Hardbody Geeks

Anyone have a spine for sale?

noreply@blogger.com (Force Trainer) — Mon, 31 May 2010 23:17:00 +0000

Just when I thought I had this whole back pain thing under control, my L4 and L5 decided to remind me that I'm not the one that is in control of my body. One emergency trip to the chiropractor later I'm feeling better, but I finally hit the breaking point today. Needless to say, it wasn't good.

It's been a little over a month since I started really taking care of my back problems (daily stretching, chiropractor care, etc.), and last week I thought that I finally had everything handled. Unfortunately I was wrong, and when I woke up this morning I was back to having a bit more pain than I could deal with. While normally I would stretch, suck it up, and make another chiropractor appointment, today was my final breaking point. While I sat there at the edge of the bed wondering what the hell I did to deserve all of this, I felt my whole mindset switch from relatively happy (I did have a great holiday weekend), to straight up doom and gloom.

I have been in a state of constant pain since I got back from overseas. At times it's better than others, but most mornings consist of me slowly getting out of bed, hobbling to the bathroom like a 90-year old man, and then starting my regimen of stretching and groaning so I can at least tie my shoes. While I've weathered the storm relatively well (I try not to complain at least), I've been realizing as of late the OTHER negative results that come from all the pain. Any weight that I lost during P90X is back. I'm constantly tired because I can't get into a workout regimen (every time I try my back protests very heavily). I find myself not giving a shit about sucking down fast food.

In simple terms, I'm frustrated. I want to work out, I want to hit my goals, and I definitely don't want to be a couch potato. Right now I'm at that tipping point where I could very easily turn into a disgusting fatbody.

My initial plan of getting into kettlebells is definitely not going to happen right now, and my previous plan of using yoga to rehab my back is out as well. So what am I going to do? Good question... here are my thoughts:

1) Take SERIOUS control of my diet - While normally I would have 60-90 minutes a day to keep my metabolism going, I don't have that right now. That means I'm going to have to go into actual diet mode. That means as of right now no fast foods (okay, I know I really shouldn't eat them, but doing it every once and a while is normally fine), desserts, fried foods, etc. Yes, it's a bit much, but I don't have a choice. We'll consider the super clean eating as a cleansing, heh.

2) Daily stretching - I've been good about this one, but I'm probably going to have to up the ante until the pain subsides.

3) Heavily restricted workouts - I thought that if I kept enough pressure off my back I would be fine, but as of right now I can't have ANY pressure on my back until the pain goes away. That rules out a lot, especially kettlebells. The replacement for now is going to be a lot of pushups, pullups, and free squats. Not exciting, but it's something.

4) Continued chiropractic care - There are people that will say chiropractics is bad, and my continued pain after a month of treatment is an indication of that. However, my chiropractor has kept my quality of life very high for a long time, and along the way he has fixed some nasty problems. I'm going to stick with this for another 2-weeks. If the pain is still there, then I'm going to investigate other alternatives.

Wish me luck!

Tony Horton Has Met His Match

noreply@blogger.com (Force Trainer) — Fri, 07 May 2010 22:43:00 +0000

My kettlebells and training video arrived, so for the next I don't know how long, Anthony Diluglio is going to be my replacement for Tony Horton. Now, it's not that I have anything against Tony (well, actually, I do find his constant hitting on Dreya Weber a bit creepy). It's just that it was time for me to grow up, be a big boy, and actually try and get some strength. Like I went into it before, P90X does make you stronger, but I need to fast forward a little more and really move things up. That means more weight, and some seriously intense workouts.

So who is this Anthony Diluglio guy? First off, he's the owner of Punch Kettlebell Gym, and the person behind the Art of Strength training DVDs. According to his bio, he is one of "America's top kettlebell instructors." However, we all know what that is - marketing fluff. We're going to have to pop the hood on his training DVDs to really evaluate his skill.

While admittedly I bought into P90X because of the never ending onslaught of 3am infomercials, in the end Tony proved to be a good instructor... even if he didn't come up with the training programs himself (and he's a little less creepy than John Basedow). Anthony and his training was suggested to me by my buddy that suggested the kettlebells. He trained with Anthony, and his exact comments were, "he's a great trainer and knows his stuff, so get his DVDs. However, he's a pompous ass." I figured that his recommendation, in spite of his personal feelings, meant that the training had to be at least halfway decent.

I always looks at things from a training perspective, and I knew that in order to be successful with kettlebells these DVDs would need to be very specific and cover all the bases. Kettlebell training can be dangerous if done wrong (remember, you're swinging around a giant piece of iron), so solid training, especially if you're doing it via DVD, is essential. Well, Disc 1 of Anthony's Art of Strength Clinic didn't disappoint. He went through all the basic moves, broke them down into pieces, and even taught "assistance" exercise that are good to help your overall technique. He also had a "problem" section for each exercise which gave you common issues people have with each move. From an instructional standpoint I was satisfied.

The unfortunate part is that I can't really tell you all that much about the workouts. My back is still a mess (thankfully I'll be at the chiropractor Monday), and some of the moves really aggravate it (and by aggravate I mean send searing pain through my lower back).

And yes, for all your kettlebell masters out there, I know that I should be using my legs and glutes with a lot of the swings and lifts. However, each move is still based on your core being at least mostly serviceable, and no matter how perfect my form, there's still stress put on the lower back. If it wasn't hurting I would be fine. Unfortunately, there are just certain ranges of motion that set it off.

My plan over the next few weeks is to use the lighter of my two bells (8kg) to go through the workouts and practice the moves. I definitely won't be working my strength like I would like, but it'll give me a chance to perfect my movements. I also need to really work on my flexibility (especially in my squats), so I won't have any lack of things to do.

For now I'm going to have to hold off on running since I know that the constant pounding puts pressure on my back. The hope is that between a few extra chiropractor appointments, the lighter kettlebell workouts, and more yoga, I'll be back into shape in no time. Then I'll be able to kick my kettlebell workouts into high gear.

The New Weapon of Choice or What the Hell is Kettlebell?

noreply@blogger.com (Force Trainer) — Mon, 03 May 2010 00:44:00 +0000

This past week has been fraught with my dealing with my oh-so-shitty back, so instead of not working out and bitching about it I decided to put my intellect to work. I've been going back and forth about P90X, and while I know that I will get results with it, they're not necessarily the results that I want. That brings us to the question that stifles so many on their quest to the world of pecs and abs. What should I do for my workouts?

