mquang’s BodyBlog

I was a bit nervous going to the gym today, because today was my first day being in the "real" gym.  I’ve been working out at the small gym located at work, it wasn’t really a gym, it just had a few cardio machines, and a row of dumbbells and weight-machines.   The small gym is rarely packed with people; therefore, most of the time I was there all by myself.  Hence, going to the "real" gym today was a challenge because it was a change in environment.  I was afraid people were going to laugh at me, because I am standing there reading how to use weight-machines.  I was afraid those been working out for a long time will laughed at the weights I’m using to exercise.  It was a yucky feeling, I didn’t feel like wanting to go, then I realized how normal it was to have those feelings and I did went to the gym. YAY.

I was surprised, I got a good workout today, 35 minutes HITT cardio, 3.52 miles; then I decided to do legs work.  I only planned to do cardio, then go home, but I guess the momentum that caused me to continue.  I noticed Leg-presses was easy today, although it was on 150lbs, i did a solid 15 counts; hence, I will increase the weight at next leg training sessions.  Leg-curls was still a bit hard, i felt a burn in my legs on a 30lbs, but i did 4 sets of them, I’ll increase the weight and drop one set.  I did stationary lunge with a 20lbs and a 30lbs, my last set was crappy.  I also did crunches, and oblique crunches on the cable machine, 30-35lbs, not sure why, it felt easy today.  I saw this great abs machine that people are using, and I will try it tomorrow.  OOH>> I did noticed a few people pay attention to my workout, when I was doing the cable crunches and the stationary lunge, but instead of getting tense and nervous I felt good, I felt like I’m introducing a new workout to them hahahah

I didn’t see the smith machine? the machine that assist you in doing squat?  I’m going to be there early tomorrow and try out a few new machines and condition myself to the new place…I am looking forward to someone who can show me how to squat Overall, I did well today…

One day closer to getting the Body that I Deserve

Lately, I have started to notice my body craves for junk food, i.e. soda, chips, donut, pizza, cake.  Yesterday, before bed time, I got up and had two waffles with syrup and peanut butter, then I had a 1/2 bowl of korean instant noddle.  I need to break this habit, because if I keep continue doing it, I won’t be able to fit in the new clothes I just purchased.  If I continue eating junk food, I will see my tummy sticking out, belch over the belt when I tuck my shirt it.  Gross!  I rather sacrifice the taste of junk for a healthy body, to attract a relationship with someone who is healthy and value their body.  NO MORE EXCUSE.

Having a relationship is better then enjoying a tasteful meals

Having a toned, lean, muscular body is better then enjoying junk food

Having a great amount of energy is better then enjoying a tasteful meals

I chose Relationship, Toned, Lean, Muscular body, and Energy over a tasteful meal.

I was wide awake at 4:00am, did try to head back to bed for another hours of sleep, but couldn’t.  I wasn’t tired, but I was hungry.  I thought of snoozing till 5:00am, before hitting the gym, but I just can’t seem to sleep.  I didn’t want to eat, because SuperPump works best on empty stomach.  But, I just went and have 1 slide of toasted whole wheat double protein bread, with peanut butter, it filled me up.  For today, I decided to try three scoops of SP.  I was surprised I didn’t feel much of the pump today, and I wonder if it’s because of the bread.  I did manage to work on back, biceps, then I did 2 miles HITT on the treadmill, where heart-rate stabilized around 76%.

These past few days, I’ve been having approximately three cups of green tea and about two cups of coffee with about 8 glasses of water.  Lunch was one medium potato and boiled chicken breast. Snack was one whole egg and one egg white.  I’m still taking in four scoops of Whey, two scoops after training and two scoops before bed time.

Been getting a lot of invitations to eat out, but I rejected all of them.  I didn’t feel like sabotage all my hard work, for a few moments of food.  I am doing the best I can to stay committed to eating right.  I want to experience the feeling of being healthy, having a lean and ripped body.  It’s What You Sow, You Shall Reap.

Tomorrow, I am switching back to using two scoops of WhiteFlood.  I plan to do Chest, ABS then Cardio.  The reason I am doing Chest, because I want to get use to doing Dumbbells Press/ Dumbbells Fly.

While cooling down on the treadmill, I thought of how fortunate I am to be alive.  I thought of how lucky I am to have the ability to run, the ability to see, to hear.  I recognized that having a healthy body is the greatest asset of all.  I promised myself to take care of my body and mind.

I hate the idea of tracking calories intake, but it seem almost everyone I communicate with is doing it, well, that everyone on bb.com, not everyone in my daily life. But after completing the task, I felt good, I feel as if I have accomplished something that beyond all my friends. At the moment, calories total come out to be around 2K, which according to the book I’m currently reading “Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle” that calories amount is below the recommend calories intake to maintain for man. I wonder if that is the reason why I feel sluggish sometime. I will pay more close attention to my food intake to be sure that I am getting enough nutrition for my body.

