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ryban
I'm Back
Posted May 10, 2012 by ryban in Exercises, Random Thoughts
So I had started with the bands about a year ago, just before I got married. Things were going good and then life caught up! I work in a one person business fixing computers along with clients who have service contract for service, if there stuff is broken, I HAVE to go fix it. Between that, getting married, a short time out of work and a very busy summer the bands collected dust in the background ... for the past year. When I last stopped, I remember being about 268 just before the wedding - I think I had dropped 10lbs between the bands and juicing, I had started juicing in a last ditch effort to lose weight, and it did work, but of course it isn't a replacement for working out.

Well, a year later and here I am, 277lbs or so, achy back from sitting on the couch and working (well, trying to figure out how to bring in more work it more like it, this is the slowest spring I've ever experienced in my 6.5 years living where I am). My parents are coming to visit at the end June, my wife and I will be moving at the end of the summer, after which we are planning a long vacation to Mexico, and here I am, the same lazy mess I was before I bought the bands last year.

Well, considering all of that, and also considering the desire to have a better appearance when job hunting come Fall, I picked up the bands again. My endurance is crap right now, not that it was great before, but I definitely have a harder time getting up off the couch and small walks leave me out of breath! We do live up at 8,000ft, but still, I've been here for a while now. I need a change and I need to stick with it, so I picked up the bands again and am using the series 3 DVD's that came with the bands. Man is it hard! When i started a year ago i was able to stick it out through a whole DVD but now I make it about 25 minutes to 30 minutes and I'm toast! BUT I feel better after only 3 days in a row, I'm sore but more alert and awake, I've put on 5lbs of retaining weight from waking up my muscles (but I know my metabolism will go up, causing the fat to melt off quickly), and I feel better about it. i should try to do the workouts earlier, but I get them in, heart racing for the entire time, drinking water, getting moving again. Its hard to find motivation when work is extremely slow, there is nothing to do, you're trying to find new streams of revenue, but keep hitting walls and you're tired all the time. After sitting on the couch or a chair all day, when the end of the day comes its hard to get up and do Chiseled, but after the past 3 days, I've found my motivation for it once again. I'm not going to quit this time ... I read the before and afters of people and see the changes they have had in just a month's time and i think back and say, wow, if I had started this a month ago, stuck with it and was motivated, I wouldn't look like this - I would be so different and on my way to a healthier body ... and then I would sit there and zone out. Zoning out to the tube or a movie at the end of the day feels much better when your muscles are tired and achy, your back doesn't hurt, and you got up and did something to make a change in your life - after working out. I'm not a runner, I tried the HIIT cardio thinking I would start light and get my body moving, but after 5minutes I was done. The Chiseled workout is great. I'm about 5'10", like I said, 277. I've always been a big guy, even when working in the restaurant business, on my feet all day. I think the lightest I've ever been was 183, but back then I was drinking and ssmoking, popping ephedrine pills and dancing every night. Funny how 3 hours of cardio, a little uppers and a bunch of drinks can still keep you more fit than not drinking, not smoking but not moving.

my goal with this is the lose the belly, build up the muscles someone of my build should have (I'm a stocky guy, even if I was in shape, not someone who should just be toned out), and lose weight. I know it will take dedication, hard work and eating right (working on that!), but i'tll happen this time. If I give it just a month and see where I am then, even without eating 100% right, with my current size I'm bound to see lots of changes. I need to pre-plan and have the right food around, the wrong food out, and make time, even if it is half a chiseled workout, to do something to build muscles and whip this body back into shape. With the way Blake and Ashanti go in Chiseled, it definitely is incorporating cardio, the amount that someone with my endurance can keep up with and even have to rest a bit longer with.

I'm looking forward to this journey, I smile when I walk and my legs are sore, I can't wait to see the changes I'm going to see.

I recently learned it was time to replace an ankle strap after the weakened velcro came undone during assisted pull-ups. Problem there is that my body is going down and the band is pulling straight up. When the strap came undone that metal clip and O-ring came straight up towards my face. Something about dead center below my waist got in the way to slow it down.

I took advantage of the warranty replacement and it's a good deal. I encourage all of you to examine your equipment and check to see whether something is wearing out.

It is funny how one moment can change how we view life. Five months ago I finalized my divorce. I have two very young boys and primary custody. I, also, live where I have no family even remotely near me. It has not been easy, however, one moment changed the way I saw life and how I handle stress. A friend went down in front of me with a massive brain aneurism. A friend who lived life like no other. He survived but he will never be even close to the same. Seeing that and knowing the person truly hit me hard...life is short. It is not worth stressing over the laundry that is not folded, the person who cut us off, the family members who have issues with other family members and just like to cause drama, the ex who is unhappy and trying to make your life hard, the job hunt that seems never ending (I have been there). This is YOUR life. Live it the way you want not how others want you to live it. Buddah says it best with this, "the secret to life is do not fear what becomes of you...the moment you reject all help are you freed." You and only you determine your happiness! Life is a journey...hold on tight and enjoy the ride, even the downs Happy

What is REALLY holding you back from getting to where you want to be. Not just in health and fitness, but whatever else it may be. Is it your lack of confidence? Finances? Negative thinking? Unhappy relationship? Loss of a loved one? We all have something that "floats" around us like a fog, creating blurred vision. It is funny...you can look one direction and see someone who seems to get everything and anything they want so easily and then look the other direction and see someone with the purest soul get the worst of it all. Why is that? Honestly, no one knows so stop asking WHY. There was a review done in Current Directions in Psychological Science on a study performed on a group of people who'd experienced a few big challanges - like divorce or death - and they were found to be more resilient in later stressful situations than those who hadn't. Tough times toughen us! Welcome the challenge and know there is nothing you cannot conquer!

BrentCytron
NUT SHOT FAIL
Posted May 5, 2012 by BrentCytron
So I was going to see if the orange band was too much for a one leg squat. I stepped on the band and sank down. When I went to stand up I adjusted my foot that was on the band because it felt weird and it slid/rolled off my heel straight up into the good ol dingle bots. 2 minutes of my roommate video recording and laughing our bums off I finally was able to stand up and do it again.

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