It's January 31, Do You Know Where YOUR Gut Is?

Weigh In: 330.5
Work Out - Freeweights

Circuit One
Squats - 3 sets, 15 reps. 115 pounds
Flat Bench Press - 3 sets, 10 reps, 110 pounds (no spotter)
Hammer Horizontal Row - 3 sets, 15 reps, 140 pounds

Circuit Two
Lunges - 2 sets, 10 reps.
Barbell Curl - 2 sets, 10 reps. 65 pounds
Tricep Extention - 2 sets, 15 reps, full stack (150 pounds).

Abs & Lower Back
Medicine Ball Crunches - 2 sets, 25 reps (these things are NO joke)
Quadruped (Yoga Stretch) - 2 sets, 20 seconds each
Child's Post (Yoga Stretch) - 2 sets, 20 seconds each

The first step of my 3 step program to get "Under 300 by 30" is complete, as January is over. So, how did I do?

I wanted to reach 330 by the end of January. My five day average as of today is 331.3. So, I came up a tiny bit short. But, I'm ok with that, because as the top of the blog states, I weighed in at 330.5 today. If you use your high level mathematics abacus, you'll see that 330.5 is damn close to 330. So, I'm pretty proud of myself. When January started, everyone (including myself) thought that 15 pounds lost in a month was too accelerated, and there's not much closer than 330.5. My average will come. I'm just glad to see the scale lean in.

So, I believe the score is:

Rob 1, Scale 0

The goal for February is to do it again. 15 pounds by the end of February. There's only one problem. If January's goal was accelerated, February will be tougher, if only for the fact that we're going from 31 days in January to only 28 in February. So, it's a challenge that I've never faced before. But, you know something?

I love a good challenge.

See you at the bottom.

Full House Beats Squat

So, I went to the gym today with my heavy weights sheet in hand, and I walk to the back of the gym where all the free-weights are.

Have you ever seen Grand Central Station during rush hour? Bally's at the same time of day.. more people, and it stinks just a bit worse.

I couldn't get a spot on a machine. I hated it. I waited my turn for 10 minutes, and these two dope muscleheads wouldn't get off the machine. Do your weights, kiss your biceps, get the hell out of the way. I'll never understand they these guys think that they're the ONLY ones in the gym.

So, I got frustrated, and just ended up doing 40 minutes of cardio and called it a day. Usually I would have went more, but I went from the gym straight to volleyball, so it was a good almost two hours of straight movement, so all in all, a good night.

Oh, and one other thing. For those of you who read this blog, do me a big favor. Spread the word. I'd love to get a bigger and bigger following on this, and also promote "FatManDo", my blog over on Shifthf.com. This is a big adventure for me and the guys (and girls), and we'd love to have a ton of response. Josh the Destroyer is even there offering free advice, so you can't beat it. I'm shamelessly plugging the sites here:

My "FatManDo" Blog

Shift Health and Fitness Forums (I'm FatManDo)

So, do me a favor and spread the word. Coworkers, friends, family.. anybody that could use a little motivation. The more, the merrier.

More tomorrow!

The Good News - I'm Fat

So, remember that blood work that I had done a few days ago? The doc called me this morning with my results, and here's what I've got:

Fasting Blood Sugar: 95
HGAIC (Diabetes Test): 5.7
Total Cholesterol: 178
Triglycerides: 179
LDL Cholesterol: 94
HDH Cholesterol: 48

From what the doc told me, my fasting blood sugar was good, and the HGIAC "good" range is between 4 and 6, so I'm on the high side of good, and that'll only get better as the weight comes down. "Good" Total Cholesterol should be below 200 (good!), and anything below 130 on the LDL is favorable. Also, the HDH should be ABOVE 40, and I hit that mark. The only one I'd really like to improve is the Triglycerides, which should ideally be lower than 150, but from I understand, that's weight related too.. so fixable.

So, as the title suggests.. the good news is, I'm fat. I don't have any other issues in terms of blood pressure (108/80, as reported a week or so ago), cholesterol, or these other issues that come up with overweight guys. Doc said that I'm "surprising healthy" for someone my size.

I'll take that as a compliment.

I was talking to my dad this morning, and we were talking about how I've gotten through the tough part, which is learning how to do this. I'm starting to see the *IMPORTANT* results, the blood pressure, the cholesterol, the clothes are fitting.. so it's easier to continue with something that you're seeing changes in. It's a pretty good feeling.

That being said, I haven't been to the gym today. I felt a bit lazy, so I came to work early to get some stuff done that has been sitting on my desk for a week. I get out of work at 6, and then it's to volleyball. And then, the gym.

Edit: The newest installment of "FatManDo" is now available.

Monday Weigh In - Something's "Fishy"

Weigh In: 332
Five Day Average: 332.8

It's weigh-in day, and it's a pretty decent week. Not where I wanted to be (330), but not where I was either, so I'm headed in the right direction.

The last five: 334, 334, 332, 332, 332. Slowly, but steady.

The bad news is, in order to get the average at 330(.4) by the 31st, I'd need to pull the next two days in at 328, which I know isn't going to happen, so I fell short. The good news is, if January ended today, I'd have lost 12.2 pounds in January. That would put me at my target goal of 100 pounds lost in 8 months and 1 week - early September. I can accept that.

So, blog changes, but attitude stays the same. I just wrote my last blog late last night, so make sure to read and comment on that one as well.

And, for what it' s worth, that fish in the picture weighs 18 pounds. It's a good comparison of what I've lost so far.

So, welcome to Fourth and 82!

Proud Of Myself Today

So, today's one of those days where you don't have ten minutes to yourself.

From the minute I woke up, I was busy. Church, lunch, shopping, clean the house, have family over for dinner, entertain.. it was a fun day, but one thing was missing.

My workout.

So, I'm proud of myself. Everyone left the house around 9:15, and after doing a metric ton of dishes, at 9:45, I took care of that.

I got my running gear on, and ran 2 miles in the cold. My first mile was somewhere around 15 minutes, and my second mile was somewhere in the 13's.

Here's my concern.. and this just happened as I was typing the first part of this blog. Is it normal.. and maybe the weather has something to do with it.. for my adam's apple in the back of my throat to be KILLING me right now? I'm guessing I was sucking wind instead of breathing through my nose.. but it's really, really hurting right now. It didn't hurt ten minutes ago when I came into the house, but it's got me now. And - not to be graphic, but I just had to get up and well.. vomit, twice.

I need to push my limits, but I'm thinking that this isn't good. I've been pampered by being able to work out in the climate controlled gym in good temperatures, but I need to be able to do workouts OUTDOOR as well.

