Insanity.. An Ongoing Personal Experiment

Why not I said. 

Why not, I’ll tell you why not!

This stuff is not for the faint of heart.  Plyo-metrics till you can’t see, push-ups till your shoulders pop and cardio to explode the remnants of your heart from your chest.

God I love this stuff!

And this was just the first day.

I have always preferred a type of “higher than normal” intensity when training.  If I’m not gasping, grabbing my chest at the end I just haven’t worked hard enough.  This system is right up my alley.  

Although I do not plan on doing the 60 straight days of this, I plan on incorporating this as my morning cardio.  It is a bit longer than my normal tabata workouts, but I think it will strengthen my heart for those long squat and deadlift sessions.

I hope to keep this going as long as possible.

More back later!

Out of Context?

To add to my last post about the study conduct that determines how eating fatty foods can hold the addictive nature of a regular crack addict comes today’s assignment.

EAT BREAKFAST LIKE A FATTY!

A study out of the UK has come up with this ground breaking, earth shattering conclusion from the

TELEGRAPH.co.uk

“Fried breakfast is healthiest start to day, say scientists”

 

Really…

I do not know what to say…

All of the talk of healthier, cleaner living spewing across the globe and this is what the UK has to contribute…

No wonder we gained our independence.

Here is the story if you care to read on…

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7543507/Fried-breakfast-is-healthiest-start-to-day-say-scientists.html

Another Built-In Excuse...

I like to read the news.  I think I need to stop.  It seems an endless stream of propaganda is spewing from even the most so-called unbiased media outlets.  That being said, I still tend to read as much as I can.

In my never ending search for better health I read anything related to fitness, overall health or weight loss.  Usually this is a mind numbing effort leaving me more aggravated than before I began, but I try to use this rage ensuing blather to fuel my next workout. 

Today began like many others when reading Google’s news related to Health, much ado about the new Healthcare reform and other political crap.  Then…

Compulsive gorging on junk food similar to drug addiction: A Study

I almost screamed.

I had to investigate further.  The article was a quick reference to a study published by Nature Neuroscience.   (http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/vaop/ncurrent/pdf/nn.2519.pdf)

I read, what I could understand, but it is not the study itself or the validity of the study that has my panties in a wad, it is the idea of the study and what I perceive to be the reaction to a study such as this. 

I grew up listening to the so-called findings of the newest craze derived by any number of medical associations, and let’s face it, most of these have been revoked. (egg yokes, red wine, fats…) 

So I am pre-disposed to questioning anything put out that is a new medical fact.  In addition, my undergraduate degree was in Information Systems so I of course have my doubts about anything published in the internet.

However, after reading the article and looking back at the Google News Search, more than four other online sources had toted the study as the latest and greatest in the fight against FAT AMERICA.

But what does this accomplish.  I will tell you…

“I am not fat because I don’t exercise, eat McDonald’s daily or take the elevator, I am fat because I am addicted, it’s a disease, didn’t you hear?”

Thank you to all the people and rats who worked on this study, however, I think you just built-in another excuse to all of the lazy people of the world.  Your study may be conclusive for a certain type of individual, but the masses will generate excuse after excuse from this! 

I am sure there are those that will seek treatment for this disease, for me, I am thinking a good hard, shin breaking prescription of deadlifts is order.

The Cheat Day???

What is the “CHEAT DAY?”

I have either heard or personally experienced every facet of this well known and usually overly utilized dieting fallacy. 

How many times have I heard / said…

“It’s my cheat day!  I can eat that [INSERT AB DESTROYING, METABLOLISM KILLING CRAP]!”

  I am no saint when it comes to the “clean living / eating thing.”  I have had my Taco Bell binges, or my late night rush on anything resembling processed carbohydrates or grease laden meats!  I deal with these horrendous urges constantly, the desire to gorge myself on those sweet little Wendy’s nuggets haunts my sleep.

However,

Lately I have been strong(er).  I have kept what I now consider to be cheat items to a minimum.  But the idea that I DESERVE a cheat day hovers like the devil on my shoulder.  What is that?  I deserve to get fat?  I deserve to feel like hell?  Why?  How can I go from the most adamant fighter for clean foods, high in plain old good for you stuff to the slob I used to be, inhaling upwards of $20 in dollar menu items from McDonald’s?  I can.  I can change my mind an allow myself to eat like that 400lb man I once was.  One day I will figure out why.

Till then I scrape and pull my way to the way I want to be.  That unyielding, clean, strong and lean man resides somewhere within this body, he will be found one day.

 I will DESERVE that cheat day when and only when I don’t want it!

Warrior Dash | Home

Warrior Dash | Home

This will be mine next year, oh yes, this will be mine!

Oh Thank You Sweet Jesus!

IT’S MONDAY!!!!! 

Not usually met with great anticipation, this traditionally first day of the work week has a crucial role in my week.  Not only is spring break over, not only am I gearing up for the last half of my semester…

The most important part about THIS Monday is…

I GET TO GO TO THE GYM.

I haven’t been in two weeks (surgery) and have been itching like a fiend since I missed workout number one two weeks ago today (ask my wife, I am sure she is ready for me to go hurt myself too!)

I have been dreaming and amping up since 4:22 this morning when I got out of bed 8 minutes before my alarm.  The whole drive into work I have been running through my workout yet to come this afternoon:

*Morning Boxer Tabata Cardio first (DONE)

1.       Power Cleans: good wake up and power move
2.       Deadlift: I love these, everything hurts when you are done!
3.       Overhead Shoulder Press BB: time to grow these puppies!
4.       Weighted Pull Ups: BIG BACK BABY
5.       Leg Triad: Extensions, Curls and Caves!
6.       Additional Shoulder: Complex of some type
7.       Direct Arm Work: Usually a mix of cables, DBs, dips and close grip pull ups
8.       Direct Abs: finish strong with some resistance abs and burn out!

I get two beautiful afternoons in the gym and love to push my limits.  I am not looking at a specific set/rep protocol, just as intense as I can go for as long as I can go.

Time to get it done!

I Love This &%^$ !!

I love this…

All of this… 

I can say I even love the food (thanks to my amazing wife and her super abilities of making previously un-edible vegetables and clean foods taste like they were slathered in sweet succulent butter!)

I wasn’t aware of my own level of addiction until the recently. Two events (at least in my head) brought this to fruition.

I finally got home from work last night, wasn’t too late, around 6pm.  My wife had grilled fish filets (tilapia I think even though she doesn’t eat fish), the kids were about to eat.  Instead of just plopping on the couch and molding into those pillowy cushions, we decided to go on a run.  This may not seem like much, but here we are both exhausted, torn down and beaten, and what do we do, we take the kids, my daughter on her bike, her friend on the scooter and my 1 yr old in his stroller.  We run to the local park at which point we do a barrage of dips and pull ups on the equipment, then run back feeling better than ever for having done it!  It is like CRACK for the soul!

The second event and really the point when I realized that I might need help (kidding), was this morning.  The baby wakes up at 4:20am so I just turn off the alarm set for 4:30am.  Get the baby fed and get out the door for the office by 4:35am.  I should be tired, should be dreary eyed and dreaming of that first cup of coffee only a short hour and a half drive away.  However, these things do not enter my mind.  I am mentally preparing myself for my new morning ritual (been a few weeks of it now) of morning tabata cardio.  I just crave that utter lung burning, gasping feeling of death at the end of the 4 mins.  

Today it was brupees! 

It was at this point of realization that I was getting excited for hurting myself that makes me think I may need professional help.

Or I can just keep going and releasing the endorphins!

I LOVE THIS &$^#!!