I know I've been MIA around here for the past 2 months... I haven't completely fallen off the fit wagon though. I'm certainly not in Compound Delite type shape, but I've been hanging in there.

I've had a terrible time these past 2 months. My wife began experiencing anxiety disorder and panic attacks around Thanksgiving, devolving into agoraphobia for a while there. I've missed alot of work and have been underperforming as a result, causing me stress and a little "self-medication." She still isn't 100%, but we can see the light. With my job requiring constant international travel, I am in quite a bind right now, since I can't leave her. The good news is the doctor says she's not crazy and is actually doing really well. I'm not admiting any weakness at work, and carrying on as if all is well. I don't want the sharks to start circling if I let any blood into the water. Especially with the upcoming restructuring. I have to be strong right now. Any prayers for me and my wife are much appreciated.


Anyway, the plan for now is alternate running and lifting every day. run/lift/run/lift/run/lift/off.

I'll do weekly logs chic style.

Our prayers are with you and your wife. Hang in there. I certainly understand the impact that a rough home life can have.

--Fellow JSFer from Miami, Coral Gables area.

Week 1 2007

Monday:

Tuesday: 4 mile run AM.

Wednesday:
Full Body Lift PM.
The Bear 6, 6, 5, 5 (95) HARD!!
Assorted auxillary lifts.

Thursday: 1.5 mile jog AM.

Friday:

Saturday:

Trav, you and your wife are of course in my prayers. Keep us posted and way to be strong for your family man!

Looks like a good plan to work with to get back on the wagon...keep it up, you know it helps!! It's also self medication, just a different kind. :nod:

Ryan

Thanks guys.

On week 1: It sucked.

2007 Ungoing Tally: 5.5 miles run in 2 runs, and 1 lifting session.

On to week 2: I have high hopes for 3 runs and 3 lifts. Maybe williamso and I will go for a run this week since we're neighbors.

Sunday: Nada. Not off to a good start. :td: (need thumbs down smilie)

Monday: more nada. baaaaad.

Tuesday: Weights!
Squat 135x10, 3x10@225 (mini-circut with trunk twists, ball crunches, and pushups)
Reverse BB Curls/ BB OH Press Superset 3x10/10 (65)
SLDL 3x10@135

Wednesday: AM: Ran 4 miles.

Thursday: Nada mucho. Took my wife to an appointment instead. She is doing great, I am so proud of her. She is making so much progress.

Friday: AM: Ran 4 miles.

Saturday: AM: Walked 4 miles. PM: Ran 2 miles and lifted.
Mixed mostly upperbody.
Dips/Crunches 3x10/10
Preacher Curls 3x10/8/6
Bench 1x10
Rows 1x10
The Bear 3x10
Deads 1x3

The week starts on Monday...Good luck!! :tu:

Week 3 2007

Totals through Week 2:
15.5 miles (5 runs)
3 weight sessions

Sunday: Zip

Monday: 2 mile jog (lame, but I'll take it...)

Tuesday: Legs.
Squats: 5 progressive warmup sets, 5x5 (275)
ATG Squats 2x10 (135)
SLDL: 3x10 (135)

(Like George said, this looks easy on paper.)

I did my warmup sets working in with a guy named Oliver. He's a public defender. He did the Florida prepaid college plan for his daughter, plus she got a scholarship. So she just gets to keep the scholarship money. Smart man. His squats were pretty good, and I said so. I do have a problem with his bar placement however (which I didn't mention to him.) The bar was way back off his traps, causing his wrists to bend way back and support the weight. It looked super unstable. I was quite nervous when he had me give him a chest spot from behind and i was staring at that bar wiggling around in his bent back hands. He was trying to tell me how to lift though so I just let him do his thing.


Wednesday: Ran 4 miles AM

Thursday: One Arm Snatch, BB Rows, DB OH Press, Cable Curls, Cable Tri Ext., Bench Press, DB Chest Press, Abs.

I was all over the place in there after a weird day at work where everyone got fired. The Bonecrusher was at the gym again. It felt good to workout. Bench hurts my shoulder. I'm going back to a split to tone up the individual muscles for a while, with some big moves interspersed. Maybe I'll get chic to work me up a 3 day split.

Friday: Ran 4 miles AM.

Saturday: 60 minutes LISS. I wanted to lift but I'm drinking beers now instead.