Overdoing it? I guess it's one of the things I'm going to have to figure out. As Beck says..

.. NO excuses.

Oh, and one other self-promotion. Shifthf.com forums are open. Come check out my first blog, that you can find by clicking this link.

Until next time.

Keep On Going

Weigh In: 332 (lowest yet!)

Yesterday gave me enough of a boost to get into the gym today and do my 30 minutes of Elyptical at a good pace. I was POURING down sweat, thanks to the Rocky movies.

I don't have a lot of time for a long blog, but you'll notice one thing at the top. Weighed in 2 pounds less than I ever have. I'm not getting excited, but I'm getting there. I've only got a few days to hit my 330 goal, so mathematically, I probably won't hit the average. But, if I can at least see 330 on the scale before February, I'm still on schedule.

Also, the Shift blog is up and running, but I haven't posted anything yet. Stay tuned for that as well!

Dedication

Weigh In: 334
Work Out - Freeweights

Circuit One
Squats - 3 sets, 15 reps. 85 pounds
Flat Bench Press - 3 sets, 10 reps, 130 pounds (with spotter)
Hammer Horizontal Row - 3 sets, 15 reps, 140 pounds

Circuit Two
Lunges - 2 sets, 10 reps.
Barbell Curl - 2 sets, 10 reps. 65 pounds
Tricep Extention - 2 sets, 15 reps, full stack (150 pounds).

Abs & Lower Back
Medicine Ball Crunches - 2 sets, 25 reps (these things are NO joke)
Quadruped (Yoga Stretch) - 2 sets, 20 seconds each
Child's Post (Yoga Stretch) - 2 sets, 20 seconds each

I've got to say one thing first.

Josh, you are the man. Oh, and I hope you don't kill me for posting that picture. Myspace is free game, and I just couldn't help myself LOL

Now, that's off my shoulders, let me get into this. The last few days, I've been down and out. Been doing the workouts, eating right.. but the motivation wasn't there, and I was starting to drag. As of my last post, I was running on fumes. So, I wake up this morning, and see that Josh left me a message on my last post.. and long story made short, trained me for free today. The guy's a professional, and he goes out of his way to make sure I'm getting where I need to be.

A TRUE class act.

My motivation is back. It's strange how your body treats you mentally. It's such a roller coaster. You're feeling great, ready to take on the world.. and then you blink your eyes, and all of a sudden everything is a challenge that you just don't seem ready for. I'm starting to learn that this is how the rest of my life is going to be when it comes to my health. You have to stay on it, even when you don't want to. It's not easy.. especially for me for some reason, but I've got a long term goal of a long life with my wife, and I need to be ready to make those sacrifices. Josh.. thanks for making one of those sacrifices for me.

In other news, my weight went back down to 334, so my last five days are: 334, 334, 336, 336, 334 for an average of 334.8. A bit of a plateau, but that's ok. I'm headed in the right direction.

----------

I've discovered lately that I've got a theme song. The Rocky music's been working well for me, but I've really started to relate to "Lose Yourself", by Eminem. It may or may not be your type of music, and if you're adverse to profanity in your music, it may not be for you.. but there's some quotes in the song.. it speaks to me. Basically, the whole tune is about his determination to make it in the rap game, and he knows that he's got ONE shot to do it right.

"If you had one shot.. one opportunity, to seize everything you every wanted... one moment, would you capture it? Or just let it slip?"

About 2/3rd the way through, it's just one line, but it rings. Doesn't matter if it's music, life, school, work, weight loss.. anything. It's the truth:

"Success is my only option, failure's NOT."

So yeah, as Beck says, "no excuses". The roller coaster continues, but as long as it never stops, I'm ok with that.

Motivation Switch

Some days, you wake up and feel like you can take on the world. Some days, not so much.

I'm not sure what it is, but I've been so pumped up about Shift H&F that all I can think about is Health and Fitness. But, in the same vein.. the past two days have been hell for me mentally. Getting to the gym has been a nightmare. I just feel completely unmotivated, and I'm not really sure why. The last two days in the gym have been torture. I've done 30 minutes on the Elyptical, but just felt miserable.

Not sure what it is, but I need to shake it. I've only got 6 days to get down to 330, and it's starting to look dire. Tomorrow morning, I have to be in the gym with my head on straight. Huge work out, take myself to the limit. As I sit here right now, I'm feeling pretty unmotivated about the entire thing. Hell, if it wasn't for the blog, I probably wouldn't care less either, which is the worst part. As of now, I really have no reason to be feeling like this, but I do.

The good news is, the bad swings are usually followed by good swings. I could use one of those.

Finish the week strong, right? Someone come up with something incredibly motivating, and put it into a blog comment. I have a feeling I'm going to need it in the AM.

Blah.

It's Wednesday already?

Another day in the books, and another day closer to February.

I had blood drawn today, and I'm curious to see what it's going to show. I'm having "the works" done. Cholesterol, blood this, blood that, test the hemoglobin, and all these things that I'm not even sure what they are. Doc's going to get with me in the next few days to let me know how the health is doing, and how things are going. I'll be sure to keep you updated.

In other news, as Kevin has mentioned, Shift Health and Fitness is starting to gain steam. The website is under construction, but we're pretty close to debuting, and the forums are up and running now. Feel free to sign up for free and chat with us. Josh the Destroyer has joined, so if you want to ask him a question (aka: free advice!), c'mon in and ask away. Also, I'll be doing some extended writing for the page, along with expanding Fourth and 85 there, so I encourage you to follow us as we move forward. Think of it as "Fourth and 85 in High Definition Radio".

There's a lot on the horizon, and I'm pretty excited about it. I've been up and down emotionally the past few weeks, but this keeps something going for me at all times. It's a friendly reminder to keep the head up, and keep making the right decisions.

Another short one because I'm beat, but every day is a new one.

Roadblock

Weigh In: 336

Short blog tonight, but more proof that the 5-day average works.

I'm frustrated, because after posting 3 "334" days in row, I've got 2 days in a row of "336". The numbers will drive you up a wall if you'll let it. The 'flip' is, the weigh in five days ago was a "336.5", so even though the last 2 days have been up, the average dipped by .2

Perhaps I'm looking a bit too far into the numbers, but I've got to admit, I love a challenge.

I went to the doctor today, and here's a sign of real life results.

I went to him about 12 months ago, and again 6 months ago (and other times in between). 12 months ago, I weighed in at 378, and my blood pressure was HORRIBLE. Something like 145 over 95 or something along those lines. He told me that if it was the same the next time we got together, I'd be going on blood pressure pills. 6 months ago, it was better, but not great.

