H2Ohhhhhhh....

Great article on bitrebels.com about water and how important it is to our bodies and how too much can be harmful.

Cracking myths about water

I don't drink enough water.  I drink the most while working out.  I run with a "camelback" water backpack which is very helpful in keeping hydrated while out running for long distances.  

It not only holds my water in a bladder but it also holds my iphone/ipod and my I.D.  I like to run with an I.D. incase something happens.  With the way drivers drive here in Gig Harbor, I think it's a safe thing to do.  

When I teach spin I always go through an entire water bottle. Sometimes I go through an entire bottle AND a gatorade.  Sports drinks are very overly used.  They are as bad as soft drinks as far as sugar content and calories.  However, if you are using them during a strenuous workout they can be good for you.  They replace electrolytes and keep you hydrated.  If you're not working out very hard or not working out at all, sports drinks shouldn't be consumed.  Think of it as a bottle of soda.

Here is a few charts from the article at the beginning of this post.  I'm a very visual person and I like charts.  The information is easier to remember for me.

I'm should be drinking about 3 liters of water a day.  I consume that much on days when I am working out alot.  On an average day I know that I'm not.  Sometimes I just don't want water.  It's because I have programmed myself to want a fizzy, sweet drink.  I drink tons of diet soda.  I know it's bad but at least I'm staying hydrated.  I do notice, however, that when I am consuming more water, my skin and hair are alot healthier.

My goal is to drink more plain water and not so much diet coke.  I also drink sugar-free kool-aid.  Once again, it's not the best but it is mostly water.

I am Aquaman

Today I got my bodyfat tested with Bodyfattest.com which is a mobile hydrostatic body fat testing clinic.  www.bodyfattest.com

The important thing to remember about body fat testing is that the only true way to know your body fat is to do it hydrostatically.
Quoted from bodyfattest.com website:

Body composition analysis through immersion in water has long been the single standard for measuring body fat. Legend has is that Archimedes jumped from his bath naked and ran through the street shouting "Eureka" when he figured out how to determine the mass of an object by using water displacment. You see the king had tasked him with measuring his crown to tell if the goldsmith was cheating him by replacing some of his gold with silver - a metal having less mass and much less expensive. The basic theory hasn't changed since then.

By volume fat weighs less than muscle, and pound for pound fat and muscle each displace a known amount of water, they have a known mass. Basically fat floats and muscle sinks! If you know how much someone weighs, then you can determine how much water they would displace if they were all muscle. Compare that to how much they actually displace, and you can figure out how much of their body composition is fat, and not muscle. (Note: Although we keep using the term "muscle", it's really "fat free mass” or everything but fat).

Isn't it hard to figure out accurately how much water they displace? Well yes, except that you don't measure how much water is displaced exactly, you measure their weight in water, and knowing how much water weighs vs. fat and lean-body-mass, you can figure out the exact amount of body fat.

There are a lot of other methods out there, some of them good, some of them really useless. It's worth noting that whenever anyone describes how accurate their method is, it is always "as compared to hydrostatic". That's right. Every competitor accepts the supposition that hydrostatic body fat measurements are exact and thus they strive to be as close to the hydrostatic measurements as possible.  Admittedly, some even come reasonably close, but there is only one standard.  Hydrostatic weighing to determine body density, or hydrodensitometry, is the single accepted standard for measuring body fat.  And now it's being made available, outside of medical clinics and universities. Why would you use anything else?

It is a little weird because you are lying on your back in a tank and you HAVE to expel all your air out of you body WHILE UNDER WATER.  You're not going to drown but it feels like if you wanted to drown, this must be what it feels like...HA! 

I was getting bioimpedance testing because it was the only method available at my YMCA.  I knew it wasn't accurate but it's usually consistent.  It had my body fat 10% higher than what hydrostatic had me.  I was relieved to find out today I am at 19% and not 28%.  

I have 37 lbs. of fat on my body which means 19% of my body is fat.

I have 157 lbs. of muscle on my body.  I weigh 192lbs.

My target body fat % is around 10%.  I need to lose around 20 lbs of fat to reach that goal.

My Resting Metabolic Rate is 2038 calories per day.  This means I burn 2038 calories just going about normal daily activity WITHOUT working out.

My body fat is in the "good' to "healthy" range.  I'm in the 65% percentile for men of my age in the "good" range.   To be in the "healthy" to "essential" range I need to be between 7% - 15% body fat range.  I think I'm getting close.

This list is Calories Burned in 30 Minutes if you do one of these activities.  I do alot of running so 3 times a week I burn around 500 calories running every half hour.  I run for at least an hour so that means I'm burning close to 1000 calories when I run.  

