Daily News Archives

October 2005

10/31/2005 - Last day of cut; Thanks SwoleCat!
10/30/2005 - Yet another change to my splits; Couple new pictures.
10/29/2005 - Change to my bulking program; Revised splits.
10/28/2005 - More on my bulking plans: Splits, SUP2.
10/27/2005 - New DVD from AtLarge; Last night's workout.
10/26/2005 - Back to the weights; More on my upcoming bulk.
10/25/2005 - First cold snap of the season.
10/24/2005 - Ready to start training again; Bulking supplements.
10/23/2005 - Taking the day off.
10/22/2005 - New foods, workout logs; Saturday plans.
10/21/2005 - Server upgrades this morning.
10/20/2005 - Awesome day yesterday; New lifting music.
10/19/2005 - Taking a week off from weight training; Tonight's plans.
10/18/2005 - Bulking meal plans; Last cheat meal of the month tomorrow.
10/17/2005 - Logo recap; Last night's workout; New pictures; 10,000 members!
10/16/2005 - Help tweak the logos!
10/15/2005 - JSF logo contest: WE HAVE A WINNER!
10/14/2005 - More on mental discipline.
10/13/2005 - Pushing through pain.
10/12/2005 - Quick update, running late.
10/11/2005 - Bulking plans.
10/10/2005 - Nice weekend; New pictures; 21 days until I bulk; Thank you.
10/09/2005 - Clarification.
10/08/2005 - Part two of yesterday's update.
10/07/2005 - vBulletin; Mental toughness, mediocrity and excuses; New photo.
10/06/2005 - Woke up late again; Good back workout last night.
10/05/2005 - Titan update: where's the review and web site?
10/04/2005 - JSF Logo Contest: good turnout so far.
10/03/2005 - JSF Logo Contest - voting phase!
10/02/2005 - Pictorial: the past year of progress.
10/01/2005 - Day 1000; Monthly pictures; SGX Update.

October 31, 2005

This is it - the final day of my SGX cutting cycle! Tomorrow begins my SUP2 bulk, and I'm looking forward to a productive season of big lifting, big meals and big gains.

I want to take a moment to thank Chris "SwoleCat" Janusz for working with me over the past few months - it's been a real pleasure! The small $200.00 investment for his SGX program was well worth it. Based on my own personal experiences, I highly recommend hiring Chris. After my positive experience with SGX, deciding to do his SUP2 bulking program was a total "no-brainer". Thanks again, Chris!

Last day! AtLarge Nutrition is offering 15% off all orders! Now's a great time to stock up on ETS and their other excellent products. With 15% off everything, don't forget to put The Road To The Arnold DVD in your cart before you checkout! To get the coupon code click here.

October 30, 2005

Of course I'm still tweaking my splits and my meals for my upcoming bulk. LOL. What can I say? I like to tinker! So, I worked out a 5-day split with SwoleCat last night, but now I've decided that I want to give my delts their own day (along with some trap work in the form of shrugs). Here's the latest (and hopefully last) split, which I've submitted to Chris for approval.

Monday: Cardio
Tuesday: Back & Traps
Wednesday: Chest & Abs
Thursday: Cardio
Friday: Legs
Saturday: Delts & Traps
Sunday: Biceps & Triceps

I put a couple new shots up in my photo journal yesterday: A new one of my backyard, and a little further down I've got a new photo of my traps and unpumped arms.

Well, that's probably enough excitement for one morning.

Reminder: Today through October 31st AtLarge Nutrition is offering 15% off all orders! Now's a great time to stock up on ETS and their other excellent products. With 15% off everything, don't forget to put The Road To The Arnold DVD in your cart before you checkout! To get the coupon code click here.

October 29, 2005

AtLarge Nutrition is running a scary special over the Halloween weekend! Today through October 31st they are offering 15% off all orders! Now's a great time to stock up on ETS and their other excellent products. With 15% off everything, don't forget to put The Road To The Arnold DVD in your cart before you checkout! To get the coupon code click here.

