Fin!

I'm done! I went back to Fundamental Fitness in Denver to have my body fat measured. The measurement came out at 16% body fat with a weight of 212 lbs. That means I lost 26 lbs and 9.5% of body fat. ACE defines fitness as anywhere between 14%-19%, so I'm well within the range of fit.
One thing that I have recognized is that fitness is more of a journey than a destination. I think a true fitness program should be a lifestyle choice and not just a passing fad in one's life. Also, I think that if I had a specific goal to meet again, I would give myself 6 months next time. That allows for things like travelling, being sick, or unexpected circumstances. That being said, I'm going to keep going on my journey in fitness. My long term goal is to stay in the range of "fit" closer to 14% than 19% body fat. I think my ideal weight will be somewhere around 210.
Things I've learned:
It doesn't matter if you fall off, only how fast you get back on the horse.
Fitness is a journey, not a destination.
Objects at rest tend to stay at rest. Objects in motion tend to stay in motion.
I'll never regret working out.
Fitness is more about how you feel than how you look. A more chiseled physique is just a bonus.
The practice of being active can be enlightening.
I can get fit and save money on gas by biking.
Endorphins are good!

As promised I will be donating some money to Augie's Quest. I lost 9.5% and pledged $10 for each percentage lost. I'll be donating $95, and Body Bar Systems is going to match that. Also, I got some other pledges of support to the tune of $150. All together the donation will be $440.

The last two weeks. . .

The last two weeks have been good to me :)
My need to work out to stay on track, coupled with the beautiful weather and wonderful snow has had me spending a great deal of time outdoors. Biking, hiking, snowboarding have been my cardio.
I've taken on biking to work every day that I can. I take the long way, which is nice because I can ride on a bike trail the entire way downtown to work. Boulder did a fantastic job planning that accessibility. Also, its been the perfect weather in my opinion. Its been pretty warm down here on the front range, but snowing just 25 miles West. That means I get to hike here in Boulder and drive 1/2 hour to go snowboarding at Eldora. The snow has been incredible.
My Body Bar workouts have progressed and I'm really in a rhythm now. I've found bilateral or one hand work to be particularly effective as I have to balance the full four feet of the bar in my hand. It makes for a much greater balance challenge, and therefore engages the core.
I will note that with the coming measurement I've been slightly neurotic, sometimes thinking that I haven't made any progress at all. However, I know how I feel, which is exponentially better than the way I felt in my body before starting the challenge.

Week 10

I've found that the more trips I do, the harder it is to stay on target. I was away for almost five days and during that time I got one cardio and one Body Bar workout in. Also, eating out all the time, its hard to find something that is on my eating plan. A little frustrating, but I think I can pick up some steam now that I'm home and have no more trips in the near future.

Week 9

This week was truly a busy week. I got right back into it biking and doing body bar workouts. My aunt was visiting and she was inspired by my Body Bar workouts and wanted to buy a Body Bar. I had a rueben and Guinness with my brother on Sunday night in celebration of St. Patrick's day - I've found that sometimes things like family traditions trump the eating plan. Was nice to be home for a while and get back into a routine. Alas, no rest for the weary - I leave for my last tradeshow of the season tomorrow.

Week 8

This week I was traveling a lot. I went to IHRSA - our biggest convention of the year. Surprisingly enough I found it difficult to make time for working out, even at a fitness convention. I'm feeling pretty good about my progress though, weighing in at 220 lbs. At the convention I had Kent McCurdy do another Body Fat Measurement and I came in at 18.5%. given that I began at 238 lbs and 25.5% body fat, I am pleased. I still have a ways to go though, and I have more traveling to do. The thing about traveling is that it throws you out of your routine both with your workout schedule and eating habits. I'm finding traveling to be the most challenging part of the journey thus far.

