The Lull / Learned Caloric Intake / Waiting on my world to change

As I finish my last two weeks of Nerd Fitness' Level 4 exercise routine; It was a bit longer than the past couple of levels and I have to admit it until you start the warm-up because you know what you are going to do, it's hard to get motivated but it's nothing a little bit of fun music can't get you through.

Also I've noticed that because the core of my body (excluding my midsection) is nice and stronger, I am at the point where if I see results, they are very minimal, even though you know they are happening.  We all know how gratifying it is to see results when they are clearly visible so this has proven to be a bit discouraging.

Patience.

Courtesy of Schnippers in NYC.

I've followed my diet but loosened restritions, having one regular carb a day, be it bread or brown rice or cheese (yum).  On the right, you'll see what I mean, I ordered a grilled chicken salad with lettuce, nuts, goat cheese, some croutons and balsamic vinaigrette.    Not exactly horrible, however not exactly Paleo.

The calorie counting program I had been using for the past three months, "Calorie Counter,"  has now been retired.  At least for a while.  At this point I can sum up what I am having and making sure I stay within 2000 calories a day, not counting the calories that are burned off with exercise.

What am I doing these days?  Yoga or running every off day of working out and working out three times a day.  Off the top of my head I do not have or want an off day.

I figured I would loosen up now before I begin a strength training routine that would be a good 2-3 months of no cheating!  I'm even going to lighten up my drinking intake.  lol.  That's no joke!

My main focus during the next three months will be MUSCLE.  Arms. Chest. Back. Shoulders.

Avocado Mouse

Medium Avocado - 230 Calories

Lemon Juice - 12 Calories

The New Year / Sick / The Next Step

Me, spectacularly smashed, peeing on a tree.

Happy New Year.  It's been a minute since I posted but it's been the same-ole same-ole.  I pretty much kept well into my program as well as eating strictly Paleo, except I had  A LOT of cheat days.  I didn't necessarily go over the recommended 2000 calorie a day intake, but I did eat a lot of stuff, not on Paleo-Standards.  There were drunk nights, pizza nights, one pasta night, a KFC night, the works.

After working x-mas eve and x-mas for a private event, I went back to my day job and celebrated with friends on a saturday night out.  Then worked New Year's Eve and went got to my friend's house in time to go out a celebrate the new year coming.  I followed that  up with a jam-packed hot yoga class. Here I thought people would be too drunk to go but I was wrong.  The next day I headed right back into work.  Come Thursday I knew something was up.

I went to work and felt like I was starting to come down with something, I immediately began going through my oil bag and looking up what to use for fever, flu symptoms, a cold, whatever I was just determined not to get anything.  Turns out I left all of my respiratory ones at home next to my diffuser (they help me at night).

I woke up Friday and painfully went to work for a shoot, but I had the thought in the back of my mind that I would soon be in my bed.   As soon as I got home I dowsed myself in an oil blend called R.C. (respiratory control), Eucalyptus, Copaiba, Oregano, and Frankincense.  I repeated that and added more oils and by Saturday night I completely sweat out the flu.  That was ONE problem down, now I had to deal with a sinus infection and tension headaches (who knew).

Unfortunately I didn't have the necessary oils to deal with the sinus infection, so I turned to Advil Cold and Sinus which did a good job of knocking me the fuck out.  so I was happy about that.
By Wednesday, I was up and at work and back to my work-out routine.

An added cut.

I don't know what kind of super-flu is going around right now, but it definitely took advantage of my immune system.

Getting into my routine has been a bit rough in the sense of concentration, also I am a creature of habit, but it needs variety, plus, I feel tone enough at this point to start some heavy-duty lifting; the kind that works its way into your muscle and gives it that nice and plump look!

I think I may do a week of my Workout Level 4 then move on to the Strength training booklet provided by Nerd Fitness.

I'm excited about it but I feel like I need to end this part of the journey on a high note.




Lunch

Vegetarian Brown Rice Box
-Avocado
-Lettuce
-Bok Choy
-Corn
-Carrots
-Chinese onion
-Peanut Hoison Dressing

Banana Tapoica
-Casava (Yucca)
-Peanuts
-Banana
-Coconut Milk









And I totally pampered myself and cheated with some dairy and had:

Vietnamese Coffee
-Caffeine!
-Milk

Hot Yoga on Off Days / Lunch and Dinner

I'm on my last week of doing my Level 3 of Nerd Fitness' Rebel Training.  From here on out I have to decided what program to use for intense muscle building.  I have already started researching a couple that were recommended to me and one that looks intense is the Convict Conditioning Workout.  Check it out!  For now, I continue my routine, with interval sprinting and my hot yoga classes.

