The Road to Riddick

The CN Tower Climb for the United Way : Mission Complete!

2010-10-25T14:58:00.010-07:00

So today marks a great milestone of finally having the courage of climbing the CN Tower. I'm not afraid of the height, just the work involved to get to the top. :)

Even with all the dodging of kids and elderly people, I still managed to break my personal goal of 20 min. :) My final time was 18min and 23sec and the $120 I raised went straight to the United Way of Canada. If you are interested in making a donation yourself - click here. It's never to late to give.

10 Key Strategies for Weight-Loss Success

2010-08-03T13:48:00.020-07:00

Ready to lose some weight and make a change? Read this before starting and keep these strategies with you for the full duration of your journey.

1. Create a Goal and make it visible

The most effective strategy to start a weight loss journey, is to create a destination or goal. Write down how much weight you would you would like to lose(or desired fat percentage), a reason why you want to lose the weight and a person/picture of someone who you would like to look like. Keep your goal easily visible for you to see everyday by placing it on your phone(iphone/blackberry pda), desktop, bathroom mirror or any place that you know you will see everyday. Sounds silly, but it's not. You need to work the mind before you work the body - plain and simple.

2. Lower your expectations, start small and be patient

We all seen the misleading advertisements on TV and the internet saying that you can lose 20 pounds in a week(as an example). One of the biggest mistakes is to believe that a person can lose 20 pounds in a week, only to get disappointed a week later and then quit right away. Losing weight takes time. The average amount of weight a person can lose 'safely' (no pills, drugs, etc) is 1 to 3 lbs per week. If you are hitting this range, you are doing well. So, be patient - there will be times when you think you havn't lost a single pound or see that the waist line hasn't decreased for all the hard work you put in for the week. Again, be patient and continue to work hard as you cannot reach your destination overnight - it will take time. Have faith in yourself - your rewards of change are soon to come.

Words to live by: "Every small step forward are giant leaps over time."

3. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail

Before you can start a journey and reach your destination(goal) you will need a map to get there. Right? In this day and age, there is no need to reinvent the wheel. There are many exercise/nutritional programs out there that will either place you on a 'diet' to restrict food groups (e.g Atkins) w/ limited weight training or plans that focus on all food groups and work the whole body effectively. To be blunt, if you plan to change your life with healthy eating for the long run, the better choice is not to restrict any food groups. Also, try to choose a plan that incorporates weight training as well as cardio. Very important.

From what I believe(and after much searching around the net), the best program I found and tried myself was the RTP Transformation System. I will never regret the day I started and will always remind myself that if I stop living the healthy lifestyle(eating right and exercise) I can be looking at 'ground 0' once again. The before and after pictures speak for themselves. If you are interested in the RTP System(sorry, no longer avail), I would strongly recommend checking out Tom Venuto's "Burn The Fat, Feed the Muscle" system that RTP was based from. I truly believe that most diet/exercise plans will indeed provide results, but it will all depend on 'you' to action on every item that it promotes. Good Luck with whatever plan you choose, but please do not skip this crucial step. Pickup a plan today.

4. Get a partner or simply ask for help

Got a spouse or really good friend? Get her/him involved as well. It's much easier to reach goals when you have someone else reaching for the same goal. Don't have a friend to help out? Ask....Get into a social environment (such as Twitter, Facebook or any Weight Loss Forums) to help you out. We live in a great time where information is readily available and very knowledgeable people who are more than willing to help an online hand. =)

5. Set your mind to change your old habits to new healthy habits

As part of your new Healthy Lifestyle, you'll soon notice that the smallest of actions you take will make a huge impact over time. An example would be grabbing the apple instead of a donut, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. All these actions add up within your day and will become as natural as brushing your teeth, taking off the AC when not in use or something as simple as locking the front door.

6. Believe in Yourself and Reward Yourself - All the time.

You've already started on your wight loss plan and consistently thinking about your destination/goal. You must believe in yourself that you are going to reach your goal and understand that after your days/weeks of hard work, there will be a reward at the end. Always make an excuse to celebrate - just try not to celebrate with high calorie foods unless it's your weekly 'reward meal'. Another good idea is to save $50.00 / week to purchase something nice for yourself. As an example, if you are on 12 week weight loss program and saving $50.00 per week, you'll have $600 to spend on new clothes! =)

7. If you Fall Down, Get Back Up

Remember learning to ride a bike for the 1st time? When you fell off - you got back on right? You continuously motivated yourself to get back on, because quitting was not an option and you really liked that new bike. =) Always keep your goal in mind and visually think of how your life will be once you reach your destination. Create that 'happy place' and refer back to it every-time you think you are slipping away from your journey. Many people think that if they miss a workout day, you have to make up for the day and therefore the whole week is a failure. Not true..Just pickup where you left off and continue the journey. Just do not quit.

