Posted by
GBerto
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
at
12:00 PM
According to Losertown's calorie maintenance calculator I should hit my goal weight on 3/18/09 if I continue to consume less than 2000 kcal per day. I'll take this with a grain of salt considering that this is just an approximate program.
Day
Weight
Calories Used
Your Calorie Deficit
01/07/2009
218.34
2964.32
964.32
01/14/2009
216.42
2950.83
950.83
01/21/2009
214.53
2937.52
937.52
01/28/2009
212.66
2924.41
924.41
02/04/2009
210.83
2911.47
911.47
02/11/2009
209.01
2898.72
898.72
02/18/2009
207.23
2886.14
886.14
02/25/2009
205.47
2873.74
873.74
03/04/2009
203.73
2861.52
861.52
03/11/2009
202.02
2849.46
849.46
03/18/2009
200.33
2837.58
837.58
Workout A
Squats 5x5 @ 235 (+5)
Bench press 5x5 @ 225 (+5 lbs)
Inverted Rows 5xFailure (using body weight)
1x10
1x9
1x8
1x7
1x6
Push-ups 3xFailure (using body weight)
1x22
1x16
1x10
Reverse Crunch 3x12 (using body weight)
Weight Lifting - 612 calories in 1 hr
Meals
Meal 1: Slimfast Optima Shake with milk 200 kcal
Meal 2: Beef sausage with Rice and Green beans 695.9 Kcal
Beans, Green, Snap or String, boiled 1 cup=237 ml or 4.4 oz=125 g 1.5 servings 65.7 calories
Posted by
GBerto
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
at
8:03 PM
In light of yesterdays failure, I found an article from Rawgrip.com focusing on why most programs don't work. I have to admit that this section fits yesterdays mindset perfectly.
People see a good routine or a bad one and just pick a point from it. “Hmmm, it talks about lifting heavy that means I need to curl heavier -exercise order, sets, and reps were chosen for a reason and shouldn’t be messed with.
Yup, if it ain't broke why fix it.
Current Weight: 220 (down 10 pounds, 20 more to go)
Posted by
GBerto
Monday, December 29, 2008
at
8:09 AM
According to my new program, I will be only doing 1 set of deadlifts. This bothers me because I like doing deadlifts. So I will be changing the 5x5 program to fit my needs. I'll be doing deadlifts and squats on each workout but alternating the intensity for both.
Current Weight: 221 (whoa dropped two pounds?)
Workout: Workout B
Deadlifts 5x5 @ @ 225 (+5)
Military Press 5x5 @ 125 (+5)
Squats 3x8 @ 135
Pull downs 5x5 @ 175 (+5)
Reverse Crunch 3x12
edit: I didn't feel like this was much of a workout, so I'll be adhering to what the 5x5 workout B really says. Man I'm an idiot, I should listen to those who know more than me. So next time will be:
Squats 5x5 @ @ 235 (+5)
Military Press 5x5 @ 130 (+5)
Deadlifts 1x8 @ 230
Pull downs 5x5 @ 180 (+5)
Reverse Crunch 3x12
Meals:
Meal 1: Slimfast Bar 220 Kcal
Meal 2: Teriyaki Chicken and Rice 591.4 Kcal and 1 16 oz water
Posted by
GBerto
Sunday, December 28, 2008
at
9:33 PM
Parn and Deedlit, Free Knight and High Elf.
Of all the genres, medieval fantasy has always been my favorite. I own dozens of fantasy novels, and have always lamented the lack of good fantasy in other media. Fortunately, with anime like Record of Lodoss War, I needn't lament much longer.
Record of the Lodoss War. This was probably the first Anime were I truly lost my mind. I remember getting episode one from Kathy Khoo a friend from highschool. That episode had no subtitles and was grainy as hell, but after watching Parn and company defeat the earth dragon, I was hooked.
I spent the next few months researching where I could get this anime in it's entirety. I called the companies of streamline picturesU.S. renditions, both two of the top distributors of Anime in the early 90's, with questions on where to buy this series. Each time I called I would get a similar answer: "It's not licensed in the U.S. right now. Try looking in local Anime or comic stores."
