* updating soon *

A very minimal loss this week of half a pound, but no worries at all.  I worked hard and ate according to plan all week.  I had been as high as 275 on Wednesday, so I was actually happy to see any kind of loss at all.  I’ll be getting out tonight for a good upper body workout.  I also have a few training sessions in the afternoon with clients.

Monday, monday. 

MONDAY:   weights (BOM 19)

TUESDAY:   interval cardio

WEDNESDAY:   weights (BOM 20)

THURSDAY:   OFF

FRIDAY:   weights (BOM 21)

SATURDAY:   golf (5 hours)

SUNDAY:   softball

I enjoyed myself this week.  Not only do I love the upper/lower splits that I am doing right now with the weights, but I also really enjoy the single leg stuff on leg day.  It would be comical to put up a video of my single leg squats though.  I’d be embarrassed by how low some others are able to go on them.  There are some incredible videos out there.  I’ll have to find a few to share.

Golf yesterday was brutal.  It wasn’t bad considering the 115 degree temperature.  I expected to bake more, but it worked out ok.  We ended up playing 18 holes of best ball.  My team won, shooting one under overall.  I was actually able to contribute more than I expected, especially out of the sand and with my putter.  It was a lot of fun.  I think I drank two gallons of water and still lost 10 pounds on the course.

Why then was it brutal?  Well, I was SHOCKED at how sore I was this morning.  Golf is no joke.  I guess five hours of twisting, pulling, swinging, etc. works the core and lower back to an exponential degree.  I could hardly move today when I rolled out of bed.  I’m not sure if I could actually play every week, even if I had the money to do so.  I may get a chance to see, however.  One of the guys on my Sunday softball team works at the course we just played and said he could get a few of us on the course for free.  We are going to set another tee time and go for it.  Apparently he has the hook-up at something like five great courses here in Phoenix.  Nice.

Speaking of softball, we lost again tonight.  It was the last game of the season but probably the best game for me personally.  I played at third base.  Although I did make one throwing error over to first, I had a great night otherwise.  I made a nice grab right up the line jumping to throw the guy out by a step.  I also had another four or five put-outs as well.  At the plate, I was 3 for 3, with a double and two RBI’s.  I also scored once.  It felt great.  I was clicking tonight.

Despite the season being over, I guess the new season gets underway in just three weeks.  No rest for the weary.  We are also getting in a tournament next weekend with a guaranteed three games.  Sounds like another long day in the sun.  I’m in.

This has been a great week for me.  I’m disappointed by the weight loss I’m seeing (or lack thereof), but this is also the week I should begin adding some muscle.  I had high hopes that I’d get into the 260’s, but it doesn’t look like it will happen.  I may show a small loss, however, so I’m just going to plug along and take what comes.

A new week begins tomorrow.  The short term goal for the next seven days is WATER, WATER, WATER.  I’m shooting for a gallon a day.  I don’t know how that will affect my weight loss, whether I will be water logged for a short spell or what not, but it will even out in the end, keeping me healthy, and getting me back to the basics.

1AM.  I need sleep.

It’s been crazy in the house all day, and I want to relax for a bit now that the kids are finally asleep.  Therefore, don’t expect my normal long winded, rambling post.

I rested yesterday.  It was needed after pushing all week.

I lifted lower body again today.  Loved it.  Despite only about 30 minutes of actual lifting, I am incredibly wiped out from it.  I am also still quite sore from lifting upper body on Wednesday.  Thankfully I am doing upper/lower splits, which gives me until Monday or Tuesday to get ready to go again.

Things are going great.  I’ll be out golfing tomorrow in the 115 degree heat with the softball team to celebrate our season.  Why are we going mid-afternoon?  Because it’s cheap.  We are going to play Kokopelli in Gilbert (see picture below) for $20, which includes 18 holes and a cart.  I guess we are pairing up.  The first six holes are best ball.  The second six holes are played by alternating shots with your partner.  The last six holes will be played best score for that hole.  It should be very interesting, especially since I haven’t swung a club in over four years.