I teach spin class at least 4 times a week.  Some classes are an hour.  Some are half hour.  I'm burning between 400 and 800 calories depending on the length of my class.  

Add those numbers to my RMR of 2038 and that means I'm burning a shit ton of calories.  That is probably how I've gone from 220 to 190 so fast and easily.  I try to eat healthy but for the most part I have been eating what I want but with just smaller portions.  All the food is being used as fuel and not converted to fat.  

Downside: I've stopped lifting weights and so I'm losing muscle mass.  I have to start incorporating more resistance training into my workouts.  Building muscle burns fat.  I don't want to get too big but at the rate I am doing cardio, it should all balance out.

Yah for hydrostatic testing!

Keep calm and carry on.

It's been so long since I've posted that I think I forgot how.  It's been a very busy month.  I've been interviewing my ass off but not getting any jobs.  My mom and aunt came to visit and we had a great but exhausting visit.

My spin classes are going quite well.  So well, in fact, that I've been asked to permanently take over the slots I was subbing for.  Apparently the members actually enjoy working their core during, of all things, a core class.  My spin classes are not easy.  They are always challenging.  The person I was filling in for has done the same spin routine every tuesday and thursday for the past 4 years.  I could go into that class and do it without the instructor because I knew what was coming next.  Also, this is 2012.  What's with the CD's?  Plug your iPod in and change up the music once in a while.  I have 10 different play lists and I never play the same play list twice in a row.

This just goes to show you that doing the same thing over and over again day in and day out is not doing anything for your motivation to stay in shape.  There is no inspiring happening.  What kind of instructor teaches a class not caring about if they are inspiring their students to succeed?  It's beyond me.


The yoga is also going well.  I've been going 4-5 times a week. I think I'm addicted.  I feel so good when I'm done with a class.  If someone would have told me a year ago I would be running and cycling  today I would have told them they were cray-cray.  My low back pain is almost non-existent.  Yes it hurts from time to time, that's just life.  However, to do the things I do today when I thought I would never be able to is amazing.  It gives me a whole new lease on life.

Barry Ennis, founder of Elite Sport Yoga

The YMCA asked me to become Yoga certified.  I thought that was an awesome idea.  There is an all day class in January and then I must do 500 hours of teaching to become fully certified.  I've only been doing this for a few months and they are already asking me to sub classes.  I'm not that good yet.

I stumbled across a great article on more men taking yoga and reasons why men don't take yoga class.

More men turning to yoga

I've never understood this.  I mean if you're single why wouldn't you?  Hot, flexible girls...hello?
I think if more professional athlete "came out of the yoga closet," there would be more men in yoga.  It's amazing for strength training and running.  Lots of NFL and MLB players do yoga.

Elite Sport Yoga for Professional Athletes

Other good news is that I think I have talked members of my family into at least trying yoga.  I think once they saw what it did for me it made them realize that it might be good for them.  I'm hoping to hear good progress reports from them.

I'm still running and training for my half marathon next month.  I can't lie, it's been tough the last couple of weeks to stay motivated.  I know that I have a goal date in mind and I know that I'm running 8 miles on my long distance days and that's 8 miles more than I could run a few months ago.  That should be motivation enough.  Some days are more hard than others.  We have been having amazing weather so that's not an issue.  I think I'm a tiny bit stressed about finding a job.  Job stress or lack of job stress can put a little damper on things.  I know something will come up when I least expect it.  In the mean time I have to keep busy.  As the Brits say, "keep calm and carry on."

Long time no see

I haven't posted in so long I fear that I forgot how. I've been so busy with spin classes, running, kayaking and getting ready for my mom and aunt's visit next week.

Since we last chatted I've lost more bodyfat, had to buy more clothes, am now teaching spin 5 times a week and have decided to get certified in yoga.

I enjoy yoga so much that I can't wait until class starts. I've been doing yoga for over 3 months now and feel I'm no longer a beginner. I'm moving up the intermediate level. I'm not up headstand level yet but I'm hoping in the next year! The YMCA told me that it takes 500 hours of teaching yoga to become fully certified. That's a long time. Apparently the Y is excited for me because they want a male yoga instructor.

As I'm typing this I'm sitting in a Starbucks across the street from, all of things STARBUCKS. No not across from another really big Starbucks coffee shop. Across the street from Starbucks Corporate. It's a little redundant to have a Starbucks across the street from Starbucks and I think there is another one just a couple blocks away.

