All in the Family featured the curmudgeonly Archie Bunker. Archie was television’s most famous grouch, blunt, blustering, straightforward and untouched by the PC crowd. He was the archetype of the conservative male. Michael desprately tried to reeducate him, but he persisted in his breviloquence.



Looking back at the last 40 years, we realize: ARCHIE WAS RIGHT!

7/13/2015

405

On Sundays I get about a two hour lunch break at work.  It's not designed for my benefit so much as there is a two hour window with nothing going on and they don't want to pay me for a straight 12 hour shift if they don't have to.  So I get two hours off most Sundays.

I've been using that free time to go to the gym.  Last night it paid off.  I hit 405lbs on the squat for all 25 reps.  This is one of my major strength milestones.  I first blogged about it back on May 8th.  I hit the 405 mark a little while back but wasn't able to get all 25 reps.  Last night that changed.

I'm pretty happy about making this goal. 

Reflecting on my progress so far:
  • I've lost about 30 lbs since March 1st.  I'm averaging a tad better than a pound each week. Sunday is my weigh day and the scale wasn't in the locker room so I don't have a more exact figure.
  • Making my squat goal is great, but I should have reached it about 5 weeks ago.  Missing workout days, sometimes two or more in a week, has been a set back.
  • The goals I've set for other exercises are still lagging behind.  Mostly because of missing workout days which is causing me to need to de-load the bar.
    • Deadlift = 315 lbs, should be equal to the squat.
    • Overhead press = 115 lbs, I've stalled out and haven't made progress in over 2 months.
    • Bench press = 205 lbs, however I'm constantly de-loading the bar in an effort to increase weight and get all reps
    • Bent over rows, seldom more than 60 lbs, this is the exercise I injured myself on last August causing me to lose 6 months of gym time last year.  I'm still week in this area and its probably holding back my bench progress.
  • Now that I've reached my squat strength goal it's time to add a cardio program on my rest days.
  • I need to get a better handle on diet.  My goal of eating 90% healthy is reasonable, however I'm still eating too many unhealthy snacks and eating out too frequently.
  • Thinking back on my fast/junk food purchases this last month, I'm sure I could have lost another 1 or 2 lbs had I planed better.
  • 1 or 2 lbs doesn't sound like much, but it works out to 12 to 24 lbs for a year and I've got it to lose.
Back to the gym.

16 comments:

  1. Susan2:02 PM

    One way to prevent too much eating out is to have good stuff stashed in your culinary vault, better known as your freezer. Just doubling some of your recipes and freezing one meal for future use is an easy start. Along with stashing containers of soup, and homemade stock. Healthier too, but I don't need to remind you of that.

    I know it seems like work, but it really isn't Res. You are a pro at cooking, you know what I mean. I have tried to tell frazzled young moms at my church about the blessings of doing that, you should hear all the excuses. There really are none, when it comes right down to it.

    Congrats on your gym goal though. That is awesome.

    ReplyDelete
  2. For me the junk/fast food problem is one of convenience. Two traps for me are taking the kids out when I don't want to cook and grabbing junk when I'm out and have the munchies. Taking the kids out can happen as much as once a week. Junk food for me can happen more often, sometimes as much as 2 or 3 times a week. All together I'm sure if I had not eaten what I had it would be around a pound or two that I would have lost that I didn't.

    I'm trying to be honest with myself about where I'm at. It's easy to get excited about one goal and forget that everything plays into the mix. I hate cardio but I've run out of legitimate excuses to put it off any longer.

    I just shake my head about people who can't or won't cook. I've got better than three dozen quarts of homemade chicken stock canned and in the pantry as I type. I'll can more come fall out of the chicken backs that are still in the freezer from the last time I cut up chicken. Stocks are the basis for sauces, soups and flavoring. I'm with you, I don't know many women under 50 that can do much more than run a microwave.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Susan1:59 PM

      That is why if you have premade stuff in the freezer for when you don't want to cook, you come out ahead on the diet front, and the fuel front too. Getting expensive to run to a restaurant for a meal anymore. At least where I live.

