About the Beard

Sorry about the lateness of these videos.  Working on getting them up to speed.

Caring is Sharing

Video - Andy Talks Pre- and Post-Workout Supplements

See the video on Vimeo here.

Check It Out! - Fitocracy

A friend of mine got me hooked on this site recently.  If you're like me, and the internet is a big part of your life, or you really like to play video games, then Fitocracy may be the site for you.

Fitocracy takes the element of competitive gaming and puts a fitness spin on it.  When you sign in, you can log your workouts and get points for it.  For every point you get, you come closer to leveling up.  You can also complete achievements and special "quests" for more points.

If that isn't cool enough, you can join groups of your peers based on your interests or groups of people you know in real life, and compete against them for points.  

If you're wondering if there is a reward for getting points, the answer is no.  The reward comes from making a healthier you, but this does call to the competitive nature in all of us.  

Right now, Fitocracy is available by invite only.  Lucky for my readers, I have an invite link that I can share with you.  So here you go!

http://ftcy.co/nldd1P

We need to talk...

You might notice that I've not been around on here much in the last month.  This has been both intentional and unintentional.

I had to take a look back at what I had been doing with the blog and what I was doing in my personal life.  Let's be honest; that last post was pretty awful.  I felt that I needed some time to sort out my priorities and what I wanted to convey to my readers on this site.  Now I want to update you guys from where we left off.

Did anybody complete the Primal Blueprint Challenge?  I know that I didn't.  I was able to keep up with the exercise, but the diet fell through the floor.  I felt horrid for leaving off without any further update, but I knew that anything I would type would be short and boring, or a complete lie.  I haven't lied to you guys yet, and I don't plan to start now.

In short, I've not been following the best diet.  I have been exercising on a regular basis, and I have added some interesting things to my workout that I can't wait to tell you guys about.  As a result of this, I have neither gained nor lost any weight.  I want this to stand as a testament that losing weight is 80% diet and 20% exercise.


I'm trying my skills out in video form now as well.  I've already made one that needs some editing done, and as soon as I get it ran through all the hoops I'm going to send out to you guys.  I've also been talking with a guy who wants to be my personal trainer.  I've watched him work out a few times before and he really knows what he is doing.  I'm going to give him a try here soon, and I hope to pick up some new tips that I can also pass on to you.

Be on the lookout for new posts coming soon.  We're going to be talking about new websites, new exercises, and new diet tips.  Stick around for the show, because it's going to get good.  As always, thanks for reading and for your support.

- Andy

DIY Supplements

Oftentimes, when we get into the world of health and fitness, we can get caught up in all of the jargon.  This is, of course, possible with any subject you speak about.  The difference between other subjects and health and fitness is that this one affects you directly.

I know one aspect of this world that intimidates a lot of people is supplementation.  People can get really confused when they walk into their local vitamin shop and get bombarded with all the possible nutrients they could be taking.

I have had no problem in making a "guinea pig" out of myself.  There aren't many vitamins and nutrients that I wouldn't try, so long as they were reasonable and didn't have any potentially life-altering side effects.  I do this in the spirit of adventure and the quest for truth.  I want to know if something really works or if it's just another gimmick from some company to get your money.

My latest bit of trial and error has been in pre-workout supplementation.  I started out with basic energy-boosters with antioxidants like green tea tablets.  From there, I moved on to thermogenics, which are designed to boost energy and raise the temperature of your muscles for better performance in workouts.  Lately, I've been toying around with nitric oxide boosters.

Nitric oxide is used during workouts as a vasodilator (it causes the veins to get bigger).  Vasodilation during workouts is believed to accelerate muscle growth and increase stamina during workouts.  For me personally, nitric oxide seems to give me a bit of a boost when I am strength training.  I am able to lift more and I don't get exhausted as easily as I do without it.

Initially, I was using a basic supplement recommended to me by a guy in a local GNC store.  It was called N.O. Shotgun and it was a mixture of protein, creatine, nitric oxide boosters, and caffeine (with quite a few other things mixed in).  What I immediately noticed about this supplement was that it wasn't like other drink mixes I was used to.  It couldn't be shaken because that caused everything to turn into foam.  Also, the mixture of so many different ingredients caused it to have an "off" flavor.  Sometimes it was hard to swallow it all down!  I also wasn't a fan of being forced to use creatine every time I lifted weights, as I like to cycle on and off of that supplement.

I used this supplement for about two months during intermittent workouts and had no problems.  However, when I started using it on a regular basis with regular workouts, I noticed that I was getting nausea after my workouts.  I thought that it might have something to do with the flavor of the drink, so I tried switching to a different supplement.

