Don’t Have a Keg…

I know I blog a lot about motivation and how we all seem to have different motivators, but I guess the subject fascinates me. So, on a related tangent, who do you think is happier? The guy who doesn’t work out and seems not to be at all concerned about how his body looks or his health in general, or the guy who spends hours in the gym each week trying to gain that extra inch, lose that next pound, see his muscles show through his skin? On the surface I think most would say that the first guy is happier as he isn’t a slave to his workout and does what he pleases while the second guy seems to be trapped in a body he doesn’t like and will do anything to change it.

Well, I’d argue that in the long run the second guy is the happier one. Sure, those of us who work out may have issues with our bodies - let’s face it no one really "needs" 18 inch arms for example, it’s more of a desire despite the fact that freaky strength comes in handy on occasion - but the guy who works out stays healthier throughout his life. He also knows what it is like to set a goal and to reach it. He understands dedication and plain old stick-to-it-ness! Mentally, he has an advantage that carries over to other aspects of his life and physically, well, he has abs!

I’d be curious as to what everyone else thinks!

I had some real fun yesterday, my community theatre group hosted a chili cook off as a fund raiser and naturally I had to enter my famous "Sweet Cherry Chili" (yeah, that’s right - cherry chili) and I came in second place! Not bad for someone who usually doesn’t cook anything but chicken and steamed vegetables and the occasional Healthy Choices frozen dinner. And for someone who quickly Googled the recipe! But, living in in Michigan, renowned for its cherries as well as its autos, I just had to try it. The cherries added a different texture as well as a certain sweetness. The recipe called for ground turkey and black beans as well (both healthy choices in general) and plenty of tomatoes and the usual compliment of spices.

Of course, the diet was on hold as I had to sample all the other chilis as well and to a degree I’m paying for that today…*burp*…and hey, at least it’s mostly burping (mostly)!

Another good day weather wise - actually a little warm - so outdoor cardio was the order of the day. Good to get off the treadmill on occasion, or exercise bike in my case, and feel the actual wind in my face.

Keep up the great work everyone! 

Nice surprise this morning - a big jump in weight (up) and a nice drop in bodyfat! Especially considering I weighed in mid-week. Now a 3.5 pound weight gain in just a couple days would usually freak me out (and it does to a degree now) but to be accompanied by a pretty good drop in bodyfat? Perfect! After all let’s face it - getting bigger is part of bodybuilding and part of what keeps us all motivated (as long as it’s muscle) and I don’t care if I weigh 250 as long as the bodyfat is lower than what it was when I was at 180 (many, many years ago).

In fact, I got curious this morning and pulled out some of the oldest records I have on my physical dimensions. You see, though it’s widely acknowledged that most men only know the size of two body parts (their feet - shoe size - and that of their noses) I like most bodybuilders (hmmm, when did I start referring to myself as an actual bodybuilder) keep records on almost every bodypart (what? Most men don’t know the size of their nose? Then what other bodypart would they know the size of? Hmmm…let me think).

In fact, truth be told, I might be a little obsessive when it comes to taking measurements of myself and of those around me (relationship hint: never ask your gf if you can measure her hips - no matter how much you want to know DON"T DO IT!) and I actually even keep the records over the years.

So I pulled out some from a little over 20 years ago (December 10, 1984) and found that my upper arms were a mere 13 inches (wow, I’ve added four inches to my arms?), my waist wasn’t much smaller than it is today at 37 inches, my chest was only 39 (I’m more than 8 inches bigger here, 8 inches why that’s the size of…oh I just realized what other body part men know the size of…*blush*…silly me, it’s the wrist) calves were 15.5 inches, neck 14.5, shoulders 48, hips only 42…anyway take a look at my measurements today and you’ll see I’ve grown a lot in the past quarter century.

But the big kicker is when I participated in a weight loss study in 1988 - after I was diagnosed with Crohn’s and it first came under control and I was eating everything in sight - my bodyfat was measured at 28.42% at a bodyweight of 189.64 pounds. Compare that to 244 at 20% and though my bodyfat percentage is still way to high I now have more "solid" body mass than I used to weigh (about 195 pounds of solid mass today versus a total body weight of 189 when my "fat free" weight was only 135.74) and in fact, my total bodyfat today is about 48.8 pounds back in the day it was 53.89. I’m much heavier and actually carrying less fat. And when you also consider that back then I thought that benching 120 a lot of weight (heck, I warm up with more than that now)… yeah, I think I have some reason to celebrate - and I’m not done gaining solid mass and losing the fat yet!

By the way, I was only joking earlier - 8 inches doesn’t really remind me of my wrist size, my wrist are closer to 7.5 inches (7.5 inches….hmmm…oh, OH, ohhhh…now I remember the other size that most guys know….hehe…silly me).

All in all - I’m feeling pretty motivated today. I hope you all are too! Go take on the world!

Since I missed my usual weigh-in this week as I was out of town, I quickly stepped on the scales tonight. Not bad - overall weight up slightly as I would expect in the evening but bodyfat was down a fair amount. Let’s see if I can get that number lower by Saturday morning!

Gosh, "The Biggest Loser" is just so inspiring! I watched an episode again tonight, the first chance I’ve had in a couple months, and I was struck by what an improvement the entire group has made. And what’s more amazing is that the men are just now getting down to my current weight! And I feel fat but they feel thin. I guess it’s all about perspective.

On a related note though, I used to wonder how someone could allow themselves to get so heavy (in a non-muscular way of course). I mean I used to think that it’s not like 300 pounds can just sneak up on you. But, nowadays I seem to understand how it could happen. You get into the habit of eating whatever you want, you spend too much time sitting around watching television, on the computer, reading, whatever and the next thing you know you can’t tie your shoes or see your feet.

