BODY BY SCIENCE DOUG MCGUFF MD AND JOHN LITTLE

Starting today, I am doing slow motion weight lifting as taught in the book Body By Science.

In the book, they suggest that you use Nautilus equipment, but for those who do not or cannot belong to a gym with Nautilus, they also have an at-home workout that uses free weights.  This is what I am doing.

Today, I did the Free Weight Big Five at home. I loaded up 23 pounds on the barbell (including the 13 pounds that the bar alone weighs) and used it for each exercise, just to figure out how much I can do.

Bent-Over Barbell Row: 5 reps in 90 seconds TUL (Time Under Load). I did not get to failure. When I do this again next week, I will add some weight.


Standing Overhead Press: 5 reps and got to failure after 85 seconds TUL. This one was hard! The first time I started to lift it up, I thought, "Uh oh!"

Dead Lift: 5 reps in 90 seconds TUL. I did not get to failure. When I do this again next week, I will add some weight.

Bench Press: 5 reps in 95 seconds TUL. I did not get to failure, but one more rep would have done it. When I do this again next week, I will add some weight.

Squat: I had real trouble with this one! I can do regular squats all the way to the ground and back up, holding my hands in front of me, or a Prisoner Squat, or even a dumbbbell squat. But trying to squat with the bar across my back put me in such a weird position that it was hard to go down at all. I did 7 reps halfway down and back up, but only lasted 70 seconds TUL. Next time I do this, I will lighten the weights and try to get my form right, and be able to get all the way to 90 seconds TUL before failure.

Anyway, when I got done, even before I got done, I was feeling very shaky and a little sick to my stomach. And all that just for about 8 minutes of work!

Im on my way!

I was really helped by these two videos posted by a man to show how to do The Free Weight Big Five:






I made a comment to the man and he said that his form on the overhead press was not great, so I adjusted mine.

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A little support Dieting with a friend

I am excited to announce that my roommate and has started the HCG Diet with me! Jessica only wants to lose 20 pounds before she reaches her goal weight, and shes already well on her way.

I couldnt be happier to have someone doing this diet with me who, not only lives with me, but works with me as well. I really need the support at this point. Its been very difficult to stay focused these last two weeks. 

If you dont have a diet buddy, you may want to consider it. Dont believe me? Well, here are 5 things that may change your mind:

1. Someone who understands your diet can more accurately hold you accountable - The HCG Diet is complicated, there are a lot of guidelines that are hard to understand if you arent actually doing the diet. Having a friend who understands them is a great resource if you ever have questions. 

2. Its always nice to express diet frustrations to a friend, face-to-face - Losing weight can be frustrating. Sometimes you need to vent your frustrations about water retention, drinking water, constipation, lack of appetite, and day to day temptations. A diet buddy can be there to listen to these frustrations, and you can count on them offering support instead of suggesting you just give up.

3. You can share recipes and cook for each other - Variety on the HCG is a lot easier to find when you can pick your friends brain for the latest recipes. Its also nice to have an approved dinner with your diet buddy instead of going out to eat in a place surrounded by unhealthy choices.

4. You wont be the only one among your friends trying to change your lifestyle - It is incredibly difficult being the only one at the party who is watching what you eat. Having a friend by your side who is doing exactly what you are doing can make the difference in keeping you on track.

5. They can remind you why youre doing this diet and why you cant give up - On those tough days when you want to walk away from your goal, a call from your diet buddy is the perfect reminder of why you have to continue. Sharing your goals with someone who is willing to hold you accountable will ultimately help you keep the bigger, healthier picture in perspective. 

Jessica and I do grocery shopping together, we spend time with a lot of the same people outside of work, and we are both very determined to reach our goal. I think that these three things will create a combination for success! 

Do you have a diet buddy? 

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The Little Things

At random times, I find little pieces of Barry around me.

There is no rhyme or reason to when they pop up, sometimes there are a lot, and sometimes there arent many at all.

Its when I notice my eyes glance to the clock, and it is always at 11:11 AM, the time he died. This happens quite often actually, and its quite painful for me.

Its walking through Target and finding the double pack of deodorant I would always buy for him. Degree. I kept the last stick he was using, I have it tucked away in his toiletry bag.

Its seeing a 12 pack of Pepsi Throwback, that he loved so very much. When he was alive, it was only out in the 20oz glass bottles, which we found at Safeway.

Its hearing a song, which isnt even meant to be sad, but has words like "How am I supposed to move on when Im still in love with you?", or another song that has words like "Im still alive but Im barely breathing...when a heart breaks no it dont break even....Im falling to pieces...what am I supposed to do when the best part of me was always you?". When I hear words like this, like yesterday, I sob to myself while I am driving home from errands. Words like this make me sad.

Its watching "Inglourious Basterds" for the first time since August, when we saw it in the theater on our last date. I watched it the other night, and I got through it ok, but I couldnt help but think of Barry the whole time and the time we spent in the theater watching it. He wanted us to sit at the very back, and there was the A/C fan above me and I was FREEZING. Seeing "The Jew Hunter" and knowing how much Barry loved him. Remembering that night we went to Cold Stone creamery and had ice cream together after the movie.

Its not being able to watch "Religulous" with Bill Mahr, because that was the movie we saw when he was home for Es birthday in October 2008. I had it at home for two months with Netflix and I was meaning to watch it, but I just couldnt, so I sent it back.

Its cleaning out the van and finding some bottles of his that were hidden under the seat, and not knowing they were there. Or going through my junk basket and finding an old can of Copenhagen that was his, and that I have now purposely left in there.

And its having his picture around to look at even when I get sad.

Barry is all around me, sometimes I wish I could escape him, but it seems impossible.

Barry, "how can I move on when Im still in love with you?"

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