My next trial was on N.O. X-plode.  This was also a powdered drink mix, like the N.O. Shotgun.  This supplement mainly contained nitric oxide boosters and caffeine.  I liked the idea of this supplement better because I knew that I got enough protein from my daily shakes, and I could add or take away creatine as I saw fit.  However, the nausea crept back up with this supplement shortly after taking it, just as it had with the previous one.

After much debate on how to solve this problem of nausea, a friend suggested that I make my own pre-workout supplement.  He reasoned that the ingredients were relatively simple to get;  I actually walked right into a random GNC and walked out with everything I needed.  He told me to survey the forums at Bodybuilding.com and find out what I needed for my supplement.  After some browsing on that site, I found the most common supplements thrown out were L-Arginine, caffeine, BCAA's, and creatine occasionally.  

So far, I have used a combined mixture of GNC Pro Performance Amp Amplified Muscle Igniter 4x - Orange, GNC Pro Performance Rapid Drive BCAA 5000, GNC Pro Performance Rapid Drive Arginine 5000, and GNC Pro Performance Creatine Monohydrate.  The first thing I want to say is that I had a hard time drinking the first mix because, in my opinion the Muscle Igniter 4x tastes terrible.  One review on the GNC website said that one person wouldn't even give it to their enemies.  It was completely my fault for not doing the research on the thermogenic before buying it, because I was only looking for a powder-form thermogenic.  I plan on returning it as soon as possible.

Other than that, I felt great when I used this self-made supplement.  Separately, these supplements can be quite costly, but when looking at things from a long-term goal perspective, it is cheaper to do things this way than paying for those pre-mixed supplements that you have no control over.

As time goes on, I will update my status with the quality of my homemade pre-workout supplements.  For the future, I am hopeful that this turns out to be the thing I've been missing.

-Andy

Primal Blueprint 30 Day Challenge - Day 9

Rounding up the end of day nine of the 30 Day Primal Blueprint Challenge; I am feeling pretty accomplished today!

Currently, I'm sitting at home and drinking a protein shake.  I just finished up a nice workout at the gym and I feel great.  My workout included:

1. Treadmill Warmup - 4 minutes
2. Bench Presses - 25 x 90lbs (plus bar and 1lbs x 2 holders)
3. Planks - 4 x 30 seconds
4. Kettlebell Swings - 16lbs x 2 minutes
5. Lateral Pulls - 25 x 180lbs
6. Double Bell Squats - 25 x 90lbs

This is my second workout of the week, the first being almost identical to this.  As you can see, I'm not going to the gym every other day or every three days like I used to.  However, I am much more active at home than I used to be and my diet has changed slightly.  

Oh, and my weight?  Here's the answer to that:

Current Weight: 341.6 lbs

Weight Lost Since Last Time: 4.4 lbs

Total Weight Lost: 59.1 lbs

New Name, Same Game

One of the biggest complaints about the blog that we've had over the past few months is how long our name is!

In retrospect, I guess emergencymedicalfatnicians.blogspot.com would be a hard one to remember.  Also, it wasn't one of those names that just rolled off the tongue.  

Don't get us wrong, we're not in this to make any money, but we do want people to know who we are.  After-all, this blog was created to help people as they watch us try to help ourselves.  We want them to see where we make progress and learn from our mistakes.

So, without further ado, we would like to present the new name and shorter URL for the blog:

http://fatnicians.blogspot.com/

Yeah, we know.  It's almost too much change to handle...

Thanks again to all of our faithful readers and supporters for everything you do!

- Andy

Primal Blueprint 30 Day Challenge - End of Week 1

It's the end of the first week!  How did everyone do?

I have been doing decently with it.  I've struggled a couple of times, but I've been doing the best that I've done in a long time on my exercise!  My biggest battle is going to be getting control of my eating habits.

Early to the Party...

Apparently, MDA wasn't ready for the challenge to begin.  That, or I jumped the gun by 12 days!

Click here!

(Their logo for this year certainly is prettier than mine.)

Meal Time! Enchilada on Flaxseed Tortilla

Following a Primal Blueprint/Paleo/Low-Carb lifestyle is great, but sometimes you miss your old friends like bread, chips, corn, and tortilla shells.  I mean, what is a sandwich without bread and what is a taco salad without the tortilla shell?

Some friends of mine pointed out the fact that if I was really hurting for my grainy friends, that I could always look to alternative sources of them like flaxseed, coconut, and almonds to name a few.  When my sister announced that enchiladas were on the docket for dinner, I started to panic a little.  You see, enchilada filling is delicious and it fits in with Primal Blueprint eating, but it's just not the same without the tortilla wrapper.  

I decided that I needed that wrapper, but I wasn't going to settle for anything less than PB standards.  This set me out for my local grocery store.  There, I picked up a couple of bags of milled flaxseed and some baking powder.  I soon returned home and looked to the Internet for the next step.  I was lucky to find this site with a recipe for flaxseed tortillas and bread.

