Seuss' Hop On Pop - Shape Shifting @40ish

D

drseuss

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Okay. I haven’t done a fitness or diet journal before, but hey, I’m willing to try just about anything once so here goes.

Now a little about me.

I've dabbled with fitness over the years, but recently shocked myself in to gear when I realized I turn 40 this year. I have 2 small kids (boy will be 6 in September and the girl just turned 4) and to keep from being "run over" by them, I decided I had to quit screwing around.

SO...here I am. I started exercising since last July off and on and then more regularly in the fall about 3-4 times per week. I have almost exclusively stuck to cardio type workouts (rowing, running, and most recently "boot camp"). I've also thrown in a kayaking class and tennis, but those were more for fun and less for fitness.

I've had a couple back surgeries with the last one being in 2002 resulting in a L5/S1 fusion. It hasn't hampered my ROM much, but I am very aware and careful as I want to avoid any potential re-injury. The back issues have also "encouraged" me to keep my weight in check to a decent degree. Oh yeah, and I quit smoking last New Years Eve so that monkey's off my back for good.

My stats are:

  • 39 years old
  • Male
  • 5'11''
  • 188 lbs
  • Body fat - unknown
I put on roughly 15 pounds when I quit smoking so I'm looking to either lose that or transfer it from my gut to my arms/shoulders. I obviously don't want to lose any lean muscle and, truth be told, I want to be in the best physical shape I've ever been in by my 40th birthday in September (if that happens to include actually *seeing* my abs, bonus).

I began tracking my diet/activities using FitDay a few days ago so please take a look and give me any pointers/advice you think will help.

FitDay.com - Diet and Fitness journal for drseuss67

For anyone not familiar with a Boot Camp class, here’s an example (since each class is never quite the same).

  • 4 sets 20 each straight leg crunches
  • 4 sets 20 each straight leg cross-over (bicycles)
  • 4 sets 20 each bent leg crunches
  • 4 sets 20 each bent leg bicycles
  • 4 sets 20 each straight leg climb-crunches
  • 2 minutes of pushups (30 seconds, then vary hand position)
  • 1 minute plank, then 10 pushups (repeat x2)
  • 30 seconds "bleacher" dips, sprint 1/2 bb court, then 30 second plank, then 10 pushups, then sprint back (repeat x4)
  • 2 minutes bent leg sit ups
  • 2 minutes "monkey bar" pull ups (mix over and underhand)
  • walking lunges around the bb 1/2 court
  • 30 seconds mountain-climbers, sprint to center line, sprint back, sprint full 1/2 court, sprint back (repeat x4)
  • 2 minutes dive bombers
Started with stretches and ended with stretches. When I do my next class on Wednesday (we're off Monday for the holiday), I'll pay closer attention and start tracking.

So that’s my story—I would appreciate any tips/recommendations for how I can transform my current self in to a beach-ready 40 year old by September.

Here are the starting shots from 7/2006:

P7040026.jpg


And here are the current shots…with either some slight improvement or some wishful thinking on my part, heh heh.

P5260089.jpg


More tomorrow!

-doc
 
Okay-- I didn't post these in the first string in the hopes I could figure out how to get them smaller. Anyway-- here's the other pics:

7/2006:

P7040025-1.jpg

P7040027-1.jpg


5/26/07:

P5260088.jpg

P5260090.jpg
 
nice job Doc,
We'll get this thing brother. you want a comment or two. this F'in takes guts, and you got them! i don't think any of us have a chance alone, and you are not alone! Not a bad lookng back! Hey- are those my briefs????? hahahaha
FF
 
ok, snce yer all the way in DC i'll go ahead and say it... Carolyn says maybe bloated a tinch,,,

Love ya man!
 
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Day 2 of the journal...

Slept late and it was a basically a lazy Memorial Day holiday. I had the intention of at least getting a run in, but ended up watching the kids and doing laundry. Spent the afternoon/evening at the neighbors where I overdid the bad food a bit:



I did get in some light dumbbells-- I have a set of 15 lb and probably need to get some additional. Did the following:

3 sets 30 hammer curls
3 sets 30 standing curls
3 sets 30 preacher curls (seated on exercise ball)
2 sets 30 shoulder press (seated on exercise ball)
2 sets 30 flys (balanced on exercise ball)

Only other real activities were shooting some b-ball with the neighbor and the boys (12 and 6).

Tomorrow's the wife's gym day so I'll have to come up with another home work out and maybe get a run in.

