Out Sick

As you've probably noticed, I haven't been blogging lately. The short-short answer is that I've been sick. I would like to fully communicate how horrible I've been feeling lately and that my nose seems on the verge of being totally scraped off due to all the tissues I've been using, but I'll keep this matter cordial.

Well, sort of. Honestly, I gotta tell ya. I feel like the poops.

I blame my mother. She was sick last week, but she completely denies passing it on to me. She's wrongers again. But, I suppose taking a little sickness from my mother is the least I can do for her giving birth to me and such. At least, that's how she always explains things. Honestly, I feel like I've been paying for that nine months gestation period for decades on end every time she nags me about her latest grievance. This whole birth thing is a sham. (Maybe I'll revise my opinion later, but right now I'm feeling miserable and I need to blame someone.)

God help me. My nose won't stop running!!!

Okay, I gotta get some more sleepies.

That's all for now, typos and all. Peace out.

Day 14: "Off Day"

Okay, let's get serious for a second. My whole week has practically been an "off day." Just because today is supposed to be a non-workout day doesn't actually mean that I observed any more "off-ness" than any other day. However, today has definitely given me a bit of time to contemplate why I started this program and if I should move forward and try again on Monday.

Hmmm...okay, I think I'll try again on Monday.

Who cares if I haven't done the program all the other days? This thing was only meant to be fun in the first place. Nothing more. Afterall, I didn't put a whole lot of resolve into my decision to start the program. I just thought it looked like something I could add to my regular workout program to mix things up a bit. And "mix-things-up" it definitely did. I'm usually a cardio guy. I love running. Doing this program helped remind me about returning to some weight training that I used to do when I was a kid. And that it definitely did.

So here I go with Monday, as I start anew.

On a slightly different note, tonight I went out to get coffee with my mom and my brother. We went someplace new this time. Tonight we tried the Roasterie in Brookside, which is right next to my old stomping grounds, aka where I put myself through college such a wee precious few years ago. While I'm not a big fan of Brookside and its overpriced everything, I did enjoy the cup'o'joe. General deliciousness all around. Kudos to my bro for suggesting it. Today's picture in the sidebar.

Okay, that's all for now, typos and all. Peace out.

Day 13: BFL Bust

Do you actually think I did my workout program today? Go on. Guess!

Answer: No!

Come on haven't you caught on by now.

That's all for now, typos and all. Peace.

Day 12: BFL Bust

Allow me to list just a few of my horribly unhealthy habits. Here goes:

• I don't have, and have never had, a regular bedtime.
• I never get up at a similar time each day.
• I eat too much processed sugar.
  
• I eat too much processed flour.
• I don't have a regular workout time.
• I only exercise about every other day.
  
• I rarely eat fresh vegetables.
  
• I rarely eat fresh fruits (fyi: The difference between fruits vs. veggies is only cultural.).
• I overeat about 3-4 times per week. I can just feel it.
  
• I eat way too much candy.
• I drink soda pop almost daily. I probably have about 4-5 cans per week.
• I don't drink enough water.
• I don't know how to cook, and have never bothered to learn.
• I eat out every single day.

I need a change. Period.
That's all for now, typos and all. Peace out.

Day 11: BFL Bust

Sometimes you just have to laugh at yourself. As I look over my "amazing" BFL entries, I quickly realize that I've been choosing to not follow the program more than I have been choosing to get with the program. Not sure why that is. It could be that I tried this program on a whim just because I thought it might be interesting. Maybe a half-hearted interest equals a half-hearted attempt. Then again it might also be because I generally feel like I'm doggedly trying to manage my chaotic life right now. Job hunting in a new geographic location has a tendency to leave a guy out of breath at the end of everyday, as well as feeling at the mercy of everyone else's schedule. It's a worn out, out-of-control feeling. I'll get through it though. The BFL program wasn't meant to be anything more than fun for me. So I'll continue to treat it that way. Plus it gives me something to blog about. I mean come on, you don't really want to hear me whine about my job-hunting adventures, do you?

I'm just going to take life as it comes and continue maneuvering all the plans I've got in my arsenal of ambition for a fulfilling life.

I'll hit the BFL tomorrow again. Try, try, try again. Can't give up. That'd be too boring anyway.