I followed the recipe for the most part, and it turned out decently.  My few critiques are as follows: 

• The flaxseed needs to be ground down even further until it is closer to a powdery consistency.  Left as is will be fine, but if the person eating the tortilla has issues with texture, then this may not be for them.
• The seasoning for the tortilla needs a lot of work.  It was very salty tasting.
• The final product had very little in common with the flour tortillas that come to mind.  It was very thick and brittle, and very similar to a cookie in hardness.  This one definitely wasn't made to wrap around anything.

All of that said, the final product was very filling.

As far as the enchilada filling, it was a very simple recipe.  We used meat from a rotisserie chicken bought at the store, a small 8oz. tub of the Philadelphia Cream Cheese - Santa Fe Blend, and a can of crushed tomato. Mix that together with a half cup of shredded cheddar cheese and put it in (on) your tortilla shell.  Throw some more shredded cheese on top with some enchilada sauce (not in the picture above) and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit until the cheese is melted on top!

I hope you guys enjoy this simple recipe.  Leave a comment if you have any suggestions on how to make this better!

Primal Blueprint 30 Day Challenge - Day 5

We're five days into the challenge.  How is everyone doing so far?

I'm finally done working at my old job, so my days spent eating on the road are officially over.  I have had a couple of days of light exercise, including an early morning jog and light strength training yesterday morning.  The weather outside here in Kentucky is close to perfect for getting outside and enjoying the weather.

As far as my diet goes, I've not been behaving the best that I could have.  But one can only eat the same kind of salad so many times in a row before harming themselves starts to look like a viable option.  There might have been a candy bar, a soda, and a piece of pizza.  

The great thing about Primal Blueprint lifestyle is that it's forgiving.  I don't beat myself up for getting off track, I just work harder at getting back on track!

Primal Blueprint 30 Day Challenge

Since my wife passed away, I've not been taking care of myself as well as I should have been.  I started eating crap foods again, I stopped exercising as much, and I started smoking again.  There; it's all laid out on the table now.

I've known for a long time that I couldn't let myself go for long like this, or I would find myself right back in the same situation I was in last October.  I refuse to go back to that size and be an absolutely miserable human being.  It's the last thing I need.

A couple of weeks ago, the idea hit me that I needed to go "hardcore" back into my diet and exercise routine for at least a month and get myself back on track.  Low and behold, Mark Sisson just happened to start up his yearly Primal Blueprint Health Challenge on August the 4th.  I may be a little late to the party, but it's never to late to get yourself healthy.

Starting today, September the 1st of 2011, I am going on the Primal Blueprint 30 Day Challenge.  I'm going to Grock out with my socks out.  I'll be following the exercise routine he provides and the diet as well.  No breads, no pastas, no sugars, no refined, processed, "just like" foods.  

Just like with the No Sweets? No Sweat! Challenge, I'll be posting here regularly with updates about my progress.  I hope that anybody who still reads my blog will jump in with me.  If not, why not just commit to doing something healthier than your used to for the next 30 days?  It can be anything from eating healthier foods, adding (more) exercise to you daily life, or cutting out something that is unhealthy for you.

I'll start with what I've got for the day:  

Current Weight: 346 lbs

Let's get this started!

Paleo to Go

Who's ever felt like they were a victim of this guy?  Surely, if you have children then you see him quite often, and loathe every trip you take to see him.  If you aren't so afraid of what his food does to you, maybe you should take a look at this.  (Yes, that really is a hamburger purchased in 1996.)

So what of us that actually do try to think about nutrition while out on the road?  This is something I was forced to do quite a bit of thinking about over the past few weeks as I have been traveling back and forth between my old job in my old town, and my new home in my new town.  There is almost an hour and a half of travel time, so I often stay with friends in the old town while I'm working to keep down gas costs.

At first, I was just going with the flow and submitting to the "necessary evils," but after a while I started to feel like crap as my body revolted against all of the junk I was putting in it.  I now would like to introduce one of the things that saved me on the days I didn't have a stove to cook with.

The Hardee's Low-Carb Thickburger

When I found out about the "Low Carb" at Hardee's, it was like a new light was shining through to me.  It may only be a thickburger without the bun, but it's great for somebody who tries to not go carb-crazy when they don't have an option to eat at home.  They also have a breakfast companion called the "Low Carb" that is a simple mix of eggs, sausage, bacon, swiss, and cheddar cheese.  You can learn more about their healthy options here.

