If you've read the last few posts of mine, you'll notice that I've been spending the past two weeks getting to know the new gym I'm training at. Here's the thing... It seems like at least 50% of those who enter the gym spend all of their time on the treadmills.
Now these aren't actual statistics, but they are my best guesstimate of the stupid that I see in the mornings...
Now why would you pay $75/month to walk (or run,in some cases) on a treadmill? Is there not a free strip of land to walk on in your part of town? I hate to think that the DC streets are so violent that we can't find a 45-minute window to get our "cardio" in... Is the treadmill so much more convenient than taking the stairs instead of the elevator, actually walking up the escalator (there are no stair options sometimes in our metro stations), or just taking a walk through your neighborhood?
My apologies if anybody out there reading this fits the description, but it is what it is...
Now, to explain my view of treadmills...
Treadmills are supplementary to what you do in the gym. They can be used in several different ways...
- Add them to your circuits: do a few different exercises and mix in a 60-90 second run on the treadmill to increase the work you're doing. For example, do 15 push ups, 15 squats, 15 crunches, and a 400m run on the treadmill. This is pretty basic, but do it for time; 3 times through, always trying to best your fastest time.
- Get your cardio in when the weather outside is bad. Yes, if there is 10 inches of snow on the ground or it's pouring rain, the treadmill is not a bad option. Just don't pay for a gym membership if the treadmill is the only equipment you know how to use.
- As a progression for less-fit individuals. If you are a little overweight and you have already used up the pavement in the out-of-doors, then hop on a treadmill and put it on an incline. It's less impact than running, and it will definitely get your heartrate up. Most treadmills get up to 15%. If you are in the category that can't walk much, then use the handles on the treadmill to help support your weight as you thin down.
Now, these aren't the only reasons somebody could use a treadmill, but it's a start. And, it's definitely better than just walking for an hour because you want to avoid your neighbors or are afraid you may step on a crack in the road.
I hope this isn't too snarky, but it's just something that's been bugging me lately...
Friday, February 26, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Checking In
I started this whole nutritional correction plan on January 23, so I thought now would be a good time to give a bit of an update.
I'm still sticking to my guns with the diet program; 4-5 meals a day, 2-3 servings of veggies with each meal (sometimes that comes in supplement form), a lean protein with each meal, and zero calorie beverages (you wouldn't believe how much green tea I've had this month). I've been hovering at 197 for the last 2-3 days so it's safe to say I've lost about 11 pounds this month. That seems like a huge amount of weight for somebody my size, but, as I said earlier, I think most of it may be water-related (some sources quote up to 75%). Now, before anyone can accuse me of doing this unhealthily, let me say that I'm not counting calories and I am definitely not starving myself. Here's what I ate yesterday:
Breakfast
~20oz shake including: protein powder, banana, peanut butter, cottage cheese, Greens+, creatine, and cinnamon.
2 fish oil pills
Snacks
6-8 cups of green tea (over the course of the day)
Lunch
A butternut squash, chicken breast, onion, and apple concoction (It used to be a casserole, but apparently it is now a cassouperole)
Snack
Another 20oz. shake
Some pecans when I got home from work with a few spoonfuls of peanut butter
Dinner
A casserole including: bison, zucchini, onion, cottage cheese, and eggs (this was awesome and I had a double serving!)
So yeah, there you go, definitely not starving over here.
I've just completed the second week of working in a commercial gym, and I enjoy it so far. It's been a little slow, and I'm not really much of a salesman (I don't even really try...), but it is fun to hang out in the gym in the morning and get my workouts in early. I'm still looking for a few more clients to keep me busy and help me get a little more comfortable, but 2 is a good start.
Education-wise I'm looking forward to a National Strength and Conditioning Association Regional Conference in March, a few one-day seminars put on by the gym I work at, a Sports Nutrition diploma program I recently applied to, and I'm looking forward to attending one of Perform Better's 3-day Functional Training Summits over the summer. That's a lot on the plate, but it's awesome that so many things are so readily available in this field. All you have to do is want it.
