Archives for June 2015

Shout Louder!

June 26, 2015 By franco Leave a Comment

Rebels! Attention! Can you hear me? We’ve to take our message out into the streets! With everything going on you have to be a light in this world. I know it’s not easy. I am deflated. I am struggling. I am trying so hard to continue to be a positive force. I didn’t get this written yesterday because I was just simply deflated. Yesteday I got on the scale and it was back up 5 pounds. 316 to be exact. WTF! And honestly, I didn’t let it kill me. I was bummed. But I also know that my eating wasn’t exactly on point. So I couldn’t really say I was doing everything perfectly. But you’d be surprised how my day changed from stepping on the scale at 7am and bed time.

I had an appointment scheduled to meet with Doc Strong at Doc Strong Fitness/Body Dynamics. I needed someone to kick my butt. I kick it but I think I am easily distracted. So I walked into the gym at 930 sharp and was in there for a little over 90 minutes. This is what I did….

10 min treadmill – No hands. 2.8mph and 1% incline.
Seat to stand/press with 8lbs
Step up to bicep curl with 8 lbs – 3 tiers
Squat to press 25lbs
8 min tread – No hands. 2.8mph and 1% incline.
Leg press 90 lbs – 4 sets of 20
Sumo squats – wide – 4 sets of 20 – 30lbs
Lay pull downs – 80lbs -4 sets of 20
Bicep pull down – 80lbs 4 of 12
8 minute tread – No hands. 2.8mph and 1% incline.

It was just what I needed. He’s pretty awesome and I think I pretty much had my very first leg day. I left there feeling much better and already thinking about how to change my workouts around to make it all fit. I have unlimited training for the month and although I’ll be away for a week. I’ll make it all work. I want to try and get there to work with him 4 times a week. Boot camp 3 and OTF 3. 10 workouts a week. Yup. I am going to turn this shit around in my favor.

I got a hair cut and then had to run to Sams Club. I was stopped by this older man who wanted to tell me that he works for UPS and would see me on his deliveries and used to see me in the mall walking and had to tell me how amazing I looked. He said he was in shock how far that I’ve come. I was so down in the morning that I bounced through Sams like a little kid. A complete stranger. Wow. Cloud nine. This little old black man who looked like a cousin from Duck Dynasty showed me a little kindness and it just made me so happy.

I went to OTF and I am pretty sure my legs have never been beaten like this before.

No matter how down you get on yourself. It really is a journey. It’s not a race. You will never beat yourself. So just go with it. Keep working hard. I made a change for the rest of my life. I made a change really to extend my life.

I got on the scale this morning and it was 312.5 – huh?

I was cocky last night though. I thought I was going to go to bootcamp, run over and get a little arm stuff done and then make it over to OTF. That didn’t happen. I went to breakfast with my parents who were coming through town and then made my way to Doc. I told him I was sore. He was like okay, no problem. Just two leg exercises. Deadlift this 135lbs 15 times and do 4 sets of them. WHAT?

This is what today’s workout looked like.

Walk 10
Deadlifts 135lbs – 4(15)
Chest ISO incline press 35s – 4(15)
Tread 8
Lateral bench press 45lbs 4(10)
Flys 80lbs 4(15)
Bicep curl 60lbs 4(12)
Tri rope 60lbs 4(12) 60lbd
Hammer curls 4(10 each arm) 25lbs
Tricep overheads 4(12) 25lbbs
8 minute walk

Something tells me I am in for it. But I am going to give my body time to repair till Monday! I will go to boot camp tomorrow at least.

I might take Sunday off completely.

Well it’s time to kick the weekend into full swing. But first take a nap.

Thanks for reading.

Franco

Lost In Wonderland

June 18, 2015 By franco 2 Comments

I wanted to start by thanking everyone who posted on my Instagram, Blog, texted me, tweeted etc last week. Even the best fall down sometimes. And I’d like to go all Rocky Balboa on you and tell you about getting back up with you fall down but it’s freaking hard and I get it. If it was easy then everyone could do it. But I feel that the last week even more my self control was tested until Tuesday where something inside me snapped and I just pulled in the reigns. The truth is that it isn’t easy. And it’s very mental. Falling hurts. Inside and out. And I am trying my best to stay motivated, refocused and content with the process.

This past weekend we played a wedding and I felt really in the zone. I said all the right things to just about everyone. It’s a great feeling when you were doing your job too well and people wouldn’t sit down when you asked to so that they could be fed. We were asked by the catering company to just go on an early break so that they could feed everyone as fast as possible. During the break, the bride pulled me aside to talk to me. I had only met her twice in the whole planning stage. Once when she came to see the band and then once when she brought her family to check us out. I am Facebook friends with a lot of my brides, grooms, their moms, sisters, cousins… It’s good business. It lets them see how we are excited to be working on their music, weddings, etc. Well, I thought she wanted to talk about the rest of the night but she wanted to talk about me. Me?

Standing in front of me in her wedding dress, she just wanted to tell me how great I looked, how proud she was of me and how even though we didn’t know each other very well that she’s been following me since the get go and that she was in my corner. On her wedding day. DYING! No matter how crappy I had been feeling since my weigh in. She picked me up. That one moment picked me up. Her small act of kindness made a difference in me. I was alive on the stage afterwards. If I would have had more space I would have probably been a maniac.

