The Ultimate Recovery Drink

I was proud to say I made it through the first month of Insanity without any post workout supplements or shakes. I Was drinking plenty of water eating a lot of protein and taking a multi vitamin and I was doing just fine.

All that changed last week when I begin month 2 and the Max workouts. After completing the first workout I commented to more than one person that only my legs, arms, chest, shoulders, and Abs were hurting, everything else felt fine. I knew based on the way I felt I would be no good at all for day 2 unless I somehow recovered and quickly.  With Insanity you don’t get a couple of days to recover you have another workout the very next day.

At lunch that day I set out to find something to put into my body to help it recover. I went to my local GNC and I looked at all there specialty products many with very high price tags. I read all about the BCAAs and the L-Glutamine, and the proper blend of carbs to proteins and there are some technical scientific things that make my head hurt. Of course I also wanted to be very careful with how many calories I consumed.

The more research I did the more I kept finding one common suggestion and quite frankly it surprised me. Not only did it seem too easy it also seemed to refreshing and too cheap. I could get an entire  weeks supply for only $3.00. I kept reading article after article about how one of the yummiest drinks ever was actually the best post workout drink in the world. Good old Chocolate Milk.

 

I have posted several of the links below but I was skeptical… very skeptical. 

Since it was a Tuesday and I didn’t get paid until Friday I decided to take a very low risk chance and I picked up a half gallon of the chocolaty goodness thinking to myself well, if it doesn’t work I will have 2 very happy little girls. 

I have drank about 8 ounces of the chocolate milk after my workout for each of the last 8 nights and to my very pleasant surprise I have not experienced any more of the performance robbing fatigue or soreness I did after the first day of the Max routines.

Of course the low fat version is a better choice and the low fat organic version is even better than that but it has been my conclusion to this point that when you consider price taste and performance Chocolate Milk is the Ultimate Recovery Drink!!

WebMD

Fitness Magazine

AskMen

Better than Gatorade..

one more

There is a lot more research available... But I would recommend giving it a try, really if it doesn't work you are only out $3

Insanity Max Cardio Conditioing

I wanted to take a few minutes to review the workout I did last night hopefully everyone would get a good feeling for exactly what it is like... here goes...

Insanity Review: Max Cardio Conditioning

The entire workout is 48 minutes. Once the main workout begins, it’s a non-stop workout until the end. 

The warm up is almost the same as the other Max workouts with a variation in the 3^rd round. The first 2 rounds you gradually increase your pace. The exercises for the first 2 rounds are:

• Jog
• Jumping Jacks – Arms Up
• Jump Rope S-S
• High Knees – Arms Out
• Switch Kicks
• Hit the Floor
• S-S Floor Hops

The last round of the warm up is about 1 and a half minutes and actually a variation on the warm up from the previous month.  The exercises are:

• Sprint
• Jumping Jacks
• Heisman
• 123 Heisman
• High Knees

At the end of the warm up it is time for the standard water break followed by a good stretch, another 30 second water break, and then the workout starts.

The main part of the workout is just under 30 minutes with no scheduled breaks until the last move of the main workout.  Each move lasts approximately 1 minute.  The exercises are:

• High Low Jab with Squat- this one consists of jumping into the air throwing a punch landing in squat position then throwing another punch; repeat for 30 seconds for each side minute
Football Runs- we called these up/downs when I used to play football- you sprint and then you leap onto the ground and then right back up into sprints
8 Ball Shots with Squat-  you simulate basketball jump shots eight times then you hop four times to reposition yourself then do it again
• Right and Left Kicks These are one of the easier exercises you simply kick your right leg for 1 minute then your left… sounds easy, but it works on you
Diamond Jumps – leap into the air touch hands above your head touch feet together at same time repeat for one minute
In-Out Push Up Jacks  4 in-outs 4 push-up jacks repeat
Suicide Jumps- these are all too familiar you jump to the ground then back up… repeat and repeat
• High Knee/Low/Floor Sprints run with high knees for an 8 count then run with quick small steps for an eight count then floor sprints from plank position for an 8 count  
Ski Abs – an old favorite from plank position bring knees to right shoulder than to left
• Kick Step Back 1st Recovery Exercise the recovery exercises are toned down a bit your heart rate is still elevated but you are not at the same level as the other exercises. The Kick Step Back  is a front kick followed by stepping back and touching the floor repeat for one minute alternating legs
• Squat Twists (2nd Recovery Exercise) hop into a squat position and touch the right foot with the left hand repeat alternating sides
• Over the River Hops (Last Recovery Exercise)- this is simply a hop back and forth from left to right while swinging your arms.
• Attack – Facing sideways throw 2 open handed strikes turn 180 degrees and throw strikes with other hand
• Power Knees – another old favorite this one comes right from the fit test 1 minute each side
• Ski Down Hooks- simulate down hill skiing hoping about six inches from side to side while throwing hook punches with alternating arms
Belt Kicks- this actually is one of my favorites from the first month it is a kick then a squat then a kick from the other leg
• Forward Back Suicides wide feet run forward about 3 steps touch the ground run backward about 3 steps touch the ground
Push Up Abs as you do a standard push-up you bring your knee to your shoulder
Plank Punches- from the push-up or plank position you throw a punch with your right hand then your left rotate hands
• 8 Jump Ropes/8 Hop Squats- simulate jump rope  lifting legs high 8 times then hop into squat position eight times
Squat Speed Bag in squat position and hold it for one minute and move your hands like you are punching a speed bag 

