Still workin'

Man, paramedic training is tough! You guys remember school, right? How you'd cram for a test, spit out the answers, then promptly forget everything because you'd never need it again? I can't afford that luxury. if I forget something, people will die. (Or at least have a very bad time)

As for dieting, it's been pretty rough. I've been making new friends in sequence, and my instinct is to eat with them. I've always been a social eater, after all don't you make friends by "Breaking bread together"? Luckily, I spent way too much money, so I was forced to buy healthy groceries.

Pilates is very fun, albeit extremely awkward. As expected, I'm the only guy. I'm also about 7 years older than these pretty ladies wearing yoga pants. It's bittersweet, really. The instructor sometimes has us pair up to "critique our moves". So when she tells us to assume the downward dog position and "gently pull back on their hips until they feel the stretch" pretty  entertaining/mortifying/whyareyoumakingmedothistothispoorlady.  

Someone took a picture of me in class.

But I do feel like it's working, my core muscles are sore the next day. As for other workouts, I just recruited my Sequence buddies to workout with me in between classes. Maybe we can teach each other some tricks of the trade!

I need to come clean

Did you notice how I haven't posted anything since February?  Yeah, that wasn't because I forgot.

The truth is, I gained some weight I gained most of my weight back.

That was one of the hardest things I've had to say in a while.  When I had the gall bladder attack back in February, I was already feeling downtrodden because I wasn't seeing any more results from Carb Nite.  It wasn't that the diet stopped working, it was that I was going about it the wrong way.*  The visit to the hospital gave me an excuse to dial back my diet and exercise regimen "while I figured things out."

The only problem is that I never did.

I stopped exercising all together.  I cancelled my membership with my fancy gym**, I stopped cooking my own food, I started eating fast food all the time, and started drinking a lot of soda.  I didn't notice until it was too late that my shirts and pants were tighter, I got out of breath easier, my back pain came back, and that places and things that I used to fit into just wasn't happening anymore.

I think stress and depression are to blame for me pretty much letting go of everything I had worked so hard for.  However, the only person that can fix the stress, depression, and lethargy in my life is me.  

So here is THE PLAN:

Phase 1

• Return to Carb Nite.  When I started Carb Nite, I was doing it the right way.  I'm going to watch carb intake and keep it under 30g a day.  I'm also going to be watching macro-nutrients in respect to keeping a 2:1 protein to fat ratio.
• Strive for Paleo.  As I have said before, Paleo dieting and CNS are natural bedfellows.  While striving to eat low carb, I'm also going to try and eat clean.  Basically, even if the diet soda has no carbs in it, I won't be drinking it.  Which takes me to the third part...
• Drink lots of water.  It serves so many purposes.  Water acts as an appetite suppressant, it helps flush waste from the kidneys, and it keeps the body hydrated (duh!).
• Walk at least twice a week.  It doesn't sound like much, but I'm taking advice from Hark and I'm starting small.  He was so right when he reminded me that jumping in too much too fast would only cause relapse.  These aren't going to be short walks either.  I'm going for at least a mile each time.

Phase 2

• Maintain all aspects of Phase 1.  After I have reached a level of routine with Phase 1 and results are hitting a peak, I will start into Phase 2.  This process should begin within 4-6 weeks.
• Increase walking to three or four times a week.  Still striving to at least walk a mile or two each time.
• Start to add strength training.  At first, it will simply be two days a week.  One day of upper body, and another of lower body.

Phase 3

• Maintain all aspects of Phases 1 & 2.  After I have reached a level of routine with Phases 1 & 2 and results are hitting a peak, I will start into Phase 3.  There is no definite timetable for this as results vary from person to person and even from one personal attempt to the next.  My goal is to start this phase after being on Phase 2 for 6-8 weeks.
• Divide strength training into 3 days per week.  Instead of doing one day of upper body and another of lower body, I will divide the workouts into three days where I try to focus on one from each group.  The strength training sessions will be slightly shorter, but will provide more attention to individual muscle groups.
• Start Intermittent Fasting.  This will be for my Ultra Low Carb days where I may not have any carbs in that day, or only eat once throughout the day.  This will help to break through some plateaus that I will be hitting.  I will still supplement with lots of water and multivitamins on those days.

