Week 8 - Fitness is for Everyone!

I was recently asked what motivated me to improve my fitness level. Heck, there are probably many other things I could be doing with my time. I could be watching more TV, playing computer games, going out drinking with the boys. I can imagine anything could be more fun than going to the gym three nights a week.

Well, life is sometimes about making sacrifices in order to squeeze in the events into our precious time that matter more to us.

Some people love their TV shows and they can't miss the next episode of 24. They are willing to give up other commitments to ensure that they don't miss the next episode of 24 .... which is fine. We are all wired differently and our wants and desires are all different. After all, wouldn't the world be a boring place if we were all wired the same? I'm not much for TV, but that's fine.

I chose fitness for three reasons:

1. I was approaching my late 30's at the time, working in a fairly stressful job at TD Bank. My weight was up, but not at a dangerous level, but my blood pressure was rising. Also I was really not happy about my work and social life circumstances, which I couldn't change easily. I had some "wake up calls" about my health and the fact that I started taking blood pressure medication spoke loudly. I had to do something, so I chose fitness. It was the one thing that I felt I had control over.
2. There was also a more superficial reason: I wanted to get a girlfriend. I thought the gym would be a good place to meet girls. Once I started going to a club, I realized that people who were serious about fitness didn't stand around socializing.
3. Finally, I wanted to get the muscles in my abdomen to protrude. Only now are my muscles beginning to protrude in my abdomen and on my legs.

I still recall the first time I stepped into a fitness club: It was at Bally at Bay and Bloor. I was really subconscious with the way I looked and walked. Even then, I thought fitness clubs were only meant for fit people.

However, thank God for the truth: Fitness is for everyone!

• It's for the person who uses a wheelchair for mobility
• It's for the elderly husband and wife
• It's for the generously proportioned person
• It's even for the family dog!! - yes, there are even treadmills designed for dogs to run on! Hilarous, but true.

I look at the need for fitness from a spiritual perspective. Our body is not really ours. It was created by God and He has entrusted in us the responsibility of maintaining it in good working condition so that we can do our best work for His Kingdom.

Circling back to what I said about making sacrifices in life, making a commitment three nights a week to improving my fitness is indeed a sacrifice, but you needn't make it your main ambition in life about everything else.

Achieving your very best physical condition will make everything else in your life that much easier. For example, a person who is more fit generally handles day-to-day stress with less effort. The good news, too, is that you don't even have to join a gym. You can become fit by working out in your own home. In my home, I have a stationery bike and some free weights, and that is it, which I use on days when I can't make it to the gym. Unfortunately, I don't have the space in my house to throw the weights around.

Once I made it a habit, fitness workouts just naturally become a part of my life. It is a given that I will show up, right now, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday evenings. I know those three days will be long ones with a full day of work and then having to go to my workouts, but I see a payoff, and the payoff is improved performance levels in all aspects of my life, inspite of the late nights.

Again, I say this with passion:

Everyone has been put on earth to fulfill a mission. I firmly believe that my mission is to inspire others who live with physical disability to personal greatness, one person at a time. I believe that we were put on earth to help one another, whether it be by inspiring others through our actions or by providing detailed instruction.

I have been inspired by others like me and I want to pass it on to others. I believe that fitness is a gift. It can change your life in ways you will never imagine.

I'm proud to be a member of the new generation of people growing up with a disability. A group of people with a can-do attitude and a will to succeed inspite of the adversities we face.

Week 7 - Reflecting on My Progress

Wow!!! I can't believe it! I'm now beginning my 7th week in my fitness training program and seeing results in abundance:

• I'm feeling stronger
• My pants are beginning to fall off my waist and beginning to look like Jed Clampett of the Beverley Hillbillies.
• My body fat % is lower
• and I have more stamina

I'm starting to think about the weeks after my formal training and learning with my trainer as to how I will keep this effort moving ahead. In some respects, the first 16 weeks are the easy part, but maintaining the momentum after the 16th weeks will be the hard part.

As a result of my work with my personal trainer, it is clear that my goal is to improve my mobility and flexibility while developing my core muscles (the midsection).

I work out 3 evenings a week - Tuesday, Thursday and Friday nights for one hour at Good Life Fitness Club at Union Station. I really hate working out in the mornings. Being there, done that!! Tuesday night is an overall workout, Thursday is my lower body workout and Friday is my upper body workout.

