One Day at a Time Fitness: April 2015

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Insanity: Max 30 Journey Day 44 - Max Out Power

During the course of two months, I'd like to take you into my journey as I strive to retain a healthy lifestyle through a healthy balanced nutrition program and Beachbody trainer extraordinaire -- and Men's Health cover man -- Shaun T's brand new workout regimen Insanity Max 30.

Day 44: Max Out Power

Today was hard. (I feel like this is something that keeps being brought up by me lately, and I'd love to share with you why that is, but, I just don't know.) Perhaps it was the extra-early wake up call to make a 45-minute drive into the airport, followed by the drive back up to go to work; or maybe it is just the intensity of the Max 30 Month 2 workouts kicking my butt.

I can tell you this, to start my Max Out Power workout on Tuesday (which I hit play at 8:30 p.m.), I was focused. I was making a concerted effort to have precise form and do each move to the fullest, and feel the source of the muscle I'm working on. Typically, what happens is I'll go frenetically throughout the entire workout and I don't feel a thing until I'm at Max Out Time.

I was feeling that burning sensation in the warmup and for the first portion of the workout. And I got through those with relative ease. What got me -- er, again -- was the pushup sequence. My arms were on fire and I just couldn't push up another time, as I got a mere 10 seconds into the third move of the sequence. My Max Out Time was 13:10.

That Max Out Time is actually worse than last week's time by 15 seconds, but as I said, I was slowing down a bit to maximize on form, which brought a different burn to my body. So, really, the Max Out Time today was quite an accomplishment, in my opinion.

I carried that stellar form throughout the remainder of the workout, and yeah, I took more breaks with my body feeling like jello, but I continued to dig deeper. I'm not trying to make any excuses. It's tough. It's tough for you, me and everyone. If it were easy, no one would be maxing out. That's why we do this -- to challenge ourselves and push us to new levels. Without that, we'd just be spinning our wheels and going nowhere. I want to move forward to bigger and better things. I know you do too. Let's do this together.

Ultimately, today, I was stopped in my tracks by the darn pushups. And, with one more shot at this workout in this particular journey, I hope to get past that. More motivation as I continue forward in my journey, one day at a time. Next up: Max Out Sweat.

Recap

Workout: Max Out Power

Max Out Time: 13:10
Weep Time: 23:17

Weekly Weigh-in: Stay tuned for Day 50 of the journey

Monthly Photo: Stay tuned for Day 60 of the journey

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Insanity: Max 30 Journey Day 43 - Max Out Cardio

Day 43: Max Out Cardio

The weekend was spectacular. One day in Salem; another in Cambridge. You really can't ask for more in a weekend. Well, I got more in the great weather. It was a perfect reboot to my body that has been working rigorously to get through this journey.

Today, after deciding to sleep in (all the way to 6:30 a.m.) and go to work prior to banging out my workout, I was mentally ready to crush Max Out Cardio like never before. A week ago, in Day 36, I improved to the point where I got over the 10-minute hump -- by a lot. This week, I was determined to get past the halfway point.

I got there, and then some. My Max Out Time for the day was 18 minutes, 30 seconds. I put last week's time in the dust. Today, I had a couple workout buddies walking around me -- my big ol' husky and his little cousin, the terrier-chihuahua mix.

It was only once where the little dog decided to jump on my shoulders, while I was doing some plank jacks, no less. Nevertheless, I fought through and eventually my additional resistance went to lay down.

With the week that passed, I opted to stay away from the scale. While I worked out hard and was strict to my eating regimen for the week -- less a meal each day -- I didn't want to have the possibility of discouragement since my weight tends to fluctuate quite a bit whenever I'm not strict to myself. It's almost like the guilt adds a few pounds to my frame.

Instead, now that we are house guest free, I'm going to refocus and get back on the scale next weekend. It's the least I can do in my journey. Regardless, with two weeks to go, my journey is going to continue long past the 60 days of Max 30. I'm in this for the long haul. But being in the early stages, I don't need any room for doubt to trickle into my brain.

I plastered through today's Max Out Cardio -- without a Weep Time -- and I intend to duplicate the feat tomorrow, as I continue to take things one day at a time. Next up: Max Out Power.

Recap

Workout: Max Out Cardio

Max Out Time: 18:30 (A whopping 7:16 improvement from Day 36)
Weep Time: 30:00 (Can't get any better than that)

Weekly Weigh-in: N/A (After a week off, I opted away from discouragement; clothes fit good still)

Monthly Photo: Stay tuned for Day 60 of the journey

Insanity: Max 30 Journey Day 42 - Rest

Day 35: Rest

More family fun over the weekend. I did take another break from working out on Sundays. Today, I went out with the gang to Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and did extensive walking around. It was perfect -- the walk and the weather.

My body, again, took advantage of the day off and healed up. I did feel a little weighed down this weekend because of the week that I described in yesterday's blog of taking a meal off from my strict eating regimen. Hopefully that won't affect my workout come Week 3 of Month 2.

With our family guest heading out, hopefully, I can turn my focus to Week 7 of my Max 30 Journey and get back on track.. Next up: Max Out Cardio.

Recap

Workout: Rest

Max Out Time: N/A
Weep Time: N/A

Weekly Weigh-in: Stay tuned for Day 36 of the journey

Monthly Photo: Stay tuned for Day 60 of the journey

Insanity: Max 30 Journey Day 41 - Pulse

Day 34: Pulse

Exhausted from the week that was, I decided to opt out of Pulse and take an additional rest day this weekend. In addition to the exhausting week, which included several more early-morning workouts plus late nights up, me and the family had a house guest for the week.

Being with the guest, we took the opportunity to go site seeing. Today we headed to Salem, Massachusetts to check out the historic witch-haven city. It was a beautiful day and we were lucky enough to walk throughout the city for several hours.

