Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Wednesday
12.31.08


Workout: P90X Shoulders & Arms
Completion: 100% (w/Bonuses)
Burned: Approx. 750 (Low Side)

Body Weight: 193
Goal Calories: 2,000
Eaten Total: XXX
Difference: -XXX
Calorie Deficit Mon.-Sun Goal: 3,500
Current Progress/Goal: 445 of 3500

Feeling good, seeing the END of Tony's workouts -- seems I've been shaving off reps for longer than I thought.

No excuses from here on out. Counting the calories, and bringing it 100% to every workout.

2009, I own you already and you haven't even arrived. ;)

Tuesday, December 30, 2008


Tuesday
12.30.08

Photo: Hung out with a few old Exeter High School reunion friends over the Christmas visit to PA -- nice evening had by all! Here's hoping we can get more folks to come the next time we all roll into town. This summer/next Xmas?

Workout: P90X Plymetrics
Completion: 100% (w/Bonuses)
Burned: Approx. 800 (Low Side)

Body Weight: 196
Goal Calories: 2,000
Eaten Total: 1,555
Difference: -445
Calorie Deficit Mon.-Sun Goal: 3,500
Current Progress/Goal: 445 of 3500
^ Starting down one full day/missing Mon. workout.

Well folks, here it is. The summary of my thinking these past two... recovery weeks. Two weeks in which my weight moved from 185 to 196. Now that Round 4 of the P90X series pair is moving into the last phase, I've decided to start 2009 as I did 2008 -- with a new lookout, a new plan, and a promise to myself to follow it through.

Here's my agreement. I shall workout six days a week, do 100% of the workouts/length, and burn the calories I need to achieve a 3,500 calorie deficit. As you may know, 3,500 calories = 1 pound. By June, I want to be stable at 175 pounds, and have a showing ab midsection.

To make this happen, I'm counting every calorie that goes into my body. If I can't count it, it doesn't go in. In the past I've taken time to record my heartbeat every 5-10 minutes with my workout watch whilst doing P90X.

In most cases, my watch tells me that I burn between 700 (weight lifting) and 900-1000 (Plyometrics flat out) calories per workout based on my heartbeat measurements.

Thus, eating high quality good, know the calories, and burning a bunch more with P90X six full days a week and packing a deficit, there's the plan. I'm aware that Tony and team don't call P90X a calorie-deficit workout program. Perhaps. However, nearing the end of a full year+ of doing P90X, I still have a spare tire and no showing abs. This is my plan, a next step, to getting where I want to go, with my body.

Join me for the ride -- 2009, here I come!

It's interesting -- despite coming off two weeks of watching what I eat (while enjoying a few sweets here and there) and being pretty unhappy about hitting 196 (ouch!) upon my return -- with a plan in hand and the confidence from two years of working out and being successful, I know I'll make this happen -- so I'm not focusing on the recent weight gain, but the results I know I'll achieve by getting back on track and bringing it.

Love it.

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Christmas 2008 @ Facebook



Click here to see all the images... Merry Christmas everybody!

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Macintosh History: Early Days till 2008...



The scary thing? I've owned/worked on virtually all of these amazing machines over the years. Missed the entries between 1999 and 2006 or so (had a Bondi Blue iMac), not many changes during that period. Went from OS 8.5.1 to Tiger/Leopard/OSX. Aldus Pagemaker, ahh the memories from college days...

Monday, December 22, 2008



Wastin' Away Again in Lancaster-ville...

Ahh yes. One of my most favorite times of the year. The two-week, end-of-year sojourn at Chez Kinyon in good ol' Lancaster. It's cold outside, there's always coffee on the burner, plenty of wine, and some great conversation with the in-laws.

It's all about relaxing and being... ourselves. No need to put up fronts, feel like we have to plan things out, and all the rest. Honestly, it's probably the only spot on the planet where we can get away with this... I mean, plan to not plan.

There's still things to do. Mr. K has an operation on his hand, we have a tree to decorate, and lots of presents to open... soon. Soon.


Friday, December 19, 2008



Round 4 Week 7
Fri.: 10 X 5 Pull-ups

The end of the year in sight, feeling pooped, so the alarm has been turned off for a few days now -- no 5 a.m. siren calls to the TV. Has left me... not much more well-rested.

