OVER 40 MUSCLE

I did not get to go to the gym last night. A friend of mine lost his mother and her viewing was last night and I did not leave the funeral home until after the gym was closed. I’ll make up that cardio session later this week.

Here is a recap from Monday’s journal.  I will be hitting legs and abs after work tonight.At least I got back into the gym today. I think I finally have my schedule worked out so that I can hit it after work. To be honest, trying to get up @ 4am to hit the iron before going to work was part of my problem. I did it for a whole year but got out of the routine and just could not get back at it. Maybe this will help me.

As far as what “program” I will be doing that is still up in the air. I have really been intrigued by the Body For Life workouts and am leaning toward them for now. I tried my best to do the entire upper body workout today but fell short of my goal. My shoulders were noodles after the 6 sets of DB’s for chest and the 6 sets of DB for back. I skipped the delt portion of the workout entirely and only completed two sets for biceps before throwing in the towel (I guess you could call it a throw - my arms were shot).

I am still trying to fine-tune my feedings. With working out later in the day I will have to shuffle things around a little but I am using this week as a trial run to try to get all the bugs worked out. Wish me luck.

Here is my measly attempt at a workout today. It can only get better, right?

Five minute warm-up on treadmill.

DB Bench Press - 12 @ 40, 10 @ 45, 8 @50, 6 @ 50, 12 @ 35, followed by 1 set of Incline DB flyes, 10 @ 25

One Arm DB Rows - 12 @ 30, 10 @ 35, 8 @ 40, 6 @ 45, 12 @ 40, followed by 1 set of Seated Cable Rows, 12 @ 115

EZ bar Preacher Curls - 12 @ 20, 10 @ 25 then I ran out of gas. Finished with bench dips for triceps doing sets of 12, 10, 8, and 6.

Topped off the day with a quick 10 minute run on the treadmill.

Well, after using every excuse I could think of, I got back on track this morning. I rolled out of bed a little after 4am and was pushing iron by 5:30am. There were a few more folks at the gym this morning that on most Monday’s but I was still able to get in a good chest workout. I plan on getting beginning pics, measurements and all that good stuff posted before the end of the week.

During my down time I have added about 19 pounds. I had been reluctant to step on the scale fearing I had really packed it on. I can live with 19; for now. Soon, that will be a memory and I will be back down to my goal weight of 200 pounds.

Today’s chest workout consisted of the following;
Flat Bench DB Press – 10/10/10/8
Incline Bench Press – 10/10/10/8
Incline DB Flye – 10/8/6
DB Pullover – 10/10/8

Today’s nutrition looks like this;
Wake – toast, jelly, orange and water
Workout – 5:15am to 6:00am
6:15am – PWO shake (two scoops of protein powder, 10g Glutamine, 20 oz. Gatorade)
7:30am – Protein drink (1 cup egg whites, 1 scoop protein powder, 8 oz. water)
10:00am – Whole meal (chicken breast and corn)
12:00 pm – Protein shake
2:00 pm – Whole meal (beef, brown rice)
4:00 pm – Protein shake
6:00 pm – Whole meal (chicken breast, green peas)
8:00 pm – Whole meal (beef, sweet potato)
9:00 pm – bedtime for Bonzo

Tomorrow will be a cardio only day. Have a great Monday and do something today that will make the rest of your life better!!

I got this one in an email this morning. This is dedicated to everyone who ever attempted to get into a regular workout routine.

Dear Diary,

For my birthday this year, my daughter (the dear) purchased a week of personal training at the local health club for me.  Although I am still in great shape since being a high school football cheerleader 43 years ago, I decided it would be a good idea to go ahead and give it a try.   I called the club and made my reservations with a personal trainer named Belinda, who identified herself as a 26-year-old aerobics instructor and model for athletic clothing and swim wear.   My daughter seemed pleased with my enthusiasm to get started! The club encouraged me to keep a diary to chart my progress.  

