Ben’s BodyBlog

So Wednesday was the first time I went to work out first thing in the morning.  Well not to early, I had a schedule change so now instead of working out late evenings, I can be working out by 8 am.

So I went and started on the cross trainer.  Well I didn’t realize how hard it is to jump start my body.  It took about 15 intense minutes to get my heart rate above 135.  Usually after 8 minutes I have to slow down to keep my heart rate down.

Tomorrow, Thursday, is chest and biceps.  Today was triceps and back.  However tomorrow will be minimal cardio.  Maybe 15 mins to get the sweat going.  It’s going to be a late night since I’m going to see a local band perform and then some clubbing/dancing afterwards.

That’s it for today.  Have a good one!

So I made it back to the gym…..my body was so excited, it was hard to keep my legs still.  I was able to bust my butt in the gym and did a major increase in cardio.  

That’s what I will be focusing on for the next 30 days.  I need to lean up for now.  Might as well still run with it, since I was able to lose 4 pounds while ill.  Half might have been muscle but some was fat.  I could tell on my waist line.

So after my awesome workout, I chilled at a buddy’s house and then it became a night of walking and then dancing.  My legs are freaking sore today but the workout at the gym and the night of sweating from dancing…..it was all great.  I hadn’t been able to cut loose like that in a while.

We’ll have scheduled gym time for this weekend, which is Sunday/Monday for me.  I have some catching up to do.  So after my little flu, I had some stomach virus that left me really week since I couldn’t keep anything in, even water.

It finally has cleared up.  Thank god!  Now it’s been 72 hours, I’ve been able to eat better and gain my strength back for just normal activity.  By tomorrow I should be able to handle some weight training. 

Since I didn’t make my Christmas goals, I’m shooting for short term goals.  I have 34 days to see how much I can get accomplished.  I have things coming up in March that I would liek to be nice healthy and fit for.

The only positive with the stomach virus was seeing my waistline trim down some.  I was gettign ready to go hard core cardio until that hit me….I think I got the same thing accomplished even though I felt like crap and almost had embarrassing moments. 

 The holiday weight is gone, now to focus on that beef I can’t shake.

So I’ve been under the weather since the beginning of the year.  People on my plane where sick and I had to sit by them for 2.5 hours…..so naturally I caught their cold.

Fun times!

So I finally made it into the gym on Thursday…..for even a light set….it was still rough but I pushed and sweated through it.  Can wait to be 100% better so I can go heavy again but for now stickign to the lighter things.  don’t want to get sick again.

Hope everyone’s having a good one!

Ben

As the temperature has dipped in Florida, so has my drive to get my butt back into the gym.  It’s been a week and a half since the last time I’ve been at the gym.  Mostly I’m just adjusting to the change.

As I’ve mentioned in a previous post, not having enough sun does affect me.  Taking time out during lunch to sit outside in the sun has helped but not having any sun by the time I get home has been a downer.  Also, recall getting to the gym for me right now is not the easiest thing in the world.  It takes about an hour an a half one way and an hour….something an hour and a half back the other way…..so at the most we’re talking about three hours round trip to work out for at the most an hour and a half.

I joined the gym when I spent more time in the downtown area and they gym was easier to get to.  The city’s made a change to the public transportation on one of the routes I use to use and now it’s not been as easy….so I try to make the most of my weekends at the gym and pick to two days during the week to suffer for six hours. 

This past weekend was a play weekend, where I spent a lot of time at Disney.  I walked so much my legs were actually sore from the weekend…so I guess that was a little of a workout…..to bad the double cheeseburger and large pretzels were also enjoyed during my weekend.

Then again, isn’t it a good time to have a resting period.  Now I’m actually restless and ready to get back into the gym.  So maybe it wasn’t so much falling off the wagon as it is a pit stop.  Giving my body some time to rest for  another round of lifting. 

The goal this round is a lot more cardio and not as much weight time.  I’ll try that for a month and then switch it back to more weights less cardio.  The goal right now is to lean and not gain muscle…..keep the muscle I have for now.

I’ll keep ya posted. 

Ben

Well I needed to purchase a new jacket as the weather is getting cooler and I can’t find my old one.  So at the store, I tried a Large size, which fit and looked just right…….then I did the whole stretching with the jacket to make sure it was a good fit and I couldn’t breath in it.

