scouter99 transformed

I have been dealing with major lower back pain for two weeks and am completely fed up with it.  The past two weeks has been nothing but sickness and issues and it has been some f’ing BS, let me tell you.  First, I had bronchitis, for the first time ever.  Then the very next week I had a UTI for the first time ever (WTF?!?!?).  A few days prior to discovering the UTI my back started really hurting out of the blue.  Bad.  As in, totally affecting my workouts bad.  I know I didn’t hurt myself working out because I had been off for just about 2 weeks (1 week planned, 1 week bronchitis with only a few minimal workouts). Then, the UTI came along and I thought that was why my back was hurting,  Uh, no.  Two weeks later and I am still in tremendous pain, especially in the morning.  It does start to loosen up and feel somewhat better throughout the day so I have been trying to get my workouts in at night (albiet backed off a bit).  AM cardio is completely out, i’ve tried 3 times and am so crippled that I have to quit after 15 minutes.  BAH!  This is the most BS ever.

Went to the doc today and he took an Xray and concluded it is muscular.  Gave me a muscle relaxer for bedtime and a prescription anti-inflammatory and told me to "workout as tolerated" because he knew that telling me not to workout was like telling me not to breathe.  Impossible.  Also told me that because I was going to keep working out it was probably going to take longer to heal.  We’ll see about that!

Ok- been awhile.  I am still doing fairly well at the new diet thing… down 3 lbs so far (excellent for moi!).  Workouts have suffered because I had bronchitis and then straight off that I had my first UTI ever and have been in much pain. I have still worked out- though not as much and not as hard.  But as of last night I feel that I am BACK!!  

I just had to share what I thought was an awesome 2 paragraphs with you all.

One thing that no one talks about is how walking into a weight room tired, over-worked, stressed, and f’d up but then succeeding is a true lesson in mind strength. I don’t always recommend it, but at certain times of your life you’ve got to quit being such a slave to your pussiness and step up and see how well you can do under $hittty conditions.

-Jim Wendler

Yeah- what’s your excuse now?!?!?!

I went to the doc yesterday because I needed some serious narcotic cough medicine and left with a diagnosis of bronchitis.  He gave me a neb treatment in the office and scrips for an inhaler, antibiotic and narcotic cough syrup.  BEAUTIFUL STUFF!  I feel better already!  I even went to workout after my appointment (hey, albuterol gives you a nice little energy high).  I did chest and light cardio.  It felt good to be back in the gym after a week off.  I took it easy because of the lung/chest issues but no way was I taking another day off!!  Here are my food stats as well (another GREAT DAY!!).

MEAL FOOD CAL FAT CARB PROT

Breakfast Whole Wheat Flax Tortilla with 2 whole eggs, 2 whites and salsa 326 16.5 16 28
Coffee with Cream 60 6 1 1
Snack Whole Wheat Light English Muffin and 4 oz deli turkey breast 200 4 28 21
Apple (medium) 95 0 25 0
Lunch Protein shake with milk 208 0 15 33
Coffee with Cream 60 6 1 1
Snack mozzerella and roasted garlic Chicken sausage and green beans 150 5 4 17
4 squares Ghirardelli chocolate 242 12 15 2

Dinner 5 oz Chicken Breast 138 3.13 0 26.25
Broccoli and salad w/ low fat balsamic 62 3 7 2.5
2 TBSP BBQ sauce 70 0 17 0
TOTAL 1611 55.63 129 131.75
Allowance 1800 60 135 180
30% 30% 40%
OVER or (UNDER) PLAN (189.00) (4.37) (6.00) (48.25)

Since I put together the fancy spreadsheet I want to show that I am actually using it.   I’d say pretty successful.  Here are the stats:

Macros   CAL FAT CARB PROT        
TOTAL              1764 51.5 164 156
Allow                  1800 60 135 180
Percentages 30% 30% 40%
Over/Under (36.00) (8.50) 29.00 (24.00)

I am so sick of reading posts from people saying that THIS time they are going to do it, or NOW I am really serious, or, God I just can’t seem to get it together and do what I know I have to do.  That said…. that is EXACTLY what I am doing- and yes, I am JUST as sick of hearing it from myself as I am from others.  I am not off the hook here!!

