From the beginning of this odessy I have stated that my goal is total fitness of body and mind. It is essential to have balance in all things.
Last night was a fantastic night with a wonderful group of friends. They are REALLY GOOD; No, you could say they're GREAT people. (inside joke...they know who I'm talking about.) This group of free thinking intelligent souls weave a rich tapestry of life. We have Dr.'s, Lobbyists, Professional Writers, Internet Business men making high 7 figures, Real Estate developers and brokers, and other facinating carreers. Each person brings a unique characteristic to the group and provides balance.
The reason I bring up this group of friends is that they challenge my mind much like the gym challenges my body. Through deep and thoughtful conversation I am able to explore new ideas and thoughts while sharing my feelings and beliefs. I find myself thinking that these people are all at the top of their game and are uber smart and driven and all of those thoughts drive me to be even better. We are able to discuss books we've read, philosophy's, our families; immediate and extended, and our upbringings. Each person is totally accepting and non-judgmental which allows for an openness that most groups can't even conceive of. This group of friends, Soul Mates, help strengthen and shape my mind, bringing balance into my life.
I feel especially fortunate to have a solid core of friends like this group. To each of you; THANK YOU.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
Ah Yeah, That's It!
I was talking with Jody the other day about how I'd look at my goal weight of 200 lbs. I remember in my mind what I looked like at that weight and knew that I had some pictures somewhere that showed me at that weight. So today I began searching around for the picture that really showed in my face what 200lbs. looks like. Of course the picture you see is a much younger me, but equally as handsome.
It was fun looking back at this picture and remembering the time of my life I was in. This was August of 1989. I was a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Birmingham, AL. We had just finished a charity car wash and the Sister Missionaries got stupid and thought they could start a water fight with us and not actually get water on them. Silly girls. The crazy thing is that I can remember that day like it was yesterday. The sisters gave Elder Kongaika and Me a ride home. Before we made it back to our apartment we stopped at Rally's Hamburger drive through and got some burgers, fries and sodas. Although my companion, Elder Kongaika, and I were sitting in the back seat and the sisters were in the front, I remember feeling very guilty. It felt like a date and dates were VERY forbidden for missionaries. I remember looking out the window and seeing boys and girls, men and women walking hand in hand, or arm around shoulder and thinking, "Man, this sucks that I can't date for 18 more months....and my girlfriend is back at home...and I really want to be kissing on her now....and man this sucks that I can't date for another 18 months. Wow, it's amazing how one picture will spur that many memories.
So, back to the point, which is me...at 200 lbs. Handsome and chissled. Look at that jaw line. We'll see how cruel time has been to me when I am 200 and compare the picture to the reality.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Record Set at 11
It had to happen. Lou Gehrig, Cal Ripken Jr., Bret Favre, and now me. Today ended my consecutive work out streak. 11 days and now ended. Why? You ask. Because I'm sick!
I have felt like doo doo since late Tuesday, but it hit a new point yesterday. I actually felt fine except for the raw sore throat, stuffy head and throbbing head ache. I ended up going to bed at 8pm last night. Yeah, I know, I go to bed early every night...but not that early. As I was laying in bed I thought about this morning and whether or not I'd go.
I did wake up at my normal early time and considered going, until I got up to releive myself. The walk to the outhouse reminded me that I still felt like doo doo, and no matter how grand my streak was, it was better to break it than make myself more sick.
So, it ends at 11. Hopefully tomorrow I'm feeling well enough to begin a new streak. My dieting has been pretty solid too. I really have cut down the portions and focused on eating healthy foods. I have really only had one slip and that was a small Thrifty ice cream cone. I couldn't let Maya eat hers alone, that's so rude. I think my body was telling me thank you for the ice cream because when I finally got up and going today I put on a pair of freshly washed jeans and they actually started out fitting loosely.
I have felt like doo doo since late Tuesday, but it hit a new point yesterday. I actually felt fine except for the raw sore throat, stuffy head and throbbing head ache. I ended up going to bed at 8pm last night. Yeah, I know, I go to bed early every night...but not that early. As I was laying in bed I thought about this morning and whether or not I'd go.
I did wake up at my normal early time and considered going, until I got up to releive myself. The walk to the outhouse reminded me that I still felt like doo doo, and no matter how grand my streak was, it was better to break it than make myself more sick.
So, it ends at 11. Hopefully tomorrow I'm feeling well enough to begin a new streak. My dieting has been pretty solid too. I really have cut down the portions and focused on eating healthy foods. I have really only had one slip and that was a small Thrifty ice cream cone. I couldn't let Maya eat hers alone, that's so rude. I think my body was telling me thank you for the ice cream because when I finally got up and going today I put on a pair of freshly washed jeans and they actually started out fitting loosely.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
No Travel; No Problem.
I have 11 days in a row with a work out. Not all of them have been earth shattering bone crunching tough, but they have be good. I haven't done 11 days in a row since my days back in Nam with Rudderman. OK, I was never in Nam, but you get the point.