Today, I'm proud to say, that my arteries are NOT going to explode.

I came in with a blood pressure count of 108/80 today. Damn near perfect.

Sometimes, when a doctor tells you that some of your bad choices can kill you, you listen. For me, 12 months ago, I did listen.. for a few months, and then I caved again to the addiction.

Not this time. This time, I defeat it.

Fourth And 85

Well, technically it's Fourth and 84.9, but who's counting?

The five-day average is a roller coaster in it's own right. After today's weigh in, I could either throw rocks at a church, or be content. After three straight days of 334 on the button, I came in at 336 today. Wasn't thrilled, but I had to keep telling myself that it was data collection, and data collection only.

Either way, the last five days have been: 336.5, 334, 334, 334 and 336.

While I could be irritated at the 5 day average method, today's example proved that using it works. For example, I came in on my five-day average at 334.9. Sure, it's higher than I was the last three days, but it's lower than I weighed in today. Moral of the story?

It's working.

So, bummer that I couldn't run another day of 334, but that, as they say, is life.

What I'm REALLY looking forward to is the fact that I've got 9 days to get that average under 330, and keep my weight on target to hit 300 by March 31. To give an comparison, 9 days ago I sat at 339.5 pounds, or a 5 day average of 340.125. I'm damn happy with just over 6 pounds lost in 9 days.

So, what's next?

Keeping the focus. Working out every day, eating smart.. I'll get to where I need. As much as I want to be upset about my weight going up 2 pounds today, I'm looking at the whole picture.

One other thing while it's on my mind.. I don't feel like I'm dieting any more. I'm not counting calories, and I'm not really restricting myself. Sometimes, that'll bite me in the back end, like it might have yesterday when I had a brownie and a (small) ice cream sundae. But even by doing that, I was in the gym and working it off.

It's a lifestyle change. I'm aware of the not-so-good stuff, and the majority of the time, I'm eating smart. I'm not starving myself, and when I go out to eat, I'm making sound decisions.

Attention 330. You've got 9 more days to be there, because after that, you're gone.

Training Montage

Weigh In: 334

10 Minute Cardio - Elypical Machine
Leg Extension, 140 pounds, 12 reps, 2 sets
Leg Curl 130 pounds, 12 reps, 2 sets
Chest Press 140 pounds, 12 reps, 2 sets
Seated Row 140 pounds, 12 reps, 2 sets
Shoulder Press 120 pounds, 12 reps, 2 sets
Tricep Extension 70 pounds, 12 reps, 2 sets
Biceps Curl 90 pounds, 12 reps, 2 sets
Stabilizer Crunches, 50 reps, 2 sets (100 total)



Third day in a row weighing in at 334, so it's starting to look good for tomorrow's official weigh-in. I'd like to get down another pound tomorrow just to pad the average, but then again, I'd love to get down about 70 more, so it's all a matter of time.

To those of you who are starting to wear down, fade out, and lose momentum, think about where you were when you started this, and where you are now. If you're like me, you're pretty good at working out hard for a few months. You probably start to like what you see in terms of a 'little' improvement. Then, you probably fade off, as you start to be content.

In general, myself included, I'm starting to see that in us, as a Coalition. No one individual, but it seems like as a group, our "FIRE" isn't there the way it was 3, 4 weeks ago. And that's ok. But, I think we need to light that fire under our asses sometimes, and really, really push. I'll be the first to raise my hand, because it's where my mind has been lately.

Keep fighting, FAT Coalition. It's a long way to the top of this mountain, and we're all getting there together.

Ok, why the speech?

I just feel motivated today, more than I have the past few days. When I was on the Elyptical doing my 10 minute warm up, about the 5 minute mark the "Training Montage" from the Rocky movies hit my earphones. You know the one. When I think of the montage, which is in every Rocky movie, I think of Rocky IV, where he's training in the snow with the Russian guy keeping an eye on him. He's in that barn, doing those power situps, he's squatting the horse cart with Adrian and Pauly sitting in it. He's running knee-deep in snow up the mountain, losing the Russian car following him.

I closed my eyes, and the adrenaline kicked in. I visualized the scene in Rocky IV and it just took over.

I hauled ass. And I don't just mean I got faster. I was about 85-90RPM on the Elyptical for a good five minutes. Lucky for me, it's about a five minute song, and ended about 30 seconds before my 10 minutes were up. Those 30 seconds were tough.. as I was spent. According to the machine, I burned over 250 calories in 10 minutes, and I was sweating enough to fill up a cereal bowl.

So, it was only 5 minutes. It was one song.

No big deal, right?

If you feel like you're losing your drive, dig a little deeper. Look in the mirror and ask yourself, "do I really want to lose this weight?". What's it going to take?

Motivation.

Where do you get YOURS from?

Working for the Weekend

Another busy day. I didn't get to the gym until something like 5:30pm tonight. Only did 30 minutes on the Elyptical and didn't do anything else. I just wasn't into it today for some reason. I ate right, but I really didn't want to go to the gym, and really wasn't motivated once I got there. Almost felt like I could care less being there. Strange feeling. Also, I forgot the mp3 player at home, so I was flying solo.. that killed me there.

Another day tomorrow, and 2 days until weigh-in. Not much to really report on today. If there's a definition for feeling flat and unmotivated, you're looking at it today.

Boring blog, my apologies. More excitement tomorrow, I hope.

Keep Going!

Weigh In: 334 (lowest yet!)

10 Minute Cardio - Elypical Machine
Leg Extension, 140 pounds, 12 reps, 3 sets
Leg Curl 130 pounds, 12 reps, 3 sets
Chest Press 130 pounds, 12 reps, 3 sets
Seated Row 140 pounds, 12 reps, 3 sets
Shoulder Press 120 pounds, 12 reps, 3 sets
Tricep Extension 70 pounds, 12 reps, 3 sets
Biceps Curl 90 pounds, 12 reps, 3 sets
Stabilizer Crunches, 50 reps, 3 sets (150 total)

I finally got that mp3 player working, and I loaded up a pretty intense, heavy-speed metal from the 80s (what I can say? I heart the 80s) and made my way to the gym. First off, what a difference. Music's always been a big motivator for me, so having Megadeath blaring into my ears.. (I think something about ripping rabbit's heads off and feeding them to Satan.. couldn't quite understand the words), I got an extra pump of adreneline today.

Oh, and the great news. I know I'm not supposed to look at the individual day, but again.. my blog, my rules (hat tip to Billy).. so seeing 334 was a nice surprise this morning. It puts me at a even 336 for my 5-day average, and I've got the weekend to drop a few more and get that nasty 337 off of my record (336.5, 337, 336, 336.5, 334), so we'll see what Monday's weigh-in brings.

