Here is my push up challenge video for week 1.

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The stats are in for the week.  Here they are:

I only lost 1 pound, but the proof is in the body fat percentage and it continues to drop 1/2% each week and that's the ultimate goal of a cutting phase–to lose body fat.  I am planning to start a bulking phase on February 4, 2008 (it will be Mission 2) so this is a good thing, losing the body fat.  When I started this journey a year ago I was at 28% body fat.  I've cut that in half and that makes me very pleased.

Accountability Plan for This Week:

Sunday, 12/30/2007:
    Nutrition:  
        Metabolic Surge, low carb
        18 glasses of water
    Workout:  
        HIIT Cardio Session for 30 minutes

Monday, 12/31/2007:
    Nutrition:
        Metabolic Surge, all protein day
        18 glasses of water
    Workout:  
        Squats and Deadlift Shrugs 3 x 15 (supersetted)
        Bulgarian Split Squats and Step Ups 3 x 15 (supersetted)
        Reverse crunches 3 sets
        HIIT Cardio Session for 30 minutes
        Chin up session

Tuesday, 1/1/2008:
    Nutrition:
        Metabolic Surge, all fruit day
        18 glasses of water
    Workout:
        Run for 30 minutes in neighborhood

Wednesday, 1/2/2008:
    Nutrition:
        Metabolic Surge, low carb
        18 glasses of water
    Workout:
        DB Incline Bench Press and Cable Seated Row 5 x 5 (supersetted)
        DB Shoulder Press and Wide grip lat pulldown 5 x 5 (supersetted)
        BB close grip bench press and High pull 5 x 5 (supersetted)
        Swiss ball crunches 3 sets
        HIIT Cardio Session for 30 minutes
        Chin up session

Thursday, 1/3/2008:
    Nutrition:
        Metabolic Surge, low carb
        18 glasses of water
    Workout:
        HIIT Cardio for 45 minutes
        Chin up session

Friday, 1/4/2008:
    Nutrition:
        Metabolic Surge, low carb
        18 glasses of water
    Workout:
        Squats and Deadlift Shrugs 4 x 10 (supersetted)
        Bulgarian Split Squats and Step Ups 4 x 10 (supersetted)
        Reverse crunches 3 sets
        HIIT Cardio Session for 30 minutes
        Chin up session

Saturday, 1/5/2008:
    Nutrition:
        Metabolic Surge, low carb
        18 glasses of water
    Workout:
        Rest day today

Monday through Friday my nutrition plan starts at 4:30 a.m. while it starts at 6 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.  I plan to be under 100 pounds of assistance on the chin ups by the end of this week.  I am going to be compiling my goals tonight and posting them on the sidebar shortly.  There are alot of things I need to get done on this blog as well.  I need to get the posts organized by the right categories.  I might even need to change some of my categories to better fit the content.  It is going to be a big job that I have added to my project list.

Speaking of project lists, I'm not sure how many of you struggle with time management, but I have been using a system called Getting Things Done for the past 4 years now and it is awesome.  You can fnd out more about it at the David Allen Company website.  You can also buy the book from Amazon.com.  It is a really intuitive system that is based off of contexts rather than priorities.  David (rightfully so) comments that if your number 1 priority is fixing the leak on your roof at your home and you are away on business in another state, it doesn't do you much good that your leaky roof is your number 1 priority.  However, with the Getting Things Done system you would look at the context you are currently in (ie. @Computer, @Calls, etc.) and based upon that context, you'd have a list of tasks that you could complete.  It is a really simple, yet powerful methodology for living stress free.  I suggest looking into it if time management is even a small issue for you.

My pics and the rest of my day will be coming later. 

Until then…

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I got up at 6 a.m. and hit the gym.  It was amazingly crowded for a Saturday at 6 a.m.  I could not believe it.  The only cardio machine available was a Nautilus TreadClimber.  My gym has four of these rather odd machines and I have only used them twice before.  I honestly hate them.  I reluctantly climbed on and started my workout.  I decided to go with the built in interval program because these things are a pain to change as you walk.  I set it for 15 intervals of 1 minute at 4.0 mph (the max) and 1 minute at 3.0 mph.  At around 6 minutes into the workout one of the gym employees is standing in front of me and shows me a “This machine is out of service” sign. 

“This machine is working perfectly,” I state.

“It is making a strange noise that indicates it is broken,” states the employee.

