The Road to Ultra

Today's Run: 4.0 miles
Run Time: 43:13 minutes
Total Miles to Date: 924.3 miles

Thoughts on the Run:

This morning was typical: I woke up, felt tired, wanted to make an excuse to sleep in and skip my run. Of course, I've been through this routine before and know once I get out there, I enjoy my runs, so I forced myself to go downstairs and get ready.

Something interesting happened: I still felt lousy and wanted to talk myself out of it. I had been out with my wife last night on a date to see a movie and we were back late. I also was forced to grab some quick fast food ... while I made a "better bad" choice with getting chicken tacos, there was something in the seasoning that just made me feel ill in the evening, so I didn't get much sleep.

I was in the process of heading back up to catch some more sleep when it hit me.

You see, if I didn't have a set goal, this workout would have been passed by. On a calender with green checks and red "x" marks on the missed workouts, this would have been a big, blaring red "x" (my calendar is green so far, by the way).

But it wasn't just that. It was where I'm going with this.

You see, I have a goal I've followed for years to run an ultramarathon ... a race that is longer than the traditional marathon distance. For me, that is a major goal because I have yet to complete a full marathon. Having run several times at distances over 20 miles, I know what it is like.

Some people assume that running distances is proportionate. When you start going longer distances, as long as you work into it, you get used to it and a 20 mile run is like a 5 mile run used to be.

In my experience, that's just not true. A 20 mile run is 4 5-mile runs back to back ... and you FEEL the previous 5-mile segments. While your body may slowly adapt, it becomes a true mental exercise. Your requirements for food, fluids, and electrolytes change. You go through different phases and moods. You might feel sapped of energy, as if you cannot possibly take another step, and yet still have to force yourself to keep moving forward and closer to the goal, only to find you get a new burst of energy and feel great later on.

And how can I possibly train for those TOUGH moments if I'm not tough on myself?

Suddenly it wasn't about feeling sore or tired, but about the opportunity. Here I am, sore from my workouts, tired from lack of sleep and lots of work, feeling like the last thing I want to do is stand, let alone get out and run ... on hills, no less. What a PERFECT opportunity to get out and practice running under TOUGH conditions!

So, I set out and began my jog. And amazingly, while it took a LOT of focus to get through the first uphill mile and get warmed up, once again my decision came with the ultimate reward: I ended up enjoying myself. The temperature was perfect (low 40s), the sun was still under the horizon but showing its presence with a soft glow, I had the streets to myself and once I was warmed up, felt fantastic.

I hit some serious hills and approached them by working on one step at a time. They couldn't defeat me: I may have slowed down, but I never stopped. And each time I felt like I wanted to, I thought to myself ... if I give up during a 4 mile run, how much more reason to quit during a marathon? No way. I'm winning this one ... so I pushed ahead, through the hurdles, and finished.

And finishing feels SO GREAT. What an accomplishment ... to take a day I truly had a mindset of not training, and turn it around into a win. I love it!

One thing I've noticed as well is that I'm really learning how to run correctly for long distances. As a former sprinter, I always had a longer stride and would push out and pump my arms. This would wear me down for distances ... if you think about it, the more you move with each step, the more you fight gravity, and the more impact you have on your body when your feet hit the pavement. Excessive swinging just burns more calories and forces your body to work harder to stabilize.

After watching long and ultra distance runners, I realized most have a short, almost "staggered" looking pace. It's the minimum distance and footfall required to move forward. Arms hang loose and comfortably, not pumping or swinging (after all, on those longer runs, we're out there for hours). So I've started to adopt this method and it has paid off. It is tremendous for going up hills, because I change my stride a bit but keep the pace. I also stopped bouncing off my toes and land flat on my foot so the entire foot can absorb the impact.

Anyway, it was great to finish and then cook myself a breakfast of two whole eggs, two egg whites, and a slice of whole grain toast. I had a snack of a pear and grape juice, lunch was a taco stew and afternoon snack will be lentils with egg plant. Delicious!

