rufrder’s BodyBlog

Starting 14 JUN 08 to 24 AUG 08 we run across America for ten weeks from Ft. Irwin, CA to Arlington National Cemetery for a total of 4,000 plus miles to raise awareness about the lives of those who fought, to activate their memories and keep their spirits alive, to support organizations that help wounded veterans and the families of those killed and to aid the healing process for those Americans whose lives have been affected by war.

On 24 AUG 08 there is a four mile run here in Iraq to add to the miles logged in the states.  If you read this, look into your local gyms and fitness centers and see if this run is going through your area.  If it is I urge you to participate, if not for your self, part of your normal run, or just to start something, do it for the fellow Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice, allowing you to have your freedom.  Myself and a few soldiers here are participating in this event here, just what we can do to honor fellow fallen soldiers. 

So to combat boredom on long-winding days, I go through BB.com and read and see peoples transformations and the numerous goals set and completed with sweat and tears, and I run across some people who dont show their faces.  Or put odd little pictures over them.  I guess its really nothing to be worried about, but I figure if you are on this site to promote and show your progress and accomplishments, then why cover up your face?  Be proud of your new found body and show it off.  Anyways, I am finishing up the weight loss, I decided to prolong my progress for another week or so to just add the effect of the bulk in a bout to enter.  I have figured out what to eat out here, how to supplement it and what kind of workouts to do.  So next i wanna figureout a couple goals and strive for them.  Hope to see some people out running from the first part of this post, and good luck everyone!

Yesterday I was not going to go to the gym.  I have been working everyday for as long as I can remember and I was just tired.  I thought to myself I should go do some eliptical and eat then hit the shower and sleep.  So I was walking to the gym and I ran into my friend Celly who happened to be going the same way.  So we got to the gym and did cardio for 30 minutes.  Well knowing her workouts I tried to avoid her asking me to workout with her.  I headed towards the wepaons rack and then she asked " You dont wanna stay and do some legs?" Heres the guilt.  "ok."  Heres the breakdown:

3 sets 30 reps ea abductor/adductor thighs

3 sets 30 reps leg raises with barbel hold

3 sets 20 reps ab ball squats

40 reps leg raise/butt lifts

40 reps leg up butt lifts.

 My abs are hurtin, but I love the feeling.  Diet hasnt fluxed at all really.  Plus today is the one day I had to crawl all over an ACFT and look at a leak.  Its all for the better.  I ordered some more protein and some M-Stak so I will start the bulk once those get here and I am in for pain.  But pain is just weakness leaving the body. 

Well the joys of being in an entirely barren environment are the eventual sandstorm.  The last two days have been nothing but a hazy, dry, hot, blow-dryer type conditions.  Not good for breathing in general.  Well the gym was ok till I go there.  I was going to do legs and maybe some abs if i had time. Nope. Wrong answer. Today was, as I am assuming, legs day for everyone, minus two gents I will get to soon.  So every leg type of exercise machine was being used or almost going to be used.  So I gave in and decided to do some back to make up for the other day.  Wrong again. Two British guys were using the one and only dead-lift bar and row machine.  So I kindly waited for 10 minutes for them to get done, even asked how many more reps they had.  Well 10 minutes in gym time is forever and I didnt want to wait.  So i decided to do some arms being as none of the free weights were being used.  I did some skull crushers, 50 lbsx 3×10.  Then 3×30 dips on a bench.  Then 3×12 dips on the bars. Then 3×15 concentrated curls 25lbs each arm.  3×21’s with just the bar.  So needless to say my arms are still feeling like T-Rex arms but I am loosening up alot and actually getting back the feeling of going to the gym.  We un-packed our gym eqiupment yesterday and set it up in our office, so now in my slow time I can do some basic exercises and then just a few at teh gym.  But for now my diet is still the same, omletsfor breakfast and some sort of fruit and yogurt.  Then a protein bar for snack, then 2 hard boiled eggs and potatoes and fruit for lunch because thats normal people breakfast time, and then another protein shake/bar for another snack, then a chicken breast and veggies for lunch.  Then I drink a scoop of gainer right as i wake up and casien still before bed.  Every once in a while i have jerky and trail mix.  I have been getting really bad sugar and salt cravings too.  The protein bars help because they are choclate or chocolate flavored at least.  As for the salt i think its because i drink a ton of water all day and i sweat alot.  I usually just eat some crackers or pretzels to curb the attack.  Well, now i gotta hit the weights to make up for yesterday, OUT!

So I started back to the gym, and I dread this part of the gym.  Right after a long absence form the kilink and clang of plates and the grunting of people getting that last couple pounds, it sucks to go back.  But on the first day after that painful workout, you feel so much better.  Life is better, you feel better, and now envision yourself as a muscle bound beach bum.  Then you wake up the next day and cant move in any direction that requires the need for the muscles you just worked out.  Whenever I workout my arms I always feel like the T-Rex on that the Pixar movie my little cuz likes " Meet The Robinsons"  My arms are imobile and functioning without them defies why evolution put them there in the first place.  But then you muster through your day and return only to beat yourself up again, this time a new section of muscles and if you are very ambitious, a second region as well.  But what is it that makes us like the pain, feel the burn.  What keeps us going back to the gym, running endless miles looking at the mirror next to the tradmill.  I think it is that deep down it makes us feel jsut plain better.  Your appearance improves, health improves and now you are not afraid to take off your shirt in public.  So needless to say after my two days returning to the gym, I am again that T-Rex and have all the problems of immobility.  But I will head back today and forge on.  I think its abs and legs today, so tommorrow I will be walking around all insane like I have just learned how to.  My diet has gotten really no improvement.  I ahve been now adding in the protein shakes first thing when i wake up, a protein bar in between breakfast and lunch, and casien right before bed.  I dropped about 11 pounds since i last weighed myself and cant believe how much 11 pounds does.  I want to get it down some more and hit the bulk hard-core.   A alittle more research and re-con for a gym partner, i am limited by the fear of crushing my skull under-heavy weight needed to see a steady rather than a eventual gain.  Any takers?

So today I am starting back at the gym.  Been a crazy, hectic month or so and not really in the groove.  Went through a stressful move and schedule change, so needless to say my gym time went out the door.  I have found where the new gym is and now i have a mission: Operation Get Back To Business.  I realized about 2 weeks into the whole ordeal that i had started gaining a little weight, not the good kind either.  So I adjusted my diet, and finished the rest of my 6x bottle.  Well it seems that I only eat during breakfast food times so i have been eating omlets fo rlike 3 weeks now.  Its veggy or ham and veggy omlets with no cheese.  And usually some fruit and yogurt.  Its exceedingly hard to find a variety of good foods to eat while deployed.  Theres no problem with variety but content and trying to either maintain weight or bulk or both is like going to a backyard BBQ and only eating the wiped off fruit from the fruit salad.  But i have been researching some workouts and different techniques so im off to bulk up again.  I am really going to focus on my arms and chest.  The other areas seem to mostly come from variations of those type of exercises, I might be wrong.  I am also goin to add a small cardio session for at least a couple weeks to get the weight off and more.  Well, I am off to start my epic battle and will report in as often as I can.

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