The plan is the generator

“The plan is the generator” is a cliche often mentioned in architecture classes across the country.  The quote is attributed by architect Le Corbusier in his book, Towards A New Architecture.  Many times what you see on the exterior of a building is in response to what is going on in the interior.  I had a professor in design studio that would constantly preach that the facade of a building should tell the story of the spaces within.  That doesn’t mean the facade is a copy of the plan itself, but rather composed from clues generated from the plan.  Examples might be the structure expressed on the elevation as pilasters or a change in massing where mechanical spaces are located.  Perhaps clerestory windows tell the story of a double volume space within to allow for extra daylighting.  This is in contrast to buildings which, in order to maintain continuity of the elevation, makes use of spandrel glazing which is glass that has a ceramic frit on the back to create the illusion of a window.  Some retail designs may have what appears to be a second story complete with punched windows when in reality there is nothing behind the windows but the main sales floor.  An architectural lie.

So far the nutritional aspect of Body For Life hasnt been too hard to follow.  At some point I know I’m going to run into a snag and I need to remind myself that what I’m putting into my body in the way of food is fuel.  The fuel I choose will utlimatey have an impact on the exterior.  I recently read something that gave me one of those, “wow…why didn’t I think of that?”  People with those six-pack abs are not those who have been working their abs for hours and hours.  The fact of the matter is they have such little body fat the abdominal muscles are easily expressed through the skin.  How do you reduce body fat?  Partially through exercise, but mostly through nutrition.  Now, I’m not about to begin to believe I’ll end up with six-pack abs.  I just want to reduce the ab that is the size and shape of a keg.

The main thing when it comes to BFL nutrition is pre-planning.  I’ve been fixing my lunch the night before otherwise it takes too long.  I’m basically packing three meals.  I try to add variety each day so I’m not eating the same foods.  Once again, I’m choosing a lean protein and a complex carb.

My menu for today:

Meal 1: Nutrition bar and bottled water

Meal 2: Boiled egg and plain non-fat yogurt sweetened with splenda

Meal 3: Chili beef quesadillas (Weight Watchers recipe with 98/2 hamburger meat and whole wheat tortillas) and blackbeans

Meal 4: Myoplex nutrition shake

Meal 5: Grilled tilapia, mixed vegetables and an orange

Meal 6: Smoked turkey breast and a grannysmith apple

This morning I did my cardio workout on the exercise bike.  I maintain a certain speed and at 1 minute intervals increase the tension.  I do this four times and then start back to tension setting no. 1.  I do this four times and after the fourth interval of the fourth time I step the tension up one more notch for a minute.  Makes for a very difficult workout.  However, this is the method of doing the cardio work out expressed in the BFL challenge.  With a 2 minute warm up and a 1 minute cool down period, the workout is 20 minutes total.  Tomorrow morning is my lower body workout.

Until next time…