TheHardWay’s BodyBlog

In my efforts to put my life back together (finding a new job etc.) I’ve been avoiding Bodyspace.  Time on the interweb not spent looking for work can be valuable time lost.  But I don’t want my account to go inactive, so I thought I’d just check in.  

I’ve interviewed.  I’ve even got an offer (thank God).  But its not exactly what I want (Benifits suck).  But I am interviewing for a Government job on Monday.  That’d be cool esp. considering potential recession/ getting laid off at new job.  Bla Bla Bla.  

Good News: Bodyfat down to 11%.  Bad news: I lost 6 pounds, and not all fat.  But I have the solution: Eat Clean and Eat More.

Today sucked.  Just wanna put a bullet in something (figure of speech).  I just rub everybody the wrong way lately.  I was so ticked off I could barely eat.  Damn.

So, I got out of bed on the wrong side today.  My supervisor at work tried to dump a huge load of work on my desk that he’s supposed to be doing.  I flat out ignored him.  I’ve got 8 bosses, and the other 7 probably wouldn’t have liked it.  But I digress.  The real story is that 60% of the staff at my office just found out a week ago that they we’re getting laid off.  Last day = Feb. 8th. This included me.  Hence ignoring supervisors.  What are they gonna do, Fire me? LOL.  This, generally speaking, has a lot to do with my mood today.

A lot of us have been there. Your so: ticked-off/irritated/upset/worried/etc. that eating is the last thing on your mind.  Of course you know you should eat, but nothing sounds good.  So skip the meal?  I say HELL NO.  I’ve had my days where I just have to force the food down.  Angry at the world? Too bad, gotta eat.  Hate that idiot at work who just laid off all your friends? Too bad, gotta eat.  There are a lot more of these scenarios, but you get the idea.

If I’m lifting 3-4 times a week, running on off days, and trying to put on mass, then I’m SOL if I don’t get my calories.  Whats worse, I’ll feel like crap until my body gets what it needs.  So if you ever find yourself in the same situation, take my advice:

• Calm yourself down as best you can.  Try to clear your mind.
• Find the least repulsive food you can get your hands on.
• And eat as slowly as you need to.  Do what you can to not throw up.
• Sip water in between bights.

Some ppl have the opposite problem.  They eat when their emotions get the better of them.  Thats a demon i’ve never wrestled with, so I can’t tell you what to do about that.  Good luck, I’m sure its at least as tough as all this is.

Day 25 was legs again.  I’m now doing 4 workouts/week.

1. Push Upper Body: bench, dips, etc
2. Legs: squat, hack squat, 45deg. Leg Press, etc
3. Pull Upper Body: Low row, Lat pull down, pull up, etc
4. Legs 2: Glute, Hip Abduc, Hip Adduc, Lunge, etc

Today, Day 26, was Pull Upper Body (see #3 above).  Also did cable curls.  I’m feeling stronger and using more weight than the first couple of weeks, so I’m happy with my progress.  Really do have my Trainer to thank for a lot of my results though.  My wife is the best there is.

So yesterday was day 22 and I focused on legs.  We did squat and hack squat and 45deg. leg press.  Also a lil’ ab work.  I’ve gotta try harder on the ab work cause it is just the hardest dam thing I’ve done since running track in High School.  Those were vicious workouts.

The maxes I’m posting on the progress charts are maybe not exactly as much as I’m capable of right now, but I’m ramping up from zero and don’t wanna injure myself.  Well, actually I’m fine with wrecking my back or shoulder etc., but my trainer (read wife) has ultimate authority in this sphere.  And she said no to my attempted dumbass move to add too much weight last night.  Thank God for her.  My back hurt a little when I woke up this morning, and I thought I’d taken it easy!
Three weeks progress is great!  I gained 2 pounds and lost 1.7% body fat!  I wish I’d taken measurements on day 1 but I’ll have to track that from now on.  The measurements currently posted are from day 21 (i think).  Maybe I’ll measure again after another three weeks.

