HIIT Training Hits Me Hard41.2 lbs LOSTso farSeptember 23, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 12 comments
In my ongoing quest to lose weight and get back into shape I keep coming across many individuals that are proponents of HIIT Training. It is my understanding that HIIT is an acronym for High Intensity Interval Training. I have done some minimal research on it and most resources state the same: Perform short bursts of high intensity cardio followed by short bursts of low intensity cardio. You do this for several cycles in increments of 30 seconds to 2 minutes. It really depends on the person performing the HIIT and their fitness level.
A friend of mine has always told me to sprint instead of jog but I am jogger not a sprinter. I enjoy going for long runs testing my endurance. He has always told me to do 40 yard sprints so that I can lose weight and build some muscle. He would always refer to Olympic sprinters and their muscularity. Knowing this, I would still avoid sprinting and HIIT. But recently I started some HIIT training, and boy did it kick my butt.
Everyone that I asked about HIIT would tell me to wait until I lose some more weight before trying HIIT. Being the kind of person that I am, I did not listen. I like challenges and figured this would be a good challenge. It was! What I did was search for different types of HIIT routines and then adapt them to my treadmill and stamina. I began by jogging at about 3.5 MPH for 5 minutes. That was a good warm up. Then I upped the speed to 4.5 MPH for another 2 minutes. After that I cranked it to 5.5 MPH for 1.5 minutes. I started sweating immediately as my heart rate picked up. I then reduced the speed to 4.5 MPH for another 1.5 minutes. I did this cycle about 5 times and then finished off the run with a 3 minute jog at 3.5 MPH and a 4 minute walk at 2.5 MPH.
This seemingly simple looking workout left me panting and craving water. But it also left me wanting more. I felt invigorated and energized. Afterwards I wanted to keep running but I knew that my legs had had enough and that I needed to rest. I plan on doing this 5 times a week for about 3 to 4 weeks and then switching off to long distance jogging routine. I think it will assist with my endurance and fat loss. We shall see.
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Working Out with My Family41.2 lbs LOSTso farSeptember 20, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 13 comments
Over the last week or so I decided to institute a “Family Workout” routine. It basically consists of the entire family (me, my wife, and our 2 year old daughter) going to the park or going out for walks. Something, anything. My wife has been on me for months about going for walks, so this works perfect.
We have been going for walks and going to the park lately. We went to Wal-Mart and purchased some tennis rackets and tennis balls to play with at our community park. We’ve even set up a net in the backyard so that we can play volleyball and badminton.
The problem I am having is that I don’t get an intense enough workout from my family. I know it should be more about spending quality time with the family, but dammit I need to lose a lot of weight. So when I strap on my running shoes I expect to get my heart rate up. Today was an especially bad day because I couldn’t control myself. I was so disheartened with the lack of “exercising” during our park visit that I just wanted to come home and jump on the treadmill. Don’t get me wrong, I love spending time with my beautiful ladies. But I want to exercise at MY pace.
I think I need to stop being so hard on myself, and my family. It’s not their job to make me lose weight, it’s their job to support me through this journey. I’m going to start treating “Family Workout” time as “Family Outside” time. That way I don’t put pressure on us. Yes, that will work. It will work perfectly. Bwahahahaha! That’s my evil laugh for those that don’t know.
I have noticed that I do break a sweat when we go out together, so that’s gonna have to be good enough now. At least until my daughter grows up and starts wanting to go out for runs with me.
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Tipping the Scales: 4 lbs. Lost this Week41.2 lbs LOSTso farSeptember 18, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 4 comments
It may not seem like a lot, but 4 pounds lost is pretty significant to me. Especially considering that it was lost during a 6 day period. I don’t really expect to lose too much weight too fast. Maybe about 10 to 15 lbs per month for the next few months. I think that is realistically in line with my exercise regimen and diet. By the way, I updated my weekly weight loss chart.
I have decided to weigh myself each Tuesday until I get to my goal weight range of 235 to 250 lbs. I like Tuesday weigh-ins for some reason, but don’t really know why. I also plan on updating my pictures on a monthly basis, the next one should be taken on Friday, October 5th and then each 5th of the month there after. By weighing myself on a weekly basis I am holding myself accountable. Which, to me, is paramount for my success. I have noticed that I am starting to “live” my new lifestyle. Working out and eating right is becoming more natural as each day progresses. Making sure to get exercise in each day is extremely important to me now. Something else that I noticed is how much better I feel each day. I feel happy about things.
Last weeks workouts were killer. I had some great weight lifting sessions and my cardio sessions have been kicking my butt (in a good way). My strength is up and I am starting to slowly increase the amounts I lift. Whether I am running at the park, the treadmill, or in my back yard, I feel it. I sweat so much it’s not even funny. Don’t worry, I make sure to keep hydrated. 
