GET THIS BOOK!!

Whether you're a new bodybuilder like myself, or a seasoned vet, this book has something for everyone.  800 pages of diet, fitness, and exercise tips for your reading enjoyment.  This literally starts from the beginning with a back story of bodybuilding as a sport, and gives the user a detailed explanation of your body's anatomy and how to make the most out of it.  Someone gave the book to me a month or so ago, and I don't know why I hadn't bought it earlier.  

Robert Kennedy is the creator of Musclemag, and a lifelong athlete.  He has forgotten more about fitness than most people ever knew, and it comes through in this book.  Amazon has it at an almost unbeatable price.  Check it out.  You will not regret it, no matter what you're looking to do with your body.

Don't miss out on tomorrow's post.  I went ahead and did my final workout for the week, and it was absolutely nuts.  It's called Tabata training, and I can tell you right now I've found something new that you absolutely MUST try!!  I'll tell you about it tomorrow.  Goodnight everyone!!

3 SCOOPS

Tonight was legs and shoulders. For those of you that have done a hard leg workout, you know how draining it can be on the body. Lots of muscle groups are at work, often times pushing much more weight than you're comfortable with. I think whoever coined the term "no pain, no gain" came up with it after doing legs! I also chose to do shoulders tonight, since Friday or Saturday will be a full on bicep/tricep/forearm workout and will be my final workout of the week.

One thing I can't recommend enough is getting plenty of good food in your body the day of your leg workout. Like I said, it's very draining on the body and having enough calories taken in that day can mean all the difference between powering through the whole thing, or crashing right in the middle of it. I'm guilty today of not eating enough, and boy did I struggle! So get plenty of protein and good carbs in your system, and be sure to take plenty of protein after your workout. I took 3 scoops of Wheybolic instead of 2 after I got done. So here's the workout!!

LEG/SHOULDER WORKOUT

Warm Up
5 Minutes of light cardio on the eliptical, followed up by an extended stretching session. DO NOT do a leg workout without getting a good stretch first. That's the easiest way to end up with an injury.

Smith Machine Squats
Set 1: 70 pounds, 15 reps (warmup)
Sets 2-4: 90 pounds, 10 reps

Leg Extensions
4 Sets: 170 pounds, 8 reps

Leg Press
4 Sets: 320 pounds, 8 reps

Lying Leg Curls
4 Sets: 120 pounds, 8 reps

Seated Calf Press
4 Sets: 95 pounds, 8 reps

Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
3 Sets: 30 pounds, 10 reps

Upright Barbell Rows
3 Sets: 60 pounds, 10 reps

Lateral Dumbbell Raises
3 Sets: 20 pounds, 12 reps

Reverse Pec Deck Flyes
3 Sets: 90 pounds, 10 reps

Barbell Shrugs
3 sets: 110 pounds, 10 reps

Dumbbell Shrugs
3 sets: 65 pounds, 10 reps

I didn't do any cardio after my workout tonight. I was already tired, and a leg workout can seriously get the heart pumping. I'm going to take a day or 2 off to heal up, but I'll be around to post something for you tomorrow or Friday either way. Arm workout on Saturday!! I hope everyone is having a great week. Here's another DJ mix of mine for you to check out!!

DL: DJ Doug Collins- This Ain't Hollywood (Full on Electro House!)

NEGATIVE CAN BE POSITIVE

It was nice to have my wife with me as my workout partner last night. It's nice to have someone there to motivate you and help you through your sets when you need a little extra push. It also gave me an opportunity last night to do some negative rep sets. The science behind it is basically that you load up more weight on the bar than you can usually do. Since your body is stronger lowering the bar than it is lifting it back up, you bring the bar down in a slow controlled manner, then rely on your partner to help bring it back up. It sounds silly, but it really splits those muscle fibers and can tremendously help boost your strength and muscle growth. Read a little more about negative reps HERE.

Anyway, I promised earlier today to show you my chest workout from last night. I've got videos on how to do these exercises in my previous chest workout post, so click on a label on your right to go back and check them out. Here you go!!


CHEST/ABS WORKOUT

Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
Set 1: 30 pounds, 20 reps (warmup)
Sets 2-4: 45 pounds, 8 reps

Flat Bench Press
Sets 1-3: 115 pounds, 8 reps
Set 4 (Negative Set): 125 pounds, 8 reps

Decline Bench Press
Set 1: 120 pounds, 8 reps
Set 2: 125 pounds, 8 reps
Set 3: 130 pounds, 8 reps
Set 4 (Negative Set): 150 pounds, 8 reps

Incline Dumbbell Flyes
Sets 1-3: 25 pounds, 12 reps

Cable Crossover
Set 1: 45 pounds, 12 reps
Set 2: 50 pounds, 12 reps
Set 3: 60 pounds, 12 reps

Low Pulley Cable Crossover
Sets 1-3: 35 pounds, 12 reps

ABS

Hanging Leg Raises
3 Sets: To failure

Crunches
3 Sets: To failure

Cardio
20 minutes on eliptical. 2 minutes low resistance, 2 minutes high, repeated 10 times.