Phase 4

• After a period where I am hitting an unbreakable plateau (which happens to everyone), I will take a break from the Carb Nite portion of the diet.  John Kiefer, author of The Carb Nite Solution, has updated his stance on how long CNS can be done from 6 months to indefinitely, but I'm going to take some precautions anyway and revert to the Mark Sisson teaching on carb intake (that the body can be maintained safely at 50-100g carbs per day).
• One month of Paleo.  This part of the diet is still going to be crucial, as this should be a lifestyle more than it is a diet.
• Possible return to just walking three or four times per week.  This will all be determined on how I feel at the time.
• After one month has passed, return to Phase 1 and repeat.  I'll keep doing this until I get the results I want!

Everything said and done, this is going to be a slow process, but I am committed to making myself healthier in the long run.  

Last, but not least, I want to thank any of the people that still read the blog for sticking with Hark and I.  We may not be the best at updating, but we appreciate all of the feedback we get from you guys!

___________________

*On CNS, it is possible to eat low carb, but not lose weight.  The diet I was keeping had my ratios backwards, and I believe that is why I wasn't losing.  Instead of keeping a ratio of 2:1 proteins to fats, I had a 1:2 ratio.

**Even though I cancelled my fancy gym membership, I found a local gym that doesn't have all of the nice equipment, but it has the necessary equipment.  Instead of paying $30 a month, I now pay $45 a year.

Step 3: Get in some Exercise

Over the next few weeks, I'm going to give out some details for what I'm doing to kick the weight I put on from the holidays.  It's all going to be simple stuff that should get me (and you, if you do the same) back on track!

Step 3: Get in some Exercise

We're all nearly a week into our New Year's Resolutions.  I say all of us, because I don't know of many people who don't make the resolution each year to lose weight or get in shape.  Hopefully by this point the short detox period and the changes in your diet are making you feel better and you're possibly already losing weight!

The third step in the weight-loss plan involves getting physically active.  I still stick with the Mark Sisson, Primal Blueprint idea of hanging on to the basics:

•  Try to spend at least 20 minutes a day doing low-level cardiovascular exercise.  This means just going for a walk, housework, or anything that gets you moving.  You don't have to break a sweat, but make sure it isn't anything too low that it doesn't even count.  The idea here is to get moving.
• Do some strength training 2-3 times a week.  If time is a factor for you, stick to the basic muscle groups of the chest, back, and legs.  All of the other stuff will naturally follow.  You don't have to have a gym membership either, as push-ups, pull-ups, planks, and squats can all be performed in the comfort of your living room.
• Once a week, have an all out cardio session that last for no more than 10 minutes.  You want to be at 50-75% of your maximum heart rate.

You would be surprised how easily these tasks can be accomplished.  Go for a short walk every day, or park at the back of the parking lot when you go to a store.  Do some yoga, stretching, or tai-chi in your living room.  If you really want to, go to the gym and sweat it out there.  The important thing is not where you do it, but that you do it at all.

I've got to be trying to be fat...

If I'm not losing a ton of weight next semester.

I was all angry earlier today. You see, I've got so much schooling under my belt, that I don't really need to take extra classes on my way to be a paramedic. I've already shown I understand math, writing, and have those communication skills necessary to heal people. So when the professors of the required (and completely full) courses told me I couldn't be in their class I was aggravated. I don't want to waste my time with stupid English 101, Math 110, or retake basic Biology. Also, the way funding works, it would have been cheaper to be a full-time student than take only those three required courses. But taking really hard classes would wreck havoc on my GPA, and taking classes that were too easy would look lame on my transcript.

So I fixed it.

I knew I wanted to do some exercise for a class. One of my biggest motivators is to get a good grade, and my biggest weight losses have come about because of classes. Story time: My bachelor's program required students to know how to swim, and I happened to not be in class the day they tested people. So there I was, a pretty decent swimmer, learning how to blow bubbles in the shallow end of the pool. Coach said in order to pass the class you need to be able to swim for 15 minutes, and then tread water for 15 more. If we wanted an A, all we needed to do was swim for an hour, then come back the next day and tread water for an hour more. I ended up losing 30lbs that summer.

I registered for Weight Training, since Steven and Andy both suggested it helps out for weight loss. Then I thought, "Hey, I do want to make a career out of fixing childhood obesity! I should do something with that" So then I got my registration for Basics of Nutrition on.  I'm still a credit short of full-time. Poop. Ohhhh... you know what's worth one credit? A Phys-ed course. But taking a class that isn't during my Tues/Thurs schedule isn't going to be good for my work schedule. And I'm already doing weight lifting, I'll need to do cardio. Suddenly, the Way was shown unto me: "Walking for Weight Loss" right after Weight Training.

