Everybody’s Working For The Weekend

Yeah, I borrowed a lyric from a song for the title, big whoop.  It’s actually relevant to my blog post, so I did it, sorry - not sorry.

Let’s dig right in.  The “ideal” workweek for Americans (and all of us Earthlings probably) is Monday through Friday 8 or 9 AM to 5 PM.  I know that’s not what the majority works (and the world couldn’t function if we all did), but the idea I’m trying to convey is that everyone wants a break.  They want some time to relax, work on a home project, or spend time with loved ones, more time than the 5PM - Bedtime schedule that the weekday provides.

::Enter Weekend, Stage Left::

The weekend, it seems to be the answer to all of life’s problems.

::Exit Weekend, Stage Right::

The weekend is never long enough.  Vacations are amazing, and they too, never seem long enough.  Actually sometimes too much of the wrong vacation seems like more than long enough, too long in fact.  That however, is a different story completely.  We spend so much time getting ready to relax or preparing for a break that the “normal” days go so fast because we are in a kind of autopilot.

Those who are friends with me on Facebook or follow me on Instagram know that a few weeks ago I had a cardiac scare.  My chest was hurting, I was’t as responsive as I should have been... It was just an awful experience and ended up getting a clean bill of health for my heart, but my GI system is being suspected of causing the heart attack like symptoms.  That makes more sense because I had GI issues as a teenager, and I really figured if I was going to have a heart attack it would have been at the gym, either doing squats or on the treadmill.

It made me realize that each day is special.  Every single day we are given, we can never get back, so it's best to make the most of each one.  Tell those you love that you love them, don't assume they know, it means a lot to someone to get validation or confirmation that you relationship is solid.

This is the point in my blog where I tell you if you want to make a life change, do it.  Don't wait, you might not get the opportunity to do it again.  Take the trip, kiss your love, embrace your children.  It's been said many times, but this hold true - your biggest regret will be not doing it.  Our most precious resource is time, and we each have a limited amount.

I'm not just talking to you, my lovely readers, but to myself as well.  I have some (potentially) life changing things in my future, and I'm ready.  Will I be scared? Probably, better pack more underwear.  Will I do my best?  Yes, and better.  If you have anything you've been wanting to start, whether it be getting in shape, changing careers or asking that special someone to be yours, do it.

Now, for those interested, I will be preaching this very message (slightly edited) to Cassie when we go on a plane or boat (she likes neither), or when I'm trying to talk her into riding a scary roller coaster.  There will probably be video if that happens.

As I draw to a close on this post, I wanted to thank you, dear reader.  I have a lot of readers, and a lot of questions sent to me, and you can keep them coming.  I personally answer each question, and sometimes I post them here in case a lot of people ask the same question.  I started writing this blog years ago as kind of a therapy, writing is very cathartic for me. Between this blog, my book of short stories, my biography, and my neglected personal journal I do write a lot.  I guess what I'm trying to say is that you have been a part of that therapy and I thank you.

Until next time, dear readers...

Truths Be Told Here

OK, so being honest is one of the best traits a person can have.  Honesty is always the best route to take, even if it hurts.  Why does it hurt though when we tell the truth?  Sometimes when we tell the truth it may hurt others feelings, but if you lie to them, you are not only delaying that hurt, but making it a lot worse because that person will know you lied to them when they find out the truth.  Sometimes we lie for our own personal reasons, almost a self preservation mechanism.  For instance, children will often lie when asked if they did something wrong, even if they did it right in front of you.  It almost seems like deception is in our nature, but with work and perseverance, you can win that battle.  Here are a few truths (with my now famous “no explanation” list):

1. I don’t always call people back.
2. M&Ms are my go-to cheat snack. They will be the death of me.
3. As much as I try not to, I will let some people down, and it hurts deeply each time.
4. I have a very small circle of very close friends, and a medium circle of great friends.
5. I worked in a call center for a flower company for a week, but the callers were way too negative for me.
6. I love photography.
7. My goal is to be a personal trainer full time.
8. I don't always smile, but that doesn't mean I'm unhappy.
9. I have cut my left knee open twice, once when I was 4 and once when I was 12.
10. I have a fondness for all superheroes, but I specifically have a Batman complex.
11. I have five tattoos, with plans for more.

I know, kind of random, but sometimes my brain is random.  As always, you can send me all your comments, questions, or concerns, directly to me at jaydee.riggs@gmail.com.  And for those of you wondering about the next podcast, hold on tight, it is in the works.

Until next time, dear readers...