I'm still sticking to my guns with the diet program; 4-5 meals a day, 2-3 servings of veggies with each meal (sometimes that comes in supplement form), a lean protein with each meal, and zero calorie beverages (you wouldn't believe how much green tea I've had this month). I've been hovering at 197 for the last 2-3 days so it's safe to say I've lost about 11 pounds this month. That seems like a huge amount of weight for somebody my size, but, as I said earlier, I think most of it may be water-related (some sources quote up to 75%). Now, before anyone can accuse me of doing this unhealthily, let me say that I'm not counting calories and I am definitely not starving myself. Here's what I ate yesterday:
Breakfast
~20oz shake including: protein powder, banana, peanut butter, cottage cheese, Greens+, creatine, and cinnamon.
2 fish oil pills
Snacks
6-8 cups of green tea (over the course of the day)
Lunch
A butternut squash, chicken breast, onion, and apple concoction (It used to be a casserole, but apparently it is now a cassouperole)
Snack
Another 20oz. shake
Some pecans when I got home from work with a few spoonfuls of peanut butter
Dinner
A casserole including: bison, zucchini, onion, cottage cheese, and eggs (this was awesome and I had a double serving!)
So yeah, there you go, definitely not starving over here.
I've just completed the second week of working in a commercial gym, and I enjoy it so far. It's been a little slow, and I'm not really much of a salesman (I don't even really try...), but it is fun to hang out in the gym in the morning and get my workouts in early. I'm still looking for a few more clients to keep me busy and help me get a little more comfortable, but 2 is a good start.
Education-wise I'm looking forward to a National Strength and Conditioning Association Regional Conference in March, a few one-day seminars put on by the gym I work at, a Sports Nutrition diploma program I recently applied to, and I'm looking forward to attending one of Perform Better's 3-day Functional Training Summits over the summer. That's a lot on the plate, but it's awesome that so many things are so readily available in this field. All you have to do is want it.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Can you believe it?
A full week of work off, and I couldn't manage to come up with a single post until I returned to work... Shame on me. Ha! Well, I've kept myself pretty busy over the last week. It's hard to get blog posts in when you're building sled ramps off your front porch, walking 2 miles in a blizzard, interviewing for jobs as a personal trainer, and playing a little Call of Duty on the Xbox.
The news of this week is that I did in fact get hired at Results Gym. I walked over for an interview on Tuesday and was called back in on Wednesday to teach abs classes. All of this without any paperwork whatsoever. So, I am hoping to be paid for that... It's going to be fairly memorable since it was officialy a blizzard at the time I decided to make the 1 hour trek to the gym, and I can't say it was too comfortable outside. All of these things were probably compounded by having not bought a pair of winter/snow boots yet, but I can't be prepared for everything.
The classes were fun and I learned a valuable lesson: Don't participate while teaching abs. Especially when you are doing 6 classes in 2.5 hours. I had the meanest abdominal cramp ever in the middle of the 6th session. Luckily, I was able to get through it without whining like a little girl, but I did have to pull up and teach for the remainder of that class. I have never had a cramp there before, but it's just like getting a hamstring cramp while in the backseat of a car. You shoot up into a stretched position trying to alleviate the pain all the while trying to play it off like nothing to those around you.
In dieting news, I'm still going strong. There has been a grand total of 2 cheat meals since I started (I think I'm allowed 3-4 a week), and the weight is steadily going down. It's actually fairly visible at this point. I was 208 when I started and weighed in at 199 this morning. I think in order to be where I want to be body fat percentage-wise I need to be closer to 190... So I'll just keep pushing it in the gym and sticking to my protein and veggies. Last night was a delicious recipe; Acorn Squash stuffed with chicken, onions, and celery flavored with a little thyme. It was awesome! I'm looking forward to doing some almond-crusted sea scallops for Valentine's this weekend.
My first real client is Saturday, so I'm really looking forward to getting started. As always, I'll keep things relatively up-to-date!
