saidamin's Blog

Getting In Shape

Yesterday I came across an old picture of me at the beach. Man, I was in great shape at age 28 (I am now 33). While I work out a few days a week, I have not had the sort of commitment to a healthy lifestyle of eating right, lifting hard, sleeping well and doing the sort of cardio required to get back to the level of fitness I enjoyed a few years ago. Physical fitness is as important as mental fitness.

Beginning Monday, it's on. 2 workouts a day, eating healthy, etc. - I will take pics of my soft mid section this Sunday and will post weekly progress reports every Monday (how much weight lost, waist size, muscle gained, eating/workout routine, etc.).

Getting in shape only gets harder as we get older, so the best time to start is now. I'm inspired to reshape my body and lifestyle. If any citizens are committed to getting in shape, pls join me in posting your goals and progress reports on this blog. There is power in numbers =)

Inspired,
-S

Comments (32)

samanism wrote on Feb 08, 03:56 PM

I like this idea. Come to think of it ... I have nudy pix from my early days with pinky size JohnsonZ. I think I'll do the same thing as Said well with updated pix of his soft mid section ... but with my JohnsonZ to see the effects of aging/size/wrinkles. Keep u posted.

cnagele wrote on Feb 08, 03:56 PM

Hey man. I am right there with you. Over the past couple years I have been completely out of shape. Not only is it a little extra weight, but even running on the treadmill for a while wears me out now. The hardest thing for me is figuring out a schedule and sticking to it. I'm planning to get back on schedule for at least three days a week (Mon, Wed, Fri). I'll let you know how it goes once Monday comes around :)

saidamin wrote on Feb 08, 04:11 PM

Nice Chris, thanks for sharing; it helps to know that i'm not alone =) I can feel the few extra pounds and fatigue when running on the treadmill as well. I feel heavier and increasingly sluggish. My big thing this week is to do what I hate the most; getting up in the AM and working out before jumping on the computer. Doing cardio in the AM not only helps burn mucho calories throughout the day, but it also helps my resolve to eat well throughout the day.

Looking forward to the challenge...keep me posted. Let's do this.

shoobidoobidoo wrote on Feb 08, 04:14 PM

Saman, you are a mad man...not looking forward to seeing your JohnsonZ...

Said, it's funny how you are saying you are not in shape, where I would give anything to be in your shape right now...I guess it's all relative. As you remember, I used to be in a lot better shape than I am right now, as a matter of fact, I'm in the worst shape of my short life right now. However, the good news is that today was the 4th day in row where I have woken up at 6:30 am and have gone to the gym...one day at a time, as you say.

Although I will not be uploading any photos of my flabby gut anytime soon, I will get my measurements tonight and post them and update them each week.

I'm excited about this....Looking forward to PUMP YOU UP ;-)

saidamin wrote on Feb 08, 04:18 PM

nice coach!!! nice!!!

i'd like to propose a toast (of water =), to healthy living.

peace!

saidamin wrote on Feb 08, 04:18 PM

oh, and thks for the DAP!

shoobidoobidoo wrote on Feb 08, 04:19 PM

This is from summer of 2003...damn, I used to have guns

saidamin wrote on Feb 08, 04:20 PM

and delts!

supes wrote on Feb 08, 10:00 PM

i can relate. ive been doing a regimen since new years day and im more than happy to say that im still with it. i used to do yoga regularly for 2years and never felt better. after gradually falling off, i continuously asked myself "what happened?" took me another 2years to get back in saddle.

cheers! to healthy living!

saidamin wrote on Feb 08, 10:06 PM

Hear, hear to healthy living *cheers*

siamiyami wrote on Feb 09, 01:49 AM

Masriyaatl- I can relate to you when you say that your well-being takes a back seat when your work schedule gets crazy. I'm the same way. My work load and consequently my stress levels have increased lately and so too has my consumption of junk food, soda, etc. There's a big stash of candy down the hall in one of my coworker's offices and if you only knew how many trips I've taken down there in the last few days. Food is the first thing I run to for comfort and stress relief; not good.

Here's to increased willpower and healthy habits.

**By the way, congrats on your weight loss success thus far. That's a big accomplishment!

gin_0 wrote on Feb 09, 02:02 AM

Count me in too but like masriyaa, I'm keeping a little mystery. I've been already doing the New Years lose for sping and I'm down ten.. I got more to go. :) I'll cheerlead for everyone and myself too.

Here's to health! :)

DRomeo wrote on Feb 09, 01:10 PM

Hey Sue :)

You raise an interesting point.

