My Physical Odessy

Don't Quit!

2010-01-19T06:20:00.000-08:00

I can't remember how many times I've started and stopped my fitness regimens. At times I start to feel frustrated and even disappointed in myself for not sticking with the changes I've made.

Why can others make these changes a permanent lifestyle while I continue to fall back into old habbits?

Why do I get to a point where real change is beginning to manifest itself only to "reward" myself and ultimately fall off the wagon?

I DON'T KNOW...but I do know this: I keep getting back on the wagon and trying.

I take solice in this. I look at others my age and younger; and see that they have let go, given up the good fight. If I quit, I'm sure I'd be well over 300 lbs and in far worse physical health. I KNOW I would be much less happy, and I know my wife wouldn't be happy about it.

So, here we go again...picking myself up and getting back on the wagon. I have begun a 3 day fruit flush to purge my system, then I'm getting back on the zone diet. I have started back at Crossfit Forever Strong with my trainer, Jason. I am focussing again on my goals and dreams and not giving up!

"Achievement seems to be connected with action. Successful men and women keep moving.They make mistakes, but they don't quit." - Conrad Hilton

I will let the soreness of my muscles remind me of my goals and dreams.

"Don't give up, don't ever give up." - Jim Valvano

STRETCH---Yawn, am I coming to life?

2009-06-04T16:30:00.000-07:00

I don't have much to say yet...but I feel myself coming to life.
My voice had been silenced by stress and fear, making days feel like night.
I can't take solace in knowing I'm not alone in the days that feel like night.
Missery loves company is a phrase I won't condone, so I knuckle down and fight.

I will get back to writing regularly soon.

Self Talk...It's Not Just for Crazy People!

2009-02-23T11:38:00.000-08:00

The greatest problem solvers in the world preach the philosophy of "Self Talk." This is more than just having a positive mental attitude; this is what you actually say to yourself day in and day out. What a man can conceive and believe he can achieve. This is a form of self talk. The following are a few words of self-talk for how to deal with the problem of "Solving Problems."

"I'm good at solving problems. I like challenges and I meet them head on."

"Problems are my teachers. They help me to learn and grow. Without them, I would be going nowhere. With them, I am moving forward in the direction of my own goals."

"There is no problem which I cannot conquer. I am strong in mind, body, and spirit. My will, my strength, and my determination are always greater than any problem I face."

"When I meet a new problem, I do not see the problem as my enemy. I know that finding the solution to the problem will move me forward in my own personal growth."

"Because I know that problems are a key ingredient in my spiritual and mental education and preparation, I recognize that all problems are important to me."

"I do not fear problems, I solve them. I do not ignore problems, I confront them. I do not avoid problems, I conquer them!"

"I know that every problem holds within itself the keys to its own solution. Therefore, the better I understand the problem, the clearer I am able to see its solution."

"Having problems is not a problem for me. I am confident, self-assured, positive and determined. I always know that I am going to overcome any problems I encounter-and I always do."

"I am good at breaking large obstacles down into smaller pieces that are easier to handle. And I never make any problem appear to be larger than it actually is."

"I never worry. I turn "worry time" into positive, constructive, "solution time." I keep my mind alert and open to all solutions and solutions come quickly and easily to me."

"I have learned to recognize that many problems carry with them benefits and potential opportunities which would not have presented themselves had the problem not occurred in the first place."

"I do not seek to live a life which is free from all problems. Instead, I choose to live a life of finding solutions and enjoying the benefits which those solutions create."

"Challenge, conquer, solution, and win are words which I live by daily. "Challenges" are Opportunities. "Conquering them" is the inevitable outcome. "Solutions" are the stepping stones to my success, and "Winning" is my way of life."

I hope that something in these sayings will help you as you navigate the uncertain paths ahead. I know that problems are temporary and depending on how vigilant we are in addressing them often dictates how long we have persistent problems or how quickly we learn from them and move on.

