So it has been right around two weeks since I have postred anything to this site.  The site that was going to make me accountable for getting back in shape.

Wouldn't it be nice if I could say that I have been loyal to my goal and have been working out regularly and I am now in the best shape of my life.  That would take a lack of conscience to do.

I haven't done a single thing about fitness other than think about exercising.

Do I have a reason for this lack of follow through with my fitness program?

The reason is one that I think a lot of people may have.  That is being tired after a long day of work and having kids who I am trying to keep active. 

I had this not so great idea of getting myself a job that is physically demanding.  The pay isn't very good and in fact it is lousy, but it is hard work.  What a great way to get into shape I thought.  After 8 to 10 hours of hand unloading freight containers getting home and exercising was the last thing that was on my mind.  And then besides that all three kids are doing baseball which means practise or game 4 or 5 times a week.

Probably sounds like the day in the life of a lot of people.  How do you get involved in an exercise program when you are either working, taking care of kids, or just being tired?  This is how I've felt for the last 3 weeks.  Just too tired when the time was available to exercise.

But all hasn't been in vain.  I have lost around 5 pounds and I can tell my body is tightening up.  I feel like my conditioning is improving.  Not as much as if I was lifting weights and doing cardio, but my body is changing in a positve way.  Plus I am not so exhausted now as I was in the beginning.

This next week I should be able to start some exercising after work.  I'll just do some body weight routines when I get home and go to the track for some running/walking a few times a week.  I could get up about 30 minutes earlier in the morning but since I already get up at 3:30 I can't promise anything. 

I hope I get more energy this following week and can report something positve. 

Always look forward,
Jerry

 

You may have heard the sad news that the kids used my exercise ball for some sort of modified hockey/soccer game and it went boom!  I have decided for now not to replace it and do something else to replace the ab exercises using the ball.

This makes me think about how people survived without a cell phone, or cable TV, or ipods. Well developed abs haven't come about since the introduction of the exercise ball.  In fact, people had well developed abs before the invention the crunch machine.  Contrary to what a lot of the experts say I had pretty good luck with those machines as long as I used a lot of weight and failed at 15-20 reps.

So to supplement my body weight exercises I am going to add in a routine I found by Vince Delmonte of No Nonsense Muscle Building.  These are a good set of exercises that should have some excellent results.  True, the chance for straining the back increases.  But if done properly by pushing down with my feet I should avoid any problems.

I guess the proof will be in the pudding.  We'll just have to see what happens over the next few weeks.

Check out the video below to see what I'll be doing.

 

 

The moon and the planets must be aligned with my body in such a way today that I can't seem to easily get myself off the floor.  Everytime I do anything that requires a vertical force it feels like I weigh 400lbs.

Because gravity seems to be extra strong what I thought would be a cake walk for exercising became a torturous task.  The exercises were fairly simple.

• Push-ups
• Split squats
• Elevated push ups
• Offset push ups
• Y squats

The above, plus more, are a part of Craig Ballantynes TT Bodyweight 1000 Workouts.  I had a much harder time than i thought I would doing these routines.  It just proves to me that I am not in the shape I thought was.

Or I can say that the new job I took on is so draining physically that I am worn out when I get home.  That part is true about the job.  I had this brilliant idea that I would unload shipping containers to get in better shape.  The pay is lousy but it very demanding on the body.  Great core exercises unloading boxes all day that weigh 50-150 lbs.  i could use that as a reason for doing so bad at my routines.

Or, I could say that I am just getting older and what did I expect.  Sorry!  That's one excuse I refuse to use evn if it is true. 

I've got another one.  I'm not eating right and it is making me weak.  That might have some credibility but it's just good enough.

Hey!  How about the fact that I'm tall and weigh 240 lbs.  Naw, that's pretty lame also.

So how about the truth that since I dropped out of the gym I haven't been doing anything but plan and think about my new home exercise program.

I bet that last one strikes home for a lot of people.  It's the old "use it or lose it" saying, and I have lost it.  Both muscle and motivation.

