MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE OF THE DAY
"When we are born, we are all given one thing that we can count on: a life to live. Each of us has a life. For some it is shorter, for others it is longer. For some, it comes with challenges whether physical, mental, emotional, or circumstantial. For others, there are few challenges.
"But regardless of the hand we are dealt, we must play it out. We can play, we can fold, or we can hold the cards and do nothing. But in each instance, we make a decision. Even when we decide to do nothing, we have made a decision.
"And where you are now in life is the sum total of all the decisions you have made in your life.
"The good news is that if you don't like where you are now, YOU CAN CHANGE it! You don't have control over the past, but YOU HAVE CONTROL over today and tomorrow!" - Lee Labrada
TRAINING
Elliptical 30 min
Stretch 21 min
Almost instantly asleep after posting yesterday's update. However, it was not to last and I woke up just ~1.5 hours later. And for some reason, STARVING, which led to me wolfing down almost everything I could find, ~1,000 calories in chocolate, ~1,000 calories in multigrain crackers, ~1,000 calories in almonds, and then close to another ~1,000 calories in cottage cheese and bacon bits (with the crackers), which was interesting to say the least, and yes, regretted afterwards. Anyways, wide awake again, I didn't start feeling my eyes "tire" until ~0330, when I fell asleep for ~4 hours. Which is ok (see "Other Notes" below re training changes)...After time to "gather" myself, I went downstairs to the Fitness Room and did the Elliptical for 30 minutes (yes, 10 minutes more than I usually would - someone had set it at for that and I couldn't be bothered changing it), where my knees were mostly fine (sharp pain on the inferiomedial aspect of my right one for the first half) and only a slight twinge in my left arch during the first few minutes. My left wrist was in a lot of pain though - I've actually had it strapped up since last night it has been that bad, and going to keep it strapped for a few days to let it "settle". Afterwards, sat in the sauna, actually enjoying the feeling of sweat dripping on my skin - very relaxing. Back to my room to stretch...A 7-mile Run WAS on the agenda for this evening, but I suddenly got very exhausted and passed out for several hours, waking to the thunderstorm (love waking to the sound of it, by the way, and for some reason makes me think of being back at the beach house, watching the waves crash on the shore as the rain pounds the windows) outside, and just letting it go - after all, it SHOULD be a "easier" week this week, and the "deload" may actually HELP re progress...
Elliptical 30 min
Stretch 21 min
Almost instantly asleep after posting yesterday's update. However, it was not to last and I woke up just ~1.5 hours later. And for some reason, STARVING, which led to me wolfing down almost everything I could find, ~1,000 calories in chocolate, ~1,000 calories in multigrain crackers, ~1,000 calories in almonds, and then close to another ~1,000 calories in cottage cheese and bacon bits (with the crackers), which was interesting to say the least, and yes, regretted afterwards. Anyways, wide awake again, I didn't start feeling my eyes "tire" until ~0330, when I fell asleep for ~4 hours. Which is ok (see "Other Notes" below re training changes)...After time to "gather" myself, I went downstairs to the Fitness Room and did the Elliptical for 30 minutes (yes, 10 minutes more than I usually would - someone had set it at for that and I couldn't be bothered changing it), where my knees were mostly fine (sharp pain on the inferiomedial aspect of my right one for the first half) and only a slight twinge in my left arch during the first few minutes. My left wrist was in a lot of pain though - I've actually had it strapped up since last night it has been that bad, and going to keep it strapped for a few days to let it "settle". Afterwards, sat in the sauna, actually enjoying the feeling of sweat dripping on my skin - very relaxing. Back to my room to stretch...A 7-mile Run WAS on the agenda for this evening, but I suddenly got very exhausted and passed out for several hours, waking to the thunderstorm (love waking to the sound of it, by the way, and for some reason makes me think of being back at the beach house, watching the waves crash on the shore as the rain pounds the windows) outside, and just letting it go - after all, it SHOULD be a "easier" week this week, and the "deload" may actually HELP re progress...
OTHER NOTES
Changes This Week
This is my thirteenth week back training since my time out for all the injuries that assaulted me at the end of 2011. It's been a slow recovery process, only really being able to up my training over the last five weeks, but it's been well worth it. My last "easy"/deload week was six weeks ago, and because I need my body to KEEP going for at LEAST another SEVEN weeks before I will allow myself to have a week of only 3-4 days of training (i.e. a week "OFF" - anything LESS than 1-2 resistance sessions and 2-3 cardio sessions and my body is not very functional, so that is what my weeks "OFF" will consist of henceforth, if they are given), THIS week I am changing things up a little re training days, albeit keeping the volume the same, as well as intensity, just "spreading it over" the week instead of "clumping" it, so that my body gets a little bit of a "WTF?!" and CONTINUES to make progress, since this week is ESSENTIAL - I NEED to lose at LEAST 0.5% bodyfat this week! Also adding in more "recovery" measures re sauna and the hot/cold-spa/pool at least 5-6 days this week (continuation to be determined at the end of the week).
Also going to use this week to REALLY get a handle on my nutrition, since the last two weeks were so completely UNdisciplined and far OUTSIDE of even MY "normal", that even with my training hard and intense, I fell backwards faster than I could blink (highly disappointed and disgusted with myself!), and that is NOT acceptable! I know what my body is "comfortable" at, and if I am going to be "unconditioned", it canNOT go above that, which is currently is, and I will endeavour to ensure it is not so again. To be perfectly frank, the way my nutrition was five weeks ago was the period when my body felt the BEST, and I definitely know that the Lean Gains 16-hour fast/8-hour feeding window suits my body the best as far as nutritional protocols. So, reiterating this fact more to myself than anything, mentally "setting" myself for what MUST be.
Changes This Week
This is my thirteenth week back training since my time out for all the injuries that assaulted me at the end of 2011. It's been a slow recovery process, only really being able to up my training over the last five weeks, but it's been well worth it. My last "easy"/deload week was six weeks ago, and because I need my body to KEEP going for at LEAST another SEVEN weeks before I will allow myself to have a week of only 3-4 days of training (i.e. a week "OFF" - anything LESS than 1-2 resistance sessions and 2-3 cardio sessions and my body is not very functional, so that is what my weeks "OFF" will consist of henceforth, if they are given), THIS week I am changing things up a little re training days, albeit keeping the volume the same, as well as intensity, just "spreading it over" the week instead of "clumping" it, so that my body gets a little bit of a "WTF?!" and CONTINUES to make progress, since this week is ESSENTIAL - I NEED to lose at LEAST 0.5% bodyfat this week! Also adding in more "recovery" measures re sauna and the hot/cold-spa/pool at least 5-6 days this week (continuation to be determined at the end of the week).
Also going to use this week to REALLY get a handle on my nutrition, since the last two weeks were so completely UNdisciplined and far OUTSIDE of even MY "normal", that even with my training hard and intense, I fell backwards faster than I could blink (highly disappointed and disgusted with myself!), and that is NOT acceptable! I know what my body is "comfortable" at, and if I am going to be "unconditioned", it canNOT go above that, which is currently is, and I will endeavour to ensure it is not so again. To be perfectly frank, the way my nutrition was five weeks ago was the period when my body felt the BEST, and I definitely know that the Lean Gains 16-hour fast/8-hour feeding window suits my body the best as far as nutritional protocols. So, reiterating this fact more to myself than anything, mentally "setting" myself for what MUST be.
