Back on Track

I fell off for a while with the demands of a hectic life, but I am dedicated to achieving my personal and professional goals in terms of my fitness and health needs.

My wife and I are both committing to an initial two week regimen of ultra low fat, low sugar diet which will consist of heavy intake of greens and lean meats and some fruits. I need to lose my stomach fat which is discouraging my progress and I am curious as to how much I can eliminate with this diet and daily movement.

The clocks starts tomorrow.

"Enlightenment is intimacy with all things."

- Dogen Zenji

• Wake- 1000
• Weigh in- 184.3
• Breakfast- One Tbs peanut butter and 8 oz. milk.
• Late morning- 20 oz. water.
• Lunch- Two chicken soft tacos w/ lettuce, light cheese, blackbeans and a few chips with medium salsa.

I ran the numbers and I have lost 5.4 lbs since I started this journal at the beginning of the month. I am very pleased with this. Furthermore, I have had a daily weight loss average of .28 lbs per day. Not too shabby!

“I dreamed I was a butterfly, flitting around in the sky; then I awoke. Now I wonder: Am I a man who dreamt of being a butterfly, or am I a butterfly dreaming that I am a man?”
- Chuang Tzu

• Wake- 0615
• Weigh in- 184.8
• Breakfast- Vegetable wrap w/ one brown organic egg and one cup homemade hashbrowns. 12 oz. water.
• Mid-morning- 40 oz. water
• Lunch- 8 oz. hot herbal tea, one wrap w/ turkey, one slice pepperjack cheese and lettuce. 1/2 cup mixed organic veggies and one peanut butter sandwich. 20 oz. water.
• Afternoon- 20 oz. water.
• Late afternoon- 16 oz. shake with nonfat milk, one banana, one tbs peanut butter and one scoop protein powder.
• Dinner- One turkey sub w/ lettuce and sweet peppers and provolone cheese. 16 oz. pineapple juice.

Worked a show and didn't have the time to do my TFC workout, but did a lot of stair climbing all night long.

"We have two ears and one tongue so that we would listen more and talk less”
-Diogenes

• Wake- 0630
• Weigh in- 185.8
• Breakfast- Wrap with one brown organic egg, homemade hasbrownsand two slices pepper jack cheese. 8 oz. orange juice and 12 oz. water.
• Mid morning- 40 oz. water, 8 oz. hot herbal tea.
• Lunch- Two cups of organic steamed veggies and two cups of quinoa with a wrap with turkey, 2 slices pepper jack and lettuce. 20 oz. water.

The cats woke me up at around 0400 and I had a hard time getting back to sleep after feeding them. When I was finally pretty soundly asleep, of course, the alarm went off. I slept a little longer than usual to make up for it. I wanted to do Intu-Flow, but just ran out of time. I can make it up tonight with the low intensity session before I work at the venue. Willie Nelson concert should prove interesting. I will be working most of the evenings this week and it will be a challenge to complete the Thursday and Friday sessions before work.

I was happy to see that my weight has maintained again today at 185.8. I was 189.7 when I first started this journal so that's 4 lbs that I have shed in that time. I have yet to determine what my goal is, but with the help of a gifted friend, I will have that determination soon. 

 "To see nothing is to perceive the Way, and to understand nothing is to know the Dharma, because seeing is neither seeing nor not seeing and because understanding is neither understanding nor not understanding."

-Bodhidharma

• Wake- 0700
• Weigh in- 185.8
• Breakfast- Turkey wrap with one slice pepper jack cheese and lettuce. Fruit bar and 20 oz. water.
• Mid morning- 20 oz. water and 8 oz. hot herbal tea.
• Lunch- 3 cups of chicken noodle soup and 20 oz. water.
• Dinner- One cup quinoa with 6 small felafel balls and salad. 8 oz. water.

I weighed in at 185.8 this morning- the lowest I have been in weeks. Despite pizza from the night before, I feel good and the weight is definitely coming off. 