After finding these two mini-fast food saviors, I went in search of other foods that might fit either the low-carb, paleo, or primal guidelines, and I found PaleoFastFood.com.  The person who came up with this site, a person who simply goes by "Jtubbs", actually gets out there and does the searching.  They've brought me into the light for so many "paleoesque" foods that I can get while I'm on the road.  I definitely recommend going there and checking it out if you're in need of an idea for your next meal out.

Back Into the Swing

I'm finally starting to get back into a regular workout schedule.  I've not missed a session in the last couple of weeks; at least going once every three days.

My weight is still maintaining right at the same numbers I left off at.  I weighed in three days ago, and I was at 352.9 lbs.  However, I'm still not ready to start posting the weekly stats again.  I don't expect to have those going again until some time in September.

I've got a really busy month ahead of me.  Madix will be starting preschool on August the 22nd.  My final day at the hospital will be August the 27th.  I'll be working in two, three, and four day spurts up until that time.  You might see pictures of me from the old gym, and you might see some from the new one too.  Although, it occurs to me that I've not been back there since I got my membership, and they're probably wondering where I went off to.  Also, during all of this time, I am still trying to find part-time work at my new home while getting ready to start school in December, as well as finalizing everything from Amber's loss.

As for an update on my supplements, I am taking the following:

GNC Triple Strength Fish Oil (900mg x 2 daily)

GNC Mega Men's Sport Multivitamin (x 2 daily)

Cetirizine (for allergies, once daily)

GNC Ultra Probiotic Complex 25 (once daily)

USPlabs OxyELITE Pro (x2 capsules in the AM, x1 in the evening)

I am also using BSN Syntha-6 Protein Powder once a day for meal replacements.  For pre-workout, I am using VPX N.O. Shotgun v.3, which is a combination of creatine, protein, L-Arginine, Citrulline, BCAA's, and caffeine.  For my post-workout, I am using GNC Pro Performance AMP Amplified Wheybolic Extreme 60 Protein Powder.  I added the probiotics for my digestion, which could always use some help, along with also boosting my immune system.  I know that I gave the OxyELITE Pro's a bad review a while back, but I also found out that they are extremely effective when taken correctly.  I am still not an advocate for people using "diet pills" as their only source of weight-loss, but I am using this myself because I need something to jump-start my body back into it's old ways.  After I use all of these capsules, I won't be likely to buy any more.

I'll be sure to check in again soon!

Transplanting to New Ponds

When I was in my other town, I got comfortable at my local gym after a while.  I knew that when I went in there was not going to be many people there, and I would probably be one of the youngest people there.  When you live in a small town and belong to a gym that wants Everybody to come there, you will see every-body.  Except younger people, because they still like to go to the bigger gyms in the next town where there are more options for exercise.  I thrived there though.  I knew I could go in and use the same machines over and over and vary the exercises I did on them by just a little to keep the workout interesting.

I started my membership at my new gym today.  I knew the gym was much bigger, as I had done quite a bit of research on Youtube and Google.  The membership fees were about the same, so I wasn't worried about the cost and this gym came with a few more benefits, so I was even eager to go.  I knew things were going to be different when I walked on the weightlifting floor and one of the first people to greet me looked like this:

There was a guy right in the middle of the floor doing arm curls, and making the Angry John Mccain face (AJMF).  He was really into it and I'm sure that he wasn't aware that he was making the AJMF, and I know that he didn't have any idea how much he caught me off guard.  The other part I had trouble with was realizing that other than the guy working the desk, I was one of the oldest people there.  I'm only 25.

Needless to say, I left and went upstairs to walk on the treadmill for a while.  The treadmills were nice, the ellipticals were set up differently and didn't feel as natural to walk on as my old gym's ellipticals.  The bikes were about the same, but they have a stair climber at my new gym!

I finally walked back downstairs and tried out the weightlifting floor again.  AJMF guy was there, but this time he was on a cable-cross system and was looking away from me.  I started off by trying out some bench presses.  It was the first time I had tried bench presses without a Smith Machine or any other kind of machine.  It really was different to use free weights to lift with and I really enjoyed it.  I used stabilizer muscles that I didn't even know existed, but I had to trade off by using less weight.  Most of the rest of my routine was the same, but just on different brands of machines.  

The thing I look forward to at this gym the most is the classes they offer and the new machines and free weights they offer.  They have a class on Monday evenings that is similar to Crossfit, and I can't wait to join it.  

I'll be sure to update you on how I'm doing at the new gym and if I have any more encounters with AJMF guys.

Back from the Great Beyond

I have finally returned from my vacation.  Madix and I decided to take a trip to Hilton Head, SC with some great friends.  We had a wonderful time and Madix really enjoyed his first time at the beach and seeing the ocean.  