I had a long talk with SwoleCat yesterday about the weight training portion of my bulk. We've decided that a higher volume training program is probably best for me, so I won't be doing the standard SUP2 weight training program ("STS"). Of course I'll be doing the SUP2 program from a nutritional standpoint, but instead of STS I'll be doing a slightly modified version of the SGX weight training program. I'm very, VERY happy about this. I already know how my body will respond to the higher volume, and I'm looking for huge gains. A low volume program might work for me, too, but I don't feel like taking any chances this year. Also, I have to admit that I have not been enjoying the 20 minute weight training workouts this week. I love lifting, so very brief workouts are not really my cup of tea. I asked Chris if I could try a higher volume program after six weeks if the default STS program was not producing results. We talked about it for a bit, and in the end Chris himself actually recommended that I start with the high volume program. Well, that made my day!

So, forget the splits I posted yesterday. My revised SUP2 training split will be as follows (still no cardio on weight training days):

Monday: Cardio
Tuesday: Back and Traps
Wednesday: Cardio
Thursday: Chest and Abs
Friday: Cardio
Saturday: Legs
Sunday: Delts and Arms

I have all my meal plans done, and now my training program is locked and loaded. All the ingredients for a successful bulk are in place. Now it's up to me to put the work in. I'm looking forward to the challenge. It all starts on Tuesday!

October 28, 2005

I received my The Road To The Arnold DVD from AtLarge Nutrition, so look for my review this weekend or early next week! You can learn how to get your own copy by clicking the below banner.

Last night was chest and arms day. Once again, I used the SUP2 weight training system, but I'm still on the SGX diet. I'll start the SUP2 diet on Tuesday, which is when my bulk begins. I'm feeling out the SUP2 weight training program during the last week of my cut so I can hit the ground running when I start my bulk on Tuesday. The SUP2 program requires that I get multi-rep maxes on several exercises in advance, so I've been doing that this week as well.

My SUP2 training split will be as follows (no cardio on weight training days):

Monday: Cardio
Tuesday: Back, Traps and Abs
Wednesday: Cardio
Thursday: Chest and Arms
Friday: Cardio
Saturday: Legs
Sunday: Delts and Arms

The SUP2 program allows for custom weight training programs, as long as SwoleCat approves whatever it is you want to do. I'm going to do the Official SUP2 weight training program for six weeks and then evaluate my progress: if I'm making good progress I'll stick with it; if not, I'm going to talk to Chris about moving to a higher volume program, which I've personally had great success with.

I can't wait for Tuesday! I LOVE TO BULK: Lots of weight training. Lots of food. Less cardio. What's not to like?!

October 27, 2005

AtLarge Nutrition has a very cool new DVD for sale: The Road To The Arnold.

The Road To The Arnold chronicles Ryan "Bench Monster" Kennelly's training and life leading up to the 2005 Arnold Classic. I'm not a powerlifter, but after checking out the preview video I think I'm going enjoy having this DVD in my collection. I'm extremely motivated by people who push themselves beyond all limits, and this DVD looks like a trove of inspiration in that regard. It has a sick soundtrack, too. Click the above banner to learn more, check out some screenshots and even watch a video preview. My copy is on the way, so look for a full review very soon. If you want to talk about this DVD or post a review, there's a discussion going on the forum.

It sure felt good to get back under the iron last night. I was afraid that I might have lost a bit of strength, but I didn't. In fact, I added weight on several exercises and felt really energetic. As I mentioned yesterday, I performed the SUP2 workout instead of the SGX workout because I wanted to get a feel for it before my bulk officially begins next week. Because the volume was so low, I tried to stay totally focused on cadence, form and the mind-muscle connection. I'm so used to doing more volume that I felt like I had a lot left in me when I was done. This is definitely going to take some getting used to.

I'm running late and need to get my cardio in before work. Be sure to check out the new Bench Monster DVD preview and let us know what you think!

October 26, 2005

Today I resume weight training! It feels like I've taken a month off, not just a week. I can't wait to lift tonight - it's all I've been thinking about since the weekend. Even though my bulk doesn't start until next Tuesday, I'm going to be switching the weight training portion of my program to SUP2 this week. I want to get a feel for the weight training portion of the program before I officially begin. The SUP2 weight training program is different than anything I've done before. I can't go into specifics, but I can tell you that volume is rather low compared to what I'm accustomed to doing. I'm scratching my head a little, but I'm going to put my faith in the program and follow it to the letter. We'll all see how well I grow over the next 3 or 4 months. I'll tell you one thing: my motivation has never been higher (which is a little scary, I know!) I'm totally amped up and ready to do this.

