4 Week Check-in!

Well friends...4 more weeks have passed since my last check-in and I'm down another 6lbs! That makes me the lightest I've been in 3 years! Body Fat % is down 1.8% and the inches are coming off too. I have to be honest...

This month has been TOUGH! I gave up A LOT of my favorite foods (pasta, bread, fried food, cheese, to name a few) in cycles and I think that kept my body guessing. Because I wasn't eating this stuff, I had to focus on other foods to still get the calories I needed. I added a lot of steamed spinach, spaghetti squash, and avocado. This wasn't easy but planning ahead made it easier. 

I know I have been posting weekly and that seems to be a good pace for but I do want to make this blog more of a journal. That being said, I'll start sharing more "random" things like workouts of the day, meal planning tips that I'm learning, and anything else that I think others can benefit from! For the record, I'm no fitness instructor or whatever. I'm just a guy who's trying to get in better shape than I was yesterday. Thanks for everyone who keep me motivated - YOU ARE AWESOME!

February Progress/Gift-giving...to yourself?

So we're just over half-way through February and this nutritional challenge has been TOUGH! Who knew there were so many delicious things that I wouldn't be able to eat once I designed this thing...sheesh! Even though it's been difficult, I've been able to stay very close to the entire challenge. The best part about it has been the increase in energy levels. Because I've had to change up some of my normal food choices, I've had to be more creative with my options and my body is LOVING IT! How much does it love it? So much that I've lost...

MORE THAN 5LBS THIS MONTH!! 

Now, I'm not falling in love with the scale number because I know my goal is more about feel and fit than anything but when I see my number drop that drastically, it makes me anxious to see what my body fat % and inches look like next Monday. As a reward, for myself, I got these shoes made (Yes, they say "BUILD ROME") and let them sit in my closet until I hit my weight loss goal. Don't get me wrong, I believe that everything is better in moderation but a cheat meal isn't the only form of rewarding yourself. 

These shoes were kind of pricey (or should I say, much more than I'd normally pay for sneakers) but it can be anything you want. A friend of mine set her goal and as a reward for hitting it, got a new iPod shuffle to use just for running because her iPhone would sometimes be dead by the time she got to the gym in the evening. Whatever it is, make sure you reward yourself! And if that reward inspires/motivates you to stay on track for your fitness goal(s), EVEN BETTER!

Anyways, I just waned to check in and let you all know that I'm still here and sticking with it. Thank you to everyone who posts #BuildingRome on random fitness pics. I search that hashtag all the time so keep it up! How have your personal challenges been? Anyone else notice how thin the crowd at the gym has gotten lately? No worries, more weights for us! :-)

T25 Alpha Review and Progress

Tomorrow morning, I'm starting T25 Beta so I figured I'd check in with you all and also let you know what I thought about each video in the Alpha round. 

So I've been pretty consistent doing the videos in the mornings and I think that has definitely helped. Sometimes, I've had to do it in the afternoons or even evenings and I feel like my energy levels are significantly lower. Ah well, here goes:

Cardio
This workout definitely focused on the gradual build up. It started slow but by the end, my calves were on fire and it was pretty much an entire lower body focus. There were some core moves but it definitely got tough in the BurnOut section.

Ab Intervals
I think this is a workout that could've been added in more frequently. If you're familiar with P90X's Ab Ripper X, you'll enjoy this 25 minute ab focused video. The best part to me was that it also worked your back. Yeah! Your back is an important part of your core and this workout was great!

Speed 1.0
Probably the video that required the most coordination and balance. Some parts of it were very "dance like" but I didn't mind because it really made me focus on my form for every move. Fortunately, there were lots of stretches that gave you that break from the constant moving.

Lower Focus
The title of this one is a dead giveaway for what you're in for. Lots of quad and hamstring work. Since these are such large muscles, I definitely saw that I burned more calories and sweat like crazy!

Total Body Circuit
Holy shoulder burn! This is the only video in the first set that had a legitimate upper body focus. It was the hardest video (for me) but definitely my favorite. With exercises moves like Shoulder-Tap Push-Ups and 180 degree squat jumps into burpees. 

So for the results... I lost 7lbs on the scale! I'm not sure how that breaks down into pounds of fat vs. pounds of muscle but I'm looking for 8-12 pounds during the Beta round. If you're doing T25, comment and let me know how it's going for you! What should I be prepared for? What is your favorite workout?

February Challenge: "Healthy Habits"

So...after talking with my wife, who's in charge of the grocery shopping/budgeting, we decided that instead of having a paleo day followed by a vegetarian day, and so on...that it would be better to do full weeks with a single healthy habit theme. So here's the NEW and improved challenge for February! 

By going week-by-week, we think that'll allow us to have the right (fresh) food in our fridge each week. With week 1 being Paleo, I don't have to adjust much. I got the premise of my Paleo week from thepaleodiet.com. The no-dairy will be tough because I normally use that as the base for my protein but I guess I'll be using water this week. Every Wednesday of the month, will be a "day off" from the week's challenge. Instead, on that day, I'll be focusing on cutting out all the non-water. I'll still be eating food but I'll be sure to cut out artificial fruit juice, coffee, alcohol, etc. Each week, I'll be recapping my previous week and giving my thoughts on the coming week. 

I'm really focused on adding more cardio to my fitness plan and I think that controlling what I put in my body will help fuel my transformation and move me along my journey to a healthier lifestyle. I know some may view this as a temporary diet and I can understand why. The goal for me is to move towards something that is closer to these healthier lifestyles but I don't know what that looks like yet. So in the mean time, I'll be trying new recipes and things to keep my palate interested and my body guessing! 

FEEL FREE TO JOIN now that you have the calendar! I'd love to hear from people who live a Paleo/Vegetarian/Gluten-free life! If you have recipes or suggestions, please comment below :-) As a check-in for those of you who've been keeping up, I lost 7lbs. in January and dropped my body fat by 3%. I'm hoping for 2-2.5% decrease in my body fat this month so I'll let you know how it goes! Thanks for the support and good luck on all of your fitness goals as well!! #BuildBabyBuild