So that's that. Keep on reading, I'm posting my leg and shoulder workout from tonight in just a minute!!

REST IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL (AND THE MUSCLES)

Sorry I didn't post a blog last night. We got home late from the gym and I was totally exhausted. I just had my protein and my dinner and went to bed a few hours later and never got on the computer. I got a solid 10 hours sleep, and it was wonderful. I don't know if I've mentioned it, but getting rest is conducive to good health and muscle building. At least 7 hours a night will assure you're properly rested and it gives your body time to heal better from a hard workout the day before. Your body doesn't grow muscle when you are awake, it grows at night when you are asleep. So get some rest!

So let's get down to it. Today, I can happily say I weighed 271 pounds when I got up. That's 3 pounds in a week. It feels amazing to know that doing what I'm doing is working. I truly thought until a year ago I was destined to keep losing weight and gaining it back and being big all my life. Well, I've found the real key to success, and it doesn't include fad diets and ab rockers. Simply watching what you eat and staying fit can work wonders. And finally I can say with certainty that I'm going to get in shape and stay that way!

Monday, I tried a new "30 minute back workout" I found in my latest issue of Men's Fitness. Many people tend to work on bodyparts they can see in the mirror and pay less importance on things like their back. However, in order to achieve strength and a balanced look all over your body, don't forget to do your back!! I usually train my back and chest on the same day, but a full back routine in 30 minutes was something I had to try!! Here's it is:

WORKOUT
5 minutes on the eliptical to warm up. I used an eliptical with arm movement on this one to give my back a bit of a stretch. Also, don't forget to stretch. I'm not sure if I've mentioned that enough. It can help prevent serious injuries!!

One- Arm Dumbbell Row
Set 1: 40 pounds, 8 reps
Set 2: 40 pounds, 8 reps
Set 3: 20 pounds, 30 reps

*For the 30 reps, choose a weight you can do 20 for sure, but try to push through for 30 reps! 60 seconds rest between sets

Wide Grip Pulldown
Set 1: 80 pounds, 10 reps; 70 pounds, 5 reps; 60 pounds, 5 reps
Set 2: 90 pounds, 10 reps; 80 pounds, 5 reps; 70 pounds, 5 reps
Set 3: 100 pounds, 10 reps; 90 pounds, 5 reps, 80 pounds, 5 reps

*Do 10 reps at max. weight, lighten 10 and immediately do 5 more, lighten another 10 and do another 5. 120 seconds of rest of between sets

Super Set: Standing Rope Pull and Face Pull
Set 1: Rope Pull, 70 pounds, 15 reps; Face Pull, 80 pounds, 15 reps
Set 2: Rope Pull, 80 pounds; 15 reps; Face Pull, 90 pounds, 15 reps

*Rest 120 seconds between sets

Blackburns
Grab a 2.5 or 5 pounds weight plate in each hand and lie on a bench facedown with your head off the end. Extend your arms so they are parallel to the floor and your palms are down (1). Hold for 15 seconds and then your elbows 90 degrees drawing your arms back (2). Hold for 15 seconds and then extend your arms straight out to your sides and holds (3). Now bring your arms to your sides so your palms are facedown (4). Hold for a final 15 seconds. That's one set. Squeeze your shoulder blades together as much as possible in every position.

2 sets: 2.5 pounds, 60 seconds rest between sets.

Cardio
30 minutes on eliptical doing "weight loss" program. Most elipticals have something similar in the pre-set routines. If not, do intervals of low and high resistance for 2 minutes a piece and repeat for 20-30 minutes.

I'm going to post my chest workout from last night a little later today. So check back a little later. See you then!!

HERE'S A HOT WORKOUT MIX FOR YOU!!