I'm mostly done with my meal plans. I've got a little tweaking to do here and there, but 90% of my meals are planned out. What the weight training portion of SUP2 lacks in volume is compensated by the nutritional side of the program: I'm going to be eating like a horse!

I've got a crazy day ahead, so I'd better get moving. Have a great day!

October 25, 2005

Wow, it's pretty cold here this morning (for Orlando)! It's about 49 degrees outside right now and all I can say is ABOUT TIME! It's the end of October and this is the first hint of cold weather we've had this year. I like living in the south, and I like warm weather but by the time "winter" rolls around I'm more than ready for it. Of course the term "winter" in Orlando is relative. We've not had snow here since the very first year I moved to Orlando - way back in 1989! I'd love to see a little snow this year. If for no other reason than I think my dogs would love it! Of course I have the plants to worry about, many of which can't handle the cold, so maybe I don't want snow after all.

Uh, just listen to me droning on about the weather - I've turned into my mother! See what happens when you take a week off from weight training? Sheesh. Next think you know I'll be watching romantic comedies. This week off from weight training has been the longest week of my life. Thankfully tomorrow I resume my workouts.

Cardio time!

October 24, 2005

As I mentioned last week, I'm taking a week off from weight training because it's been a long time since I've done so. I'm starting to feel a little (a lot) antsy to get back to it. It felt strange not doing anything at my normal training times this past weekend. Thankfully this Wednesday I can get back at it. In fact, I only have one more weight training workout for each body part left before I start bulking because my bulk starts a week from Tomorrow! I still haven't finished planning all my meals, so I'll need to finish that up this week.

My bulking supplement intake will be pretty simple: I'll be taking a multi-vitamin, Kent Nutrition's MSM/Glucosamine/Chrondroitin, dextrose and ALA, AtLarge's ETS, BSN's Xplode and Cellmass, and All The Whey's hydrolyzed whey protein and whey protein isolate.

With all the storms in Florida today there's bound to be some power/network outages. That should make for a busy work day for me. I'm going to go get my cardio in early and get ready. See ya!

October 23, 2005

I'm taking the day off - see ya tomorrow!

October 22, 2005

Hrm, there's not a whole lot going on this morning. I'm in the middle of my week off from weight training, at the end of my SGX cutting cycle and mostly just anxiously waiting for my bulk to start. Today Lisa is going grocery shopping and her list looks very different than usual: she will be filling her cart high with all kinds of new foods for my bulk. I can't wait!

Today I think I'm going to work on planning some new menus, and I also need to create some new workout log charts to fit the SUP2 weight training program. For once I don't have much work to do around the house, so it also looks like a great day to relax and watch some movies. Sounds great to me!

October 21, 2005

I'll be upgrading a few things on the server this morning, so there may be some downtime (hopefully not too long).

Have a great Friday!

October 20, 2005

My birthday yesterday was just about perfect in every way; I had a stress-free 1/2 day of work (I cut out early), ate a fantastically indulgent dinner with my wife and then I got relax and enjoy an evening of MMA action with no interruptions from my pager. Thanks for all the wonderful birthday wishes!

I got some new CDs yesterday. I like my music loud and aggressive when I train, and this new batch of CDs certainly fits that description! Here's some of what I'll be lifting to while I'm bulking over the next few months: God Forbid - "Gone Forever", Stampin' Ground - "A New Darkness Upon Us", Dry Kill Logic - "The Dead And Dreaming", Diecast - "Tearing Down Your Blue Skies" and Unearth - "The Oncoming Storm". Of course I'll be mixing in some of my old favorites like Shadow's Fall, Hatebreed and Fear Factory, as well.

Just 12 days to go until my bulk - I can't wait!@#

October 19, 2005

It's been many months since I've taken a break from weight training, and with my bulk coming up there won't another chance for a break for a long while. I've always found that a week off from weight training every 3 months or so to be very beneficial, so I've decided to take this week off from weight training. I'll still be doing cardio and eating clean, of course. Next week I'll resume strength training for the last week of my SGX program, and then my bulk starts: 12-16 weeks of hardcore lifting and eating.

