Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Gettin Ready...

With much deliberation and after a pretty solid Turbulence Training fat loss program I did for 4 weeks for the whole month of September...I have decided to go with a new TT program starting tomorrow - October 1st. Still involves a good amount of lifts that I like. Was hoping to get the first day in today but was a late night last night and had to take the kids to their tiny tots school this morning. In other words: I got up late. Not too concerned to not have done a workout today but I think this day to rest and recover from a circuit training workout (still wiped me out!) yesterday and recently completing 4 weeks of a very challenging program is a good thing. I feel like the mind and body is getting reset here in terms of the new program I'm about to embark.

Will start hitting it hard again early tomorrow morning...here's to another 28 days!

Friday, September 26, 2008

A late evening catch up

Been a very busy few days...about 80% done with the move and things are gradually getting situated which is pretty cool. Definitely feels like home once again.

As I'm watching the 2 hour Season premier of Heroes on tape tonight (well actually on DVR. "My time" tonight!). Damn, Milo Ventimiglia looks pretty lean on this show. Every season it seems like this guy looks like he's pretty set with his nutrition (probably has his own fully equipped gym, a nutritionist...a personal trainer). But the good thing is - you don't need all that for us regular guys and gals - just a solid, structured workout program with good sound nutrition - we can all be like him one day!

On the workout front...Looking back at almost a month of a very pretty intense routine (all while in the process of a move)I feel great and just really happy that there are programs like Turbulence Training that flat out work. Do them at home, at a commercial gym or at work - you can take any workout anywhere. There's just endless options.

Home gym room is almost set...used it a few times already but I do need a squat rack - but it just doesn't sound reasonable to have one in such small working quarters. So almost every squat/deadlift/rdl routine is used the old school way at home - with much lighter weight used. But on squats it's always a matter of cleaning the bar, quickly pressing it overhead and then putting the load over my shoulders or use some bar stools to keep it at a certain level. I know it isn't that safe to do it in such fashion..but hey, if I only had the financial means! But again, that's why we have commercial gyms and work gyms to do all the heavier work loads.

I know I'm rambling here but next Monday is a new TT routine for the next 4 weeks. Have one in mind but it's still up in the air at this point. Got 2 days to deliberate on it more so we'll see!

Monday, September 22, 2008

Volleyball and Chargers and MNF...where's the connection?

Living in San Diego sure has it's benefits - weather, laid back folks...and it's this time of the year where the whole city is so into the only NFL team in the south: yep - the San Diego Superchargers. Great win...a win that should have been our 2nd win of the season had in not been for some inadvertant calls (from a Referee who actually lives in La Jolla) that were made last Sunday at Denver.

After another great TT workout this morning...working on some wall fixtures and curtain holders...we took a dip in the pool with the wife and 2 kids and then spent the afternoon watching the Chargers carve up a pretty impressive 1st half against Brett Favre's Greeny Jets (no Coronas this time folks) --- I put on my my shorts, a shirt and my Mizuno's and headed to the Open Gym for some volleyball at 7:15.

Much to my surprise...there wasn't many people who showed up today. It was me and another regular volleyball goer who was already stretching out. We were surprised the old crowd wasn't around today...so we figured it was the Monday night game on tv. We kind of chuckled and joked about how passionate we are for the sport of volleyball that even during a MNF game...we still managed to make it to the volleyball court. So we started doing some hitting drills for a good 30 minutes (that can wear you down big time...especially when you have to chase down your own ball you just hit!!!!) until we just started talking about family and health at mid court. It's funny because we started talking about nutrition and how important it is to maintain that healthy lifestyle as best we could (the guy sports a six pack! Whew!).

As we talked about health...I realized how similar we were in alot of ways. He understands that at our 30's...things tend to get a little bit harder to maintain a level of fitness with a young family, career and of course: health. He plays 3 different sports: soccer, volleyball and tennis and he switches them around throughout the year but plays volleyball year round. Interesting guy. As our conversation started dwindling down - in came 2 other guys so we started playing 3 sets of 2 on 2 volleyball which lasted a good 1 hour and 15 minutes. It was a pretty intense match. Haven't played volleyball in over 3 weeks...but hey, hey, hey! Still got it! It sure was alot of fun at the courts tonight.

Topped off the day with dinner and playing with my little boy in the living room (the twins were knocked out from all the swimming) as he finally was able to walk around on his own 2 feet only 3 weeks ago. It sure was great to see...

Dreams start with tiny baby steps...they may be small steps but forward progress indeed.