MONDAY:

Started my day at 6:00 a.m. Tough to get out of bed, but found it was well worth it when I arrived at the health club to find Belinda waiting for me. She is something of a Greek goddess –with blonde hair, dancing eyes and a dazzling white smile. Woo Hoo!! Belinda gave me a tour and showed me the machines. I enjoyed watching the skillful way in which she conducted her aerobics class after my workout today. Very inspiring! Belinda was encouraging as I did my sit-ups, although my gut was already aching from holding it in the whole time she was around. This is going to be a FANTASTIC week!  

TUESDAY:

I drank a whole pot of coffee, but I finally made it out the door. Belinda made me lie on my back and push a heavy iron bar into the air then she put weights on it! My legs were a little wobbly on the treadmill, but I made the full mile. Belinda’s rewarding smile made it all worthwhile. I feel GREAT! It’s a whole new life for me.  

WEDNESDAY:

The only way I can brush my teeth is by laying the toothbrush on the counter and moving my mouth back and forth over it. I believe I have a hernia in both pectorals. Driving was OK as long as I didn’t try to steer or stop. I parked on top of a GEO in the club parking lot. Belinda was impatient with me, insisting that my screams bothered other club members. Her voice is a little too perky for early in the morning and when she scolds, she gets this nasally whine that is VERY annoying. My chest hurt when I got on the treadmill, so Belinda put me on the stair monster. Why would anyone invent a machine to simulate an activity rendered obsolete by elevators? Belinda told me it would help me get in shape and enjoy life. She said some other crap too.  

THURSDAY:

Belinda was waiting for me with her vampire-like teeth exposed as her thin, cruel lips were pulled back in a full snarl. I couldn’t help being a half an hour late; it took me that long to tie my shoes. Belinda took me to work out with dumbbells. When she was not looking, I ran and hid in the restroom. She sent another skinny witch to find me then, as punishment, she put me on the rowing machine — which I sank.

FRIDAY:

I hate Belinda more than any human being has ever hated any other human being in the history of the world. Stupid, skinny, anemic, anorexic little cheerleader. If there was a part of my body I could move without unbearable pain, I would beat her with it. Belinda wanted me to work on my triceps. I don’t have any triceps! And if you don’t want dents in the floor, don’t hand me the barbells or anything that weighs more than a sandwich. The treadmill flung me off and I landed on a health and nutrition teacher. Why couldn’t it have been someone softer, like the drama coach or the choir director?

SATURDAY:

Belinda left a message on my answering machine in her grating, shrilly voice wondering why I did not show up today. Just hearing her made me want to smash the machine with my planner. However, I lacked the strength to even use the TV remote and ended up catching eleven straight hours of the Weather Channel.  

SUNDAY:

I’m having the Church van pick me up for services today so I can go and thank GOD that this week is over. I will also pray that next year my daughter (the little jerk) will choose a gift for me that is fun — like a root canal or a hysterectomy.

I still say if God had wanted me to bend over, he would have sprinkled the floor with diamonds!!!

I get several emails every month from Skip La Cour. They range from motivational to strategies for life. Here are some of my favorite ones of late. I hope they help you too.

* Getting rid of your problems isn’t necessarily the key to success. The key to success is becoming bigger, stronger and tougher than your problems.

* Succeed by attracting to yourself the forces you wish to use and the cooperation of other people. Induce others to serve you because of your willingness to serve others.

* Discover a definite direction, mission and purpose for your life that is crystal clear, unshakeable and enjoyable. Life – even with all its challenges – will become an amazingly better experience when you do.

* Get in the habit of asking yourself two simple questions throughout the day: “What exactly do I want for my life right now?” and “What will I do to make it happen?” Your brain will search for the answers – even when you are not consciously aware it is doing so.

* Plan your productive day the evening before. Assess your day every night.

I read something last night that has stuck with me all day. It was about attitude. Maybe it will fire you up like it did me.

Here it is in a nutshell: Attitude is not about the facts, it is about perception. Attitude has nothing to do with the fact the glass is filled with liquid to it’s midpoint. However, it has everything to do with your perception of whether the glass is half full or half empty.

In 2008, I have determined to look at the glass as half full. How about you?