So I did, I scoured the yellow pages for comic book stores in my area then calling and asking for any "Japanese Comics", "Japanese art books" or "Record of the Lodoss War videos". All of the stores said they don't carry those kinds of comics. So I widened my search. I started calling comic book and Anime stores in L.A., but the few that heard of the series didn't have any idea how to get it. It wasn't until my family went to San Fransisco for a quick vacation, that I found Lodoss War.
It was located in the underground mall, in a tiny store that specialized in imported Anime videos. The whole original series was there. Unedited, uncut, and in Japanese. But I didn't care. I had searched for nearly a year and I was damned if I left without those tapes. So I paid the $125 for the 13 episodes and took it home. I didn't watch it at first, I waited until I got home where I could watch the whole series uninterrupted.
It was worth the wait.
As I sat there riveted watching the story unfold in front of me I began to lose myself in the pictures, the voices and the music. And while I didn't know the true story of Lodoss until years later when the subtitled version came out, I had come to know the essence of Record of the Lodoss War.
Only one word is needed to summarize this series: epic. Actually, calling it epic is almost an understatement. Between the massive armies, extensive story line, and sheer scope, Lodoss War is a monumental anime.
Current Weight: 223
Workout: Rest Day
Meals:
Meal 1:Total Calories: 721.0
Ketchup, Tomato [Heinz] 1 tbsp or 0.60 oz=17 g 2 servings 30.0 calories
Chicken, light meat, fried 1 cup=237 ml or 4.9 oz=140 g 268.8 calories
Rice, White, Short Grain, cooked 1 cup=237 ml or 6.6 oz=186 g 241.8 calories
Posted by
GBerto
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
at
5:15 AM
I went shopping for presents today with some of my younger cousins who couldn't drive. We went to Target, Inland Center Mall, and to Big Lots (which is a great place to find a toy for dirt cheap!)
While most people hate shopping on this particular day, I love it. I love the crowds; jostling, folks bumping into each other with smiles and apologies that would ordinarily be absent on any other day. I hadn't been to the Inland Center for quite some time, and I was surprised by all the new stores. One in particular caught my eye. It was a sports store with a grip of Laker gear. Perfect for my mom and dad who are avid Laker fans. I bought for both, matching Laker sweaters for them to wear when they watch the game tomorrow and Laker lanyards so they could hang their ID's when they work. Quick and easy.
When we finished shopping, we all headed to my house to wrap the gifts, then headed to Mcdo and Travis' house to play Rock Band till 10 at night. But the night for me was just starting. Upon arriving at home, I was then informed that the family would be coming over for breakfast. Now our house is at the end of the renovation that started in May and it was a mess. Of course we couldn't have the house dirty for a family breakfast so we ended up cleaning till 5 in the morning. Now I'm going to sleep.
Posted by
GBerto
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
at
2:07 AM
My brother just announced during our family Christmas party that he and his wife are expecting. I'm going to be an uncle. I've got cousins with children and friends with children, but somehow, a nephew or niece already feels different, and I haven't even met him/her yet. It's really been getting me thinking. What will my role in his life be? I know the parents are the main source of knowledge and guidance. I also know that the grandparents have a geographic advantage -- I'll be the lesser-seen relative by a country mile. Will I just be another name, a strange face to stare at when it comes around, another semi-anonymous tag on a wrapped gift under the Christmas tree? I hope not. I don't intend for that to happen. I have a contribution to make too. I have things to teach him. Now that's a scary thought.
There is no workout or meal checks the remainder of the week. It's a mini vacation. But I'll try not to overdo it with the food.
Posted by
GBerto
Sunday, December 21, 2008
at
5:57 PM
Yesterday was the annual Yammerz Christmas party. I'm still tired from the festivities so here's the cliff notes. We ate while watching a slide show of the group throughout the years. Gave a gift of a years worth of speech therapy to Uncle Art, Rae and Kev's Dad. Opened some white elephant gifts, I got a juicer. Then did live music, karaoke, and rock band till 5 in the morning. Good times.
