Slacker....indeed

Well, I will have to admit that yes, I have been a slacker to posting. The good thing is that I have not been a slacker to the workout routine. With that being said, i will be blogging more here as we continue down this path.

In the last few weeks, there has been much to report. I just completed my Couch to 5K training and can now say that I can successfully run 30 straight minutes without taking any breaks. In the time, I run just about 3 miles (if not a little more). So what is next? My next challenge is going to be to try improving my running times. I am going to investigate running some 5K's in the area, and then maybe look into increasing this run time and look at a 10K training. We will see.

Over the course of 10 weeks, I have lost about 20 pounds. I am at my lowest weight that I have been at in many years. My lovely wife showed my a picture from 2006 and I could not even believe my eyes. I looked like an egg with chicken legs. Not fun to look at. That is the ultimate motivation.

It is also time to start some clothes shopping. Shirts are stretched out, pants are falling off.

It is a new chapter. Let's continue to write the book. As usual, huge shout our to Brian and Bryan for sticking to this and holding me accountable. I also want to thank Ryan and Dan for their additional motivation. Great group of guys and appreciate everything.

We will be talking to you all soon. Peace, John

Hello Again

I admit it. I have been slacking on the blog. No excuses, just down right laziness. The first step to recovery is admitting it. Done that, next step is changing my actions. So with that being said I am posting again. I have continued to work out. It’s been a mixed routine. Some weight training, elliptical, running etc. I think it’s a good mix but I need to work on my legs more so I am going to add this to my regiment. The hard work is paying dividends. I don’t know if it shows in the pics or not but it shows in the cloths that I am able to where. I had some shorts lying around that I have not been able to wear in years. I was able to put them on with room. I couldn't believe that I caught myself on a few occasions pulling them up! I am starting to show some definition in my upper body which is good and I know that I am putting on muscle because I feel a lot stronger than I used to. I am looking forward to today’s workout. Look out for an updated tip of the week and poll question. Talk to you soon.

Welcome Back!

So for all of our regular readers you probably have noticed that we haven't been blogging as much. I guess you don't really realize how many people read the posts until you stop. Well this week we are back in action and will be posting again on a regular basis.

Let me recap the past couple weeks since you haven't been informed. We all continue to work out everyday, with some vacations and other items coming up here and there. The routine is becoming more than comfortable which is shown by the fact that when someone cannot go at 11:30 the two other people get upset and yell at that person for throwing off their whole day. It's all in good fun of course. We have been mixing up workouts a little more but still trying to focus on the core of cardio. I tried running again last week and while the first day I ran I could feel the shin splints a little bit I was able to push through and run 14 out of 32 minutes on the treadmill, which was the most I have been able to run in a long time. I tested the waters again on Friday but did not have as great of luck, I got about 8 minutes into the run (intervals of 3 and then 5 minute runs) and could not continue. I may have been a tad aggressive and will need to pull back to shorter runs at slower speeds. I also need to take advice from my brother and ice my shins after running and try every trick in the book to keep them from hurting. My main goal right now is to be ready to run the Warrior Dash without having to limp around the whole course. I need to make a solid push right now and I know that is going to take a better diet and continued exercise.

Since we began I can tell that while I may not be losing all of the pounds I want I look and feel better. I have received plenty of compliments from people noticing my weight loss, which is great feed back and obvious motivation to continue. I also realized when I went on Saturday to buy some new shirts that reaching for the XXL and trying it on it was way too big. I realize not all shirts are made the same, but in the past the same style shirt I needed to buy in XXL or my shirt would be really tight around my stomach, which is not flattering nor comfortable. I was hesitant to reach and try on the XL for the fact that I would get home and realize it didn't fit right, but that was not the case. It feels good only seeing 1 X on some shirts and will feel even better to only see a L.

Hope all is well with reader nation.

Picture Day 7.7.11

Leader Board

Germano - $35 left
Burmeister - $35 left
Barnes - $30 left

Week 5 Recap

Week 5 was filled with sore ankles. I tried some ankle braces which helped with support and will continue to use those during sports, but I am going to hold off on using them for elliptical and other training in the fitness center. The soreness mainly occurs when I walk or try to bend my ankles too much. I feel a sharp shooting pain in the front, mainly on my right foot. I believe it is just soreness from getting used to working out everyday and they are not getting the rest that they used to. The holiday weekend gave me an extra day on the back end of the weekend to rest them a little more which was nice.

