Sailorboy Slims Down

What’s a good idea for a late night snack?  I usually have dinner around 7-8 and then by 11 or so I’m hungry.  I know this is a part of the plan, but this is probably my worst control time.  I just want to eat.  I’ve been having a protein/water shake the last couple of nights, which has helped.  I’m sure it’s better than half a bag of chips/salsa.  haha.  But what should I be eating?  A lot of carbs/not a lot?  A lot of fat/not a lot?  Protein?  I’m not really educated on what you should be eating when.  A lot of the meal plans I see have a protein shake as your last meal.  Isn’t this a bad time for protein?  Any takers?

I don’t feel like I can ever get a good burn after my abs workouts.  Today I did 3 supersets of 15 weighted crunches
15 hanging knee raises
15 knee ins
and their hard as hell as I’m doing them.  I know it’s a good workout, but I’m never sore or anything even an hour afterwards, much less the next day.  I only ask because after a good legs, chest, arms, ect. workout I can feel it for the next day or so.  It might be sore, or it might just be a little tight and need stretching.  I know nothings wrong I’m just interested to the why.  I’m basically assuming that my abs are constantly so loose that they aren’t going to get very tight at this stage in my progression and that they are so strong that even though I might tax them heavily during a workout, they repair so quick that I don’t feel the effects as much as other muscle groups.  
P.S. I think I’m eating too much peanut butter.  I usually put some on my toast in the morning along with oatmeal and protein, and then one of my snacks during the day is usually toast with PB and some milk.  Any ideas for some other filling snacks?
-carsondude

I’m pretty sure all the muscle I’ve gained in the past 2 weeks have just pushed my fat out and made me look even bigger!  When’s the part when all that muscle burns a bunch of calories??

I couldn’t wait to get back into the gym today.  2 days off this weekend left me bored and depressed.  I work out in the morning and it supercharges my diet the rest of the day.  After my workout, I don’t feel like going to get a soda or a burger, I feel like eating protein and water.  It’s a great feeling that lasts the whole day.  If I don’t go to the gym on the other hand, I’m more likely to cheat on my diet!  

Today was chest and 30 minutes of Interval training cardio:
Incline Barbell Bench
Weighted Dips
SUPERSET(Pushups, Incline dumbbell flies)
30 second sprints with 1 minute jog/fast walk for 30 minutes total.

I’m still going!

Damn I’m enjoying this!  I’ve always enjoyed eating and being healthy, it’s just very hard at school where I don’t have a gym, and my room mates eat like crap.  It’s hard to convince them to wait for me to grill out some chicken when the frozen pizza is 13 minutes away.

The results are slowly starting to come in.  I’m a long way from any sort of goal but I’m a long way from helpless also.  I went to the gym today and spent about an hour just stretching all over.  My legs have been getting pretty tight even though I stretch them before and after I work out.  It felt great.  Although I kind of felt a little nerdy just going into the gym to basically hang out.  I didn’t even break a sweat.  Oh well.  

I’m excited to get back on my long lost boat in the coming weeks.  I sail a ton of different boats but my grandfather has a 1959 Morgan 22 that he let’s me use.  It’s an old POS but it’s a joy to sail.  If I get out tomorrow it’ll be crowded but I can finally get some sun!

I just went for a nice bike ride (it’s my off day) and it was a blast.  I really enjoy it more than running.  It’s a lot less boring and you can actually go somewhere.  A 30 minute hard core bike ride can take me across town to a friends house for some rest and a drink then it’s back home.  

Problem is, my current bike is a 5 year old bike from target.  Now, I’m sure you would assume that this $100 masterpiece of modern mechanics would last a lifetime but you would be wrong.  It hardly shifts and the brakes barely work.  I don’t feel very safe riding it when I’m sprinting.  I’m afraid the fork is going to fall off!!

Now I’m not exactly in the market for a bike because I hardly ride and they’re very expensive.  Oh well, I suppose I’ll just stick to the stationary ones or my rusty POS.

It’s funny how often I hear that or read it.  I almost hate titling this blog entry that because it is so overused.  oh well.  It is also very true.  I would say 90% of people that I have seen go on a diet use it as a four letter word.  They are "dieting" instead of changing their "diet".  It’s a shame because they are destined to fail on their programs.  Who knew that if you started a diet that had you only eating 3 types of food, you were eventually going to stop.  

That is what is so great about the "real" diet books.  Men’s Health’s "Abs Diet" was probably my first read.  It was so obvious.  I had already thought about the program because it’s pretty much common sense.  The reason not everyone will adapt it is because it is a very big change.    They have grown up eating the way they do and to change it is very difficult.  Now, personally, it’s not that big of a change for me.  I love cooking fresh healthy food.  I love eating it.  But what if you don’t cook?  That alone makes things a lot harder.  What if you can’t afford to have fish and fresh everything all the time?  It’s easy to resort back to driving through for dinner to feed your family for $25 in 5 minutes.