I'm going to upload the pics from that night as soon as I can.
Current weight: 224 (I had to recheck the scale but most likely water weight fluctuations. Oh and I'm going to buy a fat caliper to really measure my progress.)
Workout:
Rest Day
Cardio:
None
Meals:
Meal One: Kare Kare Total Calories: 558.2
(broken down) Bread, Potato, Country [Oroweat] : 2 slices 200.0 calories Beans, Green, Snap or String, boiled: 43.8 calories Eggplant, boiled: 34.7 calories Cabbage, Chinese (Pak Choi, Bok Choy), boiled: 20.4 calories Beef, various cuts, meat & fat, cooked: 259.3 calories
Meal two: Slimfast optima Shake with milk 200 cal (while at work)
Meal three: Slimfast optima Shake with milk 200 cal (while at work)
Posted by
GBerto
Saturday, December 20, 2008
at
3:19 PM
Thirty one days. Easy to say. Harder to live. This month was interesting to say the least. I've had my highs, lows and everything in between. I've come to a realization that I'm very lazy when it comes to working out. It's tough to go outside when it's 40 degrees and workout, but once I get going I can usually finish strong. Another aspect is, my food intake is very sporadic. I need to be more consistent in the types of foods that I take in. One month down, 3 to go.
Starting weight: 230 pounds. NOV 20, 2008 Current weight: 225 pounds. DEC 20, 2008
Workout: Due to the fact that I stalled on chest. I took a 3 day break. Got alot of rest and was able to finish the whole workout strong.
Posted by
GBerto
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
at
2:23 AM
So I decided to look for an online calorie counter to help with my nutrition and I found this: Caloriesperhour.com. It comes with a free calorie counter, a calories burned calculator, and a weight loss calculator. The calorie counter has a huge directory of fast food chains and supermarket foods.It's freaking awesome! The downside to this is that I've finally found out the true calories that I've been taking in. No wonder why I'm losing so slowly.
Current weight: 226
Workout:
Rest Day
Cardio:
Shopping - non-groceries 235 calories in 1 hr
Meals:
Breakfast: Polish Sausage, Hebrew National: 540.0 cal
Posted by
GBerto
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
at
5:56 PM
"You should work either for fun or for money: ideally for both. If your present job offers neither, you should find another." Me
Current weight: 225
Workout:
Squats 5x5 @ 220
Pull downs 5x5 @ 170
Bench press (For some reason this workout was tough for me)
2x5 @ 215
1x4 @ 215
1x3 @ 215
1x5 @ 205
1x3 @ 205
Dead lifts 5x5 @ 220
Military press 5x5 @ 120 (Could barely grind this one out as well.)
Cardio:
I'm finally adding a proper HIIT routine for the bike. Taken from this website. Even with my previous training, I'm going to start with the beginner program so that my body can get acclimated to this regimen.
HIIT: One 4 minute cycle. 30 sec sprint, followed by 30 sec normal pace.
Meals:
Breakfast: Slimfast optima 200 cal
Lunch: Chicken breast with brocolli and rice 600 cal
Posted by
GBerto
Monday, December 15, 2008
at
6:34 PM
It's one of those days. The rain is pouring down here in Southern California, just one month after the fires stripped the vegetation from the hills and I can't help but reflect on the two seasons of Southern California. Inferno and flood. It's a steady cycle here. The hills turn from green, to brown, to fire, and then to flood. The stinging smoke, raging wildfires and inevitable pyromaniacs will give way to months and months of biblical rain.
So today I decided to try my new camera and document the first real downpour of the season. I'm not a photographer by any means. I don't know any of the technical jargon that most of my friends, who are great photographers in their own right, understand with ease. All I know is how to point and click. Basically I decided that if I took a plethora of shots, one or two would luckily come out looking halfway decent. So out of the 20-30 pictures that I took, here are the two that made the cut.
