tryintorebuild’s BodyBlog

Okay, so I may still lack in the eating clean department, and an injured arm is hampering the lifting, but I did jog a mile and walk a mile yesterday. I also jogged a mile this morning.

That’s no major accomplishment for a runner, but I hate running. Running is just what I do to burn calories when I can’t lift weights.

I need to start a log of what I eat, but it would be embarrassing to write it down. I am not a clean eater, but I am a clean snacker. I don’t do cakes, pies, candy bars, or cookies. Between meals I prefer carrots, almonds, or an occassional fruit. It’s the meals that kill me. I like cheesy, fried anything.

I’ll work on it…. tomorrow.

December has been rough. Worked long hours, ate terrible, did little working out.

So now it’s January and a new year. Time to start again. My goal is still that elusive six pack of abs. I noticed my bench press has fallen back some as has my curl.

But now I will get serious.

Between work, the holiday, and hunting, I haven’t spent much time in the gym the last three weeks. I did manage to get there today spent a little time on the treadmill. It felt good to workout again.

Even though I didn’t workout, I did fairly well with clean eating. Actually much better than I intended to. Had to work Thanksgiving, so I missed the big dinner. But I planned to make up for it that evening. I figured I would have the works… dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, pecan and pumpkin pies. But on the way from work, I found out my sister was heading out of town. So I met up with her at McDonald’s. No way I was going to choose that over the wonderful delicacies waiting for me at the inlaws, so I passed. By the time I made it there it was well after nine, I’d been up since 4 am, so I grabbed a little ham and decided to wait til the next afternoon to dig into the plate my wife set aside for me. But the next day was a hunting day, so I didn’t make it in til around seven, someone had already found my plate.

So, no dressing, no gravy, no pecan pie. Guess I have to wait til Christmas. Too bad I have the same work schedule that day. Who knows maybe I’ll just grab a burger at McDonald’s:) No I don’t think so.

Okay, now I remember why I was afraid to take a break from the regular workout. It isn’t real easy to get started again. It isn’t lack of motivation, its just that life seems to get in the way. Once you break the routine, it is hard to get it started again.

I did hit the bench press, overhead press and flys today. I had planned more. Tomorrow I will get in some dumbbell curls and some ab crunches, but the twelve hour workdays really cut back on how much I feel like pumping iron. Next week starts out a nine day stretch of 12 hour plus days. But I will find time to get in some lifts.

Day 3:

I have an addiction. Okay I have two addictions, but this blog isn’t about coffee.

This is my third day in my week of not working out the upper body. Turns out to be a lot harder than I expected. Every set of handrails look like perfect dip bars. Every overhead pipe looks like a pullup bar. I admit I’ve even snuck in a few decline pushups. I never thought I would get hooked on working out.

On the plus side I have picked up the cardio a little bit. Not much, I still hate running. But I have a fear of getting fat again. This is turning into more of an experiment than a rest.

Okay, I’m going to try an experiment this week. My goal is to not lift weights for 7 days. Well, upper body. I will still work a day of legs. I will concentrate on cardio, abs, and legs for one week.

I’ve been pretty steady for almost eleven months. I’ve worked my chest and arms two or three times every week. I’ve also noticed that my bench press seems to be getting weaker not stronger. Same for my curls, in fact my right bicep is sore almost all the time. I went so many years without lifting, that I am afraid to stop. I fear I won’t pick it back up.

But if I stay with the cardio I think I will be willing to start back again next week. I just started serious lift with my legs a few weeks ago, so I will continue that too.

I’ll see what a week off of lifting does for me. If it isn’t a good idea, one week can’t hurt that bad.

Less than two weeks to Thanksgiving. The holiday season is pretty much in full swing. There are pies, cookies, and cakes everywhere I turn. This is the season that made me look in the mirror almost a year ago and say enough is enough.

I’m over 30 pounds lighter, but much stronger. Cookies and candy don’t really even tempt me. Homemade pies may be a little tougher to battle, but I feel that when the temptation comes, I will be able to stand strong for the most part. I might yield a little bit.

Looking back I do feel a little remorse. I came out out of high school an athlete. Not a great athlete, but in good shape. Even my bodybuilder friends would comment on the size of my arms. But I never took workingout serious. I haven’t had a steady year of excersize since graduation 25 years ago. But the few short months I worked out would make drastic changes in my shape. So now I wonder what I would have been if I had stayed steady.

Oh well, time to move on. Instead I’ll concentrate on what I might be in 5 years. I told my wife that I have seven years to get ready. I think I’ll aim for competing in the over 50 bracket. I might be able to get in shape by then.

It’s Halloween, the kids are trick or treating. Well, the older ones are probably tricking. I sit alone with a bowl of candy, waiting for someone to come and take it off my hands. I’m starting to get spooked. The ghost of halloween past is calling out my name enticing me with candy bars and chips…

 Ok so that’s a little overboard, but really that candy is looking good. I’ve been strong since Christmas I’ll make it. Well, I did give in to the chips, but I can avoid the candy. Maybe its time for a protein drink.

Happy Halloween everybody

Just came back from the gym. I got to thinking how nice the one I work out at is. (I think my high school english teacher would shoot me for the grammer in that sentence). There isn’t a pool or any fancy nautilus equipment. Just weights, benches and a few machines to work your legs out. There are a few basic treadmills. But boy is it quiet.

I live in a small town in the middle of nowhere. I never have to wait for a bench or a machine. They have all the barbells and dumbbells a person could possibly use. I don’t think I’ve been there when there were more than 5 people in the gym. We chat, but everybody is there to work out. Its just a good place to be.

I was a small town boy who moved to the city and thought he’d never look back. Now here I am in a small town again and I can’t imagine ever going back to the hustle and bustle of the city. The local gym is just one of the advantages we have here.

Got up at 4 to go bowhunting today. I had the day all planned out. If I didn’t shoot a deer, I would come home do a light workout with weights work on my fencing. (That’s the kind you put around your yard, there were no swords involved.) But about half way out to my deer stand, it started to rain. I’m not that dedicated… Guess I should’ve watched the forecast.

I did come home and put in a good workout. Today I started clean and presses(?). Something my son told me about. They seem like a good way to avoid cardio:) I’d push a pickup a mile a hill to avoid jogging a block. That probably comes across like I hate cardio, but its only because its true.

My bench press is up. My heavy workout is still a light workout for an actual bodybuilder, but working out with 235 is still better than I could do even in my youth. Maybe I’ll make 250 by Christmas. So anyway, today’s workout.   Bench press, Clean and press, skull crushers, leg extensions, squats, shrugs, and .75 mile jog and walk. Later I’ll walk another mile with my wife.