Back in the day I was considered a "fitness professional," but I definitely wasn't what most would consider a personal trainer. As a self-defense instructor I relied on tried and true athletic training principles from traditional strength training to pilates and yoga. While I became very familiar with principles from a lot of different disciplines, I never got good at putting together traditional workouts (i.e. a weight-lifting schedule). I can smoke myself in a cardio or interval workout, but I've always been behind the power curve on how to develop strength - especially explosive strength. Sure, you can get strong doing Krav Maga, but in order to move past a certain level you need to start incorporating different things - mostly additional weight.

The problem that I've always had is that I hate going to the gym (I know, go figure). Aside from the issues that most people have with traditional gyms (waiting for a bench, people not re-racking weights, those insanely jacked guys that lift more with their triceps than I can squat), I never liked the typical strength training routines. Yes, there are proven methods to building strength, and pounding out some iron is one of the best ways to do it. Unfortunately, the traditional programs just don't keep my interest. I'm sure if I had an awesome trainer or a good training partner that wouldn't be a problem, but that's not in the cards right now. Trainers are too expensive (when I get independently wealthy I'll have Mark Verstagen come to my house), and finding a training partner with my schedule is tough. To make matters worse I will only have access to a traditional gym about 50% of the time. If I build a workout routine that requires benches and squat racks I'll just be setting myself up for failure.

P90X is definitely an option, and it will without a doubt make you stronger. However, the one thing to understand about P90X is that while it is partially a strength program, one of the main purposes of it is to help you burn fat and lose weight. While I will never scoff at dropping a few lbs, my main concern right now isn't about how I look. What I need right now is strength... lots and lots of strength.

So the requirements for my new regimen are pretty straightforward, but a little difficult to satisfy:

The main program needs to be strength training. Cardio will be supplemented with runs (which I need to do) and Bas Rutten workouts (since my Krav Maga technique has gone to shit).
The program needs to be as portable as P90X. The Powerblocks made it easy to bring weight wherever I needed.
As little additional investment as possible. I spent over $500 on my P90X investment, so I don't want to be buying a ton of crap unless I know it's going to last me.
Enough potential variation in the program that I will keep my ADD side satisfied.
The program needs to have a significant core strength portion to get my lame back into shape so this pain will go away.

In order to help with this decision I made a phone call to a good friend of mine for some advice. Not only is he a walking bulldozer, he's a training freak that is always on the lookout for something new to make his workouts more intense. His advice came in one simple word - kettlebells.

For those of you that don't know, kettlebells are a Russian torture, er... workout device, that have been around for some time. Basically it's a cannonball with a handle, and you can use the kettlebell in an almost unlimited variation of movements including lifts, swings, throws, etc. Kettlebells have gotten extremely popular over the past few years, and several of my friends have been working out with them for some time.

I never really got into kettlebells mainly because I never had access to them. Back when I ran my schools I had thought about purchasing some, but they're not the cheapest things around, and I didn't have a certified kettlebell instructor around me to work with. While normally I would just purchase them willy-nilly and figure out how to use them, I didn't want to hurt any of my students trying to use them in training when I didn't know what I was doing. Yes, from time-to-time I do make sensible decisions.

Kettlebell enthusiasts will tout these portable munitions as the greatest thing to come to strength training since someone realized lifting a weight makes you stronger. However, just like CrossFit, P90X, John Basedow's abs, and Denise Austin's workout videos, there are people that swear by them and others that think claims are nothing more than marketing hype. Since I'm a little more rational than most, I understand that the truth lies somewhere in the middle, and that the success of a program ultimately relies on the person that's actually doing it.

Just to go off on a tangent for a moment, lets look at CrossFit as an example. Yes, CrossFit is an amazing organization that has brought a lot of people to the pinnacle of human performance. Coach Glassman has pioneered new methods and principles in athletic training that are so significant that the Marine Corp modeled their new PT program after this teachings. However, CrossFit requires a lot of equipment (olympic weights, bumper plates, ropes, pull-up bars, etc.), and an experienced coach is an absolute necessity for beginners than have never attempted olympic-style lifts. For those that have access to the equipment and proper coaching, CrossFit is great. Unfortunately for me it's not really a possibility given my current constraints. And before any CrossFit zealots, ahem, enthusiasts, jump down my throat... yes, I know CrossFit posts new workouts everyday. Yes, I know they post very good how-to's for many of the lifts they do. I've gone through a lot of CrossFit workouts in my day. Unfortunately, I don't have much space for tractor tires in my 1100 square foot condo.

But I digress. Looking at my requirements/constraints, it appears that kettlebell workouts are the most conducive to what I'm looking for. Let's see how they fit my requirements:

Kettlebell workouts are inherently strength based (you're swinging around a giant piece of iron for godsake).
They are extremely portable, and starting out I will only need a few (technically just a couple - an 8kg bell and a 16kg bell).
The investment for the bells and a highly recommended workout video was only $200. While I would've rather spent $0, the money isn't a huge issue.
Kettlebell workouts are limited only by your imagination. There are plenty of great instructional videos out there with new workouts and advanced moves, so I won't be hurting for material.
Kettlebell workouts are heavily focused on core strength, which is exactly what I need.

So there you go - my new weapon of choice is the kettlebell. It'll take about a week to get the new equipment, but that's fine with me. I'm going to focus the next week on rehabing my back and getting with the chiropractor a few times. About the only downside to all of this is that yoga is the one thing that actually makes my back feel better... and we all know how I feel about yoga.

Back to square one... and then some

noreply@blogger.com (Force Trainer) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 23:50:00 +0000

It's been two years since the grand "Hardbody Geeks" experiment went live, and after such a long hiatus I was debating coming back here and writing about my fitness exploits and foibles (alright, more foibles than exploits). While part of me just said, "screw it, who wants to read this crap anyway," I realized that this blog serves two major purposes - and no, neither of them are self-serving, look-at-me reasons... despite the fact that I do check the web stats on the site.

First, writing here serves as a sort of motivator. When I did my first P90X iteration, I felt guilty when I didn't write because that usually meant I didn't work out. There was something gratifying about sitting here, drenched in sweat, typing out my complaints about my latest round of Tony Horton torture. Second, and probably more importantly, is that this is a sort of cathartic exercise for me. It gives me a chance to rant, rave, bitch, and complain about my pain without having to bother those around me. In a way I'm suffering in silence... minus those that actually take the time to read this.

Before going into my rant for the day, I think I should offer a few status updates regarding me and Muddy. I'm happy to report that Muddy is still looking trim, and even though there have been a few fluctuations here and there, he looks about the same as he did when we finished our first round. That's definitely not a bad feat considering keeping the weight off for two years is atypical in the world of weight loss. So, hats off to Muddy for maintaining a (mostly) healthy lifestyle.