DJ Doug Collins- Live @ Atmosphere February 2009 (Some Explicit Lyrics)

Tracklist:
1.) Daddy Yankee- Rompe
2.) Chaka Demus- Murder She Wrote
3.) Sasha- Dat Sexy Body
4.) Sasha- I Like The Way
5.) DJ Sizzahandz- Work It
6.) Busta Rhymes- Touch It
7.) Busta vs. Jackson 5- Touchitifyouwantmeback
8.) DJ Danny Diggz- Jump (Quick Hitter)
9.) Kris Kross- Jump
10.) DJ Kool vs. Ying Yang Twins- Shake My Throat
11.) DJ Riz- Timbohandz
12.) Fatman Scoop- It Takes Two Remix
13.) Young MC- Bust A Move
14.) Ying Yang Twins- Wild Out
15.) Lady Gaga- Poker Face
16.) Flo Rida- Right Round
17.) Lady Gaga vs. Eurythmics- Dance Dreams
18.) Lloyd vs. Technotronic- Pump It Shawty
19.) Benny Bennassi vs 50 Cent- Satisfaction In The Club
20.) Flo Rida- Low
21.) Alex Gaudino- Destination Calabria
22.) Britney Spears- Circus (Diplo Remix)
23.) Discotech- Tambourine Transition
24.) DMX- Party Up
25.) Hollaboyz- Start This Thing Off
26.) Usher- Yeah
27.) Pitbull-Bojangles
28.) Fatman Scoop feat. Faith Evans- Be Faithful
29.) DJ Nova- The Roof Transition
30.) Discotech- Hypnotize Transition
31.) Dr. Dre- The Next Episode
32.) DJ Danny Diggz- LBC PSA
33.) Juvenile- Back That Azz Up
34.) LL Cool J- Rock The Bells
35.) Doug E. Fresh- The Show
36.) Notorious B.I.G.- Going Back To Cali
37.) Juelz Santana- There It Go (Whistle Song)
38.) Lil Jon- Get Low (Acapella)
39.) Too Short- Blow The Whistle

Direct Link: http://www.musicv2.com/v2/media_download.php?m=60927

ENJOY!!

It's late. I had a good back workout today, but I'm going to wait to post it until tomorrow, along with whatever my wife and I do tomorrow night at the gym. Download the mix, and hit the gym!! Talk to you tomorrow.

-D

LONG LIVE THE CHEAT MEAL!!

I've just stuffed myself with enough Indian food that I'm feeling pretty rough. And boy is it nice!! Like I've said, cheating is part of dieting. If you don't do it every now and again, you'll fall off the wagon, and sometimes not get back on. So yeah, today I had my cheat meal of the week, and being this full makes me eager to get back on track. Funny how that works. I DID cheat today. However, I also hit the gym for 2 hours for an arm workout and some cardio. I'm getting to be incapable of just being a "fat kid" anymore. Not that that's a bad thing. I took the same supplements today as in my last post, so check back to that one to see what all I took. Here we go:

WORKOUT
5 minutes on the eliptical for warm-up at moderate resistance.

Machine Preacher Curl
Sets 1 and 2: 30 pounds, 15 reps
Sets 3-5: 50 pounds, 10 reps

Cable Hammer Curls
3 Sets: 80 pounds, 10 reps

Incline Dumbbell Press
Sets 1 and 2: 30 pounds, 10 reps
Sets 3 and 4: 25 pounds, 12 reps

Overhead Cable Curl
3 Sets: 45 pounds (each arm), 10 reps

Seated Tricep Dumbbell Extension
3 Sets: 50 pounds, 10 reps

Triceps Pushdown
3 Sets: 60 pounds, 12 reps

Overhead Cable Tricep Extension
3 Sets: 50 pounds, 12 reps

Skullcrushers
3 Sets: 60 pounds, 8 reps

21's
2 Sets: 50 pounds, 21 reps

Wrist Curl
2 Sets: 40 pounds, 20 reps

Reverse Curl
2 Sets: 40 pounds, 15 reps

Crunches
3 Sets: To failure

Cardio
24 minutes: 2 minutes low intensity, 2 minutes high, repeated 12 times.

I'll probably not do any lifting again until Monday or Tuesday. I'm pretty depleted from today's workout, but I feel great. If I had to pick the exercise not to miss in this workout, I'd tell you to not miss the Incline Dumbbell Press. When done properly, it really stretches out the long head of the bicep and will eventually give you peak you're looking for in your arms. I'm starting to see it more and more every time I work out.

Also, hit the wrist curls and reverse curls hard at the end of your set. When the forearms start lagging behind the rest of your arms, they can start to hurt severely when doing heavy curls. I know this from firsthand experience, and make sure to never miss working the forearms.

I hope everyone is having a nice weekend, and has hit the gym at least once before it's over! But it's Saturday. Get out and have a good time! We all need it sometimes! Talk to you soon!

