Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

Up & down. In the zone. Out of the zone. Drove hard for three solid weeks then as you can see from above things fell apart. Not completely. All you can do is move forward. Don't get in a slug rut. It's not like me to not get some kind of exercise anyway. I don't do sit still very well. All that energy can't stay bottled up. Not in me. I have to move.

What's next? Drive forward as hard as I can. You get knocked down. You get back up. Time to workout.

P.S.
Just did. Feel great! The kid is back!

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Kick Ass & Conquer!

Got on the scale. Lost weight. Down to 154.5 from 160 on 1/1/11. No, I'm not trying to lose weight. BF% is at 14 according to the scale. That's about the same as 1 Jan. Sure a BF% reading on the scale is very rough +/- a couple of points. I like to think minus. The real way to tell is the mirror. If you look more cut than before, you've lost fat. I can't tell yet.

Basically like everyone else I'm trying to build lean mass. The thing is, even with the 5.5 lb drop I feel strong and energetic. I think what it comes down to is that I just need more protein. I always do a protein / BCAA recovery smoothie / shake after a workout. For breakfast I usually do a Vega smoothie and it's time to add some protein to it.

During the day is another situation. Eating on the run has its challenges. I don't do junk food. Snacks are usually nuts or fruit. When I'm in my own office I'll start bringing some protein smoothies for the day. Ok, we'll see how things go from here.

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Kick Ass & Conquer!

After going full power for nearly a month, workouts have come to a screeching halt. Damn! Once or twice (if I'm lucky) a week doesn't cut it either. Long days at work. Travel. It's hard to workout when you come home at 9 PM after starting work at 7 AM. If it was warmer out I would just go out for a run or a walk. How can I do that and not strength train? I don't know. I just can. You don't have to focus when you run.

So I'm looking forward to a two week trip and more crazy hours. I think I can get in some workouts. Just checked the hotel's fitness center. Dumbells!! Ok good. Usually they only have treadmills. I don't consider treadmills to be a fitness center. Better than nothing, sure.

Other good thing is that before I go next week I'll be able to get in some strength training. I need it so bad. I'm a cranky SOB without it. Life goes on. Keep moving.

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Kick Ass & Conquer!

For the first time in years I found out what it's like to go longer than a week without a workout. No joke. The plu$ $ide is that it made my quarter at work. On the other hand I went through a tail spin physically. Gained a couple of pounds but without exercise you know it's flab. Looking at my blog entries it seems that's the way it's been going. I couldn't even get into the hotel's workout room described in my last entry. So today marks yet another beginning to break the threshold. Keep on truckin'.

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Kick Ass & Conquer!

I know the feeling. I'm taking 7-10 days off right now myself.

Congrats on the work success!

Do what you need to do. The gym will always be there

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Check out my Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness Book on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Bodybuildin ... 497&sr=1-1

Thanks. Life goes on and the important thing is to not quit and keep going. The nice thing about the project is that the person ordering lunch every day did take into consideration my vegan ways and ordered appropriately and I was appreciative of her efforts.

So now I'm back in my regular life. Bills are paid. Laundry is done. And everything else that went neglected and forgotten for the past month is done. The moving of cast iron will now continue!

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Kick Ass & Conquer!

Cue theme from Magnificent Seven...
Yesterday it was upper body, today it was killer kettlebell cardio. I feel so great!
Now for a little reality check. The long layoff did affect performance. How could it not. I think a week of consistent workouts will get my body fully back in the zone. And for once I'm going to commit to getting a good night's sleep so I'm off now.

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Kick Ass & Conquer!

Today it was nice & warm (mid 70's F / low 20's C) here in New York. Finally I got to go out for a run after work. It was nice to fly through the neighborhood and see everyone out after a nasty winter. Then it was a hot shower & bean soup for dinner. Life is good.

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Kick Ass & Conquer!