There is a cool down stretch that lasts about 4 minutes the finally……mercifully 48 minutes and 618 calories later we are done. 

Week in review 2/13

What a week it was...

This week was the start of Month 2 of Insanity. Month 2 includes the Max workouts and they are brutal. I thought I was doing pretty good through the first month of Insanity my body was adapting to the workouts and I was performing them a little better each time.  I knew during the warm up on Monday that everything had changed. The new workouts are longer the exercises are different and very challenging I did post a review to the first one Max Interval Circuit and will post additional reviews in the coming days. I have set a new goal for myself with these new exercises.  I wanted to share the below image this is at the end of Max interval circuit. Look at the screen see how it instructs us "don't stop moving" Now look at the carnage laying around the gym...




For anyone who may not know Insanity focuses on "Max Interval Training" where you go as heard as you can for about 3 minutes then you rest for about 30 seconds. This process is repeated several times over the course of a workout. Shaun T who is the creator of the program and the motivational on screen leader also allows you to take a break if you "need" it. By need Shaun T means if your heart rate gets too high or if your form becomes compromised to stop for a few seconds and then get right back into it. My new goal for the max workouts is to work myself up to where I am only resting during the 30 second rest periods. This will take a while to achieve as I see the fit machines on my TV still taking a rest from time to time.

 Finally got a heart rate monitor (yes that one on the left) so that I can make sure the heart rate is not getting too high but also to make sure I am getting it high enough to be effective. During yesterday's workout for 55 minute workout my Avg BPM (beats per minute) was 140. That is perfect for my target heart rate accrding to The American Heart Association.  I did not pay extra for the monitor with the calorie counter but I did find a very useful tool online that converts the information I entered and tells me that I burned 766 calories. That is a lot of calories burned.


  The runs have not gone as well as I had hoped mostly do to the extremely cold weather. But as you can see on RunKeeper I did finish the week up with a nice 3.09 mile run in just over 30 Minutes. I only have 2 weeks to go before race day and I still have a lot of work to do. I have decided to change my goal for the 5k as well. as some may recall my original goal was to finish the race. I still have work to be able to finish the race without stopping, but I have set a new goal. My goal is I want to complete the race in less than 30 minutes. I know this will still put me in the middle of the pack, but considering this is my first race that won't be too bad.

I won't bore anyone with another post about what to expect next week, instead, I will condense it into a few lines here.

Monday Max Cardio Conditioning
Tuesday Max Interval Circuit
              Run 30 Minutes
Wednesday Max Interval Plyo
Thursday Max Recovery
               Run 35 Minutes
Friday Max Cardio Conditioning & Cardio Abs (did we really need an additional workout here?)
Saturday Core Cardio & Balance (a bit of a repreive)
Sunday Run 3.5 Miles

I also plan to write 2 blog this week one about the great recovery drink I have found and one as a review of one of the Insanity workouts.

Thanks to anyone who may be following along

Watch The Swinging Donut

So, as I am at lunch today enjoying my delicious apple pecan salad from Wendy's I hear this amazing advertisement for a world famous weight loss hypnotist who will be in town. Apparently for just $79 this fellow will train a person's mind to make weight loss "fun" and "easy".



