tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52342279156358534532024-03-19T22:45:06.301-07:00Our Transformationyoungmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04729900871927068346noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234227915635853453.post-72512786998586384012013-02-17T13:11:00.000-08:002013-02-17T13:11:13.342-08:002012 Body for Life Champion!<br />
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So I just found that I am the 2012 Body
for Life Champion!! I can't believe it right now. It really has not
sunk in. It is such an honor. I'm honored that the judges thought I
was worthy enough for this position. This transformation was a team
effort with my wife Liz. Even though I may have won the title, the
honor goes to Liz too. I actually remember thinking she had a better
chance at winning than I did. I'm truly excited that we can now,
more than ever, inspire others with our transformation. This now
gives us credibility to encourage others. Of my five goals in the beginning I can now mark off the last goal of winning.</div>
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When I got the email saying they wanted
to have a phone conversation with me, I thought I'd better review my
blog and remind myself of my journey last summer. As I read through
I had forgotten a lot that I had been through with it. Most of all,
I was reminded that this was God's battle. I relived how God worked
with us in this transformation providing opportunities for us to get
the right workout in and how He provided the finances for all the
healthy foods we needed. All the different thoughts and
encouragements that came along were completely from Him. I noticed
in week 8 of my blog I wrote, “I am pretty sure that our only
chance at winning this competition is to have God on our side.”
People, this is more than a coincidence. Another interesting thing
happened recently. I had forgotten about the competition since we
did it last summer. About a week and a half ago I was looking
through an old prayer list of mine and one of the things on it was
“Win Body for Life.” I said a little prayer about it remembering
that God WAS with us on that journey. It was only later that day
that I received the email saying they wanted to talk with me. I did
a phone interview the next day as a finalist and the following day
they called me to tell me I was the champion for my age group. Woah!</div>
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I could easily run off saying, “Look
what I did!” I'm thankful I wrote this blog that reminds me and
can show others that it is God who was working through me. So my
boasting is in Him. This has been a big step for me in my spiritual
journey to heaven and I am encouraged all the more to commit whatever
I do to God.</div>
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<i>God, I can't believe this! I'm
amazed at Your faithfulness in this event. I wish I could say I knew
and trusted all along that this would happen. I realize this is all
part of Your purposes. I am nothing. I want more than ever to
follow You and make sure I am on Your side in all my battles. Please
let this be an encouragement to others to commit their lives to You.</i></div>
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If you are
unfamiliar with the Body for Life program, you can check it out at
this link:</div>
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<a href="http://bodyforlife.com/">http://bodyforlife.com/</a></div>
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If you are unfamiliar with this amazing God I server, read the Holy Bible.</div>
youngmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04729900871927068346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234227915635853453.post-74292329478114579342012-09-16T06:37:00.000-07:002012-09-16T06:37:59.084-07:00End of the Body-for-LIFE program<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">End of the
Body-for-LIFE program</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;"><br />
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">Hey, guess what?
We made it! We completed the program and have turned in all our
entrance information for the competition. We actually finished the
program two weeks ago. It has just taken a while to get around to
writing the blog. All of our goals have been met. Of course we will
have to wait to see if we won the competition.
</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">LIZ'S ACCOUNT</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">So
far after completing the challenge I have lost 16 pounds which was 6
more pounds lost than I had hoped for. I did complete the 12 week
program without ever missing a workout or meal. I hope to win the
competition but will have to wait to find out on that. The only
chance I have had to be a good example to my athletes was competing
in a 5k race at the end of the challenge that many of my athletes ran
in. One of the parents of a girl I coach thought I was a new girl on
the team and realized afterward that I was their coach. I also got
some nice comments from my athletes so I hope this will give me more
credibility when I actually get a chance to coach them next season.
Finally, I think the photos show how far I have come on my belly. I
can't believe how slimmed down my stomach has gotten! </span>
</span></div>
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</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">As
I worked through the program I noticed that I became more organized,
developed extra energy and motivation, and gained a desire to help
and inspire others. As a mom it is very hard to plan ahead for
everything because the kids can make a mess or have a dirty diaper at
any moment. However, I learned through this program that things were
easier when I did plan ahead not only with the program but with house
cleaning, errands, and time with the kids. In the evenings my husband
and I used to watch TV and snack for two or three hours because we
were worn out from the day. During this program I had more energy to
clean up the dishes at night and take care of any last minute tasks
for the day. I also slept better because I wanted to be rested and
ready for my workouts in the morning. I think the biggest surprise
was developing a strong desire to encourage others with their weight
and exercise issues. I’ve had several comments from others about
the changes they have seen in me and I really enjoyed sharing my
journey with them. I especially love sharing how simple the meal plan
is and all the good foods we have been eating. I know so many people,
including myself, give in to food temptations easily. I developed the
mental strength to easily resist these temptations because I always
knew I had my free day for them. I also began to not really want the
junk food even when I had my free days. I'm so proud of myself for
completing this program and I plan to keep it up. </span>
</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">DAVID'S
ACCOUNT</span></div>
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</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Well
I completed the program quite well. I did miss a couple of days due
to getting worn out between work and not sleeping well. I kept up
with the eating plan everyday though. I think I had one meal mishap.
