Fried Chicken Does Not Help Weight Loss!

I know you are surprised to hear that - but fried chicken does not assist in weight loss. In fact, it is sabotage. Eating it is a deliberate act of sabotage against a weight loss program - especially when it is accompanied by mashed potatoes and grave, sweat corn, biscuits. In response to the fact that I knew I'd done wrong, I worked out excessivly ( see the workout below) - in addition to swimming at lunch and an hour worth of kettle bells last night - I still managed to gain a pound and a half - I went from 251 up to 252.5. Oh, the home made chocolate chip cookies didn't help, either. Apparently, I can't work hard enough to burn off that much extra intake - also, all of it is very high in sodium, which hurt a lot.

Anyway, I'm back on track today - after this blip, and hope to report a better return tomorrow - by the way, the addition of swimming has been fantastic.

Here are a couple of days worth of work outs:

Thu, Jan 31 2013 Training - Nutrition - Blog - Copy/Move/Delete - Inspire me [0]

Wt. 251

20m 600.00 yards 03m 20s /100 yards

1h 00m

Exercise	Sets	Min reps	Max reps	Min Wt. (lb)	Max Wt. (lb)
CORE Kettlebell Swings	10	12	25	35	53
CORE Kettlebell Turkish Get-up	1	4	4	35	35
CORE kettlebell clean squat press	3	3	4	88	88
CORE Kettlebell snatches	3	14	16	35	35

Sports Yoga 40m Archery 20m

Wed, Jan 30 2013 Training - Nutrition - Blog - Copy/Move/Delete - Inspire me [3]

Wt. 251.5

30m 1000.00 yards -----

12m

Pullups - three sets of 8

Exercise	Sets	Min reps	Max reps	Min Wt. (lb)	Max Wt. (lb)
CHEST Flat Bench Press	3	1	4	145	145
CHEST Dips	3	6	6	130	130

Tue, Jan 29 2013 Training - Nutrition - Blog - Copy/Move/Delete - Inspire me [0]

Wt. 252

	18m 6.50 miles -----

18m 550.00 yards -----

20m

Exercise	Sets	Min reps	Max reps	Min Wt. (lb)	Max Wt. (lb)
CORE Kettlebell Swings	5	15	15	44	44
CORE Kettlebell snatches	4	10	10	35	35

Sports Yoga 30m

Good, solid workout. Started swimming yesterday and it was miserable. But, went again today and broke through a wall. I struggled for the first 150 yards - everything hurt and I started to cramp up in my left thigh and ham string at the same time. My right calf went next. But, I pushed through and went slow and steady. After about 50 to 100 yards, my pace started to improve and all of a sudden my arms and legs felt weightless, and I was moving through the water with a lot more comfort. I focused on my breathing and swam steady for another 400 yards - I sprinted the last 50 just because - and then took a steam and a sauna. I was able to do well with the diet today, also. Considering the calories I burned off working out, plus the fact that I stayed under my max target of 1750 while eating well, I hope that tomorrow will show some good weight loss. Of course, there is still time tonight to eat more but I'm going to try to resist temptation. I ate around 7 pm tonight -then went to work out. It is about 10 to 10 now, and I haven't eaten since. I'm going to take my blood sugar now to see where I stand. Its 135, which is a little higher than I expected, but I think working out might elevate it. I'm going to look into that.

Boy am I in rotten shape

Boy, today was discouraging. I went to the gym and tried to see what kind of mini triathlon I could do. Right now, I could swim a 50 yards - 60 if the current was right - bike for ten minutes and walk really fast for 7. I can lift 170 lbs though! So, I'm getting stronger.

Weight loss has been good - now I have to really work at building endurance and strength.

We had three wonderful meals today - whole grain organic cereal for breakfast, chicken wraps with curry chicken for lunch, and serloin tips in garlic and onion sauce with a garden salad. Good snacks - almonds, pineapple and canteloupe. Oh, there was a minor fall from grace when I snatched a bite of my son's pizza and ate a few pretzels at the office - but all in all a good day.

Think I'll have a glass of red wine later.

Here's what I did today:

	10m ----- -----

07m ----- -----

06m ----- -----

Exercise	Sets	Min reps	Max reps	Min Wt. (lb)	Max Wt. (lb)
CHEST Flat Bench Press	3	1	7	105	165
CORE Kettlebell snatches	1	16	16	35	35

Sports Yoga 40m

Boy, am I weak and out of shape

Great Workout for a cold, rainey (icy) day

Yesterday, I did a simple, whole body workout that you can do indoors. It works your core. For me, since I'm hoping to do some triathlons this year, it also helped develop strength and stamina in the muscles I need for swimming. The combination of the kettlebell swings and snatches and the yoga turns this into a whole body workout. Kettlebells end up being an interval workout, as well. Not only did I feel great after the workout - I feel great today AND I lost 2 lbs yesterday.

Since I started again on the Sonoma Diet (even with some cheating), I've dropped from 267 to 254.5 in about a week. I know this will slow down going forward, but it is exciting to see these results. Also, I have more energy, I fell less stress and more focused. One of the things that really contributes to weight loss is keeping track of my food intake. I use Calorie Counter - it gives you a break down of the nutrition information about your diet, allows you to factor in your workouts and helps you keep track of your weight loss. Very helpful - here's the site: http://caloriecount.about.com/cc/account/index.php

Here's the workout from yesterday:

20m ----- -----

I spent about 20 minutes doing kettlebell snatches, alternating arms with 35 lbs, aboiut 8 to 10 reps on each side - by accelerating the drop and pulling in the snatch at the top, I use the exact muscles that are applied in the freestyle arm stroke. Plus, there is an arobic component as well - it pushes my heart rate up and simulates interval training

45m

Worked for time, going through 45 minutes all together. This is like interval training

Exercise	Sets	Min reps	Max reps	Min Wt. (lb)	Max Wt. (lb)
CORE Kettlebell Swings	7	15	18	35	44
CORE Kettlebell snatches	5	16	16	35	35

Sports Yoga 30m

Indoor workout - incorporates jump rope and kettlebells

20m ----- -----

Did 20 minutes of interval training on jump rope

The Kettlebell swings work all of the big core muscles. Plus the swing are a great cardio workout as well. The snatches work the same muscle group as freestyle swimming, so that will benefit me when I get in the water.