Last week was a pretty standard week of working out. While I do like the routine I also find value in switching it up to keep the body off guard and not used to doing the same thing. I think after 2 months I might switch things up, whether it be just doing the same things but on a different day, or doing different work outs all together.

Overall I can feel my body more energized still and I have been noticing that everything is feeling and fitting better. The other day I was at the gas station filling up and looked in my back window and noticed my neck was smaller and that was very encouraging for me. The two parts of my body that I want to be smaller are my stomach and my face. I know in time everything will fall into place and become smaller, I just need to keep the positive mentality.

My biggest flaw is eating. I have known that since I joined a weight loss challenge two years ago. I know that I can eat healthier and doing that will show me results the quickest, I just need to keep the mindset of why I am doing this and that it is OK to indulge sometimes, but that staying focused will pay off more in the long run.

This weekend I thought of a motto for myself to push through those times in which I want to slip up. "There is no more....." The thing I love about it is that it is open ended. Some of the things I thought to myself this weekend were:

"There is no more EXCUSES"
"There is no more LAZINESS"
"There is no more QUITTING"
"There is no more JUST ONE LAST TIME"

Thinking these things to myself when I want to eat fast food or skip a workout have been motivation enough to avoid the urges. There is no reason to avoid things that are making me feel better, rather I need to embrace them and prove to myself how easy this can really be if you do the right thing.

Picture Day 6.30.11

It's been a long time....

Well, it has been awhile since my last blog post.  I apologize for the delay, but I think we were providing a little too much overkill on the updates.  So myself, like Burmy, have decided to only post like once a week and provide a weekly review.  I have heard from some people that they like the daily updates, but until I get a good sense of what is the best approach, I am going to post weekly.


Last week was pretty much about the same as the previous weeks.  The big accomplishment came this last Sunday when my 5K training app decided that it was the right time to try a 20 minute run with no breaks.  I powered through it and was able to complete the run pretty easily.  I am feeling that my endurance level is up and that I am able to easily control my breathing which in turn is not making me as exhausted.  I looked ahead to the next couple of weeks on the app and it looks like from here on out, it is just consecutive runs.  The training ends at the end of July.  So at that time, I will be able to easily complete a 5K.


As for the weights and overall power training, we have been doing the basic chest and back exercise from P90X, and Burmy and I took some time to work on arms.  All that is becoming routine.


As for the overall weight loss/inch loss, I can say that I am only a few pounds away from being below 190.  I have not been below 190 for probably a good 10+ years, so that in itself is a big accomplishment.  On another note, I bought some new shorts last week and bought them a size smaller than I normally have, and they fit perfectly.  I am also fitting into pants that were always a little difficult to wear, but now they are very comfortable.  This thing is actually working.


We have been talking about buying a domain name for this site and hosting it ourselves so that we have a little more control over the content.  We will keep you all posted as to what happens with that.


Hope everyone had a great fourth of July and we will talk to you all soon.  Peace...John

Picture Day 6.23.11

Weekly Recap

So I decided that daily updates may be tough for me and also overkill for our readers. I am going to switch to weekly reviews which will be more manageable and provide better content.

So this week, hectic to say the least, but I still managed to get most of my workouts in. I already posted Monday and Tuesday so I will star with Wednesday. Well work kept me from heading upstairs with my Trio Challenge buddies so I had to forfeit my 5 dollars for the day. I could tell that not working out put me in a bad mood ad I will say that I didn't like it one bit. Throwing my routine off is something I don't want to do that for a long time.

I continued on Thursday by doing the chest and back P90x workout that the guys did on Wednesday. I felt my muscles getting tired quicker without the longer breaks in between reps that I normally get when doing the workout with the guys. It helped me push harder though and see what my body was capable off. Such a good workout.

Friday I hit the elliptical again for 20 minutes and finished the light Friday workout with some stretching. I know it can be hard to get in the gym on Friday but I feel those are the days that pay off the most even if they aren't hard workouts.

