6 Months In

You still there?  Have you been waiting on pins and needles for my next update?  Sorry for the delay, I kinda forgot all about this blog.

Well... I am half way through the bone density study and it has been really helpful as far as my strength goes.  I can actually squat 300 lbs now.  On the other hand, strength training for some reason makes me hungry so I am eating more, which was causing weight gain.  So I had to be more aware of my fat intake... and that helped.  I believe when I started this blog I weighed 207 and now I am 196.  I know that doesn't seem like a lot in 10 months, but I am putting on muscle which weighs more than fat.  So to lose any weight, in my opinion, is good.

I should be getting another DXA scan soon... so hopefully I am closer to the goal of 10% body fat.  I know it's not 10%... but I hope it's better than the 23% I started with.

Thanks for reading and I'll try to post more often.

Bone Density Study: *** Accepted ***

I got good news and bad news! 

Good news:  I have been accepted to take part in a bone density study at the University of MO and I am in the weight resistance group (which is the group I was hoping to get).  The study is for a year and as I mentioned in my previous post, they will provide a trainer, vitamins, calcium supplements and I'll get paid to participate.  The resistance training consists of squats, military presses, lunges, calf raises, leg lifts, back raises, and a couple of others I can't remember at this time.  I am looking forward to it.

Bad news:  I have low bone density.  :(

They provided me with a DXA scan to find my bone density level.  Which also had my body fat percentage of 23.3%.  I believe in three months, they will scan me again.  My goal now is to reduce this percentage.  According to the paperwork they sent me, a highly trained male endurance athlete is typically 5 to 15%.  So my goal is 10%.  Wish me luck!

Update - 4/10

I started this blog with good intentions to update it every day. Reality finally struck and Spring arrived. Updating it every day is a bit too difficult. So I am going to take a cue from Nancy over at 20lbs to Go and only update once a week. I will document how my diet was and not every little thing I ate and talk briefly of what exercise I have done for the week.

Since my last update, I have been doing pretty good on the diet front. Luckily my wife has joined weight watchers and now I don’t have the tempting food in the house. Since both of us are watching what we eat, it has really helped. When I started the blog I weighed 207. I went up and down some but I am now at 196. So eleven lbs. isn’t too bad for just eating right.

On the muscle front, it is a bit different. I have only worked out once since my last update… and that was just my ab routine. So I am not putting on any muscle mass like I wanted. I do however have the possibility of some good news. The Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology at the University of Missouri, Columbia is undergoing a Male Bone Density Study. I have applied and if my bone density is low, I have a chance to participate. If I am chosen, I will be provided with a trainer for workouts in either plyometrics or resistance training for a year. This will also include vitamin and calcium supplements and monetary compensation. So I’ll get paid to work out with a trainer… I’d been stupid not to apply.

Update done… time to get the boat out for some fishin’ tomorrow. :)

Exercise and Diet Log - 3/22 thru 3/29/2010

Tuesday I was going to hit it hard... but the flu hit me instead.  As I write this, it is Thursday and I am feeling maybe just a little better... but not great.  Tonight Julie and I are heading to Chicago to spend some time with the Davis family.  We will return on Sunday.  Then bowling on Monday.  So it looks like on Tuesday I'll be able to hit the P90X.  Let's hope nothing messes up the plan.

Exercise and Diet Log - 3/14 thru 3/21/2010

Oh boy... I am a slacker!  I have absolutely ate too much and worked out zilch.  Not to make excuses but I had a conference at Tan-Tara last week and was in a bowling tournament on Sat.  Then there was the lazy Sunday.  Monday I have bowling so I won't get any exercise in then either.  So Tuesday I am going to have to hit it hard.

Plans for Tuesday: 
   I am going to start the P90X plan.  I wasn't going to... but it looks like I am going to have to.  I think I am ready for the pain.

Also... I want to thank Nancy over at "20lbs to Go" for turning me on to my now favorite snack, right next to the Sunsweet Dried Mango...  Sunsweet Plum Sweets.  They have like a gazillion anti-oxidants in them and they taste awesome.  I hope you can't overdose on anti-oxidants.

Exercise and Diet Log - 3/13/2010

No exercise today.  Ate at Culvers for the first time.  They currently have the best burgers in Jeff City right now.  Used to be Backyard Burger, but they closed down.  I haven't eaten at every place in JC yet... but on top of the list is Culvers.

Breakfast:
  Nothing

Lunch:
  1 - Double Bacon Cheeseburger
  1 - Order of Fries

Dinner
  1 - Rootbeer Float

Exercise and Diet Log - 3/12/2010

I was on a triva team who tied for first tonight.  The evening of trivia was hosted by the School of Natural Resources to raise money for scholarships.  They raised a total of $1500, so it was a success.
No exercise today. 

Breakfast:
  1 - Breakfast Sandwich

Lunch:
  1 - General Chicken on Fried Rice

Dinner:
  3 - Slices of Pizza