As I was doing my third set of dips I began thinking how nice it is to have the gym close by with all of the good equipment I like to use for my work outs. Then I started thinking about my road trips and the crappy, or non-existent work out rooms in the hotels. Not only are the work out rooms pathetic, the time to get the work outs in becomes much harder when I'm traveling. I'm home now, so getting the work outs in is not so difficult, but when I'm traveling, that's a different story.
As I pulled up my last set of curls I thought to my self: "Self, you don't need a bunch of fancy stuff to get a work out in. All you need is you and your will power." (That Self is a pretty smart guy sometimes.) I made the committment right then and there that no matter where I stay, I will get a work out in while traveling. It may be in my room doing squat thrusts, pushups, situps and chair dips, but I will get a good burn and sweat and keep the train on the tracks.
It's all about priorities. In the past, the priority was relaxing after a stressful day working on the road. Now the priority is Health and a becoming 200 lbs. of twisted steel and sex appeal!
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Weight Loss Quotes
I have always kept a folder dedicated to quotes. When I hear something that I think should be remembered, I'd write it down and put it in my folder. When my Dad would give me a copy of an old quote he's had, or sends me an e-mail, I keep them in my folder. When I come across a great quote in a magazine or book I'll either copy it and put it in the folder, or rip out the page and put that in the folder. (I actually have a page from Og Mandino's "The Greatest Miracle In the World," in my folder.)
Today I thought I'd share some quotes on weight loss/physical fitness. Most of these came from my folder, but some were found on the Internet.
The first and the best victory is to conquer self. ~ Plato
Habit is habit and not to be flung out of the window by any man, but coaxed downstairs a step at a time. ~ Mark Twain
If you want to look young and thin, hang around old fat people. ~ Jim Eason. (Unfortunately, this technique doesn't really work.)
It's not whether you get knocked down; it's whether you get up. ~ Vince Lombardi (This is for all of us who have started and quit before.)
Never, never, never, never give up. ~ Winston Churchill (You didn't realize he was talking about weight loss did you?)
Rule your mind or it will rule you. ~ Horace
Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live. ~ Jim Rohn
The time for action is now. It's never too late to do something. ~ Carl Sanberg
You have to stay in shape. My grandmother, she started walking five miles a day when she was 60. She's 97 today and we don't know where the hell she is. ~ Ellen Degeneres
You may delay, but time will not. ~ Benjamin Franklin
Although most of these quotes weren't specifically directed at weight loss or physical fitness when they were spoken, their message is still powerful and spot on when it is applied to those endeavors.
I am excited to be on this path. I have not missed a work out since I began. Instead of just sitting and working, reading, watching TV, etc, I'm getting out and roller blading to get some more exercises. I am getting into the habit of this life and each day gets that much easier.
Monday, September 22, 2008
When Will I Notice?
After a week of working out every day, eating well, and really working my plan, I expected better results than what I've seen so far. I didn't expect to be shredded or anything, but I did expect that my pants would start fitting a little looser by now.
I was getting ready for work today and grabbed a pair of pants that had begun fitting compared to being a bit loose like when I first got them. When I began pulling them on, my assumption was that they would fit me like they used too. Not the case. As a matter of fact, they felt even a bit more snug. I don't understand; I checked the scale again and I've remained 5 lbs. lighter than what I started at. When will I notice the changes that I'm looking for???
Although this was frustrating I recognize that I need to be patient and continue to follow the plan. I have had lots of people tell me that they went two weeks and then suddenly they noticed real changes. I hope so!
No matter what, I'm feeling better for making the changes. I feel more in control of me, and less reactive. I have been able to control my appetites, work out daily and generally recognize that I am the one calling the shots here. I'm confident that by staying the course I'll notice the changes in due time.
I was getting ready for work today and grabbed a pair of pants that had begun fitting compared to being a bit loose like when I first got them. When I began pulling them on, my assumption was that they would fit me like they used too. Not the case. As a matter of fact, they felt even a bit more snug. I don't understand; I checked the scale again and I've remained 5 lbs. lighter than what I started at. When will I notice the changes that I'm looking for???
Although this was frustrating I recognize that I need to be patient and continue to follow the plan. I have had lots of people tell me that they went two weeks and then suddenly they noticed real changes. I hope so!
No matter what, I'm feeling better for making the changes. I feel more in control of me, and less reactive. I have been able to control my appetites, work out daily and generally recognize that I am the one calling the shots here. I'm confident that by staying the course I'll notice the changes in due time.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Sedona and Family
Yesterday was the first day I missed writing in my blog since I started. It wasn't that I forgot, I simply ran out of time and energy.
On Friday we were supposed to go camping with the kids and some friends of ours at Fossil Creek north of Payson. The kids were looking forward to this for the past week because they had heard how pretty it was there and that it had waterfalls and swimming holes. Unfortunately things didn't work out the way we had planned and we were unable to do the overnight campout there. We began regrouping and thinking about what we wanted to do this weekend with the kids. After a bit of conversation Jody and I decided that it would be fun to go to Sedona and hike a bit and swim in Oak Creek.
