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