A Lesson About Selfies

So, I take selfies.  Gym selfies specifically.  Over the past few years, some of my friends have given me a hard time about it, joking that I was being narcissistic.  I’m not, I swear.  Whether I post the selfies or not doesn’t really matter, I take them (but often post them).  It’s not about bragging about my progress, it’s not about wanting compliments, it’s nothing like that at all.

What is it about then? Motivation.  I take progress pictures of my body transformation on a regular basis.  I take body measurements, I compare only to myself, because I am only in competition with myself.  Do I have the biggest arms? The flattest stomach? An eight pack? Pecs that would make The Rock jealous? Of course not, nor do I expect to.  I have every expectation that I am making progress, and the best proof of that is photographic evidence of my journey.

My goal is to improve my physique and health by eating right, working out regularly and eliminating the unnecessary. I’m lucky enough to have two ladies in my life that will gladly go to the gym with me, and they have no idea how much that means to me.  I’ve mentioned it in a post before, but working out with a partner makes you more likely to push for that extra rep, or try that extra 10 pounds on the deadlift.

Every so often, my oldest daughter, Victoria, and I  will do a max out day.  It’s exactly what it sounds like.  We take turns pushing ourselves on all of our normal exercises.  She has impressed me quite a bit with her abilities, but she does something extremely well that I have some problems with.  Knowing her limitations. I push myself, and don’t get me wrong, she pushes herself too, but she knows when she has reached her max.  So, in contrast, I have a good feeling when I’ve hit my max, but I still try just a little more.  Now, you might be thinking this is a good thing, and to a certain degree it is, but it can also welcome injuries.  I know my body well enough to know when I need to stop, but having the ability to tell myself “Don’t try that” is hard sometimes.

My fiancé and I will go workout together as well, and I can’t express enough how much she impresses me.  She has got the drive that most people only dream about.  When she starts a set, she finishes, or goes out trying.  She pushes herself to the point of exhaustion and it’s something that took me a while to get the hang of.  A lot of people won’t attempt that last rep of a set when it hurts.  They think, “oh that’s close enough” but in reality, you may make more gains from that last rep than the ones preceeding it.  She is aware that it will hurt.  She openly acknowledges it as a matter of fact.  She knows it will hurt, but she knows she will benefit from the pain, so, she presses on.  Absolutely amazing.

Now, back to the issue of selfies.  As I said, I get a lot of ribbing over my gym selfies, and I take it in stride.  I often play along with it, and here are a few examples of conversations that should show you that I don’t take myself all that seriously.

Friend: When taking my gym selfies, which hand should I use to take the picture?

Me: You right handed or left handed?

Friend:  What do I need to be thinking about to get that awesome expressionless look you have in your pics?

Me:  I pretend that I’m being attacked by a monster that can sense emotions, so I stop them.  All of them.

Friend:  What if someone else is around you or the mirror when you are ready to take your selfie?

Me:  Hand them your phone and tell them to take your picture.

Friend:  Geez, you sure like to look at yourself.

Me: Not really, but apparently you do, you’ve liked every selfie I’ve ever posted.

Friend:  Yes. Shut up.

So, as you can see, it’s silly stuff, but I welcome any and all comments, after all, I might need to be knocked down a few notches, you know, to #stayhumble.

Until next time, dear readers...

RedCon1

As many of you have heard, I am now a Tier Operatior for RedCon1, a supplement company.  I do not back anything i have less than the upmost belief in, and this is one of those products that does exactly as it advertises.  I have been using their products for a while and my results have been amazing, and yes, are all legal and non banned substances.  People want to know how to try their products without making a large purchase, and that is as simple as ordering samples.  Use my code T20JRiggs and you will get a 20% discount.  If you know me in person, I would be glad to share some samples of product with you, just be sure to email me!

I am looking forward to a great future with this company, and I am looking forward to what other amazing products they come out with.  As a side not, these are also the best tasting products I’ve had to DATE, which says a lot.

Order Here:

Let me know what you think!

Until next time dear readers!

Hard to Follow That One...

What's this? Another entry so soon? Sure, why not.  Thought I would answer some quick questions that I haven't addressed yet.

First of all, I have decided that my personal life is going to be private for a while.  I've made the mistake of throwing a bunch of stuff on social media and it just makes things harder.  Yes, I eventually will share, but for now, mum is the word.

Now, some of the questions.

When you meal prep (which I know takes hours), do you eat during that process?

Absolutely.  I "taste" everything.  I'm not going to lie, I cook pretty good, and when I start cooking, I can't help but eat.  The good thing is that it is mostly healthful, so no worries.

Do you have a regular gym schedule?

I do and don't.  I have a schedule, but I go to the gym when I can and when it's not full of people.  I like it when there are only a few people there, most of them know me by name, so It's a little more personal.  It's nice when I hear "Hey James!", "What's up Riggs?" or "Woohoo it's The Machine!"

