DAY 21

DAY 21, 181.5 lbs

Back in the 180s! Not too many people would be proud to be adding weight to the scale, but, for the ectomorph like me, it's a good thing.  I know that my diet does not facilitate any unhealthy weight gain. So for me, increases on the scale can only mean one thing - increased muscle mass.

I finally started to add some HIIT to my weekly exercise regimen.  HIIT (or High Intensity Interval Training) has been gaining popularity in the last few years and more and more studies are showing its incredible benefits.  So why should you do HIIT? To put it simply, in only 10 to 20 minutes, HIIT provides cardiovascular benefits that rival long-distance exercise while also improving power, strength, metabolism, and fat burn. This means you can drop the hours of cardio and get MORE benefits in LESS time. I'll let you decide what to do with all of the extra time!

You can do HIIT by running, swimming, cycling, or by jazzercise for all I care!  I'm going to use running as an example because its easy for most of us to strap on some shoes and get outside.

Sprint (preferably up-hill) at 90% of your ability 30 seconds
Jog/Walk at 50% for 30 seconds
Repeat 10-15 times

If you think it sounds easy, you are in for a surprise.  I had hard time staying motivated and an even harder time keeping my food down.  I do not suggest eating within 2 hours before HIIT.  By the end of it, you will be breathless, shaky, sweaty, and begging for mercy.  'No pain, no gain' definitely applies here, but it is undoubtedly worth it.  Whether you are looking to burn fat, build muscle, or just live a longer and healthier life, you have to make HIIT part of your weekly routine!

Now I'm lifting 4 days a week, HIIT 2 days, and resting 1 day.  I feel healthier already.

DAYS 9 and 10

DAY 9

Happy Valentine's Day!  I hope y'all made time to look good for your significant others.  I know I couldn't thank my wife enough for the love and support she gives me.  I can honestly say I don't always enjoy lifting weights, but I am motivated each and every day by her.  I work hard to make sure that we will have a long, healthy, and happy life together.  I love you, Lee-Cassie.  I can't wait to see what the future holds for us!

Valentine's Day was no excuse to miss a day a training.  I squeezed a great workout into my busy schedule.  I feel like my body is starting to head in the right direction now that I have the right food to fuel me and the right schedule to get proper rest.  One set-back has been the crowds in my gym lately.  I workout in a shipyard, so when we have more Navy ships docked, there are more people in the gym. I plan on starting to workout early in the morning this Thursday. We'll see how that goes.

DAY 10

My sweet wife went grocery shopping for us this week after I compiled a list of the types of food I should be eating every week to fuel my workouts.  Below is my personal 7 day list if you're curious. I don't have too much time to write tonight.  I'm getting to bed early so I can get in the gym bright and early tomorrow morning.   

FRUIT
Apples
Bananas
2 Pineapples (precut)
Plums, Pears, or Oranges
Berries

VEGGIES
5 Bags Fresh Spinach
3 Bags Baby Carrots
7 Potatoes
1 Onion
4 Red Bell Peppers
Cucumbers

DAIRY
1 Dozen Eggs
2 Large Containers Plain Yogurt
4 Cartons Egg Whites
Sliced Sharp Cheddar
2 Gallons Milk

MEAT
3 Packs Chicken or Turkey Sausage
4 Pounds Extra Lean Ground Beef
Large Bag of Chicken Breasts
Fish

GRAINS+NUTS
Whole Grain English Muffins (NOT ENCRICHED)
1 Box High-Fiber Cereal
Walnuts
Cashews
Quinoa
Steel Cut Oats
Spaghetti Noodles

OTHER
Banana Cream Syntha-6 Protein Powder

Sports Drink Mix
Fish Oil Capsules (EPA + DHA = 300 to 600mg)
1 Bottle Flax Oil
Green Tea
Spaghetti Sauce

Let me know! How is your workout going? What does your grocery list usually look like?

Invest Now!

You probably already have a good understanding of basic finances,

right? Then you know about compounding interest - earning interest on top of interest.  Wait, isn’t this a health blog??? Yes. Bear with me!

Let’s say someone is planning on retiring at 65.  If someone puts $1,000 in a retirement account when they are 25, that $1,000 would turn into $45,000 by the time they get off the job. If they wait untilthey’re 35, they would only have $17,000. Delaying the investment by only 10 years led to barely getting one third as much at retirement!

You probably see where I am going with this.  Your body is much like an interest-bearing account.   It is incredibly important to develop
healthy habits as early as possible.  People that do not take time to invest in their body early in life have a lower life expectancy, are generally less happy, and are often much more prone to diseases. You save money so you can live a comfortable life once you have retired. There is little point in saving this money if you are not going to be alive and well when you’re done with work.  If you wait to exercise and eat healthy, you are doing your body a horrible disservice.  If you are older, however, don't make excuses. It is never too late to start! Take time to develop life-long healthy habits today.  You will be thanking yourself later in life!


Here's a list of a few healthy habits you could work on tonight:
1) Exercise at least 3 to 5 hours a week (elevate your heart rate!)
2) Eat only lean meats, whole grains, nuts, fruits, and vegetables 90% of the time
3) Be less sedentary (find hobbies that let you get outside and move around)
4) Get at least 7 hours of sleep every night
5) Eliminate clutter so you can focus on the people and things that you love
6) Surround yourself with people who also want to live a long, healthy life

DAY 6

I'm shrinking! My body weight has dropped to a 5 month low of 178 pounds. Unfortunately, I am trying to add muscle (thus weight), not lose it. This week serves as an excellent example of how to eat during weight lifting for both those trying to build muscle mass and those trying to burn fat.

My job requires tons of running around, climbing ladders and stairs, and ducking through passageways. I have been working 13 hour shifts this week, so I am doing a lot more of this than normal. Since my activity level has increased, but I have not had time to eat more food, I have been losing weight. If your goal is weight-loss, this is exactly what you should do (increase your activity level while eating a balanced diet). But my goal is to put on muscle mass. If I want to continue to see gains on the scale and big gains in the weight room, I have to eat more to keep up with my caloric demands.  Pretty simple!

I'm hoping this evening is my last 13 hour shift. Once I am done, I will write a few posts I have been wanting to share with you. Plus, I will start providing you with my daily nutrition information and tips! Photo update will be posted Monday.

Have a great weekend. Get out there and do something!

Let me know! What are you doing this weekend to stay physically active?