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| Living Fit/ "Livestrong":
Well my "Battle of the Bulge" page was getting too long and was not so much about losing weight anymore and is more about living fit, so I decided to segregate the two pages. I have also become a supporter of The Lance Armstong Foundation: Livestrong. (continued from "Battle of the buldge"...) Fall 2006
Update: Well the weather was getting colder,
so I needed to come up with a new solution to my daily workout... My
answer came in the form of a BLACKBURN®-
Trackstand Trainer. It is a special device I can attach to my bike
which essentially converts it to a stationary spin cycle. Angie
surprised me
with it for my birthday! (She's so thoughtful, but I think she also
likes that I am not a fat guy anymore too! LOL). When the weather got
too unpleasant to ride outside, I washed my bike and brought down it to
my recroom, hooked up the Trackstand and I was good to go! It isn't as
enjoyable as riding the bike trails along the Grand River, Speed River
or any of the other trails in Cambridge, but at least I still get my
daily workouts, and I usually couple this with an episode of
Smallville, CSI or Prison Break! I now ride at high tension in 21st
gear for about 20 to 30 minutes a day and I am also up to 50
sit-ups
and 30 push-ups, twice a day (once in the morning before my shower and
then
again in
the evening before I pack it in for the night). I am still sticking to
my "no processed food" diet with
the exception of when I take Angie and/ or the kids out for dinner when
it is virtually
unavoidable... It started to get tedious doing ALL those sit-ups and push-ups so I decided to graduate to a more strenuous exercise to work on my upper body- leg lifts and what I am calling "press-ups". Angie had an old "Total Gym" which I have been using for the padded bench and leg/ arm holds, so I am utilizing this to do my leg lifts and push ups. The design of the arm holds are such that I can get much lower on a push up, which pretty much mimics a bench press lift in reverse by using my own body weight. It works very well! So now I do 1 or 2 sets of 25 reps of press-ups and 1 or 2 sets of 30 leg lifts in the morning and 2 - 3 sets each in the evening before my 20 minute cycle on the bike/ Blackburn... That's an average total of between 100 & 125 press-ups and between 120 & 150 leg lifts every day! Winter 2006 Update #2: In my quest to have a six-pack by summer time, I decided I needed a more rigorous abdominal workout. Although leg lifts are excellent for lower and upper abdominal development, they don't work the obliques, so I have found a new form of ab exercise- the "cycling crunch". This involves laying on your back and lifting your legs up about 45 degrees off the floor, while placing your hands behind your head with your elbows facing out. Start by touching your right elbow to your left knee then left elbow to your right knee. Alternate your elbow touching while doing a cycling motion with your legs and a twisting motion with your upper body. By all reports I have read- the cycling crunch is one of the most effective exercizes for abdominal develoment. I have replaced the leg lift portion of my daily routine with 4 sets of 60 cycling crunches. So now- I do a set of 25 press-ups, followed by a set of 60 cycling crunches, and I do this 4 times a day. That's a total of 100 press-ups and 240 cycling crunches every day! Maybe someday soon I will have to get some weights to compliment my exercize routines... I still ride my bike (on the Blackburn), but I long for the nicer weather to return... I REALLY miss riding my bike outside! Spring 2007 Update: After a long and snow filled winter the nice weather has FINALLY returned! I couldn't wait to get back on my bike to enjoy the nicer weather and the trails in Cambridge! That day finally came on Sunday April 13th. It was SO nice to get outside again... We got Maddie a new bike since she was way too big for her old one, and we celebrated by taking to the trails! One of her favourite trails in the area (and mine too) is along the Speed River in north Cambridge. A couple of the foot bridges were washed away or damaged from the excessive spring thaw this year, and the trail was still a little wet, but we had fun all the same! Maddie looked very happy with her new wheels! I told Rob and Livvie they could have new bikes as well, since they DO need them, and riding the trails is something we can ALL enjoy together... but they needed to earn them by way of having their rooms clean and getting their chores done and generally being more cooperative with me... (Teenagers...  ) LOL! Well... after Rob and Liv saw Maddie's new wheels, it wasn't long before they got their "houses in order" so to speak... Their chores got done, their rooms got clean and well Rob still doesn't like getting out of bed in the morning, but it HAS improved so we went bike shopping for the 2 of them as well! We found a men's version of Maddie's new bike that was perfect for Rob (which also happens to resemble mine) and Livvie selected one that was significantly more girly!   