The two-a-day cardio sessions have been consistent as well. I make sure to supplement running with walking, playing tennis, or some other activity.
All in all, last week was a good week and I hope to replicate it for the next few months.
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A 300 Pounders Workout Sneakers41.2 lbs LOSTso farSeptember 16, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 6 comments
I have been thinking about how important the type of shoes I wear are for my exercising. I generally wear sneakers that have comfortable cushioning and some type of bubble or shock absorber. It all depends on the type of exercise I will be doing. This is a break down of what I wear.
New Balance: One of the Best Running Shoes Ever Made
My favorite pair are my New Balance 8505’s. I came across them while at Dick’s sporting goods store one day. That day I was looking for a pair of everyday walking sneakers to buy. As soon as I put these on I was in love. They have excellent shock absorption and aren’t too heavy. The mesh lets my feet breathe and the soft material conforms with my feet. I wear them for most of my walking. I actually wear these even when I don’t workout. I would say these are my everyday shoe.
I also own a pair of black New Balance 574’s. I wear these for light activities such as playing tennis or going to the park to run around with the family. This version is the old school, classic New Balance. They aren’t too heavy and have a perfect fit. I like the fact that they aren’t too flexible. Why? Because I have been known to twist an ankle or two and having sturdy shoes are great when you are making quick shifts and changes of direction.
I didn’t start wearing New Balances for exercising purposes until I got back home from the military. I was first put on to New Balance when I was in boot camp. I was extremely shocked to find out that the running shoe of choice at Marine Corps Recruit Training Depot was New Balance. I wore those to the ground, but damn did they take the punishment.
Nike Shox: A Comfortable Cross Training Shoe
The other pair of workout sneakers I have are Nike Shox, version TL 4. I have always been a fan of the Shox line of cross trainers. I purchased a pair of the $140 variety when they first came out. I used to love Nike’s Boing-Boing commercials. I affectionately refer to my Shox as Boing-Boings. One thing I dislike about them is that they were made sorta flimsy. After much wear and tear, they would tear. I did notice that Nike is making them a bit more sturdy. My latest pair have been with me for 2 years. They have those Shox absorber thingies all throughout the sole. It’s mostly mental, but I feel like they help with my weight. I wear these for my running and weight lifting. When I wear them I feel as though I have a pep in my step. So they serve as morale boosters too.
I believe that having the right pair of shoes is essential. For me, it directly correlates with my progress. I remember one time when I was at Marshall’s. I had seen a pair of the basketball version of the Nike Shox. I bought them right away, no questions asked. That same day I wore them for a session on my treadmill. What was that for…I experienced what I think are shin splints. It was a terrible decision. I had an excruciating pain in my shins as I ran. I have never felt anything so painful in my shins before. I tried running for a few more minutes but I couldn’t. I returned them the following week.
Now that I think about it, I have always been picky with my footwear selection. In high school I would choose to wear a raggedy pair of worn out sneakers over a pair of brand new sneakers that our coaches would give us. I guess it’s because I had broken them in. I have been told stories of players getting turf toe and other foot pains when wearing new sneakers during rigorous exercises.
Anyway, those are my sneakers and I am sticking to them. What do you wear?
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Sweaty, Sore, Hungry and a Bet41.2 lbs LOSTso farSeptember 13, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 2 comments
Let me start off by telling you about my bet. I was helping my bud pack up stuff for a move when he jokingly offered me his large size Dallas Cowboys jersey. I told him it wouldn’t fit me and he agreed. I then told him to give me a few months before it would fit me properly but he scoffed at me. That’s when I decided to make a bet, a bet that I would fit into the jersey within 3 months and it would look GOOD.
So here is a picture of how the jersey looks on me now. The mere fact that I fit into it now is amazing. Deion Sanders, eat your heart out. Who said a 300+ pound man couldn’t where a size Large.
The last few days workouts have been busting my butt. I have upped the ante to two workouts a day so that’s probably the reason why. I have been aiming at having at least two cardio sessions a day. I start my day by eating some cereal, then heading into The Shack for my first session. The Shack, as I call it, is my workout haven. This usually consists of strength training and cardio on the treadmill. After about an hour and a half I get the heck outta there and then have my protein shake and lunch. My second session is usually a non-traditional workout such as going to the park and running around with my daughter or moving some stuff around the house. Although it may not seem like a strong second workout, it is effective because I sweat a ton.
