Day 10 House Arrest

Up at 7:25 a.m. - 9 hours 0f sleep. weight - 182 lbs. 8:00 a.m. - Drank 18 oz. of kiwi-strawberry juice, diluted 1/3 water. 9:00 a.m. - Drank 14 oz. Muscle Milk , 25 grams of protein. 9:30 - drank 8 oz. pineapple-mango juice 1/3 water. 11:00 a.m. taught lesson to 4 1/2 year old star pupil. 2:15 p.m. - worked out in gym as I drank 8 oz. GURU brand energy drink. The work out was an eight exercise total arm workout. 3:00 p.m. -8:30 taught two lessons and two classes. 8:45 - Did 350 push ups (5 sets of 70) 9:00 - drank 8 oz. rice milk with 7 grams of protein. 10:15 p.m. - did 350 more push ups. 10:30 p.m. - drank 8 oz. more of rice milk with protein. I guess I was here at the school 13 hours today with out even going outside. It was like a self imposed house arrest. All of a sudden it's late into the night. I got a lot done but there's much more to do (another day). I'm out of here. Good night.

Day 9 A day in the Fast Life

Up at 6 a.m. - 7 hours of sleep. weight - 183 lbs. 6:15 - drank 16 oz. strawberry-kiwi juice 1/3 diluted. 7:00 a.m. - Attended Optimist Club meeting . Speakers for Children"s Therapy Center, Make A wish Foundation and Jim Mitchell for Push ups for Peace were there. All three speakers were excellent but Jim's was very emotional and moving. 9:15 - drank 16 oz. Strawberry-kiwi juice. 9:30 - 2:00 p.m. - spent time promoting Push ups for Peace. 1:15 - Drank 15 oz. Naked brand mixed fruit smoothie. 3:00 - 4:15 p.m. taught lessons. 4:15 p.m. - drank 5oz. glass of pineapple-mango juice. 4:30 p.m. taught kid's class on the arsenal. 6:oo p.m. - taught teen class. 7:30p.m. - taught adult class. 9:45 - drank 18 oz. strawberry-juice 1/2 water. Well there you have it. A typical day in the fast life. The highlight of the day was Jim's speech about the time he spent with his 11 year old daughter at Push ups for Peace before she passed away. I was tearing up, almost crying but I wasn't the only one. Tomorrow is a workout day. Got to push my self. Or perhaps, let myself be drawn towards the goal. Peace everyone - Good Night.

Day 8 Monday, Monday, So Good to Me

Up at 6:45 a.m. 8 1/2 hours of sleep. weight - 184 lbs. 7:00 a.m. - drank 18 oz. kiwi-strawberry juice (diluted 1/2 water). 8:00 a.m. - Shot video segment at Children's Therapy Center. 9:05 a.m. - Drank 14 oz. protein drink (25 grams of protein). 1:15 p.m. - Drank 8 oz. pineapple-mango juice 1/2 diluted. 4:30- taught kids class. 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. taught adult class, workout included 100 knuckle push ups, 100 leg lifts, 100 sit ups, 20 fingertip push ups, 20 narrow and wide push ups. 8:00 p.m. - started doing bar push ups - 10 sets of 45 + 90 more in a row. 10:10 - Did 100 more knuckle push ups at home. A total of 780 push ups for the night. 10:15 - Drank 18 oz. 1/3 diluted strawberry-kiwi juice. Another great busy day. It was a good workout tonight, but I know I'll have to work harder to get to where I should be. My weight loss has slowed down and I'm now in the fasting mind set.

Day 7 Fast Within a Fast

Up at 8:30 a.m. - 61/2 hours of sleep. Weight - 185 lbs. I was up till 2:00 a.m. last night because of the coffee last evening but I feel pretty good now. 11:00 a.m. - went to Unitarian Church to help lead a discussion on non-violence with teen group. 1:30 - 5:30 p.m. - Went to the museum to see the Titanic film and exibit. I became very sleepy and tired around 3:30 p.m. The only reason I made it through the afternoon is because it was so interesting. I was home by 5:30 p.m. and relaxed the rest of the rest of the evening. A water fast is not a high energy day but I think it a good cleanse for the body and mind. In bed by 10:15. Looking forward to a good workout tomorrow and maybe my energy back.

Day 6 Seminar Day in Chicago

Up at 6:40 a.m. 8 1/3 hours of sleep. weight - 185 lbs. 8:30 a.m. - taught class - light workout. 9;30 a.m. Left for Chicago to teach a seminar at Tsai's Kung Fu Academy. Drank a 20 oz. Gatorade and 20 oz. pineapple-mango. on the way up to the seminar. 1:30 - 4:30 - taught about a dozen students our style of Shaolin Chuan Kung Fu. I ended the session by sparring six of the advanced students two minutes each. It was fun. I'm sure they had fun too. The very last thing was sparring four 11 year old kung fu girls at once. It was a draw. The crowd applauded. 6:00 p.m. - I didn't want to do it , but I stopped and got a 16 oz. coffee just to stay awake on the drive back home. 8:30 - drank 14 oz. diluted pineapple-mango juice. 9:45 - 10:15 drank 15 oz. Naked brand fruit juice smoothie. Felt very good today except for the afternoon sleepyness driving back. I would say I feel more "back to normal" whatever that is. Tomorrow is the first water only day. It's a fast within a fast. Hope I make it.