So I'm gonna have a class where I learn how to save people's lives, then a lunch break, learn how to save my own life, then a dinner break, and finish my day switch hitting between saving my life and those of others.

Screw you crappy scheduling, I win,
Hark

P.S. By losing!

P.P.S Losing weight that is. 'Cause that makes me a winner.

Update on the PB21DC... and other stuff

First off, I'll go ahead and put it out there that if you're starting to miss Hark and I, don't be mad at us.  We're both really busy in school right now, not to mention work, and in my case a child.  We're still trying to eat healthy and exercise too, but it's hard to fit so much into a daily schedule.  If that's not proof enough, look at the date stamp on this post.  Yes, I really wrote this at midnight.

At the time of this post, we are two full weeks (14 days) into the PB21DC.  Personally, this is the best effort that I've made to eat Primally since before the mess of things in June of 2011.  I don't know if I've lost any weight, because I've not had time to weigh myself.  I will admit, that I've cheated a couple of times on my diet and I haven't been able to exercise like I want to.  I still get a lot of low level cardio in at work because of all the walking and lifting I do though, so there is slight compensation.

Here are some things that are working for me that I thought I would share, so that you might see if they work for you:

1. Follow Marksdailyapple.com.  This is a great source (the original source) for the Primal Blueprint.  Mark gives out great advice every day of the year for how to live a Primal lifestyle, great recipes, cool links, and success stories to motivate you.
2. If you're not sure about how or what to eat, start slow.  Over the summer, I regained a heavy addiction to soda.  When the challenge started, I switched to diet soda's to take the edge off and keep the carbs at a minimum.  Now, I've been completely soda free for three days and I'm feeling fine.  I supplement the caffeine need with delicious home-brewed coffee.  The key is to keep in mind what the healthiest choice is for you to make and then strive to meet that goal.
3. Keep a journal.  I went bought a pocket-sized journal to track my food intake, energy level, physical activity, and general thoughts daily for the challenge.  This can be so beneficial when you're looking to find out, "What went wrong?"
4. Make the effort to coexist with non PB'ers.  In an ideal world, we all live either by ourselves or with people who want to eat as healthy as we do.  This is not an ideal world.  Nearly everyone has a roommate, housemate, or family member, and they may not be cozy in your PB lifestyle.  It would be nice if you could throw out all the crap food in your pantry and fridge, but they may protest.  Personally, my son has a hard time adjusting to this diet.  When he's not with me he's with my family or at school.  Neither of those places are exactly on board with the Primal eating plan.  All that being said, he's not sure why we don't have buns or bread for the hot-dogs, hamburgers, and other sandwich items in the house and he hates that he's not getting french fries and tater tots anymore for his side item or snack, and instead having to eat carrots with dip.  It's all about compromises, and remembering which food items in your home ARE NOT YOURS.  Other than that, it's all about patience and discipline.

I thought I would shoot a link for you guys over to the guy that got it all started for me.  I know him as Cormac, and I met him on a video game message forum (geeky, right?).  Cormac was the guy that started talking about paleo dieting and the Primal Blueprint.  He's insanely smart when it comes to this stuff, and he's started a blog that answers questions about how he lives his PB lifestyle in Japan.  Before I give you the link, I will warn you, he uses a little bit of non-family friendly language, but it's worth it for the knowledge you get out of it!

Cormacaroni.tumblr.com/

Quick Update From the Gym

Sorry for the delay in posting it on the blog!  For any of you that might have missed it.

Fatnician Frisbee Fun

Uploaded this video to Youtube today.  Didn't feel much like writing anything this week.  You might want to turn down the volume a little bit.  It was extremely hot outside today (over 103°F with high humidity) and I think I might have been on the brink of heat exhaustion when I made this video.  I was out of breath too...

Anywho, a brief explanation of what has been going on with me lately.

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

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?

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.

Take a Hike!

These are some pictures from a hike that I took with a couple of friends in Berea, Ky.  The place we hiked at is called the Pinnacles.  The trail all-together is a little over seven miles in length, but we didn't have a full day to hike with, so we chose to go to the East Pinnacle and the Indian Fort Lookout.  This hike was about four miles in length and it took us about two and a half hours to hike it.

These are the two friends I went with.  Harrison is the bald one in the maroon shirt and BJ is the tall one in the black shirt.  This was one of the views looking out from East Pinnacle.

These are some more of the beautiful views from East Pinnacle.  

Who's that ugly mutt?

These are some of the gorgeous views from Indian Fort Lookout.

Harrison stopped to have his picture taken.

BJ did as well.