That's all for now, off the cuff, plus typos and all. Peace out.

Day 10: BFL Bust

Totally bombed my program today. No excuses. I decided not to go to the gym and instead took my mom and my brother out to Chubby's (local greasy spoon diner) for dinner. I could barely move my legs so I figured that it was my body's way of telling me to lay off until the muscle stiffness in my legs heals at least to the point where I can walk straight again.

Gosh I had no idea that the weight training workouts could hurt so much. I've always believed that I was in relatively decent shape too. I'm a runner by nature. I love hitting the pavement and pumping my legs until my heart pounds and the sweat soaks my face and clothes. Night running is my favorite. Maybe I just assumed that I was physically still as strong as when I used to weight train years ago. I think I've just conditioned my body differently over the years. I have to get used to weight training again.

Well that's all for now, typos and all. Peace out.

Day 9: BFL

Did cardio today. I'm starting to become a fan of the horizontal stationary bike. It seems ideal for the BFL cardio sessions. I feel like it offers less stress on my joints so that I don't have to compromise my running. Plus another good thing about the bike is that I can gauge the resistance. That's a huge help because it always seems like the BFL cardio format is difficult to assess. With the different monitoring tools on the bike it's easy to shift intensity levels and keep track of how hard I'm training. On a side note, the horizontal feature is like an added bonus. If you're a guy, I shouldn't even have to bother explaining. Basically, the groin practically cries out in agony on the old vertical bike position if you stay in that position too long. Or worse yet, the testes just to go numb. Not a pleasant thought.

So now that I'm all set with the cardio portion of my workout, I really need to do something about improving the diet portion. I'm not sure how I should go about making improvements, but I have to do something. For some reason, I just never seem to get in six meals a day. I'm gonna think of something and get back to you (well, me).

That's all for now, typos and all. Peace.

Day 8: BFL

Started week 2 today. I'm so happy that I didn't give up, or postpone, the program. I was worried that I would do that considering all the stiffness I had in my left arm, but I feel as good as new now.

Today ended up being my first leg workout. I took it relatively easy, especially after my unusual experience last week. I still hit my marks, but I didn't try to overtrain everything right away. I'm aware that muscle strain and severe lactic acid buildup is a possibility if I don't work methodically after not having lifted weights in such a long time. So today I trained hard, not gungho, guyish, and stupid.

I could have had more meals today, but didn't. I'm not sure how I should go about fixing that other than just to make sure that I eat the requisite six meals every single day. Maybe I'll set my timer to remind myself to eat. Six meals just seems like a lot of food for me. I'll work through it though.

Overall, I'm definitely really happy I'm still with the program. I plan to complete the entire thing, no matter what. (I'm also not going to let the BFL interfere with my running routine. Just thought I'd throw that out there. I love running! I couldn't stop even if I tried.)

Oh, on a slightly different note, I sort of randomly connected with someone online that's also doing the BFL. Hi Caroline! Not sure how we met, but it's always nice to get a randomly nice email. Maybe that's what BFL is all about. Word up to that.

Well, that's all for now, typos and all. Peace.

Day 7: Off Day

Today is supposedly my "off day," however, as I've clearly indicated throughout this rather rough first week, the last several days have actually been a series of "off days." The good news is that I finally feel that my left arm is getting better. I'm about 90% sure that I will be good to complete my workouts this upcoming week as long as I move forward steadily, not necessarily easily, and don't put any unreasonable strain on my body.

This first week has been a definite eye-opener. I had no idea that my body would not respond the way I thought it would when I put a lot of stress on it all at once. When I was a kid, I remember being able to drop whatever I was doing at a moment's notice, run outside for a 200 yard sprint, maybe ride my bike for 5 miles, then play basketball with my friends for a few hours, and then lift weights on top of all of that if I felt like it. I was a very active kid. I guess I've been out of the spontaneous, rough and tumble workout mode for a little while, and apparently I need to ease back into things. I think the strain and weeklong cramping of my left bicep was just my body's reminder to me that I have to move methodically with my body and not just on a whim. Lesson learned.

That's all for now, unedited plus typos and all. Peace.