Other than that, I'm feeling pretty good. One thing of note that was odd today.. when I was doing the Shoulder Presses, during the second set, my body completely gave out. I got my presses up to the 9th, 10th rep.. and I couldn't lift it anymore. The body just said "sorry, lunch break". I fought as hard as I could, but couldn't get the 11th one up. I've been having NO issues with this, and was thinking about raising the 120 to 140, but today scrapped that idea.

The strange part: The third set up went up no problem.

Must have been the Megadeath.

Not Much To Report

Weigh In: 336.5

40 Minutes on the Elyptical
150 Stabilizer Crunches

A pretty non-eventful workout. Life's been coming at me from all sides, but I was able to drag myself in and do my thing today. Each day seems to get more hectic, but I'm starting to notice that when I work out, I'm able to put the rest of my life on the shelf for a while, which is nice. Work stress, home stress, school stress.. when I'm in the gym, it's all about getting what I need to get done. Of course, when you leave the building, it's right there waiting for you. To such is life.

Also, I got myself a new toy today. An mp3 player. Of course, I can't figure out how to get music onto it since it doesn't want to accept .mp3 files.. but let's not even get into the whole mp3 player needing something other than mp3 files thing for the moment.

Another day, another dollar. More tomorrow after the full workout.

Bump, Set, Spike!

Weigh In: 336.0

5 Minute Cardio - Elypical Machine
Leg Extension, 140 pounds, 12 reps, 2 sets
Leg Curl 130 pounds, 12 reps, 2 sets
Chest Press 120 pounds, 12 reps, 2 sets
Seated Row 140 pounds, 12 reps, 2 sets
Shoulder Press 120 pounds, 12 reps, 2 sets
Tricep Extension 70 pounds, 12 reps, 2 sets
Biceps Curl 90 pounds, 12 reps, 2 sets
Stabilizer Crunches - 50

I ran out of time in the gym today, as I drug my feet getting in. Today was a really tough day when it came to motivation. I woke up, made breakfast, watched TV, checked my email, tinkered around with a few things, and then I hustled to the gym. I did my workout, but only 2 sets. The good thing is, my weights are going up. My Leg Extentions and my Leg Curls have gone up 40 and 30 pounds respectively, and I feel much stronger. Plus, I feel my recovery times improving, and I'm not laying around like a wet sponge after my workouts now. So far, so good. I wish I would had more time, but that's my own fault. Also, I ran into Josh the Destroyer in the gym today, and had a good conversation with him and another guy, who you may learn more about later.

The weigh in is yet again the lowest yet, and it helps the average. My five day average is now 336.5, which means I'm going in the right direction. Of course, the blog doesn't get changed until Monday, but I've got 14 days to drop the 336.5 to 333 to keep with my "Under 300 by 30" January 31st goal, and we'll see how that goes. Either way, it's good to see the number falling.

A few other things of note: I worked out yesterday, had a pretty long day of work, and then went to play volleyball at the church. Now, I haven't done this in about 9 months, and even then I only played one hour. I used to play full seasons as of a few years ago, so I thought it would be fun to get back into it. One thing SHOCKED me:

I moved around that court like a gazelle. Sure, an overweight gazelle, but it felt good to really move. My stamina was MUCH stronger, and I felt pretty damn active. Instead of this huge, out-of-shape guy just standing on the court watching the ball go back and forth, I was able to sprint from one side of the court, get a volley, make a cut and get to the opposite side of the court MUCH quicker than before. Bottom line: I'm getting stronger. That gave me another small boost that's going to help us get to the finish line. Imagine what I'll be like when NEXT season starts.

One other strange thing. I had a dollar bill floating around in my car for the past few weeks, so today I decided to get a 'healthy drink' after my workout and before class. I chose Dole Grape Juice. It's Grape Juice, right? Pretty healthy, can't go wrong with that.

300 calories. 74 grams of carbohydrates. 68 grams of sugar.

Holy mother.

I've been trying to limit my carbs lately, and that was a shock to the system. As I said before, I'm not trying to do the Adkins thing, or any carb-limiting thing.. I just want to cut out the sugars and bad white carbs, and then I go diving into 68 grams of sugar. Granted, it's not a big deal, and if I'm going to load up the carbs and sugars, it might as well be right after the workout, but still. Damn. Just a heads up to those who are drinking juices because they're healthier than a Pepsi or Coke.

On the bright side, I've got 190% of my Vitamin C requirement for the day ;)

Hanging In There

Weigh In: 337.0

After last night's workout, I slept like a baby. This morning, for the first time in a long time, I woke up and had this thought:

"I'm skipping the gym this morning".

I just wasn't into it. I had an amazing workout last night around 6pm, and was unbelievably sore all of last night. The 'good' sore, but sore regardless. So, when I went to bed and woke up 12 hours later, my body was still feeling it. Today's "only" a cardio day, I thought, and I debated with myself for an hour before actually deciding to suck it up and hit the gym.

It was a pretty good workout. Did my 30 minutes on the Elyptical Machine, and another 150 stabilizer situps on the big red rubber ball, and I definitely feel good about it this morning. My ankle was starting to cramp up last night again, but when I woke up this morning, that was gone, but now the right wrist is a bit cramped. I'm wondering if I should be more aware of stretching, or what the issue is, because these strange little pains are popping up. Then again, as my wife always says, I'm always complaining about something, so I guess that's par for the course ;)

My weigh-in number today wouldn't balance out exactly today, so I was wavering between 336.75 and 337.00, so I'm going to go with the big number, and call today's weigh-in 337.00.

Another day, another dollar. I'm just glad I was able to fight off the lazy and get to the gym. If it wasn't for the blog, I probably would have skipped it.

Weigh In Time

Weigh In: 336.5

Long day today, but I finally got to the gym around 5:30-6:00. The one thing that I really, really hate about working out at Ballys during that time is the masses of people. It's insane in there. First off, that's 'rush hour' in the gym with people getting off of work, multiply it by 50 by the number of people who go to the gym for January and part of February as part of their 'resolution', and then they're not seen again until next January.

Other than that, the workout went well. I worked out like a man possessed today. It felt great.. of course that means that I'm paying for it right now.

So, I did my weigh in, and today's weigh in day. My five-day average is down to 337.75, which is fantastic. My big debate in my mind is, how do I record that on the blog? Do I round up, or do I round down? I think I'm going to round down, only because 337 is the number that reads on the scale. Not exactly the most scientific method, but I'm a music major, I can only count to 4 anyway.