Then there's me. Honestly, I think I'm back to square one with all of this, or perhaps even square minus two. When I finished P90X I was somewhere in the vicinity of 9% body fat, and I've probably gained back the 10 or so pounds that I lost. While some may think that's not a huge deal, going from 9% body fat back up to 14-15% is somewhat of a downer.

In the midst of all of this I did switch jobs, and that has proven to be a bit of a problem. I had a long training cycle where I was able to work out on a consistent basis, but after that I was back to a place I hadn't been in close to four years - an office. While I did spend a good bit of time in my office at my old job, I was spending 10-12 hours per week teaching Krav Maga. That's a good bit of activity, and when you add on the P90X workouts I was probably getting anywhere from 17-20 hours of "physical activity" each week. Needless to say, I'm nowhere near that total.

I also spent a few months overseas, and that was the final blow to any hope for a workout regimen. Even though the gym was about 20 steps from my door, I had enough work to keep me busy 60-70 hours per week, and when you're in the middle of a not-so-nice place, a cookie, cup of coffee, and some TV makes you feel much better than a workout in air so thick you can slice it with a knife (yes ladies and gentlemen, that is an excuse. I'll get to those later).

When I got back I swore up and down that I would start back up, but my routine was thrown all out of whack because, well, I couldn't get on one. I have been traveling pretty regularly (excuse #2... back off, I'll get there), and my schedule has been in flux for the past few months (excuse #2.5... they're related). Put that all together and you have the recipe for a muffin top.

Since the restarting of a workout regimen is never complete without a set of excuses as to why you stopped it all in the first place, I want to offer you:

Force Trainer's Reasons Why He's a Fat Lazy Slob
(I told you I was getting there)

My schedule is anything but regular, so I don't have any time to work out.
Traveling makes sticking to a workout regimen hard, and I don't always have the equipment I need when I need it.
I spend a lot of time at the office, and the last thing I want to do is workout after commuting upwards of four hours per day.
I'm lazy and don't feel like working out all the time.
I just purchased a $2,500 gaming rig (I am a geek after all), and I want to maximize my enjoyment by playing on it as much as possible.
I've recently discovered the joy of playing guitar, and lose track of time while practicing.
I would rather spend the free time I do have with my family.
I've rediscovered the joy that is fast food, including Chipotle, McDonald's, and Burger King. A few months without it can seem like a lifetime.
My back is a complete and total mess... again.
Working out has become discouraging because I feel like I'm behind where I was when I started P90X two years ago.

Okay, okay, I admit, those excuses are just that - excuses. You can make excuses all day, but in the end they're just a replacement for motivation and drive. Since I do recognize that excuses are the easy way out, I'm going to take the over achiever route and tear apart each one in succession just so you all know I realize how much of a pansy I'm being. So, without further ado:
Force Trainer's Rebuttal To His Own Lame Excuses

Not having a regular schedule means that I need to work harder to stick to the best regimen possible. On days where I know I'm going to be out of town, I need to plan accordingly. I spent $400 on stackable weights that are extremely portable, so utilizing that feature is probably a good idea.
See my rebuttal to #1. If I absolutely can't bring the weights with me, I just need to keep some alternative workouts on hand that are body weight based, replace lifting with cardio, or shift around my workout days.
After a long day at the office, the best thing I can do is workout. It's a stress reliever, helps me wind down from the day, and ultimately helps me get to bed on time. Would I like more free time? Yes. It's just going to take a little more planning on my part.
This is just sad. I'm actually saying outright that I'm just too lazy to workout. I'm now ashamed that I even wrote that.
$2,500 on a gaming rig? Damn right. Number of hours that it's actually on in a given week? 5-6, and that's mostly work related. Honestly, that wasn't even a real excuse.
The guitar thing is legitimate since I can play for 2-3 hours and not even realize it. I'm just going to have to go back to what my Mom used to tell me when I was 6. "You can play when you get your work done." So... no guitar until AFTER the workout.
Seeing my family is legitimate, but honestly I see my family more now with my crazy job and travel than I ever used to. Again, I just need to plan a little better so I can fit in my workouts. I wonder if my 5 and 6 year old nieces would be able to do a deep swimmer's press.
Yes, fast food is wonderful, and when I got back into the country I gorged myself. I tried to be a little better by having a Chipotle burrito bowl (that damn tortilla is 400 calories), but the experience left me feeling hollow and sad. I will be treating myself to those wonderful, fatty, fried, artery clogging foods every now and then. However, that's no different than my first trip through P90X. The occasional trip to the mecca of guacamole and sour cream didn't have any negative effects.
My back being a mess does pose a problem, but I found a local chiropractor that is pretty damn good. Let's mark this one as "in progress." I don't foresee it being a problem for much longer.
The last one is a mental hump that I need to get over. In all honesty I'm probably not worse off than when I first started, but it sure feels like it. This is where that whole "self-motivation" thing comes in. I just need to remember where I left mine.

There is also additional motivation as to why I need to get back onto this bandwagon. When we first start P90X Muddy was hitting about to hit the milestone of 40 years young, and he didn't want to start off middle age looking like it. Well, this year I'll be reaching the three decade mark, and while my crisis is not nearly as bad as his, I understand the need to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

The second reason is that I'm going to most likely be heading to a new position within my organization next year that will require a higher level of physical performance. While technically there's no standard that I need to adhere to, if I'm going to take the position then I want to be in the best shape possible to be successful. That means on top of looking good I need to actually be able to perform (5 mile runs, wearing tons of equipment, etc.), and that's going to add a whole new wrinkle to this. I'll be using P90X for the next few months to get me back to where I was, but after that I'll be forced to kick things into high gear to actually get to a level of performance that I'll be happy with. It should be an interesting journey, and I'm looking forward to bitching, I mean, sharing it with everyone.

Off Into the Wild Blue Yonder (and where I've been)

noreply@blogger.com (Force Trainer) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 04:32:00 +0000

I feel that a bit of an update is necessary since I've been MIA for a long time now. As I may have posted before (I can't really remember and I'm too lazy to read through my previous posts) I've been preparing for a major job switch for the past few months (and no, despite the title I'm not going into the Air Force). It's a major life change for me and I'm really excited about all of the new opportunities that I'm going to have. The downside is that it's taken a lot of my personal time to get ready. Therefore the first thing to get dropped is blogging. Not that I don't love all of you, but priorities are priorities.

