Summer seems to have finally lost it’s grasp on the weather, and the cold is creeping in. Not to mention the ever decreasing amount of sunlight. Seasonal changes typically bring a pattern change to my routines. I run on the sun I guess.
The summer beer-fest is over, though the inability to take a true vacation is wearing me down. Work is a tough grind right now,. Everyday I lose an inch, and every night I put back 9/10. The team I’m leading is trying their best, but it just seems to be an uphill battle. Once we’re done though…it will be all our careers’ greatest achievement to date. When people believe in the goal, it’s surprising what they will do to get there.
In the past I would have burned every hour on this. I know that leads to a burn out, so instead I spend time with the wife and kids. I relax with some gaming where the goals are clear, control is in my hand, and objectives can be met within a few minutes. As complex as some games are, they are relatively simple compared to the rest of the day.
In addition, home exercise routines. I’ve mentioned this a few times and decided to just put it all in one page called Fitness Info. This covers everything, from the nutrition, to the gear, and the workout plan, and a bit of the mental state. I’ll keep adding to it over time but for now, it’s my rumblings on this whole health kick. Long story short, there is little better to reduce stress than to be lifting very heavy things.
The eating portion is going ok. I still have a rather regimented daily intake that’s been the same for a long time. The supper and weekend meals are a bit more complex, what with hectic family schedules and social gatherings. Weight is still coming off, and I am getting stronger at the same time. Rather than force it along as I would have in the past, I’m just sticking to the plan. I don’t have 150lbs to lose mind you, so the scale isn’t exactly motivation. I could swing 1-3lbs just in a given day, depending on when I eat, how much water, and when I weigh myself.
The goal remains and I don’t think I’ve touched on this yet. Sure, there are objectives. Lifting a lot of weight certainly is one of those. But the goal, that’s a rather simple one. I want to have the energy and ability to keep playing with my kids for the next 20 years. I could do nothing today and be fine for the next 4-5 years. Then I’d have a whole ton of work to do, and habits to build. Might as well get into that now, so that it’s just normal. So that my kids see what a healthy lifestyle looks like (that sounds too vegan).
There’s something about kids wanting to be like you, that makes you want to be a better you. It’s a circle of feedback, and I choose for it to be a positive one.
Leo's Life 
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Envoyé de mon appareil Samsung de Bell via le réseau le plus vaste au pays.
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Great post! I am on a 2x a week hockey schedule but WAY off my lifting. My son’s school schedule changed. I used to wake up at 5:00am, Coffee and news until 5:30, work out until 6:30, then get the family and up and going for an 8:07am BUS. I could stick to that routine perfectly and lift 6 out of 7 days (3 days on, 1 day off) and had great gains and felt wonderful.
Now he has to be out of the house by 7:10 and has to be up by 7am and I am having a hard time getting up at 4:30 AM to get on my routine. I have been doing hot yoga (there is a studio across from my office 2-3x per week at lunch which is great stretching and some good body-weight strength training, but not the same. I have to, have to get back onto a routine. I am lucky to lift once a week right now, and that has been on weekends.
Some fun differences – I don’t agree with set amount of sleep as people use and benefit from sleep differently so a set 8 hours may not be necessary. (I run 6-7 per night). My macros are currently 40 protein, 40 carbs, 20 fat as I felt like low on energy so upped the carbs. I had a nutritionist tell me the body can only absorb 30g of protein per meal, which has some support but also has been debunked. Frustrating that science can’t even provide good answers. My Fitness Pal is a must do and I eat 4-5 meals a day. (5th meal is before bed, trying to balance out my macro and calorie daily goals. I was eating 4 oz of plain turkey the other night trying to get my protein in!)
One thing that I find very true is that when you are on the routine it becomes really easy. Once you fall off it is hard to get that engine running again. Being in an off state is very frustrating for me and this is the kind of post that helps me refocus and know I have to get back on it – so thanks!
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BAh, can’t edit, and typo: He has to be out of bed by 6:00am so has pushed my workout schedule back too early. (Not 7).
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Life is fun ain’t it?
That nightly macro… I opted for a long time to use plain greek yogurt. Sometimes mixed with protein powder. Eating “real food” isn’t something that works for me.
re: routine. I think they are both self-fulfilling. When it’s going, you are motivated to keep going and missing a workout is frustrating. When you fall off, the body just seems to give the finger and won’t move. I can’t make the gym work for me during the day, given the type of job I have right now. And morning workouts make me want to jump off a bridge. My hockey 2x a week, 2 nights of kids activities, weekends of social/events… it’s hard to make everything fit. I make do when I can.
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