Been having some issues reported with blogger so I am now blogging over at wordpad....
You can find me here Forty Fatty
Wednesday, 24 August 2011
First Day Off
Well, first day off of 5 and so far kept on plan, food is good, exercise is good.
Did a little 1k run to the Post Office and back this morning and just now I did a pretty good walk... here's the route.
Just a pretty basic out and back, but I kept a pretty steady pace and if you know Glovertown at all, and I know MOST of you don't lol, there's a pretty decent hill at the end of the walk. It's a hill I hated growing up walking back home from school every day, but I love now. Go figure.
I have to say, I am feeling pretty good, My feet continue to complain a bit, even on walks, but its getting less. My core, that is to say, my body and whats in it, feels great, no breathing issues, cramps, spasms or anything like that . Feels good.
I am looking forward to what I will be able to do 10 pounds from now, 20, 30, 40 and beyond, sky is the limit really.
Not much of a post I know, used to blogging at night and who knows, maybe I will come back and blog again a little later. I'm pretty sure I will actually lol
Did a little 1k run to the Post Office and back this morning and just now I did a pretty good walk... here's the route.
Just a pretty basic out and back, but I kept a pretty steady pace and if you know Glovertown at all, and I know MOST of you don't lol, there's a pretty decent hill at the end of the walk. It's a hill I hated growing up walking back home from school every day, but I love now. Go figure.
I have to say, I am feeling pretty good, My feet continue to complain a bit, even on walks, but its getting less. My core, that is to say, my body and whats in it, feels great, no breathing issues, cramps, spasms or anything like that . Feels good.
I am looking forward to what I will be able to do 10 pounds from now, 20, 30, 40 and beyond, sky is the limit really.
Not much of a post I know, used to blogging at night and who knows, maybe I will come back and blog again a little later. I'm pretty sure I will actually lol
Tuesday, 23 August 2011
Might as well face it
I'm addicted to speed lol
I went out this evening with every intention of walking only, however, once I got there, the rain, the wind, the cool evening, I couldn't help, I had to run...
I did about 1k sustained with not a lot of discomfort, knees were humming a little towards the end of the 1k so I pulled up and walked 2k and ran in the last half k of the trail.
I am off for a few days now, plan on doing some morning walking/running for the next 5 days, though I am going to give myself the nice reward of sleeping in tomorrow morning. Now for me, sleeping in is staying in bed till 7 lol. I am up around 5:30 every other day of the week.
I have to comment a little here on food. I found a great site called Lose it! It allows you to log your food, exercise everything, and its quite detailed, you can even log SEX lol.... but I am surprised about the calories it burns, I woulda thought more! lol. The same applies to its food library, it has EVERYTHING from raw ingredients to brand food to restaurant menus, just damn near anything and everything you can think of. I am finding it BEYOND useful, its interesting, informative and somewhat of an eye opener. Check it out if you need a little help in your journey.
Well, off for the night, a little WoW and bed!
Oh, people have asked for pictures, I'll see what I can do...
I went out this evening with every intention of walking only, however, once I got there, the rain, the wind, the cool evening, I couldn't help, I had to run...
I did about 1k sustained with not a lot of discomfort, knees were humming a little towards the end of the 1k so I pulled up and walked 2k and ran in the last half k of the trail.
I am off for a few days now, plan on doing some morning walking/running for the next 5 days, though I am going to give myself the nice reward of sleeping in tomorrow morning. Now for me, sleeping in is staying in bed till 7 lol. I am up around 5:30 every other day of the week.
I have to comment a little here on food. I found a great site called Lose it! It allows you to log your food, exercise everything, and its quite detailed, you can even log SEX lol.... but I am surprised about the calories it burns, I woulda thought more! lol. The same applies to its food library, it has EVERYTHING from raw ingredients to brand food to restaurant menus, just damn near anything and everything you can think of. I am finding it BEYOND useful, its interesting, informative and somewhat of an eye opener. Check it out if you need a little help in your journey.
Well, off for the night, a little WoW and bed!
Oh, people have asked for pictures, I'll see what I can do...
Monday, 22 August 2011
The Whoa Factor.....
Well, for every wow there gotta be a whoa I guess lol...
As good as my run the other night was, tonight was equally as bad.
I shouldn't say that, the first 1k was awesome, it was at about the 1.7 mark that it all started to come apart at the seams. The breathing was going fine, but here's a word to the wise, never eat egg salad prior to running, NEVER. I was belching sulfer from 1.7k on, it was pretty horrible. On top of that, I started to get a cramp in my left leg, upper thigh that was annoying at first but proceeded to intolerable. As soon as I would think it had passed and tried to jog again it returned. After 2.5 I just gave up and decided to walk the rest. Then, lo and behold, at the 3k mark my old friend numb foot decided to chime in as well.
All in all, pretty disgusting..... BUT glass half full point of view, I got out there and did almost 4k again lol...
On the other bright note, no MAJOR weight loss this week, but the pound and a bit I did lose was enough to put me over the 25 pound gone mark.... that feels pretty damn awesome!
So, no need for a physical recap this evening, the post above sums it up pretty well.
Oh well, can't all be sunshine and roses..... lol
As good as my run the other night was, tonight was equally as bad.
I shouldn't say that, the first 1k was awesome, it was at about the 1.7 mark that it all started to come apart at the seams. The breathing was going fine, but here's a word to the wise, never eat egg salad prior to running, NEVER. I was belching sulfer from 1.7k on, it was pretty horrible. On top of that, I started to get a cramp in my left leg, upper thigh that was annoying at first but proceeded to intolerable. As soon as I would think it had passed and tried to jog again it returned. After 2.5 I just gave up and decided to walk the rest. Then, lo and behold, at the 3k mark my old friend numb foot decided to chime in as well.
All in all, pretty disgusting..... BUT glass half full point of view, I got out there and did almost 4k again lol...
On the other bright note, no MAJOR weight loss this week, but the pound and a bit I did lose was enough to put me over the 25 pound gone mark.... that feels pretty damn awesome!
So, no need for a physical recap this evening, the post above sums it up pretty well.
Oh well, can't all be sunshine and roses..... lol
Sunday, 21 August 2011
Sunday Sunday Sunday
and on the 7th day he rested.....
Yeah right lol....
Was up this morning and into work for a quick visit, supposed to be getting company from Head Office tomorrow as well as having the Manager back from a 10 day vacay. Had to make sure my boys in the yard had the place tip top, glad to report they had it well in hand. So I hung around for a couple of hours and that's about it.
Pretty lazy day though beyond that,,,,
Went for a 4k walk this evening, no running, just walking. I needed to give my 40 year old load bearing legs a rest after the runs and the downhill 2k and the night of dancing last night lol. Great walk all the same, kept a quick pace. The only complaint was my shorts, I had to keep hiking them up. That's a good complaint though so I'll take it.
