Motivation and Anxiety41.2 lbs LOSTso farNovember 25, 2007 by IronGuru | 20 comments
Tired of the gym, tired of days where it seems like more work to get up and go do the workout than the workout takes? Well, sounds like you’ve lost your motivation. Take a 2 minute break, walk to the bathroom, and look at yourself in the mirror.
Don’t like what you see do you? Don’t like a little extra fat, or your arms being smaller than you want, or your pecks not being striated. TOUGH! Quit complaining, and get your ass into the gym. You’re the only person who can change yourself, sitting in front of a computer reading articles all day long will teach you what you need to know. Moving 80lb dumbbells for 12 reps and screaming during your last 4 reps is what makes change. Everyday I read people want workout tips, want to know how to get shredded, or even just lose a little body fat …
And what do they need to hear?
In the end it comes down to the person needing to make the change. When you truly feel that desire to change, to better yourself, and to make every workout a little better than the day before - is when you see these changes. The best way I ever found in the gym to make progress was to track it, and track it down to a T. Keep track of all the exercises you do, how many sets you do, what weights you use, and how many reps you do. Everyday in the gym, prepare yourself to do one better. One rep, two reps, 5 pounds extra, one more pull up - whatever it is, better yourself everyday as that’s the only way to progress.
But … there’s always a but, it really is as easy as that but you also have to workout! The 6 Week Workout is great, yes, it may lead to wonderful gains and you will notice some changes. But stick out the full 6 weeks! I just used that as an example, I don’t really know if there is a miracle 6 Week Workout - but the point here is to stick with it. People change their minds too often to really see how one thing or another affects them, take a minimum of 4 weeks to try out a workout program. Try it, and try your hardest. Changing things every other week, just because you read some hot new article is going to get you nowhere fast.
The B.S. I hear that “you need to give your body new things, you need to change things up” - well yeah, that is true in a sense that your body gets used to things and needs change. But not every other week! After a while, you start to learn your body. How it reacts to carbs before workouts, how much sleep you need to feel rested, how your should break down your meals … but that’s for another time.
So what did we learn? Push yourself a little further with every workout, stick with the program you decide to try, and make the most out of every program by giving it time to work! I’m not sharing secrets here, I’m showing you how!
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Who Said Fat Men Can’t Run?41.2 lbs LOSTso farNovember 10, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 12 comments
This video is from late August 2007 when I started jogging on my treadmill. It’s so weird seeing myself not being able to complete a little 10 minute jog on the treadmill. I was jogging for a minutes when I started feeling some pain.
I am happy to say that those days are over and that I can now complete longer, more intense, runs. I was noticeably bigger here too, my cheeks were out of control (still are, but less). That shirt I am wearing is my infamous Mr. Bundles workout shirt.
Enjoy your Saturday folks. Peace.
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Fat Mean Jogging Machine41.2 lbs LOSTso farOctober 28, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 7 comments
A couple of weeks ago I decided to stop running/jogging for a while. Why? Well, for a couple of reasons. One reason was because I was feeling sluggish on my runs. The second was because my left knee was feeling a bit out of whack. I thought that by taking the pressure and stress off of my knees that I could let them heal and be able to get back on track. No pun intended.
That was one of the best decisions I have made so far. During the time that I decided to stop running, I also decided to get on my recumbent bike for my cardio. I was pleased with the workouts I was getting from the bike. I thought it wouldn’t be as effective, but it was. My legs were constantly being tested, as well as my endurance.
Now fast forward to a few days ago. I lifted the treadmill jogging ban, but I still have a ban on jogging outside. I will wait until I drop 15 or more pounds first. I was on my cardio day and wanted to switch things up. So I decided to get on the treadmill. It was awesome. I was able to do some HIIT running. Something I was dreading. My initial goal was to jog for 5 minutes. I was hoping I could last that long, but wasn’t expecting to. Then 5 minutes became 10. Then 10 became 12. I was in the zone. After that I decided to do some interval sprints while I was at it. I finished up the 19 minutes of jogging/running with a 5 minute cool down walk.
