4XLT

Hope everybody had a great Christmas! My time back in Oklahoma has been… interesting… to say the least.

I was up at the gym this morning and had only thirty minutes to work with because I had to be in Tulsa for lunch with someone. So, following the five minute cardio warmup, I had to make some decisions on what were my most important exercises for the sake of time. Interestingly / frustratingly enough, my lunch ended up getting postponed an hour, so I could have done my full workout. I didn’t get that text message until after I returned from the gym.

C’est la vie.

I ended up going with the bench press, row, leg press, and shoulder presses.

• Bench Press – 3×90: Instead of the machine that I normally go with, I instead took two dumbbells and went to the bench. I’ve read in various places that using dumbbells instead of the machine or ever a bar bell will help identify and then work on your weaker side. So, I think that my left side’s weaker. I finished all the sets, kicking and screaming the last few reps, so I probably need to up the weight on Monday. Even though, holy crap, it kicked my butt!
• Row – 3×110: Instead of the seated row cables machine I normally use, I went with the bent over row machine that you load with the plates and lay prone at a forty-five degree angle as you lift. Now that was an adventure, and I’m not even referring to my glasses falling off in the middle of my lift or hitting my head with the weights. It must be the added force of gravity or something, but I was hard pressed through the sets. I finished, though, so more weight goes on next time.
• Leg Press – 4×120: I should have done real squats. Heck, I should have done the horrifying squat-and-press combo, but I didn’t. No real excuses there.
• Shoulder Press – 3×110: Again, I should have done the squat / press combo, but I settled for the machine. At the very least, I should have used free weights standing up. I will rectify this Monday. Still, I haven’t struggled so much getting that measly 110 pounds up before; it was really beastly. I’m thinking it has something to do with the different row and press exercises I did.

Regardless still, the weight training is only part of the work. Gotta keep eating right, which has been a struggle. I wouldn’t say I’ve particularly botched it – I’m eating noticeably healthier than I was a few months ago. It’s just that I haven’t been going 100%.

I have been today, though. And that’s a damn good feeling. Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time for meal number four today. Chicken, anyone?

Not much of notice or profound rambling here tonight. This blog is wholly an exercise in blog writing discipline.

I’ve been fighting – and generally loosing to – a nasty sinus infection for a few days now. Frustrating in itself, but combine it with the fact that I got waylayed the day the gym opened back up from our freakish ice storm, then things get really irritating. I’m still not back to 100%, but I got tired of my “Oh, I’m sick and when I cough, my chest wants to explode” excuses for the past few days. So, off to the gym I went.

I went with the old plan I’ve been using, but to be honest, I need to put my fingers and brain to use and spend some time researching a good strength plan – any of you FAT folks got some suggestions or resources? But, with that said, my workout beat the ever living crap outta me today. Guess I’m still sick, but not sick enough to keep me from going in tomorrow to do my cardio.

And to top it off, I’ve eaten really well today. It’s good to have re-installed the food plan, well, to a significant degree – Mom’s still cooking my favorites. The key for me is all about portion size… and lots of water and Diet Dr. Pepper.

Disclaimer: I apologize if you are offended by the language. I know some people aren’t too enthralled by my word choice, but to be honest, this is the gut level place I am right now. Thanks.

I went to the dentist today. For the first time in over two and a half years. Predictably, it wasn’t fun. Of course, I could blame the fact that I don’t have insurance or whatever on my dental woes (no cavities, fortunately, but my gums aren’t too happy with me right now), but that’s just not the case. I’ve never taken care of my teeth properly, and the two and a half years plus just exacerbated that fact and put it on public display to my dental hygienist.

But more importantly is what came to mind during my drive to the dentist and the time spent in the torture chamber, er, clinical room. I’ve never taken care of myself physically, in any substantial way, shape, or form. I’ve spent nearly twenty five years going through life in a laissez faire fashion, letting my weight, my teeth, and my face (I could pass for a teenager some days) pretty much all go to pot.

Damn. It’s enough to get me bummed out.

But instead, I’m going to turn that feeling into fuel and keep the fire burning as I continue transforming myself into who I want to be. If I wanted to, I could speculate and wonder why it is I’ve lived the way I have. But, I don’t think there’s much down that road except for regret. For now, I’ll keep looking forward.

Sorry for the lapse of posts over the past few days. You want a quick recap? Sure thing, boss!

We got out power back on about two days ago – just in time for more snow! But, lucky for it, it was just snow and not some hellish freezing drizzle. All our trees are down, for the most part, but that’s really neither here nor there for a health blog, eh?

So, to remain on topic, here’s the long and the short: no gym and only moderate eating progress. Sinus infection makes life in general no fun, but I shouldn’t use it as an excuse to let go entirely.

Reaching for 100%

I was reading Billy’s blog, and he wrote something that really resounded in me:

You need to DOMINATE your reality in every way. This is my reality. I do what I say. This is different from “I do what I want”. I uphold the promises I make to myself and to others. When I walk into a room and there is a table full of food that tempts me, I only eat what I say. When I walk into a gym, I do what I say. Often what I say is not what I want. I say “lift a heavier weight” even though I don’t want to. But I listen… I think it all boils down to dominance vs. submission. Are you going to dominate your reality, or submit to it and give up control? Do you have a strong character or a weak one? Are you willing to change? Do you want to?

