S2E3 26-Day Core & Endurance Journal PART 1

[Compdude]

NOTE: Workout phase temporarily interrupted by 6-Day Potato Diet to resolve surprise arthritic attack. Resumed in S2E5 23-Day Cored & Endurance Journal PART 2.

NOTE 2: Extended from 23 to 26 days to accommodate Round 2 contest date for World Championship of Public Speaking on 3/31 and delayed start of next 21-day fast to 3/22.

Goals of Core & Endurance:

1. Increase lean muscle mass
2. Increase aerobic endurance
3. Strengthen body for next 21-day fast starting 3/17
4. Increase flexibility in lower body

NOTES:

1. Qualifications for writing this journal can be viewed in first 2 entries of S2E1 30-Day Flexibility & Endurance Journal.

2. Myofascia tissue tightness should have been addressed through foam roll therapy - See S2E1 30-Day Flexibility & Endurance Journal for details

3. Lower body flexibility issues should have been addressed in See S2E1 30-Day Flexibility & Endurance Journal for flexibility workouts and routines.

Weight gain/loss: 0lbs
Exercise: 1 mile walk
Whole Body Workout Routine: Starting tomorrow
Energy: ( Tired Strong Ok)

DJ Entry Format:

1. Personal
2. Exercise
3. Motivational/Inspirational/Informative

Personal:
Energy levels recovered enough I was able to start my daily exercise routine again with a 1 mile walk this morning. Had to push myself as some toes in the left foot and both ankles were stiff with arthritic symptoms left over from the last fast. Had to take several breaks not because of fatigue but to give achy joints a break. Persevered because increased blood flow would alleviate the arthritic conditions and make them go away sooner.

Stem cell conversion into new cells is slowing down as evidenced that this is the first day didn’t feel the need for a bowel movement after 3 consecutive days of morning and evening ones. Cooked up a hearty steak & broccoli dish heavy with fresh onions, garlic and ginger to replenish the gut bacteria in addition to fresh strawberries for breakfast.

Exercise:
Will take it slow as still in final recovery from ReFeed & ReBuild phase. Here’s a YouTube video on basic workout design principles from a guy who I respect in that he knows what he’s doing.
Start at 1:55:

2/16 - 1 mile walk
2/17 - 1 mile walk & LB Flexibility workout

Motivational/Inspirational/Informative

Needed a good “kick in the pants” motivational video to start things off:

Have a Gr8 day everyone!

[Compdude]

Day 2/30 Core & Endurance
2/17/20

Weight gain: 1lb
Exercise: 1.2 mile walk
Whole Body Workout Routine: Postponed until tomorrow
Energy: ( Tired Strong Ok)

Personal:
Energy levels continue to recover. Not quite there yet so decided to postpone the Flexibility workout as I also was meeting a friend for my long delayed birthday lunch and celebration of completing my 40-day late last year. Didn’t want to be too stiff to walk to the bus stop to get to the restaurant as she’s driving in from her retirement home high up in the mountains.

Should be able to work on my writing today as I feel have enough energy and time away from the writing to really do some creative stuff today.

Exercise:
Since the long-term goal of this project is to have 6-pack abs by the 6/12 deadline, I decided to research YouTube for an excellent video on abs development. This is what I’ve found:

The key here is insuring these basic 3 moves are included in every full body workout. Also the attendant off-setting back exercises to maintain musculature balance.

2/16 - 1 mile walk
2/17 - 1.2 mile walk
2/18 - 1 mile walk & LB Flexibility workout

Motivational/Inspirational/Informative

Today’s video is an interview with Dr. Rhonda Patrick, a respected research scientist, on muscle growth, prolonged fasting and ReFeed with protein:

Have a Gr8 day everyone!

[Compdude]

Day 3/30 Core & Endurance
2/18/20

Weight gain/loss: 0
Exercise: 1 mile walk
Whole Body Workout Routine: Postponed again
Energy: ( Tired Strong Ok)
IF/TRE (Intermittent Fast/Time Restricted Eating): 13:11

Personal:
Only slept 4 hours last night. Did my usual wake up routine of daily weight scale, measuring BGL, cup of coffee and then exercise routine. While making coffee, realized I needed more sleep and decided to eat something as I had already completed 13 hours of fasting. Slept for another 2 hours. Both feet were really stiff and a bit painful and almost chose NOT to exercise. Instead focused that I needed the blood circulation more than the rest and did the walk anyway.

The walk was tough as could only take baby steps in the beginning as that’s how stiff both feet and ankles were. Just focused on putting one foot in front of the other. By the end of the walk was almost walking normally. Went directly into making my main meal for the day, got some consulting work done and took another 1 hour nap.

