New Trainer

Well, I'm back at it and I'm pleased to say that I picked up a new trainer over the weekend. His pound name is "Buddy" and he's a young male Bullmastiff. Buddy and I walked about a mile yesterday afternoon at Greenway Farms. Today, we covered about three miles all over North Chattanooga at a good pace. Buddy and I are both ready to crash after the long trip today. Before we sleep, here's a pic and some accountability updates:

Tuesday, March 4th- I had my first big workout flub today. I was set to workout at 12:45 and speak at a luncheon at 12:00. I thought I could speak and sneak out but that opportunity never came about. So, I missed my scheduled workout time and the rest of the day was full for trainers. To keep things on track, I jumped on the elliptical and went for 60 minutes on the cardio cycle at level 10. I covered 4.76 miles and had a heart rate average of 138. Most importantly, I burned over 900 calories. After finishing, I felt really bad about missing a workout but energized that I made up for it in cardio. My food intake today was good. I more snacked than ate big meals but I did so in 3.5 hour increments. Late in the day, I added in a protein shake just to make sure that I fueling my muscles which are in desperate need of food as I continue to rearrange body mass.

Monday, March 3rd-

Food- I was back in full force on food today. My snack bag was packed and I started the day with my normal fiber cereal breakfast. Lunch was a tasty chef salad and two slices of dry wheat toast from my friends at Niedlov's. My snacks were 1/2 protein bar and 1/2 banana. For dinner, I fixed a mixed green salad with grilled chicken leftover from the weekend, sunflower seeds, and lite italian dressing.

Workout- We hit upper body today and really pushed on bench press. The trainer had me do two exercises at a time using opposing muscle groups and by the time we were done I was completely burned out.

Cardio- Buddy and I walked for about three miles all around North Chattanooga and Riverview. We kept a good pace and heart rate average was about 125. By the time we called it quits, we were both pretty much drained. Buddy was snoring within 15 minutes of getting home.

Sunday, March 2nd- After all of the driving and a late arrival home, Buddy and I slept soundly on Saturday night. On Sunday, we did the Greenway Farms walk, rounded up a ton of supplies, and hosted Mom, Dad and the Reedy's for a fantastic dinner of grilled chicken, various veggies, and a glass or two of red wine. While running around with Buddy, I missed my snacks for Sunday. In the future, I'll have to be more careful of snacks on busy and exciting days.

Saturday, March 1st- Saturday was dedicated to going to get Buddy near Florence, AL. I was in the car all day but did a good job of pulling over for snacks, water and good food. I hit Big Bob Gibson's BBQ in Decatur, AL for some of the best smoked Turkey that I've ever had. Dinner was spent in Piedmont Park in Atlanta with Kristy and Tess while we introduced Tess and Buddy. I think they'll be great friends.

Friday, February 29th (Leap Day)-My food intake was good for Friday. Snacks included a banana and cashews. Workout was early and fast paced. We kept the heart rate really high and worked through upper and lower body exercises. After workout, I hit the elliptical for 30 minutes on the cardio setting at level 10. I covered about 2.25 miles and burnt about 415 calories.

Crash and Burn (it up)!

Burn (it up)- Thursday, February 28th

Food- Food intake was good today though I was very late on dinner. I had the standard breakfast and pretty much snacked the rest of the day on protein bars, cashews, banana, apple, blue chips, guac, etc. All was done in the 3.5 hour or less increments. Eating is hard right now due to schedule but I'm working at it. The snack bag that I carry along with the fruit bowls at FT and the office keep me from having long stints without food intake.

Workout- Today was focused on lower body and we slowed it down a bit after the crash yesterday. We added an olympic lifts today including the romanian dead lift and the hanging snatch. Both were fun and raised my heart rate to the top end of the scale. We focused on circuits that included three exercises and made three separate circuits. By the time we completed with weighted punches, I was feeling good but spent. I'm focusing hard on finishing out my five day a week plan but I am looking forward to scaling back in April to 3-4 hard workouts per week in order to allow better recovery of muscle groups.