Fall 2007 Update: Well it has been a busy summer! So far this season I have logged over 2,000 kms... I have been averaging about 125 kms/ week, some weeks a bit more and others a bit less... With that amount of kms, it has become obvious to me that the Raleigh Tora, although a very enjoyable bike, is just not built for the rigors of THAT many kms. It was in the shop a number of times, and it was very frustrating for me! So, with the help of my wonderful wife (who gave me a gift certificate for a local bike shop), I have made a new purchase to help me continue my "trek" (pun intended) down the local bike trails! I went to Grand River Cycle (www.grandrivercycle.com) and picked out a new TREK- 6500-Disk Hardtail mountain bike. For those of you reading this whom aren't aware, this is the same brand of bike used by a rather famous cyclist- maybe you've heard of him... his name is Lance Armstrong. (Yes, THAT Lance Armstong! Winner of a record 7 consecutive Tour's de France, all of which he won while riding TREK bikes- so these guys must know a thing or two about making them!) Anyway, the dual suspension version wasn't available in my size anymore (this late in the season) so I selected the 19 1/2"- hard tail/ front suspension version, with hydraulic disk brakes, 27 speeds, higher end wheels/ hubs, shocks etc. Since I was used to have some shock absorbtion in the rear as well, I had it customized with a shock absorbing seat post... The full specs are as follows: 
Anyway- WHAT a difference! It is a lot lighter and much easier to handle bike, not to mention very smooth! Unfortunately the weather is getting cold again, so I won't have that much time left this season to enjoy it. Oh well, it will give me something to look forward to next year! Late Fall 2007 Update: Well, the 2007 cycling season has come to an end... Between Easter and Thanksgiving long weekends, I logged 2,596 kms! But, now it's time to come indoors and start my indoor training schedule! I put my old Raleigh Tora bike, on the trackstand, procured a second hand treadmill (but a really good one!), got a weight training bench and a set of dumbells and barbells as well as a curling bar... I converted my basement workshop into a home gym. I rebuilt the workshop in the garage and properly insulated & finished the walls, put down the foam "puzzle" piece floor and set up my gym in that space. Here are some pics:
Now my alternating daily work outs go something like this: Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday: 30 minutes
on the treadmill (7 km/ hr w/ 15 degree incline),
4 or 5 sets of planks- held for about 80- 90 seconds, 2 or 3 sets of 30 reps leg extensions w/ 75 lbs, 2 or 3 sets of 80 cycling crunches, 2 or 3 sets of 15 reps leg curls w/ 75 lbs. Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 30 minutes
on the bike, (21st gear & high resistance)
2 or 3 sets of 12 reps on the bench press w/ 115 lbs, 4 or 5 sets of planks- held for about 80- 90 seconds, 2 or 3 sets of 12 reps double arm curls w/ 80 lbs, 2 or 3 sets of 15 reps alternating single arm curls w/ 25 lbs each, 2 or 3 sets of 20 butterfly arm extensions w/ 20 lbs each, 2 or 3 sets of 80 cycling crunches, 2 or 3 sets of 12 reps upright rowing w/ 80 lbs, As for my diet; well that has changed dramatically as well! A typical day may go something like this: Breakfast: (yes, I said breakfast!)
I am also trying out a new fitness drink called "Lean Muscle". It has proteins, fiber and all kinds of other good stuff in it. Since I usually work out in the evening, and I have read that it is good to have a burst of protein & fiber withing 20 minutes of a workout, (to help rebuild muscles etc.) I decided to give this stuff a try. Final comments on topic of diet.... The key to diet I think, is avoid anything processed! Why? Just read the ingredients on the packages of those "ready made meals"! Those things are laced with sugar and salt & God knows what! Avoid them like the plague... When grocery shopping- fill your cart with items from the outside aisles, e.g. fresh produce, fresh bakery (preferrably whole grains), fresh deli counter, butcher shop and dairy counter and stay away from the freezer section and the inside aisles (where the "just add water" and meals in a can section is). Oh, and one last thing... NO fast food! Spring 2009 Update: Well spring has finally come and with the
nice weather we've had in March/ April, I got a nice jump on the
cycling season! By Victoria day weekend, I had already logged over
1,000
kms! One unfortunate circumstance was that some theives stole my bike
right out of my garage! Fortunately it was covered by insurance so I
got to go bike shopping! I selected a new Trek Fuel EX 5.5 full
suspension mountain bike:
Of course this one gets locked up
even though it is always in my garage, except when I riding it of
course! Happy trails! Pete Anes |
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