Today is Race Day

Jeepers, it's here already. We run a 3K today. I wonder how that will go . . . I'll get back to you after the run.

Later:
Well we did it. It's been almost 30 years since I've done something like that! The race was a small one--about 100 runners of all shapes and sizes. Some were real athletes. Others were not. Chris and I started near the back of the pack and stayed there most of the race. The course wound through the local neighborhood and along a trail through the woods. Although the air temperature was under 80 degrees, the sun was brutal! Near the end of the race, my right calf tightened up and I told Chris to run on ahead. She actually finished 15 seconds ahead of me.

Overall, it was a hard thing to do. But we were both glad that we did it, and we are looking at another race on the 4th of July.

Note: The runners depicted here are not Chris and I. I borrowed it from another site. Click on the piture to follow that link.

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)

WOOF! The DOMS are biting my butt this morning. We went to the gym yesterday and I did an upper body workout--really hit it hard. Today, I am sore. But it's a kind of pain that feels good. Like a reminder of a job well done.

Today I do lower body, and maybe some running--if my back will take it. I hurt it last weekend working on the dock. It's still not right. Hurts every morning when I get up. : (

Click on the painful picture to learn more about DOMS.

Two Weeks to our 5K Run

Two weeks from now, Chris and I participate in the annual run for celiac disease.
We've been running at the health club on treadmills to get into shape. I know, running on pavement is going to be much harder, but it's been so dang cold up here that running outside isn't much of an option.

My strategy is to run real fast for the 100 feet, then walk the rest of the way. That way, I can brag that I was leading early in the race. I figure with the right amount of caffeine and Motrin, I can do it. Stay tuned, I'll let you know how it went.

The Final 30 Days

Into the last 30 days of my 12-week challenge. The belly fat is yielding--stubbornly. I can actually look down and see my feet without bending over. The upper body is taking on that cool "V" shape. I wear t-shirts around the house, just because I no longer look horrid in one. Yesterday, I took in another notch on the belt. A bit snug, but I haven't used that notch since I bought the thing.

We go to the gym this morning. I'm scheduled to do an upper-body workout. It's crazy! when I come home and stand in front of the mirror, I look like a different person. There's actually muscle on those shoulders. I haven't seen that in years. Not bad for an old guy.

Body for Life Tshirt

Check this out! One of my t-shirts made the news on KCCI - Channel 8 in Des Moines, Iowa. Well, it really wasn't my shirt that was featured. Actually, Suzanne Ware and Bonnie Siegel were lifting weights to raise money for Childrens Miracle Network, and Suzanne is wearing a shirt that she bought from my CafePress store. Cool!

Incidentally, Suzanne lost 50 pounds using the Body-for-Life method!

You can watch the video here. You may have to watch the short commercial trailer first.

Getting in Shape

Six weeks into my 12-week challenge and look at the difference. Lots of new growth on the arms & sholders, the jowls are missing, and the belly fat is coming off. But it looks like time for some sun!

How to Burn Fat

Four Energy Systems and how to train them is the title of an article by John P. Hussman, Ph.D.on his site, Hussman Fitness. It's probably the best information about fat burning that I've ever read

If you really want to understand how exercise produces changes in your body, it helps to know a little bit of... continued

Gym Etiquette

Here’s a few ways to earn the respect (lack of) from your gym buddies. This could all be resolved by the old saying, You mom doesn’t work here...

1. Turn off your cell phone. Unless your family is waiting for that call from the governor issuing a reprieve to your second cousin, you really don’t need a cell phone at the gym. If you, or your calls, are that important, maybe you should be somewhere else.

2. Clean off the equipment after you use it. There’s nothing more discusting than sliding across your ass-sweat on the leg extension machine. Have you noticed the management provides anti-bacterial spray in those bottles over there? Use it!

3. Put your plates away. Everybody knows you’re a tuff guy and you can squat 800 pounds, but I shouldn’t have to unload your bar to squat my measly 90 pounds.