One downfall to the house guest was the unfortunate scenario where I took several meals off -- and had the occasional beer. Now, in my everyday lifestyle, I'm strict Monday through Saturday and indulge on a Sunday. This week, I opted to stay strict throughout the day and take off a meal at dinner time.

I still had my Shakeology and did my workouts, which was good. I just went off kilter for the evening. For that, I'm thinking of opting out on weighing myself this week to avoid discouragement. However, the fresh air and the walk, along with rest from the intensity of the workout, was fantastic. Next up: Rest.

Recap

Workout: Pulse (I opted out to do hours of walking through historic Salem, Massachusetts)

Max Out Time: N/A
Weep Time: N/A

Weekly Weigh-in: Stay tuned for Day 43 of the journey

Monthly Photo: Stay tuned for Day 60 of the journey

Monday, April 27, 2015

Insanity: Max 30 Journey Day 40 - Friday Fight Round 2

Day 40: Friday Fight: Round 2

I struggled mightily again with this one. By far -- and when I say by far, I mean Earth to the moon far -- the toughest Insanity Max 30 workout. Max Out Sweat is extremely tough, but Friday Fight: Round 2 takes the cake.

My goal was to get all the workouts I was sub-10 minute Max Out Time to over that mark. I was successful with my other workouts this week, but this wasn't quite where I wanted to be.

A week ago, I clocked in at 6:17. This week, I improved, which is a great accomplishment. However, it wasn't by much. Today's Max Out Time came in at 6:23. Six seconds of improvement. But as Shaun T says, one second is an improvement. So I'll take it.

Again, with Friday Fight: Round 2, the one-minute-long moves followed up by no breather to another one-minute-long move and so on makes it hard. It doesn't make any sense (to my mind or my legs) why we do an intense plyo-style squat-lunge move followed by ski-hops. My quads are burning and I just can't make it through -- yet. Next week, my goal is to get through that seventh minute. If I get through that, I know I can make it to the 10-minmute mark.

But for now, I sweated big time. I took breaks. I had to. In fact, I turned to my wife part way through and pointed out to her that most of the people on the set were so winded (early in the workout) that they weren't doing anything. So I wasn't the only one.

Shaun T, I think you may have outdone yourself on this one. Nonetheless, they all pushed through; I pushed through; and I hope you pushed through too. The journey is two weeks from complete. Next up: Pulse

Recap

Workout: Friday Fight: Round 2

Max Out Time: 6:23
Weep Time: 11:05

Weekly Weigh-in: Stay tuned for Day 43 of the journey

Monthly Photo: Stay tuned for Day 60 of the journey

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Insanity: Max 30 Journey Day 39 - Max Out Strength

Day 39: Max Out Strength

I know I say it all the time, but why? Why in god's name do you, Shaun T, have to sequence so many pushup moves in a row? For that matter, why are all the sequences (of high-intensity moves, no less) focusing on the same muscle regions?

This was my dilemma during my early-morning Max Out Strength workout.

I definitely had more energy than I have had in the past few days, but that doesn't mean my ability to avoid maxing out was any easier. Warm up for four and a half minutes then go right into the first sequence of nothing but squat and lunge hop moves. Shaun T was courteous enough to provide a water break (which we had to run to our water) around the 11-minute mark.

Then, the dreaded pushup sequence. OK. Thanks. I'm decent at pushups if I go pushups-pullup-pushup or even pushup-squat-pushup. However, to do pushup-pushup-pushup-pushup-pushup water break ... my body just doesn't care too much for that. Please, tell me how your body reacts to that.

Of course, in the midst of all those pushups, my body hit the floor with a Max Out Time of 13:23 -- a slight improvement from last week's Max Out Strength.

To compound my shoulders and triceps burning from all the pushups, after the break, we focused on the core, which the first three 45-second moves were in a crab position (as if we were ready to do tricep dips). First were switch-kicks, then leg raise toe taps, then knee up knee taps. My arms had about enough of that!

We wrapped up with a combination of moves and thankfully it came to an end.

Wow. This stuff really works. The only way you can say you mastered this workout is if you go through the whole thing, at 100 percent, and never max out. I can't imagine being able to do that. So there's always room to push a little harder, for that extra second, extra minute. What a beautiful thing -- that I hate so much. Speaking of hating so much, next up: Friday Fight: Round 2

Recap

Workout: Max Out Strength

Max Out Time: 13:23
Weep Time: 30:00 (I actually made it through in utter silence)

Weekly Weigh-in: Stay tuned for Day 43 of the journey

Monthly Photo: Stay tuned for Day 60 of the journey

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Insanity: Max 30 Journey Day 38 - Max Out Sweat

Day 38: Max Out Sweat

Max Out Sweat, we meet again!

It's been a whole week since the last time I got chewed up and spit out by Shaun T's Max Out Sweat and, despite doing this in the early morning hours, I was prepared to conquer the Max Out Time I had set last week. Just a reminder to you and me, that was a measly 7 minutes, 52 seconds.

Now, sure, my body felt like my legs were anchored to the ground for the first portion of the workout; and I felt like pudding by the end of the workout, but I just trucked along. The only thing I would say that maybe I felt I cheated myself was I took nano breaks between each move as I set up. Ultimately, I would take a second, two tops, as I got into the next move.

Did that help me get a better Max Out Time? I can't be 100 percent sure. But the sweat dripping off my face and that accumulated on my shirt would beg to differ.

My whole goal for this week is to get any workout that my Max Out Time was less than 10 minutes and bump it over the 10-minute mark. (Friday Fight: Round 2, where I have to boost my MOT by nearly four minutes, is going to be very tough.) Fortunately I was able to do this in Max Out Sweat.