Tonight's my cheat meal, and what a cheat it will be: BBQ pork (pulled, sliced and ribs), baked beans, garlic bread, french fries, ice-cold Red Stripe, cake and ice cream. I'm going to savor every bite of that meal while I watch my new "UFC Ultimate Knockouts" DVDs. Perfect.

October 18, 2005

For the past week I've been slowly working on my meal plans for my upcoming SUP2 bulk. While I can't go into specifics about my custom SUP2 diet, I can say that I'll be eating quite a few carbs throughout the day. When it comes to cooking, having ample carbs to work with opens up entire worlds of culinary possibilities. My mouth was watering last night as I nailed down a couple of upcoming menus. Because I do all the cooking and Lisa eats whatever I make, I think she's more excited about my upcoming bulk than I am!

Tomorrow's my birthday (I'll be 37), and I've decided that it's also going to be my last cheat meal until I start bulking next month. I'm going out in style: I'm going to have BBQ pork, a couple of beers and maybe some cake. After tomorrow, nothing but clean eating until the end of my cut. That's just 2 weeks away, so it's not as if it will be difficult to do.

Time for my cardio workout! See ya tomorrow...

October 17, 2005

I know a lot of you are busy with other things and don't check the site over the weekend. Those of you who fall into that category will want to know that the winning artist in the JSF logo contest was announced on Saturday. The winner of the contest, Brian "Genetix" Howard, wants your input! Do you have a shading, color or other tweak you'd like to suggest? Please feel free to do so in this thread. I'll delay the vote for the final logo for a week or so while Brian takes your suggestions and finalizes the logos.

Last night I worked my arms. I decided to change up most of my exercises this week. Here's what I did:

Delts: Smith machine shoulder presses, standing DB lateral raises, bent over DB raises.
Biceps: Barbell curls, DB curls, concentration curls.
Triceps: Standing French curls, standing DB extensions, close-grip barbell bench presses.

I performed the biceps/triceps part of my workout in antagonistic superset fashion. No rest between the bicep/tricep sets, and 30 seconds to 1 minute rest between each superset.

I put some new pictures up in my photo journal on the forum. My back has shown some nice progress over the past couple of months, but I've got a long way to go. Also, by request, I did a couple of "Arnold" poses and, as expected, look ridiculous. That's OK - one day I'll be able to pull that pose off... until then, we'll laugh together.

We passed the 10,000 member mark on the forums this weekend!

I've got to get going - have a wonderful day!

October 16, 2005

As I announced yesterday, we have a winner in the JSF logo contest. The winner of the contest, Brian "Genetix" Howard, wants your input! Do you have a shading, color or other tweak you'd like to suggest? Please feel free to do so in this thread. I'll delay the vote for the final logo for a week or so while Brian takes your suggestions and finalizes the logos. I love that the new JSF logo has been a true community project.

I've got a very full day ahead: yard work, house work, two workouts and about 100 other little things that need doing. Have a great Sunday - see you tomorrow!

October 15, 2005

The new JSF logo has been chosen! Well, sorta...

The winning artist submitted several logos, so we still need to pick the winning logo from the five that he submitted. I'll set that up this weekend and we'll pick the winner as a community starting on Monday.

The contest was a huge success: 15 artists entered the contest, and 573 of you voted. Thanks to everyone who participated!

Without further delay, I'd like to congratulate our winner, Brian Howard (AKA "Genetix")! His designs commanded a very impressive 45.9% of the total vote. Here are his designs, one of which will be soon be the new Official JSF logo (click any image to enlarge the set):

Again, I'd like to thank everyone who submitted a logo and everyone who voted.

October 14, 2005

I wanted to elaborate a bit more on the same subject as yesterday's Daily News Update. This topic came up on the forums yesterday, and what I've written below is kind of an amalgamation of a couple of posts I made in that discussion, along with some new thoughts.

My friends, family and numerous people who visit JSF have told me on more than one occasion, "If you could bottle your drive you'd be a millionaire." Obviously packaging my drive is an impossible task, because that has to come from within. Sure, external sources can motivate and educate, but I'm talking about true passion and the kind of mental toughness that becomes a part of who you are. No one can give that to you, you have to find it in yourself. When you find it, you have to nurture and cultivate it. Nothing worth having comes easy.

