Monday, March 31, 2008
It actually has been a little hectic for me as of late. I apologize to all four of you readers out there for not keeping up this blog as often as I should.
One thing that I have learned going through this current round of craziness is that the workouts have become even more important to me. This is the only part of my day that is absolutely and equivalently for me. Its a part of the day that I don't have to think about my family, my job, my finances, my friends, or anything at all.
All that there is, is what is in front of me, be it a kettle bell, a weight bar, a treadmill, a rotating stair or even an imaginary hill on stationary bike. Its about just the next task in front of me and overcoming that next obstacle or rep. Its the only place where I can focus all of my energy and the results are all mine. And little by little things progress.
More on the craziness in future posts. I'll be a little more frequent in posting...I promise.
One thing that I have learned going through this current round of craziness is that the workouts have become even more important to me. This is the only part of my day that is absolutely and equivalently for me. Its a part of the day that I don't have to think about my family, my job, my finances, my friends, or anything at all.
All that there is, is what is in front of me, be it a kettle bell, a weight bar, a treadmill, a rotating stair or even an imaginary hill on stationary bike. Its about just the next task in front of me and overcoming that next obstacle or rep. Its the only place where I can focus all of my energy and the results are all mine. And little by little things progress.
More on the craziness in future posts. I'll be a little more frequent in posting...I promise.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Friday March 14 was Patrick's birthday. Of course he didnt let me know until today that he turned 36 on the day of our last training session...maybe because he thought I would have planned something especially evil for his birthday? Patrick, thats so rude...I would never do that!
Anyway despite not knowing in advance that it was Pats b-day, today Pat shared with me some of his birthday surprises. As it turns out, Pat has nearly accomplished one of his goals. More specifically, he now fits comfortably into one of his brothers old jackets. Also, after recent weigh-ins we have found out that he is far from the plateau he had reached a few months ago, and is about to break the 260 mark. Thats right, we are getting closer to having that 240 party (start shining your bocce balls)!!!
Lastly, in an effort to further improve his health status, Pat told me today that he is going to try once more to give up smoking. His method for success this time you ask???? The answer (and I quote) is to have "an oral replacement". I had my own ideas of what that replacement might be, and when I stated what I thought it was, there was instantaneous blushing on Pats part.
Viewers: if you care to wager a guess as to what Pat might consider an appropriate oral replacement for smoking, please comment here.
Anyway despite not knowing in advance that it was Pats b-day, today Pat shared with me some of his birthday surprises. As it turns out, Pat has nearly accomplished one of his goals. More specifically, he now fits comfortably into one of his brothers old jackets. Also, after recent weigh-ins we have found out that he is far from the plateau he had reached a few months ago, and is about to break the 260 mark. Thats right, we are getting closer to having that 240 party (start shining your bocce balls)!!!
Lastly, in an effort to further improve his health status, Pat told me today that he is going to try once more to give up smoking. His method for success this time you ask???? The answer (and I quote) is to have "an oral replacement". I had my own ideas of what that replacement might be, and when I stated what I thought it was, there was instantaneous blushing on Pats part.
Viewers: if you care to wager a guess as to what Pat might consider an appropriate oral replacement for smoking, please comment here.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
The Wednesday and Friday workouts were.... well... sweaty...real sweaty... I know that the point of going to the gym is to physically exert yourself. And in doing so, the body is going to try to cool itself down through the process of sweating. If you don't sweat, you're probably not working hard enough.
But these workouts were particularly sweaty. Wednesday is our usually break from lifting weights and we start our workout with kick-boxing. On Friday, we started off with an intense circuit. Each circuit was made of me jumping up and down for two minutes as if I'm jumping rope (cause I can't get the motion right for jumping rope yet), a push-up set, 20 kettlebell swings, and 10-12 bent over rows with kettlebells. I was tortured for four circuits.
Hmmm. Looking at it now, I guess that was a lot of work. I also spent the rest of the day as well as the weekend with my chest and butt sore with a little tenderness from my abs.
