Yeah, I haven't been doing this. I've tried running a few times, but my breathing is getting worse. I found some old inhalers and other various asthma meds, so I've started a few of those up. Until they start working, I'm starting to walk my dog every other night. The HPC is on indefinite hold because my shoulder is getting worse. I'm seeing if I can either guilt my mom into letting me go see another physical therapist, or if my massage therapist can ask her PT about it. Until then, no push ups.

Other than that, I've been so busy with school I haven't even bothered trying out something new.

I've still been with my weight lifting class 3 days a week.

I'm lifting and running like I always have been. I need to check my weight some time soon.

Hell yeah FiveFingers, I've been running in them for a year now, and they're awesome. My suggestion would be to ease into them, like maybe start out at a mile in them a little slower than you usually run. If you do too much too fast in them you'll have sore calves and likely get blisters and such. Running semi to full barefoot works different muscles than running in shoes. As for melting I run in Tampa and Atlanta, where it gets high 90's and haven't noticed my shoe's melting, though you will feel a bit of the heat from the road. Though if a normal shoe will melt, these likely will since they only have 4mm of sole on them. The airflow in them is good, though they'll still get pretty sweaty. If you're doing rocky trails, just know you're going to feel any of the bigger rocks, especially as you start out.

They arrived just now. I can't believe what a perfect fit they are! It really is as if they were molded onto my feet. They seem to have pretty good air flow and while the soles are thinner than traditional shoes, they are still thicker and more durable than I expected. Its strange to be able to wiggle my toes and arch my foot in shoes! I will take them outside tonight in the night well after the sun goes down. Its just so hot here, I don't see myself doing much today.

Worked out today and did pretty much the same thing I did last time with the walking/running stuff. Worked out biceps, forearms, and back today as well as abs. Low in hot chicks today and high in cougars. Apparently Mondays aren't good for going to the gym? I want to see that super hot blonde I saw a few weeks ago. I want to work out with a boner. >.>

Worked out again today and increased the weight I was lifting, so I'm making good progress, slowly but surely. Didn't do anything cardio related (didn't feel like it), but I doubled up on abs until I couldn't do anymore. Don't know if I've gained any weight... I hope I have.

I just bought a lawn mower... and I didn't get one that was self-propelled. Does that count?

if its like mine (old school spiral blades of DEATH circa 1920) then yes it counts. Somehow I ended up with two of them actually...

I was actually looking at one of those... but no, it's gas powered. I can only imagine how using one of those would be though. Probably much more quiet.

Work was canceled this morning. I thought, hell its 100 degrees out and the sun isn't gonna be out for 3 more hours... I better take advantage of this time.

I decided to ride my bike for all three hours. I stopped once about two thirds in for a nature bar and rested for fifteen minutes. When I got home just now, I looked at my mileage on my bike and saw I went thirty-eight miles. I am very impressed with myself as I never tried going over ten or twelve in a day. I'm a bit tired and in need of a shower but surprisingly, I'm not dying at all. I honestly feel like I could have kept going.

When I started riding back in January, I had a hard time going five miles. It really didn't take long or even much effort to start increasing my endurance I suppose. It's not like I am riding everyday anymore. I did until the mid May when it just got too hot.

I wore my FiveFinger KSO's too. I brought a pair of traditional active-wear shoes in case these made me sweat too much but oddly enough, I sweat less in these than I usually do in my a-w socks and shoes! Very happy about that. Ever since I started wearing my KSO's around, I noticed muscles I never really used before in my feet and legs are getting some work done. When I wear regular shoes too long anymore, I get these little cramps in my feet and have to take them off. Weird. I am going to try to order another style of FiveFingers shoes. Probably red/gray. (side note, FF says "grey" is misspelled unless as a proper noun and I should use "gray" for the color. I like using "grey" )

All in all I am happy about this and now that I know I can do this, I plan on keeping it up.


Now I just have to kick the three cans of soda a day habit I picked up last month... Shouldn't be too hard now that I noticed it and said it aloud.

A lot of physical fitness is mental. If you tell yourself in your mind that you can't do something, your body will react and will not allow you to do it unless you push yourself to the limit. If you don't even think about it, you can do way more than you thought you could. Although, that's not 100% true for everything, but it is for most things. But that's badass you did 38 miles and weren't dying.