Not sure how tomorrows weigh in is going to be. As I mentioned, I was at a wedding last night and while I stayed away from the booze, I did eat what was offered, that means salad with a lot of dressing, stuffed chicken breast with gravy, spuds and vegs and a nice chunk of cheese cake. It was really awesome food really, very tasty!
Still very very confident that I will be at 180 for the Tely10 next year. I basically have a year to lose 80ish pounds and train myself up for a 10 mile road race. Done like dinner.
Found another fella doing what I am doing.... check him out.... 350 and falling
Physical recap - Nothing to report on the walk. No shin splints, no pain in my feet, no numbness at all. No discomfort breathing, no gasping. Shorts falling off. Sweat was more from heat then exertion. Found myself fighting the temptation to run, feel I need the rest to improve duration of runs.
Yeah right lol....
Was up this morning and into work for a quick visit, supposed to be getting company from Head Office tomorrow as well as having the Manager back from a 10 day vacay. Had to make sure my boys in the yard had the place tip top, glad to report they had it well in hand. So I hung around for a couple of hours and that's about it.
Pretty lazy day though beyond that,,,,
Went for a 4k walk this evening, no running, just walking. I needed to give my 40 year old load bearing legs a rest after the runs and the downhill 2k and the night of dancing last night lol. Great walk all the same, kept a quick pace. The only complaint was my shorts, I had to keep hiking them up. That's a good complaint though so I'll take it.
Not sure how tomorrows weigh in is going to be. As I mentioned, I was at a wedding last night and while I stayed away from the booze, I did eat what was offered, that means salad with a lot of dressing, stuffed chicken breast with gravy, spuds and vegs and a nice chunk of cheese cake. It was really awesome food really, very tasty!
Still very very confident that I will be at 180 for the Tely10 next year. I basically have a year to lose 80ish pounds and train myself up for a 10 mile road race. Done like dinner.
Found another fella doing what I am doing.... check him out.... 350 and falling
Physical recap - Nothing to report on the walk. No shin splints, no pain in my feet, no numbness at all. No discomfort breathing, no gasping. Shorts falling off. Sweat was more from heat then exertion. Found myself fighting the temptation to run, feel I need the rest to improve duration of runs.
Saturday, 20 August 2011
Just a little check in
Off to a cousins wedding for the day but thought I would just do a little check in prior to the road trip.
last night was awesome. I did a little walk/jog. Basically I walked about 2k to the highway, a slow but steady uphill grade. I kept a brisk pace and was pretty winded by the time I reached the overpass. Then, on the down hill I jogged the whole way. Now let me tell you, downhill jogs present a whole different set of forces and challenges. Greater impact on the feet and legs as gravity exerts itself balance off the easier cardio aspect. I was sweating A LOT by the time I got home but completed the whole distance with no walk breaks.
The price however was paid in the A.M..
I got up this morning for a walk around my usual trail. My intention was to do a little interval training, run and then walk for one minute bursts. Once I got out of the car however I quickly realized I may have to change plans. I did run a full 1k to start but after that my legs, which for two nights have been my friends, just working like muscle filled pistons with few complaints, felt more like jelly filled pastry rolls. I ended up walking the remaining 2.4k. Well worth it though, it was a stunning morning, lots of things to see and hear. Just a flawless sky and a nice cool breeze. Felt wonderful to appreciate my surroundings instead of talking to my legs and begging my feet to hold on for a few more strides lol.
I am 100% confident that I will be a changed man by next summer. So much so I am publicly putting it out there that I will, baring injuries or family emergencies, be running the annual Tely10 road race in St. John's next year. I will admit to be scared shitless and that whole feeling of being a faker is creeping in again, but I am going to do it, faker or not. I don't even care if I finish dead last, as long as I finish....
There, its out there, let the countdown begin.
Anyone has any good running or training tips I would love to hear them.
Oh, quick plug, found this guy, 100 Pounds , who's journey seems to parallel my own. Might be interesting for you guys to check him out, see how another fella is trying to achieve the same goal of losing 100 pounds!
last night was awesome. I did a little walk/jog. Basically I walked about 2k to the highway, a slow but steady uphill grade. I kept a brisk pace and was pretty winded by the time I reached the overpass. Then, on the down hill I jogged the whole way. Now let me tell you, downhill jogs present a whole different set of forces and challenges. Greater impact on the feet and legs as gravity exerts itself balance off the easier cardio aspect. I was sweating A LOT by the time I got home but completed the whole distance with no walk breaks.
The price however was paid in the A.M..
I got up this morning for a walk around my usual trail. My intention was to do a little interval training, run and then walk for one minute bursts. Once I got out of the car however I quickly realized I may have to change plans. I did run a full 1k to start but after that my legs, which for two nights have been my friends, just working like muscle filled pistons with few complaints, felt more like jelly filled pastry rolls. I ended up walking the remaining 2.4k. Well worth it though, it was a stunning morning, lots of things to see and hear. Just a flawless sky and a nice cool breeze. Felt wonderful to appreciate my surroundings instead of talking to my legs and begging my feet to hold on for a few more strides lol.
I am 100% confident that I will be a changed man by next summer. So much so I am publicly putting it out there that I will, baring injuries or family emergencies, be running the annual Tely10 road race in St. John's next year. I will admit to be scared shitless and that whole feeling of being a faker is creeping in again, but I am going to do it, faker or not. I don't even care if I finish dead last, as long as I finish....
There, its out there, let the countdown begin.
Anyone has any good running or training tips I would love to hear them.
Oh, quick plug, found this guy, 100 Pounds , who's journey seems to parallel my own. Might be interesting for you guys to check him out, see how another fella is trying to achieve the same goal of losing 100 pounds!
Friday, 19 August 2011
A little thinking can lead you in some strange directions
So. Still on a high from last nights physical breakthrough. Still marveling about the fact that I could do that when I had NO idea I could. I guess alot of the barriers I had to breaking through and just finding that groove were of the mental variety, and for whatever reason, last night, those walls tumbled away.
I started thinking about my past "exercise" self. I mean WAY past. I have been thinking why I can do at 40 what I couldn't do at 14. I am serious, I couldn't run. Or at least, I was convinced I couldn't, by myself and by others. Here's the thing, and forgive me if it rambles a bit from here, but I am just now processing some stuff that I think I have been carrying with me since I was old enough to be self conscious. I am blind in one eye, legally blind that is. As a result I have no peripheral vision on my right side and I also have no natural depth perception. As a result I sucked, and continue to suck, at traditional team sports of the sort we were raised and graded on in gym class. I was horrible at soccer, basketball, badminton, softball etc. Anything that required hand eye coordination was lost to me. I felt it was because I wasn't good enough, was not able to do what the other kids could do because of some kind of ineptitude and that was reinforced each and every time teams were picked and I was always the last one picked. It got to the point in grade 12 that instead of participating in gym class, I instead did drawings of people in sports events and gave them to my gym teacher so I was doing SOMETHING in gym class.