Sometime Friday Porter called me and asked what we were doing for the weekend. We both explained to each other how our camping trips had been blown and that we needed to do something. I told him about our Sedona plans and asked if he wanted to join in. He said yes and the plan was hatched. We decided to take off as close to 9am as we could so we would have a full day of it.
Saturday morning at 9 Porter, Lana, Tatum and Dane showed up. We were all ready, short of a stop at the ATM for some cash. Surprisingly, by 9:30am we were headed north to Sedona. What should have been a lovely 2 hour drive became somewhat of a nightmare. It seemed that we were being thwarted at every turn. We decided to take the 101 north to avoid downtown Phoenix and cut a little time off the trip. Unfortunately there was road construction on the 101 just north of McDowell Road. So, we got stuck in a gnarled up traffic jam for 30 minutes between the 202/101 interchange and McDowell Road. After making through that mess, and rerouting back to the 202 to get to I-17 we were hit with yet another road closure on I-17. Fortunately we saw the notice soon enough that we were able to reroute, yet again, north on the 51 back to the northern section of the 101. aaagggghhhh!!!!!!! It was SO FRUSTRATING. FINALLY, we were off to the beautiful red rocks of Sedona. But, not everything was peaches and cream in driverville. We got to Oak Creek Village and hit yet another snarl of traffic. EVERY road leading into and out of Sedona is under construction. Two lanes are down to 1. Smooth roads are now rough because of temporary detours. Where there were stop lights, they now have confusing round abouts. It WAS A MESS!!! What should have taken us 2 hours to drive took over 3. The kids were upset, the adults were all on edge and what should have been a fun, lovely trip was turning into a disaster. I couldn't help feel somewhat responsible because Sedona was my idea.
Finally we got into Sedona and were on our way to Cathedral Rock. Cathedral Rock is a famous landmark in Sedona. It is on the South West part of town as if you were headed back to Jerome. Oak Creek runs right through there and has some great swimming holes. The main reason we wanted to go to that spot is that they have an interesting dry riverbed filled with stacked rock monuments. (I'll tell more about that later.) So, we stopped first to make sure we had the right directions to get there. I told Porter how to get there in case we got separated. Sure enough, we got separated. We got to the park, paid our fee and went in, thinking that Porter was probably already there as he took off just before us. But, after a sweep through, we saw that there was no sign of Porter and his car. I dropped the kids off and headed back up to our turn off point to see if I could find them. I finally got cell reception when back up at the top of the hill and was able to call Porter. He had been close, but didn't think our spot was so far down the canyon, so they had turned around and started looking elsewhere. We hooked up and got back to our spot after a short drive. More AAAAAGGGGGHHHH!!!!!
We had packed a cooler with sandwiches, sodas, water, and lots of fresh fruit. We had a nice picnic at the park of the Red Rocks at the base of Cathedral Rock. After eating we cleaned up and began hiking into the water holes and rock formations. It is a really nice, simple hike that any walking kid can make. Along the path are large Cottonwood trees, and many other brushy type trees that I didn't recognize. They have grown tall and together at about 10 feet high creating a natural canopy. On the right hand side of the path was Oak Creek. Some points were rather small, then others were deep and wide. At one point on the path we came upon a dry river bed. There were millions of river rocks of varying sizes, shapes and colors. That in and of itself was interesting, but what really stand out are these rock monuments that people have built. There were probably close to 1,000 staked rock formations. Most had a large rock base, and then subsequently smaller rocks stacked on top of the other making a pyramid. It kind of reminded me of the ring stacking toy most infants play with. There were tiny rock formations and HUGE boulder formations. There were some that stacked with each rock at a 45 degree angle and others that used many smaller stones as wedges to keep the larger stones from falling. Of course we had to add to the collection. I think our total addition was only 5 or 6 monuments. We built many more, but we have to subtract for those that Dane destroyed. (No 2 year old boy could withstand the temptation of knocking down these great towers of stone.)
I went swimming in the water holes first. That wasn't exactly by design. I was walking across the creek when Porter threw me a stone he liked. I dropped it, but could see where it had landed on the bottom of the creek. I leaned down to pick it up and one of my feet slipped. I fell backwards into about 4 feet of water, shirt and all. The swimming was on. We all hung out in the water and watched the kids swing on rope swings into the water. We splashed and joked and had a great time. When we finished we headed up to Dairy Queen for a little treat. (I had NO treat of any sort...and it wasn't hard to turn down. I have to admit, I was proud of myself for being strong.)
We finished the day by eating at Oxaca Mexican Food Restaurant on Main Street in Sedona. The food was OK, but the company and conversation were great. It was so much fun hanging out with Porter, Lana, Tatum and Dane. The kids had a blast and we all forgot about how cranky and upset we were because of the arduous journey up. All we knew was that we had a lot of fun, loved our families and each other and couldn't wait to do something like this again.
Eric
P.S. I woke up on Saturday morning and went to the gym. This is the first time I can remember in a LONG time that I had 6 days of work outs in one week. I feel good and even stronger in my resolve to succeed on this journey.
