Cheater

This morning's run was very enjoyable - very cool and foggy.  Humidity is coming back though, which sucks.  I cheated on my diet for the first time today.  We had a company lunch, and had barbeque pulled pork sandwiches, baked beans, and potato salad.  Not that bad, but I had to top it off with a delicious brownie.  It tasted better than any brownie I've ever eaten.

So I'm officially a cheater, and can't wait until the next cheat!

73 days to go!

Day 10

This mornings workout:

Barbell Bench (Smith Machine)
90x12
110x10
120x8
130x6
90x12
Superset with Dumbbell Incline Press
40x7

Seated Rows
65x12
75x10
80x8
85x6
65x12
Superset with Back Extensions
25x12

Reverse Dumbbell Flyes
10x12
12.5x10
15x8
15x6
10x12
Superset with Upright Cable Rows
35x12

Preacher Curls
55x12
65x10
70x8
70x6
55x12
Barbell Curls
65x12

Tricep Pressdowns
30x12
40x10
50x8
60x6
40x12
Superset with Standing Overhead Cable Extensions
30x12

Days 6-9

Saturday evening I got my run in, and it didn't seem too bad.  I thought maybe things were going to start getting easier - boy was I wrong.

Sunday was my free day, which was much needed.  I still didn't eat too bad, but it was nice not having to worry about eating every 2 hours.  Couldn't get to sleep Sunday night until about 2am.

Monday I woke up at 5:30am to go to the gym, but couldn't do it after only 3-1/2 hours of sleep.  I reset the alarm for 6:30, got up, made my breakfast and meals for the day, and went to work.  I was ashamed for missing my workout, but took my gym clothes to work so I could hit the gym on the way home.

I went to the gym Monday night, and completed my first of two lower body workouts for the week.  It was an intense workout, and my legs were wasted by the end of it.  I went home, ate dinner, and pretty much went straight to bed to catch up on some sleep from the night before.

This morning I got up at 6:00, and got my run out of the way for the day.  It was nice and cool outside, which made it much more enjoyable.  However, my legs were still exhausted from last nights workout, so I'm sure I looked like I was running with a stick up my south end...

So I'm back on track, without missing, and looking forward to tomorrow mornings upper body workout.  I'm starting to feel much better - and might even be able to see some body fat slowly starting to disappear!  Been eating like a horse - headed to the store to stock up on more food tonight!

Here is my lower body workout from Monday evening:

Barbell Squats (Smith Machine)
90x12
140x10
140x8
140x6
90x12
Superset with Leg Presses
240x6 (too heavy, couldn't get the full 12 reps)

Straight-Leg Deadlifts
65x12
85x10
95x8
115x6
65x12
Superset with Lying Leg Curls
5x12

Calf Presses
100x12
120x10
140x8
160x6
120x12
Superset with Standing Heel Raises
50x12

Crunch Machine
70x12
90x10
100x8
110x6
90x12
Superset with Decline Oblique Crunches
3 (couldn't get 12...)

75 days to go!

Inspiration

I told myself I was going to put up "Before" pictures, but I think I'm a little too embarrassed to do that right now.  Granted, I did chug about a gallon of water and a Powerade before the picture, to make myself look extra bloated in order to make the "After" pictures look that much better...  I think I have decided I will put of the before pictures when I put up my 4 week progress pictures.

On the BFL website, there are several "Champions" who have volunteered their training regimen and their diet.  I chose the only guy that was close to my age and build (before obviously), and decided to mock my diet off of his as accurately as possible.  I am skeptical that my results will be as good as his, but I can always hope.

Here is a link to his story: http://bodyforlife.com/challenge/champions/mark-unger
Here is a link to his diet: http://bodyforlife.com/library/meal-plans/mark-unger

FINALLY FRIDAY - 1 week down...almost.

Well, I was 3 for 3 on my weight workouts this week, and tomorrow I will go 3 for 3 on my cardio workouts hopefully!  Last nights cardio session was a bit warm - so needless to say I gave up on minute 19 of 20.  Didn't figure that was too bad considering I ran after dark and it was still 97 degrees. 

Diet has been pretty much flawless so far.  I did have a sip of Lauren's root beer at Andy's the other night - forgive me!

Below is my weight training session from this morning.  Little sore today, but we'll get through it.  It's a good sore!

Cable Crossovers (lower)
17.5x12
17.5x10
17.5x8
17.5x6
12.5x12
Superset with Dumbbell Flyes
25x12

One Arm Dumbbell Rows
25x12
35x10
40x8
45x6
30x12
Back Extensions
100x12

Dumbbell Front Raises
10x12
12.5x10
15x8
17.5x6
12.5x12
Superset with Upright Barbell Rows
65x12

Cable Curls
30x12
35x10
35x8
37.5x6
30x12
Superset with Concentration Curls
20x7 (couldn't get 12 reps...arms were dead)

Overhead Cable Extensions (rope)
30x12
40x10
45x8
50x6
45x12
Superset with Bench Dips
25

Now the real challenge, staying strict through Saturday, and then its SUNDAY FREEDAY!!