4. No grunting, snorting, or singing. If you regularly wear headphones, take them off once in a while and listen to yourself while you work out. You may be shocked to find that the noises you make won’t get you on American Idol.

5. Be odor neutral. I won’t even mention B.O. I hope nobody is so crass that they need reminding. On the other hand, perfumes, colognes, and even that lunch you had at the Thai restaurant earlier, may be very distracting to others.

6. If you are through with your workout, leave. The gym can be a busy place. While you are sitting on the weight bench watching re-runs of Lassie, someone may be waiting to use it.

7. Use one piece of equipment at a time. Again, if the gym is busy, don’t bounce back and forth from the free weights, to the cable machine, to the Smith machine. You may not notice, but others may be waiting.

Great Cottage Cheese Recipes

My tracker-challenge buddy, Steve, mentioned that he mixes yogurt with cottage cheese to make a delicious snack. Now it's a regular staple for me. The picture on the left is cottage cheese mixed with Post Grape Nuts. Yummy! You could substitute the Grape Nuts with shredded wheat, oatmeal, or any other high fiber carb. A great, late-night snack.

Also, cottage cheese is high in casein protein, which takes a long time to digest. Sometimes slower is better - especially when it comes to the rate of protein digestion. While rapid protein absorption is desirable immediately before or after exercise, delayed release is probably more beneficial throughout the remainder of the day.

Click on the picture to go to The Cottage Cheese Page at stumptuous.com. That site has a bunch of great cottage cheese recipes.

How cold is it???

What the Frig??? Is it cold outside, or what? There's geese migrating from the south wearing hooded sweatshirts. It's so cold that I saw one of our state senators over in St Paul, walking with one of his constituents, and he had his hands IN HIS OWN POCKETS. Chickens are rushing into KFC, begging to use the pressure cooker! Caribou started serving coffee on a stick! Words are actually freezing in mid air. If you wanted to hear what someone said, you had to grab a handful of sentences and take them in by the fire! People getting traffic tickets are pleading guilty and begging for the electric chair! The Bloods and Cripps in North Minneapolis are hugging each other just to stay warm. Flashers in the park are running up to women and describing themselves. Dogs are getting stuck to the fire hydrants! The Minnesota Twins are convinced that the Cubs will win the World Series this year--Hell really is freezing over!

Click on the comments button below to see a list of failed Minnesota slogans.

Major Victory!

I went for my annual physical last week. The doc noticed right away that I've been working out. He said that he could see it in my shoulders. When I explained my cardio program, he said I could cut my BP meds in half. I'm over the moon!

Four Week Photos

Well, there you have it. The picture on the left was taken on Feb 28, 2007. The one on the right was taken four weeks later on March 29th. A little improvement, but still a ways to go. My gut no longer looks like there's a basketball in it. The thighs are huge in the second photo. Upper body is looking good. I've still got some fat to burn!

You Know You're Doing BFL When...

This thread is way too funny.

It's Official . . .

I hurt all over!
Since I missed my Friday, Upper Body workout (date night with my main frail) I made it up on Saturday--followed by a cardio workout. Then I went back-to-back on Sunday with a Lower Body workout. This morning (Monday) I got up early and walk/jogged almost two miles around the neighborhood. I felt pretty good about my accomplishments, until after work, Chris suggested we take a walk at the park. Four miles later, I was beat. I'll never walk again! Click on the image to see a close-up of where I hurt. Where's the Motrin?

The Double Danger of High Fructose Corn Syrup

And to think, I used to drink a lot of pop. Read about this nasty stuff and what it's doing to our bodies.

Sunday--Time to Weigh In

The sunday morning ritual is upon me again. This time I have some bad news to report. I haven't lost an ounce! What this means is... I have to go to Target and get a new scale. That darn thing is stuck on 188. I've shaken my finger at it and given stern looks. I've scolded, even cussed. But it still tells lies. It's time for that thing to die!