Now though, now I am thinking that I was made to think I was a non athlete because of a disability I had but no one acknowledged, either through ignorance or lack of caring. Never once was an alternative offered. I was not encouraged to say, lift weights, or jog or run or do some other form of activity other than the ones that were offered. I was being set up for failure, I graduated from high school with the mentality that I would NEVER be able to run or be fit or take part in sports because hey, I was too fat, too slow, to uncoordinated and always, the last one picked.
Maybe that's harsh and not near the truth, but it feels right to me.
I can run, I can lift weight, I can be an athlete..... I just can't catch a ball or avoid a body check..... and for my adult life I have paid the price of thinking that in order to be an athlete, I had to do the things I never could do.
Again, setting myself up for defeat....
Well, that was then and while the lessons we learn when we are growing up are often the lessons we carry to the grave, I have to purge this lesson from my mind, I have to convince myself that the people who picked me last were wrong all along and I do have it in me to be as good as anyone else with the will and drive to move forward. I just wish that it hadn't taken this long to figure it out.
I just now as I read this had another little realization. I think this deep seeded belief that I couldn't be athletic or that I would always be the fat boy who got picked last is what caused the weight to go back on each and every time I lost it. I always felt like a faker, that a Cory Babstock at 180lbs was not a "REAL" Cory Babstock, that I was pretending to be something I'm not.
Maybe some of you have read the comic The Dark Knight Returns? In the opening story Harvey Dent, Two Face, is cured of his disfigurement and his face is made whole. As the story proceeds Harvey returns to crime and the Batman soon tracks him down. When confronted Harvey reveals that in his mind, his face is indeed whole, but its all scarred now, that no matter how he looked on the outside, he was damaged on the inside and that he would always revert back to what HE felt he was. That's kind of how I felt as a skinny fella, that on the inside I was still the insecure fat man and that no matter what the world saw, I would always be that man.
That's not how I see myself this time.
This time its not about being fat or skinny, its about being the athlete I was never allowed to think I could be. Its about running a 5k, its about the rush of doing something I never imagined I could, its about discovering that I can be a runner and I can be something other than the last kid leaning against the wall. I pick ME to be on MY team first and I am thrilled to have me there!
I started thinking about my past "exercise" self. I mean WAY past. I have been thinking why I can do at 40 what I couldn't do at 14. I am serious, I couldn't run. Or at least, I was convinced I couldn't, by myself and by others. Here's the thing, and forgive me if it rambles a bit from here, but I am just now processing some stuff that I think I have been carrying with me since I was old enough to be self conscious. I am blind in one eye, legally blind that is. As a result I have no peripheral vision on my right side and I also have no natural depth perception. As a result I sucked, and continue to suck, at traditional team sports of the sort we were raised and graded on in gym class. I was horrible at soccer, basketball, badminton, softball etc. Anything that required hand eye coordination was lost to me. I felt it was because I wasn't good enough, was not able to do what the other kids could do because of some kind of ineptitude and that was reinforced each and every time teams were picked and I was always the last one picked. It got to the point in grade 12 that instead of participating in gym class, I instead did drawings of people in sports events and gave them to my gym teacher so I was doing SOMETHING in gym class.
Now though, now I am thinking that I was made to think I was a non athlete because of a disability I had but no one acknowledged, either through ignorance or lack of caring. Never once was an alternative offered. I was not encouraged to say, lift weights, or jog or run or do some other form of activity other than the ones that were offered. I was being set up for failure, I graduated from high school with the mentality that I would NEVER be able to run or be fit or take part in sports because hey, I was too fat, too slow, to uncoordinated and always, the last one picked.
Maybe that's harsh and not near the truth, but it feels right to me.
I can run, I can lift weight, I can be an athlete..... I just can't catch a ball or avoid a body check..... and for my adult life I have paid the price of thinking that in order to be an athlete, I had to do the things I never could do.
Again, setting myself up for defeat....
Well, that was then and while the lessons we learn when we are growing up are often the lessons we carry to the grave, I have to purge this lesson from my mind, I have to convince myself that the people who picked me last were wrong all along and I do have it in me to be as good as anyone else with the will and drive to move forward. I just wish that it hadn't taken this long to figure it out.
I just now as I read this had another little realization. I think this deep seeded belief that I couldn't be athletic or that I would always be the fat boy who got picked last is what caused the weight to go back on each and every time I lost it. I always felt like a faker, that a Cory Babstock at 180lbs was not a "REAL" Cory Babstock, that I was pretending to be something I'm not.
Maybe some of you have read the comic The Dark Knight Returns? In the opening story Harvey Dent, Two Face, is cured of his disfigurement and his face is made whole. As the story proceeds Harvey returns to crime and the Batman soon tracks him down. When confronted Harvey reveals that in his mind, his face is indeed whole, but its all scarred now, that no matter how he looked on the outside, he was damaged on the inside and that he would always revert back to what HE felt he was. That's kind of how I felt as a skinny fella, that on the inside I was still the insecure fat man and that no matter what the world saw, I would always be that man.
That's not how I see myself this time.
This time its not about being fat or skinny, its about being the athlete I was never allowed to think I could be. Its about running a 5k, its about the rush of doing something I never imagined I could, its about discovering that I can be a runner and I can be something other than the last kid leaning against the wall. I pick ME to be on MY team first and I am thrilled to have me there!
Thursday, 18 August 2011
The WOW Factor
Just back from my nightly jaunt.
Wow.
You ever have a moment of clarity? One of those times where you seem to step outside of your own body and see things differently?
I had intended tonight to just do a walk, not even on my usual trail, but just on the main road. Didn't intend to jog, didn't intend to do anything extraordinary that's for sure. As a matter of fact, I was feeling kinda blah and not really that motivated, Then I ate supper, a really good home made low carb pizza ( I will post a pic and a recipe at the end of this post for those interested ), had a little fun killing stupid Alliance humans on World of Warcraft and decided that I would go ahead and do the usual trail anyway. I really like that trail near dusk and it was a beautiful evening. Started out normally, a short walk and then I broke into a jog. Nothing special to start, just a slow jog to the 0.5k marker and then I did a little walk.
Now, what follows is hard to explain to people who don't know the trail. I walked to the first bridge and then jogged to the covered bridge. It felt really good, better than the first 0.5k. I walked to boardwalk to the other side of the covered bridge and started jogging again. My goal was a platform about 1/2 k away. Well, as I was running it happened. I hit a pace, my breathing just reached a certain quickness and didn't proceed to gasping, there was no pain in my feet, nothing in my knees, my head felt clear and I was feeling wonderful. I hit the platform and kept going, hit the half way marker and kept going, hit the 2k marker and kept going, 2.5 k and still chugging, the 3k marker and finally, my calf was tightening, my breathing was getting a little more laborous and I finally broke the jog.
It was at that point I literally started to giggled and fist pump I swear if someone was on the trail next to me I would have hugged them!
I walked for about a min and then finished off the rest of the trail with a jog......
I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO psyched I cannot even BEGIN to explain how it makes me feel to actually do this. Even at my smallest last year I couldn't run 2k, no way in hell.