After a Yoga Power Hour

Lunch

-Grilled Salmon in Dill Sauce

-Roasted Potatoes

-Bok Choy

Dinner

-2 Pieces of Breaded Chicken 

-1/2 Avocado

-1/2 Tomtato

Trader Joes Multi-Graind Blend

7 weeks in I think/differences/goal date/fast food

You can see my gut!  I don't care
because it won't be there too much longer, mwahahahahahah.

Just wanted to touch base on how everything is going.   I see vast improvement in how I look and feel.  I believe that this first part of this Rebel Workout Program is building a sturdy foundation and the next step is adding the slab of muscle that I am wanting.

Sometime in my workouts I think to myself, "This isn't fast enough, why can't I have more muscle already?"  Then I do a pull-up and I quickly shut up, lol.  Level 3 asks for 5 pull-ups; that's it.  I can do 2, then the other three are assisted by bands.  I just started the second part of Level 3 yesterday and then after that I move on to the final level.  I still add one or 2 yoga classes in every week on off days and do my interval sprinting running.  My sprints involve warming up for 4 minutes at 5 miles per hour, then 8 miles per hour for 30 seconds and 5.5 miles per hour for 1 minute and 30 seconds.  I do this 7 times.

Example of the timing and distance with interval training.

Once I move on to the final level and complete it, I will take a look at the next e-book in the series and either continue on it or fast a program with the emphasis on muscle-building and toning.  If I stayed how I am now I would be more than happy, however the area I really want to focus on extensively is my stomach.  It has ALWAYS been "the problem area," but I have seen in shrink incredibly possibly in the first 4 weeks.

One thing I have also been trying to fuck around with is the calorie counting.  The counting program I use lets me add custom foods that the system does not have.  I'm not ashamed to admit that most the custom foods I add are liquids; preferably alcoholic, lol.  One thing I have done too is added one meal from each fast food place.  Well, not each; Wendy's, Taco Bell, and most recently, KFC.  I don't usually eat KFC but my sister had the Colonel's Chicken Strips at the house and left one, and I had it as my dinner meal.  one strip is 430 calories.  So if you eat three of them, you're up to 1290 calories!  I said it before and I'll say it again, if you fall off or if you cheat (and you're going too)  the healthiest of all fast food chains in my eyes is Wendy's.  That doesn't mean you go overboard, lol.


Breakfast:
Juice Generation's Peanut Butter Acai Bowl (I'm hooked)

IN THE BLENDER
-2 Sambazon packets of Acai Fruit (you can get at Whole Foods)
-2 Tablespoons of Omega-3 Peanut Butter
-1/3 cup of Apple Juice
-1/2 banana

GARNISH WITH
-1 banana (medium sized)
-Hemp Granola
-Scoop of Peanut Butter
-Cacao Nibs
________________________
430 Calories in the whole meal.

Crazy Saturday / Disciplined / Paleo App

What can I tell you, Saturday was my niece's birthday. I headed up from a trip to Maryland early in the morning.

I drove up early in the morning and figured since it was a cheat day, I'd start the day off with a guilty pleasure, a McGriddle and a hash brown.  It was delicious but I knew how many more calories I had left for the day.  Once I got home I did my workout and headed into my niece's party and dinner with her parents and grandparents.

For dinner my father brought Prime Rib slab of meat.  After helping him get it all cut and set while having a glass of wine or two, we sat down and ate away.

I ate a good portion, not too big but not too small.  It was a meet and potatoes night.  I had a couple of slices of bread too.  Oh yeah, I went all out.    After we cut my nieces cake, which was beautiful, made my Tony, The Pastryarch, Albanese.  I took a breather and got ready for the rest of the night.

Afterwards, I met my friends Anny and Lou and heading to the Nutley Pub.  We partook in some drinks and karaoke.  It was a great night.  THEN the unthinkable happened! I convinced myself into a White Castle trip

How did I end up here.

I thought oh, a double cheesebuger or two won't hurt, and some chicken rings, and some Mozzerella Sticks, HOLD IT.  That's where my mistake was!  5 mozarella sticks where 2100 calories...2100!!!!!

I already had 1800 calories for the day!