Tree outside my work
When the rain cleared up
edit: So my cousin wants to know what kind of camera I used. The photos were taken with a Sony Cyber-shot. I didn't know how to stop the flash so I covered the flash with my hand. Yeah, basically point and click.
Current weight: 225
Workout:
Rest Day
Cardio:
None (I have shin splints)
Meals:
Breakfast: Slimfast optima 200 cal
Lunch: Slimfast optima 200 cal
Dinner: Chicken Pho with Chinese Dumplings 900 cal
Posted by
GBerto
Sunday, December 14, 2008
at
6:19 PM
This was taken from Barefoot Fitness, a site that I frequent to help me stay motivated.
People like to say that they are killing time.
"Oh, I'm at the mall, you know… Just killing time."
It doesn't work that way. Time kills you.
There are 28,251 days in the average human lifespan. What you do with them is up to you, but when the clock strikes midnight on that final day you no longer have any input. All you can do is look back on what you've done and the story you've written with your actions.
There are some people in this world that cut their days short on purpose. They don't want to play anymore and end their own lives. Maybe ten thousand days and then… suicide. All done.
But you would never do such a thing, right? You can tell yourself this, in your comfortable chair, reading some guys blog while you're supposed to be taking care of that spreadsheet for the boss. You're going to get all twenty-eight thousand days. Heck, with medical technology, you could probably get thirty or more!
Now look back on what you've been doing with your days. How many hours of television did you watch last week? Ever think about counting it? Kind of an uncomfortable thought, huh? What about that time you spend each day commuting to work; sitting in that same seat, driving the same route, cursing at the same intersections? All that time you spend preoccupied while you’re with your kids, friends or maybe that one person that you’ve chosen to love. Does that time spent with them really matter when all you’re really focused on is worrying about your mortgage?
Consider the path you’re on and total up the days again. How many of them were really lived well?
What is the difference between you and the girl who writes a goodbye letter to her cats and jumps off the Coronado Bridge? Sure, she cut her days short all at once, but have you ever considered the possibility that you’re doing the same thing, just one day or a few hours at a time, over the course of a lifespan?
Get up and do something. Achieve that thing that scares you, or at least fail while daring greatly. Love someone completely, take that trip that you’ve been putting off since your freshman year of college and actually say what you think for once. At the end of the day, when you step in the shower and watch the mud, blood and sweat wash down the drain, you’ll know that you can go to sleep with another day in the victory column.
Current weight: 226 (up 1 lb booooo)
Workout:
Squats 5x5 @ 220 (+5lbs)
Pull downs 5x5 @ 170 (+5lbs)
Bench press 5x5 @ 210 (+15lbs)
Dead lifts 6x5 @ 215 (same as last week)
Military press 6x5 @ 120 (+5lbs)
Cardio:
None (I have shin splints)
Meals:
Breakfast: Slimfast optima 200 cal
Lunch: Slimfast optima 200 cal
Dinner: Beef, Rice, Green beans and Mungo beans 800 cal
Snack: ??? don't know yet but it will be around 200 cal
Posted by
GBerto
Saturday, December 13, 2008
at
3:04 PM
So Konahamaru, a genin or beginner, is able to produce the Rasengan, and take out a Pain body. While Kakashi, an S-level Jonin, who is considered by the current Hokage, Lady Tsunade, a shoe in to be the Sixth Hokage, the most powerful ninja in the village, is defeated and possibly killed by said Pain body. Right ...
Current Weight: 225
Workout
rest day
Cardio
none
Meals:
Breakfast: Slimfast optima 200 cal
Lunch: Slimfast optima 200 cal
Dinner: Jolly bee's "Chicken Joy" and 16 oz coke 900 cal
Posted by
GBerto
Friday, December 12, 2008
at
8:56 AM
If grandma is living with you, you don't make her pay for rent or make her buy her own food, you take care of her. She took care of you when you were little, why the fuck are you making her pay when she needs to be taken care of. Granted, some elderly people are a burden to take care of, but so were you when you were a 2 year-old fuck crying for your bottle. You're still being taken cared of by your parents. Sure you're married now but it was your dad that bought you that house for you and your sister. He knew you couldn't afford it so he shelled out his hard earned money to buy you that house then you go around and ask his mom for rent? Where is the gratitude?
