garyoz1954’s BodyBlog

Have been listening to some awesome podcasts lately.  I enjoy listening to them when I am at work - being a self employed cleaning contractor has its advantages!!!  There is a podcast currently on BB.com, Dan Gastelu interviewing Pete Siegel.  Excellent! it relates to mind/motivation techniques (12-week transformation contest) and is well worth listening to.  My nutrition plan for today is:  2058 cals, 38/39/23.  Meal 1: mushroom, onion omelette.  Meal 2: protein shake with fruit juice.  Meal 3:  Chicken sausage, noodles & peppers.  Meal 4: Banana weight gain shake.  Meal 5: Chicken, cauliflower casserole.  Meal 6: Canteloupe & cottage cheese.  I have a workout scheduled for Sunday 20th Jan.

Well, it’s been a while since I was last seated before the computer.  Seriously thinking of getting another computer as my wife is a very avid information hound/shopper (and we are also business/work partners, we’re almost always at home at the same time).  Also, there are times when things get busy outside around the home (bushfire season!).  Creates problems when one wishes to use the internet, eh?  Nevertheless, I am still managing to get my priorities right … workout, eat and sleep … and this year I plan to stick rigidly to my goals.  I’m doing well with my workouts, even though my body is unaccustomed to total body regimes.  Nutrition-wise I seem to have problems getting my last meal (shake) in when I arrive home from work.  Just have to try damn harder.  Doing well with my sleep, getting average of 7-8 hours per night (at last).  I have entered yesterday’s workout in Tracker and yesterday’s nutrition is as follows:  Meal 1: Soy sausage & baked beans.  Meal 2:  Strawberry protein shake.  Meal 3: Pasta with ricotta, parmesan, mozarella, tomato sauce. Meal 4: Berry, Banana protein shake. Meal 5:  Pork tenderloin & Spanish rice.  Meal 6:  Coffee, muesli bar.  Aimed for 2990 cals & 34/42/24 originally but meal 6 would have changed all that.

Workout day yesterday, so I’m a little bit behind in my blogging.  Had lots to do to get my wife’s birthday gifts together for her 50th birthday today.  Logged yesterday’s workout in Workout Tracker.  Nutritionally I did quite well.  Yesterday’s meal plan is:  2493 cals, 34/39/27.  Meal 1: Soy sausages & baked beans.  Meal 2:  Pear protein shake with flax oil.  Meal 3:  Shrimp guacamole & salad.  Meal 4:  Kiwi protein shake.  Meal 5:  Chicken & spanish rice.  Meal 6:  Bagel, almond butter & cottage cheese.  Making sure I am getting close to 7-8 hours sleep as this is one of my ‘big three’ areas I’m concentrating on the most this year.  My other 2, meals & workouts are going very well so far.

I haven’t been able to get on the internet for the past couple of days - faulty telephone line!  Grrrrrr!!!!  I have completed week 2 of my program and have outlined my workout in Workout Tracker.  I am going to set my bodyweight goal for the next 6 weeks, and (based on last year’s little experience) I’ll be a little more realistic.  Onto my nutrition plan for Saturday:  2191 cals. 41/36/23.  Meal 1: Bacon, onion, mushroom, sesame omelette.  Meal 2: Protein ‘pudding’.  Meal 3: Chicken Asparagus Frittata.  Meal 4: Pear protein shake.  Meal 5: Chicken, onion, apple, green beans.  Meal 6:  Cottage cheese fruit salad.  (Note:  meal 2 was sugar-free pudding mix blended with whey protein powder and water then consumed as a nice thick-shake.) 

Nothing out of the ordinary happened today - just the usual "too much to do and not enough time" (seems as if that’s everyone’s scene these days - I really envy those who have more than enough time to fit everything in!).  Anyway, I didn’t get my usual brisk walk today.  I usually have my mid-afternoon shake either before I leave or drink it on the way to work.  Thought I’d leave it in my cooler bag and drink it just after I get to work …. WRONG move ‘bozo’.  I hit the floor running when I get to work - until I have my meal break at 6.15pm, so I had my dinner and my shake at the same time.  Not to worry, at least I had it any which time.  I shot for 2504 cals, 30/49/21.  Meal 1: eggs, waffles & V8juice, orange.  Meal 2:  Yogurt cottage cheese blend. Meal 3:  Spicy bean burger on Turkish bun.  Meal 4:  Berry Banana shake.  Meal 5: Chicken with beans, cheese & salsa.  Meal 6: missed it! (hopefully this won’t happen too often!!!!).