As far as my diet is concerned, I try to run a consistent diet during the week (Monday to Friday). On Saturday, I allow myself to have whatever I want, because I earned it! I don't believe in deprivation, but during the week I try to be good.

If I have a craving for a snack after I workout, I try to stay away from anything laden with carbohydrates and look for something with a higher protein count. Why? Because later at night carbohydrates tend to just lay heavy on you in the evening hours. Protein is better because it helps to repair muscle tissue strain which can happen during a workout.

Instead of eating a large bowl of cereal later at night, I'll have some cottage cheese or a Kashi bar.

So far my workouts have been successful. I think others around me would agree. I keep a good attitude, and put out more than asked. Another thing that I do is take some calculated risks in terms of body movements.

I used to be afraid to do squats with my legs. I was afraid that such movements would place too much stress on my lower back. Actually, I found that any soreness in my lower back would be only temporary. After several weeks of performing squats, I'm now progressing to lifting light weights while doing squats.

What do I look to achieve as a result of reaching my goals?

1. I love being inspired by the efforts of others and to inspire others. Given that this is the day of the Terry Fox Run, I think it is appropriate to say that Terry is my hero. I was 16 years old when Terry blew through Toronto to make an appearance at Nathan Philips Square in front of City Hall. I'll never forget seeing him there and I even met the fellow who played him in a movie a few years later. Terry ran the equivalent of a 26 mile marathon for each of over a one hundred consecutive days while on only leg. That is simply amazing! From that day on, I was a changed person. I got off my duff and kept on moving, and here I am today. I hope that my own efforts will help pave the way for others who live with physical disabilities to show that they can live highly functional and productive lives. Whatever I can accomplish is not just my victory, but a victory for all others who live with a disability. I want to make a difference.


2. I want to prove that we can all become "fit" by our own definition regardless of the physical challenges we face. I don't think it is right to compare yourself to others; rather, I prefer to measure success by the numbers representing my own progress. For example, when I work with my trainer, he doesn't look at me and say, "Do you see Joe Blow over there? He can stand on his head, rotate and spit nickels out of his mouth. Some day you'll be able to do that." Rather, he measures my success in terms of how I progress from day to day, week to week.


3. I want to reach the peak of happiness and health in my life. I know that this is an overdone expression, but it is true that owning a nice car and having a swiss bank account do provide peace of mind, but do they make you content? Perhaps, temporarily you'll be happier, but in the long term you'll still have the same day to day problems as someone less financially secure. However, I have discovered that when you strive and achieve an optimum level of health that is right for you, your self-esteem will improve because it took a huge effort on your part to reach this crowning achievement - and believe me, achieving a fitness goal is no small feat. People who project high self-esteem with some sense of humility are those who are happiest and in control of their health. Yet, although we all know that happiness can be an elusive concept, it is very well worth striving for because it is in the journey that we feel a glow about ourselves and not necessarily in the end result.


4. I want to avoid having to rely on someone to care for me as I age. I suppose there is nothing wrong with having a caregiver as you age, but if you can avoid having to use a caregiver, wouldn't that be better for you? You'll have more freedom to do what you want and to do with it with dignity. When I was child, I was told how most children with spina bifida progressed through to the adolescent years. However, now that I'm 45, the medical profession doesn't really know how to care for someone with SB given my age. There is research being conducted, but this will take time to sift through. I know that it is unavoidable that we will all age, but that doesn't mean we can't slow the aging process. If the medical profession doesn't know much about how to treat a 45 year old with SB, then it is incumbent upon myself to take action on my end. Besides, if someone gave me an owners manual and told me this is how you will act at age 40 and this is how you will act at age 50, perhaps I would take it to heart and not push myself as I have done.

Optimum health is not as hard to achieve as we often perceive it to be. According to a flyer that I read the other day from the Arthritis Society, a 10 lbs loss in body weight translates into 40 lbs less force on the knees while walking. Therefore, you can clearly see how even a small improve in one's health picture results in a huge benefit,

The moral arising from this week's blog: Sometimes you can't always listen to what the experts tell you, and if they tell you nothing, then it is up to you to create your own destiny.

Blessings to all. Have a great week!

