Be wary of your mental state!

Just a short blog....

Are you still making excuses not to go to the gym or outside to walk or run? Blame it on your brain! People need to get out of their comfort zone. The excuses (whether they're real or lame!) are weapons of your brain! Believe it or not. Your brain wants you to stay in your comfort zone. It's sleeping in, watching television, being comfortable in a couch and reading your favorite book. Your brain does not want to leave that. You have to ignore your lame excuses and get out and exercise. If it's a real excuse, you have to say, "I'll make the time to work out AND do whatever that excuse is." People need to overcome their excuses, their lazy brains, and their comfort zones.

I promise you that once you hit the gym and work out frequently, you'll love going there. Your brain will, in fact, start making excuses NOT to miss a work out! Got a dentist appointment? Just tell the dentist, you would rather be at the gym getting your muscles sore instead of your mouth being sore!!!


JUST BE ACTIVE!

Hyper Camp and my elbow....

Boot camp! I don't know why they call it that. It's more like Hyper Camp! Hyper, Sweaty Camp. Sorry, Allison!

I just did boot camp last night for the first time in a couple months. The last time, I did that, I pulled or strained my calf and it was hurting for a few days. I'm just glad there was not much jumping last night. It was a bit easier on my calves. It was more focused on my thighs and abs. Still, it was tough because halfway through (it was an hour long), I was so close to vomiting!! I had to stop a few times to rest and take deep breaths. That would be embarrassing if I did vomit on the aerobics floor! The next person to come in after boot camp would be wondering what the sticky spot on the floor was!

I'm looking forward to doing boot camp on a regular basis in addition to my...weight lifting..., and....running! Am I putting too much on my plate? Nah, I don't think so!

I did so much in 3 days. I went hiking Sunday AND Monday. The hike up Hanging Rock took between 40 and 60 minutes. My calves and heels took a beating! And I took Boot Camp! I must be crazy. I also did my full upper body workout in the gym Monday night.

I noticed a big change in my bench press Monday night. I have to tell you my chest is the weakest part in my body. Mainly because of my bum elbow. I have a bad elbow due to years of playing baseball and softball. I'm proud to say that I used to have a cannon for an arm while playing the outfield. Whenever I get the ball, I threw so hard to second base or to home plate to throw out a runner. When the high school and college years were over, I continued to play softball for churches. I noticed a decrease in the strength of my throwing. I could not throw to home plate without touching the ground. My elbow would swell after every game. I quit playing softball about ten years ago.

Anyway, that's how I got this weak elbow. It's preventing me from bench pressing heavier weights. I could only do 135 lbs for many years. It was embarrassing to me when other guys could bench press with 4 of 45 lb plates on their bar. That's 225 lbs. Monday night, that changed! I'm able to do 165 lbs.

How did I get stronger?? It has to be from doing more dips. I only started doing dips regularly a couple weeks ago. It's not the bench dip but the vertical dip. It works the pecs, triceps, and lats. I'm getting excited and I plan on doing more of that! My elbow continues to pop loudly when I do bench press. I guess it's a part of me for the rest of my life! I keep thinking I need to see the doctor to get it fixed but I'm not wasting money (after the insurance pays LITTLE!).

Well...I guess talking about my elbow is way off the point! :-) May I suggest something? Why don't you try hour-long hiking 2 days in a row! And then take boot camp! You'll want to VOMIT!! :-)

JUST BE ACTIVE!

Time to do something new!

I have to confess something. It's really bad. Something so nasty that it's shocking! I robbed a bank! No. Okay. Here it comes! I've been a laid back running freak! Over the past few weeks, I've become lazy in the gym while I'm out there running instead. Yeah, running is good but I've tried to combine both running and weight-lifting and it's not easy! When I'm sore from lifting weight, it hurts so bad when I run since all my muscles (and..ahem..fat) bounce around! Yeah, sore muscles hurts especially, my pectoral muscles! Okay. There, I admitted it!

Finally, I hit the gym twice this week while running 2 times! On Tuesday, I did a full upper body workout and this morning I worked out my legs. Something amazed me. I reached a milestone in the gym. I have not used a leg press machine in a few weeks because running is my exercise for my legs. Whenever I go to the gym, it's for my upper body. Anyway, this morning, I'm amazed at how strong my legs STILL are! It's a proof that running keeps legs strong or increase the strength in legs. For the first time, this morning, I was able to leg press 600 lbs! I don't believe I've ever done that since I was in college. That's umm....I'm not saying how many years!!