I worked out on Monday and ran at a faster pace and didn't really have any problems in the 5 minutes I ran. I like this steady improvement. Got to bench pressing with dumbbells and have made it to 50 lbs per hand, which is getting close to where I finished up in high school (was using 65 lbs dumbbells with relative ease). I've obviously gotten stronger and my tricep tone has gotten better, which is something I was shooting for. Now if I could just get my biceps and abs to tone up more. Hope to start getting bigger at some point, but I need to work on the whole food thing, though I'm not too concerned with that just yet. Getting stronger was the MAIN goal for the summer. I can worry about the bulking when I get back to school (where I can eat a lot more).

Yeah most endurance related activities are mostly mental. I know when I run I constantly have that voice in my head saying slow down, or stop for a little bit. I started giving in to it a bit but have gotten back to going 6 miles or so. I did 5.8 miles today in about 50 mins. I did intervals on tuesday and was really happy that I went 5K in 23:08 (and this was barefoot on a treadmill ). I had been getting a bit slower on my 5K, since my mileage dropped because of work, but am back on track again.

I don't really like wearing shoes anymore, but they don't really bother me. I made my own huaraches sandals so I don't have to lug tennis shoes with me every week.

Well, work was canceled again so I am about to go for a ride.

I haven't had a single sip of soda since my last post here, which is a big deal to me. I am still getting sugar, just less of it. I am drinking lots of juices like tomato/veggie, cranberry, celery-carrot-spinach, and non of that juice "blends" that are really HF Corn Syrup or beet/cane sugar and water. I am getting more sleep without the high caffine levels I usually take in and I feel like I am getting more done in a day. I think its time I dust off my Jack Lalanne Power Juicer.

Its overcast today so the weather is nice. Called up a coworker at 5:00 and woke her up. Told her she was having breakfast at my house and then we would go for a ride.

Just got back from the ride. 25 miles this morning. We are likely to go jogging tonight and riding again in the morning. I haven't gone running in a long time so I hope I can keep up.

It's currently 104 degrees in Virginia, so I'm not going outside for a good long while. However, I did go to my gym class today and tore it up.

And I can actually feel like I've been getting slimmer. I have proof as well. I'll be able to confirm it with a tape measurement on Monday. Can't wait.

I worked out today, though it was only lifting. I haven't been at it for about a month, so I was unsure if I could really lift as much as I could a few weeks ago. Surprisingly, I'm still at a good strength level and haven't dropped off much, if it at all. Hopefully I'll be able to go more often while I'm home, as I should be able to go frequently when I'm at school.

It is hot. Here's a pic from thirty minutes ago in my back yard.

(those boxes back there contain the remnants of bush I just removed)

Been drinking water all day in preparation for my twenty-six mile ride tonight; I plan on leaving at eight or nine o'clock. It is actually a thirteen mile loop through several housing developments' main ways that I will take twice. The great thing about it is, if at anytime I (or my riding buddies) decide to cut it short, the thirteen mile loop can be reduced to a ten, six, or even four mile loop. Plus, it goes along four parks that I could rest in if needed and keeps me off any real roads. I haven't gone at night before. I usually go around six in the morning, as the sun rises, while it's still in the nineties.

I have been riding to and from work a bunch. It is 3.7 miles one way. When I leave the house at 2:30am and get there in around twenty minutes.It is warm but fine. But as you can see above, it gets hot in the afternoons. On the way home at 1:00pm, it takes an extra ten minutes as I take a slower pace.

Confirmed: I've lost 4% of my body fat in the last two months!

In addition, since January 27, where I had a percentage greater than 33.3% (the scale stopped there), I am now down to 26% body fat. My coach says that between 14-18% is healthy for men. But my ultimate goal is single-digit body fat. I want to look ripped and I'm going to be. Pretty soon, I'll be able to say that I'm overweight instead of obese!

If anybody needs help with a fitness plan, holla at me and we can start charting our progress here on the Mag.

I'm trying to duck back under 10% body fat. I used to be 6%, but I've put some on as I've been lazy as hell. But dude, it's good to know you're working hard to reach your goals and dropping weight. It's not easy for a lot of people to do.

It's not easy for anyone to do! Big congratulations to Ix!!

My number one goal is to lose the gut, without the hard work. That's why I am taking it easy by being more mindful of what I eat and by riding my bike a lot.

Any form of shaping up beyond riding my bike just bores me. I have a hard time sticking to something that doesn't interest me.