hdjedi1’s BodyBlog

I made 4 weeks.  Yea me.  However, the pangs are still kinda nasty and frequent.  I’m hoping they subside soon.  Everything else seems to be coming back to "normal", concentration, seeing things that aren’t there, you know the drill.

The Mass Attack workout is good and I start week 2 tmrw.  Had a good swim today with my son, empty pool at the Y.  All good.

The no smokin thing goes strong… into my fourth week and i really do feel better every day.  I can smell better now (not always a great thing!), i’m breathing better and I have much better "stayin power".  All great.

Yesterday was my first attempt at "Sumo Squats" a variation I hadn’t tried before.  It is quite a quad and hamie/glute killer, I would recommend an attempt to all.  There is a good explanation if you search under "Sumo" on BB.com for how to do it.  This really nailed my quads well.  I’ll be doing the second of 3 of the whole body thing I mentioned yesterday.

Thanks again to all the well wishers on my non smoking adventures, Luv Ya all for it. Best

Made it into week 4 w/o cigs.  Its better every day and I have my focus back.  Cardio has been great every morning.

I’ve started the new routine as suggested in Ironman of last month Middle Aged Muscle (jeez, I still think i’m fifteen inside) called "Mass Construction" by CS Sloan.  This is volume is king, squats are queen, full body is the best.  I thought it would be a great three week shakeup and see what would happen.  I havent done full body routines since if first started and was quite shocked last nite at my level of fatigue! Will let you know how it turns out!

Thanks again to all the "ex smokers" on here wishing me well.  You’ve been a ‘uge inspiration!

Still off and feelin better.  However, weight is up, but abs are more defined.  This maybe is just the result of good, high protien, diet and exercise right?  I’m eating more, but eating clean so … this isn’t a huge weight gain is it?  OK I will keep an eye on it, but pretty much anything is better then smoking!

I am going to try a four week routing I found in Ironman designed for the "over 40" lifter.  I need to know more about 3D POF cus it sure looks promising!  Will let you know. Best Rob

I hada quick by line in an advertising eZine today and the agency used an old head shot.  I could barely recognize myslelf.  Looked like Alvin.

Day 19 without smokin.  I’m still quite irritable and have lapses in conentration .. however its getting there.  Hoping that every day is a little better then the day before.  Cardio is great, energy is good, but I could sleep better!  I think im over the "hump".

It’s getting better.  Off of Chandix now so it has been true cold turkey since Sunday morning, but haven’t had a ciggie in 17 days.

Workouts are going well, cardio like an animal this morning.  Did a hill climb on the treadmill for 20 minutes at 4.5, level 5 ++ and it felt great and I’m didn’t winded.  Hopped on the bike for another 15.  Then i realized i didnt have a towel… good thing i have my own office.

I wanted to say thanks to those who wished me well and send me affirmations.  You are wonderful and I appreciate it very very much. Later!

To me this is a hurdle. Well so was the first day/week ect.  I might be over the worst of this and hopefully the devil (who sounds alot like Jame Brown) on my shoulder will pack off and hit the road.

Brain function has improved, haven’t had a "brain fart" in a day or so, however the dreams are as wierd as ever.  I am having alot of "lost in familiar places" or "Can’t get there from here" dreams.  Hopefully they pass soon too.

I just went shopping for the weeks food and will be makin stuff tonite.  I’m pretty psyched about the improvement in cardio and i seem to finally be putting on some mass after tweaks to the diet.  All good and look forward to a good week of training.

I have to play bass for three different bands on Weds.  It’s a jam but some of the players are very good, but mostly it’s glorified Karoke… but it floats my boat. Its alot like Halloween for the over 40 crowd.

Set goal for 200 lbs bench.. will let you know. I think chest is my overall weakest part so i will through a lil extra focus on it. All for now.

I got a gastro. Yogurt likely culprit.  I am coming to understand that getting off nicotine will cause you all sorts of gastro issues.  Let’s just say I’m glad i’ve got a soft top on the jeep.

Sleep is still sketchy and i’m hoping for the best tonite as i’m breaking out the noise cancelling headphones.  The dreams are still technicolor and make little sense.  It was nice to visit with my mom for awhile though…bless her soul.

Workouts are intense and cardio is already vastly improving i’m very happy to say. 20 hill climb and then another 20 on the eliptical this morning. 

I’m tired, cranky, sick, puffy …. it ain’t pretty and i’m whining.  Doc says another 2-3 weeks and i should start feeling like a human again… and probably much better then before I started.

This is not getting easier yet.  I have faith.  Sleep has to improve cus I don’t think it coud get worse. 

Energy is great and cardio performance has already improved greatly.  I have been doing my slip with great gusto, which surprises me because of my sleep.  I am hungry all the time and my brain get "stuck" trying to remember stuff.  I am sure it will all improve greatly.

Continually evaluating the diet. Protien is up and I am trying to plan meals better.  The more protien I take in, the more I grow … it’s a simple formula but until I sat down and kept a log of eating, I want getting enough protien.

Progress pics soon.

Day 4.  I feel a little better and my sense of smell is much better.  Kinda surprised.  I saw a three year old pic of myself at a dealers’ yesterday and almost had a stroke.  It was me with a neck, face and belly full of fat.  The shot is only about 2 years old.  Me at my peak… around 225 … 30 pounds ago!  It was quite a boost to see it, i dont have alot of me from that time.
I have a new "vein" in my shoulder that pops when i do arms or shoulders.  it’s quite cool.

I’m likin the new me… especially smoke and fat free!