Completed Day One of TacFit Commando! Finished at around 930 pm and feel great. I am still working on the form of the warmup motions so I would rate tonight as a 7. It left me wanting more and I am tempted to swing the clubbell a bit, but I will refrain and follow the program as verbatim as possible.

"Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes."
-Mahatma Gandhi

• Wake- 0700
• Weigh in- 187.2
• Breakfast- 16 oz. shake w/ nonfat organic milk, one tablespoon natural peanut butter, one banana and one scoop protein powder. 8 oz. water.
• Mid morning- 20 oz. water
• Lunch- Wrap w/ sliced chicken breast, lettuce, one slice Muenster cheese and two teaspoons of pesto. One cup of steamed mixed veggies. 20 oz. water.

I actually dropped some weight after gorging myself on cheeseburgers last night. How is it that happens sometimes? I have been hitting that 187.2 a lot lately... Feeling OK today even though I needed some extra sleep this morning and didn't do any conditioning. Maybe the meat helped from last night? I plan on attacking a workout hard tonight and am looking forward to Monday to officially begin the TF Commando program!

One thing I definitely learned this morning was my lactose intolerance in the morning time. The shake I had immediately congested me and brought on all kinds of sneezing and mucous. Next time I will stick to fruit and veggie based smoothies in the morning.

Only when you can be extremely pliable and soft can you be extremely hard and strong.
-Zen Proverb

• Wake- 0550
• Weigh in- 187.8
• Breakfast- 1/2 scrambled egg w/ peppers and ground turkey sausage wrap. 8 oz. water. 8 oz. herbal iced tea.
• Mid morning- 20 oz. water and 8 oz. orange juice.
• Late morning- One wrap w/ letuce and one slice Muenster cheese. 20 oz. water.
• Lunch- Three cups of cous cous w/ mixed steamed veggies, one small slice of breakfast bread and 20 oz. water and 8 oz. orange juice.
• Afternoon- 20 oz. water.
• Dinner- Three double cheeseburgers, fries and 16 oz. water.
• TacFit Commando practice and program orientation.
• Sleep- 2345

I folded again to the beckoning of greasy fast food meat. I don't feel as bad about it as I did the last time though. I have done very well for several weeks now and all but eliminated sugars, caffeine and fast food from my diet. We ran out of easily prepared meat and I went without the whole day and really felt depleted- like I needed the red meat to sustain me. It was a call of pure conveinence- for $4, I ate like a ravenous king and it was in my belly almost by the time my car pulled back into the driveway. I felt a bit bloated afterward and ashamed, but life goes on and I will do better.

More studying of the TacFit Commando program. I followed along with a few of the movements and read some more of the material as well as joined in with Scott Sonnon on a live webcast chatroom. The information there was invaluable as ever.

Stayed up and watched Zombieland with my wife since we hadn't spent much time together lately due to our crazy schedules.

"Marmoream relinquo, quam latericiam accepi" (I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble.)
-Augustus Caesar

• Wake- 0600
• Weigh in- 188.0
• Breakfast- Two scrambled brown eggs w/ 1/2 cup ground turkey sausage in a vegetable wrap. 12 oz. iced herbal tea.
• Intu-Flow @ 10 mins.
• Late morning- 8 oz. orange juice, 20 oz. water.
• Lunch- One cup cous cous, half cup mixed steamed veggies and turkey, muenster and lettuce wrap. 8 oz. water.
• Afternoon- Oatmeal cookie w/ 8 oz. orange juice. 20 oz. water.
• Dinner- 16 oz. shake w/ nonfat organic milk, one banana, one tablespoon peanut butter, protein powder. 3 cups organic whole wheat pasta w/ one tablespoon pesto. 8 oz. herbal iced tea.
• Kettlebell drills @ 10 mins.
• Circuit training @ 10 mins.