The news of this week is that I did in fact get hired at Results Gym. I walked over for an interview on Tuesday and was called back in on Wednesday to teach abs classes. All of this without any paperwork whatsoever. So, I am hoping to be paid for that... It's going to be fairly memorable since it was officialy a blizzard at the time I decided to make the 1 hour trek to the gym, and I can't say it was too comfortable outside. All of these things were probably compounded by having not bought a pair of winter/snow boots yet, but I can't be prepared for everything.
The classes were fun and I learned a valuable lesson: Don't participate while teaching abs. Especially when you are doing 6 classes in 2.5 hours. I had the meanest abdominal cramp ever in the middle of the 6th session. Luckily, I was able to get through it without whining like a little girl, but I did have to pull up and teach for the remainder of that class. I have never had a cramp there before, but it's just like getting a hamstring cramp while in the backseat of a car. You shoot up into a stretched position trying to alleviate the pain all the while trying to play it off like nothing to those around you.
In dieting news, I'm still going strong. There has been a grand total of 2 cheat meals since I started (I think I'm allowed 3-4 a week), and the weight is steadily going down. It's actually fairly visible at this point. I was 208 when I started and weighed in at 199 this morning. I think in order to be where I want to be body fat percentage-wise I need to be closer to 190... So I'll just keep pushing it in the gym and sticking to my protein and veggies. Last night was a delicious recipe; Acorn Squash stuffed with chicken, onions, and celery flavored with a little thyme. It was awesome! I'm looking forward to doing some almond-crusted sea scallops for Valentine's this weekend.
My first real client is Saturday, so I'm really looking forward to getting started. As always, I'll keep things relatively up-to-date!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Day 5
Although I didn't immerse myself completely into this nutritional adjustment on Saturday, I still consider it the beginning. Baby steps had been taken in the week prior by removing calorie-laden beverages from the menu and replacing them with water and green tea (sometimes flavored with Splenda, which has its own issues...Interestingly, it was discovered by scientists developing pesticides), and now I have completely given myself to this new way of eating.
Probably one of the greatest tips I've received in the first 5 days is the art of "sneaking" calories in and out of your diet. Although many people are in the diet game to lose weight, there are still plenty looking to put on muscle. Sneaking is effective at both. The basis behind it is that you are not technically going to be consuming less food, but you will be consuming fewer calories.
For example, you can take replace the sugar in your coffee for a no-calorie sweetener like Splenda or stevia, switch up your yogurt for low-fat yogurt (or vice versa if you're looking to put weight on), or you could just switch from high fat ground beef to a lean grass-fed variety. All of these are great ways of tricking your body, and will be put to good use in my current set up.
Cooking and Preparation
Even though there really isn't any format to this particular post, I really thought these pieces of the nutritional puzzle needed to be emphasized. Cooking and preparation are really the most important part to being successful. I'm realizing this more and more as we move forward. I mean, we've heard it hundreds of times... "
By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." I've been lucky enough to have spent some time in the kitchen already, so chopping veggies, pre-cooking meats for the week, and putting together a meal on the fly hasn't been quite the struggle I've seen in others. The idea is that you need to set aside some time each week or even day to preparing for the next few meals. This is easily done!
Cooking more versatile foods during this time can help keep anyone from dietary boredom. My favorite choice is a package of chicken thighs (although now I've completed the "sneak" and I've moved to breasts). 8 chicen thighs are easily roasted in the oven in about 25-30 minutes. That's 8 meals I can use. Chicken can be chopped up for salads, eaten plain, mixed with curry sauce, added to soups, or really anything you can think of. So, as I look forward to the rest of the week, I know I've got a load of pre-cooked breasts just sitting in the fridge waiting to be consumed. All I have to do now is decide the arrangement....
So that's just a little insight as to what I'm going to be doing/changing over the next few months. Keep in mind that this includes 4 days a week of resistance training and another couple days of cardio work.
Probably one of the greatest tips I've received in the first 5 days is the art of "sneaking" calories in and out of your diet. Although many people are in the diet game to lose weight, there are still plenty looking to put on muscle. Sneaking is effective at both. The basis behind it is that you are not technically going to be consuming less food, but you will be consuming fewer calories.