I don't know if I can hit that sweet spot again soon, but hitting it once I know that I can again, and I am SOOOOO super excited moving forward!
Awesome, just awesome....
Here is that pizza recipe and pics....
Ok, for the crust,1 cup of whole wheat flour, a pinch of salt, some italian seasoning to taste, 2 eggs, 3/4 cup skim milk and the fibre punch of a half cup of ground Bran cereal. It whips up like a batter, take it and spread it on a lightly greased pizza pan, precook the dough until you can lift it from the pan, add topping and bake until cheese is melted. I used a tomato paste for the sauce with a large diced onion and olive oil, cubed chicken breast and fresh mushrooms. ! 1/4 cup of shredded cheese ( had no low fat but hey, small doses lol) and a light sprinkle of Parmesan. Very VERY filling and oh so yummy
Wow.
You ever have a moment of clarity? One of those times where you seem to step outside of your own body and see things differently?
I had intended tonight to just do a walk, not even on my usual trail, but just on the main road. Didn't intend to jog, didn't intend to do anything extraordinary that's for sure. As a matter of fact, I was feeling kinda blah and not really that motivated, Then I ate supper, a really good home made low carb pizza ( I will post a pic and a recipe at the end of this post for those interested ), had a little fun killing stupid Alliance humans on World of Warcraft and decided that I would go ahead and do the usual trail anyway. I really like that trail near dusk and it was a beautiful evening. Started out normally, a short walk and then I broke into a jog. Nothing special to start, just a slow jog to the 0.5k marker and then I did a little walk.
Now, what follows is hard to explain to people who don't know the trail. I walked to the first bridge and then jogged to the covered bridge. It felt really good, better than the first 0.5k. I walked to boardwalk to the other side of the covered bridge and started jogging again. My goal was a platform about 1/2 k away. Well, as I was running it happened. I hit a pace, my breathing just reached a certain quickness and didn't proceed to gasping, there was no pain in my feet, nothing in my knees, my head felt clear and I was feeling wonderful. I hit the platform and kept going, hit the half way marker and kept going, hit the 2k marker and kept going, 2.5 k and still chugging, the 3k marker and finally, my calf was tightening, my breathing was getting a little more laborous and I finally broke the jog.
It was at that point I literally started to giggled and fist pump I swear if someone was on the trail next to me I would have hugged them!
I walked for about a min and then finished off the rest of the trail with a jog......
I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO psyched I cannot even BEGIN to explain how it makes me feel to actually do this. Even at my smallest last year I couldn't run 2k, no way in hell.
I don't know if I can hit that sweet spot again soon, but hitting it once I know that I can again, and I am SOOOOO super excited moving forward!
Awesome, just awesome....
Here is that pizza recipe and pics....
Its time for the semi-weekly measurements
Yup, the semi-weekly never quite regular but from time to time when I think of it measurement update....
Here's where it stood last week....
Here's where it stood last week....
Chest - 52 inches
Abdomen - 47 inches
Hips - 45 inches
Thigh - 25 inches
Calf - 17 inches
Bicep - 15 inches.....
And here's where it is today
Chest - 51 inches
Abdomen - 46 inches
Hips - 45 inches
Thigh -24 inches
Calf - 17 inches
Bicep - 15 inches
Not bad, no gains and inches lost.... thats what you want to see.
Not doing the pond tonight, heading up the road instead for a few klicks and walking instead of jogging. Give the ol' feet and knees a wee break!
I'll post more after the jaunt and the wee boys are in bed lol....
Wednesday, 17 August 2011
Damn fat...
Little frustration sitting in now. I can't run as long as I want, not because I am out of breath, but because my feet, knees and shins betray me. I had an awesome run, in the first half of my 3.6, but the second half was a lesson in agony, kinda.....
I was in a fair bit of discomfort.
It's frustrating because I KNOW the reason I had the discomfort is my current weight. I KNOW the weight is dropping, but I feel limited.... and I HATE that. I am just filing it away as yet another reason to get done to 180 and to never go back again.
Short little post, it's late, had a visit with the inlaws and now its time for bed....
Night all, promise something more interesting tomorrow night ;)
I was in a fair bit of discomfort.
It's frustrating because I KNOW the reason I had the discomfort is my current weight. I KNOW the weight is dropping, but I feel limited.... and I HATE that. I am just filing it away as yet another reason to get done to 180 and to never go back again.
Short little post, it's late, had a visit with the inlaws and now its time for bed....
Night all, promise something more interesting tomorrow night ;)
Monday, 15 August 2011
Dun dun duuuuuuuun
Well, wasn't really sure what the scales were going to tell me this week. Been doing good, eating well, running more and there was really no reason to believe that the results wouldn't be there. However, I have been at this enough to know that sometimes expectations can bite you in the butt. So when I stepped on the scales at work I wasn't all that psyched about it, maybe a pound or two tops I figured. Imagine my pleasant surprise to see I had lost 4.7 lbs this past week!! That puts me at 20 pounds total give or take an ounce either way. Not shabby! So after 5 weeks of the Biggest Loser at work I have lost an average of 4lbs a week. I don't expect that torrid pace to continue, but even if I can continue at a more sedate and expected pace of 2 lbs a week, with 7 weeks left in the contest I should lost close to 35 lbs for the duration. I would be thrilled with that, but it's somewhat sobering to know that would only equal about a third of my ultimate weight lose goal of losing around 110 lbs and getting to the 180 mark.
It's all about steps in the road, one thing will lead into another and by next summer I should be ready to run the 5k and beyond. Whats more, I will be thrilled to be able to buy clothes off the rack based on taste, not on size lol.
I didn't get the bike today as indicated, but I do have one lined up.... looking forward to an alternative to the running. I love it, but I need something in between to mix things up and biking is a great low impact cardio boost that will serve me well I think.
Physical recap - No shin splints on tonight's jaunt, though the knees were a little creakier than I like. Still feeling some numbness in one foot, however, it didn't present itself until after 3k. Feet remain sore and tender, have some discomfort in the actual structure of my right foot, but not painful, just not comfortable Cardio limits are continue to show marked improvement, recovery time is becoming less and less
It's all about steps in the road, one thing will lead into another and by next summer I should be ready to run the 5k and beyond. Whats more, I will be thrilled to be able to buy clothes off the rack based on taste, not on size lol.
I didn't get the bike today as indicated, but I do have one lined up.... looking forward to an alternative to the running. I love it, but I need something in between to mix things up and biking is a great low impact cardio boost that will serve me well I think.
Physical recap - No shin splints on tonight's jaunt, though the knees were a little creakier than I like. Still feeling some numbness in one foot, however, it didn't present itself until after 3k. Feet remain sore and tender, have some discomfort in the actual structure of my right foot, but not painful, just not comfortable Cardio limits are continue to show marked improvement, recovery time is becoming less and less
Sunday, 14 August 2011
Some thoughts on running
I call it running anyway, some call it jogging. A while ago I would have called it miserable. I do however find something quite interesting happening. I am liking it, whats more, I am really getting into it!
