How A Picture Can Change Things

This is not a photo of me. I will explain it's relevance in a moment.

A friend messaged me this question yesterday...

"Ok... this is a burning question I've had for a while...  How do you stay in shape? We're the same age, but you have the body of a 25 year old."

I gave him the link to my blog here, which gives pretty good detail on what I've done to get fit for myself, and I think it's been a winning plan - for me. But the more I think about it, we each work and achieve in different ways, and Google is full of great ideas and tips, many of which I have stolen and adopted as my own. Amazon, too, is full of good books with winning plans and ideas.

In reality, though, the how happens automatically (and your how to accomplish it might be a lot different than mine) when you can clearly see a picture of what the final desired result is. 

That's where the photo above comes in.

I don't know who the photographer or the guy in the pic is, otherwise I would credit them both here. But, I found this picture several years ago, and said to myself, "I want to look and feel like that!" I looked at it often, visualized in my mind what it would be like to look that way, and what it would feel like to be in that kind of health. 

Keeping that mental picture always near, concentrating, visualizing, seeing myself looking and feeling that way, is probably the single-biggest factor in my current physical condition. I wish I could find this guy and the photographer, for I would shake their hands, and offer my sincere and profound thanks! It is this photo that struck a nerve in me, and helped me really identify what I wanted.

I still analyze this image, because there are elements of this guy's fitness that I continue to strive for.

Find your picture, and then own it. The rest will take care of itself.
Cheers!
Marty

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What I Eat to Get Ripped

I'm working on hitting some lofty goals for myself in the next month or two, which will be achieved primarily by strict adherence to my nutrition regimen. Since my muscle tone is adequate for my lifestyle (being fleet, and moving well for racquetball and running) the rest is mainly just aesthetics, (being cut and defined) which will be achieved by general lean-ness.

Currently, I am somewhere in the range of 8%-10% body fat, if the skin fold caliper, and my use of it are correct. (And whether I'm using it perfectly, or not, I do try to use it exactly the same every time, so at least the benchmark and relative progress are trackable.) My goal is to hit (by my calculations, at least) 6%-8% body fat, and/or get my belly skin fold measurement to 6-7mm, currently at 10mm, (See my earlier post on that measurement) without losing any lean muscle mass, currently 165#. From where my weight is right now, 181#, I need to lose five pounds of fat, while I retain my lean mass.

That means, a lean, high-protein diet and keeping up with my lifting regimen. In other words, my normal routine - except with no cheating.

With that in mind, I'm going to post here a "day in the life" of my eating plan, just to help remind/clarify my focus and motivation. Much of this plan is from the Tim Ferriss book, The 4-Hour Body, where he highlights what he calls the "Slow-Carb Diet". I generally eat at two-hour intervals, starting at 6 a.m. This plan has become my normal routine, with some minor adjustments and variations, for the last three to four years now. Snacking - especially sweets - is my Achilles heel, so I'm going to maintain a little extra self control and adhere to my plan as it is laid out here, nothing more, nothing less.

The Plan - 6 Days a Week:

6 a.m.
Boiled Egg, Coffee
On lifting mornings: A protein shake mixed with coffee.

8 a.m.
Egg Whites, coffee, teaspoon of Coconut Oil

How I Cook Egg Whites

10 a.m.
Hunk of Raw Cabbage, Snow Peas

12 p.m.
Protein Bar or My Lean Concoction
-Grilled chicken breast, cubed
-1/3 can of black beans
-2 TBSP diced tomato
-1 TBSP olive oil
-heaping TBSP shredded bacon
-Sriracha or other flavoring
High in protein, good carbs, and fiber @ about 550 calories.
A pile of naked spinach or kale goes well here, too.

"Concoction" Ingredients

The finished product ready to eat

2 p.m.
Protein Bar or My Lean Concoction

These are the ones I like

4 p.m.
Handful (about a dozen) of Raw Almonds

6 p.m.
Sensible Dinner (Lean and Green - to steal a term from the Medifast people)

Grilling is my favorite way to eat lean

One "Free Day" per week, (Friday supper, through Saturday lunch) when I get to eat anything I want. Carbs, yay!!!

That's pretty much it, and has been the core of my diet for the last three years. When I am disciplined with it, and keep physically active, the results are great. When trying to add more lean muscle mass, the protein intake needs to be bumped up significantly. This plan as-is comes in under 2,000 calories, so there is room to add things, and still be okay. Up to 3,000 (good) calories will work for me.

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Overdue Update and Progress Report

50, and going strong!

Since my last post, life has certainly included it's share of ups and downs. For various reasons, I've experienced emotional stress like never before.

Thankfully, I'm "over the hump" and in a better place now, and optimistic about better and better times ahead. The support of good friends, family, my faith, and the ability to visualize happiness, have made all the difference.

With all of the upheaval, sorrow, stress, and dismay that was on my plate, one of the things that always made things better, and helped keep me centered and sane, was (and is) physical exercise, and the rewards of good nutrition. Whether intense, focused lifting, the calm of a meditative run, or an all-out competitive match of racquetball with old friends, the effect is always release of stress, and the kind of deep relaxation that gives way to peace and a sense that everything is going to be okay. The simple process of goal setting, and then working for achievement of such, has been a great tool for taking the focus off of difficulties I might otherwise be prone to fret and even obsess over. Also, practicing meditation has been a blessing, and has me always refining my visions of the future.

Speaking of achievement, I have made some notable physical accomplishments in the last couple of years... In 2014, I ran in a half marathon (finished in 1:43, at a pace of 7:55/mi - same as the pace I ran a 10k in the year before) beating the goal I set for myself. Then, I have won two doubles racquetball championships in Des Moines, (with a doubles partner, of course) most recently at the Iowa Open in early March 2016. Also, I set a goal to do 50 consecutive (and strict) pushups by the time I turned 50. I passed that up, and am able to do 60. In the bench/squat/dead lift, I'm lifting heavier than ever before, all while keeping my body fat at, or below 10%, feeling and moving great.

I'll be 51 in about six weeks, and look forward to reaching still more levels of personal achievement. I'm always gratified, too, when I'm able to offer assistance to someone who's journey includes the desire and drive to reach for their own personal achievements. If that's you, I'd be happy to help.

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