For example, you can take replace the sugar in your coffee for a no-calorie sweetener like Splenda or stevia, switch up your yogurt for low-fat yogurt (or vice versa if you're looking to put weight on), or you could just switch from high fat ground beef to a lean grass-fed variety. All of these are great ways of tricking your body, and will be put to good use in my current set up.
Cooking and Preparation
Even though there really isn't any format to this particular post, I really thought these pieces of the nutritional puzzle needed to be emphasized. Cooking and preparation are really the most important part to being successful. I'm realizing this more and more as we move forward. I mean, we've heard it hundreds of times... "
By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." I've been lucky enough to have spent some time in the kitchen already, so chopping veggies, pre-cooking meats for the week, and putting together a meal on the fly hasn't been quite the struggle I've seen in others. The idea is that you need to set aside some time each week or even day to preparing for the next few meals. This is easily done!
Cooking more versatile foods during this time can help keep anyone from dietary boredom. My favorite choice is a package of chicken thighs (although now I've completed the "sneak" and I've moved to breasts). 8 chicen thighs are easily roasted in the oven in about 25-30 minutes. That's 8 meals I can use. Chicken can be chopped up for salads, eaten plain, mixed with curry sauce, added to soups, or really anything you can think of. So, as I look forward to the rest of the week, I know I've got a load of pre-cooked breasts just sitting in the fridge waiting to be consumed. All I have to do now is decide the arrangement....
So that's just a little insight as to what I'm going to be doing/changing over the next few months. Keep in mind that this includes 4 days a week of resistance training and another couple days of cardio work.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Certified.
So, I finally got my results after a long weekend of skiing and checking my email for news from the certifying agency. I am now a NSCA Certified Personal Trainer, so that's pretty fun news! Those questions about what to do now are still out there, but at least I have the credential to back up any job search I may do. I'll most likely look into some part time work on the weekends and evenings with a potential foray into the realm of pre-breakfast training... We'll see what happens, but that's pretty exciting for now.
In other news Dave and I will be starting a bit of a diet soon, so we'll take some pictures and get back with more of that accountability stuff that I mentioned earlier. I may wait 8 weeks to show you before and afters... We'll see what happens, but hopefully I'll have some fun results for you. Biggest change for today is moving to nothing but calorie free beverages... I love milk (2% is the best!) and I usually enjoy a bit of coffee with my cream and sugar in the mornings. It'll be tougher once we start taking away more, but at first glance it doesn't look too severe. Like I said, I'll keep you updated.
In other news Dave and I will be starting a bit of a diet soon, so we'll take some pictures and get back with more of that accountability stuff that I mentioned earlier. I may wait 8 weeks to show you before and afters... We'll see what happens, but hopefully I'll have some fun results for you. Biggest change for today is moving to nothing but calorie free beverages... I love milk (2% is the best!) and I usually enjoy a bit of coffee with my cream and sugar in the mornings. It'll be tougher once we start taking away more, but at first glance it doesn't look too severe. Like I said, I'll keep you updated.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
A Good Day for Blogging?
I've always thought that boring days at work were good days to blog, but I'm finding out otherwise today. Not only does a lack of work feel unproductive, it's spreading to my mind.... I'm even having issues reading through articles this morning. It must be a combination of boredom and just being anxious to get to Vermont this weekend. I haven't seen Megan in over a week, and we're doing a long weekend ski trip with some friends if we can ever get out of work and get to it!
I do have a bit of a story from this week though. It involves heavy weights and having them delivered to work... I bought a weighted vest online a few weeks ago and have been waiting for it to arrive. As I waited, two other items were shipped and dropped off in an office on the first floor of my building. I made mention of a third package that would be "fairly heavy," and that they should have the delivery man bring the package to my office on the third floor. I probably don't need to say that they didn't really heed my advice.
My 84lbs. weighted vest came wrapped up nicely in a box on Monday... I happened to be out at lunch, and the office downstairs wanted to unload the box into our office. Of course, they didn't ask the delivery guys to do it, so they pushed it into the elevator down the hall and pressed the 3rd floor button. My poor coworker had to walk out in the hall to greet the elevator with my vest, and now, to her surprise, she finds this ridiculously heavy box in the middle of the floor. She made it clear that it was a struggle to get it down the hall and into our office (I guess I owe her?).
