Fuel the Burpee

This week I learned a valuable lesson in the importance of food when it comes to exercising. Normally, my wife and I maintain a fairly normal meal routine. We get up, have breakfast, eat lunch around noon, eat dinner between 6pm and 8pm, and have a few healthy snacks throughout the day. Little did I know that my digestive world would be rocked on Tuesday when my wife had to run errands and didn't return until almost 3 o'clock!

Do you hear that? That tick represents the sound of my stomach slowly eating itself.

Sure, in any other situation I could have just made myself lunch (I'm not completely useless). However, we had just run out of food in the house that morning, thus prompting my wife's excruciatingly long trip to the store. So, rather than go out and get myself some food, I decided it'd be best to just wait for her to get home so we could eat together. Later on that day I would realize the err of my ways in not eating sooner, as I sluggishly made my way through a Ladder of 120 Burpees...

Ba doom boom cha!

Per the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Issues, "a combination of working out and eating healthy foods can boost your energy level as well as feel more alert and aware, both mentally and physically". All of which I was not feeling on Tuesday. You see, I still ended up eating around 3 o'clock or so, but by that time my body was already behind it's schedule, and I was feeling very indolent. So, the purpose of this post is to make sure all of you out there that are ever thinking about skipping a snack, or a meal, DON'T. Unless, of course, that snack is from the Golden Arches, or Taco Smell.

Anyway, I still managed to fight my way through that workout on Tuesday as well as all of the other scheduled days this past week. My results are listed below:

Date Workout Sets Total Time  Beak Time Per Set Total Burpees 4/30/2012 One-Leg 5 5 min 17 sec 40 sec 50 5/1/2012 Ladder 15 17 min 08 sec 50 sec 120 5/2/2012 Pull-up 6 7 min 41 sec 30 sec 60 5/3/2012 REST 5/4/2012 Jacks 7 6 min 42 sec 30 sec 70 5/5/2012 Mix 7 9 min 40 sec 50 sec 70 5/6/2012 REST

I thought I'd leave you with another funny quote this week from one of my favorite comedians of all-time, Mr. No Respect himself, Rodney Dangerfield:

"I'm at the age where food has taken the place of sex. In fact, I just had a mirror put over my kitchen table."

L&R,

Drew

Setting Your Priorities

This week I was faced with a bit of an interesting dilemma. Up to this point I feel I've been pretty consistent with my workouts, however, this week my daughter was scheduled to have surgery to receive cochlear implants. As you can probably guess, my wife and I were both nervous and excited for this day to come, and once it finally got here, Burpees had to take a back seat.

Don't worry, my daughter Ella had the surgery and is recovering wonderfully now, and since the procedure I've been able to pick back up where I left off. But my purpose for telling you all of this, is to remind you that there are much more important things in this life than keeping up with a silly workout routine.

My Number One Priority

Setting priorities is something many of us struggle with on a daily basis, and one thing I've had a few arguments with my wife over, while attempting this experiment. I'll admit, over the past few months I have put off doing other things like going to the store, cleaning the house, and even going to the zoo with my wife and the girls, just so I could make sure I do my workout.

So finally, after realizing that I've been way too crazy about keeping my workout schedule, I'm going to try and do a better job of keeping my priorities straight. On that note, I'm going to cut this blog short and go outside to play with my girls.

My results from the week are listed below:

Date	Workout	Sets	Total Time (Morning)	Total Time (Night)	Beak Time Per Set	Total Burpees
4/23/2012	Ladder	12	10 min 47 sec	10 min 45 sec	40 sec	156
4/24/2012	Ladder	12	10 min 49 sec	10 min 49 sec	40 sec	156
4/25/2012			DAY OFF	DAY OFF
4/26/2012	REST
4/27/2012	Ladder	12	10 min 54 sec	10 min 47 sec	40 sec	156
4/28/2012	Ladder	12	10 min 48 sec	10 min 46 sec	40 sec	156
4/29/2012	REST

I believe Cindy Crawford said it best after she retired from modeling:

"Having children really changes your priorities."

L&R,

Drew

The Sports Drink of the Future (...and the Past?)

For all you guys out there that have been looking for an all natural sports drink, that will even put a little hair on your chest, have I got the thing for you! (...Is exactly how I'd imagine Billy Mays would pitch my 'shout out' today if he were still with us)

R.I.P

But in all seriousness (if that's possible for me), today's blog post is sponsored by a drink that's been around for longer than Hulk Hogan has been wearing speedos.

That's a long time BROTHER!

That's right folks, it's time to trade in your Gatorade and Vitamin Water, and pick up a nice tall glass of Vinegar and Honey. This homemade remedy has been used for everything from treating different illnesses, to helping lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and even in some cases relieving constipation!

What a relief!

