Old Bikes from the attic -- part 1

 

This post is hardware related

There is nothing fitness or diet related here , -- nor is it related to time management , or any of the other concepts I like to wax poetically about
     This will be photo heavy, but

I took a walk down memory lane recently when I pulled a few bicycles out of an early grave --- all of these mean a little something to me , and I will spend a little bit of time yacking away


Why? --- Its New Years Eve and I'm bored ---   I'm not a party guy anymore -- In the past I have spent New YEars Eve with friends out of state, but this year I am home --- today was a solid workout day with some decent spin bike and rower time, plus a mountain bike ride -- I'll probably be in bed by 10 -- LOL , so much for Mr Excitement

anyway -- the inspriration for tonight's post came while I was riding ---- I was contemplating how I was going to build (re-build) an old warhorse of mine

 

 

Warhorse number 1--- Nishiki Linear time trial bike --- this bike was seldom used, but roughly replicated the pursuit position I had on my pursuit track bike --- this thing is as painful to ride as it is to look at ---- it is very rare, but sadly , is in the category of  "rare, but nobody cares"  --  Funny bikes are seldom used anymore , and , while I would like to restore this someday, its not a top priority

 

 

Centurion Sport DLX  ------ this is my brother's Christmas present, 1989 I think ----- why Is it a big deal to me?  It is the first bike I put any road miles on ---- I started out mountain biking as training for MX, but quickly learned that road cycling was a much more efficient and faster way to hurt yourself, -------  so I borrowed my brothers bike as much as I possibly could  ---  My first real road racing bike is long gone, but this one remains ---its not light, or trendy, but its a solid, honest road machine that could still serve somebody well

 

This is the one I am going to recycle  ---  I have gone through the suspension era, the disc brake era, and now the alternate wheel size generation --- I went riding today and I literally had the only 26" wheeled bike out there
  -- that makes no difference to me -- if the bike was fast in 1994, its still going to be fast today ---
Maybe 10 or 15 years ago, when the world started moving away from bikes like this and going towards full suspension (which is lovely)  People put a bunch of these on the shelf - or did single speed conversions (something else that got popular 10 years ago)

Well, I threw this one on the scale and decided it needed to get recycled ---  17 lbs 13 oz in largely complete form for a single speed, just missing the bars and cables ----- but I'm guessing 21 pounds with shifters and derailleurs and all that ---  with a very pedestrian parts spec
    This frame is pretty cool,  but I thrashed it unmercifully in the mid 90's   --- I also tossed it away without a thought  ----  but that scale reading shocked me,  so it will get rescued
   - There are days when a very simple hardtail can be appreciated,  -- thinking with some decent wheels, lighter bottom bracket setup and tires,  this rascal can some in under 17 #'s a full rigid single speed,  or possibly be in the 21-22# range with a lightweight suspender fork and a SRAM 1x11 setu ----- either way would be silly light , even by todays standards ---------  so cool to be a steel frame to boot




here's the pics








Scale reading of MArin Team bike in partially complete single speed state

 

 

 Pic of the bike ---  doesn't look too special , admittedly

 

 Team MArin, with beat to stuff paint job

 

 

 

 

These are some darn trick cantilever brakes for the day -- 1 finger stoppies are easy,  but they will squeak if only a bit out of tune -- either going to run a carbon fork with disc adapters, or a Magura hydraulic setup as a substitute

 

 An old White Brothers crankset -- with the granny and the big taken off for the old single conversion--- serious style points,  but a later model Shimano crank and external bottom bracket will have less flex and weight

 This is some crude stuff --- just an old Shimano hub with a bunch of spacers and a single cog  -- plus a KORE chain slap device --- wheels are pretty darn pedestrian-- White Brothers makes a concentric axle hub if I want to stick with the single speed theme,   --------- the finish on this frame is definitely beat, but no dents  ------ for a frame nearing 20 years old, I just call them beauty marks

 

 

 

 Tange Ultimate Prestige  -- a brief clue that this may not be an ordinary bike store bike---  rock chips from some screaming downhills --- a couple down in SE Oklahoma that heated the rims up so much it popped the tubes on one ride  (big POW -- then the handling goes immediately to heck -- LOL)

 

 

 This frame is full of obscure details like this  -- cable stops on the head tube to ensure the length of the housing is as short as possible , to get the last 9/10th of shifting potential out of your components---  but most of the frame's secrets are hidden -- you don't know its anything cool at all until you pick it up

 

 

 

 

That's it ---------  the MArin will be my winter project I think and I'd like to hit the trails with it in a couple of months ---- it doesn't look like it needs much, and it basically doesn't,  but the crap it needs costs' plenty  ----  I might do the bare minimum and bomb the course around here with a 20 pound singlespeed  ---------  ,  its a project that would likely only get used a couple of times a year,  but the times its used will be memorable 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for putting up with the garage tour  ---- happy New Year  ----  I don't expect many to have barns and attics full of bikes, but some judicious use of Craigslist and Ebay may get you a similar project if your of a mind to------  I'm going to update this accordingfly as I keep cleaning out my attics and various storage areas  --- I don't consider myself a cyclist anymore, but it was a very important part of my life for a couple of decades

 

 

Peace --

New Years Eve

HEre we are again --- about to kiss 2013 goodbye and  and head into 2014 !

We can often think of the year as a baseball diamond --- broken up into 4 quarters, with the most exciting for many of us being the last quarter --- heck, most of our major holidays are in the last quarter

So the anticipation of getting to home plate as you are halfway down the stretch from 3rd to home is high,  and now , we have figuratively already begun the slide and are stretching for the plate

How did you run this year?  Just limp from bag to bag so you can cross the plate in a gentlemanly fashion after you hit it out of the park, like Barry? 
-- or are you sliding in face first, kicking up a contrail of dust as you go, with the 3rd baseman breathing down your neck?  

        

                                         Look how happy BArry is -- he had a GREAT year !

