My Journey to Fitness

2006

I smoke and drink beer because there is nothing better than having fun…..Until I look in the mirror and using my camera phone take my picture. I realize that if I keep this up, especially since I have a desk job, I would get fatter and fatter and probably die young. I weigh 208 lbs, don’t exercise, love to sit back with a beer and eat anything that tastes good. Something has to be done. (Besides this though, I hawked up what looked like a piece of my lung the other day. Didn’t look or smell too great. I’ve only been smoking a little over 5 years, but this was disgusting!)

I started lifting a little here and there & played tennis 1-2 times per week. I stopped lifting for about 3 months in here then slowly started again. I tried to eat better. Then I moved from Eugene to Portland in August. I should have taken a picture here because I had a lifting buddy named Casey in Eugene, and we lifted like crazy which in turn got me pretty big. After I moved to Portland I lost my lifting buddy of course and shrank back down. So I didn’t lift or really exercise for about a month. Then I decided to join 24 HR Fitness, and that got me going again.

I started reading Men’s Health Magazine and started actually eating correctly. Everything I read made sense. If you don’t eat right, you’re screwed in the long run. I started eating healthy. Plenty of protein, vitamins, fruit etc. No pop, no mayonnaise. I bought the AbsDiet not too long afterwards and realized I was eating exactly like it stated. I started lifting 2-3 times a week, Elliptical machine 3-4 times a week. Treadmill here and there.

Turns out according to the AbsDiet, you shouldn’t focus on the calories. The key is to just eating the right food. I could elaborate on this, but will just go ahead and recommend this book or a monthly subscription to Men’s Health. I believe I am on the right path.

4/3/07 – Still on the right track. Just working more on the Abs. I actually lost around 30 pounds in the first 3 months of eating correctly, using the elliptical, and lightly lifting weights. I currently weigh 176-183 lbs and have stayed at this weight easily up to now.

You may think this strange that I have taken my own pictures over and over, but I thought this was good experiment and over time you can see the change that actually took place. Overall I feel much better . Hopefully others may see this and make the step to eating healthier and doing a little exercise every once in awhile.

8/21/07 – Bought our first house here in Portland & started biking to work. 6 miles there, 6 miles back. 12 miles a day, rain or shine. This should give me the aerobic exercise I need. If I keep this up I should start lowering my body fat percentage. Also started doing pullups. Hopefully I’ll start dips as well.

2/21/08 – I started taking a Krav Maga class about 5 weeks ago. Israeli Martial Arts. Let me know if you have any questions about it. Kicks ass and is a great workout. The same place also offers this Kickboxing class, which it turns out is even more of a workout. The class is 1 hr, Monday, Wednesday, Friday. It costs the same price for 3 days of kickboxing /week, compared to the same price of one Krav Maga per week. I’m poor and want to get in shape. Kickboxing it is and it is AWESOME! Seriously. Give me a little longer and I’ll post another picture. Losing more and more body fat around my abs so they are starting to show. I’ll keep this up for awhile.

I have been working my ass off at work and haven’t had much time to workout. This is bad. Work should not take over your life. Anyways, I’ve still been keeping up with eating healthy, doing pushups and pull ups, and biking 12 miles a day to work and back. I also bought a big band that I can do a bunch of exercises with. Last weekend I went on a bike ride ~70 miles. The longest I’ve ever been on. I’m not sure if the abs are ever going to fully kick in. I need to switch something up…

10/12/08

Nov 2008
– I bought a weight bench and 300 lbs of weights.
– I weigh between 168-175 lbs
– Started benching reps between 175 and 185 lbs. This is more than I weigh which I find interesting as in the past when I started lifting it was quite an accomplishment to even bench my weight. Now I’m starting out lifting more than my weight. Pretty cool.
– My belt lost another notch.
– Packing on more muscle means burning more fat.

3/22/09
– I need some MOTIVATION.
– I need something different.
– For protein I’ve switched to egg whites. This protein is more pure than whey. I put them in smoothies, can’t even taste them. Ever heard of P90X? I’m going to try it.

11/21/09
– Okay, here’s what happened. I started P90X way back when, and then got completely sick after only a week of it. I was sick for about 2 weeks straight, felt like shit, and so that killed it for me. I’ve read of other people who have gotten sick pretty soon after starting, so I’m wondering if the intense workouts just lowered my immune system. After I got well I did random P90X workouts, lifted weights on bench, went running etc. But realized, P90X is built in a specific way on purpose. The amount of workouts you do, the exercises involved, day to day, has to work. Proof exists out on the internet. Everywhere.
– In any case, since then I’ve started again. Just realized I hadn’t updated this site so now I am. Also, I dropped dairy out of my diet. Feels good. I eat it every once in awhile where I have no choice, but for the most part, zero dairy.
– I am currently in the 2nd week of the P90X Phase II. I feel great! I’m noticing more definition, more endurance, getting bigger. Love’n it! I’ll post the end result pics.

– Eggwhites are still AWESOME!!! Great protein. No way I could eat enough protein without these.
( www.eggwhitesint.com )

10/22/11
It has been two years. Wow! Time is flying. Here is what I’ve done:

– I’ve kept the P90X workouts going all this time. They are awesome! Once you do these you learn what works and what doesn’t. You tweak your workouts and use the best exercises. I feel great!
– Bought gymnastic rings. Haven’t focused too much on them but want to. They’re awesome because pushups, pullups, dips etc. on these, focus on your weakest muscle. That’s the muscle that will shake the most when you’re working out. Over time these weak muscles, (normally on my left since I’m right handed), will match the other side.
– Weight – has fluctuated between 180-190 lbs over the past two years. I think the amount of water I drink changes this. Let’s say I’m an average 185. I try to drink 1+ gallons of water a day.
– Food – I have continued to eat healthy, will lapse here and there, but in the end it is all about moderation. If I’m working out, I can basically eat anything I want. The years I’ve been doing this though, I’ve come to a point where I always want to eat healthy. I feel better when I eat good food.
– I got married!!! (6/26/10)
– We had a baby girl!!! (Parker. 6/21/11)
– House renovation!