I Was then able to run like that again the next day. Both times not feeling sluggish or any knee pains. Then yesterday topped it all off. I didn’t want to do HIIT and opted instead for some endurance running. I was able to stay on the treadmill for 30 solid minutes. 30 MINUTES!!! Can you imagine a 300 lb man running for 30 minutes at a fast pace? I don’t think so. I know in my heart that I could have lasted anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour, but needed to stop because I had plans that I was already late for.
I wasn’t expecting to be at this level with my running until I dropped down to 274 lbs. That number reminds me of the last time that I was able to run with the intensity and ease that I have been running with the past few days. It feels great to be ahead of some of my goals and this just proves that all of my goals are attainable.
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My Current Fat Man Workout Routine41.2 lbs LOSTso farOctober 19, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 39 comments
The following is my new weekly workout routine. I decided to switch things up a bit after reading John’s post about multi-joint exercises. I try to switch things up every six or so weeks so that my body doesn’t adapt. Now was the perfect time. Right now I am going to focus on working in multi-joint exercises with three full body strength workouts per week. Each should take less than an hour, more like 30 minutes to complete. I go moderate to heavy on each lift, with a 30 second rest between sets. I perform three to four sets per exercise with 10 to 12 reps each. I warm up with a set of push ups each day and will be incorporating pull ups/chin ups, as soon as I can lift my fat ass body weight again. On these days I also hop on my recumbent bike for one hour when I sit down to watch TV.
I had to print out a chart so that I could remember what to do on the days I was lifting. I find it will take away the hassle of having to memorize the routine. That helps me focus on the lifting. So I opened up Microsoft Word and did my thing. Now the chart is hanging in The Shack.
Free Workout Routine:
Day 1 (Tuesday)
1. Barbell Squats - 135 lbs, 185 lbs, 205 lbs, 225 lbs (I used to squat over 400 lbs in high school, it’s been a while)
2. Flat Bench - 135 lbs, 225lbs x 3, 205 lbs
3. Dumbbell Presses - 50 lbs x 3
4. Incline Bench (Barbell) - 135 lbs x 2, 155 lbs
Day 2 (Thursday)
1. Deadlift - 135 lbs, 155 lbs x 2, 185 lbs
2. Step Ups (dumbbells) - 35 lbs, 50 lbs x 2
3. Dumbbell Rows - 50 lbs x 3
4. Close Grip Pulldowns (Palms facing inward) - 80 lbs x 3
5. Wide Grip Pulldowns - 65 lbs x 3
Day 3 (Saturday)
1. Lunges (Dumbbells) - 50 lbs x 3
2. Military (Overhead) Press - 135 lbs x 3
3. Dumbbell Military Press - 50 lbs x 3
4. Upright Rows - 60 lbs x 3
What do I do with my other days? Monday, Wednesday, and Friday are my cardio exercise days.
Free Exercise Routine:
1. I make sure to get some form of cardio in, whether it is on the treadmill, the bike, or outside cross training. I especially like doing HIIT. There’s nothing like it.
2. I also work my midsection on these days. I perform two sets of 100 twists (works best when done with weights), two sets of 15 reps on the ab wheel, and two sets of 40 to 50 crunches.
3. When I am extra energized I hop on the recumbent bike for another hour as a second workout. Sundays I’m a lazy bum and recuperate.
I had my first workout yesterday (Thursday, Day 2) and I felt it. All of it. I was drenched in sweat, my heart rate was up, and I was pumped. Not sure if you could see the sweat in the main photo above, but my wife tried to capture the essence of what I felt at the moment. I am looking forward to Saturdays workout. I love taking hot steam showers and drinking my protein/creatine/amino acids/glutamine shake afterwards, it feels really good when I am done with a tough workout session.
