As I progress through this transformation I am experiencing changes in my life that I never had before. Just last night I had a dream, a dream that was very strange, surreal, vivid, a dream that I will remember for a long time. I don't know why I had this dream, because I never had one like this before, and I probably won't have another again like it, but I hope I would.
In the dream I was having a tug of war, one on one against someone else. It was almost like a gladiator type dream. All that I had on was something wrapped around my loin area, not a bathing suit or gym shorts but something like a cloth. I don't remember who I was competing against either. But what was so vivid was the shape my body was in. I had not just a six pack but an eight pack. My whole body was pulling on the rope totally flexed. I saw definition in all body parts. My legs, thighs, stomach, arms, and forearms were chiseled body parts that were not overly big but nicely porportioned, very toned and very much stirated. My skin color was my own. In my dream I knew it was me because I was in this body pulling the rope, seeing the rope and myself from my eyes, from the vantage part of pulling the rope.
This was a strange dream. We talk about visualizing what we want to look like as we progress with our transformation, and now I have a vivid picture of what I want to look like. I blogged before about how I look different this time around as compare to 1999. Well, this is a look that I like and one that I will aspire to as I train and do my cardio. This will give me a bit of an edge because maybe, just maybe I saw a glimpse of the future. A future that I like and want to be. The body I had a dream about is real and it is attainable. All that is now needed is a plan of action, a good diet, a good workout program, and encouragement from by peers(you).
This week my family took a small 4 day vacation to Niagara Falls. I thought that spending 4 days out vacationing might not be the best thing in following a BFL plan. But I tried to eat right, get my workouts in and try to keep to a good regimen. Glad to say that when I came home there was a small reduction in weight about .2 pound loss and after I worked out this morning I weighed in at 185.8, a loss of 2.4 pounds from last week. I reached my goal!!!
This was tough but I'll talk about some of the things I did to keep my progress going. First, I brought my blender with plenty of shake mixes. We always ate two big meals. First was breakfast (all you can eat buffet) I would typically have scrambled eggs, hash browns, 4 slices of bacon and mixed fruit. (maybe some frwnch toast) We would eat about 10 in the morning. After breakfast we would spend the next 3-4 hours on various tours walking everywhere. The Falls is beautiful, it was the first time I was there. We did the maiden of the mist tour, a great leg workout in itself. We saw the falls from underneath or behind. We went to the live butterfly exhibit and botanical gardens. 30,000 butterflys of all different types in one large place. The garden with all the flowers was breathtaking. We would get back to the hotel in the afternoon and I would get a workout in while my wife was getting ready for the evening.
The workout facilities at Tthe Hilton were pitiful, but I improvised and got in great workouts in. They had a four position ancient all in one workout machine. My first workout was legs. The machine had a station that you could do leg curls and extentions, so that was ok. For leg presses I used the bench station, laid on my back and pushed up on the bar for a chest press to do my leg presses.(pretty impressive adaptation) This hit the legs at an angle that I ususlly don't get at the LA Fitness I go to, so I really got to work out my legs as good as I could. For calves there was nothing except for a raised base of the machine, so I did calf raises three ways (straight, toes in and toes out) until I could do no more. I probably did 200 calf raises total, but I did get a great burn and all inn all it was a great leg workout. Situps could be done anywhere and so I ended the workout with ab crunches.
Two days later I did upper body, and even though the machine was well worn, I got in an acceptable upper body workout. Nothing earth shattereing but enough to get the muscles fatigued. After my workout I would make a shake in my room and the get ready for the evening. We would then maybe go shopping or go to the casino before dinner. Prior to dinner I would have another shake.
We would all meet for a late dinner and typically I would have a steak, baked potato and vegatables. I had a shared dessert one evening (apple pie with a smmmallll scoop of ice cream). Anyway, I thought that I would come home with a weight gain like I always do when I go on vacation (always). But this time was different. I got my workouts in, even though they were not first thing in the morning. I ate as right as I could ( two big meals and two shakes a day),and when it was over and I was home my weight was surprisingly where I didn't think it would be.
This is probably the first vacation I took where I didn't gain weight and I ate well. So everyone out there it can be done, just plan it and follow your plan and hopefully you will do as well as I have done. Vacations will not bother me in the future because I know now that I can conquer this mindset of with a vaction come a gain in weight. And I won this time.
Week 4 did not start off well considering how my off day on Sunday went. By Wednesday I still wasn't progressing like I should have. But some of the things I did during the week helped out tremendously. First I drank water all day. I always had my container of water on hand wherever I went. Even right after I would drink a protein shake I would have water. I still worked out hard and kept to my schedule, but for the last two nights I added a little bit something else.
I have a training partner who helped me at night. I would spend about 50 extra minutes about 45 minutes after dinner going for a brisk walk with Cora, my dog. She is the best, she loves to walk and walk and walk, and during the summer heat she only does well at night once it cools off. It helped maybe burn off some calories and water weight.
