Not Too Bad...

Two posts in a semester? Could be worse I guess. I need to get on Andy and Steven's case. Granted, the main reason I remembered to write something was being home sick from work and trying to delay doing any other chores.

As for me, Pilates has become less awkward and I've seen my flexibility improve greatly. I can downward dog like you wouldn't believe.  I've actually become  an acquaintance of the poor woman mentioned in the last post. We have friendly after class chats. Turns out she's hardcore into working out, so we might have to compare notes. And by compare notes I mean "have her motivate me to get off my ass more often"

This week also saw me signing up for a gym membership. While it's nice to have my campus gym open, it's usually busy when I have the time to get over there. This place is a new one that's open 24 hours and usually pretty quiet.  The place looks pretty snazzy so I'm very excited. Even better, Steven and his lady (another good friend of mine) go there too! So I'll have workout buddies! The gym's associated with the Spartan Race, so maybe there's sweet discounts to fuel my torturous marathon addiction.

Speaking of torturous races, another Tough Mudder has come and gone. I looked like this:

I take Tough Mudder to a whole new level.

It was more difficult than last year, partly because for a good 2 or 3 miles I was teamless. My first team was too cold to walk and I was not about to exhaust myself before the first half, so they went on without me. Then another team that wanted to recruit me before the race caught up with me and took me under their dirty wing. They're good people, those Dangleberries.

I'm not going to jinx myself by saying I'm excited about my workout class next semester and I'll definitely be losing weight, but I totally am. There's a Couch to 5k class! And as much as I hate running this will be perfect motivation for me. Theoretically, if I'm forced to run two days a week for class (and I imagine the homework will be to run the third day that's typical for those programs) I should lose something. You don't see many fat guys finishing marathons quickly...

So that's been me this semester, busy as heck but still working on my health. How've you been?

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!

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.

Quick Update from Andy

I'm using this as a final excuse to delay going to the gym, so while you are enjoying reading this, also put some shame on me for not being where I need to be.

I just finished reading a new book called the Carb Nite Solution by John Kiefer.  After a couple of months of talking it up by a friend and how awesome it was, I decided to look into it and see what the idea and concepts of it are.  I'll write a review about it later, but I just want to throw out there that I think the author is really on to something here and I'm going to give it a shot.

The past few months, like most of you know, have been a struggle for me with diet and exercise.  I fluctuate from taking excellent care of myself to not taking care of myself at all.  I like myself better when I take care of me, but it's really easy to just not.

I've got two things keeping me motivated to get things done.  The first is that I'll be running in the Tough Mudder again this year, providing I don't have to drive more than 6 hours to get to it.  The second thing is that I'm finally putting myself back out there with women.  It's been just Madix and I for the last year and a half, and frankly, I need someone to talk to and someone to care about me in an affectionate kind of way.  Yeah, I know how it sounds, but since I'm delaying the inevitable, I might as well be brutally honest.

That's all I have for today.  Thanks for sticking with me.

-Andy

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.

Quick Update From the Gym

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

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.

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!

 

 

 

 

Barefoot like Kentucky

How much time do you spend on your feet?  If you're like me; then quite a bit.  When I'm at the hospital, I'll go whole shifts and not leave a single butt-print on my chair.  It can be brutal on us, and our "dogs are barking" by the end of the day.

How is your posture?  Do you naturally stand up straight or do you slouch a little bit?  There are days when we sit in a chair a little too long.  Our spines come out looking like we're trying to be the next humpback whale.

Do you have back pain?  Does it hurt to stand for long periods of time?  Sometimes, just standing up to wash the dishes can be a daunting task if your lower back is in pain.

I have one last question; did you ever think that what's on your feet could be the cause of your problems?

Most people who shop for shoes have one primary concern: how they look.  A lot of us don't think about our shoes that often, especially when it comes to what they're doing or what they're meant for.  Some people have shoes set aside for certain occasions like work, exercise, running, lounging, dancing, walking, hiking, and "going out."  Some people even have a pair of shoes set aside for every one of those occasions!

I'm a man of simplicity though.  I have a pair of boots I wear for work, a pair of boots for everyday/hiking use, a pair of sneakers, and my Vibram FiveFingers KSO's.

You see, a few years ago I met a friendly barista at a Starbucks in Northern Kentucky.  He had on the weirdest shoes that I had ever seen, and I had to ask him about them.  We proceeded to "shoot the breeze" for another hour just discussing these shoes.  He told me they were called Vibram's and that he had never loved a  pair of shoes footwear so much.  He explained that he got them for going kayaking but learned that there were so many more uses than that for them.  I hadn't really thought much about them until a couple of months ago.

A trusted friend that I discuss exercise and fitness with brought these up in a conversation.  He said that he had been using them for running!  I couldn't believe it that people would run in something like this.  I was unaware at the time that barefoot running has been such a huge thing now in the running world.  This lead me to doing some personal research on it, and finding this at Barefooters.org:

"People who perform activities involving high impact while wearing footwear currently promoted as offering protection in this environment are at high risk for injury. Unlike the natural state (barefoot and natural surfaces), where impact is sensed and, through impact-moderating behavior, is maintained at a safe level, an inadequate understanding of the physiology of human impact control has resulted in footwear which makes chronic overloading inevitable by providing plantar comfort to the wearer even when enormous vertical impact is experienced."