Rose is more like a mad bull

 

 

 

 

 

 If you hit it out of the park this year,  - congratulate yourself on a fine one  --- but if you hit it off the back wall and it was still in play, - I'm hoping you were able to show a bit of hustle,  make the bases - and destroy the catcher as you hit the plate

Make him wish he didn't even suit up that day, because you're letting him know the year is over , and the next one coming up may still be a struggle , but you're going to hit it just as hard


Stay safe tonight folks, -- don't drink too much,   -- and get ready to attack a new year all over again like this guy  -----  Only difference is its not frowned upon to bet on yourself

 

 

 

- Doug

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Built, not Bought

Built, not Bought

This is a popular little catchphrase from the hot-rodder crowd ----  basically,  there is a certain sense of pride hobbyists get when they build their machines from the ground up starting with a forgotten old relic, and having a hand in every phase of re-construction, if not outright doing every phase themselves
  
Another one is the pride people get by actually driving their toys to the various cruise-ins , shows, races, etc. that you go to enjoy these symbols of American decadence  --- "Hell, I drove it here ! ",  and "not a trailer queen "



I'll offer a counterpoint
   I like a sweet ride too, but I'm not going to be-grudge a guy who spent his formative years learning other things , and then later had the disposable income from  who-knows-what to research and buy his dream hot rod for 50k -- the car didn't build itself, - somebody still had to build it

And as for the trailer queen thing? -- The cab of my truck is a heckuva lot nicer place to spend 5 or 600 miles than the cockpit of my personal cruise machine.  It can sit quite nicely on a trailer for all I care

There are even separate car show categories for "Pro-Build" cars and "Unlimited" cars

What are you paying for?  -- Its the expertise of a builder , or a team of builders who has already spent thousands of hours welding, sanding, spraying, taping, and wrenching who can turn out a beautiful machine in 4 months that an average hobbyist may never be able to achieve on their own
   They've already learned things the hard way, made mistakes and paid their dues

There is always an overall trophy at these car/motorcycle events --- the little guys can battle it out in their respective categories, but the overall trophy nearly always goes to a "Pro-build" machine --- and just like everything else, few outsiders remember who or what came in 2nd

Where am I going with this?  I don't really know myself sometimes, I just start writing and hope something will come together midway through ---- LOL

I do know this though ------- As exercise enthusiasts, practitioners, coaches, and competitors, our results fall more along the lines of a  "built, not bought" strategy .

There is nobody out there who can make you do the things that will make you succeed with your program (unless you are a recruit in the Armed Forces -- you can still quit there if you want to also )

Decades ago, they used to advertise machines that supposedly did the work for you -- pushing and pulling your body in different directions, and even those big leather strap devices that shook the heck out of you -- none really worked  ---  they were the equivalent of diet pills for today's generation

You do have to get on your bike, lace up the running shoes, put on the lifting gloves, jump in the pool, pop in a Sweatin' to the Oldies tape, flip tractor tires  or do the myriad other variety of things that gets you going and contributes to furthering your goals

Unlike the investment banker who buys a sweet '34 Ford and starts collecting trophies at car shows,  you can't buy your way into success with this aspect of life.   This is where work ethic and a savvy game plan come into play

There are some parallels with coaching -- yes, you can buy help, advice and mentorship with any number of coaches, dietitians,  trainers, etc. -- this part compares with my Pro-build philosophy a bit, - part of the reason you pay these people (and me, should this become a more viable pursuit for me) is because we've made the mistakes,  had successes and failures, researched and followed the 10,000 hour rule, whether we knew it or not  ---

but -- (and this is the big but) - the trainer does not do the work for you.   In today's hectic world, you may not even meet your trainer face to face but once or twice a year - if that.   This is where accountability comes into play
   You can lie to your coach in an email ---  "Yeah coach, I did 45 minutes in Zone 2 today, followed by intervals , then some strength work"

But you cant lie to yourself --- if you took a training day and instead chose to go on a pleasure mountain bike ride with some pals and stayed in Zone 3 and rode tempo all day,  then that's a ruined day --   sure, if your a beginner, there may be some utility in just getting out and going for a ride, and its not going to hurt you physically, but  too many instances like this will begin to show a weakness of character , as you are not only lying to a person you are paying  to help hold you accountable,  you are also somehow justifying it in your own mind that -   "Its ok, just this once"

There are exceptions, -- 2 or 3 weeks into a regimented program and your mind and body can start "locking up" a little to the point where you have to give yourself a break --- its ok to discuss this with your trainer -- as it may be a symptom of over-training , and that leads to burnout
     Let your guy know you need to take an active rest day and describe the reasoning -- If it is a build up of soreness that doesn't dissipate, or you are sleeping too much, or too little  (there are more issues , but I cant cover them all in this format)  - it may mean you need to skip the grind of the regimented workout and go for a nature hike instead, or go for a mountain bike ride, or something else that brings a little bit of fun back into the program for the day
     Keeping your trainer in the loop  lets them know how they may need to tweak the program for you in the coming weeks  --- if the volume is too high at first, a handful of these active rest days a month can be helpful



I'm rapidly running out of time to continue writing today and my train of thought is starting to wander ---  so I am going to close it out with a thought or two about New YEars   ---   which will be here in just 2 or 3 short days


     When most of us decide we need to make a change in our lives, we usually have a certain premise that underlies our decisions. I will do (fill in the blank) when everything lines up. I'll go on a diet and get fit after the New Year, -- after my birthday, -- after vacation. -- when I can afford the time and equipment --- whatever and whenever

Always "when" or "if" or "tomorrow."

Tomorrow never seems to get here, does it? We really base our chances of success on a rarely arrived at goal. If you want to be successful in any new adventure,  you are going to have to shift the paradigm.     