Thanks to all of you “regulars” who have noticed I have been MIA lately. It has actually been 4 months since my last post. I have also been out of the gym for almost 3 months due to an elbow injury. Along with the injury I have changed jobs and my whole routine has gone to pot. I have not packed on a ton of weight during my layoff but I have put back on about 10-15 of the 60 I lost over the last year.

I do plan on getting back on track soon (the holidays are not the best time to start but you gotta start sometime, right?). I am not sure how long the elbow will keep me from lifting but I plan on getting the additional pounds off with cardio and diet beginning Monday.

I told myself this morning, “Alright big boy – you have been on vacation long enough. It is now time to get back on track and make something happen. The only person who will keep me from achieving any goal is ME! So now it is time to take care of ME.”

Again, thanks for all the inquiries. I hope to get updates flowing again soon.

Last August I started on this journey to change my lifestyle and make myself into the best person I can possibly be. When I began I was an unhealthy 260 pounds. Well, I celebrated the achievement of reaching another goal this week. I stepped on the scale Friday morning for my normal weekly weigh-in and saw something I had not seen in quire sometime. The digital readout on the scale proclaimed that I weighed 200.2 pounds. Darn it… only .2 pounds away from my goal of 200. I stepped off the scale and thought very seriously about taking that and going on my way. But I would not be denied. After a couple of minutes I stepped on the scale again and this time she read out a perfect 200. I shouted, “SOLD!” and stepped back off the scale. There it was. The coveted 200 I had not seen in almost 20 years.

The celebration was short lived, however. I still had a workout and a 12-hour shift at the office to put up with today. But knowing I had reached this goal made those hours pass a little quicker. I walked into the gym with a little more cheerfulness in my step and more intensity in my effort. Setting a goal – and then working your tail off to achieve it – and then seeing that goal attained is a great feeling. If you doubt what I say is true I dare you to do just that. Prove me wrong (if you can).

I probably did not stay at 200 for long because I had also decided a while back that when I did achieve this goal I was going to reward myself with one of my favorite cheat meals. There is a little Greek family restaurant a couple of blocks from my office and I just crave their steak sandwiches. I had not had one in about 10 weeks so I knew this was going to be good. When “Mama” saw me come in she knew what I wanted and made this one a little special. Instead of one piece of sirloin steak she gave me two. She piled on the onions and pickles (thank you God) and put a little extra toasting and love on the Texas Toast. I topped the celebration off with my first diet coke in two months.  Hey, when I fall off the wagon I do it right.

I hope this little blog inspires you to set some goals. Write them down, set a date that you want to have those goals accomplished. Then you need to work as hard as you can (and as smart as you can) to see those goals reached. You’ll be glad you did. Now I have to go set some more goals. This is fun.

I saw this article in my local Sunday paper. Might just be something you would like to try.

Want a workout? Give lunging a try
By Nancy Cole
McClatchy Newspapers

"Want to drip sweat and amp up your level of fitness? Try lunging on the treadmill. It’s tricky and tough, and not for the faint of heart. In fact, you should have good cardiovascular endurance before attempting this exercise. It requires balance, strength and flexibility as well.

No matter your level of training, this exercise is a killer. If your glutes are screaming my name the following day, get back on the treadmill and run. That should help to alleviate the soreness."

I started week 7 of the Ripped Rulez Challenge today with arms and cardio. I am over halfway through this thing and I feel pretty good. With the lower carbs I have had a few days of low energy but overall I feel good.

BB Curls – 10 @ 50, 10 @ 50, 8 @ 55, 8 @ 55
Lying Tricep Extensions – 15 @ 40, 15 @ 50, 12 @ 55, 10 @ 60

ARM SUPERSETS
DB Concentration Curls – 15 @ 25, 12 @ 25, 12 @ 30
And
DB Kickbacks – 15 @ 15, 15 @ 20, 12 @ 20

Standing EZ-bar Curls – 12/8/8 @ 45
And
Pushdowns – 15 @ 70, 15/15 @ 90

CARDIO
25 minutes of incline intervals on the treadmill.

I have to work this weekend so I will not be back at the gym until Monday. I will enjoy the rest.