Boo

You're quarantined. The gym is closed. What to do? Time to improvise and adapt. You have a wide array of exercise options that require no equipment and can be done anywhere. When you consider the different variations and progressions that can be done with these exercises, your options increase exponentially. There's a ton of information online concerning home workouts. I'll just include one article, one video, and one book suggestion. The article I'm linking to is: "The 42 best Bodyweight Exercises: The Ultimate Guide for Working Out Anywhere!" I chose this article because it not only provides numerous options for bodyweight workouts, but includes progressions for beginner to intermediate to advanced. Figure out where you are and get to work on getting better. https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/the-42-best-bodyweight-exercises-the-ultimate-guide-for-working-out-anywhere/ Speaking of progressions in bodyweight training, I suggest the book "Convict Conditioning" by Paul Wade. I'm not a fan of the whole convict shtick. Put off checking this book out because I thought it was some silly gimmick. Marketing gimmicks aside, this is a great book for those looking to get stronger without investing in a gym membership or home gym equipment. The six exercises recommended and the progressions from beginner to expert are outlined in detail. With time and a lot of sweat you can go from a couch potato to someone who's able to do pistol squats and one-armed pull-ups. And finally, the video. Not a lot of detail here, but gives you a good idea of how many options you have to get moving.

We watched The Nice Guys tonight. I wouldn't describe it as a great movie, but definitely entertaining. A crime drama/black comedy that manages to avoid the cliches and tropes that are too common in other movies similar to this one. The kind of movie I would recommend with a "You'll like it...if you're into that kind of thing."

There's a joke about "carpet munching" to be made here. What am I doing right now: innocently walking away from an opportunity to make a dirty joke.

Amazing how many issues I attributed to sinuses went away after I quit. The dry, red eyes. The frequent sore throat. Chest colds that lingered around like bad company. Rarely an issue anymore. Even now, as a thick coat of pollen covers everything here in East Tennessee, I'm not having issues with allergies like I did when I smoked. Good riddance to cigarettes and all of the ills associated with smoking.

"There are people who can make love standing on a hammock, but it is not the easiest way." --Allen Carr I don't have anything else to add. I just really enjoyed that line.

Just roll with it. There's no point in making straight lines crooked. Enjoy the smooth sailing. Know what to do if the seas get rough.

I was listening to Willie's Roadhouse earlier and heard an artist that always takes me back. My grandfather was a big country music fan and particularly liked songs that told a story. The old man had every album Tom T. Hall ever recorded and hearing those songs brings back some good memories.

Everything the cigarette promised but never delivered, I found in physical fitness. Stress relief. Peace of mind. Relaxation. Inhaling the smoke from a cigarette never once delivered the benefits I get from getting under the barbell or going out for a run. Quitting smoking will reward you in many ways. Starting a training program will reward you in many ways. When you double-down on the rewards...life is good and just continues to get better.

Yes I am. Thanks for noticing. But seriously...Working out facilitated my quit and quitting facilitated my workouts. All-in-all, the plan really came together.

Young Boo developed his first celebrity crush on Susanna Hoffs, the lead singer of the Bangles. I wasn't a huge fan of the music, but I enjoyed watching the videos.

I've been kicking around the idea of building a playhouse for a couple of weeks now. A friend of mine in North Carolina called last night to check-up and see how things are going. I told him about the projects I've been working on and projects that are in the hopper. He said: "That girl is gonna be spoiled rotten." I replied: "Yep." Nothing but the best for my little princess.

For strength work I like the fundamental barbell lifts: Deadlifts, Squats, Overhead Press, and Bench Press. I also do Pull-Ups and Chin-Ups. And I'm a big fan of weighted carries and pushing and pulling the sled (Farmer's Walks, Suitcase Carries, Sled Push, and Sled Pulls with a rope) For cardio, I really like trail running. I'm not a great runner, but I love getting out in the woods and pushing it. When I don't have the time to go out for a run, I jump rope, use the Concept2 rower, or get in some rounds on the heavy bag. For core specific work, I do: Hanging Leg Raises, Roll-Outs, and Landmine Twists. And I like to do a bit of mobility work everyday. Combination of stretches, yoga poses, and moves to exercise a pair of shoulders that have been used and abused over the years.

I hope John Prine hangs in there. He still has a lot of good songs in him and the world needs more people like John Prine in it. I'm a little hesitant to post this song given the somber nature of the times. However, if ever there was a person who could be gravely ill and still maintain their wit and humor it would be Mr. Prine.