Week 7

This week's challenge came in the form of illness. On Monday I began to have a sore throat. I went for a run anyhow, which felt good, however not long after that I began to feel progressively worse. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to slow down at all. By Tuesday I was full-on sick. Sherry Catlin was coming to town and she and I and Jean-Paul were going to head down to Colorado Springs for the AAAI convention. I was really excited to take the Body Bar workshop that we hosted at One Boulder Fitness so I took some DayQuil and pushed on through. I think it was actually really good to sweat, it felt cleansing. I weighed myself and I weighed 221 lbs, meaning I've lost 17 lbs. Over the weekend we attending AAAI and I did as much as I could at Sherry's precon workshop and also a Body Bar Flex class. Not feeling well it was pretty difficult to stay motivated to work out and obviously the intensity of the workouts was not as great. However, I think that the movement actually helped my recovery.

Week 6 thoughts

Today was a stressful day. I was noticing that my old way of doing things would have been to ease the stress by self-soothing with "comfort foods" and beer. Instead I exercised and I can't tell you how much of a difference it makes. Instead of stealing energy from me, my activity re-energizes me. I am really thankful that I am doing this, that this industry exists, and that there is support for people who want to change their lives.

No Crap Diet

I started this on Tuesday: so far I feel great.

The No fail No Crap Lo Crap Diet by Sherry Catlin

The Official No Crap Lo Crap Diet

For 2 weeks follow the:
No Crap Diet
Simply put.. No crap..no sugar, no rice, potatoes, pasta, bread or processed foods. No added chemicals. But to clarify that...

NO:
Sugar..raw or processed, corn syrup, sugar substitutes
Potatoes of any kind..
Rice..
Pasta of any kind..
Breads, crackers, chips, cookies Sports Bars or processed foods ...
Any food or condiment (check your ketchup, musturd and salad dressings) that is processed with sugar or contains chemicals)
Any food that contains chemicals. (ingredients that you can’t pronounce and you don’t know what they do)
Any Soda, sports drink, juices that contain anything besides 100% fruit or vegetable juice
Any Processed cereals..containing any flour, wheat, barley, rye, oats or rice..
Any fried foods that have a coating of bread crumbs or flour.

That being said..Most foods you can eat:

YES:
ANY fruit.. (If they are dried, check to see if they are processed with sugar)
ANY vegetable except the ones noted above...
ANY meat, fish or poultry (canned tuna or other fish or meat okay if no chemicals used in processing)
ANY Bean
Eggs any way..
Any Nuts.. May be roasted and salted but no “beer nuts” or ones processed with sugar or chemicals
ANY real Cheese-avoid processed cheeses with chemicals or sugars.. Cottage cheese okay.. Check ingredients
Any Milk
Yogurt-with no sugar
Peanut butter-okay if it is the kind processed without sugar and chemicals.. Just peanuts
Coffee or tea- sweeten with honey or maple syrup.
100% fruit juices with no added sugar..(cut with water as you will want to drink more)
Wine
Condiments okay if made with no chemicals or sugar.
Butter and oil okay for cooking..

Tips:
Shop before you start..Shop the outside aisles of the store.
Get lots of easy eating fruits.. Grapes, bananas, apples, plums, oranges, clementines, blueberries, strawberries, pineapple etc.
Get lots of easy eating vegetables to have around carrots, celery, jicama, cucumber sticks.. These can be used for dips and cheese instead of crackers also..
Get nuts you like..
Think of things you can have for for breakfast.. Fruit and yogurt or smoothies.. Cottage cheese and fruit, eggs or omelets..
Think of things you can have for lunch.. Any kind of fresh salad with “yes” ingredients.. tuna, chicken, ceasar, cobb, club, nicoise (minus potatoes, croutons.)Soups, Stews, Curries, chili.. Lots of one pot a, one bowl dishes out there. Smoothies. Sandwiches made with large lettuce leaves instead of bread.
Dinner is easy..just replace your starch (rice, potatoes, pasta) with another vegetable.
Soups are great.. Most can be made from Yes ingredients..
Sweeten with a little honey or maple syrup
No eating while walking..sit down and enjoy your food.
When looking at packaged foods check the “ingredients” for “No” sugars and chemicals not the “Nutrition Facts”( “yes” foods do contain natural sugars) and that is fine.
If you think you are hungry, have something to drink first and wait 15 minutes.. We tend to interpret signs of thirst as hunger.
Move more and lift some weights.
You should lose around 8-10 pounds in two weeks, mostly around your mid-section.
Any questions.. Email or call me anytime..

