OVER 40 MUSCLE

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 just had to share this. One of my goals was to be in a size 34" dress pant by the first of this month. Well, I missed it by nine days.

Today I went to the mall to find a pair of pants and when I tried on the 36" it was WAY too big. So I grabbed a 34" (after putting my other pants back on - hey I’m not a total freak!) and they fit. In about a week or so they should be just right.

And to top it off - they were on sale.

DOUBLE CHA-CHING!!

I really screwed things up this past weekend. I had to travel out of town again and failed to prepare for this trip like I have my other ones this month. Because of that I ate all the wrong things, my times were all over the map and I came home feeling like I had gained a ton. I missed two days of workouts and, although I had full intentions of making then up while on the road, I did not do anything that would remotely be confused with a workout. When I step on the scale Friday morning I hope just to break even. Even though I regret what happened this weekend I did learn a very valuable lesson. Intentions do not accomplish much.

One part of the Ripped Rulez Challenge is that I have to keep a nutrition journal and send it in once a week. Last weeks journal was not my best and my journal this week is going to be horrible. While on the road I received an encouraging email from Michael. There was one word that stuck out more than any of the others – CONSISTANCY!

None of us have a problem with consistency. We are either consistently good or bad. We do things on a daily basis that impact our overall performance. Our problem (I am including me in this one as well) is that we need to get into the habit of doing the RIGHT things, consistently. For many years I did the WRONG things and did them over and over again. Last year I decided that I was going to make a change. I am still in the changing process.

From here on out my commitment to the RRC will be all out! I do not know who else is in this competition but they better look out. I’m in it for the long haul.

I normally don’t write posts like this because I do not like to sound like I am bragging. And I am not meaning for this post to be a brag session either. But this week has been rather unusual – in a great way. Let me explain.

I have been on this transformation journey now for about 8 months. In that time I have been able to drastically change my appearance. As of yesterday I have dieted, sweated, pushed, pulled, ran and cried off almost 56 pounds. Along the way many of you have given me words of encouragement and support. For that I am grateful. However, when I get those same words of encouragement from people I live with work with and see everyday it means just as much or even more.

This past week I have received more inquiries and complements regarding my transformation than any week I can remember. As an example, there are two “professional” guys who come to the gym every morning. These guys literally worship the cardio room. They do anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour every day of cardio then go to the weight room and lift for a few minutes. One thing I had noticed about them is that they look the same they did 6 months ago, belly and all. One of them approached me between sets and asked how much weight I had lost. When I told him he was floored. It was like you could see the wheels in his head turning. Maybe he got the message that it is not all about cardio. It’s about the entire package (cardio, eating clean and resistance training). After the obligatory congratulations, I moved on with my workout.

The next day another strange thing happened. There is this older lady at the gym that I have seen every morning for these past 8 months. We talk, exchange pleasantries and have small talk but we have never really had a conversation. She approached me (after hearing the above exchange the day before) and began asking questions about my program. Questions from how much weight I had lost (and if I was planning on loosing anymore), how I handle carbs to what my daily schedule included dominated the conversation. Now this is a 52-year-old woman who is in the gym every time the doors are open and looks great. And she is asking ME questions? At the end she said, “Well, what ever it is you are doing, it is working and you look great!”

Move ahead to Friday. After leaving the gym I went by the payroll office to pick up paychecks for the office. I go to this office twice a month and see the same people every time. This time was different. The girl who hands out payroll said, “Have you lost some weight?” I gave her the nutshell story and she commented that she wanted to loose some weight too. As I was leaving, she said, “Keep it up, you look great!”  

Please do not think I am blowing my own horn here. I started not to write this at all. But then I decided that if nobody got anything out of it that was fine. At least I would have something I could go back and read later when I hit a wall or get discouraged because of a bad weigh-in or workout.

I had my body fat checked again today. At the last check, March 6th, I was at 20.7%. Today, I got the wonderful news that I was under 20%, actually 18.6%. I know to some of the folks on this site, those numbers are not too impressive. Considering I was probably near 35-40% this time last year I think they are AWESOME! By getting under 20% I have reached another goal. The good thing is I have been able to keep the weight off. No yo-yoing for me.

Comparing the numbers between the two tests here is what I have learned. My biggest area of fat loss was in my arms. My tricep measurement was down 6mm. the trainer even made the comment, “man, you really don’t have a lot of fat back here. I am not sure I can get enough to pinch.” But she did. My thighs dropped 1mm, abs .5mm and the mid axillary’s measurement was down 1mm.  

After the pinching was completed I hit the gym for some lifting (sporting a newfound confidence that what I had been doing was not so bad for a rookie). The weights were down just a little but the intensity was high and I felt pretty good when I walked out.