Now the issue of getting this thing to my car... I park about a quarter mile away from work, so that's not really a bad walk, but I couldn't exactly carry 84lbs. to my car - esp. down 3-4 flights of stairs and back up another. I decided the best way would be to load up the vest (turns out that 84 lbs. comes in 1 pound increments! Awesome.), and just throw it on underneath my jacket. I've got a heavy, loose pea coat that I figured would cover it up pretty well.... I should've taken a picture of it, but without a picture let's just say that I could barely get my buttons together once I had the vest on. It's a little skinnier without being fully loaded, but it adds a good 6-8 inches to your waistline when fully stocked up. I felt like one of those barrel-chested strongmen. Maybe like I belonged in the circus a little bit...
We don't work in the best of neighborhoods over here, so I fit in great. Like some red-faced, slow-walking, scared dude with a bullet-proof vest conspicuously filling out my jacket. The walk wasn't horrible though, but it's hard to imagine having to get around as a 295 pound man all the time...
I do have a bit of a story from this week though. It involves heavy weights and having them delivered to work... I bought a weighted vest online a few weeks ago and have been waiting for it to arrive. As I waited, two other items were shipped and dropped off in an office on the first floor of my building. I made mention of a third package that would be "fairly heavy," and that they should have the delivery man bring the package to my office on the third floor. I probably don't need to say that they didn't really heed my advice.
My 84lbs. weighted vest came wrapped up nicely in a box on Monday... I happened to be out at lunch, and the office downstairs wanted to unload the box into our office. Of course, they didn't ask the delivery guys to do it, so they pushed it into the elevator down the hall and pressed the 3rd floor button. My poor coworker had to walk out in the hall to greet the elevator with my vest, and now, to her surprise, she finds this ridiculously heavy box in the middle of the floor. She made it clear that it was a struggle to get it down the hall and into our office (I guess I owe her?).
Now the issue of getting this thing to my car... I park about a quarter mile away from work, so that's not really a bad walk, but I couldn't exactly carry 84lbs. to my car - esp. down 3-4 flights of stairs and back up another. I decided the best way would be to load up the vest (turns out that 84 lbs. comes in 1 pound increments! Awesome.), and just throw it on underneath my jacket. I've got a heavy, loose pea coat that I figured would cover it up pretty well.... I should've taken a picture of it, but without a picture let's just say that I could barely get my buttons together once I had the vest on. It's a little skinnier without being fully loaded, but it adds a good 6-8 inches to your waistline when fully stocked up. I felt like one of those barrel-chested strongmen. Maybe like I belonged in the circus a little bit...
We don't work in the best of neighborhoods over here, so I fit in great. Like some red-faced, slow-walking, scared dude with a bullet-proof vest conspicuously filling out my jacket. The walk wasn't horrible though, but it's hard to imagine having to get around as a 295 pound man all the time...
Friday, January 8, 2010
Accountability
I'm taking the Certified Personal Trainer exam tomorrow afternoon. I guess I'm writing this so I make sure I study tonight... If everyone knows I'm taking the exam then you (all 2-3 of you who read this) can call me out if I don't manage to pass the thing. I'm pretty confident though, and as long as I show up for the test on time I should manage just fine.
Once I complete the test it raises other questions... Should I start working at a gym? Will I pick up some clients for the home gym? What's the next bit of education for me?
So there you have it, now I'm accountable to you for whatever happens tomorrow at exam time. Who knows, maybe I'll go beyond the lifting and exam taking and branch out into my diet! Ha, that would most likely be a fail of epic proportions...
I'll try to answer those other questions in the next few weeks...
Once I complete the test it raises other questions... Should I start working at a gym? Will I pick up some clients for the home gym? What's the next bit of education for me?
So there you have it, now I'm accountable to you for whatever happens tomorrow at exam time. Who knows, maybe I'll go beyond the lifting and exam taking and branch out into my diet! Ha, that would most likely be a fail of epic proportions...
I'll try to answer those other questions in the next few weeks...
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