Thursday, February 28, 2008

11 weeks til...

I think I calculated my dates wrong on the last post. I actually have about 11 weeks to go after this week. As of Wednesday Feb. 27th 2008... My numbers are as follows

Body Weight: 171
Body Fat%: 11%; of course I am using Bioelectrical Impedence so you could add or subtract about 3% from that number. (I would subtract!)

I am feeling very energetic and strong in throughout the days, thanks to those good carbs. Really not looking forward to those low carb days coming up in a about a month. I will begin taking pics and even video to show you guys the visual progression.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Back Again...

So after a 3 month off-season, which I must say passed by so quickly...Feburary 17th 2008 marked the begining of a new 12 Week Phase as I prepare for my next bodybuilding competition. This would be my first competition as a IFPA Professional Bodybuilder.

The show is the IFPA Pro Bowl located in Richmond, VA. on May 17th 2008.

My weekly stats for the week begining with Feburary 17th 2008 is a body weight of 174
with a Body Fat% of 12-13%. I am a few pounds lighter than where I started of with before my last show, which is a very good thing because I am also alot stronger. This time around is going to be harder due to the timing of the show; right now I am swampped with the duties new business start up and the fact that the show will be right around the begining of the summer. Both of these factors make it so much harder to follow the nutrition plan and keep up with all the exercise I have dedicated myself to.

Right now I am really getting specific with the macronutrient calculations and the baseline cardio. Still really hitting the High Intensity Intervals on the treadmill, stairs, and jump rope.

Only 11 more weeks to go!

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

No complaints...

The other day I spoke with a guy who was 100% blind. He mentioned that he needed to get back into working out. He spoke about his goals, strengths, and weakness when it came to working out and his nutrition. Throughout this conversation, I actually forgot that he was blind because of his description of his workout routine. He mentioned loving to do cardio but was limited to the bike or elliptical because of "obvious" reasons.
I could not help but think about those of us who complain about not feeling like exercising because of...(insert lame excuse here) and how we all should learn a lesson from a guy like him.
Exercise is not something that everyone can do and we should be grateful for everyday we get to run on the treadmill or do a bicep curl. Motivate yourself when accomplishing even the smallest of things in the gym and set goals to help you strive for improvment. And most importantly...STOP complaining!!

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Balancing Act....

Proper balance in life is very important. Whether we are talking about work, time, money, or fitness;in order to optimize "success" we all must make sure to "cover all the bases" of any catogery.
When specifically speaking on Fitness, most people are either all "cardio" or all "weights". The questions is always: Which one is better? And the Answer is: BOTH. Each has its own pros, cons, and specific importance in the Fitness Spectrum. Everyone should be incorporating both aspects into their exercise regimen.
Cardio really works on cardiovascular health and endurance while, resistance training helps with strengthen the joints, building lean muscle mass, and increasing metabolic rate.
Customizing your program to get a varied amount of both of these topics will keep you motivated and excited to exercise and reduce the possibility of plateauing.

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Be S.M.A.R.T with goals

Hopefully, this year has started off in the "right" direction for all of you. After a month, we should already have an idea whether or not the goals we have set for ourselves are being accomplished. If this isn't the case, I urge you to not get discouraged with your efforts. Sometimes the problem is not that we aren't trying hard enough to attain those goals, but in fact the goals themselves are not the right goals for us.
When setting goals follow this simple format to ensure you are not setting yourself up for failure before you even begin.
Specific: Goals should be as detailed as possible by describing the actions, processes, and activities needed to accomplish them.
Measurable: This allows the goals to be broken up into smaller "milestones' that allow you to be motivated throughout the process
Attainable: Don't set yourself up for failure by making a goal that isn't attainable due to your "situation" in life.
Realistic: Be true to yourself and realizing that we are all not going to look, be, and act a certain way. Focus on being the best "you".
Timely: Always associate a duration of time with every goal that you set, in turn you will be motivated to stay focused.

Nsane Training Video #1