Here's the deal. When I was doing the Biggest Loser competition last year I said time and time again that I would never be a runner, or never be able to do a 5k etc. I know now where that came from. In the competition we were set against all shapes and sizes and different levels of fitness. For example, the guy who eventually won the competition, I'll call him by his well earned nickname of rabbit, quickly become not just a runner, but a RUNNER in capitals. He was putting up amazing times in a 5k, ran a 10 mile, would run a 1k warm-up before the rest of us ran ours and would then run it again with us. This was the guy I was measuring myself against and by doing so I was setting myself up for failure. Here's why. The rabbit started pretty much at 100 lbs less than me, and ended at 100 lbs less that me, I think the total weight loss difference between the two of us was within a couple of pounds. Now I am not for one instant taking away from his amazing accomplishment, not at all, however, a guy running 100 lbs heavier cannot and will not ever in any scenario be able to run with the ease, speed and duration of the man running 100lbs lighter. I should never have been measuring myself against him, we shouldn't even have really been in the same group!
Now however, I am running against myself. The only person I measure my progress against is myself. The only person I am looking to beat is myself and I find myself loving it and realizing I can indeed run, I can indeed do a 5k next year, heck, I am now even beginning to think of the Tely 10 next year. Unreal!
Run a full 1k tonight people, that's right, 1k no stop.....
Now to take a little more, and a little more and a little more....... it's really happening.....
On another note, looks like I am going to be borrowing a bike tomorrow. I am not sure if I will like it or not and I wanted to make sure I know before I buy one myself. Could end up with a very expensive coat rake otherwise.... lol..... I have already been mapping out bike routes though and look forward to seeing if my butt can take it....
Physical recap - shin splints are becoming a factor now that my distances are increasing. Still feeling some numbness in one foot, but not both now. Knees seem to be holding up. Feet are still feeling beaten in the mornings, though I am not sure how much of that is the running and how much is the walking around in steel nosed boots on pavement and concrete all day. Cardio limits are improving, not breathing near as hard now as my heart rate increases, not gasping at all and no stitches in the sides.
Weight will be updated tomorrow....
Here's the deal. When I was doing the Biggest Loser competition last year I said time and time again that I would never be a runner, or never be able to do a 5k etc. I know now where that came from. In the competition we were set against all shapes and sizes and different levels of fitness. For example, the guy who eventually won the competition, I'll call him by his well earned nickname of rabbit, quickly become not just a runner, but a RUNNER in capitals. He was putting up amazing times in a 5k, ran a 10 mile, would run a 1k warm-up before the rest of us ran ours and would then run it again with us. This was the guy I was measuring myself against and by doing so I was setting myself up for failure. Here's why. The rabbit started pretty much at 100 lbs less than me, and ended at 100 lbs less that me, I think the total weight loss difference between the two of us was within a couple of pounds. Now I am not for one instant taking away from his amazing accomplishment, not at all, however, a guy running 100 lbs heavier cannot and will not ever in any scenario be able to run with the ease, speed and duration of the man running 100lbs lighter. I should never have been measuring myself against him, we shouldn't even have really been in the same group!
Now however, I am running against myself. The only person I measure my progress against is myself. The only person I am looking to beat is myself and I find myself loving it and realizing I can indeed run, I can indeed do a 5k next year, heck, I am now even beginning to think of the Tely 10 next year. Unreal!
Run a full 1k tonight people, that's right, 1k no stop.....
Now to take a little more, and a little more and a little more....... it's really happening.....
On another note, looks like I am going to be borrowing a bike tomorrow. I am not sure if I will like it or not and I wanted to make sure I know before I buy one myself. Could end up with a very expensive coat rake otherwise.... lol..... I have already been mapping out bike routes though and look forward to seeing if my butt can take it....
Physical recap - shin splints are becoming a factor now that my distances are increasing. Still feeling some numbness in one foot, but not both now. Knees seem to be holding up. Feet are still feeling beaten in the mornings, though I am not sure how much of that is the running and how much is the walking around in steel nosed boots on pavement and concrete all day. Cardio limits are improving, not breathing near as hard now as my heart rate increases, not gasping at all and no stitches in the sides.
Weight will be updated tomorrow....
Friday, 12 August 2011
Well now, that was quicker than I thought
On a couple of fronts....
First... 266, that's the 4 pounds I spoke of a week ago today, its gone and now I am where I was when I ended Biggest Loser last year. That's kind of a big deal for me. I put alot back on over the last 6 months and to hit what was a HUGE milestone for me last year again, well, it speaks of moving in the right direction.
Another milestone, I broke the 30 minute mark on the trail tonight. Came in just under 29:30. That's about 8 minutes a kilometer. I would like to get to 6 minutes a kilometer by the end of October. I think that's doable. I am still having the same discomfort issues though. I am getting pain in my shins and my feet are feeling swollen and tingly sometimes. I have checked it out online and it seems to be a fairly common complaint, more so from ...ahem..... larger folks when they start out running, its a circulation and impact issue that should resolve itself over time.
Having some nice input from people, had a girl at work today ask me what was different about me, if I had new glasses or something, gotta say, that's the kind of stuff that makes me day and makes the trip a little easier!
That's about it for now, hope to get out and do a little more running over the weekend and shave it all down a wee bit more....
Speaking of shaving..... did my head again tonight, now I REALLY look smaller lol....
First... 266, that's the 4 pounds I spoke of a week ago today, its gone and now I am where I was when I ended Biggest Loser last year. That's kind of a big deal for me. I put alot back on over the last 6 months and to hit what was a HUGE milestone for me last year again, well, it speaks of moving in the right direction.
Another milestone, I broke the 30 minute mark on the trail tonight. Came in just under 29:30. That's about 8 minutes a kilometer. I would like to get to 6 minutes a kilometer by the end of October. I think that's doable. I am still having the same discomfort issues though. I am getting pain in my shins and my feet are feeling swollen and tingly sometimes. I have checked it out online and it seems to be a fairly common complaint, more so from ...ahem..... larger folks when they start out running, its a circulation and impact issue that should resolve itself over time.
Having some nice input from people, had a girl at work today ask me what was different about me, if I had new glasses or something, gotta say, that's the kind of stuff that makes me day and makes the trip a little easier!
That's about it for now, hope to get out and do a little more running over the weekend and shave it all down a wee bit more....
Speaking of shaving..... did my head again tonight, now I REALLY look smaller lol....
Wednesday, 10 August 2011
Time to think
What I love, and I mean love, about my new nightly routine of exercise is the time it gives me to think. I usually come up with some good ideas for blogs, goals I would like to reach, ideas I would like to talk over with my lovely lady etc. Its good solitary mental deflation time for me and I love it.
So, tonight, while I was going around the trail I got to thinking about the running. I was thinking about how hard it is and why it was so hard. I could only run about 1/4k without my feet and legs just screaming at me. I was thinking about stretching, new runners, technique etc when like a bolt out of the blue it hit me, why it was so hard for me to jog. Here it is, my big eureka moment....... I'm FAT!!! lol....
