Thursday, December 4, 2008

Fat Man Marathon Training Schedule



O.K. Here's my training schedule. I found it on the Internet somewhere. Looks like one I can handle. I already ran 4 miles on the treadmill two nights ago.

This shoud be an easy-to-follow 22-week marathon training schedule.

Prerequisites

Before you start this training schedule, you need to:

Be able to run (or run/walk) 4 miles - I can do this
Be able to run 4 days a week - should be able to do this
Have done these two things for at least 4 months - I've been fairly active
Be ready to make a commitment to a life-changing goal - Yep

Weekly Marathon Training Schedule
Mon, Wed, and Fri: Run 4 miles
Tues, Thurs, Sat: Rest (or walk)
Sunday: Long Runs (Mileage Building)
Feel free to switch the actual days that you do your workouts but try to keep this pattern: run, rest/walk, run, rest/walk, run, rest/walk, long run. (Example: if you would like your long run to be on Saturday, instead of Sunday, your marathon training schedule would look like this: Sun, Tues, Thurs: run 4 miles; Mon, Wed, Fri: rest or walk; Saturday: long runs.

Week Long Run
1 6
2 8
3 6
4 10
5 8
6 12
7 8
8 14
9 8
10 16
11 9
12 10
13 18
14 10
15 20
16 11
17 22
18 12
19 12
20 24
21 & 22 taper

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Back to Serious Weight Loss


I'm back to working out seriously every day. I renewed my membership to the rec center and I'm back to working out at a minimum an hour a day.

My current weight was 252 I've dropped down to 245 in the last week so it seems to be working. My goal is to get down to 210 buy May and run a marathon with my son in Fort Collins, Colorado.

It's called the Fort Collins Marathon, check out their website here.

Wish me luck.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Biggest loser, biggest waste of time.

I've written about the NBC TV Show "The Biggest Loser" here before.

I think maybe the intention of this show is good. But this show has run it's course. Time for NBC to pull the plug on this info-mercial for weight loss.
I'll tell you how bad this show has gotten.

Last night we got to see the contestants in a dark room with nightvision. Try to see who was going to be the first one to fudge on their diet by eating Reese's Peanut Butter Cups or doughnuts. OMG! Is NBC that desperate for programming that this is now what is on national TV during prime time.

I guess there are a lot of fat people in America that like to sit around and watch other fat people. This is supposed to be an inspirational show? I write this as a person who needs to lose weight. I think this show makes fun of fat people and is not inspirational at all.

If you're hoooked on that terrible show "The Biggest Loser". Do yourself a favor. Instead of sitting on your butt for 2 hours on Tuesday night watching that show. Workout for those two hours.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Hypnosis and Weight Loss with Running



Well, I decided to get a little more serious with my weight loss this week. I decided to break down and download a weight loss audio book from Dr. Rick Collingwood off of iTunes.

It says to listen to the hypnosis session when you go to sleep at night 6 days a week for 30 days. I'm 2 nights into it and I really feel better. Yesterday I bet I ate half of what I normally eat and I wasn't even hungry. Plus I had tons of energy. I even ran two miles on the treadmill last night while watching a football game on ESPN.

I'll keep you updated with how it is going throughout the next month. So far I'm impressed.

Monday, September 8, 2008

My Bowflex Workout Routine

I decided my last blog was too generic so here is my current workout routine.

When I worked out at Gold's Gym the guys I worked out with there always said it's good to alternate your routines with Push then Pull. What that means one day when you workout do all exercises that involve pushing. The next day do exercises that involve pulling. It's also good to alternate muscle groups. I have a BowFlex XLT.

Here is an average push day.

Bench Press: Done with extra cable laying on back
110 lbs on the rods to start 3 sets of 10, 8, 6, 4
Then go to 210 lbs 3 sets 10, 8, 6, 4 (This is the max my machine will go, I'm ordering another 100 lbs of rods when I get the chance.

One Arm Push: Done with hand straps
110 lbs on power rods 3 sets of 10, 8, 6, 4
Repeat with opposite arm

Leg Press: Done with weight belt attachment
210 lbs on power rods 3 sets of 10, 8, 6, 4
Repeat

Average Pull Day.

Pulldown: Done with overhead bar.
110lbs on the power rods to start. 3 sets of 10, 8, 6, 4.
Max weight at 210 llbs, 3 sets of 10, 8, 6, 4.

Bicep Curl: Done with hand straps
110 lbs on power rods 3 sets of 10, 8, 6, 4.
Repeat with opposite arm.

Stomach Curl: Lay on bench add extra cable
Do situp with weight 210 lbs 10, 8, 6, 4.
Repeat.

This is my curent workout routine and I'm having a lot of fun with it.
After 6 weeks I will mix it up. This is a really good routine and I'm very sore
after completing everything. Plus each workout you can get done in 30 to 40 minutes. If you work hard during this you'll be soaked in sweat when you're done.

My goal is to up the weight to 310 lbs and 210 lbs my the end of the year. It's currently September 2008.

They main thing is to have fun and enjoy your workout and stick with it.

Bowflex Workout Routine

A couple of weeks ago my wife and I purchased a Bowflex.

I have to say this is an incredible piece of engineering. I've been working out on it for 2 weeks now and I feel great. I can really feel it in my shoulders and chest area.