My body is extremely sore from the extra exercising session, but I think I like it. I haven’t felt this kind of soreness in a while. I feel it all over my body. I was beginning to think that I was maybe not working out hard enough or effectively enough, so this is a welcomed change. The soreness goes away right before I workout, but returns right after which gives me a sore-less workout experience. A buddy of mine once told me that pineapples are excellent for muscle soreness. I take glutamine and protein, plus water and sleep. I think that works good for me.
I do get a bit scared about overdoing it. I don’t want to overwork my body to the point where I can’t workout effectively. That’s something I have been thinking about a lot lately. There have been times in my life where I have pulled muscles, broken bones, and twisted ankles. All of those suck big time and I just don’t want to go through that again.
Something else that I realized is that I have been really, really hungry over the past few days. I guess that the thermogenesis is really kicking in now. Which is good, because I need to keep my internal furnace burning if I am going to lose this weight. It’s also been an exercise in mental toughness. There have been moments when I just want to raid the fridge and fill the emptiness that I am feeling in my stomach. I have not been starving myself or anything like that so I guess it’s just the extra workouts that are burning up those calories faster.
On another note, I recorded myself doing some bench sets and running on the treadmill but I couldn’t upload the files to You Tube.
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We Have a Fight On Our Hands!41.2 lbs LOSTso farSeptember 10, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 19 comments
That’s right. A Fat FIGHT!
I’m going to keep this short.
Jesse, from Former Fat Guy, and I have agreed to a weight loss battle. The contest will last 4 weeks. The one with the best stats on October 5th will be victorious. By best stats we mean the best overall change, relative to our bodies. I think. 
This is Jesse. I don’t mean to sound cocky, but I am gonna obliterate her with my weight loss. Who does she think she is dealing with here? I am Fat Man Unleashed dammit!!! Challenges like this are what help me cope with the whole “losing weight” thing. It’s fun, gets my mind off of things, and helps me lose weight. What more could you ask for? Give it a try. There won’t be any losers if you really think about it.
Enough talking. It’s time for some inner warrior madness to be unleashed. Let me go jump on my treadmill. It’s time for some two-a-days. My starting weight today is 340 lbs.
It’s on like the sun rising in the East and setting in the West, or is it the other way around? Either way, you know what I mean. It’s on!
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Replace, Remove, Repeat41.2 lbs LOSTso farSeptember 9, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 8 comments
I was having a “comment conversation” with Jesse from Former Fat Guy and as we were discussing a post of mine I blurted the phrase “replace, remove, repeat.” It was in reference to starting out slow and then gradually, over time getting acclimated with the new changes you have made in your life.
Many people fail with their diets and workouts because they make drastic changes that simple leave them feeling empty. By drastically removing things from your life you leave yourself wanting those things and most likely go back to them. There is the occasional person that uses the drastic change technique and is successful, going to boot camps, fat loss farms, military camps, but for the most part it fails. Some folks have the inner warrior that allows them to use this method and succeed. I do it sometimes. What I do is short term drastic changes. What is that? Well, I will set a predefined amount of time that I will practice my drastic change. So say for a month I decide to not eat any bread or rice, I do that for the month and then go back to normal. It may be the difference in losing a few extra pounds or in lowering my cholesterol.
I don’t do that too often, and don’t suggest it either. What I normally do is use the replace method. Instead of permanently removing a food or habit from my daily routine, I replace it. That way I gradually get it out of my system and won’t miss it. It’s almost like the nicotine patch idea: you slowly ween yourself off of the cigarette addiction.
An example of using the replace method is instead of watching television for 3 hours on the couch, replace 30 minutes to an hour of it with some push ups, air squats, and crunches. While you’re are it, do some jumping jacks in between commercial breaks. Another example could be to drink 3 glasses of water for every soda you drink. Little things like that will make you feel way better, both mentally and physically.
So next time you are thinking about starting a new “thing,” don’t make drastic changes. You should instead try to replace something. Over time this will eventually remove that from your life. Then all you have to do is repeat that method.
Simple right? Give it a try and let me know how it goes.
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Mr. Bundles Stretches when he Runs41.2 lbs LOSTso farSeptember 7, 2007 by Israel Lagares | No comments
That’s what some people call me. LOL. I think it’s a cool name. It comes from a Rocawear brand t-shirt that I purchased while on vacation in New York. It’s one of my favorite. That’s a pic of my Mr. Bundles shirt (It’s from when I had a beard). I was also in a bit more shape then. I think I was about 15 or so pounds lighter a few months ago but then it all came crumbling down as I lost touch with my workout routine.