Add to that lots going on from 8-6 or so work-wise, and, well, 1/1 is looking pretty good.

Time to enjoy the holidays, relax, keep the food intake where it needs to be, and prepare to rock the workouts again starting fresh on Jan. 1.

Here's to a wonderful holiday season for everyone, everywhere... ;)


Thursday, December 18, 2008


Round 4 Week 7
Tue.: 10 X 5 Pull-ups & 2.2 mi. Lunch Walk
Wed.: Recovery Day

Thu: More Recovery... ouch!

Enough said above/image... click here and enjoy. Legs are uber sore still, sticking to a long walk @ lunch today. Ouch. Been extra-tired as well, need a short break.

Here's a new article from Mr. Tony Horton himself, the mastermind behind all the Power 90/P90X routines:

Diet Myths & Cooling Cravings

If you’ve wanted to shed some extra pounds, you’ve probably heard and read it all by now, and maybe you’ve even tried half of it, too. With all the information out there these days, it can be hard to pick apart what’s worth trying, what isn’t and separate the solid advice from the bunk. No matter what you hear or read, the simple truth about achieving a healthy weight boils down to getting fit and burning more calories than you consume during the day. Maintaining it means staying fit and not eating more calories than your burn during the day. Sure, there are little things you can do to boost your success or suffer greater setbacks, so let’s look at some popular diet myths and debunk them. We don’t want to waste our time tweaking the wrong things, do we?

Myth 1: Bread and potatoes make you fat.

Completely false. Starchy vegetables and (whole grain) bread, are carbs you need for fuel. The problem is not these foods, but how we tend to prepare them. It’s when you smear your bread with butter and fry your potatoes that you increase the calorie intake as much as four times. Dip your bread in a little extra virgin olive oil or eat it plain instead and dress your baked or boiled potatoes minimally to get the benefits from these foods without skyrocketing your caloric intake.

Myth 2: If you drink water before a meal, you’ll be less hungry.

Well – sort of. Water does curb your appetite if it's incorporated into food like a soup, or a thick vegetable juice like V-8. Apparently, when water is bound to food, digestion is slower and a fuller stomach means fewer hunger pangs. The thing to look out for: It's easy to confuse hunger and thirst, so if you find yourself craving something, drink a big glass of water first and see what happens. It may be that a drink is all your body really wanted.

Myth 3: Shellfish is packed with cholesterol.

On the one hand, it's true. Three ounces of shrimp contain more than a third of your daily cholesterol. But there's more: Shrimp is low in saturated fat and has a bit of omega-3 fatty acids. Eaten in moderation, shellfish can have health benefits. According to researchers at the University of Southern California, eating shellfish every week produced a 59% reduction in heart attack risk. I might just start eating some shellfish once in awhile after learning that.

Myth 4: It’s fine to eat the occasional burger and fries.

The problem: The word, “occasional.” If that means every Friday night to you, you’re probably pushing it. Now, if we’re talking every few months and you're fit, your numbers for weight, waist size, cholesterol, and blood pressure are all good, AND the rest of the time you’re eating vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and other nutritious fare, well, okay then. You’re fine. But few of us are that perfect. If you do “occasionally” indulge, take a nice fast paced 90-minute walk afterward to help offset the effects.

Myth 5: Women can’t do anything about gaining weight after menopause.

While hormones can be blamed for everything from acne to PMS, your fitness level has a much bigger impact on your weight than any hormonal changes that come with age. Most older women who continue vigorous, regular exercise can and do maintain their figures.

Myth 6: Diet soda is worse than the real thing.

Truth is, they’re both lousy for us. Both types increase kidney and heart disease risk, plus they contain acids that erode tooth enamel and welcome cavities. It’s always best to satisfy your thirst with water, diluted fruit juice, and green tea rather than any type of soda.

Well, that’s great to know, you might be thinking – but what do I do when I’ve just GOT to indulge in a little something before I go NUTS??!! I’ll tell ya what. If you’re going to indulge yourself in something sinful and delicious and there’s just no stopping you - do it as early in the day as possible.

Researchers say that we get the most satisfaction from our food in the morning and our capacity to feel satisfied steadily weakens over the course of the day. If you eat your biggest meal at breakfast and continue to eat small portions of healthy foods throughout the day, chances are that you’ll be a lot less likely to have strong cravings for unhealthy “comfort” foods in the evening.