And there is no "missed workout" to fret over. Still green on my success calendar.

Take care,

Labels: hill running

Today's Run: 5.0 miles
Run Time: 52:35 minutes
Total Miles to Date: 920.3 miles

Thoughts on the Run:

This morning I set the alarm for 7:15 am. I woke up and decided I didn't want to run. I rolled over to go to sleep, and then remembered that sometimes how I feel doesn't always connect with the goals that I've set for myself. I decided to really determine whether or not I was ready to run. So, I headed downstairs and took the dogs outside. Once I was awake, I realized I had just been making excuses. My "excuse" was to sleep in and run after church ... but that would have been procrastination, pure and simple. I am focused on getting it done so no excuses can get in the way.

So, I geared up and stepped outside.

I was amazed first at how easily the run came as I got started, and second at how chilly it really was. My face was freezing but I warmed up quickly. It was a beautiful morning and one of the turns on my run takes me to the top of a hill with a beautiful view over my town as well as a "mountain" (rather a large hill) in the distance. It was beautiful and I simply breathed the fresh air and was thankful for the opportunity to get out and run in such beautiful conditions.

I was able to push myself and finish the entire run without stopping. At one point I had to tackle an extremely long hill. I believe if I looked at the summit, I would have never made it. Instead, I listened to my music and focused on the ground right in front of me so I couldn't see how far I had gone. I just kept focusing on one step after the next, and before I knew it, I was cresting the top of the hill. I kept on going and was rewarded with some recovery on the downhill.

After I finished the run, I had a great breakfast ... Ezekiel bread, toasted, with Nutella on one half and peanut butter on the other, and a side bowl of some granola.

We had a wonderful church service. The message was about the coming of Christ ... and I welcome you to share it with me by watching the sermon right here. I love our church and if you are ever in the Atlanta area, welcome you to come worship with us ... just drop me a note so I can invite you and give you directions!

After church we had a delicious meal at a local favorite, "The Flying Biscuit." I had a sandwich which was chicken breast with turkey bacon on whole wheat and a side salad of mixed greens. Then my daughter had her singing lessons.

It was a wonderful day and throughout the day one thought kept returning to me ... "So glad I got my run over and finished with ... done first thing in the morning!" Not procrastinating certainly has its rewards.

Warmly,

Labels: church, running

Today was an upper body workout.

I was looking forward to training. As a fitness professional, I'm often offered various items to test or try out. Obviously the goal is to help raise awareness about the product and to possibly receive an endorsement. I am always open to trying new things and happy to share my experience with them.

I was contacted not long ago by someone who wanted me to try out his innovation, referred to as The Squat Sponge. It was something I've never heard of before, but looking at the product on Amazon it seemed intriguing so I asked him to send me a sample and told him I would try it out.

Anyone who squats heavy weights knows that the bar can be brutal. I've often had bruises on my shoulders from bearing the weight. While it is often the spirit of bodybuilding to "shrug it off" and get tough, sometimes your goal in training is not to worry about the strength you have to build to bear the weight of the bar ... you are simply targeting your legs and it can hold back a successful workout when the shoulders are the weak link.

I purchased a product that was (and possibly still is) very possible called the Manta Ray, which is a plastic contraption that helps support the load of the bar across your shoulders. It did offer some comfort and relief, but still did not completely eliminate the issue.

I received my Squat Sponge the other day and was very curious to try it out.

Fortunately today was a heavy leg workout and I'm approach several hundred pounds for the squat. So, I wrapped the sponge around the bar and went to work.

At first I thought I wouldn't have a good review. The first attempt really left my neck feeling sore. It was like instead of distributing the weight on my shoulders and back, it was pushing into the back of my neck. That didn't feel good ... but then I realized I wasn't compensating for the extra thickness on the bar and was positioning the bar too high on my shoulders.

The next round wasn't great either because I put the sleeve on so it was able to slip off and then the bar started feeling "loose" as it slid out. I quickly re-racked it.

