#1:  It is easy to over train.  The leading cause of workout program abandonment is overtraining.  When your body and mind are physically exhausted, it is hard to find motivation to “push play.”

#2:  Calories in vs Calories Out.  Losing weight is simple math…. am I burning more calories than I am taking in.  The problem is calculating how many calories you are burning isn’t easy.  So the simple solution is take in the same amount of calories everyday, monitor progress and adjust upwards or downwards from there.

#3:  There is no substitute for delicious food.  No matter how committed you are to losing weight, if you can’t stand the food you are putting in your body then you won’t stick with it.

#4:  Put first things first.  I stole that from some self-help book but it applies.  If getting into shape is important to you then you need to make it a priority.  Plan your day around your workout and don’t miss it.  No excuses.

#6:  Insanity is the hardest workout ever put on a DVD.

So with all of that in mind I have started up again.  I am an over-analyzer so it took me a few days to get my ducks in a row but we are rockin’ and rollin’ now.

My diet is an adaptation of the South Beach Diet.  I have the South Beach Diet Quick and Easy Recipes Cookbook and the recipes are delicious.  However, it is based on a low-carb, high fat diet.  I have made slight changes to increase the carbs and decrease the fat.  I actually believe the best diet involves cycling carbs… meaning high and low carb days.   This techniques is used by bodybuilders who are trying to cut weight but don’t want to lose muscle mass.  Muscles need fuel to grow and carbs are part of that fuel.   If you cut them completely out of your diet, your muscles will suffer.  Instead, you keep them low for a few days then carb load to refuel them.  It works…trust me!  Research carb-loading for more information.  My ratios are about 40% protein, 30% carb, 30% fat on my low carb days, on high carb days I am shooting for 42%, 39%, 19%.  Notice how my protein intake remains about the same.  My goal is to take in about 180-190 grams of protein per day.  This is again to prevent muscle loss.

And today I am sore as hell!  The question is… rest or not to rest?

Now the games are over, a serious challenge thrown down by someone who knows I will never back down from a double dog dare.  I love competition!  I will watch badminton on TV just to see two people compete until a winner is declared and a loser… a sad, sad loser.

The true definition of irony is having a dear friend begin a torrid love tryst with an actual Las Vegas Chippendale dancer then come to me for relationship advice while unbeknownst to her I had started this blog.  This supremely ironic situation lead her to challenge me to a fitness competition.  2 Months to get into the best shape possible with the winner walking away with bragging rights, a tight six pack and a bright future in the pole-dancing industry.

I asked for a headstart, of course it was denied.  She is a measly 120lbs with a whopping 5 extra pounds on her frame.  So she has 2 months to drop 5lbs and tone up and she will be in great shape.  I have to drop 20 just to get started, then I have to drop 5 more and put on 10lbs of muscled….all in 2 months.  Not likely but being the good friend that she is, she knew that a challenge would be the only way for me to actually finish this program.

Its funny how your friends know you better than you know yourself sometimes.  So here we are, on the cusp of greatness once again with the help of a great friend.  (Thanks and good luck….. you are going to need it!)  So dust off those cross-trainers, charge up the heart rate monitor and prepare to sweat.  We start Monday!

Going insane!
Mike

My good friend is planning her bachelorette party and of course she is having it in Vegas.  And since Vegas pool parties are her favorite things in the whole world, next to her beautiful daughter, I need to be ready for pool season.   The party is scheduled for April 10-12 so that is my absolute deadline.

Needless to say I spent the weekend in various states of drunkenness or hungover.  Therefore, no intense workouts were done…well not any involving Shaun T.

Oh and it was MLK weekend so the partying didn’t stop until Tuesday…

All in all it was a great workout.  It was no P90x Yoga workout (yes, I tried that program last year and it is TOUGH!) but it was still challenging.  At the end of the workout, I felt more centered.  It is surprisingly addicting.  Besides, if I ever plan on reaching pencil level of flexibility I need to keep pushing myself and this class was a great way to do it.

As always, time is a factor.  This class is at 7:30 which is just about as awkward of a time slot as possible.  I can’t do Insanity before it because my head will still be spinning and I might throw up during the upward dog to downward dog transition. I can’t do Insanity after because I won’t be able to sleep with my heart pounding at 200 bpm.  However, if something is important to you, you will make time for it.  I will figure something out.

Mike

I’m feeling good, and looking good.  I can tell the program is working but this workout was the first time I felt a dip in my motivation levels.