On Friday we were supposed to go camping with the kids and some friends of ours at Fossil Creek north of Payson. The kids were looking forward to this for the past week because they had heard how pretty it was there and that it had waterfalls and swimming holes. Unfortunately things didn't work out the way we had planned and we were unable to do the overnight campout there. We began regrouping and thinking about what we wanted to do this weekend with the kids. After a bit of conversation Jody and I decided that it would be fun to go to Sedona and hike a bit and swim in Oak Creek.
Sometime Friday Porter called me and asked what we were doing for the weekend. We both explained to each other how our camping trips had been blown and that we needed to do something. I told him about our Sedona plans and asked if he wanted to join in. He said yes and the plan was hatched. We decided to take off as close to 9am as we could so we would have a full day of it.
Saturday morning at 9 Porter, Lana, Tatum and Dane showed up. We were all ready, short of a stop at the ATM for some cash. Surprisingly, by 9:30am we were headed north to Sedona. What should have been a lovely 2 hour drive became somewhat of a nightmare. It seemed that we were being thwarted at every turn. We decided to take the 101 north to avoid downtown Phoenix and cut a little time off the trip. Unfortunately there was road construction on the 101 just north of McDowell Road. So, we got stuck in a gnarled up traffic jam for 30 minutes between the 202/101 interchange and McDowell Road. After making through that mess, and rerouting back to the 202 to get to I-17 we were hit with yet another road closure on I-17. Fortunately we saw the notice soon enough that we were able to reroute, yet again, north on the 51 back to the northern section of the 101. aaagggghhhh!!!!!!! It was SO FRUSTRATING. FINALLY, we were off to the beautiful red rocks of Sedona. But, not everything was peaches and cream in driverville. We got to Oak Creek Village and hit yet another snarl of traffic. EVERY road leading into and out of Sedona is under construction. Two lanes are down to 1. Smooth roads are now rough because of temporary detours. Where there were stop lights, they now have confusing round abouts. It WAS A MESS!!! What should have taken us 2 hours to drive took over 3. The kids were upset, the adults were all on edge and what should have been a fun, lovely trip was turning into a disaster. I couldn't help feel somewhat responsible because Sedona was my idea.
Finally we got into Sedona and were on our way to Cathedral Rock. Cathedral Rock is a famous landmark in Sedona. It is on the South West part of town as if you were headed back to Jerome. Oak Creek runs right through there and has some great swimming holes. The main reason we wanted to go to that spot is that they have an interesting dry riverbed filled with stacked rock monuments. (I'll tell more about that later.) So, we stopped first to make sure we had the right directions to get there. I told Porter how to get there in case we got separated. Sure enough, we got separated. We got to the park, paid our fee and went in, thinking that Porter was probably already there as he took off just before us. But, after a sweep through, we saw that there was no sign of Porter and his car. I dropped the kids off and headed back up to our turn off point to see if I could find them. I finally got cell reception when back up at the top of the hill and was able to call Porter. He had been close, but didn't think our spot was so far down the canyon, so they had turned around and started looking elsewhere. We hooked up and got back to our spot after a short drive. More AAAAAGGGGGHHHH!!!!!
We had packed a cooler with sandwiches, sodas, water, and lots of fresh fruit. We had a nice picnic at the park of the Red Rocks at the base of Cathedral Rock. After eating we cleaned up and began hiking into the water holes and rock formations. It is a really nice, simple hike that any walking kid can make. Along the path are large Cottonwood trees, and many other brushy type trees that I didn't recognize. They have grown tall and together at about 10 feet high creating a natural canopy. On the right hand side of the path was Oak Creek. Some points were rather small, then others were deep and wide. At one point on the path we came upon a dry river bed. There were millions of river rocks of varying sizes, shapes and colors. That in and of itself was interesting, but what really stand out are these rock monuments that people have built. There were probably close to 1,000 staked rock formations. Most had a large rock base, and then subsequently smaller rocks stacked on top of the other making a pyramid. It kind of reminded me of the ring stacking toy most infants play with. There were tiny rock formations and HUGE boulder formations. There were some that stacked with each rock at a 45 degree angle and others that used many smaller stones as wedges to keep the larger stones from falling. Of course we had to add to the collection. I think our total addition was only 5 or 6 monuments. We built many more, but we have to subtract for those that Dane destroyed. (No 2 year old boy could withstand the temptation of knocking down these great towers of stone.)
I went swimming in the water holes first. That wasn't exactly by design. I was walking across the creek when Porter threw me a stone he liked. I dropped it, but could see where it had landed on the bottom of the creek. I leaned down to pick it up and one of my feet slipped. I fell backwards into about 4 feet of water, shirt and all. The swimming was on. We all hung out in the water and watched the kids swing on rope swings into the water. We splashed and joked and had a great time. When we finished we headed up to Dairy Queen for a little treat. (I had NO treat of any sort...and it wasn't hard to turn down. I have to admit, I was proud of myself for being strong.)
