7 Minute Workout
This article has been making the rounds lately. Can you really get a good workout in 7 minutes? Apparently you can.
My take is that this workout would suck terribly and that I would rather go 20-30 minutes and feel like I worked hard than go for 7 minutes and feel like I could go into cardiac arrest.
What do you think?
As for me: not anything new to report — I’ve been going to gym and budgeting calories this week. Feeling good. Sleeping better.
House is still on the market. Cleaning everyday is getting old—but the house always looks good.
Lame update I know—but breaking the silence.
Chris Christie Got Weight Loss Surgery, Should You?
A few months ago I wrote about whether or not Chris Christie should lose weight—and it’s now apparent that around that same time, the governor underwent weight-loss surgery.
Coincidence? Ha, not likely.
Posturing for the presidency? Maybe.
Should you and I get it? I won’t speak for you or the governor…
…but I won’t get weight loss surgery, though it is tempting
I see how people could and do get weight loss surgery.
Being fat sucks. Dieting sucks.
If you could pay someone a few grand to put your body on weight loss autopilot despite some potential complications—why not do it?
A botched weight loss surgery that ends in infected death might not be any different than death from cardiac arrest after terrorizing a krispy kreme franchise—-right?
I have judged people who get weight loss surgery—and I still think anyone who has lost weight because of it should have an asterisk next to their 100 lbs lost cover stories.
But I’ve mellowed out in my weight-loss fundamentalism (partly because of my own struggles to see through personal goals).
I think Chris Christie should have melted fat the old school way—and I think he missed a leadership opportunity that could have inspired people (and won votes)—but whatever measures he’s taking to win the Republican nomination for president be there for his family, I salute it with a libertarian dimissiveness ala “it’s his body, good for him and his family”.
But it doesn’t inspire me. It doesn’t really help the greater cause of furthering an ideal of health in this nation. It may play well on the coasts, but in middle America we want a little more grit.
My cynical mind tells me that a temporary plastic band shrinking a stomach only changes things temporarily.
But as someone who struggles with all of “this”, I’m not sure I can throw the stone I keep describing in my hand.
Don’t be Alarmed
My wife and I have distinct alarms on our phones: mine is a guitar strumming, her’s sounds what can best be described as a slot machine counting a high score.
We have two alarms because we wake up at different times. Me: 5:15am, her: 6:45am.
This morning I heard slot machines.
I left my phone in the other room. Missed my alarm.
It doesn’t mean I’ll be late to work, it does mean there’s no time for a morning workout.
So I have three options:
A) Apply one of my two Monday workouts to today (I did cardio in the morning, weights in the evening)
B) Hit the gym after work. I get the workout in, but might be too amped for early bedtime and thus not want to workout Wednesday morning.
C) Focus on my calorie intake and not worry about making workouts fit—even though I told myself I would workout daily this week. Pick it up tomorrow.
What would you do?
MAY we get back to our regularly scheduled program?
Thanks for excusing the crazy last week. Last week was a whirlwind. House listed Friday—we’ve had three showings including one this afternoon.
The last 5 days or so have consisted of some pretty poor eating. I spent a good amount of the weekend feeling bloated. After a while, food just didn’t taste as good as I thought it would. I started craving the whole food I used to eat more regularly. And while I was up past midnight last night (Mad Men, Game of Thrones, House of Cards),
I still made it to the gym this morning.
First time in over a week. It’s not that I haven’t been active, but it’s time to get back to our regularly scheduled programming. Gym sweat felt good—but the mid workout need-for-bowel-movement always is always a bummer (is that a pun?).
Had a solid breakfast to set up the day. I feel the metabolism working. Got to plan out a solid grocery store run.
The scale’s been packed up for about a week since we decluttered to put the house up for sale. I feel like I am at 320. I want to be sub-300 by June 1.
Even though I pretty much stalled on fat loss—I’ve added some muscle to my frame over the last couple months. I’d like to continue that.
I’m getting back on plan because that has brought me this far. Lean protein, whole grains, green veggies and some fun on the weekends. It worked—time to bring it back.