Day 5 The Toxic nine

Up at 6:00 a.m. - 7 1/2 hours of sleep weight - 188 lbs. 7:00 a.m. taught early class - included 250 push ups (5 sets of 50) 100 leg lifts, 50 sit ups, 100 side leg lifts, and 50 side sit ups. 8:40 a.m. drank 18 oz. mangosteen tea with honey. 9:45 a.m. - taught lessons. 11:00 a.m. taught class, drank 14 oz. protein drink (25 grams of protein). 12:15 - 1:15 p.m. - Did the hour of power work out - 10 slow (2 second) perfect push ups every minute for an hour- total - 600. 1:30 - Did bank work and fund raising. 3:30 - 5:15 taught lessons. 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. - Attended church carnival committee meeting. 6:30 - drank 14 oz. 25 gram protein drink. 7:30 drank 12 oz. pomegranate-cranberry juice. ... Today I have more energy on 7 1/2 hours of sleep than days 3 and 4 when I slept nine or more hours. I now think I was going through some kind of detoxification on those days. That might explain the weakness and fatigue I experienced. I think I'll call that period the toxic nine phase, since that is the amount of weight lost in that time. ... However, I felt much better today. I think the worst is over.

Day 4 Feeling Better

Up at 8:00 a.m. 9 1/2 hours of sleep. weight - 188 lbs. Feeling better and more rested today. 8:10 - drank 15 oz. pomegrante - cranberry juice. 10:30 - taught class, but assistant led exercises. 12:00 attended Optimist board meeting. 11:45 - 12:15 p.m. drank 20 oz. green tea. 1:00 p.m. to 1:50 taught lesson. 3:45 p.m. - Drank 15 oz. fresh apple-carrot-ginger juice. It was delicious. taught 4:30 class about 14 kids aged 5 to 12 years old. Demonsrtated animal forms of Shaolin Chuan Kung Fu, sparred in a no pads black belt match and sparred some of the kids. 6:00 p.m.- Taught the teen age class - worked on falling and throwing. Did a light work out in the weight room and called it a day. 8:45 p.m. drank 18 oz. pomegranate-cranberry juice. Had a fairly busy day, but a good one.

Day 3 Why Am I Doing This?

Up at 8:30 a.m. 9 hours of sleep. weight - 189 lbs. Could have slept more, feeling tired today. I seem to have a mild headache. 9:00 - 9:30 Made a couple of fundraising visits. 10:00 - 11:30 taught lessons. 11:45 drank 15 oz. protein drink + supplements. 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. office work. 1:00 - 2:45 - More fundraising visits. 3:00 - 7:45 taught lessons and classes. 3:30 - 5:00 drank 20 oz. gatorade. 5:15 did 2 sets of 70 push ups plus 50 leg lifts and 50 sit ups. During 6:30 class did 100 push ups (35 +35+ 30), 100 leg lifts 50 sit ups. Still feeling tired during class but pressed on. I'm starting to wonder why I'm doing this. But I remember that this is just temporary and things will be better soon. 8:05 p.m. - After class I did 3 sets of 70 push ups, 100 leg lifts and 50 sit ups. After that I pretty much had it for the day. 8:45 - Drank 14 oz. protein drink with 25 grams of protein. Sleepy and tired, looking foward to a good night's rest and tomorrow's challenge whatever it may be.

Day 2

Up at 6:15 a.m. 71/2 hours of sleep. Weight - 192 lbs. 6:30 - drank 20 oz. pomegranate - cranberry juice ( one third diluted ). 7:15 - Optimist club meeting 8:30 - drank 2 oz. aloe vera juice and 12 oz. hot green tea. 10:30 - taught class - light workout 30 push ups, 60 leg lifts, and 40 sit ups. 2:00 drank 12 oz. fresh apple - carrot - ginger drink. 3:30 - 5:30 - drank 20 oz. gatorade. Taught classes 4:30 - 8:30. Another light workout - 90 push ups, 100 leg lifts, and50 sit ups. I am very tired tonight . A good night's rest should help. It's a big workout day tomorrow.

Day One - Fastivus Begins

Up at 7:a.m. 71/2 hours of sleep. weight - 197 lbs. Shot the film project all day. Taught 3 classes this evening. Did exercises with the class. Did about 270 push ups, 200 leg lifts and 150 sit ups. Drank a 20 oz. green tea from about 11:00 - 1:00 p.m. Drank a 15 0z. protein drink from about 4:00 - 5:30. Then a 20 oz. Gatorade from about 6:00 - 8:00. I feel great today and look forward to the next 40 days of training and fasting.

Day Before the Eve of Fastivus

This is my first blog of 2011. The name has been changed, but the mission is still the same. It is: 1) Fast for 40 days to discipline and strengthen the body and mind. 2) Train for a world 's record to test my limits. 3) Create a fundraiser that will help children in need and get people involved. This years event, called "Push Ups for Peace" will be Saturday, April 30, at 2:30 p. m. at St. Ambrose University. Starting Monday, March 21, I will be fasting for about 41 days. I wll be drinking water throughout the fast. On Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays I will have only protein drinks. On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, only diluted juices. On Sundays only water. This period of time is my annual spring holiday I call Fastivus. Fastivus is a time of renewal of the mind, restoration of body and resolve of the spirit. I look forward to this great spring " holiday season" and hope you join me in this year's Fast in the Life Lane.