Week 4 2007.

Holy shit. We're into the 4th week already. I have made some good progress this year. The miles and workouts are starting to add up a little, and gain some momentum. My tolerance ain't sufferin' either.

Totals through Week 3:
25.5 miles (8 runs)
5 weight sessions

Sunday
Weight Session:
Squats 3x10 (135, 185, 225) 5x5 (275)
BB Lunges 3x10 (95)
Upright Rows 1x20 (45)
Bent BB Row/ RDL 2x10/10 (115)

Monday
2.5 mile AM run.

Tuesday
Upper Body Weight Training
Bench 135x10, 185x5 (Had to quit due to shoulder, WTF! I just can't bench anymore.)
Incline DB Press 50x10, 60x10, 70x10
Decline Hammer Str Press 3x10 (180)
Dips/crunches Superset 3x10/20
T-Bar Rows 3x10
Hammer Curls/ OH Press Superset 3x10/10
Deadlift 225x5, 275x3

Wednesday
I'm going to Disney World till Sunday. I'll probably run in the mornings. Maybe dial up some bw stuff.

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

G*d, you're doin' great...

I understand about not showing weakness at work... Though my situation was a bit different, I went back to teach at the University this fall 6 weeks after an abdominal hysterectomy. I didn't want anyone to know that I had it or that I was pre-cancerous. I totally collapsed by the end of the semester and became sick with all kinds of stuff (as well as other medical stuff.)

SO take care of yourself physically in terms of sleep and good nutrition.

How is your wife doing?

Is she being prescribed anything? Was it situationally induced or just something that came over her.

I suffer from Generalized anxiety disorder and have all my life... though it wasn't diagnosed when I was younger. I have mild panic attacks on occasion. It still rules me to a significant extent but not as much so now as when I was younger.

I think a lot of this is induced because of the lack of community structure in our environment these days. There is a certain lack of sense of safety in our lives -- worrying about sharks at work smelling blood at the first sign of weakness (I have that too) when instead the community should come to support us.

There is a limited sense of entitlement and that we all deserve to be successful, not one at the expense of another. Competition is one thing, when it is healthy and causes us to strive to be our best but it is another when it is destructive... :nope:

Thanks for the comments Justita. She gets better each day, with setbacks. She tried Zoloft and Paxil, both of which didn't do alot. She tried Ativan (I ate all those though...) and didn't like that either.

Cognitive Behavorial Therapy (CBT) is doing the trick. Her psychologist is very good at this technique and was kind enough to do 2 sessions a week for her, given our upcoming move to the Dominican Republic (another stressor.) Just getting her believing she will get better is the best medecine we can find.

I found Neurontin as an anti-anxiety medication helpful. though I only take it on rough days.

They sometimes treat anxiety disorder with anti-depressants as your wife has tried. I had tried previous in carnations of zoloft and paxil to no avail.

But 3 years ago I sunk into a clinical depression when my long term relationship broke-up, depression never having played a role in my life before. I went on Welbutrin and that had a very positive effect without weight gain. It lifted the depression but it also reduced anxiety. I think I am approaching the stage of getting off it now but it has been extremely helpful. I think it works better with anxiety than other anti-depressants, tends not to cause weight gain or undermine the libido.

All of this is very individualistic, so it is a hit and miss scenario... but I bottom I do believe that therapy is the long run treatment. It is really the case of seeing the world differently and through different lens with less anxiety about what might be.

Thanks for the comments Justita. She gets better each day, with setbacks. She tried Zoloft and Paxil, both of which didn't do alot. She tried Ativan (I ate all those though...) and didn't like that either.

Cognitive Behavorial Therapy (CBT) is doing the trick. Her psychologist is very good at this technique and was kind enough to do 2 sessions a week for her, given our upcoming move to the Dominican Republic (another stressor.) Just getting her believing she will get better is the best medecine we can find.

OK I'm not giving medical advice, but I do have a suggestion.

Once your wife is back on her feet, is she doing regular exercise? Getting good sleep? Any time you have to think about anxiety or stress getting on you, exercise is good for helping keep it from getting to the point where it's serious. Exercise may or may not have a role in the acute phase, but it sure has a role in strengthening overall health, feelings of well being, taking the edge off of stress, and giving a sense of control.