Anyway, back to now! I love my shirt, I workout with it, sleep with it, shop with it, eat with it and blog with it. I just had an awesome workout with it by the way. I was on the treadmill for about 30 minutes non stop and boy did Mr. Bundles collect a ton of sweat. I usually start out slow by walking for a minute. Then I gradually increase the speed every 3 minutes until I reach my target speed level. I then stay at my target speed for the remainder of the session. After I feel I have done enough, which is usually anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes, I cool down. The cool down portion of my treadmill routine is usually two minutes, give or take a few seconds.
I failed to mention that I stretch thoroughly before and after each workout, no matter what the exercise I will be doing is. I make it a point to stretch. Over the last few years I have noticed that my rest time and muscle soreness is drastically reduced by simply stretching.
So stretch! And drink water.
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Next Level? What about my Knees?41.2 lbs LOSTso farSeptember 6, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 8 comments
I think it’s time to start pushing it to the next level. At least I think it is. Isn’t it? Each workout feels easier each day I do it. I think I want to start incorporating some different exercises into my routines.
Yeah, I think that’s what’s best. I think I will run longer on the treadmill, then do some sprints afterwards or possibly jump rope. A buddy of mine gave me a brand new Everlast jump rope. It’s a boxers rope. Pretty slick. The few times I have used it have made me feel like a professional in training. LOL.
The one fear I have is my with my knees. While I know that I have strong legs and knees, I feel like I may push myself too hard and hurt my knees. My high school football coach has had bad knees for years. He just had knee surgery. He told me it hurt like heck.
When I was in New York, I would feel a weird sensation above my knee. It felt like it was vibrating but it didn’t feel weak. It was very odd. As soon as I got back home the feeling went away. Now I am running and cross training and it all feels fine. Aside from the occasional muscle soreness, I haven’t felt anything out of the ordinary as far as my knees are concerned.
Am I over thinking the whole “knee” thing? What do you think?
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Afternoon Sweat Factory41.2 lbs LOSTso farAugust 30, 2007 by Israel Lagares | No comments
I had one of the best workouts I have had in a while today. Yep, I must say I am proud of myself. Although it is very early in my weight loss journey, I am extremely satisfied with the start. If this is a look of what’s to come then I will be at my goal faster then expected. I do expect some road blocks in the coming months, but I will be prepared to stick to the task at hand.
Today I lifted weights and did some cardio. I did a quick bench and triceps workout that consisted of 4 sets of 15 to 20 reps on the bench. Then I did some tricep extensions: 3 sets of 15 reps each. The best part of the workout session was when I stepped onto the treadmill and jogged at a decent speed for 10 minutes non stop. It doesn’t seem like much, but for being a 345 pound guy that hasn’t worked out in a while I am extremely happy with where I am at. I could have stayed on the treadmill longer but my buddy needed me to help him move some large furniture from his new house. I figured I would get a second cardio session in by helping him. Every time a bud or family member needs help moving, they call me up. I guess it’s because they look at me as the big strong guy.
By the time I was done with my workout I was drenched and loving every minute of it. At first I felt as if I should have worked out a bit more, but by the time I got out of the shower I realized that the workout was just fine. I think tomorrow I will step it up a bit, maybe do 15 minutes of cardio. I eventually want to do anywhere from 20 to 45 minutes of cardio per day for about 5 months. Then once I drop most of the weight I want slow it down to 3 to 4 days a week of cardio and 3 days a week of weight training.
Well, I also ate really well today. Some cereal in the morning, fruits for lunch, and chicken and veggies for dinner. It is becoming easier and easier to control myself from all of the enticing delicacies I am used to eating. Things are picking up. They sure are.
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Late Workout Today41.2 lbs LOSTso farAugust 29, 2007 by Israel Lagares | No comments
I woke up today with the desire to workout. But I didn’t right away. Instead I went over to a friends house and helped him move a 250 pound big screen television from his upstairs game room to his downstairs living room. After a few minute and a lot of sweat, we did it. Oh, did I say that I had a sweater on the whole time? It’s about 95 degrees outside. Yep, its Florida. I decided to test myself and had the sweater on almost the whole day. I just took it off actually.
It’s 9 PM on my side of town. Now I need to go workout. I am planning on getting on the treadmill for a few minutes then benching and doing triceps. I hope I have the energy to get a good workout. Time to lace up my Nike Shox, go into the shack, and workout. It should feel really good.
Before I go in though, check out this picture of me. This is a picture of me getting my daily dose of the internet. Notice the huge arms and roles on my sides.
Yuck, I need to get rid of all that fat. I am planning on keeping some size on my arms and chest, but I definitely want them more toned. Plus, I need to cut down on the chubbiness in my face. There’s an extremely chiseled jaw line underneath there somewhere. I know there is.
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