BICEPS
Standing Barbell Curls – 3 sets of 10 @ 50, 9 @ 60 and 6 @ 70 (plus bar weight)
DB Preacher Curls – 3 sets of 10 @ 35, 9 @ 40 and 8 @ 40

TRICEPS
Close-grip bench press – 3 sets of 10 @ 90, 9 @ 90 and 8 @ 100
DB Overhead extensions – 3 sets of 10 @ 20, 9 @ 25 and 8 @ 30

SUPERSET TO FINISH
DB Hammer Curls – 3 sets of 10 @ 25, 9 @ 30 and 8 @ 35
Bench Dips – total of 65 (added 5 more reps this week)

CARDIO
Fat burning intervals on elliptical for 25 minutes.

Watch for the big news tomorrow!

The 16th of April may not be a big day for a lot of people. For me it marked 6 months since I decided to take my life back. As I approached my 40th birthday I was not happy with what I saw. A back injury took me out of the only job I have ever really loved (law enforcement) and made me a sedentary lump of goo. When my back was injured I weighed 225. Five years of not doing anything active had definately taken it’s toll. So, on August 16, 2006, I decided I had to do something. But I knew I did not get this way overnight and I was not going to get the body I wanted overnight either.

At the start of my journey I tipped the scales with 260 pounds of blubber. I had gained 70 pounds since my high school graduation in 1985. My diet consisted of fast foods, fried anything and enough unhealthy combinations to kill a horse. I was drinking 6-8 Diet Cokes a day, everyday. I was diagnosed with Sleep Apnea and was required to use a CPAP when I slept. My condition was so bad that my family would check on me at night just to make sure I was still breathing. I was so out of shape that I could not even play with my kids. Getting out in the yard and throwing the ball or walking while they rode their bikes and scooters was out of the question.

Fast forward to the present. At my last weigh-in I was a healthy 216.4 pounds. That means I have dropped 43.6 pounds in 6 months. My last body fat test results were just over 20%. I think it is lower than that now. Not bad for a guy who had to be in the high 30’s or maybe even low 40’s six months ago. I now eat 6-7 small meals a day. I have not had anything fried since the start of this transformation and might not ever again. I have eaten at fast food places but the greasy cheeseburgers and fries have been replaced with salads and grilled chicken sandwiches and fruit cups. I still enjoy a Diet Coke every now and then (one about every 4 weeks or so as a treat). My CPAP is now packed away in its original box and sitting in my closet. Now I am able to play ball with my kids, wrestle with them when they want and enjoy life.

As I look back on the past six months I have several things to be proud of. Physically, I am doing very well. I have really been working hard in the gym and my efforts are showing some drastic results. Other than the usual over 40 aches and pains I have been injury free. As my body fat keeps dropping I am seeing the fruits of my labor. I am not (and never will be) built like Ronnie or Jay but for 6 months of work I am darn proud. I have been able to stick with a 5-day a week workout program for the entire 6 months and that too makes me proud. I have never been one to stick with anything too long but I think I am on to something.

I do not know what the next 6 months will hold. My goals, however, are simple. I want to continue to loose body fat while building lean muscle (who doesn’t?). I also want to get on a serious bodybuilding program, under the direction of a personal trainer who really know his stuff, and get in the best shape of my life. I have entertained the thoughts of competing someday and if I am going to do that I have to get going now.

I also have a goal of getting my personal trainer certification soon. I would like to have it by the end of the year but I am not going to rush it. When I do get it I want to be in good enough shape to where people will want me to help them. I am getting closer every day but still have a ways to go.

Lastly, I want to thank those of you that have supported me. Chances are we will never meet face to face but your words of inspiration have been timely and well needed. I hope I have motivated others as well as you have me. I will need you guys even more in the next six months as my diet gets tighter and my workouts get more intense. Thanks again!

04/08/07

“With my log, I pay more attention to tracking the intangible elements, like my energy and motivation, than the actual workout specifics." – Michelle Jones, 2000 Olympic silver medallist, triathlon

CARDIO NOTES – I had three good cardio workouts this week. On Tuesday I took a brisk 20-minute walk around the park near the Y. On Wednesday, I hit a hard 20-minute interval on the elliptical. Finally on Friday, I did my 1-mile fun run on the treadmill in 10:53 with a speed range of 6.0-7.0 mph.

It is getting time to up the interval numbers on the treadmill for the inclines. This coming week the range will be 1.0 to 6.0. I also have a goal of hitting cardio another 3 times this week. To do that I will have to keep on pace with my workouts so my time does not get away from me.