G'nite...
 
Oh yeah-- and FF, let Carolyn know I've given up all the booze/beer/alcohol. Been about a week so I'm thinking any bloating should be over...but hey, we'll see right?

Scary pictures for all to see-- now I've *got* to stick with this so I can post some improvement. Need to have something better to post by September...

G'nite
 
Day 3...

I think my diet is improving, but I'm still having trouble getting the protein/calories that FitDay seems to think I should be eating. Still blows my mind that if I go more than 500 cal under what I should be eating to maintain, I could be losing LBM. I'll keep working it--

Other than that....kind of a unmotivated. Tonight was the wife's gym night and she stumbled in after her first spin class with rubber legs. I had kid duty so I did 8 minutes of moderate jump rope, then finished up with 2 minutes as hard as I could go. I also got the dumbbells out and did the following:

* 30 preacher curls
* 30 shoulder press
* 30 standing curls
* 30 hammer curls
* 30 tricept extensions?
* 30 flys

The dumbbell's are only 15lb until I can get some heavier ones...

Tomorrow's another day-- bootcamp! Will be lots of fun--

:cool:

Diet link--
 
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better!! you are doing fantastic Brian!! wow! really good. R.E.S.P.E.C.T. and to think I thought you were watchign the tube last night. I was WRONG!
 
Day 4...

Diet is getting better...'cept for that damn donut I had at work. That FitDay food journal can be a brutal tool. I think I recovered though and my ratios were better

Fat: 28%
Carbs: 39%
Protein: 32%

Total Calories Consumed: 2037
Total Calories Burned: 3511



Tonight was bootcamp night and the focus was on abs/stability, but there was a healthy portion of walking lunges, sprints, pushups, cross-over jumping jacks, and stretching before and after.

Did some curls again (I figure until I can get heavier, I'll just wear them out with quantity).

I feel like I should have done more, but I'm whooped so it's a little reading and then I'll probably fall asleep in the chair (wife's already conked out on the couch). Staying away from the scales until Friday...

Thanks Todd! I think the motivator's in the damn before pics...they glare at me every time I go to make an entry here.

So there it is...and tomorrow's another day!

:cool:
 
Thanks Derwyddon-- Been working on improving my diet so I'm hoping to see a difference in the next few weeks (or months if that's what it takes).

:D
 
Definately learning a ton from the forum-- been great so far.

Now I wasn't going to get on the scale until tomorrow, but did it anyway this morning. I was pleasantly surprised that I'm down 4 more pounds to 184 (starting weight was 190).

Guess paying attention to diet is starting to pay off...okay...and the exercise is probably helping too.

:D
 
hey! I'm thinking banging on that bicept days in a row is not the best cycle of activity. better to beat the heck out of them and leave a day for the lil tears to heal and scar,, and build muscle. from what I hear anyhow....hehehe

benefits from this board galore!!!

and one more thing.... my teasing has been in fun!! STOP DEPRECIATING yourself. you do not see yourself in the correct light,,, it is you,, kinda like listenign to yourself on tape. YOU ARE THE MAN! p.s. if you do that again, I will embarrass you. and you know me!!
 
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Day 5...

I don't know what the hell I did, but I went nutso on the protein in the diet today. Here's the breakout:

Fat: 31%
Carbs: 26%
Protein: 44%

Total Calories Consumed: 1807
Total Calories Burned: 3125



Tonight I did an abbreviated upper body with dumbbells (arms/shoulders/upper back)

Not much else to add-- one day at a time.

:cool:
 
Day 6...

I did okay today...just didn't DO much. Total lack of motivation that I'll need to get over quickly. Boot camp tomorrow morning so that should get me kick started. Did do about 5 minutes of jump rope (almost embarassed to write that since it's *all* I did).

Diet was okay most of the day, but I blew it tonight...popcorn with butter...tomorrow will be better, but we have some party to go to so not sure what will happen there. All good-- progress is progress and since this is a life change, it should be a change I can actually LIVE with right?

Here's the diet breakout:

Fat: 46%
Carbs: 32%
Protein: 21%

Total Calories Consumed: 1751
Total Calories Burned: 3123



Havin' fun with it! :D
 
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you're doing great man! just give me another week and I will be back in pocket.

Stay the course...

sheesh, we don't get much comment from others,,, and well, I want some input don;t you?

FF
 
Day 7...