STRETCH ARMSTRONG- LIVE AT DOWNTOWN SATURDAY NIGHT

BEING SORE IS A GOOD THING!!

And I'm happy that's true, because I am SORE today! Last night I did my 1st of 2 chest workouts for the week. I'm trying to grow all my muscles obviously, but my weakest point is my chest. Being fat and losing weight caused me to have fairly pronounced "man boobs." I'm very self conscious about it, so I hit my chest very hard a few times a week in order to help me fill out and theoretically burn fat in that area. The fat burning thing might not actually work, but it makes me feel better. Either way, everyone has at least one thing they want to look better than the everything else.

So far, I've managed to create some noticeable gains in my chest area, and my bench press has improved from barely being able to handle the bar to around 120 pounds in less than a year. My chest area has something that is starting to resemble pecs, and I'm very happy for that. Here is a picture of me this morning:

I know I'm not going to be hitting the bodybuilding pro stage anytime soon, but this is the best physique I've ever had and it's continuing to improve, just like yours can with dedication!

I am also happy to report that I weighed 274.1 when I hit the scales after I woke up this morning. Maybe the 4 pounds a week calorie intake thing might work. I was 276 a few short days ago. It goes to show you that watching what you eat and being active can work wonders quickly!

Back to my workout, though. I did most of my sets last night pyramid style. I don't normally do them that way, but it's a good way to shock the muscles sometimes. I usually follow a straight sets routine (same amount of weight, same # of reps the whole workout). Here's how my workout played out last night, including all supplements I took before and after:

SUPPLEMENTS BEFORE
GNC Leucine-XT (6 pills equalling 3 grams): 60 minutes before
BSN N.O.-Xplode (2 scoops w/10oz. of water): 30 minutes before
GNC L-Glutamine Powder (5 grams mixed with N.O.-XPlode)

WORKOUT
5 minute warm-up on eliptical at moderate resistance (just to get the blood flowing, nothing else)

Dumbbell Bench Press
Warm-up set (2 of them): 25 pounds, 15 reps
Set 1: 35 pounds, 12 reps
Set 2: 40 pounds, 10 reps
Set 3: 50 pounds, 8 reps
Set 4: 40 pounds, 10 reps
Set 5: 35 pounds, 12 reps

Incline Dumbbell Press
Set 1: 45 pounds, 10 reps
Set 2: 45 pounds, 8 reps
Set 3: 50 pounds, 6 reps
Set 4: 45 pounds, 8 reps

Barbell Bench Press
Set 1: 95 pounds, 12 reps
Set 2: 105 pounds, 10 reps
Set 3: 115 pounds, 8 reps
Set 4: 105 pounds, 10 reps

Decline Barbell Press
Set 1: 100 pounds, 12 reps
Set 2: 105 pounds, 10 reps
Set 3: 115 pounds, 8 reps
Set 4: 105 pounds, 10 reps

Incline Dumbbell Flye
Sets 1-3: 25 pounds, 10 reps

Flat Dumbbell Flye
Sets 1-3: 25 pounds, 10 reps

Cable Crossover
Sets 1-3: 50 pounds (each side), 10 reps

Low-Pulley Cable Crossover
Sets 1-3: 40 pounds (each side) 10 reps

Crunches
Sets 1-3: To failure

Cardio
20 minutes on eliptical: 2 minutes steady rate, 2 minutes high rate, repeated 5 times

POST WORKOUT SUPPLEMENTS
Protein Shake (8 oz. 1% milk, 1.5 scoops of Wheybolic Extreme, One scoop (5g) L-Glutamine Powder

This is a pretty advanced chest workout that takes a lot of stamina to complete. I wouldn't recommend it to beginners necessarily, but I do recommend doing at least 4-5 separate exercises when doing a full chest workout. Remember, listen to your body. If you feel like you can't go any further, that's your body telling you quit. Don't injure yourself. And don't forget my main rule. USE PROPER FORM!! I might not post anything tomorrow since I have to work at the bank and DJ, but I'll be back on Saturday to post any progress, and post the details of my leg workout. Thanks for reading, and stay motivated!! Here's some music to help!!

Alizee: Fifty Sixty (Rolf Honey Remix)
Britney Spears: Circus (Diplo Remix)
Both tracks hosted by The Docking Station

BEING SORE IS A GOOD THING!!

And I'm happy that's true, because I am SORE today haha

SUPPLEMENTS..ARE THEY FOR YOU?