During the intro clip to everyworkout, Shaun T. yells, “Come on, yall!  Let’s GOOOOO!”  And it fires me up every time.  I start jumping around like a boxer before his big fight.  Same thing today!  But as I finished the warm-up and jumped into the workout I wasn’t ready.

My mind wasn’t prepared for what was to come.

I hope I can shake this off.  I think it could be because I need a day off.  So I am taking tomorrow off, well not completely.  I am going to Yoga.

Let’s hope that helps put me back on track.

Somewhere around minute 34, while suffering through the torturous exercise known as Globe Jumps, I tweaked my back.  Not sure how, nor am I sure how to fix it but it hurts like hell.  I pushed through and completed the workout but my range of motion suffered. Even after 30 minutes in the jacuzzi and a massage, it still hurts!

Take Shaun’s advice… if you are tired, take a break and never compromise form!

That is what I did.  I was so tired, I could barely see straight but I didn’t want to quit so I half-assed some globe jumps and ended up on my knees in pain.  I got off my knees and back into action… smart, probably not…..determined, absolutely!

I really suggest that if you are going to do this program you get a heart rate monitor.  This is the second time I’ve done Cardio Power & Resistance but it still kicked my ass.  I struggled through the workout.  The only way I can tell if I am making improvements is to compare my heartrate readings.  It is clear that progress was made.  I am recovering faster during my 30 second breaks and I am able to sustain my high heart rate.

This workout is the toughest one in my book.  Because the lactic acid builds up in my muscles so quickly, I can’t really keep up with this workout.  I am hoping that by the end of this month I will be able to hang.

The changes are visible in the mirror and I love it!

Insanity rocks!
Mike

I knew it was going to happen, and I am sure that belief didn’t help me prevent it from happening but it was inevitable.

I got about 2 hours of sleep yesterday and that screwed up my eating schedule so everything was off.  Dreading the workout I still pushed myself to “just push play.”  I love the warm-up now.  It actually feels like a warm-up, an extremely intense, sweat dripping warm-up none-the-less.

Then the pain begins.  Not having the right amount of nourishment in my body I could feel this was going to be tough.  I powered through the first circuit… it hurt but I kept pace.  The second circuit was extremely difficult, my muscles were starting to fatigue quickly.  The third and final circuit is when I hit the wall….I kept moving but doing the Level 1 drills almost caused me to pass out.  The room started spinning momentarily so I took a break.  I tried to get back into the groove but never found my pace.  I continued to do the moves but it was at a snails pace.

Following the workout I recovered quickly but almost lost my lunch on the way to Subway to get my post workout sandwich.  Standing in line at Subway I kept thinking……here it comes!  But it never came, I downed my meal and felt great for having survived.

While the workout was sub-par because of my sleep deprivation, I am still able to look at the bright side.  I could have skipped today and made excuses but I didn’t.  No Excuses anymore.  I have a goal to reach and I will get there!

So this workout completes week 1.  Tomorrow is supposed to be a rest day but since I took one already this week, I am just going to power right into week 2.

So that begs the question….results this far?!?

I am going to benchmark my weight, body fat and before&after photos every 2 weeks but I know you are curious, I am too.  Drum roll, please!

I’ve gained 1.5lbs!

I know what you are thinking, I am supposed to be losing weight not putting it on!  I agree but it actually makes sense.  In addition to the eating regimen, I have been taking supplements.  Creatine, a supplement made poplular in the early 90’s because of its almost immediate positive effects on lean body mass and strength.  Creatine works by allowing your muscles to retain more water.  This water gives them a fuller look and enables them to push harder before fatiguing.  I’ve taken creatine off and on ever since I began working out in High School.  Every time, I’ve gained between 5-10lbs almost immediately because of this muscle swelling effect.

Therefore, having started this new cycle of creatine, I was expecting to put on about 5lbs of water weight.  So with this in mind, I would venture to say that I’ve actually lost between 2-3lbs with a net effect of gaining 1.5lbs.

The proof is in the mirror.  It is clear that my muscles are fuller.  But more importantly I can see an improvement in my belly.  It feels tighter and looks tighter.  So, I am happy with my results this far, however not satisfied.  I need to lose 5-6lbs a week to reach my goal of 20lbs by the end of the program.  So I’ve analyzed the diet and made some changes.

Let’s see what week 2 brings…

Just push play!
Mike

So I did some research….I have my personal beliefs as to why I’ve always worked out in the afternoons but I wanted some facts because I am an over-analyzer.

So here’s what I’ve found.