Breathing exercises are frequently prescribed in anxiety disorders; I have a reason to know. The thing the docs don't really have a good handle on is a really effective way to get that abdominal breathing happening. But I know one that works incredibly well - a bit of core work and some breather squats. Despite having a good background in various breathing ideas, and actually having good breathing, I got my breathing sorted out almost instantly from doing breather squats. My sleep improved almost overnight, permanently.

So no, it's not like a medical prescription, but it's just the observation that if you go after fitness more directly than the sort of passive suggestions that some physicians and psychiatrists have in mind, you can get a result which is more useful.

Happy Birthday!!!! :D

Jeez, I almost didn't realize it was your birthday. :eek: Happy birthday, dude!

Jeez, I almost didn't realize it was your birthday. :eek: Happy birthday, dude!

Ditto! Happy Birthday!

I missed this journal when you started it up.
OK I'm not giving medical advice, but I do have a suggestion.

Exercise may or may not have a role in the acute phase, but it sure has a role in strengthening overall health, feelings of well being, taking the edge off of stress, and giving a sense of control.
Ditto here. Just my observation that the women I've come across who have been on projects overseas seem to have been much more prone to depression, anxiety disorders and alcoholism than women I've come across in the general public. I think it's due to the lack of control they have compared to some other women. The same can happen with many stay-at-home moms too.

Just before I joined these forums I had asked my expat doctor about going on antidepressants, and he advised that with my exercise program I shouldn't need them. It turned out the be the right advice, but before I started actively strength training, I don't think I could have made it without some kind of medication.

She should also search out additional activities which would bring her a sense of mastery, in case she doesn't develop a particular passion for fitness. I was able to start up a daycare in China, plus I earned a certificate in a marketing research course through correspondence, both of which helped me to see that I wasn't just wasting time.

If my husband tried to keep his problems to himself, it didn't make things any better for me. I just saw a tense, uncommunicative man, and it made me feel like I was the cause of his stress. Even though it was hard for me to hear about his problems at work, I still needed to know, or else I'd just imagine something worse. Keep in mind that the expat divorce rate is about double that of the general public, so be prepared to work twice as hard.

Happy birthday.

Happy birthday, Travis. :tucool:

Happy birthday!

Wow everyone, thanks for the Birthday remarks!

Guava: thanks for the comments on my situation; that's some good advice, and some bitter truths.

As for the remainder of my week 4, and the 1st day of week 5, I had a great b-day trip to Disney World. My wife did great! I'm super proud of her, she really dealt with everything well. We camped, got rained on and got really cold, and had a wonderful time. I'll try to post some pics in my private picture thread later.

Never ran. Ate whatever. Drank Ron Zacapa Centenario out the ass, Wild Turkey 101, beer, Stoli, Jim Beam, a bloody mary (it sucked,) and even a mai tai... Still weigh 205. :D

I got an Ironman watch and Talledega Nights for my PSP for my bday. :)

All right, here we go.

Week 5 2007

Totals through week 4:
Ran 28 miles in 8 runs.
Lifted 7 times.

Sunday: nada

Monday: LEGS
Squat: 135x10, 225x10, 5x5 (315)
ATG: 135x10
SLDL: 135x10 2x10 (185)
:tucool:

Tuesday: NADA

Wednesday: NADA

Thursday: Chest and Tris.
Bench: 3x10 (135) 7x185, 3x4,3,3 (205)
Decline Hammer Str Machine: 3x10 (180)
Incline DB Press: 3x10 (65)
DB Flys: 3x10 (25)
Nose Crunchers/ Close grip press: 3x10/10 (65)
Rope Extensions 3x10
Dips -like 5 or 6... I was beat!

Damn, I haven'f done a specialization routine in a loooooong time. And it shows! I'm on it now for the next 12 weeks. I need a routine....


Friday: Back and Bi's? -NOPE! (NADA) Too sore!!!

Saturday: I better Run!!! -OOPS! (NADA) Well... 60 min LISS.

Week 6 2007.

Totals through Week 5:

Lifted 9 times.
Ran 28 miles in 8 runs.

Week 5 commentary: This past week was a mixed bag fitness wise. I did NO cardio, oops. I made some strength gains however with my squat 5x5 PR, and switched to a split from full body. This change has produced some INCREDIBLE soreness. My chest was pretty much toast for the last part of the week. I can see some major gains coming from this change. I drank ALOT, and did some other stuff which definately caused to me to lose some fitness during week 5. Oh well. On to week 6!!!