Further down the trail, BJ found a cave under where we were walking.  He found out that he could jump over the side of a nearby ledge to one below it to get to the cave.  I had no interest in going over that ledge.

Hiking is great for so many reasons.  It gets you outside, it can be challenging, you get to test yourself, and it's free.  There's no reason not to go find a place to hike in your local area today!  If you're lost before you even find a trail, trying going to EveryTrail.com and signing up for an account.  Every Trail has a lot of trails mapped out by local users, so you can find a good guide to local hiking spots.  You may even find one or two that you didn't even know existed!

Check it Out! FitDay.com

As many times as I've plugged Marksdailyapple.com, I'm sure you've stopped in and taken a look around.  The more and more you go to the site, you'll see that he likes to plug some of his favorite sites that he goes to.  One of his favorites that he suggests to everyone is FitDay.com.

Fit Day is diet and exercise tracking, simplified online.  They only offer to keep a log of the foods you eat, the exercise you get, and the weight you loose.  They don't make a lot of suggestions and they don't judge.  If you were a fan of Sparkpeople.com, but you didn't like all of the "interactive" features that they had like the social media side and the constant tips, then Fit Day is for you.

Recently, I had to use Fit Day to get my diet back on track.  For the past few weeks, I hadn't been losing any weight.  I couldn't figure out what the problem was since I was having phenomenal results in the gym.  A friend of mine suggested logging into my Fit Day account and logging a few days worth of food.  I logged four days worth of eating, and I discovered that I was over my personal limit for carbohydrate intake.  I was getting anywhere from 25-50 more grams of carbs than I needed to lose weight.  It was the answer to why I was maintaining my weight instead of shedding it.

Did I mention that these people aren't pushy?  I've had an account for a few months now, and I don't remember getting an email from them other than the confirmation email when I signed up.  This site is one of those, "We're here if you need us" kind of places.  It's right up my alley for checking in, researching what I want to know, and getting out.  They put everything I need to know right into a nice and neat little chart and let me go on my way.  It's not overloaded with graphics either.

If you're like me, and you don't really want a lot of outside influence from an impersonal site for weight-loss, then FitDay.com is for you.  Give them a try today!

Set Goals - Soar Past Them

The wall behind my computer at home is a mess.  It's a scramble of index cards with numbers scribbled on them and pieces of paper with factoids printed out on them.  There are only two things that really stand out on this wall.

The first is a picture of me from the summer of 2005.  At the time, I was working in a town an hour north of Virginia Beach, VA.  I was employed with a summer camp and I worked from before the sun came up until a few hours after then sun went down.  It was one of the best times of my life, and I worked harder than I've ever worked there.  It was a lot of physical labor.  I burned more calories than I could consume.  I lost 50+ pounds that summer in a little over three months.  When I got back home, I had a tan and I was the thinnest I had been since I was 15 years old.  I had a picture taken with a friend there right before I left and it stayed buried in a box of old memories until a year ago.  After I found it, I became jealous of the guy in the picture and wanted to be like him again.  I hung the picture up on that wall and decided that I wanted to be like him.

The second thing hanging on my wall is a set of goals written on index cards.  They are all weight goals right now, but after I hit a certain point, I plan to make them more "physically oriented" goals.  With each goal that I have, I have a written time frame that I want to reach that goal by.  If I meet that goal in the time frame allotted to me, I get the reward I have set aside for myself.  These goals were written in February 2011.

Here are my current goals:

1. Reach 350 pounds.  Date - April 2011.  Reward - Steak Dinner and Movie with Wife
2. Reach 325 pounds.  Date - August 2011.  Reward - Buy New Clothes
3. Reach 300 pounds.  Date - February 2012.  Reward - Vacation with Family

As you can see, the goals are set at certain intervals.  My intervals are 2 months, 6 months, and 1 year.  I have only set the first goal to be somewhat lofty.  The rest won't actually be too hard.  I hope to meet the 2nd goal way before August.  I don't think I'll even have a problem meeting the 3rd goal before next February.

I also have an ultimate goal.  My ultimate goal is to be able to do a regular pull-up.  Some of you skinnier folks out there may be laughing or confused, but that is one lofty goal. 

My recommendation with all goal-setting is to keep it reachable.  Don't make it too easy on yourself, but also don't set it out of your grasp.  I will say that setting weight goals isn't always recommended.  Sometimes our weight will fluctuate if we have an off week, we gain muscle, or we retain water.  All of these things can throw off your results.  That's why a very common recommendation these days is for people to track their health through pictures.  I take a picture of myself once a month to track my progress as well.  I may only lose 5 pounds in one month, but it may look like even more in the pics!

