Getting Fit

Last night, someone asked about my workout and diet regimen. 

Since I've been trying to make positive changes in my health, I wrote out what I've been doing lately. 

Just makes sense to copy/paste that right here.


Over the years, I've developed a workout routine that works for me. I have no idea if it'll work for anyone else, but here goes...

I go to the gym about 4 times per week, but only spend about 10-15 minutes there each time. This is what it looks like.

Day 1: one or two warm-up sets of bench press or dumbbell press and then a single set with enough weight to max out between 5-10 reps.

Day 2: warm-up of squats and then single set with enough weight to max out between 7-12 reps.

Day 3: general warm-up of the muscles (like stretching), then do as many chins as you possible can. Then do one set each of stomach crunches and reverse stomach crunches.

Day 4: one or two warm-up sets of deadlifts, then max it out for 5-15 reps.

That's pretty much it. I usually take a day off between day 3 and 4, then take the weekend off. Every other week, I usually do a set or two of military press with a bar or dumbbells, as well.

Because you're putting maximum effort into each non-warm-up set, you're muscles are getting a workout. It may not seem like much, but over time it pays off and you won't have to worry about over-training. Plus, how hard is it to spend 15 minutes at the gym?

Diet is also really important. I guess you're going to ask me about that next...

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1) focus on protein... steak, chicken, eggs, fish, shrimp, hamburger, turkey, ham, protein powder, etc. Don't eat too many carbs. But if you are going to eat carbs, it should be the first meal after your workout.

2) try to eat just below your calorie maintenance. If I feel a bit hungry here and there throughout the day but not starving, then I know I'm somewhere in that zone.

3) Intermittent fasting is one of the best things I discovered. I eat as many "meals" as I want within an 8-hour window. The rest of the time, I drink water. It both helps cut calories (skipping breakfast is the way to go) and helps you deal with hunger. Takes a couple weeks to get used to it, but then your body learns, adapts, and helps you out.

My biggest lifestyle change, when I go from non-diet to diet, is giving up both soda and desserts. Maybe you'll have to give up snacks, like chips... or excessive amounts of bread. Give yourself a cheat day once a week if you need it to stay sane. I love pizza, so limit myself to pizza just once a week... and then I'll have a non-addictive soda (without caffeine) like Ginger Ale, rather than my precious... the cold master... Mountain Dew.

If you combine the workout regimen with the diet, your body fat will slowly go down, while your strength and muscles will slowly go up. Don't expect to see significant progress for at least 6 weeks.

VS

Physical Fitness (monthly progress report #3)

It's the 5th.  That means I check in with my blog regarding my monthly physical fitness.  After all, a healthy Game Master is good (yeah, just watch that slogan go viral!)  Here's last month and the one before that.

I've been trying, doing my thing.  It's ever so slowly paying off.  Though my progress is incremental, it's working.  I weighed 182 this morning.

The biggest change is introducing protein powder shakes and shying even further away from soda.  Intermittent fasting is my best friend.  Some of my lifts have been getting bigger and better, but it's also difficult to keep building muscle on a calorie deficit.  At this point, I could keep going for weight loss primarily or ease off on the calorie restriction and try to get stronger.  Not sure which I'll go for.  I guess you'll have to wait for next month.

VS

Physical Fitness (monthly progress report) #2

Gaaaahhhh!  Not that happy with my progress... if you can even call it that.  This picture sucks, too.  I weighed in at 186 this morning.  Of course, it didn't help that half a dozen birthdays and two Thanksgiving feasts (plus leftovers) were part of November.  Also, the wife and I actually got to see a movie!  In the theater!!!  And I had a gift card that practically begged me to buy a large buttered popcorn and mountain dew.

Anyways, enough excuses.  This month I've got to get even more serious.  Because another weigh in and photo like this in January will just be fucking embarrassing.

On the plus side, I believe my strength is going up.  Definitely squats.  On the others it's hard to tell because I'm cycling between heavy weight with low reps and lighter weight with high reps.  Next month I'll start writing down some of my lifting numbers.

VS

Physical Fitness (monthly progress report)

Most of you probably aren't aware of this, but throughout my life (on and off) I've been something of a bodybuilding geek. Not to the extent of my scifi/fantasy/RPG geekdom, of course.

"Bodybuilding" might be too strong a word.  Though I idolized Arnold Schwarzenegger just as much as Conan the Barbarian, I've never competed in a bodybuilding competition, nor even attended a show.  So, perhaps it's more accurate to describe my interests as weight training and nutrition.

Regardless, I'm interested in getting back into shape (on again).  Not just my prior heights but something greater.  Specifically, less fat and more muscle.

I'll be posting a progress photo along with my current weight each month.  Not only does this keep me honest with myself, I'm held accountable through the magic of the internet.  Some will see this as over-sharing or just plain annoying as it has nothing to do with RPGs.  Oh well, I say.  It's my blog.

I actually forgot to weigh in this morning but yesterday's weight was 187 lbs.

Questions and comments are encouraged.  I've been lifting weights since I was about 15.  I've been paying attention to proper bodybuilding/fitness nutrition like intermittent fasting for over a decade.  Now's the time to get into the best physical shape of my life.  Especially since I'll be 40 at the end of this month.


VS