So, the new blog is Fourth and 87. Not a huge jump, but considering that the 6th and 7th day average was 341, it's an accomplishment. Now, to keep on the bandwagon, keep busting my tail in the gym, keep eating healthy, and this weight's going to come off. Today is January 15, which means I have 16 more days to take 7.75 pounds off of my average so I can be on target to be under 300 by March 31st, the day I turn 30. It's a hell of a challenge, but with a reward worth everything in the world.

This isn't the most exciting blog in the world, but at least my number's down, right?

And On The Seventh Day, He Rested

Today was an off day. I didn't have much time to workout today, but I probably could have if I really dedicated myself. On the other hand, I was able to rest the ankle, which is feeling stronger today. The back is a bit weak, but it's holding together and hasn't fallen off yet, so that's good too. A day of rest is just what the doctor ordered.

Speaking of which, I'm going to set up an appointment with the doc this week to make sure that everything is working the way it should, and I'm going to have him check the blood pressure, cholesterol and all those other fun things that doctors to make sure we're on the right track. Plus, let's make sure my back isn't causing major issues.

Eating wise, I did pretty good today. I ended it with an ice cream sundae, but it was ALL lowfat. Nobody's fooling anybody though, ice cream is ice cream. So, it was a small portion, and it held off most of the cravings that I've had this week, and I'm still under my goal for the day. I felt guilty about it even while I ate it.. but I've got to admit.. it was so damn good. ;)

Workout wise, tomorrow is judgement day. I haven't officially changed the name of the blog in about 2 weeks or so, so we'll have a true number tomorrow. Since I didn't work out or weigh in today (scale's in the gym), I'll be averaging the past four work-outs, since it gives me the last 5 days.

By the way, for those of you NOT in the FAT Coalition, we've got a new venture. Kevin and Becky have been working hard, and have created "SHIFT". It's going to be a website dedicated to health and fitness, and living a healthy lifestyle. I'll be writing a blog (very similar to this), so stay tuned. The SHIFT forums can be found here. A main page will be coming soon, and be sure that I'll be giving updates as we go.

So, judgment day tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Up and Down

Bad news or good news first? Take your pick.

Bad news? Ok, here we go. Allow me to start off with a rant, "Random Ramblings" style for those of you who followed my previous blogging adventure. Ready? Here we go.

To those of you who work out in an actual gym, here's a few things that you should *NOT* do while working out in the gym.

1: Do multiple sets without getting up. There are others who are waiting patiently for the machines. If you see someone waiting, don't do your set, lean your sweaty ass over the machine, breathe hard.. stretch, take a drink, TALK TO A BUDDY, and wait 3-4 minutes until your next set. It defeats the purpose of your workout, it wastes my time, and it's plain old rude. Get your ass lifting, or get your ass lifting your well.. your ass out of the machine. You're not the only one in the gym.

2: Same thing on the ab machine. For the love of everything sacred, do not REST between sets.. especially for over 5 minutes, yawning. If you're yawning during your work out, just go home.. because you're not working hard enough. And just because you're sitting down on a bench while you're working out, it doesn't make the machine a park bench. Just like the guy in #1, MOVE YOUR ASS.

3: Wipe the seat off of your bench. There's nothing more disgusting than going to lie down face first on the leg curl bench than to be greeted with a nice puddle of man-sweat. It's disgusting. Bring a towel with you if you're going to sweat like a Klan member at the Million Man March. Be respectful to others.

Ok, onto other business. I'll get to my workout in a bit, but I've got two health concerns. First off, my back (I'm starting to think that it's sciatic nerve. Josh the Destroyer mentioned that as a possibility, and I've done research along with asking others, and I'm concerned that it might be way my back's been acting up lately. I've done my best to make sure to have PERFECT form, but when I move wrong, I feel like I'm about to go into seizure. The pain starts at the bottom of the back, wraps around the left leg and directly into the groin. For those of you taking score at home.. that just hurts. I think I'm going to schedule another doctor's appointment with the doc.. just to be safe.

Also, another health concern. After the gym we went to my cousin-in-law's 30th Surprise party. I was messing around with some of the kids putting wrestling moves on them (being big does have its advantages), and I tweaked my left ankle on the outside. I've been limping on it periodically tonight, and it's been pretty stiff. An ankle injury would be the *LAST* thing I would need, since I've really starting to take off now. I'll be nursing it tonight, and hopefully I wake up fine.. but cross your fingers for me. It's not really intense pain.. but it's enough to keep me hobbling on it, so let's see what happens.

Ok, one funny/embarassing thing to note:

So, here I am at the gym, after a great workout. I jump in the shower, and do what everyone else does. Shower, wrap the towel around the behemoth, walk out of the shower, dry off, walk to the blow dryers and dry the hair, walk to the scale, DROP THE TOWEL, and weigh in. Then, I step off the scale, pick up the towel and wrap it back around me, and then I turn around.

Whose about 10 feet behind me?

Hello, Pastor. How's your day?

Great guy, I see him at the gym often, but usually by the Elyptical. It's kind of odd walking around buck ass naked in front of the guy that gives you Communion. Just thought you guys would get a chuckle out of that.

Ok, so onto the workout:

Weigh In: 336.5 (lowest yet!)

10 Minute Cardio - Elypical Machine
Leg Extension, 110 pounds, 12 reps, 3 sets*
Leg Curl 110 pounds, 12 reps, 3 sets*
Chest Press 110 pounds, 12 reps, 3 sets*
Seated Row 130 pounds, 12 reps, 3 sets*
Shoulder Press 120 pounds, 12 reps, 3 sets
Tricep Extension 70 pounds, 12 reps, 3 sets
Biceps Curl 80/90 pounds (one set @ 80, 2 sets @ 90), 12 reps, 3 sets
Abdominal Crunch 110 pounds, 50 reps, 3 sets (150 total)

You'll see the weights starting to increase. The four that are starred will be increased at the next workout, as I was able to complete them with strong success.

The most important number there is the weigh-in. Another all-time low.

Yes, Billy.. I know, we're not allowed to concern ourselves with the single-day weigh-in, but since the higher weigh-ins kill me, I'll enjoy the low ones. It's nature's law that we worry about what we shouldn't worry about, and overdo the joys that we should temper. It's what we do ;)

The great news is, I officially weigh in and change the blog in 2 days (Monday). My last five days, in order, are 341.5, 341.0, 338.5, 339.5, 336.5. That means, as long as I can keep my pace, those two 340+'s are going to be off my record.

If the ankle holds up, we'll be there in no time.

Until next time.

Data Collection?