Through all of this, when I look at who I was before I started working out, there is no way I’m going back. My life is great, I feel great, and I’d like to think staying in shape has helped me accomplish this. Keeping this up, my plan is to live a longer and fuller life and be there for my family for as long as I physically and mentally can.
I’ll post another pic soon to prove that being healthy is a great path to follow.
Cheers!

6/02/12
I’m a Primal newbie, 31 years old, ~175-180 lbs, 39 days primal and going strong.
MarksDailyApple.com is amazing.

I’ve only had a positive experience thus far and believe it can only get better. Here’s my quick overview:
– Lost 10 lbs in the first week (not counting water weight which I believe to be a fluctuation of 3-5 lbs).
– Went down a belt notch.
– Experienced the low carb flu maybe, or lack of energy, for about 2 weeks but am now starting to get the amazing energy everyone’s success stories brag about.
– Used to need 10 hours sleep to function, and now only need 8 or less.
– Used to make noises in my sleep (my wife said it sounded like I’m eating food, ha!, maybe I was dreaming about eating) but that stopped almost as soon as I started eating primal.
– Continuing to lose fat around my lower gut (college drinking days) but not losing weight, which means my usual workouts (which seem to follow the primal workouts quite closely actually, pull-ups, pushups, dumbbells) are still allowing me to build muscle at the same rate as I’m losing fat. I’ll be able to show off my abs soon. Never thought I could actually lose this. I’ve also heard my face is a little thinner.
– No need to eat 6 times a day which I originally thought was good practice. Now I only eat when I’m hungry, not as much each time, and I feel great doing so. Sometimes I won’t need to eat anything the whole day I’m at work.
– Eating great food, many thanks to the Primal Blueprint Quick & Easy Meals cookbook.

07/23/12
You know what’s awesome? Muscle-ups. I did 6 muscle-ups in a row the other day! Blew my mind. Previously when I had tried I couldn’t even do one. The false grip and transition kicked my ass for so long, but then I decided to try again the other day and did 4 on the first try Couple days later I managed six. Unbelievable.

10/1/12
I think I want to join a CrossFit gym. Sounds like the next step up. Researching. Appears to cost ~$120-$180 / month for unlimited though, or $15 per walk-in. I’m leaning toward this as 1 day a week might be a good start and $60 /month sounds more reasonable.

11/01/12 – Normal
I took these pics randomly this month. I’d say it’s my normal look now. I feel pretty damn good.

January 2013 – I feel great for the new year!
– Decided to join LA Fitness. I researched prices online, talked to their Sales gal, she was very nice but when asked for her best deal, she gave me one that was worse than what I saw online. And she couldn’t seem to understand the math. I signed up for 3 months only.
– Used their machine that tells you what body fat % you are. It first tells me I’m 4.3%. The guys there were like, no way, try again. They re-calibrated and two more times the machine errors, which they tell me means my body fat % is so low it can’t be read. Not sure what that means. I don’t have a six pack quite yet so I think it lies. Reading online these machines can be +/- 5%, so maybe I’m at 10%. In any case, I weigh 175ish and now plan to get that six pack. I’m thin enough I should be able to accomplish this feat.
– I’m 80% primal (I enjoy the occasional ice cream and beer), bike 12 miles a day to/from work, and workout 1-2 times weekly.

2014

I’ve been 90% gluten free this year. I don’t think that’s bad at all. Of course when I cheat my body feels it, and hates it, but I deal with it because splurging every once in awhile is good for you.

Joined LA Fitness. On 82nd in Portland. They don’t have any fans…? Stuffy place. Stuck it out for awhile but finally quit. But not before…..

I maxed bench press at 250 lbs!!! 1 rep max. Awesome! Most I’ve done in my life. Feeling great! (Is this old man strength? I hope not. I still feel young. Last year of my early thirties but I’ve heard from people this feeling won’t last much longer. Damn them. Guess I’ll find out. Putting it to the test.)

Towards the end of 2014 Crossfit Excellence was recommended to me. Groupon had a deal. $50 for 20 classes and I’ve got to say, Where has this been all my life?!?!

Crossfit is unbelievable. Extremely fun and I’m getting so much stronger. Lean muscle and especially the cardio. Even after only 15-20 classes, going twice a week (Tuesday and Thursday). Could only imagine what more days a week would accomplish. Love it and highly recommend it.

Sure you hear stories of people getting hurt. People doing fake pullups. I read all the negative reviews. Ha! Some people are idiots. I bet that anyone who does kipping pullups can probably do more strict pullups than you can. But the main answer is, don’t push yourself that hard. Be careful, listen to the teacher, and above all listen to your body.

2015
What to do this year?

2016-2019
Forgot about this website. Life got in the way.

2020
Upgrade of GOCAVMAN content in progress.

Coronavirus, Layoffs

Garmin Instinct!

Battle Rope!

Beachbody.com LIIFT4!!!

ASSAULT BIKE!

MAX BENCH - 255LBS (MAY 2020 - best max of my life)

2021

Home garage wfh Covid workout