I'm amazed at how much I sweat while working out with this.

Here's a great workout I found for fellow BowFlex Owners.

Bowflex Workout Routines
"The BowFlex Body Plan" by Ellington Darden

Darden, who has a doctorate in exercise science and is the former director of research for Nautilus, extols BowFlex workout routines. These Bowflex exercise routines are designed to improve weak arms, flabby stomachs and sagging rear-ends. He also offers a muscle-promoting diet, a plan for "superhydration," several motivational pep talks, testimonials and a question and answer section.

------------------------------------------
AWESOME WORKOUT ROUTINES
------------------------------------------

Do yourself a favor and buy "The Bowflex Body Plan". See for yourself....

Review
"If you want to get in shape FAST, get started on The Bowflex Body Plan right NOW!"--Peter Fleck, Two-time X Games Water Ski Jump Champion

The Bowflex Body Plan Bowflex Exercise Routines
With Bowflex exercise routines, you can tighten your abs, firm your legs, and sculp your arms - without having to pay a gym membership fee. You don't even have to wait in line for machines. You can spend as much time as you want on your favorite bowflex workout. Here are some bowflex workout routines:

* Leg Exercises: Lying Leg Curl, Leg Kickback, Leg Curl, Leg Press, Seated Leg Curl, Seated Calf Raise, Ankle Inversion, Ankle Eversion, Standing Hip Flexion, Standing Hip Extension, Seated Hip Abduction and many more!

* Back Exercises: Lat Pulldown, Lying Lat Fly, Seated Lat Row, Scapular Retraction, Lying Lat Pulldown, Stiff Arm Pulldown, and more!

* Chest Exercises: Bench Press, Chest Fly, Resisted Punch, One Arm Seated Fly, Incline Bench Press, Decline Bench Press, Lying Shoulder Pullover

* Abdominal Exercises: Seated Ab Crunch, Trunk Rotation, Reverse Crunch, Abdominal Crunch, Seated Oblique Crunch, Resisted Reverse Crunch

* Arm Exercises: Triceps Pushdown, Single Arm Pushdown, Lying Triceps Extension, Cross Triceps Extension, Seated Triceps Extension, Standing Wrist Extension, Standing Wrist Curl, Standing Biceps Curl, Triceps Kickback, Lying Biceps Curl, French Press, and many more!

* Shoulder Exercises: Seated Shoulder Press, Shoulder Rotator Cuff Internal Rotation, Rear Deltoid Row, Later Shoulder Raise, Reverse Shoulder Shrug, Lying Front Shoulder Raise and more!

Thursday, August 28, 2008

The Biggest Losers, Where Are They Now? Still fat?



Last fall and winter I was fascinated with the NBC TV show "The Biggest Loser". If you're not familiar with the show. They take fatties like me and have them lose a tremendous amount of weight over a short amount of time.

If you've ever tried to lose weight, most of you know how hard it is. I was in Weight Watchers a couple of times and if you lost 2 lbs a week after the first couple of weeks you were doing handstands. These people on the Biggest Loser were dropping 10 to 20 lbs a week. Which is just crazy. I could believe it in the first week or two. But after a period of time your body tends to adapt.

This got me thinking. Why don't they bring out people from past seasons to talk to the contestants. This show is entering it's fifth season this fall. Probably over 100 people have been on this show over 5 years. With over 100 people to choose from couldn't they find 20 people that still are slim after losing all of this weight? Supposedly 20% is considered a success with any weight loss program.

I spent a couple of days researching and I could only find one contestant that has lost the weight on the show and continued to keep it all off. Her name is Kelly Miner and this lady works out for 4 hours per day. Yikes! The guy in the above picture, Ryan Benson, gained all of his weight back.

I heard The Biggest Loser producers were trying to put together a reunion show but it fell through. Could it be that they were unable to find enough to put together a reunion show? Also why at the beginning of the 8 weeks or whatever do they weigh the men in without their shirts on. Their man boobs are flopping away and it's pretty gross. After they start losing a ton of weight they always weigh in with their shirt on. Is this to hide their scars from lipo?

Also, why don't they ever show an average contestants daily food diary and workout routine. Don't you think that would help people in the audience. Instead they have them do stupid elimination contests like run in a giant gerbil ball or so who can walk past a giant table full of pizza and cake without eating it.

Maybe the Biggest Losers are the people that get hooked on watching this show.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Welcome to Elite Fat Runner


I would like to thank my brother Dean for helping to be the inspiration for this Blog.

Let me give you some history. Over 20 years ago like many of you, I was lean and mean. I ran in the state track meet all through high school and out of college I ran a bunch of 5K's and 10K's. About 10 years ago I developed a weight problem that crept up on me over time. I think I put on between 10 to 20 lbs per year. I blame a lot of this on a career change. I went into the IT field full time. Day after day of sitting on my butt in front of a computer was hard on my health.

Despite this I continued to run. I love running. There is nothing better that getting out on a country road and running. Well I found there is not much support for other fat runners like myself so I decided to start this site. Here you will find some humor, some weight loss tips, and maybe some motivation.

In the picture above you will see me at the 2008 Denver Running of the Green. I was one of the fatter runners there. As you can see by the caption though, I am an Elite Runner.

Have a great day!
Darin