got back from taking my little girl out for some ice cream. Maybe only a parent could understand this, but watching her enjoy her gargantuan waffle-cone dipped in chocolate, laced with sprinkles and filled to the brim with strawberry Ben & Jerry’s had me mesmerized!  It’s amazing if you think about it - a child focused 110% on that ice cream cone - savoring every bite, making the experience last as long as possible… nothing else exists for them at that moment in time. I thought to myself that’s how it should be when I work out:  110% on each rep, feeling the muscle contract and expand, noticing the sensation of blood rushing through my veins, visualizing the end results sharply in my mind… nothing else should exist for me at that moment but the movement, the weights, the power.

Amazing what you can take away from just sharing an ice cream with your child! Yeah, I had to partake myself: just one small scoop of coffee ice cream. Because in the grand scheme of things, spending those moments with my daughter, sharing laughter and a darn good treat, means so much more than saying "no" to the occassional cheat and potentially missing out on memories that can last forever. I’ll just do some extra cardio in the morning

Came home the other day with a 10 lb. crate of cherries and strawberries from the local warehouse club. Darn things rock. ‘Course the problem is once you get ‘em home, they SENSE it, and the race begins: How many can you eat before they go bad?  I swear I’ve been doing nothing but eating fruit this past week in a frantic attempt to get my money’s worth before those little alien mold colonies have their way with ‘em. One time I brought home some strawberries, put ‘em on the counter, turned around to unload some groceries, and when I turned back they were all moldy and soft. bloody hell.

I’ll admit I DO have the occassional brain farts, but surprisingly I DID think of freezing the stuff once. But when they thawed out, fuggetaboudit. "Fruit Mush" isn’t on my list of favorite foods.

So needless to say I’m ON this with a vengeance. Had to take a few days off work, cancel some appointments, and told my friends I couldn’t  go out and play until I finished my fruit. Strawberry protein shakes, cherries in my salad, strawberry-glazed yams, peanut-butter-and-cherries on wheat bread… I’ll do whatever it takes man. I laugh in the face of mold and rot! (and then gross out real bad if I accidentally eat some.)

So, you all know where to find me for the next few days - I’m at home, surrounded by crates of fruit. Don’t worry - I’m stocked up on TP too.

Well, my waist measurement and bodyfat continue to inch slowly downward, though there was no change in my overall weight this past week. I’ve broken into the 33" territory on my waist - now at 33-7/8" - and lost a slight amount of bodyfat as well. Got in 4 cardio workouts last week, and 3 solid workouts that’ve left me WIPED! Feels good.

Nutrition was pretty much right on again for the week - six solid, clean meals every day - except today cuz I woke up a few hours late - doh! But for almost 3 months now on a solid nutrition plan, I can say I’m not bored with the food I’m eating (even though it ain’t nothin that’ll fire up interest at a party!)

I’m seeing steady results in the area I’m focusing on (my waist), and I’m starting to feel like "OK - let’s step it up and accelerate this and get it done as fast as possible!" but I know I’ve gotta keep it at the pace I’ve set for myself so that these changes are long-lasting.

Since starting the workouts again a few weeks ago, I knew getting into it that my overall weight loss would slow down due to building more muscle - but I’m not sure what to think yet. I still feel I should be down in the low 140 range, and definitely know i’ve got at least 15-20 more pounds of fat to lose. I guess hanging out in the upper-140’s while my bodyfat continues to drop is a good thing, so I’ll keep doin’ what I’m doin’ for now.

Progress pics coming at the end of the month - I can FEEL a difference, though I don’t know how much it’ll show(!)  I’m also THINKING about doing a few video blogs, but not sure I’m up for that quite yet. Y’know - gotta get the nose hair trimmed and all.  I appreciate all the support from the awesome members of the Bodyspace community out there!

Not a bad week - dropped another 1/4" inch off the waist, so I’m pretty darn happy. Just about to break the 34" mark over the next week or two. Those 33" jeans are still sitting on the corner of the bed! Nutrition stayed in line; I got in 3 workouts and 2 cardio sessions (would’ve made more cardio but I figure I’ll wait a few more days to give my broken toe time to settle down!)

Saw a SLIGHT weight gain this week for the first time in a while - just under half a pound - but since my bodyfat’s still dropping and I did some good workouts, it looks like I’ve gained a little lean mass. That’s cool, but honestly i’d rather be losing fat at this point - I’ll worry about gaining mass later on.

The goal for this coming week is to drop that last 1/8" to make the 34" waist mark by next Sunday, and I’ll upload some updated progress pics as well.