Don’t Have a Keg…

Okay, weight is up this week but conversely the bodyfat is back down (yeah, I know I wasn’t going to pay attention to that portion of the scale anymore). I’ve noticed something though looking back at my chart. The bodyfat % always seems to have a digit from my weight. So for example, when my weight is 238 my body fat as 28% but when I’m 243 my bodyfat is 23%. Coincidence? Probably. But my brother - not my brother-in-law who I workout with - made a good suggestion. Maybe it’s just time to change the batteries! Since the bodyfat measurement is based on an electric pulse weak batteries could through things off even though the scale appears to be working properly. So since I can’t remember the last time I put batteries in the thing it might be worth buying 4 AAs to see what happens. I’ll let you all know.

Feeling pretty good this week overall - still have new soreness after each workout which I’m taking as a good sign as I’m not immobile or anything. Gonna be another busy weekend with my nephew becoming a Master Mason (just like his uncle and grandfather - my dad - *sniff* I get choked up over these things…) my niece is playing in district softball today and after all that I’ve got a state-wide community theatre board meeting. I hope to get some cardio in and probably some bodyweight exercises at the hotel this evening (no workout facility). Tomorrow includes 18 holes of golf - with a cart though as it’s part of a fundraising tourney…I actually prefer walking the course myself. As Mark Twain once remarked, "golf is a good walk ruined" (maybe I’m paraphrasing).

Also, thanks to another bodyspacer’s blog (gemangderipped) who asked about what other guys considered the "perfect" body that young men or men of any age should aspire too, I’ve been thinking of the type of body I would like to emulate more so than usual. Now, it occurs to me, that this is the way to madness. For example, in my case, as a 49 year old man who was never "long and lean" I shouldn’t look at a considerably younger Ryan Reynolds - who also probably has a team of personal trainers when working on a film - and say "that’s what I’m going for!" It just won’t happen. But I know I can focus on becoming the best that I can be where ever that ends me up. Hopefully with a pair of 18 inch arms, powerful legs and a chest that I have trouble buttoning up shirts over (haha).

But it does raise the question for everyone else - is there someone who you have looked at as inspiration and has the type of physique you want? Is he (or she for the ladies) a bodybuilder or a celebrity of a different type (actor, model, etc.)?

Speaking of actors, I caught on cable the other day a rerun of a western called "Laredo." This was kind of a funny show that only lasted a couple seasons, but one of the principle characters was portrayed by the actor William Smith, who primarly did this show and a lot of guest shots (including Conan’s father when Arnold played Conan). I ended up looking him up in IMDB - a site I spend too much time at as I’m curious about the backgrounds of a lot of actors I see on tv and the movies and am always looking up people, but I digress - and found that he is still acting now in his seventies and his listed trademark is: 18 1/4 inch biceps. I don’t know about you guys, but I’d like to have that kind of trademark myself!

Off to the softball diamond - have a great weekend everyone!

Good feeling today - I moved to some high rep and low weight (relatively speaking) lifts for my workout last night and today I’m feeling it in places I usually don’t. Which I take as a good sign. I think I was able to "activate" some muscle fibers in my pecs that usually don’t get worked (the ones at near the insertion point with the arms from the feel of it). It’s that good soreness - the kind you actually like not a bad feeling which indicates injury.

A little tired all week for some reason - been trying to get to bed early but it’s not helping. I think I need to tweak the diet a little and get some more protein. Yeah…that’s what I need.

A quiet week all in all - looking forward to seeing "Up" tomorrow. I’m a sucker for those animated "kids" films. Especially from Disney and Pixar - and in 3-D no less! No butter on my popcorn please (and can you hold the salt?).

The good news is that my weight was down to 238 this morning. The lowest it’s been in quite some time. The bad news is that, at least according to my scale, my bodyfat is off the chart at 28.5%. I checked it several times throughout the morning as I couldn’t - and still can’t - believe it. I got as low as 27.6% and as high as 28.8%. So I recorded the middle bf%. My weight stayed pretty consistent - even after breakfast and getting some liquid.

So, as I’ve observed before, the scale just can’t be accurate when it comes to bodyfat % which leaves me with the question - are the lower percentages accurate or the higher? Given my strength and body measurements I’m betting on the lower percentages, but I guess it’s time for another skinfold test.

In any case I don’t think I’ll be hitting 240 pounds at 10% bodyfat anytime soon!

Have a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend everyone (at least my USA friends). Take some time to remember the reason for the holiday and thank a vet!

I didn’t get a chance to weigh in on Saturday so I did this morning. Surprise! My bodyfat was down a fair amount (woo-hoo) while my weight was actually up a little. I’m fairly stoked about this. Now the trick is to keep it up.

Hmm, what would I look like at 240 lbs and 10% bodyfat? I’m guessing at the very least I’d need some very, very big shirts! Hahaha!

I saw the new "Star Trek" this weekend. Now I may have been spending too much time at Bodyspace since my first thoughts about he new cast mostly were along the lines of "look how skinny these guys are" and "would it hurt any of them to at least do some bench pressing now and then?" Maybe these thoughts were also influenced by the fact that I saw "Wolverine" last weekend and that movie features two of Hollywood’s current buff bods - Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds (and by the way, when did Reynolds get so jacked? He certainly wasn’t back in the "2 Guys, 1 Girl, and  Pizza Place" days or whatever that show was called) - but I assure you that I quickly stopped wondering about the physiques on screen as I became totally and completely mesmerized by the film!

Was it perfect? No, but close enough. Did they do a couple things that I disagreed with? Yes, one thing in particular which I dare not say because I’m sure many of you haven’t seen this film yet. But the movie was very successful in this old "Trekkers" mind. It was respectful of the past while making it clear that things will be a little different from here on out. In some ways, this movie is what "Star Trek" should have been from the beginning, which is appropriate as the beginning is what this movie is about.

So, if you go to movies, be sure to add this one to your list! You won’t be sorry you did.

No real surprises this week. Weight down a hair and bodyfat up a little (but within the normal body fluctuations). Another busy week - but the show I’m in goes up next weekend and I’ll be ‘free’ for the summer to train as much as I want to…well, except for work and stuff (lol).

Weight is still down this week - but bodyfat is up just a hair (less than 1%). So I think overall I’m still on the right track.

Busy week coming up as we are into the last two weeks of another show ("Alice in Wonderland" - I’m Tweedle-Dee and the Mock Turtle). Then it’s workouts at full steam. I’ve got a little over a month before I go to a conference for work were I meet up with a collegue who I have an ongoing friendly competition with. Though we are fairly evenly matched in terms of strength, he appears more muscular than me and is also concerned with adding too much fat. Especially since he got married and had a child - which as many of you know can have a huge impact on your workouts!