This was meant to officially be published on Saturday...which is exactly 30 days until my 36th birthday. WOW...I need to read that again..I am going to be 36 years old. To be honest, the next few years until 40 are thought to be inconsequential birthdays, each year gets you closer to the official "over the hill" birthday party...40.
Well, you know what? I am not going to allow any day that I live to be inconsequential. Every day is important, worth celebrating and living. So as my 36th birthday creeps up on me I am going to embark on a 30 day path to eternal living health. I am posting this for all the world to see.
For the next 30 days I will do the following:
1) I will drink no alcohol other than red wine save for two times (5 year anniversary celebration with my wife AND opening day for the Dallas Cowboys). I have recently read multiple studies that say 1-2 glassed of red wine per day have a huge amount of benefits for your health. Luckily, I love a good Malbec so this is good for me.
2) I will only eat 2 unhealthy meals per week - that's it.
These two actions, along with the habit changes I have written about in my earlier posts (see my first blog) will continue to keep me on the path of healthful living and the ultimate active lifestyle.
(So you know I do have a great life...I would change nothing about what got me to where I am today - but I also feel that the minute you stop trying to improve in some way then you might as will cash it in and call it a day. This is the kind of mindset that separates the very good form the great.)
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Week Recap:
- Up at 7:30am (average)
- 6 Free Meals
- Exercise, 3 hours total, 6 miles total
1) Yoga (25min), Treadmill Mix (35min)
2) Circuit (15mins), Dog Walk (20), Yoga (25)
3) Stretch (15)
4) Stretch (15)
5) Run and Circuit Mix (25)
Monday, August 23, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Alcohol and Bad Decisions (Day 16)
What is it about drinking a bit too much that leads you in wrong direction? False courage, impaired judgement, lack of clarity...all of the above?
Either way, when the weekends come I tend to get a little loose on how many beverages I have; this tends to lead to bad decisions when it comes to the next days exercise and nutrition. I go from having a few drinks and a "Free Meal" on Friday to being a bit hungover and needing bad, greasy food to make me feel better. I then repeat the cycle on Sunday. Great...now I go from midweek feeling great and strolling around at 182-184 to pushing 190 and not feeling good about myself.
Now it's just not the weight of 190 not making me feel good but how my body feels. There is a reason that when I've had a healthy eating day I tend to feel sharper, more energized and ready to take on the world. I guess there is something more to eating healthy than being fit...it's about feeling fit. When you feel fit, it's like a natural high that you can take on the world. I am not talking about magazine cover model type people...they are uber fit..I mean fit in that that you can run, jump, push, pull and have your body feel great. I used to be into squatting heavy weights, now it's about squatting to squat (no weights) and get back up 20-30 times as fast as I can with good form...movement - not putting plates on a bar.
This blog is about changing habits...now I will put in writing some habits that I will STOP:
1) Getting Drunk - a few drinks are fine, but overdoing it can ruin the next 2 days and mess up a weeks worth of healthy living. Friday's and Saturday's used to be about drinking to let off some steam, now they will be about taking advantage of every weekend with my growing family. (Side bar...I am a huge family man & spend almost all of my free time with my wife and children...but sometimes I don't feel 100% on weekends).
2) Eating after 10PM
3) Waking after 7AM (weekdays)
4) Raising my voice sometimes when trying to get my point across (Be Calm, Cool and Collected when speaking)
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Week 2 recap:
Wake at 7:50 (6 hrs and some change sleep per night)
7 Free Meals (3 too many, hence the post today)
5 total workouts, 3 hrs total
- 2 crosstrain, 2 run, 1 solo timed workout
- 10 total miles
Even with the bad meals I lost a pound....imagine if I had had a little less to drink and stuck to my nutrition goals...
Either way, when the weekends come I tend to get a little loose on how many beverages I have; this tends to lead to bad decisions when it comes to the next days exercise and nutrition. I go from having a few drinks and a "Free Meal" on Friday to being a bit hungover and needing bad, greasy food to make me feel better. I then repeat the cycle on Sunday. Great...now I go from midweek feeling great and strolling around at 182-184 to pushing 190 and not feeling good about myself.