Overall I feel a lot better because of this workout challenge. I need to focus on my ankles which have been sore for a couple weeks. While playing or working out they don't feel too bad, but after sitting or laying down for a while they are sore when I start to walk; it may be time to invest in some compression braces to see if that helps reduce the pain along with more icing after tough workouts.

So far John is winning the challenge with all $40 of his bank intact, I am in second with $35, and Barnes is in third with $30. I always try to keep in mind that this challenge isn't about money, but about keeping each other motivated to workout and get in shape.

Week 4 Day 3

I apologize for not keeping up with my post however I have been keeping up with my routine. Trust me, Burmy and John would be the first to call me out if not. I have been sticking with my cardio routines. Again, I am focused more on losing weight than to gain mass however we do continue to work in some weight training and muscle building exercise. And who can forget the nice "cool down" exercises that we do at the end of each day. Today John and I worked on Chest and Back. Lots of pull ups, pushups of all kinds along with some dumb bell training. It’s a great workout and I actually love this one.

Don’t forget to check out the new poll and tip of the week!

Week4, Day 2

More elliptical, what can I say. Did 25 minutes today and of course finished up by doing some dips, sit-ups, and pushups. I can feel everything getting easier; which means it is time to push harder so that I keep making my muscles work as hard as possible. Working out is routine and I don't even have thoughts of not doing it. I look forward to my 60 minute mid day break to take my mind off work and ge that extra dose of energy for the afternoon.

"I just kept running, and running, and running"

So today I started Week 4 of the 5K training app.  It consisted of a 3 minute run, 1.30 minute walk, 5 minute run, 2.30 walk, then a repeat of that sequence.  Although I dreaded the 5 minute runs, overall it was pretty smooth to complete.  I think I have found my grove and my correct speed to not tire myself out.


We then ended with the typical sit up, push up, incline cool down.


Yesterday, I hit the random selection on the elliptical.  Man, does that thing make you sweat.  I was drenched after that workout.  Thing said I burned over 400 calories.


Tomorrow we hit the chest and back...P90X style.


In the first month of this "journey", I can say that this is what I have needed to do for a long time.  I have a good support system all around and has made me stay accountable.  My clothes are fitting better and I just feel better in general.  I am down about 6 total pounds, from when I started this, and definitively down some inches.  Thank you to everyone who has talked to me about the blog and supported us through this.  Your encouragement drives us and your kind words motivate us.  We will keep updating, if you all are still reading. Talk to you all soon.


Peace - John

Week 4, Day 1

Almost a month complete and I think all of us can agree that we look and feel better. I can't wait to see 3 months from now and all the progress we will make.

Today was an elliptical day. John and I both did 30 minutes of the random selection. This day was nothing like last Thursday, but still a good workout. I will see if Barnes wants to do it again on Tuesday, but I really like the elliptical.

Lots of Walking

So Saturday, I was supposed to complete my Week 3 of the 5K training.  I did not get out and run, but I think I made up for it in the amount that I walked.  To start of Saturday morning, I played golf at Brown Deer Park.  Although I did not play very well, I did carry my bag.  Typically to walk a course that is 6600 yards, it breaks down to about 4 miles...tee to green.  When I got done, I went home and the wife and I decided to take the kids on a walk.  We walked about 3 or so miles.  Now I kinda feel bad that I did not get that run in, but I am good with it knowing how much walking that I did.


Week 4 starts today.  More updates to come.

Week 3, Day 5

Since John didn't feel like doing anything too stressful today we decided to take a walk with Ryan our co-worker. We walked approximately 3 miles around the Third Ward and Downtown Milwaukee. I broke a little bit of a sweat but nothing too bad. Today was nice to have a lighter work out, even though I would have also been happy with getting back on the elliptical for 30 minutes. I have softball tonight so that will get me a bit more exercise. I am hoping to also get out on a bike ride and play some tennis this weekend if the weather cooperates.