Aren't We All a Little Bit Martian?

2009-02-20T21:16:00.000-08:00

I just finished watching the movie "Martian Child" with John Cusak. I watched this movie with my wife and kids on a Friday night. That's something I haven't done enough and plan on doing more. Anyway...about the movie.

So, if you haven't seen the movie, I am recommending it now. The little boy that acts in it does a very good job, even though his soft high voice can get annoying at times. John Cusak was outstanding, as always, and the pairing of his real life sister as his sister in the movie was inspired. Amanda Peete rounded out the ensemble and provided good balance to the cast.

The movie is about a brilliant orphaned boy who has developed a fantasy world to cope with his losses and abandonment issues. He believes, or rather acts, like he is from Mars. It takes a slightly eccentric Science Fiction writer, John Cusak, to adopt him and provide the child with understanding and love he needed to overcome the fantasy world and rejoin we humans in our reality. The idea was that deep down, we all have a little Martian in us...we're all just trying to cope in our own ways.

As I thought about that, I realized that I certainly have a little Martian in me. I do things in my life as a coping mechanism...I act like a Martian sometimes to deal with my own issues. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think everyone does this to some degree. You know what? That is OK!

I think that the Martian in each of us is what makes us unique. The little Martian is what makes life interesting. Can you imagine if everyone acted the same...how boring. It's the little things, the goofy things or the poignant things that we do that make us special and provide texture and color to our lives.

The next thought was that the next time I see my kids acting a little peculiar, or marching to their own drum, I'm going to recognize their little Martian and smile, because I know that deep down inside, we are all a little bit Martian.

Blah, blah, blah!

2009-01-17T13:13:00.000-08:00

Down in the dumps, depressed, in a funk, a malaise, the BLAHS! Call it what you want, it still means the same thing. At various times in our lives we feel out of sorts, a little out of step and that can be very frustrating or down right depressing.

I'm not a psychologist; I have no idea why these emotions come or how to make them go. I have my ideas about my own feelings and why I have them or don't, but I wouldn't try and figure that out for others. Now that we have my credentials straightened out, on with the blah, blah, blah.

I am normally a very UP person who can see positives when others see negatives. I am not unrealistic and wear rose colored glasses, but I like to take a more positive aproach to things. That attitude and general personality was assaulted throughout the year by the challenges we are all facing. I had a serious blow to my attitude when my largest sales win, Fender guitars, pulled the plug on a program we were awarded. This program was valued at $14,000,000 in 2010. (Big comissions) Back in November, on a Friday, we had a meeting and it was full steam ahead, and the following Monday it was, "This program has been killed due to the economy." Boom, our growth, gone. Boom, financial reward, gone. Boom, looming corporate layoffs because of lower than forecasted sales. It was a huge blow to many of us. I had worked on this deal for years and the company had invested tens of thousands into the project. This was money that we will never see a return on, and in this place in time, WE NEED THAT MONEY. These are VERY trying times. Daily I have customers asking for price concessions, orders diminishing, costs increasing and competition more hungry than ever. Between the daily stresses and the crushing blow of big losses, my attitude crumbled and I caught a serious case of the BLAH's!

Although I was not in a deep state of depression, I certainly was far from positive and up beat. I put on the happy face when I had too. I acted the part in front of clients and coworkers, but deep down I could have cared less what they did or what they said. I was becoming numb. I didn't have the drive to get up early and be on top of my day. I didn't care if I was ready for a conference call; because I thought they were all stupid and worthless anyway. I found myself being rude to people who didn't deserve it. I was snappy and short with my employees when they didn't do what I had asked, or did it wrong. I was REALLY BEING AN ASSHOLE!