I hope your kids treat you like shit when you are old. Fucking spoiled ass bitches.
(you can tell I'm abit mad)
Current weight: 225
Workout: (hope it doesn't rain before I can do this)
Squats 5x5 @ 215lbs
Bench Press 5x5 @ 195lbs
Dead lifts (Romanian) 5x5 215lbs
Pull Downs 5x5 @ 165
Military Press 5x5 @ 115lbs
So I took the workout from the previous day and tweaked it a little so that I'll still be using the same muscles and getting a high rep set added onto my low.
Squats 1xFail @ 95 lbs
Bench Press 1xFail @ 95lbs
Dead lifts 1xFail @ 95 lbs
Pull Downs 1xFail @ 95 lbs
Military Press 1xFail @ 95 lbs
Cardio
none.
Meals:
Breakfast: Slimfast optima 200 cal
Lunch: Chicken breast no skin with green beans with broth 700 cal
Dinner: Roasted chicken with pene pasta on tomato sauce 800 cal
Posted by
GBerto
Thursday, December 11, 2008
at
9:03 AM
It was a so-so week for me. I kept up with the majority or my diet and workout plan and I'm down 5 lbs. I need to stay motivated so a friend of mine sent this to me.
Current weight: 225
Workout: Randy Couture training I'm trying something different on my light days
Bent over rows x8
Upright rows x8
Military press x8
Good morning x8
Lunges x8
Squat push press x8
Deadlift x8
Cardio:
10 min speed bag
10 min jump rope
10 min jog
Meals:
Breakfast: Slimfast optima 200 cal
Lunch: Cafe steamers Beef and green beens 300 cal
Dinner: Polish hot dog with relish onions and ketchup 900 cal
Posted by
GBerto
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
at
1:32 PM
If I could say only one thing about this anime, if sexual humor offends you, then don't even consider this title. This is one series which doesn't even try to hide its intent.
Meet Kintaro Oe, age 25. Kintaro refers to himself as a freeter, a person who takes on various odd jobs. The strange thing about him is that after achieving all the credits required to graduate college, he quit. He now travels the world on his mountain bike in search of knowledge, because, after all, 'Study is life!
The Golden Boy OVA has been positively received by English-language reviewers, but it is widely known for its mature content: while the OVA is not strictly a hentai animation, it does feature instances of partial female nudity, orgasms, and female masturbation. In contrast, the manga becomes almost pornographic starting in the second volume.
Posted by
GBerto
Monday, December 8, 2008
at
11:48 PM
In every era and in every medium, you have bad offerings, you have mediocre offerings, and then you have one or two gems that were put together by a team that might've given half a damn about the quality of the final product. The shining star in of '80s cartoons was undoubtedly Robotech. Heavily plotted, with rich characters (especially for the time), Robotech was the series to watch, and was by far the most complicated and adult animated show on daytime TV.
Robotech, broke the mold by working on the assumption that perhaps young viewers could appreciate a deep, ongoing storyline. It unwrapped a battle-torn universe where wars didn't just end because the good guys happened to foil the villain's plot in half an hour. In fact, the war lasted for generations, tuning kids into a very sad fact about life, death and war: Sometimes this shit just drags on forever.
Now there has just been announced a culture-quaking event of such import, that developmentally arrested 30-35 year-olds around the planet are shivering, no, quivering in excitement, stunned to the bone, mouths agape and rendered useless for the rest of the day. I'm talking about Robotech: the movie. While this is old news, I just needed to write about it. Words cannot express the extent of my infatuation with this animated series when I was in grade school. If it weren’t for Robotech, I probably wouldn’t have gotten into anime at all.