So I would say goal one was a success. As far as becoming a Body for
Life Champion, I will have to wait and see. Goal three was to gain 9
pounds of muscle and I gained 10 pounds. At about week three of the
program I started feeling more energized. I was able to do hard
physical tasks like yard work when I normally would be too exhausted
to do them. My last goal was to support my wife through the program
and she completed it successfully. We planned meals and cooked
together. We had to work out separately but we would take turns
watching the kids so we each could get our workouts in. So I think I
did really well with my goals. I am so happy to have achieved all of
them. I certainly hope I did enough for the competition to be a
winner. </span>
</span></div>
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</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><br />As
I compare my before and after photos of this challenge I see how
scrawny I was 12 weeks ago. I thought I looked healthy before the
challenge but now I look and feel solid. What a confidence booster! I
feel so proud to have completed this challenge and also to have met
almost all of my goals. I learned how to set goals better by defining
what I want and having a plan to achieve it. My imagination has run
wild with ideas of improving my spiritual life, improving my career
as a musician, improving my family and home, and so much more by
setting goals and making a plan. I had one really big inner change
during this program. As I was working out and trying to hit those
high points I tried to think of what I really wanted. Early on I
thought of the body I wanted and winning the challenge. This was
motivating but after a few weeks I found that what I really wanted
was truth. I am a Christian and believe whole heartedly in God and
the Holy Bible. It is a daily battle to stay focused on God and I get
so tired of myself not trusting and believing what I know is true. So
when I was fighting for those high points I imagined that I was
battling to stand up for God. By doing these workouts I was training
my mind to fight not just in the workout but in my life. I only have
one chance to live on this earth so I’d better fight for what I
know I should be doing while I’m here. </span>
</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">AND
FINALLY, HERE ARE THE PHOTOS</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05eBypqlDvO25BERvx9mVJBxGaVF2Inw1Qn_CkvQp1QB0D39qTeaGLB3FUup_JG8vaWdtE_fV7vj0ZrC9EAWOVYn1FDUAEw56LZ2Rwub2CHgkSrLR_26GysABVJWOZ-DYQveQ3UL8sMTx/s1600/Liz+Side.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05eBypqlDvO25BERvx9mVJBxGaVF2Inw1Qn_CkvQp1QB0D39qTeaGLB3FUup_JG8vaWdtE_fV7vj0ZrC9EAWOVYn1FDUAEw56LZ2Rwub2CHgkSrLR_26GysABVJWOZ-DYQveQ3UL8sMTx/s320/Liz+Side.jpg" width="237" /></a></div>
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We were trying to figure out what to do next because we really felt good doing this and it certainly was a benefit to us. So we have ordered the Insanity program (as seen on TV) and will start that as soon as we get it. Thanks to everyone who supported us and has been praying for us. May God bless you.</div>
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<br />youngmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04729900871927068346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234227915635853453.post-7463330016528630582012-08-26T13:05:00.001-07:002012-08-26T13:05:33.732-07:00End of Week 11<br />
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One week to go! What
a journey it has been. I already feel
proud that we have made it this far without getting off track. It’s hard to say how and why we did it. I know I’ve said before that planning and
setting goals has been really helpful.
But even then, I don’t always stick to other things that I plan for and
set goals for. I think it helped that
the plan was fairly simple. It helped
that we were investing extra money into it because we don’t like to waste
money. It helped telling others about it
so we felt accountable. I think the real
key was that God has been with us. And I
can’t explain why that is but we’ve tried things like this before and have
never finished them. </div>
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<br /></div>
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A friend of ours had leukemia and amazingly got rid of it after
a long struggle. I asked him after he
had been heeled of it if he had any big spiritual breakthroughs from going
through this. The thing that I remember
him saying was that he learned to really own his prayers. I got what he was saying at the time but I’m
starting to get it even more lately. I
can’t just come up with my wish list and say, “Okay God, I want a vintage 1936
Martin D-18 guitar in mint condition, I want a Corvette, a big new house, etc.” The thing is, I may think I want these but deep
down I don’t really want them. I’m after
what I think they will give me. God
knows what we really need. I’m not
saying I needed to get in shape like this but I think it had so much more to do
with all the benefits of doing it like helping my wife, being an example for
the track kids, being an example for our boys, and developing discipline. I think…no, I know God had a reason for us
going through this. For me, I’ve grown
far closer to God than I have in quite a while.</div>
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<br /></div>
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This last week I did much better with planning ahead for my
meals each day. That had been my problem
in the 2 or 3 previous weeks. I also
relaxed a little more and didn’t worry so much about getting the perfect
workout in. I still tried but I think I
was stressing too much about doing everything perfect. Liz has been doing well in her workouts
without stressing about them. She just
does it. Me, I have to analyze everything. Liz has seen great changes so I decided that
I should just do the workout. </div>
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<br /></div>
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It’s on to the home stretch.
Our final week. We know what to
do by now and it is routine so we just need to continue doing it and trusting
God. We also need to start working on
our final essay and getting ready for all the stuff we need to turn in at the
end of the competition. I’ll post our
final photo comparisons next week.</div>
youngmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04729900871927068346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234227915635853453.post-87190030522309548472012-08-20T07:13:00.000-07:002012-08-20T07:13:32.464-07:00End of Week 10<br />
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Almost there!</div>
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This last week was a tough week for me.
Liz was fairly consistent but I had some difficulties. The main
thing was I wasn't sleeping well mostly because my mind was very
active which caused me to stay up planning for all my projects,
researching, and being anxious. We also seemed to get on a bad track
with our digestion. We ate out at a Chinese Restaurant on our free
day (last Sunday). It was delicious but it didn't seem to sit well
with our stomachs and it surprisingly took the week to get back on
track. I think some of our supplements are not sitting well with us either.</div>
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As I read through my workout notes from
this past week, I see how each day I seemed to have some note saying
I didn't do as well, was lacking energy, and was failing to hit my
high intensities. By the end of the week I got really dizzy in my
workout on Friday and had to alter it. Saturday I took the day off
to get caught up on sleep.
</div>
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<br />
</div>
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I also altered my diet this last week
so I wasn't eating as many supplements. I tried to eat more whole
foods. I didn't plan as well either so I don't think I ate as much
as I should have. This may have been part of my problems in my
workout.</div>
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So... this week it is time to get back
on track. I got rested up this weekend so I feel ready for the week.
