Neal's weight doing down
Last week was great! I worked hard and was rewarded with a seven-pound weight loss.
Take that, Mongoose!
My steady diet of every day cardio and watching the calories has worked. I’m even starting to see a little evidence of muscle growth from my strength training workouts.
My legs are strong and my upper body feels like it may have some muscles beginning to develop. And remember those three suits that I haven’t worn this year?
I’m back in them.
The workout that Gabrielle Payne, my trainer from City Centre Community Centre, gave me continued to be intense, but I’m motivated to keep losing weight and feel like I’m getting stronger and settling into the schedule and intensity of the workouts.
The real challenge for me has been the weekends, away from Gabriella and the gym.
I was out of town last weekend and my routine was, let’s say, distracted by my old nemesis: beer and nachos.
I think I celebrated my dominance over the Mongoose, Rob Akimow, way too much as my weight went up half a pound by Monday.
However, that weight gain has motivated me to work even harder, and Gabrielle was happy to accommodate.
Her strategy for me this week has changed. She now has me on full body workouts with some pretty intense new movements. Yesterday, I went from Bavarian Lunges (lunges with my back leg raised on a platform) to push-ups.
Next, we’re on to military press and straight arm shoulder flys.
Then she upped the ante on me and made me do a modified rope climb from my back, sumo squats, superman planks and a “finisher” of jumping lunges.
My legs still hurt just thinking of it.
This week’s weigh-in is going to be underwhelming, but my goal for next week is to lose three pounds. I’m calling it.
I will weigh 167 lbs. for the April 29 installment of the Fitness Challenge.
What do you think of that, Mongoose?
Akimow's muscle building up
It’s week four of the fitness challenge and my trainer A.J. tells me that it’s time to “switch it up.”
By that he means an extra day of circuit training, or, as I like to call it, actually never mind what I call it; it’s not fit to print.
Either way, my weekly routine now looks like two days of weight training, two days of circuit training and two days of 20-minute cardio sessions.
To be honest, I am feeling better, and I think I am looking better. I am able to lift more, move faster and I’m enjoying this process — with the exception of the circuit.
When you put yourself through a 10-week fitness challenge and write about it for the newspaper, you have to make sure you are putting in the work, mainly so you don’t embarrass yourself at the end of challenge. (My wife maintains, I will be successful based solely on the fact my ego is too large to have to admit defeat.)
But you also must be aware of your surroundings and experiences in order to paint a picture for the readers.
Enter Mr. Universe.
I am listening to A.J. talk about TRX rows and thinking about my exceptional feat of only having one food cheat day. (Yes, cheat day, not cheat meal, and frankly I blame Grant Bryan, from O’Hare’s pub. The fact Grant had an order of loaded nachos and a dozen hot wings delivered to my table in retrospect makes me think he has some type of wager on my competitor.)
Anyway, back to the gym; as A.J. talks, I notice out of the corner of my eye a young man who is in the most incredible shape. I mean this guy has muscles on top of his muscles, seriously. Add to that, he starts performing several full body pull ups, and then I notice he has a 25 lb. weight, which he’s been holding between his knees the whole time. Seriously? I can’t do 10 TRX rows and this guy walks in and does this with his pinky fingers?
He approaches, and with a German accent, he encourages me to use the TRX as it gives “great results.” He then gets on his white unicorn and rides off into the sunset.
I’m thinking I need to get this guy’s card and start a dating show —“Richmond Dates! Featuring Mr. Universe.”
I swear, there is a revenue stream we can tap into here. Note to self, bring this up at the next management meeting.
This experience could be likened to when you put on your best suit, you think you’re looking great, you’re feeling great and then Hendrik Lundquist from the New York Rangers walks in and puts you to shame. (If you have never seen him, do yourself a favour and do a Google image search, you’ll thank me).
I am off to Mexico today, so it will be a true test of my commitment and dedication.
Until next week, Richmond. #TeamMongoose.
