I can smell it. It is out there, brisk, like a wake up call. I don't know what it is yet, but I have a very positive outlook at 2008 and a little kick in my swagger. Call my crazy, but I can feel it in the air.
Had a pacemaker clinic appointment today in good old Pittsburgh. God I hate that city, I have no idea how anyone can live there. You can see just about every kind of race, creed, and sexual orientation just by driving past the University. Strange indeed. February of 08' will be 8 years with this little computer in my chest, and according to the stats, I have about 7-14 more months of battery life left before I have to go back in and get it replaced. In case anyone is wondering, the whole thing is a battery, so they just cut me open, unplug the device and cut it out, then put a new one in. FUN! Down time is only about a week since they aren't replacing the leads that run down into my heart, but I have to let the incision and pocket heal.
"Part bionic, and organic, not a cyborg...call me a pyschotron!"
My doctor is just about the coolest lady I know, and we are going to plan the surgery around my week at the beach late August if it comes to that. It has a 3 month window once the battery meter is kicked, so there is plenty of time to get it replaced.
My family doctor has me on some good meds now for my night terrors as well. I always get so tired mid day and I am exhausted, reason being I am usually running around the house at night swinging at "monsters" and dodging snakes. Of course, I don't remember, but my wife does her best to get me back to bed before I get hurt, or I hurt someone. This new medicine got the green light from my heart doc so I am good to start taking it. Here is too many nights of GOOD SLEEP for me, and my wife. This may enlighten me, and wake me up to a whole new world. Let's hope it works.
I have been experimenting with supplements and here is the low down on what I have discovered:
-Anatrop by Justin Harris works. It is an amino acid supplement taken post (and if you want pre) workout. Even though I am on a very low carb diet (some days I eat a mere 30 grams) I am still gaining muscle. The scale is holding steady, and I am looking fuller throughout. There is also a little bit of veinage sneaking in on my arms and shoulders that hasn't been there since my 165 pound days. Basically, I am gaining muscle as I diet, not losing. It isn't as impossible as you may think! Harris has some great stuff out there and more on the horizon, nothing like getting supplements from a guy who is in the trenches and isn't just trying to rip you off. I will support www.troponinnutrition.com 100% and every product he comes out with.
-Cellmass by BSN works. BSN is not even close to Muscle Tech, I have yet to try a BSN product that I don't like, and Cellmass is by far the best creatine supplement I have EVER used. I have used creatine on and off since 1996, and I have used just about every brand from EAS, Optimum, Muscle Tech, etc. and Cellmass blows them away. No water bloat, no cramping, NO HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, and plenty of strength and stamina. I am able to train hard, with very little rest, recover quick, and keep adding plates to the bar. Excellent product and you wont be pissing your money down the drain.
-Optimum Nutrition's 100% Whey Gold Standard protein. We all know you need protein, and Optimum has won protein powder of the year for a number of years now. It mixes easy, it tastes great, and it costs you around $70 for 10 pounds. Sure, you might be able to find some cheaper (however, all whey protein prices have come up) but this stuff is worth it. Don't have access to a blender? Can't find that damn shaker cup, just use a spoon, it mixes like some smooth Nestle's chocolate milk! 100 grams of my 250 grams of protein a day comes from Optimum!
-BSN's TRUE-MASS. Listen, when I get done training I have a very small window to work with. In that window of time, I must do my morning cardio, prepare my meals for the day, and eat my 10 am meal. However, I know and appreciate the importance of the post workout meal to refuel the bodies glycogen stores and fill it with muscle building protein. So, instead of cooking a 12 egg omelet and eating some oatmeal, I simply add some TRUE-MASS to the blender, and not only am I getting carbs (76 grams) and protein (46 grams) but I am also getting this:
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So that is what I use, and the results are speaking for themselves, despite being carb depleted (on non-training days only) and doing cardio every day, I am still getting stronger and I am growing, even at age 30. I measured my arms yesterday, I know, so gay, but they are 18.25 inches. Never before...so something is working. Let's just increase how incredibly gay this blog has become by giving you a pic:
Yep. That is my "gun". I cant tell you how hard it is to flex, pull the tape tight, tape it, then push the camera button. By this time I was shaking pretty good, but it came out good enough to read the tape. I know, I need some more "peak" but I figure with the fat loss they will start to look pretty impressive. Especially considering #1- I am drug free and #2- I haven't done biceps work in years. It feels weird to be training my biceps again, but the strangest part of all is the damn things never get sore. And so the saga continues and I continue to train my ass off daily, defy logic and reason, and make my doctors shake their heads in amazement. I guess that is all I can hope for. Have a good holiday season, eat smart, train harder then hell. I will be back soon- -Rick | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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