My Max Out Time today was 14:40. It was still a killer workout, even if I improved by nearly seven minutes. I still hated every second of it, just like last week. Maybe the difference this week was the cool air of the morning compared to the warmness of the sun in the early evening.

Either way, I felt like I could go a little more, which got me to a break, which propelled me to the big uptick in the Max Out Time. I will hope to maintain the morning workout to give me that advantage going forward (only two and a half weeks to go!). Next up: Max Out Strength.

Recap

Workout: Max Out Sweat

Max Out Time: 14:40
Weep Time: 24:42 (I took a five-second cat nap after I hit the floor)

Weekly Weigh-in: Stay tuned for Day 43 of the journey

Monthly Photo: Stay tuned for Day 60 of the journey

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Banana Honeymoon Shakeology Pie

A chocolate peanut butter pie with 14 grams of protein per serving? Did I hear right? Yes. It's true. This version of "dessert" is decadent and something you should make a staple in your dessert repertoire.

Total Time: 1 hr. 10 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: None
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. nonfat milk
1 (12-oz) container firm (or silken) tofu
2 scoops Chocolate Shakeology
½ cup all-natural peanut butter
2 ripe medium bananas, cut into chunks
1 Tbsp. raw honey
1 Whole Wheat Graham Pie Crust (get the recipe here)

Preparation:
1. Place milk, tofu, Shakeology, peanut butter, bananas, and honey in blender; cover. Blend until smooth.
2. Pour tofu mixture into pie crust; refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until firm.
3. Cut into eight servings.

Whole Wheat Graham Pie Crust

Shh! Don't tell anyone, but this pie crust is healthy. Use this pie crust recipe with any pie recipe I have on my Recipe page and serve at your next party or family gathering.

Total Time: 15 min.
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cooking Time: 10 min.
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat graham cracker crumbs
1 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. Place graham cracker crumbs, oil, maple syrup, and cinnamon in a medium bowl; mix well.
3. Press mixture into 9-inch pie pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool.

Corn Chowder

You don't need all the cream and butter to have a great chowder. This take on chowder takes all the fattening ingredients out but doesn't take away the flavor. Enjoy.

Total Time: 45 min.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: 20 min.
Yield: 6 servings, about 1 cup each

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
½ medium celery stalk, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. finely chopped onion
2 Tbsp. finely chopped green bell pepper
1 (10-oz) package frozen whole kernel corn
1 medium potato (red, white rose, or Yukon gold), peeled, cubed
3 cups low-fat milk, divided use
½ tsp. sea salt
¼ tsp. paprika
Ground white pepper (to taste; optional)
2 Tbsp. whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Preparation:
1. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add celery, onion, and bell pepper; cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until onion is translucent.
3. Add corn, potato, 2½ cups milk, salt, paprika, and pepper (if desired). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; gently boil, covered, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until potatoes are tender-crisp.
4. Combine ½ cup milk and flour in a small bowl; whisk to blend.
5. Gradually add the flour mixture to the corn mixture; cook, stirring constantly, for 4 to 6 minutes, or until soup thickens.
6. Serve garnished with parsley.

Mini Denver Quiche

Nothing better than a hearty snack that you can have any time of day. Packed with nutrition and flavor, and only 10 minutes to prep.

Total Time: 30 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: 20 min.
Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients:
6 large eggs
1½ cups nonfat milk
Sea salt and ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
Non-stick cooking spray
½ medium onion, chopped
½ medium green bell pepper, chopped
½ medium red bell pepper, chopped
2 oz. low-sodium, nitrite-free lean ham, chopped
2 oz. cheddar cheese, grated

Preparation:
1. Heat oven to 375° F.
2. Combine eggs and milk in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper if desired; whisk to blend. Set aside.
3. Lightly coat a twelve cup muffin tin with spray.
4. Evenly place onion, bell peppers, ham, and cheese into muffin cups.
5. Evenly pour egg mixture over onion mixture in cups.
6. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of quiche comes out clean.

Insanity: Max 30 Journey Day 37 - Max Out Power

Day 37: Max Out Power

It's tough to follow up a late-night workout with an early-morning one. For some sick, twisted reason, that's what I did to myself today as I tried to gut out Max Out Power.

In my head, as I'm breezing through the warmup, I'm thinking, "This is easy. All I gotta do is kill it for 45 seconds and I get a whole 15 seconds off. No sweat."

Actually, fool, there was lots of sweat. And no, it wasn't easy. I actually did breeze through the warmup -- four and a half minutes of cardio warmup followed by a one-minute power move -- before taking a water break and bracing for the actual workout.

Max Out Power is one of those workouts that is designed to get progressively harder as you approach the end -- at least that's how I take it. The first sequence of moves are mainly squat jumps -- front and back; side to side -- which I typically dominate. I'm still working on the mastery of the second sequence, however.

I don't know who in their right mind sets up a sequence of five or six pushup moves, even if the last couple you get to put your knees down, in a row. My arms are like jello by the second or third move in the sequence.

A week ago, I crashed out with a Max Out Time of 12:40 and I was lucky to get that far. Today, I was fortunate to get a little bit stronger from last week. Not by much, but at least I'm trending in the right direction. My Max Out Time for today's workout was 45 seconds better, at 13 minutes, 25 seconds.

I did my ultimate crash at 28:25 when I hit my Weep Time (quietly, again, it was first thing in the morning; couldn't wake anyone). I'll take it. Last week was a tough ride and I'm just getting back into a groove and need any motivation I can get. Next up: Max Out Sweat.

