Today started off early as is usual on my weekdays. I got to the gym at 4:15 a.m. and started in on my workout. I took with me my new attitude that I need to push myself to the extreme. I felt it during my workout.
I was scheduled to do 15 rep sets today. Instead of using my weight from my previous 15 rep set workouts I used the weight from my10 rep workouts. As I suspected, I was not pushing myself to my fullest in past workouts. Yes, it sounds great that I did a close grip bench press at 80 pounds, 4 sets of 15 with 30 seconds rest, but the reality is that I could and did do more (see my Accountability Log below). It felt great to push myself in this manner. I came up a little short on my shoulder presses, but even those are vastly improved. Today I walked out of the gym feeling like I'd given it my all. I felt like I'd worked like a champion. That's the attitude I want to carry out of the gym from now on. Anything less than that is a failed workout.
Work today was sort of a let down. Allow me to explain. My company follows a very strict regimen when it comes to direct reports. We use something called a MOP (Management Operation Plan) to track progress on a weekly basis on projects/tasks/initiatives for our direct reports. I have had problems with my people being too busy or otherwise preoccupied to get the MOP done in person, so I've always settled for an emailed copy. In mid-December I let them know that all MOPs would be done in person and at the time assigned. Of the three scheduled MOPs today, only 1 got done as scheduled. One person had an emergency situation to deal with (acceptable excuse) and one was just plain late for work (25 minutes–not an acceptable excuse). What was disappointing was the attitude after the fact. The one with the emergency situation didn't even bother to mention the MOP while the one who was late acted like nothing at all had happened. Consequently, I was angry. During my staff meeting I told them that we would now be requring the MOPs to be sent in via email on Friday and to be reviewed in person on Monday. This would give me the weekend to review anything important and will probably make the Monday in person meeting much more productive for everyone involved. They started whining about getting it done by Friday. I would have none of it and told them so. It was not a pretty scene.
It made me think of how we disappoint ourselves and each other on a regular basis. I thought about how I felt when they disappointed me and I realized that I don't want to do that to other people. The feeling was far from a positive one. I am determined not to do that to other people on a regular basis. In addition, I will not disappoint myself any longer. I will go to the gym with the attitude that I will accept nothing less than the best. I will push myself to my ultimate limits. I will walk away knowing I gave it my all. I will eat right daily and make the right nutrtional choices. I will drink water and green tea only. I will stick like glue to my supplement schedule. In the end, I will achieve my goals.
Accountability Log:
| Mission 1: Day 13 of 40 | Accountability | ||
| Meal/Training Plan: Real-time accountability | Each task completed? | ||
| Day 74: January 7, 2008 | Yes or No | ||
| 6:00 a.m. | Meal 1: Protein shake with glutamine and 15 g. of oatmeal and 3 glasses of water | Yes | |
| 6:00 a.m. | Supplements: Animal Pak, Glucosamine Chondroiten, calcium, chromium, glutamine | Yes | |
| 6:30 a.m. | Workout: Lifting and 30 minutes of HIIT | Yes | |
| 7:30 a.m. | Meal 2: Protein shake with glutamine, BCAAs and chromium and 2 full cucumbers and 3 glasses of water | Yes | |
| 9:00 a.m. | Meal 3: Chicken breast with large and 3 glasses of water | Yes | |
| 12:00 p.m. | Meal 4: Tuna (6 oz) with large salad 3 glasses of water | Yes | |
| 3:00 p.m. | Meal 5: Tuna (6 oz.) with large salad and 3 glasses of water | Yes | |
| 6:00 p.m. | Meal 6: Lean beef and brocolli and 3 glasses of water | Yes | |
| 7:00 p.m. | Workout: Push up challenge workout | Yes | |
| 8:30 p.m. | Supplements: Protein shake, glutamine, calcium and 3 glasses of water | Yes | |
| Accountability Areas: | Points | Possible | |
| Meal 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Meal 2 | 1 | 1 | |
| Meal 3 | 1 | 1 | |
| Meal 4 | 1 | 1 | |
| Meal 5 | 1 | 1 | |
| Training | 1 | 1 | |
| Post Workout Nutrition | 1 | 1 | |
| Water | 1 | 1 | |
| Pre-sleep nutrition | 1 | 1 | |
| Accountability | 1 | 1 | |
| Daily Totals: | 10 | 10 | |
| Mission Totals: | 117 | 120 | |
| Workout Log: | |||
| HIIT Cardio | 30 minutes | ||
| DB Incline Bench | 55 x 15 x 3 | [PB] | |
| Cable seated row | 130 x 15 x 3 | ||
| DB shoulder press | 35 x 13 x 3 | ||
| Wide grip lat pulldown | 130 x 15 x 3 | ||
| BB Close Grip Bench Press | 90 x 15 x 3 | ||
| High Pull | 95 x 15 x 3 | [PB] | |
| Core training: Leg lifts, ball side reaches, crunches | 3 sets | ||
| Push up training | 27;20;20;17;32 |
These push ups are a bear! I find myself shaking like a leaf during the last couple of sets in each push up workout, but I will say that the workout from http://www.100pushups.info is an incredible strength builder. If you had told me that I'd be able to do 32 push ups after having completed 84 prior to that set, I'd have said you were crazy, but I did exactly that today. It is fun to see the progress of all the shredders. Joni has an impressive entry, with Mike and Adam having an extremely strong showing! Keep up the hard work, shredders!
Until tomorrow…