After 2 weeks if you are happy with your body but appreciate the benefits of no crap.. You can move to
The Lo Crap Diet..
You can add in a “hand full” amount of “crap” a day.. Choose your favorite crap! Then keep an eye on how your body responds.

Week Five Wrap up

Wednesday I took Thea's guts and butts class - I'm not sure if my legs have ever been that sore in the next few days. I left for ECA on Thursday - unfortunately in the hustle and bustle of getting ready to go I missed my workout. I worked out at the hotel gym in the morning. On Saturday I took Keli Roberts' Body Bar class - it felt good to be in the room with fitness professionals and be able to keep up.
I had a good and productive time at ECA. Somehow I felt more like I belonged there because I am more active than the last few shows I've done there. Sherry Catlin and I had a good time talking about and experimenting with the Body Bar Flex in the off hours of the tradeshow. Lisa Wheeler taught a fantastic class with the product - I think it has a lot of potential for group ex.

Week Five Weigh In

The scale is up and working at the gym again. I weighed myself - 229 lbs. That means I've lost 9 lbs. Considering that I want to get down to around 215 to come in at 14% body fat, I need to get moving. I'm thinking of taking on a more aggressive nutrition plan - I'm going to try my esteemed colleague's (Sherry Catlin) "No Crap" diet, starting on Monday. I'll post the details then.

Thoughts midway through week five

I'll be leaving to go to the ECA convention in New York on Thursday. I hope to post on Sunday as well. I just wanted to write down some thoughts about how I am feeling. Its really interesting - I have moments of feeling like I can see and feel results and then moments where it seems like nothing has changed at all. However, I know that the way I feel is changing. The interesting thing about fitness that I'm finding is that it really is about inertia - the whole lifestyle starts to catch up and all of the sudden I'm a healthier and more vital person. However, it is not easy - especially when the inertia is sedentary. Getting things moving again is the toughest part. Also, I've been used to seeing immediate results. I think now that I have a little more body mass the results aren't as evident. I have no idea what I weigh - the scale at the gym is broken (yeah I know).
The other thing I've noticed is that the feedback that I see in the mirror is motivating. Before I was working out it really didn't phase me that I was out of shape - it just became habituated. Now I'm looking for feedback and that is a new motivating factor.
One other thought is that its not about the equipment, its about the will to work out. The cosmic joke about the whole thing is that it takes the most will to start - once you're going it just becomes a part of life. That's what's great about the Body Bar - you can buy a Body Bar for under $50 and just move with it - get a DVD or two and learn some things you can do with it and your golden. Just have to keep on moving. . .

Week Four

Happy Super Sunday! I'm having a Super Bowl party tonight - I got a double workout in to help make up for my foreseen overindulgence. I did a great Body Bar workout first thing in the morning and went for a long bike ride afterwards. I'm sticking pretty close to my eating plan, basically limiting my carbs and focusing on whole foods. That being said, I'll be drinking beer which is loaded with carbs and empty calories. However, I discovered that Corona Light has less calories and about the same carbs as Michelob Ultra - a much tastier option in my opinion, so there's my beer of choice for Super Sunday.
I think the biggest realization this week has been that there's not really a problem in falling off - the true test is how fast you get back on the horse. I think that fitness is a lifestyle choice - and its more about how many times you come back to it rather than the once or twice when you miss a workout or make a poor nutrition choice. That's given me a lot of freedom to make mistakes. Also, when I'm not experiencing some self inflicted guilt about missing a workout, I am able to feel without bias how missing a workout makes me feel. I'm really starting to enjoy the way I feel when I workout - and even if I didn't lose a pound or an ounce of fat, I feel so much better in my body - my body feels healthier and more capable.
The workout highlight of the week was my customized Body Bar workout - I honestly don't feel like I'm missing anything by not going to the gym and using the heavy weights.