I’m bringing at least a gallon of water.  I hope it’s enough…

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Kokopelli Golf Club (Gilbert, AZ)

Although I don’t have quite the enthusiasm I did after leg day, I did manage a very decent workout with my upper body tonight.  I was actually nicely surprised at the weight I was able to put up.  I had to grab the desk guy to spot me for a few different exercises, but it turned out that I didn’t need him.  I feel very shaky in my arms now that I am home again, but that is obviously expected.

I’m just not sure about the weight loss this week, however.  I weighed in Monday at 271.4.  On Tuesday morning, I was 273.6.  This morning I was just over 275 pounds.  I’m really not sure what is going on.  My diet has been great.  I haven’t missed a workout.  I know that weight can fluctuate by several pounds daily just due to water, but this seems unusually weird.  Nothing I can do about it but keep plugging away, so that is what I will do.  I wonder if I was so dehydrated from playing softball all day Sunday in the heat that I was artificially lower on Monday morning, and I am just now stabilizing?  Either way I guess…

This has been one of my stronger weeks so far.  I am hoping to finish strong and push into the 260’s, but that mini-milestone may have to wait another week or two.

Time will tell.  

I love being at the gym, getting out with the guys to play softball, or meeting friends for tennis.  I honestly just like being around people that have a passion for fitness and staying in shape.  It’s the pinnacle of motivation - or so I thought. 

Lately I have been more motivated from overweight people with the worst habits.

I’m not even sure what I was doing at the time, but as I passed a McDonald’s the other day, I found myself pulling in for a cheat snack.  I was a bit stressed, running late, had missed dinner, blah, blah, blah…  I’m not even sure why I walked in, but perhaps I had rationalized that something quick and dirty wouldn’t matter that much.  I am standing behind this huge (meaning fat) bald Mexican guy.  He has ordered - for himself - three double cheeseburgers, two large fries, and a giant tub of coke.  It was actually a bit disgusting to watch, thinking about the damage he was about to do.  He turns to me and says, “Now that’s a man’s meal, am I right?”  As if by my being overweight, I instantly had some sort of bond or understanding with the guy!?  I immediately walked away, mumbling that I was just there to use the restroom.  I was quickly out the door empty-handed and back on the road.

I guess this could be taken several ways.  I could be embarrassed that he thought I would be able to appreciate his choices.  I could also be thrilled that I was able to overcome temptation.  Rather, I am encouraged with the change in mindset.  I don’t see myself as that guy anymore.  I am actually insulted that I would be put in with that “class” of people simply because of my size  - as if all of us are lazy, unmotivated, and willing to stuff anything in our mouths.  Sure, I may have gotten here by being that way initially, but I don’t think of myself that way anymore - at least not to that excess, to that extreme degree, to that disgusting volume.

I do have things to work on, no doubt.  I fluctuate day to day with the depth of my resolve.  But somewhere deep inside, I really do believe that I am better than that now.  I just hope to build on that feeling and make it ever more present on a daily basis.

Along the same lines…  I was talking with Candy and Nichole tonight.  I had planned on getting to the gym with Candy after the girls went down, but we drifted along in conversation until it was evident we weren’t going to make it.  “I guess we are taking the night off, huh?”  I said almost in relief.  Nichole answers “Yeah, looks that way.  It is too late to be exercising anyway.”

That was all I needed.  So while she sat there and finished the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups she had bought and put in the fridge, I ran on the treadmill.  I can find motivation in everything, but I think I perform my best when challenged.

One more day down. 

I had forgotten how much I enjoy a good lower body workout.  It isn’t very often that, immediately after lifting, I am already looking forward to the next session.

I had a great time at the gym tonight, pushing myself a bit and doing well more than I expected to be doing at this point.  I feel tired and only slightly wobbly, although the true test will come over the next two days rather than after just finishing my PWO shake. 

It was a good start to Phase II. 

My only problem today was not eating enough calories.  I spent a good 6 hours this afternoon reworking my resume and sending it out EVERYWHERE.  Before I knew it, I had missed lunch and was late for dinner.  It’s almost 11PM, and I still need another light meal.  I may grab some eggs and bacon before I get to bed.  That puts me up pretty late, but I think my body will appreciate the meal after that workout.