I recommitted myself to making sure I get enough sleep, decided to
relax more so my mind isn't stressed and anxious, and plan and eat
what I need. Planning is so key. Any day I plan things out, not
just for Body for Life but in everything, I am noticeably more
productive. I've noticed when I practice guitar I have not been very
productive lately so last week I started to really identify what I
want and need to work on. I wrote out some plans and started to
journal about my practice. I have made some huge gains in my
practice just in one week.
</div>
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<i>God, help me to place all my trust
in You. I recognized that you were with me in the beginning with
this and I have gotten lost in other things. I keep wanting to do
better but I am very inconsistent. I 'm not planning ahead as well.
I'm not being careful on my Free Days. And I'm not focused daily on
You in this. Thank You for Your grace and mercy that You have shown
me through this process. Help me to stick up for what I know You are
leading me to do. </i>
</div>
youngmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04729900871927068346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234227915635853453.post-218406976389150732012-08-12T05:27:00.002-07:002012-08-12T05:38:37.819-07:00End of Week 9<br />
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The last few weeks of the Body for Life
program have moved along very quickly. We continue to improve each
day finding new, healthier, tastier foods to eat and improving our
form on our exercises. Our bodies have changed for the better. We
have more energy, better posture, and general strength to do more.
We've trained our minds to push through challenges in the workouts
daily. This translates to daily challenges of house cleaning, work,
spiritual challenges, etc. Needless to say, it has been a really
good experience so far and well worth the effort of making the time,
planning ahead, and putting the extra money into it. A wise
investment.</div>
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I don't have much to share about this
past week. One thing that stands out though is the whole mind over
body thing. I'm sure it won't sound very appealing but I really look
forward to the opportunity to push myself. In the beginning, not so
much. But now I know that I better myself and make myself stronger
when I push passed what I think my body can handle. There's an
incredible sense of accomplishment when it happens. I remember when
I was in Cross Country in high school and college I would usually
dread the hard workouts and competition. Even though I did pretty
good, it was really hard and painful. A big difference I notice now
is that I'm recovered, energized, and ready for each workout. The
meal plan makes a huge difference.
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Thought I'd share an example of a workout and meal plan from this past week
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCzAyaKNWJHCIgo6bqZUG0luLz01IcUf9nEyuoLKCTJ-M2QcfeCjs8BeRlw7nCXsEO16dMIN3v_x7hJDobfqNVyrv94IVDgfoINvkS-4nnqTpgcOqJe_zA9BO_P9fxTYesBXchGErVEHbL/s1600/Workout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCzAyaKNWJHCIgo6bqZUG0luLz01IcUf9nEyuoLKCTJ-M2QcfeCjs8BeRlw7nCXsEO16dMIN3v_x7hJDobfqNVyrv94IVDgfoINvkS-4nnqTpgcOqJe_zA9BO_P9fxTYesBXchGErVEHbL/s640/Workout.jpg" width="464" /></a></div>
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You'll notice in the intensity levels, I don't always reach a 10. A 10 means you are pushing passed what you think you can do. You should be able to say that there was no way you could have done anymore repetitions. It's very hard to do. I only hit 3 of the 5 tens for this particular day. It's very hard to get a 10 on every exercise because of the amount of focus it takes. I'm pretty hard on myself too so it's hard for me to give myself a 10. You can also see my notes and side comments about my form. I always write down questions I have and problems I'm having so I can research them and do better the next time.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKo16zwMbELwsNKYxzw6GwKc9z0nrao-_FXbrn7XYoamY6055N3Rp58d_uPTH74Q1hIRPypOBdzhmoYOsRT_3uDe9Y3phyphenhyphencEgWmZuCzxCVoNyQiqHrtQvjE0Snlrva5QeCe9E0PCfPULkT/s1600/food.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKo16zwMbELwsNKYxzw6GwKc9z0nrao-_FXbrn7XYoamY6055N3Rp58d_uPTH74Q1hIRPypOBdzhmoYOsRT_3uDe9Y3phyphenhyphencEgWmZuCzxCVoNyQiqHrtQvjE0Snlrva5QeCe9E0PCfPULkT/s640/food.jpg" width="465" /></a></div>
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Some of my abbreviations and symbols might not make sense so I'll try to clarify. The P & C on the Eating page are for Protein and Carbs so I could count them and make sure I got enough portions. I used quotations in the Actual column if I ate what I planned. Myo is the Myoplex protein drink that we have after every workout. Multi and Fish Oil are vitamins.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>youngmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04729900871927068346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234227915635853453.post-83938850278032886162012-08-07T10:06:00.000-07:002012-08-07T10:06:10.080-07:00End of Week 82/3 of the way through<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Wow! We are really doing it. We are
moving along in this program, hitting our workouts and eating what we
need to. We are feeling stronger all the time both in our bodies and
minds. It really is mostly a mental challenge. What's cool though
is that the body reflects the mind.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Well we are really embracing this
lifestyle more and more all the time. We rewarded ourselves with
some things to help us in this challenge. Liz has been working on
some issues in her back that she has had for a long time. She's been
getting chiropractic treatment and using a back roller to help
straighten her back. We also got an armband to take my smartphone
with us on runs. Liz uses it mostly for music but we can also track
our runs. I also got some weight lifting gloves that help a lot with
getting a good grip and lifting more weight. Along with some new
workout clothes, we are feeling good and enjoying this lifestyle. I
think it will stick. Our plan after completing this program is to do
a 12 week sprint program. As a lot of you know, Liz is the head high
school girls track coach. I help out once in a while too. So we
want to be able to train these kids better. Liz and I were both
distance runners and need to learn about sprinting. What better way
than to train ourselves.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I listed 6 things last week that we
need to work on to do better. Some of them were unsuccessful but we
definitely stepped it up.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<ol>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I was able to workout with Liz
only once rather than twice. I think it will be more realistic to
shoot for 1 workout together each week.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
We did study form for our weight lifting and have greatly
improved in this area. I can tell I am getting a better workout and
will be less likely to get injured.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Portion sizes with food – Liz has been
doing well with this but I have tried to make sure I am getting
enough to eat and it is going well.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I do keep checking in on past
winners to see what they have done. Mostly what I have learned is I
need to trust the program. I think I'm basically doing everything I
can. I keep wanting to do more but past advice has said to stick to
the program. You don't need to workout more or eat differently than
what the program lays out for you. Keep it simple.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I have not written anything yet
for the final essay but I know it's still a little early.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I have been recording my meals
better. I still need to make sure I record how much water I'm
getting.