Weigh In: 339.5

30 Minute Cardio - Elypical Machine ("Hill" setting)
Stabilizer Crunches - 150
(New High)



I went to the gym this morning as usual, and I felt pretty good. I wanted to change around my cardio just a little bit, so instead of using the 'fat burn' category on the Elyptical machine, which is pretty much a manual setting, I chose "Hill" this time. It's starting to get me more towards the HIIT workout that you guys are using, and away from 30 minutes of boring old steady jogging. This Hill setting basically starts you off at intensity level 0, and then moves incrementally up.

So, it's like.. 0, 1, 0, 2, 0, 3, 0, 4.. etc, until you get to max. Then, it does the same alternation, but quicker. So.. it's HIIT Jr.

I also felt pretty strong, because I've been able to increase my crunches to 150. I'm not sure if it's an improvement on my workout, or just my body's ability to reach just THAT MUCH FURTHER into the depths of hell. All I know is, when I started, doing 25-50 of these things made my eyeballs bleed. 150's an accomplishment. It's one thing to do 150 on an ab "machine", but when you're doing it "freeweight".. at least for me, it's a different world.

So.. my first 5 days have been calculated, but since I'm going to be posting new weights at the beginning of each week (that's my excuse), I'm not going to change the blog. I put myself on hiatus from changing the blog, due to your suggestions after my holiday debacle, so I've got a chance to redeem myself.

I've always been one to analyze numbers, so here I go. Here are the last five days:

342.0 - 341.5 - 341.0 - 338.5 - 339.5

They're trending downward, which is great. I faced the challenge this morning that a few of us talked about yesterday, which is seeing a number go up from the day before, and forcing yourself to look at it as "data collection" instead of your "real weight". This is why the 5-day system seems to work. When I stepped on the scale today, it was up a pound from yesterday's weight-in. Frustrating as hell. Makes you want to run back out onto the machines and keep working. On the drive home from the gym this morning, I was highly irritated again.

But, as I type this out now, and put the five days together, I feel pretty good about it. Down 2 1/2 pounds from 5 days ago. The trend is working.

So, hang in there. Keep your body healthy, your meals fresh, and your spirits high.

-----------------------------
EDIT: A new member has joined our ranks! Welcome Mark. His site is: http://gutbgone.blogspot.com/

Make sure we support our newest member!

Picture Time

I can't get myself to do the whole "in your underoos" pictures, for the protection of my friends and family. However, I came across a picture of myself when I was topping out around 380 (perhaps even more, I didn't let a scale anywhere near me at that point) so I thought I'd put the two of them next to each other for you.

Granted, it's not the skivvies, but you get the idea. The one on the left is probably a year or two old. I'm not sure, but it might have been Thanksgiving day 2004, the day they hooked strings to me and walked me down Woodward Avenue during the parade. The one on the right is a cell phone picture I took about 4 minutes ago:



Not the greatest quality to either one, but I think you get the idea.

I'm still sporting the double chin, and I've probably got more forehead than Homer Simpson and Mr. Clean combined, but I see progress. Granted, it's not just progress from the beginning of "Fourth and 100" in November and probably a year or two ago, but just like a healthy lifestyle, it's a lifelong issue. It's good to see that I'm getting somewhere.

Imagine what it's going to be this time *NEXT* year.

(PS: The beautiful woman to my right in the left picture is my wife, Erin. I definited married "up", eh?)

Progress

Weigh In: 338.5 (lowest yet!)

Exercise Weight Reps Sets
10 Minute Cardio - Elypical Machine
Leg Extension, 110 pounds, 15 reps, 3 sets
Leg Curl 110 pounds, 15 reps, 3 sets
Chest Press 100 pounds, 15 reps, 3 sets
Seated Row 130 pounds, 15 reps, 3 sets
Shoulder Press 100 pounds, 15 reps, 3 sets
Tricep Extension 70 pounds, 15 reps, 3 sets
Biceps Curl 80 pounds, 15 reps, 3 sets
Abdominal Crunch 100 pounds, 50 reps, 3 sets (150 total)

Life's a roller coaster, ain't it?

It seems like every day we're posting blogs, and every day it's something new. "I'm doing great!" is nicely followed by "I'm so frustrated!", and it alternates every day.

To me, that means one thing.

We haven't given up, and this whole process is working.

I worked out this morning, and as you can tell by the numbers, I'm improving. The weight is down today, although I can't get too excited because my 5-day average is still 340.2. Either way though, I can't help but notice that it's my LOWEST recorded weight in years, and the best I've seen so far. Of course, the last time I said this a few days ago, it shot right back up the next day.

I'm starting to get obsessed with this. I wake up, and want to hit the gym. I want to write more blogs. I want to eat right, and I want to lose this damn Goodyear tire that sits around my waist. And I want it now. But, it's not coming NOW. Beck had mentioned yesterday that she's getting impatient, and I've been feeling that way as well, but we're getting there. We can't stop now, because we're just turning a corner.

One Damn Good Reason

Not much to report until tomorrow morning after the gym, but I thought I'd share something with you guys that means a lot to me.

My wife looked at me today while I was slouching around on the couch tonight, and out of nowhere she says, "your belly looks smaller to me".

6 words.

To those of you who are married, when you get six simple words from your wife, it's usually "will you go do the dishes?" or "why is the toilet seat up?".

I know Erin reads the blog, so I wanted to mention this.

Everyone has motivation for their weight gains, and for their weight losses. Some people want to feel better. Some people want to look better. Some even just want to see their toes. We all have a reason for what we're doing, and some are obvious, and some aren't.

Maybe this is a good reason, and maybe it isn't, but my MAIN motivation, even if I haven't said this yet.. is for my wife. A few years ago during my vows, I promised to take care of her for the rest of my life. Losing this weight is an extension of those vows.

I plan on giving her a long term deal.

This weight is coming off, and I don't care how long it takes.

More to report tomorrow, but it was on my mind, and isn't that what a blog is for?

Big Brick Wall

Today's Weigh In: 341.0
5 Day Average: n/a

Today's Workout:
Elypical Machine - 30 minutes
Stabilizer Crunches - 100

My five-day average is "n/a", because quite simply, I haven't recorded 5 days in a row yet. In 3 days, that'll be an actual number, and that'll be my next recording.

As I mentioned before, I will be doing 3 days a week of HARD weightlifting mixed in with some light (10-15 min) of cardio on the Elypical, and the other 3-4 days of the week will be a 1/2 hour on the Elypical Machine and Stabilizer Crunches. Basically, laying on that big red ball and doing crunches that way. Total killer, feels great. I figure, as time goes on, the crunches will get higher and higher, but I don't want to do any more than 30 minutes of cardio on those other days, as everywhere I read it's 20-40, and no higher recommended. Opinions?