Week 6 - Functional Fitness and other stuff

On Friday night, I had my monthly stats taken:
Weight: 191 lbs (down 1 lb from last month)
Body Fat: 32% (down 3% from last month)

While you would expect that my weight should have dropped by more than 1 lb, I managed to drop a miraculous 3% fat within less than one month. I'm excited! Muscle weighs more than fat, so my body weight is taking into account more muscle. Having muscle means I have a much greater ability to burn fat.

When I began working out the trainer last month, one of my goals was to improve my mobility and flexibility. Well, in an unfortunate way, my progress here was put to the test quite severely the other night.

I went down to the CNE the other night after work. Around 9 pm as I was leaving a building and walked down a dark walkway beside Ricoh Colliseum toward the streetcars, my running shoe caught a rut in the pavement and went down almost face first into the concrete, body slamming to the ground. My backpack flipped over my head.

Well, after falling hard to the ground, a man ran to my assistance, but within 20 seconds I was back up on my feet. I was none the worse for wear. I scraped both knees, but that was it, other than being a little shook up.

In the past, I would have been down for the count much longer. My recovery to my feet would have taken longer. I owe my quick recovery to my conditioning and work with my trainer. Some of the exercises that he has been teaching me revolve around what is known as Functional Fitness.

I was reading about the benefits of functional fitness in a book that I received from an anonymous sender a few years ago. I tried to send the book back and tried to inquire about the sender, but no information was revealed to me. As it turns out, this book called "The Great Physician's Rx for Health & Wellness" by Jordan Rubin has changed my life.

According to the author, functional fitness is getting more attention because it does not focus on isolating specific muscle groups during exercise routines. Rather, functional fitness focuses on training movements in order to improve balance and build up the body's core muscles. You may not develop killer abs after a functional fitness routine, but you'll be in a better position to tackle life's daily activities.

Functional fitness does not involve exercise machines. It involves movements solely by the body. For example, I've been training on squats, push ups, etc. These are just a few examples of exercises that involve functional fitness.

I believe passionately that other people who live with physical disabilities of any kind can benefit from functional fitness. It doesn't matter whether the person uses a wheelchair or a crutches to aid in mobility. An exercise program involving some functional fitness will really help the person.

Functional fitness can help someone to transfer easily from their wheelchair to another chair or to their bed without assistance. After all, it goes without saying that we really enhance our lives when we can accomplish daily tasks without the assistance of others.

Week 5 - Your Workout is a Metaphor for Life

Hello Readers! Before I get into the meat of my topic today, I would like to share with you three pictures.

The first picture is me (circa 1981) taken in high school. I had the prototypical 80's look - big glasses and big hair. The photographer actually told me I looked like I was in an ornery mood. You would not want to know what was going on inside that big head of hair. Teenage angst? Maybe. Or it could be gas.

The second picture is me, when I joined TD Bank. It was 11 years ago this week that I was hired by the Wealth Management division of TD Bank. This was the photo on my security badge. Two things to note about me: 1) I had an eerie resemblance to Harry Potter with the prominent glasses. Yup, I actually wore them. 2) I carried extra weight on my face, forcing a double chin effect.









In my third picture, an almost miraculous change. I finally dropped the oversized shades, most of my hair is still there, and the double chin is no longer there and my face became tighter. Any tighter and people would think I was taking botox injections.

The point of all of this is to stress two points: 1) If Harry Potter had committed a murder 11 years ago and became a fugitive, you would not have been able to find him today, and 2) You can definitely realize life changing benefits when you commit to a regularly scheduled fitness program of exercise and eating right (most of the time!).

There are many lessons that you can learn from your extra-curricular pursuits that you can apply to the more structured areas of your life (say, your career and your family life).

For example:

1. The pickup hockey game can be a metaphor for life


2. The youth leadership program can be a metaphor for life


3. Overcoming a health problem can be a metaphor for life


4. And ... a weight loss and fitness program can also become a metaphor for life.

This is what my trainer alluded to when we were talking this week. In this space, I want to draw that connection between lessons I learned while engaged in a weight loss and fitness program and how they relate to my personal and working life. There are several virtues that I'm enhancing that are transferable to my next career, whatever that will be. These are qualities that make you a winner in the eyes of your peers.