So, I decided it's time to do something new. Do more weight lifting while running! Next week, I'm gonna try to work out 4 days and run 3 times. I don't care how much my sore muscles hurt whenever I'm running! ouch-ouch-ouch-ouch-ouch....

I haven't blogged anything about running yet so I thought I would now. I mentioned a little bit about it in my last blog but not much.

I hated the treadmill! Can I get an amen? :-) During my 12 week challenge earlier this year, I tried out the elliptical and could only do 10 minutes on it! By the 3rd week, I was able to do 45 minutes on it but only once. I didn't want to spend so much time on it so I limited it to 30 minutes and then hit the weights. I was starting to enjoy the elliptical while watching ESPN at the Y. Watching the sports news really killed the time. Still, I was keeping an eye on myself, making sure my heartbeats stay up in the 150-160's.

By the 9th week, I used the elliptical once in a while because I had the outdoor running bug, thanks to Amy. Blame it on her! She is my wife's boss and she's a running freak! She kept pushing, begging, bugging me about joining her and her running posse.

I remember the first run. I had to walk so many times during the 5 mile run. I would finish last in the group of 4 runners. Sometimes, it's just 3 of us. Sometimes, we're a gang of 5. I was a bit afraid of running in the heat! We ran at 6pm but it was like 80's and humid in late spring. What if I get a heat stroke? What if I had to give it up in the middle of the route? What if I get hit by a car driven by a maniac? Of course, I didn't think those thoughts while running but beforehand, I did.

By the 5th run, I became addicted to running! It's so nice to run for 5 to 8 miles and just being outdoors.

After a few weeks, I was able to run 3 miles without slowing down to a walk - only if the route was flat, obviously. If there was a big uphill, we always stop to walk at the top of the hill.
I had some difficulty getting used to running at the beginning. After a run, my heel would hurt so bad. I ran with my everyday, Wal-Mart cheap sneakers! So I went and bought $80 running shoes. After 2 or 3 runs with the new sneakers, my left heel stopped hurting.

Another injury about 2 months ago! I tried boot camp and despite, being in shape, I was not used to so many jumps. I pulled or strained my left calf. It would hurt so bad after I run or do any exercises. It lasted about a month. Still, never went to the doctor for it. I was hoping to wait it out! I stopped running for a week. It finally went away. Just 2 days ago, I enjoyed my only 3rd pain-free run.

Right now, I feel so great after a long run. I know my time may be a bit slow but I'm able to sprint 100 or 200 yards at the end of the run. That's how much energy I still have at the end of the run! :-)

September 27th, I went for my first race. King of the Hill 5K Run at the YMCA. I finished 13th (in the middle of the pack) with a time of 31:31. It was raining! That made it more interesting than if it was just sunny.

I want to do more! I'm planning to do the Mistletoe 5K and Half Marathon on December 6th. I'm planning on doing the half marathon. Next one up, will be Crystal Coast Half Marathon in Morehead City/Atlantic Beach on February 28th.

If you haven't run, why not start? I would have never done long run if it weren't for Amy, the Exercise Nazi!

JUST BE ACTIVE!

