8/13/13-WOD-Clean and Jerk

Today's workout was a quick one.

1. Determine 1 Rep Max for Back Squat-310 lbs
2. 30 Clean and Jerks for time=9:25

Not bad for today.  I increased my squat max by 40lbs and earned my first score for the WOD known as "Isabella"

Mirror on the Wall.........

THE DANGERS OF THE MIRROR

MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL, WHO IS THE BIGGEST LIAR OF THEM ALL?

     It is not uncommon for people when trying to lose weight to quickly get discouraged and give up.  I should know, I have done it about a gazillion times.  The problem is, I begin to workout out and I look into that mirror and get discouraged at the fact that after a week, a fat man is still staring at me instead of someone who looks svelte.  And yes, in case you were wondering, svelte is a word.  The problem with this method of gauging one's success lies in how poor our short term memory is when looking in the mirror.  Our brains are not cameras and we cannot  take a mental snapshot of ourselves on Monday and see the very subtle changes that we made by the end of the week.  This is the very reason that we tend to gain weight in the first place.  We look in the mirror and to our brain we don't look any heavier than we did the day before, even though our pants are fitting a bit tighter.  This same process also backfires on us when losing weight.

Just a Suggestion.  Use your Friends.

     I have found that there are much better ways of gauging your success  when trying to lose weight.  I ran into a teacher the other day that I had not seen for the entire summer.  The first words out of her mouth were, "Have you been working out?  You look really good."  Thanks Brianne, you made my day with that one.  Her last memory of me was the slightly fatter Tony and she could see the difference that I could not see.  Let your friends and family be a barometer for you, especially ones that you don't see very often. 

It Isn't Just For Tailoring a Suit.

 I love my tailor's tape.  I measure neck, chest, belly, waist, hips, biceps, forearms, thighs, and calves.  For me it is fun watching some numbers go down and others go up as I begin to slim down and get stronger.  Lastly, use your bathroom scale. 

Used Correctly, It Can Be Your Friend.

 When using it though, I recommend that you weigh perhaps once a week and at the same time every week and under the same conditions every time.  Put these three together and they will help you stay on track and be less discouraged in your journey.

 

8/12/13-Chest, Abs, and Cardio

Today's Workout

• Calculate 1RM for bench press-240#
• Bench Press  4 x 12 @    (75%) 180#
• Dumbell Flies 4 x 15 @ 40#
• Med Ball Push Ups-3 x 10 @ Bodyweight
• Seated Dips 2 x falilure @ bodyweight
• Ab Superset 3 x
  • Scissors 15x
  • Crunches 15x
  • Cross Leg Crunches 15x
  • Heel Touches 15 x
  • Flutter Kicks 15 x
• Cardio-60mins moderate walking on the treadmill

Successes

My bench press max went from 210 lbs on July 1st to 240 lbs today.  It is nice to see that I'm getting stronger.

8/7/13-PUSHING WEIGHT

     IT IS OK TO JUST HAVE SOME FUN!!!

     Today was rather informal in the weight room.  I had spent most of the day in my classroom getting it ready, but knew I needed to do something.  I didn't make any plans for today, I just went into the weight room and had some fun.  I ended up doing some "Seven Minutes of Hell", Kettle Bell Work,  and had a lot of fun doing ball slams.  I spent an hour working out and the time just flew.  I broke a sweat, as my kids say "Got Swole, and am a bit sore.  All in all, I think I did OK with a impromptu workout.  It was refreshing to just do whatever and not be locked into a plan.  Of course you can't do that everyday, but don't feel bad about going off the plan and just having fun.