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Monthly Archives: February 2012

Are you a problem solver…

Are you a problem solver, or are you a button pusher?

When you are faced with something new, and well, problematic.  Do you marvel at it’s complexity, or do you look for the first point of attack?  Do you fret about all the damage this new issue has wrought, or do you relish in the new lessons you will learn?

There are issues around you everyday.  Some more obvious than others, but they always lie, under the surface of everyday life.  Steady course often works well to suppress these cataclysmic eruptions, but not always.  Perhaps the steady course with no correction gave these problems the added pressure to reach their boiling point.

At the end of the day it’s worth every bit of your (current and future) sanity and those around you to take time and evaluate things.  I don’t care if it’s technical, spiritual, emotional, physical, or other.  The bottom line is, change is always possible, and solutions do exist to problems.

Stop pressing the same buttons over and over again and start thinking critically.

 

Work Work, Zug Zug, Dabu…

To say I’ve been a bit busy lately would be the understatement of the year.

Finalizing critical content packages to allow the decommission of our previous systems management software.  Transitioning our infrastructure to the new systems as well, and performing software rationalizations in our environment has put me at a limit to sitting and writing.

Oh, did I mention general systems integration for a new company that I’m not certain I have a future with still?

I do thoroughly enjoy the work though as it’s largely technical and requires little (or allows for little) theory crafting sessions on the best possible way.  Don’t get me wrong, I love planning, but planning without action to me is just a miserable existence.  I don’t thrive on anarchy, but I enjoy doing work as opposed to talking about it; and I enjoy clutch situations at times.

In other, life altering news; our daughter was officially diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy last week.  I’m not really sure where else to go with that outside of the fact it is what it is.  It was a rough day last Monday when we got the news; but I think I am past the diagnosis and back to looking at my daughter for what she is, not what she will or will not be.

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation.  But take heart; I have overcome the world. – John 16:33

When I see my beautiful daughter smile, I’m reminded how lucky I am that she’s alive and in our care.  Even if that burden is great, I gladly bear it; as would most parents.  I’m sure there will still be anger, and pain dealing with this so please, if you have been then continue to pray for us.

Will on the other hand, my main man.  He’s absolutely digging “getting muscles” lately and is continually asking me if such and such builds muscles, or telling me how or where he got some new muscle. He’s also been doing a really great job lately with being a responsible big brother to his sister in her trials.  Admittedly he still gets frustrated at times with the amount of attention his sister receives, but his love and encouragement for her continues to amaze me and makes me proud to be his father.

So back to the building muscles thing.  I came home last night from work, and my son comes yelling  “DADDY COME HERE I WANT TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING”.  So I walk into the family room, and he’s taken a toy shopping cart and pulled it up to the mantle, and proceeds to do wide grip overhand chin ups.  It was a rest day for me too so I just did some yoga that night as well, which my son was MORE than eager to get involved in; the entire time explaining to me how or why it builds muscles.  That kid is awesome.

Hah, well I ended up writing a lot more then I expected; I should quit while I’m ahead.  Take care until next time.

Reasonable…

A reasoning individual without doubt is unreasonable.

-Daniel Belcher

Reason:

  1. a basis or cause, as for some belief, action, fact, event, etc.
  2. The mental powers concerned with forming conclusions, judgments, or inferences.
  3. Sound judgment; good sense

Reasoning:

  1. The act or process of a person who reasons.
  2. The process of forming conclusions, judgements, or inferences from facts or premises
  3. The reasons, arguments, proofs, etc., resulting from this process

Reasonable:

  1. Agreeable to reason or sound judgement; logical.

Doubt:

  1. to be uncertain about; consider questionable or unlikely; hesitate to believe
  2. To be uncertain about something; be undecided in opinion or belief.

 

For one to reason, they must be able to question the very premise of that which they currently believe, else that reasoning is suspect and lacking in sound judgment.  Mind you, there is reasonable doubt, and that is what I’m speaking to directly here.

I still workout…

So how’s it going?

Alright, so current progress.  I am into week 5 of my regimen.  Current overall gains and losses are roughly 10% body fat (roughly 33mm of fat density), and +6 lbs of lean body mass with an overall weight loss of 10 lbs.

I actually had greater gains in my LBM, but lost a pound due to less then ideal caloric intake the last week of January.  I’ve since adjusted my caloric intake now and feel the difference in the gym and see it in the mirror.