Time Warp! Weight Loss Pictures

Some of you might not pay any attention to the "About Andy" section on the blog, and that's okay.  But I like to post pictures there from month to month of my weight-loss progress.  Here's the quick version:

October 15th, 2010, 400.7 lbs

April 11th, 2011, 355.3 lbs

To keep those of you at home from pulling out your calculators, that's 45.3 pounds lost in 6 months.  No gimmicks and no short-cuts.  Just regular diet and exercise.  Granted, I'm not counting calories and I am doing a special diet, but it's nothing that can't be done by anyone else and it's completely healthy.

To see the rest of the photos that are regularly updated, check out the About Andy section on the EMF blog!

Book Review - The Primal Blueprint

The Primal Blueprint

by Mark Sisson

If you're new to the blog or just haven't caught on to this yet, I've been turned on to a new "diet" and "exercise" plan that should really be called a lifestyle plan titled The Primal Blueprint.  The creator of this almost-grassroots phenomenon is Mark Sisson.  

Mark is a highly respected fitness and health author and blogger.  He is also a former distance runner, triathlete and Ironman competitor. Sission finished 4th in the February 1982 Ironman World Championship.  Since mostly retiring from competitive sports, Mark has went on to change lives through his books and his website Marksdailyapple.com.  

Sisson's most popular book, The Primal Blueprint, has changed many people's thinking (including my own) about their approach to fitness.  He proposes that we model our lives, in terms of diet and exercise, after our primal ancestors.  He often references one he affectionately calls "Grok".  

Grok doesn't eat bread.  He doesn't drink soda.  He doesn't replace meals with Slimfast.  He doesn't use caffeine as a crutch.  Grok also doesn't take spinning classes.  He doesn't lift weights five days a week.  

Grok survives.

In the book, The Primal Blueprint, you will learn Sisson's 10 Primal Laws that we can all live by:  

1. Eat lots of plants and animals
2. Avoid poisonous things
3. Move frequently at a slow pace
4. Lift heavy things
5. Sprint once in a while
6. Get adequate sleep
7. Play
8. Get adequate sunlight
9. Avoid stupid mistakes
10. Use your brain

In each chapter, Mark discusses each one of these laws and how we can apply them to our daily lives.  He goes into detail about the benefits of eating mostly plants and animals and avoiding what he calls "Chronic Cardio."  Sisson also gives examples of how to enact these laws into daily life and gives pretty easy examples of each one.

I have to say that if there was ever a book I wanted to recommend to somebody wanting to get their health in check, this would be it.  The knowledge passed down by Sisson in this book is as valuable as gold to me as I have already started to apply it to my life.  I already feel better, and have more natural energy than I ever thought that I could possess.  

If you would like to purchase The Primal Blueprint, you can buy it online at PrimalBlueprint.com ($26.99 USD), Amazon.com ($15.94 USD), or BarnesandNoble.com ($15.94 USD).  You can also buy it in eBook format for the Kindle ($8.79 USD) and Nook ($9.99 USD).

Spark your weight-loss with Sparkpeople

SparkPeople.com

When I first started on my journey into diet and exercise, it was hard to find somewhere to go to keep up with it all.  As many of you know, just dieting and exercising alone without keeping track of it can quickly turn into failure.  Like a good friend of mine used to say, "A ship without a rudder is just a fancy float."

For those of you that don't already know, I had tried Weight-Watchers twice in the past.  Each time, I felt like I was paying for it and not getting any results.  I'm not saying that it doesn't work; it's just not for me.  I needed something a little stronger that made me understand my diet and exercise more, instead of just telling me what to do.

Enter SparkPeople.com, and my personal revolution.  This site is a great tool for anyone really looking to ramp up their personal health goals.  They have a tool to log what you eat that counts calories, proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.  This tool also has a built-in optional meal planner that can be tuned to many custom diets like red-meat free, vegan, vegetarian, low fat, and etc.  

There is also an exercise logger on the site that helps you track everything you physically do.  The tool will tell you how many calories you have burned in the day.  This comes along with a cardio tracker and a walking tracker.  If you need ideas for your workout routine, they also have an online "personal trainer" that will show you the proper way to execute many exercises in videos.

This site does so much more, such as letting you keep track of your goals like weight-loss, water intake, slimming down, miles walked, and so much more.  This is a great place to keep motivated with your health.