After getting the hang of it however, I really enjoyed it. I worked my way up to my final sets and once I knew how to position the sleeve and the bar, it was very comfortable. In fact, I didn't have any discomfort in my upper back at all, and was able to focus on really putting the strain where it belonged: my legs.

I definitely like this product and will be using it again.

Pro: it is definitely a comfortable fit and comes in less expensive than the Manta Ray.

Con: I would say my only con is that it offers cushioning and padding, but doesn't help correct your posture like the Manta Ray. the Manta Ray forces the bar to a position that encourages proper squat form. This product, I believe, will help buffer against some of the discomfort but really keeps the onus of working on that good squat form on you. The con is that as a sleeve, it can slip off and this could be potentially dangerous if you're not paying attention.

All product discussion aside, it was a great workout and I'm looking forward to my longer (5 miles) run tomorrow.

Labels: manta ray, squat, squat sponge

Today's Run: 3.0 miles (5.5 incline)
Run Time: 29:54 minutes
Total Miles to Date: 915.3 miles

Thoughts on the Run:

So I've been running for over 170 hours since I started this blog, and I think this morning I felt it.

I was up late last night watching the premiere of the new season of Lost. I'm a big fan, probably the only series other than X-Files and Sopranos that I've enjoyed enough to make a point to watch it. I think TV for the most part is worthless but every once in awhile there are some intriguing shows I like to unwind with.

The alarm was not welcome and my first thought was "I have a rest day this weekend, let's just shift the schedule" and I was ready to doze off. I had this nagging thought in the back of my mind that I was resisting because I didn't want to run. Tomorrow I have to get up ultra-early (3:45 am) because I have a Men's Fraternity meeting at our church at 6:00 am, so would I rather do a lower body workout or run? I knew I wouldn't want to run then, either, so I had to get it done.

I dragged myself out of bed feeling miserable and sorry for myself. I decided to make the concession that I would not step outside in the cold, and instead would use my treadmill.

So what do you do when you feel rough and don't want to work out? Do you just force yourself and go through the motions?

Heck, no. Then we'd just get soft and pile on more excuses! I was determined that if I wanted to resist this workout, that I'd make it one that COUNTS.

So, I headed downstairs, turned on my music, and began running. Only I decided to start at a 12-minute pace to warm up ... and a 5.5 incline. That's fairly steep on my treadmill. I quickly picked up to 10-minute pace, then increased the pace by 10 seconds every quarter mile. The challenge for me was that incline ... I wanted so badly to flatten it out as my legs burned and my lungs felt like they were going to burst, but this is how I take a bad morning and turn it into a productive workout. You see, if I did anything less, then I'd wonder if I didn't go through the motions and not benefit because I was tired. This way I KNOW it is working!

My Shuffle dutifully played the sounds of Tibet by Waterbone, great music that put me almost in a meditative state. Just when the run was really catching up to me and starting to wear me down, it shifted to The Matrix Soundtrack with just enough driving force to see me through to the end.

I finished at just under 30 minutes and burned close to 800 calories. Not a bad way to start the day!

Labels: morning workouts, treadmill

Today's Run: 3.0 miles
Run Time: 33 minutes
Total Miles to Date: 912.3

Thoughts on the Run:

This morning was typical: the alarm went off, and I was feeling tired and wanting to make excuses not to train. I had a very legitimate concern about snow and ice.

Fortunately, my dog Sassy seems to be very interested in my project, so she was kind enough to sit by the bed and bark and whine. Now some would say she simply wanted me to take her outside (which I did), but I'm confident she knew that it would give me the opportunity to see what the weather was like and decide if I really wanted to run.

Of course there was no excuse waiting for me outside. While it was cold (in fact, my coldest run yet ... the weather stations claim the wind chill was 11 degrees) there was no ice (or snow) to speak of.