"Great things are done when men and mountains meet."
-William Blake

• Wake- 0600
• Weigh in- 187.2
• Breakfast- One brown egg w/ one cup of turkey sausage scrambled. 20 oz. water. 6 oz. orange juice.
• Late morning- 20 oz. water. 8 oz. orange juice.
• Lunch- 2 cups of homemade beef stew, 2 cups of cous cous w/ mixed vegetables. 8 oz. water.
• Early afternoon- 20 oz. water. 8 oz. hot herbal tea.
• Dinner- Blackbean burger wrap with lettuce and one slice Muenster cheese. 12 oz. water. 16 oz. shake with nonfat milk, protein powder, 2 tablespoons peanut butter and one banana.
• Practice Tac-Fit Commando @ 15 mins.

Have maintained the same weight for several days now. Feeling stronger although sore from the snow adventure and the new Tac-Fit Commando regimen. Excited for tomorrow at midnight when the full program is released!

Napped for a while last night with a moderate headache. Not sure where it came from though I did notice it coming on in the late afternoon. I had the craving for cheeseburgers and all but gave in to them- pushed through it and the headache and did some Tac-Fit Commando practice for a few minutes before going to bed around 2200.

"Always without desire we must be found,

If its deep mystery we would sound;
But if desire always within us be,
Its outer fringe is all that we shall see."
-Lao Tzu

• Wake- 1030
• Weigh in- 187.2
• Breakfast- Two scrambled brown eggs with one cup of turkey sausage and 16 oz. smoothie w/ one banana, 12 oz. orange juice, 4 oz. cranberry juice, half cup frozen spinach.
• Tac-Fit Commando practice @ 15 mins.
• Lunch- Two cups of homemade chicken and lentil soup. 8 oz. water.
• Late afternoon- 8 oz. cup of hot green tea.
• Mobility exercises @15 mins.
• Dinner- Two tilapia fish filets with cous cous and mixed vegetables. 12 oz. water.

Had a more relaxed day with scattered conditioning through out the day mixed with a lot of household chores. I permanently installed the pull up station in the doorway to my studio and now as in the old Fort Bragg days, I am requiring myself to do three reps of pulling exercises every time I enter and exit the room.

"Though the bamboo forest is dense, water flows through it freely."

-Zen Proverb

• Wake- 1000
• Weight in- 187.2
• Breakfast- Scrambled brown eggs with turkey sausage and hasbrowned potatoes. 12 oz. water.
• Tac-Fit and kettlebell workout in the snow @ 40 mins. Hiked 1 mile with 45 lb. kettlebell in my pack to location.
• Lunch- Hummus with crackers and feta cheese, 8 oz. water.
• Dinner- Homemade chicken and lentil soup with fresh salad w/ pesto dressing. 12 oz. water.
• Intu-Flow
• Tac-Fit Commando practice

A satisfying day of play and training in the snow. It is so evident how training in extreme weather conditions amps up the resistance in effort of movement. A workout that normally leaves me exhausted took a third the time in the snow.

"No work or love will flourish out of guilt, fear, or hollowness of heart, just as no valid plans for the future can be made by those who have no capacity for living now."
-Alan Watts

• Wake- 0600
• Weigh in- 189.0
• Intu-Flow @ 10 mins.
• Clubbell drill and parallette training @ 20 mins.
• Breakfast- Two scrambled eggs and one cup of hash brown potatoes. 4 oz. cranberry juice and 12 oz. water.
• Mid morning- 20 oz. water.
• Late morning- 20 oz. water, 8 oz. hot herbal mint tea.
• Lunch- 16 oz. shake w/ one whole banana, 16 oz. nonfat local dairy milk, 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter and 1/2 cup oatmeal. 8 oz. water.
• Intu-Flow @ 10 mins.
• Tac-Fit Commando @ 20 mins. 
• Kettlebell workout @ 10 mins.
• Haganah drills @ 15 mins.
• Dinner- Homemade beef stew w/ potatoes, carrots, peas, northern beans, onions. One whole wheat roll. 8 oz. water.