While I can't bottle whatever it is that makes me tick, I can share my thought process and mindset with you. Perhaps something I say will be the catalyst that helps you tap into your own power, or perhaps you'll just roll your eyes because I'm too over-the-top for your liking. Either of those responses are equally valid, and I mean that sincerely.

I strongly believe that if something is worth doing, it's worth giving it your all. That's just the way I am. If I decide that something is worth my time, then I'm going to maximize that time. Life's too short to half-ass it. I don't care if it's lifting weights or doing the dishes - yes, I'm going to give my all and I make no apologizes for it. I don't expect everyone to do this, but people seem to want to know what my "secret" it. Well, that's it in a nutshell.

I'm talking about mental toughness. When I say "mental toughness", I'm don't mean "doing your best", "trying really hard" or "not doing your worst"; I'm talking about pushing past what you think your boundaries are. We are capable of so much more than we think. Our mind is so powerful that it can be our best friend or our worst enemy. Tapping into that power takes work, but you have an opportunity to practice every time you are faced with a challenge: you can take the easy way out, or you can exercise self-discipline and control.

I know all about both sides of the coin. I know about laziness and sloth, and I know about hard work and mental toughness. When I started my transformation back in 2003 I went over six months without a single cheat meal. I went over six months without missing a single workout. I didn't work up to that level, I simply decided what I wanted to do and I refused to back down. I'm not a superhuman, I didn't do anything each and every person reading this can't do. I just set a goal, got my mind in the game and treated each opportunity to quit as a direct insult to my ability to control my own actions.

There's something extremely powerful about pushing past our perceived limits. It's all about having the courage to face a challenge, suck it up and overcome whatever is in our way. Once it's done, you feel almost invincible. The next time you're faced with a challenge you remember that feeling. You grow stronger each time you overcome. "That which does not kill us makes us stronger." Do it enough, and overcoming challenges becomes second nature. Backing down from challenges, likewise, becomes habitual.

I apply these principles to all areas of my life, not just weight training. Working out was just a starting point. Fitness changed my life, but it has not become my life. I spend no more than 2 hours a day working out, preparing meals, updating the web site and planning my meals/workouts. Often I spend less than an hour a day doing those tasks. How many of you who just thought "TWO WHOLE HOURS??!" spend that amount of time watching TV or playing video games without batting an eye? Yes, a lot of you. I lead a very full life: I have a full-time job, friends, a family, hobbies such as astronomy, film, gardening and guitar. If anything, taking time each day to focus on my health and wellbeing has increased the amount of time I have to spend doing the other things I enjoy. I'm no longer tired and sick all the time, and I have regained my passion for life. Fitness is an investment, and my life is overflowing with the returns.

October 13, 2005

Do you ever get to a point in your workout where there's more work to do, but you feel like you can't crank out another set? You're tired, your muscles are screaming, you're bathed in sweat and all you want to do is shower and collapse somewhere so you can nurse a protein shake. I started feeling like that last night mid-way through my deadlifts. Up until that point I was having a great workout, but right after my second set of deads I thought about quitting early. I finished my second set of deads, grabbed some water, noted my reps/weight in my workout log, took a couple of deep breaths and then stood there staring at the barbell when I should have been walking over and picking it up. At first I was a little shocked that I was actually entertaining the idea of not finishing my workout. I love weight training, and I look forward to each workout without fail. So, why was I contemplating quitting? I thought about it for a minute, and I realized that my mind was simply creating a new challenge for me to overcome. Of course part of me wanted to stop: Deadlifts are hard; Deadlifts are painful; I was pushing myself to my limit and I was tired. My brain was saying, "You're tired. You're in pain - and you can make it stop." I thought, "Shut up, brain. I'm not quitting." So, I cracked a warped little smile, walked over to the bar and did another set, this time with two more reps than the previous set. I rested 30 seconds and did a 4th set. Then I finished my workout with four sets of burnout shrugs.

I think we all feel like quitting sometimes, but there's nothing more satisfying to me than pushing through the occasional impulse to take the easy way out. The next time you feel like quitting, push on through. Ignore the pain. I guarantee at the end of your workout you're going to be tired, but you'll feel GREAT and will be mentally stronger than you were before.