On a bright note, I noticed the my face seems to be getting leaner. Its either because of the sweating or because I finally trimmed my beard.
As soon I get it, I'll put up a new picture, Trimmed and all!
But these workouts were particularly sweaty. Wednesday is our usually break from lifting weights and we start our workout with kick-boxing. On Friday, we started off with an intense circuit. Each circuit was made of me jumping up and down for two minutes as if I'm jumping rope (cause I can't get the motion right for jumping rope yet), a push-up set, 20 kettlebell swings, and 10-12 bent over rows with kettlebells. I was tortured for four circuits.
Hmmm. Looking at it now, I guess that was a lot of work. I also spent the rest of the day as well as the weekend with my chest and butt sore with a little tenderness from my abs.
On a bright note, I noticed the my face seems to be getting leaner. Its either because of the sweating or because I finally trimmed my beard.
As soon I get it, I'll put up a new picture, Trimmed and all!
Sunday, March 9, 2008
I was nosing around the information part of the intrawebs yesterday and had found this.
It's and interview with Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals talking about his new book In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto.
In the interview he talks about the lack of government regulation over the food industry and how the industry itself has taken cheap whole food elements such as corn, soy, oats and has to process it into overcharged food-like items.
Rolled oats only cost 47 cents a pound, but if you mill the fiber out of it, enrich it with vitamins, put preservatives in them so that they have a one year shelf life, you can roll them into tiny little Os and sell it for 5 bucks a box.
Its definitely a good read and a subject that I'm going to investigate more. Pollan goes into how the industry has created government policy towards food and the consequences on the public.
Its not exactly exercise related but it is fitness related. I know that if I had been really strict with my diet, I'd probably be down 125 pounds by now. But I'm happy with what I have done so far and that this is a lifestyle change, not a conversion into monk-dom. There's going to be ups and downs as well as lapses that have to be made up for. After 35 years of looking at food one way, its going to take a while to change totally but at least I'm headed in the right direction.
It's and interview with Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals talking about his new book In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto.
In the interview he talks about the lack of government regulation over the food industry and how the industry itself has taken cheap whole food elements such as corn, soy, oats and has to process it into overcharged food-like items.
Rolled oats only cost 47 cents a pound, but if you mill the fiber out of it, enrich it with vitamins, put preservatives in them so that they have a one year shelf life, you can roll them into tiny little Os and sell it for 5 bucks a box.
Its definitely a good read and a subject that I'm going to investigate more. Pollan goes into how the industry has created government policy towards food and the consequences on the public.
Its not exactly exercise related but it is fitness related. I know that if I had been really strict with my diet, I'd probably be down 125 pounds by now. But I'm happy with what I have done so far and that this is a lifestyle change, not a conversion into monk-dom. There's going to be ups and downs as well as lapses that have to be made up for. After 35 years of looking at food one way, its going to take a while to change totally but at least I'm headed in the right direction.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
I'm really not used to shopping in regular places. Click here for more my past thoughts. So when the time came around for me to buy a pair of jeans from a regular clothing store, I really had no idea about where to go.
I'm not a shopper....What can I say? And even though there is a mall in Manhattan, as well as Manhattan island itself turning into a gigantic mall, the thought never occurred in my mind to schlep up to the mall on 34th and Broadway.
The first thing that came to mind was the Levi's store on Broadway and Prince Street. Since the gym is only a block away from this location and two of my clients is next door, I thought,"Hey! I need jeans, there's a jeans store!" I strolled uptown on Broadway on a cold Saturday.
I walked in and was looked every model of jeans. I had no idea that there all these models of Levis jeans. I scanned the wall on the side and saw 501s... 505s... 507s... 514s... 560s.. 720s... 180s... 360s... 3.14159265358979s... All of each model, then separated in cut, classic cut, relaxed cut, boot cut, straight cut, lo-rider cut, Urkle cut, robot cut, tutu cut.....
