I’m back from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and slowly getting back on schedule. Saturday and Wednesday were spent on the road driving to SC and back 8.5 hours each way, so they were pretty much a wash as far as activity went, but I did run on the beach for at least 2 miles Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. I also took three resistance tubes with me so I got in upper body work all three days as well–some in my room and some on the beach.

I can’t think of anything more boring than lying on a beach broiling in the heat and flipping over every 15 minutes to obtain the much-vaunted even tan, so having my Mizunos and those tubes with me saved my sanity. I don’t mind being outdoors, but I cannot stand just doing nothing while I’m out there. Shoot, if I’m going to leave the comfort of my climate-controlled office or apartment and sweat, I want it to be productive, you know? So I did resistance tube curls, tricep extensions, lateral raises, squats, concentration curls, rows, and anything else I could think of with those oversized rubber bands out there on the sand. And when I did lie down for a bit, I knocked out 25 push-ups and 50 crunches every time I flipped over, ignoring the odd glances I got from the loungers around me. :cyclops:

I am indeed that much of a fitness dork.

You would be, too, if you had seen the endless masses of flabtastic American physiques on hideous display in tiny scraps of Lycra and Spandex on that beach. Going to a popular tourist beach for vacation is even better than a trip to Wal-Mart for solidifying one’s commitment to eating healthy and exercising regularly. The number of chubby children I saw was just plain wrong. Parents can make their own choices about diet and exercise, but there’s no excuse for letting your kids start out life overweight or even obese. It’s setting them up for all kinds of social cruelty when they get to junior high or high school as far as I’m concerned, not to mention all of the possible health issues that come with being out of shape at such an early age.

All in all, I had a fabulous time on vacation. I generally ate four clean meals a day, then had a splurge meal for dinner. I’d say that the worst of my excesses was the night of the Original Benjamin’s seafood buffet where I did what I do best: tore through a huge pile of king crab legs plus two other plates of seafood goodies, and finished off with a lemon meringue pie, a chocolate chip cookie, and a small twisty cone.

So much for “perfection” that day, LOL. The good news is that my calories were pretty much on track for maintenance, so I didn’t lose any ground. I expect to be at 134 or so in another few days once the water weight gain goes away.

With P&P wrapping up in another week, I’m starting to give some thought to what I will be doing next. I think I will give the combined SGX/BFFM eating I did on vacation a try for a while while using the SGX training program. If I feel the need for variety, I’ll plug in the appropriate P90X workout or vary things with a swim now that the weather is cooperating once more.

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Nutrition: 1300-1500 calorie low zig zag day

1: Banana berry yogurt shake
2: Oatmeal yogurt crepes with 1/2 c. mixed berries
3: 3×1 omelette, 1 c. mixed veggies, 1/2 c. blueberries
4: Oatmeal yogurt crepes with 1/2 c. mixed berries
5: 3×1 omelette, 1 c. mixed veggies, 1/2 c. blueberries
6: 1/2 c. FF cottage cheese, 1/2 c. mixed berries, 2 T. oatmeal

Total: 1412 calories, 49% carb, 34% protein, 17% fat

Daily Supplements: multivitamin with iron, calcium 500 + D, 1 T. flaxseed oil or natural peanut butter
Water: 16 cups minimum

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Workout:
7:00 PM P90X Legs/Back/Abs

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The Awful Truth:
1. Only ate at about 80% clean during vacation.

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Brownie Points:
1. Worked out 3 days during vacation!
2. Didn’t gain any weight.
3. Tanned through SPF 45, believe it or not, so muscles are looking nicely defined without any tan in a bottle.
4. Registered for CPR/AED course in July.

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Short-term Goals:
1. Plant veggie seeds and strawberry seedlings.
2. Keep working on P90X forms.
3. Begin studying 1 hour per day for NASM exam.
4. Go grocery shopping.