We finished the day by eating at Oxaca Mexican Food Restaurant on Main Street in Sedona. The food was OK, but the company and conversation were great. It was so much fun hanging out with Porter, Lana, Tatum and Dane. The kids had a blast and we all forgot about how cranky and upset we were because of the arduous journey up. All we knew was that we had a lot of fun, loved our families and each other and couldn't wait to do something like this again.
Eric
P.S. I woke up on Saturday morning and went to the gym. This is the first time I can remember in a LONG time that I had 6 days of work outs in one week. I feel good and even stronger in my resolve to succeed on this journey.
Friday, September 19, 2008
The Weigh In!
Today was the end of the work week so I decided to also make this the day that I post my weight update and my picture update each week.
To stay consistent, I will always be using the scale at my gym for the official weigh in.
Last weeks weight: 254
9/19/08: 249
For those of you who struggle with math, that is 5 pounds. Wahoo!!!
My goal weight is 200 pounds, so I'm almost there. Hahaha. 49 pounds to go.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
The Tape Doesn't Lie
As a kid we used to walk off a field to set up the boundaries when we played football. We'd put one foot in front of the other and count, assuming each step equated to a foot. We were close and it worked for us.
When it comes to total physical fitness I decided I needed to have a more accurate starting position so I can chronicle the transformation. I didn't want to be like when we were kids and think my guesses were close enough. I needed something concrete, irrefutable. I needed measurements and weigh ins. The tape doesn't lie.
The act of taking and recording your measurements is a humbling and sobering experience. I honestly don't think I've taken all of my measurements like I did today, since I was in high school. Frankly, I remember those measurements being much smaller numbers. (With the exception of my biceps and calves, which used to be bigger than they are now. Go figure.) So, without further ado I'll post my measurements. Ladies, don't hate because I have larger breasts than you do!
Neck: 18"
Chest: 49"
Waist: 42" (This is the one that hurt the most. I used to wear 36" waist. sniff, sniff.)
Hips: 44.5" (I don't know why I measured my hips...that's a chick thing to do. Jody said do it.)
Thighs: 25" (Each, not together.)
Calves: 16.5"
Bicep: 16.5"
Wow! That all adds up to a big boy.
I looked at the tape measure a few times, just to make sure I wasn't measuring in metrics. That makes for a lot bigger number. As it turns out, I measured correctly. I kept pulling the tape tighter around my waist because I couldn't believe that it was stopping at 42". Jody told me it doesn't count if the tape is cutting into your skin, so I had to relent and scratch out 38" and put back in 42".
I have to tell you, this week has been full of eye opening, self realizing and introspective moments. It's hard to look at yourself and see the REAL you, and not the you that is in your mind. For me, it took real pictures and REAL measurements. The tape doesn't lie.
When it comes to total physical fitness I decided I needed to have a more accurate starting position so I can chronicle the transformation. I didn't want to be like when we were kids and think my guesses were close enough. I needed something concrete, irrefutable. I needed measurements and weigh ins. The tape doesn't lie.
The act of taking and recording your measurements is a humbling and sobering experience. I honestly don't think I've taken all of my measurements like I did today, since I was in high school. Frankly, I remember those measurements being much smaller numbers. (With the exception of my biceps and calves, which used to be bigger than they are now. Go figure.) So, without further ado I'll post my measurements. Ladies, don't hate because I have larger breasts than you do!
Neck: 18"
Chest: 49"
Waist: 42" (This is the one that hurt the most. I used to wear 36" waist. sniff, sniff.)
Hips: 44.5" (I don't know why I measured my hips...that's a chick thing to do. Jody said do it.)
Thighs: 25" (Each, not together.)
Calves: 16.5"
Bicep: 16.5"
Wow! That all adds up to a big boy.
I looked at the tape measure a few times, just to make sure I wasn't measuring in metrics. That makes for a lot bigger number. As it turns out, I measured correctly. I kept pulling the tape tighter around my waist because I couldn't believe that it was stopping at 42". Jody told me it doesn't count if the tape is cutting into your skin, so I had to relent and scratch out 38" and put back in 42".
I have to tell you, this week has been full of eye opening, self realizing and introspective moments. It's hard to look at yourself and see the REAL you, and not the you that is in your mind. For me, it took real pictures and REAL measurements. The tape doesn't lie.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Staying the Course.
Three days into a lifestyle change hardly counts for much. As a matter of fact, the first week is the honeymoon period. It's supposed to be easy to get up and work out every day. I'm supposed to be MOTIVATED to eat right. But then LIFE HAPPENS!
I got up this morning at 5am with every intention of going to the gym by 5:3oam and back by 6:45am. It's become my routine. If everything goes right, I'm in my office, (which happens to be 43 steps from my bedroom,) by 7am.