Now, since there are so many benefits to V & H, I've decided to post a great link to a website describing the remedy in detail.

http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/vinegar-and-honey.html

Of course, I'm no doctor and am far from an expert on most of the things I discuss here, but what I can tell you is my Father-in-law has been drinking V & H since he was a kid, is now 76, and is still strong as an ox. For proof, he helped me spread ten 50 lb. bags of mulch around my property, and he didn't even break a sweat! I'm just sayin'...

And as always, since I know there are some of you out there who need a disclaimer (you know who you are), you cannot JUST drink V & H and be healthy like my Father-in-law. Yes, you still have to exercise too...

So with that being said, I've continued my Burpee regimen and listed my results from week 16 below:

Date	Workout	Sets	Total Time	Beak Time Per Set	Total Burpees
4/16/2012	One-Leg	4	4 min 17 sec	40 sec	40
4/17/2012	Ladder	15	19 min 24 sec	60 sec	120
4/18/2012	Pull-up	6	9 min 21 sec	50 sec	60
4/19/2012	REST
4/20/2012	Jacks	6	5 min 33 sec	30 sec	60
4/21/2012	Mix	7	10 min 30 sec	60 sec	70
4/22/2012	REST

Also, since it's technically the end of of my fourth month, I've posted my updated picture below:

Unfortunately, I don't know of any good Vinegar & Honey quotes, so instead, today I thought I'd leave you with a funny one from Ellen Degeneres:

"You have to stay in shape. My grandmother, she started walking 5 miles a day when she was 60. She's 97 today, and we don't know where the hell she is!"

Suck in that Gut!

Normally, when I hear the phrase "suck in that gut", I'm either regretfully   watching re-runs of Celebrity Fit Club or any movie co-starring R. Lee Ermey.

"Were you born worthless, or did you have to work at it?!"

But one thing I've come to realize is many of us neglect to actually take advantage of this piece of fictional movie advice. Sure we suck in our guts when we go out on dates, check ourselves out in the mirror, or even in the case of Dan Snyder (the owner of the Washington Redskins), try to impress a Hooter's waitress...

Even billionaires have to work at it...

However, when most of us do this, we aren't considering the healthy benefit that derives from what many Yogis commonly practice when performing the "Tadasana" or "Mountain Pose". As Bodybuilding.com explains, "the result [of sucking in your gut] is an increased abdominal tone, that will make you look instantly slimmer, and it also helps protect your lower back muscles." In the case of Pilates, a well known core muscle workout, most instructors will simply command you to "scoop out the abdominals" during a workout, to help with strength training as well as stabilizing the spine and pelvis.

Arnold says suck in those abs before you cause a flabalanche.

So for the past few months now, I've actively worked at keeping my abs tight, and not only do I feel the burn, but it's also even helped my posture. As my two aday workouts continued this week, the results are listed below:

Date	Workout	Sets	Total Time (Morning)	Total Time (Night)	Beak Time Per Set	Total Burpees
4/9/2012	Ladder	11	9 min 45 sec	9 min 47 sec	40 sec	132
4/10/2012	Ladder	11	9 min 44 sec	9 min 38 sec	40 sec	132
4/11/2012	Ladder	11	9 min 34 sec	9 min 29 sec	40 sec	132
4/12/2012	REST
4/13/2012	Ladder	11	9 min 39 sec	9 min 37 sec	40 sec	132
4/14/2012	Ladder	11	9 min 38 sec	9 min 27 sec	40 sec	132
4/15/2012	REST

Today I'll leave you with an inspiring quote from Mr. Joseph Pilates himself:

"Were man to devote as much time and energy to himself as he has devoted to that which he has produced, what an astounding and unbelievable progress would be made; a progress eclipsing all he has so far successfully accomplished."

When Life Gets in the Way

Throughout the years, so many of us have set fitness related goals for ourselves, ranging from simple New Year's resolutions, to shedding a few pounds to impress that special someone, to even being told by a doctor you need to lose weight for your health. But what do we do when life happens to get in the way of these goals?

Recently, my in-laws came down to visit for a few weeks, and because my wife and I don't get to see them very often, we naturally spent much of our time with them. This, of course, makes it somewhat difficult to keep a good workout schedule going.

In between hiding and trying to accomplish some real work, I was left with the task this week of mowing the lawn, weeding, and spreading mulch around my property. This may seem menial to some, but when you live on just over half an acre and you're John Deere is out of commission, it can take up more time than you'd think.

Luckily for me, my father-in-law happens to love gardening, so after enlisting his help, we were able to tackle  the yard work and even plant a few bushes while we were at it. But back to the point at hand; how I managed to workout with so much going on this week.

First of all, I'd like to re-iterate that it's important to remember it's not the end of the world if you miss a workout, so don't get down on yourself if it happens. Second, the purpose of this experiment has been to prove that you can do a full body workout in under 20 minutes, so hopefully you have some time away from your in-laws in the mornings when you wake up or at night before you go to bed (unless you live in a Studio Apartment...)