STRENGTH NOTES – My Friday arm workout ruled. Also, my chest workout was a winner this week. I have added 1 arm exercise to back and chest days in an effort to spur some growth. I am interested in seeing how well this works. I also did not do legs this week. I used Wednesday as a rest day from weights and did cardio instead. However, this week I will hit them hard and fast.

SUPPLEMENT NOTES – I think it is time to cycle off the creatine for a month or so. I have not gained any weight (no more than the 2-3 pound fluctuation I have from time to time) but I feel bloated and sometimes my stomach feels (and looks) huge. I feel this is the creatine retaining water in my midsection. A month off won’t hurt me anyway.

GOALS – I am still not able to do pull-ups. In times past, I have tried but have never done them. I got away from trying the last few months. Well, it is time to get that ball rolling. If I am going to have the back development I want I am going to have to put the time in and get them done. Starting tomorrow, I will attempt to do 1 pull-up. When I can do one, the next time I will do two and so on. Hopefully within a few weeks I will be able to crank out a complete set of full pull-ups.

“Eating poorly, partying too much, and getting little rest – it all catches up with you. It’s important to take care of yourself off the track if you want to reap the rewards of a good training program.” DARVIS PATTON, 2003 World Outdoor 200-meter champion.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK
It is hard to pick one event and call it a highlight. The first week on my new program proved to be a real challenge – but I made it through it. I really think this 8-week journey will be profitable. I am anticipating some pretty solid results.

CARDIO NOTES:
I was able to get in two sessions this week.  The time for my one-mile fun run is coming down consistently. I do realize that I need to redo my chart for the elliptical to reflect the changes in the SPM and resistance.

STRENGHT NOTES:
1) Friday’s workout was a booger. That was the first time I had attempted tri-sets. I got the bicep workout from an article I read the featured Lee Haney. On the first week you do the tri-sets for bi’s for 4 sets. Then the next week you do straight sets but with little rest in between (1 minute max).

The triceps routine was from an article featuring Mike Ergas (MuscleMag International, 04/07). It starts out pretty intense with 3 warm-up sets of 25/20/15 before jumping into 4 working sets. I was able to do the bench dips, which was a high-water mark for me. Add both of these routines together on the same day and you have really shredded your arms.

2) Chest day is getting better. The weights are still lower that what I want but they are slowly rising. I’ll get there

3) DELT DAY ROCKS!!!

4) Leg day observations – I have a lot of strength in my legs. Now I need to go for detail in the muscles. I will start adjusting the angle of my toes and feet to work different muscles within the quad bundle.

I also had a chance to go to a health fair last weekend. I had my BP and cholesterol checked and was very pleased with the numbers. I have never had to worry about high blood pressure and hopefully never will. My BP checked in at a very comfortable 115/67. The surprise of the day was my cholesterol. It came in under 150. In fact, when she checked it the monitor read “LOW”. She then told me it was under 150 which was considered very good.

Getting ready for delts on Monday. I love my life!

“Laugh at your foibles, celebrate every step of your progress, and measure your success by how much fun you are having, not by how many medals you win. Jayne Williams, author, Slow Fat Triathlete.

This is my weekend off so I took advantage of it and hit some cardio this afternoon. Also knocked out an ab workout while I was there. The back is feeling a little better so I look forward to Monday and the weights. Here are the numbers for cardio today:

Time: 30 minutes
Strides: 4735
Calories Burned: 337.7

Weekly Recap:
CARDIO: I think it is time to up the numbers a little for cardio. Had a good week this week being able to get in 3 sessions. Hey, any time you can burn an extra 330 or so calories it helps.

STRENGTH: This coming week I will go through a Power Week in my lifting. I will concentrate on doing straight sets (3-4) with 4-6 reps in each set.

PERSONAL GOAL REACHED: I was able to knock out 2, count them 2, unassisted pull-ups this week. That might not be big news to a lot of you but for me it is, not only a physical accomplishment, but a psychological one as well. I hope to be able to do several sets of these, unassisted of course, in the very near future.

From the "Oh God, please don’t let this happen at my gym" department: News Link

Here are the notes in my journal for this week:

Goals Met/Exceeded: Increased weight on a few more exercises.

Cardio Notes: Hip is getting better. Need to burn more calories on treadmill. Will consider adding time or speed to workout to get a minimum of 300 calories burned per session.

Strength Notes: Routines are coming along. Still fine tuning and putting up with starting over at 40. I can do it. Just watch me.

Nutrition Notes: No cheat days this week. That is good. Cravings are still strong but the willpower has been stronger.

Quote: “I’ve learned to be thankful for each new day of training and to not let the hard times define my performances." - Jean Driscoll, 8-time Boston Marathon winner, wheelchair division; 2-time Olympic silver medalist.