Week Three

During week three I suffered what seemed to be a major setback. On Wednesday I went to do my cardio with a run around Pearl Street and up the creek path. I got about a half mile down Pearl when my lower calf muscle just seized up on me. I thought it was a cramp so I tried to stretch it out to no avail. I had to limp back to the office. Turns out by not warming up and going right into the run in the freezing cold cause me to strain the Soleus muscle. To add insult to injury, I went home to soak in the tub and when I was done I opened the drain too hard and the drain mechanism broke and was stuck in the closed position. Thankfully I was able to fix it before I became too stinky from lack of showering.
I know that cardio is a big part of my regimen so I had to find something else. I looked on the web and someone recommended that one bike instead of run until the strain is healed. Enter the bike - a new form of cardio for me that has been a lot of fun.
I got a good Body Bar workout in on Friday and on Saturday my workout was dancing at the STS9 concert at the Filmore. My leg is already feeling better.
The workout highlight of the week was the re-discovery of my love for biking.

Week Two

Week two has been a little tough. It was a hard week all around. My cardio workouts consisted of running in the mornings. Its been so cold thought that I haven't been able to get a good workout in - my lungs don't like the cold air. I have been enjoying my Body Bar workouts - although I'd love to have some company, i.e. a group class - the gyms here don't really feature many pure Body Bar classes - don't worry, I'm working on it . . . more to come on that.
I'm also starting to question my eating plan a bit - I wonder if I'm taking in too many calories. At the end of the week I went to visit my sister and her husband in the mountains. They love beer and very yummy (and rich) foods. I indulged quite a bit - get this though, my workout was chopping wood - what a great workout! Today I had a business brunch to go to but was able to keep it pretty healthy - although I didn't get much of a workout in other than some pushups and body bar squats.
My workout highlight of the week was doing the YogaStrength DVD with Beth Shaw first thing in the morning. What a way to start the day!

Week One

I went to visit Kent at Fundamental Fitness Products in Denver on Monday. He used the Body Caliper to get my body fat percentage. My weight was at an all-time high of 238. My body fat percentage was 25.5%.

On Monday evening I did the Deep Definition DVD with a 15 lb Body Bar. It was tough. I'm not too big on the step-touch mambo routine, but the workout was awesome when we finally picked up the bar.
Tuesday I went for a short jog.
Wednesday I did the Ready Set Superset DVD. Wow - that was brutal, in a good way. I barely got through it with an 18 lb bar.
Thursday - wanting to ease back into a routine, I took the day off from working out.
Friday - I went for a longer run and did some lateral running exercises.

Background and Motivation

I've been thinking of doing this fitness challenge for quite some time. Having just had the holiday season and starting a new year I thought it would be the perfect time.

I've worked in the fitness industry for almost 6 years. I was very fit when a started. Sometime around 3 years ago I began to be less active - I started working more hours and just did not find the time to get to the gym or to the trail. Ironic that I was working in the fitness industry while becoming progressively less fit.

Recently I've begun to feel the effects of being un-fit; I'm often fatigued particularly in the mornings and the afternoons. I notice an overall decrease in energy. I have trouble working out because the extra weight and cardio ineffieciency only allow me to do so much. Activities that I love like hiking and snowboarding have become difficult.
It's been interesting to watch - I think that things take on a momentum of their own. Perhaps it comes down to Newton's first law of motion, that objects in motion tend to stay in motion and objects at rest tend to stay at rest. In other words, once one stops working out it becomes harder to start again. Further, once one begins working out and integrates it into one's lifestyle, it becomes easier to keep it going.