The only downfalls to the site that I have noticed are some of the "extras."  They have a social side that is similar to MySpace, where they encourage you to make and maintain a page.  I felt like I didn't have the time to update my personal information on the site and then do it all again on the page.  They can sometimes encourage a little too much as well.  I got more than enough emails from them in my inbox and many personal messages from people that I had never met.  I understand that they were so motivated and inspired by the site that they wanted to motivate others, but sometimes it was a little overbearing.  Some people won't have a problem with this though, and I'm sure that the emails could be filtered a little better as well.

The best part about Sparkpeople is that it's free.  The site was started by a couple of people that used to work for eBay and decided to get out of the business and help people with their weigh-loss goals like they had done for themselves.  Since then, the site has a membership of over 9 million users who have come to them for help.  I still have a membership with them, although I don't use the site on a regular basis.  I do still like to use it when I want to track nutrition for a day or learn about some new exercise ideas.  

If you're looking for something new and awesome to try for your personal health, or need something to help you meet your goals; Sparkpeople.com a great place to check out!

Bust a Move!

I actually started to write this post a couple of days before now, but I wasn't feeling all that great.  I just wasn't in a fantastic mood.  However, my son came in and wanted to listen to some music with me.  Whenever the two of us get together and listen to music, what happens next is unstoppable.

Dancing.


People have been dancing since before music was made.  When music came along, everything just got better!   The best part about dancing, contrary to popular belief, is that there is no wrong way to do it.  There may be dances that aren't appealing to some due to style or beliefs (see: traditional religious folks), but that doesn't make them wrong.  In those cases, some dances may just have a certain place and time.

Dancing is great for people like me for one reason in particular:  when the weather is at one extreme or the other,  I can be indoors and dance for a cardio workout at any time.  The greatest part about dancing is that it doesn't require any more than you to do it.  Granted, a source of music is a perfect addition to the dance, but it's not required.  It's great for cardio too, if you're just looking to burn some quick calories.

For me, I like to turn on my music player on my computer and then dance right there behind my desk.  Sometimes (like right now), I like to just do a little simple dance at my desk while typing and listening to music.

By the way, any type of music will do.  I love listening to fast paced music like rock, metal, pop, or techno.  That doesn't mean that I don't break out to some classical or even country on occasion.  It's really just whatever gets me in the mood to boogie.

If you're still unsure about what to do (as if just getting a good jive on wasn't good enough) there are plenty of videos on Youtube to look at for dance move ideas.  Whatever it takes, just get out there and bust a move! 

Behave Yourself! At the Gym

On my most recent visit to the local gym, I noticed there were a few new signs posted in and around the place.  One of these signs, posted on an elliptical, said this:

"Here at [Local Gym Name], we respect and urge every member to exercise on every machine here that they are comfortable with.  However, costs for repairs of our beloved machines are starting to go up, and we believe it may be due to improper use and use by some members who may not be suited for certain machines.  We do not want to discourage use of our gym, but we do want our members to keep in mind that our machines do have weight limits, which we will post below:

     Treadmill     500lbs

     Elliptical      400lbs

     Bikes          350lbs

As always, if you have any questions, please ask any one of our staff members and we will be happy to assist you."

I had to question myself and also check myself to make sure that I wasn't exceeding any of the limitations.  Of course, I knew that I hadn't gained 50 lbs since my last visit to the gym!  Luckily, I don't use the bikes either, so I was good there.  However, I did have to think about how many times I might have used the machines a little too vigorously during a workout.  I decided to tone back my elliptical workouts for the time being, and switch to the treadmill for my really hard exercises, like when I want to go all-out.  However, this sign and the others that talk about parking, towels, and sharing aren't just for me, but for everyone that goes to my gym.

The simple fact here is that a lot of people in this area have never been to a gym before, and many of them aren't familiar with gym etiquette.  Some of them are familiar with these simple laws, but choose to ignore them out of laziness.  Either way, we could all use a refresher.