Let's examine them:

Persistence - When I set a health-related goal for myself (lose 30 lbs) and then developed an carry out a plan to achieve it (i.e. lose weight or planning to see my abs pop out), I'm doing all that I can without giving up on my plans. With the goal that I firmly set in your mind, I also have an image of a vibrant, healthy person in my mind. I want to be that person and I'll do all I can to be that person. I'm not going to give up at any cost, because that goal is meaningful to me.

Those same virtues can be exercised in the context of my working life. I want to carve out a career change and I'll do all that I can using the same principles that I bring to my time in gym after work.

Consistency - My efforts toward my weight loss must be scheduled. It is not much good if I say I will workout 3 times this week and I only make it to the gym one day during the week. It is more effective to make a date with the gym by scheduling in my calendar, not by verbally etching the dates in my head. I work with a trainer 3 evenings a week (Tuesday, Thursday and Friday evenings). I'm not a morning person. How many bloggers do you know are really morning people? If for some reason one of the dates falls through then I reschedule on another day and place it in my calendar.

When I talk about consistency, not only am I talking about similar schedules week to week, I'm also referring to consistent effort during the time I'm at the gym on a given night. As my trainer said, there are nights when I may not feel as good for some reason or another, but my effort must be the best that I can possibly give, given the circumstances.

Again, I can take the same lesssons here and apply them to my working life. If I'm to be successful in my working life, I must bring a consistent approach to work everyday to get results. My mission is to make a career change, but I must perform with consistency now with what I do today.

Communicating effectively - If my fitness goals are to progress as smoothly as planned, I must communicate effectively with my trainer. This means simply telling him where I feel pain or muscle strain after an exercise, or even if I don't feel strain. It also means telling him what I think works or what doesn't work. If I'm feeling a burn after leg extensions due to a build up of lactic acid, he needs to know this so that he can help me in developing an effective exercise plan. Reaching my fitness goals requires more than just following what he tells me to do. I must also communicate effectively with him so that he knows that the workout is, in fact, working.

Again, moving to the workplace, if I'm to be successful, I must exercise open and sometimes candid communication with managers. Open communication is effective, because it eliminates the fear of saying something that may ultimately open the doors and clear a misunderstanding.

Inspiring others - You may not believe it, but I intentionally go to the gym with one of my intentions being to inspire others around me. I feel that my mission is to be a guiding light to others who live a physical disability and God has given me the gifts to make this a reality. I bring a strong work ethic to my workouts and I believe the others see that.

Moving that ability to inspire others to the workplace can have the same effects. When I demonstrate to others my effective communication skills, I'm also demonstrating my leadership potential to the organization. My goal is to untap that potential and make more use of it to inspire others to personal greatness.

Overcoming obstacles - I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude and accomplishment when I master an exercise movement that was once considered almost impossible. Squats are a very good exercise because they effectively strengthen the muscles in your core. Before I started working with my trainer, I could barely bend my legs while standing ... then I put my hands on the back of a bench and then bent down ... then I began supporting my squats by hanging on to a pole and then squating until my gym shorts barely touched the seat ... now I'm squating with only one hand hanging on to the pole. So you can see that a move that I once considered almost impossible is now POSSIBLE given the right approach!!

Obstacles in the workplace can also be conquered with the same approach. They can't be resolved right away in some cases, but with a thoughtful plan in place, most obstacles can be eradicated over a period of time. I sit on the Employment Equity Council committee at my workplace, TD Bank. For years, companies like mine have struggled with accommodating the needs of their employees who live with physical disabilities. For example some of the staff need to have their workstations redesigned to help them manage their space in the office more effectively. Also, some staff who are sight impaired need to work with computers that allow them to view their work properly. Fortunately, these barriers are being torn down, but it doesn't happen overnight. The obstacles toward achieving an all-inclusive workplace are slowly being overcome, but it requires persistence, consistent effort, effective communication, inspiration (and some perspiration!!) to make it a reality.

I firmly believe that often the best and the most talented workers to be applied to a given project are those on the outside looking in. They are considered undiscovered talent only because they either can't make it through the front door of the office because of building structural barriers or because we fail miserably at understanding their needs and demonstrating compassion in realizing that they have a lot of expertise to share. Let us all work together to ensure that we are all given the same level of playing field to make use of our talents no matter the obstacles.