Good for those people who do change themselves and their lives - of course I’m preaching to the choir around here aren’t I?

Take care everyone!

Eh, my weight was virtually unchanged this week - no real surprise there. My bodyfat was up again slightly for the second week in a row, time to shake up my cardio routine. I think I’m going to try a different technique with cardio. I can’t remember what it’s called off the top of my head but in track we used to call it "wind sprints." It’s where you go as hard as you can for a minute (or other preset time) and then go easy for two minutes and repeat for 30 minutes or so. This technique is pretty tough if I remember so I’ll probably have to start with a goal of 15 minutes and work back up - but just doing 30 minutes at moderate to high intensity isn’t working and as we all know the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Training will be off this week - in addition to Easter Sunday, where I will be treating myself to one of my mother’s home cooked ham meals (I love ham) with pineapple sauce, peas and onions, hot cross buns, and….sorry, had to wipe the drool off my keyboard. This is the week I travel to South Bend, Indiana to compete in the Region III AACTFest - go to www.aact.org for more info - with the play I wrote and directed so the cast (four lovely women), fans, and myself will be nervous as heck but ready to have some fun with other community theatre types. I’m sure the hotel will have some sort of workout facility so I should be able to get in some type of workout at least.

I hope everyone is making good progress with their training - Happy Easter if you observe the holiday and a good weekend to everyone else. Remember - hard boiled eggs are in and of themselves okay, but deviled eggs are to be enjoyed with moderation (oh, but I do so love deviled eggs….ooops, more drool).

A few random bits of wisdom for all the young guys (and maybe gals too) out there trying to build up and/or slim down from an old guy who has been around the buffet table a few times (feel free to add your own):

1. The best way to lose unwanted fat is to not put it on in the first place. Watch your diet now and you’ll thank yourself much later.

2. Good nutrition is easier said than done. Convince yourself that a plain chicken breast tastes better than filet mignon (which is over rated anyway) and you’ll be far ahead.

3. Everyone, guys at least, wants to be big. That’s not bad in and of itself, I want to be bigger too, but if you are going for mass pay attention to my first item of advice. The tortoise and the hare is more than a fable.

4. Someone will always outlift you, outsize you, and just plain outperform you in something. Don’t worry about them - worry about whether you have outlifted, outsized, and outperformed yourself as compared to the last workout.

5. Did I mention that it’s easier to keep fat off than to take it off? I did? Good!

6. Someday, when you look around and discover that all your friends are fatter, seem older, can’t move as a well as you can, and so on you’ll be glad you learned to like chicken breasts so much.

7. Tuna’s okay, too.

8. So’s Turkey…

9. And beef on occasion - along with pork. Moderation is your friend.

10. Don’t show off and you’ll stay injury free for a lifetime and able to make bigger lifts later.

11. Big biceps are good and impressive. A big bicep not covered in fat is even more so.

12. No one really has an arm that measures 20 inches in diameter - and those that do are naturally big people or have artificial assistance. Okay, some guys do - and those that do did it by paying attention to their tricep workout.

13. You either have bicep peaks or you don’t.

14. Pecs come in a variety of shapes - you can’t change the shape of yours but you can make the most of them.

15. T-shirt weather should be welcomed - but nobody likes a show off. Keep the "guns" covered except when outside exercising or at the beach, pool, eh - I’ll allow the amusement park and fairs, too. But only if it’s over 70 degrees Farenheit!

16. It’s okay to blush a little on the outside but to be jumping up and down with excitment inside when someone asks you to flex for them or make a muscle (especially if that someone is attractive to you).

17. Be supportive of other people’s fitness goals. They may not have the determination or aptitude you have for bodybuilding. That doesn’t mean that they don’t have dreams, too.

18. Look back up at #1.

19. Car 54 where are you?

20. Surround yourself with people who are supportive of your goals (bodybuilding or otherwise). Things will go a lot easier for you in the long run.

21. "If you reach for the stars, you’ll never come up with a handful of mud." I can’t remember who said that - but he started a giant ad agency - I think it’s good advice though.

22. "Miracles I can do immediately, the impossible takes a little longer." I first heard this from Endora (Sam’s mother on "Bewitched") I’m sure it was taken from someone else. I think this is also good advice, especially when you are feeling a little down about things.

23. Until you’ve established a good base don’t spend a lot of money on supplements beyond a good protein powder and some creatine.

24. Good diet is the most important supplement of all - muscles don’t come in the form of a pill or powder (at least not without hard work!).

25. Legs are the foundation of the body. It won’t kill you to work them out on occasion - at least once a week.

26. Okay, how about once a month?

27. Walk, it will do you some good both mentally and physically.

27. Wait, I already did #27…

28. And for goodness sake, turn off the lights when you leave the room. What, you think we’re made of money?

Okay, I’m done for now. Extra points to anyone who can tell me where I stole the title for this blog entry from (and from who).

A pair of big mofo sized arms! Biceps with peaks so high that snow forms on them and sherpas are setting up base camp around me. Arms so big that when people talk about them - and they will talk - they don’t compare my bis to baseballs or even softballs but to basketballs! Triceps with horseshoes so deep and large that a clysdale couldn’t fit into them. Forearms that would make Popeye jealous. Heck, arms that would make Michelle Obama start wearing long sleeves again!

There, I’m glad I got that off my chest. And speaking of chest, I also want…eh, that will have to wait for another blog!

A day late this week because I was so busy Saturday I just didn’t have time to spare in the morning to step on the scales (you all believe that right?). Anyhoo - virtually no change this week as compared to last…*sigh*