Here we go again!
I stayed on track during the time between the challenges, but am looking forward to this one. Using the tracking spreadsheets and being accountable to a community of peers really seems to motivate me.
I think instead of focusing on weight loss, I am really leaning towards a focus on fitness. I think the fitter I become the less I will weigh. So for this challenge I have backed down my weight loss and body fat % loss goals down a bit. They are still do-able, but not easy for where I am. I also added a stretching component to my goals. A year ago I made it through the first 6 weeks of P90X before hitting a wall and overtraining. But in that time I think I was the most flexible I have ever been and I could REALLY feel a difference in my recovery and my general well being. My goal is 23 sessions and I hope to BLOW past it. I just got a foam roller, I’ll use static and dynamic stretchin, and some yoga. I don’t like to admit it, but the yoga feels good once you get used to it.
Good Luck!!
As I posted just an hour ago, I ate pizza tonight. You would think that an influx of carbs like that would give you a boost of energy! Not here. I was going to have a cardio workout tonight, but I feel tired and sluggish. Who knew! I would bet this feeling is how I gained weight in the first place.
Just an interesting observation.
I had pizza tonight for the first time in over 2 months. And it tasted soooooo good. And I ate waaaaaaaaaaaay too much. An right now I feel sooooooooo sick. Sometimes I feel like a dog that gets kicked. No matter how many times I do this I keep coming back for more.
But I can honestly say right now I am ready for my workouts this week! Ready to run hard, lift tough, and eat right. Whenever I do this I get a head of mental steam to re-focus my efforts. I’ve noticed considerable gains in my musculature in the last week and I’m ready for more. Now if I could just get rid of my damn gut!!!
I’ve got to get my head in the right place. I’m having two issues right now: 1) major carb cravings Ever since my cheat meal I have been in a bad place with this. The lack of weight loss does make me want to say screw it and go have a bowl of cereal before bed. Then a bowl of ice cream. Then probably a sandwich of some sort. But I’ve been down that road so many times before and think I’ll hold on just a bit longer. This challenge is actually going a long way for me keeping things in perspective. 2) overworkouts. If I could fit it in right now I would probably try to lift and do a HIIT every day. I was ready to go today and when I started running my body just felt…off. I stopped and decided to take the day off. I have been in an overtrained mode before and do not want to repeat that nightmare. So my new rule will have to be no RT and CT on the same day unless I’ve got some major reason. Time to hit the sack.
I can’t seem to stay off the scale, and I guess as long as I don’t let it affect my follow through with the program I’m not going to worry about it.
I lost my perfect CE record tonight. We went out for my wife’s birthday to a mexican restaurant. Rice and corn tortillas were involved. As was a large cone from Dairy Queen. But on the bright side I’m sure it was better for me than my usual large Blizzard. I’m guessing it was about half the calories and carb, so good for me I think.
But I do feel guilty about it. I need to learn to just enjoy the times when I cheat and get back on the horse the next day. I think 3 hours out of 21 days is actually a very good ratio. It was tasty and now it’s just time to buckle down again, get back to work, and do it.
I’ve decided to start weighing only once a week unless it’s absolutely killing me. I feel better, I feel stronger, I’m enjoying my exercise more, but the weight is not “falling” off. According to by scale’s bodyfat tester I’ve lost 1% bodyfat which shows the results even while the weight number isn’t moving down. I can see results right around the bottom of my ribcage that are more motivating than the weight right now. At this rate I will be short on acheiving my PG2 of bodyfat % drop of 5% and not acheive my PG1 weight goal of weighing under 180 pounds, but weight is an arbitrary number at this point.
Second week done on the challenge. CE are perfect, although I was tempted by cupcakes last night. RT are coming along, just having a hard time fitting them in with the TNT 48 hour rule and my basketball. I worked out today and will play ball tonight–we’ll see how that works. CTs were tough to get started on, but with my wife’s programmable treadmill in front of the TV 30 minutes flies by. I’ve lost 1 pound since last week and my measurements are virtually the same, but I feel better and that’s the real goal.
I’m also trying to re-program myself to get up earlier. I’m naturally a night owl and as much as I’d like to stay up late all the time, it really doesn’t work with a family. Unfortunately it has taken me too long to figure it out. I started today and got up at 6:40 when I usually sleep in to 8 (my work starts between 9 and 10 usually. And I felt it all day!! Especially right now. I know it’ll get better as my body adjusts and I start getting to bed earlier, but right now it’s going to blow.
I’ve always enjoyed playing basketball as a form of cardio, but today I had an interesting situation arise.
I have agroup of friends who play in basketball leagues together. Right now we are in between sessions and have been playing on Sunday’s and Wednesday’s for a couple of hours to stay in the mix. I like to arrange my exercise, cardio and lifting, so that they don’t fall onthe same day as either of these days.
This was a lazy Sunday with not much going on. I lifted yesterday and the TNT book suggests 48 hours in between RT. I really felt like I should work out today before basketball. I didn’t, but just the feeling of WANTING to get a workout in is one I haven’t had in a while.
So now I need to decide if I exercise on my basketball days and/or if I can do my RT’s with less than 48 hours between. Tough decisions, but good one’s to have to make.
We went to a birthday party for one of my kids friends tonight. His mom bakes and decorates cakes, so I was all ready to mail in a CE. We were talking and she mentioned how she didn’t get to do the cake because they were so busy. they just bought it at the store.
Cake and ice cream are two things I have trouble resisting. Now home made cake is something I have real issues turning down. But I thought store bought cake that I can get any day of the week should be easy for me to turn away, whichI did. Ice cream included. I am pround of that small step to keep myself on track.
I did have 2 beers which I am OK with because:1)I love beer and haven’t had one in 3 weeks; 2)Its on the TNT plan in moderation, and; 3) It was 2 beers, not my typical 7 or 8.
All in aal not a great day, but something to be proud of.
I’m not too happy. No weight loss and no BF% change. I feel better but I like having a number to look at.
What I need to do is measure and try to use that as motivation. I think just hips and waist to start. that should help me with a positive number even if I haven’t lost weight.
Hips-38.75in Waist-39in
That will give me some good feed back to remember.