Sunday. Ran 4 miles. Off to a good start!

Monday. Off

Tuesday. Ran 4 miles.
I am glad to see some things never change. hehehe, thanks BG!

Back and Bi's.

DL 95x20, 155x12, 245x7, 275 (3x5)
DB Rows 3x10
Lat Pulldown 3x10
Preacher Curls 3x10
Hammer Titty Curls 3x10
Incline Bench Curls 3x10


Wednesday.

Chest and Tri's.

Bench 135x10, 155x10, 185x7 205x4,3,3 185x5, 135x10
Decline Hammer Press 3x10
Incline DB Press 3x10
Incline DB Chest Fly 3x15
Nose Crunchers/ Close Grip Press SS 3x10/10
Rope Tri Ext 3x10


Thursday. Travel to Bahamas.

Friday. Return to Miami.

Saturday. In an unlikely finish, I got in the last workout, completing my split.

Legs and Shoulders

Squats 45x10, 135x10, 225x10, 275x3, 315x5,5,5,4,5.
ATG Squats 225x5, 135x5
RDL 135x10, 185x10, 185x10 (with extra shrugs for traps)
Front Plate Raise 3x10 (45)
St. BB Mil Press 3x10 (95)

Yay!

Week 6 2007.

I drank ALOT

I am glad to see some things never change.:bow:

Week 7 2006

Totals through week 6:

36 miles in 11 runs.

12 weight sessions.

Week 6 comments:

Week 6 was a good week. I hit all muscle groups in a new split. My soreness speaks to the effect this will have on me. My mind muscle connection seems to be increased and I feel pretty fit. The 2 days of travel took their usual toll, plus it caused my wife a setback. Setbacks are to be expected when dealing with anxiety disorder, and each successive setback has been getting further apart and shorter in duration. I'm very proud of her, I just pray every day that she can heal quickly. We've started praying each morning at 6:30 and I think this is helping as well.

My father is having surgery today to repair his quad. 3 of the 4 muscles were sheared from the bone in a fall he had a month ago. He's been hobbling around and finally went in for an MRI. Sure enough the tendons are completely severed. Anchors will be drilled into the bone and the tendons will be sewn to the anchors. I wish I could be there with him.

I think I'll not drink this week as a sacrifice.

-Travis

Sunday 60 min LISS

Monday 3 mile AM run.

PM: Chest and Tri's
Bench: 135x10, 155x10, 185x8, 205x5,4,3 135x10
Decline Hammer Str Machine: 180x12, 200x10, 220x8
Incline Bench: 95x10, 115x10,10
DB Flys: 3x10 (30)
Nose Crunchers/ Close Grip Press 3x10/10,8,5 (75)
Dips x0 :lol: I was burnt...
Tri Cable Press Downs 3x10

Tuesday
AM: 4 Mile run, 34:46 (I wanted to do deads, but my wife needed me at home- scary thoughts.) I really wanted a drink, but I've still kept my promise to myself.

Wednesday
AM: 2 Mile Run, speed work w/intervals (I still want to do deads, but we have to be at church at 5:30.)

Thursday Back/ Bi's
Deads. Warmup to 5x5 (275) Ripped a callous on the 5th rep of the 4th set. Ouch. I'm breaking out the gloves for a while. My lower back got really fatigued.
More back: Hi Rows 3x12-15
Various curls.

Friday OFF

Saturday Legs / Shoulders

The Bear 6,4 (95) WOw I've got a lot of work to do on this one!

Squats 10 (225) Lower back fatigue, I wanted to try Leg Press anyway...

Leg Press: 6 Plates x10
8 Plates x10
10 Plates x10
12 Plates x8
12Plates+Quarters x5

Leg Ext 3x10
Leg Curls 3x10
Abs.
Standing Mil Press (lots)
Front Plate Raise 3x10 (45)
Side Raises DB 3x10 (15)

(Got drunk.)

Week 8 2006

Totals through Week 7:

Ran 45 miles in 14 Runs.