The reason I'm in Starbucks at Starbucks is because I'm filming an independent short film about a block away. It's a 5 minute short and I have a minor role but still a role none the less. It's a resume builder. I think I have one line. The thing is I'm not getting paid and I don't care. It's so awesome to be able to do what I love to do even if I don't get paid. It's like they always say, "do what you love and the money will follow." Well I'm looking in my rear view mirror and hoping to see an armored bank car.

I had a job interview last week for a pharmaceutical job or "soul crushing" as I like to refer to pharmaceutical jobs. It is a good territory, great pay and not difficult. The downside is that the territory also has Spokane, WA and Montana. It's only once a month I 'd have to go to these places so it's not the big of a deal. I have another pharma interview with Johnson & Johnson in a couple of weeks. Same thing, the pay is good and the territory is easy. I'd still rather do movies for free.

The running is going quite well. I'm up 7 miles in 1 hour and 10 mintues. My knees are a little sore but other than that yoga seems to be taking care of any aches and pains I might have. I was definitely sore this morning when I woke up but after 1 hour of yoga I'm all better. Damn I love yoga.

An employee at the Y was chatting me up the other day after class. She asked me how my interview went and I said it went great. She said she didn't think I was that excited. I told her I wasn't. She asked me what is it I would really rather be doing than pharmaceuticals. I said acting. She said what I've been hearing for the last few months. If that's what you love to do and you actually do it in some form, something will happen for me. She told me to put it out to the universe and see if it sticks. I know this but when you get busy with life's little sidebars I start to lose sight. I know that I will not be doing pharmaceuticals forever but I guess as long as I am acting in some form, whether it be theater, commercials or movies, that will put my mind into the correct way of thinking which will then dictate my actions and that points me to the right direction.

I have a fear of becoming that guy wo never got to live out his dream. I forget that I am living it. It's just not the way I thought I would be living it. Be careful what you wish for I guess. I wanted to be an actor and I am. I'm just not famous. Who says you have to be famous to be an actor? There are plent of famous actors that can't act. I hope I'm an good actor who is not famous.

McDonalds and I have something in common

McDonalds lost 4% profit and I have lost 4% bodyfat. I got my bodyfat tested this morning and and I am now 24.8% bodyfat. My first test last year was 28.6%. The cool thing is 3% was lost in the last 2 1/2 months.
One bad thing is that my BMR (basal metabolic rate) went down. Your BMR is how many calories you burn just going about your day without exercising.

One reason for this may because I've also lost 2lbs. muscle mass. I have not lifted weights in over a year. I do however, do yoga 4 times a week. The culprit may be my running. I'm doing so much cardio with my running and my spinning that I am burning fat AND muscle. I'm going to start adding in some resistance training.

I don't believe in free weights anymore so I will be performing body weight exercises. Yoga is a body weight activity as well as push-ups, pull-ups, air-squats, basically any exercise you do without using any weight other than your body weight.

Body weight exercises are safer than conventional free weights for people with back injuries like I have. The down side is I probably won't build muscle as fast as I would with free weights but that's ok. I'm not looking to get big anymore. I'm 41 not 21. I just want to look good naked.

When I got my results I was actually very upset. I thought I had lost at least 8 or 9% bodyfat. I've lost so much weight and waist sizes that I assumed I lost more. Because I lost muscle mass that I didn't know I lost, I assumed wrong.

I was actually depressed. I beat myself up hard this morning. I went to yoga and was so distracted by my results that I left early. I couldn't concentrate. I went home and sulked.

After I cooled down and ate something I realized, "hey dumby, you lost 4% of your bodyfat! You are going in the right direction. I got so mad because I didn't lose more that I lost sight of the big picture. I am losing bodyfat and am moving in the right direction and being successful.

It's like winning the 100 million dollar lottery and being mad about the millions you have after the taxes come out. YOU STILL HAVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS STUPID!

So I'm going to continue to workout, eat right, drink water and shop for smaller clothes:)

Run Forest Run

Today's Long Run

Today's run was a little tricky.  The app told me to run for either 6 miles or 90 minutes, whichever came first.  Well I knew I could run 6 miles and I knew I could do it under 90 minutes.  When do I turn around??  I have to know when to turn and go back home so I decided just to choose a route and run until I got home.  I ran a loop and ran 6.3 miles in exactly 60 minutes.

When I first started to use this app it asked me what my running experience was.  Since I don't run I chose the "couch to run" option.  So I think it assumes that I'm out of shape and have never ran a day in my life.  I think I may have underestimated myself...Big Surprise.   I'm going to go ahead and stick to this training program.  If it works for a couch potato, it will work for me.