Working out is the same way.  I can admit to having periods of "working out" instead of just simply "being active".  It’s also a shame that this is the practice but it is the truth.  Very very few people can keep a workout program for more than even…6 months.  Much less a lifetime.  Why not?  Who wouldn’t agree that working out or being active is healthy, feels good, and has hundreds of benefits?  Everyone would agree.  So why doesn’t everyone do it?  Because it’s hard.  Because they don’t have to.  The excuses go on and on.  But they make a point.  How many of us would go to work if we didn’t have to make money?  Now some will argue that you do have to workout.  This is an arguable point that I don’t really want to debate.  The truth is, this is how most people feel.  Why do you think every weight loss "gimmick" is marketed this way.  "Easy to do", "5 minutes a day", "6 pack abs".  Now, do you think their customers really think they are going to get the results they want by simply taking a pill and eating junk?  Or rolling your abs for 5 minutes a day and eating junk?  I bet most don’t believe it.  But they don’t want to work.  They want a shortcut.  

That’s why some people will hire a personal trainer.  Now, I have a lot of respect for the profession but I believe at some level they are there for mainly motivation.  If I was going to hire a Personal trainer right now that is why I would do it.  They would make me come to the gym.  Suddenly, instead of it being an option; I’m paying for it and someone is waiting for me.  Now, it’s easier to go rather than sit on my ass (at least for me).  

So what is the secret to getting Americans (or anyone) outside and eating/living healthy?  I don’t believe there is one.  In our current lifestyle, sedentary rules.  For the entire existence of humans on earth, you had to be active to survive.  You had to hunt, gather, fight, etc.  But suddenly in the past 100 years or so, most of the modernized countries don’t require you to do any active work.  You can live at home, never leave, and make millions online.  You can have a family and everything else without being active.  This is a giant change for the human race.  Do you think anyone "went to the gym" or "went jogging" 100 years ago?  No.  In Back to the future, when he goes back in time to the 1800s, people laugh at him when he says people will "run for fun" in the future. (nice movie quote huh?)

It’s an interesting world we live in today.  One where eating right and being active are simply fads.  Who or what will save us from our sedentary future?  

-carsondude

I’ve been enjoying this site for a while but now that I’m a user I’m really enjoying it.  I remember first hearing about it when I was looking up that P90X or something program just to see what it entailed.  I saw a post on this forum that said something like "You’re paying for workout programs, nutrition tips, and an online forum for support.  Sounds a lot like bodybuilding.com to me."  Very true.  This site has been a great resource and just a great motivator.  Whenever I feel like just grabbing a bag of chips and eating some (aka the whole bag) this site keeps me occupied for a while.  Now while I’m not a bodybuilder by any means nor do I really plan to become one; I do hope to live a lean, muscular, healthy lifestyle.  I have yet to find a better fitness community with the same great functions (bodyblogs, forums, reviews, store, etc.)  The community is superb.  Just about everyone is an expert.  I feel very welcome and supported here.  What a great tool for anyone working out!

Well I was reading up on Laird Hamilton.  This guy is amazing.  I’m sure you’ve heard of him; big wave surfer, father, fitness guru.  He does it all.  And man is he ripped! (Look up some pics) But you take a look at his workout routine and it’s no wonder.  Dragging logs along the beach, mountain biking for 2 hours around the mountains of Malibu.  Of course, he’s in a pretty scenic area for exercise.  Windsurfing, beautiful mountains, beautiful girls…it’s a good combo.  It just goes to show that a great way to stay in shape or lose tons of fat is to cross-train instead of simply workout in the gym.  Plus it’s fun.  Probably the best shape of my life was when I went backpacking in New Mexico.  75 miles in 10 days.  It was intense.  It was also probably the most fun I’ve ever had.  Now obviously I love sailing which can be fairly heart pounding.  But not nearly as much as mountain biking or something.  I need to get into something similar to that again.  Backpacking is hard because it takes preparing and execution and a lot of time.  I suppose I could just buy a running parachute and hit the track.  haha.  

What do you do to cross-train?

Good day today.  Worked on my legs.  Squats, presses, deadlifts, etc.  I love working my arms but I have to say; legs feel the best.  Tomorrow is some steady state cardio.  I’m starting to feel that change and it feels great.  I can see my plan in the next few weeks and it’s going to be tough.  I’m not really sure if I’m going to be able to handle all the crazy cardio/HIIT but I’m excited about the challenge.

Well I’m on to week two.  This weekend I had a competition(sailing) and so was not able to do much.  I had scheduled Sat and Sun.  off so it worked out.  Not to mention I still got some exercise.  I’m back in the gym today, I’m about to leave.  

Have ya’ll(ha, I’m from TX) ever tried the Kashi line of grain food?  I know it’s not really in the bodybuilders repetiore but I found some of the Kashi Go Lean Crunch cereal.  (High fiber and high protein so it claims) I think it had about 10-14 grams of protein.  Not too bad for a basic cereal.  I used to have sugary breakfast cereals all day long as a kid so it was nice to have this instead of my usual breakfast (oatmeal, smoothies, etc.)  Taste was pretty good.  A little bland but with some blueberries (as advertised on the box) it was better.  I teamed it up with a banana and some almonds to balance it out.  Nice little change to throw in there.  Any body else tried it.  They sell waffles, bread, and a bunch of other stuff I need to give a try.