</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The final big thing was making sure God
is with us. This is tough to measure. Of course one can always
improve greatly in this area. I think this is where we can step it
up the most though. Liz and I were doing devotionals and praying
together each day for a little while at the beginning of this
challenge. Now it is every few days. I am pretty sure that our only
chance at winning this competition is to have God on our side. He
has already blessed us so much through this challenge. He has given
us amazing opportunities including the use of a full gym at no cost.
He has kept us focused on eating right and training right. The
series that our pastor is going through this summer has been
incredibly relevant to us. It seems beyond coincidental that God is
already with us in this. God has made it known to us that He is with
us. I just want to make sure we finish strong WITH God and making
sure we are living according to the spirit; not the flesh. The
hardest part is having three little boys that almost always need our
attention. BUT, that is no excuse because we can make the time if we
really want to.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Finally, we did take 8 week photos. Since I did the 4 week comparison, Liz said she would reveal her 8 week comparison photos.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiskMCH_P8OeMyd2GbQrOvpFqPXrc5j6XDLaCm2KznonIl2qN8h6KzDfl9RRMKs_Ll8W-TlAZ9gAbNZ3TJDjzG0mWnhuzoBmnrJ7DXEueTLgNRcW9biRW6_Y32OOOz9ecRAdCJjFPK2tGeU/s1600/Liz+0+Front+sm.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2isASgXKziVLkJ1pwJteLF_KkiF4DjRQIV83vz0cG-NL-GsN63ou0tx0Bq707b5YIY6llUolV3dL1cD4Q91lgnFlt2CTLv5KgIRmV7Q9bvFiz6ZTqm0hBnnwZDDu7p32JtZhHXOktmbrw/s1600/Liz+8+Front+sm.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2isASgXKziVLkJ1pwJteLF_KkiF4DjRQIV83vz0cG-NL-GsN63ou0tx0Bq707b5YIY6llUolV3dL1cD4Q91lgnFlt2CTLv5KgIRmV7Q9bvFiz6ZTqm0hBnnwZDDu7p32JtZhHXOktmbrw/s320/Liz+8+Front+sm.JPG" width="184" /></a><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiskMCH_P8OeMyd2GbQrOvpFqPXrc5j6XDLaCm2KznonIl2qN8h6KzDfl9RRMKs_Ll8W-TlAZ9gAbNZ3TJDjzG0mWnhuzoBmnrJ7DXEueTLgNRcW9biRW6_Y32OOOz9ecRAdCJjFPK2tGeU/s320/Liz+0+Front+sm.JPG" width="213" /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir6Tsy67Ab6o0XhAfF7KJvuILe-C1vIzq1Ivx9YoLT5UfGmjXmJVAIfRc040ilT-u9en3u8QjOMXw0QksDEVd-D3RPdM3cFpuhHXEP7JUokoO_1i2PHcm7VvBj0dW_bu8jiDmxyvT0gHjE/s1600/Liz+0+side+sm.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir6Tsy67Ab6o0XhAfF7KJvuILe-C1vIzq1Ivx9YoLT5UfGmjXmJVAIfRc040ilT-u9en3u8QjOMXw0QksDEVd-D3RPdM3cFpuhHXEP7JUokoO_1i2PHcm7VvBj0dW_bu8jiDmxyvT0gHjE/s320/Liz+0+side+sm.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxWzq4e7aPXEt5-aFWn6eolKUzC5nnFmnbhR_7IgpyrjRtWGsnO3mEWb1nBB8o62Ot9FOXuMPLt9rl41_I62Ix23r5rkSoTdtV70rIlRxtLplYEob8jzaQYWgpnbv__wx-p4ElCRD2IJrH/s1600/Liz+8+Side+sm.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxWzq4e7aPXEt5-aFWn6eolKUzC5nnFmnbhR_7IgpyrjRtWGsnO3mEWb1nBB8o62Ot9FOXuMPLt9rl41_I62Ix23r5rkSoTdtV70rIlRxtLplYEob8jzaQYWgpnbv__wx-p4ElCRD2IJrH/s320/Liz+8+Side+sm.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>youngmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04729900871927068346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234227915635853453.post-46864436099383067692012-07-29T11:33:00.000-07:002012-07-29T11:33:17.152-07:00End of Week 7<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As I think about what the Olympians had
to go through to train to compete for the gold, it makes me wonder if
I'm competing at that level with this Body for Life challenge. We
are competing with a lot of people in the country for this title of
2012 Body for Life Champions. I think of Ryan Lochte who went into
his race yesterday in the 400m Individual Swimming Medley knowing he
was capable of winning. He knew because of how he had trained. I
guess I still feel like I can do better in this competition. Of my
five goals, I feel the weakest on the part about winning the
competition and also supporting Liz. Basically I'm thinking as long
as no one goes all out with this, we have a chance.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
With only five weeks to go I need to
start putting everything I've got into this to make sure we win. WE
need to be the ones who are going all out for this. I know it's so
easy to say well I'm doing good enough. I know these Olympians
didn't say that's good enough as they were training; at least the
ones competing to win. The commercial that's been on about finding
your own greatness really sticks out to me. Even though we're not
competing for the Olympics, we can still compete like one. After all
we did decide that we wanted to do this. We wanted to challenge
ourselves to this. I've wanted to build more muscle my whole life.