The bride and I had been joking about having to miss the Taylor Swift concert (I know roll your eyes), for awhile so I knew in my head that I had to create a photo memory for both of us by getting her on stage for shake it off. The photographer caught it perfectly.

I never take my tux jacket off at a wedding and it was so hot, and she made me feel so comfortable that night that I couldn’t help myself. I was drenched.

So let’s talk about the scale this week and changes that I started to make.

I have been watching my portions. Trying to up my protein again and just cutting out any drinks with sugar except for my coffee. I can’t drink it black. I hate fake sweeteners. So I just have to work those calories into my day. I am trying very hard to not let other calories creep in as well. So I have been reeling things in. I went to boot camp every day this week and including today have gone to 3 OTF’s. I am going to try and get there more and more to finish out this month. It’s a little bit of a hassle but I know that it helps and is definitely making my legs stronger.

On Monday, after the weekend I was at 315.7. – even more than last weeks weigh-in. After all the encouragement that had come through I didn’t let it get to me. I just sucked it up and did my classes. Yesterday, it was 313.5 and it was going in the right direction at least. And today, as the official weight in I was at 311.7 and back to my 101 total pounds lost. So I not slipping away. I am not getting fatter.

There is no endgame. This is life. I am going to have to wake up every day and work out. This is what I committed to. Yes, I made it a weight loss goal. But working out and eating better are really the only ways to get there. So the journey continues.

Everyone’s fitness journey and story is different. Everyone’s story is important. It’s important to be happy that you get up every day. Ive been on a journey for over 16 months and it’s not easy but with great people around you it makes that ride much more fun. I wish I had more cash to get a batch of these made for the original supporters but I don’t. Things are slow and protein, gyms and peanut butter aren’t cheap. So I am going to put an order in tomorrow. If you’d like one they are $15 dollars. The women’s are Next Level apparel and they are soft as anything. tri-blend. You can even paypal the money to me at franco@egophilly.com – just add like $3 bucks if you want me to mail it to you. I have tons of padded envelopes. The men’s are from Bella and also soft. So I’d like to put an order in by Monday so if you’d like one. Please email me – franco@egophilly.com

I am running late like every Thursday so I better get out of there.

Much love to everyone.

KEEP FIGHTING!

Tear Me In Two

June 11, 2015 By franco 4 Comments

Today is the first day since I have started down this road that I am ready to shut it all down.

I have busted my ass for the last two weeks in the gym. Have been more careful about my food. And I am back at 313. I don’t understand. I don’t get it Maybe my body is just not going to let me get under 300 again. I’ve been getting a gallon of water down a day. What I don’t understand is that on Monday, after a day of drinking and eating fried shit on Sunday, I weighed 308 and today it’s 313. What the flying fuck? What do I do? I am really just tired. I am tired of chicken. I am tired of trying to weight all my food out. I am tired of water, I am tired of planning my days around workouts when the reward is just soul crushing.

I was walking around the house Tuesday night pounding my chest, being silly, feeling strong. Feeling happy. Today the scale just totally shot me in the heart.

So I don’t know what to say. I don’t know what to do. I was going to write about my bootcamp week and OTF but honestly it’s not worth it. No one is reading this anyway. And if anyone actually does I’ll get the whole muscle weighs more than fat. It’s the 11th. I need to lose 13 pounds by the end of this month. So do I stop lifting and just do cardio? Do I not eat anything unless it came from an egg? Do I get a coach to get me over this hump? Do I just go into the garage and grab a 2×4 to hit myself over the head with it? That would be cheaper.

So here is my feel sorry for myself blog. There was bound to be 1 I guess. And I was ready to buy TeamFranco tank tops last night!

Stay tuned to twitter and Ig for updates I guess. Or Not!

Living the jug life isn’t helping either.

Ballad of a Thin Man

June 4, 2015 By franco Leave a Comment

I tried really hard this week and on Monday got on the scale and was 3 pounds lighters than last Thursday. So I decided I was going to get back into the jug club and started guzzling the water. I had to get a gallon down. And for the past 2 days I have. Yesterday, I got on the scale and was at 308.4 and so relieved. And today at what I consider my official weigh in for the week it was back up at 310.4. So I honestly don’t know what the hell I am doing. I know I didn’t eat enough yesterday. That might have something to do with it. It just didn’t happen. So if you follow me on Twitter and you see me post a # that’s that days weigh in without saying anything else really. That will keep me honest and motivated and in check. But I am down 3 pounds from last week. I am at a 102 pound total loss. Could be worse. I want these 10 pounds to come off so bad thought that it kinda gets into your head.

I went to bootcamp every day this week. My truck just drives there automatically. I went to OTF on Monday and Tuesday and my legs and ass were on fire. So I took yesterday off. It’s harder and harder to get over there with life happening. But I know I have to sweat and I am doing my best.

10 pounds to get to my June goal. We are 4 days into the month. I can do this. If I don’t I will not consume a sip of booze 4th of July weekend in OCMD and Wildwood. I have to work for something. And it gets too easy to fall this time of the year for me. I got this so don’t worry. A completely sober Franco is worse than a funeral.

Brandon is 23 today. Holy shit.

So I don’t have a lot to say honestly. I am just doing my thing as best that I can. I will continue to push forward and really try to embrace that small progress is still progress. That it’s the truth and just not a motivational quote. I am remembering why I started and pushing forward.

Comment if you’d like.

How do you bust out of plateaus?

Thanks for reading.