Labor Day Weekend Is Here!!

I always enjoy this weekend each year...for one my fantasy football league has their annual draft..and it's a really good time, with lots of great food. The other is the transition into cooler weather and the start of fall. This year is especially good, Craig Ballantyne of Turbulence Training is starting two new contests on Sept. 1, and I plan on enetering both of them. This provides me with some added motivation to continue blasting off more belly fat and gaining muscle to my frame. With the month long contest I will be blogging on a website called www.twitter.com my workouts and nutrition so anyone can hold me accountable. Should be exciting. Check back for another update next week.

Amazing Tranformations!!

I was just checking out the transformation pics from the 2nd Turbulence Training contest, and they are absolutely amazing!! Check them out here at Transformation Contest.Yesterday was a busy day with umpiring a softball tournament, but I was still able to get in a quick workout. 3 x 20 of modified burpees, then a 15 min interval running workout outside since the weather was beautiful. Today is a day off, then back to workout B of the 2K3 plan. I'm gonna get out and enjoy the weather on my day off. 

Nutrition-The Key to a Good Program

As I've gotten older and a little wiser, it has become quite apparent that what you eat is more important than the exercise. If you try and mix Big Macs with cardio and weight training, you will fall short of your goals every time. That's why I believe whole-heartedly that proper nutrition is at least 80% responsible for the success with every good program. Even more important may be tracking what you put in every day. I use a simple pad and paper to jot down everything, but use fitday.com to tabulate the calories and break them down. Eventually, you get to the point where you know exactly how many carbs and proteins are in each serving. 

Of course you have to cheat at least once a week otherwise a person would go crazy. That's why Sunday night is officially "ice cream night". Plus my wife really likes when I treat. You don't have to be perfect, but shoot for about 90%. Gonna do another workout from @2K3 tomorrow...mainly upper body, wish me luck!!

Other People Are Noticing

It's always nice to know that others notice your hard work. I have been getting many compliments from my co-workers and even patients recently about how much leaner I look. This gives me the reassurance that what I am doing to burn fat is working. I think it is extremely important to have goals for your program otherwise you are spinning your wheels. My current goal is to get my body fat under 10%, I am confident that I will achieve this. 

In order to boost my motivation, I will be entering the 3rd Turbulence Training transformation contest which will be starting September 1st. There are some amazing cash prizes for placing in the top three, but I figure even if I don't win, the worst thing that happens is I have improved my physique even more than before. 

Lunch Workout

One of the advantages that I have found with TT is that even though I may be pressed for time, I can still get a quality workout in. My schedule at work is set up so that I am busy with patients until about 11:30, then have a break until 1:00. Also there is a fitness center directly across from the clinic which I can use at any time. Well, I slept in this morning, but was still able to do the 2K3 workout in about 45 min...here it is...

Forward DB lunge 50 lbs x 8 x 3

Side Plank x 30 sec x 3

DB Dead Lift 75 lbs x 9 x 3

Stability Ball Jackknife 3 x 15

DB Step Ups 25lbs x 10 x 3

Stability Ball ham Curl 3 x15

Intervals on TM x 10 min 

Felt great after my workout..still had time for some lunch and a shower!! 

Why did I choose Turbulence Training??

Back in 2002, a friend talked me into trying the Body for Life program made famous by Bill Phillips. Now don't get me wrong BFL is a good program, but it has its drawbacks, one of which is working out 6 days a week. After a couple months of "living" at the gym, I gave up and went back to my non structured program. So last summer when I was searching for something different, my main objectives were to lose fat and gain muscle, but not live at the gym.
I came across Turbulence Training as I was scanning the web, and it looked interesting. I was amazed at some of the testimonials. 

People were getting good results with the programs, and they were working out only 3 times a week. Seemed pretty simple. Almost too easy. So I "played around" with the workouts for a few months before deciding to get serious. I also decided to get more serious about my diet. I was eating a little better, but I knew that in order to get results I would have to make a plan, and cut out daily Coke and cookies.
May 1 came and I decided to make a 3 month commitment to the program. With my wife at my side...the journey began. Although it has been tough at times, it has definitely been WORTH IT!! This is the best I have felt in a long time, I feel great and look so much better. Dropping 14 lbs and 5% BF is awesome. I have set goals that I never thought would ever be achievable. I hope to be under 10% BF by the end of fall and even more leaner!!

Click HERE to find out more about Turbulence Training

From the beginning

Ever since I was about 20, working out has been part of my life. Growing up I played lots of sports, basketball being my most favorite. When I went to college, I got a job at the front desk of the campus health club. Since then I have been hooked. Sometimes I was infatuated with running, other times it was lifting. I'd see a few results here and there, but making up a program in your head can only get you so far. Last year I was looking to get "huge". So I started an intense workout program...5-6 days a week....eating everything in site. And I gained some size...mostly in my mid-section( see 2007 pic). After dealing with the frustration of working out like a madman and still being disappointed, I searched for a better answer.