Valentines Day is just around the corner.  Time to think on your feet boys.  ’cause if you wanna be a man, you better not wait ’till the 13th to make your plans.  Act Now.  Relax Later.  Those Dinner reservations won’t make themselves.  Order that flower bouquet in advance (for pickup on 2/14).  And for Goodness’ Sake, don’t do exactly what you did last year.  Even if that’s what they tell you they want.  Mix it up.

Beware: 2 weeks prep is min. needed for showin’ your Lady a good time.  If you do it right.  Steak and BJ day will be 2/15, NOT 3/14.

And for all you juniors out there, the cheesy cliche stuff works: flowers, candy, poetry/songs, dressing nicely, soap&water, yeah all that junk.

Good Luck

10 day gap in blogging = slacker.  Oh well, no time like the present.  Day 16 I did legs and shoulders/triceps.  This made day 17 a lot of fun because I played basketball(full court) for an hour.  Let me tell you, awesome jump shot and great shooting %   Seriously though, I also did dips on day 16 for the first time.  I didn’t add weight, but I did do a few sets w/o assistance 6,5,4.  I did use 25lb for a couple of sets.  Damn, do I have some work to do.  Love the dip.

My body weight hasn’t changed, but my wife says that my chest arms & back look a little bit bigger/cut than 2 weeks ago.  Also, a little less fat.  I’m gonna have to break out a tape measure and start keeping track.

The only recession I wanna see is for my gut.  But my industry is certainly in one.  Home building/residential development is slow. My company laid some good friends off, man that always sucks.  Time to update the old resume just in case there’s an X on the back of my neck.  Oh well, I always land on my feet, I will this time too.

I recently discovered the steam room at my gym, it is sick.  I go in sore, and come out feeling like a million bucks.  Then I dip in the pool and then to the spa & repeat.  Can’t beat it.  Especially on a cold winter day.

So Day 7 Was a Rest Day, Day 6 was Arms & Back (upper), & Day 5 was a rest day.  That is just too damn much rest.  I’m only working out/exercising every other day. Got to not be lazy on none lifting days - they are must-Run days.  Tonight - Legs for Day 8.  Daycare issues are messing up both my Wife’s and my work schedule.

So I took a rest day on Day 2 (Tuesday), But Day 3 (yesterday) I hit my Hams, Glutes & Lower back pretty hard.  Dead Lift, Smith Machine Lunge, Glute Machine (?name?), oh, and a little ab work.  But today is Day 4, and if I don’t run today, I don’t think I ever will.

Sleeeeeeep! Where are you my old friend?  We used to spend all night together.  12 hours sometimes.  Now we’re practically strangers.  I promise you that no matter where you’ve gone to, I will find you.  My first true love: sleep.

I think day 5 is gonna need to be Arms and Back(upper) but I never know these days.  I like the way my trainer mixes it up, and I like to do her (my Wife’s) workout with her.  It usually pushes me to my limit.  She is the Best.  I can’t go wrong though, everything seems so new to my body, just about anything I do in the gym is gonna leave me weak and sore.  Gotta Love it.

So I’m Sick and tired of thinking about what I want for myself.  I’ve had everything brought to me on a silver platter as far as being able to reshape my body goes; and I don’t have any more excuses.  My wife is a personal trainer.  She trains me.  I get free use of a gym that has daycare for my two kids.  I’ve got freeweights at home.  And, I’m surrounded by family members that live and breathe weightlifting! 

So I worked out at Lunchtime today.  Chest and Shoulders.  Only 6 hours of sleep (interrupted).  I’m having a hard time adjusting to the amount of food and sleep I’m gonna need to do this right; but I’ll figure it out.  I only just started seriously training on Friday last week.  That was arms & back.  Saturday was legs.  Tomorrow maybe I’ll run or just rest because everything is aching and burning (the good kind).

Now that I’ve done everything once, I’ll establish what my Max’s will be in my profile based on those results.  No use listing what I could do back in college.  That’ll just depress me.  I’ll post pics ASAP.