I definitely want to thank everyone that has read and posted comments for their support through my P90X journey. Like I said before I'm not going to be giving up the healthy lifestyle. Admittedly I've slacked for the past month or so, but for the most part I've held myself at the place where I was at day 60. To me that shows that P90X has the staying power that you need for it to be a "real" fitness program. On top of that I've gotten several of my friends to start the program and they're really excited about it. Part of my job as an instructor has been to help people live a healthier life and giving them P90X definitely does that.

The next few months are going to be absolutely crazy and for the most part I'll be offline, so this is going to be my sign-off for the next few months. Thanks again to everyone that has supported us and I'll see you in 2009!

XBOX Live Issues: Resolution and a Bit of Thanks

noreply@blogger.com (Force Trainer) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:29:00 +0000

My post yesterday about my issues with XBOX Live billing was picked up by the kind folks over at Consumerist.com. There was a flurry of comments on the topic all throughout the day with some people blaming me while others understood my situation. I did find it interesting that some people thought I was trying to get something over on MS, but that definitely wasn't the case. In the end after a 20 minute chat with James in escalated support my issue was handled quickly, professionally, and to my satisfaction. Here's what happened.

I spoke with James at XBOX Live billing in their escalated support section for about 20 minutes. Right off the bat he explained to me what MS would be able to do, and I was offered the option of a full refund of the amount that I paid or they would provide me with a 12-month XBOX Live Gold membership code that I could redeem. I opted for the full refund since all I wanted originally was to downgrade to a Silver membership.

After getting that cleared up, James asked me to explain the entire situation to him, and I gave him the story pretty much verbatim from what I sent to the Consumerist and posted here. When I finished James apologized for the confusion that occurred, and he explained a few things including why he thinks the situation occurred:

- His first comment was that I was absolutely right that I should have received a full credit for the time paid for (vindication!).

- My case should have been escalated by default when I first spoke to billing because my request and situation were non-standard. My account was in a decline state which the billing department can handle, but since I wanted to downgrade to a Silver account while in a decline state I should have been escalated immediately.

- James believes that the major confusion occurred because my annual account was in a decline state, and that it is very rare for a billing CSR to deal see. Decline states are common with accounts paid on a monthly basis (which makes sense), and the CSR treated my annual account like it was a month-to-month. With month-to-month billing if you get declined your payment to bring your account current gets you paid for that month. Basically you're just paying for time that you've already used. However, with the annual membership, when you pay your balance there is time that is owed to you. The CSR that I spoke with just pretty much screwed this part up.

I absolutely believe that James was sincere in his evaluation of the situation, and his point that decline states don't occur often with annual accounts means that the CSR I talked to may have never had that exact situation before. While that doesn't mean that what the CSR did was right, mistakes happen and MS worked quickly to fix the mistake. James said that they will make sure to address this in training with their CSRs. Whether that happens or not I don't know, but the fact that they called me directly speaks volumes.

I did ask James if he knew why I received a call from their department, and his response was that he was just told by his boss to call me and not given any other information. This to me was a pretty big clue that it was the Consumerist post that sparked the phone call. I'm definitely not going to complain about that!

Most importantly (because I want to help other readers that have been trying to deal with XBOX Live billing) I brought up to James that there were other Consumerist readers that were having similar problems, and I asked if there was anything they could do to make getting their situations resolved a little easier. This is what I was told:

1) If you are having billing related problems with your account, call XBOX Live support at 1-800-4MY-XBOX.

2) When the IVR (known as Max) answers, wait for the option to speak with billing. This option is AFTER the choice for XBOX Live support. He said that many users choose the option for XBOX Live Support when in fact they need to speak with billing (obviously they should be changing their prompts).

3) If you account is in a decline cycle (meaning your credit card expired, etc.) tell the CSR that you know you are in a decline cycle, and explain exactly what you would like to have happen. This could be anything from just paying your bill to downgrading to a Silver membership. Be clear and things should hopefully shake out.

4) If at any point you feel uncomfortable or confused with what the CSR is saying, ask to be escalated to the next level of support. They should do this immediately without any objections.

5) At this point the escalated support should be able to help you out. They have authorization and additional information to handle most requests including refunds if necessary.

The main reason I didn't escalate my call was because I was rather angry, and I didn't want to yell at someone that was just trying to help me out. In the end everything worked out, and I thank the Consumerist for that! With the information that I got from James as well I think that other people with billing related problems should be able to get squared away. If not, just write in to the Consumerist :)

How I Got Screwed by Xbox Live

noreply@blogger.com (Force Trainer) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:22:00 +0000

I’ve been a faithful Xbox Live Gold member since I first bought my Xbox 360 a few years ago. When I first signed up for my account I chose the annual option, so for the past two years I’ve paid my $49.99 like a good little gamer.

This year was probably going to be no different, but my billing ran into a little snag when my credit card on file was replaced. I started receiving emails from Microsoft telling me that I needed to update my card info so that I could be charged for the next year, but I kept forgetting. I finally received a final email saying that my account had been closed and at that point I could no longer sign onto Xbox Live. Honestly I couldn’t care less about having a Live account, but I have a good amount of DLC, so I immediately gave Xbox Support a call so I could at least get switched to a free silver account so I wouldn’t bork what I had already bought.

After a minute or two on hold (I called 1-800-4MY-XBOX) I got through to a very nice woman. I explained to her that my account had lapsed and that I just wanted to convert my Gold account to a Silver one. She said no problem, but informed me that I would need to speak with billing. “Not a problem,” I thought, and I got forwarded immediately.

After another minute on hold I was through to the billing department. I was pretty impressed at the lack of hold time, considering it was a Sunday night, and I even made a comment to my brother over IM saying, “Wow, Xbox support is pretty good.” Needless to say my comment was a bit premature.

I again explained my situation to the billing rep, and he asked me to sign on to http://billing.microsoft.com so I could update my billing information there. That seemed like a pretty simple request, and he said he would stay on the line with me to make sure that everything got updated properly. Again, I was impressed because most reps would just tell you where to go and hang up. He verified that my billing information was updated, and he told me that I would be charged $49.99 because I had an owing balance on my account. While all I wanted to do was convert to a Silver account (hopefully for no charges), I was half expecting this since my account had technically lapsed in June. I asked if it was possible to just pro-rate the two months that I was given service after my account lapsed, and I was told because I’m an annual member that wouldn’t happen. Alright, fine, no big deal – it’s just $50. The charge was put through and I figured all was set. Here’s how the rest of the conversation went:

Me: Alright, so my account is settled. Since my account lapsed in June I’m assuming I should have about 10 months left of Xbox Live Gold service, right?
Rep: No.

