Just checking in to tell all the readers (or maybe one reader) that i’m still going strong. My weight is up a little but that seems to be muscle as my pants size did not change (size 34) and my fat-percentage did not change either, still on 21%

Currently I’m eating low carb, go to the YMCA every day except Saturday, 3 times a week BodyPump, once a week Cardio-Kick and twice a week Bike and Treadmill. And of course I have my vitamines every day.

That’s it for now. And if you read this blog please leave a comment so I know  somebody actually reads this please?. Any questions? just let me know and I will answer for sure.

Obsession is a word the weak use to describe the dedicated

Thanks to; Glen

Source: Woodbury Bulletin
Merilee Inman, a Group X instructor at the Southeast Area YMCA in Woodbury was awarded the YMCA “Fitness Instructor of the Year” for the Greater St. Paul Area. Inman has been teaching at the YMCA for 16-plus years. She currently teaches BodyPump and Boot Camp. In addition to working at the YMCA, she is a registered nurse focusing on women’s health.She enjoys speaking with women about the importance of making time every day to do something for themselves and maintaining a healthy lifestyle .Merilee Inman is shown with her Group X Instructor of the Year Award presented by the YMCA of the Greater St. Paul area. In a press release regarding Inman’s recognition, a YMCA spokesperson stated, “Congratulations Merilee, from your friends and co-workers at the Southeast Area YMCA.”This award is given to the Group X Instructors who are nominated by their co-workers and then chosen by a committee of leaders in the Group X department for the Twin Cities YMCAs.

The selection is based on education, technical skills, fitness industry experience, community service and YMCA commitment.

For more information on Group X classes offered at the Southeast Area YMCA, call member services at (651) 731-9507 or visit www.ymcatwincities.org.

I was in a few of her classes and I tell you she is really “something else” as they say here, full of humor, great knowledge, focused and a very pleasant person in general. And she is strong, she is a role-model for lots of people. I just love her. Thanks Merilee, stay around and I will join you another time.

“Pain is weakness leaving the body”

The above is a piece of propaganda used by the US Marine Recruiting office to get more people to join the marines. Its also figuratively true, and very effective in their commercials.

Pain is weakness leaving the body

If you punch a tree over and over again every day for a few years your hand wont be broken (unless you punched TOO hard). Instead, it will be toughed, and calloused, and you will be able to take far more pain.

When a problem in life is emotionally painful you are emotionally scarred. But if you learn from it, the emotional scars will scab over and you will be a strong, more experienced and mature person because of it. When this occurs, as long as your emotional pain does not destroy you, it will eventually make you strong if you allow it too.

If you run 15 miles daily for a year, your body will be in a lot of pain, especially the first month or two. By the end of the year, your muscles would be so broken down and rebuilt you would be very strong, provided you had enough nutrients, water, and rest during the year. If you tried to do the same with 50 miles a day, you would end up dead.

Pain truly is weakness leaving the body, provided that the pain inflicted is small enough that you can handle it and grow from it, emotionally or physically.

My new Marines T-shirt I have now

I’m trying to get my arms stronger. One of the fitness  measurements in the Marines is the Pull-up, you need to be able to do 20 to earn a perfect PFT score. (See here for more)

Marines typically work out as a group three times a week, and have to take a physical fitness test twice a year. Below are the standards to max the test. Although most Marines don’t max the test these are the standards they aspire to. Most Marines don’t even know the minimum standards to pass the test because they are not concerned with minimum standards as a rule.

1. 20 dead-hang pull-ups
2. 100 crunches in two minutes
3. Run 3 miles in 18 minutes

That is why I thought about regular pull-ups;

That is not that easy as I thought. To get in shape I bought a “Creative Fitness Door Gym” pull-up bar at Amzon.com

This one you hang in a door opening , it can be removed or attached in a few seconds. Now whenever I ‘m near this, I do a pull up. See more pictures here; www.doorgym.net/Information.htm

Woow time flies when your having fun. Today I celebrate the fact I joined the Y a year ago. I think it was a very good year, I’m around my best weight ever. Also my numbers are really good. Now I need to keep it up and stay on the fitness program and weight that is healthy. I do not think I will ever weigh 165 pound as I gain muscle and lose fat. I’m sometimes at 19% fat so that is good to. Anyway I’m gona celebrate with an extra workout tomorrow.

To complete the story; This is my weightchart after 1 year of getting fit;

1 pound a week really works

As asked by my doctor I did some lab-work again. My results are stunning;

I upped my HDL (The good cholesterol from 36 to 44 by taking a lot of fish-oil, 1000 mg 3 times per day. That really helps a lot. I’m only worried about my TSH, have no clue if it is still in the limits.

Source: menshealth.com

Our nation is growing. And that’s not a good thing.

Americans grew fatter in 37 states last year—and stayed just as big in 12 more. The South is growing fastest—with Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, and South Carolina all in the top five. (Check out the complete list here.)

It doesn’t have to be a death sentence. We can stop our growing problem simply: by making smarter choices, eating breakfast, and eating more often. And we can teach our kids to make smarter choices without giving up the foods that make being a kid so much fun.

We can even reverse the trend: Guys have lost more than 57,000 pounds using our Belly Off! program—with real food for real men and workouts that melt fat without a gym.

Or we could all move to Colorado: It was the only state where the population’s obesity rate dropped. Must be all the mountain biking, rock climbing, kayaking, skiing …

“Those that do not make time for fitness, will have to make time for illness”

 

For a while now, America’s held the notorious title of Fattest Country in the World. Thanks to Australia, however, we’re now in a cool second place. The nation Down Under now has a population that has a 26% obesity rate (meaning 26% of its citizens are obese), while American stands firmly at 25%.

I know it is not the Olympics but it seems Australia starts to win the obesity race. Read more here.