 -Steven E. Robbins and Gerard J. Gouw. "Athletic footwear: unsafe due to perceptual illusions," Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 23(2), 1991, pp. 217-224

This website along with discussions with personal trainers and other trusted sources lead me to many other great discoveries.  One of the biggest being that lifting barefoot could improve my results.  

When doing lifting movements, like squats and dead-lifts, we are told to make sure that our heels stay firmly on the ground for balance and posture reasons. This is why many professional "lifters" will go barefoot in the gym.  This was also recommended to me, but I had conflicting issues with it.

The gym in my local town in great, but it's still new and its members are not entirely progressive yet.  I didn't want them to think I was the lazy bum of the gym, walking around without any shoes on and pretending like nothing was wrong.  I also feared somebody might ask me to leave because they would think it unsanitary for somebody to be going barefoot at the gym.  Besides, Kentuckians are just getting out of the stereotype that we don't wear shoes, and I wouldn't want to mess that up.

The Vibram FiveFingers KSO's ($85) were a great help for me in this area.  They let me go to the gym and exercise comfortably and safely, they protect my feet from sharp objects and rocks when I walk outside, they're extremely comfortable to wear, and they give me a great conversation topic when I meet somebody new.  The best part about them is that they have relieved back pain for me that I didn't realize was there, and my posture is better than ever!

I do understand that not everyone is in to this style of footwear.  For those of you with more specific needs, there is a long list of variations at VibramFiveFingers.com.  If you're looking for a cheaper option, Fila just came out with their new Skele-toes ($60).  There are also options for those of you not looking to draw attention to your feet, like the Merrell Barefoot True Glove ($110) or the Nike Free 3.0 v2 ($85). 

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!

Explanation of Absence

I don't know that anyone reads this but me, and Josh.  Josh reads it because I set up the blog to email him and myself every time a new post goes up.  Sorry bro!

Anyway, I've been really busy these past couple of weeks trying to get things put together for a weekend vacation with my wife.  Tomorrow is our fourth anniversary, and we never went on a honeymoon, so we like to take advantage of every moment we get together!

As far as my health goes, here's a short update.

I haven't been to the gym this week because my wife has been out of town so much for work.  When she's away, I stay at home with our son and take care of him.  We can't afford a daycare on what we currently make, so we make due with what we have.  My gym, unfortunately, isn't child friendly so I don't get to go when I'm home with him.  However, I have been outside a lot on the nicer days playing with my son and enjoying the sunshine.  My diet is doing as good as always.  I've noticed a few changes recently in my eating habits.  Changes like me not being hungry as often, and not craving food like I used to.  These things are only for the best!

I did get a chance to buy myself a new pair of shoes that I can't wait to tell you about!  I'm also going to be doing another supplement trial.  This time the trial will be for Mega-T Green Tea Fat Burning Supplement with Acai.  This one was recommended to me by a friend, and I'm willing to give it a shot.  I'm also reading a book called The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson.  I've just gotten started on it, but I'll be sure to review it when I'm finished.

In the meantime, be sure to keep checking back for updates!  Also make sure you're telling your friends about the EMF!

Try the Local World Gym - FOR FREE

So you just can't make it out to the gym in town.  The prices are too high, the people are snobs, and the business hours are crap.  It could be worse than that, and you may not have a gym in your town at all.  The nearest gym may not be worth the drive and you might just not have the time to get there and back.

I think a lot of people have a lot of excuses for not going to the gym.  I know that I did for too many years.  Were my excuses valid?  Of course not.  I was afraid of going in and looking like a fool.  I mean, who wants to be the fat guy at the gym?  I never had the right clothes, never owned an MP3 player, or drove the right car.  Besides, those prices were too damned high.

Of course, I had to have a reality check a while back, and that changed my perception of the gym.  I guess when you scare yourself after getting off of a scale as badly as I did, things like clothes, MP3 players, fitness freaks, and looking good before I went in the doors didn't matter as much.

Still yet, there are those of us who do have valid excuses for not having a gym membership.  But not to fret, because there is still one gym that gives out a free membership.  They're open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, although there are some months where those hours may not be so appealing.

I welcome you to the Local World Gym.


You may think that I'm crazy, but I promise you that I'm not.  You want to work out your back?  Do some pull-ups on a low hanging branch or the beam of a swing set.  Pump your chest with some push-ups.  Grab something heavy and do some squats to work your legs and core.  Sprint through a field or down your road.  Burn some quick calories by doing step-ups on any platform.  It isn't going to cost you a dime.

No, that's not me.

  

If you're in a park, look around some of the trails, or better yet hike them, and you might find an actual outdoor gym built for joggers.  A lot of city parks have also started to build them for their residents.

An example of an outdoor gym at a park

Whatever you do, do something!  And remember that the world is our playground.