Me: Ummm… what do you mean no? When I paid the $50 I was paying for service from June 2008 to June 2009. I understand that I won’t get a full year of service from today, but how come you’re telling me I’m not going to get Gold service at all?

Rep: By paying the $50 you settled your account. Your account has been reactivated as a Silver account.

Me: Okay, I understand that my account is now settled, but I just paid for 12 months of service. If you date that from June 2008 I should have a Gold account until June 2009.

Rep: No. When you paid the $50 that was just to settle the account and bring it current. Your account was almost sent to collections, so your payment stopped the process.

Me (Getting very pissed off right now): Okay, so what you’re telling me is that I just paid $50 so you wouldn’t send me to collections? With Xbox Live service you PRE-PAY for the service! If I’m paying you $50 I just PRE-PAID for services that you owe me. Now you’re telling me all I did was stop you from sending me to collections?

Rep: Yes. However, now that your account is settled you can go ahead and purchase a Gold account if you want.

Me (To the point of ripping my hair out): So what you’re telling me is that I just paid you $50, and if I want to get a Gold level account I will need to pay again for it even though I just paid you $50?!?

Rep: That would be correct sir.

Me (Trying not to yell at the guy so I can ask pertinent questions): Okay, that makes no sense, but let’s continue. Can you tell me exactly what I was charged for? Was the $50 I just spent for Xbox Live Gold service, collections fees, account reactivation… what?

Rep: The charge will be for Xbox Live Gold service.

Me (Ready to rip his throat out through the phone): You just said that I was being charged for Xbox Live Gold service. If that’s the case then how come I am not getting the balance of the months?

Rep: Because that charge was to bring your account current.

This ordeal continued for another 10 minutes. He told me that my payment was solely to bring my account “current.” His rationale for not giving me the balance of the months on my account was that my account was almost sent to collections. Well, first off, my account was never sent to collections, so that’s the biggest BS story I’ve ever heard. Second, how can you send me to collections on a debt for services that I was never given? Microsoft cut off my account when it went delinquent, and at the very least I got a free month out of them. I absolutely understand them wanting me to pay for that, but how can you send me to collections for an entire year of service that I haven’t even used yet? I also asked him that if I had called last month to settle my account would I have been given the balance of the months. His answer? Yes. Rationale? Because my account wasn’t being sent to collections last month.

After all of this I informed the rep that I would dispute the charge with my credit card company. He told me, “Fine, we get that all the time. However, we always win because we will show that it’s a legitimate charge.” I tried to argue with him saying that yes, while the charge itself is legitimate (I did authorize it), Microsoft is refusing to give me the services that I paid for, and that is grounds for a dispute resolution in my favor. He didn’t really seem to care and I knew I was getting nowhere, so I just hung up at that point.

So where do I stand? Yesterday I was charged $50 for 12-months of Microsoft Xbox Live Gold service which should have been dated from June 2008. However, my account is currently at a Silver level, and the only way to upgrade the account is to pay again for Gold service.

There are several problems that come up with this entire phone call. First, I only had the choice to pay $49.99 to bring my account current even though there are monthly and quarterly payment options available. If I had been a month-to-month member I probably would’ve just paid for a single month and lost a month of service, not 10. If I had been paying via Xbox Live Cards that you buy at retailers nothing would’ve happened because there are no recurring payments. So for the most part, a dedicated customer who makes an annual commitment to the service gets screwed the hardest. Thanks Microsoft!

Feel free to hit me up on Xbox Live on my handle ForceTrainer. However, don’t expect to game with me since I’m just a Silver level subscriber now. I guess taunts via voice messages will have to do.

A Random P90X Discussion

noreply@blogger.com (Force Trainer) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 18:17:00 +0000

Last night I found myself in the role of a P90X salesperson. I had a promotion test for my students yesterday, and afterward we were hanging out at a bar talking about the test (5 hours of hell for them) and other random topics. One of my students said, "I was up late last night and saw this ad for P90X, have you ever heard of it?" I look at one of my other instructors (who's planning to start the program once his shoulder heals) and just laughed.

When she said that to me I immediately launched into my "how I chose P90X" story. It started with how I had my first discussion with a SWAT friend of mine a while ago and wound up buying the program myself. Before I knew it I was singing Tony's praises and saying that she should definitely look into the program. After about 10 minutes of droning on about Ab Ripper X, my hate for Yoga, and Plyo I realized I had become my worst nightware - a miniature Tony selling P90X!!

In all actuality P90X has done amazing things for me thus far, so I guess it's not that bad. However, I still feel kind of weird admitting that it was an infomercial workout that got me into great shape. Considering I'm supposed to be some sort of fitness professional it's slightly humorous. Oh well, it works and I can't deny it.

Getting Back on the Horse

noreply@blogger.com (Force Trainer) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 18:12:00 +0000

After two weeks of hell with my back I think I'm finally ready to get some workouts in. I definitely did a lot more than I originally thought because it took three trips to the chiropractor to get things back into shape. My last appointment was on Thursday and for the most part it's pretty loose, but I didn't want to try and jump into things and wind up screwing it up all over again. On top of that I've taught close to 12 hours over the past few days, so I figured I would be tired enough from that.

So, I'm going to pick up at he beginning of Phase III and get this thing finished. Because of the break I know I won't be where I wanted to be at the end, but I can tell you that I'm much better off than when I started.

Enemy Mine

noreply@blogger.com (Erich Heintz) — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 10:53:00 +0000

By birthright I'm a NY Giants fan and have always reserved the right to cheer for the Jets should they ever decide to do something worthwhile in my lifetime (if only they could get hold of a decent quarterback). For the last decade, however, I've been geographically positioned that the Philadelphia Eagles are my "home team". As painful as that is under normal circumstances today I am agonized by having to acknowledge a smart move on Philly's part. It's not a trade or strategic overhaul that's going to carry them through the playoffs to steal the crown from my beloved team. Oh, no. They're going to beat us with my own medicine. Seems that in the off-season kicker David Aikers and trainer Rick Burkholder have started using P90X within the Eagles organization including prescribing portions of the program for use by injured players during their rehab.

I guess it's my turn

noreply@blogger.com (Force Trainer) — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 23:41:00 +0000

No no... unlike my slouch of a brother I'm not dropping P90X ;) Actually, he's not really dropping it - I'll be addressing that in this post. However, I did think it was time for an update so people know where I've disappeared to. Apparently Muddy and I have been running into the same problems, and our solutions are pretty similar.