There are literally 1000's of different kinds of health and workout supplements.  What exactly is a supplement, though?  My definition of a supplement is a product that comes in pill, powder, or liquid form that aids in a number of different bodily functions as it pertains to working out.  Some of them make you stronger.  Some of them make you have more stamina.  Some of them help with recovery time after a workout.  All of them have their place in the fitness realm, in my opinion.  

What supplements are right for you?  That definitely depends on what you're looking for in a workout.  Here are some of the staples that many bodybuilders and fitness minded individuals use:

PROTEIN POWDERS- There are many different kinds of protein.  Whey, Milk, and Egg are among the more popular proteins out there.  The undisputed king however is Whey Protein.  Whey is one of 2 major proteins found in cows milk (the other being Casein).  Whey is arguably the highest quality and best form of protein.  It contains essential amino acids that help aid the body in achieving optimal performance.  When taken in conjunction with exercise, it helps muscles grow.  

If you're going to pick just one supplement to take, make it Whey.  My brand of choice is GNC Pro Performance Wheybolic Extreme 60.  There are 60 grams in a serving, but I cut it in half and mix it with 8oz. of milk (which contains Casein).  It reacts with my body very well, and I am much less sore after working out when I take it.  Wheybolic is a bit pricey, however.  If you want something cheaper, but still good, try something from EAS or Six Star.  They make high quality, good tasting protein, and it's a very decent price.  Plus, you can find it at most larger grocery stores such as Walmart and Meijer.

CREATINE- In many people's opinion, it's the 2nd most (or even most) important supplement in existence.  Creatine is actually something our body produces naturally.  Check out the science behind it here!  So what does it do?  In a nutshell, it increases lean muscle in a short period of time, aids in overall performance and endurance, and helps with recovery like Protein.  Many bodybuilders take one serving before a workout and one after.  I typically take one serving before lifting and that's it.  My brand of choice is GNC Pro Performance Amplified Creatine 189.  Just like everything else, there's a million different kinds of creatine supplements out there.  Some is expensive, some is much easier on the budget.  But if you want to build some serious muscle, Creatine is definitely for you!!

GLUTAMINE- One of the most abundant amino acids in the body and most popular amino acid for bodybuilders.  Why is that?  Not only is it necessary for proper muscle function, but it's essential for muscle growth.  It elevates growth hormones in the body, and also boosts the immune system and helps your body decrease the risk of overtraining.  When taken before training, you will not fatigue as easily.  When taken after a workout, it helps your muscles recover faster.  I typically take Glutamine twice a day.  On off days, I take it in the morning, and with my evening protein shake.  On training days, one serving before and after working out.  GNC also makes a very good brand of L-Glutamine powder.  Just for the record, I do not work for GNC.  I just enjoy using their products because many are clinically tested and are tried and true products.  Not to mention, they are often cheaper than other brands, which helps a lot!

ARGININE- I consider arginine the most important workout product there is aside from protein.  It is the key to be able to work out to your fullest potential each and every time.  Arginine is also an amino acid, however not one the body creates.  It is a precursor of nitric oxide.  Nitric oxide, in Lehman's terms, causes your vascular system to dilate which in turn causes increased blood flow to muscles.  The more blood your muscles have pumping to them, the harder you can work out and the stronger you feel.  In the long term, Arginine can cause your blood vessels to grow, which helps with speeding up your metabolism and causes nutrients to be more easily delivered to your body.  There are many very good Nitric Oxide products out there.  The 2 I recommend are Gaspari Nutrition Superpump 250 and BSN N.O.-Xplode.  I have used both to great effect.  However, everyone's body reacts differently to N.O. products, so try them at your own discretion.  If it makes you feel bad or causes side effects such as diarrhea, take it back to the store and get something else.  

FAT BURNERS (CAFFEINE)- Everyone has seen the commercials for Hydroxycut, Dexatrim, and Alli.  They all claim to blast fat away at a rapid rate.  So, many people buy them and take them and continue to eat poorly.  Then they wonder why they haven't lost any weight after a month.  In my opinion, fat burners can work.  However, you have to diet and exercise.  I've taken a few different fat burners, and aside from increased energy (most of them have a very high dose of caffeine), I haven't noticed any big results.  I was one of the people eating poorly while taking them, though, so I can't give an honest review.  If you want to try them, the most popular brands are Hydroxycut Hardcore and Lipo6x.  They have similar ingredients, and are both big with bodybuilders.  

STACKING- Many bodybuilders prefer to stack supplements, and I am no different.  To learn a bit more about stacking, check out this article!!  My stack consists of Leucine, Arginine, Creatine, Glutamine, and Protein.  Most people stack 3 to 4 products, but you can create your own depending on what you're looking for in your workout.  