I want to see what it feels like to win a big competition like this.
I find as we get further along in this I feel like even if I don't
win, we've made some good progress. While this is true, I don't
think this is a winning attitude.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This next week is going to be a little
challenging as we will be traveling a lot. I was impressed to see
Liz planning our meals and workouts out yesterday for the week so we
are ready. We will be cooking a lot today so we have a lot of good
foods to bring with us this week. We will be getting some day passes
at a couple of gyms while we are traveling to make sure we get our
weight training days in.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Even though we are doing well with
getting our meals and getting our workouts in, I know there is more
we can do. It's time to take this to the next level. Here's the
plan:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<ol>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Need to workout with Liz at least
2 times a week. We know we can't do our aerobic workouts together
so we need to try to get at least 2 of the 3 weight lifting days in
together to stay connected in this and push each other.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
We need to study our form and make
sure we are doing the exercises as accurately as possible focusing
on the correct muscle groups.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
We need to really make sure our
portion sizes are accurate. I know I need to make sure I'm eating
enough. It's really hard to get all the calories I need and still
eat healthy. It's a lot of food.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I need to read up on what past
champions have done to win.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I need to journal more so I'm
ready for the final essay.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I need to make sure I record every
meal and especially how much water I'm drinking to make sure I get
enough.</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
There's a lot of detail things we need
to do. We've already invested enough into this that it would be a
shame not to take these extra steps to win.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I just realized a huge thing we've
started to fail in. We need God with us. Our busy life has taken
over again and we've gotten away from really putting our trust in
Him. We desperately need to spend time with God. We need to work as
if it were all up to us and pray as if it were all up to God.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I performed the hymn “Just a Closer
Walk With Thee” this morning in church. Isn't this exactly what we
need? If God is with us and for us, who can stand against us?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>youngmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04729900871927068346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234227915635853453.post-8929621279467487302012-07-25T03:19:00.000-07:002012-07-25T03:19:26.079-07:00Half Way There<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
We have reached the half way mark. We
are far enough in this that we'd better finish it. To be honest this
last week wasn't as strong as it could have been. Our busy schedule
has been making it hard to do everything right. I missed one aerobic
day and also messed up on a meal. We were traveling and didn't plan
ahead for a meal at some friends house and gave in to what they were
eating. It wasn't horrible but I know we could have done better. I
don't feel too bad about missing the aerobic day as I am trying to
gain muscle and those days don't necessarily help very much with
that.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
On the positive side, we have gained
access to a full gym which is awesome! I love having everything
available that I need. Liz still does her workouts at home which
means we aren't working out together. We've planned to go to the gym
and workout this week for our weekly date. I also started some new
supplements that will hopefully help with muscle growth. One is to
take before a workout for an energy boost. It's mostly creatine.
The other supplement is taken after the workout to help with muscle
repair.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I can't say I noticed huge changes this
week. Just the same stuff and we are getting used to our new energy,
new bodies, and the many mental and spiritual changes we have had.
We took 6 week photos and are still seeing changes which is nice.
It's always hard to tell with weighing ourselves but I have been
between 6 and 10 pounds more than my starting weight which is right
on track for my goal. Liz has lost about 8-12 pounds which was one
of her goals. Improvement is good but is it enough to win? We will
see.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
If there are any questions please feel free to ask.</div>youngmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04729900871927068346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234227915635853453.post-34038175933925734792012-07-16T05:37:00.000-07:002012-07-16T05:37:56.567-07:00End of Week 5<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Just the other day I was at a gig and
during my break I pulled out a protein bar. A woman from the party
came out for a smoke and asked what I was eating. I told her and she
said, “ Oh, you're one of THOSE people. You guys make me sick.”
(Her tone wasn't really mean. I could tell she was partly just
picking on me but she also seemed to be saying what she really felt.
Another man came out with a beer and got into the conversation. He
said his diet consisted of beer, cigars and Cheetohs. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've seen this many times before where
people get disgusted by other people trying to be healthy. I can see
that if you have no purpose in life, if you don't believe in God, and
if you don't understand the basics of how and why we are here; there
would be no point in trying to be healthy. I just have to say I am
so thankful that there is a God and I know Him. He's not my idea.
He's not another persons idea. A lot of other made up gods and
religions ruin it for people so they think being a Christian is
another one thrown in the mix. I can guarantee that if anyone does
their research and is truly honest and not lazy about it, will
realize there is a God and He guides us to understand Him through the
Bible. Knowing all this gives me great purpose in being the best I
can be to love God and love others.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
We are at a stage in this program where
it would be easy to give up or get lazy. We've had some good results
from it. There still are challenges to keeping up with it. I can
feel the temptations starting to come in. <i>You don't really think
you can win this do you? You are just wasting your time. Look at
all these delicious sweets you could be eating.</i>
<i>You're too busy for this. You've had some good success so
it's okay to give up now. </i>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Luckily
the temptations haven't been too strong but it's letting me know that
it will get harder because we aren't even half way through this yet.
Just like in my workouts, I need to keep good form. God has been
blessing us through this program. He's helped us grow in so many
ways through this. There really is no reason to quit. There is so
much more reason to keep going and win this.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>youngmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04729900871927068346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234227915635853453.post-91396495080799513362012-07-08T18:29:00.002-07:002012-07-08T18:29:49.526-07:00End of Week 4 (Day 28 of 84)<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Well we are certainly proud of
ourselves for making it a third of the way through the challenge
without wavering. It honestly hasn't been too difficult. The
workouts do take a high level of effort and focus but at this point
we enjoy trying to push ourselves to new levels. As long as we plan
ahead, we have been meeting our nutrition requirements. This last
week we didn't plan quite as much so we had a few problems with
having the food ready that we needed. We know we need to make sure
we plan ahead this week and for the rest of the challenge to make
sure we have the right foods in stock. One thing that I haven't
talked about yet is the cost of doing this program.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
We actually started the Body for Life program about
6 years ago and did it for 3 or 4 weeks. We couldn't really keep up
with the nutrition requirements because we couldn't afford the food.