Also today's run is actually yesterday's run but I got too busy with a bathroom remodel.  Don't even get me started on that.  There is a little strife going on in this happy little household over that.  But like a trooper I just ran it today.

While working on ripping up tile on the bathroom floor I put alot of stress on my lower back.  It was an intense pain but it definitely made my back muscle very very stiff and tight.  I hot-tubbed and then slept on an ice-pak.  That and a little ibuprofen and I woke up just a little stiff.  I had to teach a 930am spin class so I stretched before class and then hung out and took a yoga class.  Wha-La! No pain.  I can't even tell you how much Yoga helps me.

I know, I know.  I keep harping on how wonderful yoga is.  Three months ago I was a stiff, unbalanced dude in a female dominated room.  Today I'm a freaking Yogi.  Not only am I more flexible, I can now do "binds."  For those Yoga virgins out there a bind is basically when you can get in a ridiculously weird contortion and wrap an arm behind yourself and grab your other hand in some other region of your body.  You kind of look like your iPod earbuds when you pull them out of your pocket.  A jumbled mess.  But at least I'm flexible as hell.

My recovery time has been cut so much that if I have a stiff back from a run or a spin, if I do a yoga class the next morning, I'm back to 99%.  It's amazing and I just can't say enough good things about it.

I'm getting really excited about my race is just around the corner.  I'm more than confident that I will be able to run a half marathon with no problems.

Tomorrow morning I am getting my body fat tested again.  I will post the results and compare them to the last one.  It should have gone down since I went down 2 waist sizes already.

Wish me luck!

GOAL!!

For the past month I have been teaching a core class twice a week.  It's a half hour class that is directly after my half hour spinning class. It's great cardio followed by an awesome core workout.

I'm never sure if the members who take my class like it or not.  I was a little rusty at first and they were used to an instructor who, quite frankly, was not the good.  One thing I've realized living here in western Washington is that people here don't always show their feelings.  Every one is very subdued and I can never read anyone.  I'm used to the mid-west where everyone is so open and friendly.  Here is seems there is alot of passive aggressive behavior.  People in the Seattle area are polite, but not that friendly.

So imagine my surprise when two members came up to me after core class to let me know how much the loved that class.  Then 10 minutes later they came back and asked me if I was still personal training and what my rates were.  The fact that I was dressed in head-to-toe spandex cycling gear my have had something to do with it but I digress.  Unfortunately I'm not really training right now so I directed them to the YMCA staff.

You see I was in the process of giving up that class because I didn't know if anyone was benefiting from it.  No one was giving me any feedback.  I realized I'm the type of person that needs feedback.  I need people to tell me if I am doing a good job or not.  Because of these two members positive feedback, now I want to keep the classes.  I started to wonder how many other places in my life where I may not follow through because I'm afraid of failure.   Am I not following through because I'm not getting feedback from people?  Am I good enough?

I started to think back. I am the only person in that class who is a personal trainer.  I am the only one in that class who really knows what they are doing technically.  I'm the one who is up front motivating and inspiring them to do a 3 minute plank.  What the hell?  Why do I feel less than?

This came up in my pharmaceutical job.  I was constantly feeling like I was less than because I knew the doctor is an expert in his field.  I forgot that I am an expert on the drug I was selling.  I was so intimidated and insecure that I let myself fail.

There is a modeling agency in Portland that only deals with sports related modeling.  They do fitness modeling for Nike, REI and other big names in the fitness industry.  In order to be considered you must be in a sport, have experience with a sport or have some kind of skill in the fitness industry.  Well guess what?  I'm a personal trainer, spin instructor, cyclist and now thanks to a half-marathon training program, a runner.

I am just a hop, skip and a jump away from submitting myself to be considered for this agency.  All I need is to be a little leaner and I'm in.  My headshots are great.  I went down another waist size and I'm in the BEST shape of my life!  I'm ready to show them what 42 can look like.

I've found that in order to accomplish something, I need a goal.  My running is a result of my goal of finishing a half-marathon in September.  I'm setting a goal to lose enough body fat so I can submit myself to this agency.  One of the requirements is that you have a candid shot (non-professional) of your body in just shorts.  They want to see how good you look without your clothes on.  After all I would be modeling sports gear.

I have to really think about when the goal date is.  I need to find out my current body fat and see how long I need to lose the body fat in a healthy way.  I'm getting my body fat tested the week after next.  I was 27% so I'm sure I've come down a bit.  I know to see my abs I should be around 10% body fat.

Time to pull myself up by my bootstraps and start hitting some goals!