There are so many more supplements I could write about, but I just wanted to get you familiar with some of the basics.  To read further about the subject, check out http://www.bodybuilding.com and surf around.  There's a world of knowledge on there for you to read.  

Well that's it for today, and should be the last of my long posts.  From here on out, I'm going to update you about my progess, my diet, and my training sessions.  I'll be posting lots of great music for you to check out as well.  I hope you are enjoying the blog so far, and I ask that you please subscribe and be sure to follow me on my journey!!  Take care.  See you tomorrow!

SO WHAT DO I DO?? (THIS COULD BE A LONG ONE TOO!)

Fitness and health are both very simple and very difficult at the same time.  As I've mentioned before, keeping a strict, healthy diet is very difficult.  Working out 4 or 5 times a week.  Also very difficult, especially when you have a busy schedule and a family.  However, the greater the sacrifice, the greater the reward.  So, in a nutshell, what do I do, and how do I do it?

JOURNALS

I keep 2 journals.  One for my food intake, and another for my exercise schedule.  In my food journal, I keep a detailed list of everything I ingest on a daily basis and the amount of calories in the food I eat and also the amount of calories in any drinks I may have as well.  In my workout journal, I write down all the exercises I do at the gym.  Number of reps, number of sets, and amount of weight used.  I don't usually write down my cardio times, but I do a lot of cardio.  

I find that keeping a journal is a great way of keeping yourself honest.  I, as well as many others have lied to myself many times about how many calories I've taken in that day.  If you write it down, however, you can't lie to yourself.

Here is a sample of my food journal:

Here is a sample of my workout journal:

NUTRITION

If you looked at my food journal example, you can see that I in no way am a perfect eater.  My main problem is sodium intake.  It's not every day, but I do ingest more sodium than I should.  Also, just to clarify some things.  Where it says pizza and lasagna, that is of the frozen variety.  Lean Cuisine, Weight Wathchers, South Beach Diet.  I used to be very against eating these things.  Honestly, though, they are all fairly good tasting.  And they are an easy way to exercise portion control.  My wife and I go out every 2 weeks and buy a freezer full of them, and eat them for lunch and sometimes dinner nearly every day.

I try to be very strict about my calories.  I'm in the process of cutting as much fat as possible.  To do so, I take in anywhere from 2300-2500 calories a day.  Doing this, I should theoretically lose 4 pounds a week.  Realistically, it's more like 1 to 2.  Another reason for this is because I lift weights as much as I do.  But more about that later.  In order to calculate your calorie goals, visit a site such as The Daily Plate and start a profile.  Even if you want to gain weight, it will tell you how to do it.  

Here are my main rules for dieting:

1. Figure out how many calories you should take in to meet your goals, and do your absolute best to not go over.
2. Cut as much sugar out of your diet as possible.  I eat sugar, but I NEVER drink sodas.  The occasional diet soda is just fine, but even that can hamper your goals.  If you must drink soda, try to find something sweetened with Splenda.  Instead of chocolate or other high calorie sweets, try to substitute with fruit or a low calorie bar of some sort.
3. WATER, WATER, AND MORE WATER!!  Keep yourself hydrated with water as much as possible.  If you're active, drink a gallon a day minimum.  And don't count sodas and other drinks as part of your water intake.  It's not the same.
4. Cheating is fine, but only in moderation.  I've read if you have cravings, you're actually doing the right thing.  If you didn't have cravings, it would mean you're eating whatever you want.  My wife and have at least 1 cheat meal a week.  Go crazy and eat what you love.  But keep it limited to 1 to 2 meals a week, tops.
5. Try to get your nutrients from food.  Granted, this is hard, so I would recommend a good multivitamin.  Centrum is synthetic, and you barely get any of the nutrients out of them.  Get something natural.  Check out GNC or Vitamin Shoppe for a good vitamin regimen.
6. Take in the majority of your calories by mid-afternoon.  The later you eat, the more your body will store when you sleep.  Eat as few carbs as possible 4 hours before bed.  Have some protein or lunchmeat for a late night snack.  You'll thank yourself for it when you start losing weight.

EXERCISE

I am a gym rat.  Aside from music, I've honestly never found something I enjoy more than hitting the gym and pumping iron.  I'm very new to it as I've only been doing in steadily for going on a year.  But I read about the subject extensively and have some personal trainer friends who have taught me a lot since I started.  And the most important thing they have taught me?  EXERCISE IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL IF YOU WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT AND BE HEALTHY.