Well...boot camp was fun! Standard regimine of lunges, abs, pushups, mountain climbers, jumping jacks, and sprints. All good and I got a good sweat on--

So then I took the kids to swimming lessons...then a birthday party, then grocery shopping (all family outings). So the kids (and us parents) all got hungrier than we should so we ate at Maccaroni Grill. Now I'll need to figure out something (other than tennis tomorrow) to sufficiently punish myself for the day of indulging.

Here's the diet breakout:

Fat: 36%
Carbs: 34%
Protein: 22%
Alcohol: 8%

Total Calories Consumed: 3366
Total Calories Burned: 3424



FF - Thanks man! Today's not the model day, but hey, I'll get there. Not too many comments, but c'mon man...it's about putting it out there (not all about attention). Lack of comments either means we're beyond hope and providing much needed comic relief.....or we're doing okay and there's not much to add....or....

I know you're busy-- let me know if there's anything I can do to help you out bud.

:cool:
 
Day 8...

Not much to say...today was filled with routine crap. No fun physical stuff...not even any tennis as that was cancelled due to rain.

More grocery shopping, then a reasonably healthy dinner. Ended the day with laundry duty.

Here's the diet breakout:

Fat: 32%
Carbs: 37%
Protein: 31%

Total Calories Consumed: 2029
Total Calories Burned: 3056



Better stuff tomorrow~~

:cool:
 
Day 9...

Holy crap-- got a wild bug up my butt today (and will likely pay the price tomorrow). Got busy with some chores early on, then hit the running store for a new pair of shoes to help eliminate the shin splints I've been suffering for the past few months. So far, they seem to be working well--

So after running some errands, I decided to hit the gym for some weight work. Now I'm still in the process of actually putting together a routine so I mostly stuck to the nautilous machines. If I remembered correctly, here's how it panned out:

Chest Press: 130x12, 150x12, 130x12
Incline Chest: 130x12, 130x12, 130x12
Chest Fly (machine): 110x12, 90x12
Lat Pull Down: 150x12, 150x12, 120x12
Lat Pull Forward (not sure what it's called): 130x12, 150x12, 130x12
Bi Curl (machine): 50x12
Overhand Pull-ups: 12 (60lb assist)
Underhand Pull-ups: 12 (60lb assist)
Dips: 24 (60lb assist)
Bi Curl (dumbbell): 25lbx12, 2 sets
Shoulder Press (dumbbell): 25lbx12, 2 sets
Bent Row: 25lbx12, 2 sets
Chest Press: 25lbx12
Chest Fly: 25lbx12
10 minute run on the treadmill to test out the new shoes @ 6 mph.

So...after that (and a quick shower), ran more errands, grabbed a generally healthy meal at Chili's, picked up kids, clothes, gassed up the truck, and went to boot camp tonight (7 PM).

Boot camp was additional sprints, squats, planks, planks with leg/arm lifts, push-ups, crunches, leg lifts, and stretching (probably forgot other tortures). It was 50 sweat-filled minutes...

Diet wise, not too bad, but a bit shy on what I should have eaten for the day. Here's the diet breakout:

Fat: 26%
Carbs: 37%
Protein: 38%

Total Calories Consumed: 2322
Total Calories Burned: 3800



Thanks for following my progress!

:cool:
 
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Day 10...

Today was recovery (and waiting for the plumber). Felt yesterday's weight work out quite a bit...and I have to say I've enjoyed the pain because that means I worked out the muscles well.

Other than that, was very hungry today so I ended up eating just a bit over what I should have to keep the 500 cal defecit. Off the last couple days so back to the office tomorrow (and boot camp tomorrow night).

Here's the diet breakout:

Fat: 31%
Carbs: 41%
Protein: 28%

Total Calories Consumed: 2583
Total Calories Burned: 3056



More tomorrow~~

:cool:
 
Day 11...

Today was boot camp-- lots of abs, sprints, more abs, planks, pushups, squats, and calf raises. 50 minutes of non-stop sweat and fun. Still feeling the weights from a couple days ago, but it's not a painful feeling, just a worked the muscle well feeling.

Diet went pretty well-- still have a bit of trouble spacing the meals. I have a tendency to graze every couple hours instead of waiting 3 or so hours between "feedings"...not sure if that really makes a difference. Anyway...tomorrow is a company dinner so I won't get a chance to work out...maybe just a few sets of pushups throughout the day at the office...

Here's the diet breakout:

Fat: 31%
Carbs: 37%
Protein: 32%

Total Calories Consumed: 2036
Total Calories Burned: 3464



Nite--

:cool:
 
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