To All Who Suffer, Lend Me Your Ears!

Week 3. Week. F*cking. 3!! Life’s been throwing my schedule curve balls left and right. I can’t even keep track of what day it is right now I’m juggling so much. And that’s really the challenge isn’t it? It’s not about how many push ups I can do, but that I can find a way to maintain the discipline to continue doing them at all.

Life is rarely constant. Especially in an economy where you may be forced to work odd and inconsistent schedules to make ends meat. For some of us that involves working multiple jobs, and for others it’s just a matter of working a job where the hours vary from week to week. Consistency and routine are two of the rarest commodities we’re afforded anymore. That’s one reason it can be tougher than a vibranium shield to stick to the plan to stay healthy.

So, pondering aside, let’s get to the review of how things have been going: Pretty damn good!

I’m now actually doing MORE than 100 push ups per day. Not a lot more but in the neighborhood of 110 to 120. Because…I can do more at a time!!!

When I started, I was barely able to get 30 out of my body before meeting the floor face first. Now, I’m in the 35-40 range, and last night I made it to 42 for my final set.

I’ve started the clapping push ups. OUCH! Holy f*ck balls, ouch. It’s that kind of divine pain. I can get somewhere from 12-15 per set of them. I’ve also been doing 3-point push ups, which is where you put one leg over the other, thus you only have 1 toe supporting you. It’s kind of like upping the incline on the treadmill.

Despite experimenting and integrating the new kinds of push ups into my routine, I’ve also been making sure I have one set that’s still the good ol’ fashioned, as much to keep up my morale as anything else. Staying motivated by feeling like progress is being made, that’s as important as any other aspect.

Still breaking them up into 3 sessions throughout the day. However, due to exhaustion, my first set is usually around noon in my office and my boss gets some entertainment out of it. Because he’s a cool boss that is amused by randomness.

1 more week and the challenge ends. Can I keep up the momentum? Can I add more claps? Will I be brave enough to attempt a 1 arm? Tune in to find out!

Same Bat-Time, Same Bat-Channel,

The Dude

To anyone who’ll listen!!!!!

Damnation and tar nation week 2 has been a mess for me with this challenge. My work schedule’s ramped up like never before. You’d think there would be enough hours in the day but every time I think I’ve got a few minutes to put in another set of 30 I’ve been getting called up for this, that, the other thing, and that thing nobody really wants to do so I have to do it.

In other words, the second week has been a freaking hectic one, people! Fortunately, I’ve got some good news and some bad news.

Bad news first: I’ve been getting pains in my lower back that weren’t there before. Comes upward from the back of my hip. This is probably as much a reflection of poor posture, sitting at a desk all day, and lack of stretching the muscle group in the lower lumbar region. But it’s a hindrance nonetheless.

General soreness is something I’m getting used to, it’s eased a bit as the week’s progressed but the rule of thumb is: if you’re not sore then you’re not working the muscle. Read More »

A Dude’s confession: I’m no longer in the most immaculate shape of my life. I was at one point. Second semester of Freshman year I was in that frickin’ gym 4 times a week, sometimes 5. I had pecks that make The Rock’s surgically enhanced ones seem like, like, something, uh, less impressive as the pecks as I had! Yeah! And abs? 6 pack. That’s right. 6 pack.

But not only did I look good, I felt good, 8 hours of sleep per night, never got sick, never got tired, soreness was a constant validation for the better quality of life I was living. Now, years later, I have a job — 3 jobs in fact — and I’ve got bills to pay, and an apartment to not get kicked out of, and what’s one of the first things that went by the wayside as I entered adulthood? Gym membership! I’m not The Blob, but I’m not The Great One anymore either. So here’s what’s going to happen: For the next 30 days, I’m going to do 100 push ups every day.

At the peak of my physically prowess I actually could do over 50 without stopping, now…well let’s say at one of my jobs last week, we had a push-up contest and…I didn’t win…really didn’t…but flab be damned! Read More »

I get asked about my diet a whole lot. As my peers are getting older every year (because I am…and you are, too), it’s become progressively more difficult for lots of my lady friends to keep the figures that they want. But, some way or another, it’s become easier for me.

I used to eat whatever I wanted and exercised only when I wanted to. My metabolism was sickly fast and I just figured I was healthy because I was skinny. Over the past few years, I have slowly learned to eat right and to exercise right, too. Now that it’s a part of my routine, it’s easier than ever to be healthy.

BUT I still need to be unhealthy here and there. Some people I know can eat healthy 24-7 without any screw-ups. I am not one of those people. My diet regime that I get asked about so much actually DOES include days where I eat all of the wrong stuff. I have these days maybe once every week or two and nothing sets me back on track for healthy eating faster than a day filled with fried food and chocolate treats.

Are they good for my arteries and liver? Hell no.

Am I being unhealthy by indulging in these days? Hell yes.

But I still feel as though I am better off throwing these days in here and there (and savoring my sweets) than to always wonder what I’m missing, or living a bland life full of carrots and bottled water.

Here is a typical day’s worth of food for me: Read More »