      This is intended to be a blog about healthy living, (with some sidetracks thrown in) - but I really think that idea can be applied to much more than just diet and exercise.  Maybe you need to go back to school, start a business, tell somebody you love them, spend more time with your kids, ----I don't know ,   there is no better time than the present to turn up the heat in your life


----- Doug

Christmas Day -- short and sweet

Christmas Day -- short and sweet

My family and I celebrated Christmas on Christmas Eve pretty much- due to the many divergent paths everyone takes on the day itself, -- a small dinner, opening gifts, exchanging stories, all that

This allowed me to sleep in a bit today, so I did -----

--- after a hazy, lazy start to the day, I decided my caboose was too sore to do 45 minutes on the spin bike,  and with a few obligations looming for the afternoon, I told myself I would just do a brisk 2k on the rower, then go do some other Christmas related stuff ---

I typically start a rowing session with the damper set on 1 to serve as a warmup, but 3 minutes in, the time was looking good, so paused a few seconds and turned it to 5, --- Keeping my eye on the 500m split time, I  thought I was looking good , so at about the 5 minute mark, I told myself to  -  "Hold on -- we're going for it !"
   ----- a few minutes later and I was staring at my new 2k PR  (9:40)  ----  granted, this isn't a time that will astound anyone , -- kind of in the "not fast, but not slow either" category, -- kind of like a 7 minute mile for a runner     -- but seemed like a tough hill to climb back when a 2k was in the 12 minute range

---- so pretty happy with that result cold with no warm up, -- and I did an extra 3k at a slow pace just to add a little more duration to my workout

  -- Curious thing, my max effort single 500m time has usually been pretty good and I have it down to sub 2 minutes, but haven't been able to extend such an effort for another 6 minutes at that pace


 ----------  Rest of the day was spent messing around with preparing a turkey  ---  meal frequency was thrown out the window today .   I spent so much time messing around in the afternoon tending to food, I didn't take time to eat anything ---

  Dinner I stuck to the same principles I outlined in the Holiday Eating blog entry from a few days back
    Just a plate of turkey and "light" Mac 'N Cheese (kind of an oxymoron, but 2% cheese was used to prepare- still a boatload of calories to be sure)  ------  No dessert tonight, since it was kind of a late dinner,  but I left the option of a midnight snack in there just in case --- but as im writing this, its close to midnight and I have no desire for pie

So that was it, and I guess that's that for Christmas Day 2013.

Set a 2k rowing PR and roughly stayed true to my own holiday eating guidelines (except I blew it on staying fueled throughout the day otherwise )

Given the current state of my personal fitness, I cant think of a better present to give myself,  -- and I hope anybody reading this had as good a day  , no matter how they spent it

Merry Christmas and Feliz NAvidad

- Doug

"you wouldnt put 87 octane in your ferrari? " - etc.

"you wouldnt put 87 octane in your ferrari? "

I heard this zinger the other day from a vegetarian and a running enthusiast---- 

He's partially right    -- but I don't have a Ferrari  (it would be cool though )

Truth be told, Mr Veggie-matic running enthusiast has never seen a 40 minute 10-k time either, so he is also not a "Ferrari"

I'm taking a bit of artistic license with these analogies, so if you are a serious auto enthusiast, you may groan and shake your head,  but that's not what this is about

     The real "Ferraris" in the world can operate on junk gas ---- did any of you see that story about Michael Phelps' diet before the 08 Olympics?  -- He's winning gold medals on what a lot of armchair quarterbacks would consider a sub par diet -- but he needed massive amounts of calories daily to support his workouts, and its hard to get 7 or 8k of calories a day on celery and hummus

      Another example is a popular NFL running back once remarked to an ESPN commentator off handedly that his post workout meal was a Muscle Milk and a big order of chicken nuggets .
       

Personally, I'm not a Ferrari, --- right now, if I had to make an automotive comparison, I would probably be closer to an F-150 (which is what I drive anyway)

Mr VEggie 10k man I would equate to a V-6 Camaro .   Snappy and good performing , sure, but far below an elite category

Here is where all this automotive speak starts coming into play  --- but its flip flopped

The real Ferrari needs good fuel -- its compression ratio demands it , - plus, if your paying 200k for a car, who cares what the gas cost
  --- But the Ferrari's of the athletic world seemingly do just fine on 85 octane Pemex (that's Mexican gas) and lots of it .    They occupy the rarefied air of performers that measure improvement in fractions of a percentage point.   Eating like my running friend wont make them 5% better, or even 2% better and in fact may have detrimental effects in the short run

In the auto world , Camaros and F-150's don't need pump premium gas --- if its designed to run on 87, filling it with 92 wont do  a thing for it ----
   ---- but the Camaro's and F-150's and Accords of the athletic world , on the other hand, will benefit much more from "race gas" -  a regimented  nutrition ---- My amateur running friend is on the mark there --

          If  Mr Superstar is over-served the night before a big game , he may not perform as well as he should -- but he's 26 or 27 years old, has amazing genetic recuperative ability, and can run a 4.3 forty yard dash ----- and 4.5 if he's hung over
  
    If a 45 year old factory worker or office manager is over served Friday night , he may not be able to even make the gate for a 9AM start time at his event

"Race gas" is a regulated and regimented system of eating that will ensure you are getting a consistent flow of nutrients through your body to avoid crashes, help you rest better, and , hopefully, jump start a sluggish metabolism
       There is a pretty good intangible benefit that is hard to measure but cant be ignored too, -- and that's the feeling of contentment you may have from treating yourself right

There are tons of  good diet strategies out there  (Paleo, South Beach, and 40-30-30 are some that come the closest to getting it right)  But even within a good diet plan , attention has to be paid to meal frequency and if your busy, its hard to eat  5 or 6 meals a day of solid food,  so snacks and supplementation with meal replacements is sometimes a good way to go
  
          People can argue day and night about which plan is best -- but really, the best plan is the one that you attack with conviction, dedication and with no hesitancy

   That applies to a lot of things ------  and its tough ,  doubly tough if you're on the road,   but the road to greatness can be long, narrow and winding -- its not a 50 foot wide highway for everyone --- if you mess up one day, go ahead and kick yourself in the gonads for acting silly, but get right back on the program the next day