Sometimes old "programs" are activated by emotional triggers (stress, fear, hurt, etc.) When we are young, we develop our own ways of covering up or avoiding certain feelings. I think this is why many attempts at lifestyle changes ultimately fizzle out.

I've found it helpful to be aware of when I'm avoiding feelings with certain external activities or distractions. When that uncomfortable feeling arises, I'm learning to do nothing. I'm learning to just feel it. When I don't resist, it eventually flows through me. When I resist, it just builds. That emotional energy gets stuck.

If you didn't go to the bathroom for a week, you'd probably be miserable. Working out would be nearly impossible :) The same may be true when we hold on to emotional energy.

Most people would probably love to quit smoking. Their attempts are sabotaged because they are probably smoking to avoid feeling something that is more uncomfortable to them than smoking.

Inner balance and outer balance go hand in hand. Letting go of the extra inner weight we are carrying may help us let go of our extra outer weight.

And Gin, here's to the power of community!

You guys are inspiring :)

siamiyami wrote on Feb 09, 03:36 PM

Well said Darren.

We are so quick to feed the pain, stress, discomfort, boredom, etc., with food rather than tackling it head-on. But it's interesting, because there's a biological basis behind it as well. Certain foods like bread, dark chocolate, etc, really do induce a feeling of comfort by virtue of their effect on levels of various neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, etc. That's why as women, during that fun time of month that we loathe, and men dread, we are more prone to crave the chocolates, the carbs, etc. They make us feel better during a time that our hormones are really out of whack.

I like your point about not resisting various emotions, but rather letting them flow through you. And you're so right about inner balance equating to out balance. Our exterior generally tends to be a good reflection of what's bubbling beneath the surface.

siami

cnagele wrote on Feb 11, 04:33 PM

In the spirit of web 2.0 applications and getting in shape, check out Traineo. I just stumbled upon it yesterday.

http://traineo.com/

saidamin wrote on Feb 12, 12:24 AM

ok, back in town from silicon valley....it's been a loooong trip, but a fruitful* one on many levels (*actually, a greasy one).

so, measurements, weight and pictures are taking place tonight after i eat a Big Mac.

looking forward to the week ahead. chris, good looking out with the motivational website =) considering signing up but i think the 2001 and 2007 pics and spiritual resolve will probably do.

btw, quick funny story before i swallow 36 grams of fat (big mac).

back in the year 1999 i used to hear of the buzz about "silicon valley" all the time. i thought it was spelled "silicone" so being the gump that i am, it wasn't until 2001-2002 that i realized that "silicon valley" was not the mecca for getting breast implants, but rather a place where tech start ups were blossoming. *duh*

hard to imagine that i ended up being an internet entrepreneur...go figure.

have a healthy week everybody and thanks for sharing your progress, challenges and goals.

life is good =)

-s

"silicone valley" girl

saidamin wrote on Feb 12, 08:32 PM

nice. looking forward to the updates.

i took pics last night (after the big mac) and weighed myself. mid section was hurtin' for certain.

i got up and ran first thing this morning. heading back to the gym tonight. my weight was 178. i was 167 before x-mas *whoa* looking to get to a shredded 160ish.

motivational strategy of the day: took a caffeine free red bull to the gym. challenged myself to see how long i could go on the treadmill before opening the can. didn't even open it, but knowing i had an available energy boost, if needed, was psychologically helpful. trying to get in 13 miles a week. 10.5 more to go!

remember to drink lots of water everybody.

life,
-s

princesstamtam wrote on Feb 13, 10:25 AM

I didn't want to comment until I was successful and it's not much but, I just finished my first 24 hours of fasting. I'm really proud of myself becauyse I didn't think I could do it. My brother he is a Rasta I watched him do it all the time and I would think how the can he go for weeks without food. This is my second day and I've gotten over the lightheadness, but i feel really good.

shoobidoobidoo wrote on Feb 13, 01:20 PM

Tam, for the love of Evolution, do not fast. That is the worst thing you can do for your body. Your body needs food to function. Fasting to lose weight is a horrible method. When you do not eat, your body goes in to shock and your bodies defense mechanism kicks in and instead of your body burning fat, which is what we all want, it stores the fat because it thinks you are going through starvation and begins to burn your muscle for energy. As a result of this fasting you end up with the same amount of fat in your body with less muscle and therefore your metabolism will suffer by slowing down which means you burn less fat during regular activities. You should burn the fat and feed your muscles by eating 5 to 6 small meals which consist of healthy, whole carbs, proteins and essential fats like Omega 3 and Omega 6; and definitely exercise.