You will succeed if you do not quit.

8. Write your actions down

Studies have shown that you are more likely to stick with your weight loss plan if you write down your healthy actions for the day. Whether it's tracking your daily progress, placing in a personal occurrence of the day where you were weak or to expose a fear that you may not been aware of. You can learn from it with each passing day going forward. There are many online forums that offer areas to post a daily workout journal, or if you want to keep it private write in a spiral book or use Microsoft Word and document each day. Highly recommended as this will help you identify your bad habits and create good habits.

9. Prepare your meals and workout the night before

You probably heard this many times from personal trainers, "Preparation is Key" - and it's true....Preparation will be the key factor to your body transformation success. The night before you go to bed, make sure you know what time you are going to the gym as well what you will be doing. Have your gym clothes ready, bag packed and running shoes near the door. As for food, cook the night before and have everything packed in containers for the next day or for the next few days. Veggie Soup is a great example of you can make that will last for days and is quite good for you.

By preparing the previous day, you will :

Keep on track with your calorie count
Avoid fast food(save money too)
Guarantee that you receive your 5 to 6 small meals a day
Know in advance of your exercises for that day, so your mind is prepared of what you will be doing
Know what to wear in advance to avoid any delay or cancellation of getting into the gym

Having everything prepared for you in advance will be one less thing to worry about when dealing with your daily activities. For an example of how I prepared during my journey, see here.

10. Fun, Fun and more Fun!

Now that you're on your journey, you have to enjoy it and make the best of it. If you look outside, there are many people getting their exercise by either rollerblading, jogging, cycling or walking the paths. If you are not into those options, try picking up a sport you've always wanted to play - hockey, tennis, soccer, baseball, basketball and etc...Get you friends together and start a league. Or on a nice warm evening, take your significant other and go for a walk. How about that new workout outfit or shoes you always wanted to buy - go buy it to make yourself feel good and motivated. Always look for ways to enjoy the ride and have fun. =)

- Little Riddick

Good to be Back : A Quick Update

2010-07-29T12:03:00.003-07:00

I'm Back! - It's been over 6 weeks since my last post and I haven't changed a bit (good thing). =) Prior to writing this post, I had a quick flashback as soon as I saw how I looked over a year ago...yikes!...

But, I'm still on my game with healthy eating , with lots of cardio, less time in the gym(so I can enjoy the outdoors more) and lots of sleep. Average active days per week is about 4 times per week these days(instead of a solid 6 times per week).

To give a quick recap for the passed 6 weeks, Toronto had the world leaders in town for the G20 where I dodged a million cops while on the blades and unfortunately had our beautiful city ruined by 'out of town' anarchist by the time the G20 ended. It took a few weeks for our city to recover, but we're back in business and now I can enjoy my cup of java at Starbucks at Queen and John. hehehe...

Since my last update, I got a new pair of 'top of the line' Crossfire Pro Rollerblades (shown below) with 100mm wheels and now I'm zippin all over the place passing bikes and at times - even cars... Yaaa - these are very quick, very comfortable(using 360 wrap technology) and highly recommended.

To throw in a little more fun into my cardio routine, I joined the company baseball team and quite surprisingly, I have not hit a dinger as of yet....But I'm still working on that....

Another physical activity I got involved in was mountain biking, where I rented a $4000 'tricked out' Trek mountain bike and rode 25K in the forests of Hardwood Hills with a few good buds...Yes - that was tiring as hell but a wicked experience riding over logs, "skinny's", rocks, down steps and maneuvering sharp corners and trees!! (It's a good thing that I have good stamina these days - I wouldn't have survived this a year ago)...Again, highly recommended!!

Aside from the TFC games(Toronto soccer league), camping in Montreal Quebec, shirtless at Wasaga Beach, watching the Honda Indy and just hanging outside catching a ray or 2 from the hot a$$ sun, I have been just chillin and having a good time as usual.... =)

So looking at my last post, I think I have passed a good test to keeping healthy thus far without placing a post everyday and further proof that with a healthy lifestyle change, you can not only reach your goals, but sustain your goals for years to come(in my case, months thus far). But that won't stop me by placing a useful healthy living post to assist you in reaching YOUR own goals....so stay tuned for a new article with some useful healthy tips.... =)

Reaching Riddick - Last Daily Post - End of the Road.