God bless all of you.

Week 4 - Why am I Doing This?

It's almost one month into my new fitness routine and already feeling better and hearing the compliments from folks.
I'll just keep eating those Tim Horton's cookies - more about that later! My favourite vice. They should be the cornerstone of a well balanced diet. I can see it now, my readers will be sending me boxes of Tim Horton's cookies to my office.

Sometimes I ask myself, "Why am I doing this?" It's a rhetorical question, but it begs a serious response. Why not just go home after work and park myself down in front of the TV and eat cheezies? A long time ago, I used to do that. I used to fall asleep in front of the TV and wake up well past midnight feeling groggy. The next day I would wake up feeling fatigued and empty inside. My weight had ballooned to 240 lbs, and while I was not in any immediate danger health wise, my blood pressure had risen in a fairly stressful job and was starting to go on medication.

Recently, I jotted down some responses to the question "Why am I doing this?"
Here is what I wrote .....

1. To add years to my life and life to my years - By putting in time at the gym now and building my stamina, I may not notice the benefits now, but certainly it should translate into a longer more rewarding years down the road. Spina Bifida is not a debilitating disability, but as I age, things are more likely to go wrong for me. My kidneys may malfunction, arthritis could set in leaving me to rely on walking aids such as wheelchair or a walker. Kidney malfunction is one of the leading causes of death in people with SB (Spina Bifida). By increasing my flexibility now through a consistent exercise program, there is a chance I can at least delay the impact of wear and tear on my body. I read on the Internet that people with Spina Bifida can live fairly normal lives, but their quality of life is only with them until they reach their 60's. I don't necessarily agree with that. I also have learned that my birth was well timed. Prior to the 1960's child with SB had a much lower rate of survival. I was inspired by a story I read about a lady in her 70's who had SB and was an accomplished pianist and recently parachuted from a plane. I have also read about a young man who was born with SB, but is now a successful personal fitness trainer and entrepreneur.
2. To make myself appear more youthful - I'm sure that it goes without saying that people who are fit will always look younger than their real age. Why look 45 when you can project the youthful enthusiasm of someone 20 years younger. For me, I call it Middle Age Crisis. But middle age crisis doesn't have to be a bad thing. There is nothing silly about delaying the aging process.


3. To increase my mobility - Everyone with SB could benefit from having more mobility to carry out everyday tasks that others may take for granted. This afternoon I tried to pick up a large pot of mums and carry them from the backyard to the front of the house by the stairs. I had difficulties keeping my balance while squatting down to pick them up and walk.


4. To appear attractive to others - When you watch your diet and weight and maintain an admirable level of fitness given your own life situation, you will be attractive to others. Physical looks have little to do with attractiveness, but when you are physically fit from the inside out, you are attractive to others. No if's, and's, or but's. If you look after yourself the natural way, you will be rewarded for your efforts. People will eventually compliment you for your appearance, as I was today. There is no vanity in making yourself look attractive to others, especially when the compliments come out of nowhere from people of the opposite sex LOL :) A few weeks ago a lady working at the desk in the fitness club called me "handsome." It made me think. It may have been a simple compliment, but a compliment to prop someone up is a powerful confidence builder.


5. To enjoy good food - When you workout regularly, your reward would be to eat your favourite food without worrying about the consequences. Life should not be about deprivation. For me, Saturday is my day to relax a little bit more and enjoy eating some foods that are probably more calorie-rich. My vice is those chewy gourmet cookies at Tim Horton's. After my Toastmasters meeting today I walked down to Tim Horton's at Dundas and had two of those nice, chewy, delicious chocolate chunk cookies - guilt-free, because I know I'll be back on track the next day.


6. To prosper - It's well known that people who are considered physically fit for their ability live prosperous, rich lives. Now, I'll leave it up to you to form your own definition of prosperity, but if you took a survey of all the folks who owned a gym membership and exercised on a consistent basis, you'll find the large number of those folks are successful entrepreneurs, people working in management level in a Fortune 500 company, or people who live otherwise successful, balanced lives.
   

Before I close this week, I wanted to comment on the importance of maintaining a good attitude when you face adversity in tasks in your professional and working life, and especially toward your fitness program.