My first thought is of the old movies and cartoons of my childhood where the trickster with the waxy mustache swings his pocket watch back and forth and tells his skeptical subject to watch it carefully until he gradually falls into a trance. Once in the trance the hypnotist begins to give commands to the subject and once he awakens every time he hears a whistle he begins to bark like a dog.

I begin to wonder, in hypnosis for weight loss do you watch a swinging donut? Does the hypnotist convince the subject once he awakens that every time he hears the ice cream truck he will run a mile around the block. Or that every time he sees the golden arches he will be filled this incredible urge to eat lettuce. For some reason the subjects after leaving the hypnosis session, find themselves uncontrollably joining gyms and spending hours on the treadmill. A few months later the now skinny people can't explain what happened all they know is they now fit into clothes they haven't worn in years and they never once had to think about a single calorie.

Now I honestly don't know what goes on in a hypnosis session, but I do know that anything that promises to make weight loss fun & easy is probably trying to help you lose the few ounces that may reside inside your wallet.

Weight Loss doesn't have to be a nightmare of deprivation... but there is no easy button it takes genuine effort to change your life.

Insanity Day 36 (to the MAX)

WOW! what an exhausting Monday!

I thought the first month of Insanity was intense,  found out this morning I was mistaken. From the time I turned the DVD on I knew I was in for some challenges. First of all the clock was starting at just over 59 minutes and second Shaun T tells me early on that he is going to "kick my butt"; and he was not lying. I want to post a quick review and then I will Post the results of Today's Fit test.

The Workout starts with a warm up, which lasts approximately 10 minutes.  The warm up consists of 3 rounds.   The exercises are:

• Jog
• Jumping Jacks – Arms Up (these are a little different as your arms go straight up)
• 123 Heisman (this is the same as previous warm ups)
• Jump Rope S-S (like skipping rope from side to side)
• High Knees – Arms Out
• Switch Kicks
• Hit the Floor
• S-S Floor Hops  (these are interesting, essentially you are lifting your body up and sde to side with your arms)

As I am doing this warm up I remmeber how I felt the very first day. It is amazing to fight through a warm up and wonder whether or not I will actually be able to complete the workout.

At the end of the warm up you get a 3 water break and some good stretching then it is time to get INSANE! At this point in the workout, we have a little more than43 minutes and 30 seconds is the clock. 

Here we go.  Your first set of exercises consists of 3 rounds.  Each round has the same 4 moves.  The first round is 4 minutes.  The second round is 3 minutes.  And the 3rd round is 3 minutes, but at the end of the 3rd round only, you get a 1 minute bonus move.  So it’s more like 4-3-4.  The exercises are:

• Pedal/Power Lunges (Sprint in place, followed by 4 deep lunges then more sprinting and more lunging).
• Ski Abs /Jacks/In & Out/Oblique ( Start in plank position, jump side to side for ski abs, then push up jacks, jump in and out in plank position, and finally alternating your knees to your elbows for obliques. 4 reps each position this is the definition of BRUTAL).
• Power Strike (Lunge on the left side, 2 punches downward, lunge right side, 2 punches downward, etc).
• Frog Jumps

Between each round you get a 30  second water break.  After the 3rd round, you have 1 minute of Football Runs/ Cross Jacks.

The second set of exercises is designed just like the first only with different methods of torture; oops I mean exercises.

• Hook Jumps. (4 hook punches high, 4 hook punches low, 4 high jumps.  Then you switch sides).
• High Knees with Twist. (As you run with High Knees, you bring your elbows down on each side).
• High-Low Jab with Squat.  (Jumping high and punching to the side, punch low as you land in a squat).
• Floor Switch Kicks. I am not sure how to describe this one... essentially you are holding your body up with your arms while doing switch kicks.. at first these seem imporssible... eventually I did a few.)

Between each round you get a 30 second water break.  After the 3rd round, you have 1 minute of 1-2-3 Jab Across (Side jumps with a punch to each side).

The final set of exercises.  (YEAH!)  Just like the first 2...3 rounds, 4 more INSANE moves...

• Side Suicide Jumps. (From standing position, place your hands on the floor, jump to the left side.  Stand up, repeat on the right).
• Squat Hooks. (Squat and hook punch, alternating hands).
• Full Body Drill. (From standing position, drop to the plank position, run in place 8 times, walking push ups, then 8 wide knee, running in place. Full Body drills is an accurate name there is not a muscle in my body that doesn't feel this move.)
• Plank Punches.  (In a plank position, alternating hands, punch straight out).