Week 3 Day 4

Same as Burmy today. Hitting my old friend the elliptical. I agree with John, something pissed off the elliptical today as it was totally kicking our butts. Random setting but thought it would be entertaining to watch us drive though a resistence level of 20. To put it in propective it was like someone throwing you in a pit of wet concrete waste deep and telling you to run for your life. May as well put a bullet in my head. To top it off of couse, it makes you hit it one more time just before your time was up. Forget the towel, next time I bringing a bat. All in all it was a great work out. Knocked off the end of the work out with 2 sets of push ups, setup, and dips. Increased thes reps to 20 on each. You know nothing big, just pounding out the work out. I am throwing this our there, I am on vacation tomorrow so I will not be able to work out with the guys BUT I WILL BE WORKING OUT. I will provide the update tomorow.

Week 3, Day 4

Jumped back on the elliptical today for 30 minutes. Once again with the random selection, which for some reason had the resistance going up to 20 at times. It felt good to power through that and get to the end. Burned approximately 600 calories today which was encouraging. My weight loss for this week was 5 pounds and I was told by someone in the office today that I was looking slimmer which are all positives that keep me going along with the encouragement from John and Bryan.

Picture Day 6.16.11

Week 3 Day 3

Shoulders and Back today- I actually like this work out alot. Tons of push ups and like many struggle with the pull ups a bit. Its great incentive to lose the fat. I am really getting tired of trying to haul my fat a$$ up there each time. Feeling good and starting to see results. Cloths fitting better, body starting to show signs of waking up and taking shape. Picture day tomorrow. Later.

Week 3 Days 1 & 2

Day 1- P90X Kempo workout. Love it! Nothing better that three fat guys kicking, punching and howling like a B rated Kung Fu theater movie. Its was a great work out and it wore me out but I loved it and I would recommend it if you havent tried it. Starting to feel the routine kicking in. Each day I find myself looking at the clock and counting down to that time. One of the three will catch each other with a message confirming schedules to make sure we can all make it. Its a part of our day now and thats what you want.


Day 2-Burmy and I both hit the elliptical for these days. Pushing ourselves a little hard each time. Increasing the resistance levels and chosing the random programs. Its a great workout. We finished the day with our sets of push ups, sit ups and dips. The goal is not to build a great deal of mass, just keep the muscles challeged and toned. The muscle building will come once the weight is off. At least thats my goal. Good workout, felt good and love being back in the gym.

Week 3, Day 3

We did our standard P90X chest & back workout today. I can say that I know I am getting stronger by the fact that I can do more pushups than normal. Still struggling with pullups, but those will come in time. I really tried to push it today with doing pushups and do 5 more than I did last time, I was able to accomplish this with every set except for diamond pushups and dive bombers. My arms don't feel as tired as they did the first week, but we will see if the soreness sets in the next couple days.

Week 3, Day 2

Cardio days are some of my favorites. Since I am not a great runner, I like to go on the eliptical for 30 minutes. The machine yesterday said I burned 450 calories. I am not sure that is completely accurate, but I'll take it. We like many days finished our workout by doing situps, pushups, and dips. I tried to increase everything I did by 5 reps and was able to get them done, so I felt good about that.

Going back to running. My main issue is my shin splints which I have mentioned before. I learned a lot about them on Monday night while I was out to dinner with my friend Sarah who just graduated from the Mayo clinic and has been treating sports injuries for a while. The minute I said the term shin splints she corrected me and said that the term meant nothing and that there are actually 4 types of "shin splints." She explained to me why I was feeling that pain and it made perfect sense. I run on the outside of my feet and have known this for a while. The strike point on my foot is causing the outside of my shins to take the direct impact rather than my whole leg which should be taking the hit. She suggested that she could evaluate my running style and recommend shoes that could help with the way I run and possibly cause the issue to go away. I will be taking advantage of that as soon as possible because I cannot stand the pain when I run. I also know I need to be more diligent in icing and strecthing on a daily basis and after the pain is there.

Progress

So this morning I put some pants on for work that typically have been extremely unpleasing to wear.  They have always been tight in the waist, and then when the zipper was raised, would be even tighter.  I always shied away wearing them.  All in all, they were just too damn small for me.  Well, I went to try these pants on today and to my surprise, they fit perfectly (almost feel like I need a belt with them).  I guess this thing is starting to work.