• Clean Machines - This is perhaps, one of my biggest pet peeves at the gym.  I hate going to a machine and getting myself on to it, only to find out that the last person to use it left a little bit of themselves there.  I am in no way a fan of mixing sweat.  My gym is awesome in the fact that they provide clean towels and bottles of cleaning spray for it's members to use.  If your gym isn't like this, make sure you bring your own towel to clean up after yourself when you get done using a machine.  Remember to wipe off all of the surfaces that you have touched.  It's even nice to sometimes check where your shoes have been.  Just make sure that the machine is as clean if not cleaner than it was when you found it.
• Clean People - There's no way to sugar-coat this.  Make sure you don't smell like your asshole before you go to the gym.  Mixing heat, sweat, blowing fans, and moving people in with that already pungent smell is not fun to be around.  You don't have to take an all-out shower before going in, but make sure you're clean.  This rule also applies to dirt and grime.  If you work at a garbage dump and you go to the gym after you clock out, you might want to take a shower first.  Tracking dirt and garbage all over the gym is not cool.
• Sharing is Caring - Unless you're the only person at the gym (if you're like me and go sometimes after midnight, it could happen!), be respectful of other people who may want to use the machine you're on. Don't hog the treadmill or elliptical.  Usually, gyms will post a time limit of 20-30 minutes per person for each cardio machine.  As far as weight machines, free weights, and benches go; don't stay there all day.  Let somebody else use them during your rest periods, or find somebody to rotate out with on the machines.  Don't forget to put equipment back in its proper place when you're done with it.
• Be Gentle - If you're like me, and you're overweight, remember to take it easy on the ellipticals.  If you're going at it so hard that the machine is shaking, swaying, or trembling; TONE IT BACK!  Switch to a different machine if you need to.
• Quiet Gym = Happy Gym - A little bit of this falls in with the last rule.  If using a weight machine, please don't use the machine so hard or so loosely that the weights clang together like symbols.  This isn't a factory, and sounds of metal hitting metal only tells other that you are using bad form when you exercise.  Also, turn your iPod down and get off your damn phone.  Not everyone wants to hear what your sister had for lunch or listen to the latest song from Snoop Dogg.  By being loud, you are breaking other people's focus.
• Cover it up - Short and simple: buttcracks, bellys, thighs, backhair, and any other thing that strikes your as unsightly should be covered up at the gym.  Don't compromise your workout by wearing too much clothing restricts your movement, but think of what others have to look at when you go in.  Not everyone is drop-dead sexy.
• Eyes Forward - It's only natural to be curious and look around occasionally.  Don't make a habit of it, though.  It's just not polite to stare at people, especially at a gym.  That girl or guy across the room may be looking pretty hot to you, but don't keep your eyes locked on them.  You're there to focus on your workout, and so are they.  They also may be self-conscious, and you staring at them makes them want to cut their workout short or use bad form.  This also goes for fat and ugly people, because we have feelings too. 

If we all remember to keep these basics in mind, going to the gym can be an enjoyable experience for everyone involved!

 

 

 

 

Mega-T Green Tea Supplement Trial

Mega-T Green Tea with Acai

What it is

MEGA-T is a dietary supplement formulated to help you achieve your weight loss goals. MEGA-T will help stimulate your metabolism and help burn fat††. Mega-T with Acai contains 90 mg EGCG and 50 mg of caffeine.

(Source: Mega-diet.com)

Directions on the bottle


 Take one (1) MEGA-T caplet twice a day, with a meal and a full glass of water.
For best weight loss results, follow a proper weight loss diet plan and exercise plan.
We also advise that you consult with your doctor or nutritionist before starting any diet and exercise plan.

(Source: Mega-diet.com)

Controls Used While on the Trial

During this trial, I kept up most of my daily routines.  Regardless of other factors, such as daily diet and exercise, I took my normal supplements which include a GNC Mega Men Sport Multivitamin and 2,000 mg of Flaxseed Oil daily.  On some days that I exercised, I also took two capsules (recommended dose) of Everlast Energy.  Those days will be noted in the log.

Pre-Trial Thoughts

I have seen the Green Tea supplements in the stores before but never gave them much thought.  I always figured them to be crackpot fads for people just aiming to lose that 5-10lbs of water weight to fit into that special clothing item they've had their eye on (see: prom and wedding dresses).  I knew that green tea had antioxidants as well as caffeine in it, but I also knew that the caffeine levels were almost minimal compared to things like a cup of coffee, a soda, or other drinks of that nature.

The Trial

Day 1: One capsule, taken 30 minutes after lunch.  The first day is only a half day of being of the supplement.  I didn't feel as hungry, and I would have to say it was because of the supplement, because I forgot I had taken it.  I also felt a little more energetic than normal. 

Day 2: Two capsules, first taken with breakfast, second taken with dinner.  I was surprised once again today.  My hunger was less than normal, my energy was higher, and my mood seemed better.  Of course, this is possible due to the fact that I'm going on vacation tomorrow.  I took an Everlast Energy capsule today at the gym, and I could definitely notice the two supplements working together to give me a boost.  It was one of my best workouts yet!