I’m truly looking forward to attend the Choir’s picnic on Sunday, May 25. The picnic will be held at a park, the weather is probably going to be sunny and hot, I’ll be in short, short sleeves shirt exposing my armband tattoo, and sun glasses. I want to look lean on that day, I plan to do double cardio sessions, and discipline myself on eating the right food. I want to shock others…I can’t wait…I’m excited excited.

I noticed chicken breast taste better with fat free cheese melted on top.  I’ve been eating chicken breast with melted cheese and brown rice for lunch.  Another good combination that I like is chicken breast with melted cheese and baby spinach (microwaved).  I’ve been drinking at least two cups of green tea and/black teat and coffee with Splenda and fat free cream for energy boost.  For additional protein, I would have 1 egg whole, and 1 white, and four scoops of protein power per day.  Most of the time, i would switch between two toasted whole grain bread with peanut butter and/or Oat Meal with raisin.
I’m eating more, because I noticed if I don’t eat enough, I feel tired, and I have no energy for the gym.  The book I am reading now, suggest that I eat more lean food, and do a combination of weight training and cardio to lean out the fat.   I have to sit down and and register to those site that track your calories to see if I am having enough protein and carb.

I’ve come to recognize that cardio is importance, and i’ve been doing around 2 miles HITT per day.  I do cardio after weight training.  I plan to increase 3 miles per day within 30 minutes time frame.  I did it before, i could do it again.

I youtube some chest exercises yesterday and did performed them today at the gym.  I did dumbbells fly, it was a bit difficult because I am not use to the form, I was doing it with 10lbs (3 sets), will increase the weight as soon as I am comfortable with the form.  I did dumbbells press, decline dumbbells press, I tried my best to remember the form and the breathing the guy did it on youtube.  After weight, I did cardio 20 minutes HITT.

Tomorrow, I plan to do cardio and abs, and then snap some photo.  i brought my camera with me today, but didn’t have the gut to do it.  I was afraid that pictures would come out without any progress showing.  I’m more toned then few weeks ago, then last month, that for sure, but abs is still not visible.

Next week, I’ll be looking for a new gym, and saying goodbye to this gym–because I am no longer have access because of different company.  I am surely going to miss it   It was there that I dropped 30 something lbs)  I’m both excited but nervous of the new surrounding…what good about the new gym is that it would have more machines, more free weights i.e barbell etc…the gym I’m at have limited machines and free weight.  I want to learn how to do squat the correct way, I wish that someone in the new gym would be nice enough to spot me, and show me the correct way to do these exercises…I’m a newbie..I would get a personal trainer if I have extra $, but now it is not an option.

Tomorrow will be cardio (45 minutes) and abs, then church…i have to pick up some bread too…

This whole week, I’ve been getting up around 3:30-4:30am without the alarm clock. Usually, I would wake up around 5:00-5:30am. I’m not tired, I woke up feeling energetic, but I read that we are supposed to sleep around 8+ hours every nights. Today workout wasn’t the best, I did shoulders then I went straight to cardio. I’ve been wanting to take progress pictures, but looking in the mirror, I don’t see any changes on me, I feel toner, my abs a bit tighter and my clothes fit better but that is about it.

It’s good to know that I’ve the ability to guard my mind, I can’t stop what others are talking, but I can filter out what information coming into my head. And, isn’t it funny sometime how those that closet to you feed you wrong information, feeding you their belief…that is why you cannot wait for others to motivate you, you have to motivate yourself…I’ve heard phrases in the lunch room such as “I need someone to motivate me to workout” and I asked myself, WHY? That someone is not motivate enough on themselves what make you think they’ll motivate you…do it for you…raise your standard…and if you fail, try again, pick yourself up and do it again…you can always produce result.

I’m one day closer to getting the Body that I Deserve.

Have a good Friday everyone.

I ate late last night, and because I went to bed within one hour after eating, the next thing I knew was I felt like crap, and bloated, and Pepto-Bismo came to the rescue.  I woke up late, missed my morning workout and tired.  Never again!

After legs workout, I jump on the treadmill and do 30 minutes cardio.  I think the Whiteflood boosted my energy level and endurance up, but still I was dragging on the treadmill.  The guy that I’ve reported on my last post was next to me doing his cardio session, I bet that he probably think how sucky I am.  What he didn’t know is that I’ve weight-trained my legs before getting on the treadmill.  I think he only do cardio and lower abs machine, but not weight training.  He does seem to have the runner body.  Ok, it sounds like I’m stalking him, and so I am going to report on something else, I almost got hit by a dumbbell because this lady was creating her own dumbbell exercise.  She is a big girl, I’m just wonder why can’t she just stick to the basic exercise technique instead of creating her own technique and that could cause injury on her?  After the workout, I was sitting in the car peeling eggs, the same lady came out with a bag of cheddar popcorn on her hand eating it…I thought to myself, you just waisted all your hard work on that bag of popcorn…I just wish she knows.

Tomorrow I am meeting with a group of friends, they haven’t seen me for awhile, a couple of months to be exacts   I’m a bit excited, because i know they’re going to be shocked   I’m also working hard, because I have a picnic to go to at the end of May…I want to look my best on that day.

I take time to take care of myself today, and that is something to be proud of..yay me!