Why I have trouble getting out of bed some days

Thanks to the advent of 24-hour fitness centers, I can finally maintain a regular routine of hitting the gym. In all my previous attempts to stay in shape, I'd lose out on quality exercise time for the following reason:

I'm a night person. The only times you'll find me awake at 6am typically involve force, road trips, or my personal favorite...I just haven't gone to bed yet.

I go to bed late, say 4am. Get up around noon or 1pm. This usually provides me enough time for the very basics in life -- food, hygiene, and MySpace -- before I roll out to work. Sadly, in the past two-plus years that I've been a semi-regular in the workforce, I've worked evening jobs. Currently, five nights of the week, my shifts end no earlier than 10pm and no later than 11pm. (The other two nights of the week, I get off around 7:30pm. Yes, I work seven days a week, for those of you unaware of this fact.) Without 24-hour fitness centers, I was unable to fit exercise into my life. And I suffered for it.

March 2007, I joined Anytime Fitness, and weighed in at an unimpressive 212 pounds. After working out the kinks in this new addition to my lifestyle, I fell into a routine finally -- Tuesday night, I'd make a special trip to West Des Moines for a late-night workout (11pm-midnight); and also Thursday night and Sunday night after work (11pm). I spend approximately two hours there, and here's how I spend it:

• Some simple leg stretches
• 25 sit-ups on an incline bench
• 10 minutes on the treadmill (1 minute jog @ 4.0mph; 1 minute jog @ 4.5mph; 30 second sprint at 7.4mph; 1 minute jog @ 4.5mph; 30 second sprint at 7.6mph; 1 minute jog @ 4.5mph; 30 second sprint at 7.8mph; 1 minute jog @ 4.5mph; 30 second sprint at 8.0mph; 1 minute jog @ 4.5mph; 30 second sprint at 8.2mph; 1 minute jog @ 4.5mph; 30 second sprint at 8.4mph; plus a 3 minute cooldown)
• 25 sit-ups on an incline bench
• 5 sets of curls (5 reps @ 125lbs; 3 reps @ 140lbs; 2 reps @ 155lbs; 1 rep @ 170lbs; 25 reps @ 65lbs)
• 4 sets of triceps extensions (7 reps @ 100 lbs)
• 25 sit-ups on an incline bench
• 5 sets bench press (7 reps @ 115lbs; 5 reps @ 125lbs; 3 reps @ 135lbs; 1 rep @ 145lbs; 1 rep @ 155lbs)
• 4 sets pulldown thingy (7 reps @ 115lbs; 5 reps @ 130lbs; 3 reps @ 145lbs; 2 reps @ 160lbs)
• 25 sit-ups on an incline bench
• 15 minutes on the treadmill (15 minute jog @ 5.0mph; plus a 3 minute cooldown)
• 25 sit-ups on an incline bench

The speed on my sprints have increased; I think I started out at something like 6.0-7.0mph. I'm up to 7.4-8.4mph now. Doubt it'll go much higher than that.

My curl max of 170lbs makes me happy. I was only getting it about half-way up until this week. Now I'm finally getting it all the way up (oh that sounds so dirty), so in the next couple of weeks, I'mma have to kick it up to 185lbs and build towards getting THAT up. I'll eventually start doing 8 reps on my triceps extensions, before upping that to 105-110lbs (undecided) and going back to 7 reps.

Only recently added bench into my workout, I did 185lbs the other day (before I had even started my workout, admittedly) which is definitely more than I benched in high school. So right now I'm working under the assumption that 155lbs is my max, since I know I can do that without a spotter.

On the second treadmill run, I started out jogging at 5.0mph for 12 minutes, which equals out to 1 mile. I recently tacked on 3 more minutes, so I'm jogging for 1.25 miles. I hope to eventually get to 1.5 miles (18 minutes) but by that point in my workout, my knees are shot.

125 total sit-ups each workout. I need to add some additional abdomenal work into the routine, something that'll work my lower abs, because I want that pudge G-O-N-E.

Thursday night, I weighed in at 194lbs. So I've lost 18lbs since joining this gym and maintaining a routine, and I'm looking damn fine if I do say so myself.

So if you see my ass slaggin' on Monday, Wednesday, or Friday...this routine is the reason. Please, take pity on my soul. =o)

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I know I might have questionable taste in music, but forget that for a moment...Sixx:A.M.'s The Heroin Diaries needs to be listened to by everyone on the planet. Some backstory on the project:

The Heroin Diaries: A Year In The Life Of a Shattered Rockstar is the autobiography of Motley Crue's bassist / founder / songwriter, Nikki Sixx. It's based upon his diary entries from, approximately, 1987-1988...when the Crue was on top of the world, and when Nikki was in the depths of heroin addiction hell. So along with the book, due out in September, he put together a little side band to create a "soundtrack" (due out in August) with each of the 13 tracks based upon one of the 13 chapters.

I've struggled for the past year-plus with staying sober. And to be able to, musically, experience Nikki's journey to hell and back...it's emotionally gripping; spiritually uplifting; therapeutic; and just downright amazing to listen to. Other stuff that I've listened to alot recently:

Daughtry -- anything, really
58 -- "Stormy" and "All Of My Heroes Are Dead"
Fall Out Boy -- "Thnks Fr Th Mmrs"
Lustra -- "Scotty Doesn't Know"
Rise Against -- "Drones"; "Swing Life Away"; "Prayer of the Refugee"
Velvet Revolver -- "She Builds Quick Machines"; "Slither"; "The Last Fight"; "Sucker Train Blues"; "Fall To Pieces"; "Let It Roll"