As for me, if given a choice, I'll take the Race Gas,  but since its December 23rd , I'm probably going to supplement the high test stuff with a piece of cherry pie sometime today too   :)


Merry Christmas









  

Passion

The earlier  postings  (I prefer to call them manifestos)  can be viewed pretty easily   by switching this page from Classic view  -- to  Magazine view, Flipcard View or  Sidebar  view , in the top left of the page   --------         as well as connecting through my website ,    Fitclaimspro.com ,   Here , all entries are displayed in order from newest down to oldest

Not a lot of actual execution on the business side of things , as there are still a few kinks to be worked out,  but I  truly enjoy writing and sharing some of the philosophies that I have abided by and, with enough membership, possibly a discussion forum can be opened up to bounce some ideas around

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   This morning I was pondering the subject of passion ---- its hard to use the term "passion" when you think about someone grilling up a family pack of chicken to feed himself for the next 4 days (passionately grilling ) - ,  or passionately flipping a tractor tire (passionate tire flipping) , or passionately riding your trainer for 40 minutes while watching sportcenter

   Its a funny word to be sure,  -- but I'm obviously not talking about the relationships we have with our lady friends (or gentlemen friends)  in this website -- i'll leave that to the capable (and passionate?) hands of Dr Phil McGraw

  The passion I'm talking about is the passion a person has bundling up and getting outside, or getting down to the gym , when every fiber of your body says "stay in bed" ---
  --- attacking your day like a bear swatting a salmon out of a river
 When you get mad just thinking that somebody half a country away is potentially doing more than you, or is riding faster than you, - so you correspondingly ride faster, lift more, go to bed earlier , avoid poor food choices  -----
 --- all so you can show up at first race of the season and sheepishly say if asked  "eh........... haven't been doing much, - I really just dusted the bike off a couple days ago "
        Then you make everyone else hurt bad, because that's what you did to yourself in the off-season

Passion courts greatness,  but greatness courts failure*  -  Too much rampant enthusiasm can lead to burnout

Passionate people can do great things, but without a solid plan for long term success,  the passion will burn like a shooting star, then can just as quickly burn out and plummet back to earth like a dead meteor

Passion can also be misguided and shallow --- this is common .    People can be like frogs, hopping from one lilypad to the other , constantly looking for that one thing that can make them happy

My take on passion regarding our fitness pursuits is that its a valuable attribute when it can be harnessed somewhat
 -- attacking every day with wild eyed and crazy fervor is great for a while, but eventually you have to settle into a more manageable, more consistent routine to keep the burn out to a minimum

And here is where I can draw a parallel ----   Its much like the beginnings of a relationship,  where at first, you're crazy about each other, enjoy talking to each other and think about that other person all the time
   This transitions into a longer, more drawn out comfort zone with your other party -- ideally, your admiration, respect and love for her/him continues to grow  even if you don't feel like talking on the phone or even going out in public with them anymore
   The litmus test of a relationship is not how it is doing at month 3 or month 6, but how it is doing at year 5, 10, 15, etc.

Basically, how sustainable is the relationship  === and how sustainable is your fitness plan

Initially, someone may feel like riding their new bike 400 miles a week, or rowing their new Concept 2  60,000 meters a week,  lift weights 3 hours a day , etc.  --- but these are not sustainable practices for many and if the transition is not skillfully made into a longer term relationship, burnout occurs,  and that is when your bikes, rowers, gym cards etc, start collecting dust

Same with a relationship -- many don't make it past the transition area when the buzz wears off and you start getting comfortable with each other
   - "I'm bored with you"
      "You're no fun anymore",  "Its not you, its me"
      "This isn't workin' out, Dalton "**    etc etc etc

This segue ways me into my next rant about new years




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 Right now we are deep into the Christmas season,  - a week out from the big day .   then comes New Years .    Right now , all the gyms and fitness emporiums are gearing up, because the first Monday after NEw YEars, they are going to get hit hard by well meaning folk who want to change
     People have taken stock in their lives , and want to do better


They excitedly show their wives/husbands/ etc brochures from cool places like Cabo or Bermuda and proclaim that they are going !  As soon as they are fit, tanned and swimsuit ready

  Go into any gym that 2nd week of January  (Mondays are typically the busiest days at any gym any time of year)  -- look around ,  - fast forward to April, 80% of those folks will be gone and you'll be left with the same 20-30 guys/gals that were there back in November

By June , the teeming masses are still chubby, pale and weak  ---- only this time, its like a cocktail -- a cocktail of chubby, pale, weak, and a liberal dusting of failure around the rim     --- your dreams of going on a cool vacation are dashed because you are still an ugly piece of shit ,  so just pack up the mini van and your fat fuck kids , sigh and go to Branson instead

      Your mind wanders a bit ---  You imagine yourself in your cabana getting into those size 34's you haven't been a ble to fit into for 8 years,  while your beautiful Miss parades around in a sarong to the admiring eye of many -- you meet her out front to enjoy some hot Jamaican days (and hotter nights) -- and mee-maw has graciously taken the kids for 2 weeks   -- Life is good - damn good !

     But instead --- your fat, pimply ass is staying in a fly infested time share/log cabin type of thing with 90% Missouri humidity -- while your wife that you don't appreciate anymore (and secretly are beginning to hate because she has fat calves ) goes shopping with your brat kids at some factory outlet mall,  and afterwards you have plans to go see Ray Stevens . 
         All the Glenlivet in the world can't wash away that kind of shame  -----  oh, wait a second, -- you're in Branson -- that means your too poor for Glenlivet, so you get Cutty Sark instead ,  not that you'd know the difference



So be careful with the New YEars Resolutions folks    -    By June or July , it would be much nicer to sip Pina' Coladas and Red Stripes  than Cutty Sark poured into a dingy hotel glass

* quote attributed to Roy McAvoy - Tin Cup
** quote attributed to BRad Wesley - from the greatest movie of all time - Roadhouse

Character - Its what you do when no one is looking

Character - Its what you do when no one is looking



What are your addictions, attractions, goals, needs, demons,  etc ?