Are you still training people?

Yes, but not a lot at the moment because my schedule isn't really allowing enough time for a lot of clients.  Look for a lot more #riggs shirts and posts very soon though.

When is your first video bog going to go live?

When it does. I really can't give you a time on that, as I'm still trying to figure out the flow of it.  I've got ideas, but I'm working on it.

Ok, so this was a quick entry, but I wanted to address those questions since I've gotten quite a few that are on those lines.  Keep your questions coming in!

Until next time dear readers...

Start off With Truth

Ok, so, honesty is very important to me, so I’m going to take a minute and be completely honest with you.

At the moment, I am looking for direction in my life.  Being honest, I’m not where I want to be, and I am looking for the first step to get to where I want and\or need to be.  Do I want to spend the rest of my life at my current job, and living in my current situation? No.  Don’t get me wrong, I love my job, I work with some great people, and I may not live in a palace, but I’m happy to have a place over my head.

The ways of the universe, under God’s command, have placed me where I am in this moment for a reason.  It’s not my job to try to find that reason, honestly, it’s my job to learn from my situation, what got me here, and try to better myself.  I’ve said it before, but the only person I’m in competition with is myself.  I just have to be better today than I was yesterday.  I feel like I’m doing that, to the best of my ability.   Everyday I learn something about myself or others that I can take to heart and work on\with.

Do I want to be single forever? No, I really don’t, no matter what type of front I put on.  Finding that someone to spend the rest of my time here on Earth with is not an easy task.  I have met some wonderful people that will always be my friend, no matter how anything else worked (or didn’t work) out.  I am grateful.  My heart is thankful for everything, good or bad, I am thankful.  It’s not like I’m trying to hide myself away or anything.  I am putting myself out there, I am trying, and maybe I should be, or maybe I shouldn’t be, I don’t really know.  I know that I want to take an active part in my life and not just watch everything pass me by.

I have many friends.  I’m not talking about Facebook friends, I mean people I’m friends with in real life, you know, that you can talk to, not just text to.  Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, has an opinion on what I should be doing, or trying to do.  That’s great, I appreciate input.  The thing is though, it is their opinion, like I said, so it is what they think from their point of view with the amount of knowledge they have about the situation(s).  I listen, I don’t just hear them.  Who knows, I might get that one bit of inspiration from a friend who is actually talking about something else.  I mean things work out in mysterious ways sometimes.

I’ve been continuing writing a chapter in my book that I know will never be read, its a chapter for me.  This chapter really captures a lot of my heart, and although I am releasing a lot of knowledge about myself in this book, what I am writing now is something I will share with no one.  Call it a more in depth journal entry, or what have you, but getting it out does help, ever so slightly.

On a final note, the podcast is taking off quite well.  I’ve gotten a lot of feedback, more good than bad, so that’s a sign, right?  Well, I’m going to let some (maybe) good news escape here - I was limiting my podcasts to 15 minutes for several reasons, but I’ve had an overwhelming response and many have asked if I can address x issue, but to do so would increase my weekly record time, so I’m removing that limit.  I’ll address everything sent to me up to the point I record.  Woohoo?

Until next time dear readers...

New Beginnings

There is a lot going on in my life right now. A lot.  There is a lot of stress, anxiety and excitement.  I’m not complaining, the changes in my life have been 100% for the better.  I am happy.  I mean I am really happy.  Sure I don’t drive a Ferrari, or live in a castle (yet), but I am happy. Isn’t that all that matters?

There is a sad side to this story though.  Although I am happy, and others can obviously tell that, there are those neigh sayers. They will ignore anything positive and attach to the negative.  It gets tiring, especially if it’s someone you love.  Expect the best but plan for the worst.  I have been living by that motto for a while now, and so far lately, I’ve mostly gotten the best.  It’s a nice change.

I haven’t talked about exercise in a while, so I’ll update you.  I am still helping people with meal and exercise plans, and results have been great.  I myself am steadily continuing on my body change journey.  My weight is fluctuating. That’s ok.  I have been having more cheat days lately, and I’m working on stopping that.  Meal planning is not easy, but meal prepping is much harder.  Honestly a good meal prep day takes up a really good chunk of the day.  I am working on a meal prep video for my Riggs Fitness site\brand.

Remember, anywhere you go, there you are.

Until next time, dear readers...

Oh, the Possibilities

Let me start this post with a very big thank you to all who have chosen me to help them in their journey to get fit and healthy via riggsfitness.com.  I've gotten quite a few clients that are employing my services as an uncertified personal trainer, and so far, everything has been going incredibly well.  I say uncertified, because, well, I am.  I'm preparing to take the certification for both personal trainer and strength coach, as that's the direction I want to take my career.

