Lengthening & Lightening Our Lives…

Day 59 (of 84) December 2, 2009

Posted by gjurrens in Uncategorized.
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For those of you who know me, I don’t do anything half-assed. I’m not obsessive-compulsive, just focused, passionate and very determined. That’s my story! Read on if you care.

Doing the Body-for-Life thing to transform myself from a retired desk jockey to a stronger, healthier old retired guy.

Doesn’t really seem like  a program any more, though. Just seems normal to head for the gym to work out three times a week, and engage in cardio-oriented exercise the other three days.

Can’t seem to just take Sunday off, though, although we do allow ourselves a few more indulgences that day–the key is no workouts on Sundays. We still try to “eat clean” that day (no sugar in the gas tank!).

Chicken ‘n brown rice continue to be daily staples. Kay looks for specials on boneless, skinless chicken breasts, and we promptly fill our garage freezer once a week. Then we either have a grilling or boiling (in broth) marathon with six to twelve breasts at a time.

The other change that no longer seems strange is intentionally eating lean beef two to three times a week. Important for muscle production, they say. No problem eating a steak and feeling good about it? Nothin’ wrong with that whatsoever!

Supplements are also a normal part of the daily routine now. So normal, in fact, that when I don’t take some, it doesn’t feel right and I sense a pang of guilt. Jeez!

In addition to three meals daily, I eat three snacks. Very often, these snacks are shakes made up of protein powder, carb complex, vitamin powder (90% more effective absorption than vitamin pills), glutamine (for muscle recovery, i.e., less sore 24 hours after a workout), branch chain amino acids (enables better protein synthesis and minimizes muscle wasting) and water. Might also be an apple with a rice cake bearing a couple tablespoons of home-made peanut butter washed down with a glass of milk (skim, of course) or water.

Always lots of water!

Add two EFA (essential fatty acids) capsules a couple times a day, and good to go.

The first meal is usually around 730am, and the late snack around 930pm.

Just another day in paradise!

Hard to see progress when we see each other every day, so that’s why we take periodic pics and measurements. Here’s my obligatory day 60 photographs taken a day early. Kay remains camera shy. Does NOT seem to be one of my problems, however ;-):

The calves are coming along nicely (too nicely?). Good definition and striation, but big enough, I think… don’t want ‘em looking like drumsticks! (oops, too late)

Probably time to focus a bit less on these things (I’m up to 380 pounds on seated calf raises), and more on the quads up front. The fact that I hate squats is advertised all over the front of my pitiful quads! Connie keeps reminding me of that fact (keep it comin’, Connie!)

Speaking of lower body workouts, gotta go prep for this morning’s punishment at the club. Eat before lifting, fast before cardio – that’s the rule.

I choose one primary and one secondary exercise from half a dozen for each of the major muscle groups I’ll work. For example, today I’ll work lower body muscle groups (quads, hams, calves & abs). Day after tomorrow, I’ll work upper body groups (chest, back, shoulders, biceps & triceps).

I have a master worksheet for each, listing all the major exercises.

From that master, I’ll do some planning at home. I’ll make a copy, choose the exercises, list weights I’ll use based on previous worksheets I keep in a binder, and use that sheet at the gym on a clipboard that I carry with me – don’t really care if that’s ‘cool’ or not.

I keep a pen on the clipboard too, and check off each exercise and number of reps as I complete them, noting any additional burns I’ll toss in (half range ‘pumps’ after completing full range reps) and whether I took it to failure (kept lifting til the muscle group just said no more!).

So, for example, today, as much as I hate ‘em, for quads (major muscles on the front of the thighs), I might choose barbell squats.

I’ll start with a lighter weight (a bit heavier than for that exercise the last time) and crank out 12 reps, wait one minute, add weight and do 10 reps, wait one, add, 8 reps, wait, add, 6 reps, or as many as I possibly can with that much weight. Then I’ll back off the weight somewhat and do at least 12 reps again, or more if I’m able.

If I did 14 reps before the quads just quit on me, no matter HOW HARD I try to squeeze out one more rep, but if I was still able to pump out a few more partial reps, on the sheet on the clipboard, I’d note: “12R+4B -> F !” for that set.

Then I’d have one other complimentary exercise planned for quads that I’d just do one set of twelve reps (leg extensions, for example) before moving on to the next muscle group. Again, I’d have a record from my previous application of that exercise to gauge the right challenging weight to use, and I’d have noted that on the sheet before ever leaving the house.

Next exercise on the planning sheet – movin’ on.

You get the idea. 45 minutes is the target duration of each workout. Fast, efficient, no standing around bullshitting!

So shucks, I had better go eat another big and satisfying meal. Example of a typical thousand calorie breakfast, including almost a hundred grams of protein and carbs each plus over forty grams of (good) fat:

• 1.5 cups of 2% cottage cheese (that’s a lot!),
• fat-free yogurt (one Dannon Light ‘n Fit with fruit),
• 1/4 cup of unsalted dry-roasted peanuts,
• 1/4 cup of craisins,
• two tablespoons of crude wheat germ,
• one scoop (40g) of protein powder (I use Nu-Tek Pro-5),
• a rounded scoop of Nature’s Fuel vitamin powder,
• and a large glass (1.5 cups) of skim milk.

Then, 45 minutes later, off to the gym. Start your engines! A nice way to launch the day–by stomping hunger and movin’ mass!

After a maximum effort forty-five minute workout, I’ll pull the shaker out of my gym bag containing a blend of powders (protein, carb complex, glutamine, BCAA, etc.) to which I’ll add two cups of ice cold water from the drinking fountain, shake thoroughly and slam ‘er down while driving home for a shower and a change.

On to the rest of the day, feeling good about doing and sustaining something good about my health, which is said to be one’s ultimate wealth! Feelin’ richer all the time!

Keep smilin’, kids. This sixty-year-old duffer certainly will!