The quote above is an old one --- I like good quotes  ----   Why?   Because there is very little truly new and revolutionary information out there

Common sense transcends generations though -----

The generation who went to WW1 and 2 would have a lot to offer today  --- they were told to conserve ammunition - you never know how many enemies you have to kill today and how far behind the re-supply truck (in WW1 , it may have been a mule drawn wagon) is

Today's generation refers to enemies as "Tangoes" and other cool nomenclature picked up from video games   ---- plus , they waste more ammo per kill than at any point in history according to a study on ammo availability and the supply chain not too long ago ---  while yesterdays generation got jobs and dealt with the horrors of war with Jack Daniels and the occasional fishing weekend with Army buddies -- today's generation wastes ammo, (in Vietnam it was said to be 50k rounds per kill -- today it is more) - sulks about how bad stuff is,  then returns home with an alcohol problem and PTSD and demands to be called a "hero" -----    well, go expend 100,000 more rounds of 5.556 and comeback with 2 more scalps -- then we'll work on your hometown parade, - hero
  - congratulations - you're unemployable and  more of a detriment to society than an asset

The "waste not,want"  not generations had a lot they could show todays turds.

There were people who worked hard at factory jobs who retired at a reasonable age and paid off their houses early with the help of a strong back, overtime, and a goal oriented household

Today, our young to middle age adults are tech savvy, sure, -- we have knowledge about a wide variety of things in general -  but where is the backbone ?  Where is the ability to delay gratification and resist temptation for the greater good?

Sure, your quarter million dollar house is impressive , so is your Cadillac, and all the shit that is inside both ----- but lets break it down ---

You bought your stupid house in 2007 when the market was rockin'  --- now the damn thing is worth 60k or more  less than you owe on it ,   ---- oh, and the Caddy?  its a lease , you will never own it .    Your furniture is on a 3 year note , the pool is on a 10 year, and your mistresses' fake titties? -- yep, you owe 18 months more on those too --- and she has moved on to someone cooler than you now --- someone who the National Credit Bureaus has deemed worthy of borrowing even more money than you

Gramps, or 'ol uncle Stink-Finger worked their butts off to make sure their wives didn't have to --- chances are they took a lot of pride in the 1100 sf , 3 bedroom they scraped to pay off early.    Mrs Stinkfinger made sure the kids had meals, kept the checkbook balanced and helped the house run harmoniously while Mr S worked his job and was thankful for any O/T he could get.  
     You would never catch a wage earner 30 years ago skipping work to attend an elementary school dance recital or basketball game --- today, you get douchebags showing up for a school play at 10am wearing cargo shorts and a hoodie -------  pussies - that's what the wives do
      You'd never catch a man farting around with a cell phone, texting stupid pics or LOL'ing it up either   (yes, I've done this , but my dad never did )


     What does all that above have to do with the general theme of my blog and website?  --  easy , our country in general had more character 40 years ago than it does today --- sure, everyone smoked, ate potroast at every meal, and many other things like that,   - but they still managed to get stuff done

       Having a high amount of character means you will not cave in on the diet until cheat day -- it means you're not skipping your workout, (unless your fire department reserve unit requires you to go rescue kittens from trees --- then you can skip it )

It means that although we are all slightly stupid, wildly selfish, nincompoops in a lot of areas,  we can still put it aside and recognize that we are in charge of a pretty serious machine.

Even if the stock market tanks and I lose part of my nest egg,  - my cool house is falling apart, and the repo men are hooking up the Caddy , I still have the body God gave me to take care of

       As humans , we have to realize that even the smallest of little dogs laughs at how slow we are.   Kitty cats mock our agility, and a barnyard donkey or horse snickers when it thinks of how much weight it can move compared to us,   --- but the human machine is more complex than that -- it is a problem solving organism
    
    And we need to strive to become the best examples of ourselves that we possibly can be

Even if you're down on your luck, realize that is only a temporary condition, and that although your pockets may be low on the green candy, you are piloting a machine that is priceless ,   don't take it for granted  -----------
  ------------- to be continued
   
   

Dietary pitfalls -- on the road or at home

You don't have to be on the road to blow the roof off your program  ---- these are just a few examples , although some of these foods are very tasty

This is not rocket science though,  every body knows that nothing good will come of it if they cross the threshold of a WaffleHouse or a pizzeria ----  all too often we make excuses to justify throwing good sense out the window

"I've been good all week !  -- I deserve to be naughty today "    - OK, if being naughty means stuffing your fat face with rich german food and heaping goblets of ale, then have at it , slim

enjoy the pics -- I may update this periodically as I compile more pics





Breakfast is the most important meal of the day --

----    Go ahead and get it started at a breakfast diner ---

          --- On the right is an omelette, left is some kind of fried potato dish  -- with an extra saucer of buttered white toast (might be wheat - cant tell)

You're not committing too many sins with an egg white omelette like this -- but if you don't need the extra carbs,  would be best to substitute something better for the potatoes and toast





Its been a long day ---- what better way to cap it off than with some serious pie? 

