Cheat Day #2

Because I had such a busy day today, I decided for my cardio I would run outside.   Typically, I prefer to run on a treadmill because it helps keep me on track to raise my intensity level. So I was a little hesitant to take my workout outside. (Not that I really like the treadmill or to run as a matter of fact!)  I think the fear of slacking forced me to run a little harder.  I think I made up for my lack of speed increases as my run had a slight incline for about 3/4s of the run.  The other interesting thing about the run was that I was up at 5:30 to get my cardio on.  For the most part, I think my run gave me a good workout.

Nutrition wise was a whole different story.  I decided to use today as a cheat day simply because I knew I was going to a dinner party and I had not planned out my meals.  On my cheat day last week, I really didn’t cheat so today’s venture was a real eye opener.  You can’t really hide from how your eating, if you are writing down everything you’re putting in your mouth.  Let’s just say my eating habits are really bad if they are not structured like they have been the past two weeks.  Not only did I eat much more than I thought, I didn’t feel good after doing it.  I actually felt horrible.  Going forward, I think my cheat day will be more of a cheat meat meal as opposed to a full day of cheating.  I’m dreading what will happen when I step on the scale in a couple of days.

I Need Sleep!

I’m still not getting enough sleep.  I just procrastinate.  I don’t know what is why I just can’t get act together and get into bed.  For me this is the hardest part of the whole program for me….. Ample Sleep.  Oh well I have to stop beating myself over the head about and just resolve to do better.  Let’s see how that goes!

Despite the lack of sleep, I got up early enough to complete some chores and still managed to get the gym as scheduled.  It was a lower body workout today.  Although I tried to work hard, I didn’t feel like I worked as hard as I did at the beginning of the week.  I think for me that’s okay.  I just have to recognize that when days like this happen, I just have to come back stronger the next day.  Not every day came be the perfect workout, you do have some off days.  I guess today was one of them.

Feeling extra ambitious, I decided to take a few photos.  I’m still chicken.  Those pictures as well as the first ones are still in my camera.  I still do not like looking at myself in the mirror so I’m scared to see what the pictures show.  I’m worried that if I look at them now, I might just quit altogether.  Maybe in a couple of weeks I won’t feel the same way.

Later on in the day, I think my sleep deprivation coupled was starting to get to me.  Let’s face it; I’m exhausted.  If there ever was an incentive to go to bed earlier, I’m feeling right now should force me to get my act together. Oh a high note… I found my lock that I’d lost a week ago.  Love those small victories!

Friends Can Be A Wrinkle

I had a good day today. Mr. Treadmill was a little more accommodating and I even pushed myself to go little faster.  As always, I still am using little goals to be able to make it for the full twenty minutes. Hey! Whatever works is my new motto.

I did have my first test on how I handle Body for Life in public.  I agreed to meet friends out for Happy Hour. I bellied up to the bar to buy the first round of trips. “Rum and diet for my friend and a bottle of water for me!”  I was a little concerned that I would feel out of place with everyone with a cocktail in their hands and me with water but I did okay.

Friends saw the water and asked why I wasn’t drinking.  I said because I’m on a mission and right now drinking wasn’t part of it.  “Yeah he’s doing Body For Life.  When he’s on diet everyone is,” which was the remark from a friend.  “That’s not true!” I said.  “First of all it’s not a diet. I just know what works for me.”  Flash forward a few minutes.  I ran into my cousin who said, “Wow it looks like you’ve lost weight!”

Talk about a boost to my ego!  I was feeling like the program wasn’t working so it was nice to have someone give me a compliment.  Later on, a group of us decided to go to dinner.  We opted for Tex-Mex.  I stayed away from the tortilla chips that kept coming in droves.  I ordered baked salmon, rice and a small garden salad. “Dieting?” another one friend asked. I’m really serious about Body for Life was my only response.  “Cool,” he said.

It’s interesting how people try to knock you down or try to persuade you to break your goals.  “Oh you can skip a little.”  “What’s one drink?”  “Is that really all you’re having?”  I don’t think they are trying to be mean spirited about it (although I suspect some are) but it’s just another wrinkle to shooting for your goals.  I just have to remember that everything is not smooth sailing and there’s an end in sight with a huge reward!