But this morning I weighed 191 pounds with my body fat at 24.9%. Now the body fat fluctuates sometimes up to 4% a day, so I am just going to focus on weight. I surpassed my 4 week goal by 1 pound and I will have the photos posted shortly.
Good luck to all of you in your quest for a body for life.
Here are my Week 4 pictures:
Note to the Readers:The comments page is now working again (it was down for a week). Sorry about the down time.
Well, this weekend I will have reached week 4 of my 12 week program. The first 3 weeks everything was going great. Ate well, worked out well and was losing the weight I wanted. Sunday was my free day for eating, and I happened to have baseball tickets for a suite at our local Triple A baseball team. I ate and ate- two hotdogs with chili, some meatballs, perogies,one beer. Maybe this was a bit too much.
I have been struggling all week with my weight and with the rest of my busy schedule I am finding it hard to get my weight down to my 4 week goal of 192 pounds. I am a little dissapointed about that, but I won't give up. Something really neat happened this week. Today was my upper body workout at 6 am and I had the whole workout planned. What time I was getting up - the weight amounts - the reps for each set. By the time the forth set came around I was increasing my weight for that exercise by 10-15 pounds. That was a big jump in weight for me. I increased weight in my bench press, pulldowns, and tricept extensions. My shoulders and bicepts were as planned. I added in an exercise in the end for forearms just to hit the arms and bicepts a little harder.
So with all that said it was a good week. Will I reach my weight goal by the weekend? I will try my hardest. One thing I won't do is skip a meal. I will eat right, take my supplements, and drink my protein drinks. I know one thing, I won't be piggish this Sunday. I will just have one special treat to reward myself for the hard work put in this week and get ready for week 5.
Good luck to all of you and leave me a note. It is appreciated.
So maybe I can conclude that I had a great week. Everything will not always go as planned, but there are areas where I made significant improvement.
Today it has been three weeks since I commited myself fully to the BFL lifestyle plan. Initially I weighed 200 pounds with 28.5% body fat and my gaol was to get down to 175 pounds with 16 % body fat. That means a loss of 2 pounds a week and 1% reduction in bodyfat. I am surprise to say I reached my goals, I really didn't believe I could have these results this fast. My weight today was 192.6 pounds at 24.9% body fat. My goals by this time were to have lost 6 pounds in weight and drop 3% in body fat or weigh 194 pounds at 25.5%. I exceeded my set goals. I will post pictures next week. I hope to be below 192 based on my preset goals, but maybe I should readjust them soon.
Anyway when I take my 4th week pictures, should I wear the same black squared off briefs or I have a great speedo swimsuit that really makes my daughter cover her eyes and say "Dad, that's not right, cover up" ? Let me know.
I like to thank everyone here for the motivation and encouragement that you have given me the last three weeks. It really helps knowing that there are people out there helping me through this process.
To get your body to go places it has never been, your first have to get your mind where it never has been. Where the mind goes the body follows. Prepare yourself mentally for your next workout, starting the night before when you make you journal entries as to the exercise, weight, rep, and intensity level. Think about what time you will get up to do your Cardio. I think you will be more excited about getting up, but once you are up now get very focused on your workout for the morning. Remember they call it a WORKout not a funout, or playout, or tryout or wishout. It is work and look at it as such. Don't waste a minute and be stinggy with your time. I am sure you are as busy as me and everyone else. So give it your all, don't waste time and you will have the body for life we are looking to achieve.
Recently I just went through "Champions Body For Life" and saw a chapter about what it takes to succeed in this program and I will list the points below. They are listed below
Read Champions Body For Life. - Done
Make a decision to change. - Done
Download your official Body-For-Life Challenge Entry Kit at www.bodyforlife.com. -Done
Create your Champions Body For Life Success Journal. - Done
Write down your goals for your 12 week Challenge. - Done
Set your start date.- Done
Put together you Body-For-Life Support team. NOT DONE
Schedule your "after"photo shoot 12 weeks from your start date. NOT DONE
Take your "before" measurements and record them. - Done
Take your "before" photo. Print copies for your official entry kit, your journal and your refrigerator door or mirror. Refer to it often. - Done
Order EAS supplements. - Done
Plan and shop for your first week of meals. - Done
Plan your first week of workouts. Write them in a journal. - Done
Start your Challenge. - Done
Read Champions Body -For-Life again. I am doing that.
So what I am saying is I don't have my support team yet. But I have a good idea who I want. I will be contacting them in the next couple days and let them know I need their help, support and prayers. The first time I did the challenge it was just about me. This time I am taking a similar approach, but trying to get the word out that I'm in it to get a great physique and get the body back that you see from 1999. I have this blog and soon I will have my support team. So friends and support team, help keep me focused these next 10 weeks 5 days until I finish.
Yeah Zach (my son) you are my first member of my team. He put this site together for me so I could keep other people more informed about what I was doing. Thanks Zach, your the best. I couldn't be more proud of you. He is in great shape and always has words of encouragement for me.