15 Weight Sessions. (2 weeks in a row of 3 day split)

Sunday OFF

Monday
2 Mile Run+

Back and Bi's
DL 135x10, 225x10, 275x5, 285x5, 3x3 (300)
DB Rows 3x10 (60, 70, 70)
BB Curls 3x10 (75)
High Row 3x15 (180)


Tuesday
Chest and Tris

I dropped the 205 lb bar on my chest during bench. This really fucked up my workout. I struggled through some tri stuff and left, defeated. My ribs hurt. It landed on my ribs just below my pecs.

Wednesday Sore, Flew to Bermuda.

Thursday Sore, Flew to Baltimore.

Friday Sore, Flew home to Miami.

Saturday Sore, couldn't do legs/ shoulders.

Hey Trav, just a quick suggestion:

Maybe split it up so that you're hitting back/bis on Monday while saving legs for Friday. That way, your lowerback has a chance to fully recover between the two sessions.

Edit: I see you did that last week. :confused:

Hey Trav, just a quick suggestion:

Maybe split it up so that you're hitting back/bis on Monday while saving legs for Friday. That way, your lowerback has a chance to fully recover between the two sessions.

Edit: I see you did that last week. :confused:

Yeah, that would be better. I'll do that this week. :tucool: Thanks, G. Sometimes I miss the obvious. :p

Week 9 2007.

Totals through week 8:
Ran 47 miles in 15 runs.
17 weight sessions.

Comments: After I hurt myself last week, by dropping a loaded barbell on my chest during bench, I've been not exercising due to pain and a need to heal. This is bullshit. If my ribs would just stop hurting I'd be happy. Maybe it's just bruised ribs, maybe some cartilige seperated, maybe there's a slight fracture, whatever, it'll heal soon. Maybe I'll be able to go for a jog later in the week. Right now just sitting up is hard enough. :mad:

I drank and ate like a small pig at least this time on my business trip. But since I couldn't follow it up with high intensity exercise, I'm feling pretty bloated and crappy. Plus my wife had a pretty bad setback. Hell of a week... :blank:

...:)


Sunday: Sore, but I was doing good till something popped in my left ribcage when I was picking up my son.

Monday: Extra sore.

Tuesday: Sore. Got drunk for no reason.

Wednesday: Still sore. Recovering.

Thursday: Still sore. Walked 5 miles.

Friday: Walked 4 miles.

Saturday: Walked 4 miles.

How did you drop a loaded BB on your chest? I must know so that I don't make the same mistake.

How did you drop a loaded BB on your chest? I must know so that I don't make the same mistake.

I blame 2 factors.

#1: First and foremost I was wearing lifting gloves, which I never do, because I ripped a callous off during deads the previous day. The palm is a little padded, and I didn't have much feel for the bar.

#2: My grip was fatigued from deads the day before.

This added up to a near catastrophy when I was over 3/4 of the way up on my 4th rep of my 4th set of a 5x5 with 205 lbs. The bar just suddenly sort of rolled out of my hands. I was shocked and thought I was gonna be really fucked up...

I'll never wear gloves for bench again. :nono:

Do you not have your thumb gripping the bar? Do you lay your wrists back instead of having them upright? :confused:

Do you not have your thumb gripping the bar? Do you lay your wrists back instead of having them upright? :confused:

My thumb grips the bar and my wrists are upright.

Week 10 2007.

Totals:

Weights: 17x.
Runs: 47 miles in 15 runs.
Walked: 13 miles.

I made no progress on my totals last week. I probably won't this week either. I guess 2 weeks off isn't a big deal in the long run. I'm definately in worse shape than before I dropped the bar... My soreness is pretty much gone, I'm ready to start lifting again. I'll probably just go ahead and take this week off though for good measure. I've been walking. New stat: Miles walked.

I've been drinking too much for fitness since I hurt myself... fuck it... might as well keep my tolerance up since I'm going to Vegas this week.

Sunday: Walked 4 miles.

Monday: Walked 6 miles.

Tuesday:

Wednesday: Fly to Vegas.

Thursday: Vegas

Friday: Vegas

Saturday: Return from Vegas

Week 11, 2007.

Comments: It's time to turn this around. I've been a wreck since my injury almost 3 weeks ago. I've been drinking like a fish and getting fat fast. The only silver lining is that I've walked at least 5 miles EVERY SINGLE day. I'm now healed and will shuffle my tired and lethargic mass of slow metabolism to the gym this evening. No drinking this week.

Week 11, 2007.