Alright, so where have I been? Working, heh. Yeah yeah, it's the typical excuse, but I really have. The past couple of weeks have been insane. First off, as I've probably said a few times I'm switching jobs in September, so I've been spending a lot of time getting ready for that. We've had to spend a good bit of time to determine who will be taking over for me, and while the decision wasn't mine it did take up some of my time. This past week we also were hosting a national instructor certification at my training facility, so that took up time because I wound up teaching on a few of the days. While teaching students can be draining, teaching instructors is worse because it takes a lot more brain power. Your job is to give them everything they need to prepare them for teaching their own students, so you have to be 100% on the ball.

To top it all off, on Saturday I threw out my back - badly. I was teaching my kids and doing some self-defenses with them, and it aggravated my back. I should know better by now not to go hard on them without warming up first, but that's neither here nor there. I went home, plopped myself down on the couch and decided to relax with my Xbox. After about 2 hours I stood up and *WHAM* the pain hit me like a ton of bricks. I've historically had problems with my lower back so it was nothing new, but when I went to stretch it out something in my lower back popped in a very gruesome, cartilage grinding on bone, kind of way. I collapsed to the ground screaming many obscenities and then managed to get back on my feet after a few minutes. Lets just say I didn't work out on Saturday.

Sunday I spent most of the day sleeping in a drug induced haze or lying on the floor with an ice pack. I was able to get to the chiropractor today, but I did enough of a number on my back that I probably won't be doing much until at least Friday. So basically this entire week (which should be week 3 of Phase III) completely out. Add to that minimal workouts in Week 1 and Week 2 and this month has sucked. However, there are some positives.

First off, to go back to my comment about Muddy, he's not a slouch :) He's actually doing exactly what we had discussed when we started this. He knew that he wasn't going to adhere to P90X for the rest of his life because 1) time is tough with a family and work and sometimes you're going to miss workouts and 2) he doesn't like some of the workouts (i.e. 90 minutes of Yoga hell). However, what he is doing is sticking to the diet, making his own routine out of the workouts he likes, and sticking to a healthy way of life. More than anything I'm uber-proud of my big bro because he went from doing nothing to completely changing things around. He looks friggin' awesome, and I'm excited that he's going to continue to stay in shape. The most important goal - the healthy lifestyle - is the one that he's achieved. Now that he knows what to do he's stubborn enough to stick to it, heh.

As for me, well, come next week I'm going to completely repeat Phase III. While I've fallen well behind of the 90 day mark, I haven't come this far not to complete the program. It might be closer to P120X, but hey, I'm going to finish. My plan was always to continue after finishing anyway, so the most important part is that I continue eating properly and put together a workout regimen that I'm going to stick to.

On the ultimate plus side, despite not doing well for what is going to be three weeks, I still look pretty good! Since leaning out and discovering that I have abs, I have admittedly gotten very vain and I look in the mirror every day to see how I'm doing. While I don't look much different than my pics from a few weeks ago, more importantly I haven't gone backwards. That's definitely a testament to eating well (err... mostly well) and having built a solid base. I've probably gained back a few pounds of softness, but that will melt away as soon as I hit the weights again. So really I look at it as nothing lost, nothing gained. I've just stalled for the past few weeks because of life.

Like I said in one of my posts a little while ago, the true test of P90X is being able to continue this for the long haul. I've never been a gym rat, and I know I'll never become one. I would like to say that I'm going to work out 6 days per week for the rest of my life, but the reality is that there's no way that can happen. The new job I'm switching to will just not allow that (the hours will be long and I will be traveling a lot), but I've learned a lot because of P90X. I know how to eat right no matter where I go, I have great workout routines that I can do almost anywhere, and I now care enough about my body to not allow myself to go back to where I came from. Monday will begin (again) Phase 3, and I'm looking forward to finishing this.

Come September my life is going to turn upside down, but the good part is that PT is going to be part of daily living for the next 7 months, so I know I'll be able to keep up with what I've done this summer. Even though I haven't finished yet, I will finally tuck my tail between my legs and say, "Thank you Tony." Yes, you heard it - Tony Horton is the man. I'll even say that he's moved out of the douchebag category. However, I'll still be using the "Silent with Cues" version of the workouts :)

Change of Plans

noreply@blogger.com (Erich Heintz) — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 16:19:00 +0000

When I started P90X I knew I had a window of opportunity to get through the 90 day regimine. Unfortunately that window has narrowed to the point that I'm forced to hang it up.

Now, before I start getting jumped on let me clarify. As of today I am giving up the P90X program, but only from the "do these routines, this often for 90 days" point of view. Tony Horton and I are still going to be familiar with each other for a long time to come.

Like I said, I knew I had a finite window to adhere to a 90-day, everyday system. I have events starting shortly that will make swiss-cheese out of my workout schedule and having been sick a few weeks ago I lost my margin of error time (and then some). Add to that the unexpected event of going under contract for a new house and my ability to keep to the program on a 6-day a week basis has dropped to nil. So it looks like Day 69 is going to be my day 90. I'll do photos and results later in the week.

All is not lost however. I've already picked up the P90X+ program and am looking forward to working with it. P90X+ isn't a full program in itself, it's designed to merge with P90X creating an alternate or advanced program. It's a series of workouts that, while shorter in length (~45 minutes versus ~1hour+ for P90X) works multiple groups simultaneously so you get "just as much of a workout".

So this week and next is likely going to be an informal introduction to P90X+. I'll split the workout time I do have available between the stuff I know and the stuff I don't, disregarding the P90X sequencing. After that I'll play the mix and match game with the goal being to come up with a 4-5 day repeatable program with enough flexibility that I can stick to for the long haul.

Even though I won't be making it through the "official way" I fully support this program, it does work. I'm thrilled with the results I have seen thus far and am confident that even an improvised system is going to produce greater results and benefit me for years to come.

Oh yeah, I'm sticking to the diet.

New iPhone and lack of time

noreply@blogger.com (Force Trainer) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 13:52:00 +0000

Sorry for the lack of updates. Work has been a bear and on top of that I bought myself an iPhone for my birthday. Unfortunately the new gadget gets my very minimal geek time.

Sent from my iPhone :)

8.5-9.25%

noreply@blogger.com (Force Trainer) — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 19:06:00 +0000

That's my estimated body fat percentage as of right now. There's a bit of a swing because there were two different charts used based on the caliper readings, so I'd venture to say that I'm probably hovering somewhere around 9%. I definitely look completely different than I did two months ago, so I don't have a single complaint.

