Transformation 2011 - Day 3

I’m not going to make a video today, but I am going to work out. Making the videos actually adds more time to my workout than it would seem; especially since I’m not even editing them. I’m basically just putting on the camera and taping myself and then I go back and cut out the embarrassing parts, (like if I don’t know what to say next or absent-mindedly scratch myself in an inappropriate place). But it does end up taking an extra hour or so and I can’t really spare the time today.

I will post a video of my workout eventually, but not today. I really only have time to do the workout. I will tell you a bit about what I’m doing though.

This may be a surprise to hear, but doing traditional ‘cardio’ exercise is not a good way to burn fat or to improve mobility. In other words, running on the treadmill, stairclimber or elliptical machines are not going to get a person fit. In fact, these will tend to reduce the amount of lean muscle tissue in your body and actually cause a wasting effect since your body is forced to use its own muscle tissue as fuel.

Also, the movement of those machines aren’t necessarily very integrative. In other words, the movements that I do in my workout involve the whole body and not just the simple walking movement of the legs. I’m using my legs, hips, arms, shoulders, elbows, knees and spine. I’m moving forwards and backwards, up and down and twisting and leaning left and right. Basically, covering all of the directions of human movement.

And I’m moving in short bursts of high intensity to trigger my body to release growth hormone. Not only am I taxing all of my muscles, but I’m triggering my body’s response, which preserves my current muscle from being used as fuel and encourages the growth and strength of my current muscles. Also, the integrative nature of the movements actually make me more ‘fit.’ I’m more able to climb, to bend, to duck, to rebound, to push, to pull... Since I’m using all of these movements to create a situation of high intensity, I’m conditioning my body to perform better and with more strength and ease in any unknown situation that may present itself.

I won’t go into the exact science of why this type of workout is tons better than cardio exercise. I might write about it someday, but for now, just trust me; it is much better. Or if you just keep reading this blog, I’ll probably drop in a bit more information on the subject each day, rather than put it into one long scientific article.

I’m going to spend today doing a seven minute full body warm up and then, for the main workout, I’ll be working with six

complex movements. I’ll be doing shorts bursts of movements followed by even shorter rest periods and I’ll do eight sets of each movement. The whole workout should take about half an hour. And then I’ll finish with a seven minute cool down which is basically another yoga series. The whole thing will take about 45 minutes.

I’m going to be conscious of maintaining a moderate level of intensity today, so I won’t be pushing to my edge, but more focusing on refining the movements and perfecting my performance. Tomorrow I’ll repeat the same movements that I practiced today, but I’ll focus on blasting with intensity through the same protocol.

And one more point I want to make about my exercise today is that I’m going to be doing it in the afternoon. I much prefer to work out in the morning for many reasons, but as I’m staying late in rehearsals this week, I’m sleeping in a little bit and sleeping through my work out time.

So, I’m going to do it in the afternoon, after I get home from Tatz Studio. Once the play opens, and my schedule is more manageable, I’ll go back to doing my workouts in the morning.

I got my eggs yesterday, so I’ll be having a bigger breakfast and seeing how that makes a difference in the middle of the day. I don’t want to let myself get hungry again, because that is another way of triggering my body to use my own muscles as fuel. I literally waste away whenever I’m hungry. And unfortunately, it’s not fat being used as fuel in that case.

Breakfast:

oatmeal with cinnamon and blueberries

three fried eggs and some chopped sirloin steak

I lasted until 1:30 pm with no problem. In fact, I got home and did my workout without eating first. I could have eaten if I wasn’t going to work out, but I wanted to wait so I could get my workout done on an empty stomach.

I worked out from 2:15 to 3:00. Afterwards, I was a bit shaken. I felt mildly exhausted but not ‘beat.’ When I felt my intensity rising during the workout, I eased off a bit, knowing I had to top this tomorrow. Tomorrow’s workout is all out. I’ll be going at 90% to 100% intensity as opposed to today, which was kept back at about 75%.

After my shower, I made my lunch.

3:15pm Lunch:

1/2 lbs Kobe beef burger patty

one cooked tomato

handful of raw spinach

2 Tbsp of salsa

7:30pm Dinner:

small leftover sirloin steak

cup of black beans

mixed steamed vegetables

1/2 a glass of chia seed gel

11:30pm Snack:

Got home after rehearsal and was pretty hungry. And I still hadn’t boiled those eggs, so I just had some yogurt with ground flaxseeds.

Tonight was the first time I felt really tempted to eat some junk. On my way home from rehearsal I felt the urge to stop and get some ice cream or something sweet like that, but then I thought about my body and my goals and I resisted, knowing I could eat something when I got home that wouldn't be as detrimental.