Comments: It's time to turn this around. I've been a wreck since my injury almost 3 weeks ago. I've been drinking like a fish and getting fat fast. The only silver lining is that I've walked at least 5 miles EVERY SINGLE day. I'm now healed and will shuffle my tired and lethargic mass of slow metabolism to the gym this evening. No drinking this week.

That's pretty impressive that you've stilled maintained SOME activity while recuperating. 5 miles is a pretty solid time commitment.

You left out your other silver lining: your boys taking the ACC tourney!

Week 11 2007.

That's right rapp! Go Heels!!! On to the NCAAs.

Sunday: Walked 5 miles

Monday: Walked 2 miles
Legs/ Shoulders
The Bear 3x5 (95)
Squats 3x10 (225)
Standing BB O/H Press 3x15-20 (65)
Shrugs 3x15-20 (135)
Front Plate Raises 3x10 (45)

Holy Shit that was hard. And so much for not drinking this week...

I need to actually go to bed before 2am for once.

TUESDAY
Walked 2 miles.
Got drunk.
Went to bed at 3am.

WEDNESDAY
Not feeling so hot. I'll probably skip the gym.

Week 13 2007

:rubseyesandlooksaround:

Sunday: Ran 4 miles.

Monday:

Tuesday: Full Body. 2 sets of 20 for every muscle group.

Wednesday: Full Body, walked 4 miles

Thursday: Full Body, walked 2 miles

Friday: Full Body, ran 2 miles, walked 4 miles

Saturday:

Week 15

(I have no idea what happened to week 14... I know I went to Jamaica, that's about it.)

Sun:

Mon: Ran 4 miles

Tues: Ran 4 miles

Wed: nada

Thurs: nada

Fri: Going to Santo Domingo, taking whole family. Should be fun. I get an exploratory trip before I have to decide to move there for sure. I also have a standing job offer to relocate to Asheville. I guess we'll decide over the weekend.

Sat:

Week 17

Comments: Week 16 was spent traveling to Santo Domingo with my family. We had a blast, stayed at the Hilton. Nicest Hilton in the Caribbean. It was awesome because I got there to a suited driver with my name on his placard, never had that before, who very professionally ushered us into a brand new Land Cruiser. When we got to the hotel, they didn't even need my Amex bacuse they said "it's covered by the company." Never had that before either. Of course many room service meals and big bar tabs were to follow... Just lived it up and had fun.

Anyway, needless to say this was not in my body's best interest. I was very bloated, fat, and worthless when we got back on Saturday. I've been hitting it with fresh resolve this week. Running and/or lifting everyday. Doing a 10 day cleanse. Eating no sugar or (much) flour. No alcohol. I expect to keep up a fantastic lifestyle like this for this week and next, then see how I do on a 5 day business trip to Aruba...

Sunday: Walked 4 miles. PM Weight 209 lbs.

Monday: Full Body, Ran 4 miles, Walked 4 miles.

Tuesday: Full Body, Walked 6 miles.

Wednesday: Ran 4 miles, ...

Thursday: Ran 4 miles, full body

Friday: Ran 2 miles, full body

Saturday: Ran 4 miles

Week 18 2007

Comments: Last week was awesome! I got in lots of exercise and good diet with no alcohol. Got in much better shape fast. This week is off to a shit start however. Got the flu. Finally feel better, it's Wednesday already, and I feel like I should take it easy today since it's the first day I feel better. My first exercise session won't be until Thursday. Oh well. Then the next 2 weeks are on the road M-F. Aruba/Curacao/Bahamas. Never good for the physique... Hopefully the next 4 days will be great.

Sun- Sick
Monday- Sick
Tuesday- Sick
Wednesday- Recovering/ Off

Thursday- nada

Friday- nada

Saturday- Ran 4 miles! 33:47

Sunday-

Good work on the past week -- especially with the alcohol! :tucool:

Get better, Trav! :)

feel better bud!

Do you think it will be possible for you to stay on track for the two weeks on the "road"? :confused:

Thanks for the comments Ryan and George!

As for staying on track the next 2 weeks, first I have to get back on track in the first place after being sick and prior to that injured! It has been 9 weeks since I've been lifting heavy, after looking back at my log. That was when I bruised my ribs by dropping the bar on myself. :o Ever since then I've been kinda coasting along until last week when I rocked it out. Even then I was going light/high reps. If I get to the gym today that will be a big boost. I have high hopes the next 2 weeks will go well. It is critical that I stay focused since I have the move to DR coming up next month and that will be hard too.