Recap

Workout: Max Out Power

Max Out Time: 13:25
Weep Time: 28:25

Weekly Weigh-in: Stay tuned for Day 43 of the journey

Monthly Photo: Stay tuned for Day 60 of the journey

Insanity: Max 30 Journey Day 36 - Max Out Cardio

Day 36: Max Out Cardio

After taking a much-needed break from the action over the weekend due to the rigorous first week of Month 2 in my Max 30 Journey, I was a little groggy and lazy as I tried to get back into the swing of things. On the docket today, Max Out Cardio.

I'm human. I'm no Shaun T; I'm no Tony Horton. I don't wake up every day and look to conquer the fitness world with so much energy that I need to share some of it with others. Sometimes, I'm just tired and I don't want to do anything. Today was one of those days.

Ideally, I would have woken up at 5:30 a.m. and ran to the living room where I would bang out a quick 30-minute workout and go about my day. In reality, I hit snooze, woke up with just enough time to get ready to go to work and told my brain I'd get to my workout later ... much later.

I didn't want to lift my legs; I didn't want to squat or jump; I didn't want to do any pike-ups. No. No. No! I worked until 5 and came home and played with the little one, had dinner and played with the little one a bit more before putting her to bed. It was then 8:30 p.m., a mere 15 hours after I wanted to do my workout. I was finally ready.

And still, even being ready, I really wasn't mentally there. My legs were burning in the warmup and I had visions of my worst Max Out Time of all time. That wasn't about to happen. My goal for today was to crush last week's 7:52 Max Out Time and at least get past the 10-minute mark. So, whatever I had to do to get there, that was happening.

I set my mind to it, and that's what I did. My Max Out Time was nearly three and a half minutes better than Day 29, clocking in at 11 minutes and 14 seconds. Of course then, after hitting my max, I was scratching and clawing for energy. It was an ugly representation of fitness, but I kept going and stopping until I reached the 30-minute mark. My Weep Time was more than double my Max Out Time, at 23:52.

After that, I just wanted it to be over. I wrapped up the final six-plus minutes and the cool down and I was home free. What a feeling to get through that, especially without having the energy to even want to start. I'm sure you have all had these days and have fought through. And if you experience it again, you will do the same. Just find that window where you can do it and don't hesitate. Go!

Also, today was my weigh-in day. I'm slowly going in the right direction. I'm definitely trimming in inches and fitting into shirts I haven't worn since before I was a father (nearly two years now). My weigh-in was 215.4, another pound and a half (roughly) less than last week. Baby steps. It's all one day at a time and part of the journey. Next up: Max Out Power.

Recap

Workout: Max Out Cardio

Max Out Time: 11:14
Weep Time: 23:52

Weekly Weigh-in: 215.4 (1.4 pounds less than Day 29)

Monthly Photo: Stay tuned for Day 60 of the journey

Insanity: Max 30 Journey Day 35 - Rest

Day 35: Rest

Without question, I took this opportunity to let my body heal. I needed the rest and I surely took it. I needed to give my mind and body a break from the grind.

I know it has only been five weeks, which isn't long, but the devotion to changing a lifestyle from no workouts and no real nutritional guidance to extreme fitness and strict portion-controlled eating of whole foods is exhausting. The break was needed without question.

I spent the day with my family; watched a little playoff basketball and ate some home-cooked food. I'll take it. Now, hopefully, I can turn my focus to Week 6 of my Max 30 Journey. Next up: Max Out Cardio.

Recap

Workout: Rest

Max Out Time: N/A
Weep Time: N/A

Weekly Weigh-in: Stay tuned for Day 36 of the journey

Monthly Photo: Stay tuned for Day 60 of the journey

Insanity: Max 30 Journey Day 34 - Pulse

Day 34: Pulse

Exhausted from the week that was, I decided to opt out of Pulse and take an additional rest day this weekend. Luckily for me, the weather was beautiful and I decided to walk a three-mile path around a lake in a nearby city. It was great to catch some sun and just move around in the outdoors.

It was a great outing for the whole family. Well, the dog was a little bit of a nuisance but he got better halfway through. We enjoyed our time out, I got a little exercise in and go to clear my mind from Shaun T and Max 30 for a day. I know I'll appreciate this come Week 6. Next up: (another) Rest.

Recap

Workout: Pulse (I opted out to rest; did a three-mile walk)

Max Out Time: N/A
Weep Time: N/A

Weekly Weigh-in: Stay tuned for Day 36 of the journey

Monthly Photo: Stay tuned for Day 60 of the journey

Friday, April 17, 2015

Insanity: Max 30 Journey Day 33 - Friday Fight: Round 2

Day 33: Friday Fight: Round 2

Well, I knew this one was going to be a barn burner.

For all four weeks of Month 1, I struggled to establish dominance of Friday Fight: Round 1 -- my best effort coming in Week 4 when I had a Max Out Time of 11:24 which was in itself somewhat of a miracle since Week 3 was my other best week and I was only at 8:33. So it's not like I was setting the world on fire with my times.

Again, with this, like many of Shaun T's workouts, it's the sequence of moves. I mentioned it was a struggle in Max Out Strength when I was in the upper body/pushup phase and it continued again today in Friday Fight: Round 2.

More so than the sequence today was the duration of the moves. It's hard to do moves for 20, 30 and even 45 seconds. Friday Fight: Round 2 (and Round 1 for that matter) takes the whole Max 30 to a different level. Each move is a full minute with no rest time in between as you transition to the next move. You're up. You're down. You're moving. You're grooving (I'm not pretty when grooving).

So when the first two moves are plank jacks followed by ski jumps (also in plank) after a challenging five-minute warmup (by the way, I was warm about 30 seconds in), my legs were on fire. I had an embarrassing Max Out Time of 6 minutes, 17 seconds. Take out the warmup and my time was 1 minute, 17 seconds.

I have to improve. I will improve!