I still wasn't excited about the prospect of running in weather well below freezing, but I started to put my clothes on. That actually made it more fun and exciting - it almost felt like I was going on an expedition. There were the various layers of clothing and pullovers. I don't have a balaclava to cover my face, so I made one with a bandanna and a beanie. Large earphones became my ear muffs. I threw on my trusty GPS watch, attached my iPod Shuffle, threw my Blackberry in its case and stuffed it in my pocket for emergencies, and stepped outside.

As much as I'd like to claim to be a tough guy, I admit I may have whimpered (just a little bit) when I stepped outside. But in all honesty, after the first rush of cold air passed by, it felt exhilarating. The sky was clear, the wind felt "clean" and I just started moving my feet.

I've mentioned before that the immediate hill gives me an accelerated warm up. I found that the bandanna around my mouth kept me from breathing (I've never been a good breather through my nose on runs and since determined I wouldn't force the unnatural, so I breathe with my mouth) ... but I was able to pull it over my bottom chin and that kept me warm. In the past this cold air would have left me coughing and with chest congestion for weeks (just read my older blog entries) ... I'm convinced after reading one article that the condition may actually be caused more from a cold face than breathing the cold air. The one difference I've made this year is keeping my head and face very well protected, so it appears to make a difference.

What I found was ironic was coming down a hill and getting close to my halfway point where I turn around and head home. Just as that milestone was in sight, my iPod dutifully shuffled to the next song: "Things that make you go Hmmm...." I thought it was very appropriate, especially as cars drove by, I wonder what I looked like, dressed all in black except for a bright orange bandanna around my face and a yellow reflector vest. Hmmm ...

Made it home fine. The nice thing about wearing layers is you can shed them as you're walking back to cool off. Now I'm inside, warm, and ready for another abundant and productive day in the office. So glad Sassy looked out for me and made sure I was able to finish this run!

Yesterday's Run: 3.0 miles
Run Time: 30:57 minutes

Today's Run: 4.0 miles
Run Time: 42:44 minutes
Total Miles to Date: 909.3 miles

Thoughts on the Run:

Not much here ... just a quick accountability post. Ran 3 miles yesterday, it was 20 degrees Fahrenheit when I started ... around 30 when I finished ... today's run was closer to the 40s ... so 20 degrees of separation between yesterday and today! Running strong and enjoying it. Not sure if it is simply mindset, but running in the cold this year hasn't been nearly as difficult as I recall from last year!

Labels: hill running, running in the cold

So today was another upper body workout.

Again, I was feeling worn but as I've posted regarding momentum, I got up and did it ... and had a blast.

First, I have to give props to the i-Pod Shuffle ... I guess because it doesn't have a screen like the Nano, the thing just lasts forever without being recharged. I love my high energy music, keeps me grooving through the training.

Second, I wanted to share some workout tips for beginners out there.

One common issue is coming into the first workout and getting frustrated. It's confusing to know how to set up the weights. The book says "wait so many minutes" but it seems to take longer between sets. You pick a weight and its way too light or way too heavy. Then you say, "This is frustrating ... how do I get it right?"

It's a common thing and there are two specific ways I combat this.

The first is that I ALWAYS consider my first workout of a new style (new program, new exercises, whatever) to be the learning experience. I don't go into it expecting to have a mind-blowing workout, but set the expectation that I'm learning something new and get a feel for how it will go. This keeps me from getting frustrated and allows me to have fun with it and figure it out. By the time I have my second workout, it's all good and I can focus on getting those results.

The second is that I would rather underestimate than over estimate weight. But we're supposed to push to the limit, right? Right. But I've also done a LOT of research on building muscle. Years and years. And I'm convinced that the key to building muscle, despite all of the various gimmicks and styles and things like confusion and so on ... the true key ... is progressive load. That means you lift a little heavier next week than this week (keep in mind this is if the goal is gaining muscle .. strength is an entirely different beast).

So let's say I really undershoot my estimate for bench press and 100 pounds is light as a feather. So what? I'll add a little more the next workout and keep going. But usually I'll get fairly close, and then instead of trying to make monumental leaps, I may just increase 5 pounds per workout ... maybe even less. Doesn't seem like much - on a bench press, that's just a 2 1/2 pound weight hung on each side. But think about it.