About five years ago when I joined the club where I still presently workout, I had a personal trainer work with me for about 10 sessions to familiarize myself with the equipment. Although I had set some goals for myself then, looking back I was not ready for the experience. Perhaps I didn't know what I really wanted. I didn't push myself beyond my comfort zone and I either canceled out sessions last minute or came late. In other words, I needed an "attitude check."

This time around when I began working with a trainer, I vowed that I would not fail this time. After 16 weeks, I wanted to look back on this experience and proclaim that I was successful in reaching the goals I set out before me. When I trainer asks me to do 15 repetitions, I wanted to do it. If he asks me to do 5 more, I'll do it, no questions asked, because the difference between 15 and 20 repetitions could be a huge benefit to me.

When you carry a wholesome attitude with you and apply yourself to each and every challenge, you cannot fail!

Week 3 - Realizing What Doesn't Work

I'm not a newbie to exercise in the gym. That much you know by now. However, my progress toward my goals would have been more steady had I known then what I know now. What are my goals? I guess I should try to quantify them as much as possible. Hey, I'm analytical by nature and I work in a numbers business, for what it's worth.

If I were to set goals, I could say the following:

• To lose 25 lbs by December 31st
• To lose 5% body fat by December 31st

But I don't know if they are reasonable goals .... Perhaps you, the reader, could provide some input and inspiration here.

In my space here this weekend I would like to give you the flip side - to provide you with a litany of advice to show you what won't work if I'm to make progress to my fitness goals. Now I'm not going to suggest that everything I've done in the past 7 years has been met with total failure. Actually, I've done a lot right, having lost 50 lbs since the age of 37.

Here is my top ten list of things that haven't worked:

1. Consuming too many foods rich in carbohydrates toward the end of the day. After a workout, it is important to eat a snack rich in proteins to repair muscle fibres.
2. Not performing my exercises with a full range of motion. If you don't carry out your repetitions utilizing a full range of motion from beginning of a rep to the end, you are likely only performing half of an exercise or less, and only receiving half the benefit.
3. Avoiding exercises on the body parts that are my "weak link." For example, my weak link, of course, are my legs. In the past I would place more emphasis on upper body exercise and cardio. I would get defensive about leg exercises because of the strain placed on other parts of the body. However, if I learn to do leg exercises safely, I can eliminate that fear.
4. Those exercise gadgets you find on the Home Shopping Club. Some of them are OK, but most of them are junk and a waste of money. There have been so many gadgets produced to work your abs that the advertisments have become tiresome and a clique. I have this large abdominal machine at home that is supposed to work my abs. Instead, it takes up too much space in my house because I can't fold it down and store it away. It makes a great drying rack for laundry, though.
5. Daydreaming between sets. I used to spend too much time at the gym reliving events at work. I learned to leave my work issues at work.
6. Spending too much time at the gym. When I didn't see results I would just put more time in at the gym. I shouldn't be a slave to the gym, as the gym is there to help me reach my personal goals.
7. Using exercise machines that could be unsafe for me. I have used the stairmaster because it made me sweat readily and because it is a tough workout; however, it started to place some unsafe strain my back. Eventually, I backed off on it, and now I'm not using it at all, for now anyway.
8. Staying with the same routine for too long. It is good to be patient with a workout routine, but how patient when you don't see results over time?
9. Not getting enough sleep the night before. When I was younger, I could get by on much less sleep. However, as I get older, ample rest between routines takes on greater importance. I find that when I don't sleep well the night before, my exercise routines are simply not very effective. I tend to lack the necessary intensity. I'm turning up the AC when I have to now.
10. Waiting sports on the TV at the gym. I have often caught myself easing up on the elliptical trainer to watch a critical 5 minute stretch of play during a hockey game. With the Blue Jays and the Leafs playing below expectations, I find myself caring less about them, so maybe this a good thing.

With the guidance provided by my trainer I'm learning better workout habits and looking forward to finally seeing results as I press on the next several months. Cheers to good health!

Week 2 - Getting the right form

Just completed my first full week of my new and exciting exercise program - Tuesday, Thursday and Friday night!