2010-06-15T09:49:00.099-07:00

1 FULL YEAR from the day I started....Wow...how time flies. So, looking back at my 4 journeys, nothing came easy, but of what I see from my results(thus far), the continuous hard work, determination, persistence and patience has paid off in the end.

Putting aside modesty, it feels damn good to (finally) reach my goal and I am still in disbelief that it's only been a year!! Hehehe... But let's rewind back to day 1..... I was 25% fat, at a whopping 193 lbs, not much muscle, clothes shopping was considered a chore and I was hairy like a bear/sasquatch. ;) Ya, prior to my decision to change, I was careless with my health and did not care much about my physique(hence why I hit ground 0 - fearing that I would reach 200 lbs). The choice to change my current image is something that I will never, ever forget and can see myself using this path of success for other things going forward in my life.

Ground 0 - Day 1

Three months after reaching ground 0 and 'actioning' on my plans to lose the weight, I had reached a milestone I never thought in my wildest dreams of reaching. At this point I had lost 25 pounds and reached 14% fat. I could have stopped at this point, but this drove my motivation to reach even higher altitudes.

Journey 1 Complete

I then created another goal to reach 9% fat and to show some abs in another 3 months time. With so much momentum from the 3 months prior, there was no way this train was gonna stop! =) And there I was, mission accomplished, showing (somewhat) abs for the 1st time in my life. Again, very surreal.

Journey 2 Complete

The 3rd journey was to get even more leaner and to reach 5% fat. Three months later, I was on the beach of Punta Cana, Dominican Republic partying it up for reaching 5.9% fat and looking even more leaner.

Journey 3 Complete

Which now bring me to the final and 4th journey (2.5 months) of first sustaining for the 1st month, then later decided to change my goal to leaning up in the final weeks. So, I now sit at 164 lbs, and 5.83% fat. Looking at the numbers in comparison to journey 3 it's not much, but can see a slight difference.

Week 48 & Final Stat Results

So with numbers aside, I'm quite proud of what I accomplished in this journey and can see myself getting even more leaner by the end of the summer. As you can probably gather, my lifestyle has taken a serious overhaul to include healthier eating choices and becoming more active in my days. So the days going forward could only be easier as my old bad habits have evolved to healthier habits and I'm loving it. =)

Journey 4 Complete - Final Journey - 1 Year from Ground 0

Pic 1

Journey 4 Complete - Final Journey - 1 Year from Ground 0

Pic 2 - Front Flex

Journey 4 Complete - Final Journey - 1 Year from Ground 0

Pic 3 - Back Flex

Journey 4 Complete - Final Journey - 1 Year from Ground 0

Pic 4 - Back Flex

Journey 4 Complete - Final Journey - 1 Year from Ground 0

Pic 5

Journey 4 Complete - Final Journey - 1 Year from Ground 0

Pic 6

So where do I go from here? I continue to run from bounty hunters, escape captivity from any situation possible, kill any obstacle that get's in my path and save the universe.

Naahh..just kiddin.. =)..I live the same enjoyable healthy lifestyle as last summer, fall, winter and spring again. This time, I just won't be documenting my workouts 'every day', which in perspective can see it being a challenge. The whole blogging thing and keeping track is what really motivated me to work hard each day and would recommend anyone else who is starting up their own 'little journey', to do the same. It doesn't have to be created for the whole world to see (like what I have done here), but there are a lot of private online forums that offer and encourage workout blogs/progress updates or better yet you can always use your Blackberry, iPhone, or can go 'old school' and just use a notepad. Again, I highly recommend it.

Each day I looked forward to providing an update of what I did the previous day, while at the same time looking forward to what I was going to do that day. Plus, every-time I figured something out related to weight training or if there was a challenge, I would post it - hoping that if someone does read it, they will learn from my mistakes instead of making their own.

So from this day forward, the daily postings will unfortunately cease as the Road to Riddick has finally come to an end. But this won't stop me from placing a post every once an a while. To ensure I stay fit as well as educate others of how to battle the bulge or make some muscle gains, I will occasionally place in a post if either I learned something new(a tip) in regards to healthy living, a brief update of my progress of sustaining of what I have, or heck if I have a rant, I'll place it in here too...Hey, it's my playground right? My rules!! =) Muahahaahaa!!. ;-)

If anyone is interested in one-on-one weight training either via email, text or facebook, please let me know. I'd be more than happy to assist. It's the very least I can do to pay back for all the positive and uplifting comments received from all of you on this blog as well as other websites. And this is my way of giving back.