Planning for Success

One of the key things for me in doing Body for Life is planning.  So far I’ve been fairly good about planning my workouts.  I’ve mapped out my strategy before I get to the gym.  I take notes on how I did and record them in a log as soon as I get home.  It’s helping me chart my progress and it’s a way to encourage me to push more.

Today was an upper body workout.  I was off to a great start.  I upped my Dumbbell Bench presses by starting 10 pounds heavier.  By the time, I got to the High Point, I was panting and sweating hard.  I resisted the voice that told be to quit on the 10^th rep of my Dumbbell Flys and I did 12.  My intensity level was just about at a 10.

Next came shoulders and Pull Ups.  I’m still not able to get the final 12 during my high point put I was pretty pleased at making 9.  Moving on to my back, I was feeling a bit worn and started off light.  Then I thought, wasn’t I cheating myself?  The whole purpose is to challenge and grow.  I didn’t want to be complacent and just glide through the routine so, I upped the weights from where I planned.  Same thing happened with the triceps but I have to admit I was a little winded.  I know I could’ve pushed myself more.  My goal for next week when I return to the triceps is really go for the 10. I had no problem whatsoever with the biceps.  By the time I finished my final 12 reps.  I was spent!

Planning has also been key to my meals.  It’s nice to be prepared so there really isn’t any thought about cheating.  Every few hours I just grabbed what I’ve prepared and I’m finding I’m not really craving anything.  That’s one of the great things about Body For Life.  I’m not running out to lunch grabbing whatever or being an impulse purchaser. (If something sweet catches my eye, I usually go for it!) While I look forward to my meals, it’s more about fueling my body and not about just eating for eating sake. 

Although I’ve been planning out my exercise and meals what’s slacked a bit is my morning preparations.  Everyday this week I’ve forgotten something (my work shirt one day, my belt the next, today my post workout drink)!  I’m adding a morning checklist to my routine so this doesn’t happen anymore!

Small Victories

Okay I’m starting out by saying I’m still failing at the sleep thing.  My goal is to get 8 hours of sleep but I’ve yet to make it.  So again, I’m shooting for small victories.  On the plus side, over the last few nights I’ve gotten 6 hours which is definitely up from the 4 – 5 hours I’ve been sleeping.  Another one of my goals was to drink more water.  Now this is one target I have hit. I keep a big cup on my desk and am filling it up 2 -3 times a day.  I’ve pretty much give up diet sodas.  I haven’t had a desire for one and I’ve thirstier over the last few days so water is the obvious choice.  The drawback has been increased visits to the bathroom. (smile)

My other goal for the week was to shoot for my 10s during my workouts.  Yesterday I really pushed to hit those levels.  What a difference a week makes.  Last week although I had a fairly decent lower body workout, it seemed like I was just going through the motions.  I felt good but not overly stressed and I wasn’t sore.  Today I’m sore.  Those extra pushes really worked.  I’m sore in muscles that have long been dormant.  It hurt so good!

I was wondering if I could transfer that same level of intensity to my cardio workout.  I’m not so sure that I’ve done that yet.  I will say that for each successive cardio workout, I’ve been able to increase my speeds throughout the entire time on my run. But I still believe there’s something holding me back. 

My mini goal for my next Cardio workout is to increase by 2 speeds through-out the entire course of my run. By the end of my transformation, I’d like to be able to maintain a 7 ½ minute mile.  I’m currently at almost a 9 minute mile.

One of the hard things for me about doing BFL is living in a household that is not participating.  I’ve been doing really well about structuring my meals and it’s really easy during the day but come nighttime it’s very challenging.  Case in point, I took out some salmon for dinner tomorrow now I’ve come to find out it’s been thrown into some sort of seafood chowder that’s supposed to be low cal.  I don’t want to complain and I appreciate the effort but I’m serious about sticking to the plan so I’m kinda of fanatical about preparing my own meals. I wonder how other people deal with this dilemma.  I don’t want to sound ungrateful but I like to be in control of everything that’s going to aid in my success.  This is one of the challenges I’m going to have to overcome.