I still had another 23 minutes and change left after I maxed out. My only consolation after maxing out was that I dropped to a knee, I looked up at the TV screen and saw a couple of the members in the workout group running to the chalkboard as they had maxed out around the same time as me. Maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought.

Another 23 minutes-plus to achieve week-end glory. I kept pushing and stopping, and pushing and digging. It was a grind, but I got through. It was nice of Shaun T to allow me 30 seconds to take a sup of water at 15:30 and 25:30 of the workout -- because I wasn't parched or anything.

That last minute was high knee punches. I actually somehow was able to lift my knees up to my waist for a whole minute straight without stopping. It was glorious when the clock hit 30:00 and I was done. Another week is over, and I did it up in the morning, freeing up my entire Friday night to go crazy! (That means make a home-cooked meal and watch a movie after putting the little one to bed, if you're curious.) Next up: (much needed) Pulse.

Recap

Workout: Friday Fight: Round 2

Max Out Time: 6:17
Weep Time: 21:00 (why mention it in the article; you know I hit rock bottom once, right?)

Weekly Weigh-in: Stay tuned for Day 36 of the journey

Monthly Photo: Stay tuned for Day 60 of the journey

Insanity: Max 30 Journey Day 32 - Max Out Strength

Day 32: Max Out Strength

A lot of times people may wonder why we all want to be healthy -- exercise, eat right, take care of ourselves in general -- and every story is different. For me, I just want to be able to kick a soccer ball around, or toss a baseball/softball, with my daughter and not feel like I need a break after each kick or throw.

I'd like to be healthy enough to stay alive and take care of my family and watch her grow up and become an adult and start her own family and the only way that's going to happen is if I take care of myself now.

So as I embarked on Max Out Strength, I was hoping to continue my pursuit of my goal all the while improving from Max Out Sweat, which was a beast I dare not think of until next Wednesday. I did OK, overall. Nothing spectacular, but I got through the 30 minutes. My Max Out Time was a hair over 12 minutes, clocking in at 12:06 to be exact.

It's not that this was as challenging as yesterday's workout but the sequence in which the moves are done is what gets me every time. How I am supposed to go through that sequence of pushup moves -- 45 seconds on; 15 seconds off -- is beyond me. Hopefully by Week 8 I'm going through them with ease!

After maxing out, and getting through the upper body/pushup sequence, there was a variety sequence of core, plyo, etc. That's when my mini trainer came in and introduced me to some toys that may help me do an ab move ...

While that really didn't help me get through the move, it certainly took some of the pain away. She really helped me avoid having that dreaded Weep Time I aspire to avoid. Thanks!

And, while I'm working out and helping myself, the little one is getting some good nuggets of knowledge from me:
Papa: Where are you putting your toy?
Penny: Eye!
Papa: And what color is the toy?
Penny: Ellow!

And I'd like to think that her watching me workout is subconsciously slipping into her brain that it's OK to live a healthy lifestyle and be happy while doing it too.

I am pretty sure her curiosity got the best of her as she watched me dig deep and get through the workout. At the end, she decided to join me ...

I had a little stretch partner as I cooled down from the heat I worked up during the strength workout. And to cap off the workout, my little trainer was proud of me.

Even through I was dripping in goop, she decided to come in an give me a high five -- which if you're keeping count at home, and of course, I am, is four times now. Makes me happy every time.

All in all it was a great day on the workout front -- both physically and emotionally. I got through another day of my journey and I got some powerful encouragement along the way. I will use that as I attempt to wrap up Week 5 (the first of Month 2). Next Up: Friday Fight: Round 2.

Recap

Workout: Max Out Strength

Max Out Time: 12:06
Weep Time: 30:00

Weekly Weigh-in: Stay tuned for Day 36 of the journey

Monthly Photo: Stay tuned for Day 60 of the journey

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Insanity: Max 30 Journey Day 31 - Max Out Sweat

Day 31: Max Out Sweat

I thought Insanity: Max 30 was a tough workout routine. Then Max Out Sweat happened. Apparently, what was perceived as difficult was all a hoax. That was a walk in the park. Cardio Challenge, Tabata Power, Tabata Strength, Sweat Intervals and Friday Fight: Round 1 -- all a joke. The maxing out truly began on Day 31 with Max Out Sweat.

As the Warning message scanned down the screen and Shaun T is giving his explanation of the workout to the group -- and me at home -- he was saying he wants us to sweat more than we have yet. More often than not, I find these statements to be motivators and purely words to get you focused. Not this time. This was legitimately what Shaun was trying to do.

I'm pretty sure I blacked out because all I remember was constantly moving, jumping, pushing. Were there water breaks? I think so. Did I really just see Shaun T crash on the floor because HE was so tired from his own workout? I did! Did he just say "I know if that's your first time doing Max Out Sweat you are probably thinking you want to shoot yourself," during the cool down? You bet.

It's for all these reasons why I brace you for the potential huffing, puffing, wheezing and pleading for the end of the workout. It's what I went through in this 30 minutes of hell. I didn't last long before I hit my Max Out Time today (as if that was a surprise to any of you). I crapped out at 7 minutes and 52 seconds. I don't know how good that is on the grand scheme of it all, but I'll take it and shoot for 7:53 or later next Wednesday.

My Weep Time? Yeah, that was a mess. I first hit it around 22:35. Then again in every minute after. I'm pretty sure I took a knee and asked, "WHY?!" It was a tough one. I probably lost two pounds in that workout alone -- it was all in my shirt.

Today was a perfect day for Shakeology recovery. Thank you very much. At least that's a once-a-week workout. I don't look forward to that again -- but when it comes, I'll be ready. Next up: Max Out Strength.