Posted by
GBerto
Saturday, December 6, 2008
at
7:15 PM
While I can reluctantly reconcile the idea that vampires feed on animal blood because they want to be able to live side-by-side with humans, I cannot accept changes like ’sunlight is harmless to a vampire.’ No, that’s not true… I cannot accept changes like ’sunlight is harmless to a vampire, they just have to come out at night because their skin sparkles like glitter in sunshine.’
Posted by
GBerto
Thursday, December 4, 2008
at
7:47 PM
It's Thursday once again, time to recap this weeks failure. I was inconsistent with my diet and my workout. The intensity that I had last week is slipping away. A dietitian and personal trainer friend of mine basically said that "You're too strict. You restrict your diet too much."
It's true with the exception of my dinner I limit my calories to the bare minimum. I exercise like I’m 20 again. Now it seems I can only keep this up for a week or two before my body finally screams for more food and I end up bingeing.
Current weight: 228 (no decrease so it's a wasted week)
Posted by
GBerto
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
at
12:37 AM
"They live on, though the world has forgotten them, and will continue to live on forever, reliving their story. They have not forgotten the past; they cannot. And neither should we." --- unknown.
Seita and Setsuko from the live action version ( I couldn't find a decent pic of the anime).
In my long history with anime, not one film has touched my heart as did "Grave of the Fireflies". This anime classic tells the story of a pair of orphans following the firebombing of Kobe at the end of WW2.
The film opens with a montage that hints at the fate of Seita and his younger sister Setsuko, before an extended sequence showing an American attack on their home town. The two find out that their mother didn't survive the attack and leave for their aunt's home. When things don't work out, they take up refuge in an abandoned bomb shelter.
Based on the novel by Akiyuki Nosaka, "Grave of the Fireflies" takes tremendous care to illustrate the everyday details of life during war time. With the careful deliberation it lays out its heartbreaking story. Never resorting to manipulative tricks, the film instills achingly real sorrow for the orphans' fate. It doesn't avert its gaze from the bloody stumps and burnt out eyes of the childrens mother, or a little girl's last labored breaths.
One of the most devastating anti-war films ever made, animated or otherwise, "Grave of the Fireflies" takes courage to watch but rewards it in spades. Lovely and heartbreaking, this movie will stay with you.
Snowmen, hot chocolate, warm slippers, a raging fire in the fireplace — these are just a few of the many wonders of winter. Southern California winters are perfect — we get just enough snow in the mountains to really have good snowboarding but when we get tired of the snow we can just leave. Winter is the season for family holidays, new beginnings and making lifelong memories. When I was growing up, Christmas was my favorite holiday. I knew there would be presents. Lots of them. One of my annual pre-Christmas rituals was carefully going through the Toy's R' Us catalog and marking my selections in ink. Like Ralphie in A Christmas Story, I wanted to make sure my parents got the message.
Now Christmas also can be, for a variety of reasons, a time of stress. One source of stress is the oppression of the shopping list. The longer the list, the greater the anxiety--what shall I get for this niece or that cousin or friend? How do I avoid giving a gift that's too similar to what I gave last year? Bending to the pressure, many of us join the legions of shoppers hunched over and weighted down by bags full of holiday things.
Amidst it all, we lose sight of the meaning of Christmas. We forget why we give gifts in the first place--the story Christians believe about the first Christmas' gift to the world of the Prince of Peace. When He walked on the Earth, He spoke to us of the gifts that really matter:
"For I was hungered, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in; naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me." Matthew 25:35
This message of giving speaks to what's good in and required of all of us. Giving to another reminds us of our own humanity, of how fragile, vulnerable and fearful we can be ourselves and how loving, generous and caring we can be to another. When you feel your life begin to spiral, when balance is hard to come by, think about a time when someone has given to you unconditionally and do that for another. It could be for a minute, an hour or an afternoon. When you stop to give unconditionally, you may be beautifully surprised to witness the effect it has on you and how quickly your life feels back in balance.
Current Weight: 224