As I lay helplessly in a heap soaked in sweat I realize this may have been the most difficult, most intense workout I have ever done...but I did it... As I went through the day, My body ached, and my mind was a bit cloudy. The great thing was none of the soreness or the cloudiness could overcome the sense of accomplishment I felt. 

The other significant event that happened today was I had my 3rd Fit test. I was pleased with most of my results. There were 2 exercises I didn't see any improvement in and that is a little disappointing, but the gains were so good in other areas i am still thrilled.. here are the results: 

Exercise                        Day 1           Day 15     Day 36
1. Switch Kicks                  74               100          112
2 Power Jacks                    45                 58          58
3. Power Knees                  54                 62           69
4. Power Jumps                  35                 42           46
5. Globe Jumps                   11                12           12
6. Suicide Jumps                 20                21           23
7. Push-Up Jacks                25                31           36
8. Low Plank Obliques        45                 56           60

What a crazy day... looks like I have a long crazy month ahead of me. I have to fins 30 minutes tomorrow morning for a run and tomorrow evening I have to another new MAX exercise to endure... I mean conquer.

As always thanks for following along. I will hopefully post some RunKeeper results tomorrow!

Weekly Preview 2/6

As I have done each week I want to give an update as to what to expect in the coming days.

This should be an exceptionally challenging week for a couple of reasons. First of all I am only 3 weeks away from my first 5k race and Thanks to the very inclement weather I only managed 1 run last week. Additionally this week I will begin Month 2 of Insanity which is a whole new set of workouts with MAX in the title, so I am quite sure they will be even more rigorous than the ones from month one.

I took a few minutes today to sneak preview some of the workouts, I am actually a little nervous but excited to see if I can handle it. I plan to update the blog a couple of times this week to let everyone know about the new workouts.

Also, my next fit test is scheduled for tomorrow I am excited to see those results. and will post them tomorrow night.

So on tomorrow's schedule I have a fit test and a workout titled Max Interval Circuit.

I have decided to switch my running days to Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday... I made this decision after looking at my Insanity schedule and checking with weather.com.


I have 2 primary goals this week:
1. To make it through the week in one piece with the new Insanity workouts
2.To make sure I get in 3 runs this week and continue to make progress toward my race

Thanks to everyone who may be following along... Time to go enjoy lots of unhealthy food and hopefully some good football

I will keep everyone updated

Week in review

This will be a short blog as this was a pretty uneventful week.

Monday started Recovery Week for the Insanity workout program. This week featured a toned down but still very challenging workout. It did not leave me as completely destroyed as some of the routines do, but it was certainly not a walk in the park. After Monday the week was pretty redundant. Recovery Week actually consists of doing the exact same exercise every day. It is a fairly enjoyable workout, but by the 6th day it is a little stale.

Followed that up Tuesday with a with an amazing 30 minute run that actually included 3 full miles and my best pace so far. I was very excited to continuing this progress with each additional run during the week. The bad news is with the drastic change in the weather and the extreme cold and wetness coming in, this was the only run I managed to get in this week. This has got to change as I have only 3 weeks until the Biloxi Arbor Day 5k.

With the need to increase my running and the start of Month 2 of Insanity Next week should be very challenging and a lot of fun I will give a full preview tomorrow.

So, How did you do it?

I spent the first 4 very long blog posts discussing how I was losing the weight and I will relink those later but for anyone who has not been following since the beginning or is just curious; don't feel bad, this is still the question i get the most often. Everyone seems to expect me to tell them some magic trick or some secret formula that will just melt the fat away. Unfortunately that does not exist... there is no easy button.

If I had to sum up the approach I have taken to make this happen I can do it in 4 words:

Eat Less, Move More!


That one sentence is so very simple yet it encompasses so much all at once.

In my situation knowing myself as well as I do I developed a program for myself called "The 3 Fundamental Truths of Weight Loss". These 3 truths have been my foundation throughout this entire journey. Below are the three truths if you click on truth it will take you back to the original blog that explained  the truth in detail

The Thee Fundamental truths of Weight Loss

Goals & Accountability

Do Not Deprive Yourself

It is all about CALORIES

I hope anyone reading will take some time to read over my plan and I hope it may benefit someone.

Also, here are some Tips & Tricks that helped me along the way.

As always thanks to anyone who may be reading and thanks for your support I could not have done it without the support and accountability from everyone

A Tale of 2 Weeks

I usually break up my weekly review and my preview of the week that is to come into 2 blog posts but I feel like I can do justice to both weeks in one post this time. I will do my best to keep it brief...