Recap

Workout: Max Out Sweat

Max Out Time: 7:52
Weep Time: 22:35

Weekly Weigh-in: Stay tuned for Day 36 of the journey

Monthly Photo: Stay tuned for Day 60 of the journey

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Arugula Salad with Peaches and Mozzarella

Peppery arugula with sweet peaches and creamy mozzarella -- a perfect blend of flavors. Add a little balsamic vinegar and you've got yourself a salad to die for.

Total Time: 10 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: None
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:
8 cups arugula (or mixed salad greens)
2 medium ripe peaches, sliced
1 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, thickly sliced
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Preparation:
1. Place rocket on a large serving plate.
2. Top with peaches and cheese.
3. Drizzle salad evenly with oil and vinegar.
4. Serve immediately.

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

PB&J Shakeology

A healthy take on the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Thank you Shakeology!

Total Time: 5 min.
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cooking Time: None
Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients:
½ cup water
½ cup unsweetened almond milk
1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology
¼ cup red grapes
2 tsp. all-natural peanut butter
1 cup ice

Preparation:
1. Place water, almond milk, Shakeology, grapes, peanut butter, and ice in blender; cover. Blend until smooth.

Nutritional Information (per serving):

Calories: 239

Fat: 9 g

Saturated Fat: 1 g

Cholesterol: 5 mg

Sodium: 302 mg

Carbohydrate: 24 g

Fiber: 4 g

Sugar: 14 g

Protein: 19 g

P90X/P90X2 Portions (per serving)

1 single snack

½ fat

½ fruit

Body Beast Portions (per serving)

1 protein liquid

1 fruit

1 fat

Hawaiian-Style Salmon

Salmon is up there as one of the best foods for you. Great healthy fat, packed with flavor and nutrients. Try this Hawaiian style version of salmon and let me know what you think.

Courtesy of www.andypost.com

Total Time: 22 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: 12 min.
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:
4 (4-oz.) raw salmon steaks, rinsed, patted dry
Sea salt and ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
½ cup chopped fresh pineapple
2 medium shallots, finely chopped
¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation:
1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
2. Cut parchment paper into four circles about 12-inches in diameter each. Fold each circle in half. Place on a baking sheet. Place a salmon steak in the center of each parchment half circle. Season with salt and pepper if desired.
3. Top salmon evenly with pineapple, shallots, and cilantro. Fold the other half of the parchment over the ingredients and crimp the edges to seal. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Be careful when opening pouches as steam will be released.

Grilled Fruit Kabob

Try this dessert at your next family gathering and be ready to welcome all the compliments. After all, who wouldn't like grilled tropical fruits?

Total Time: 19 min.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: 4 min.
Yield: 8 servings, about 2 skewers each

Ingredients:
¼ medium pineapple, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 medium nectarines, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 medium peaches, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 medium plums, seeds removed, cut into eighths
2 medium apricots, seeds removed, cut into eighths
2 Tbsp. olive oil
½ tsp. ground cinnamon

Preparation:
1. Preheat grill or broiler on high.
2. Place a piece of pineapple, nectarine, peach, plum, and apricot (if desired) onto a skewer. Repeat, so the skewer has two pieces of each ingredient. Repeat with fifteen remaining skewers.
3. Brush skewers evenly with oil.
4. Grill or broil skewers for 2 to 4 minutes, turning every minute, or until grill marks appear and fruit softens slightly.
5. Sprinkle evenly with cinnamon.

Classic Hummus

This hummus is fantastic with vegetables, or dipped with some whole grain bread.

Total Time: 10 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: None
Yield: 10 servings, about 2 Tbsp. each

Ingredients:
1 (15-oz.) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained, rinsed
1/3 cup tahini paste
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
Sea salt and ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
¼ tsp. ground cumin (to taste; optional)
Water (optional)

Preparation:
1. Place chickpeas, tahini, oil, lemon juice, and garlic in food processor; pulse until blended.
2. Season with salt, pepper, and cumin if desired.
3. If mixture is too thick, add a small amount of water.

Tip: Feel free to experiment by adding different flavors. Extra garlic, chili peppers, grilled tomatoes, grilled veggies, and artichoke hearts all make healthy and delicious variations.

Nutritional Information (per serving):

Calories: 104

Fat: 6 g

Saturated Fat: 1 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 112 mg

Carbohydrate: 10 g

Fiber: 1 g

Sugar: 0 g

Protein: 4 g

Tomato Soup

Here's a delicious soup. The simplicity is what, in my opinion, makes this a great one. You can't go wrong with a tomato soup.

Total Time: 40 min.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: 25 min.
Preparation Difficulty: Easy
Yield: 4 servings, 1 cup each

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
½ medium onion, chopped
5 medium tomatoes, chopped
½ cup dry white wine
2 cups low-sodium organic chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 tsp. lemon pepper (to taste; optional)

Preparation:
1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion; cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until onion is soft.
3. Add tomatoes; cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until tomatoes are soft.
4. Add wine and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and gently boil for 15 minutes.
5. Place soup and lemon pepper (if desired) in a blender (or food processor); in 2 or more batches, if necessary; cover with lid and kitchen towel, blend until smooth.
6. Portion into 4 serving bowls.

Insanity: Max 30 Journey Day 30 - Max Out Power

Day 30: Max Out Power

Power workouts, my bread and butter. I was cautiously optimistic I could do well in this workout (even if I had never done it before) because I spent four weeks building my power and was dominating Tabata Power/Strength in the first month.

I was particularly fond of this workout because of the sprinkling in of pulse moves. While I'm sure some of you may dread pulse moves, I welcome them with open arms. So as the first sequence of moves -- 45 seconds on; 15 seconds off -- all focusing on the legs, I enjoyed the occasional pulse.