I always get hung up on the weight loss portion of these things, but need to keep in mind that that you also lose inches.  And now I can say I feel that.


This has been a great start to this journey and I look forward to working out everyday.  A big thank you to Burmy and Barnes for being there.  This is just the beginning and I am looking forward to where this is going to take us.


Talk to you all soon.  John

Week 3, Day 1

More P90X to start off the week. The Kempo work out which is a series of kicking and punching moves at a rapid pace for about 50 minutes. It doesn't seem that intense while you are doing it but I was sweating and I knew I burned some calories. One thing I love about P90X workouts is the stretching. Most of them are pretty common but I learned one today that stretched my lower back out very well.

Yesterday I played more tennis with Andy, probably 20 or so games. Saturday I played 2 kickball games which got me outside and active for a bit.

I am noticing more that my ankle is becoming increasingly sore as the weeks go on. I have always had weak ankles but I haven't sprained it in a while. Hopefully as time passes it will get better, but for now I am going to look into a compression brace for it while doing physical activity.

Last Weeks Poll Results

Very little-sitting, walking 2 (10%)

Moderate - Climbing stairs, walking, yard work 4 (21%)

Very Active- light exercise, sports, bike riding 12 (63%)

Intense- Aggressive workout, 5K or better, strict diet regiment 1 (5%)



Votes so far: 19

Week 2 Day 5

Core.... Another session for core and again the result of some pain although nowhere near as bad as last week. P90x routines are just plain hard but they are a really good workout that will push and challenge you to your limits. Great program and in time, it will produce results no matter who you are if you put in the honest effort. I don’t mean for this to be a plug for the program but results are results. I weighed in when I started the Trio Challenge at 215.5. I weighed in at the beginning of my workout on Friday for Week 2 at 208.5. I am sure some of this was water weight and again, more concerned about inches than weight but a positive result none the less.

Week 2 Day 4

Burmy and I worked out on a similar routine. 30 minutes on the elliptical. I chose the random program and also bumped up the resistance level to 4. It was a solid workout and both Burmy and I were drench in sweat. After the elliptical all three of us finished out the day with 2 sets of 10-12 pushups, situps, and dips. Not looking for any real gains in muscle but sense my routine is mostly cardio and fat burning I want to dedicate some time for toning. All in all, good workout. Feel great to be back in the gym and working out. I really enjoy working out with the guys. The support that we provide each other is strong and encouraging. Helps keep you focused on your goals.

Another Saturday

Woke up this morning and my inner thighs were extremely sore from the previous day's workout.  Didn't really have the ambition to complete my Saturday run, but managed to power through the run.  I am happy that I did.  Week 3 of my training application begins next Tuesday, and it consists of some longer interval runs and shorter walks.  Tomorrow is my day off, so stretching and plenty of water are in my future.  Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend.


Peace out - John

Excuses, Excuses...

Totals at the end of week 2 are:
John Germano: $40 remaining
Brian Burmeister: $40 remaining
Bryan Barnes: $35 remaining

Barnes can say what he wants about why he had to miss the team work out but the fact is that he did, which means he is out $5 at the end of week 2.

Week 2, Day 5 & Week 2 Recap

Today we did the P90X core work out. Let's just say my core is less than adequate to do this workout but as Tony Horton says "Do your best, forget the rest."

Overall the week started off slow. I didn't really feel like my work out Monday pushed me, but everyday it became more intense. I like having the structure of a P90X work out to guide me through 45 - 60 minutes of activity. I also like that you are changing things up every minute or two. Overall I think we have a good mix of aerobic and weight lifting.

Feeling Good

I will have to say that after these 2 weeks of this training, I am now starting to feel good.  The soreness is at a minimal level, the runs are becoming standard, and all in all my overall feeling is good.  I like the place that we are currently at and the 2 guys that are in this with me are making me work had to obtain my goal....quit being a fat ass.

Later this afternoon, we hit the gym for a little P90X Core.  Nighty nights.

Week 2, Day 4

Elliptical for 30 minutes doing interval training. Then did 2 sets of situps, pushups, and dips to finish out the day. A lot of sweat while doing the elliptical, it felt good. I am no where near as sore this week as I was last week. I feel like I have been pushing myself too so I will just continue to keep working hard. I lost 1.5 pounds since last week which is very encouraging.