First of all... what a fantastic week it was!

On Monday I had my best run yet (sounding like a broken record i know) I ran 28 Minutes and completed 2.67 miles at a pace of just over 10 minutes per mile. I am certainly making progress.

Another great thing that Happened this week was at the Wednesday Weigh-in the scale provided me with the number I have been working towards for 13 Months. I am finally below 200 lbs and have finally hit the 100 pound goal... But everyone has heard me boast about that already.

One last thing that was great this last week was that I finished the first month of Insanity. As many may remember I have started this program before but got some sort of freak injury and didn't finish the first month. Based on the calendar... I get a "recovery week then it gets CRAZY!

Yesterday I got a little ambitious and tried to run the Ocean Springs Biloxi Bridge (3.4 Mile Round trip) for those who are familiar with the bridge it is a fun yet arduous run as there is a very daunting incline. I learned that I am not quite ready for  the distance and especially not for the incline. I was disappointed with how much  I had to walk but I felt good that I pushed myself and ran a lot more of it than I walked. From now until race day i think i will refer to this bridge as The Measuring Stick because my performance on this bridge  will be a great indicator as to my readiness to run my first 5k

I do have a confession before I get into the game plan for this coming week. I have been doing my Insanity workouts at night and everything has been good, However on Friday i went out and had an AMAZING dinner date with my beautiful wife. When we got home it was fairly late and I made the decision to forgo the night's workout. I wouldn't trade the night with the wife for anything  but I do wish i would have found a way to sneak in my workout. I guess I didn't have to share that, but I have always used this space as a place for complete honesty. So let's hope no one thinks less of me...

So, that is the week we are putting to bed, what's coming up next?

This being "Recovery Week" for Insanity I am scheduled to complete a workout called Cardio Core & Balance every day this week. I have not done this workout before but it seems to be toned done a bit from the regular workout. Here is a Preview. I am excited

As far as the running for next week I feel my body responds better to only 3 runs per week at this time and since we are only 4 weeks away from the run it is important to keep going with what seems to be working.

I plan to run for 30 minutes Monday  and again on Wednesday I will track these runs with RunKeeper and post the results. I Plan to attempt "The Measuring Stick" again next Saturday. My goal will be to improve my performance from this week.

Looking forward to a fun and challenging week I will keep everyone updated.

As always thanks to anyone who may be following along

So, You lost 100 lbs... Now what?

Well, It has been my quest now for the last 13 months to get healthier, to change my life, and to lose 100 pounds. As everyone knows I finally reached that goal last Wednesday, so what happens now? I have spent so much of my focus for the last year on losing weight and trying to be healthy that this is simply the most natural question to ask not just for anyone following along but also for me. I stand at a point now that I have had a few days to relish my accomplishment and now it is time to file that accomplishment away and figure out where to go from here. Not just where do i go physically but what area of my life do I need to exert the same level of focus and determination as I have to this quest?

 

But before i file it away please allow me one more additional moment of gloating. I am so excited to see the 1 as the first number in my weight it has been so very long since I have seen that. If you didn't know me before my freshman year in college you have NEVER seen me this small. I love the energy level I have now, I love how much better I feel. Ok, ok enough of that, back to focusing on the future.

 

As far as physically, I want everyone to know that i don't feel like I have just achieved a 100 lb milestone but that I have accomplished my goal of changing my life. I am dedicating to living more active. I have already laid out my fitness goals for the year and I am updating them each week. I have learned how to use food to fuel my body not just as something to shove into my mouth until my stomach aches. I have learned a lot about calories, nutrients, proteins, vitamins etc and I plan to apply the things I have learned to my life in the future to make sure I never stare at 300 again.

 

I don't really want to get much smaller, I am thrilled to be in size 32 pants and I think that is about where I should be. There is still a little mush around my midsection I want to firm up and there are some areas I want to tone up that seem a little loose, probably due to the weight loss. I don't know that firming and toning will lead to anymore weight loss if they do I wouldn't think it would be significant. I have set a floor for myself I really don't want to dip below 180 lbs.

 

One key think I will change is I will now change my calorie intake from a weight loss number to a maintenance number. This doesn't mean I get to go to the buffet and pig out, it does mean I can increase my calorie intake by as much as 500 per day. I will probably not increase that much too quickly; but with the exercise regimen I am keeping the change does allow me a little more freedom. This is where I will have to continue to use discipline and continue to make smart choices. But being able to add some calories to my diet is a happy thing.