 

So what am I eating?

Well, first my rule of thumb. 

Clean calories (few indulgences)

Avoid sugars, natural or refined (occasional exceptions for glycogen levels post workout)

Little to No dairy

No additional fats

      • 2 Egg White and Oatmeal Pancakes with Sugar Free syrup and 1 cup of cheerios dry with 12oz black coffee.
  • 5oz Eye of round (steak) with green beans and onions and 1/2c dry oats (with a dash of Truvia)
  • 4oz Turkey tenderloin on toasted wheat with mustard and pickles
  • 5oz Pulled chicken breast with Texas Pete Buffalo sauce and pickles 12oz black coffee
  • 1/2c oats with 1 scoop protein powder 8oz water
  • 1 scoop protein powder 8oz water & 6oz with C4 workout days / 5oz Pulled chicken breast and brown rice mixed on off days
  • 5oz Eye of round (steak) with green beans and onions
  • 1 – 2 gallons of water during the course of the day

I’ve also swapped my breakfast a few times for an Acai Berry + Blue Berry + Banana + Protein Powder smoothie a few mornings when sugars were needed.

I will shuffle my meals around on occasion for variety, but largely stick to heavy digesting protein in the morning and night with lighter ones during the day and strong morning carb intake with 0 after my workout in the evenings.  Currently my macros break down to:

Protein / Carbs / Fat

51 / 41 / 8

I don’t think these macro levels are sustainable, but I am attempting to cut while still developing clean muscle.  So essentially I’m walking a fine line of keeping my carbs at a level they keep glycogen levels up and aid in muscle repair with plenty of protein for the repair and limiting fats in an attempt to promote stored fat usage in these processes.

I can generally tell when I’m firing off fat for energy because it’s a really short burst of power then just an overall dip in my lifts.  Nights where I’ve felt it worse then others I’ve put some cheerios in my belly with my last meal.

 

What about the gym?

 

Well this is where it gets interesting.  As I stated before, I am following Kris Gethin’s 12-week hardcore plan.  Now I’m going to stop here for one second and kind of plug both bodybuilding.com and Kris Gethin.  If you are interested in fitness, don’t know where to start, or are a fitness junkie and just want more and more information then Bodybuilding.com is one of the best resources I could recommend.  As for Kris Gethin, there is something to be said for a personal trainer who takes the time to throw together such in depth material and post it for free.  Does he profit from this stuff, sure, he’s a BB employee; but he has a passion for what he does, and WANTS to help others reach their goals.

With all that being said, I largely stick to his prescribed workouts for the day with little to no variation.  If I’ve made variations it’s been to either:

  1. Increase intensity
  2. Equipment not available
  3. Focus on lagging areas
  4. Recovery dates have been shuffled as well

 

Generally speaking though it’s a 5 day split which simply means 2 on 1 off 3 on 1 off (or some variant).  Kris shuffles that schedule a lot for multiple reasons and shuffles targeted muscle groups quite a bit as well.

Low intensity cardio in the morning, and evening even on off days (for me around 124 – 135 bpm) @ 20 – 30 minutes.  Something I’m also doing that Kris has in his program I like is ending with 150 abdominal twists.

I think anyone starting out should really give this a go.  I highly recommend following a structured plan like Kris’s initially to really glean useful information and discipline.  With this plan he offers a video a day to give you little tid bits of information that will really help to educate you as much as motivate you.  Also for women, there are plenty of free plans to follow as well such as Jamie Eason’s Live Fit.

I wish I had known about BB back when I really started.  After spending the past 4 years dealing with my fitness and health I finally feel like I’ve learned to listen to what my body is telling me and respond in kind.

 

Sum it up?

  • Keep excess calories and fat in check.
  • Increase thermogenesis through constant eating and cardio
  • Vary routines and resistance volume to force muscles to adapt and grow

 

Have a good one.

Sick as a dog…

I’ve got a fairly large amount of content I’d like to post and discuss:

  • Current workout/diet regiment, and results so far
  • SCCM health check script and logon framework I’ve been working on
  • Theological view on harmony, and mans self importance

However, between my work schedule, and workout schedule I’ve had little free time and now I’m fighting a sinus infection. Instead of just blowing off my blog completely I wanted to of course post this, as perhaps more an outline for subjects I wish to cover this coming month.

Until then, take care.