October 12, 2005

This is going to be a quick update. Not only am I running late, I can't think of a single interesting thing to say (yeah, like that's ever stopped me before!) I'm going to go jump on the bike and work up a sweat. Have a great day!

October 11, 2005

I talked to SwoleCat last night about my upcoming bulk, and have received my customized SUP2 bulking program. I'm going to start planning my workouts and meals right away (actually, the workouts are already spelled out in detail). At the end of this month I'm going to complete my cut, and on November 1, 2005 my bulk will begin. I don't want any time off or waiting after my cut - I'm on a roll and I want to keep the momentum going. I plan to bulk for at least three months, perhaps even four months. The weight training splits and routines are very different than anything I've done before. The diet portion of the program looks awesome - I love to eat, and I will most certainly be eating! I won't be drinking my usual weekly glass of wine during my bulk; I found out last year that zero alcohol consumption makes a big difference in my progress. I may make one exception and have a glass of wine on Thanksgiving, but that's it. Needless to say I'm very excited to get started and see how I respond to this unique, customized training program!

I've got to get going on my cardio now. Have a great day!

October 10, 2005

I hope everyone had a nice weekend. Sometimes I wake up on Saturday in the mood to complete projects and run around town, and some weekends... NOT! This was one of those "NOT!" weekends. Other than my workouts and a few odd jobs around the house, I didn't do much of anything but hang out with Lisa and the dogs. Very relaxing, and just what I needed.

Relaxation time came to a screeching halt at 6:00 PM on Saturday and Sunday. My two weight training workouts went really well this weekend. My legs are killing me this morning, and by tonight I expect my arms and shoulders to be on fire as well. I took a few new pictures last night.

Just another 21 days until I start my bulk! I can't wait. Already at ~191 pounds, 8% body fat and almost 37 years old, I wonder how much bigger I can get naturally? Based on how much I've grown on my SGX cutting cycle, I'm thinking the answer is A LOT BIGGER - especially now that my diet is optimal, and will continue to be on SUP2. We'll soon see!

I'd like to close by thanking everyone who emailed me about the past few updates. Yesterday's batch of letters was particularly positive and supportive. I feel truly honored to have played some part in so many of your lives. I very much appreciate that so many of you took the time to write to me and tell me your stories. Your emails absolutely made my day, and helped remind me why JSF is here. My most heartfelt thanks.

October 9, 2005

My Daily News posts over the last couple of days were meant to inspire and uplift - I didn't mean to disparage in any way. We can only answer the question "Am I happy?" for ourselves. There are a lot of unhappy people out there, and I was one of them. Fitness was the key that allowed me to unlock my long-lost self-esteem. Fitness helped make me a productive and satisfied member of society after years of aimless drifting. This is a fitness site, so I speak from what I know and what helped me. Since the people who visit this site are clearly interested in fitness, but not all are succeeding in reaching their goals, my hope is that my words will inspire them to do better - both in fitness, and in life.

There are moms, dads, bothers, sisters, single folks, husbands and wives out there who's lives are totally complete. Many of them have never lifted a single weight or done even one crunch. Does that make them less than those who do? Of course not! I feel sick that I may not have expressed this clearly enough. I don't look down on anyone. The whole goal in keeping the main site running and starting the forums was to help others do what I did: improve their lives through fitness.

October 8, 2005

I received a tremendous amount of email in response to yesterday's Daily News update - a total of 67 emails, so far. I've read each and every one of the emails, some of them twice. I appreciate that so many of you took the time to write and let me know your feelings about what I said. Most of the emails were very supportive and positive in nature; I would classify just three of them as "negative". None were rude. I'd like to address some of the many comments and questions I received...

What I wrote yesterday was from the heart, but it was "designed" to trigger a reaction. When I say "designed", I don't mean to imply that I was attempting to deceive or manipulate anyone - nothing could be further from the truth! I was speaking honestly and openly on an emotional level. When I write to inspire, my hope is that my words bring about an emotional, gut-level response from the people who choose to visit my site. Based on the pile of emails I've received over the past 24 hours, I'd say I was successful.