So how much should you exercise?  That all depends on what you're looking to do with your body.  Do you want to lose weight?  A cardio routine 3 to 4 times a week might be all you need to do.  Do you want to lose weight and get toned?  Cardio and weights it is.  Do you want to lose weight and get ripped?  Cardio and LOTS of weights is in order.  

I am in search of the 3rd option.  I lift weight 4 to 5 times a week, and I do at least 2 hours of cardio a week.  Now some of you may be experienced with working out and weightlifting.  This post isn't necessarily for you, although I do appreciate you reading!  But for those of you who are beginners like I was recently, here are some tips I've found helpful and have learned from the experience I've gained thus far:

1. Don't overdo it.  If you're a beginning weightlifter, only do it 2 or 3 times a week, max.  You can focus on specific body parts later.  Get your body used to lifting and working out by performing whole body workouts.  Do 1 or 2 exercises per body part every workout.  Do it for a month, then start doing 4 days a week for another month.  After that, start hitting muscle groups.  
2. Soreness is a GOOD thing.  I've woke up many mornings after a workout feeling like I was hit by a truck.  Soreness is natural, and it will eventually get less and less severe.  Lifting weights to build muscle literally tears your muscles.  The more your muscles get used to this, the better you will eventually feel after a workout.  If you're sore, that means you've had a good workout.
3. Soreness could be injury.  Learn to listen to your body and differentiate the 2.  If you think you've injured yourself, discontinue lifting and see a doctor!!  Even if it's not an injury, avoid overdoing it.  Overtraining is a real thing, and can really hurt your muscle gains if they aren't given the proper time to heal.
4. Technique is everything.  Sure, it's great to be able to lift a large amount of weight.  But if you're doing it wrong, your muscles aren't going to grow the way you want them to, and injury may occur.  So lighten up the barbell, and do it right!!  You'd be surprised how heavy lighter weights can feel if you're performing the exercise correctly.
5. Warm up and stretch before hitting the weights.  Get on the treadmill or eliptical for 5 minutes to get your body warmed up, and follow that up by getting a good stretch on the body part you plan on exercising that day.  This is especially true with legs.  You can really hurt yourself doing a leg workout without proper warmup.  Stretching not only helps prevent injury, it helps prevent soreness.  The less sore you are, the sooner you can hit the gym again!
6. Supplements do work!  Supplements (namely protein) are key in healing your body from a vigorous workout.  Drink a protein shake 30 minutes after a workout for maximum results.  Your muscles will thank you by being less sore and getting larger faster.  I will go more into the supplements I take and recommend in tomorrow's post.
7. When possible, work out with a partner.  Not only will they keep you motivated and make your workout go by faster, they can also be the first line of defense in gym safety.  Don't go lifting more than your body can handle unless you have a partner to spot you.  People have been found dead in their basements and gyms with barbells on their throats from lifting more than they could handle.  SAFETY FIRST!
8. When you don't have a partner, music is incredibly motivating.  Everyone has their own tastes, and things that make them pumped up.  So put a  couple hours worth of your favorite songs on your MP3 player and hit the gym!!
   

On that note, I've written another small book and will have to continue this another day.  Tomorrow, I'll discuss supplements.  I use them, I love them, and I'll let you know what I use and what they do.  Until then, here's a couple tracks for you to put on your Ipod and listen to while working out.  See you tomorrow!!

Santogold- Say Aha (Tepr Remix)

R. Rivera's Groove- Funk-A-Tron (Robbie's Drop That Funk Remix)

THE JOURNEY NEVER ENDS...

Hi everyone.  Thanks so much for visiting my little space on the internet.  My mission here is to provide everyone with some information about the things I do and have done to achieve my health and fitness goals.  And hopefully, in the process, I can provide some inspiration to people who are striving to better themselves.  I am not a bodybuilder.  I am not a nutritionist.  I'm just an average person trying to better myself.  And that is who this blog is directed at.  The average Joe and Jane.  

But first, a little about myself.  My name is Doug Collins.  I live in Dayton, OH with my wife, Amanda and my stepson, Reese.  I work at a bank during the week as a teller.  It's a good job, but it provides me with a steady paycheck and insurance.  It's not my passion.  My other job is as a professional nightclub DJ.  You can find me every Saturday night at Atmosphere Nightclub in Centerville, OH.  I've been DJ'ing in one way or another since I was around 15.  Music is my passion.  Nothing invokes raw emotion quite like music, in my opinion.  It's not just a beat, it's a feeling, a way of life.  Which is why throughout this blog, I'm going to provide you with music downloads that you can put on your MP3 players and listen to while you're working out!!