So the next morning I was floored, this is something I used to do so much when I was younger, a trip to White Castle was like the night cap!  I've learned my lesson, lol.

This morning, I was back on from this crazy cheat day, and a little wiser about it.  It turns out from all of my cheat days, the healthiest fast food chain, is Wendy's believe it or not.

To discipline myself, I did my exercise routine today and two sets of 18 minute sprints.  Lesons learned, lol.  I will defintely think twice before I get in front of a White Castle Menu.

I mean hey it happens.  I wanted to also let you know there is a great app called, Paleo Central at itunes, it's a great little app that tells you if something is Paleo or not, if you are ever in doubt.

Cheers all!

L


Dinner Tonight:
-Filet Mignon
-Beet Salad w. green apples, onions and a handful of walnuts
-half glass of Sauvignon Blanc

Update on how I feel and FINALLY the program I'm using.

Yes, it's one of those pictures..

OK, so I am about to finish my 6th week of a Paleo diet and my 5th week of strength training.  For the past 2 weeks I also added a sprint after each workout session.

I have lost 11lbs., and added muscle mass.  I want to note that I've done this so far by consistently monitoring my calorie intake (even with alcohol, cause my friends know that I've gone out), and keeping as much to natural food as possible.  

But let's keep it real,  I've had pizza, a Bacon Cheeseburger and even my biggest guilty pleasure, taco bell's Chicken Quesadilla and a Bean Burrito in the past two weeks.  The day after I do though I've felt groggy (omg, not after the Pizza though!  Cheesy Pizza, corner of Broadway and 105th st.)

Other than that I have been using Isagenix products as well as Young Living Essential Oils products with the occasional Oxy Elite Pro if I feel to tired for a sprint.

Other than the workouts prescribed, I have been walking instead of taking trains or walking when a car is not necessary and throwing in the occasional hot yoga class on off days.

I'm not going to lie, it feels good, it feels different than other things I've tried, but then again I have been able to combine them all into my lifestyle now.

Nerd Fitness!

So after coming this far (so far)  I feel comfortable enough to promote the program I am using.  I was researching what type of fitness routine to follow and the one I thought served me best that the time was Nerd Fitness.  I mean the name alone says it all but it was whipped up Steve Kamb and is basically geared towards office job workers or people that have sat behind computers long enough to make a difference in how they feel and how their body feels.  

I like what he says and I like what he preaches and I like their program as well as the forum for their users.  I like the habit building as well as being able to do the exercises without a gym.  Eventually I feel I will have to join, but I'll come down that road when I do.



Lunch yesterday:
Peruvian Dish - Lomo Salteado with Chicken
Broccoli
Bokchoy

Paleo for the Hypothetical Doomsday Scenario / New Workout

So let's say the December 21, 2012 something happens and the world doesn't come to an end, BUT in fact, we live but have to live on limited resources.  What to do?

Great Book.

I read a really good book while I was researching my past project.  It was called, Everything You Need to Know about Zombies and it was written by one of the most knowledgeable people on the subject, Matt Mogk

It's really not what you think it would be, nothing but useless zombie stuff, that will never come to pass.  On the contrary, while I was reading it, it served as an incredible guide for what to do in the event of a pandemic or natural disaster or anything that would make living on the planet a nightmare from the comfort we are used to and take for granted.

When and if this happens, your supermarkets are only stocked with 3 days worth of food for everyone in the community it serves, THAT'S IT.  (Thanks for the tidbit and your source Jenny).  What do you do?  Well for one thing, if Hurricane Sandy taught us anything, I'd steer clear of cities.  Sorry my New Yorkers, but the thought of being trapped on an island that closes all of its entrances during emergencies is a bit too much for me.

What do you do when the food runs out?  All your specialty foods that many of us are used to.  DONE, gone at least for the time being until a resolution or rebuilding of society would begin.  Marc Faber, a financial analyst and economist warned in 2009 the best advice he could give was buy a farm and a shotgun.  And he's talking about a financial catastrophe.  I'm just saying...I don't know how easy these predictions are to make as I don't avidly follow economic trends but it is absolutely scary.

I'm curious as to what you would do.  I'd love to hear-


On lighter news, I am starting a new level on my exercise program one is called, the OUTSIDER, the other is called the OUTCAST.  Which should I do.  Both look great, but I will do the first recommendation I get.

Cheers,

L

Lunch Today:

Teriyaki Salmon - 269 Cal.
Bok Choy             - 20 Cal.
Carrots                - 108 Cal.