Shake it up.

When you are in a rut it can be hard, if not impossible, to improve.

You always have to push yourself past a wall to get to the next level.

I have found that in all aspects of life when you change your routine or change your approach, you find that you can make some significant advancements.

When I have worked out in the past, I always felt like there was a point where I stopped progressing. When working out, it is pretty easy to tell when you are no longer seeing improvement… you simply stop hurting. In working out, the old adage of, “no pain, no gain” is very true. If you aren’t hurting, you aren’t improving.

I know that some people think they prefer to think of the concept of, “no pain, no pain.” But no pain means no growth.

This blog post could just as easily be about business, education or other type of growth. continue reading...

It’s all in the inches

Well, I am down another 2 pounds… that puts me at 14 pounds down in seven weeks on my new exercise training program and diet.

Yeah… I like that.

But, what really matters is the inches because that is a far better measure of body fat in the absence of a body fat percentage test. Plus, it is easier to know that you are seeing success when your clothes fit better.

To be honest, some of my clothes are falling off right now, but that is beside the point.

Officially, I am the lightest I have been in some 14 years. As of this morning I was 214.2 pounds and the weight is on it’s way day. But, the really cool thing is that my gut is down 2.5 inches and my waist is down 1.5 inches. continue reading...

Back Walkers

Last summer, I hurt my back.

The best I can figure is that when I was camping I slept wrong on a rock or twisted it or something.

I am pretty sure that it was my spine but I thought that my muscles were pulling my spine out of place.

I spent a lot of time stretching and exersing my back to get it to heal.

One thing I found that really helped was having my children walk on my back. It was an easy back massage and the kids had fun doing it.

Jenna, pictured at the left, loved to walk on my back, but the reality is, she wasn't heavy enough to really make a difference... she just had fun.

That brings us up to today.

Last week, my trainer really worked me hard. Most specifically, my glutes and hamstrings felt the work.

One day, I came back especially sore and was slow to stand up or sit down.

As I was helping Jenna get ready for bed, I sat down on the floor to help her and let out a little groan.

Jenna looked at me with a touch of concern on her face and said, "Daddy, I better walk on your back before I go to bed." continue reading...

The Resolution

Now that I am back into my routines, I am much happier.

Working out and eating right is not a New Year's resolution... it is a lifestyle thing to me. If I treat it as such, then I will continue to move towards my goals.

I am amazed every January to see so many people at the gym. It is so incredibly busy... almost annoying. So many people starting anew hoping that this year will be the year to make a difference.

By the end of January, the gyms are empty again.

I can understand why it is hard to keep up. I have been in that position countless times. It doesn't usually coincide with New Year's for me because I don't often wait until the New Year to make resolutions.

For me, if I can make it routine, it makes all the difference in the world.

The reality is that going to the gym doesn't really take a lot of time. It adds about 30 minutes to my day... that's it. I feel great after a particularly hard workout. I feel a sense of accomplishment.

Here's to another day! continue reading...