So, here's my concern. I'm currently at "Fourth and 89", which means 11 pounds off the scale. The last two days, I've weighed in at 341.5 and 341.0. That means I'm back UP over 340. I can't seem to break this. Granted, I am back on the wagon after having a pitiful holiday week, but it's the 10th, and I can't seem to break the 340 barrier and actually stay there.

I've been reading a few of your other blogs, and you've all broken through this plateau. I can't seem to break it. I'm attributing some of it to lifting weights, but as I mentioned before - right or not - I base my success on the scale. Whatever it says, I'm going to keep fighting, but I can't pretend that it doesn't frustrate the hell out of me.

I've been feeling stronger, and I'm recovering from workouts quicker, so that's all good. And, I know what I'd be saying to you guys if this was YOUR blog. "Results aren't on the scale, they're how you feel". And I'm feeling better.

But, the bottom line is, the number is what it is. I'm obsessed by it. I wake up every morning thinking about the scale. It's not healthy, but I suppose it's better than I waking up and thinking about what I'm going to eat today like I used to do.

Advice for a frustrated fat guy?

A New Approach

I went to the gym this morning, as scheduled, planning to just do cardio today, and guess who I ran into?

Josh the Destroyer.

Long story made short, I talked to him for a few minutes about more quality workouts, when and what I should be doing, and he gave me a fitness log. Basically, I'll be recording my workouts, pretty similar to a few of you, and being much more detailed about it. And because it motivated me, I did a full workout instead of just cardio.

Also, I think I'm going to start taking your "5 day average" approach that some of you are taking. I'm also going to try to weigh in at the same time each day. A few days ago I reported that I was down to 339. I worked out at night, and weighed in somewhere around 8:00pm, if I remember correctly. The last two days, I've worked out in the AM, and have come up with 142 and 141.5, respectively.

I've ate well, but here's a few things I've been thinking. I'm high on carbs, even if it results in low-fat. I've also been working more with weights instead of straight cardio lately, so I'm hoping to attribute the slower moves the past few days to muscle build, which is very noticable in the body. It's not physically showing yet of course, but my body has been strained, in a good way, but I'm thinking that it's affecting the whole 'muscle is heavier than fat' thing.

So, lower carbs for now on. Nothing freakish, and certainly not the Adkins thing. I've done that. Hell, I lost like 60 pounds on that, but the second I walked past a loaf of bread, I gained 70 back.

For now on, a daily weigh in (based on a 5 day average, only change the blog weight once a week), and daily breakdown of workout. Here it is for today:

Weigh In: 341.5

Exercise Weight Reps Sets
10 Minute Cardio - Elypical Machine
Leg Extension, 100 pounds, 15 reps, 2 sets
Leg Curl 100 pounds, 15 reps, 2 sets
Chest Press 100 pounds, 15 reps, 2 sets
Seated Row 130 pounds, 15 reps, 2 sets
Shoulder Press 100 pounds, 15 reps, 2 sets
Tricep Extension 60 pounds, 15 reps, 2 sets
Biceps Curl 80 pounds, 15 reps, 2 sets
Abdominal Crunch 100 pounds, 50 reps, 2 sets (100 total)


PS: I'll start using an excel form or something else later.. I may even edit this, but I'm at work, so you know how that goes.

PPS: I'm REALLY sore today. Feels good.

Class Is In Session

Today was the first day of the semester at Wayne State. For those of you who know, I'm a music major at the school. Two important issues of note today:

1 - Usually, my work/school schedule is so hectic that I don't have TIME for the gym (and when I say that, I mean literally. Usually my schedule is the 8:00am-8:00pm type). But, this semester I was able to clear time for the gym EACH and EVERY SINGLE day. I don't have to be anywhere before 9:30, so I don't have to leave for anywhere (school or work) before 8:30am. VERY nice.

That being said, it means that I need to stay motivated. My wife leaves for work around 6:40, so I have to leave around 7:00-7:30 every morning to get to the gym. But, that's enough time to be reasonable about it, and actually go. Sure, laying on the couch eating breakfast and watching Sportscenter sounds relaxing.. but as Billy said, if it's worth pursuing, you prioritize.

Needless to say, I was in the gym this morning.

2 - This is fun to report. You see that picture of the student desk at the top of this blog? Wayne State uses them. That's right. I pretended to fit into those desks for years. Suck it in, apply pressure, you name it. It didn't feel comfortable, and frankly, it hurt. So, the past year or so, I've always sat in the back of the class, used one desk (the top swings up) to sit in, and pulled a second desk up to use as the actual desk. Embrassing? You bet.

So today, I get to the first day of class at the last minute. It was snowing for the first time this season, and I don't even want to GET into how bad drivers get. So, I want into class right before it starts, and guess what I see?

One desk available. In the front. Crap.

So, I sit down, and I'm literally thinking about how embarassing this is going to be. I haven't been in class since December 22(ish), and here's the big fat bald white guy trying to squeeze 10 pounds of gut into a 5 pound desk.

Fit like a glove.

I was shocked. No pressure, no squeezing. Just slid right in.

You big fellas can appreciate that. It made my day. It was the first time that I've had a tangible example of how this is working, and that's pretty awesome. I've had shirts feel looser, but I've always chalked that up to my imagination. This was hardcore proof.

To the gym tomorrow!

Elevator.. going down!

Short blog, as family is coming to pick us up any time now.

I just thought it'd be fun to report that I just got back from the gym, and am now at 339, another 3 pounds down from the last weigh in.

I'm officially as low as I've been in about 4 years, when I got down to 314, before falling WAY off the wagon and soaring up to my high of 379.

It's a good day, but another small step. I was SO close to breaking the 340 barrier before Christmas, and I finally got there. In order to keep up with my "Under 300 by 30" goal, I need to get to 330 by the end of January. That's 9 pounds in 23 days, or just under 3 pounds a week.

Very attainable. Hard work, here I come!

To The Brink

So, I did what I said I was going to do, but there were a few detours.

Worked all day at the house, and finally, around 7:42pm, I pulled up to the doors at Bally Total Fitness. Of course, it was then that I found out that they closed at 7:00pm. Ain't that a bitch. So, I was determined, so I went to the city community center, paid $8 for a day pass (an hour before they closed, mind you), and did my work out in a new facility that I've never been to.

So, you know when I'm paying EXTRA to work out, I'm getting my money's worth.