While I was there, I have to admit that I didn't eat a very healthy diet.  In fact, the only thing that I did eat that was close to healthy was some delicious grouper with steamed green beans.  Other than that, my diet consisted of mostly junk food, hot dogs, and hamburgers.  I also didn't take any of my vitamins or drink any protein shakes.

Another confession?  Other than all the walking to and from and at the beach, I didn't get any exercise.  Granted, there was a lot of walking, so I definitely got in my 3-5 hours of low level cardio, but nothing else.  

Am I happy about the results?  No.  Am I surprised?  No.  Would I have changed a thing?  Probably not.  Relaxation and fun were the key elements for this trip.

For the future, I'm going to start returning to the gym and working out on a regular basis, but it's going to take a couple of weeks to get myself back on track.  I'm moving to a different town in Kentucky and I'll be keeping myself busy when I'm not working on my health with finding a new employer, finding a new gym, and getting myself back into school.  I'm going to start working on becoming an RN (Registered Nurse) which will help me with my medical knowledge in relation to my health.  

I expect great things from myself for the future, and I don't plan on letting myself down.  It may be a little while before I post an update picture of myself or start posting my weekly stats again.  Just bare with me while I go through these changes and I promise that I will have the blog and my health back up to where we last left off.

I want to leave by saying that I love you guys and all of the support that you've given me through this most difficult time in my life as well and Madix's.  I don't know how I could have made it through these past few weeks without the love and support of all of my friends and family.

-Andy

Do It For The Ones You Love

Amber Allen Fields

October 11th, 1984 - June 25th, 2011

On Saturday, the 25th of June, my world was turned upside down destroyed from the inside out.  I lost the most wonderful person in the world; my wife.  She was killed in a car wreck while traveling home from work. I, myself, was getting ready for work at home with my son, Madix.  For us, it was a normal day of playing together, having a good time, and waiting for Mommy to come home.

Except Mommy didn't come home this time.

Now, my three year-old only has me left.  He'll be turning four this month, and his mommy isn't going to be there to see it and celebrate it with him.  He's certainly not going to have an easy life because of it.  I am only thankful that he is too young to truly understand what a difficult hand that has been dealt to him this early in his life.

It is things like this that make us think really hard about what we're doing with ourselves.  My son has been left with an overweight father who is at risk for too many medical emergencies including hyperglycemia (blood sugar too high), hypoglycemia (blood sugar too low), myocardial infarction (heart attack, along with many other heart risks), cerebrovascular attack (stroke), hypoxia (short of air), and so on and so forth.  

Is that the way I want my son to see me?  Is that the way I want him to know that I lived?  If I die, who will take care of him after me?  Who will take him for his first day of school?  Who will watch him play his first sport?  Who will teach him how to drive?  Who will talk to him about girls?  Who will help him get ready for his prom or watch him graduate?  Who will watch as he gets married?

His options have been cut in half by something that nobody had any control over.  Is it fair to him for me to live like this now?

I, most certainly, do not think it is.  And that is why I have to work harder than ever.  I have to be the best that I can be at all times, and teach my son to be that way as well.  

And I hope that this message serves as a wake-up call for all of you.  I pray that none of you will ever have to go through what my family has in the past few days, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't live like it couldn't.  Don't give God -or fate- a chance to take you for some reason that you could have prevented.  Get yourself healthy, and keep yourself that way.  I beg that of you.

As for me and mine now, we have things to do.  We're going to get out of the world for a few days and try to relax a little.  When I get back, I'll update you more on what we're doing, how we're doing, and what our plans are.  In the meantime, take care of yourselves.  Do it for the ones you love, because tomorrow might not be the same.

Andy - Week of 6/16/11 Stats - Biggest Loser Week 5

Week Starting Weight: 347.6 lbs

Week Ending Weight:  357.4 lbs

Lost Since Last Week:    0.0 lbs

Exercise

Thursday: 45 minutes of hiking, 1 hour of swimming
Friday: None

Saturday: 3 minutes of Treadmill Warm-up, 160 lbs, x 25 Lateral Pulls and Rows, 100 lbs x 60 Double Bell Squats*, 160 lbs x 25 Shoulder Presses, 45 seconds x 4 sets of Planks, 110 lbs x 25 Bench Presses; 25 minutes of Walking
Sunday: None

Monday: 4 minutes of Elliptical Warm-up, 160 lbs x 25 Shoulder Presses, 45 seconds x 4 sets of Planks, 110 lbs x 25 Bench Presses, 100 lbs x 17 Double Bell Squats**; 20 minutes of Treadmill Cardio; 20 minutes of Walking

Tuesday: None
Wednesday: 3.25 minutes of Elliptical Warm-up, 110 lbs x 25 Bench Presses, 50 lbs x 60 Double Bell Squats, 160 lbs, x 25 Lateral Pulls and Rows, 45 seconds x 4 sets of Planks, 160 lbs x 25 Shoulder Presses

*This was the point where I proceeded to put too much strain on my right trapezius muscle in my neck near the base of my skull.  This was probably due to poor alignment of the neck and trying to do too many repetitions in one set.
**This was the point where I was a little too forgetful about my previous injury and tried to go back and do it over.  This time, the resulting pain caused me to stop my strength training all together for the day.

