Don’t Have a Keg…

For the few of you wondering why my weekly weigh-in just included my weight and bodyfat and not the usual measurements - it’s mostly because I just didn’t feel like it today. I had a flare up of my Crohn’s that’s lasted a couple days now and I’m not able to do much but sit and moan. Okay, maybe a little more (I still seem able to type after all).

Though I am clearly a person who’s Crohn’s is well under control - very few people with this condition are actually overweight - it still flares up from time to time. For those that don’t know, Crohn’s is a digestive disorder and similar to arthritis in many ways. Basically, the soft tissue of the digestive track can become inflammed at anytime without ryhme or reason and literally shut the intestines down so that no food can pass through. The swelling is painful, to say the least, and it’s no picnic when things open back up either. I won’t go into the details here…but you can imagine what might happen.

Anyway, there’s no cure (yet) and it’s controlled usually with sulfa drugs, prednisone (I may not have spelled that correctly), and in extreme cases surgery to remove the damaged section of intestine. Though surgery isn’t done as often anymore since they’ve found that it can flare up again in other areas.

I’m doing better today than yesterday and with proper rest and a couple more pills I hope to be back in action tomorrow.

Take care everyone.

Okay,  I thought I was well-hydrated before. But now that I’m tracking how much water I take in to be sure to get the best effects from the NO Xplode and Cell Mass, well…let’s just say I’m getting more cardio in going down to the restroom more regularly!

On the plus side, I do feel more energized and ready to hit the weights tomorrow (today’s my "off" day). It may be mostly a placebo effect at this point, but hey, I’ll work with it!

I just finished my first workout with the NO Xplode earlier this evening, and I don’t think I noticed any difference. But, based on the instructions it may take a few days before I notice any real effects (ditto with the Cell Mass). However, my arms did pump up about an extra half inch than last week, so maybe…?

The workout went well though - arms and chest today. Next up, legs (oh yeah, baby!).

Another Memorial Day, a day set aside to honor those who have sacrificed everything for their country. I also choose to honor those veterans and those who are still serving as well. I’ll be attending our town’s annual services - performed by the VFW - and then after a little light BBQ (can’t over due it) I’ll be doing some training. It’s a day off of work but not a day off from working out.

Today will be the first weight training with N.O. Xplode, so I’m anxious to see how it goes. I will be also doing some interval training for cardio today.

And, I did something a little weird, at least for me, already today. I was looking at myself in the mirror and thought "hey, if I shave my chest will I see the muscle definition better?" So, armed with my trusty razor in about 15 minutes I found out the answer is "kind of."  I was pleased to see that I could tell that there was separation between my pecs, but I was also almost blinded by the glare from my pasty white skin which hasn’t seen the full light of day since I was about 17!

By the way, for you younger guys out there, here’s something they don’t tell you in health classes. You never actually lose hair - it just migrates from the top of your head down to your back and shoulders…

Just a quick update on my recent supplement purchase. I decided to follow the instructions on the N.O. Xplode and test it’s effect on me first by taking one scoop, waiting a half hour and then trying another. Well, once I got past the interesting "fizzy" quality of the stuff and the strong Lemon-lime flavor (one of may flavor choices) I found that it went down easily and after about 15 minutes I did get a little rush - almost a flushed feeling all over my body. But it wasn’t an unpleasant sensation so I did the next scoop at the 30 minute mark. Now granted I wasn’t working out, but I’m not sure I felt more "focused" and energized. However, last night I woke up after having been asleep several hours with the feeling of being pumped - though I took the stuff in the late afternoon. I’m not sure at this point if it’s my imagination or not (probably is) but I thought is was worth keeping a record of and thus, this entry was born.

In other news, with this blog entry I pass the 100 mark and move onto the next 100 entries! Not much of a milestone, but I like milestones…

Take care and keep lifting everyone!

While I was out picking up some supplements today - a couple that were recommended to me weeks ago that I said I would try and then didn’t, check my updated supplement list for details - it occurred to me that for all the training tips, chatting, etc. that I do online, I rarely have a conversation with someone else about training in real life. Including the people I’ve worked out or am working out with. Almost like it’s a taboo subject for men to actually discuss their training goals and methods. Now, maybe it’s just me as I tended in high school and through college to be more of a "nerd" than a "jock" and my friends and family also tend to fall into that category - though one or two think of themselves as jockes, but they really aren’t - or maybe it’s just because no matter how hard I’ve been training I don’t really look like I’ve been training (the problem of not getting the body fat down). But, it just kind of struck me as curious while out today.

Anyone else notice that they don’t talk about training in person?

Speaking of supplements though, I’ll let you all know, through this blog mostly for the few who are reading along, how it goes. It’s been awhile since I tried any creatine type product…hopefully the results will speak for themselves in a few months.

Oh, I’m also going to put some high intensity interval training back into my cardio workout. There’s an interesting article in this month’s "Men’s Health" that pretty much covers the subject and confirms what I’ve heard from other guys who seem to know what they are talking about. Now that I do appear to be losing weight as I need too, it’s time to take it up another notch! Or maybe two!!

Another mixed bag this week, but I’m not too surprised. Diet was a little off though my training is right on target again. I’ll be tightening things up this week. The good news is that there’s been an increase in my arm measurement (which I do flexed by the way as opposed to the other body parts - old habits die hard I guess). Though I listed 16.5" it’s really just a little below next week if things go well, I hope it’s just a little above.

Overall, I feel good. Joints don’t ache, unless I sleep on them at an odd angle. Speaking of sleep, I’ve been so busy for so long that I’m just now finally getting back to a good sleeping pattern and the eight or so hours that I feel I need to operate at my best! Working out doesn’t work if you don’t get enough rest after all.

Anyway, it looks like a beautiful weekend so I think some additional exercise out doors is called for - probably biking and I’m pretty sure some yard work. Take care everyone.

I was able to get through a fairly tough workout tonight. I worked out with both my brother-in-law and nephew and I kept going after they had stopped. My cough is about gone so I think I can get back to doing some cardio too! Plus, my evening commitment is finished (assistant director of a play) so that frees up time for my exercise. I’ve got to look good before I hit the beach of Waikiki in July!

Did my weekly weigh in today and I’m pleased. Weight and bodyfat are down, as are most measurements - which I would expect since I’m getting rid of the excess fat that is over my waist, chest, hips, etc. The only measurement that I’m dissappointed in is that my arms are still not growing - but I console myself with the idea that ripped arms look bigger than flabby…not much consolation though.

I’ve been busy as the assistant director for my theatre groups production of Disney’s High School Musical which ends this weekend. I can’t wait to get back to my regular and full training schedule on Monday!

All this week I’ve been fighting some sort of cough, bronchial "something" that’s really keeping me from performing at full strength. It’s hard to get a good workout in when you can’t start breathing hard without hacking up a lung. Plus every morning I sound like a heavy smoker as my system tries to clear out all the mucus that’s built up overnight. Not pretty - but it seems to get a little worse each day.

Weekly weigh in showed the usual mixed bag of results. My weight is clearly going in the right direction, down, but it seems all that weight is coming off my arms! Here I’m trying to make them bigger, but they keep shrinking - help! Waist is a little smaller again, hips, shoulders, calves and thighs about the same. Bodyfat still seems to stubbornly not want to go anywhere.

I’m behind in my C3 challenge and need to get some pictures up. I’ll hopefully have a chance to do that this coming weekend.

Keep lifting heavy everyone!