Day 2 - A Mammoth Day

What a Big Day…

The Alarm just whiffed a hint of early morning vibration and I got up, albeit slightly less tired than day 1, and got myself ready.

A quick warm water and lemon juice drink to start my day, followed by my breakfast smoothie of raspberries, vital greens and sun warrior rice protein with lactose free skimmed milk. I downed my morning supplements and walked myself to the gym.

Why Lemon Water?

I know you're screaming! So, I was told by my wonderful Winnie, that Lemon Water was tasty, and good for me…I asked her "but why is it good for me?" like any typical bloke would… Like I was expecting her to tell me that Single Malt Whiskey is good for me….

Well, anyways, she provided me with not one, but 16 reasons why:

1. Lemon is an excellent and rich source of vitamin C, an essential nutrient that protects the body against immune system deficiencies
2. Lemons contain pectin fiber which is very beneficial for colon health and also serves as a powerful antibacterial 
3. It balances maintain the pH levels in the body 
4. Having warm lemon juice early in the morning helps flush out toxins
5. It aids digestion and encourages the production of bile 
6. It is also a great source citric acid, potassium, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium 
7. It helps prevent the growth and multiplication of pathogenic bacteria that cause infections and diseases 
8. It helps reducing pain and inflammation in joints and knees as it dissolves uric acid 
9. It helps cure the common cold 
10. The potassium content in lemon helps nourish brain and nerve cells 
11. It strengthens the liver by providing energy to the liver enzymes when they are too dilute 
12. It helps balance the calcium and oxygen levels in the liver In case of a heart burn, taking a glass of concentrated lemon juice can give relief
13. It is of immense benefit to the skin and it prevents the formation of wrinkles and acne 
14. It helps maintain the health of the eyes and helps fight against eye problems 
15. Aids in the production of digestive juices 
16. Lemon juice helps replenish body salts especially after a strenuous workout session

Man, I love my wife!  She's so damned smart, and pretty and she knows how to push my comfort zone and intrigue my curiosity at the same time…. Needless to say, I just spent a week drinking it every day, and now I'm hooked - in fact, I just bought a kilo of fresh lemons to see me through a few more days (perhaps a week or so).

My Tuesday

Today was a new day, a new challenge - Back! I spent the next hour, from 0600h to 0700h, performing a series of new back strengthening weights exercises and found myself really enjoying my workout! Yay for me!

After my session in the gym I had 30 minutes to relax before RAN compulsory PT.  Today's session was about 45 minutes worth of Touch Footy.  My first time, I decided to play with the "not so serious players" and bagged myself 4 tries and some fresh mud all over myself. FUN times!

The rest of the day in class studying "Pollution Management" with one of the best instructors at Cerberus, whilst hydrating and preparing for my Tuesday night ritual.  Tuesdays I go to Bikram Yoga at Bikram Yoga Peninsula with Becs and Soz.  However, late in the day I kinda ended up being drafted in to play 5 a side indoor soccer, right before yoga…. Bad Move.

My already stiffening body, in need of some serious yogi treatment, ended up playing around 45 minutes of football (I hate using the term "soccer"…it gives me shivers)…. my glutes and hamstrings were really tight after this.

Bikram was hotter than the normal temperatures you'd get in Sydney, for some crazy reason this week we were in the mid-late 40 degrees and very humid…. My previously topped up electrolytes and hydration plan, had been burned through playing football, and realising this I slammed a quick coconut water before going in… Bad Move No.2… Lessons learnt, too much cardio, not enough hydration and last minute attempts made my class slip down the slope somewhat…a very challenging practice, a mammoth task just to stay in the room!

Lessons.

Well, today has been interesting really.  I've learnt that listening to your body, or in my case ignoring all the signals (like a low-budget horror movie) I ended up feeling completely drained.  So, my message is simple:

Listen to your body and respond accordingly.

If I'm training hard, eating better and supplementing my diet and training, I'm gonna see results…So, now I need to learn to balance my training and not overdo it and burn myself out.

Plus, I've noticed that my new morning routine is keeping me more awake in class, like it sets my day.  I feel more focussed, more attentive, and I buzz with infectious enthusiasm!

Will this wear off, I hope not… Will I fall asleep in class, I really hope not!!

What experiences have you had from training too hard, or too much? How does training first thing work for you?  I'd be delighted and stoked to hear… plus it's nice to know someone is reading!!