I got no answer on a substitution here, -- I love pizza ---- best thing to do is make it a "obce every coupla weeks" proposition so you don't feel deprived -- as well,  a  real pizzeria type place usually does pizza by the slice  --- go there, eat your 1-2-3 slices , and go home.   Ordering a whole pie just encourages bad eating for 2 days , not just one

 

 

There are 2 types of tacos --- fake tacos and real tacos -- fake tacos are the type we most associate ,  Taco Bell, Taco Mayo, Taco Casa, - and many others  ----- again, like the pizza, if you like this stuff, make it a once every coupla weeks thing , or set aside a cheat day  ---- a corn taco shell has no gluten, but its fried, and the meat is "mystery beef" usually  -- but if I'm only straying every couple of weeks , i'll likely blow it up with something more than a taco combination platter

 

  Real tacos --- pictured below-- doubled up corn tortilla, some Carne Asada, chicken or pork, sprinkled with cilantro and onions  ----  If you can deal with the carbs from the tortillas, you could pretty easily fit these into a decent meal program  ----  probably leave off the Millers though

 

No big secrets here,  unless you have a dentist on payroll and also love to spike your blood sugar up and down like its in an elevator

 Birthday cake ----- if its yours , its only once a year - enjoy !   If you get sucked into 2 office birthday parties a week, -- there's no shame in taking a small piece to be polite, then leave it on a co-workers desk and duck out quietly

Almost anything from a German restaurant is decadent --- top is beef tips with beef gravy on a bed of spinach pasta and asparagus

 What the Germans call stew ---- the stew is served in the middle of a pasta bowl

 

 

 

Again,  same thing -- every coupla weeks , give yourself a nice meal -----  but not 3 nice meals !   You have to pick your poison  -- Do you want pizza, German food, tex-mex?  The sky's the limit within reason

I've heard the  "Its only a cookie" excuse before  ,  or  - "Its just one MEllo Yello - I can be a little naughty "

  ----  lets see, either a cookie or a Mello Yello has 150 calories --- 150 times 365 days in a year is   54,750 additional calories per year --- divided by 3000, as roughly 3000 calories is a pound,  we have 18.25 pounds
     18.25 pounds !     Go ahead, be "naughty" -- you know who's not though?  -

 Tom Brady's not,  neither is the age group champion in your racing division, nor the fittest guy on your group ride ,  -- their not being naughty every day

Eating like a champion eventually will become ingrained behavior

Specialized behavior in sport and life

Cross Fitters puff their chests up and proudly proclaim --- "We beat the specialists at their own game " 
     "I placed 5th in a 10-k last month wearing British Knights basketball shoes !"   --   "so and so won a powerlifting meet - didn't even wear a lifting shirt  " 
  and on and on and on

I'm not badmouthing crossfit --- its just the rampant desire to NOT be a specialist at anything that I find unsettling --- but then again, my sports background involves things that require a high degree of specialization,  so I don't understand why somebody would want to be "pretty good" at many things, when that energy could be better spent on striving for excellence at just a couple of things

Lets take homebuilding as a comparison  --- crossfit would have us become "general contractors" with our bodies and workout plans --lots of different mundane tasks that require proficiency, but not excellence.
    Being a good homebuilder requires many many more skills than just being a good carpenter  -----

but lets compare the homebuilder to the guy who regularly whips out a spokeshave to put the finishing touches on a Windsor chair - whose Japanese chisel set alone costs more than many make in a month (and he keeps them in a monogrammed denim tool roll)

The homebuilder who specializes in nothing lives a good life, and most people would rate him as a "solid individual" , - he has built himself the trappings of moderate success, -- decent house, great family, ability to tithe his 10% -- etc etc etc

But the fine furniture maker who wields his spokeshave  like a samurai sword and can make a mortice/tenon joint like a champ,  -- this gentleman can live with the accolades normally reserved for royalty and rockstars --- silent applause following him everywhere he goes

Who does everybody want to party with at the end of the day?  Well that's painfully obvious.

There are degrees of specialization --

Don may be an awesome plumber and is widely regarded in the industry as "the best stool man in town "  -- but he also will never have the accolades that the guy who makes 6  hand hewn dining room tables a year gets.

Specialize in something mundane and it is almost as bad as trying to do everything at once --- sure, the world may need you and your services -- but you will never score a date with Lindsey Lohan and Kim Basinger (on the same night) like a fine woodworker does


Obviously I am taking a bit of comedic license with my comparisons, but there will be people who read this who look deep into their hearts and know that I am right ------  others will say that I am wrong and also a tad nuts

    Its because there's no true right or wrong answer - everybody has to make the decision for themselves how they want to pursue their goals and what the end product should be

A poor worker blames his tools -- part 2

Part 2

By now, you've likely noted that I am using the word "tools" as a metaphor for the intangible skills and desire you need to accomplish your fitness goals  -- part 2 will be breaking down these common excuses



Regarding blaming your tools for failure -- 5 common  examples Imentioned yesterday:

"I don't have time to cook"
"I don't have time to get to the gym"
"I'm tired when I get done with work at night"
"my schedule is so tight, I don't stop to eat"
"Its Friday, i'll pick up where I left off on Monday"


1)  - I don't have time to cook  ---  this can be a biggie when your on the road for sure -- in an earlier post, I mentioned having access to a kitchenette, or at minimum, a microwave and  a mini fridge--- even if all this fails -- there are ways around it. 
     A popular chain restaurant has a dish that is pretty simple  -- mainly just pasta, and a seasoned, grilled chicken breast, with a veggie medley on the side

   The process of going into a restaurant, sitting and waiting, then eating and waiting some more for your check is a time suck for sure and negates the statement of "I don't have time to cook" -- if you have time to do that, you likely have time to whip something up for yourself ---- but there is another component, and that is having food on hand to whip up
     If its a longer term deal and you will be there for a while,  you will encounter a market of some type to get the raw materials you need-- just stop in one day on your way back to the hotel with a list and a clear vision of what you need- you should be in and out in 15 minutes

    But back to where I was going with restaurants ---- Most have a "to Go" or takeaway setup -- don't call this order in, as you will confuse the person on the phone, you have to go in to do this and possibly speak to a manager ,   --
-  but ask them to put together a package that includes the equivalent of 3 servings of pasta, 7 chicken breasts and the equivalent of 5 servings of the veggie medley --- and request the pasta and veggies not be tossed with extra oils or butter -- get a couple of cups of butter on the side if you anticipate a need,  the stuff you add will be far less than what gets mixed in during preparation
  -- they'll throw in the plasticware too

There - you're set for 3-4 days and you only had to go in once, not 4 times
Breakfast can ideally be handled in the hotel if they have a breakfast option, but if not --- and if it truly is just for a few days, you'll survive with 2 big scoops  of protein powder in a blender bottle and a couple of pieces of fruit