Updated pictures as well on the site. Damion Zale brought up a good point that we should do side shots as well which we all agreed was a good idea.

Week 2 Day 3 Workout Update

As we all know, I had to miss my workout with the guys for personal reasons yesterday, but I promised an update on my afternoon workout. I decided to take a very quick pace bike ride. The ride one way was about 4 miles and I thought that would be a nice challenge to go there and back. So I head out fill with determination. Things were going well on the way but once I began to make the turn to head back to the house all of a sudden my pedals lock up. After a quick inspection I noticed that somehow as I was changing gears the chain twisted and literally bent a chain link like a twisty tie. I have never seen that happen to a chain before. I also have to admit that I didn’t dress appropriately as I was wearing flip flops. Needless to say I had to walk the bike back (didn’t have my phone) in the heat wearing flip flops. Pathetic. I guess the positive is that I got in a 4 mile bike ride and a 4 mile walk yesterday so can’t complain about that....

Week 2 Day Three

Yes, I was unable to workout with the guys during lunch but that does not mean that I am missing my workout today. I will be working out this afternoon so I will provide the update on the workout tomorrow.

Week 2, Day 3

P90X Chest and Back. A series of push-ups, pull-ups, and free weights. Arms are for sure tired, and will probably be sore these next couple days.

I want to say how awesome I think it is that John Germano can do almost two pull ups. I have respect for that as I cannot even get 1 right now. Good work John.

I also want to say that Bryan Barnes is a mad man on the elliptical.

Watching both of them workout gives me the motivation to get to their level.

WE HAVE OUR FIRST WORKOUT MISS OF THE CHALLENGE!

Bryan Barnes needed to opt out of the workout today in order to attend to family business. He is now 5 dollars lighter in the pocket, but we hope to see him back in the gym tomorrow.

Weekly totals will be posted on Friday afternoons.

Week 2, Day 2, Session 1 & 2

Session 1 started with 20 minutes of random intervals on the elliptical. I am not sure if it was how hard I was working out or how humid it was in the gym but either way I was dripping sweat after it. I did some stretching of my lower back which seems to tighten up at times after the elliptical and followed that up with some push-ups, sit-ups and dips with Barnes.

Session 2 was volleyball in a league I play in. I did not sweat nearly as much as I thought I would during this, but it was still nice to get outside in the warm weather and move around.

5K training....Week 2

Nothing huge to report.  The training application for Week 2 changed the running intervals to a minute and a half.  You run 6 of those.  Between runs, you walk for 2 minutes.  Powered through the program and then did some old school sit-ups.  Back is a little sore from yesterday, but I know that I need to power that up in order to work on my core.


On another note, Charlie at work dropped me off a coupon for a new wellness center that is near work.  It is for half off on a 16oz smoothie and a free wellness profile.  I think it would be cool to get a profile done now and then re-visit it in 6 months.  Will need to talk to the guys about that.


Tomorrow we are working the arms and chest.  Should be fun.  Peace.

Week 2, Day 1 session 2

John may not call it working out but my roommate Andy and I played tennis last night for a solid hour. I look forward to playing tennis more often an burning some additional calories after my daily workout.

Week 2 Day 1- Still Going

Began week 2 after a rough weekend. I feel much better today, more like myself. I am focusing my workout more on the cardio side. I worked out on the elliptical for a solid 30 minutes using a interval program. Kept it up at a high pace and worked up a great sweat. After the elliptical I did a couple of sets of pushups, dips and set ups to help keep my muscle strong. Lost 2lbs from last week. This is most likely attributed to water weight so I am not too excited. I am not too focused on the weight but the inches and continuing the routine on a daily bases.

A new week...A new dawn

Not much really going on today.  Started with a quick ride on the bike.  We then worked on some arm exercises to begin that tone that we will want in a few months :).  I then did some lower back exercises.  My lower back has been a thorn in my side for years, but recently has really given me problems.  Ever since my run on Saturday, the back has been killing me.  I also want to strengthen the back so I can get to working on the stomach.