This morning was a little different in that I had to get back for a conference call at 7am to discuss a very serious issue with one of my larger clients. (My sleep last night sucked because all I could think about was what I had to deal with today.) Obviously the sleep deprivation clouded my better judgment because instead of walking past my computer on out to my truck and driving to the gym, I stopped, and opened my e-mails. I wasn't going to read them; I just wanted to have them downloaded so I wouldn't have to spend the time doing that when I got home later. That simple act of opening Outlook nearly ruined my pattern and new healthy lifestyle.
Instead of going to the gym to work up a good sweat and churn thoughts around, I got sucked in. I sat down to answer a couple urgent e-mails and the next thing I knew it was time for my first conference call. I had totally lost my work out time. This is not good. Three days in and I'm already off schedule? Not good.
Rather than lament what couldn't be changed, I took advantage of the 30 minutes I had between the conference call and when I had to leave for a morning meeting. I did 150 situps and 100 push ups. I broke the push ups into three groups...Inverted Tub push ups, Decline Tub push ups and regular on the floor push ups. In case you are wondering, it didn't take me 30 minutes to do the sit ups and push ups. I had to take a shower still, so combined it took up the 30 minutes.
The rest of my day has been hectic and stressful to say the least. But because I took the time I had at the moment, and got a little excercise in, I was reminded of my goals and comittment. I was able to eat properly and stay on course. So that you don't think that I'm counting 150 sit ups and 100 push ups as my work out today I'll inform you now that in 5 minutes my lovely wife and I are gonig to the gym for a real work out. In spite of the stressful day and numerous issues that tried to knock me off course, I'm staying the course and fighting through it.
I got up this morning at 5am with every intention of going to the gym by 5:3oam and back by 6:45am. It's become my routine. If everything goes right, I'm in my office, (which happens to be 43 steps from my bedroom,) by 7am.
This morning was a little different in that I had to get back for a conference call at 7am to discuss a very serious issue with one of my larger clients. (My sleep last night sucked because all I could think about was what I had to deal with today.) Obviously the sleep deprivation clouded my better judgment because instead of walking past my computer on out to my truck and driving to the gym, I stopped, and opened my e-mails. I wasn't going to read them; I just wanted to have them downloaded so I wouldn't have to spend the time doing that when I got home later. That simple act of opening Outlook nearly ruined my pattern and new healthy lifestyle.
Instead of going to the gym to work up a good sweat and churn thoughts around, I got sucked in. I sat down to answer a couple urgent e-mails and the next thing I knew it was time for my first conference call. I had totally lost my work out time. This is not good. Three days in and I'm already off schedule? Not good.
Rather than lament what couldn't be changed, I took advantage of the 30 minutes I had between the conference call and when I had to leave for a morning meeting. I did 150 situps and 100 push ups. I broke the push ups into three groups...Inverted Tub push ups, Decline Tub push ups and regular on the floor push ups. In case you are wondering, it didn't take me 30 minutes to do the sit ups and push ups. I had to take a shower still, so combined it took up the 30 minutes.
The rest of my day has been hectic and stressful to say the least. But because I took the time I had at the moment, and got a little excercise in, I was reminded of my goals and comittment. I was able to eat properly and stay on course. So that you don't think that I'm counting 150 sit ups and 100 push ups as my work out today I'll inform you now that in 5 minutes my lovely wife and I are gonig to the gym for a real work out. In spite of the stressful day and numerous issues that tried to knock me off course, I'm staying the course and fighting through it.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
The UGLY Naked Truth
You've heard of the Ugly Truth, or the Naked Truth; well this is the UGLY NAKED TRUTH.
I look ugly naked. There, I said it. It's amazing how hard it was to admit that outloud and in public. Ouch!
How did I come that realization you ask? Afterall, everyone else has known that for some time. Well, I took pictures. I took real, non tummy sucking stripped down to skivvies pictures. I took pictures from three angles. I took them in real light and didn't doctor them up at all. I tell you what, I'd like to take those pictures and burn them, but their digital. I've now taken pictures two days in a row, and will continue taking pictures each day until this odessy is complete. At the end of the week, I'll post a picture and continue doing this until my odessy is complete.
So, were the pictures really that bad? YES. I look like a countersunk screw. I'm flat along the shoulders (very broad) have a wide (equally and in some spots more broad) back and then I actually do tapper at my love handle equipt waiste befor going straight down at the legs. I looked at those pictures and made a sound somewhere between a cry and a laugh. When you see bulges where no bulges should be and you see MOOBs (Man Boobs) where there should be chisled pecs, it's disheartening.
After coming to grips with the fact that I don't look like Adonis a strange thing happened. I felt empowered. I don't have anything to hide behind. I am what I am today, and that drives me to become what I know I'm capable of being. I am committed to this goal of total fitness.
Uncovering and confronting the UGLY NAKED Truth can be a hard thing in our lives. However, I believe it is essential to do it if you want to break those bonds and move on to a richer and fuller life...no matter what those ugly naked truths may be.
I look ugly naked. There, I said it. It's amazing how hard it was to admit that outloud and in public. Ouch!