We also struggled with the weight training because we couldn't afford
a gym or the equipment. Now we have reached a point where we can
afford the food by making some adjustments in our home finances. We
have also acquired some weights over the years so we have a set of
dumbbells ranging from 2 pounds to 30 pounds which works for the most
part. We still have some exercises where we need more weight to
reach the intensities. As seen in the last blog post, I have been
using my boys as weights sometimes. We also use our dining table and
chairs for some exercises. Liz has exercise bands that work for her
on some things. I also just found an ab roller at a thrift store last week.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Lower body weight training days are
especially hard to reach the intensities with what we have. Liz has
been doing pretty good but I definitely need more weight. We have
found out that we will have access to a private full weight training
gym in a week or two that won't cost us a thing. Can't wait! In the
mean time I have been going to gyms on my lower body days. We
received a flier this last week that had a coupon for a free visit to
a Senior Center Fitness Gym. So I worked out with a couple of senior
citizens and disco music one day this last week. I've also done a
couple of day passes at some gyms while we wait for access to this
other gym.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Other ways we have saved money is
through Liz's amazing coupon skills with groceries. We also buy manager's specials
from Kroger. This is especially nice with the meats. Oatmeal is a
really cheap breakfast carb. Eggs and cottage cheese are fairly
cheap for protein. Once our garden starts producing we will be able
to save on vegetables. Our plan from the start was "No Excuses". This included any excuse that we couldn't do what we needed to because of money. God has really blessed us with opportunities to earn money and save money throughout the program. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Well I think if you are reading this
you are probably most interested in seeing the changes. I'm a little
reluctant to post these photos because I don't want to make this
about looks. Going through this program is about so much more than
the looks. It actually started more because of the looks. However,
I have gained confidence to tackle some challenging things. I've
gotten more organized. I just feel better. My real deep down goal
is to be able to serve God better. I am so sick of this world and
all the distractions it is caught up in. I hate that I get caught up
in all this too. I can't wait to be in heaven with God. I know it's
not my time and I need to make sure I am submitting to God now and
doing what He has placed me here for right now. God help me.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Actually, the thing that has helped me fight in these workouts this last week is thinking about what God has done for me. I know I'm not really doing any world changing accomplishments by running with no destination or picking up a weight and putting it back down. But what I do understand is that I'm developing a fighting attitude to push through these physical and largely mental challenges. </div>
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<br /></div>
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So for the sake of possibly motivating
some of you to get going on this program or any program or to get going on anything you feel you should be doing, here is a
comparison of my before and after photos. (Couldn't convince Liz to
let me post hers but she is certainly changing a lot and looking great).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAR0O65nkQMXQagq-XZfbXipUePr1tC76We65mgOGOAm7qCOk1CjWHWzKMkUha6RGh6hS-xX_bQNxOYSmKXVJrG7kakP1czSu-Qj-aXA7XCHnYgVpAcGy2fFt8TsfNKbLfE1_5mpKthToD/s1600/David+0+Front+sm.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAR0O65nkQMXQagq-XZfbXipUePr1tC76We65mgOGOAm7qCOk1CjWHWzKMkUha6RGh6hS-xX_bQNxOYSmKXVJrG7kakP1czSu-Qj-aXA7XCHnYgVpAcGy2fFt8TsfNKbLfE1_5mpKthToD/s320/David+0+Front+sm.JPG" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLbdx6Zx6g4jzFb2W8M4wnKxarerhaTrPDYUPVdD1C0OzBr9VkGvSHQh4xqs3oYhchOhAIm1LwxwohoW3cQeZhIPxb-w66hb5kmWXmhoUxT2snHUdmx6B83PFuug6AXZfWGkvsed0jVJpL/s1600/David+4+front+sm.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLbdx6Zx6g4jzFb2W8M4wnKxarerhaTrPDYUPVdD1C0OzBr9VkGvSHQh4xqs3oYhchOhAIm1LwxwohoW3cQeZhIPxb-w66hb5kmWXmhoUxT2snHUdmx6B83PFuug6AXZfWGkvsed0jVJpL/s320/David+4+front+sm.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>youngmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04729900871927068346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234227915635853453.post-85162975793885640492012-07-01T20:48:00.002-07:002012-07-01T20:48:34.593-07:00End of Week 3<br />
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<i>Always trying to figure out how to get the workouts I need with what we have available.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8O5OWrVPkK4lhNXNyWicpBQaWHIRAwUttfMM5NmSX6W0IgDVSWLCNk4OWydUn4ZN3S2DG_FLJ9CkuCIyaFMBjq7a7Rv__PyemLNMlf8L8kVpTtvJDjGc9iTuV11mGxfEqfrR8nQOe28dL/s1600/Bryce+pushups.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8O5OWrVPkK4lhNXNyWicpBQaWHIRAwUttfMM5NmSX6W0IgDVSWLCNk4OWydUn4ZN3S2DG_FLJ9CkuCIyaFMBjq7a7Rv__PyemLNMlf8L8kVpTtvJDjGc9iTuV11mGxfEqfrR8nQOe28dL/s320/Bryce+pushups.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4UEs8tRw0t4nrCbSZGoMB9GyK5Z2T3yHMIKWhb3yCWSLGABTW126Wr-tQR75C61i90CMeoVLeTtdKJZP0W6ZTEmV8AewNo13x7kCNOtFFsNrGKFTYlu-NJZHTMA0tNjH4qyqNG7TDFzP/s1600/IMG_3764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4UEs8tRw0t4nrCbSZGoMB9GyK5Z2T3yHMIKWhb3yCWSLGABTW126Wr-tQR75C61i90CMeoVLeTtdKJZP0W6ZTEmV8AewNo13x7kCNOtFFsNrGKFTYlu-NJZHTMA0tNjH4qyqNG7TDFzP/s320/IMG_3764.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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This week I thought I'd share four
things. First I wanted to share the goals we set at the beginning of
the program. Another thing is I've seen how doing this program has made me more
productive in other areas of my life. Lastly, I shared last week
that Pastor Keith's sermon gave me a good challenge. This week it
seemed incredibly obvious to me that God is challenging us
and trying to build a relationship with us through this program.</div>
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<b>Goals</b></div>
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<br />
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Liz's Goals</div>
<ol>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Lose baby belly</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Win the competition</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Lose 10 pounds</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Prove to self that I can complete
the program</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Motivate the
athletes that I coach</div>
</li>
</ol>
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David's Goals</div>
<ol>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Prove to self that I can complete