I looked at the sizes on the wall and saw the 501s. I've never owned a pair of button fly jeans before and had always wanted a pair. It seems like such a small thing, but when you've spend your high school years wearing dress pants or jeans with "hidden elastic expandable waistbands", button-fly jeans are a figment of the imagination (or advertising).
Instead of grabbing a pair one size below the size that I was currently wearing, I got a two pairs two sizes below from the shelf. One pair a boot cut and the other a straight cut and marched into the dressing room....
....And they fit! I was actually able to close each button! I actually had to choose between the two cuts to see which one fit my body better.
It wasn't until about five years ago did clothing manufacturers accepted the fact that big and tall sized people may need different cuts in a size to have the garment look flattering on the body. Before that point we were relegated to just being happy that they made a size that covered our bodies.
I walked out of the dressing room quite happy. And then I looked at the price....
I was happy to be finally free of having to not pay the premium for clothing and here I was, ready to shell out for these jeans at whatever the store wanted. I asked myself, what the hell I was doing? Where was the advantage of being able to shop anywhere I chose?
I walked out of the store a little disgusted at myself. I did want a pair of button-fly jeans, but I figured they could wait a little while longer, there were better things that I could spend the money on, like for instance, chipping in with Ben and Renee on a bike for Renelle's birthday.
As I walked home, I saw that there was an Old Navy just down the block. For the same price, I was able to pickup a pair of jeans as well as five sets of boxers for myself.
Maybe I'm more of shopper than I care to admit.... At least now, I'm not limited.
I'm not a shopper....What can I say? And even though there is a mall in Manhattan, as well as Manhattan island itself turning into a gigantic mall, the thought never occurred in my mind to schlep up to the mall on 34th and Broadway.
The first thing that came to mind was the Levi's store on Broadway and Prince Street. Since the gym is only a block away from this location and two of my clients is next door, I thought,"Hey! I need jeans, there's a jeans store!" I strolled uptown on Broadway on a cold Saturday.
I walked in and was looked every model of jeans. I had no idea that there all these models of Levis jeans. I scanned the wall on the side and saw 501s... 505s... 507s... 514s... 560s.. 720s... 180s... 360s... 3.14159265358979s... All of each model, then separated in cut, classic cut, relaxed cut, boot cut, straight cut, lo-rider cut, Urkle cut, robot cut, tutu cut.....
I looked at the sizes on the wall and saw the 501s. I've never owned a pair of button fly jeans before and had always wanted a pair. It seems like such a small thing, but when you've spend your high school years wearing dress pants or jeans with "hidden elastic expandable waistbands", button-fly jeans are a figment of the imagination (or advertising).
Instead of grabbing a pair one size below the size that I was currently wearing, I got a two pairs two sizes below from the shelf. One pair a boot cut and the other a straight cut and marched into the dressing room....
....And they fit! I was actually able to close each button! I actually had to choose between the two cuts to see which one fit my body better.
It wasn't until about five years ago did clothing manufacturers accepted the fact that big and tall sized people may need different cuts in a size to have the garment look flattering on the body. Before that point we were relegated to just being happy that they made a size that covered our bodies.
I walked out of the dressing room quite happy. And then I looked at the price....
I was happy to be finally free of having to not pay the premium for clothing and here I was, ready to shell out for these jeans at whatever the store wanted. I asked myself, what the hell I was doing? Where was the advantage of being able to shop anywhere I chose?
I walked out of the store a little disgusted at myself. I did want a pair of button-fly jeans, but I figured they could wait a little while longer, there were better things that I could spend the money on, like for instance, chipping in with Ben and Renee on a bike for Renelle's birthday.
As I walked home, I saw that there was an Old Navy just down the block. For the same price, I was able to pickup a pair of jeans as well as five sets of boxers for myself.
Maybe I'm more of shopper than I care to admit.... At least now, I'm not limited.
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