How did I come that realization you ask? Afterall, everyone else has known that for some time. Well, I took pictures. I took real, non tummy sucking stripped down to skivvies pictures. I took pictures from three angles. I took them in real light and didn't doctor them up at all. I tell you what, I'd like to take those pictures and burn them, but their digital. I've now taken pictures two days in a row, and will continue taking pictures each day until this odessy is complete. At the end of the week, I'll post a picture and continue doing this until my odessy is complete.
So, were the pictures really that bad? YES. I look like a countersunk screw. I'm flat along the shoulders (very broad) have a wide (equally and in some spots more broad) back and then I actually do tapper at my love handle equipt waiste befor going straight down at the legs. I looked at those pictures and made a sound somewhere between a cry and a laugh. When you see bulges where no bulges should be and you see MOOBs (Man Boobs) where there should be chisled pecs, it's disheartening.
After coming to grips with the fact that I don't look like Adonis a strange thing happened. I felt empowered. I don't have anything to hide behind. I am what I am today, and that drives me to become what I know I'm capable of being. I am committed to this goal of total fitness.
Uncovering and confronting the UGLY NAKED Truth can be a hard thing in our lives. However, I believe it is essential to do it if you want to break those bonds and move on to a richer and fuller life...no matter what those ugly naked truths may be.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Day 1, When the Rubber Hits the Road!
Day one starts with new resolve. This is when the proverbial rubber hits the road. Over is the time to "think" about what you are going to do to get in shape and now is the time to "do" what you need to do to get into shape.
So, day one started at 4:50am. I didn't want to wake up that early; it was 40 minutes before I HAD to wake up. Once I am up, I'm up, so I waited in bed about as long as my bladder would let me....4:53am and I was UP! After a rousing pee, I got dressed in my favorite running shoes and work out clothes and headed out to the YMCA for my work out.
Day one at the gym started much like many other days. I started by stretching for 10 minutes. the older I get and the less I've worked out dictate a LOT MORE stretching to begin the day. I really have to focus on my lower back and my hamstrings. It's embarassing, but I've pulled my hamstring bowling, so now I really focus on stretching my hamstrings. After a solid 10 minutes of stretching I proceed to pump the upper body by doing dumbbell bench press, dumbbell curls, barbell curls, shoulder shrugs, tricep pull downs, and pull ups...machine assisted. My upper body got nice and swollen.
Day one on the new committment to do 500 situps each day. After doing 150 leg lifts and crunches this morning I have revised that goal to 300 per day for the first month and then move to 500 per day. My stomach is already yelling at me.
Finally I did 15 minutes of cardio on the treadmill. I ran for 12 minutes at 5 mph and walked the last three minutes at 3.5 mph. It's not impressive, but it's a start.
Day one is here and I'm focused on my diet. I am eating three well planned healthy meals per day and two low calorie snacks.
I have to remind myself that Rome was not built in a day. Slowly and surely I will meet my goals and acheive my optimal health.
So, day one started at 4:50am. I didn't want to wake up that early; it was 40 minutes before I HAD to wake up. Once I am up, I'm up, so I waited in bed about as long as my bladder would let me....4:53am and I was UP! After a rousing pee, I got dressed in my favorite running shoes and work out clothes and headed out to the YMCA for my work out.
Day one at the gym started much like many other days. I started by stretching for 10 minutes. the older I get and the less I've worked out dictate a LOT MORE stretching to begin the day. I really have to focus on my lower back and my hamstrings. It's embarassing, but I've pulled my hamstring bowling, so now I really focus on stretching my hamstrings. After a solid 10 minutes of stretching I proceed to pump the upper body by doing dumbbell bench press, dumbbell curls, barbell curls, shoulder shrugs, tricep pull downs, and pull ups...machine assisted. My upper body got nice and swollen.
Day one on the new committment to do 500 situps each day. After doing 150 leg lifts and crunches this morning I have revised that goal to 300 per day for the first month and then move to 500 per day. My stomach is already yelling at me.
Finally I did 15 minutes of cardio on the treadmill. I ran for 12 minutes at 5 mph and walked the last three minutes at 3.5 mph. It's not impressive, but it's a start.
Day one is here and I'm focused on my diet. I am eating three well planned healthy meals per day and two low calorie snacks.
I have to remind myself that Rome was not built in a day. Slowly and surely I will meet my goals and acheive my optimal health.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
My Physical Odessy Begins...AGAIN!
I can't tell you how many times I've begun this long, sometimes painful, and always frustrating trek too peak physical fitness. Within the last year I've had at least 4 misstarts on this journey.
Why is it such a challenge to put my fitness plan and diet plan together and stick to them for more than a week? There are tons of reasons, but the single biggest reason is that I get a little success and begin "Treating" myself for it. BIG mistake. Somehow, I have to get the mental strength to say, "until you meet your goals, you don't treat yourself," or maybe a parasite would do the trick. (Much easier said than done when your naturally skinny wife and kids eat what they want and still look like Mr. Salty .)