My 5K training application resumes tomorrow.  First time I have ever looked forward to running.  


Began planning out what I want to eat for meals.  Need to stay more focused on that.  I know that it is going to take a long time to see the results, but I am looking forward to them.


Stay Tuned.....  

Week 2, Day 1

Today started out with a warm-up walk on the treadmill for 5 minutes. John and I did some free weight and machine workouts for our arms. We were intrigued by the rowing machine so we both took a spin on that. Not sure I would use it a lot, but here and there it would be nice for the back and shoulders. I finished up with 15 minutes on the treadmill walking/running. Overall it felt like a nice work out to get back into the swing of things from the weekend.

Day 4- Worst day yet

Well I had hoped that the pain and tightness would have eased however... Not the case. My inner thighs where so sore that I could not stand up straight and barely walk. Today however is much better. Doing lots of yard work, digging flower beds, cutting the yard and if time trim the hedges. I am going to hit the bike again today. Thinking about pushing the distance today but we will see. I want to make sure I am ready to hit our workout on Monday. Also worked all weekend trying to put together a good nutritional plan and change my eating habits. Other than that, things are moving along. 4 days in a row of conscience decisions and focus activity. It’s a start.

New and Improved.... I Think

While you are checking out our updates feel free to participate in our weekly polls. We do not use the information for anything except as a means to give you something to think about. Also at the bottom of our new blog we have added "Common Sense Tip of the Week". Simple language no BS here. Just helpful hints, and bits of information that may help you get through the day. Its a tough fight but you are not alone.

Day 3- Update

I had the day off (some might say I took off to avoid a $5.00 penalty but not true). Started off in the morning with a nice long walk with my dog. Then rode my bike about 5 miles. Worked all around the house (went up and down my stairs litterally about 30 times) and yard work. Keep myself after even though I was sore. It will soon pass. The payoff is worth it.

Early Morning Run

Since I was too busy yesterday on the golf course, I decided to get up this morning and complete Day 3 of my 5K training app.  It was extremely muggy out but it felt good to sweat.  Week 1 is now completed and I begin Week 2 on Tuesday.  Look like the runs increase in time.  Looking forward to it.


I am slowly beginning to come around and feel normal again, except for my right tricep.  That thing is extremely tight.  My next hurdle that I know that I am going to have to overcome is the food side of things.  I need to start planning my meals better and watching what I eat.  Just another chapter in this book.  As for today, it is Luciana's 1st birthday party, so I will be indulging.  Hope everyone has a great weekend.


Peace Out - John

Lonely....

Since my counterparts in this quest were off for the day I worked out by my lonesome. I started off with some light walking and some good stretching. Since my body is so sore I wanted to get the muscles loosened up. I proceeded to ride intervals on the bike for 20 minutes going from 80RPMs on the low end to 120RPMs when I was pushing it. After this I walked again and ran some intervals on the treadmill. I attempted running at a slower speed today to see if it had a positive influence on my shin splints and it seemed to help. Next week I will try running a bit longer at the slower pace and see how it goes.

I have softball tonight, and while it is not a great work out it is still better than sitting at the bar drinking empty calories, even though I like doing that too.

Over the weekend I plan on either taking a walk or going for a bike ride just to keep the muscles warm so that when Monday comes around they wont feel the shock like they did this week.

NO PAIN, NO GAIN!!!!!!

Day 3 started off with some Ab Ripper X hosted by Tony Horton. If you have never heard of him or have never done p90x, well let's just say you are lucky. He treats working out like it is breathing which is not necessarily a bad thing, but he inflicts pain on you early and often. Ab Ripper X is 15 minutes of straight core/ab workouts. Many of the moves I cannot complete in full, but in time I am sure I will get it.

After Ab Ripper I jumped on the treadmill for about 10 minutes doing some walking/running in intervals, again the shin splints are an absolute thorn in my side and cause me too much pain to push through many of the times. I stopped running and went to the trusty old bike again doing some more intervals. I think the reason I turn to the bike is that after running and having my shins feel like they are going to explode it is a nice to still be exercising and not putting the pressure on them. I also recall my days back in 8th - 10th grade where I would bike into town from my parents house which was approximately 5 miles almost everyday to hang out with friends and then go to work. I look back at pictures of myself from then and realize how much better shape i used to be in; I want to get back to that.