Cardio- To get back in the swing of cardio, I hit the elliptical for 30 minutes at level 10 on the cardio setting. The setting constantly changes the resistance which impacts your speed, heart rate and overall energy expenditure. I averaged about 4.2 miles per hour and covered 2.16 mile while burning about 450 calories. When it was time to head out, I felt very accomplished and back on track.

Crash- Wednesday, February 27th-

Food- I did hit my food marks for the day though I was a little light on dinner. Extended work days make access to full meals hard. I'm going to think about keeping some sort of back-up meal in the fridge at work.

Workout- Well, I pretty much crashed from lack of sleep and the extremely intense workout on Tuesday. I was able to get some upper body work done and a little bit of core but my trainer and I both realized that my body was pretty much shot. I couldn't keep my feet up for flutter kicks and my upper body work was weak. Today was a good lesson on how reactive your body is to lack of sleep, stress, and over exertion. I certainly learned a lesson and carved out an extra hour for sleep in the evening.

Cardio- Since workout was a bust, I decided to heed the warning signals from my body and call it a day. I felt bad about missing cardio but just couldn't muster the strength to go on. Looking back at it, I think the decision to rest was good.

Tuesday

I really feel accomplished today. I've had back to back meetings all day but have still been able to take care of a number of tasks as well as to get in workout and cardio. Here's a rundown:

Food- Food was good all day with the correct 3.5 hours or less intervals. I started with the fiber cereal blend, skim milk, and banana leading to snacks of mixed nuts and bananas. Lunch was about one quarter of a leftover ribeye with some spinach and mushrooms. Dinner was mixed greens, almonds, and grilled salmon that was excellent. I did indulge in two glasses of red wine at dinner but workout more than compensated for that.

Workout- There is only one trainer that is not on my normal workout rotation but I'm working out with him twice this week due to schedule changes on my end. He seems to have the uncanny ability to know my weakest exercises and push me in those areas. That turns out to be a great thing for breaking my current plateau but rough on my aching muscles. We focused on full body today with high cardio intensity. The entire workout was very taxing and my heart rate monitor showed an average heart rate of 145 at completion even including cool down. Needless to say, it was intense. I think it was just the boost I needed leading into the last 5 or so weeks of intensive training.

Cardio- After the workout, I seriously debated cardio. Fortunately, my active side won and I hit the elliptical for 3 minute interval sprints over 20 minutes covering 1.56 miles, burning 289 calories, and averaging a heart rate of 143.

As always, I should say thank you to all who are supporting me in this journey. My spouse, parents, brother, and colleagues continue to be encouraging, enabling, and grounding. My sincerest gratitude to each of you.

Busy, Busy, Busy

Lots going on so I've been slow to post. Here are updates working from Today backwards:

Monday, January 25th-

Food- Monday started with my normal blend of fiber cereals, skim milk, banana and water to drink. My snacks were a blend of 1/2 protein bar and fresh sliced apples. For lunch, I had a mixed green salad with turkey, ham, mixed cheeses, and vinaigrette dressing (much less than I used to). For dinner, we met Helen, Bill, and Emma at Southern Star to give our visitor a taste of local flair. I had backed chicken, cabbage, lima beans, and brunswick stew. I did finally give myself a treat of banana pudding as we all endulged with our visitor. It was probably more enjoyable as I've not had sweets in so long. I think the distance of time makes such treats all the more enjoyable.

Workout- Workout today focused on upper body and core. I felt pretty good throughout but was whipped at completion. I did not sleep too well over the weekend and I think that may be haunting me into the week. That said, my strength in workout continues to increase and I'm moving much larger weights for higher sets than I was 7 weeks ago. I've not emphasized the importance of stretching so much on the blog but I should. At FT, the trainer always helps you stretch at the completion of workout. This is an integral point for increasing strength, range of movement and for avoiding injury. I notice how much less flexible I am after a really tough workout. Even if you are not working with a trainer, it is essential that you warm up before and stretch after workouts. Otherwise, you can miss potential gains and possibly encounter injury which might wreck your intentions toward good health.