Morning Workouts

• Increased commitment: Working out in the morning ensures you actually workout.  There is no excuse.  You can free yourself up the rest of the day to focus on your daily activities without having to worry about squeezing a workout in.
• The “all day” effect: Working out gives you a buzz from the adrenaline that is released during the workout.  By releasing these endorphins early in the day, they can stick with you for the remainder of the day.  They also say you will be more conscious of what you eat for the rest of the day as you don’t want to ruin the work you’ve already put in (I call BS… I will probably eat worse knowing that I’ve already done some thing healthy.  I can afford that large pizza and 2 liter of coke)
• Metabolism race: Now here is where it gets controversial.  “They” say working out in the morning will jumpstart your metabolism so it burns more calories throughout the day.
• Burn fat not food: The second part of the controversy says that since your body uses glycogen (carbohydrates) stores to fuel your workouts before it starts burning fat, by working out in the morning you maximize your fat burning because these carbohydrate levels are low when you wake up.

These arguments make sense.  The last two are controversial because they make sense in theory but I wasn’t able to find any scientific evidence to support them.

Afternoon Workouts:

• Better workout: I’m not a morning person.  Getting out of the bed is difficult enough for me at 7AM, why would i complicate that with trying to find the motivation to put on my cross-trainers?  In the afternoons, you are wide awake, energy pumping and able to give your workout 110%.
• Body Heat: In the afternoon your body temperature has reached normal levels.  This helps you prevent injury.  Studies (and common sense) have shown that you perform better in strength and endurance events when your muscles are properly warmed-up.  Even your aerobic capacity is higher when your body temp is higher.

As you can see there are definitely positive effects of working out in the morning or the afternoon.  So here’s what I’ve come up with.

In order to get those adrenaline pumping, endorphin popping effects of the early morning workouts, I suggest a light aerobic activity in the morning.  A short, slow jog…. a few laps in the pool…. or a spin around the block on your bike.  The idea is to get your blood pumping without taxing your muscles to the point of fatigue.  The goal is to feel the satisfaction, get your metabolism pumping and burn some fat.

Save your strenuous workout for the afternoon.  Lift weights, long runs or GET INSANE in the afternoons when your concentration is higher and muscles are warmer.  Studies have shown that working out in the afternoon leads to greater gains in lean muscle mass and a greater decrease in bodyfat.  And that is attributed to the fact that you are able to put more into your workouts.

So get up early, spend 15-20 minutes doing some light aerobic work and between 4-5 PM (optimal according to this study and this study) it is time to go INSANE!

Case closed….
Mike

Pure cardio rocked.  This workout caught me totally off guard.  I guess if I paid attention to the name of the workout I would have been better prepared for the onslaught of pure, heart pumping, adrenaline rushing, sweat dripping also know as Pure Cardio.

So I told you that the warm-up was so intense that I had to take breaks just to make it through the warm-up.  Well not anymore!   It’s amazing how fast your body adapts to stress.  Although Shaun threw in a bit of a twist today, being that it is Pure Cardio, there are NO BREAKS during the warm-up.  Essentially, the warm-up is the same set of exercises repeated 3 times, upping the intensity(speed) each time with a break between the 3 rounds.  So when I finished the first round of exercises I was pleasantly expecting my 30 second break but no dice….. we kept going, and going until before I knew it we’d done all 3 iterations with no break and I didn’t stop once!

Part of that is due to slightly improved conditioning but most of it is due to mental toughness.  You see, when you first start working out, you don’t know how far you can actually push yourself so the first signs of pain or gasping for air cause you to quit.  After a few times, your brain realizes… I know what’s coming and I know we can handle more… “keep pushing.”  It’s one of the many valuable lessons I learned at US Army Ranger School.  Just when you think you’ve reached you limit, dig down and do 10 more.

I will upload my heart rate monitor graphic so you can see what I mean.  My heart was beating faster and for longer than it has in any workout previously however I was able to keep going because I pushed myself.

Fueled by my warm-up success, I blasted through the workout (which is non-stop until the final cooldown) with ease.  Haha, yeah right.  It was extremely tough but I pushed and pushed and in the end I felt great.  I think part of my success can be attributed to my day off.  I was rested and ready to give it 110%.

After the workout, I recovered much faster than normal.  I am usually worthless for at least 30 minutes after the workout, however today I was charged and ready to go minutes after completing the cool down.  Can you say progress?

We’ll see how tomorrow goes but I am really enjoying this!

Pain is weakness leaving the body,
Mike