The first sequence of moves ends with a one-minute power move, which is challenging. Then, a little water break and onto the second sequence, which is where I maxed out -- pushups. If it were me running the routine, I'd go pushups and move to a different muscle, then back, and so on. With Shaun T, he loves to group them all together. My arms gave out. I hit a Max Out Time of 12:40. I'm proud of that because I made it through a couple pushup moves before ceasing operations.

After maxing out, I continued to push as hard as I could, but I kept conking out because I was juiced. The early-morning workouts are really tough. Digging deeper is doubly challenging in the morning hours as the sun has yet decided to show up. But after the pushup sequence, we moved on to some core and ab moves, as well as some more pulsing and leg moves.

My body, not able to give another second of movement, hit a Weep Time of 21:07, a lot deeper than I thought I would go before I uncontrollably sighed and whined with discomfort. I'm setting some good times as I prep for this second month of agony.

Now, seeing its Day 30 (the unofficial halfway point), I got my before and after photos. I am notorious for not seeing anything. And while the scale has shown a decrease in weight (about nine pounds) and my smaller clothes -- jeans, shirts, etc. -- are fitting comfortably now, I should see something. My eyes are blurred. Take a look below. Are you seeing anything? Let me know. In the meantime, I'm focused onto the next challenge at hand. Next up: Max Out Sweat.

Recap

Workout: Max Out Power

Max Out Time: 12:40
Weep Time: 21:07

Weekly Weigh-in: Stay tuned for Day 36 of the journey

Monthly Photo:

Day 1

Day 30

Insanity: Max 30 Journey Day 29 - Max Out Cardio

Day 29: Max Out Cardio

Another day. Another week. Another month. It's on to the next phase of my Max 30 Journey, and that is Month 2, when every workout takes me to another level of maxing out with Shaun T. All I was hoping -- having not done this workout or any Month 2 workouts yet -- was to get as deep into the workout as I could.

The workout was ramped up from Month 1, especially since I had built up a solid foundation that I have been able to get deep into most the workouts by the final week of the first month. And you could really tell as early as the workout that it was going to be a different beat; something that definitely would need you to dig as deep as possible.

It was one of those workouts where I'm glad no one was around to watch. Some awkward moves certainly had to have me looking like an absolute goon. But I persevered through the comedy, wheezing and panting.

With the bevy of plyo moves, it was only a matter of time before my body said halt. That time came early on Monday, with my Max Out Time clocking in at 7 minutes and 52 seconds. I suppose it is a good baseline as I go forward another four weeks.

And, as expected, my body had completely given up at the 15:35 mark, when I went to my knees, slammed the floor in agony a couple times and whined a little bit. But then I picked myself up and kept going.

That's really all this routine is about. Keep going. Take a break -- you're going to need it. But don't give up. Keep churning and getting one second, one minute, however much better. Everyone is different and, ultimately, if you keep doing what YOU can do, you're improving. I hope you do the same with your workout as you are going forward in your own journeys.

It's Monday, so that also means it's another scale day. No, I didn't get a new scale (not yet, at least). But, going off of last week's weight, which was nearly three and a half pounds more than the previous week, I was just hoping for a lighter reading. I weighed in at 216.8, which was 1.4 pounds lighter. It's something to be proud of.

I'm going back in the right direction. Still, I am fitting into smaller clothes and that's more meaningful than any number on a (possibly defective) scale. I'll keep filling my brain with positive thoughts and eating as clean as I can as I continue going onward and upward in my journey. Next up: Max Out Power.

Recap

Workout: Max Out Cardio

Max Out Time: 7:52
Weep Time: 15:35

Weekly Weigh-in: 216.8 (down 1.4 pounds from Day 22; fitting into smaller clothes)

Monthly Photo: Stay tuned for Day 30 of the journey

Insanity: Max 30 Journey Day 28 - Rest

Day 28: Rest

Despite the prep work for my mother's birthday dinner earlier in the week, that wasn't able to happen for one reason or another. Thus, we shifted the festivities to Sunday -- today, my rest day. No fret, I'm just going with the flow.

While I prepped a little on Tuesday, we still had a bit of prep work that had to be done, so I took the Rest day to the fullest. I went for a walk with the family since it was another beautiful day outside and then made a trip to the grocery store to get some last-minute ingredients and got home and it was full speed ahead for the get-together.

I was on my feet all day long, seemingly doing suicide sprints from one end of the kitchen to the other. By the end of the day, I was absolutely beat. It was as if I started Month 2 of the journey a day early. Hopefully I have enough gas in the tank to make it through 30 minutes with Shaun T tomorrow. Next up: Max Out Cardio, the beginning of Month 2.

Recap

Workout: Rest

Max Out Time: N/A
Weep Time: N/A

Weekly Weigh-in: Stay tuned for Day 29 of the journey

Monthly Photo: Stay tuned for Day 30 of the journey

Insanity: Max 30 Journey Day 27 - Pulse

Day 27: Pulse

On a beautiful Saturday morning, what better than to get a good recovery workout after concluding the first month of Shaun T's latest boot camp workout routine?

Of course, with me, I had my on-site trainer to go along with my virtual trainer, helping me with added resistance as I did some of the pulse moves.

Here, we see my precious daughter assisting me during the squat-kick move, which most definitely adds a burn to the legs you just don't get with the natural gravity of the universe. She certainly looks pleased with herself.

This workout was more of a formality than anything. After wrapping up the first month of my Max 30 Journey, I was just taking these 20 minutes to give myself a little sweat and get on to the next day, next month.

I may not have the best results for one reason or another (which I'm still trying to figure out, since I ate 95 percent clean and didn't skip a workout), but I am putting all of month one behind me and looking ahead to the new challenges that have yet to come. It's going to be a fun ride. Won't you join me? Next up: Rest.