I could probably bitch and moan that I'm not going to be shredded at this end of this P90X cycle, but the only one that I can blame is myself. My diet has been so-so over the past few weeks because of eating out a few times for birthday celebrations and imbibing a bit of alcohol here and there. However, I know that there's a reality to all of this. I have made some significant life changes with the diet, and I'll continue those habits. I thoroughly enjoy my shakes in the morning, a huge salad at lunch, and protein bars and other healthy snacks throughout the day. However, if someone says, "Force, lets go grab a bite at X," I'm not going to do the whole fretting nonsense that I did during month one. Would I love to be shredded? Absolutely - but now I truly understand what is necessary for that to happen, and I don't see that being my life. I like to drink with friends, brownies are good at a pool party, and french fries on occasion are a nice treat. Will I be eating them as regularly as I did in the past - no friggin' way. But, I'm not going to forgo some of the simple pleasures in life (mmmm... cheesecake) because I know I won't enjoy it. If I continue to eat well, workout like a monster, and sit at 8.5-9% body fat for a long time I will be more than happy. Besides, as I add more muscle (I'm still a bit sknny) that will make up some of the difference. I don't need to be at 6% body fat to be happy (or look good). I'm already happy taking off my shirt at a pool party - from here on out it's just going to get better :)

Alternative Weapons: Resistance Bands

noreply@blogger.com (Erich Heintz) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 23:47:00 +0000

While Force Trainer has taken the time to put together a thorough showdown of potential weight systems to use in your P90X endeavor (see: Choose your weapon) he did neglect one option, admittedly because he hasn't used them, resistance bands.

I personally chose Beachbody's B-Line Resistance Bands as my weapon. With a narrow price range ($20-80) those who are looking for an entry level price into P90X definitely want to consider this option.

First obstacle is determining what bands you need. If you're like me you are purchasing blind, which probably isn't a good idea. I hadn't intended to order bands at the same time as P90X because I wanted to go to a sporting goods store and get hands on. I ended up getting baited into an up-sell when I placed my P90X order and convenience conquered sense.

The kit I got was a set of three higher weight bands, Red (30lb), Green (40lb) & Black (50lbs), plus one set of removable handles. While reasonably priced the range of weight is too high and wide to be exploited by many people during the course of a 90-day program. If you're in a position to be using the 50lb band regularly you'll likely have no use for the 30lb and vice-versa.

So while you want to avoid this particular up-sell BB does have three packages that are marketed properly. The Standard Kit (15/20/30) is sold as a best seller amongst women, the Super Kit (20/30/40) is targeted at men and the Extreme Kit (40/45/50) is, well, extreme. Plus, each of these kits comes with 2 sets of handles, which will likely get most anyone through a single workout without having to waste any time swapping. The price range on these three kits is $34-$41.

If money is no object or you'll be doing "family" workouts the Complete Kit has ten bands weighing from 5-50 pounds and has three sets of handles. If you're not covered by this range then you probably aren't entry level fitness and already posses a set of weights. If you'll be working with a partner you'll probably want to grab another set of handles for $5.

Enough of the sales pitch (I don't get a commission, trust me) and on to the plus and minus sides of using resistance bands over dumbbells.

Minus side:

- Friction burns: If you watch closely and do everything the same way it's demonstrated you shouldn't get them, but fact is it's unlikely you're going to get everything right the first time. If the band rubs up against you, look again, you're doing it wrong.
- Wrist stress: If you're lifting weights and your wrists are bending backwards it's obvious that you need to switch weights. With the bands it's easier to push forward anyway because you don't feel like you're going to drop the band. This leads to sore wrists.
- Easier to "cheat": Since most exercises involve anchoring the center of the band under your foot, often times with a loop to increase resistance, shifting your body slightly (such as a slight knee bend) will dramatically lighten the effective weight. While switching to a lighter weight dumbbell is an obvious change, this type of cheat can be accomplished with such subtle change you might not even realize you're doing it.
- Harder to track results: With dumbbells it's pretty keeping track of reps and weight. With bands loop size, foot (and henceforth anchor) position and posture all become factors. It's easy to remember "10x35lbs". "10 reps, green band, 6" loop, left knee slightly bent on the last two" gets a bit trickier.

Plus side:

- Cost of entry: A good set of bands costs a lot less than a good set of weights. Plus, let's be realistic, many people who start a workout program don't finish it. Bands might be the best choice until you're sure you're going to stick with it.
- Easy travel: Even in the most tightly packed suitcase, it's unlikely you won't be able to find a place to put your bands, so no excuses come vacation time.
- Safety: While it's not impossible for a band to break, it's very uncommon. Besides, you should be checking them before and after every workout for serviceability. Putting that risk aside there aren't a lot of people going to the hospital due to dropping a rubber band on their foot (or face).
- Easier to "cheat": Yes, this was a minus, but like many tools, it can be used for good or evil. When you're trying to maintain a specific rep count fixed weight can force you to have to switch to a lower weight midstream, throwing off your rhythm. With the bands an adjustment in your loop or even a slight knee bend can give you the difference you need to finish up without breaking stride.

All in all there's no universal best decision between weights and bands. As my workout room also doubles as my four year old's playroom having a couple hundred pounds of weights lying around isn't optimal, but for others it's a non-factor. Consider your individual circumstances when making your choice. Many people dismiss bands because they see the low cost as being synonymous with low effectiveness. A successful regime is going to hinge much more on the dedication you put into it than the cost of your gear. Going the inexpensive route doesn't have to mean you're getting a cheap workout.

Semana de la mierda

noreply@blogger.com (Erich Heintz) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 20:45:00 +0000

Past few days have been demotivating at best. I had a major project at work late last week that I knew was going to screw up my workout schedule and had planned accordingly. What I didn't count on was catching a nasty summer cold immediately afterward and spending three days laid up. Proudly, I did manage to keep the P90X attitude alive. I've followed a solid repertoire of alternating bed-sleepers, couch-sleepers and chair-sleepers [Repeat previous sequence].

As a result I've managed to get in one workout in the past six days. Now the pain in the ass is that this all went down late in the week (and early the next) so I'm going to need to get creative getting back into the swing. Well, I'll figure that out tomorrow. For now it's back to bed.

New Playlist Songs

noreply@blogger.com (Force Trainer) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:09:00 +0000

I love music - it's always been a large part of my life and it definitely helps me get through my workouts. I'm always on the lookout for new music, especially good rock bands, and there are two you should definitely check out if you haven't heard of them (two of the tracks are on the Amazon widget so you can hear them).

Airbourne - Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast
Cinder Road - Get In Get Out

Airbourne is a great rock band out of Australia with a very heavy AC/DC influence - it must be in the water down under. Cinder Road is a local Maryland band, and they just flat out rock. So, enjoy the tunes!