So with that being said, I spent most of my mornings this week working out before I was rushed off to The Home Depot. And despite what you may think, it actually invigorated me throughout the rest of the day!

On a quick note, I added two new exercises this week to liven up the workouts. I've begun doing Burpee Jacks (combo of Burpees and Jumping Jacks) as well as One-Legged Burpees, and my results from the week are listed below.

Date	Workout	Sets	Total Time	Beak Time Per Set	Total Burpees
4/2/2012	One-Leg	4	4 min  35 sec	40 sec	40
4/3/2012	Ladder	15	19 min 50 sec	60 sec	120
4/4/2012	Pull-up	6	9 min 28 sec	50 sec	60
4/5/2012	REST
4/6/2012	Jacks	6	5 min 39 sec	30 sec	60
4/7/2012	Mix	7	11 min 19 sec	60 sec	70
4/8/2012	REST

I'll leave you today with a great quote from a great leader, Sir Winston Churchill:

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."

L&R,

Drew

The Fast Food Fiasco

This past weekend, my nephew Blake and his mom Laura (my sister-in-law) were baptized together, and I was fortunate enough to witness the event. Unfortunately however, his choice for the celebratory dinner following the baptism ended up being a fast food restaurant I'm sure you've all heard of called Steak'n'Shake.

Also famous for America's Obesity Problem

Now, for those of you that haven't been to a Steak'n'Shake, the menu does NOT offer up much in terms of healthy alternatives. With that being said, I did my best to compensate by ordering an avocado burger and a side salad. What I got was a barf burger and a side of yuck!

Pictured: Yuck

Whether it be the fact that I haven't eaten fast food in over 3 months, or just the possibility that I received some "bad" meat, that night I felt like Death was watching in anticipation as my arteries and stomach battled for Middle Earth.

The Inner-Workings of my Stomach on Sunday Night

Immediately following this fiasco, I picked up a few new valuable life lessons:

1.) Never go to Steak'n'Shake
2.) When you say you aren't going to eat fast food, don't eat fast food
3.) Smothering a side salad in Ranch dressing isn't considered healthy
4.) Avocados don't reduce the amount of fat in a burger
5.) Never go to Steak'n'Shake

So, after learning my lesson and also having taken an extra day off this week due to complications that arose from my near death experience, I was able to finish my workouts for the rest of the week:

Date	Workout	Sets	Total Time (Morning)	Total Time (Night)	Beak Time Per Set	Total Burpees
3/26/2012	REST
3/27/2012	Ladder	11	10 min 35 sec	10 min 26 sec	40 sec	132
3/28/2012	Ladder	11	9 min 54 sec	9 min 57 sec	40 sec	132
3/29/2012	REST
3/30/2012	Ladder	11	9 min 46 sec	9 min 48 sec	40 sec	132
3/31/2012	Ladder	11	9 min 55 sec	9 min 39 sec	40 sec	132
4/1/2012	REST

Now, it may be on a rare occasion that I eat fast food, but when it comes to the rest of society, I believe our First Lady has it right when she was quoted saying:

"The problem is when that fun stuff becomes the habit. And I think that's what's happened in our culture. fast food has become the every day meal."

L&R,

Drew

Safety First

Throughout most of our lives, we've always had people saying to us "safety first", whether you're a world class athlete training for the Olympics or just a simple kid jumping a makeshift ramp on your Schwinn in the backyard. We've heard it from our parents, our coaches, and even in some cases our Chemistry teachers.

"Mee-mee-mee-mee!"

The saying "safety first" can apply to almost any situation, and in the case of exercising, it's no different. However, I feel that over the years safety hasn't been spotlighted as much as it should by trainers, gyms, and fitness "gurus" alike. Some people may argue that we should take responsibility for our own safety when exercising. Although I agree with this point in most cases, the issue is that many of the people out there spending their hard earned cash on workout DVDs, gym memberships, and potentially harmful supplements, haven't the slightest idea about their own physical anatomy, let alone how to operate a DVD player correctly. 

Now, I'm not saying those of us who didn't graduate with a degree in Kinesiology shouldn't take some responsibility for our own safety, but gyms, trainers, and TV personalities should all make it a point to push this agenda whenever possible, and in turn, all of us should listen. 

As always, my workouts (done safely) throughout the past week are listed below:

Date	Workout	Sets	Total Time	Beak Time Per Set	Total Burpees
3/19/2012	Vacation
3/20/2012	Vacation
3/21/2012	Pull-up	6	10 min  11 sec	60 sec	60
3/22/2012	REST
3/232012	Lunges	8	14 min  48 sec	60 sec	80
3/24/2012	Mix	7	12 min  24 sec	60 sec	70
3/25/2012	REST

Along with this, I've posted my updated 3 month picture and posted it below:

And today I'll leave you with a quote from the president of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railways, Charles M. Hayes, who said it best, when he was quoted saying:

"Safety first, safety always."

L&R,

Drew