That’s my workout and I’m sticking to it!
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Multi-joint Exercises, Benching is Good but Curls are for Girls41.2 lbs LOSTso farOctober 18, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 16 comments
Yesterday John from Total Transformation wrote a great piece on multi-joint exercises. He pointed out their benefits which include time saving, fat loss, and muscle building, which is something that I am in need of. When he first mentioned multi-joint exercises to me I was at a loss for what they were. I had never heard of them and figured that they were something totally different from what I was currently doing.
I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I have been performing multi-joint exercises for years. I knew them as compound exercises. As a matter of fact, my workouts have been primarily based on performing multi-joint exercises such as bench pressing, squatting, military (overhead) press, dumbbell rows, upright rows, lunges, leg presses, dead lifts, push ups, dips and pull downs. I was ecstatic. I do sprinkle in some isolation exercises too. Those are biceps curls, triceps extensions, and calf raises to name a few. After reading his article, which concludes with a teaser for next weeks continuation, I have decided to remove the isolation exercises from my routine. For now I will focus on the major muscle groups with multi-joint movements.
In John’s article there is a link to AskMen.com writer Jim Carpentier’s take on multi-joint exercises. Reading both John’s and Jim’s articles have opened my eyes. First off, I felt like a dumb ass for not knowing that I was actually already doing the exercises, but more importantly they make a great point that you can build muscle faster with these compound exercises. Why? Because you are working out multiple (thats what the multi stands for I think) muscle groups at one time, which forces your body into working more and producing more of the stuff your muscles need. Plus you still get your biceps and triceps worked out. They go into a bit more detail in their articles and I suggest that you read them. It’s worth it.
When John posts his workouts I would continuously ask myself why is it that he only performs certain exercises. Now I have the answer. The guy has transformed himself into lean, mean, training machine. In high school my football coach would always say that curls were for girls. Seems like he knew what he was talking about.
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Tae Bo Aerobics Kicked My Butt41.2 lbs LOSTso farOctober 10, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 13 comments
On Monday I did Tae bo for the second time in my life. Every now and again my wife convinces me to work out to her tune. Last time I did Tae Bo with her was in our cramped apartment in New York City about 4 years ago. I ended up pulling a back muscle and vowing to never do Tae Bo again. I was in good shape when that occurred. I found that Tae Bo gave me a decent cardiovascular workout, which totally shocked me, but was not about to risk pulling any more muscles.
It was a cardio day and we had just gotten back from our family time at the park. We tried running around on the grass but we both felt awkward and stiff so we just continued to play with the baby until she decided to come home. I didn’t feel like running on the treadmill so we opted to get some aerobics work in by way of Billy Blanks. Man was it tough. I wanted to stop mid way, especially when he had us doing round house kicks and donkey kicks. I was sweating tremendously within a few minutes and my legs and arms were burning. My wife on the other hand was getting through it with ease which made me look like a chump.
A side not on Mr. Blanks: I recall seeing him in some martial arts movies and along side Jean Claude Van Damme when I was a kid. I guess he never really took off as an action star. Oh well. LOL.
My wife has had the original Billy Blanks Tae Bo video cassette for years, since 1998. I recall buying her a more recent DVD edition a couple of years ago but she only does that one on weekends. She wakes up every morning at 6 AM and pops in the Tae Bo and gets her aerobics in before heading off to work. I admire the fact that she is tough enough, both mentally and physically, to get up each day and do that.
We both recently began trying to get back into shape and it is definitely paying off. She has lost about 8 lbs and is almost at her goal of 125. But aside from the weight loss she has reduced the size of her waist, belly, hips and thighs. It’s so amazing how the human body works when you workout and eat right. At first glance it doesn’t seem like she has done much to change her lifestyle, but when you think about it the small changes are what’s causing such a big effect on her body. We have both cut back on over eating, drinking unnecessary “juices” and carbonated beverages, and indulging on sugar packed snacks. She isn’t a saint but she does a lot better now. She has more wiggle room than I do as far as what she can eat since she didn’t have to drop over 80 lbs.