Workout day today - Week 2, 2 sets per exercise for this week and on up to 3 sets for weeks 3 & 4 (hooray!).  I got tough on myself as far as focusing goes - have major problems with mind wandering during my workouts.  I don’t listen to music or have any distractions whatsoever, so there is no excuse for my mind being everywhere else.  My nutrition program was "all over the place" due to running out of some foods a little earlier than anticipated.  My target was 2567 cals, 36/43/21.  Meal 1: Eggs with waffles & juice.  Meal 2: Mixed berry protein shake. Meal 3:  Chicken enchilada & rice.  Meal 4:  Strawberry Yogurt protein drink.  Meal 5:  Chicken Saigon sizzler with rice.  Meal 6: Peach, banana & cottage cheese.  Oh yeah … forgot about the coffee and dark chocolate; I only had 6 squares! (grin). 

Today I aimed for 2798 calories, 37% protein, 39% carbs, 25% fat.    Meal 1: Veggie-cheese eggwhite casserole.  Meal 2: Cottage cheese & peach.  Meal 3:  Tuna/veggie "pizza" (this was on a base of wholemeal crackers).  Meal 4:  Pineapple-mango protein shake.  Meal 5: Chicken, lowfat cheese on toasted Turkish bread.  Meal 6:  Orange protein shake.  I find it very challenging to fit all my meals (including preparation, of course) into a very full-on day: nevertheless I’m prioritizing my workouts and meals and trying to slot my sleep up high on the list but that doesn’t quite make it most days, so far.  On the cardio side of things I did my usual brisk walk along the bush trails. 

Here I am back into blogging again (hopefully as much as possible) for this wonderful year.  Nutritionally for today I shot for 2530 calories, 32% protein, 40% carbs, 28% fat.  Meal 1: Sausage & baked beans. Meal 2: Pear protein shake.  Meal 3: Steak, grilled bell pepper and pear.  Meal 4: Kiwi protein shake.  Meal 5: Chicken & marinated cucumber-tomato salad. Meal 6: Cottage cheese, bagel/almond butter.  I completed my weight workout, even though it was ’stinking hot’ out there in my home gym.  I don’t have any electricity in the shed which houses my gym, but I can string an extension cord to the nearest electrical outlet and hook up a fan if I want to.  I opted to open all windows and a nice breeze helped me through my workout.  The rest of the week will be cooler I hope.  Last week we had a bushfire scare some 5 kilometres from our home.  Luckily the sea breeze blew it further out into agricultural areas and the firefighters were able to contain it.  Unfortunately, 4 homes were burnt to the ground but no lives were lost.  The risks we take when living in the bush, I suppose.

Well, the first week of 2008 is almost over.  I have been doing well with my meal plans, workouts and fitness lifestyle for this week and now it is time to get down to some serious blogging.  Tomorrow I start back detailing my nutrition program, etc.  Also I’ll post results of my weigh-in, bodyfat assessment, measurements and (hopefully) my starting pics for 2008.  Should be a ‘goer’ providing I can get to the computer ahead of my wife, LOL. 

G’day everyone.  Well 2008 has arrived and I’m certain this year is going to be very different, for me anyway.  Firstly, I usually have a few drinks on n.y. eve, and in the past I greeted 1st January with bloodshot eyes and a nice hangover.  This normally wipes out new years day for me … but not this year.  I didn’t drink any alcohol whatsoever and I was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, ready for my first workout of the year.  Yes, it is going to be a great year, for sure.  I have re-started my nutrition program and got off to a great start with that as well.  Looking good so far and for the entire year I will be focusing strongly on my "big 3" - workouts, meals and sleep.  Will take measurements, bodyweight and % bodyfat, plus I’ll upload my ’starting’ pics at the end of this week, when I get more time.  May everyone enjoy phenomenal progress throughout 2008!