Thanks to everyone for the words of encouragement. I was thinking about a guy who used to write a blog back a few months ago who was really gung ho for a bit. He announced he was moving and he deleted his blog and never wrote again. Stress can make this feel like this is not a priority—but it has to be.
30+ weight loss has bought me better fitting clothes, lower BP, more energy–-but I’m just nowhere near my goals. I feel like I should give some rally cry but only cheesy ones are coming to my head.
TALLY HO!
HI HO SILVER!
Please Excuse the Crazy
Last week’s weigh-in was +2 lbs. I would have written about it, but my computer sat in disassembled pieces in my home office.
This past week I have become painter, carpenter, mason, and custodian. We may move, we may not move. A lot has to come together.
I had all the intentions of going to the gymnasium last night. Instead I was working on my home’s brick facade in the rain. It was 40s. I should have gone to workout. I went to bed. ”I’ll go in the morning,” I reasoned.
Slept past the alarm.
The house is the cleanest it’s ever been. I want to put a bow on it. A photographer is coming later to take pictures. Nothing like a winter day in the middle of spring to take pictures.
In crazy of yesterday, I found myself craving a short stack of pancakes. I wasn’t even hungry, I just wanted to eat a stack of pancakes—with butter and syrup.
I’m not a pancake guy really. Or a sweets guy. But something about being in the rain and being bitter at mother nature made me want to eat.
I didn’t though. My thoughts went from considering the short stack to considering why I was considering the short stack. Fat thinking.
In all of the work I’ve done around the house, I notice more strength + stamina. That’s encouraging. But getting on all fours is still a chore.
In terms of my fitness goals, I am still stuck. Not moving forward or backwards really. Other things are competing for priority and time.
If you’ve been there, how did you get through it?
Fight the Fright
After stalling over the last month, the inner mind conversation started to sound a little bit frantic.
“I am not on track. I’m losing steam. I don’t care as much as I used to.
What? Are you kidding me? You can’t afford to slow up now you’re nowhere near your goals?
You’re right. I need to make up for lost time. I should do the [redacted] DIET™ and workout three times a day”
But that’s not how I have lost over 35 lbs so far. And it’s the type of thinking I’m trying to avoid— because it’s short-sighted, unhealthy—pretty much a bad idea.
So far this week I’m going back to the fundamentals:
- early morning workout to set the day right and boost metabolism
- stay under my calorie budget
- drink water like I’m in the desert
Keeping it simple.
Slippery Slope
Some fall off the wagon, and some slide off slowly.
I wouldn’t say I’m off the wagon— I still am holding on, being dragged behind, one hand clenched tightly on the tailgate, another around a glazed donut.
I’m still here.
I’ve hovered at about the same weight for over a month. No (or little) gain, but definitely little loss.
It’s not a plateau. More like a fatso.
Or fatso thinking.
I’m not beating myself up—really—but it’s no secret that I’ve been half-assing the effort recently.
- I went from daily 5 am workouts to 3 workouts a week
- I went from daily calorie budgeting (for a 70 day span) to weekdays only.
I had planned to be well below 300 lbs by now. Ha. Plans.
More later…
How to Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself
Each of us has this beast that at times is tame—even charming—and at others, can be unruly and wild.
It’s our personality.
There are smarter people than I who can explain the interplay of id, ego and superego, but I like to keep it simple. Take this test.
You should get a series of four letters, each corresponds to a different dimension of your personality. Me = ENTP.
What does that have to do with pursuing health? More than you’d think.
I’m not shy about being critical of others here — so let me apply that same microscope to myself to assess how I’m doing now that we are 25% into 2013.
The following are descriptors of my personality and how they have helped me so far:
I handle pressure well. I’m calm. Even charming. “ENTPs are known for their insightful, thoughtful and unique perspectives”.
But there’s another side.
- Come up with a million ideas (finishing them is another story)
- Annoy friends and family with “playing devil’s advocate” and debating
- Bring tremendous energy, vision and focus at the start of a project
All true — unfortunately. I mentioned in an earlier post that I was worried about March.
