Rolling down the tracks

Getting started on a new workout program is easy.  Pick a day, a few exercises and go for it.  Thirty minutes to an hour later you've broken a sweat, hopefully not pulled anything and you're experiencing the high that comes with accomplishing the first step toward a better you.  Now for the hard part.  Do it repeatedly.

I had great workouts this past week.  My intensity was up.  I achieved my exercise goals.  I improved upon my normal eating habits.  My next step will be to step on the scales at work on Monday afternoon (I'm working 2nd shift this week) and see if it's made much difference.  I feel like I am making progress.  But I'm not seeing it yet.  I'll post a follow up picture tomorrow after my Monday workout and you can decide if I'm going in the right direction.

Early morning (9am) workouts are not a normal part of my life but if I am going to keep rolling down the tracks I have to get up and go workout early so I can eat, shower, and get to work on time.  This is a commitment I have made to myself and no one can force me to do it.  It's something I'll do or I won't.  At this time I am feeling great physically and I have the energy and desire to improve my body which is also helping me to improve my mind by constantly challenging myself physically and mentally.

This week will go a long way in determining my success.  There will be several obstacles that can make or break my exercise plan.  I have to focus my efforts and adapt to those obstacles and come up with what will work for me.

Please feel free to leave comments or write to me if you have questions about anything you read or see in this blog.  Hope you're having a great summer and finding the motivation you need to be successful.

Getting Back to Business

I've had three great workouts this week already and today was sort of a rest day for me.  My whole body has been put through a steady dose of weightlifting and conditioning.  I've adjusted my eating habits slightly to remove almost all sweat tea from my diet and I'm eating less.  In fact, my main dinner staple right now is a nice, big salad without dressing.

I've broken down my workouts into smaller segments that can be completed in 45 minutes or less.  I've paired two big lifts with two smaller lifts and then at least one form of conditioning.  Sunday I opted for my two personal favorites, the clean complex I've discussed and the front squat.  I prefer the front squat because it doesn't hurt my knees or my lower back and it forces me to help balance the weight with my core.  It's a tremendous exercise.  After three sets of each I knocked out five sets of calf raises, two sets seated with a dumbell balanced on my knee for resistance, two sets on a calf raise machine, and one set on a leg press.  The reason for each different lift was to hit my calves from different angles to spark growth.

On Monday I did my normal warmup, then ran a series of short shuttles (back and forth runs), the Russian Barbell Twist four times with progressively heavier weights, and twenty minutes of various ab exercises.

Tuesday saw a dumbell complex to get warmed up then deadlifts, benchpress and pull downs, before heading to the bleachers for a hard run.

Wednesday was a day of jump rope and assorted cardio work.

I haven't gotten on the scales this week as Monday will be my official weigh in.  I feel like I've made some progress just in the four days since I've restarted my program which gives me the motivation I need to hit it hard tomorrow.  Thursday will be squats, clean complex, calves, Russian barbell twists, steps and sledgehammer.  I'm excited to beat that tire!

I hope you're having a great summer and finding the motivation you need to get in the shape you want.

Summer blues & blahs

Hey, everyone, sorry for the very long delay in posting.  Summer has not been the easiest time for me to write or workout for that matter.  So I'm hoping to get back to a regular posting a few times a week starting tonight!

To begin with, my workouts have been erratic and sporadic.  I have not managed to workout two or three days a week and several of my workouts have only been half hearted.  As a result my weight has steadily climbed and currently I sit at 207 pounds, up from my low of 193.

There have been a number of issues which have contributed to my lack of dedication to working out but they are not excuses.  Fact is, I have had opportunities to workout and just haven't taken advantage of them.  Well, on Sunday, July, 19, 2009, I am going to begin to take advantage of my opportunities and not only get the weight off, but get my body into the best shape of my life.  That is my new goal!

So, I hope you're ready to take this journey with me!  If I can figure out how to do it, I'm going to post a current picture to use as a base for my workouts and I'll update it each week to track my progress or lack thereof.  Wish me luck and feel free to leave comments or ask questions.  I'll post some additional video footage as I take it.  Good luck and I hope you have a great summer!