Sunday, January 17, 2010

Weigh-in

Over the past week there have been various reminders for me to follow through on what I mentioned in my last entry. It seems like every other commercial on television is for something having to do with dieting and/or exercise, as well as fitness and toning of the body. There is an entire slate of "Special K" products, as well as various weight loss organizations to join for help and support.

What was following me the most, it appeared, were three DVD fitness programs, infomercials. These appear with regular frequency, or at least seem to. The ones that I have noticed the most lately have been aimed at men and women who are tired of being couch potatoes, or worse. Specifically, these are for the "P90X," "Hip Hop Abs," and "Insanity" workout courses.

The thought of me getting in shape through a set of routines accompanied to hip hop music is more than I can put into words. What comes to mind are images so frightening and upsetting, that should these be performed in a formal class setting, in public, there will be cries of anguish and protest in the name of humanity that I immediately stop. Suffice it to say that a sense of grace and rhythm are not my defining characteristics, something that has been pointed out to me more than a few times in martial arts training, fitness classes, social gatherings, etc.

Rather than dwell on the depressing, there are other items in life to think about. According to the reading on the scale, I currently weigh 166.3 lbs, at a height of 5 feet 10 inches. After thinking about what would be realistic and practical in a regular and consistent program, complementing my martial arts training, a regimine including aerobic, plyometrics, and weight training would be best for me. I'm going to look at a couple of programs, and start one in February. I've already bought the P90X product, so time to get ready...

Sunday, January 10, 2010

A Plan To Live By

The second week of January is pretty much the time of the year when "regular" is resumed in the course of general life and regular business. This is also a time when everyone seriously begins to think about the resolutions that were made. The thinking that is frequently being considered is just what type of, and how much, wiggle room exists in these announcements, whether public or private.

For my own resolution lists, there was nothing overly enthusiastic or profound, to my thinking. In the first few days of the New Year, these goals have become a little more settled and direct. The lofty thoughts and goals that seemed nothing more than a year-end "wish list" are now actual goals in my mind, having had a little time to think and visualize about them, to pursue in the upcoming twelve months. These include, but are not limited to training for greater endurance and flexibility, becoming more defined in muscle form and shape, and adopting a more fitness oriented diet.

In actual and daily practice, this really means not letting work schedule and afternoon traffic get in the way of my getting to the gym and dojo. This also means being a lot more careful with my food shopping and eating choices. All of these mean a stricter devotion to what I have been doing over the previous year, only with far less laxness and excuses, circumstances permitting.

Well, enough talk and mere thinking. As I write this, it is Sunday night. The action plan for Monday is to weigh myself, get ready for my regular Monday evening training, and decide on a training plan to work on instead of only think about.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Guy Time

The Busy Man is the guy that you see in traffic each morning during rush hour, racing throughout the day to meet deadlines at work, continually thinking and worrying about bills and various time committments. He is always performing a constant juggle to balance all of these things in the general scheme of work and life. Lost in all of this is time for himself, by himself. One thing that many men feel the greatest loss about is being able to work out to maintain a good looking physique, if not to train to condition the body's muscles. Often, it is not a matter of knowing what to do, or how to go about it, but being able to set aside time for this effort.

Like it or not, most men holding jobs, part-time or full time, are a member of this fraternity, also commonly known as the rat race. The start of a new year reminds us of this, with items on the resolution list including goals such as taking more time to slow down and work to reduce the pressures of everyday life. This might include spending more time with loved ones and friends, become more involved with a hobby or interest, lose weight or build up muscle.

Your blogger is also a Busy Man, with responsibilities and committments that often seem overwhelming, as for everyone else. At the same time, the commitment to physical improvement and muscle training is something that has become an interest and habit, in spite of the time difficulties that are present. It is possible to fit a workout and training program into the schedule, along with paying attention to proper nutrition. This includes making sensible food choices, and maintaining proper eating habits. This works only if the dedication and committment are present to keep at it, regardless of how discouraging things may be at times.

The purpose of this blog is to offer encouragement and advice to other men in training. It can be lonely and not a lot of fun at times, and this is the reason to motivate others to stay focused on fitness goals. So with this, gentlemen, let's get to it!