Low carb and ink...fun times for all

Its been a while since I've updated, and not a whole ton has gone on. I absolutely loved my last set of circuits from my trainer and feel like I finally made some progress last month after the holiday season backslide.

To jump start things for my next set of circuits, I decided to do a two and a half week-long carb deprivation cycle. For those unfamiliar, this is similar to the first phase of Atkins where you intake 50 grams or less of net carbohydrates a day. How you figure out the net carbohydrates from a nutrition label is really simple, too: take the total carbohydrates in a food and subtract sugar alcohols and any fiber. That's it!

What the deprivation does to your system is quite fun, too. Your system switches into a state called ketosis where it burns fat as a primary fuel source to use ketones instead of glucose. For the first few days, it is totally normal to have a headache and feel kinda fuzzy, like you just drank a few beers.

While the diet may be higher in fat than a normal one, it is being used as the primary fuel source and the high protein prevents muscle atrophy. In short durations, it is a great start...but I end up completely lacking energy. NO Xplode and caffeine in general help a ton with that, for me at least, so I'm usually able to balance it out. Lots of meal planning and meticulous tracking of macronutrients, but it is totally worth it. I'm currently sitting at 10% bodyfat; dropping to six in the next few months.

In other news, the reason I haven't worked out at all this week: I finally got a tattoo. Things came together so I could afford it, so I figured why the hell not. So now, sitting at the top of my left pec, are two small words in old Greek that have a very deep meaning to me. It didn't really hurt until he hit bone at one point, but now the damn thing is starting to hurt a little. Eh, not too bad though...but I still don't feel like getting it covered in sweat or having a scab pop open (I think it scabbed a little but can't really tell right now) in the middle of a workout. I should pick back up next week with some more cardio to keep the burn and fat loss up, so that'll be nice.

Eyes on the prize. Don`t get friendly, I`m in disguise. Dodging bullets and taking arrows, but its all worth it in the end.

When it all falls apart...just run and find your limits...then exceed them

So, this past week has been a maelstrom in my life and its just not over yet.

The guy I was seeing ended it off, then was on a date the very next day. That fuckin hurt, to say the least, because I let myself open up and like him. I've pretty well kept myself closed off to people because if I open up like that, I end up getting hurt; I already have enough scars to last a lifetime and I don't really need more. He commented on one of my facebook posts asking if I was okay because I seemed down and out. Told him I was okay. What I meant to say was "no, I'm not fucking okay. Life is going to shit, I'm fucking hurt and I don't know what to fucking do, so instead I'll just train hard and punish myself because that's all I know how to do." I figured that wouldn't have helped anything, so I just left it and called it good.

So this week, I went on a date with a guy...and we have nothing in common. So yeah, strike out number one there. Another wants a benefits situation and while I'm attracted, I think it might be a bad idea right now, simply because I want more but I'm in that place where wounds are still fresh and I don't want to hurt anyone...the joys of dating in Spokane, eh?

To top it off, my manager is breathing down my neck and borderline harassing me and my finances are shit for another couple weeks. At least there's a light at the end of one of those tunnels...right?

So, to deal with it all, I've been training with a higher intensity than normal. I hit the gym last Sunday to blow off some steam, then ran five miles after I talked to the guy I'd been seeing. He probably never guessed he's the cause of those five miles...
I trained at work throughout the week, but upped my weights this week. It felt good breaking those limits. Thursday, I tried a cardio kickboxing-style class at my gym and loved it. I'm going back for more...throwing elbows and knees at an invisible opponent is second only to using a heavy bag. Great way to blow off more steam.
Friday, I worked out with Cash and because I was so hardcore into my circuits and finished early, we did some killer ab work that made me throw up after. Yep, second workout this week I threw up from; I'm pushing that hard. And I like it.
Ran six miles last night and another four this morning. I may end up hitting the gym later, but will probably take it a little easy on myself because there's no sense in overtraining and injuring myself.

Working out the frustration, the insecurities, the rage, the self-hate, the problems with the world...just run and push those limits. Its all you can do.

Test post from my mobile...let`s see if this shit works...