 

I am happy to point out of the 5 goals I set for 2011 (finish the 100 pounds, run 5k, complete Insanity, run 10k, and have some abs) I have a very realistic chance to have the first 3 accomplished by the first week in March. That is exciting. There is nothing quite as exciting as accomplishing goals. 

 

I will continue to report my progress on these stated goals and on how I am doing on keeping the weight off... I don't plan on reporting a weekly weigh-in but I will keep everyone updated.

 

Now, the big question... what is the next quest? To be completely honest I don't know yet. I have some ideas but right now I am searching my heart and praying on where to focus my drive and my attention. I wasn't searching for a quest when I undertook this one and I may not know where my next one will lie, but I am committed to facing the next quest with just as much zeal and just as much passion as I did this one.  

 

Thank you again to everyone for your support and for keeping me accountable.

 

I will post later today my week in review and of course tomorrow I will give my weekly guide as to what to expect next week. On Tuesday I plan to give an updated response to the question i get asked the most "how did you do it?"  

I did it!

I am going to try to string a few words together..

WOW! I want to write something eloquent and thought provoking about the major weight loss milestone I passed yesterday. To be perfectly honest I don't even know what to say. I am incredibly humbled by everyone's well wishes, I am left speechless by those of you who have told me I am some type of inspiration.

I am reluctant to say that I am proud of myself, but I will say I have learned so much about myself in the last 13 months. I have learned that i can accomplish things physically I never would have thought possible and I have learned that mentally I do possess the drive and determination to face a challenge and overcome it. i have learned a lot about my inner drive and I now know I have what it takes  to achieve remarkable things in other areas of my life as well.

I hope in some ways my journey has helped someone else and encouraged you to keep pushing when things have been tough. I hope no one thinks this quest was easy. But with support from so many people I have lost 100 lbs with out surgery, drugs, or shortcuts. I will remind everyone just how we got here in a later blog

For those who want to know how I have chosen to reward myself.  I bought 2 new suits earlier this week they should arrive early next week. Also tomorrow night I am taking a special cooking class with the wife.

Thank you for following along. And Thank you for all the support

The next blog I post will answer the most important question left... So, you did it, Now what?

What's on Tap?

So, I wrapped up last week in yesterday's blog and I think though I didn't have as good of a week as I was hoping I still made some good progress toward my goals and I am still proud of what I accomplished.

I have noticed a couple of things. First trying to prepare for this 5k and trying to complete Insanity at the same time is very strenuous. The second thing I have learned is that it is important to make sure I am making a realistic and achievable schedule if I hope to successfully complete it. Since the Insanity program is already set up for me it is important for me to make sure I am making the proper adjustments to my running schedule. I have roughly 1 month until the race so it is important that I continue to make progress but it is also important to make sure my muscles are not too fatigued.

With all that in mind I think I will move forward this week with 3 days of running. I am going to shoot for 28 Minutes on my run on Monday, a 22 minute Fartlek workout on Wednesday and 28 minutes on Friday. I am scheduled to work Saturday Morning so I am afraid I will miss my Front Beach run on Saturday; unless I can figure out a way to work that in. I really enjoy the Front Beach run more than anything else. The good news is I am logging 2.2 miles (mostly running) in my original training schedule I was planning to try to go 2 miles this coming week. I guess I am ahead of Schedule.

The other reason why this is an Interesting week is because it is the last week of my first month of Insanity. That is significant for 2 reasons. First after this week I will be facing new workouts I have never seen. Secondly, This is the farthest I have ever made it with this program. Last time I tried this program I got injured on the second to last day of the first month.

here is the outlook:

Monday:
28 Minute Run (walk as little as possible)
Insanity Pure Cardio & Cardio Abs

Tuesday:
Insnaity Power & Resistance

Wednesday:
22 Minute Fartlek workout
Insanity Plyometric Cardio Circuit: The Arch Nemesis
Lest I not forget it is also Wednesday that I weigh-in

Thursday:
Cardio Recovery

Friday
28 Minute Run
Insanity Pure Cardio & Cardio Abs

Saturday:
Front Beach Run (if possible)
Insanity Plyometric Cardio Circuit: Our Last Battle

In addition to the exercise I am also going to take some time this week to make sure my caloric intake is correct. I am burning a lot of calories and because of that I have given myself some leeway with my intake but it is important for me to finish this quest and I need to make sure my calorie level is correct

Should be fun.. I will keep everyone updated

As always thank to anyone who may be reading...