Tonight was my first try out of the new Tac-Fit Commando so most of my time was spent practicing the moves. It is an ass-kicker for sure! I am excited to work more with this. My wife and I did a kettlebell workout together afterwards- her first time using them and she did so well! 
I think she might be hooked.

“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I will meet you there.”
- Rumi

• Wake- 0600
• Weigh in- 189.2
• Intu-Flow @ 10 mins.
• Clubbell drill @ 10 mins.
• Breakfast- Two organic brown eggs with one slice Muenster cheese, one tablespoon pesto in jalapeno wrap. 20 oz. fruit smoothie with 4 frozen strawberries, one banana, 1/2 cup spinach, splash of orange juice, splash of cranberry juice and 8 oz. water.
• Mid morning- 40 oz. water
• Lunch- Three double cheese burgers and fries :( 16 oz. water.
• Afternoon- 20 oz. water, 8 oz. hot green tea.
• Late afternoon- Two tablespoons natural crunchy peanut butter, 6 oz. nonfat local dairy milk, 8 oz. water.
• Dinner- Two cups of organic chicken broth, 8 oz. water.
• Intu-Flow @ 15 mins.
• Clubbell drills @ 10 mins.
• Circuit training @ 10 mins.

I fell off today. Started the morning well with a good breakfast and good workout and then had to rush out to work without packing lunch. I had planned to go to Whole Foods for a good lunch, but with the realization that I was short this paycheck and money stress hitting me with a sucker punch, I felt a bit down and out. Headed to corporate deathburger and ate till I was sick for less than half of what I would have paid at the healthy store for far less portions. This is the precise roadblock that goes up and thwarts my progress every time. I can't get stifled by it- just a minor set back. I will work my ass off tonight and eat salad for dinner. Mea culpa.

I did my best to make up for the burgers by working out pretty hard in the evening. I limited myself to just chicken broth for dinner, however, I really wasn't that hungry until my wife started nibbling on some chocolate. I fought the temptation by retreating to bed.

When love beckons to you, follow him,

Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams
As the north wind lays waste the garden.


For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.


Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.
He threshes you to make you naked.
He sifts you to free you from your husks.
He grinds you to whiteness.
He kneads you until you are pliant;
And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God's sacred feast.


All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart.


But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,
Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor,
Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your Tears.
Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.
Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love.


When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, "I am in the heart of God."
And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.
Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.
But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.

-Kahlil Gibran, from "The Prophet" ( In honor of my wife's birthday and the love I carry in my heart for her)

• Wake- 0600
• Weigh in- 188.0
• Intu-Flow @ 10 mins.
• Clubbell drill @ 10 mins.
• Breakfast- 8 oz. nonfat local dairy milk, one tablespoon natural crunchy peanut butter, two Kashi roasted almond granola bars. 20 oz. water.
• Lunch- One half turkey and bacon sandwich with lettuce, small French bread roll, one cup of brocolli cheddar soup. 8 oz. sweetened iced tea.
• Dinner- Japanese steak and shrimp with mixed vegetables, one cup of miso soup, salad, 3/4 can Sapporo beer, one cup hot tea, 1/2 slice cheese cake.
• No workout

Today was my wife's birthday and so I hade a rather unorthodox schedule. I took off work early so I could take her out for lunch. we went to Panera Bread and while I attempted to think healthy thoughts about what I chose to eat, it did take me a bit off the course. We repeated the gluttony later in the evening with a dinner from a local Japanese steakhouse. I didn't feel bloated or unclean on the inside like I have with clearly unhealthy meals though. I predict I will get off track again around February 14th. Go figure!