Monday, December 15, 2008


Round 4 Week 7
Mon.: P90X+ Upper Plus

Wow, that run yesterday... 20 minutes. A few hills. No stopping. Cold outside. Definitely huffed and puffed. Didn't wheeze... well, until I got home. Took care of that in a hurry, and went on with my day.

Today, the backs of my legs are sore, and the front of my upper-thighs are tight. All from my first-ever 20 minute, 1.6 mile run? Yes.

So, was glad to see an all-upper workout con't for this phase of P90X+ -- hit all the moves hard, and really can see some crazy definition in the upper arms from adding 50 X pull-ups daily.

Not doing 50 more today... did about 45-55 this morning alone with the workout. Enough.

Had a great Web 2.0 prez at Dialog -- our newest ProQuest company. Expecting to see some great things, and spend some quality time over there in the coming months.

Sunday, December 14, 2008


Round 4 Week 6
Sat.: 10 X 5 Pull-Ups + Cary XMas Parade Marching
Sun.: 10 X 5 Pull-Ups + 1.5 mi. Wes Run V0.9b


That's right... a first run. Ever. Heading over to the Wes-man's neighborhood at 12:30 for all the fun. A 1.5 mile "fun" run. Will report back later...

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Short Story...



This image perfectly captures a scene from a short story I wrote for a class in college... hit me like a 2X4 in the forehead when I found it. Was a pretty poor story, but it had a dad hauling trees/sod into the garage at night like a cazy man.

Yikes.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Diggnation: My Favorite Video Podcast


Round 4 Week 6
Thu.: P90X Yoga X & 10 X 5 Pull-Ups
Fri.: 10 X 5 Pull-Ups

Woah, these extra pull-ups are murder on the wrists. Well, at least the right wrist is complaining, or did so, all through the Yoga I managed to pound out. Rainy day, but what can you do -- still nearly 70 degrees this far into December = NC heaven.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

The Truth: U.S. Auto Industry Bailout



Click the image to read it close-up... Truth.



Round 4 Week 6
Tue.: 10 X 5 Pull-Ups
Wed.: 10 X 5 Pull-Ups + Bike Ride (70 degrees!)


Tue.: Where'd Monday go? Ack, too fast... Lots going on @ ProQuest, enjoying the pre-holiday rush on so many projects, and am uber-excited about a very-close announcement from our group. Good stuff. ;)

Wed.: Warming up nicely here in NC, have to hit the trails today before my big conference calls... Crazy long night last, hard to sleep. Weather change?

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Monday, December 08, 2008


Round 4 Week 6
Mon. P90X+ Upper Plus + Ab Ripper
Bonus: 10 X 5 Pull-Ups

Love to start the week with Upper Plus and Ab Ripper -- solid upper body moves, lots of pull-ups, get the biceps in play, push-up craziness, all the rest. Lots of calorie burn and body building.

Speaking of pull-ups, I think adding the 50 bonus pull-ups daily is already paying dividends. I hit the bar everytime I eat -- five times a day X 10 each in one rep -- and get a little light-headed each time, and feel the goodness in my arms, back, and chest.

Here's a sucker bet -- that within 30 days I'll have to push it to 15 per rep, for a total of 75 per day. Who knows from there?

Busy, busy time at ProQuest, lots of marketing around the re-release of a critical solution, lots of trials for eager would-be customers, and more. In short, busy Tim = happy Tim. ;)

Sunday, December 07, 2008

Sunday, Crunchy Sunday...

BTW 50 X pull-ups all days this week... Feeling it, plus the usual P90X workouts. Nice.



Friday, December 05, 2008


Round 4 Week 5
Thu. Bonus: 10 X 5 Pull-Ups
Fri.: Ab Ripper + P90X Legs & Back (90%)

Have to say, adding 50 pull-ups daily is taking its toll -- in a good way. My back and arms are sore. Plain, sore. So heading into Legs and Back, replete with pull-ups, wasn't easy, but it was 100% doable. So, pretty much nailed all the moves, even with a little mouse getting up pre-6 a.m. then hanging out on the couch whilst I worked out. His comments:

"Daddy, they're going deeper than you."

"Dad, I bet if you worked out another year your muscles would be as hard as Tony's. Maybe."

