Marriage: The workout killer

I would like to preface this blog by saying that I am not referring specifically to any person I know. This is a general trend I've noticed over my lifetime. And I wanted to see if other people agreed with me or think I'm a raving lunatic (wouldn't be the first or last time)

Let's create 2 fictional characters: John and Marcy.

John and Marcy are getting married in a month. As they get closer to the wedding day, their physical appearances improve. This is because everyone wants to be in great shape for their wedding and honeymoon. So they really take the dieting and exercising to a higher level.

Then it's all over. John is no longer John. Marcy is no longer Marcy. Now they are John and Marcy. They're married. No more dating. They're out of "The Game". Let's recall some BNL lyrics:

"She's like a baby, I'm like a cat. When we are happy we both get fat."

To put it lightly, I think people tend to let themselves go after marriage. And while part of me understands this phenomenon, another part of me thinks it's stupid. Personally, I exercise for myself. I want to be stronger and healthier. I wouldn't stop that just because I got married.

And I sure as hell won't let my wife stop either. Think about it. You get married to someone - and at least part of you must find them physically attractive. But then that goes out the window after the wedding? I'd be pissed.

Even though I'm a guy - I mean this both ways. I'm sure there are plenty of instances where a guy lets himself go. Women - do you want to marry a guy with a 6-pack and then find that a year later he's a guy with a 6-pack... of beer in his hand? I think not.

Am I just being superficial here?? Am I a pig? Do I place too much emphasis on physical appearance?

I guess only time will tell...

Resolution Update #1

We're coming to the end of the first month of my resolution. Let's talk about things that I've learned...

Exercise Changes:
I already worked out consistently (3 times a week) but now I've made more of an effort to get 30 minutes of cardio in before lifting.

Food Changes:
This was tough. I've combined a few diet principals/ideas.
1. I eat a low-fat healthy breakfast like plain oatmeal or high-fiber cereal.
2. Mostly Turkey Sandwiches for lunch (I see the subway guy more than my girlfriend)
3. I try to eat a vegetable, and some carbs, and meat for dinner. Like Chicken, Broccoli, and rice.
4. Once or twice a day I have a protein drink (powder plus skim milk).

This sounds pretty boring, I know. But it's healthy.

Here are some things I've learned:
1. Stop snacking. It really makes a huge difference in caloric intake when you aren't eating cookies, crackers, chips each day.

2. If you need to snack then look for snacks that have vegetables in them (weird huh?) OR try mixing up some chocolate pudding but include a scoop of protein powder in it. You'll wind up with a high-protein low-fat snack.

3. You don't have to eat healthy all the time. I take one day each week and "cheat". I'll get a pizza or a cheesesteak. However, here is an important note. On days when you eat badly, make sure that you eat less. Really be aware of how many calories everything has. That's where people get in to trouble. Not only do they eat poorly, but they wind up eating way too many calories in a day.


So, in summary. After one month I've lost a little weight, lost some fat, and gained some muscle. With a better diet and consistent workouts I really feel better each day.

Let's hope I do as well with month #2...

Reasonably Resolutionated In the New Year

I'd like to tell you a story about how a friend kept himself motivated to lose weight and get in shape. It'll tie in to the post title eventually...

Let's call my friend "Jerry"...

So I've known Jerry since college. We were both Comp. Sci. majors and from NJ. Back in high school Jerry was a line backer for the football team. I say this so you can get an image of his body type. He was kind of a big guy, but you wouldn't call him fat because there was an awful lot of muscle underneath there. But I will say that he was a bit "round" (but I'd never say that within arms reach).

Now let's move on to post-college life. Jerry fell into the same trap that gets a lot of us. He began working a 9-to-5 job in an office so his activity levels dropped dramatically. Jerry went from a "football" build to a full out fatty.

When Jerry started exercising again, he first took a picture of himself in his "less than desirable" state. For the next few months, whenever Jerry didn't feel like heading to the gym for his workout, he would look at this picture. At first, his motivation was that he didn't want to look like this anymore. But overtime, as he began to lose fat and gain muscle, his motivation changed. He would see the picture, and then see what he looked like now, and he would be excited to work out more. Seeing those physical results made Jerry yearn for something more.

Long story short, a year or two later Jerry resembles one of the Spartan warriors from the movie 300. He eats better. He exercises better. He lives better. And it was all thanks to a photograph.

Ok now let's get back to the point of my blog. Each year I like to talk about New Years resolutions. Last year, my main point was that you should pick a resolution that is attainable and quantifiable. Well, since one of the number one resolutions for Americans is to lose weight and get in better shape, I thought I would share MY resolution for this year.

I already go to the gym regularly, so I'm not worried about getting in better shape. However, as I've begun to lift more, I've been doing less cardio. So I'm burning less fat. The result is that my body-fat percentage is the highest it has ever been.

My resolution is to reduce my body-fat percentage from 17% (current) to 12% this year. This is extremely attainable. But to help out, I'm going to borrow from Jerry's example. On the first day of every month, I'm going to take a picture of myself without my shirt on. This way I can see the physical results of my workouts as time goes on. Hopefully, in a year I can post one of those photos like you see in the miracle weight-loss commercials - where the guy looks fat and sad in the first picture and then ripped and happy in the second one.

...wish me luck...

More like "Blue Year's Resolutions!"

Ok I have a bone to pick with you people. You know who you are! Each year, you get a little older and a little more out of shape. Therefore, you have the same New Years resolution; to get skinny again.

WELL STOP IT!

I can't go to the gym anymore because EVERY SINGLE cardio machine (treadmill, elyptical, stair master, etc) has some weekend-warrior fitness freak on it! You're ruining it for the rest of us! We like to go to the gym ALL YEAR ROUND and work out regularly. But my workouts are going to suck for the next month until these no-fitness hacks learn that they can't keep it up and start to let their routine slip day by day. And for those telling me to go outside and run... well, I can't. I have asthma. I wouldn't be able to run a single mile in weather below 50 degrees before my lungs close up. So I need the warmth of a gym. Fat people should go outside! They are warmer than me with all those extra layers!

Hey, here's a tip for how you can find that youthful body hiding under there...

PUT DOWN THE DAMN FORK!

Now, I'm not the healthiest eater in the world so you know it MUST be bad if I'm complaining about it.

Look, if you're going to make a new year's resolution then at least follow a simple rule. Your resolution needs to be measurable and attainable. Don't just say that you're going to lose weight and get in shape. Pick an amount to lose and a deadline to lose it by. then make a weekly routine that you are able to follow.

My resolution was to beat my previous time at the Broad Street Run in May. I've already laid out a longer workout timeline so I don't kill myself the week before the race.

Ok, that's all I got. In summary, stop fooling yourself. You can't lose weight. You can't get back in shape. Just go back and sit on the couch and continue watching re-runs of "The Biggest Loser".