I was glad to have shared some workout bounding time with my wife. It was cool to incorporate something new into my routine so that I could get my workout in for the day. I was also glad to finally face my Tae Bo fears. I was afraid of pulling another muscle but I got through it. Victory!
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I Fell Off But Got Back On Track41.2 lbs LOSTso farOctober 8, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 13 comments
Last week I fell off the path for a couple of days, but I managed to get back on. I got a bit happy and cocky when I realized I had lost 20 lbs. So I decided to celebrate by eating some pasta, which isn’t that bad. But then I didnt workout on Wednesday and had sub par workouts on Thursday and Friday. Add to that the fact that I ate Taco Bell Gorditas and some KFC Honey BBQ wings and you will see why I feel sorta crappy about it. I don’t regret eating the food since I didn’t really overeat, but I do regret not getting better work outs in. I had fallen into that slump I get every few weeks after I start working out again.
Then Saturday came around and I had a pretty decent session and started seeing the light again. I was getting back on track but wasn’t quite there. That is until Sunday. Yesterday I had one of the best workouts I have had to date. I rode the recumbent bike for 40 minutes on a high resistance level, then I lifted weights working out my back, biceps, shoulders and some chest. To top it all off I hopped on the treadmill for a 10 minute run and cooled down with a 10 minute walk. Afterwards I felt amazing. I was back on track. I actually wanted to keep working out but realized that too much is not always good. So I showered, had my protein/creatine/amino acids/green tea shake and relaxed.
My wife then made some grilled chicken breasts with salad that we both devoured. I was feeling great: I worked out and ate a healthy meal. I couldn’t ask for anything else. Amazingly, she had the audacity to bake a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting (one of my favorite). It was crunch time and I needed to make a judgment call. Do I indulge and negate the progress I just made or do I maintain and live to fight another day. I am happy to say that I was strong enough to resist. That right there made me feel better than the workout I had earlier. Each time as I passed the kitchen I would see the cake tempting me with its chocolaty frosting, but I would keep going.
I told myself that I couldn’t let this happen again. I was tired of starting the weight loss process and then quitting after I start seeing results. It’s like a switch always flips that tells me to revert back to my old ways of self sabotage. But not this time.
This time I persevered. I got back on track.
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Tipping the Scales: 4 lbs. Lost this Week41.2 lbs LOSTso farOctober 2, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 16 comments
Another week gone by and another weigh-in. I had been looking forward to today’s weigh-in all week because I was having a huge week workout wise. I estimated that I would lose about 5 lbs. I was off by one pound. Not bad.
I think it’s good weight that I am losing, not just water weight. I may be building some muscle too, so that may lead to lower weight loss numbers per week. To date I have lost 20 lbs. It should be more but I had to take that one week off when my ankle was hurting. It seems like both a lot and a little.
I am 51 lbs away from my main longterm goal of 269 lbs. My next goal is to lose 21 more pounds so that I am below 300 lbs by the end of October. I think that implementing short term goals helps because it gives you a sense of satisfaction when you hit a benchmark, no matter how big or how small it may be.
Yesterday I decided to switch up my routine a bit. As you can see by the photo, it definitely makes me sweat. I plan on weight lifting Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. During these days I will also perform some cardio, either on my recumbent bike, the treadmill, or the park. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are my primary cardio days. These will be my HIIT days. I love HIIT. I will also work my abs and some calisthenics such as push ups and other military style exercises. Sunday will be my “do whatever” day. Whatever feels right is what I will do. If I need to rest and take a day off, so be it.
So that’s my routine in a nutshell. Simple right?