Guess my body’s still doing stem cell conversions as my energy levels haven’t fully recovered yet. But, I’m seeing evidence as my quads are bigger now. What’s interesting was at lunch yesterday at Islands Restaurant, I had my usual Pipeline Chili Cheeseburger with a side order of fries. Haven’t had one of these since before I started my protocol which would be early last summer. Before I’d eat the burger, the side order and order another full order of fries to feel full. Not this time. I could only finish half the burger and took the other half home for an early dinner. Proof my stomach capacity has shrunk quite a bit. Also, I noticed that my body was craving more of the fresh onions in the burger so this morning I caramelized half an onion and added it to my scrambled eggs. Yum!

Exercise:
Since my energy levels aren’t back to normal yet and still have stiffness in the feet and ankles which impact my balance I decided to postpone again the Flexibility workout. In the meantime, I continue to look at Full Body Workouts on YouTube for ideas. Here’s one that I believe I will start off with after I complete a full week of walking and the Flexibility workouts. I like this workout because you can add more rounds as your endurance increases. I do have the dumbbells that are required for this workout.

This routine can serve as the “base” from which I’ll make modifications to add the required ab movements detailed in yesterday’s video and also additions to make individual exercises more demanding. For example in the first exercise, I could add a push up. What I like about this routine is no jumping which would accommodate my current situation of stiff feet and ankles.

2/16 - 1 mile walk
2/17 - 1.2 mile walk
2/18 - 1 mile walk
2/18 - 1 mile walk OR LB Flexibility workout

Motivational/Inspirational/Informative:

Denzel Washington, “Fall down 7, get up 8.”

[Freedumb]

I am impressed. I wonder if I could discipline myself to an exercise regime? I hadn’t thought of that. I will now, though.

[Compdude]

Day 4/30 Core & Endurance
2/19/20

Weight gain: 3lbs. Total: 4lbs
Exercise: Involuntary Rest - Debilitating pain in right ankle
Whole Body Workout Routine: Postponed again
Energy: ( Tired Strong Ok)
IF/TRE (Intermittent Fast/Time Restricted Eating): 14:10

Personal:
Yesterday, I decided to see if I could solve these arthritic pains I’ve been undergoing since they started near the end of my last fast. One hypothesis its a buildup of toxic residue in my peripheral extremities in my ankles, feet and fingers. So I tried something to help my vascular system. Here’s what I did:

I laid flat on my bed with my feet elevated at a 45 degree ankle by resting them on the top of my bed’s headboard. I then reached for the sky with hands outstretched. I have an old mechanical wall clock that each time the second hand moves makes a sound. Each second I flexed my fingers and toes to speed the blood circulation hoping the help of gravity would help clear this stuff out. I did this 600 times or for 10 minutes.

Later that night the pain receded and I thought I had the solution. But then this morning, my right ankle was stiff with pain to the point I could barely walk. Also my left wrist hurt. This is the reason I had to take an involuntary rest day. However, I will do this therapeutic exercise again this evening as I won’t a little short-term pain stop me.

Exercise:
As stated earlier, I couldn’t exercise today due to right ankle stiffness and pain. But here’s another full body workout routine that I’m considering once I’ve built up strength and endurance from yesterday’s routine. This would be considered advanced for me due to the jumping aspect. It’s my hope to complete this workout near the end of this current 30-day workout phase:

2/16 - 1 mile walk
2/17 - 1.2 mile walk
2/18 - 1 mile walk
2/19 - Forced rest
2/19 - 1.2 mile walk

Motivational/Inspirational/Informative:

[Freedumb]

Your persistence is impressive.

[Compdude]

Thank you.

[Compdude]

Day 5/30 Core & Endurance
2/20/20

NOTE: Putting this Core & Endurance on 1 week hold, Reason the arthritic symptoms worsened in my right foot and struck my left wrist. Typing this entry with one hand, Since the wrist contains so many nerves the pain, along with pain from the right foot incapacitated me all day and didn’t sleep most of last night,

This didn’t occur during my last ReFeed after the 40-day and I’m eating the same foods. Therefore I believe its the residual toxins from the 21-day. Since I can’t even walk and I refuse to go back to taking medications I decided to go back to how I started this project in August of last year.

I’m going back on the Potato Diet for 7 days to detox the body. I’m hoping the 7 days will do it, starting tomorrow because I have Prep work to do today. It’s only 7 days because on Feb 29th I have the 1st round of the World Championship of Public Speaking to compete in.

NOTE 2: I will start a new Daily Journal for the 7-Day Potato Diet

Here’s the original YouTube video that got me interested:

Motivation/Inspiration/Information:

This is a repeat, but I REALLY needed to view this again:

[Freedumb]

I am really sorry to hear you are in so much pain. Would you consider using pain medication to get you through the competition? Then, you could, once again, go off the meds.

[Compdude]

No. Toughing it out. Much better today.
Thanks for your concern