The good news is, I've lost a full two inches off my waist! Ya for me! Stay tuned for this Thursday. I'll post my progress photos then.

Outing Two Great Websites

I want to recomend two great websites. If you are needing some extra support, or if you need some great advice, the forums on these sites are the places to visit.

bodyforlife-tracker
bodyforlife-nebraska

I'm just re-reading Body-for Life and this quote from Bill Philips jumped out at me. (Slight paraphrase for brevity)

The more you create value for others - the more you reach out, and give, to make their lives better - the stronger and richer... your own life will become.

That is what these sites is all about.
To get the book, click on the image above.

A WEEK AT THE GYM

ONE MAN’S STORY...

This is dedicated to everyone who ever attempted to get into a regular workout routine.

This is a post from smcmahon, who is a regular contributor at body for life-tracker under the moniker of BFL_SanDiego. The post is in the comments section below.

Why I chose Body-for-Life

Why I chose Body-for-Life is a very interesting question to consider. It takes some introspection - some thought. To save space on the front page of this blog, I put my thoughts in the comments section just below.

How to Use FitDay

I was in the habit of logging my food and activities into FitDay at the end of the day. But what it revealed was how badly I had failed that day to hit my eating goals. It seemed that I was going way over on the fat content of my meals. So, I started to use FitDay to plan my meals and activities the day before. That way, I could make changes to my diet before I ate the fatty foods. It's made all the difference int he world.

You can use FitDay free online, or do what I did, and buy the software download. The download has lots more food items from which to choose and there's no annoying ads to wade through. Go to FitDay.com for more info.

Another Upper Body

I ducked out on my lunch hour and went to the Snap Fitness near the office today. I started with a quick jog on the treadmill and proceeded to the Smith machine for presses. The past few days I haven't been religious about my creatine, and could really feel the difference. I had to settle for about five pounds less than a week ago. Creatine sure makes a difference!

The trainer there told me that if I wanted to burn more fat, I should lift weights first, then use the treadmill. His explanation was that jogging (aerobic exercise) uses both sugar and fat as fuel. Weightlifting (anaerobic exercise) only uses sugar. So I should deplete my reserve of sugar by weightlifting, then move to the treadmill. Since the sugar reserves are used up, the aerobic exercise burns only fat. I'll have to give that a try.

Greg's Power Diet

A bunch of us guys have entered a challenge at Body-for-Life Tracker. Although the competition is feirce, everyone is very encouraging. The camaraderie is great! When Greg posted this picture, I laughed out loud. I just had to post it here. You can view Greg's blog by clicking on the beer.

Treating Lower Back Pain

To follow up on an article at ezguide 2 back pain... all too often, when attempting to get in better shape we injure the lower back. Now I'm not a doctor (so I can't even tell you why your lower back hurts) but I've delt with the situation on more than one occasion. This simple movement as described at Yoga.org, will put the average back, back in action in just a few days.



Perform the movement slowly, allowing one vertibrea at a time to leave and return to the floor.

I Weighed In Today

I did a lot of physical exercise while I was in Georgia last week. I got up at 6:00am everyday to my regularly scheduled BFL workout. Monday was cardio on the treadmill. Tuesday, LB. ect. I was frustrated with my UB though. It's the first time that I lifted weights in the early morning, and I was working with a universal type gym that I wasn't used to. Hopefully I got a decent workout.

While down there, I took a walk every afternoon about 6:00pm. I probably averaged about 2.5 miles per day. Friday was a day off. So, since I'm back home today, I weighed in and took some measurements.

Weight still hasn't changed - 189 lbs. My waist dropped half an inch, my hips dropped half an inch, but both my thighs increased half an inch. That tells me that I'm losing belly fat and gaining muscle in my legs. This morning, I was back at my regular gym with Chris and did a cardio. Tomorrow is LB.

I logged my food intake and I'm way too high on my fat intake. Today (St Patricks Day) we had corned beef & cabbage for lunch. OMG! Way high in fat! Gotta figure out how to get that down.