Last week seemed to be a culmination of emotions for me. Between home and work everything formed to create a perfect storm. For a couple of days you could have cut the tension in the home with a knife. That does not happen in our home very often...almost never. I could only see frustration, irritation, disappointment and every other negative part of life. I was really digressing fast and didn't even realize it. It wasn't until I snapped at Sue at work that I realized I was the problem and my attitude needed a serious adjustment. I was embarrassed that I barked at her. I called her up at the end of the day and apologized for being rude and barking at her. I explained that I had let everything get the best of me and that I was not going to let that happen again. She forgave me and laughed. She thanked me for apologizing and told me that she understood. I immediately started to feel better. That simple act of making a negative situation right by apologizing started the break out of my malaise. I could feel the heaviness lifting and lightness coming in.

I got up early again, for the first time in a week, and went to the gym. I was there before Dixie that day. I ran fast and felt good. (Fast is a relative term here. For me that meant 1 mile in 8.24 minutes.) I ran two in my requisite 20 minutes then went to lift weights. Dixie and I pumped some iron for a bit before I had to go. Instead of feeling BLAH blah blah; I only felt blah. It was happening; little by little the funk was leaving and I was seeing the positives around me.

I am beginning to think that EVERY DAY is going to bring an assault on my cheery disposition. I saw that interest rates are now at 5% for 30 fixed. I decided it was time that I looked into refinancing my house. I was pretty sure I new my value as I've calculated it based on the percentage drops that they have reported. When I called the bank they told me that their value they showed in their computer was $80K less than what I was expecting. I was floored. I'm not upside down, but I am WAYYYYY off from the equity we had. I have to admit, I was sick to my stomach and could feel the blahs coming back. However, I had experienced enough positives to fight off the blahs, and get rid of the last blah and realize that we are STILL better off than many and for that we are richly blessed. We have jobs and a business that we will continue to develop. We WILL be the masters of our future.

It's amazing how my mind opens up to me when I live with a positive attitude. When I was in my malaise I could not think of anything creative. I had no ideas on how to grow my company or increase sales. I DIDN'T really CARE. But now, Jody and I find ourselves talking about our goals and our marketing ideas and how we're going to grow our company together. These are GOOD ideas and they are flowing. I'm enthused about the challenges ahead of us because they will help us appreciate the success that lies ahead too.

The Next Generation

2009-01-09T14:50:00.000-08:00

After a week of working and traveling the Pacific Northwest I was thrilled to get home last night. It was a little after 9pm that I finally got home and hugged my kids. Maya ran to me and jumped into my arms. She's just the right size to be able to wrap her legs and arms around me and rest her head on my shoulder. Conner yelled up to me from where he laid and expected me to lean down to welcome ME home with a hug. Both of those welcome home's were typical of each kid. The welcome that surprised me the most was Quinn's. He welcomed me by saying, "hey, remember to wake me up in the morning; I'm going to the gym with you." I was shocked.

I thought about Quinn's request to join me in the gym and couldn't help but smile. Sure, I was pleased at the thought that he ASSUMED I would be going to the gym in the morning, even after coming home from a week long trip, but that wasn't the most pleasing part. I was pleased to see Quinn take a little initiative and decide that HE wanted to get into the gym and do some work.

So, this morning, at 5:50am I woke Quinn up and both of us bleary eyed stumbled out to the truck to go work out. When we got there we saw Dixie running full tilt on the tread mill. (I had originally planned on swimming, but Quinn didn't want to do that.) So, we joined Dixie and ran beside her briefly. Our plan was to get a nice sweat going then lift weights. However, when I put the dumbbells in Quinn's hand, he grimaced and complained about his wrist still hurting. About a week ago he fell snowboarding and sprained his right wrist. With a sprained wrist you can't lift weights. So, we regrouped, and jumped on the stationary bikes. When it was all said and done we had a good work out. I had a pile of sweat below me, and Quinn looked like he was cool and calm. I saw him work out, and he was keeping a good pace, but he didn't sweat. Weird because he certainly stunk!

Anyway, I'm hoping that he'll stick with it and I'll have a new gym partner. It's fun watching him grow up and discover new things in life. Today it was the gym...tomorrow; who knows? I'm just glad that I get to be his Dad and be here to watch his world open up.