Good Luck to you all and I thank all my fans who stuck with me during my journey through your words of encouragement providing me the will and strength to go even further. Thanks again! =)

See here for last weeks picture and status results

Workout log 347 - Toronto Sightseeing

2010-06-14T13:37:00.006-07:00

With only one day left till my last daily I post, I used this day to blade around the city and the lakeshore.

With spending only an hour on the blades, my bud and I scoped a few things that were quite interesting...Namely the 2 gorgeous ladies in the windows of MissBehav'n, sportin' their sweet and sexy lingerie. Niiiicce...Ya...we spent a good 10-15 min 'hanging around' the window...hehehe.. :)

Also on the lakeshore, we also noticed a chinup machine in the middle of a park that uses your body weight(as you sit) as you try to push down on the bars. Pretty cool. I tried it a few times and it seems kinda effortless. But can see this being a cool toy for kids 10+.

Tomorrow is my last day of reporting my daily workouts, but will be planning to get into the gym in the evening if the morning is too cold for a blade. Lookin' forward to it. ;)

Mission 4 Commitments - Status of the Day

See here for last weeks picture and status results

Workout Log 346 - Back in the Gym

2010-06-13T13:44:00.023-07:00

Eventhough I was still recovering from Friday night's night out, I went to the gym and completed back, biceps, chest and calves.

Ooooo..Ouch....

Since I missed out on yesturday's workout, I felt I should have done a bit of cardio, but I can tell that my body still hasn't fully recovered from Friday nights party (geeze...with losing the weight and all, I'm now a light weight!! wtf?).

Anyhow, scheduled for tomorrow is cardio and 2 more days till my last daily post and the end of my 4th journey. Cheeyyaaa!

Mission 4 Commitments - Status of the Day

See here for last weeks picture and status results

Workout Log 345 - Hangin over..

2010-06-12T22:10:00.020-07:00

Uuhhhh ya...Didn't wake up till 12pm today. Since Captain Morgan kicked me in the head last night, I woke up with a splitting headache. Not too sure if it was his heel that hit me, or the alcohol content causing the hangover. I'm still trying to figure it out.... :-p

With that being said, I unfortunately had to skip out on today's scheduled workout and a few missed meals. Not exactly what I was expecting for today but definitely needed a day to recover. Yes, the unfortunate cost of having too good of a time...

Tomorrow will try to get some cardio or head to the gym. Will have to play it by ear.

Mission 4 Commitments - Status of the Day

See here for last weeks picture and status results

Workout Log 344 - Chillin with Captain Morgan

2010-06-11T13:23:00.035-07:00

Did make an attempt to go for a workout today, but was kidnapped by Captain Morgan and a few of my buds to hang out for the evening.

The drink of choice today was Captain Morgans Long Island Ice Tea. Prior to reaching our hangout spot, we took a trip into the LCBO where they were giving out free samples of Captain Morgan's Long Island Iced Tea. 2 min after taking the free shot, not only I but 3 of my other buddies got a good buzz off the 1 small little shot. Definitely sold me as well as the others and purchased 2 for the night (pretty cheap @ $14.95 CDN each for a 750ml bottle).

To give a little detail : each bottle contains rum, vodka, tequila, gin and triple sec. 34 proof (17% alcohol by vol.) One powerful punch, eh?! Directions? Add ice to cup, pour and down the hatch! No need to mix with anything, definitely a creeper and don't drink more than half the bottle...you - will - get - 'crunk'! So, I couldn't exactly find the amount of calories for this bottle, but can provide an estimate based upon the ingredients. See below for the calorie count.

It's a whopping 400 calories per drink. Not exactly a diet drink(as with any alcoholic drink) and therefore shall suffer the consequences for indulging in this delicious drink. If you have tasted a Long Island Iced Tea before, this will taste the same but IMO this is a little stronger than your average long island iced tea...If you are 'light weight' (apparently I fall in this category now), drink with lots of ice and sip away or just add a little tonic to it. I can seriously see this drink being a huge hit this summer as it packs a serious punch for the price you pay.

By the end of the night, we squeezed out every drop of the Captain's drink and will definitely buy again. 5 out of 5 in my books... Tomorrow, even-though the weather ain't lookin' too good, will try to get out and get a blade in and get some cardio - if I can wake up.

Mission 4 Commitments - Status of the Day

See here for last weeks picture and status results

Workout Log 342 - Chinup Challenge

2010-06-10T10:39:00.006-07:00

Since going to bed a little later than usual, I unfortunately slept in and missed the morning workout.