Between meal snacks in the truck can be handled out of your cooler, -- my suggestion would be fruit purloined from the hotel breakfast bar if handy,  along with one of the small Nutri Grain bar type bars -- these are high in carb percentages, but the sizes and calories are generally low, so their impact on your energy levels should be minimal

Be aware of your surroundings -- if you see a local shop in your travels that does wraps or Panini's -- stop in, but don't get one meal, get 2 -- eat one, keep the rest in your cooler forlater (tell them to put lettuce/sauces etc in separate packaging because you are going to eat it later -- this has never been a problem for me)

All of this I mentioned is a bit of a PIA at first until it becomes ingrained behavior , and it will after awhile  -- you will start keeping a soft side
cooler handy and pack that in the truck every morning along with your other gear ---- but it works, and will keep you on a 3-4 hour meal schedule

Pics below :


You may or may not want to pack a juicer -- but its a way to make a whole lot of veggies portable -- fill a shaker with the results to keep in your cooler

These 2 pics are little quick meals from Trader Joes --- top is a pre made chicken breast - either munch down by itself or with some sides  --- bottom is just some veggie stuffed shells, (sometimes you need carbs - what can I say) ------ you just need  a microwave and a mini fridge for this type of action

Spaghetti, meat sauce with the best meat you can get ---- sometimes a simple plate like this can make you happy and snap you out of the doldrums of being on the road

Somedays, you may not hit your goals exactly --- but you still need a multi vitamin and I also take plenty of Vitamin C

 

MEals don't get much easier than a pre-made salad with some warmed up chicken bits tossed on top

 Like the spaghetti plate, you likely need an actual place to cook  to whip up stuffed peppers,  but if you have a kitchenette or an extended stay -- these are a great mood enhancer and skips the carbs the spaghetti plate would have

 Something like this is a nice package to keep in the truck's cooler  ---  even if your out for hours, you can stay fortified  --- calorie content is not high and the pineapple and blueberries release pretty fast acting natural sugars, so try to have some protein on hand to balance it out if possible

2:  I Don't have time to get to the gym :  -     I've made suggestions such as adjustable dumb bells ,  using the hotel facilities, and others,  but even in maintenance mode, you need at least 20-30 minutes of solid activity a day (with an occasional day off) --  get a heart rate monitor to ensure you are not going too easy,  bundle up a little then get in a walk if you can
    If walking is not an option due to weather or location, then 15-20 minutes of calisthenics  and body weight exercises will have to do  -- tell the hotel you need to use a meeting room in the morning for this when one is available , to give yourself more room , after all , you wouldn't be in this predicament if they had even a basic exercise room set up  --
      I personally recommend doing this the minute you get in from the field, because I late an afternoon workout,  but whatever is best for you --- I'm not traditionally a super early riser unless I have to be


3.   I'm tired when I get done with work at night -    This goes back to a couple of other things -- but being tired means you will skip your workout , go to the nearest restaurant, order 3 beers and  a high calorie meal, and go back to the room and go to bed

This is why I recommend getting your workout done the minute you get in from the field without exception, and before you settle in for hours of paperwork documenting your field activities for the day
  -- putting the workout off until the end of the day/night is a recipe for skipping the workout  -- just 20 minutes of calisthenics programs your mind to make better choices ultimately  --- you've been good to yourself, so you feel there is no sense in ruining that with poor food choices


4.  My schedule is so tight, I don't stop to eat  -  This is a problem with your scheduling and time management skills  -- I covered most of this subject above in the  "I don't have time to cook" answer- 
 -- but if you are prepared and keep some resources on hand ,  its darned easy whip up a protein or meal replacement cocktail in a blender bottle, plus keep some fruit and locally bought sandwiches on hand -- with luck, your morning meal will be adequately covered at the hotel, and the evening meal will be squared away due to the big box o' chicken / pasta and veggies brought home from Chili's/Applebees/Outback , etc.

   I hate eating in my vehicle, so I will frequently pull around the corner and pull off in a neighborhood park, drop the tailgate and chow down  (just dont do this in your client's driveway -- that's bad form )

but its important to keep your energy levels stable throughout the day with a constant influx of good nutrients, --- and its almost universally recognized that the best way to do this is with smaller, evenly spaced meals 3 to no more than 4 hours apart

 

             Pretty easy to whip up 2 scoops of protein or meal replacement powder with some ice cold water

5. Its Friday , I'll pick up where I left off on Monday  -  This one is the death sentence.  You may as well undo the top button on your pants and head to Golden Corral .   Waddle up to the potato bar, get a 5 pound baker, and all the feexins you can handle.   Throw a piece of chicken fry steak on the plate, a dozen fried shrimp, -- vegetables are taken care of with fried okra and corn on the cob with a dollop of butter melting seductively on top --  and while you're at it, Golden Corral has great variety,  so may as well throw a mini taco or two on the plate   -- Enjoy !  You deserve this !     Afterwards, if you have the room, - nothing better than a bit of cobbler topped off with some soft serve 
   --- Congratulations ! --- you've just ate more than your supposed to at Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner  -- (and people do this all the time , sadly )
 -
    -- when we're at a cat site, we don't let off the gas on Friday, Saturday, or even Sunday , really  -- so why mentally do we set aside our programs for the weekend?
   If you engage in sport, the weekend is typically where you test what you do during the week,.   It may not be everyone's goal to go bust out a triathlon, or an off road motorcycle race on the weekend,  but where is it written that we have to abide by a 7 day/week schedule and take off on the weekend?

           Let me use a football analogy --   Your team comes out firing hard in the first half and are up 21 points, - then the second half, they go into maintenance mode and are not aggressive while the other side is playing catch up -- guess what , you let the other team back in the game and it can bite you in the butt
   -- just ask Texas Tech about their loss to Baylor earlier this year .   Up by a considerable margin early in the game --- but a motivated Baylor team came back in the second half and scored 28 points within 7 minutes of play

---- Wouldn't you rather finish strong , than finish --week?  (see what I just did there)

Here's a link to a prevailing weekend mindset you might find amusing
     Thank F - its Friday !