the program.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Win the competition</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Gain 9 pounds</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Develop more energy</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Support my wife and help her
complete the program succesfully as I know she really wants to get
rid of her baby belly after having 3 boys.</div>
</li>
</ol>
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<b>Productivity</b></div>
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<br />
</div>
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I
started realizing this week that we were doing a good job of sticking
to this program. It seemed as though we've made this program our
number one priority. So far it has been successful because we've set
our goals that we really want, we know fairly clearly what we need to
do to succeed, and the big thing has been planning ahead. We decided
to start planning out other areas of our life. I planned out my
whole day for three days. By the end of each day I completed so much
more than I would have if I didn't plan it out. The other benefit
was that Liz and I knew what each other was doing so we wouldn't end
up arguing about who's watching the boys or some unexpected
appointment. It certainly took some focus and determination to stay
on schedule but it was very rewarding.</div>
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<br />
</div>
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<b>Champion</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Last week I
learned and applied praying faithfully to God to guide us in this
challenge along with working as hard as we can at this. Today,
Pastor Keith's word of the day was <b>CHAMPION</b>. I found this
incredibly providential in that the Body for Life winners are
declared champions which is what we are trying to achieve. Could God
make it anymore obvious that He is challenging us with this and wants
to be behind us in this?
</div>
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As we learned in the sermon today,
King David was so successful because God was with him. He won
incredible battles because he trusted God alone. I realize none of
us are worthy of anything from God. I realize we don't deserve God
granting us the winners of this challenge and there is no way we can
earn it from Him. What I do know is that God wants us to come to Him
humbly and faithfully. A verse that has stuck out to me lately is
James 4:9.</div>
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“Grieve, mourn, and wail. Change
your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.”</div>
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At first I didn't understand what this
was saying and after some searching I realized it was saying we
shouldn't pretend like everything is okay when we know it's not. I
think I have life all figured out sometimes and I feel like I'm in
control. Then something like getting sick gets in the way and
changes my whole schedule. I then go to God saying,”God please
take this sickness away now.” after not carrying on a good
relationship with Him. Basically, as long as things are good I
forget God. When they are bad I go to Him. Huh. Not much of a relationship.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
So I feel a strong need to work on my
relationship with God. I plan on doing this as a family. This will
include praying with the boys before going to bed, praying with Liz,
studying and talking about God's word, and continuing to work on
memory verses. Just like the Body for Life program, I know we will
have the best success if we set goals in this, know what we need to do,
and plan and schedule for this. I know that for God to be behind us in this challenge (and of course in everything) we need to work at having a good relationship with Him.</div>
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<b>Conclusion</b>
</div>
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</div>
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I hope somebody is getting something
out of this. If not, it feels good being able to think through our
week and analyze how we are doing. I pray God will take hold of Liz
and I and turn us into what He wants us to be fully. I pray He will
knock down all the things holding us back from what He wants to guide
us into. I also pray this for all my family, friends, church,
community, and ultimately the world. Faith as small as a mustard
seed can move mountains. </div>youngmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04729900871927068346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234227915635853453.post-37586859504437026712012-06-24T13:51:00.003-07:002012-06-24T13:59:04.781-07:00End of Week 2<br />
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So this last week we did a lot of
traveling for some of my gigs which added a bit of a challenge to
working out and eating right. We managed to fit in all of our
workouts and eat what we needed to though. The main thing was
planning ahead.</div>
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Last Sunday night Liz and I went to
Grand Rapids to celebrate our anniversary. We planned ahead and made
sure the hotel had a fitness center and good breakfast foods. It
turned out that they only had treadmills but with our hotel key card
we were able to use it to get into a nearby gym for free. And no the
cards were not used to break into the gym. </div>
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Later in the week we traveled to
northern Michigan and stayed with my aunt and uncle. My aunt saw on
Facebook that we were doing this program so she got on the Body for
Life website and had meals from the website prepared for us which was
so amazing to us that she would go to those lengths. Thanks, Aunt
Mary!</div>
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With all the traveling, we used that
time in the car to plan out meals and workouts. Some things were
hard to figure out. We had to make some special stops for good
foods. We also had to do a couple of night workouts to get them in
but we did it.
</div>
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Today we weighed ourselves and took
photos again. My weight was the same. Liz, however, lost an amazing
8 pounds from her starting weight. In our photos we noticed that we
both had more muscle definition as well.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Besides the physical changes, we both
are becoming more motivated in general. We are more easily staying
on top of tasks that need to get done. We have more energy for daily
stuff. The soreness from the first week is wearing off and we are
recovering much more quickly from the workouts.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
We continue to struggle with figuring
out how to win this thing. We know we are definitely making gains
for ourselves as noted above; regardless of the competition. Even
though we are following the program correctly we know we need to go
above and beyond. Today in church I found a new hope for this. Our
pastor shared this quote from Saint Augustine.