Cardio- What a beautiful day! I made my 2.45 mile lap at a good pace in about 42 minutes today. My heart rate average was 129 and spiked to the 140's on inclines. Tons of other walkers, joggers and runners were out today and it was great to not feel alone in my pursuits. Walking is so easy and enjoyable. You can pretty much always find somewhere to walk with interesting sights, smells and sounds.

Sunday, January 24th- Sunday was a big day started with my favorite white omelet filled with peppers, spinach, and cheese at the Blue Plate. I also had some bacon and fruit. We did a lap around the aquarium after breakfast before realizing that it was too cold to be outside without winter jackets. Over the rest of the day we toured Chattanooga with two of my little brothers hitting Rock City (decent cardio but not enough to write about) and then downtown. I had two large meals on Sunday and only snacked for dinner. I continue to find it hard to remember to eat every 3.5 hours on the weekend with so many activities going on.

Saturday, January 23rd- Saturday was dedicated to spending time with Kristy who was home for a brief visit and welcoming a Marshall Fellow from Hungary to Chattanooga. We had a delicious meal at the Meeting Place where I pretty much stuck to diet besides some toast points that were served with a meat and cheese appetizer. I realize that after such strict diet work, even the smallest of slips bother me. I think I should take in a good treat soon as a reminder of balance. I did no workout or cardio on Saturday in order to attempt recovery from recent fatigue.

Friday, January 22nd-

Food- Food was all good for Friday. The day culminated in a wonderful meal of fish, sweet potato puree, and veggies thanks to a gift card for Hennen's in downtown Chattanooga. It was truly a wonderful and healthy meal.

Workout- I was still dragging a bit on Friday for workout but we hit it just the same. Cardio was intense for the session and we focused on the entire body. By the time we finished, I was pretty much dead and looking forward to the weekend.

Cardio- Since I wasn't feeling hot, I decided to get outside and enjoy some fresh air. I hit the 2.45 mile walk on the reverse circuit which runs heart rate higher. The full trip took about 43 minutes with an average heart rate of 130. After completing, I felt very accomplished and glad that the week was complete

Workouts #33 and #34

Quick accountability updates for the last two days so that I can get some rest. I was dragging at workout today.

Thursday, February 21st:

Food- I started the day with the usual mix of bran based cereals, a banana, skim milk and water. Snacks were protein bar in the morning and apples and organic peanut butter in the evening. For a change of scenery, lunch was at greenlife. I had a wonderful chicken stir fry and two indian dishes (one based on black beans and the other based on garbanzo beans). It was fantastic to introduce some new flavors. For dinner, I threw some blue corn chips together with some shredded mozarella, grilled chicken, and some salsa for "healthy nachos". Everything was supplemented by water as usual. I continue to experiment with food and find things that work and don't work. Having choices is good for longevity and lifestyle change.

Workout- Today we worked on lower body. Though I was dragging, I made it through everything and my quads were completely burnt out at completion. Thanks to boxing, fast circuits, and a variety of exercises, my heart rate averaged above 140 for the entire workout.

Cardio- Back on the elliptical for interval training. I never thought I would enjoy this machine so much but it's great for high heart rate and watching history channel without being hard on joints. I did 30 minutes today with 3 minute interval sprints. Pace averaged over 4.5 so I covered 2.26 miles and burnt 410 calories.

Wednesday, February 20th:

Food- Breakfast was cereal and snacks were 1/2 banana coupled with 1/2 protein bar. Lunch was turkey on wheat with a small caprese salad. Dinner was some grilled chicken over romaine with sunflower seeds, mozarella cheese, raisins and lite italian dressing. I had lots of water yesterday to the point that I felt a little water logged.

Workout- The main thing that surprised me about upper body day is that I was able to do sets of 10 on decline bench press with 185 pounds. I'm definitely getting stronger in the chest which is reassuring when paired with the rapid weight loss. I'm also impressed by the way that the trainers rotate opposing muscles during circuits so that you get full muscle development. I'm working out muscles that I never new I had and that makes for a more solid foundation and less potential for injuries due to weak spots.

