Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

Heading into Memorial Day Weekend! Looking fwd. to it. Just finished a workout and feel great! So back to the weekend. It's about focus. I'll be away helping a friend move. Good for physical activity. Bad with beer. Moving people usually goes like this: Help me move & I'll give you food & drink. I'm in the Zone now with my workouts. Alcohol would kill it. Focus. Focus. Focus. Show the six pack. Don't drink it.

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Kick Ass & Conquer!

You got this friend! Nothing better than a holiday workout. Just think no matter what, the move with your friend helped out as well towards your fitness needs

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Where do you get your protein?
http://www.VeganProteins.com

Thanks Lean and Green! It was a good weekend all around. Only thing is my head and sinuses are congested with pollen. We were hanging out at a cabin by lake in the woods. The nice clean New York air will clear everything up.

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Kick Ass & Conquer!

Been on the bench the last two weeks with a groin pull. Lifting? No running either. Hurts too much. But I can still walk and NY is a nice city to just walk around and take it all in. I can bike too. So at least I get some exercise. Doing nothing drives me crazy. I have no idea how couch potatos can do it. Sitting still was never one of my characteristics. So life goes on.

Looking forward to July 4 weekend. Found some tasty looking recipes for grilled veggies. I'll be out of the city in the middle of farm country and looking forward to hitting the farm stands!

Have a great summer

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Kick Ass & Conquer!

Seems my workouts have been up and down for the past 9 mo. or so. Back up and running now, full throttle. Just pushing it has hard as I can. Still want to do something in the morning before going to work. Light cardio or whatever. Then do strength after work. Two jobs makes this difficult and I haven't done it yet. I just tell myself that rest is important too. Recovery builds strength and replenishes the body. Deal with it.

My goal now is to be in killer shape for an upcoming family reunion. I should quantify it somehow, weight, bf%, etc. It's in six weeks. So the big question is, "what can I reasonably accomplish in six weeks?" Staying focused is the key. Everything else will fall into place after that.

Speaking of which, I found the following quotes somewhere and taped them on my wall:
*Obsessed is what the lazy call the dedicated.
* If you want to do something, you'll find a way. If you don't, you'll find an excuse.

Don't quit. Ever.

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Kick Ass & Conquer!

Today I got to do what I've wanted to do for a long time - two a day workouts! Cardio in the AM before work and strength later in the day. I feel so damn good! I'm not sure if I feel that way because of the feeling of accomplishment or because of the effects of my training. Either way I like it. It probably won't happen tomorrow because I have a meeting after work. But if I can just get the ball rolling I know I can keep it going.

Trying very hard to stay clean. I did have some beer over the weekend. Four total I think. Not good. I know alcohol kills my progress. I think limiting to one drink will be ok. I'm down to a cup of coffee per day. I know somewhere on this site I swore I could never give up coffee. But now that I'm in clean mode I want to not drink it every day.

It was the clean feeling that originally got me hooked on being vegan in the first place. The calm, focus, energy, clarity all go with staying clean. I really like it.

Now if I could only get more sleep. It's 11:21 PM so I'm off to Z Land to repair and recover.

Keep The Faith.

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Kick Ass & Conquer!

Well, still try to do two-a-day workouts. But, I need my recovery time (sleep) and over training is counter-productive. So they haven't been happening as often as I would like. Great idea though. Pro athletes do it. Just keep doing my best. That's it. The reality, for me at least, is that a morning and an evening workout can't always be done. But I think it's a great idea when I can pull it off.

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Kick Ass & Conquer!

Bro can you post pics of yourself now? We're about the same situation when you first posted. I'm 5'10" and 150 lbs now. ^_^ I need inspiration man.

I posted in Post your 2011 "Before" photos here: Board index » Bodybuilding & Fitness » Before/After Photos & Progress Photos,

http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=22872

I have to search for those photos to post here directly. I should have them but I think my computer ate them along with some other data.

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Kick Ass & Conquer!

Was just thinking the other day that this has been a tough year for workouts. Two weeks straight of killer exercising, then a week or two of one here and there. This time it was almost a month off! And really one workout a week doesn't count. Two jobs plus family commitments have kept me running, but not running. No true progress and fortunately no serious regress. So while the muscles haven't gotten bigger, neither has the gut. Maybe the issue is time management? Hmm... So as the last quarter of the year is here the goal is to get regular workouts in and keep getting them in.

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Kick Ass & Conquer!

Good consistent workouts for the last two weeks! Yes! It feels so damn good. Off today. I can feel the work week and everything else leaving my body. So it will be a rest / renewal day. Although I will go for a walk around the city to keep my hip lubricated. If I don't move it, then it hurts like a mfckr. I have seen chiropractors for it and that's helped but the pain comes back. I'm thinking of going for acupuncture.