Working for Body Bar Systems and training with Sherry Catlin and other members of Team Body Bar, I have developed tremendous confidence in the effectiveness of the product. The product is not necessarily intuitive: most people immediately begin doing standing bicep curls when the first pick up the bar. It goes way, way beyond that. The things that the atheletes do with the Body Bar are no less than amazing. I maintain that because the weight is evenly distributed over the bar it creates an additional challenge for balance and core stability. The Body Bar truly is the master tool for functional training.
Because I believe this, I am putting my fitness on the line and committing to use the Body Bar to get fit. Being an ex-jock and weight trainer, this is a stretch for me. I started working out in high school maybe 12 years ago. Since that time my workouts, for the most part, have stayed the same. I've used heavy dumbbells and worked isolated muscles through chest press, shoulder press, triceps extensions, bicep curls, and lat pulldowns, or other similar exercises. These exercises work - they build muscle and mass - however, how functional are they? Do they really help with my everyday movements? Also, I wonder if my body has adapted over time to compensate for these exercises, making them less effective. All I know is that Body Bar workouts kick my butt - so I'm putting my money where my mouth is and using the Body Bar to get fit.

Workouts
In my three month journey into fitness, I will use Body Bars, Body Bar Flex and other products that Body Bar Systems carries, such as the PAST and BOSU balance trainers, the step, as well as stability balls, medicine balls, and Omni Balls. Also, cardio will be a large part of my workouts; running, biking, and hiking (and treadmills when the weather is bad) will all play a part. Stretching and yoga should be a part of any fitness routine, in my view, so I will include those as well. One last thing that I'm allowing myself is my own body weight. I will do pullups and pushups to supplement my training.
Check out http://www.bodybar.com/Body-Bar-Store for information on the products that I'll be using.

Nutrition
The other all important factor to getting fit is nutrition. For my nutritional program I will draw from Paul Chek's work, following a diet based on my metabolic type coupled with a focus on organic and more raw foods. Being from Wisconsin, I really appreciate my beer and cheese - I will need to limit those two "food groups" for optimal success.
For information on a good introductory book by Paul Chek, check out http://www.bodybar.com/How-To-Eat-Move-Be-Healthy?sc=2&category=4211

Measurement
For measurement I'm using body fat percentage. This is a more meaningful measure than pure weight loss - as any good fitness routine will include adding some lean muscle mass. ACE defines fitness for men as between 14%-19% body fat. I'm aiming for the low end of that spectrum, between 14%-15%. I had a personal trainer named Kent McCurdy at Fundamental Fitness Products do my skinfold test with the Body Caliper.
Info on the Body Caliper: http://www.bodybar.com/The-Body-Caliper
Based on my weight of 238, he calculated my body fat percentage to be 25.5%. That means my fat mass is 60.7 lbs and my lean body mass is 177.3 lbs. To reach my goal of 14%, I will need to lose around 30 lbs of fat (considering that I'll likely add some lean muscle mass).


Also, to track my progress, I will be using AccuMeasure's Fitness 3000 Body Fat Caliper. This is great for home use but not quite as realiable as the higher end calipers.

Time
I started the challenge on January 11, 2008. I will measure my final results 3 months later, on April 11th, 2008. Stay tuned!

Extra Incentive
I also wanted to add some extra incentive for me and to raise some awareness for a great cause, Augie's Quest. Augie Nieto is an icon in the fitness industry. He was co-founder and CEO of Life Fitness and is current chairman of Octane Fitness. In 2005 Augie was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. Augie's Quest seeks to raise money to find a cure for ALS.
For every percentage point of body fat that I lose, I will personally donate $10 to Augie's Quest. If I meet my goal I will be donating $115. Body Bar Systems will match that donation. If you'd like to pledge a match or another amount, please email me at tim@bodybars.com . I know its not a huge amount of money - but just think about the impact of hundreds or thousands of people doing the same thing - getting fit and giving back at the same time.
If you'd like to make a donation directly to Augie's Quest, please visit their website: http://www.augiesquest.org/about.html