<br />
<br />
<i>Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you</i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
What a great quote! I think we've worked fairly hard at the Body for Life challenge but we still have room for improvement. We've been praying about it but I know we are not relying on God very much. As our pastor explained, this balance of prayer/faith and action/works is very hard to find. Most of us tend to be either works based or faith based. As part of the Body for Life challenge we have decided that we need to work to find this balance. We will pray knowing all our dependence is on God's will, guidance, grace, and mercy in this challenge. We will also workout, eat, and plan knowing we have to DO the right things to win.<br />
<br />
May God bless you in your won challenges you are facing.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>youngmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04729900871927068346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234227915635853453.post-56711174852161609952012-06-18T20:47:00.001-07:002012-06-18T20:47:11.397-07:00Week 1 Done<br />
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Actually a little more than one week.
We put in a good first week. We met all of our food requirements and
workout requirements. Hitting the level 10 intensities is hard. In
the book it says you won't always hit them. It's difficult because
we are still learning what our bodies can handle. We are trying to
avoid injury so we let up a bit sometimes. Overall we are both
surprised at how hard we have been able to train without injuring
ourselves. The 4 or 5 days we were very sore and tired but now on
day 8 we are beginning to get energized and we are recovering much
quicker. I had read multiple times from other people who have done
the program that they actually gain a lot of energy from doing the
program.</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
One of the problems I'm working through
is trying to get more sleep. I'm always hit or miss with sleep. My
mind is very active so it's hard to calm it down. The last few days
I have been sleeping better though. It's hard to say why. I have
been trying to finish any eating 3 hours before bedtime. Also I'm
certain the exercise is helping in some way.</div>
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</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The other problem I have is that I'm
trying to gain some weight. I know that may seem ridiculous to some
of you reading this but I've always been the skinny guy. Kids used
to call me toothpick. So I'm actually struggling to eat enough food
to gain weight. It's hard to get a lot of calories when you are
eating good healthy foods. I'm gradually learning how to eat more
and that's what I will continue to work on throughout the program as
I think that will be the hardest challenge for us to win this
competition.
</div>
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</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
So far we are right on track but to win
we know we need to keep stepping it up. We are competing with a lot
of other people all over the country (maybe world). It's going to
take going the extra step that others won't be willing to take. So
far we've learned it takes a lot of planning to make sure we are
ready for all of our meals and workouts. We are traveling a lot so
that makes it even harder.</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Continue to pray for us as we continue
to try to be more disciplined and learn what it will take to reach
our goals.</div>
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</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
God bless</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>youngmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04729900871927068346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234227915635853453.post-62294095075386914022012-06-13T05:15:00.000-07:002012-06-13T05:15:04.805-07:00The beginningSo my wife and I decided to do the Body for Life program. This is a 12 week training and nutrition program. The very general idea is that you take 12 weeks and try to be as efficient as possible with eating right and exercising. You can learn more at http://bodyforlife.com for specifics. We purchased the book (used) for $4 on Amazon. It's written by Bill Phillips who designed the program. I'll try to explain the recommended plan by the creator of this program.<br />
<br />
<b>The Workouts</b><br />
<br />
The training part of the program includes alternating strength training days with aerobic exercise days. On the strength training days you are alternating upper body and lower body. So Day 1 was upper body strength training. You pick a strength training exercise for each muscle group (chest, shoulders, triceps, back, and biceps). With each exercise you have different intensities and reps (number of times to perform the exercise). For the intensities you have to rate them a scale of 1 to 10. 1 is basically doing nothing. 10 is giving everything you've got.<br />
<br />
Here's the plan for each exercise:<br />
12 reps - intensity 5 (easy, just getting blood flowing and muscles moving)<br />
1 minute rest<br />
10 reps - intensity 6 (still warming up but a little harder)<br />
1 minute rest<br />
8 reps - intensity 7 (not too easy, not too hard)<br />
1 minute rest<br />
6 reps - intensity 8 (this should be hard)<br />
1 minute rest<br />
12 reps - intensity 9 (this is very hard)<br />
no rest<br />
12 reps of a different exercise for same muscle group - intensity 10 (a 10 is very hard to achieve because it requires you to go beyond what you think you are capable of doing)<br />
<br />
So do the above for each muscle group with 2 minute breaks between exercises<br />
<br />
For aerobic days it is a 20 minute workout using the intensity scale. You can do any aerobic activity such as biking, running, swimming, etc. I'll likely be doing mostly running. We did pick up a stationary bike for $20 at a yard sale so we have no excuses if for some reason we can't get out of the house or the weather is bad.<br />
The intensities change every minute during the workout here's the list of intensities per minute<br />
5 5 6 7 8 9 6 7 8 9 6 7 8 9 6 7 8 9 10 5<br />
<br />
<b>The Nutrition Plan</b><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
The best part about this program is how simple the nutrition plan is. No calorie counting. Just portions. A portion is considered the size of your fist. Mr. Phillips has you eat 6 meals a day that all contain a protein food and a carbohydrate food. For at least two meals he wants you to have a vegetable. Some other things are avoiding fatty foods, inc, drink 10 cups of water a day, and eat a tablespoon of unsaturated oil daily (found in foods like salmon). <br />
<br />
<b>Rest Day</b><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
The program allows for one free day a week. This day you don't exercise to give your body a break. The other thing is you can eat whatever you want. So any sweets or fatty foods you've been craving you can have on this day.<br />
<br />
<b>Conclusion</b><br />
So there's the basics of the program. I will do my best to include useful information on this blog such as our goals, plans to win the competition, why we are doing this, photos, and any requests and questions from you guys. <br />
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<br />youngmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04729900871927068346noreply@blogger.com0