Now it's just not the weight of 190 not making me feel good but how my body feels. There is a reason that when I've had a healthy eating day I tend to feel sharper, more energized and ready to take on the world. I guess there is something more to eating healthy than being fit...it's about feeling fit. When you feel fit, it's like a natural high that you can take on the world. I am not talking about magazine cover model type people...they are uber fit..I mean fit in that that you can run, jump, push, pull and have your body feel great. I used to be into squatting heavy weights, now it's about squatting to squat (no weights) and get back up 20-30 times as fast as I can with good form...movement - not putting plates on a bar.
This blog is about changing habits...now I will put in writing some habits that I will STOP:
1) Getting Drunk - a few drinks are fine, but overdoing it can ruin the next 2 days and mess up a weeks worth of healthy living. Friday's and Saturday's used to be about drinking to let off some steam, now they will be about taking advantage of every weekend with my growing family. (Side bar...I am a huge family man & spend almost all of my free time with my wife and children...but sometimes I don't feel 100% on weekends).
2) Eating after 10PM
3) Waking after 7AM (weekdays)
4) Raising my voice sometimes when trying to get my point across (Be Calm, Cool and Collected when speaking)
------------------------------------------------------------
Week 2 recap:
Wake at 7:50 (6 hrs and some change sleep per night)
7 Free Meals (3 too many, hence the post today)
5 total workouts, 3 hrs total
- 2 crosstrain, 2 run, 1 solo timed workout
- 10 total miles
Even with the bad meals I lost a pound....imagine if I had had a little less to drink and stuck to my nutrition goals...
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Chiropractor Visit (Day 14)
I went to the chiropractor for the first time in 15 years yesterday, wow what a difference. I feel great and was not as achy when waking up this morning (8:30 AM). It was also apparent in my workout that there were some great benefits from the visit.
Workout was 7 rounds of the following in 13 minutes 52 seconds:
- 10 band curl press combo (red)
- 10 cross body mountain climbers (body weight)
- 10 reaching lunges (body weight)
Treadmill: 20 minutes, 2.1 miles total (run, walk)
- 5 minute warm up cool down for .3 miles
- 15 minute run for 1.8 miles (8.20 per mile)
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Friday recap - up at 8AM, Free Meal #5
I walked the dog for 27 minutes, light jog mixed in as well, 2 miles total.
Workout was 5 rounds of:
- 20 Hindu Squats, 20 Pushups and 20 KB Row with 35lbs (10 each side)
- 300 total reps in just under 15 minutes workout time
Workout was 7 rounds of the following in 13 minutes 52 seconds:
- 10 band curl press combo (red)
- 10 cross body mountain climbers (body weight)
- 10 reaching lunges (body weight)
Treadmill: 20 minutes, 2.1 miles total (run, walk)
- 5 minute warm up cool down for .3 miles
- 15 minute run for 1.8 miles (8.20 per mile)
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Friday recap - up at 8AM, Free Meal #5
I walked the dog for 27 minutes, light jog mixed in as well, 2 miles total.
Workout was 5 rounds of:
- 20 Hindu Squats, 20 Pushups and 20 KB Row with 35lbs (10 each side)
- 300 total reps in just under 15 minutes workout time
Thursday, August 12, 2010
(Day 12)
Very busy work week, in plane, car, meetings nonstop. This is a good thing.