A poor worker blames his tools- and other popular sayings

I don't know where the saying --  "A poor worker blames his tools"  --  but to me, it reminds me of the excuses many make when they fall short of their goals ,fall off the wagon,  or, in no uncertain terms - FAIL

Failure is an ugly term , but one used a lot , and in many different ways - and its also very subjective

Ask an Olympic bronze medalist about failure -- this would be a champion who has bested many and risen to the pinnacle of his sport, but inside, he or she considers themselves a colossal failure at times

Ask a housewife who set a goal of losing 20 pounds in 2 months to get ready for swimsuit season, who fell short -- also a failure

Ask the new gym goer who tells himself he will be power cleaning 185 in 3 months, but in 3 months, he is stuck at 155  -- yep - just another loser

I have a different way of looking at it  -- now granted, I don't have an answer for the type of angst an Olympic bronze medalist is going through,   but to the housewife, I'd say congratulations! -- you didn't hit 20 lbs, but you lost 15 !
    The would be gym rat, I'd also offer up congratulations -- he's not cleaning 185, but he's at 155, and could barely do 105 3 months ago

Where those 2 examples fell short is they didn't give themselves a realistic enough time line to complete their goals ---


Regarding blaming your tools for failure -- some examples that come to mind that I've heard (and even used)  are

"I don't have time to cook"
"I don't have time to get to the gym"
"I'm tired when I get done with work at night"
"my schedule is so tight, I don't stop to eat"
"Its Friday, i'll pick up where I left off on Monday"

I'm going to tackle these one by one a bit later today , but for now, I've got 30 minutes on the spinner and 20 minutes on the rowing machine scheduled

I'm closing this down with another saying

"For Those About to Rock -- We Salute You !"

and I sincerely hope AC/DC doesn't come after me for a little royalty money for using that --- LOL, I know Gene Simmons would

12-12-13 -- Holiday Eating

The holidays are most definitely upon us --- we got through Thanksgiving already and are rounding the bend into the 12 days of Christmas ---

Blowing out your diet is no fun (well, it might be , who knows) ---  a recent nutrition article I perused stated that many many foods contain Tryptophan , not just turkey  --- the real reason our turkey day blow out makes us sleepy is the average of 4-4500 calories many of us will take in at a single meal  -

And that's not counting the piece of pie you will eat before bedtime, or the tub of popcorn you might munch on at the post Thanksgiving movie or football game party

As an overweight guy, how do I look at Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner?   Easy -- I mainly eat single ingredient foods, - same as I do year round pre-dominately
HEre's a short list to think about

• Eat single ingredient foods is #1
• Avoid mashed potatoes, unless you made them yourself -- otherwise well meaning people load whipped spuds up with milk, sour cream, whipping cream, or whatever the heck else they learned from grandma ----- just mash up a few redskin potatoes yourself minus all that ,  add a pat or two of butter, and enjoy
• Casseroles -- more disaster lying in wait
• Stuffing - isn't this mostly bread crumbs and related stuff? - just concentrated calories
• I love Mac and Cheese and here is where i'll deviate a little from the single ingredient mantra -- I whip up some of this with a lower fat cheese variety and all is good , but again, I don't trust what others may put in their food,  -- people whip in velveeta , sticks of butter, milk, etc.
• Don't eat the turkey skin -- this is ages old advice, especially if the turkey is fried, -- the oil may not penetrate deep into the turkey itself, but it sure saturates the skin 
• Stay away from the sugar glazed spiral cut ham ---ham is a sodium nightmare that nobody needs

So whats an example of a Thanksgiving/Christmas plate that wont bust 2k calories?

How about this ----

1. 5-6 oz of turkey- no skin
2.  , broccoli/cauliflower mix (or either/or) or some other veggie medley 
3. , a fist sized portion of your own potatoes whipped raw with nothing extra,
4.  roughly the same amount of your homemade baked mac/cheese --

this should actually get you well under that mark, but I am anticipating any sane person is going to need a little bit of butter on their potatoes and steamed veggies ---- that is a sizable meal, and far more carbs than a training day meal would have- but it is the holidays -- also anticipating you'll have a glass of wine or two with dinner

Let this sit for a while and at least start to digest for a couple of hours  before hammering down some dessert

Dessert almost always demands a deviation from my single ingredient food mantra ,  because apple pie is awesome .  Have a nice piece of pie and another glass of wine and life is good

    You may be tempted to go for some apple strudel a'la mode as well  -----  or cheesecake with raspberry sauce ,  yum  --- a hard charger will demand both  (fine, but cut the portion size in half for both )

If your the one hosting the holiday dinners,  your going to get stuck with  a lot of leftovers most likely ---
    There is no shame in introducing something to the garbage disposal after company has gone -- if somebody brought their awesome, super-duper mac and cheese  casserole with the little bread crumbles on top , made with all the stuff that makes it taste good --- toss it,  you might be tempted to eat it later -- In fact, for the amount of time most holiday meal items sit around with just some saran wrap over the top for protection,  I'd dump everything but the turkey (and the other single item foods that aren't at much risk for contamination)

dealing with a turkey is a little bit of work, -- and eating turkey for days on end after the holidays is a drag,  -- so take 20 minutes, de-bone whats left of the turkey and cut all the meat into cubes , put in a large Zip-loc type bag and toss it in the freezer ---

    This thanksgiving for me  resulted in almost 3 pounds of meat saved this way that's perfect for making a nice soup or stew later , - but I rolled some up in tortillas and sprinkled the meat with powdered taco seasoning , and pre-made some turkey soft tacos

These are just some suggestions and guidelines ---- Anybody who knows me well, knows I am struggling with weight loss issues myself,  but one thing I have always detested is eating a big meal to the point that I feel like I will explode -- and the tips above have helped me enjoy the holidays while still staying true to myself

Thanks ,  and God bless