Really its as simple as that, I am fat. While I am improving and I am not quite as fat today as I was yesterday I am still fat. Not only am I fat, I am fat and not young anymore. I am a Forty Fatty as the blog title plainly states. And being forty and fat presents some physical challenges. I am now about 268lbs, when you run you are slamming that weight down with each step with enough force to propel yourself forward at a faster pace, hence increasing the impact and the pressure. It then stands to reason that the fatter you, the harder you hit, the greater the impact, the harder the jolt to bone, muscle, ligaments and tendons.... couple that with the pesky thing we call gravity and then it becomes no mystery at all as to why I am finding it hard to run.
So I say to myself, self, if you can run at ALL now at 268 lbs, with some consistency, and maintain sprint speeds throughout, you are just going to smoke the HELL outta running with you are 180 lbs....
It's thoughts like that that keep me motivated!!! lol
So, tonight, while I was going around the trail I got to thinking about the running. I was thinking about how hard it is and why it was so hard. I could only run about 1/4k without my feet and legs just screaming at me. I was thinking about stretching, new runners, technique etc when like a bolt out of the blue it hit me, why it was so hard for me to jog. Here it is, my big eureka moment....... I'm FAT!!! lol....
Really its as simple as that, I am fat. While I am improving and I am not quite as fat today as I was yesterday I am still fat. Not only am I fat, I am fat and not young anymore. I am a Forty Fatty as the blog title plainly states. And being forty and fat presents some physical challenges. I am now about 268lbs, when you run you are slamming that weight down with each step with enough force to propel yourself forward at a faster pace, hence increasing the impact and the pressure. It then stands to reason that the fatter you, the harder you hit, the greater the impact, the harder the jolt to bone, muscle, ligaments and tendons.... couple that with the pesky thing we call gravity and then it becomes no mystery at all as to why I am finding it hard to run.
So I say to myself, self, if you can run at ALL now at 268 lbs, with some consistency, and maintain sprint speeds throughout, you are just going to smoke the HELL outta running with you are 180 lbs....
It's thoughts like that that keep me motivated!!! lol
Tuesday, 9 August 2011
Chugga chugga chugga chooo chooo
Just chugging right along, doing all the right things, seeing improvements in all aspects. That being said, my feet are no friend of mine, not now at least. I spend all day with 5000 lbs steel nosed boots on walking around on concrete and pavement. Couple that with my obesity and well, my feet they no lika me lol. It will improve though. It better, I have me a 5k to run next year.
Someone asked me why a year away? Well, truth be told, I am not confident in my ability to run a 5k until I loose another 60-70 lbs and I think in order to do this right this time I need to take my time losing this weight. So, a long term goal, ie the 5k in a year, as well as short term goal, ie: the time it takes me to get around this trail. These, coupled with the scales and the measurements, which I will be adding to this post in a bit, will do alot to keep me motivated for the challenges.
So, measurement, why are they important? Well, to me they serve a couple of purposes. They track, they indicate progress or lack of, they tell a story the scale may not always tell and they motivate. Here's some of my numbers from last year, they motivate me now to do better, knowing what I did last year.
The first set of numbers are where I was at the start of Biggest Loser, the second set is where I was about 3-4 weeks after. The final set where I am now :(. These will improve as well.
Someone asked me why a year away? Well, truth be told, I am not confident in my ability to run a 5k until I loose another 60-70 lbs and I think in order to do this right this time I need to take my time losing this weight. So, a long term goal, ie the 5k in a year, as well as short term goal, ie: the time it takes me to get around this trail. These, coupled with the scales and the measurements, which I will be adding to this post in a bit, will do alot to keep me motivated for the challenges.
So, measurement, why are they important? Well, to me they serve a couple of purposes. They track, they indicate progress or lack of, they tell a story the scale may not always tell and they motivate. Here's some of my numbers from last year, they motivate me now to do better, knowing what I did last year.
The first set of numbers are where I was at the start of Biggest Loser, the second set is where I was about 3-4 weeks after. The final set where I am now :(. These will improve as well.
Start 14weeks later
Chest – 55.5 47 (-8.5 inches)
Abdomen –56 45 (-11 inches)
Hips – 53 42 (-11 inches)
Thigh – 32 23 (-9 inches)
Calf – 18 17 (-1 inch)
Bicep – 18 15 (-3 inches)
Abdomen –56 45 (-11 inches)
Hips – 53 42 (-11 inches)
Thigh – 32 23 (-9 inches)
Calf – 18 17 (-1 inch)
Bicep – 18 15 (-3 inches)
As of August 9th........
Chest - 52 inches
Abdomen - 47 inches
Hips - 45 inches
Thigh - 25 inches
Calf - 17 inches
Bicep - 15 inches.....
Wow, that's actually not as bad as I thought it would be lol.... yay me.... still though.... a ways to go!
Thanks for reading folds!
Monday, 8 August 2011
The Goal...
Ok, whats the goal? The goal is simple, to be healthy. To be as healthy as I can possibly be, to be strong, to be able to take on the challenges of life's back half and everything it presents. To see my kids have mid-life issues of their own lol.
So what does that mean in terms of real life? It means I drop another 80-90 lbs and get to my ultimate weight of 180. Yes, 180.... I know that will come as a surprise to people I have talked to in the past. I always said I would be happy at 200, or more so, at 199 just so that pesky 2 is gone from my weight, but when I look back to me at my peak in the 2004 or so, when I had dropped about 140 lbs to go from a 320lb mess to a 180 slimster, I think I would like to be that again. Here's me at my smallest, this picture will surface again from time to time as a reminder to me that this is were I was, where hard work and determination got me, and where I can indeed go again.....
So what does that mean in terms of real life? It means I drop another 80-90 lbs and get to my ultimate weight of 180. Yes, 180.... I know that will come as a surprise to people I have talked to in the past. I always said I would be happy at 200, or more so, at 199 just so that pesky 2 is gone from my weight, but when I look back to me at my peak in the 2004 or so, when I had dropped about 140 lbs to go from a 320lb mess to a 180 slimster, I think I would like to be that again. Here's me at my smallest, this picture will surface again from time to time as a reminder to me that this is were I was, where hard work and determination got me, and where I can indeed go again.....
Pretty damn slick huh????
I will get there again!
Sunday, 7 August 2011
Just wondering
First, before I start a little ramble here. Tonight I shaved 4 minutes from my time.... have no data to post, evidently there are some pretty serious solar flares wrecking havoc with GPS. Pretty pleased with my progress though. Legs are holding up, feet not so much and the cardio portion is getting there..... going to be interesting to see where I am in a month.
Just wondering if any of my old Biggest Loser folks are reading this? I know a couple of us slipped off the rails for a while there, I would love to get back on track together and perhaps plan a get together sometime in the fall? Pop me a line and let me know!