Away in Georgia

I'm Georgia this week, at the Aberdeen Woods Conference Center, learning to be better at my job. (Even though I know enough about the subject matter to develop and teach the course.) Luckily, they have a gym here with some machines, free weights, and treadmills. I've gotten up at 6:00 am and kept to my BFL training schedule. Today was cardio and tomorrow is upper body.

I've even taken a three-mile walk every afternoon after class. Whew! quite a schedule. I miss my lovely wife and even the cat misses me.

Squats on the Smith Machine

At first doing squats on the Smith felt restrictive - like I was strapped into a carnival ride. Deep into the squat, I felt unusual pressure on my lower back. Then I received some good advice from the trainer at my gym. He pointed out that the feet should not be directly under the shoulders - as it would be during a regular barbell squat. But they should be just in front of the body, so the lifter is slightly leaning back into the rack. During the squat, the knees should never extend out beyond the toes and the thighs never beyond parallel to the floor. Once the thighs pass parallel, pressure is taken off the quads and those muscles are momentarily at rest. It's good advice to do squats on the Smith with just the bar, or very light weights added, until the movement seems more natural.

See a video analysis of the Smith squat at Muscle Ventures.

Top 10 Things That Have Helped Steve

My buddy Steve is doing the Body-for-Life Challenge. He posted his list of the top 10 things that have helped him on the BFL-Challenge web site. With his permission, I've included his list on this site. To read it, click on the comments link below. It's worth the read.

What is Your Fat Doing?

John P. Hussman, Ph.D. discusses the changes your body goes through when embarking on a new fitness program. Read all about it here.

I Made Up for the Missed Upper Body

With a vengance! I took the opportunity to really take my traps to task. They are killing me today - along with the pecs. Holy Moly! I did a cardio today. I think I'm starting to see some real changes in my body. And I like it.

I Missed an Upper Body Today

Brain damage? Too many recreational drugs as a youth? Maybe just old age? I don't know how to explain it. I got up this morning, had my breakfast of eggs & wheat toast, and packed my gym bag. I counted my socks, put in my favorite t-shirt - the one that shows my pecs nicely after a few bench presses - made sure I had both shoes, and zipped her shut.

My day worked out perfectly. I visited a customer and made my way to the gym with an 11:00 am ETA. Then I looked over to the passenger seat and noticed it was empty. To the untrained eye, no big deal. But to a pro that I am, I realised that I had left my gym bag at home. Idiot!

Understanding High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

Why HIIT is the best fat burning exercise is all pretty scientific, but it's important to understand the why behind the how. Clicking on the picture will take you to bodybuilding.com. It's a long read, so grab a chair.

I Told You it Was Snowing!

Does shoveling through three-foot snow drifts count for a cardio workout? Maybe not. Here's a picture of what we did this morning. Up to that point, it all had to be dug out by hand. The problem is, it's still snowing, and the wind is blowing some 20 miles an hour. So we'll be digging it back out this afternoon. Ah, the joys of living in Minnesota.

Chris and I Worked Out Together at Home Today

Here's a picture of us doing our cardio together. Actually, it's a lot colder here than the picture portrays. We are having the 2nd blizzard in as many weeks here. We're snowbound. And actually, we got an upper body workout in, not a cardio. Maybe the picture is a bit of an exaggeration. There were no dragons chasing us.

When we decide to leave the house, we will get our second workout of the day. We'll have to shovel through three foot drifts to even get to the snow blower. After that, it will take an hour to get the drive open. They are predicting another 10 inches over-night. We might be stuck here forever. You gotta love it.

Woman Lost Almost 400 lbs . . .

by following Bill Phillips' books Body for Life & Eating for Life. She watched an episode of Montell Williams where BFL couples were interviewed. That show caused her to by the book, Body for Life. It's an amazing story.