Long story made short, I KICKED my own ass. I threw weight around like there was no tomorrow. I focused on the arms and abs (abs is an every day thing for a 342 pounder), and I pushed until I couldn't any more. I maxed out. I did great.

The problem with taking it to the limit is, you get there. For those who know me, I've got a back problem. I attribute it to being a fat ass, but a few years back, I went to tie my shoe and I couldn't get back up for almost 2 months. Depending on the doctor, I pulled a muscle or a I slipped a disk. I went to a few different doctors, all of which gave me a different answer. My solution?

Don't be a fat ass.

Why am I telling you this? During my workout tonight, I felt it come back. Now, almost every day I get a little sore in the lower back, and the pain wraps around the leg to the boys, and it's pretty painful. It's a daily reminder on why losing this weight is so important. But tonight was a scare. I was going to town at the gym.. and I wasn't doing anything stupid. I was being smart about it, lifting right, balancing everything.. it's not like I was overexerting myself. The MAJOR pain almost snuck up on me. The kind that puts you on the shelf for 2 months.

I need to lose this weight. It's about being around for my wife, but days like this, it's about being able to walk. Scary day today.

On another note.. how do you guys workout, for those of you who do it at the gym? I feel like I should have a sheet of paper with a PLANNED workout, but I'd feel like a complete dope with my cheat sheet in front of me, telling me what do, what to lift, and how much to lift. It's probably a question for Josh the Destroyer, but I thought I'd get your opinions on it as well.

And Jim, just got your message at 11:00pm tonight. Didn't think the wife would like it very much if I called now, so I'll get with you hopefully tomorrow. If I forget (yes, I'm that guy), hit me up. I'm guessing you're talking about the Breast Cancer walk?

Nothing New

Nothing real exciting to write about today. Ate well, did some cardio, headed to bed.

I've been wanting to expand my workout, so tomorrow's gym will have a pretty heavy upper body workout. I want to start keeping track of my weight/reps, and see where I go from there. I'm not really sure what's right, so it'll be experiment time tomorrow. Should be fun.

Also.. when you do those real HARD workouts, do you feel sore for days? The muscle "Microfibers" are the part that 'tear', as Josh says, and that's what he says builds the muscle back up. It's Workout 101, I guess. He says that chocolate milk (low fat of course) is a great post-workout snack. I'm going to have to try that.. because I'm STILL feeling the workout with Josh from a few days ago

Sorry about a boring blog.. I'm tired, and not much to report on. More tomorrow!

Looking Up

Was in the gym this morning, and I'm starting to realize that I'm using Josh the Destroyer as a crutch. When I've got my scheduled workouts with him, I feel amazing afterwards. Like I've really accomplished something. But, on the other 6 days of the week, I just do cardio and some weights, and call it a day. I do the grunting and groaning, but I don't feel like I'm doing enough, or doing it right.. something's not jiving.

So, I'm starting to look for good workouts. Things that I can do that really push me. I want to be sore as hell the next day, and really 'feel the burn'. I don't know if I'm just not pushing myself hard enough when I'm in the gym, because I feel like I am.. but something just tells me that I'm not really doing EVERYTHING that I can do.

Back to the gym tomorrow. Anyone have any SPECIFIC workouts that you've found to really work? I mean, like.. the number of sets, the workout itself, the actual physical exercises? I know that Billy and Dave have a few things on their sites on what they do, but I don't know what half of those are.

Btw, ate well today, worked out.. staying on track.

And Steve.. I still have no idea who you are.

Homework for All: Read this

A few of you probably have already read this, but I've been skimming through it (it's long), and it's really, REALLY helpful. I think I found this off of a link of a link of a link of a link (you get the idea) that Billy or Dave had on their page, but it's the first time I've seen it, so it may help anyone else that reads it.

Men's Health Article.

Breaks it down, and breaks down a lot of the myths that I've always known as truths (less eating=more weight loss). I'll be going through it more, and seeing what I can learn.

Just something I thought may be helpful.

The Destroyer Strikes Again

I was back in the gym with Josh the Destroyer this morning.

I am at work now, thanking God that I have a desk job.

He beat the crap out of me today. Since I'm just starting back up, it felt like it was brand new again. He knew that, so like all great Warlords of the past, he found a weakness and exposed it, ultimately destroying it. The result?

I'm down 3 pounds from yesterday, almost 4. I'm not sure how or why, but I'm not going to ask the questions. The bottom line is, after going AWOL for almost two weeks, I'm within a pound of where I was. The moral of the story is.. it's not how often you get knocked down that counts, but how you stand back up. Feeling pretty good today.

So, we were talking about the "Under 300 by 30" campaign. It seems like a lot, but Josh the Destroyer thinks it's reasonable. That's 15 pounds a month, and it's a tall task. But, if I'm being honest with myself, if I even 'come close', that works too. To me, having an 'easy' goal makes no sense. The point in keeping it a long shot is, I challenge myself even harder, and do EVERYTHING that I can. 92 pounds seems so far away.. but 15 by February 1.. I can do this. And if I only get 12-14, that's a good problem to have, too.

So, there's 28 days left in the month. I've dropped 3 in January. I've got 12 more to go.

See you there.

Big Plans need Small Steps

One thing that I've realized is, if I don't have intermediate goals, I'm too far away from the light at the tunnel to know if it's a train or the sun.

Let's just get it out there.

I gained 4 pounds since I weighed in last time. I knew it was coming, and yet it still makes me feel like a complete failure. If there's anything worse than gaining 4 pounds, it's gaining 4 pounds that you worked your ass off to lose in the first place.

But excuse time is over. I talked to Josh the Destroyer today, and we're getting together tomorrow morning at 9am. I was in the gym this morning and busted my tail. I ate stellar, and plan to get back on the horse and ride it home.

But as I said, I need smaller goals.

My main goal is still Fourth and... 95, but I'm turning 30 in three months, and I really.. REALLY want to get under 300 by that time. So, it's math time.

3 months until March 31st.
45 pounds to lose.

Easy math, it's 15 a month. Based on 4 weeks a month, that's just under 4 pounds a week. Give and take the other few days that I'm not accounting for, it's do-able. I am going to be stricter, stronger, and more precise. The one thing that I'm not doing that you've all been doing is being more exact with the workouts, so I'll be reading more Men's Health, getting together with Josh to talk about off-day workouts, and making sure that I do SOMETHING everyday.

So, my new 'mantra' is Under 300 by 30. I'll be keeping much closer track, starting today.

Billy, you were right. Anything worth fighting for is worth prioritizing.

My excuses are gone, and I'm motivated again.

We're still racing to the bottom, I just gave you guys a head start. See you at skinny.