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I Bought a Recumbent Bike41.2 lbs LOSTso farSeptember 30, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 19 comments
I just purchased a recumbent bike from Wal-Mart. It’s the a Stamina Model # 4755. I know it’s not the best quality but I think it will fulfill its purpose for now. Plus it was only $108 bucks. It’s pretty cool and gets the job done for now. I just felt like I needed to have a back up machine for when I couldn’t run on the treadmill. There are days when I just can’t go all out on the treadmill. Now I can perform some HIIT on the bike. It’s supposed to only hold up to 250 lbs. Ha! It held me up good (300+ lbs). It makes no noise and actually gives me a good workout. I know that I will be getting a good workout from it. So will my wife.
My Sunday was a good one. It was a nice day outside: Sunny and windy. So the family went to the park and it was great. We ran around, we played tennis, and we enjoyed ourselves. I managed to work my abs out too. When we got back home my wife made a delicious egg, chicken, and vegetable omelet for dinner that satisfied every craving I had today. My mouth just watered a little thinking of it. It’s late and I need to sleep. That’s all I got in me for today.
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I Almost Didn’t Workout but then…41.2 lbs LOSTso farSeptember 28, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 12 comments
I did. And loved every sweaty minute of it. I had been struggling with myself all day as to whether or not I was going to workout. I wanted to but something wasn’t letting me. Two days ago on Wednesday I had a pretty grueling workout, so I took yesterday off. I ate right and controlled my mouth, although my brain kept saying, “EAT. EAT. EAT.” It was pretty tough getting through that.
I kept thinking that I should just give up and stay fat. But then my inner warrior kicked in. I held off on the binging and made it through yesterday unscathed, calorie wise. Today was much of the same and since I hadn’t worked out in a day my brain started telling me to give up again. Until I finally got off my ass and went into my shack.
This is a result of that:
As you can see I had a pretty good workout. I feel awesome right now actually. I worked out my back and biceps, then hopped on the treadmill for some good old fashioned HIIT. Well, it wasn’t old fashioned. I switched it up a bit. I think that modifying workouts is something I tend to do. That way they fit within my limits. Nonetheless, I was feeling the pain, and goodness, of having worked out. Especially since I began the day not wanting to even think of fitness.
So, I almost didn’t exercise but I am sure glad I did. It feels that much more satisfying knowing that I beat the little demon in me that wants me to stay fat and unhealthy.
Damn. Now that I think of it, I know why I worked out. It was because of my wife. Wow. That’s like a revelation. She got home from work. Then she suggested we go to the movies. We watched some Popeye cartoons and took a little nap. At that point I only had 2 hours to get ready, workout, blog, and do my other online stuff. Without thinking, I prioritized by putting on my workout gear and going right into the shack. Cool.
Thanks honey!
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I Got Hit By a Train and Survived41.2 lbs LOSTso farSeptember 26, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 16 comments
At least that’s how I feel. My body is in so much pain it’s not even funny. Everything aches. Each step I take is agonizing. But you know something? I love it. It shows me that my workouts were hard and are affecting my body. Today’s workout was especially taxing. I was stiff and sore throughout the entire session. I wish I had a tub that I can soak my body in like the professional athletes on television.
The simple act of walking on the treadmill was grueling. I felt so slow and nonathletic today. I could barely jog so what I did was walk for 30 minutes and jog a few minutes in between. It was rough. Before that I lifted some weights and even the lightest of weights felt heavy. I mean, I am a pretty strong guy and know my limits, but I was lifting some really light weights and it felt like I was lifting thousands of pounds.
I think that my body was shocked today. Why? Because I essentially took too many days off to heal my ankle. Well, maybe I didn’t take enough days off. I don’t know. But now my whole body hurts instead of just my ankle and knee. I have been trying to take it a little easy so that I don’t adversely hurt myself, but I have been desiring a workout so I had to do it. Especially since I have a competition to win next week.
I know I need to take this journey as a life long one, but I need to see some results within a month so that I can keep my morale up. Working out and eating right makes me feel good, but at the end of the day I need to see some physical changes.
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