How I lost 20 pounds

Ok. You're seeing the pictures on the left and you're thinking, "How did he lose 20 pounds? I'm having a hard time myself!" Or you're just purely jealous!
I admit, I'm not finished with my body! Still need to lose a few more percentage of bodyfat and put on more muscles.
I'll tell you how I lost that "spare tire." It's easy as long as you put your mind to it. All you need is to get ready mentally, stick with the program, and follow through. I know a lot of people including myself don't finish what they started. You need to be VERY determined to reach your goals. Let exercise become a PASSION of yours. Stop watching too much tv and replace that time with exercise. Stop sleeping until right at 7am to get ready for work. Instead, wake up at 6am and exercise.
I started the Body For Life 12 week challenge. I took a picture of myself which you see at the far left. Not very pleasant, huh? I didn't like the look of my stomach. I printed the picture and put it on my dresser where I can see it everyday. I bought lots of protein shakes. My wife and I stocked up healthy foods. We made a decision whatever junk food is ONLY for our son! (No, not really bad junk. Just good junk. We wouldn't feed our son poorly!!)
We stopped eating at fast food and that includes chicken sandwiches. It may still be healthy without mayo or any other dressing but a chicken sandwich is never enough for me. Fries? No way! So we began eating at home more often and a McDonald's Happy Meal for our son once in a while. (So, if you've see us at a McDonald's drive through, trust me, it's for our son!)
How did I exercise? I followed Body For Life's schedule which is as follows:
Monday - Upper Body workouts
Wednesday - Legs and abs workouts
Friday - Upper Body workouts
The following week, it's vice versa so I do legs and abs twice a week and upper body on Wednesday.
Upper body includes chest, back, shoulders, triceps, biceps. I do 2 exercises per body part. The repetition is the same for all. (12,10,8,6,12) Always increase the weight every set except the last one. For example, bicep dumbbell curls, I do 25 lb for 12 rep, 30 lb - 10, 35 - 8, 40 - 6, 35 - 12. Immediately after the last set, I do another bicep exercise for 12 repetitions. No rest in between!
As for Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, it's cardio time! Anywhere from 20 to 60 minutes. Body For Life takes only 20 minutes with high intensity. Gotta have your heartbeat beating fast (150 beats per minute for me). I used to do the elliptical. Around the 8th week, I dropped my cardio exercises indoors for outdoor running. I ran between 3 and 8 miles 2 or 3 times a week.
For 12 weeks, I measured my waist. It's a great way to motivate me. I got excited when I lost a full inch! It keeps me going.
Before April 2008, I had a slightly high blood pressure and the doctor put me on medication. I'm too young for that! The best medication is exercise, period! I also suffered arthritis in my wrist. I don't feel it anymore. I also get a pinched nerve in my neck often. Haven't had one since then! When exercise is the best medication, that ought to motivate you! Don't want arthritis? Exercise! Don't want high blood pressure? Exercise! Don't want major diseases in your old age? Exercise!!
Again, just watch out for junk food or anything bad in your kitchen. Elminate anything bad and just keep eating right and exercise often. I guarantee that if you do these things, you WILL lose weight.
JUST BE ACTIVE! That's my new slogan!

Making your own fitness goals.

If you're aware you need to get in shape. It's a very broad subject. There's the exercising. There's the nutrition. There's the mental conditioning. There's the daily routine that needs adaption. Where do we start??

Before we begin by exercising or cutting down on unhealthy food, we need to WRITE down our goals. Some of us do it mentally. Either way is fine as long as you don't forget your goals! For a beginner, write it down.

There are many goals to come up with. Ask yourself many questions. Do I need to lose weight? Am I skinny and need to gain weight? Do I need to improve on my legs strength? Do I need to improve my heart's condition? Write down what you need to do.

Make short term and long term goals. Losing 1-2 pounds per week is ideal. If you've watched Biggest Loser, don't try to follow them and lose 10 lbs a week! They're crazy, plus they work with a trainer. Don't try to overdo yourself. Don't do too much that you'll collapse.

Just aim for anywhere between 1 and 5 lbs a week.

Make several goals. Get your bodyfat percentage down. Your blood pressure down. Become more active than what you are now. Take the stairs. Park your car further at church, work, or the mall. Walk more. Take a water aerobic class. Or boot camp. Or hire a trainer. Or join a gym.

Your goals can be any of these:

I need to lose 20 lbs in 12 weeks.

I need to lower my blood pressure.

I need to run more and improve my heart's condition.

I need to strengthen my problematic lower back.

I need to overcome an arthritis in my hand/wrist/knee.

I need to raise my HDL - the good cholesterol.

I need to increase energy and overcome fatigue.

Whatever your goals and reasons are, it's important to write them down and keep it where you can see it everyday. It'll inspire you to reach your goals.

Another way to inspire yourself is to take your picture! Yup, a picture of you! If you're overweight, take a picture of yourself in a swimsuit (guys, without a shirt)! Only you will see the picture. Keep it hidden if you're embarrassed! That's the great thing about the digital age. No more taking embarrassing films to a photo lab!! Try to make your picture as bad as can be. Put on a frown in the picture. Keep the picture to yourself or share it with your spouse. Keep it on your dresser (or anywhere only you can see it daily). It'll inspire you to work out and eat right. Keep thinking that you'll reach your goals and you won't look like the extremely sad person in the picture!