Just wondering if any of my old Biggest Loser folks are reading this? I know a couple of us slipped off the rails for a while there, I would love to get back on track together and perhaps plan a get together sometime in the fall? Pop me a line and let me know!
Saturday, 6 August 2011
Food addiction
So here's the question, how does a guy get to 320 lbs in the first place? Then how does that same guy lose 130 lbs and get down to 180lbs only to find himself close to 320 again? Then how does that same guy get down to 240 only to find himself back to about 290 in less than 6 months? How does that happen?
It’s an addiction…..
I am addicted to food. As surely as a person can be addicted to anything I am addicted to food. I know, I am speaking from experience as a person addicted to nicotine. The reaction is exactly the same. Now many people who poo poo about the notion of food addiction, well, bully for you, it must be nice to have that luxury. I appreciate your point of view, I note it, and I know you are entitled to it. I don’t share the same views, we’ll leave it at that and move on shall we?
The difference, and it’s a huge one, is how addictions are treated. The ultimate goal for addictions is total abstinence from the substance, behavior or otherwise to which you are addicted. It can’t be that way with food. You HAVE to eat, you have to be exposed to your addiction on a daily basis, you have to be around it, watch other people consume it, watch endless commercials about it… it’s everywhere because it MUST be.
Can you imagine the success rate of an alcoholic who was told that you must consume 6 beers a day? Or a smoker who could never have any less than 6 smokes a day? Or a heroin addict who must shoot up everyday? Just to live? Just to exist?
Thats the dilemma that a food addict faces…
You have to adjust, wean back, substitute the bad for good, but the chemical reward, the rush of eating, the joy of chewing, the feeling of something sliding into your belly, all the old markers that released all those happy and content feelings, they are there ALL the time. And like any addiction, you get a taste, you get that rush and you want more and more.
It’s a real struggle, it’s hard to do, it’s the hardest thing in the world to reconcile. Also, like any addiction, the possibility of lapse is very real, only more so because of the things I discussed above.
I will do it, because I have to in order to live, I just want people to know that it’s not easy, it’s a war….
(this is a repost from an earlier blog, but worth posting again)
Friday, 5 August 2011
Happy Anniversery
First yay to the wife and I, made it through 5 lol..... many more to come.
Ok, workout. I kind of screwed up, well, that is to say, my tech screwed up. I was doing the trail as I spoke of. Got to the halfway mark and wanted to check my progress. Sadly, there was NONE TO CHECK lol. I wasn't recording anything at all. So I just clicked new workout and went from the half way mark on. Here's those stats....
1.8 kms 164 calories burned at 6.6 an hour
So, nice increase in speed, though I am not getting a really accurate read on my overall improvement as these numbers are based on the back end of the trail. Sunday will show a much better curve and a means to really measure whats going on.
A little milestone of sort, I have broke 270 again. With a lose of 4 lbs I will be right back to where I was when I finished Biggest Loser last year. That's kind of a big deal for me. It means that all that work I did then is not really a waste. Now, just 65 lbs after that and it'll all be good. For those of you not in the math business, that means I want 200ish. Maybe 199, just for the shear fun of having a 1 as the first number instead of a 2, or, shudder, even a 3..... been there twice, no thanks!
That's it for now, going to do a wee post about creative eating tomorrow and looking forward to trying a good run on Sunday!
Ok, workout. I kind of screwed up, well, that is to say, my tech screwed up. I was doing the trail as I spoke of. Got to the halfway mark and wanted to check my progress. Sadly, there was NONE TO CHECK lol. I wasn't recording anything at all. So I just clicked new workout and went from the half way mark on. Here's those stats....
1.8 kms 164 calories burned at 6.6 an hour
So, nice increase in speed, though I am not getting a really accurate read on my overall improvement as these numbers are based on the back end of the trail. Sunday will show a much better curve and a means to really measure whats going on.
A little milestone of sort, I have broke 270 again. With a lose of 4 lbs I will be right back to where I was when I finished Biggest Loser last year. That's kind of a big deal for me. It means that all that work I did then is not really a waste. Now, just 65 lbs after that and it'll all be good. For those of you not in the math business, that means I want 200ish. Maybe 199, just for the shear fun of having a 1 as the first number instead of a 2, or, shudder, even a 3..... been there twice, no thanks!
That's it for now, going to do a wee post about creative eating tomorrow and looking forward to trying a good run on Sunday!
Wednesday, 3 August 2011
The challenge for me
Ok, things are working. Bit lighter each day, which helps, figuring out what I can eat and when is even better. I can let myself have a couple of treats and it ain't killing me. I think that's a key, no deprivation leads to no binges.
Anyway, on the exercise front....
Here's the plan, locally there is a small trail, 3.32 clicks, that is nice and easy, mostly level, build on a marshy which makes it easy to walk on, and its constant. So, with my handy dandy gps I am timing myself on the trail. I established to baseline tonight and now the goal is to improve on it each and every time I do it. Sounds like something to strive for and great training for small distances, as well as a way to slide more weight from this frame. Here are tonight's baseline stats....
3.32 kms 307 calories burned at 5.8 an hour.
So, when I do it again on Friday it needs to get better! Easy huh?
Some observations....
I have no fear of running this time.... funny
My feet KILL me when I get back from work, but they don't while I am walking or running...
Steel nosed boots are so much heavier than sneakers lol
I am excited about where I will be in a month, year, decade
Tuesday, 2 August 2011
Days down
Well, another day in the books, I think this whole blogging thing will indeed help, if nothing else it will keep me honest.
We had our weigh in today at work and pleased to say I lost over 3 lbs this week, that brings me to 10.5 in 3 weeks, I'll take that. I look forward to the weeks to come though as my exercise portion of this loosely compiled plan is now ramping up. As output of energy increases, consumption of the comfort padding I am swaddled with increases as well. This is a very good thing.
The danger now, as I see it, is pulling back a little. The temptation is to run and walk every night now, but I know this is NOT a good thing for me. I know my knees and I know my feet and I know that I will do more damage than good unless I am very careful. I will be.
Eats are fine, having the kids treats around is a contest strain for me, but again, I need to really be careful there as well and just eat what I need to eat.
Short post, was late getting to sleep last night and I really need to hit the hay now.....
We had our weigh in today at work and pleased to say I lost over 3 lbs this week, that brings me to 10.5 in 3 weeks, I'll take that. I look forward to the weeks to come though as my exercise portion of this loosely compiled plan is now ramping up. As output of energy increases, consumption of the comfort padding I am swaddled with increases as well. This is a very good thing.
The danger now, as I see it, is pulling back a little. The temptation is to run and walk every night now, but I know this is NOT a good thing for me. I know my knees and I know my feet and I know that I will do more damage than good unless I am very careful. I will be.
Eats are fine, having the kids treats around is a contest strain for me, but again, I need to really be careful there as well and just eat what I need to eat.
Short post, was late getting to sleep last night and I really need to hit the hay now.....