Now you might think to yourself, why should I listen to someone who is borderline obese!!! Well, I have regrettably let myself go during the last year and a half by eating very unhealthy foods and not exercising. However I am a certified personal trainer and I have extensive knowledge in nutrition. However I encourage you to do your own research and not just take my word for it.

Next post, my measurements.

shoobidoobidoo wrote on Feb 13, 01:28 PM

I will be updating everyone on only two figures, which I think are the most important; Body Weight and Body Fat Percentage.

Body Weight = 254 lbs
Body Fat % = 26

I am striving to lose 2 pounds of fat per week.

Good luck to everyone :=)

princesstamtam wrote on Feb 13, 03:07 PM

Reza you’ve won the Oscar for best intervention on an international website (LOL)...thank you though. I’m actually fasting because I have an affliction called Oral Allergy Syndrome. That means I’m allergic to almost everything that goes into my mouth, unfortunate for me I went to dinner the other night and the meal I ordered had grated carrots in it. And I had no benadryl on me...nightmare. I didn’t get my normal hives but I’ve had a nose bleed for the past 24 hours ( yuck ) so I’ve decided to flush my system with the fasting and water and almonds. I’m wating to become allergic to water…..that’s when the fun begins.

shoobidoobidoo wrote on Feb 13, 03:57 PM

Tam, I'm so sorry to hear that. So tell me, what is your favorite food that you can enjoy?

steffo676 wrote on Feb 13, 04:28 PM

Hi guy's & Thanks' Said for this blog!
I'm just a newbie to both Nuzizo and the noble art of using the body and if that wasn't all I'm also from Sweden and we use the Metric system with kilos and centimeters but still I have no fear throwing myselfe in to the discussion with you all and add my numbers.
This is my story.
When I was in my early twenties i weighed 63Kg = 139Lb
Then I met my wife and stopped running after girls which btw has been the only exercise I ever tried.
(I allways ditched gym class in school with some lame excuse and never dared to join any sport activities with my friends. All this because of bad self-confidence.)
My weight started to increase by the years in jumps of 10Kg = 22Lb depending of a lazy life and changing of professions to more office work.
I ended up weighing 106Kg = 234Lb and in a lousy shape, now I am divorced and a happy, free as a bird man and I did not really care about my weight until december 2006, that's when I started walking due to some problems that bugged me a lot. Without really have the intention the weight dropped by 10Kg in four weeks so I got this for me kind of strange idea to continue in some way.
So here I am with a brand new gym card swetting like a horse in a spinning group and it is fun!!
I am 45 now so this is probably a part of the mid life crisis but I don't really care, I feel good!
I'll keep you posted of the progress.
And you all, keep up the good work, you will all live longer and be more happy if you stay in shape.
/S

princesstamtam wrote on Feb 13, 09:38 PM

Reza there's no need to be sorry. Here's a synopsis of what sounds like my horrinle death knell. Oral Allergy Syndrome is an allergy to raw fruits, vegetables, seeds, spices and nuts causing when eaten an allergic reactions in the mouth and throat. The allergic reaction happens mostly in people with hay fever, especially spring hay fever due to birch pollen, and late summer hay fever due to ragweed pollen.

While eating the raw food, an itchy, tingly feeling develops around my mouth, lips, throat and palate. There’s swelling of my lips, tongue and throat, and my eyes become watery itchy, a runny nose and I sneeze profusely. Due to the severity of the allergy even handling the raw fruit such as peeling it or touching the juice to the lips, causes a rash, itching or swelling where the juice touches the skin, or sneezing, runny nose and water eyes. There are times when more severe symptoms occur such as vomiting, cramps, and diarrhea and, on rare occasions, life threatening reactions with swelling of the throat, wheezing, trouble breathing and anaphylaxis. Death.

I do not have a Ragweed allergy because I can eat raw bananas, and the members of the melon family (melon, watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, zucchini and cucumber). Nor a grass allergy for I can eat oranges, melon, watermelon, tomato, kiwi, peanut. Please note the reactions only occur when the food is raw but I prefer to stay away from them all together, better safe than sorry. This problem is life long. We once thought the reaction was due to pesticides, chemicals or wax on the fruit. However because the more allergic part of the fruit may be in the skin, some people allergic to fruits, I.E., peaches, can eat the flesh without reaction if the skin is peeled away. The same for apples, some brands of apples cause more allergic reactions than others. Freshly picked apples, straight from the tree or an unripe apple, may cause fewer allergic reactions than one which is very ripe or one which has been stored for weeks after picking. My one form of oral management, I carry benadryl with me at all times, when I was younger I carried an epi-pen. I hope this information proves to be beneficial to you and if there’s anything else you need to know please do not hesitate to ask.