However in the evening(my 2nd chance to get in the gym), I was pretty pumped up and completed 45 min on the bike and did a 'few' chinups prior to the cycle to get the blood flowing as a warm up.

For the 1st time, since last year I tried the reverse chinups and was able to complete 33 chinups..Yes 33!! A year ago, I could have done maybe 5 or 6....Nowadays, I'm just killin it!! Hehehe, to come to think of it, I was even getting cocky about it by having my legs out parellel to the ground - working the abs at the same time !! ;) So surreal, I tell ya.. (*shaking my head*)....I'm sure by months end, I could hit 40 chinups - easy...And that's my challenge.

Anyhow, for tomorrow I'm just gonna do about an hour of cardio in the evening with the blades seeing that the sun should be coming out later in the day...If not, back in the gym, on the bike and more chinups... ;)

Mission 4 Commitments - Status of the Day

See here for last weeks picture and status results

Workout Log 343 - Less Calories & More Cardio

2010-06-10T10:39:00.005-07:00

Kept it pretty healthy today with all meals on time and well under my recommended calorie intake.

Planned for today was weight training, but replaced it with cardio with an evening hour blade around the city. Since the weight training was mostly legs, I really pushed the blades to the limits with long sprinting sessions taking very few rolling rests. At the end of the session, my legs were about to fall off and immediately crashed on the couch when I got home. Overall great workout though and optimistic that today will make a progressive difference.

Scheduled for tomorrow is rest day, but may still head to the pavement for another blade if the weather cooperates in the evening. Lookin forward to it. ;)

Mission 4 Commitments - Status of the Day

See here for last weeks picture and status results

Workout Log 341 - Week 47 in Review

2010-06-08T08:31:00.034-07:00

A little over a week has passed and it's time for a review.

Looking at the passed week, we all learned a little about morning workouts of how beneficial they are as well as a few tips to get yourself motivated to getting off that bed, workout and feel good about yourself - instead of going back to sleep! ;p.

If you're like me these days(work for 9am instead of my previous shift of 7am) and have the extra hour in the morning, take advantage of it. Trust me, if you can kill procrastination in it's path from the 1st hour you wake up, you win. The feeling after you leave the gym in the morning is always worth remembering for the next day.

Week 47 Stat Results

So looking at the numbers, fat% has decreased back to the 5% range and the waist line is refusing to decrease. Looking at the passed weeks, my weight and fat% has been going up and down. Not too sure how I can explain it other than the fact that I weight train AND do cardio at the same time. That being said, I build muscle and lose fat at the same time. The fat in my body must be losing in other areas of my body other than my waist line as I am visually seeing improvements (which is good...hehehe).

Week 47 Pic 1

Week 47 Pic 2

I still give myself a good pat on the back for a good week though...Out of the 11 days that has passed, I worked out 8 times....Out of those 8 days, 3 of those days I exceeded my workout with extra cardio. Which now brings me to today's workout.

Today(in the am), I completed weight training working on hams, quads, shoulders, biceps and abs. In the evening when I got home, I completed an hour on the blades catching a ray or 2 before the sun settled.

Tomorrow is 30 min cardio, which I'll boost up to 45 min and unfortunately will have to use bike or treadmill as tomorrow it's suppose to rain. I only have 1 week left till I reach my final mark and 3 more weeks till I head 'back' to Las Vegas. Wish me luck. ;)

Mission 4 Commitments - Status of the Day

See here for last weeks picture and status results

Workout Log 340 - Morning Fresh

2010-06-07T07:32:00.015-07:00

So I'm now in the 2nd week of doing morning workouts and I tell ya - I'm just lovin it. Waking up at 5:45am is pretty much the norm for me anyways, but after the morning workout these days, I feel so refreshed and ready to start my day! =)

One thing I regret is not doing this earlier, but then again - I never had the time (prior to my recent shift change, I was at work for 7am for over 2 years). So this morning I completed chest, back, triceps, calves and abs. I was attempting to go outside for a blade in the evening, but since the weather has cooled down lately, I ain't going anywhere.

Tomorrow is weight training as well. If the weather cooperates in the evneing, I think I'll go for a blade. Lookin forward to it. ;)

Mission 4 Commitments - Status of the Day

See here for last weeks picture and status results

Workout log 339 - Lazy Sunday

2010-06-06T19:14:00.015-07:00

With the whole day available to my own advantage, I wasted the day by spending it on the couch watching movies. No, I was not sick, nor was I in any injury. It was pure laziness that had plagued me.