Exercise	Sets	Min reps	Max reps	Min Wt. (lb)	Max Wt. (lb)
CORE Kettlebell Swings	4	16	20	44	44
CORE Kettlebell snatches	4	10	10	35	35

Sports Yoga 40m

Sport comments: Worked through about 10 positions - for 40 minutes - excellent stretching, breathing and strengthening exercise

I had to work out today late and inside. I couldn't go out because it was too cold. So, I jumped rope for 20 minutes - doing interval cardio training. Then, I did the kettlebells for cardio and strength. The snatch is a exercise that works the exact same muscle groups as swimming and should really strengthen me. Finally, I ended with Yoga - doing a series of positions and focusing on breathing. I also noticed that I could jump rope better when I focused on standing tall and breathing. All in all, a good, solid workout today.

Fantastic Workout

I'm very excited about the workout I did. I wanted to incorporate a workout that taxed my cardio system. So, I developed a circuit for the kettlebells (with a couple of other exercises)

I was sweating freely and pushing my anarobic threshold - I felt like I was playing pickup basketball or doing wind sprints. It was a great feeling - I encourgae this - it works out the whole body.

Here's what I did tonight:

Exercise	Sets	Min reps	Max reps	Min Wt. (lb)	Max Wt. (lb)
CORE Kettlebell Swings	1	20	20	36	36
CORE Kettlebell Swings	1	16	16	52	52
CORE Kettlebell deadlifts	1	8	8	104	104
CORE Kettlebell snatches	1	8	8	36	36
CORE kettlebell clean squat press	1	4	4	90	90
CORE Kettlebell Turkish Get-up	1	2	2	16	16
CORE Kettlebell Swings	2	15	16	45	45
CHEST Flat Bench Press	3	6	8	80	80
BICEPS Pullups	3	5	7
CORE Kettlebell Swings	1	12	12	36	36

Adapting workout plan -- become a lean, mean fighting machine

As I go, I am learning about working out. There is a lot said about resting between workouts. Also, there is a lot out there about combining different types of exercises for greater benefit. So, here's what I'm proposing for myself, we'll see if it works.

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.
Henry David Thoreau

I will maintain my six day workout plan but modified as follows:

Althernate a Strength routine with kettlebells and free weights with a off day of bodyweight/cardio exercises. Part of what I'm drawing on is my expereince in the Army. At the end of basic I had lost 35 pounds, was down around 195 to 200 and could do almost 100 pushups, over 100 situps and run 2 miles in just over 12 minutes. I've never been in that kind of shape since. They got me there in eight weeks. Mix into each day some cardio - run, bike, swim, jump rope, etc (plus there is the cardio from the kettle bells).

The plan was simple, you just did everything the Drill Sergeant told you and you lost weight and got in shape. Here's what they did.

We were in bed by 9, up at 4:30 (I got up at 4 to shave and prep early). We walked almost everywhere. We hiked with packs several times a week - out to the rifle range or to some other training location. The hikes lasted anywhere from a mile to 8 or 10 miles (we only did a couple really long hikes). We did pushups every day, but had formal PT in the mornings which included light running, lots of body weight strength training (Push ups, situps, crunches, pullups, and stretching). We did everythint to muscle failure (something that is discouraged by most modern guru's of workouts).

At the table, I was only allowed one piece of bread a day, no snacks except a piece of friut, and we ate three, good meals a day - well rounded - with lots of vegetables and greens.

When this was over, I was lean and ready for action - yup the proverbial lean, mean fighting machine!

So, that's what I'm going to do now - to develop a base, I'm going to walk/bike/run and do kettlebells.
I'm going to push away from the table and eat three, good meals a day with some healthy snacks in between.

I bet I can lose 30 to 40 pounds in eight weeks - so, talk to me the first week in March and see how I did.

Workout lighter on a sick day - make you feel better

So, in spite of being sick with some sort of sinus plague, here's what I accomplished today. I hope for a good result tomorrow.

I using moderate weights and more reps to build endurance and strength, to increase joint strength and to toughen up for injury resistance - also, for endurance, I did a set of steps today - 5 reps

Exercise	Sets	Min reps	Max reps	Min Wt. (lb)	Max Wt. (lb)
CORE Kettlebell Swings	5	12	15	44	44
CHEST Flat Bench Press	3	8	9	85	85
CORE Kettlebell snatches	2	15	16	36	36

Nutrition YOUR REQUIREMENTS Cal (kcal) 1,900 Carb (g) 238 Pro (g) 95 Fat (g) 63 SFat (g) 21 Chol (mg) 300 Sod (mg) 1,300 Fib (g) 30 Sug (g) 48 VitA (IU) 5,000 VitC (mg) 90 Calc (mg) 1,200 Iron (mg) 8 Ptsm (mg) 4,700 YOUR INTAKE 1,529 80% 201 85% 54 56% 65 103% Fat 65g Congratulations! Your fat intake was within your personal target range, 31.65 - 84.4 g Sources of Fat in your diet 21 99% 86 29% 3,047 234% 15.1 50% 74 155% 685 14% 245 273% 654 54% 7.1 89% 1,325 28% Sports Stretching 15m Jump Rope 10m