Optimum Anabolics - Day 47/Motiv8

Not to worry, this post is not about personalized license plates. (`:

I typically watch very little TV but for the past couple of years, Christina and I have been faithfully watching The Biggest Loser. Last night was the first episode of Season 8 and it was a bit of an eye-opener.

My quick highlights:

• Heaviest contestant ever at 476 LBS(!!)
• Four guys over 400 LBS
• Two contestants ended up in the hospital after a mile run/walk
• One dude lost 28 LBS during the 1st week
• A 29 year old contestant was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes...didn't even know he had it!

The final highlight I'll mention was, however, not at all about the physical state of this season's contestants. It was something that several of them said about their motivation to be on the show that made an impression on me.

They realized they must first help themselves to truly be able to help others. It's an inside-out job.

There is a firefighter who realized he can't save people due to his weight.

There is a youth pastor who wants to live to be a positive influence on as many kids as possible, including his own.

There is a track coach teaching athletes to be stronger and faster yet he was hospitalized after walking only a mile.

How often do we put the happiness and well-being of others ahead of our own only to suffer ourselves?

To be motivational, first motivate the person that matters most...you. Be an example for people.

I'll borrow a Gandhi quote: "Be the change you wish to see in the world"

WORKOUT - CHEST/ABS

2 supersets of the Week 7 Day 5 workout were chest related, followed by a superset of abs work

Superset 1: Incline DB Flye, Dips - Chest version (I had to do some assisted reps here...phew!)
Superset 2: DB Front Lateral Raises (palms up), Incline Push Ups (I got creative and used 2 chairs and ladder!)
Superset 3: Mountain Climbers w/ ankle weights, Hanging knee raises

Total Time => 35:29

Comments:

This was a great workout but I didn't feel as if I hit my chest all that hard. We'll see if it gets sore in the next day or so.

Legs were sore but not as bad as expected. Love those lunges!

The mountain climbers did a serious number on my abs today.

It was a good week in the home gym. Taking sets to failure worked my body over!

Strict form continues to be a point of focus. I'm feeling more in control of my body now as I lift.

DIET - PROTEIN DEPRIVATION

My post-workout meal this morning was a repeat of Day 45. I cooked up 2 eggs sunny-side up with half a poblano pepper in a teaspoon or so of coconut oil. I put them on a piece of Ezekiel bread along side 2 oz of homemade grass fed beef sausage. The eggies were followed up by 2 of Polly's whole-wheat pancakes with a TBS of organic butter and 2 TBS of pure Ohio maple syrup.

Mid-morning snack was an energy bar from The Cookie Cop along with a handful of raw nut mix (cashews, almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts).

Lunch was gluten free, dairy free eggplant parmesan. Spiral cut zucchini and yellow squash were used as the "noodles". Fantastic!

As a mid-afternoon snack, I polished off the remaining half of the poblano and a tomato with a few TBS of lemony hummus.















Pretty good snack, yes? The paper towel plate is a critical component. (~:

Dinner was a little late tonight since I had a massage/reiki appointment after work. We had leftover veggie burgers and raw, dairy-free cole slaw from Day 44. I snuck in two handfuls of potato chips, too, for a touch of crunch.

Tomorrow it's HIIT cardio. I'm ready!