Not sure why my motivation was so low, but just the thought of doing anything physical was the last thing on my mind. Have I run out of steam? Not quite, but I'm sure I'll be ready to go for tomorrow.

As for healthy eating, I totally sucked today with only 3 meals and also prepared my famous(at least within the familia) slow cooked ribs and corn on the cob. As usual, I haven't lost my touch on the ribs as the fatty meat just fell off the bone with each bite..Yumm.. =p

Tomorrow is definitely back to healthier eating and into the gym. I only have 9 days left till my last daily post, so I gotta go hardcore for the next 9 days...

Mission 4 Commitments - Status of the Day

See here for last weeks picture and status results

Workout Log 338 - Another Morning Blade

2010-06-05T12:49:00.024-07:00

With the morning sun shining and with knowing that the a storm will be brewing later on, I hit the pavement with the blades and stayed out for an hour and half.

As for healthy foods, I took a day off from healthy eating and ate a homemade burger for dinner and for breakfast, steak and eggs from one of my favorite restaurants on the Danforth. Ya...Kinda killed the workout, but I need a day off though - or I'll go crazy.. ;)

Scheduled for tomorrow is weight training and back to healthy eating. Lookin' forward to it.

Mission 4 Commitments - Status of the Day

See here for last weeks picture and status results

Workout Log 337 - Sharing The Fat

2010-06-04T07:08:00.005-07:00

Today was suppose to be review day, but seeing that June 15th (1 year review) lands on a Tuesday, I have decided to reserve the next update for this Tuesday instead.

Anyhow, moving on....I was speaking with a colleague of mine where we both bumped into an Imperial Beverage and Snacks guy who was filling up the vending machine. After our freindly talk with him, he offered us a free bag of chips. I'm thinkin, cool, free bag of Lays Chips! ;-) Then reality kicked in.....If I eat this, it's 330 calories for the bag and just loaded with bad carbs and fat.

So what did I do? I had my cake(or chips in my case) and ate it too... I put aside 10 chips for myself and walked around my office department asking if they wanted any chips..I think it was about 30 seconds and the bag was done. Meanwhile all my colleagues are thinkin', hey he's pretty generous.. hehehe if they only knew I was sharing the fat....

Sharing the fat aside, I took a day off today from workouts as I got really busy in the evening hangin with a few buds. Tomorrow will resume with some cardio. Weather should be good in the am.

Mission 4 Commitments - Status of the Day

Workout Log 336 - Damn you TTC !

2010-06-04T07:05:00.002-07:00

Geeesh...Whatta a sh*tty day. It all starts with the am commute to work...

Today was a trial period to see if taking the Toronto TTC (Toronto Transit) will be a benefit to my regular commute, instead of my previous days challenging the rush hour highway traffic. Two simple words can describe my experience...Never Again.

The 'short and skinny' of what happened, is that I took the wrong bus(apparently they have letters after the number and I didn't notice -eg. 115a,b,c or d - ya, now I know...), I therefore had to walk 3km to get to work, came in 45 min late and then had 'the talk' with the manager about coming in late. Wonderful eh? I think it's obviously this 'trial' ain't gonna work seeing that it took me over 2 hours to get into work(usually a 25 min drive w/ no traffic)...

So with the above just making my blood boil for the most of the day, in the evening I blew off some steam in the gym working on chest, traps, back, calves, triceps and abs...The only cardio I got today was from the 'unexpected' 3km brisk walk from the wrong bus stop to work. If I would give a review for the TTC, it would be a thumbs down due to the long commute (even though I took the wrong bus and extended my time by 15 min).....

Tomorrow is weight training again, but may just use that day for cardio as my shoulder is kinda hurtin'...Will have to play it by ear...

Mission 4 Commitments - Status of the Day

See here for last weeks picture and status results

Click here for information on the nutritional & workout plan I use

Workout Log 335 - Rise and Shine

2010-06-02T11:16:00.030-07:00

Since looking forward to this moment the night before, I took my 1st early morning blade for the year at 6am sharp.

Watching the sun rise was a pretty cool experience along with the warm spring/summer breeze hitting me as I shredded the pavement taking zero breaks. My only regret going this early is that time is limited to no more than 1 hour(or I'll be late for work). If I had more time, trust me - I would have rolled around for another 2 hours.....So yes, the weather did indeed hold up as promised , but not so nice in the evening when the thunderstorms rolled in (as promised).

So today was an overall healthy and progressive day. For tomorrow, it's back to weight training and abs. Will see what I can do in getting some cardio in there if I can manage my time well...Lookin' forward to it.