Groggy: "Dad, I want to workout with you I'll... get... up... if I can..." Head back on the pillow. ;)

Reposting from a recent Beach Body email newsletter -- of course, my prescription for tacking obesity and high cholesterol can be found here. But my friends at Beach Body also have designed special programs for those not ready for the big time workouts, and I'm hoping we can get even more folks working their bods to better health and prosperity in the coming years...

By Steve Edwards (Nov. 08)

We at Beachbody are at war against the most formidable opponent the United States has ever faced: obesity. It's killing more people a month than our two other more high-profile combatants—terror and drugs—have killed this decade. Obesity is the Darth Vader of all the dangers we'll face in our lifetimes. Smoking once ruled our universe, but a new master has taken over the dark side. Here, in the final installment of our latest trilogy on obesity, we offer a new hope of getting the Force back on our side.

As usual, we begin in what appear to be ever-darkening times. Just last week, a report was released showing that an obese 10-year-old kid may have the arteries of a 45-year-old. Each time we offer a solution, the obesity empire rebuffs our efforts. Earlier this year, we released Shaun T's Fit Kids Club. Vader laughed as our infant mortality rate skyrocketed compared to the rest of the world.

We offered Kathy Smith's Project: YOU! Type 2 and then saw the number of people who either are pre-diabetic or are already diagnosed with type 2 diabetes skyrocket to nearly a third of our population. Earlier this month, we offered 10 solutions to the epidemic. (More at the jump.)

Last week, we're told that over half our kids are projected to be obese within a generation. Admittedly, things look bleak for the rebellion. But read on and you'll see that we don't need a Jedi to guide us in this war. The Force is very powerful. And it's controlled by us.

In the film Idiocracy, we're offered a glimpse at a possible future should we continue to follow our current patterns of regression. In the film, society has devolved into an anti-intellectual state completely controlled by corporate advertising interests. We're at a crossroads—we're watering our plants with a version of Gatorade, the only beverage we consume, and our plants will no longer grow. The corporate-controlled Food and Drug Administration's food pyramid features nothing but fast food, sports drinks, and mind-altering legal substances: alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco. And while it's an over-the-top comedy, one can't wonder whether the most unbelievable thing in the movie is that it's set 500 years in the future.

At the rate we're going, we could be living—or at least eating—this way before the end of this millennium.

Case in point: the latest studies on obese children. At the American Heart Association's conference last week, two studies, done independently in different countries, showed that obese children had a "vascular age about 30 years older than their actual age."

This, of course, greatly increases their chances for heart disease. So much so, in fact, that the American Academy for Pediatrics is now recommending cholesterol-lowering drugs for some children. "As the old saying goes, you're as old as your arteries are," said Dr. Geetha Raghuveer of Children's Hospital in Kansas City, to the Associated Press. "This is a wake-up call."

But the wake-up call needs to ring louder. (Read the rest.)


Thursday, December 04, 2008


Round 4 Week 5
Wed. Bonus: 10 X 5 Pull-Ups
Thu.: P90X Yoga X+ Bonus

Early 1990's -- fresh out of college, following my major into a soft job market, right into the arms of WGAL-TV in Lancaster, PA. From an intern to... a paid intern, basically. Associate Producer. Nickname - "Ass Prod." Reality - Ass Prod. ;)

A few crazy fun, tough, exhausting, exceptionally underpaid years later, I emerged on the other side wiser, heavier, and ready to start up a fresh company willing to truly reward me for my efforts -- Classroom Connect.

But, I digress. WGAL was a fun, crazy way to take my work life from a newspaper to a TV station -- and one reason it was crazy and fun was one guy -- Jim O'Reilly. Jim dropped into town last night on a shoot for his production company, and we had a chance to catch up on 15 years of goings-on... (Wow. That's a long time!)

Back in the day, Jim was the guy in the front of the newsroom, a vast open space lined with desks. His was set up a few feet on a platform with a desk on front of him, a bank of 9? TV's behind him, and a few old PCs with Betacam recorders attached to control/record feeds coming off a few satellites. Almost forgot -- and a few police/fire scanners tuned to auto-scan, constantly blaring calls from personnel.

He's the guy answering the phones, coordinating multiple photographers (videographers) in the field, running interference with herded cats -- I mean news producers, interns, anchors -- and, in general, making sure we got the stories we wanted and keeping his fingers on the pulse of the freakin' universe.

