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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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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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  • 3 weeks later...
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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  • 4 weeks later...

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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  • 2 weeks later...

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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  • 3 weeks later...

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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  • 2 weeks later...

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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  • 1 month later...

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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  • 4 weeks later...

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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I'm trying to really push hard and be fit this year. It's a goal, not a resolution. It's going to be a great year. I can feel it! I've been focusing on eating clean. Did have a glass of wine at a business event tonight. Hmmm... One glass. Not bad? I've seen studies that say that's the case... just as long as you don't drink a case But I don't want to set myself back so that was it. Trying to cut back on caffeine too.

 

So here's where I get a little spiritual. A lot of religions use fasting and cleansing. Think lent if you're Christian. Well, I've noticed that by eating clean I've become more in tune with my environment. Meaning something will happen or something will exist that can be taken as an omen or a sign or whatever. I've also heard it referred to as Synchronicity. As Obi Wan Kanobi said in Star Wars, "Trust your feelings Luke". I'm not advocating anything or tell you what you should/not do or that it can happen to you. This is just a blog of my experiences.

 

On a scientific level one could say it's because I don't have as many pollutants interfering with my neurons. I'm not a doctor or medical professional so I can't tell you the answer. But damn, I like the calmness and clarity I've been experiencing as well as feeling closer to nature even though I live in New York.

 

Where do I go from here. First I do have something to prove on a physical level. Be as fit as possible to prove to people around me that a vegan diet is the way to go. In stead of doing it for God & Country I'm doing it for Family & Friends. Then there's the spiritual side of all this. Honestly not sure what's up with that other than I hope it continues.

 

Last week I worked out five days. This week? Well had the networking event tonight and a date tomorrow. She's not vegan as I know some people are wondering. Rest of the week looks good for workout though. This is getting a little too long so I'll end it here. Have a Great Year!

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The truth hurts. I could feel the effects of my sporadic workouts from the middle of November through two weeks ago. One or two workouts a week just doesn't cut it. Or build it. So I get on the scale and weigh in at 154.2 with 16% body fat. Last year at this time I was 155 lbs at 15%. The lowest I've been in recent memory is 13% and I've been hovering around 14% -15% for a few years. 16?! Weight and percent should be going in opposite directions. I'm 5' 11" in case you're wondering.

 

Really I'd like to be at 160 and 12%. jbrickzin recommended an online nutrition tracker: http://www.livestrong.com/man/ and I think that's a great idea so I'm going to setup an account for myself.

 

That being said, I did have a nice cardio session today. It goes like this:

 

Using a 1 pood / 16kg / 35 lb kettlebell do 3 circuits of 20 reps each hand of the following and rest 20 seconds (I start to need 30) between sets:

 

1. Swings

2. Clean & Press

3. Snatches

4. One arm overhead lunges (the KB is in the opposite hand of the forward leg)

5. High pulls

6. Suitecase deadlifts - I use a 1.5 / 24 kg / 53 lb.

Rest. Repeat.

 

So that's it. Keep fighting!

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Saw the doctor today. He took X-Rays and confirmed what I suspected - arthritis in my hip. Damn! That means it's going to stay with me until The Big Guy takes me upstairs. The good news is the best way to deal with it is to exercise! Yes! I still get to have fun doing what I like. I can't imagine not being able to be physically active. Going in I thought I might also have a spine issue and fortunately all the vertebrae are a-ok. Everything else was fine.

 

So how do I handle it from here? First, stay vegan. Not that I ever had any intent of going back to meat-eating. But a vegan diet keeps your acid / alkaline balance in check. Meat, processed food and the standard American diet in general cause the body to be more acidic. That's how we leave ourselves open to diseases and ailments. Viruses and cancer tend to prefer acidic environments. An alkaline body resists all those. Key word resists. I'm not qualified to say prevents. You can look that up yourself. I think Bredan Brazier may have covered it in his Thrive series. I'm not sure if it's in The China Study or not.

 

One more thing. The doctor is doing the usual EKG heart monitor, blood pressure, breathing thing and says, "Seems like a 25 year old in there." I'm 46. Oh Yeah!

 

Alright what's next? Move cast iron. Pick things up & put them down. Life is good!

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Good workout today. I'm doing double full body circuits with an extra ab routine at the beginning. Rest is kept to 30 seconds between sets to keep the cardio component going. I like combining strength and cardio.

 

I have an MRI scheduled for Sunday. Before the Patriots game of course. The center scheduled it not me. I'm just glad I don't have to miss work or the game! It should be clean. When the doctor looked at the X-Rays he didn't find anything other than the arthritis in the hip. It's a good idea to check everything out anyway. Better I know what's going on now than later when things could be worse.

 

All of this has motivated me even more. I kept pushing to get every last inch and centimeter out of my reps tonight. I'm determined to keep my strength and show my doctor... and my insurance company I can still kick ass a year from now. I don't know why but I have something to prove.

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Yes! I hit a full week of workouts. Except for Tuesday when I had a business networking meeting after work. But I nailed it every day and will do a short ab / pull up bar routine tomorrow. My MRI has been rescheduled to Tuesday pending insurance company paperwork processing.