Why do perfectly intelligent people, who know what to do, fail to do it time and again?  This applies not just to weight loss or fitness, but to everything.  Why do some of us keep making vows and promises that we continually break?  I am just as guilty.  I can’t even count how many times I’ve uttered the words, “I have a new plan”.  So many it makes me sick to think about it, or even contemplate saying them again.

Except that is what they blog is about so I guess it isn’t make me too sick now it is (excuse me while I wretch in my garbage can under my desk).  

So- to document this I am posting it here, for the entire world to see!!  

What is it that I am taking forever to get to?  Well- it’s simple.  I have a huge amount of clothes in my closet that do not fit me.  Too many to even list.  I am going to go through every item of clothing I own and if it doesn’t fit me or look good on me currently, I am boxing it up (I’ve already chucked a bunch of things I just don’t like).   Will label that box with the date May 1, 2010.  On that date I will try on every single item of clothing in that box.  If it still doesn’t fit me, it is gone.  GONE GONE GONE!!  Enough of saving the 10 pair of super cute jeans that I hope to wear someday.  That someday is on or before 5/1/10.  Period.  

I have created a spreadsheet to help me with my food tracking.  I am going to keep it VERY simple.  Too much variety is my downfall.  I am going to list some basic meals and their total nutrient breakdown (cals, fat, carbs and protein).  Then, I can just cut and paste from the food list to the sheet.  To start with I am keeping my macros to:

Calories: 1800
Fat: 60 grams (30%)
Carbs: 135 grams (30%)
Protein: 180 grams (40%)

I may have to adjust these some, but will try to stick to it as closely as possible.

That’s it!  I will keep working out 5-6 days a week, doing cardio most days and lifting each body part once a week.  I truly believe that it isn’t the exercise that is the problem so I don’t feel much tweaking is needed there.  

If this doesn’t work, some people are going to be getting some really nice clothes and my closet is going to be a whole lot emptier.

If you are interested in checking out my spreadsheet to see if it will work for you, feel free to respond to this post and let me know and I’d be happy to email it!  You can PM me your email address.  I created it in Excel 2003.

Found this workout in a mag and immediately thought “oh dear lord”.  Followed by:” hmmm, think must try it.”

              TIME       SPEED        INCLINE

Warm up   2 min      4.0             0
Speed Up  5 min      4.5-6.0       0      inc speed by 0.5 each min til reach 6.0, maintain for 2min
Climb        7 min      4.0-4.5      2-10  + incline by 2.0 each min til reach 10.0, maintain for 3min
Descend    1 min      6.0           2.0
Sprint       4 min      varied       2.0    Sprint (best effort) 1 min, then jog (4.5) for 1 min,repeat
Climb        1 min      5.0-6.0     4.0
               4 min      6.0-7.0     4.0
Recover    1 min      4.0-4.5       0
Jog          1 min      5.0-6.0        0
Sprint       2 min      best effort   0
Cool         2 min      3.0              0

I need something to pep me up!  I have the serious blahs.  What ya got?

Ok- I need some supplement help.  I plan to do some serious research on it this weekend but hopefully can get some great suggestions here as well.  I think I am looking for a new multi-vitamin supp.  Right now I am taking Animal Pak.  I have nothing against it except that I take so many pills everyday and this one is a mother f’er.  I will list my supps and you will see what I mean… but I don’t want to take all my supps together so I try to space them out.  Since I hate taking this one I save it for last and it frequently gets skipped.  Plus- I’m wondering if there is a better vitamin supp out there more geared for a woman (I’m guessing that while Pak is fine for a woman, it is way more geared for a man and men and women DO have different nutritional needs)

Animal Pak:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/univ/animalpak.html (looking for something more geared to a woman though)
Animal Flex:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/univ/flex.html (love this!  I think it has been a miracle for my knees and can’t recommend it highly enough)
Animal Omega:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/univ/animalomega.html
Glutamine:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/mhp/glutsr.html (I mix this in my protein shakes or with Crystal Lite lemonade and take it after every workout at least)

Protein Powder: at least a shake a day, sometimes 2.  If I’m rushed in the morning I’ll have this for breakfast with fruit blended in, I try to have one after a workout unless I am going to eat a meal right away and sometimes I’ll have a Casein shake before bed.  These are what I am using right now:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/opt/cas.html - This is the Casein protein (slower digesting) and I have it in the Chocolate Supreme flavor.  I usually put in a teaspoon of peanut butter and mix with milk- it’s AWESOME!
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/opt/whey.html this is my whey protein and I have it in Vanilla Ice Cream flavor.  It is VERY vanilla tasting so if you don’t love vanilla don’t get this.  I love to mix it with fruit.