No real news.  I’m doing great and looking forward to lifting again on Wednesday.

I lost a solid 10.0 pounds this past week.

After gaining just over 8 from the previous week off, I am back on track, well on pace, and feeling great with the first 50 days behind me.

Phase II lifting begins today.  I will be starting with the lower body split, so I should be unable to walk at some point today.  That’s exaggerating a little bit, but not much.  I am looking forward to changing up the routine a bit.  Thankfully, I am not as sore as I expected from all the softball this weekend.

Things are chugging along.  More later. 

MONDAY:   weights (BOM 16)

TUESDAY:   interval cardio

WEDNESDAY:   weights (BOM 17)

THURSDAY:   OFF

FRIDAY:   weights (BOM 18)

SATURDAY:   softball (60 minutes)

SUNDAY:   softball (180 minutes)

It was a long weekend of softball.  Deja Vu.  Just like last season’s playoff tournament, we lost the first game on Saturday.  Our team then had to win three straight games this afternoon just to advance to the championship.  And just like last year, we took a lead into the final inning of the championship game and then blew it.

It was exhausting playing all day in the 110 degree heat, but the experience was still so much fun.  I was feeling very solid at third today.  I had multiple put-outs each game and didn’t make an error through the first three games.  I was slightly annoyed by it all to be honest.  In the last game, I had one ball hit up the line after almost camping out on the chalk.  I’m still not sure how it got past me.  A second ball was a few feet to the left of me, but I was caught leaning the other way and didn’t have the range to get to it.  I also booted an easy one.  Other than that, I turned a couple double plays, make several put-outs at first, caught a few pop-ups, and even rang someone up with a close play at the plate.  Compared to a lot of our infield, I had a stellar day.

So what does the coach do?  After missing the last ball, he tells me he is trying another guy at third, moving me over to second.  In the two innings he played after me, that same guy had a very similar ball go right up the line, he booted an easy grounder and had another one go right under his glove.  I also didn’t see the coach shifting people to cover the shortstop, who booted way more balls than I did throughout the day.

Truthfully, I’m not bitter - despite what that sounds like.  I love playing with those guys.  They are all a great bunch, and we play well together.  I just thought I had earned more of a chance to finish out the game.  We ended up giving up 5-6 runs or whatever in the last inning due mainly to a couple easy plays missed by our shortstop.  He felt bad, and we all felt horrible for him.  In reality, any of the earlier errors (mine included) that produced runs cost us just as much, but it is always the last ones that people remember.  To his credit, he was by far one of our better - if not THE best - hitters during the tourney.

At the plate, I felt comfortable most of the tournament.  On Saturday I was 1 of 2.  The first game on Sunday I hit safely 2 of 3, including a double.  The next game I went 2 of 3 again.  In the championship game, I ended up going 3 of 4.  Not horrible.  Let’s see.  Overall at the plate, I guess I hit 8 of 12 or .667.  I’ll take that.  

As for the fitness side of it all, let’s just say I didn’t feel bad not getting in my intervals over the weekend.  It was a fun, yet exhausting weekend.  I’m looking forward to more with another season. 

Weigh-in is tomorrow.  I hope I put a big dent in the 8+ pounds I gained last week.  We’ll have to wait and see.  It was a great week overall with my workouts and nutrition.  I’m off to bed. 

I normally complain about the early closing hours over the weekend at my gym, but I am thankful right now, as that got me in there early enough to still enjoy a Friday night at home.  DirecTV is offering up a free premier package preview this weekend.  That means my TIVO is working overtime recording every HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, Starz, etc. movie it can find.  Cool.

Anyway, my workout was decent.  It started off blah as I really didn’t want to be there.  Once I got into it and hit the heavy stuff, I was ready to go.  I am officially done with Phase I.  I can now begin complaining about Phase II.  Yeah!!!!

Softball tournament tomorrow.  We play at 6PM at Snedigar.  If we win, we’re done till Sunday afternoon.  If we lose, we play again at 8PM.  The only downside is that I just found out the league doesn’t start back up over the summer.  No more Saturday night softball till September.  Ouch! 

I better dig out my tennis racket.  I have to find activity somewhere.