“You can see the shape by which I am victorious, but what remains invisible is the form by which I ensure victory.” -Myamoto Musashi

• Wake- 0605
• Weigh in- 188.4 lbs.
• Intu-Flow @ 10 mins.
• Clubbell drill @ 10 mins.
• Breakfast- Two scrambled organic brown eggs w/ one slice Muenster cheese in spinach wrap. 8 oz. water. 8 oz. hot herbal mint tea.
• Late morning- One cup of organic semolina pasta with one tablespoon pesto. 40 oz. water.
• Lunch- Turkey and one slice Muenster cheese with lettuce and one tablespoon pesto on a jalapeno wrap. One cup of organic steamed broccoli. 20 oz. water.
• Afternoon- 20 oz. water. 8 oz. orange juice.
• Late Afternoon- Black bean burger with lettuce, one slice Muenster cheese in jalapeno wrap. 8 oz. water.
• Dinner- 4 small slices organic wheat crust/ tomatoes/ cheese pizza with 1/4 cup turkey sausage, 1/8 cup feta and 1 1/2 tablespoon pesto. 8 oz. water and 4 oz. cranberry juice. One glass of champagne.

A little sluggish this morning. Feeling like I didn't get as restful sleep as the night before and no cat mischief to wake me up at the crack of dawn either. Feeling restricted by my job and not being able to have a movement component in my work, save the restroom and fetching more water from the cooler. Need to take walks as often as possible to keep the lazy monster at bay. After my tactical position starts, I will be on my feet and the move all day. I relish it! 


Had a very late dinner as I awaited the return of my wife from work. I made us a celebratory organic pizza with a glass of champagne to honor her birthday. I didn't work out due to running around town picking up birthday essentials.

"If you want to identify me, ask me not where I live or what I like to eat, but ask me what I am living for, in detail, ask me what I think is keeping me from living fully for the thing I want to live for."  
-Thomas Merton

• Wake- 0430
• Weigh in- 189.7 lbs.
• Intu-Flow @ 10 mins.
• Clubbell drill @ 10 mins.
• Breakfast- Two scrambled organic brown eggs w/ 1/4 cup mixed organic frozen vegetables and 1/4 cup ground turkey sausage w/ fresh organic spinach in whole wheat vegetable wrap. 6 oz. of non-fat local dairy milk. One tablespoon of natural crunch peanut butter.
• Late Morning- 8 oz. orange juice, 20 oz. water, one medium-sized Granny Smith apple.
• Lunch- One cup of organic semolina pasta with one cup of spaghetti sauce w/ ground turkey sausage. Three-quarters cup of fresh raw spinach. 10 oz. water. 8 oz. of herbal mint hot tea.
• Early Afternoon- 8 oz. herbal mint hot tea and 20 oz. water.
• Late Afternoon- 20 oz. water.
• Early Evening- 12 oz. protein shake w/ one small banana, 12 oz. non-fat local dairy milk, two tablespoons crunchy natural peanut butter, half cup oatmeal, one scoop protein powder. 
• Dinner- One and a half cups of mixed organic frozen vegetables with a tablespoon of margarine and a black bean burger with fresh organic spinach, tablespoon of pesto, one slice of Muenster cheese in a jalapeno wrap. 12oz. water and 4 oz. cranberry juice.  
• Intu-Flow @ 10 mins.
• 45 lb. kettlebell drill @ 5 mins.
• Sit ups @ 30 secs.
• Parallette push ups @ 30 secs.
• Parallette Prasara Forward Pressure @ 30 secs.

I have felt pretty alert and energized today. The cats woke me up at 0430 with their incessant scratching. I am beginning to appreciate it as a natural alarm of sorts to get me out of bed. That gave me about 5.5 hours of sleep last night- which typically would never be enough, but I feel like the quality was better than I usually receive. We played hard yesterday in the snow and the cold on my feet and ankles was exhilarating. I had the feeling of having worked a long and laborious day last night when we sat down for dinner. It was a satisfying feeling that I haven't had in a while. Hopefully one that will revisit soon and often. 

Had dinner a little late @ 2030 so I had to wait until 2200 before I could work out. It was a fast little workout but a hard hitting one. I am excited to begin the Tac-Fit Commando sets tomorrow. I like using tools so I know that will be a supplemental routine and not my core system. 

Heading to bed now @ almost 2300. My wife won't be happy as we didn't get to spend much time together tonight, but hopefully she will join me soon.