If I start at 100 ... and I train my upper body 3 times every two weeks, then in a year that is 26 x 3 = 78 workouts. At 2.5 pounds per workout, I'd be benching 300 pounds before the year was out .. by only adding those little 2 1/2 pound plates!

Of course, I've been training for 8 years, so I should be over a 1000, right?

My point is that if you add too much, too soon, you'll end up running straight into a plateau and then get stuck. By finding a good general starting point and making small, incremental changes, you'll be surprised at what you can build.

I always say the proof is in the pudding, this is what my philosophy was able to do for my own physique:



Take care,

Labels: training tips, weight training, workouts

Today's Run: 3.0
Run Time: 33:34
Total Miles to Date: 902.3 miles

Thoughts on the Run:

Today I had my opportunity to run in the bitter cold. My apologies (and respect) to those of you who consistently run in sub-freezing weather. This was one of my firsts.

I had every excuse to skip this run in the morning. When I woke up, I was extremely tired and felt like I hadn't had enough rest. My muscles still ached from my previous runs and workouts, and above all, I knew it was only about 28 degrees Fahrenheit outside.

Fortunately, a little exercise I learned long ago and invoked yesterday helped me muster the courage to go out. I advertised my feat ahead of time, and bragged that I would brave the great outdoors ... after telling so many people, I had some accountability.

So I threw on my essential running gear:

• New Balance shoes
• Long sweat pants
• Simple race t-shirt (I don't know if I own any "real" t-shirts, they are all company or race hand-outs)
• Pull-over (I love pull-overs for cold runs
• Reflector vest (it was dark out there)
• Skull cap (keeps me warm on cold days, blocks the sun from burning my bald head and warm days, and is an instant cool-down when I take it off at the end of my run)
• My i-Pod Shuffle (that's the exact model I found in my stocking Christmas Day)
• The earphones that cover your ear and the bar goes behind the neck, not in front. This keeps me from having something bouncing on my chest, but also serves as ear muffs to keep my ears warm.
• Gloves — this was my biggest piece I was missing before Chrimstas (thanks to my wife and daughter for a simple yet wonderful gift)
• My Garmin GPS, by and far one of the best investments I've made because I can plot any course and track my time just about anywhere, any time (I just wish I had saved more and purchased the model with the heart rate monitor)

The run itself started off fine. I was nice and warm in my clothes despite that it was just below freezing. I am fortunate in that my course has a very large hill I start out on, so warming up was easy. My biggest challenge running in the cold is the cold air - in the past it has burned and caused me to cough and had respiratory issues after cold runs. For some interesting reason it hasn't been happening to me at all this year and I breathed fine.

I rounded it out with a solid pace - no sprinting but I wasn't running a race.

After, I had breakfast, and I wanted to share a few more tips. We found a place near our house that makes fresh-milled whole grain bread. They don't purchase the flower but actually mill the fresh grains so it's about as fresh as you can get for bread. I toast this ... but the eggs, oh, the eggs! I put one whole egg and two whole eggs and scramble them with chipotle-flavored Tabasco sauce. The two tricks I've learned with eggs:

1. Cook on low heat ... on 1-10 on a typical electric stove, I use a 3 or 4 ... and then just push/pull the eggs with the spatula ... this makes for fluffy, creamy eggs
2. For extracting the egg whites, crack the egg in half and hold over a bowl, then play hot potato with the yolk - seriously, dump from one eggshell to the other back and forth. The yolk stays in the game, the white drains into the bowl

That's it for now, off to an abundant day ... thanks to my accountability partners for being there in spirit and helping to encourage me to face a new challenge. This was my first run in the freezing that I recall and also I broke 900 miles overall in my training.

Labels: cooking eggs, egg whites, running in the cold

This workout phase is all compound movements, bilateral (both sides at once) and cutting out the "detailed" work like biceps and triceps. The goal is to get a good foundation back, then progress to more specialized/detailed movements.