Thursday Recap: Up at 7:30 am (6 hrs sleep)
Exercise 1: AM (pre-work day). 15 minutes 5 rites, stability ball circuit (20 jacknife pushups included)
Exercise 2: PM, Treadmill 36 minutes, 3.4 miles
- Mix of walk, run, sprint hills
- 65% running
Wednesday Recap - Up at 7:30 (6hrs sleep)
Nutrition:
- Free Meal #4 (homemade cupcakes)
Exercise:
- 10 minutes stretching and mobility work
Thursday Recap: Up at 7:30 am (6 hrs sleep)
Exercise 1: AM (pre-work day). 15 minutes 5 rites, stability ball circuit (20 jacknife pushups included)
Exercise 2: PM, Treadmill 36 minutes, 3.4 miles
- Mix of walk, run, sprint hills
- 65% running
Wednesday Recap - Up at 7:30 (6hrs sleep)
Nutrition:
- Free Meal #4 (homemade cupcakes)
Exercise:
- 10 minutes stretching and mobility work
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Hard Work and Perspective (Day 10)
Very enlightening experience today. As stated I am a sales director for a fast growing technology company, things are always changing, every deal you work on has an impact on the company. When my team loses a deal the whole company feels it.
So I am involved in a few difficult opportunities that keep going back and forth. I am in my home office and my blackberry is blowing up with phone calls, emails etc. Non stop. I start getting a bit tense and overwhelmed by the day...then the doorbell rings.
It is the crew I have hired to landscape my house. They did a great job last week and were extremely fair on the price (I mean my jaw dropped at the low cost) so I brought them back to so some more work. Now this isn't lawn care type stuff, we do that - this is more removing some bushes, adding mulch, etc. They get to work and about an hour and a half later are almost done. I look outside and the two main workers are sweating profusely (it is 100 degrees where I live) and I notice they have no water.
I quickly head to my kitchen and pull out a few bottled waters and take them outside to the guys. It took them no more than 5 seconds to finish the water. What is so amazing is that these guys had been outside, working hard in the heat and were prepared to do this with no water, and the whole time had a smile on their face. Amazing. Here I am in my air conditioned home office, high back leather chair, talking to people with my coffee and ice water on either side of me and I am tense?
Wow...the lessons keep coming every day...all forms..and I am grateful. Perspective.
Up at 8AM (6.5)
Tuesday's Exercise 1HR
- Vwalk, light jog: 24 mins, 1.8 miles
- Circuit: 24 mins, 8 exercises - 2 sets - supersets - full body
- Warm Up/Cool Down: 12 mins
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Sunday/Monday Recap
Sunday: Up 8AM (6), Free Meals 1&2
Monday: Up 7:45AM (5), Free Meal 3 (front loading bad meals this week)
Monday Exercise 42 mins (3.5 miles)
- Vwalk/Jog, 27 mins, 1.8 miles
- Treadmill, 15 mins, 1.7 miles
So I am involved in a few difficult opportunities that keep going back and forth. I am in my home office and my blackberry is blowing up with phone calls, emails etc. Non stop. I start getting a bit tense and overwhelmed by the day...then the doorbell rings.
It is the crew I have hired to landscape my house. They did a great job last week and were extremely fair on the price (I mean my jaw dropped at the low cost) so I brought them back to so some more work. Now this isn't lawn care type stuff, we do that - this is more removing some bushes, adding mulch, etc. They get to work and about an hour and a half later are almost done. I look outside and the two main workers are sweating profusely (it is 100 degrees where I live) and I notice they have no water.
I quickly head to my kitchen and pull out a few bottled waters and take them outside to the guys. It took them no more than 5 seconds to finish the water. What is so amazing is that these guys had been outside, working hard in the heat and were prepared to do this with no water, and the whole time had a smile on their face. Amazing. Here I am in my air conditioned home office, high back leather chair, talking to people with my coffee and ice water on either side of me and I am tense?
Wow...the lessons keep coming every day...all forms..and I am grateful. Perspective.
Up at 8AM (6.5)
Tuesday's Exercise 1HR
- Vwalk, light jog: 24 mins, 1.8 miles
- Circuit: 24 mins, 8 exercises - 2 sets - supersets - full body
- Warm Up/Cool Down: 12 mins
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Sunday/Monday Recap
Sunday: Up 8AM (6), Free Meals 1&2
Monday: Up 7:45AM (5), Free Meal 3 (front loading bad meals this week)
Monday Exercise 42 mins (3.5 miles)
- Vwalk/Jog, 27 mins, 1.8 miles
- Treadmill, 15 mins, 1.7 miles
Monday, August 9, 2010
Change in protocol and week 1 Recap (Day 8)
If you read the first ever post in this blog you will find that I started this to simplify. I have learned or been reminded of a lot over this past week.