Beginning of BFL-Tracker Challenge

In conjunction with the BFL-Tracker website, I've started a new BFL Challenge. I took my "before" pictures last night. If you are really that interested, you can view them at bodyforlife-tracker.com. You will have to look up my profile, norm_r, to see them. It's pretty frightening stuff!

You'll read below that I had started a challenge a few weeks ago, but I decided to start a new one for the Tracker Challenge. This challenge ends May 29th. I am competing against 34 other guys and the grand prize is about $1300. It's time to get serious about burning fat!

The Most Masochistic Push-ups Ever Devised

Click on the video below to see how to perform them. I tried these bad boys yesterday, and today, my traps, pecks, and triceps are screaming. (I did a full upper body workout along with the pushups.) The movement is done with a standard medicine ballor swiss ball. Watch the video and all will be explained. Brutal!

Click here for more on "Bodyweight Exercises: Strength Building: Free Video Lessons"

Now come the problem of the sore muscles. The traps were the most sore, so I employed a set of yogaballs that Chris had bought. The setup resembled two tennis balls in a sock. I places these on the floor and lay down with them under my traps. Oh, the pain! But after some shoulder movement, I got my best massage in years.

I Told You I Couldn't Get To the Gym

Here's a view out the front door. I took this picture at 6:00pm Central today. You can't really tell, but the snow is actually falling horizontally! Under the snow is several hours of ice that rained down this morning. We stocked up on food yesterday, but if we are going to last, you'd better send money. Yeah, that's the ticket! Send money. It's the only way we can last! (Click on the picture to see the detail.)

Upper Body Workout at Home

It's been raining ice here all morning long. The forecast is for 5 to 15 inches of snow in the next 24 hours. I'm not going to make it to the gym! So, I did an upper body workout at home. Since I don't have enough weights here to match Snap Fitness, I had to slow a few of my reps to hit the 10s. Everything worked except shrugs. Not enough weight. I'd have to shrug the TV set, but it's too bulky - probably just end up hurting my back.

Above is a picture of me doing some bench presses. Notice - no spotter. Bad Form! And I can't explain why one leg is off the ground. Just fooling around, I guess. Tomorrow is a cardio day. I 'spose I'll do jumping jacks. Maybe ice skating around the yard?

I haven't been able to get to the gym...

...for the last four days, and I feel like this guy right here. That's right. See that belly. That's me. I tried working out with weights here at home, but I only have one set of dumbbells--and they are just not heavy enough to get a good lift in. I did some upper body and some core, but it's just not as effective as getting into the gym. And now this weekend, they're predicting the winter storm of the season. Just when I need to get to the gym! Well, I will get a cardio on cross country skis tomorrow. Right now it's raining ice, but tomorrow it's supposed to snow about a foot. That should do it.

Today Was a Cardio Day!

After a healthy, lean lunch (chicken breast on whole grain bread & a cabbage salad) we went to the gym. Treadmill today. 500 calorie burn. I know that I'm exceeding the recommended BFL, 20-Minute Aerobics Solution™. But I've got to get my heart conditioned to the point where a 20-minute cardio will get any results.

So I jogged/walked 3.5 miles in 43 minutes. That's three minutes off my best time. I'm aware that I'm trading anaerobics for aerobics, but it's a health concern and trade-off that I'm willing to make. I need my heart in good shape. It felt great. I feel stronger every time we go to the gym

Flies on the Ball

Yesterday was an upper-body workout. I started with 10 minutes on the treadmill to get the heart pumping then the good stuff--dumbbell flies on the Swiss Ball. It must be a unique idea at our gym. I get quite a few looks.

I couldn't find any pics of people lifting weights on the ball, but the picture shows how it's done. (Imagine him doing flies with a dumbbell in each hand.) I don't really like doing flies on a bench. It always seems to be the wrong height, and then my lower back is not supported. I end up with a sore lower back. Doing a bridge on the ball like this adds a little extra core work while doing the flies. Every little thing helps. If you try this type of lift, choose the largest ball available. It's a bit tricky starting out.