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Feeling Great!

3 weeks in a new Turbulence Training Program...and I feel like I'm really reaping the benefits here. I feel stronger and I think the mirror image looks pretty good so far (well, hoping that is). Nutrition has been more of a fueling approach than it is a "deficit" approach to fat loss but not overkill here at all. I think it's working and I like the results thus far.

The benefits of a commercial gym...maybe I've underestimated it some in the past but it's great to get up early with gym bag in hand, driving our Honda Odyssey to my work gym or commercial gym and creating my own little havoc there while the whole world is fast asleep. Mornings are much cooler and days are are darker much earlier. Perfect scenario for me. For some reason this is the part of the year where it all clicks for me.. People start their days with a cup of coffee and paper in hand...I like starting the day with a kick ass workout. Ain't nothing like it. :)

I've been working out for the most part all week at my work gym which is something of a change. The only commercial gym I used this week was todays workout surprisingly. Love the options..

And the good ol comments keep coming from work...I'm still surprised people are taking notice. It's been over 2 years now and yet they are still coming out with comments of how "different" I look ~ in a good way that is. Never am one to take comments to lift the "spirit of the ego"...but it tells me I'm headed in the right direction. One's physical appearance never tells the whole story of someone but it does strike an encouraging type of good confidence for some reason.

Wow...20 days in of a few goals I've set for the short term (84 day time frame) dating back September 1st...hope to pull it off here and achieve most of them with all the other things going on right now which is another challenge in itself.

Without challenges in life...can you imagine how boring would life be?

Monday, September 15, 2008

The move is moving right along...

The house move over the weekend was like trying to be like the Chargers in these last minute comeback attempts these past 2 weeks - scrambling, hussling..just trying to get to the "destination" as fast as possible. Well, so far we've managed to take 3 trips from point A (old house) - to Point B (new house) with a 26 foot Uhaul truck (which I drove by the way). Luckily it was only less than 2.5 miles away. :)


In real life and with fitness goals - I learned something valuable from a personal standpoint and from friends: don't make it a sprint to the finish line. Things just can't happen the way you plan them sometimes or something's going to give. So I took 3 days rest from TT (a mini vacation! Whooho!) and hope to get back into the groove again tomorrow morning. If there's one thing this weekend and these past 2 weeks has shown me it's this: give yourself some downtime for yourself. The body and mind will definitely thank you for it. I'm Mr. Procrastinator #1 if there was such a term.

Losing weight wasn't an overnight thing for me...it took 2 years. Moving into a new home and out of an old home doesn't get finished in a weekend either.

What's the famous cliche? Rome wasn't built overnight.

I guess that's definitely a good way to see it!!!!

Monday, September 8, 2008

Feel beat today

Man...this TT workout today was another killer exercise routine this morning. This is my 2nd attempt at it and it really is challenging. I actually felt like shortcutting here a little but getting it done was the best thing I did today to start off my day. Getting it over and done early on allowed me to take care of our move some more so it was back at the new house, with some paint work and moving some heavy fixtures from the old house to the van and to the new house. Got alot accomplished today. Working on some paint work in one of the rooms I intend to use as my new little home gym. Kind of tired of having to go downstairs in the garage and then come up to do my weights on some workouts so I'm pretty happy the wife granted my wish here. All my workout stuff will now hopefully be at a centralized location in the house now so I can't wait to get that finished with here.

Whew..."all in a day's work" - uhuh. :/

Pretty beat as it was by 11 am, went swimming at the pool and did a few laps back and forth. Felt pretty beat up as it was..but it was pretty relaxing just being able to take a few laps back and forth and enjoy the sun a bit.

Nutrition has been pretty good but definitely feel some of the EPOC effects of the workout this morning. Feels good. Should be able to get some good zzzz's tonight for tomorrow's workout.

Friday, September 5, 2008

2 Years Today...

2 years ago...it was hard to imagine I looked like that other guy in the pool on the welcome section of this blog. 225 lbs...one word: BIG. Big in a bad way that is. I hated the mirror..I almost hated myself and figured that losing weight was a lost cause. You ever looked in the mirror or looked at old pictures in a family photo album and liked what you saw? It's hard for me to imagine that everytime I look at the person I once was through pictures. It's almost unreal looking back.


But I said no more and really wanted to just bust it and make a change for the better. Alot of tears...alot of desire...alot of failures too.