 
Well it would get tight especially around the shoulders and back.  Well I don’t want to out grow the jacket so I went with the extra large which leaves just enough room as well.

 
Now for most this may not sound like a big deal, but remember I’m only 5’5”.  I think the average “healthy” weight is 135 to 145…..here I am at 195. 

 
So knowing my goal is to get bigger, went with the bigger jacket…..maybe the next coat/jacket I will buy might have to be a XXL. 

 
Just have to keep it up though.

 
Have a good one,

Ben

I’m the leanest I’ve been in my life.  I know 21.3% is still high but seeing and feeling the difference in my body is awesome.  It’s a bit weird when I kinda feel it on my skin when muscle flexes because the skin didn’t use to flex or move like that before.

I’ve been "hurting" this week though because I’ve been working on developing my forearms….so typing blogs and at work have been a little struggle but I’ve made it through so far.

I can’t wait to reach my ultimate goal.  That’s what keeps my butt in the gym and lifting heavy.

Just some random thoughts of the day.  Havve a good one!

So today I felt a little guilty cause I have a friend that is trying to lose weight and he’s even joined the gym. I’m afraid he’s hitting the burn out point where he’s gonna stop going. Which I’ve fallen victim to many times.

We’ll we work together and today he popped open a bag of Cheetos….a small one but it also defeats the purpose of him trying to lose weight….especially since he hasn’t had a true gym day in a while. So he had a few and then put them away……towards the end of the day he had a irritating call and as soon as he was done I heard the crinkling of the bag…and him about to go to town on the Cheetos.

So I called him out and yelled out….”Step away from the bag, don’t stress eat.” So he threw them away in frustration. I felt a little bad but at the same time I’m trying to help him…..he needs to lose all the weight more so for his health than looks.

Oh yeah, felt guilty cause I so cheated at lunch but I lifted hard at the gym today but still I cheated and I wouldn’t let him. So I’m going to help him the best I can until he tells me to stop. Not sure how long that will last.

On the flip side…..my shirts are getting way tight up top but for now I have to work on balancing my arms….you can see a difference in the left and right arm….even though they can lift the same…..actually I think my left is stronger than my right….but it is smaller.

Also, it’s time to finally throw my legs into the mix. My ankle has healed and I have to do a little balancing with my calves. The goal is some what of a six pack by Christmas…..or at least a four but I’m gonna bust my butt for the outline of a six. I want to be a hot elf! LOL

Everyone keep it up cause those damn holiday foods are right around the corner.
Ben

At least that’s what I’ve felt like the past couple of days.  I had not been feeling to well so I’ve taken almost a whole week off from the gym.    It’s been since Sunday since my last workout.  Grant it, I did nearly a full body workout and was in there almost twice as long but i paid for it the rest of the week feeling under the weather. 

So today, Saturday, after work I’m gonna go lift heavy and concentrate on the upper body and then go for a good sweat in the dry sauna.  I’m still going to lay off the cardio for a while.  I was still dropping the fat, which I could definately tell in the waist line, even though I was put on restriction due to the ankle.  Plus I was able to lift heavier which what I want to focus on for now.  I probably will just make a day of cardio and abs and move a couple of the other body parts around to hit a four day on one off schedule.

I’ll keep ya posed on how that goes. 
Have a good one! 
Ben

and it made a friend a little jealous.  went to a parade and was handed a shirt that was a little tight.  i took it to show off that I’ve lost a considerable amount around my waist line.
it was my chest that my friend made a comment about the shirt being to tight.  so i had to take it as a backwards compliment and realized that I’ll have to get use to such compliments. 
that’s what i get for not having any muscle head friends.  well one is always skinny with no gym or exercise involved…..the one who made the comment claims to bust his butt in the gym, but the few time I’ve been to the gym with him…..he spends most of his time staring at fresh meat.  So he really doesn’t get a sweat or pump going.  then he’ll go over to Chipotle or Chinese restaurant and put twice as many calories in his body then he burnt off.  the only positive thing in his workout is that he will go for a run ….which I know he can go further than me but then again I’ve only really seen when he leaves the house and when he comes back.
so comments like that, especially from him won’t deter me.  hell it might just make me lift harder and stronger in the gym.  so I’m gonna keep going bigger.  visiting this site helps me keep it up.
ya’ll have a good one.
Ben