Why? Because I tend to get bored. I have a problem with finishing things—hence the infrequent posting. And the steady creep on the calorie count.
But last week’s weigh-in (that I forgot to post—see above for the reason why) — was a no gain- no loss. I’m still working out (with less ferocity) and still budgeting calories (with less passion).
I’m not discouraged and I’m nowhere near done. Now that Spring has arrived I feel a new sense to recommit to what I started—in spite of myself. March was a stall — I haven’t gone backwards or forwards.
How does your personality help/harm your pursuit of health?
How to Pursue Health Without Being Obnoxious
Politics, religion … and your diet?
I spewed protein shake all over my iPhone when I read this tweet. So true.
It could be the post-workout selfies, or the live-tweeting of workouts, or how we silently shame our friends enjoying the piece of cake while we gorge on grapefruit–-it’s easy to become obnoxious when pursuing health.
It’s understandable. Newly-found confidence, some modest gains, changing desires, new friends with new lingo, taking a few bites and announcing not-so-subtely that you’re SO FULLL!!!!!!!!!
We justify it by saying that our new priorities are threatening to others. That we are making the change they know they should — but won’t.
There may be some truth there but, if we’re honest, we don’t do a lot to help.
Just as we shouldn’t get a lot of sympathy after complaining about the problems of being fat while eating an entire pizza, we shouldn’t draw a lot of attention to ourselves when we decide to pursue health.
…and for the same reason. It’s obnoxious.
Now I know your BS alarm is going off because I write borderline obnoxious pieces on this site. That’s fair. But this is my house and if you read it it’s by choice—I’m not coming over to your house and telling you to not binge on Vienna Sausages.
Preamble is done. Here’s how not to be obnoxious when pursuing health.
- If you want to be nearly naked when working out or yell when lifting (then crashing) weights or love to have a 30 minute discussion on String Theory while sitting on the bench while others are waiting—-get a home gym.
- If you can’t eat what others are serving at their home — bring your own food or stop visiting. Only explain that you don’t eat gluten if someone asks. If you offer it, I will offer for you to be extinct. Steve Martin said it best.
- The only acceptable time to tell someone about your diet is when they ask. BUT THEY WERE INTERESTED!!!!! No they were being polite.
- Unless you are physically responsible for the person (child or elderly), it’s not your business what’s one someone else’s plate.
- If your diet + exercise causes you to consistently miss out on holidays, family functions, quality time with loved ones — then your diet sucks.
- If you can’t laugh at yourself, don’t worry, the rest of us will.
- Ladies: if you’re spending more time getting ready to workout than your actual workout, lol.
- Men: if you think AXE body spray is a good substitute for a post-workout shower, lol.
- Your tweet about eating a handful of almonds won’t make up for your secret binge that happened an hour later — manipulation isn’t sexy.
- If your machine is glistening with your sweat after you leave it, and you do not clean it — please stop wondering why you’re single.
Number 11? Tell me in your comment.
The Golden rule should still be in effect at Gold’s Gym.
Weigh-in | Week 12
Better late than never
Starting weight| 352 lbs
Current weight| 313.4 lbs
Week 12 change| – 2 lbs
Total loss| 38.6 lbs
Notes
I had the two week cold. I tried one workout and had to leave because I sounded like I was hacking up internal organs. But I knew that wasn’t an excuse to not budget calories—so I did and wiped out that weight I added on the previous week.
If you can’t tell from the silence, I hit a writing slump the last two weeks. The craziness of life played a factor—but the truth is I just wasn’t really feeling it, so I didn’t want to write.
But the fog is lifting. I hit the gym this morning like a madman and the mid-workout bowel movement (DOES THIS HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE??????) that always threatens to throw my morning off was just a minor detour. I guess that’s because I had a dream that the world was ending so I guess an inconvenient BM is just a small inconvenience in comparison.
If you didn’t know what this site is about, then you sure as sh*t know now. Pun intended.