I just need to keep at it and gravity will soon become more of a friend.

Always look forward',
Jerry

 

I'd need wings to do this!

I knew that my fat ass was going to have a hard time with body weight exercises but I didn't think it would be this bad.  What a change from going to the gym where I could adjust weights to accommodate my decline in strength from not staying in shape.

Today was a grim reminder that I have slid down the hill of conditioning.  Of course I could say it's because of my size.  I'm 6'5" and 240 lbs.  So how do you expect me to do the body weight exercises that were designed by a guy that is probably around 5'10" and maybe 180lbs?  This is just like high school where they expected me to do well in the required gymnastic classes.  I had the same chance of doing flips, L-seats, and hand stands as a pig does flying.

But no excuses, right.  Let's face it.  I'm not in very good shape right now.  If I am diligent I will improve with the body weight routines. 

The power of positve thinking!

How am I going to accomplish this task?  By doing the following over and over again like I did today.

Morning before going to work:  Push-ups till exhaustion and sit-ups and/or leg lifts.  The exercise ball has been sent to recycle since the kids used it as a hockey puck.

Right after work: Follow the TT1000 Workout Schedule which includes a lot of varying types of push-ups.  Since I don't yet have a bench or bar I will need to modify some of the routines.  I do have a set of 45 lb. dumbells that I will use for rows and curls to work the biceps.  I can also use the DB's for the kettle swings.

After the body weight exercises:  Since I don't have any aerobics equipment I will have to either go to the track and do some interval sprints and/or find some stairs to run.  I may make an investment in an jump rope or find a heavy rope and make one myself.  Jump roping is incredible for aerobic training although it can be brutal on your feet.  If you are in what you think is good shape try some rope skipping for 10 minutes.  It will kick your butt.

Meals:  Since I am trying to trim down to 230-235 lbs I am going to stay under 2000 calories day.  I don't measure out calories so I'll just have to guess and use some common sense.

• Breakfast - 1/2 cup of oatmeal
• Snack #1 - One banana
• Lunch - One can of Tuna or yogurt mixed with non-fat cottage cheese
• Snack #2 - One apple
• Dinner - Honestly I haven't figured this one out yet.  I was going to eat veggies and beans and rice, but I may have to throw in some chicken.

So for today I made it, barely, through all the body weight exercises but had not luck with the running.  Meals were okay except for dinner.  Bad planning.

What Is My Goal:  Shoot for the stars, right!  complete the TT1000.  I think I can do it, too.  That is something I'll put on You Tube.

Always look forward,
Jerry

No, I'm not a quitter.  I Have just had to reorganize and change the method I have been using to get in shape.  I just found that I wasn't able to make the time to get to the gym.  By the time I drove to the gym, did a 40 minute workout, and then drove home it was taking up around 2 hours of my time.  Having 3 kids in baseball and helping with the coaching I was just running out of time.  For right now my membership is on hold and it only costs around $10 a month.  I told them a little white lie that I had to leave the country for a few months.

There are probably quite a few people who have the same time problem I have.  But there is a solution.  Do your workouts at home.  Either in the morning before going to work or right after you get home.  But then who has a gym at home?  I sure don't. 

One of the big problems for me working out at home has always been the motivation.  I have always found it very hard place to get the most out of my workouts.  There always seems to be something to distract me.  Kids, wife, and I guess just about any lame excuse I can think of.  This is going to be a challenge for sure. 

The other challenge is that I have no equipment.  I think that I can fix this though by taking some of the exercises in Craig Ballantyne's TT1000 and make some modifications.  These exercises are all based on body weight and the only equipment needed is an exercise ball and a bar to do pull ups and inverted body weight rows.  For the next few weeks I will have to modify these since I don't have a bar.  But for less than $50 I can build something in the garage that will even have a dip bar with it.  I'll post a diagram later.

If I can get up enough nerve I'll even do some before and after pictures.  The thought makes my stomach turn though.

Let's see if I can walk the walk.  Stay tuned tomorrow.

Always look forward,
Jerry