So, on the point of why I'm here and why you're reading this.  I used to be big.  Really big.  I'm 6'5" and have a large frame.  But I had plenty of fat to go along with it.  This is me in 2005 at 310 pounds (about 10 pounds lighter than my heaviest):

I was heavy, unhappy, and definitely unhealthy as you can see.  Then, on New Year's Day, 2005, I got my wake-up call.  My grandfather, one of the people I most valued in my life passed away unexpectedly.  They didn't perform an autopsy, but it was most likely due to a heart attack.  He had a bad heart since I was a little boy, and I can recall visiting him in the hospital after a few scares and a couple pacemaker operations.  He was 87 when he passed away, which is obviously a long life.  However, seeing that happen made me realize where I was heading.  As big as I was, I would never make it to 87, let alone 57.  

So shortly after he passed away, my journey of losing weight began.  As any of you have dieted before know, losing weight is HARD!!  Temptation is everywhere, counting calories is difficult when you have a full plate (work, school, social life..), and quite frankly your body is fighting you every step of the way.  I was eating an easy 6,000 calories a day looking back, and 80% of it was empty calories.  I was filling my body with fast food, donuts, and literally gallons of soda every week.  

I explored my diet options.  There's Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig (yes, it's for men too), NutraSystem, even just the regular 2,000 calorie a day diet.  However, I wound up doing the Atkins Diet.  After all, what is easier than eating all the fatty meats and cheeses and proteins you can, right?!  I'll tell you right now what's hard about it.  No more caffeine.  No more sugar.  No more late night fast food runs.  Basically, I turned my diet upside down.  I opened up my fridge, threw EVERYTHING out, and refilled it with all the basics of low carb dieting.  

This blog is not a pro-Atkins blog, however, so I'll skip the complicated details of how it all works.  Basically, you cut out all bad carbs from your diet, up your protein intake a huge amount, and watch the weight fall off.  And I'll tell you right now.  It worked.  This is me in August of 2005 after about 8 months of low carb dieting:

I make it to 250 pounds in less than a year.  And I felt AMAZING!!  I was smaller than I was in high school, had my confidence back, and felt ready to take on the world.  Which, coincidentally, is when I met my future wife.  This is my Amanda and I:

Anyway, as the story goes with many diets, people inevitably can't do them forever.  I hit 250 pounds, but I was ultra-strict with my diet in every single way.  I can honestly say I didn't cheat a single time in 8 months.  And it was hard!!  After I got to where I wanted, I basically relaxed on my discipline and gained 25 or so pounds back over the next few years.  I have never gotten close to reaching the 320 pound mark again, but I have been as high as 285.  As I write this, I weigh 276 pounds.  I'm not completely unhappy as I know at least some of the weight I gained back was in muscle.  

You see, I never worked out a single time when I was dieting.  It is the one thing I regret the most.  I played a lot of sports when I was younger, but have been very inactive in my adult years.  Sure, I stand up a lot at both jobs I have and got on the treadmill every once in a while.  But I had never had a strict fitness regimen.  I finally broke down and joined Fitworks in July, 2007.  Even then, I didn't go to the gym nearly enough until summer of 2008 right before Amanda and I got married.  I was 285 on my wedding day, and I regret that.  I wanted to look good for our wedding pictures, but I didn't feel nearly as good about myself as I wanted to.  

I've found that once you start a gym routine, however, it's very easy to get into.  So easy in fact, I go to the gym at least 4 times a week now for going on a year now.  I wouldn't call it an addiction, but it's close!  There really is nothing quite like seeing and feeling gains, and being able to put that extra weight on a barbell or a machine.  I'm going to be posting my workout routines at least once a week for you to read, so definitely check those out.  

I know this is a long introduction, so I'm going to wrap it up.  Basically, this is me as I look today:

I'm 276 pounds, and most definitely a work in progress.  I have more muscle than I've had in my entire life, and also about 30-40 pounds of fat on top of it that I'm working on getting off my frame.  So I'm in the difficult position of building muscle and losing fat, which kind of go hand in hand, but has also made things more difficult.  I'm only now starting to get my nutrition and my fitness routines fine tuned, and I plan on sharing these with all of you.  

If you've read all this, I appreciate it.  I promise none of the posts to come will be nearly this long.  But I hope all of them are informative to you and provide you with some ideas for yourself and maybe a bit of inspiration.  We all need inspiration to achieve our goals.  I've had mine, and I want to be able to give you a bit of yours.  Tomorrow, I'm going to run you through a bit about my diet, my workout routine, and post a couple songs for you to enjoy.  I hope everyone has had a good long weekend, and I hope you continue to follow me on my never-ending to good health!!