Mission 4 Commitments - Status of the Day

See here for last weeks picture and status results

Workout Log 334 - Stuck in Traffic

2010-06-01T11:55:00.017-07:00

With a huge determination to get on the blades in the evening, I unfortunately ended up in bumper to bumper traffic for almost an hour where at most times it would have taken only 5 minutes to get home...

Yes, a real bummer....But I did however complete my weight training in the morning working on biceps, shoulders, triceps, hams and abs. Good thing for morning workouts! =)

Scheduled for tomorrow is 30 min of cardio. Will try to get out in the am and go for a blade as the evening will be pretty crummy with thunderstorms. Look'n forward to it.. ;)

Mission 4 Commitments - Status of the Day

See here for last weeks picture and status results

Workout Log 333 - Benefits of an Early Morning Workout

2010-05-31T20:28:00.048-07:00

With today as a start of a new work schedule, I've changed my workout schedule to the mornings. Waking up early at 5:45am to go the gym was not an easy one, but there are some benefits to it.

See below for the benefits of working out early in the am :

You start off the day feeling Energized - Maybe not enough to give up coffee in the morning, but you'll definitely feel a great deal of accomplishment and more awake/alert when you get to work.

The workout is out of the way. No more excuses throughout your day to derail your workout plans.

Since you burn calories all night while sleeping, now you can burn more calories and more fat in the morning since there was nothing in the stomach. Calories burned at this time are taken from your stored fat.

You'll really look forward to breakfast (instead of missing breakfast) Trust me, you will be very hungry after your workout. Just remember - no bacon and other greasy foods. Lots of protein in the am to help repair and build those muscles.

It opens the option of participating in an activity/sport in the evening to get even more exercise. For example, I now have the opportunity to blade in the evening or join a sport or two and get even more cardio for the day.

You are more likely to choose healthier foods during the day. As an example, knowing that you just finished an hour on the treadmill for the day, I am sure you wouldn't want to ruin such a good workout, right?

If you don't make it in the gym in the am, then the evening is available. Providing 2 chances to committing to the workout.

There are far less people at the gym in the morning. No waiting for machines, exercise ball, workout bench or free-weights.

So, you must be convinced now that morning workouts does have it's benefits. If so, great...but expect an adjustment period. The same way you're jet-lagged after an overseas trip or drowsy when you suddenly have to switch from the graveyard shift to a regular 9 to 5 shift, working out in the morning will require some some getting used to.

Here are a few tips that will help you get started in getting up in the morning :

Go to bed an hour earlier.

Get a good alarm clock - get 2 alarms if needed be(cellphone & alarm clock to wake you up).

Get a timer that turns on the lights for you. Walmart...Homedepot.. 20 bux.

Brush your teeth and wash your face. Don't mean to sound like your mother, but this will help you feel a lot fresher in the morning.

Have your workout schedule ready the night before. Organization and preparation is always key.

Have your workout clothes prepared the night before. - Imagine waking up in the early am wasting many precious minutes scrambling looking for clothes, shoes, water bottle and etc. This step eliminates that possibility.

Stretch! – Since you just woke up, your muscles need a good stretch. Learn from my mistake for not stretching as I was previously forced to take 4 days off due to pains in my legs and back. Don’t be a victim.

So with all being said above, I completed 45 min in the gym working on chest, back, calves, glutes and of course the abs. I wanted to get some cardio later on the evening, but with the rain pouring down it was not a possibility. All healthy meals and all meals on-time...Overall good progressive day.

Tomorrow is the same drill - weight training and abs. If the weather is promising as it suppose to be, I'll be hitting the pavement in the evening with the blades. Lookin forward to it... ;)

Mission 4 Commitments - Status of the Day

See here for last weeks picture and status results

Workout Log 331 - Ya Dig?

2010-05-30T16:55:00.033-07:00

Since today was a scheduled reward meal day and rest day, I spent most of my time outside helping the mother create a garden, then finishing the day chowing down on various Caribbean dishes (since our culture is Trinidadian).

To give you an idea about the amount of calories consumed in one sitting, I would say at least 2000 calories for that 1 meal. Needless to say, this was not a healthy meal and the salad that was served on the buffet table was left untouched.

With all the digging and the placement of soil within the hole I created, I at least burned approximately 300-400 calories easy...I worked on the 'floral project' for at least 3 hours and I'm still suffering with blisters on my hands from the shovel. Oh well, since it's for my mother, I guess it was well worth it... ;)

Tomorrow is scheduled rest day as well, but may go outside as it will be quite nice.