I also put a teaspoon of ground flax seeds in my shakes.

On top of that if I have a bowl of oatmeal in the morning this is what I mix with it:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/bsn/dessert.html

I love the Banana Nut Bread and Fresh Cinnamon Roll flavors in oatmeal!  I always mix a scoop with my oatmeal.  Always.  I try to have a bowl for breakfast most days, but sometimes I just don’t have time or would rather have some scrambled eggs and salsa and no carbs (especially if it is going to be a rest day).

Please let me know what you take, why and what you think of it!!  

Why do you train?  Are bodybuilders vain?  Do all bodybuilders love to train?  These are just some questions that have been running through my mind lately.    Actually- I have a lot of thoughts on this subject so let’s see if I can keep this train on the track.

Training for me is as essential as breathing.  Yes, I would love to compete someday, but that is definitely not why I train like I do.  I would lift like this no matter what.  If I don’t get to the gym it affects everything.  There are very few places that I feel truly at home, and the gym is one of those places.  It is home to me.  I train for me.  I love the comments I get and those sure don’t hurt anything, but at the end of the day, I do this for me.

Are bodybuilders vain?  What a loaded question.  I can’t answer for everyone, but I can answer for me.  Yes, I believe that in my case it takes a certain amount of vanity to train like I do.  I want to look good.  I want to feel good.  I look in the mirror a lot when I train.  I want to see those muscles pop.  I love what lifting does for my body.  If I didn’t care at all about how I look then I wonder if I would love training as much?  I don’t know.  It’s possible that vanity is part of the essential equation that makes me a bodybuilder.  Some of you think of the word ‘vain’ as a negative descriptor.  I don’t.  Too much vanity- that is bad.  Too much of ANYTHING is usually bad.  But just enough vanity…. Healthy and attractive.  Keeps you from smelling bad in public and your hair washed.

Do all bodybuilders love to train?  Chad and I talked about this some the other day.  He has a video of Branch Warren training that he loves to watch for motivation.  He also finds different training videos online that he watches sometimes.  There seems to be a difference in them.  Some really seem to love it, and some just don’t have that fire.  I don’t think all bodybuilders love it.  I think some tolerate it as a necessary evil.  Those are probably not the most successful ones, though.  How many times on here have you read someone’s blog complaining about having to go to the gym and work out?  How many of those complainers have really done much of anything with their training?  I can use myself in an example here.  When I was in high school I was a star basketball player at my high school.  I was very very good.  Coaches on other teams would practice with me in mind if they were going to play us.  They would practice how they would defend against me to keep me from scoring.  I was very strong underneath the basket.  I didn’t have to try very hard.  I didn’t love it, but I loved that I was good at it and the attention I got from it.  Forward to college.  I tried out for a Division 1 basketball team (U of MN).  I made the team, just barely.  I would not have played at first… so I was just a glorified practice player.  So I quit.  Had I loved it, I would have worked my a$$ off so I could play- and likely would have.  But I just wanted the end result.  I didn’t want to do all the work involved to get there.  I wanted the stardom without any real effort on my part.  

So to come back around to training for me being essential.  Training definitely is.  The cutting part so I can compete… not so much.  So the question for me is this… will the love of training and my vanity be enough to push me through the part I DON’T love so I can compete and thus realize the end result?  Only time will tell.  One thing I know for sure.  I will always train.

A few posts down I talked about a crazy leg workout I found by Milos Sarcev.  If you are interested read down….

Today- Chad and I did that workout.  Originally I didn’t think we were going to do it as written- dropping off a set or two.  Yeah- we didn’t drop off anything.  We did the workout exactly as written.  3 sets of Giant set one.  3 sets of Giant set two.  

Let’s just say- if you want to call yourself hardcore, well, you can’t unless you man up and do this workout.  It was painful.  I was drenched.  Chad almost puked.  It was beautiful.  Never have my quads burned so bad.  Never have I felt as though my legs would completely stop working before.  

Next week, we do it again.

Is anyone else hardcore enough to do this and tell me what you think?