In no particular order here is what I have learned or "re" learned: What you do speaks so loud that no one can hear what you say, treating people with kindness, respect and honesty always wins, you should never let others define you and hold you back from going after what you want, sometimes a week can seem like a day, sometimes a week can seem like a year, I am sometimes more inspired by those who could not "complete" a task yet gave everything they had trying.
Going forward I will not chart every single meal, instead I will only track my "free meals". Since I have defined what I refer to as healthy in my first post - it will help the simplification process to just enter "free meal # 1, 2, 3, 4." Who knows, maybe I will take it to the next level and go to 3 free meals..even 2?
This weekend I did a 10 minute circuit workout on Saturday, it's all I had time for as we had a very busy family day. The workout went like this:2 total circuits of 5 exercises for 1 minute each, no rest except for 1 minute between circuits 1 and 2. Total workout time 11 minutes.
Exercise were: Jumping Jacks (77-71), Tman Push Ups (16-12), Reverse Grip Chin Ups (10-12), Jumping Squats (20-18) and Swiss Ball Jackknife (20-16). I was sweating as if I'd run for 3- 4 miles...good stuff.
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Week 1 Recap
Nutrition:
4 Free meals (on track)
Exercise:
- 4 total sessions, 2 run/walk only - 2 crosstrain (run and strength training)
- 235 push ups, 47 pull ups, 10 miles
Rise/Sleep:
- Up at 7:45 average for week
- 6 hrs 15 mins average sleep per night
- Off internet at 11pm every week day except one, good start
In no particular order here is what I have learned or "re" learned: What you do speaks so loud that no one can hear what you say, treating people with kindness, respect and honesty always wins, you should never let others define you and hold you back from going after what you want, sometimes a week can seem like a day, sometimes a week can seem like a year, I am sometimes more inspired by those who could not "complete" a task yet gave everything they had trying.
Going forward I will not chart every single meal, instead I will only track my "free meals". Since I have defined what I refer to as healthy in my first post - it will help the simplification process to just enter "free meal # 1, 2, 3, 4." Who knows, maybe I will take it to the next level and go to 3 free meals..even 2?
This weekend I did a 10 minute circuit workout on Saturday, it's all I had time for as we had a very busy family day. The workout went like this:2 total circuits of 5 exercises for 1 minute each, no rest except for 1 minute between circuits 1 and 2. Total workout time 11 minutes.
Exercise were: Jumping Jacks (77-71), Tman Push Ups (16-12), Reverse Grip Chin Ups (10-12), Jumping Squats (20-18) and Swiss Ball Jackknife (20-16). I was sweating as if I'd run for 3- 4 miles...good stuff.
--------------------------------------------------
Week 1 Recap
Nutrition:
4 Free meals (on track)
Exercise:
- 4 total sessions, 2 run/walk only - 2 crosstrain (run and strength training)
- 235 push ups, 47 pull ups, 10 miles
Rise/Sleep:
- Up at 7:45 average for week
- 6 hrs 15 mins average sleep per night
- Off internet at 11pm every week day except one, good start
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Interesting Travel Note and Margarita Fridays (Day 7)
People amaze me. I had a business trip to Dallas yesterday, it was an "out and back", which for you non business travelers means out in the morning - home in the afternoon/evening.
As we are about to take off a girl starts to cough. No big deal. She then starts to cough more, and you can tell she is not feeling all that well. I think to myself "that must suck - I hope she gets better". As I am thinking that an older man (notice I did not use the word gentlemen), makes a comment and then looks back at the person coughing like shes just insulted his mother. Really guy?