But I've digressed. The workout was fabulous. The pecks are aching this morning--along with the traps.

Does Creatine Make a Difference?

You bet it does! Click on this photo from Squiggs World. Just one week taking creatine made a huge difference in muscle size and definition.

Unlike steroids or other perfomance enhancement drugs, creatine is 100% natural and occurs in many of the foods we eat. Humans synthesize creatine in the liver, pancreas, and kidneys from the amino acids Arginine, Glycine and Methionine. It can also be found in meat type foods such steak, fish, pork, tuna, etc. However, the amount of creatine we get from foods is minimal compared to the amount needed to get the maximum beneficial effect. To get roughly 20 grams of creatine (the general dosage amount for the loading phase), one would have to consume roughly 16-18 steaks. Because of this, it is more convenient to consume creatine as a supplement, rather than eat a lot of meat products.

The Second Best Ab Crunch on the Planet

Here it is. The second-best exercise for building rock-hard abs. The slow crunch. Hooking your toes under the sofa and pounding out 100 sit-ups won't build that six-pack like this humble little movement. And this one won't put you out of action with back pain!

Click on the photo for the video. This guy sure knows how to make it burn.

Oh, did I mention that those crunches were the second-best exercise for building huge abs? Well here's the best: The Pull-up Crunch Combo. Click on the picture for a description from Mens Fitness Magazine.


Here's another tip from MensFitness.com - Work your abs in reverse You already know how to crunch, but reverse that motion by bringing your torso away from your body and you'll open up an entirely new avenue for growth. Try the reverse woodchop. Grab a medicine ball and stand with your feet at shoulder width, staggered heel to toe. Reach down with the ball to the front of your back knee (as if you'd just finished chopping into a log), and then quickly extend up and back to the opposite side, as if you were throwing the ball over your shoulder. Perform three sets of eight reps on both sides, resting 90 seconds between sets.

For some people - including myself - doing a pullup while doing the ab crunch is a bit advanced. Our gym has these ab slingsthat support your body while you crunch away. These will help you focus on a particular muscle group.

Tomorrow's Upper Body

So today was a day off. You have to do that once a week. Here's a picture of me after an upper body workout last week. Looks like I'll have to stop taking those vitamins!

I'm just kidding. That's not really me . . .

Need a little inspiration to grind out that last rep? Next time, in front of the mirror at the gym, think. . . What would Bill Phillips do?

Here's what I did this past week.

Sunday - 20 minutes treadmill & lower body/core weightlifting
Monday - 500 calorie burn on treadmill (45 min.)
Tuesday - 20 minutes treadmill & upper body weightlifting
Wednesday - 500 calorie burn on treadmill (45 min.)
Thursday - 20 minutes treadmill & lower body/core weightlifting
Friday - 500 calorie burn on treadmill (45 min.)
Saturday - 20 minutes treadmill & upper body weightlifting
When I say weightlifting, I'm talking an effort of 10 on the BFL scale.

Nutritional supplements - One per day of the Myoplex Ready to Drink. That would be an additional 42 grams of protein. Plus one serving per day of Phosphagen (Creatine)

And here's what I got for it.
Waist - minus 1/2 inch
Chest - minus 1/2 inch
Thigh - plus 1/2 inch
Calf - plus 1/4 inch
Weight - plus 2 pounds

I can see and feel the difference in my body. I thought that I would lose some weight with all that cardio, but my thighs look like

So, here's what I did this past week

Sunday - Treadmill warm up 150 calorie burn. Lower body/core weightlifting.
Monday - 500 calorie burn on treadmill.
Tuesday - Treadmill warm up 150 calorie burn. Upper body weightlifting.
Wednesday - 500 calorie burn on treadmill.
Thursday - Treadmill warm up 150 calorie burn. Lower body/core weightlifting.
Friday - 500 calorie burn on treadmill.
Saturday - Treadmill warm up 150 calorie burn. Upper body weightlifting
When I say weightlifting, I'm talking an effort of 10 on the BFL scale.