And, there you go! You made a goal(s). You took a picture of yourself and saw how you look. Now, you're ready to work out and eat right!

Paul Johnson, CPT

To diet or not to diet? That is the question!

Should we diet? Should we plan a 12 week diet? That's a good question but I HATE that word! Diet? I would die before I diet! Diet is a temporary solution to losing weight. If we had to lose weight, it's better to change a lifestyle than to diet. We need to be eating right for the rest of our lives.

If a person goes on a diet, that person will be looking forward to the end of the diet. Ah, back to the normal life! The normal daily routine. The normal food - junk food, that is. Once we lose weight and reach our goal(s), we shouldn't stop there and return back to our old ways. That's why over 97% of diets fail! We're done with our diets, we get back to normal and we gain the weight back. That's no diet! That's no lifestyle! The dictionary ought to elminate the word, diet. Diet should die!

You want to lose weight? Change your eating habit. Change your lifestyle. Forget about a short-term solution. This is for the rest of your lives. Throw away junk food. Stop going to fast food restaurants. Stop ordering chinese or pizza so often. Stop eating chips. Stop drinking sodas. Learn to eat right and you're on your way to losing weight.

It's true, many people don't stop entirely. Successful people limit it to 1 day a week to eat whatever they want ONLY if they eat right and exercise 6 days a week. They can treat themselves to their favorite food on a "free day." Some people do eliminate junk, unhealthy food for good. Whatever works for you. Play with your eating plans and see what works for you.

We should eat 6 small meals a day. Obviously, that means no BIG dinners. If you consume 1500 calories a day, even that out into 6 meals. Don't consume 1000 calories for dinner and only 500 for the other 5 meals. That won't help you lose weight.

What do I do? I'm trying with my best to adapt to eating right for 6 days. Maybe 6 and half. I try for one meal and one snack of my favorite junk food on a Sunday. Or it'll be all day Sunday to eat whatever I want. I've lost 2 and half inches off my waist in the past 4 weeks. (Earlier in 2008)

Next time you eat, keep in mind that you want to eat right forever and not just for 12 weeks on that 'd' word! Throw away all those sodas, potato chips, and cookies!!

Paul Johnson, CPT

Why do we exercise?

Is it really necessary to exercise? If your answer is "No," I could say, you're right. That is if you enjoy being sick, short on energy, and limited in your range of motion for all of your joints.

I see many overweight people - either slightly or greatly. I already know their excuses. "I don't have time." "I'm too busy." "Oh, I plan on starting next week." "Can't do anything with my bad knee." "I can't afford a gym membership." "It's in my genes. I was born to be fat."

The real reason behind ALL excuses is that people don't want to leave their comfort zone. Watching too much television, surfing the internet, and not waking up earlier to exercise are comfort zones.

People need to get out of their comfort zones. Life is too short. It'll fly by too quick. The thing will come at them quick before they could do something about it. What thing? For many people, it'll be a heart attack, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke. Name any disease, people will get it.

Why do we exercise? Sure, we want to look good. We want to look toned up or muscular. We want that six-pack abs. We want stronger legs. , can we forget about looks for a minute? The real reason for exercising is to maintain a great health or to improve health. We all need to exercise at least 5 times a week for the rest of our lives. So we don't get any extra fat that will lead to being overweight, that will lead to high blood pressure and limited energy, and that will lead to diabetes and heart and/or breathing problems, which could lead to a stroke or heart attack, which could result in premature, early death. I'm sorry to scare you but that ought to wake you up and start exercising!

Also, people should start thinking about their family and the future. I'm sure anybody doesn't want to miss their grandchild graduate from high school. Or a grandchild's wedding. Ok. If the person doesn't miss it, but will the person be healthy? Wouldn't that person want to actually PLAY with their grandchild instead of sitting in a rocking chair? If you chose to want to be a healthy grandparent or even a great grandparent in the future, then start exercising NOW.

I know I would choose to be the grandfather who tosses a football to his grandson. I wouldn't want to be in a rocking chair. Nor with an oxygen tank. I'm going to work out in an hour with that in mind! A healthy, active grandfather.

Paul Johnson, CPT