Day 6: BFL - Bust

No workout today. Still letting the left arm rest. Thankfully, I have a greater range of motion back, but the stiffness makes it hang unnaturally. No need to use the cloth sling anymore. I'm pretty happy about that, but I still can't extend my left arm all the way. It feels like it might pop when I get it almost to the straightened position. Right now, I'm just keeping it bent until it loosens up a bit on its own.

Splurged on food. Bad idea. But there's a slight upside. Big breakfast and small dinner. That's all I ate. I should have thrown in some more meals throughout the day, but overall I think I kept my overall calorie count within a healthy range.

I plan to hit the program steady next week.

That's all for now, typos and all. Peace.

Day 5: BFL - Bust

Today was supposed to be another upper body workout. I had to pass. As previously noted, my left arm hasn't uncramped yet. It feels only slightly better than yesterday, but that's not saying much. Keeping it up in a sling helps take the pressure off, but that's only a temporary remedy. I'm afraid I may have to see a doctor it this doesn't clear up in by the end of next week.

I wrote in my BFL Journal that I'm considering postponing the program for a couple of weeks while I take time to heal. Honestly though, I really don't want to do that. I want to do this program. In some strange sentimental way, I need to do this program. I'm not fat or terribly out of shape or anything, I just want to make some changes in the way things are going on a personal level in my life. I'm frustrated. Of course, I don't expect that completing a fitness program is going to change that, but still need to do something, anything to jumpstart my internal motivation in this situation. I can't get discouraged. I have to keep moving forward.

Tomorrow, I'm going to do the cardio routine. That part is easy. I just need the use of my left arm back so I can get back on this program full speed, ASAP.

Well, that's all for now folks, typos and all. Peace.

Day 4: BFL

Cardio today. Easy. 'Nuff said. However, I didn't go running in the evening like I normally like to. My damn left bicep and upper forearm are both still in pain. I knew that I wouldn't be able to bear the pain of tensing it up long enough to endure a 4 mile jog.

So now, I'm actually starting to get a little worried. I originally thought I just had a bad case of lactic acid buildup, but now I have to wonder. It's only been two days since the pain hit. The soreness in my right arm has subsided for the most part and I can almost straighten it completely. That's great. No worries there. My left arm, however, has me more concerned with every passing moment. I bought a cheap cloth arm sling at the grocery store today. I was genuinely amazed at the amount of pressure it took away from just letting it dangle half bent. When I have my left arm slung up, I can't really feel anything uncomfortable. I know that can't last forever though. I think I'm going to just lay off my left arm completely until the pain eases up a bit. I'm about 80-90% sure that I probably strained the muscle. Dear God, I pray that my tendons are not damaged. That could take months to heal.

Okay, that's all for now, typos and all. Peace.

Day 3: BFL - Bust

Today was a total bust. No excuses. Hands down, I just didn't get it done with my fitness program today.

Last night, at about 3 am I woke up to shooting pain in my arms. When I came to, I realized that both of my arms were curled up and cramped in a fetal position from the chest up. I was completely dumbfounded. I couldn't move my arms! I couldn't uncurl them, couldn't relax them, couldn't reach for the lamp to get a clear look at them, couldn't even move either arm far enough to touch the other in order to massage the cramp out. This may sound totally ridiculous, but for a moment a fleeting panicked thought actually ran through my mind that I almost believed I woke up with MS.

After about a minute, which felt like an hour, I realized what was going on and I knew that my arms were just flushed with lactic acid buildup from overtraining. I've had cramps before, but nothing even remotely close to something like this. I spent the next half hour tensing and releasing pressure in my arms. Gradually the worst part of the cramps went away but my arms remained perpetually bent at about a 45 to 90 degree angle throughout the rest of the day. It was awkward and uncomfortable to say the least. I felt like I couldn't concentrate or fully think about anything else.

I didn't feel physically competent to hit the gym for my lower body workout until around late evening when the cramps lessened a bit. However, by that time, I ended up carelessly creating another unnecessary obstacle for myself. The gym I go to closes at 10 pm. I didn't finally make my way their until about 8:50 pm. Then when I got their I realized that I had left my pad lock at home. So I drove back home to get it and by the time I got their it was 9:05 pm. At that point, I knew that I'd screwed up the day's workout because I wouldn't be able to make it back to the gym until 9:15 or 9:20 pm. That wouldn't have been nearly enough time to race through a workout that should take ordinarily take about an hour.