Nutritional supplements - One per day of the Myoplex Ready to Drink. That would be an additional 43 grams of protein per day. Plus one serving per day of Phosphagen (Creatine)

And here's what I got for it.
Waist - minus 1/2 inch
Chest - minus 1/2 inch
Thigh - plus 1/2 inch
Calf - plus 1/4 inch
Weight - plus 2 pounds

I can already see and feel the difference in my body. I thought that I would lose some weight with all that cardio, but my thighs feel like Bruce Banner.

When I think I need some inspiration, I click on Joshua's picture.

Okay, Here are the Before Pictures!

To see the difference from before and after, this is my before picture.

Because of work schedules and other things, I took the last 3 days off from working out. The body needed a rest. We've been going to the gym 4 days a week... one week it was five times. Tomorrow I'll weigh in and take measurements. I don't think I've lost an ounce, but I've lost a lot of body fat and gained a lot of muscle. If you have the nerve, you can click on the pics to see the frightening detail.

Disclaimer: The owners of this site are not responsible for the shock this may cause.

Feb 4, 07 What the Frig??!!! I weighed in this morning and took measurements. No change! Nothing! Zilch! Nada! Something is desperately wrong. Could it possibly be that I can go to the gym 4 days a week and see no improvement after a month? This must be part of some vast right-wing conspiracy! Dave was in town last week. Maybe he sneaked into our house while we were asleep and gave me collagen injections around my waist. Or maybe I should stop drinking beer after every workout? : (

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The Start Date Approacheth

The weekend is here and we have upper body today, lower body tomorrow, and cardio on Monday. Usually Monday is a day off, but we decided to add a cardio day. The plan is to keep the heart in the fat burning range (110-120 bps) for an hour. That should burn about 300-400 calories.

We went to the gym. I walked/jogged for 30 minutes. That's a calorie burn of somewhere between 240 and 315 - depending on who you ask. After that, a full upper-body workout. Flies on the exercise ball then machine presses for pecks, dumbbell side raises then machine raises for delts, shrugs for traps, pull-down then cable row for lats, cable pull-down for triceps, and dumbbell curls for biceps. I drank two bottles of water during my workout and my muscles seemed to pump up nicely. It was a lot of work!

We belong to Snap Fitness. It's a bare-bones gym - no showers, no saunas, no meet-market environment. But it's convenient - open 24-7, very affordable, and lots of locations around the country. We see a lot of the same people and the owner knows us by name. It's like a family. We really like it. They have several treadmills, elipticals, and bikes for cardio, a full circuit of weight machines, a smith machine and lots of free-weights. If you need it, they got it. And since it's a neighborhood gym, we've never had to wait for or turn on something.

If I can cut my body fat in half . . .

I'll be 1% below the average male and be much healthier for it. I'll be cut, and my doctor will love me for it.

We joined a health club the first week of January.

A day off from exercise. (Deep breath) Since Chris and I joined the health club the first week of January, we have been going 4 times a week. The first few times on the treadmill were brutal! I do a 20 minute routine there, then a circuit on the weight machines. I alternate upper and lower body each time we go. Yesterday, was lower body, and today I can still feel the sore muscles from upper body the day before.

I can see the difference in my face and neck. For me, it's the first fat to go. The gut fat will be the last. I guess I have to burn through all the other fat before the belly goes.

January 24, 07
Today was supposed to be day off, but to burn the fat that I have, we decided to hit the club and do some cardio. we both did the excersize bikes. Not a bad ride, but I couldn't get my heart rate over 120. May have to stick to the treadmill. I can get the heart up to any level I want there.

When taking the garbage van up to the curb, I slipped on the ice. To catch myself, I wrenched my left knee. I hop that it will not hurt tomorrow.

Jan. 25
The knee hurt a bit but didn't stop my workout. I rode the bike for 30 minutes in the fat burning zone. Did a full set of lower body & core excersizes. The hanging abs was a killer.
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