Monday, 1 August 2011
2004 wisdom
From an old blog of mine from 2004, when I was at my peak.....
Time to sit myself down and lay down some things...
1- The fat man is dead. He is but a ghost, he may haunt you from time to time, but he cannot affect you in the real world.
2- The only limitations you have are those you put on yourself.
3- Its not about being able to lift the most, its about lifting the best... form.... form... form.... stop looking at what the other guy is lifting, lift for yourself.
4- Its ALL just food.... food is just fuel for the machine. Ask yourself everytime you are tempted, would you pure sugar in your gas tank? The answer will always be NO!
5- a slip is forgivable as long as you pick yourself back up and carry on. Its one hour at a time, which will add up to days, weeks, and months. If you slip its but a drop in the bucket that is the road ahead.
6- LEARN TO TAKE A COMPLIMENT
7- There are people who will help you, there are people who will hinder you... recognize each but realize the only person who can really help or hinder you is YOU
8- Realize if an exercise is hard it means its going to be good for you, its when it becomes easy that you should switch, not before
9- Be, as you have been, the best HUMAN BEING you can be....
10- Be aware of what you have done so far, use it to motivate, not as an excuse to slack off....
11- Know that while you don't know everything, nor do others, don't take things at face value, rather look into them for yourself.
12- Embrace those that might come to you for advice and inspiration. Realize that this will happen ( see point #6 ) and do your best to help any way you can.
13- above all else self.... HAVE FUN, cause life is short, and if it ain't fun, whats the point....
I've lost sight of alot of that stuff... time to get back to those basics I think.... With the exception of the lifting part, as much as I would LOVE to lift again, its not going to happen any time soon....
Time to sit myself down and lay down some things...
1- The fat man is dead. He is but a ghost, he may haunt you from time to time, but he cannot affect you in the real world.
2- The only limitations you have are those you put on yourself.
3- Its not about being able to lift the most, its about lifting the best... form.... form... form.... stop looking at what the other guy is lifting, lift for yourself.
4- Its ALL just food.... food is just fuel for the machine. Ask yourself everytime you are tempted, would you pure sugar in your gas tank? The answer will always be NO!
5- a slip is forgivable as long as you pick yourself back up and carry on. Its one hour at a time, which will add up to days, weeks, and months. If you slip its but a drop in the bucket that is the road ahead.
6- LEARN TO TAKE A COMPLIMENT
7- There are people who will help you, there are people who will hinder you... recognize each but realize the only person who can really help or hinder you is YOU
8- Realize if an exercise is hard it means its going to be good for you, its when it becomes easy that you should switch, not before
9- Be, as you have been, the best HUMAN BEING you can be....
10- Be aware of what you have done so far, use it to motivate, not as an excuse to slack off....
11- Know that while you don't know everything, nor do others, don't take things at face value, rather look into them for yourself.
12- Embrace those that might come to you for advice and inspiration. Realize that this will happen ( see point #6 ) and do your best to help any way you can.
13- above all else self.... HAVE FUN, cause life is short, and if it ain't fun, whats the point....
I've lost sight of alot of that stuff... time to get back to those basics I think.... With the exception of the lifting part, as much as I would LOVE to lift again, its not going to happen any time soon....
Why Blog?
I've been down this road so many times, it seems to me that the first thing I always try and do is blog what I am attempting. Does it help? I don't know. It seems to help a lot in the beginning, that sense of accountability and group celebration with all the milestones along the way serve to encourage and motivate, but then, well, it seems to lose its luster, things come up, blogs fall to the wayside and all the progress I made slides away.
So, here we are again. Not quite as fat as I was, not quite as desperate from a health standpoint, but its close and I had to put the brakes on or it could very well have been back to square one for me. Lets review, I have been battling weight my whole life. I honestly didn't care much, or at least I had convinced myself that I didn't care much, until I turned 30 and a picture from my b-day celebration made me see the truth. I was very very fat, very very sick and very very in denial. What came next was a one year miracle that saw me lose 120 lbs. Check it out....
So, here we are again. Not quite as fat as I was, not quite as desperate from a health standpoint, but its close and I had to put the brakes on or it could very well have been back to square one for me. Lets review, I have been battling weight my whole life. I honestly didn't care much, or at least I had convinced myself that I didn't care much, until I turned 30 and a picture from my b-day celebration made me see the truth. I was very very fat, very very sick and very very in denial. What came next was a one year miracle that saw me lose 120 lbs. Check it out....
Yeah I know, holy shit..... one would think that with all that work, to loose the weight in the first place and to then transform my body into something else, that would have been more than enough to make the change permeneant. The mind though, can conspire. I met the woman of my dreams, married her, had kiddos and bam, before I knew it, the relapse was complete, I went from what you see above in 2004 to this mess in 2010......
Not pretty, not proud. I actually ended up weighing more there then I did in 2001. I think I topped out at about 320ish or so. Lucky for me, an opportunity came up to change my life once again. A contest based on the well known program Biggest Loser. Boy, did it ever work for me, I lost 48 lbs during that contest, and another 30 or so after, went from what you "that" to this.....
I didn't win the contest, but I won my life back, which frankly was the biggest part of it for me. I quit my office job, went to work in a lumber yard, was focused on maintaining and improving and that worked out quite well for a while. However, if I have learned one thing, the best laid plans often go astray and the minds way of rationalizing and seeking comfort zones can doom your efforts, these things never change and the battle rages all the time. I lost the battles for the last 6 months. I had much stress since Nov of 2010, sold a house, moved my family, got back into a stress filled job, began to comfort eat, came home from work day in and day out too drained mentally and physically to do much beyond eat and sleep, and before I knew it, I was back up to about 285-290 lbs again. It happened so quietly, so easily, its scary.
Well, here I am again..... as of today my scales tell me I am about 270 nekkid. That means I have lost about 15 or so pounds so far. My workplace began an in house biggest loser competition and I am using that to motivate. I have also made a public promise to a friend that in a year we would run a 5k and maybe more. I am trying to make a promise to myself that I am going to take it off this time and it WILL stay off. I hear myself make that promise and I don't feel confident in my resolve, I know myself, I know how I can slip, how I can slide back into the routines that hurt, how I can lie to myself, how I eat to cover stress. I know all of this but I am trying so hard to believe that the promise I make this time is true. I am hoping that YOU, my friends, my family, my boys and my soul mate can help me keep this promise. Hold me accountable, stop me from justifying mistakes, help me stay true, please, help me take this load off and keep it off. I will do it, I know I can lose it, I need to keep it off once I am there.
I don't know, hopefully one of you can suggest to me a new goal beyond the weight lose? I seem to do so well getting there when there is a target in sight, when I have a goal to strive for, but once I do get there I get mired down in the now what thought pattern, what I need is something beyond the 200 lb goal, what I need is something to aim for in a year, 2 years, 5.... 10 and beyond.....
I hope this blog helps, I hope you guys read my entries and if you sense a slip, please, call me out.....
200 lbs here I come, beyond that.... I need to think.....
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