I did find a gym to join in Santo Domingo. It is the gym at the Dominican Fiesta Hotel. I can get a family membership to the hotel, which is less than a half mile from my condo, for $97/month. The gym sucks, but it has a bench and squat rack. Those are the only things I need, too bad they're wedged in between tons of crappy 70's equipment with cables and stacks looking very rusty and like no room to maneuver. I'll find a way to carve out some room for deads, squats, bench, etc.. somewhere in there, but it looks like most OLY lifts are out of the question. The best part is the awesome outdoor pool, kids pool, swim up bar (uh oh,) tennis courts, playground, soccer field and hot tubs. Luckily I'm old school and don't need much from a gym. I can get pumped and hit the pool.
http://www.fiestahotelgroup.com/Ator_User/media/imagenes/AcercaDe/QuienesSomos/Hoteles/Republica_Dominicana/Santo_Domingo/Dominican/descripcion/dominican18.jpg_fg.jpg

Week 19 2007

I'm happy with the way the last 2 days went after recovering from the flu. I got in a fast 4 miler yesterday, and ran to the gym for a full body session this morning. Feeling great!

Now to see how this week goes in Curacao/Aruba. I'm commiting right now to lifting.

Sunday: Ran 2 miles. Weights- Full Body

Monday: Flight's not till 11:30 so hopefully I can hit the gym in the morning. (missed my flight, turned out it was at 10:30... caught the 5:30.) Walked 4 miles.

Tuesday: Great full body workout at the hotel gym followed by a 3 mile run.

Wed: Worked and drank and ate too much in Aruba.

Thursday: Back in Curacao. This place is sweet. Drank Polars no workout.

Friday: I go home and hopefully I'll get in a workout in the morning.

Sat: ?

Wednesday:

Week 20

I'm about to pass out after an awesome dinner in Nassau. No fitness whatsoever except for a short workout one morning. I miss this place. I had a good idea this week for a new job/ business. I wish I could live here.

Week 21

I don't remember much. Probably the worst week possible fitness wise... I spent a couple days back in Nassau.

Exercise- 0, Debauchery- 10.

:blank:

My muscles are so asleep, I can't even imagine working out right now. I'm going to try to get in a 4-5 mile walk today to knock the rust off.

Week 22

Worked out once and ran 1 mile. :blank:

Moved out of my house and into the Sonesta Coconut Grove for the next few weeks. Then we move to the DR. :tucool:

Week 23.

I hope for a good week, I'm off to a good start.

Work has me tied up in knots. I have a bunch of pussies for management. They will not make a decision without months of backup to support any position they take. Meanwhile we are losing millions. I don't know why I care so much but I rant at meetings and can't sleep. They are just f-ing idiots. They'd rather do nothing and lose that way than do something that can go wrong. ARGGGGHHH!!! Can't Cunts. Puss Nutted Pencil Neck Paper Pushers.

Sunday: 3 mile run.

Monday: 3 mile run.

Tuesday: Nada.

Wednesday: Nada.

Thursday:

Friday:

Saturday: 3 mile run.

Week 24, 2007.

Sunday: 3 mile run 27:30

Monday: 3 mile run 26:30

Tuesday: 3 mile run 29:00 I drank waaaay too much last night for no reason. My run was very hard as a result.

Wednesday: 3 mile run 27:10

Thursday: 11 Heinekens 5:00:00 (In Bahamas)

Friday: Ran 3 miles 33:00 That was haaard.

Saturday: 1 mile run. Total body weights. Sweeeet!

post some more (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showpost.php?p=496555&postcount=248)

post some more (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showpost.php?p=496555&postcount=248)

Thanks BG. I'm trying. Believe me, I'm trying. It's just so hard to come up with a comment sometimes for JSF when you are on a slide like I've been on. I mean it is a fitness site... At least I've ran alot lately, hungover and clenching my ass to not beershit myself as I run or not.

Not that that stops half the people around here from posting.

WEEK 25 2007

SUNDAY: 3 mile run, 27:00

MONDAY: 3 mile run 27:30

TUESDAY: 3 mile run 27:29

WEDNESDAY: 3 mile run in 28:28 I rescheduled my trip to next week due to logistical bullshit. I also had to postpone the move for another week due to a Visa delay. Now we move on Sunday the 1st.