Having said that ... doing BFL-style sets (12, 10, 8, 6, 12, then a superset of 12). Today's workout was upper body:

Pec dec superset with flyes,
Bent-over row superset with pull-overs,
Seated military press superset with lateral raises,
and seated pull-down.

Went well, enjoyed the music from my new Shuffle while I was training!

Today's eats:

Breakfast (post-workout) - granola cereal with shaved almonds and soy milk
Midmorning snack - 1 orange and a cup of yogurt
Lunch - shredded chicken breast barbecue, broccoli, and a slice of fresh milled whole wheat bread
Afternoon snack - bagel with cream cheese

Still waiting to discover what tonight's meal will be ...

Labels: menu, nutrition, training, upper body

I guess I was born to be a personal trainer. While most people are content to read the latest fantasy novel or watch soap operas in their free time, I love putting together training programs. I wish I could break it down into a formula and I might just do that one day and produce it in a nice software package, but for now I admit a lot of the way I piece together programs is intuitive. I think in terms of balance and proportions (I'm doing some chest work here, so I need some back work here, but I have this imbalance on my right side so will do single arm movements and put the weak side first) ... and it's a lot of fun.

As I put together my program for the first quarter this year I reflected on a not-so-successful 2008. I have to admit I've been the poster child for inconsistency ... I've created momentum a few times but then let vacations or work projects or other things derail me. Don't get me wrong ... I've been training and eating healthy for nearly a decade now (that means I'm behind, because when I started I had twenty years of bad habits to make up for) and I never stop, but I haven't exactly finished everything I've started.

I was doling out some advice to someone the other day when it struck me that it's time to get back to the basics and not be one of those "do I as I say, not as I do" coaches, but to eat my own dog food. Part of that was reflecting on how to make 2009 the most successful year yet ... and I came up with a list of 10 items to focus on: 5 things to avoid, and 5 things to do.

So why be selfish and keep them to myself when you can benefit as well?

Here are my top 5 things to avoid as you embark on your healthy journey and work on those New Year resolutions this year:

1. DO NOT fall for those silly diet pill scams. I run Google ads on my site, which is an "open" ad network. I don't have a lot of control over the ads, although I can block certain ads if I don't want them to show. I found out this is getting harder and harder because people set up these campaigns with 500 different websites. It seems the world is convinced that you can drink some goofy tea and shed weight. OK, so the tea isn't the only big lie out there ... there's pills and potions and network marketing systems and a million other ways you're supposed to go on auto-pilot. Think about it. If it were that easy, we'd all pay to go on auto-pilot. It's not.

2. DO NOT go on a diet. I know it sounds strange and you've got to shed those pounds, but I'm begging you not to diet. Maybe it's just semantics so we'll need to get our vocabulary straight: a diet is that program you go on to lose weight. You hate it and plug your nose when you try to eat the food or down the shakes and you can't wait for your special "no holds bar" meal or day but in the back of your mind you just think, "If I can just hang onto this long enough and lose the weight, then I can get back to normal eating." What is normal? Normal today is type 2 diabetes, obesity, and a myriad other conditions that debilitate and make our quality of life miserable. We have lots of medication to prop us up and keep us able to pay taxes longer, but we're not enjoying the quality of life we deserve. You need to find something that's for life and that means it can't be a diet that you'll switch off. Fortunately, I've got a cure for this one ... just tap into my 5 Keys to Healthy Eating.

3. DO NOT get all ga-ga over that huge weight drop you have on the first week of your program and then get frustrated and think you're doing something wrong because the weight loss slow. As I mention in 10 Fat Mistakes, the average female can expect to lose around 0.5 - 1.5 percent of their body fat each week, and the average male is a bit luckier at 1 - 2 percent. That's doing it all PERFECTLY. If you are losing more, don't get too excited: is more than likely water weight and a bit of muscle as well. I'm sorry, but those are the cold, hard facts ... usually when you start a new program, you do two things: one is you cut back on sodium because most programs focus on more whole, less processed foods, and two is you cut back on carbohydrates because the fad today is to focus on getting more protein and most programs suggest fewer calories as well. The sodium releases water your body was retaining to dilute the sodium levels in your body, while the lower calories and carbohydrates release water from your muscles that was bound with carbohydrate in the form of glycogen. It all looks good on paper but it's normal to have a big loss and then taper.