Day 3

Today was the first day of lower body training.  Here is how the training session went:

Leg Extensions
50x12
50x10
60x8
70x6
40x12
Superset with Leg Presses
240x12

Lying Leg Curls
5x12
6x10
7x8
8x6
5x12
Superset with Dumbbell Lunges
25x12

Seated Calf Extensions
180x12
220x10
240x8
260x6
220x12
Superset with Standing Heel Raises
45x12

Floor Crunches (with medicine ball)
6x12
8x10
10x8
14x6
8x12
Superset with Oblique Twists (with medicine ball)
8x12

No surprise female visitors in the locker room today..

Day 2

I ate dinner when I got home from work - a turkey Fillet Mignon, Steamed Bown Rice with Asparagus, and a small Fresh Spinach Salad.   I did my interval cardio session about 2 hours later.  I waited as long as I could for the temperature to cool down, but unfortunately it was still a blistering 93 degrees when I took off running.

I managed to complete the entire 20 minutes without stopping, so that was a good start. Below is a diagram showing the interval training.

Just before bed, I drank a protein shake consisting of water, ice, peanut butter, and 'cookies n cream' casein protein, which is a slow digesting protein. 

2 days down, 82 to go!

Day 1

The first workout is officially in the books.

Yesterday we made the dreaded trips to Sam's and Wal-Mart for groceries.  $300 later, we were stocked up.  It looked like we were buying for a family of 10, and of course there are only 2 of us...  Needless to say, we shouldn't have to buy anything for a few weeks.

Got up at 5:30 this morning and had breakfast:

24oz water
6oz grapefruit juice
small bowl of shredded wheat cereal w/ skim milk
1 banana

Had a protein shake on the way to the gym.

I tried not to overdo it on the first day, so my workout looked like this:

Dumbbell Bench Press
40x12
45x10
50x8
55x6
35x12
Superset with Dumbbell Inline Press
35x12

Wide Grip Lat Pulldown
60x12
70x10
80x8
90x6
60x12
Superset with assisted Pull-Ups
40x12

Seated Dumbbell Press
25x12
30x10
35x8
40x6
25x12
Superset with Dumbbell Lateral Raises
15x12

Alternate Dumbbell Curls
15x12
17.5x10
20x8
22.5x6
15x12
Superset with Hammer Curls
15x12

Triceps Rope Pressdowns
20x12
30x10
40x8
45x6
30x12
Superset with Tricep Kickbacks
12.5x6 (couldn't get the full 12 reps)

Now the good part.  First day back at the gym, and I go take a shower in the locker room.  I finish my shower and am walking back to my locker, practically naked, and there standing there is this poor girl, in the wrong locker room.  She turned around just as she realized what she had done, and there I was.  Not sure who it was more awkward for, but I got a snapshot of her reaction...

The rest of the day's menu looks like this:

8:30 a.m.
½ cup low fat vanilla yogurt and ½ cup cottage cheese mixed with a handful of fresh blueberries

11:00 a.m.
1 can of tuna fish (in water) drained and drizzled with lemon juice, 1 orange

1:30 p.m.
Mozzarella cheese stick and apple slices sprinkled with cinnamon

3:30 p.m.
Steamed brown rice drizzled with olive oil, rice wine vinegar and teriyaki sauce, small salad consisting of spinach leaves and sliced red peppers

6:00 p.m.
Rib eye steak, sweet potatoes and grilled zucchini and yellow squash (marinated in olive oil, basil, salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar and garlic for 20 minutes), skim milk

9:00 p.m.
1 ½ fruit smoothies consisting of vanilla yogurt, orange juice, sliced pineapple, handful of ice, vanilla extract and 1 scoop of casein protein

Grocery List

The plan on this program is to speed up your metabolic rate by eating numerous small meals per day.  The more muscle you want to retain/gain, the more you eat.  Simple enough.  So here is the grocery list for the first week:

Smoked Turkey                    Lime Juice
Chicken Breasts                   Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing
Rib-eye Steaks                     Lemon Juice
Salmon                                 Olive Oil
Ground Turkey                     Red Wine Vinegar Dressing
Grape Nuts                          Teriyaki Sauce
Shredded Wheat                  Basil
Cheerios                              Balsamic Vinegar
Oatmeal                               Garlic
Wheat Pasta                         Vanilla Extract
Brown Rice                          Thyme
Green Beans                         Cantaloupe
Mashed Potatoes                  Broccoli
Tuna                                     Kiwi
Grapefruit Juice                     Bananas
Orange Juice                         Strawberries
Skim Milk                             Blueberries
Vanilla Low-fat Yogurt          Rasberries
Cottage Cheese                     Pineapple
Mozzarella Sticks                  Oranges
Eggs                                      Apples
Raisins                                   Red Peppers
Almonds                                Sunflower Seeds
Shrimp                                  Sweet Potatoes
Wheat Bread                         Zucchini
Peanut Butter                        Yellow Squash
Mayonnaise                           Asparagus
Jelly                                       Snow Peas
Pears                                     Carrots
Cucumber                              Onion
Grapes                                   Lettuce
Peaches                                 Protein Bars

Overview

I will be starting my 12-week Body For Life transformation on Monday (8/9/10).  I have tried this several times before, but have yet to finish a whole 12 week program.  Someone told me that blogging would be a great way to stay true to the program - for fear of letting anyone down who might be following.  We will see how it works!

This weekend I'll be stocking up on groceries, and preparing next weeks meals on Sunday.  I will also be taking my "before" photos, and will post those on Monday...as embarrassing as those might be...

In case anyone is interested in the program, visit www.bodyforlife.com for more information.