2 years I've been constantly busting my butt, failing and succeeding...failing and succeeding - trying to understand what it takes to keep pushing it 2 years later. If it was easy - I think we'd all want to be doing the same thing everybody else is doing right? Well 2 years later...I'm still trying to find the motivation and still wanting to keep re-inventing ways to keep this going for me personally.

And this journey will carry on....

I owe alot to my friend who has been out of commission the recent months due to a pectoralis injury but had it not been for him and "the vision" and the belief he had in me to really want to make that lifestyle change was the deciding factor - heck, I don't know where I'd be today had it not been for him and of course the support I have from my wife and family.

The secret? Find the motivation in yourself everyday. Every single day, look at the guy in the mirror straight in the eye and tell him you want to change and you will. Accept who you are but believe you can make a positive change for the better. Slowly but surely the results will come.

Find the motivation...and always stay humble.

Andy

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Regarding my Early Morning Routines

My early morning workouts…some people have asked me why so early. Well, I love them for various reasons. But for those who don’t know, it’s something I’ve been almost “trained” to do over the past 2 years it’s almost habit. I average out 5 hours of sleep a day. Not good, I know but I don’t like sleeping in at all. I won't say I don't do afternoon workouts because I do do afternoon workouts as well when crunched for time and believe me it has happened. I work morning shifts that start at 7 am and I hate packed gyms because hardly any equipment is available and you have to wait your turn or have the balls to jump in with someone (I don’t like that because I’m sure it irritates the hell out of some people). PM workouts for me just don’t work for me so I don’t go to a gym in the afternoons if at all avoidable. Also, I don’t like pm workouts because it just doesn’t bode well with my schedule and other things important like family time, work and errands just that have to be done exclusively during the day. If I get my exercise out of the way bright and early – I can take care of the next 23 hours of my time doing other things. Time is just too precious.

A nursing supervisor once told me "the essential P’s" to live by: PRIOR PLANNING PREVENTS PISS POOR PEFORMANCE. I cracked up hearing that from him but hey, he’s right. Words to live by really.

My own personal tips I use:
1) Get the mindset to get up early the night before. It works. Establishing the mindset and you will be motivated to get up early. Maybe it’s individual but it has always worked for me.
2) Visualize the workout program in your head; print it out or write it down and take it with you that way you don’t have to spend the whole morning getting ready and at the same time thinking what you’re going to do that morning. That takes a lot of time whereas you can simply get up and head out.
3) If you like to workout at a gym: get your gym bag ready for the day prior. It takes so much of your time just getting ready in the morning so I do that ahead of time. Another thing I like to do is stack some extra shirts and some bottled mineral water in the trunk.
4) On off programs from TT and Rosstraining, I had a workout buddy of mine who I used to carpool with and go to the gym with. Whoever woke up first would call the other guy regardless. It worked well and was pretty fun!
5) Have to set 2 alarms (yes, 2 alarms that’s how hard I am on myself). But here’s the kicker: Put it on snooze and put each alarm at least 2 body lengths away from you. That way you force yourself up and just like that: your butt’s out of bed and just head out the door.
6) Want to wake up early and practice it. Doing so it will become 2nd nature.

Andy

Monday, September 1, 2008

Labor Day is a day off? Hmm. Take action and just work it.

Labor day and getting back into Turbulence Training Programs once again. Taking a step back from functional strength and sport specific training and plan to let er rip with my training and nutrition. Trying to gain some lost ground here with my current status and the forecast and nutritional trials that lie ahead for me going into the last quarter of the year. I want to be in the best shape of my life, overcome obstacles and hoping that these next coming months will truly get me there and hope to finish the year strong as ever.

Wow, nutrition has been pretty spot on today. Very proud of that. I've never had this tendency to go the bathroom to pee this many times in ages. I can almost feel a detox if you will. It's weird.

It's funny when I was loading things up in the Odyssey yesterday, my mom asked me: "What's all that junk in your van?". I told her I was loading it up so that after work tonight I would be unloading the stuff at the new house before heading home. She told me I was nuts. It was barely 9 pm and being it a "Rest Day" for me, she gave me some good solid advice: "If you can do it today...why cant you do it today. Why wait til tomorrow when you can do that today?". Damn and she was so right, best words of advice all day and it wasn't because of the stresses of our move that's been keeping us occupied the past few days but the fact that that's a motto I can apply to in anything in life.

Mom's always know what's best.

Stop procrastinating and half assing things. We all do this and I'm one of them. Stop putting things aside, learn from your mistakes, take a hold of your life and just take action.