Most of you who know me know that I'm not a quitter. At least I don't quit for very long. That is why I've had 4 misstarts this year alone. I get back on the horse and try and ride again. (This merry-go-round of weight loss gets frustrating because I feel like a weak person who hasn't had the will power or mental fortitude to keep going on the first trek to my goals...but I honestly believe that we are only defeated when we quit for good and as long as I can restart, I WILL!.)
So, here we are, another re-start. But this time is going to be different. This time I'm not just holding me accountable. I'm not just going to listen to my wife and kids remind me in their loving, but sometimes rude ways, that I don't need that cookie, or extra helping. This time I'm including all of you who blog and have struggled with your weightloss too. This time I'm doing some things differently. (You know they say insanity is doing the same thing but expecting a different result.) I'm BLOGGING and JOGGING! I guess you could say I'm the Blogger Jogger. In addition to the proper diet and excercise, I will blog daily and upload photo updates at least weekly.
I'm 38 years old. I have had the goal for the past few years to get into the BEST SHAPE OF MY LIFE before I turn 40. Goals are a funny thing. Without writing them down and reviewing them regularly they are nothing more than a wish. I've had lots of wishes in my life, some came true, most didn't. Goals are different for me though. When I've written my goals down and committed myself to them, the VAST majority of my time they come to fruition. (Even when I didn't review them regularly. When I reviewed them regularly easily 90% have come to pass.) So, here I am, blogging, writting my goals and committing myself to a physical journey unlike any I've undertaken in the past.
MY BLOG GOALS:
1. To change my mental outlook on physical fitness. It is a journey, not a destination. I will be working on my physical fitness for the remainder of my life and I will enjoy it.
2. I will rewire my thinking about food to remember that it is fuel, not a reward. (this is a tough one for me because I like the taste of food.) Eat the right foods to fuel my odessy and acheive my goals.
3. I will acheive 10% body fat...at least for a period of time. (I will maintain 13-15% body fat.)
4. I will compete in at least 1 triathalon by the time I am 40 years old.
5. I will be a good example for my children for healthy living.
I want to thank each of you for the support and accountability you will provide on my odessy. I am both excited and nervous about starting this trek this time. I know the challenges and pitfalls that lie ahead, but I also know that when I want something bad enough I can get it. If others who were in worse shape than I have turne it around...SO CAN I! This jounrney and fun begins now.
Eric
Why is it such a challenge to put my fitness plan and diet plan together and stick to them for more than a week? There are tons of reasons, but the single biggest reason is that I get a little success and begin "Treating" myself for it. BIG mistake. Somehow, I have to get the mental strength to say, "until you meet your goals, you don't treat yourself," or maybe a parasite would do the trick. (Much easier said than done when your naturally skinny wife and kids eat what they want and still look like Mr. Salty .)
Most of you who know me know that I'm not a quitter. At least I don't quit for very long. That is why I've had 4 misstarts this year alone. I get back on the horse and try and ride again. (This merry-go-round of weight loss gets frustrating because I feel like a weak person who hasn't had the will power or mental fortitude to keep going on the first trek to my goals...but I honestly believe that we are only defeated when we quit for good and as long as I can restart, I WILL!.)
So, here we are, another re-start. But this time is going to be different. This time I'm not just holding me accountable. I'm not just going to listen to my wife and kids remind me in their loving, but sometimes rude ways, that I don't need that cookie, or extra helping. This time I'm including all of you who blog and have struggled with your weightloss too. This time I'm doing some things differently. (You know they say insanity is doing the same thing but expecting a different result.) I'm BLOGGING and JOGGING! I guess you could say I'm the Blogger Jogger. In addition to the proper diet and excercise, I will blog daily and upload photo updates at least weekly.
I'm 38 years old. I have had the goal for the past few years to get into the BEST SHAPE OF MY LIFE before I turn 40. Goals are a funny thing. Without writing them down and reviewing them regularly they are nothing more than a wish. I've had lots of wishes in my life, some came true, most didn't. Goals are different for me though. When I've written my goals down and committed myself to them, the VAST majority of my time they come to fruition. (Even when I didn't review them regularly. When I reviewed them regularly easily 90% have come to pass.) So, here I am, blogging, writting my goals and committing myself to a physical journey unlike any I've undertaken in the past.
MY BLOG GOALS:
1. To change my mental outlook on physical fitness. It is a journey, not a destination. I will be working on my physical fitness for the remainder of my life and I will enjoy it.
2. I will rewire my thinking about food to remember that it is fuel, not a reward. (this is a tough one for me because I like the taste of food.) Eat the right foods to fuel my odessy and acheive my goals.
3. I will acheive 10% body fat...at least for a period of time. (I will maintain 13-15% body fat.)
4. I will compete in at least 1 triathalon by the time I am 40 years old.
5. I will be a good example for my children for healthy living.
I want to thank each of you for the support and accountability you will provide on my odessy. I am both excited and nervous about starting this trek this time. I know the challenges and pitfalls that lie ahead, but I also know that when I want something bad enough I can get it. If others who were in worse shape than I have turne it around...SO CAN I! This jounrney and fun begins now.
Eric
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