      The stores where I live stock some great stuff for putting into the freezer for future use. I also have a great bread machine that turns out killer pizza dough.

      Delete
  3. WaterBoy4:19 PM

    Congrats on your progress, even if it fell short of your goal. Two steps forward and one step back still gets you one step closer.

    Irony: The anti-robot Captcha images were pizza.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Congrats on the lifting milestone. I'm finding that I've lost more as I age than I'd like to admit or expected. Old injuries are more of a problem too, then I talk to the right trainer, get a tip, and I'm doing more, pain free.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Keep low-carb snacks handy, buy them by the case and keep them in your car. I usually keep some canned tuna salad in the car (it keeps for weeks) Other ideas; nuts, peanut butter, pepperoni sticks, jerky, and there are some kinds of (kinda nasty tasting) low-carb chip-like things - eat them with peanut butter and it's OK.

    And for home; hard-boiled eggs, string cheese, single-serving cottage cheese.

    And if you get fast food, you can get healthy fast food. Get a burger and just don't eat the bun (I have about a dozen plastic forks in my car).

    -Bill

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Susan2:03 PM

      My daughter loves those pre packaged tuna salad containers. I was told by a diabetic friend that if you go for the snack crackers and chips, look for the ones highest in fiber. The fiber helps level out the blood sugar and takes a while to digest. So you stay full longer.

      Your kit for eating is an excellent idea. Utensils, maybe some paper plates and a stash of napkins are great to have in the car.

      Delete
  6. Thanks guys.

    Those are some good tips. I'm going to look into some healthy stuff that I can store in the truck for when I want it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Susan2:04 PM

      For summer time warm weather, I would suggest a cooler or insulated bag. Don't want our favorite blogger getting sick now, do we?

      Delete
  7. Anonymous4:14 PM

    Hey Res,

    Thanks for the inspiration.

    I am getting back into rock climbing (after a 23 year hiatus) with my kids. We have a great climbing gym here in the area and I signed the family up this last week-end.

    I've always hated weights and weight training in the gym (tedious and boring), but absolutely love the physical and especially mental challenge that rock climbing affords. Also running again, which I have always enjoyed.

    First day at the rock climbing gym this last Sunday: crapped out after four easy routes and one medium route. I think my oldest son (17) did over a dozen. The glory of youth is their strength. I couldn't feel my arms afterwards and my son had to drive me home.

    I'm really excited to get my kids into it also, and they're taking to it like ducks to water, to say the least.

    Anyway, thanks again, and great job on meeting your goals and keep up the great work.

    BTW, you might consider Tabatas as part of your cardio-plan. Be well.

    http://www.active.com/fitness/articles/what-is-tabata-training

    ReplyDelete
  8. Susan5:54 PM

    Rabbi, I don't know of a kid who doesn't like climbing anything. It is like it is some kind of genetic wiring. Maybe because there are so many trees provided for kids to climb.

    I have seen it said that one of the keys to staying at your exercise is doing something you enjoy. If you enjoy it, chances are better that you will stick with it. Plus you have the benefit of some mentor time with your kids.

    Nothing is worse than trying to exercise doing something you hate or find boring.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:44 AM

      "Plus you have the benefit of some mentor time with your kids.'

      Yes. This is an added bonus. It's quite rewarding to pass on some things you love to your kids and see them excited about it.

      Delete
  9. Congrats, Res!

    It sounds like you're doing Stronglifts 5x5, is that right? I'm doing the same - just hit 295 DL, 255 squat. Can't do OHP (ceiling too short in basement, dangit, so I do some other shoulder stuff with dumbbells), 165 BP (didn't have bench for a while, so I'm behind), 180 row. Rows are the hardest...I just deloaded 10lbs last time.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I long for the day when I can hit 405lb squats...that's pretty awesome.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes I'm doing the strong lifts program.

      It works and its cheap. It sounds like you're making good progress too.

      Delete