Reflections

I would love to say, "I give up on trying to understand my body" but I understand it all too well by this point.  The foods we eat act as ghosts, coming to haunt us days after eating them (see my post on Carbs).

The stats from this week are a combination of many things.  The first being a terrible sleep and work schedule.  This is what happens when you work way more than you should are used to and on varying shifts.  The second factor was poor eating choices when in a hungry pinch.  The third being fatigue from loss of sleep and injury combined.

In other news, I did get to find a great little nature trail that I got to go out and walk earlier in the week.  It took me about 45 minutes with my son, but I'm sure I could sprint/jog it in about 25 minutes (3 year-olds need to make periodic stops to check things out).  It has a relatively level terrain and it's really beautiful to look at.  I expect to go back a lot.

Goals for Next Week

I've got three more weeks of scheduled madness at work.  There is a small chance that it may get cut short if the new-hires being trained finish up sooner than expected and start working regularly scheduled shifts.  I'm not going to get my hopes up or anything, but the relief will be nice.  The bottom line is that I would rather them be ready for the job than to come out half-cocked and not last.  That's three more weeks of doing my best to cope with 4-5 long days of madness.

In the meantime, I'm going to have to do my best to utilize the time I have to get adequate rest.  This should help with the fatigue I'm experiencing and not cause the foods I eat to affect me so badly.

Of course, making better eating choices is going to be key.  I've did a lot better over the past week than I have in the past few, but improvements still can be made in many areas.  I want to make a return to intermittent fasting.

I'm happy with my cardio time and the number of times I'm making it into the gym for strength training.  The only thing I have to work on now is practicing good form when I do my lifts.  Without proper form, I am setting myself up for a needless injury.

Creatine in Your Routine

Normally, when words like Creatine are mentioned in a discussion about fitness, one of the first images that people think of looks something like this:

I suppose that it is possible for somebody to look like that after taking creatine.  The question we have to ask ourselves is, "What else were they taking?"  Could you imagine somebody who takes creatine looking any different?  Could you imagine them looking like... me?

Yes, I have been using creatine.  For the past six weeks I've been "juicing it up"; and you know what?  I feel fine.

Here's the rub on the taboo supplement that makes people shudder:

Creatine is the most popular and commonly used sports supplement available today. There are numerous studies backed by anecdotal evidence that support the efficacy of creatine supplementation. For the majority of the population, including both elite athletes and untrained individuals, creatine supplementation increases fat free mass and improves anaerobic and possibly aerobic performance.

- Bodybuilding.com 

Creatine is, and always has been, a natural component of skeletal muscle. The only reason that creatine may seem like something new is a recent boom in scientific research in the area since the early 1990s. In a sense, creatine was rediscovered when world-class athletes became wise to the option of utilizing it to enhance their physical performance.

In truth, however, creatine was identified as an indispensable part of skeletal muscle some time ago. Nearly two centuries ago (1835) a French scientist and philosopher named Michel-Eugène Chevreul isolated a component from skeletal muscle that he gave the name Creatine after the Greek word for flesh, or Kreas. A few years later (1847) a German scientist named Justus von Liebig proposed that creatine is necessary to support muscular activity when he observed that wild (active) foxes contain more intramuscular creatine than foxes kept in captivity. Liebig later went as far as lending his name to a commercial extract of meat that he asserted would help the body perform extra “work“. Indeed, Liebig’s “Fleisch Extrakt ” could reasonably be considered the original creatine supplement – complete with marketing strategy.

In fact, meat and fish are the richest natural sources of creatine. Carnivores therefore, receive their creatine directly via dietary channels. Conversely, herbivores (and strict vegetarians), since they abstain from consuming these sources of creatine, are solely reliant on their body’s natural ability to synthesis creatine from basic components. Omnivores, on the other hand, have at their disposal both avenues from which to fulfill their daily creatine requirement.

 - CreatineMonohydrate.net

So, now that we've got it out of the way that our bodies naturally produce creatine, and that we also obtain it from meat that we eat, let's talk about how I've been using it and what it has done for me.

First off, I started using creatine on a six week cycle.  For the past six weeks, any time I have did any kind of strength training, I have had 5mg of Creatine Monohydrate mixed into a water bottle.  I normally started drinking this water right before I went to the gym and usually finished it right before my last station.  Other than that, my routine has stayed the same, including my regular multi-vitamins and drinking a protein shake right after my workout.