THURSDAY: 3 mile run 27:30

FRIDAY:

SATURDAY:

Week 26 will be a fresh start in a new place.

Week 29 2007.

Sunday:

Monday: Ran 1 mile, walked 1 mile

Tuesday: Ran 2 miles, Total body lifting
Bench/Dips/Leg Raises 3x10/10/10
Squats 3x10
Curls/OH Press/Shrugs/Bent Rows 1x10

After 4 weeks off I was very beat after this. We're all moved in. More to follow on the new place... :tucool:

Wednesday: Ran 2+ miles in 20 minutes.

Thurssday: Ran 1 mile. Too sore for shit.

Friday: 5 mile bike ride.

The place I run is awesome, it's a 3 mile long park with great trees and a view of the sea.

All moved in eh? Cool. Got any pictures of the new locale?

Dude in all honesty and some concern, you gotta stop drinking so much, it is clearly setting you back and at times making your workouts totally worthless. Working out while hungover/with alcohol still in your system poses a risk to you and also makes the body function strangely in response to your physical effort...I guess at best it allows you to sweat some of it out. No trying to be on a high horse, just want to see you make the progress you want to and meet your goals. :tu:

Week 31.

(What happened to week 30 you may ask?) The whole family got sick. My wife and both kids were worthless with fevers and coughs, aches and pains. It was all I could do to get to work and straight home. I guess I could've gotten up earlier... Oh well, what's done is done. It seems like every time we move everyone gets sick. The water, food, new germs, who knows.

Then after everyone was sick for a few days, I got on a plane (or 2) and headed to the Bahamas on business. I ate and drank and did no exercise. One day I'll learn to travel in a fitness-friendly manner. Then my connection was delayed and I didn't get home until Saturday afternoon, after a night in a cut rate Holiday Inn in Miami courtesy of American Airlines, and the weekend was much shorter than I would like.

Sunday: Nothing, fitness-wise. We went to the beach in Juan Dolio, it was very nice except a freaking monsoon descended and blasted rain and lightning within like 10 minutes of showing up. We left after a few hours under the thatched roof of the beach house we were at, Aura. We had fun anyway. Powerful thunderstorms can create a pretty neat, intimate ambience. I'm going back, hopefully on a nice day.

Monday: I finally got back on the horse, and rode.
Ran 2.5 miles, and did full body weights. :claplow:

Tuesday: Rode 10k on my bike.

Wednesday: Ran 2.5 miles. Full Body Weights. Including DL, DB Bench, Squats, Curls, Dips, Shrugs, Knee Raises, Shoulder Raises... I was beat.

Week 45!!

Hello everyone. I'm still alive.

I can't believe it's been 14 weeks since my last update. That's enough time for a major transformation, but alas, not so much.

I've been hanging in there. My weight is pretty much what it was before, around 200-205, but I have lost muscle/gained fat. Not too bad though because my clothes still fit, not as nicely, but they still fit.

I've been on/off with the running/lifting over the past 14 weeks. But what brings me back is the fact that I've been hitting the gym for the past 2 weeks solid.

Last week: Every muscle group, and several cardio sessions, as well as a very good calorie restricted diet. I lost 9 pounds that week! 207-198. This past weekend messed me up though because we had a houseguest, and it was a holiday weekend and I imbided a bit to much, partied, etc...

This week:

Sunday- Legs (Squats, The Bear etc..)
Monday- Ran 5K
Tuesday- Ran
Wednesday- Ran, Chest/ Tri's
Thursday- Ran, Back/Bi's (Deads etc...)
Friday-

I'm weak, but I can feel it coming back quickly. I'm just glad I caught myself before it got too far out of hand. Plus, I want to be in reasonable shape before going home to visit on Dec 14. My idea is to focus on squats and deads, with everything else around that. Squats on sunday mornings, and deads on Wed or Thursday. :tucool:

Glad to see you back!

Hey, It's Travis!

Yo dude.

:tucool:

Response take 3... Now I know why I've been away for so long. It takes freaking forever to post on here from my office. 3 hours later, I hope this post goes through.

Hi Zen, George and Ryan. Thanks for posting!

Today: Ran 4k.

Need a haircut and to lift shoulders later.

Will probably be moving to Trinidad soon.

Out.