Any sane person would be driven crazy by this always-on existence. And Jim indeed was and is insane. In a good way. He'd no sooner get off the phone having a heated conversation with someone than turning to give direction to a crew, then open a folder to plan a story later in the day/next week, without missing a beat.

He was both in and out of control all... the.. time.

Best nugget from the night -- his production company was the last to interview and shoot video of Dr. Robert C. Atkins, the originator of the famous Atkins Diet (no carbs) -- the day before he slipped and fell and died in NYC. So whenever you see video of Dr. Atkins on many TV shows, it's the video Jim shot... and Jim appears in it as well. Spurs more calls/emails of "hey, did I just see you on TV Jim?" than anything else he's done.

So Jim, great seeing you -- and Deb, I, and William WILL find a way to get up to Chicago, our favorite town, to see you and your beautiful daughter.

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Like Guitar Hero?
Try Bike Hero... RL GH for teh viral video win...


Round 4 Week 5
Tue. Bonus: 30 Pull-Ups
Wed.: P90X+ Total Body (100%)


Phew -- the week is coming together nicely. Recovered from that crazy post-T'giving commute from heck down 95/85, plowed through the early week emails, and have emerged on hump day with a positive attitude and some spring in my step.

Working my way back to full exercise capacity as well, and adding some moves to keep me focused. Hence the beginning of "bonus pull-up days" -- basically, the P90X eating plan gets us eating five small meals per day. Works for me.

So when I head downstairs to sup, the doorway to the pantry holds my pull-up bar. Excellent. So (goal) 5x per day, head there to eat, and crack out 10 pull-ups in a row without stopping. 5x per day, 10 per, for a goal of 50 pull-ups per day. Extra. Gratis. Above and beyond. Hoping this will keep my upper body and back in a state of constant repair, buring calories in the top section, whilst all the lower-body work in the synergistic P90X+ workouts, like Total Body today.

You'll also note the addition of the percentage meter -- I feel the need to be super-honest. There are days I get to 50, 60, 75, 80 percent of a workout and feel a lil' sick in my stomach, and just plain wrecked. So when this happens, I stop. Thus the percentages starting yesterday and onward.

Logging all this to keep me honest = priceless.

Anxious to spend a little time with Jim O'Reilly today -- a blast from Deb and I's past when we met, fell in love, and got married in Lancaster, PA. WGAL-TV was our workplace at the time, I was an associate producer then Morning Report producer; Deb was the exec. assistant to the News Director, and Jim... Jim was the guy up on the raised control center desk, manning the phones, getting story leads, assigning things to the reporters and photographers, and overall chewing peeps out on the phone and being a loud, pain the ass. Which is both his personality AND his job. At the time.

10+ years later, he's headed to RDU today, and we'll get together for dinner tonight to catch up. Nice. Photos coming for sure!


Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Viral Video: Dramatic Chipmunk HEY



Round 4 Week 5
Tue.: One on One KillerAbs & P90X Plyometrics (50%)

Picture above, bonus shot: Will's last soccer game a few weeks ago. Nice umbrella, right?

Well, it's all I expected it to be -- tough and more. Stomach-pang inducing, knee gripping return to the workout routine after a full week off and a lessened eye on the food intake. I deserve every bit of it, and I'm determined to press play, bring it, and get back on track.

Lots on my plate this week, returning to work and workouts. Enjoy your Tuesday wherever you are!

Monday, December 01, 2008


Round 4 Week 5
Mon.: Recovery!

So, did I get a good deal on gas... or what?

Pulled into the Texaco late last night, big smile on my face. It had taken us 9 hours to cover the same ground it normally takes us 4 or so to cover -- but here was the reward, $1.61 gas. Woah. Nice.

I take the picture to place right here on the ol' blog, then I spy that red tag... rejected. Soooo, did I get that amount of gas? More? Less?

Heck, the needle read full, and I spent a mere $19.43 to get it there. Nice.

Remind me never to take the 95/85 corridor from PA to NC again the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Pure parking lot insanity for state after state, fender benders every few miles, and one tired Tim.

Nice day for a birthday, no? ;)

38, a little older, wiser, happier... fitter?

Starting again tomorrow. I promise!