If you want to get the jump on what is practical to lose and how to lose it, read Your Real Metabolism.

4. DO NOT throw out the scale. I'm tired of people telling me muscle weighs more than fat. Does 1 pound of muscle really weigh more than 1 pound of fat? Sorry, I know it's a trick question, but let's do a reality check. You are what some people call "skinny fat" and have about 10 pounds of fat to lose. Fine. I'll buy that your scale weight isn't going to go down, might even go up. There are plenty of people close to their target weight who can get away with talking up the density of muscle (the true statement is "muscle is denser than fat"). However, most people have a LOT of weight to lose ... and in Vegas the odds would be in my favor because statistics say 2 out of 3 Americans are overweight and in a room full of 10 I'm going to meet between 2 and 3 who are obese.

Let's do a big reality check. If you have 30 pounds to lose, for the scale to stay the same you will also have to gain 30 pounds of muscle. I've been in the fitness industry for a long time. Let's forget the freak show muscle mag covers for a second and focus on bodybuliders who enter natural bodybuilding events. Forget wheter or not the events are successful at testing for steroid use or not, just consider these are the most massive, muscular physiques. They make their money by building muscle so I'm going to guess these bodybuilders probably have access to the most knowledge, training, and possess the best genetics for building muscle mass.

These top trainers are happy to gain ... drum roll please ... 2 or 3 pounds of quality muscle in a YEAR! That's right. Now, we know that people gain more muscle when they start a program, but the claims that you can gain, say, 20 pounds in 12 weeks are just preposterous.

Don't believe me? How about a little common sense. I was 178 when I was shredded. Let's say I was the most knowledgeable bodybuilder in the world and did everything perfect, and was able to gain just 1 pound a month. Doesn't sound like much, does it? I mean, this wouldn't even register on the scale ... unless I weighed every month. I've been training for 8 years now. Had I known what I was doing, I could be .. 12 x 8 = 96 pounds heavier, or shredded and muscular at 274 pounds. Does that make sense to you? It doesn't to me ... the top bodybuilders in the world who DON'T enter "natural" competitions weigh in at around or below 300.

My point is that if you have 30 pounds to lose, I doubt you are going to gain 30 pounds. So while your scale won't move every week, it doesn't lie - it tells you the truth: how much you weight ... and over time, it SHOULD go down.

5. DO NOT give up. Look, I've been at this for awhile and I've seen people succeed, and people fail. I've met very few people who figured out what works for them the first try. It took me a year to find the right combination and balance in my life to make it work for me, I know others who have tried for years and years before they had their "ah-hah" moment and suddenly transformed into the person they deserve to be. So how long is long enough? Most people get fired up the first week when they drop, get disappointed week two when their weight loss slows, and then give up after the third week. What if the breakthrough was just a week away?

Listen, if you're doing this for right now or next week or to look good for a wedding or beach, I can't help you. Good luck and enjoy the diets and fitting into your clothes and then wondering why when you shed so much weight you're still afraid to take off your shirt (here's a hint: you lost it the wrong way). I'm not doing this to be on the cover of a magazine, I'm doing it to enjoy life and live it as healthy as I can be. That means a long term focus.

I'm convinced that the only way to fail ... is to give up. Even if you don't see the results you want, keep trying until you figure it out.

I wanted to get the negative over so that we can focus on the positive. Here are my top 5 things to do this year:

1. DO set a clear vision of what you want and dig deeper than just "lose weight." The process I talk about is finding reasons, not actions. So you do this drill: what, why, what, why, what, why.

