First strides to a Mean, Lean Machine Regime, V

It’s been 5 weeks since my debut with the Mean, Lean Machine Regime, and I’m feeling great. I currently weight in at 147 lbs and am wearing, more comfortably, jeans that previously required bargains with the devil.

Each week, I’ve tried to build on the previous and change my focus to different areas of the body or different routines. The last two weeks, my attention was devoted to cardio and establishing an asset of my regime that I could live with and one to which I could commit. I’ve successfully managed to to squeeze my cardio in 5-6 days out of the week. This part of my exercise, although not my most enjoyable, is becoming the highlight of my day; the time on the treadmill or the elliptical are the best 20-30 minutes of my day. As a result of this small dedication, I feel better, sleep better and my body is toning up!

I’m devoting my attention further this week to two important ingredients for reaching my goal: Foods and Weight Lifting.

Foods: This must really be the most challenging past-time to recreate and the largest demonstration of willpower. I’ve nearly eradicated my meals from anything fast food; in fact, last week, I thought I had a craving for a chicken sandwich from Wendy’s. However, after only two bites into, I reluctantly put it aside. I’m trying to focus my meals around high protein meats, good vegetables and not so many high complex carbohydrates. I’m definitely not eliminating carbohydrates from my meals – that would be ridiculous, but I am paying more attention to the types of carbohydrates, such as no potato chips -unless they’re baked, no sweets or cookies, the basics mostly.

I’m also reverting back to the basics of meal-planning for diabetics – measuring my foods. For instance, rather than grabbing a handful of grapes, I count them. I know that approximately 16 normally sized grapes equals a serving of 15g of carbohydrates – simple. Keeping these measurements in mind have really highlighted the foods that I overeat and those which I neglect.

For those of you who worry that you’ll starve if you eat like this, do not fear. The secret is that less food and more meals what happens. I tend to eat about 6 small meals a day. This happens often by my splitting my lunch into two larger snacks – so, at the meals are staggered as follows 6:15-6:30, 9:30, 12:30, 3:00, 6:30, 9:00. This way I’m never suffering carb comas or falling asleep after lunch.

Weight lifting: This is, by no doubt, my favorite part of my regime. I suppose it’s the immediate swell in the muscle that ensues a good workout or waking up each morning with the satisfactory ache from the night before (work out, lol). My routine this week is going be much harder than the previous.

See it below (it reads as Target area: Exercise((M)achine/(F)ree weights) setsXreps, [poundage increments, increase]):

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Chest: choice of 3	Shoulders:	Back:	Repeat Monday	Repeat Tuesday
Butterfly Press (M/F) 1×12; 2×10 [80,90,100#]	Shoulder Press (M&F) 1×10; 2×8 [100#; 25,30#]	Bent Over Row (F) 3X10 [20,30#]
Dumbbell Fly (F) 1×12; 2×10 [30-35#]	Arnold Press 3×10 [25,30#]	Seated Row (M) 3×10 [80,90#]
Incline Press (M) 1×12; 1×10; 1×8 [90, 100, 110#]	Front Raise 3×10 [15#]	Laying row 3×10 [15,20#]
Barbell Row (F) 3×10 [40,50#]	(Laterals) Upright Row 3×10 [30,40#]
Squats(M/F) 3×10 [80,90,100#]	Fly variation 3×10 [15,20#]
Triceps:	Biceps:	Var. Light Chest / Tri
Kickbacks (F) 3×10 [20#]	Preacher Carousel Curls 10×10 [20,30,40,50,60#; 60,50,40,30,20]
Overhead Exten. (F) 3×10 [25,30#]	Barbell Curl 3×10 [30,40#]
Skull Crushers (F) 1×10,8,6 [20,30,40#]	Barbell Prone Incline Curl 3×10 [30,40#]
Cardio (15-25 mins) 2-3 miles	Cardio (15-25 mins) 2-3 miles	Cardio (15-25 mins) 2-3 miles	Cardio (15-25 mins) 2-3 miles	Cardio (15-25 mins) 2-3 miles
Abdominals: Clams Side crunches bicycle crunches regular 3×15 [5#]	Abdominals: Clams Side crunches bicycle crunches regular 3×15 [5#]	Abdominals: Clams Side crunches bicycle crunches regular 3×15 [5#]	Abdominals: Clams Side crunches bicycle crunches regular 3×15 [5#]	Abdominals: Clams Side crunches bicycle crunches regular 3×15 [5#]

I’ve also used several online aids, which have contributed greatly to my tracking and planning. These sites are are BodySpace on www.bodybuilding.com and CalorieCounter. Check these out if you need an easy way to track results and are, like me, too lazy to develop your own.

Here are a few of the explanation of select exercises(also see www.exrx.net):

Arnold Press

Preparation

Grasp dumbbells; palms facing body, elbows flexed.

Execution

Raise dumbbells by extending elbows; abduct and internally rotate shoulders to straight arm position. Lower to original position and repeat.

Barbell Prone Incline Curl:

Preparation

Lie on prone on incline bench with shoulders near top of incline. Knees can rest on seat or legs can be straddled to sides. From low rack or partner, grasp curl bar with shoulder width underhand grip.

Execution

Raise bar until arms are flexed. Lower barbell until arms are fully extended. Repeat.

Bent Over Row

Preparation

Bend knees slightly and bend over bar with back straight. Grasp bar with wide overhand grip.

Execution

Pull bar to upper waist. Return until arms are extended and shoulders are stretched forward. Repeat.

Laying Row

Preparation

Lie chest down on elevated bench. Grasp dumbbells below.

Execution

Pull dumbbells to sides until upper arm is just beyond horizontal or height of back. Return until arms are extended and shoulders are stretched forward. Repeat.