Six pack by summer

I feel like I was hit by a train.
Instead of getting out of bed, feeding the cat, getting ready and going to the gym like every other morning, I got up, fed the cat then promptly fell asleep.
I’m craving carbs this morning more then ever before. And not sweets like normally. I’m gonna give the whole “listen to your body” thing a shot and have some oatmeal when I get into work. I’m going to shoot for around 200g total carbs today, and see how I feel tomorrow.

Update @ 10:16am
Here’s the breakdown:
Gallon of water
Protein drink (ISOPure Arctic Punch)
Tuna Sandwich on Wheat
Some Ciabatta bread (Some of that new artisan bread – splitting it with someone)
Dried Papaya
Zone bar (“Nutrition” bar – it’s really just candy with a decent nutritional profile)

Any questions / suggestions? I am going to do the walk twice today, good idea Ché

I never know if I should do months by weeks or calendars or days. In any event, today I’m going to look back at the progress and challenges of the last “month”.
I wrote a little script to play with these numbers (if you’re viewing this in a feed reader, visit here):

If the numbers are correct (and small changes make a huge difference), I’ve lost over 10 lbs of fat, more then 2 lbs a week! I’ve also gained just under 2 lbs of muscle in that time.

Every day I question my progress and get worried that it’s not happening fast enough. In the past, with other times I’ve tried to “get in shape”, I’ve quit as a side-effect of worry. Worry that I wasn’t on the most effecient program or path. I’m really trying to live the concept of “A good plan today is better then a perfect plan tomorrow”.
Those who know me will find it hard to believe that I’m a perfectionist, but a lot of things I do poorly or not at all (cleaning, chores, etc) I fail in, because in my mind, to do them RIGHT would take such a monumental effort, that it’s easier not to do them at all.

Cardio is still hard. I’m still not very good at lifting (I feel very lame benching just the bar with 5 lbs plates). Eating the same boring thing every day is a strain. But I have to admit, the proof is in the pudding (it’s a pun, get it? pudding in the belly….). I’m making progress. Will it be enough to “win” this contest? I’m not sure, but like I wrote a while back – win, lose or draw, I’m getting a six pack. Even if it takes me doing cardio every day for the next 10 years, it’s going to happen. A lot more then vanity or $1,000 is at stake here. I need to prove to myself that I can truly accomplish ANYTHING I set my mind and resolve to. Not just things I’m good at that come easily to me. But things that are hard, tedious and boring.

I think it partly comes down to this: I have a very hard time with “Blind faith”. I usually think I know best, and can’t just allow myself to do the perscribed actions and await an outcome. For this task, I think I’ve found a good balance.

are hard.

I’m pretty beat today – legs yesterday, and I KILLED it.
I’m feeling a bit down about my progress, but gotta keep chugging along…

Wake up in the late afternoon. Oops wrong thing.

Ché had it right yesterday – eat and sleep. I feel a lot better this morning. Weekends are really turning out to be a tough nut to crack. Sitting at a desk, it’s so much easier to manage my time and food intake. At home, waking up late, doing a million things makes it tough for me to watch the clock, as it were.

In any event, I’m reading a new book The Omnivore’s Dilemma, It’s really awesome.

I’m tired and hungry :/

If you consider building a fence a rest :)
I’m not doing the normal cardio today, instead I’m going down to my mom’s to help her build her new fence.

My weight is down again today.
I’m eating my first meal (chicken) now.

A short update today.

There are a few people on me who don’t know me in person. For those, a small recap:
I love Potatos and bread.

My employer has branched out into the fine world of gourmet food, and as such, brought in large amounts of “artisan” bread. Sourdoughs, Flavors (like cinamon raisin), baggugets, and I don’t even know what else. I’m staying strong, eating my chicken and brocolli and doing what needs to be done!

On the positive front:

• Had an awesome workout (lifting) last night [I lift 4 nights a week, and do cardio every morning]

• I was 170 even today, with approx 17% bf – my worries from last night are fading away

It started yesterday; I undercooked my chicken. That made me miss two meals during the day, so I was in a foul mood when I got home. I had a turkey burger, and put it all behind me.
I woke up at 6:40, headed to the gym a little late. Put in my hour, which ended up being BRUTAL. I think those missed cals really hurt me. I got through it anway and went home and pretty much collapsed.
I ate a tuna steak (one of those new ones from bumblebee) and felt MUCH MUCH better. I still took it slow, I even now don’t feel great.
Anyway, I get a call just as I get out of the shower and put my chicken on the grill that our terminals aren’t able to auth credit cards, and I need to get into work right away.

Well, I’m here now :)

My cat woke me up at 5am, and I couldn’t go back to sleep.
I ended up at the gym at 6:30 and did a nice hour of cardio on the elliptical. The last 5 mintues I went above 150bpm a few times – blame “We didn’t start the fire”.

Last night, I had my first shoulder/arm workout. The only real problem was the shoulder press machine. I’m either not the right size for it, or didn’t use it right (I’d bet on the latter). My biceps are hurting today! And skull-crushers are tough.

Feeling great today – I’m going to have another great day of eating correctly, and get some work done – I’m working on a nasty parser that’s giving me some grief.

I was really not “feeling” it yesterday. I ended up NOT doing any cardio and ate a decent amount of carbs (dried Paypya! yum).

In any event, I went to bed at 11, woke up at 6:45 rarring to go. I realized that:
A) The scale meanse nothing
B) no matter WHAT, I need to just keep plugging away with what I’m doing
C) If I need to tweak, I need to figure it out early and then bear out the change to see if it’s effective

to that end, I’m not sure that I’ll be posting my weight everyday (maybe not even taking it), but I will be doing what is meaningful more often – BF% and waist measurment.

I did 90 minutes of cardio, and it was good.

I’m lifting arms and shoulders today.