Now, on to other things.  My book.  It is coming along quite nicely, but the more I get into it, the more I worry about offending people.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to alter any content so that everything is sunshine and rainbows, but I'm finding myself with the dilemma of wanting to omit certain sections that would cause conflict.  As far as what people think of me, I don't concern myself with that too much, because that's not my issue, whoever is thinking about me, well, that's their problem.  The problem I find myself facing is that in some cases I might be forcing some people to take a deeper look at themselves (something that probably should have happened a long time ago), but I worry that it isn't my place to go around pointing out flaws.  It's really not anyone's place to that.  If I don't, however, they might continue on a bad path.  It's a pretty big internal battle, my rough drafts have a lot of strikethroughs in them.

A lot of my readers apparently loved it when I just imparted a little wisdom with a little story, which, to all of those readers I say, I've got a great book in progress for you.  To continue with that theme, I'll tell a bit from my chapter on the inventory system.  James Lee Burke stated "There's nothing like rejection to make you do an inventory of yourself."  Rejection is one of the main events that lead to change.  The rejection can be romantic, career related or social, it doesn't matter, we will all perceive rejection differently.  We will even perceive it differently than we have previously perceived the same type of rejection.  That's called growth, and if it's in a good direction, it's a great thing.  The inventory system, which I have talked about here before is an amazing, yet difficult way to progress with your life.

The personal inventory is, as it sounds, about you.  You have to look at yourself, figure out what you like about yourself and dislike about yourself at this point in time.  Make the list, no matter how hard, no matter how much you don't want to write down that thing that you hate about yourself that no one else knows about, write it down.  No one will see this but you.  Write down what you'd like to see yourself as.  It can be anything, healthier, slimmer, at a better job, in a loving relationship, anything at all.  Now, figure out how to remove those bad things, even if it takes time, work on it everyday.  Figure out what small steps you need to take to reach those goals you wrote down.  Make a little progress everyday.  Slow and steady wins the race, right?  Well, that's not always literally the case, but the goal isn't to win the race, it's to cross the finish line.


Until next time, dear readers...

The beat goes on...

Well, it appears that I get the most responses (and views) when I share personal information.  I like sharing, but sometimes that takes an emotional toll.  I literally feel tired after pouring my soul into a blog post.  Then I worry about what people will think. Then I remember, I am not defined by what others think of me, but what I think of myself.  It's a cycle.  However, in keeping with the more personal theme, I'm going to do so again, but about a different topic.

A couple of years ago I was heavy.  I was unhappy.  I had no energy.  Obviously the divorce was causing some of the unhappiness, but my health was playing a large factor in it.  I didn't know that at the time.  From that time until about 5 months ago, I had a lot of bad things happen.  Some were my fault, some were not.  I had to change something, and I didn't know what.  Everything I thought was causing me problems, I eliminated, yet I was still exactly where I was when I started.

One day, about 5 months ago, I stepped on my scale.  I was 215 pounds, and had 30% body fat.  That was nuts, a third of my body was fat.  That got me to thinking.  What am I eating?  What am I doing to burn off the fat?  The answers were crap food, and jack squat, respectively.  I started reading.  I read some more.  I read nutritionists blogs, and personal trainers notes.  I studied the relationship between muscle groups, and the right way to lose weight.  I didn't just want to lose weight though.  I wanted to gain muscle.

Over the last 5 months, I've did that.  I'm at 172 pounds, 15% body fat, and I'm down to a pant size of 33 (formerly 38-40).  I'm not done.  I've reached all of my initial goals.  I'm leaner, I'm stronger, and in the right places, I'm bigger.  Life is a process of continually updating our goals.  I've updated my goals.  I no longer have a weight goal, since my original one was 185 and I've blown that away.  I'm now focusing on trying to get my body fat to 10%.  I also have size goals for each of my muscle groups, and those will take a little longer, but I'm making progress.

Now, I have people that I'm helping with meal plans, exercise plans, and instructing on those plans.  I've been doing that for a while, but this week I launched riggsfitness.com and I've gotten more clients now.  For me, I know I can help, but I've decided to get my certification as a personal trainer and strength coach.  I've spent a lot of hours on these topics, so a little more studying for the exams is going to be completely doable.  I have a transformation challenge coming up on that site, but I'll post more about it later. #riggs

Just for the first 15 of my readers, use code a2eqm3 and get 50% off any plans.  I appreciate each and every one of you.  Thank you for your kind words of support and encouragement, without them, I wouldn't be as far as I am today. You guys rock.

Until next time dear readers...