Day 3: One capsule, taken 30 minutes before going to the gym.  As a trial, I decided to see how this would work when being used as a exercise supplement.  This means that the effects of the caffeine (only 50mg) in the supplement would be felt during one of the most intense parts of my day.  I was surprised to see that the green tea capsule worked just as well as my Everlast Energy supplement for my gym routine.

Day 4: Two capsules, first taken with breakfast, second taken with dinner.  This was a moderately slow day.  I notice that after taking the supplement, I usually get a small energy boost within 30-45 minutes.  It was enough to get me off the couch and clean!


Day 5: Two capsules, first taken with breakfast, second taken in the afternoon.  This was another slow day.  It seems that after taking the tablet, I feel a little more alert.  This is more than just a caffeine boost.


Day 6: Two capsules, first taken at lunch, second taken with dinner.  Double stacking the supplement so close to each other had an interesting effect.  My alertness did not change, but my energy was certainly higher.  This also helped when going to the gym!


Day 7: Two capsules, first taken with breakfast, second taken with dinner.  This was a great day.  The tablet seemed to give me the awakening boost that I needed in the morning, and paired really well with the Everlast Energy supplement I took at the gym that evening.  Lot's of energy.


Day 8: Two capsules, first taken with breakfast, second taken in the evening.  This is the last day of being on the supplement.  Energy levels were just a good as ever.

Day 9: No capsules taken.  Other than my normal vitamins and supplements that I take, this was an average day.  I certainly could tell that I was lacking a Mega-T supplement in my routine, as everything just seemed a little more sluggish than normal.  I did receive a boost from the Everlast Energy in the evening, but it wasn't as strong as when it was paired with the green tea.

Post-Trial Thoughts

I would definitely have to say that the Mega-T Green Tea supplement works.  It at least accomplished two out of the three things it suggests on the front of the box.  It did help to burn calories, it did help boost my energy.  I'm not going to say that it did or did not help curb my appetite, because I noticed no changes in how I eat.  However, since starting a Paleo dieting style of eating I have had less of an appetite anyway.  I would have to say this part of the test will remain inconclusive for me.



The bottom line for Mega-T Green Tea is that it is effective.  I have to say that I'm most impressed with it because this is something that you can pick up in most supermarkets and not have to pay a lot of money for.  Don't be surprised if I don't include this in my daily routine sometime in the future!

Compress and Impress... Yourself!

Once again, not me!

Any of you that have been in the fitness and exercise world for even just a little while have probably seen these by now.  You've probably seen them even if you've never set foot inside a gym, watched a professional sport on television, been to a major department store, or have any really macho friends.

Compression tee shirts; the new fad that is catching on.  The only thing is, it's a shame that they haven't caught on before!  However, it is possible that you still don't know exactly what a compression shirt (or compression clothing, for that matter) is used for.

Compression clothing serves two purposes.  The first purpose is to... compress... you.  The clothing is made of a tight material like spandex that is meant to be very form-fitting.  They smooth out your cellulite wrinkles, push fat and excess skin into it's proper place, and keep your skin and fat from moving too much in general.  For this reason, they are prescribed to a lot of people that undergo plastic surgery because they keep the newly cut skin from moving too much.  They are also recommended for a lot of people with obesity issues, enlarged body tissue (like breasts and thighs), and liposuction recipients.  

The second purpose this type of clothing serves has exercise in mind.  A lot of this material has the added bonus of wicking sweat away from the body during intense activity.  They essentially keep the body cool and dry while in warm environments.  Some types of compression clothing are also designed to keep the body warmer than the outside environment.  These types have people like joggers and professional athletes who perform outdoors in mind.

For a fat guy like me, they're a really nice addition to my gym clothing repertoire.  It took me a while to get used to the fact that people weren't coming to the gym to stare at the fat guy on the treadmill and make fun of him.  Still yet, I couldn't help but be a little self-conscious when on a cardio machine and all my flabby parts were moving around.  The compression shirts helped with that a lot.  The other great thing that they do for me is keeping me cool when I'm exercising.  I never used to realize how hot and sweaty a person would get until I went last week without wearing one of my shirts.

The bottom line is this:  I'm not saying that you have to buy and wear a piece of compression clothing every time you go to the gym.  Cotton t-shirts and jogging pants still work just fine.  But if you are looking for something to help you with a physique that you aren't comfortable with other people seeing, and you have a tendency to sweat more than others, a compression shirt may not hurt!