Staying off wheat. Read motivating article: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/against-the-grain-how-wheat-wrecks-your-health.html. It's common sense and says things we already know. I think having it slam me directly in the face was the tipping point. Confession: Did get a wheat free pumpkin muffin at the farmers market this morning. That's it. Weekly cheating is over.

Made some lentil / spinach pilaf the other day. Great post workout meal and because I made extra it came in handy later when it was late and didn't feel like cooking. Ultimate convenience food.

Keep rockin'!

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Kick Ass & Conquer!

I'm going on a year and a half vegan. I still have no desire for meat, even fish. Seafood was the hardest to give up. I didn't eat it a lot but it was my favorite. But cost and concerns about where it came from and what it was swimming in kept me from eating more in recent years.

Why does any of that matter? Well, I was at an event last weekend when I told the waiter that I ordered the vegetarian option. Our invitations offered only beef or chicken. Some of the people at the table were surprised that I'm vegan as we hadn't seen each other in a while. No biggie until the person next to me remarked, "you don't know all the good food you're missing." Really?! How is it that after only a year and a half I don't know what I'm "missing"? Also, even before I made the choice, I ate healthy - not a lot of meat, processed food, junk food, etc. Ironically the comment came from someone who's diet and health habits made him look 10 years older and worn out. The only thing I'm missing is being over weight, tired everything else tied to his diet. I'm supposed to eat like majority of Americans and have the same health problems? Missing?

In other news, training / workouts are going well. I'm changing my program and we'll see what kind of results I get. With the cooler weather on the horizon it means less time outside. Just as my leg was well enough to run consistently again. You can't beat mother nature. You can only adapt. Anyway, that's enough for now. Time to move cast iron.

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Kick Ass & Conquer!

The other day, I'm meeting with a client and talking sports. What else do guys talk about right? He's 64. Anyway, I mentioned that I remember the Baltimore Colts and still sometimes call them as such even though they left back in 1984. He say's, "How old are you!!" I tell the truth and say, "45, almost 46". "How the hell do you stay so lean!? You sure don't look 46." I responded with something like, "well in this job I'm always on the run." "No it's your metabolism." At this point I wanted to say that I exercise regularly and eat clean but I didn't want to go there. Not sure why. I especially didn't want to get into the vegan / vegetarian thing. I've only been vegan for a year and a half.

It's times like that when I know I'm doing the right thing. Day in, day out. Being healthy is not a fad. It's not burning off holiday pounds every January or panicking as summer / swimsuit season approaches.

It’s about being healthy and feeling great! Ok, it’s also about vanity too. I’m human. But really I just feel awesome and like being able to do the things I could do back in my 20’s.

Keep Fighting!

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Kick Ass & Conquer!

Well, this is the time of year when we start to take stock of where we've been and where we want to go. After a year and a half vegan I feel great! Thanksgiving came and went, no prob. Now that we're in The Holiday Season I'm making an extra effort to stay clean. Meaning that while most people use this time of year as a period of indulgence, I'm trying not to do that. No, I'm not fasting or restricting or anything like that. Just making an extra effort to eat and drink clean. Just one (except for today) cup of coffee and little if any alcohol.

The idea is that sometimes this season can be stressful. So, the goal is to not consume chemicals that might add to stress. Cutting back on wheat too. My soup this afternoon came with a small whole grain roll which was the only wheat I had today. I know some people would consider that a little extreme and still others would agree. I'm not promoting an agenda. You can do what you like. It's working for me and that's what counts at this point. When you consider work stress and the hip / leg pain I've been experiencing maybe it all makes sense.

Found a vegan gingerbread cookie recipe on the Post Punk Kitchen website, http://www.theppk.com. Going to make some for Christmas and not tell anyone they're vegan If people like them I'll just give them the recipe.

Guess that's it for now. Keep The Faith!

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Kick Ass & Conquer!

What a year, 2011. Well, I basically broke even. Didn't make the progress I wanted, yet I didn't slide back. I'll upload some pix when I have a chance. Or, maybe I can just recycle last year's. Just calling like it is. The good news is I didn't put weight on in the wrong places. An ex-girlfriend made note of that when I ran into her around Christmas.

So I start the 2012 with hip / back pain that I can't shake. Since my 2 - 3 week business trip was called off earlier today I can have the doctor check it out sooner rather than later.

New Year's resolutions? I don't make them. It's more about goals, vision and asking where I want to be a year from now. It's easier to commit and stay dedicated that way. Happy 2012! May it be a great year for everyone!

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Kick Ass & Conquer!