Cardio- Cardio setting on the elliptical at level 5. Average speed was just above 4 mph and I covered about 2.1 miles while burning 410 calories. Remember that the distraction of music (hence my constant iPod use) makes time go by much faster. I also find it easier to keep a faster pace when high energy music is on.

A little prize and then a big one.

The day got off to an early start and looks like it will have a late end. Here are some highlights:

Food- I was feeling like eggs today and had a spinach and feta omelet with bacon and water at breakfast and then a gyro omelet with cantaloupe and 5 grain toast at lunch (thanks Joan Marie!). Mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks were made up of 1/2 protein bars and bananas. Supper was late but good. I had a sushi roll with crab and two each of tuna and salmon nigiri. I poured down lots of water today but still seemed thirsty. All of my indigestion problems seem to have been resolved by good diet.

Workout- We hit a broad circuit leg workout tonight which really pushed me to my limits. Squats are hard enough with my extra upper body weight but adding a weighted bar was really tough. We also got in some core exercises and I was spent after workout. The trainers continue to push me beyond where I think I can go.

Cardio- I took a deep breath after workout and grabbed the iPod before jumping on the elliptical. I was feeling pretty good so I hit 30 minutes with 3 minute interval sprints. My normal speed averaged 4 mph and my sprints averaged about 9 mph. My heartrate averaged over 140 and I covered about 2.4 miles while burning over 400 calories. I felt really tired and very accomplished at the end of the evenign.

Finally, here are the two prizes:
1. I made it to the last notch on my belt today. That means it's time to go get a new one that I can continue to ratchet down over time. That's a big accomplishment seeing as I was near the outer notches prior to coming to FT.
2. I met a new FT client tonight that said he'd read the blog and decided to commit to an intense health plan. That was the single most gratifying experience of this entire process. Much more than 37 pounds lost, if I can encourage others that this can be done, I have truly done something. This made me think. Perhaps we should all take more time to encourage those we know and even those we don't. We're all sojourners in this human condition and the choice is ours to cave to the lure of cynicism or raise to the call of being hopeful and helpful. As always, to those that continue to cheer me on in many ways, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

Back at it...

Well, the excitement of the Friday results made for a content and satisfied weekend. Surprisingly, the results only made me hungry for more. Saturday was dedicated to family, remembrance and celebration so I took the day off (except for wrestling with the nieces and nephews). By Sunday, Kristy and I were back at it for a 4 mile walk to and from the Dog Park with our boxer Tess. It was great to get back in the swing of things. Food all weekend was good thanks to grilled chicken (Thanks Mom!) and baby trees (broccoli) and fruit salad (Thanks Bill and Helen!).

Today was another busy day at the office. Here's the accountability report:

Food- Started the day at Niedlov's with 2 eggs scrambled with cheese, sliced tomatoes, two slices of whole wheat, and water. Snack #1 was 1/2 a banana and 1/2 a protein bar. Lunch was my favorite white omelet from Blue Plate with spinach, cheese, onions, and fruit salad again with water. Hit the same snack again late in the afternoon and finally met Bill for dinner. I had a few chips with guac, shrimp and avacados and two corn tortillas with chorizo, onion and cilantro. Overall, it was a good food day. You'll see that I was out for every meal and still managed to find things that aren't ridiculously ladened with things that my body shouldn't be consuming. I certainly don't recommend eating out for every meal but sometimes life demands it and you have to make good choices. The old Josh would have started today with a cinnamon roll, lunched on a burger and fries, and closed the deal with cheese dip and a chimichanga.

Workout- We hit upper body this evening and worked our way through some intense chest and tricep work. I continue to be pleased with strength gains in my upper body. My bench press max is estimated at 260+ right now and I'll hope to continue to push that to 300 and maybe beyond. Of course, we didn't forget core and boxing tonight. Core is still tough but getting better all the time.

Cardio- I jumped the heart rate up above 130 on the elliptical tonight and kept it there for just over 30 minutes. Total distance was 2.06 miles with 400+ calories burned at level 5 on the machine.