I reads really similar to another teaching / motivational writing that I read recently in an email newsletter. In this other one, the author writes from time to time about defining the reality you want to live in, and then inviting others to join you. These two lines of thought – defining your own reality and then dominating that reality – put into words a significant mental shift I am going through. And it isn’t simply in regards to my own health / weight loss situation, but it applies to all aspects of life, from my professional affairs to friendships and relationships. But, I’ll write on that later.

I make my own reality. Come and join me.

Stylish New Digs

I also took Billy’s advice and went ahead and purchased that Seahawks jersey I mentioned a few posts back (How’d we biff it to the Panthers today?! Gah!). The dear, dear UPS man delivered it to my icy doorstep earlier this week. It’s been awesome already to set it out in my bedroom while I work some on the exercise bike (that thing’s been a Godsend). Oddly enough, it fits a lot better than I was imagining a 2XLT would, and by that I mean perhaps I’m surprised it fits at all. Honest, I was a bit put out by it at first, but I’ll just take it to be a blessing in disguise and extra help to sporting that thing next season.

I’m still in the process of sorting out my weight routine, tonight, in fact. I’m hitting the gym again (now that the lights are back on in town and I can manage the sinus infection) Monday morning, so I may end up working through my old routine again (which isn’t too terribly bad, mind you). Still, I’ll find a good routine soon. I have to!

Remember how I mentioned a lot of ice in my last post? Right. Well, we got more. Lots more. So, our power’s been out since nine last night (along with pretty much everything in Owasso – including the gym – and large swaths of Tulsa). As we speak, I’m at a Panera Bread in Tulsa, blogging this and looking for some body weight exercises since the gym’s a no go – and may continue to be a no go for a few days.

So, I’ve gotta come up with some sort of strength training and start up with the bike at home. However, I’ve got to keep in mind that I haven’t gotten myself into this situation by not exercising moreso than my piss-poor diet.

Will vs. Wendy’s $2.99 Deluxe Value Meals

It is much easier to analyze my dietary history by looking at what I do right, as compared the the other way around. So, here goes: I don’t really drink, and I don’t really have a sweet tooth. Apart from that, imagine anything I can do wrong, and I do it: giant portions, skip breakfast, massive amounts of pop (curse you Safeway brand orange soda!), greasy foods aplenty, etc.

In fact, there are numerous, numerous weeks this year when I would eat a Wendy’s $2.99 Deluxe Value Meal twice a day most days of the week. My reasoning? Simple. It all boils down to economics! It’s hard to eat a meal – of anything, much less something – for under four bucks.

The Reboot

There are a million different plans and diets out there, but I’m gonna try and keep things relatively simple. The trick for me is going to be creating a food schedule (heck, I have a great need to create a schedule for my life, period.) as well as a rotating series of meals / options to draw from. I know my own personality – if I have to wait until the moment of hunger, then I’m much more likely to stumble than if I know, “Okay, tonight, I’m pan frying some lean beef and microwaving those brussel sprouts.”

2,500-2,700 Calories A Day: According to those online caloric intake calculators, I need something obscenely high past 4,500 calories a day to simply maintain my current weight. I very likely consume much more than that. I know the ideal goal is 2,000 a day, but I don’t want to plunge my body into starvation mode and sabotage my efforts. I’ll eventually lower things to 2,000, but not for a while.

5-6 Meals a Day: Multiple smaller meals to keep the ole metabolism up and running. I don’t want to go more than three hours at a time without eating something.The trick here is planning. Like I said, when I don’t plan, I fail, each and every time.

Half it and take it home: Due to the donor-supported and pastoral nature of my work (not to mention generally hanging out with friends), at times I end up eating out a lot. I should try and plan to automatically half whatever I eat and take it home with me (for the next meal three hours later, or so). In fact, I’m meeting my parents for dinner at a Tex-Mex place shortly, I think I’ll ask for a to-go box off the bat, although warming the food up later would be more than a little tricky with no power!

FEAST (on veggies): I’ve been noticing how remarkably low-calorie veggies are. So, in theory, it would seem to be easy enough to fill up on some peas, or broccoli, or whatever, and not kill my calorie count. Yeah, veggies!

Plenty o’ Protein, Cut tha’ Carbs: I’m not talking Atkins here. My pop lost nearly eighty pounds on the plan, but after he quit it, the pounds came back quickly – and then some. But, I am going to keep my carb intake somewhat low, and try my best to stick to whole grain breads and such when I can. Plus, protein is my friend in the midst of the weight training and muscle building.

Rock the Diet Cola: I love pop. I really, really do. More than anything, my prodigious intake of it has likely been the single greatest reason for my weight gain over the years. I know I should drink around 64oz. of water a day – and I’m working up to that, really. I drink more water nowadays than I ever have before. Yet, I still love me some sodee-pop. So while I wean myself, I’m gonna stick to Diet Dr. Pepper and Diet Go 2 Cola (Safeway generic) at home. But I gotta be honest, it’s hard, hard, hard to stick with water at restaurants when confronted with my delicious friend Dr. Pepper!

Crafting a Winning Gameplan

At this point, the theoretical is just fine, but I need to get an idea of how to put this all to work with some meal plans that are easy and simple. I love cooking, but it’s only on rare occasions that I like to spend a lot of prep time. So, for example, some of my meals lately when I was back in Portland have been along the line of pan cooking a chicken breast and eating it along with a big bowl full of veggies. Breakfast has usually been two or three eggs or two slices of wheat toast with peanut butter.

If you’ve got any meal plan ideas or tips along those lines, feel free to pass them along!