Reza if you wish to cook or take me to dinner here is a list of what I can eat---

Rice ( I prefer plain white or plain brown) Angel hair pasta, wheat pastaChicken, turkey wings, Lamb ( love lamb )OrangesGrapes ( preferably the small green ones )Lettuce, cabbage, celeryTuna SalmonShrimpLobsterPotatoesMeat ( depends on the cut)Turkey baconEggs ,Yogurt , cheddar cheese, brie, goat cheese ( the Bavarian tin kind ), milk, mozzarella ( I can eat any kind of cheese ) vegetable cream cheese

I guess they are all my favorite for they are all I have LOL

saidamin wrote on Feb 14, 02:32 AM

got another 2.5 miles in tonight. nice! down to 6 more miles to go for the week - heck, might even end up doing more than that. man, an iPod sure helps making running more fun.

shoob, mona, steffo and chris (if yer not snowed in), see ya'll at the gym tomorrow =)

*me doing the running man* burning more calories before bed time.

In the words of Steffo, "And you all, keep up the good work, you will all live longer and be more happy if you stay in shape."

Peace,
-S

steffo676 wrote on Feb 14, 04:42 PM

Not snowed but cold as my ex-wifes smile, it's way below freezing here but nothing will stop me from revealing the gorgeous body that the guys at TV shop assured me exists underneat the fat!
I will be swetting my ass of while you guys just got out of bed! :-)
Well almost anyway...
Remember, no pain, no gain...

shoobidoobidoo wrote on Feb 15, 03:08 PM

Here's to everyone's health...

steffo676 wrote on Feb 17, 07:50 AM

Still trying to get rid of those love handles my friend?
Not that I want to brag but I lost one pound this week... :-)

saidamin wrote on Feb 19, 01:14 AM

healthy living recap for the week:

went to the gym 7 times - one day of double sessions and i took one day off
ran 18 miles
shed 5 pounds - down to 173

looking to get to 169 by next sunday. traveling this week so it will be a challenge to work out and eat right, but i'm optimistic that i can succeed in doing both and dropping 4 pounds.

onward.

have a great week everyone!

shoobidoobidoo wrote on Feb 21, 08:30 PM

Said, great job man...just be careful not to drop too many pounds during the course of a week. You shouldn't be dropping more than 2 pounds per week. It is very difficult to lose more than 1.5 - 2 pounds of fat per week, so if you are, you are more than likely also losing lean body mass. Happy running

cnagele wrote on Aug 24, 10:09 AM

Yo Said! I read your updates about working out and spinning. How's everything going for you?
I tried so much to get to the gym back when you posted this, but it only worked for a week or two. In the last month I started running every morning. There is a nice path along the river here in the city. I love it! Every morning I get up hoping to beat my last milestone.
The only problem now is balance. I need to continue lifting a little to keep my muscles in shape. So far pushups and pullups are working.

saidamin wrote on Aug 26, 10:19 PM

C-Nagele in da house!

nice, yer working out in the am - it's a Great way to start the day, no?

i recently found myself feeling bored of the gym. i plateaued at a certain weight and well, my regular routine was not getting me over the hump. spinning class, however, has me totally rejuvenated! truth is that i mastered my old routine - my body/stamina/muscle memory were no longer being challenged. the spinning class brought me back into focus and shook me up for the better.

intentions: why am i here at the gym - what's the goal? i started just going through the motions - it got easy, it got boring.

intensity: the spinning instructor really pushes you -- you feed off his energy as well as the energy of the others in the class. funny, this a.m. i was all serious about preparing for the class. it's like i was physically/mentally preparing for a 10 round boxing match. i had my game face on. it felt good to be so focused. at the 40 minute mark my legs wanted to fail me but my spirit had a chat with my mind and the mind told my legs, "yo legs, keep going" - then my mind whispered to my spirit, "dude, we're all dying, we already got a good workout in, let's stop pedaling". feeling rejuvenated the spirit shut everyone up and put them in check. suffice it to say i had a killer workout. spirit, mind body working together as good teammates should - it's a beautiful thing.

lifting: i plan on continuing doing my cardio in the a.m. and lifting in the p.m. -- maybe that sort of schedule can work for you too.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, February 08, 03:31 PM and tagged with fitness, health, physical. It has been viewed 280 times and received 32 comments.

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Getting In Shape

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