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My Focus Journal Entry #4

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Another week has gone by and my focus is just getting stronger. I am in my third cycle of Ryan Miller's training program and seeing some good results.

Nutrition Averages

This week my average calories were 2652. This broke down to 32.5% protein, 50.0% carbohydrates and 17.7% fat. Yet again I have hit my macros and feel great. The more interesting thing is that we have also apparently figured out my true maintenance level calories as my body weight stayed exactly the same all week.

Weight Training

This week I worked extremely hard at contracting the muscles with every repetition. I could see a difference between this week and past weeks. My numbers are increasing which means I am getting stronger.

Thoughts This Week

It is so easy to lose focus when busy. I always preach how important it is to plan ahead for nutritional success and now I am starting to see that it applies to training as well. I now sit down each week and plan the days of the week for the following week that I will train. I take into consideration what I have going on that day and as a result I modify the start time of my workouts. It has worked to keep me from missing any workouts.

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Saturday Sharing: A Rant on Bad Personal Trainers

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Bad personal trainers really get under my skin. Today I am going to get this off my chest because it has bothered me for a long time. I am not going to name the names of these bad trainers or even where they work. I am going to tell you why I think they are horrible and you should stay far away from them. Honestly, the majority of these horrible personal trainers work for large commercial gyms. It makes me wonder about the hiring process for these gyms.

Bad Personal Trainers Can Hurt You

Have a close look at the picture provided with today's post. Can you see a problem with that exercise? Bad personal trainers can definitely hurt you. You hire them to teach you the ropes. As such, you have no reason to question their techniques. However, I am here to tell you that questioning their techniques is not only good, it is required. Don't just accept a new way of doing an exercise as “cool” or “interesting”, make sure to ask the relevant questions. Only when you feel the exercise is safe and makes sense should you begin doing it.

Bad Personal Trainers Use Exercises for No Reason

Personal trainers are supposed to take your goals and then compile a program that helps you get to those goals. This means that everything they have you do should have a reason. Too many times personal trainers do things “because they can” and that's not good enough. I don't have all the time in the world to be at the gym, so my time spent there has to count. Wasting my time will not be appreciated at all.

Bad Personal Trainers Don't Teach

Personal trainers are there to make sure you train hard and that you do things correctly. Most people cannot afford to train with a personal trainer each and every workout. As a result, it is essential that personal trainers teach their clients. I get so fumed watching the personal trainers who just count repetitions and watch while their client does everything with completely terrible form. Take a moment to stop them and correct them. It isn't that hard and it is what you get paid for. Do your job and I wouldn't have a problem with you at all.

Bad Personal Trainers Pay No Attention

Piggy-backing on the last topic, personal trainers are supposed to watch their client at all times while training. It makes me angry when I see them texting or chatting up other people while their client is completing a set. You were not paid for that, so stop it already! Give your client the attention they deserve. Is it really that hard?

My Final Rant

Personal trainers need to live up to their certification. They need to show the world that using a personal trainer is not only a good idea, it is worth every penny you pay for them. I went into the personal training business because I wanted to change lives. How can I do that if I am not present 100% of the time my client is training?

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My Focus Journal Entry #3

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Another week into the Mission to Regain Focus and I have made some good progress on my weight training. I have also dialed in my nutrition. We are going to watch for a few weeks to see how my body responds (The Experiment of One) and then make adjustments.

I want everyone to meet the guy helping me through all of this. Ryan Miller from Growth Stimulus Training and I have hooked up to get me into the greatest shape I have ever been in. The short term goal is to get back the focus I had and get lean. The long term goal is to potentially get me up on stage again. Ryan's approach is one I like very much. He has a reason for everything he does and he doesn't have any problem explaining those reasons when asked. I will not be posting actual workouts, but I will show you the progress on my weights. I am also going to publicize my nutritional averages so that you can see how things are changing and working together to accomplish that change.

The Training Plan

Right now I am weight training 4 times a week with a very intense program that changes up weekly ever so slightly. I am doing one HIIT cardio session each week and up to 120 minutes of low intensity steady state cardio (LISS) each week. I am enjoying the training program a great deal.

My Nutrition Dialed In

Last week I began at 254 lbs. and wound up at 254.4 lbs, an increase of 0.16%. My average calories were 2683. That broke down to 33.3% protein, 43.2% carbohydrates and 28.4% fat. The key here is that I am hitting my macros and I feel amazing.

Regaining Focus

I feel as though I have already regained my focus. I am busily completing weight training and cardio sessions as scheduled. I am eating well. It is all coming together.

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What’s Your Plan for 2015?

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Another year has begun. Do you have a plan? If you don't, you have one, you just don't know it. If you do, well congratulations!

Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail

For those of you without a real plan for 2015, I want you to consider the statement above. When we do not create a plan we are planning to fail. Getting to successful and positive results requires planning. Without it you are destined to fail.

Making a Plan

A plan doesn't need to be elaborate if that's not what you want. A plan can be very simple or very complex, it is entirely up to you. I personally prefer detailed plans that lay everything out. I find it easier to stick to the plan and execute the plan when I do it the detailed way.

Plan Your Revloution, Not Your Resolutions

I personally do not believe in resolutions. Why not create a revolution instead of a resolution? Plan a way to make 2015 a revolutionary year. Do you want to become a better photographer? Start with a daily 365 photography challenge. Want to make working out a habit. Start with a short daily workout. Create a plan to accomplish what you want and then make it happen. The revolution approach will change things. Revolutions, like goals, are won a small step at a time.

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My Focus Journal Entry #2

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The update this week is exciting. I have connected with a great trainer who is going to hold me accountable for my progress. I know what to do, I just don't always do what I know I should do. That is all changing as a result of this Mission to Regain Focus and my new trainer. I will reveal his name in the future. Right now I want to see how the initial plans go. I am very optimistic.

Training this week was on point. I was lifting some nasty heavy weights and doing cardio consistently. The focus is back and I am ready to get to my long-term goal of a lean body. I really could use all of your support. Thanks for taking the time to read this journal entry.

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