I did not go through a "Loading" phase with it like a lot of people do.  I started out with 5mg every time, and only on the days that I did strength training.  Now that my six weeks of using creatine are over, I will go without using it for four to six weeks.

As far as my strength training is concerned, these are the results after six weeks of using creatine monohydrate:

• Lateral Pulls and Rows:  Started at 140 lbs x 20 reps, Ended at 160 lbs x 25 reps, Equals 20 lbs increase in weight and 5 repetitions increase.
• Double Bell Squats: Started at 90 lbs x 40 reps, Ended at 100 lbs x 60 reps, Equals 10 lbs increase in weight and 20 repetitions increase.
• Bench Presses: Started at 105 lbs x 25 reps, Ended at 110 lbs x 25 reps, Equals 5 lbs increase in weight and no repetitions increase.
• Shoulder Presses: Started at 130 lbs x 25 reps, Ended at 160 lbs x 25 reps, Equals 30 lbs increase in weight and no repetitions increase.
• Planks: Started at 30 seconds x 3 sets, Ended at 45 seconds x 4 sets, Equals 15 seconds increase in time each set and 1 extra set -or- 90 seconds increase in total time.
• In addition, I can see more definition of muscle in my calves, thighs, stomach, chest, shoulders, and upper arms from six weeks ago.

I am very pleased with the results of this first round.  I had hoped that I would be able to increase my weight more in my bench presses than what is shown, but I'm okay with that.  My maximum effort lift is just short of half my body weight right now, which is where I hope to get it and then maintain it at that level, if not go above it.

In my next cycle of creatine usage, I plan to up the dosage just a little bit.  I am going to try a small "loading" phase, and also use it on a daily basis.  I hope this will aid in my road to a healthier me in the future.

After all, isn't that what we're all trying for here?

Take a Picture, It Will Last Longer

Have you noticed the About Andy section of the blog yet?  If not, let me bring you up to speed as to what is going on over there.  Yes, there is a short biography about me, but there are also a bunch of pictures.  I'll tell you why they are there.

A piece of advice that I received a long time ago was that weight loss doesn't always go according to our plans.  We hit those wonderful things called "plateaus" and we can't seem to get our weight any lower that what it's been for the past - say, for instance - three months.  It can get discouraging to step up on the scales when you aren't visually seeing those results you want.

The best thing to combat those plateaus is to track your weight loss by other means.  Some people choose clothing sizes, which works just fine.  It can even be very motivating for some if they're trying to get down to the next size.  I choose to go another, less expensive route.

I take pictures.  Every month, within the same five-day period, I take a picture of myself.  Most of the time, my wife takes it for me and we try to take it in the same place or at least with the same pose every time.  The first picture shown was one of me where I wasn't actually posing because of my weight.  It was a picture of me on my birthday, while I was out with my wife and son on a geocaching trip.

The next photo was taken three months later, just as a starter picture for this blog.  I didn't know until a month later what a favor I had done for myself.  In a month's time, I hadn't lost the weight that I had planned on losing, and I was telling a friend about it.  They said, "Why not take a photo of yourself and track it again in a month?  That way you can still see the fat coming off of you."  I went out and took a picture that moment, and that was how it all began.

After doing that for a few months, I thought it would be a good idea to share my progress with everyone, not just with my weekly stats updates.  I didn't want the blog to just be pictures of me though, so I started adding them to my "About Andy" page.  That's where I've been putting them ever since.

The bottom line is that you don't have to be like me and put your pictures up on the internet.  But if you want a cool way to track your personal fitness goals, then try taking a picture of yourself every month.  If you want to see more drastic changes, try taking one every six months, but be warned that you may miss something that you would want to correct by not taking pics on a more regular basis.

If you don't want to put your pictures up on the internet, that's fine.  Something you can try since the photos you take will be more private is taking pictures of yourself either in your underwear or naked.  It sounds perverted and gross; I know.

But isn't this one of the main reasons we're doing this?  Don't we all want to look good naked?

(If you do take those pictures in your birthday suit, I might suggest hiding them well.)

No Sweets? No Sweat! 30 Day Challenge - Day 30 (THE END)

With a lot of people like me who are trying to lose weight, one of the biggest obstacles we have to overcome is giving up sweets. For the next thirty days I want you to take this challenge with me.  Eat nothing sweet!  Let's cut out all the indulgences we take for granted, and prove to our bodies, our minds, and everyone else that we don't need sugar to survive!  I'll be posting periodically about my progress.  I want you to leave comments about your progress as well.  Let us inspire one another!  

Day 30

So how did you do?  Be honest.  Was it hard?  