Mission 4 Commitments - Status of the Day

See here for last weeks picture and status results

Workout Log 332 - Roller Lessons

2010-05-30T16:55:00.032-07:00

With today as a scheduled rest day, I instead spent approx. 1 hour rollerblading showing the wifey how to blade. As painful as it was to watch her fall, I finally called it quits and will have to resume further lessons next weekend.

All healthy meals were met today, but unfortunately did not eat enough. Funny thing is, I forgot to eat...Oh well..what's done, is done...

Tomorrow is weight training and abs...Lookin forward to it. ;)

Mission 4 Commitments - Status of the Day

See here for last weeks picture and status results

Workout Log 330 - Week 46 in Review

2010-05-28T12:17:00.022-07:00

Another week has passed where in this week I only completed 4 workouts for the week including today's workout.

As promised from last week, I increased the cardio to 2 more hours for the week by making use of the great weather to go blading, but however do regret missing yesterdays weight training. That being said, today I complete a full weight training workout and added on another 1.5 hours rollerblading around the city since it was 30 degrees outside and the sun just blazing.

Week 46 Pic

Week 46 Stat Results

Looking at the numbers, plain and simple - no change. Damn...this is tough....I have 2 more weeks to really, really lean up but unfortunately the needle is just not moving. I'll need to go hardcore this upcoming week, committing to 6 days a week again. As with this passed week, cardio will again be increased to 2 hours extra than what is scheduled on the workout plan.

Looking forward to get a rest day tomorrow and will start up on Sunday.

Mission 4 Commitments - Status of the Day

See here for last weeks picture and status results

Workout Log 329 - Too Much On The To Do List

2010-05-27T09:39:00.014-07:00

With too many things on the fly today, there was no time for a workout, but in persepctive it was good to get some rest from all the cardio for the passed couple of days.

Tomorrow is weight training and should have time for a blade. Lookin' forward to it. ;)

Mission 4 Commitments - Status of the Day

See here for last weeks picture and status results

Workout Log 328 - Finishing a good workout with a beer (huh?)

2010-05-26T06:27:00.030-07:00

Putting aside weight training for the day, I completed a few sets of pushups, situps and chinups and then took a good 1.5 hour blade around the city.

This time, a buddy of mine joined me as he rode his bike while I carved the streets with my blades. Later in the evening we decided to head over to a local bar to grab something to eat, only to notice that 4 of other friends had just sat down on the patio (after waiting 45 min for a seat) and of corse to our luck we were able to join them (yup, while I'm still on blades).. With no hesitation and with hunger painted all over my face, I ordered a round of beers along with some nachos.

It felt soooo good drinking that beer...Ahhh...I could still taste it...Soo bad - yet sooo good...Yes - everyone has their weakness and have come to a point of acceptance that this was the reason for my overlapping gut a year ago...But like eveything in your life, too much of anything is not good - so all in moderation.. =)

So speaking of beer - beer of choice today was Kronenburgh 1664. A very mild - less bitter taste but yet very refreshing (especially after a blade in the hot sun). Kronenurgh started back in 1664 (so they've been around) and the country of origin is from good ol' France. It ain't no Toronto beer, but it's another one of my favorite's (the bar ran out of Steam Whistle - I was slightly disappointed)...

Tomorrow is weight training - no cardio....I think I've had my fair share of cardio in the passed 48 hours... Lookin forward to it. ;)

Mission 4 Commitments - Status of the Day

See here for last weeks picture and status results

Workout Log 327 - Shredding the Toronto Pavement.

2010-05-25T06:43:00.021-07:00

With today at all time high of 33 degrees for the year, I headed to the pavement and bladed for about 1.5 hours catching the downtown views, the Lakeshore and Queens Quay. Very busy on the paths as it seems that everyone is out to burn a calorie. Very cool to see..

Eleven months ago, I would probably be sittin on the couch watchin TV chowin down on cheesies and washing it down with a Steam Whistle Pilsner beer. In retrospect, what I'm doing these days is very good change - very good healthy lifestyle change. If you're doing the couch thing right now, maybe it's time for ya to look into outdoor activities yourself? Basketball, ball hockey, running, tennis, blading, cycling..etc...etc..there are so many options to get yourself more active and make use of the summer. Don't waste the spring/summer...We only get 6 months of it.

Tomorrow is weight training and kinda contemplating if I should do the same as today(go for another blade) since the weather is gonna be the same if not hotter. Maybe if I have time, I'll do both. ;)

Mission 4 Commitments - Status of the Day

See here for last weeks picture and status results