I finished up by some stretching and we ended with a photo shoot for week one. The photos are going to be weekly representations of our progress and will be visible in the slide show on the main blog page.

Writing this the day after working out I can say that the soreness in my arms does not even compare to what I am feeling in the front of my hips. My guess is that I was using those muscles to do many of the ab workouts since my abs aren't strong enough to do the lifting. It is a tad hard to walk, but i know that it will just take time for my body to get used to using some muscles that I haven't in a while.

John and Bryan are off today so I will be heading up to work out by myself today. I plan on keeping it a low key day since I also have softball tonight.

PAIN......nuf said.

Day 2...Arms sore

Day 2 complete.  Started off with a little Ab Ripper from P90X.  All I can say is that I am fat and i have no flexibility.  I need to work on that.  Anybody who can make it through that entire workout, I have mad love for.


After Ab Ripper, I started Day 2 of my 5K training app.  Tried to push it a little harder on the minute runs.  No big deal.


Tomorrow I have vacation so I will not be upstairs, but there is no penalty because it is scheduled.  Will perform Day 3 of training app on Saturday.


Peace out - John

Establishing a routine and state of mind

Day one (well, my day one according to my counterparts) went well. You know its a good day when you cant wash her hair or itch your back because you cant move your arms. Today isnt as bad I thought but its usually day 2 thats the worst.

My plan is to just stay as active as possible. Working out during the day with John and Brian and will be working out in the afternoon with my son while he is training for football. I will try to make solid decisions when it comes to food and to keep my goals in check. I am not going to concentrate too much on the long term and try to keep focus on each day.

I cant remember the last time I can honestly say my weight was less than 200lbs. Thats about to change.

Day One....Kinda, Sorta

I guess you can call today the "official" start to The Trio Challenge.  I won't go into too much detail, but let's just say that there was some miscommunication on Bryan B's part and he did not know when we were starting.


As for myself and Brian B (referred to as 'Burmy' from here on out), we started this thing up on Tuesday, 5/31.  We both started with a 5K training application on our phones.  It is intended to build your endurance and train you for a 5K run.  Burmy has had issues with shin splints so he pushed through with what he could and finished off on the bike.  I completed the 30 minute exercise and was instructed (by the app) to rest a day and pick up the training program on Thursday.


On to the official "kick-off".  We all decided to work on our arms and upper back.  We used a modified P90X exercise program that involved many push ups in many different forms (regular, army style, wides, diamond, etc.)  We complimented that with many pulls ups and free weight exercises.  All in all, great workout and can't wait for the next couple of days to see how my body feels.  Right now, I feel like a T-Rex who can't put on deodorant or scratch his back.  Real nice.


We are still finalizing the details of exactly how the monetary side of things is going to work, but we have agreed that we will be working out 5 days a week (Monday thru Friday).


Can't wait for tomorrow.  Peace out - John

The Beginning

So here it goes.  John G, Brian B, and Bryan B, were all sitting at the bar on a Friday afternoon (5/27/11) after work.  All three of us have had our different issues in consistently working out and attempting to get into shape.  For myself, I have always been a "yo-yo".  I will work out for a length of time and then stop and gain everything back.  I also have a problem with making excuses and ultimately not being able to work out on a regular basis.  I can't speak for the other two, but I can tell you that we all had one common goal.....quit being fat asses.


With that being said, we all agreed that we needed the support of one another in order to build a consistent plan.  Also, putting a monetary prize behind this also has its benefits (which we will detail out once everything has been finalized), but not as much as the ultimate goal....quit being fat asses.


We will be using this blog to detail out our daily exercises and also using it to showcase the progress.  Every Thursday, we will include a picture of the three of us so that we can put together a nice pictorial timeline of the physical changes that we hope our bodies go through.  Bryan B. has asked that we take those pictures in tighty whities, but it was quickly shot down by the committee.


I hope you enjoy this blog and that you keep up on our progress.  We know that we are at the ultimate hand of accountability since we are posting this, but we are going to do this thing. 

Peace out. - John