It's all about making connections. Some people connect with the way I put things, some people don't. Jeremy Likness, for example, speaks about "courage" and "fear", while I call the same thing "gutting it out" and "making excuses". Jeremy may disagree that the previous examples are analogous, but personally I see them as basically the same things. We are simply wrapping what is essentially the same message in different packaging. Again, it's all about making connections. Hopefully if you don't respond to what I'm saying on an emotional level, another author will make that connection with you.

I do love to be inspired! It's a real rush when I read something or hear someone speak to me as if they could read my innermost thoughts, telling me exactly what I need to hear to push myself to new heights. I may not be a master wordsmith, but I try to return the favor as much as I can by speaking honestly. It's a wonderful symbiotic cycle, and I love being a part of it.

Many of you wrote to me and said what I wrote yesterday was just what you needed to hear. Awesome! If what I wrote rattles around in just one brain long enough for that person to adopt a permanent change in their lifestyle, I'll consider the time I spent writing it well worthwhile. A few of you felt that my words were rooted in ego. Actually, I agree - but I see nothing wrong with that. No one wants to be plain or ordinary, but the sad fact is many of us settle for it. As a race, humans have an intrinsic desire to be noticed; we want to be appreciated and we want to stand out from the crowd. We're inherently competitive, but life beats the competitive spark out of us if we don't nurture it. Just look at all the apathetic people out there who drift around from day to day with no aim except to get to the next day. I was like that. What a horrible way to live! Fitness was the spark that inspired me to start living again, so I speak about it with passion and fire. While I never set out to offend, that's a price I'm willing to pay if I can help motivate others to do better.

October 7, 2005

The new version of vBulletin (v3.5) has been out for about a week now. There are a lot of cool new features, but the upgrade is a major one: I'm going to have to upgrade all the "skins" and re-write the few hacks that I've written or used. There will probably be other unforeseen issues as well, and new things to learn. I'm going to wait a couple of weeks to upgrade JSF, maybe even until the first inevitable bug fix version is released (v3.51). I'll probably run the upgrade on a spare server with a duplicate of the forums here at home before I upgrade the production box.

Yesterday's workout (pecs & abs) started a little shaky. For some reason I just wasn't feeling it. I had a bit of a headache (very rare for me), and rainy weather often has a subduing effect on me. I pushed through, though, and mid way through my second chest exercise I started to feel pretty good. I improved on last week's workout, so I'm glad I gutted it out and got it done.

I think one of the key differences between people who get poor results and those who get great results is directly tied to excuses: those who make them go nowhere, while those who don't can do anything. I try to keep this in mind any time I feel like skipping a workout or pigging out on junk food. Sometimes I almost enjoy it when I don't feel like working out; I consider it another exercise - a mental one. Most people fail this test, and fail it miserably. Just look around the next time you are outside, the evidence is everywhere. This may sound egotistical but I'll be honest and just come out with it: I like knowing that I'm one of the few who doesn't take the easy way out. I enjoy knowing I'm doing something 99 out of 100 people won't do. I was average for a long time, and I didn't like it. Not one bit. I don't like being common. I'm better than common, and so are each and every one of you. What are you going to do today to separate yourself from the apathetic masses?

I took just one photo after last night's workout. I'm working hard to get rid of the last remaining fat below my belly button. I think it's slowly starting to come off!

Cardio time! Have a wonderful day (and no skipping your workout! )

October 6, 2005

I woke up late today again for some reason. If this keeps up I'm going to have to start setting my alarm clock. I'm not sure why I've been waking up late this week: normally I wake up on my own at 6:00 or 6:30 without fail. Even the dogs have been sleeping in. It has been rainy and overcast this week, so maybe that has something to do with it. Rainy weather makes me sleepy.

I had a great back workout last night. I was going to take some pictures, but by the time I finished my deads and shrugs, all I could think about was getting a protein shake in me and resting! I've been keeping the rest intervals very short lately. It's quite a switch from MAX-OT, but I really like the intensity and pace of my current workouts. I think I sweat more during my weight training workouts than I do during my cardio workouts!

Speaking of cardio, I've got to get going. I should have been on the bike half an hour ago! See ya tomorrow.