For me, it certainly was a hard challenge.  I slipped up a few times.  I blatantly disregarded the challenge a couple of times.  But that wasn't the point.

The point of this whole thing was to prove to ourselves and others that we don't need sweets to get through our days.  We proved that we didn't need sweets to keep our blood glucose levels maintained at a reasonable level.  Most importantly, I hope we all found alternatives to sweets foods that satisfy our needs and cravings.

One thing that has surprised me over the past few weeks is how much gum I chewed gum.  My wife asked me at least four or five different times if I needed more chewing gum.  I finally asked her, "Do I really go through that much that often?"  I guess the answer was, "Yes."

I know that I'm able to walk by the candy and gum isle at the grocery store now and not give it a second look.  I can also see a gallon of sweet tea or lemonade and not be thirsty for it, because nothing beats my bottle of ice-cold water.

Did anyone else learn anything about themselves through this challenge?  If so, please leave a comment with your experiences.

When Illness and Exercise Collide

For the past week, I have had one terrible head cold.  It's mostly been brought on by something that I am not even aware of starting to bloom in some location near or far that has little pollen spores that travel straight to me and cause my sinuses to go on the fritz.  (See: Kentuckians have some of the worst allergies and that's why it sucks to live in this state sometimes)

I've been coughing, sniffling, hacking, wheezing, and dragging (my butt).  I realize how much worse this could be if I weren't taking a daily regiment of Zyrtec, and I am glad for it.  This also makes me happy because it doesn't stop me from getting into the gym.

"But Andy, why would you want to work out when you're sick?  Will that not just make it worse?  Don't you feel awful when you go to the gym?"

I had to ask myself the same questions.  Luckily, I had some good friends that guided me to the "rule of the neck," and this article which mentions this rule and goes into some detail about working out while ill.

In general, if you're like me and you just have a minor head cold, it's probably safe to work out.  In fact, I go to the gym just to clear my chest congestion and sinuses out.  The intensity of the workout and the increase in body heat help to drain out a lot of the pressure.  I actually walk out of the gym feeling like I was never sick in the first place.  The good feelings usually last about an hour before they return, but most of you that have ever had a cold know that even an hour is heavenly when you're congested.

My personal rule has always been that if it's all in my head, it's probably still safe to play.  However, no illness is the same, so each case much be judged individually.  If you just don't feel up to the task, don't beat yourself up about taking a few days off to recover.  You'll get back in there with energy that you didn't know you had when your illness is finally passed.

Andy - Week of 6/9/11 Stats - Biggest Loser Week 4

Week Starting Weight: 350.6 lbs

Week Ending Weight:  347.6 lbs

Lost Since Last Week:    3.0 lbs

Exercise

Thursday: 25 minutes of Walking; 3 minutes Elliptical Warm-up, 150 lbs x 25 Shoulder Presses,  100 lbs x 60 Double Bell Squats, 110 lbs x 25 Bench Presses, 45 seconds x 3 Planks, 30 seconds x 1 plank, 160 lbs x 25 Lateral Pulls and Rows, 10 minutes of Elliptical Cardio

Friday: None

Saturday: None

Sunday: 5 minutes of Treadmill Warm-up, 110 lbs x 25 Bench Presses, 45 seconds x 4 Planks, 160 lbs x 25 Lateral Pulls and Rows, 100 lbs x 60 Double Bell Squats, 150 lbs x 25 Shoulder Presses

Monday: 20 minutes of Jogging

Tuesday: 3 minutes of Elliptical Warm-up, 45 seconds x 4 Planks, 160 lbs x 25 Shoulder Presses, 160 lbs x 25 Lateral Pulls and Rows, 110 lbs x 25 Bench Presses, 100 lbs x 60 Double Bell Squats; 20 minutes of Walking/Jogging

Wednesday: None

Reflections

Head colds are nasty.  That's how I have spent the past week.  The only times that I've felt any relief from it have been when I worked out, which may surprise a few (see my post for tomorrow).  

What surprised me was losing that additional 3 pounds this week.  I suppose that a lot of it can be contributed to the fact that I wasn't eating much of anything due to the cold.  But believe me that I probably would have been eating crappy food.  I've had a hard fall from the paleo/primal train lately.  I can feel it too.

Goals for Next Week

Weight loss is 80% diet and 20% exercise.  Lately, I've been doing 50% paleo and 50% crap food.  I've got all the resources I need to eat a proper paleo diet.  All I need is the motivation to stay away from crap food.  That will be my goal for the week.

My strength training is going well, but I need to boost my cardio hours back up.  I only spent 1.4 hours on cardio this week, and that isn't nearly enough.  If I'm going to be eating crap especially.  My optimal time should be between 3-5 hours a week.