Personal stats:
Age: 45
Height: 5" 8.5'
Weight: 192 lbs (hey, my home scale says only 188 - what gives?)
Body fat - 35%

Have you ever heard of the saying "No pain, no gain?" In some respects I suppose it is true. Right now, I'm feeling muscle pain that I have never felt before. Whenever I sit down I feel it in my thighs and in my butt. The quads are probably one of the largest muscles in the body, so I'm expecting some great gains down the road ........ but patience, I need patience. Actually, it is not so much pain, as it is just an ache. It hurts only when I sit down.

I went to a store this afternoon where prices were slashed up to 80% off. Now, I really hate shopping and would rather make all of my purchases on the Internet if I had a choice. But my mother thought that I really needed new pants and finally convinced me to check out this warehouse clearance centre.

Well, I came and left pant-less ... I mean, I didn't buy any pants after all. The trip to the store was not in vain. I learned that I have now dropped from a size 42 to size 36 within one year. So what's the point in buying new pants? Especially when I continue to drop pant sizes.

Now, enough about being pant-less and more on the subject of muscle ache. It appears that the reason for the muscle ache is that under the patient guidance of my trainer at Good Life Fitness Club I'm finally learning proper form and technique in my exercise program. For years I was afraid to push myself in my leg exercises and for my other exercises my form and technique definitely needed work.

With a positive attitude and commitment I will develop better exercise form habits. Form is everything! If my form continues to be poor, I ask myself what's the point in dedicating myself to 3-4 nights a week at the gym? When form is effective, you can workout less and workout smarter.

Getting the right form in my exercise routine is similar to the level of dedication that a professional athlete must achieve in order to be the best in their chosen sport. For example, a baseball player must learn the mindset of constantly adjusting their form to be able to hit major league pitching. The little things like standing too far back in the batters box, holding the shoulders too high and even stance can greatly impact the batter's ability to hit the ball, not to mention their batting statistics.

The same is true of a person when they train at the gym. Not pulling the chest out, not looking up and not breathing properly can greatly impact their training success and goals, whatever they may be. I could also go on and list other faults. In some cases, bad form and technique can also lead to injury.

Parts of my legs, especially my feet, are numb due to paralysis as a result of being born with spina bifida. If I have bad form in my leg exercises I may never know. I won't feel much pain and that is rather scary.

So you see why form is sooooooooooo important. Now enough on form. I think I have beaten this baby to death - right?

Let's briefly talk about food choices before I close this week.

As mentioned, when it comes to working out, form is everything. But when it comes to everything you do from the moment you wake up in the morning to moment you go to sleep at night, the state of your diet is said to be 80% of you.

In other words, there is no point in working out at the gym if your diet is not where it should be. I know this well. I have experienced it. I lost my first 50 lbs by just exercising regularly and without any conscious effort on improving my diet. However, it has become apparent that if I'm to reach my desired weight, I have to pay more attention to my diet.

The reason for my weight being stuck in a long, long plateau could be two-fold: 1) Up until now, I haven't pushed myself hard enough on the weights and 2) I'm consuming the wrong nutritional food groups at the wrong time of the day. We more or less touched on the first reason earlier in this blog. Lets look at the second reason.

For some reason, I like to eat cold cereal for breakfast and then I also like to eat another bowl when I get home from my workout in the evening. Most cold cereals have high protein composition, which is good. Protein helps to build and repair muscles after workouts. However, cold cereals are also high in carbohydrates. Carbohydrates provide the body with energy to carry out the day's activities and demands. They are good in the morning for breakfast, but not necessarily as desirable in the evening in a snack. After all, why do you need the energy that carbohydrates provide the body when you are just winding down for the night?

Therefore, it was recommended to me that if I wanted a good choice for an evening snack that I try cottage cheese. It is an excellent source of protein and, as mentioned earlier, protein builds muscle fibers and repairs muscle strain after a workout. Personally, until last night, I had never eaten cottage cheese in my entire life, and I thought I would gag on it . It was recommended to me that I try the fruit bottom cottage cheese by Nordica. Well, when I ate some last night, I must confess that it tasted almost like fruit yogourt. You know, I can actually learn to like cottage cheese, just like a future good friend that was recommended to me but I shunned him or her because they weren't to my liking at the time.

Well, that's enough on food talk for today. I'm sure that I will talk more about food choices in the near future as I learn about them.

If you are interested in knowing, my choices of topics each week will be based on recurring themes that I encounter every week in my fitness journey and through knowledge passed on by my trainer.

Talk to you later!