Another week in the books...

Time to put a bow on another week of 2011 and check on where I am in relation to my fitness goals.

Monday I had my best run so far; I ran a farther distance and made better pace than I had before. 2.20 miles in 25 minutes. I know I am still far from fast; but it is progress. Monday I also completed my 2nd fit test and made some very good progress. For more details see the blog from just a few days ago.

Tuesday was another good day. I did my first Fartlek workout hen after a long day at work, I stared down my arch nemesis Insanity Plyometric Cardio Circuit.  Even though Tuesday was worse than in Monday at work winning a battle against Plyo circuit always helps the mood.

When I set up this weeks schedule I added more days of running than in previous weeks and perhaps that was a mistake. I woke up Wednesday with some pain in my calves; combine that with rain and I did not make the run I had scheduled. I did complete Pure Cardio & Cardio Abs, although it mostly felt like I was going through the motions. There were a lot of aches & soreness and my body just did not perform well. However, I did weigh-in and did lose a pound so overall I guess Wednesday wasn't too bad.

My legs were still a little sore on Thursday morning. I had scheduled a morning walk but opted to make Thursday a Full Cardio Recovery Day. So, I completed the Insanity Cadio Recovery workout and called it a night.

Friday all the aches & pains had subsided so, the body was able, but the spirit wasn't willing. It took me a long time to get motivated for my morning run only to walk out the door in to a stiff breeze and decide one more day off wouldn't hurt me. This was the type of justification that can completely derail a workout routine but I was committed to getting back on track. I did not forgo my Insanity Strength & Conditioning workout

Saturday was perhaps my favorite day of the week. I was out of the house by 6:15 for an early Men's Breakfast with the men from church then I want for an amazing 2.2 mile run on the "board walk" along the beach. The beach is awesome early in the morning and I felt invigorated I actually ran the 2.2 Miles faster today than I did on Monday. I have hope yet that I will be ready for my Arbor Day 5k Febraury 26.

I finished the week off with another battle with Plyo Circuit and defeated my nemesis yet again!!!

Week 3 of Insanity is mercifully over... That leaves only one more week or "regular" insanity then a "recovery week" followed by four weeks of "MAX" workouts... If the max workouts are really that much more difficult then I am certainly not looking forward to it. I am pleased with my progress so far.

I think I will only schedule 3 days of running next week and I feel I will still make the necessary progress to be ready for my race.

I am still looking for ideas on how to celebrate the 100 pound milestone I have a feeling we will be there very soon...

I am so glad tomorrow is a day off...

3 Random thoughts

Weight & Body Image


I find it interesting that as I gained weight it took a long time before I actually saw myself as fat. It seemed even though I was gaining weight I still had this perception of myself as as the slim athletic guy I was in high school. It was almost like the stages of grief first there is denial followed by a few other stages then unfortunately by acceptance. Once I accepted that I was fat then it was easy to do nothing about it and even make self deprecating jokes.

Once I started losing weight the experience was similar, I still saw myself as a big guy even as the pounds were dropping I still cracked jokes about not missing dinner and still saw myself in the mirror as fat. This is a perception I have just started to see the fallacy of and I am also learning how dangerous not changing this perception can be. I am finally starting to see myself with a different lens.. I don't want to see myself as a fat guy. I don't want to look at myself in the mirror and still focus on my gut... I think I can change this perception without going too far the other direction.

Sizes Matters

I wanted to take a moment to give some updates on sizes before and now. In the picture at the top of the facebook group I am wearing size 42 Jeans today I wore size 32 dress slacks to work. That is a 10" difference. At the same time I was wearing a size 20 dress shirt this week I wore a size 16 1/2 that is 3 1/2 inches. In the same picture I was wearing a xxl shirt. As I type this I am wearing an L. Just wanted to share those differences

What Reward

When I first started the blog I talked about the importance of setting goals and having rewards for achieving them. I have been so focused on losing my last few pounds and knowing that accomplishing that was going to be a huge reward by itself, but I have been thinking, I want to reward myself at the 100 pound mark, I want to celebrate. Does anyone have any ideas of what i can do as a reward to myself. I would really love to lose my mind and go to the Chinese buffet and load up about 4 plates... but I will refrain... any other suggestions?