So what did I do? Probably not the best thing in the world. I stayed in. Then about an hour went by and I figured that since I had screwed up the entire day's fitness objective I might as well get something comforting out of it, so I drove to the grocery store and got a 12 oz. frozen cheese pizza. I know, I know. What a mistake? Yes, I know.

So I'm a little down right now, but I'm definitely not out. I'll get over today's setback. I've got to. Tomorrow, I'm just going to chalk today up to experience and get right back on track with my BFL program. I can't allow myself to get discouraged. It's only the first week. I'm going to keep going at it no matter what.

That's all for today, typos and all. Peace.

Day 2: BFL

Just a quick post before bedtime. I feel like I'm radiating positive vibes today. I don't think it has anything to do with this little exercise regimen, but instead I think the fact that I just made the incredibly easy self-directed decision to do this little program is indicative of my internal desire to make a number of positive movements in my life.

I had a job interview today. It went great, to say the least. I'm not going to get my hopes up, but I honestly don't know how the interview could have gone any better. I think the only reason I might not get the job is if there happened to be a prior arrangement and the interviewing process was just a formality to hiring someone else that was already preselected. You never can tell about what goes on behind the scenes. So instead, I'll just be content to know that I did my best and I truly believe that everything went superbly well today. The interviewers were friendly and I think we really hit it off. As interviews go, I really can't ask for more than that.

With regard to the Body-for-Life program, I have to admit that the hardest part of the program so far is making myself eat according to a planned timeframe. What's just as surprising is that I notice that I don't even eat the requisite amount of food or the planned number of meals. I guess I'm just not that hungry. This is really an eye-opener for me. I never thought for a moment that I don't eat enough, but it sort of looks like that's the case.

The exercise regimen was pretty easy. I just did cardio today, and for that I chose the stationary bike. It was pretty fun, except for the numbing of my groin I noticed once I finished the routine. I think I'll choose the seated stationary bike next time instead of the standing bike.

I want to point out that I going to continue moving forward with my running regimen. Just because I'm doing the Body-for-Life program as an addendum does NOT mean that I'm going to slack on running. Running is a personal passion of mine. I love doing it. New routine or not, I'm not compromising my running for the sake of haphazardly starting a new exercise regimen. Plus I don't think the Body-for-Life program even comes close to interfering with my running. Afterall, I did the BFL cardio plan today and it's just 20 little minutes. I do twice that on my easy days. If anything, I think the BFL cardio could probably be used as a good warm up or maybe even as a crosstraining session on my off days.

All in all, a really good day today. Oh, I also put in about 4 miles of roadwork tonight. I love night running. No sun in your face to blind you and the streets are practically yours. That's the way I look at it. Just the moon and stars above and my legs pumping just beneath me. So nice.

Well, that's it for now, typos and all. Peace out.

Day 1: Body for Life

Lately, I feel like I've stagnated. My job search is becoming more and more frustrating everyday. However, I'm trying to keep my head up. In this economy, I think that's all you can do. I'm also enduring a few other issues that I don't want to go into online at this time. Anyway, in my search for ideas on how to jump start my motivation and keep from getting too frustrated I've decided to undertake a fitness program. I'm not into New Year's resolutions, so I don't consider this part of any grand design. It's just something I thought of this weekend. I'm sure you've probably heard of this particular fitness program. It's called Body-for-Life. I could have chosen any number of programs and gimmicks, but this one seemed the most feasible for my current needs, and I honestly didn't feel like putting a whole lot of time and effort into researching an array of hundreds (probably thousands) of fitness programs that are currently saturating the health and fitness market. So I reached for the bookshelf and just picked something.

Yesterday, I snapped some before photos, planned a daily diet and exercise regimen according to the instructions and that's about all the thought I've put into this experiment so far. Off I go! I'm not going to post my before picture online at this time, but by the end of the 12 week regimen I might change my mind. So be on the lookout for that if you're interested.

Today is Day 1. I have 12 weeks to go and the actual fitness journal that I'm using says that there are a total of 84 days that I should plan to be on the program.

See you when I see you. Peace.