The Soreness Is Back

noreply@blogger.com (Force Trainer) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:53:00 +0000

Just like the first day of Phase II, the beginning of Phase III brings with it renewed muscle soreness. I'm actually quite happy about that because you just don't feel nearly as accomplished when you wake up the next day and feel fine. When you're not sore the next day your brain just screams, "you lazy piece of crap - you didn't work hard enough!" While that may be the case sometimes, when you're going through a program a lot of times it isn't because your body is adapting to your workouts. Switching up your workout throws your body a nice curve ball that lets you start the tearing down and building process all over again. Kudos to those sport doctor folks that have taught us how to properly torture outselves!

I'm Hungry

noreply@blogger.com (Force Trainer) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 22:57:00 +0000

And P90X is on the menu baby! If you can't tell from my posts DURING the workout, things were going pretty well. Apparently my bad recovery week didn't negatively affect my performance today. Coming into today's workout I was a little worried to be honest. It's been six weeks since doing the Chest and Back workout, and after Muddy's run in with the porcelain goddess my hopes weren't very high. Thankfully my worrying was all for naught.

Lets do a little math to compare my week 3 results with today:

Total Push-Ups

Week 3 - 196
Week 9 - 265 (35% increase)

Total Pull-Ups

Week 3 - 56 (93% assisted)
Week 9 - 35 (0% assisted)

Unfortunately there's no straight comparison for the pull-ups, but look at it this way. When starting P90X I was scared shitless of pull-ups because I was always so bad at them. Today when I hit the bar my first question was, "alright... how many are we doing today FT." That's a significant (and much more positive) attitude change.

There are a few other factors that make today even better. First, I busted through the first couple of sets of push-ups without even thinking about it. Push-ups have always been solid for me, but I felt like I was on a roll. During the first exercise I hit 30 and thought, "Uh, okay... I guess I should stop." I got up with more time left than I knew what to do with and my arms barely noticed. That's a nice feeling.

I want to push my reps up to 40 during week 11 for the exercises that I hit 30 on this week (which is 3 out of the 6 push-ups sets). Second, I did solid decline push-ups without falling flat on my face. I remember during weeks 1-3 that I was so worried about braining myself during that exercise. Not so today.

The only bad part of the workout is that I killed myself so thoroughly that I bonked HARD at the end. I didn't care though... I felt great despite my head spinning in 10,000 directions at once. I didn't have to visit the commode to release my late lunch, so instead I took a self portrait of me sitting down while I thought I was going to pass out.

As Tony says while finishing his plyo push-ups, "ARRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Waterbreak #3

noreply@blogger.com (Force Trainer) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 22:20:00 +0000

GRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!

Chest and Back - During the workout

noreply@blogger.com (Force Trainer) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 22:06:00 +0000

I'm posting during my water break. Tony will be my bitch!!

Phase III - BRING IT!!

noreply@blogger.com (Force Trainer) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:41:00 +0000

This is my "getting psyched" for Phase III post. After an absolutely abysmal recovery week due to significant work requirements and an absolutely horrible food weekend (birthday dinner with the family... NO GOOD), it's time to bring this puppy home.

Honestly, I've come further than I ever expected. I thought when starting this that I would finish P90X in the shape that I am in now. I never thought I could actually get the kind of results that they showed in the ads. I know I'm not going to be 100% shredded when I'm done, but I'm banking on some serious hotness.

So Tony, it's time to finish what we started. I'm coming into Phase III with the full arsenal, and now that I know what you've got to throw at me the only thing I can say is do your worst, because I'm not just bringing it, I'm bringing it all - lock, stock, and barrel.

Recognizing Success

noreply@blogger.com (Erich Heintz) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 13:10:00 +0000

Just wanted to send out a belated shout to our virtual pal Prophet who wrapped up his P90 journey last week with great success. Next step, P90X.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LITTLE SIS!!

noreply@blogger.com (Force Trainer) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 05:00:00 +0000

Today is a special day because it's our sister's birthday!! She doesn't have a cool name like me or Muddy, so we'll just call her Little Sis. Technically she's only Muddy's little sister - she's three years my senior. However, she's a midget compared to me.

So, happy birthday Little Sis - this video's for you!

Eat? What's That? Why would I do that?

noreply@blogger.com (Force Trainer) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 04:36:00 +0000

So it's recovery week for me and I'm thinking, "alright... a nice easy week to relax, recover, eat well and then move on to Phase III." Well, on the workout side I was right (actually Core Synergistics can be quite hard when done right), but as for the diet? Lets just say an anorexic in crisis mode eats more than me right now.

I'm pretty sure my OCD side has completely taken over this week. I can't remember if I mentioned this previously, but I am going to be resigning from my job this September. While I'm leaving on great terms, there's a LOT of things that I need to get done before I leave. As anyone that has had to do continuity documents before knows, there's about 10 things you know you do on a daily basis at work and about a million more that you didn't even realize you did. Trying to document all of those things is painstaking, frustrating at times, and the results in me sitting in front of the computer until my eyes are popping out of my head and my stomach has started to digest itself. My ass has logged more hours in my desk chair in this past week than in probably the entire previous month.

For some reason when I spend a lot of time on the computer at work it flows right into the same thing at home. I pretty much come home, hop on the computer again, and proceed to do god only knows what. You would assume that if I'm in front of a computer all day at work that I would avoid it like the plague at home, right? WRONG (I don't have a good reason as to why, you're just wrong - deal with it). My break from the idiot box cousin pretty much consists of my workout and that's about it. On the plus side I'm working out, but on the VERY negative side I'm eating like complete and absolute shit.

Now when I say I'm eating poorly (oh, I'm sorry... like shit) it's not nearly as bad as it used to be. In the past me eating badly (oops again... like shit) meant McDonald's, Wendy's, and repeated trips to Panera Bread. The issue now is that I'm just not eating at all (as I'm typing this I'm both hungry and thirsty, but I won't get up and get anything until I'm done). I probably haven't taken in more than 1500 calories any day this week. Yes, I know... don't yell, it's bad. If anything it's extremely counter productive since my body is going to go catabolic and start storing fat and eating away at my precious muscle.

Other than the diet stuff (which I'm going to work hard to fix tomorrow) I'm feeling relatively good. Yoga on Monday yesterday was *ALMOST* pleasant (I stress almost as usual). I blasted the angry music, sung along, and contorted myself into agony. I'm sick and tired of feeling like a yoga retard, so I pushed myself like crazy until I was shaking and sweating violently (christ... it sounds like withdrawal). The result was a seriously sore lower body on Tuesday, but at least I felt like I did something. Regardless, I still hate yoga.