“I've been on this for 6 minutes and have not heard one sound, so what are you talking about?” I complain.

“I'm sorry, but the machine is broken,” blandly states the employee.

I step off.  To my right a lady was busily completing a workout on her TreadClimber.  She looks right at me and says “Hang on, I'm done” and proceeds to slow down the machine and step off.  Amazing!  As she got off she explained that she really had 5 more minutes to go, but she heard the employee, thought he was crazy and decided to give up the machine for me.  I thought that was very nice.

I then continued on my way with my workout on the new TreadClimber.  What is interesting about these machines is how they handle the pre-programmed workout.  Remember, when I first got on the machine I selected their interval workout.  I was asked to give the machine the maximum speed I wanted (4.0 mph, which just happens to be the fastest the thing can go) and how long I wanted to be at that speed per interval (1 minute) and then the minimum speed (3.0 mph) and how long I wanted to be at that minimum speed per interval (1 minute).  It then asks how many intervals you want and I had selected 15 for a 30 minute workout.  Well this machine gets to 15 minutes and suddenly the 3.0 mph interval switches to 4.0 mph.  Now I'm heading towards 4.0 mph for another 14 minutes straight.  Not my idea of interval training.  The only difference between the fast and slow intervals was the depth of the treads (if you've never seen one of these things, they have two tracks that rock up and down as you walk).

I got down to just 7 minutes left and I was exhausted.  I was ready to stop the machine and call it a day.  I then decided to continue on.  With 5 minutes left I was so tempted to end the workout.  But guess what?  I thought about having to tell this story on this blog.  I thought about adding that line:  I give up.  Well, I didn't give up.  I completed the workout and then went on to do a core training workout and a chin up training as well to complete my workout for the day.

My Accountability Log:

I was about 30 minutes late with my 4th meal or I'd have had another perfect 10.

It is times like during my morning workout where I wanted to quit that this blog becomes extremely important.  The accountability measures that I'm taking here are what keep me honest and moving ahead.  I'm grateful for the discipline I've developed over the past 65 days. 

I have made two small decisions that will change my plan a little.   I am moving my Sunday workout this week to Monday because:  (1) I am still feeling my 250 pound squat workout and can't do squats again with my legs feeling this way; and (2) it will fit the week better (Monday, Wednesday and Friday workouts, skipping the Tuesday holiday for weight training).  My second decision that changes my plan is that at the end of this week of Metabolic Surge I'm going to do another 5 days of low carb cycle.  Basically I'm going to restart the round.  I will finish my 5 straignt low carb days tomorrow (Sunday) and then go on the high protein day Monday and the all fruit day on Tuesday and then on Wednesday I will start back on another cycle of 5 low carb days.  Otherwise my plan stands as listed previously  Tomorrow I will publish my next week's plan in the morning when I post my stats.

Until tomorrow…

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Complete the most unassisted chin ups.

I challenge all of you who currently cannot complete a single unassisted chin up to see who can do the most unassisted chin ups by March 22, 2008.  It is important that you currently cannot complete a single unassisted chin up.

How do you get involved?

Leave a comment letting me know you want to be involved.  I will post an entry outlining my plan for how to accomplish some unassisted chin ups and in that entry will be the list of people interested in joining the challenge. 

What is involved?

Starting on Sunday, December 23, 2007 (80 days from the end of the challenge), I will begin a weekly post regarding the challenge.  Each of you should provide me (via email) your current progress regarding chin ups.  I will post this every Sunday for all the world to see.

Participants:

Tea [visit her blog]
Lynda [visit her blog]
Suzette [visit her blog]
Lilla [visit her blog]
Jeff
Michael [You are here]

Progress:

Tea — ?? Need an update please
Lynda — ?? Need an update please
Suzette — Suzette is figuring out how to get the training in to do the chin ups. 
Lilla — ?? Need an update please
Jeff — Wide Grip Pullups: 110 pound assistance – 1 set of 15,12,10,8,6 reps with 1 minute rest for 51 total reps
            Hammer Grip Chins: 110 pound assistance – 3 set of 15 reps with 1 minute rest for 45 total reps
Michael — Doing 5 sets of 5 chin ups with 120 pounds assistance

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Today's podcast is all about why you should hit the gym at 4 a.m.  It approaches accountability issues as well as functional workout issues.  There is even a discussion of how to become an early riser.  I hope you enjoy it.

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