So Much to be Thankful for.

2008-12-29T19:43:00.001-08:00

I know it's been a little while since I last wrote. I promise, I have not given up on my journey, although I may have gotten a little off track. With the Holidays and a VERY stressful last month of work that was very full of travel, I got lax with my blog. The other reason for the lack of writing was what those of us in the business call, "Writers Block." I couldn't think of anything that I wanted or had to say. (I know that is hard for anyone to believe, but yes, sometimes I just don't have anything to say.) I assure you, I will be back on top of my blog and continue forward on my odessy.

At this point I wanted to put more focus on the end of the year and the blessings I am thankful for. With so much turmoil throughout the world, this year was very difficult for many. I have definitely been affected, but after great reflection I know that the blessings in my life far outweigh the tough times.

I'm thankful for my family. They bring so much joy and frustration into my life. I know that it sounds weird to be thankful for the frustrations they bring, but I honestly am. It helps put things into perspective.

I'm thankful that I'm working, no matter how tiresome and difficult it can get. I have had the displeasure of laying people off this year and it hurt me each time. I can't help but have mixed emotions with regards to work...but at the end of the day, I'm working and able to take care of my family.

I'm thankful for a strong mind. I realize that to many I have a cracked mind, but I know that I have a good mind that is able to think and learn. I am so grateful for the ability and desire to read and learn, and then work to apply my learning's to my life.

I'm thankful for my wonderful wife. Yes, technically she is part of my family, but she warrants a paragraph all to her. Jody means the world to me and I would be so lost without her. She's not perfect, but she's not far off. I pinch myself at times when I sit and watch her do her thing. :)

I'm thankful for parents that LOVE me and continue to teach me. My Dad is great at subtle teaching. He has his way of constantly pelting you with e-mails, articles and the occasional discussion. Mom and Dad never butt in, but they are always there with wise council whenever asked.

I'm thankful for my physical health. Although I'm a far cry from the svelte figure I aspire too, I recognize that I am in relative good health. I walk and run and swim, which is more than many of our less fortunate brothers and sisters are able to do. It's so easy to take this for granted...but I'm trying really hard not too.

Lastly, I'm thankful for good friends. Life is a challenge and sometimes, even with family and coworkers, it can get lonely. It's nice to have others that think you are pretty neat and like to be around you. Knowing that others care and love you sure makes those tough times a little more bearable.

My list could be so much longer. I'm sure I could fill volumes with those things I'm thankful for. In misfortune we can find fortune. Through tough time, we can learn toughness. I am an optimist at heart and believe that the glass is half full, and the clouds have silver linings. It's not always easy to see them or remember the things we are thankful for...but they're there, and there is SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR.

Putting it ALL Together

2008-12-03T05:28:00.000-08:00

We did it! Porter and I finished our first triathlon, and Dixie finished second in her age class in her second triathlon. These were big accomplishments for all of us. HOWEVER, this is really just the beginning.

As I was reflecting on my sense of accomplishment I quickly realized that I had only completed a portion of my goals. I really hadn't put it ALL together as I hoped and expected.

When I started this Odyssey I planned to become physically fit. I have made great strides to achieving this goal, but I haven't made as much progress as I should have. When I started getting serious about training for the triathlon I increased my workouts and saw immediate results. However, I didn't continue to follow a diet like I should have. I allowed myself to get lulled into a false sense of comfort that I was doing what I should to reach my goal. I saw some incremental success and let go of my diet.

So, as we move forward toward the next triathlon I have recommitted myself to my diet AND workouts. I KNOW that together I will see the results I'm looking for and in the process help my goal of reducing my race time by 10 minutes in the next race.

My weight goal remains the same...200 lbs. by the time we do our triathlon in March. I will follow a lower carb (not a no carb,) diet and reduce my total caloric intake. I will continue to work out 5-6 days per week and increase my swim work outs each week. I am going to focus on Putting it ALL Together and realize my goals.