October 5, 2005

A lot of people have been asking me about my Titan review - mainly, WHERE THE HECK IS IT?! I'm happy to say that my written review will be coming soon - I'm working on it now. The are a couple of reasons why the review is taking so long...

First, the guys at Fitcore wanted to make sure I had the latest version of the Titan for my review. I agreed, and purchased an upgrade kit from them. There have been a number of tweaks and refinements (some suggested by yours truly ) since I received my Titan. It took some time to get all the changes made and ship the replacement parts to me from Poland. While certainly not necessary, current Titan owners will have the option of purchasing an upgrade kit if they choose. The currently shipping Titan is the latest version, and includes all changes and refinements. I'll cover all the changes and what's included in the upgrade kit somewhere in my review.

The other major reason for the delay is because Fitcore's new web site is still being completed. The guys at Fitcore have been working very hard with their web developer to get their new site done, but it's proven to be no small task! I'm pretty sure it's finally almost done.

I know many of you who are interested in purchasing a Titan have been waiting for the review and the new Fitcore web site. It should be just a few more weeks longer! Thanks for your patience.

October 4, 2005

After the first official day of voting for the new JSF logo, there are almost 350 votes! Thanks very much to everyone who is taking part in helping to select the new logo. The artists have truly risen to the task and created some amazing and unique designs. I know many of you are having a tough time making a choice. I know just how you feel! I'm also having a difficult time making up my mind.

I'm running behind this morning so I'd better cut this update short. Have a great day and I'll see you tomorrow!

October 3, 2005

The JSF logo contest is on! All the entries have been received, and now it's time for the JSF community to check out the logos and vote for their favorite. One of the winning artist's logos will become the new official JSF logo! The only requirement for voting is that you have an account on the forum that was created prior to September 6, 2005 (when the contest was announced).

I want to thank all the artists and designers who took the time to create a logo for this contest; you are all very talented! I wish we didn't have to pick just one winning logo, but that's the name of the game. I'm glad that I decided to do this competition as a contest decided by member vote, because I couldn't possibly pick a winner. I'm truly torn between several of the designs.

JSF LOGO CONTEST: VOTING PHASE!
Your vote is needed! The only requirement for voting is that you have an account on the forum that was created prior to September 6, 2005. Eligible members can check out all the logos and cast their vote here. You may cast your vote any time before October 15, 2005.

October 2, 2005

I thought it would be interesting to compare my pictures from last year (just before I started my bulk) to my current photos. Basically over the last year I've lost body fat and added over 18 pounds of pure muscle. I know this year I can do even better. I'm going to work my butt off: by this time next year I want to be at least 210 pounds and just as lean (or leaner) than I am now.

August 6, 2004	October 1, 2005	August 6, 2004	October 1, 2005

172.0 pounds & 9% body fat vs. 189.8 pounds & 8% body fat		172.0 pounds & 9% body fat vs. 189.8 pounds & 8% body fat

October 1, 2005

What a perfect day for my monthly pictures: it's been 1000 days since I made the choice to get healthy, and I'm back down to 8% body fat for the first time since early 2004. My new pictures are below and on the Pictures page. I'm very happy with my progress since I started the SGX program. The pictures don't lie, and neither do the statistics: I've lost fat and gained muscle.

The first column contains my stats from August 15, 2005 (the day I started SGX). The second column contains today's measurements:

IMPERIAL (US) MEASUREMENTS	Aug 15 2005	Oct 1 2005
Weight (lbs)	189.4	189.8
Body Fat %	9%	8%

Waist	31.25"	31"
Hips	38.5"	38"
Forearms	13"	13"
Arms	15.5"	16"
Thighs	22.75"	22.25"
Calves	16"	16"
Chest	42"	42.25"

Yep, I actually weigh more now than I did before I started SGX! I'm going to continue on SGX for one more month and then I'll start a full-out bulk using SwoleCat's SUP2 program. I want to thank SwoleCat for everything he's done over the past couple of months. I've learned a lot from him, and I'm liking what I see in the mirror!

The logo contest entry deadline has past. I want to thank everyone who entered. I'll be working on a custom web-based voting program ASAP. I'll email everyone who entered a confirmation notice by the end of the day. If you sent a logo and do not receive a confirmation notice by the end of the day, please contact me. Thanks!

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