Recap

Workout: Pulse

Max Out Time: 20:00
Weep Time: 20:00

Weekly Weigh-in: Stay tuned for Day 29 of the journey

Monthly Photo: Stay tuned for Day 30 of the journey

Friday, April 10, 2015

Tomato and Cucumber Salad

This is one of my favorite salads. If you love quick-prep meals, tomatoes and cucumbers, this is your type of salad.

Total Time: 10 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: None
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:
2 medium tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 medium cucumber, cut in half lengthwise, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced thin
¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley (optional)
¼ cup Kalamata olives, pitted
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. white-wine vinegar
Sea salt and ground black pepper (to taste; optional)

Preparation:
1. Combine tomatoes, cucumber, onion, parsley (if desired), and olives in a medium bowl; mix well.
2. Drizzle with oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper if desired; toss gently to blend.
3. Serve within 1 hour.

Nutritional Information (per serving):

Calories: 135

Fat: 12 g

Saturated Fat: 1 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 289 mg

Carbohydrate: 7 g

Fiber: 2 g

Sugar: 4 g

Protein: 1 g

P90X/P90X2 Portions (per serving)

1½ vegetables

½ fat

Body Beast Portions (per serving)

3 vegetables

1 fat

Insanity: Max 30 Journey Day 26 - Friday Fight: Round 1

Day 26: Friday Fight: Round 1

With a new day comes new found motivations. Today, for my final fight of the first month of my Max 30 journey, I got up bright (actually it was kind of dark) and early. Fired up the DVD player and off I went with Friday Fight: Round 1.

Yeah, I was tired, but all that was on my brain was 30 minutes and I'm clear through the weekend -- of course with Pulse and probably a yoga routine on my Rest day. As usual, when the clock starts to tick, I start off slightly sluggish as I work out the kinks. I don't even get through a full revolution of the warmup moves before I am moving at full speed.

One thing that has always caught me off guard from the Friday Fight compared to the rest of the workouts is the length of time between the water breaks. In this routine, you bang out a solid five minutes of warmup and follow it up with 10 minutes of hardcore cardio-based moves before you can get a small swig of water. Thanks Shaun T for killing me.

After that, you go hard for another 10 minutes before a brief taste of H2O and then you go sprinting to the finish line.

Of course, for me, in my shape, Friday Fight is like that first time you played Mike Tyson's Punch Out on Nintendo and you got knocked out in the first 10 seconds. I could barely compete with this workout the entire month. But today, I managed to get past the 10 minute mark before hitting my limit. My official Max Out Time clocked in at 11:24, which compared to last week (and really the whole month) was a huge jump in the right direction.

The next 18-plus minutes, if you were watching from home, were me going hard; taking a break; going hard; taking a knee; and so on and so forth. It wasn't pretty. But I didn't quit and kept going through the end. And, more so, I didn't hit a Weep Time. The mini breaks during the moves were enough.

I typically would push to go for the whole move and use the transition to the next move as my mini break, but each move in Friday Fight: Round 1 is one minute long and it's extremely difficult to do some of the moves -- plank ups, I'm talking about you! -- for an entire 60 seconds.

But I finished. I hit 30 minutes and, although it hasn't quite hit me, I completed the first month of this monster of a workout. And I'm still alive! I have a weekend of recovery, but I can officially begin looking ahead to the Max Out Month 2 of my journey. Next up: Pulse.

Recap

Workout: Friday Fight: Round 1

Max Out Time: 11:24
Weep Time: 30:00

Weekly Weigh-in: Stay tuned for Day 29 of the journey

Monthly Photo: Stay tuned for Day 30 of the journey

Insanity: Max 30 Journey Day 25 - Tabata Strength

Day 25: Tabata Strength

My journey has not been easy. Haven't expected it to be by any stretch of the imagination. But the past week and a half has been exponentially difficult as I've been lacking energy. Whether it be late nights, not eating enough, eating the wrong things, or anything in between, something has been holding me down to a degree.

So the push to workout has been another hurdle to overcome. The one thing I tell myself (and sometimes I literally look in the mirror and tell myself this) is that I just have to keep going, no matter how good or bad I do. As long as I do it, and stick to the plan as closely as possible, I'll get where I want to be.

Needless to say, I wasn't able to wake up this morning to get in my weekly rematch of Tabata Strength. Although after my time dipped nearly two and a half minutes from last Thursday's workout, I should have been champing at the bit to have another go with Shaun T and the gang.

I wasn't. I reserved my fight for the evening. Lucky for me, I had my little motivator as I kicked it from 0 to 100 in a split second. After the warmup and several variations of diamond jumps, I got into the triceps/pushups section of the workout.

Exhausted as I was, I was continuing to find some energy by digging deeper. Although holding my pose before going to the floor while someone does this ...

... isn't the easiest thing to do. But then again, pushing up and having to hold plank while someone navigates underneath you like this ...

... isn't exactly easy either. And, I'm sure you can see, there's a slight smirk on the little girl's face as she tortures her Papa while he does some diamond pushups. Fun for all.

Another early-workout challenge led to another great Max Out Time, however, which is always a plus. After recording 17:15 on Tuesday, compared to the 19:40 from last Thursday, I'm glad to report my Max Out Time went all the way up to 21:40.

After maxing out, the rest of the workout typically is a struggle. Only two minutes more went by before I hit my Weep Time. But, glass-half-full view, I finished up strong and another workout is behind me. Only one more workout before wrapping up Month 1. Next up: Friday Fight: Round 1.

Recap

Workout: Tabata Strength (weekly rematch)

Max Out Time: 21:40
Weep Time: 23:40

Weekly Weigh-in: Stay tuned for Day 29 of the journey

Monthly Photo: Stay tuned for Day 30 of the journey

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Wednesday, April 29, 2015

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Thursday, April 23, 2015

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Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

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