Weather is nice. Went running twice this week. Feel so relaxed Right now I'm just trying to get my legs back. Normally I sprint a block then jog a block. But with a messed up hip I need to ease back into the hard stuff.

I'm back in the zone too working out consistently for the last two weeks. Been trying to cut coffee. Only had one cup today. What a buzz! That's what happens when you detox and your tolerance is down. Sleep, well lack of it, is still an issue. So since it's almost 10 PM I'm going to sign off and get some rest. Peace.

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Kick Ass & Conquer!

It was a year ago I went veg. Lent last year. Hardly seems possible. Yet people still ask me if I miss meat. A full year of BBQ's, weddings, holidays and I don't even miss meat. Physically I feel cleaner, more energetic and healthier.

So I'm still basically the same weight as I was 1, 5, 10 years ago. I gain in the winter and drop in the summer. I feel just as strong. Past sports injuries aside. I get in the workout zone. I fall out of it. Life is like that.

Mostly I like the idea of not having hormones and other chemicals injected into animals and passed on to humans in me. Why do I need them? If they're so safe why are so many American unhealthy?

Enough of that. Another good thing is that I've gotten into cooking and food in general. Lots of good recipe ideas on this site. Me, someone who mostly avoided cooking now exchanges recipes with family & friends. Let's not forget restaurants, bakeries and other vegan eateries and shops. I don't look for vegan food that mimics meat either. I don't want soy whatever as a substitute for meat whatever. I like my food to taste like what it is. I was the same as a meat eater too.

Of course there are also the issues of cruelty to animals and the environment. Knowing I'm doing something positive for animal and the environment is good. But, I've said this before, to convert I had to try it. It's a think globally, act locally issue. It always is. To put it more bluntly, what's in it for me? All I can say is try it and find out for yourself. I can tell you about factory farms, for example, but really most people need to experience things themselves.

All I can say to people who are even thinking of becoming vegetarian / vegan is to try it for a month. See how you feel and take it from there.

Well, that was a long entry. Happy Vegan Day to you!

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Kick Ass & Conquer!

Congrats on your one year vegiversary!

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vegan for the win!

Thanks!

Vegiversary That's a great way to put it.

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Kick Ass & Conquer!

Saw the trailers on the main page for Forks Over Knives and Vegan Brothers In Iron. Great job!

In Forks, we see exactly what's gone wrong with the American diet and how to fix it. But no one listens until they're stuck taking all those pills and medications, undergoing operations, getting cancer, etc. It's sad and hopefully the movie will reach people.

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Kick Ass & Conquer!

Here we go again. I would do great at NASCAR. Just keep going around in circles. So now the goal is Abs By August, with muscle of course. In the past three months I've been through more stops & starts than I count. Everytime I get going and get into the zone there is something to interrupt the program. So I just keep getting up and trying again.

I'm still determined to succeed. Sometimes it's a matter of just doing something at the end of a long day. Get up at 5 AM, work regular job, do some freelance work, go to bed late. I think it's a matter of time management, focus and determination. There is a way to balance everything during the week. Finding a way how is the key. With my workout motivation high I'm off to pick things up and put them down.

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Kick Ass & Conquer!

I saw Food, Inc. over the weekend. Nothing surprising or that I didn't already know, mostly. It just reinforced everything I knew.

In addition to the animal cruelty, it was interesting to see Monsanto, Tyson Foods and other large corporation put a stranglehold on the little guy. For example, for thousands of years, farmers saved seeds from previous seasons to use in the next season. Monsanto will not allow this and will even send thugs to strong arm any farmer who does. The monolith will also sue for patent infringement. F.U. Monsanto!

Anyway, I was thinking what a good lesson it would be to treat the executives, board members and lobbyists of these companies they way they treat their animals AND employees. Without the chopping of course. Maybe just lock them in a small dark room and stuff them full of nothing but corn.

Enough ranting. I'm off to workout and burn some steam.

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Kick Ass & Conquer!