What: I want to lose weight.
Why? So I look better.
What: I want to look better.
Why? So I feel better about myself.
What: I want to feel better about myself.
Why? Because I don't like who I am.
What: I don't like who I am.
Why? Because I don't have energy or feel healthy.
What: I don't have energy or feel healthy.
Why? Because I'm not eating the right foods or exercising on a regular basis.

You see ... this drill can continue for awhile, but the goal is to find out what you REALLY want and why you REALLY want to change. Maybe it is to look good on the beach, but often there are deeper reasons and those become the key to how you can succeed and why you might sabotage yourself.

Learn more about The Decision and How to Change your Mindset.

2. DO tap into a community for support. I make my goals public on my blog, to you, to my co-workers, to my family, and do as many people as I can. I love the support on our own forums and tap into other networks as well. You've probably heard it said that someone can learn a lot about you by the company you keep. I'm saying ditch your friends who don't live healthy because I want you to inspire them with your own transformation ... but it's important to find new friends or groups of people who can encourage and support you in your journey so you don't do it alone and go to others for advice. My good friend Tom Venuto built an incredible community called the Burn the Fat Inner Circle to create a community that encourages health and transformation.

3. DO find yourself a mentor/coach. It may be a knowledgeable friend, a personal trainer at the gym, or someone online. I could go on and on about the importance of coaching. Because of my various projects, I don't actively coach myself but am always available to support you in our forums and through our Question of the Day. Even the most successful trainers I know (myself included) hire their own coaches to continue to learn and grow.

4. DO track your success. I don't care if you use something fast, easy, and free like FitDay.com, or a more comprehensive tool like I use to shed weight (DietPower: How I Get Ripped with Confidence). I've put calculators on the site and some people just boil it down to a spreadsheet. The point is simple: you can't improve something unless you measure it. You need to Measure Your Success and know where you stand so you can make the right adjustments and tweak your program to be successful over the long term.

5. DO write specific goals and read them daily. "Lose weight" is not a good goal. "Lose 20 pounds by March 1st" is a much better goal. "Build muscle" is weak, "Bench press my body weight" is more specific, "Bench press my body weight by April 1st" even better. Sometimes when the day is challenging it takes having that little piece of paper to remind yourself why you are doing this.

I think goals should be more than just the statement. They should have several parts: the goal, the reason you have the goal, the habits you'll drop to achieve the goal, the habits you'll start to accomplish the goal, and a personal mantra.

For example ...

GOALS
1. Run my first marathon (all the way) by December 2009
2. Reach 200 pounds by June 1st 2009
3. Fit in my 31" leather pants by August 1st 2009

REASONS
1. I want to start a big project that takes me outside of my comfort zone and see it through to completion
2. I want to reinforce my healthy habits and raise the bar of excellence in my life, and the side effect of that will be shedding some of the weight I gained as the result of slacking off
3. My wife bought the pants as a gift when I was heavy into bodybuilding, and she deserves to receive the gift of me putting in the effort to make that goal a reality

HABITS TO DROP
1. Eating junk during the week
2. Skipping workouts with the excuse "I'm too tired"
3. Drinking too much wine on the weekends

HABITS TO FORM
1. Work out consistently
2. Read my goals every day
3. Go to bed early so I wake up more easily in the morning

MANTRA
I'm getting out of my own way to be the person I deserve to be.

Hey, thanks for your patience and taking the time to read this. I hope it helps you create the best year ever!

Warmly,

Labels: fat loss, goals, habits, massive weight loss, new years resolution

Today's Run: 3.0 miles
Run Time: 34 minutes
Total Miles to Date: 899.3 miles

Thoughts on the Run:

Whew! Glad I got out there and got it done. Just a nice, easy jog but for some reason was tough for me today. The weather was cool and lightly raining ... I think as I get older, it takes me longer to warm up ... once I got going it was pleasant.

Tomorrow is another jog, then I start back into my weight training routine. Excited to finally get back to pushing weights, I've neglected that too long as part of my routine ... this is the first time I'm trying to build significant run volume without compromising quality resistance training.

Labels: jog, run