Have you ever tried... Farmer's Walks! Dead simple exercise that works every muscle in the body. Just pick up a couple of heavy objects (dumbbells, kettlebells, etc.) and walk with an upright posture for a predetermined distance. It is one of my missions to spread the gospel of loaded carries to the uninitiated. Starting a health and fitness regimen at the same time I quit smoking was very beneficial for me both physically and mentally.

Trying to figure out which green thumb project to start on first today. Mowed the yard for the first time this year yesterday. Cleaned up the flower bed between the driveway and front porch. Hollowed out a four-foot section of the trunk of an oak tree I had to cut down back in January and turned it into a flower planter. I already have what I need to build a couple of window box planters, so I'll probably start there. Spring is here, I'll be out in the yard.

You looked at the cigarettes, said nope, and just walked away from the filthy little things. For some folks, this is a long and needlessly complicated process. Others, like yourself, are able to just put 'em down and never look back. Congratulations. Whatever you decide to do in the future, know that you'll always have a seat here on the Quit Train. We've enjoyed having you here and you can be a great example to those who follow your lead.

You've probably heard about the pandemic...they mentioned it on the news. The quarantine, be it by law or by choice, has altered all of our schedules. Me being the silver linings, glass half-full kind of guy that I am (it's part of my charm) leads me to look for the sunny side of isolation. What better time than now to catch-up on some books and movies that you haven't got around to yet? I watched the movie 1917 tonight. Definitely not a feel-good romp, but absolutely the best war movie I have seen in a long time. Two British soldiers are sent on an incredibly dangerous mission during World War I. This singular mission is the sole focus of the film. The movie never gets distracted with side stories and plot twists, this movie is straight-forward from beginning to end. This is not a hooray for the good guys and to hell with the bad guys war movie either. If you're looking for a villain in this movie, it is war itself. The drama plays out naturally and the landscapes are brutal and ugly but shot so well that you can't look away. An excellent movie...I recommend it. As for books: I started reading The Forest Unseen: A Year's Watch in Nature by David George Haskell last night. Biologist Haskell went out every day for a year and and observed a single square meter of forest in Tennessee. The book is filled with interesting facts about plants, trees, animals (big and small), and the effects of seasonal change. This book is not going to be for everyone. However, if you are interested in biology and ecology without all the wordy, academic journal style of writing this is a good read. I enjoy being a know-it-all and spending time in the backwoods of Tennessee, so right away this book was in my wheelhouse. Anybody else come across any good books or movies during quarantine?

Happy Birthday dumbass.

Not a lost cause, just a work in progress. You destroyed the smokes now you need to work on destroying the myths and lies of smoking. The only problem solved by smoking a cigarette is the same problem that was created by smoking a cigarette. Break the cycle, set yourself free. Buckle up, knuckle down, and drive on.

I appreciate you writing this Jo. I've been here for four years now and I have not seen any of these purity tests that are discussed from time-to-time. Not once. I've never seen anyone's quit discredited based on the use of any of the "step-down" methods available. Not once. To remind people that they are continuing to feed their nicotine addiction by administering nicotine is not zealotry, it is the statement of a basic truth. When I was a shaky-kneed newbie just starting the process, what I wanted to hear and what I needed to hear were often quite different. I am eternally grateful to those who told me what I needed to hear regardless of whether or not I was ready to listen. The truth will set you free, but it may kick you in the ass first.

As a fellow Southerner, I suppose I could rededicate myself to chastity. Although, at this point...kinda feels like closing the barn door after the horse is two counties over.

Cold turkey is the most direct method of quitting. It is simple. It is free. It is freeing. Many of us had success with quitting cold turkey. In spite of health agencies, marketing campaigns, and an assortment of "experts" telling us that cold turkey is not a viable option...it fit some of us like a glove. I will extol the virtues of cold turkey quitting every chance I get. I have no desire to proselytize nor condemn anyone for their method of choice. However, I will share my story of success and hope it encourages someone just starting out that they already have everything they need to quit forever.

That is a great analogy. Cigarettes had power over me because I gave them power over me. So I quit putting cigarettes in my mouth and lighting them of fire, that was all it took. I went from fearing the quit to thinking "well I'll be damned, that was simple." Once the rope is broken and has been recognized for what it is, there's no going back.

Congratulations Kate.