I was almost hooping he wold say something so I could interject on her behalf, but like all cowards he mumbled to himself so only those next to him could hear, but not the intended victim of his insult.
Here's my take on idiots like him, if you decide to get on a plane - where anyone can purchase a ticket - then guess what people are going to cough, sneeze etc. If you don't like it then drive.
This brings to to a time I did interject on someones behalf (if I see someone being "bullied" I always feel I should step in). I fly Southwest Airlines a bunch - and it amazes me how many people get angry when someone asks to sit in their row. Guess what...it's open seating genius. If you don't like it then don't fly Southwest.
A few months back a young lady asked to sit in the row of a man by himself, he proceeds to makes a horrible face and says to her "Well, I guess so." Then looks at his friend boarding behind her and says "I tried to make it just our row." So feeling bad for the poor young girl....I kindly remind the guy he is flying Southwest and if he doesn't like the seating policy should fly another airlines and that he can also try to charter a plane if he wants it to be just him and his friend. The guy looked at me dumbfounded.
My mom always taught me not to react to ignorance but in this case I couldn't resist.
At least it's Friday. When I got home from Dallas my wife made frozen margaritas - which is our new Friday tradition - and I grilled pork fajitas, yummy. What a great way to start the weekend.
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Day 6 Recap: Up at 7:15 AM (7 hrs sleep)
Nutrition:
snack - coffee (pre-run)
meal 1- shake, nuts
meal 2- egg salad sandwich, baked Cheetos
meal 3- chicken breast, salad with peppers, peppercorn dressing, black beans
snack- dark chocolate, baked crisps (70 cal bag), 2 glasses red wine
Exercise: 3 miles total (40 mins)
Dog Walk/light jog - 1.8 miles in hills, 29 mins (7 min jog)
Treadmill - 1.2 mile run, 10 mins 30 sec
As we are about to take off a girl starts to cough. No big deal. She then starts to cough more, and you can tell she is not feeling all that well. I think to myself "that must suck - I hope she gets better". As I am thinking that an older man (notice I did not use the word gentlemen), makes a comment and then looks back at the person coughing like shes just insulted his mother. Really guy?
I was almost hooping he wold say something so I could interject on her behalf, but like all cowards he mumbled to himself so only those next to him could hear, but not the intended victim of his insult.
Here's my take on idiots like him, if you decide to get on a plane - where anyone can purchase a ticket - then guess what people are going to cough, sneeze etc. If you don't like it then drive.
This brings to to a time I did interject on someones behalf (if I see someone being "bullied" I always feel I should step in). I fly Southwest Airlines a bunch - and it amazes me how many people get angry when someone asks to sit in their row. Guess what...it's open seating genius. If you don't like it then don't fly Southwest.
A few months back a young lady asked to sit in the row of a man by himself, he proceeds to makes a horrible face and says to her "Well, I guess so." Then looks at his friend boarding behind her and says "I tried to make it just our row." So feeling bad for the poor young girl....I kindly remind the guy he is flying Southwest and if he doesn't like the seating policy should fly another airlines and that he can also try to charter a plane if he wants it to be just him and his friend. The guy looked at me dumbfounded.
My mom always taught me not to react to ignorance but in this case I couldn't resist.
At least it's Friday. When I got home from Dallas my wife made frozen margaritas - which is our new Friday tradition - and I grilled pork fajitas, yummy. What a great way to start the weekend.
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Day 6 Recap: Up at 7:15 AM (7 hrs sleep)
Nutrition:
snack - coffee (pre-run)
meal 1- shake, nuts
meal 2- egg salad sandwich, baked Cheetos
meal 3- chicken breast, salad with peppers, peppercorn dressing, black beans
snack- dark chocolate, baked crisps (70 cal bag), 2 glasses red wine
Exercise: 3 miles total (40 mins)
Dog Walk/light jog - 1.8 miles in hills, 29 mins (7 min jog)
Treadmill - 1.2 mile run, 10 mins 30 sec
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