update!

it's been a while since i've posted BUT my focus has still been on eating right and working out.

SOME DEVELOPMENTS since i last posted.

1] i upgraded my membership at mid city gym to include both gyms AND the art of strength class. mid city has gyms on 49th and 42nd [i prefer the 49th street-more old school and less people - the 42nd street gym is more of a health club to me]. the 42nd street location offers this incredible class AOS which is basically a interval training class that makes you get cardio while working the muscles. check out this web link for what it's about: AOS. it's quite incredible and not for the weak...well maybe for the weak but by the end of class it will make you strong. so i am doing at least 3 of these classes a week.

2] i am working with personal trainer at mid city 2 xs a week. it's all core work right now. i'm loving it. i'm a little sore but that's cool.

3] i am tweaking my diet some. i still get the hunky monkey protein shakes but i've decided to cut the frozen yogurt. too much sugar. just felt it was an indulgence that i could do without right now.

keep posted for further updates! tomorrow is AOS!

day after upper body workout

today i look in the mirror and i see someone fat. i know i am in recovery from yesterday's extreme upper body workout - and i'm giving my body rest - i am very sore. i'm trying to give my body the calories it needs but i feel very fat. it seems like i am getting bigger. just venting here. i know i need to trust the process.

a week

okay...it's been about a week since i decided to change things up in my workouts and eating. things i've noticed:

i should be getting right between 2500 - 3000 calories per day.

on sunday i weighed myself and i weighed 264 lbs. i was disappointed. that meant i gained 9 pounds.

BUT

in the last two days i've focused on drinking LOTS more water [and peeing profusely]. i weighed myself tonight and to my amazement i weight 254 lb.!!!!!!! i lost 10 pounds in two days just by drinking more water. i didn't change anything in my eating at all! i confess - i have not concentrated on drinking water in my diet the last month. i'm anxious to see what happens in the next week.

my workouts have been intense. what i've been doing differently is taking a day of rest after two intense day workouts. like i'll do upper body on one day - the next i'll do abs then i'll rest a day. i'm finding that my body needs the rest to recover. plus all i've been reading says that your muscles grow during rest and sleep. so even though i wanna go into the gym 7 days a week and workout like crazy i'm thinking it's not the best thing for me and my goals: to gain muscle and lose body fat.

tonight i did legs and i realized i didn't have the right amount of energy to accomplish what i wanted. in the middle of my workout i went and got a protein shake. it helped but i know next time when i have a big workout i need to juice up for it so i have the energy to make it happen.

yesterday i had a great intense AB and lower back workout. i'm feeling it today. it's good.

tomorrow i am planning on upper body.

as for the bootcamp in central park: the trainer never called me back so that's that. i think it worked out for the best. i need to concentrate on the weightlifting and get my rest to recover.

in doing a mirror test. yeah, i'm still flabby but it seems a little better. i think i am losing some fat. stay tuned.

working out and eating

i am doing well in regards to my eating a working out.

as for eating, i am getting in the ballpark of 2500-3400 calories a day. here's what i've noticed:

1. i am not feeling tired
2. my workouts are pushed to the max
3. i am actually becoming hungry during the day
4. i am eating quality food and not junk: chicken breasts, good carbs
   

yesterday i did my leg workout. ouch. i lifted more weight than i ever have in regards to leg workouts in the past. on the leg extension i was pushing 450lbs.

the other day, i did a great ab workout and can tell a big difference in my core. it's basically still sore.

so tomorrow i am going to work upper body again.

i can feel a difference in my body; it's less flabby. i think i'm heading in the right direction. i'm staying clear of the scale; it's all about gaining muscle to lose this fat. i'm feeling confident.

so in regards to my food journal, i am occasionally going to list what i ate, but i feel confident enough in my eating to trust my tally in my head.

so the goal is to continue to work out and push hard and make this month all about gaining and keeping muscle.

in regards to shakes i am eating at least one hunky monkey shake [it has weight gainer in it]. this allows me to get 1000 calories toward my 3000 goal. it's so hard to actually eat that many calories in actual food a day. these shakes are helping me toward my goal and making it easier to consume my calories.

i get my shake blender this week. can't wait!

may and june are my months to get this bod into shape. this is good.

another day

today, believe it or not, i was on the edge of hunger - something that has not happened to me in a long while. so i am having faith about the 3000 calories stuff. trying to eat healthy and have fun working toward 3000 calories a day.

today i ate:

*HUNKY MONKEY PROTEIN SHAKE:
P 70g
F 16g
C 200
1150 calories

*TJ's Bean Dip
P 12g
F 0g
C36g
180 calories
*GRANOLA
P 7g
F 3g
C 56g
60 calories
*TJ's rice crackers
P g
F 3g
C 56g
130 calories
*TJ's Turkey Chili
P42g
F6g
C60g
460 calories

*2 TJ's chicken breast
P46g
F7g
C4g
280 calories
*TJ's Bean Dip
P 12g
F 0g
C36g
180 calories
*TJ's Wasabi Tempura Snacks
P 2g
F 12g
C 13g
170 calories
*TJ's rice crackers
P g
F 3g
C 56g
130 calories

TOTALS
P 175g
F 85g
C 410g
2850 calories

this evening i needed to get out of the apartment so i went to see OBSERVE AND REPORT. it was not as good as everyone and the reviews said. but i got out of the apartment and walked 42nd street.

after the movie i went to the gym and did a serious 30 minutes of abs and only abs. looking forward to being sore tomorrow.

now i am watching THE BIGGEST LOSER while eating a nutritious dinner. mmmm....

food entry #1

i decided, through the great advice i got from fellow workout gurus at abcbodybuilding.com to go for 3000 calories a day for the next month. i am shooting for 160g of protein a day. let's see what happens. there's always room for tweeking. but this will get me going in the right direction.

i weigh 255 lbs.

my eating today:

*HUNKY MONKEY PROTEIN SHAKE:
P 70g
F 16g
C 200
1150 calories

*RIP, TEAR, REPAIR PROTEIN SHAKE:
P 28
F 15
C 65
400 calories

*TJ's Turkey Chili
P42g
F6g
C60g
460 calories
*TJ's Bean Dip
P 12g
F 0g
C36g
180 calories
*TJ's Wasabi Tempura Snacks
P 2g
F 12g
C 13g
170 calories
*GRANOLA
P 21g
F 36g
C 56g
500 calories

TOTALS
P 175g
F 85g
C 410g
2850 calories

I did an hour upper body weight work out today and SLAMMED it. going to be sore tomorrow. muscles GROW!

* i will be posting as i go and will most likely have to come back to edit my posts after i have finished my eating for the day each day. if food items are grouped together, that means i ate them at one meal.

wonder twin powers ACTIVATE!

today i begin this blog as a way of keeping record of my fitness, diet, and well-being. this blog is my accountability to help me achieve 100% of my goal: transforming my flabby blob of a body into a muscular machine that constantly gets stronger, ripped, and looks sexy in my new wardrobe i plan to buy. this is about taking daily steps to better self confidence so i can exist in this world on my own terms and never look back again in regret. this blog is about sending myself positive vibes so i am encouraged to keep taking forward steps of faith in this cocoon process that will lead me to the furthering of my dreams and achieving success in many aspects of my life. getting in shape is the key to open all the doors i need to travel through in my life and using good energy to be where i need to be and where i need to go.

so - let it b e g i n .