X-Force Blog, Tuesday 7:00am

X-Force Blog, Tuesday 7:00am

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

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Wednesday, May 09, 2012

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Wednesday, May 09, 2012
   


I’m Sexy and I Know It

What a great birthday weekend! Thanks for all the happy wishes. I did have a birthday “cake” after all! My niece and four nephews made me a cake of black bean hummus with carrot stick candles. My co-worker, Jenn King, also baked me some special banana pecan bread from a recipe she developed. No sugar. Whole grain. 100 calories per slice. Happy birthday to me!

Sunday was our second X-Force nutrition briefing. We were given a supplemental menu that offers eight new options. The catch is, we all have to drop 100 calories off our daily total intake. Tricky. Tricky.

Last Christmas my mom gave me Subway gift cards, but I don’t go there. It’s not that I don’t like Subway. The chain just doesn’t cross my path often. So, I don’t think to go there.

I am grateful for the gift cards, but I’ll admit it was one of those mom gifts that made me go “huh?” I don’t recall a single conversation with my mom about me liking Subway… ever.

If you know me, you can easily extrapolate that a Starbucks gift card would be a smart choice.  I drink gallons of coffee. I think of coffee as my “personality enhancer.” Morning coffee starts each day. Coffee helps me maintain a cheery disposition, extra important while on this calorie-limited X-Force diet. Coffee yes. Subs not so much.

Imagine my surprise when one of the new X-Force menu choices was Subway’s 6” Turkey Breast & Black Forrest Ham sub with tons of veggies on 9-grain, whole wheat bread. Go ahead and laugh, Mom.

Monday, I’m back at GHF. It’s X-Force leg day. We are all wary of the new machines we’ll meet. I catch up with Dawn R. a fellow X-Force participant and take a quick picture together before my turn down the circuit. Dawn wishes me “luck” already knowing first-hand what I’m about to experience.


In picture left to right: John, Dawn and Lydia

Music can be a great motivator while you exercise. I decide I’ll need a song to help drive me through the leg workout. I select, “Sexy and I Know It” a pop song I just downloaded. It has a great groove and humorous lyrics. The group LMFAO recorded the tune. Now, Ricky Martin has a version. Martin gives it a great Latin spin. I choose Martin’s rendition.

Here are some of the lyrics…

We headed to the club, baby don't be nervous.
No shoes, no shirt, and I still get service.
When I walk in the spot, yeah, this is what I see
Everybody stops and they staring at me.
Hey Girl! Look at that body. I work out.
I’m sexy and I know it. Hey! Yeah!
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, yeah!

Yep, song says, ”wiggle.” Don’t know why it says, “wiggle” but it makes me laugh.

Back to the workout… I turn “Sexy” up and sit down at the X-Force peck deck… to start getting sexy. No… even sexier!
Lydia M. (one of the X-Force researchers) obliges my wearing headphones. She uses hand signals to pull extra reps out of me on the pec deck. At the end of the X-Force line, I encounter Dr. Darden and the X-Force leg press.

I laugh. I don’t think Dr. Darden would be amused at my song choice. He coaches me through the X-Force leg press. The press was tough. Real tough. But, having an upbeat song made it less miserable. Yes, my legs were crying but in my mind I was laughing… and getting sexier.

The right music can help you train better.

I’m down 8 plus pounds to date. My weights have increased on each machine.

Download my X-Force leg day single song playlist from iTunes:

Sexy and I Know It (Glee Cast version featuring Ricky Martin) http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/sexy-i-know-it-glee-cast-version/id498596291

John, Fitness Jedi & X-Force Guy