My first run, Las Vegas style

Today was my first run that did not involve a tread mill.  I ran down Fremount street.  Google map said it was a 1.9 run one way.  I think it was really 1 mile round trip.  It was tough put I did it. It was nice to see something while running that was not a screen on a treadmill.  

Some of the thing I saw while running

Vacation workout.

For those who follow me on Facebook knows I hate morning workouts.  I have set a goal of working out every morning while on vacation. I may even try a morning run.  

When trying is just not good enough

I returned back to the steps and rowing today.  I think it is time to mix some of my earlier workouts with my new ones .

This was prompted by a statement I keep  Getting told.  "We'll at least you are here and trying,". I don't want to be known at the guy who is just here.  I want to be the guy who pushed past trying.  I want to be the guy who did it.  

So if I plan on 3 sets, I am going to do 4 sets.  If I think I can do another push up. I am going to do two more.  

It's time to stop just showing up.  

I'm Not a Runner

This Nike Commercial made me laugh, yet I related to it.  I hope you enjoy.

The best 3 pounds I ever lost

After struggling to jump start the weight lost, it started.  I lost 3 pounds.  The best 3 pounds I have ever lost.  I have been working hard at the gym. I noticed the change came when I buckled down on breakfast again and increased my water.

 I am one pants size away from being out of big and tall. Today was the first time in I don't know how long.  I was able to buy shorts with a 44 waist.  

Burn Baby Burn

I need to burn extra 1100 calories a day just to lose 2 pounds a week.  My 45 workouts averages about between 500- 600 calories.  I need to find another 600 to burn.  Any ideas?

A sometimes reward.

Good thing we don't live a few blocks away from Mojo Monkeys anymore.  It would than be a all the time treat.

Feeling Geared up and ready to go.

Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts

I have been making an effort to make it to the Gym 5 days a week.  It has been hard, but I am starting to see the results again.  Even with my weight loss being slower, I am starting to see the changes in my body.  I am starting to have less of my stomach hanging over my belt. My arms are getting stronger. I did 40 push ups yesterday.  Still working on endurance. I am having a tough time getting through a mile on the treadmill at a fast pace.  I think it is the treadmill.  I think once it has thawed, I am going to have to try doing it outside.  

I have not been doing a lot with the free weights lately. I have been using kettle bells with my new trainer.  I am hoping to get started again. I need to master a dead lift and get over my fear of getting injured on the leg press again.  I need to come up with a plan that will add variety to my workout.  I can't believe I am typing this.  I miss Alex's boxing class.  

BEFORE AND AFTERS

Life is a process--just one thing after another. When you lose it, just start again

I was able to measure my Metabolic rate using the Body Gem shown above.  This is my 2nd time doing this. I think it is a great way to figure out where you are at .  It has really helped me jump start my workout. It has given me some hard numbers on how many calories I need to burn  each day. These are calories over and above what I burn just doing life. It also gives me the number of calories I should be eating.  It has helped keep me on track.  

It has been a long time since I have been able to say this.  My body was sore from a good workout. It's good to say it is sore from doing something.  Instead of just being sore for no reason. Lots of working out using my body weight. (I have a lot of body weight to use.) I have decided push-ups are my new hated exercise,  I will take a squat any day over a push up.  

I am rotating between a kettle bell, Body weight and a machine workout.  The Kettle bells and Body weight workouts are kicking my butt.  For both of these I have 20 minutes to get through as many sets of my exercises.  There are at least 5 different exercises with 10 to 25 reps each.  This is after doing some Cardio. Making working out on the machines feel like a break.  

27 Rules of Conquering the Gym

I found some of these very funny and very true.  

1) A gym is not designed to make you feel instantly better about yourself. If a gym wanted to make you feel instantly better about yourself, it would be a bar.

2) Give yourself a goal. Maybe you want to lose 10 pounds. Maybe you want to quarterback the New York Jets into the playoffs. But be warned: Losing 10 pounds is hard.

3) Develop a gym routine. Try to go at least three times a week. Do a mix of strength training and cardiovascular conditioning. After the third week, stop carrying around that satchel of fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies.

4) No one in the history of gyms has ever lost a pound while reading “The New Yorker” and slowly pedaling a recumbent bicycle. No one.5) Bring your iPod. Don’t borrow the disgusting gym headphones, or use the sad plastic radio attachment on the treadmill, which always sounds like it’s playing Kenny Loggins from a sewer.

6) Don’t fall for gimmicks. The only tried-and-true method to lose 10 pounds in 48 hours is food poisoning.

7) Yes, every gym has an overenthusiastic spinning instructor who hasn’t bought a record since “Walking on Sunshine.”

8) There’s also the Strange Guy Who is Always at the Gym. Just when you think he isn’t here today…there he is, lurking by the barbells.

9) “Great job!” is trainer-speak for “It’s not polite for me to laugh at you.”

10) Beware a hip gym with a Wilco step class.

11) Gyms have two types of members: Members who wipe down the machines after using them, and the worst people in the universe.

12) Nope, that’s not a “recovery energy bar with antioxidant dark chocolate.” That’s a chocolate bar.

13) Avoid Unsolicited Advice Guy, who, for the small fee of boring you to death, will explain the proper method for any exercise in 45 minutes or longer.

14) You can take 10 Minute Abs, 20 Minute Abs, and 30 Minute Abs. There is also Stop Eating Pizza and Eating Sheet Cake Abs—but that’s super tough!

15) If you’re motivated to buy an expensive home exercise machine, consider a “wooden coat rack.” It costs $40, uses no electricity and does the exact same thing.

16) There’s the yoga instructor everyone loves, and the yoga instructor everyone hates. Memorize who they are.

17) If you see an indoor rock climbing wall, you’re either in a really cool gym or a romantic comedy starring Kate Hudson.

18) Be cautious about any class with the words “sunrise,” “hell,” or “Moby.”

19) If a gym class is going to be effective, it’s hard. If you’re relaxed and enjoying yourself, you’re at brunch.

20) If you need to bring your children, just let them loose in the silent meditation class. Nobody minds, and kids love candles.

21) Don’t buy $150 sneakers, $100 yoga pants, and $4 water. Muscle shirts are for people with muscles, and rhythm guitarists.

22) Fancy gyms can be seductive, but once you get past the modern couches and fresh flowers and the water with lemon slices, you’re basically paying for a boutique hotel with B.O.

23) Everyone sees you secretly racing the old people in the pool.

24) If you’re at the point where you’ve bought biking shoes for the spinning class, you may as well go ahead and buy an actual bike. It’s way more fun and it doesn’t make you listen to C+C Music Factory.

25) Fact: Thinking about going to the gym burns between 0 and 0 calories.

26) A successful gym membership is like a marriage: If it’s good, you show up committed and ready for hard work. If it’s not good, you show up in sweatpants and watch a lot of bad TV

27) There is no secret. Exercise and lay off the fries. The end.