 

What all this means is I'm on a roll physically! Oh yeah, got the results of my blood tests back today too. Everything is kick-ass. That happens when you maintain a healthy life style. I know that sounds cocky and arrogant but it's true. Now if I can just put on more muscle and get my B.F. % down to the 10% - 12% range... One day at a time.

 

Keep The Faith

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Tonight it was a short ab / pull up workout. 2 x six ab exercises plus pull ups & chin ups. Wanted to do another set or two. Have to get ready for three hour drive tomorrow so I need some sleep. I have to get up at 4:00 AM.

 

That's all ok. Sometimes you just do what you can. The important thing is to do something. Sure I could have just blown off my workout but that doesn't get me anywhere. I will make progress if I have to crawl damn it!

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  • 4 weeks later...

The fight goes on. Nasty freakin' pain in my hip. MRI was done Sunday and the results should be in tomorrow. The first MRI showed my spine is a-ok! The last thing I want is spinal problems. So now I just wait to see what's up with my hip. Did a kettlebell cardio routine tonight and feel great. Once I know for sure what's going on I can adjust my workouts. Maybe adding yoga and doing more stretching is the thing? We'll see when the results are in. As Jake LaMotta said to (I think) Sugar Ray Robinson in Raging Bull, "I'm not going down."

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  • 3 weeks later...

Well, the doctor called with the results of the last test. He thinks I may have a stress fracture in my hip. No heavy lifting. No leg exercises. More tests needed. Damn. Well I'll stick to body weight exercises for now. And walking. He said walking is good! I'll take whatever I can get. Possibly for the next six weeks. I'll take what I can get and to the best I can.

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  • 2 months later...

Ok, it's been a while since my last post! I did have a stress fracture. It's a few years old and it healed. Bad news is I definitely have arthritis in my hip. Major bummer The doc gave me the go ahead to keep working out to the fullest. If it hurts. Stop. Other than that workouts have been going great! The recommendation was no heavy lifting until the medical tests came back. In that time, I lost weight and strength. The strategy for the last week and a half has been one step back so I can move two steps forward. I've been doing full body kettlebell cardio to get my strength, endurance and all around fitness back. Seems to be working. I feel great!

 

I know my vegan diet is helping my recovery too. I've also cut way back on bread. Occasionally I'll have a pita or a slice of seeded muligrain with my soup or something. Just want to cut processed carbs as much as possible.

 

New development:

Got a juicer. It's great. I like doing kale or spinach with carrots, green apples, and ginger. Toss in some hemp for protein. Oh yeeeeah! Speaking of kale, I read somewhere in the past couple of days that calorie for calorie it has more nutrition than any other food. Wish I could remember where I saw it so I could pass on the source to you. Great buzz when you juice it too.

 

That's it for now. Keep The Faith.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Feel great! Maybe because I just got a green juice from the juice bar across the street. Working late tonight and taking a break. Nice green carrot, spinach, kale & ginger! Also trying to clean up a little. I was on the road all last week and it threw me off course a bit.

 

Speaking of juice, just got The Complete Book of Juicing. It has some great recipes in it and even a chapter called Juice As Medicine. The great thing about juicing is it that it's fast and easy. So when I get home late and need something quick I just drop some fruits and veggies in and, presto! I have a great nutrient dense recovery / pick-me-up drink.

 

Dealing with arthritis:

Now that the warm weather is here I want to go running. Badly. But with my messed up hip that's not in the cards anymore. The solution is to do bodyweight and kettlebell (I workout in my apartment) workouts and keep the rest to a minimum to keep the heart rate up. I do this in the winter anyway. My running program was sprint a block, jog a block. I can still walk and bike and even sprint a short distance. But three to five mile runs are out.

 

I need to exercise and won't use arthritis as an excuse to fall out of shape. There are so many stories of people getting injured and lose it only to have a long crawl back. I won't let that happen. I'm fighting all the way.

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  • 4 weeks later...

It's been hitting the fan lately. Personally and professionally. Just doing what I can to get workouts in and stay on course. Besides, a good workout is like prozac without the side effects. Plus you stay in The Zone. Also, after juicing for the last couple of months is one of the best things I've ever done. I feel great! All fresh & 100% natural. What else do you want? I highly recommend it to everyone.

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Do you know how you fractured your hip years ago?

 

Snowboarding wipeout. Running on city pavement didn't help either. Of course the doc recommends regular exercise and movement. No prob there since I don't do sit still very well anyway. This is the first summer of no running. But I can still participate in athletic activities.

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You know you're doing something right when your habits start rubbing off on others around you. Saturday, I'm hanging with a buddy and we stop into this diner for a bite and to catch the Belmont Stakes. I decide on a veggie burger. Didn't want salad. It was good too. I think they made it there. So my friend orders the same. Now this isn't the first time he's done that. A month ago a group of us were out and he also ordered the same veggie dish as me. He's been working out and trying to get back into shape.

 

Then this woman who hangs with the crew says she's joined a gym and participating in a training program where they also teach you about healthy eating. She was asking me training questions this weekend.

 

Now I have a long way to go to reach my goals and I'm not a certified personal trainer, nutritionist or anything. I know what's been working for me. Now if I could get them to go vegan and join this site. Hmmm...

 

Two full years vegan and going strong!

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