Another Step On the Path.

2008-11-28T05:30:00.000-08:00

When I began this blog my goal was to hold myself accountable by reporting my progress to whoever wanted to read this blog. I didn't have too many goals beyond getting in shape. Then about 6-7 weeks ago my younger sister Dixie threw out the idea of doing a Thanksgiving morning triathlon. As crazy as I thought she was, I accepted the invitation and began training for it 6 weeks ago.

When I started the training I struggled to run a mile, I hadn't ridden a road bike in 15 years and had not swam a laps in a pool since Moses parted the red sea. I remember my first morning of swimming laps. I looked at the pool and thought, hmm, 16 laps, no problem. (2 laps later I was gulping for air like a fish out of water...BIG problem.) But something happened along the way. I got committed to doing this triathlon. I trained as often as possible with Dixie because she has a way of driving me on the bike and run. When I was on the road I made sure to run and bike and where possible, swim. I saw progress being made and that encouraged me to try a little harder.

No, before I go into the pictures let me be clear...I have a LONG way to go before I'm at a level of fitness that I want. This was a step on that path. To me it was a big step, but just a step nonetheless.

Me, Dixie, and Porter. (Sister and Brother.) We did this together and spurred each other on. It was great!

Me during the transition from the run to the cycle. I have been told I lack technique and should have sat down. Live and learn.

Me at the finish line after the swim! I was totally spent.

The competitors after our finishes. Dixie beat us by about 11 minutes. I finished about 2-3 minutes before Porter.

My family. My rocks and support. They cheered me on throughout the training and the race. It was so good to have them there and see their smiling faces as I completed each leg of the race.

I didn't put in all of the pictures, like me swimming the backstroke at times to keep afloat and breathing. I left out the picture of me puking after the finish. I thought most could assume those things and didn't need the visual.

This triathlon was a great experience for me. It gave me a focus for my training, brought me closer to my sister and it has helped me along my journey toward real physical fitness. I was reserving any future Triathlon goals until after I finished my first race. Now that I have done one, I KNOW I'm going to do more. My goal now is to do two more sprints (Tempe and Rocky Point,) and eventually an Olympic Triathlon. Each of these are another step on the path toward my ultimate goal of peak physical fitness.

No Road Blocks

2008-11-19T11:41:00.000-08:00

Historically working out on the road has been a real challenge for me. Between late meetings, dinners out with clients, no wife to push you out of the comfy bed early in the morning, working out on the road is hard to do.

As I've been working on my fitness this time around I committed to myself that I would work out on the road. I wasn't going to allow traveling to be an excuse for not doing what I know I need too. Initially it was still really hard. I hadn't realized my motivation. This time was different.

I got to Chicago Sunday night. By the time I was in my hotel it was 8pm and it was dark and cold. I had planned on swimming laps, but after careful consideration I decided it would be bette for me to contemplate my navel while watching Sunday night football. I discovered I'd have a betweeny if there wasn't so much of me to love. It was probably for the best anyway. It was Sunday, the day to rest.

Monday morning I got up at 5:30am and headed down to swim laps. I had the entire pool and work out area to myself the whole time. The pool at the Holliday Inn was great. It was 20 yards long, which made it easy to figure out how many laps I needed to swim. I actually lost count of the laps I swam because I changed my focus to swimming for 20 minutes. I alternated between freestyle and back stroke to keep going. I stopped a few times, but nothing like I used too. By the time I finished my head was spinning and my hamstrings, lower back and shoulders were not happy with me. They all made their displeasure very clear. GREAT work out.

As the day wore on I kept thinking that we don't have much time before this race, and I'm still not comfortable with my preparedness. I decided that as soon as we finished our meetings I would get another work out in before our dinner. I did it. I was the first to the hotel and within a few minutes had changed and headed down to the gym. I got 2 miles in before I had to go shower for our dinner. I felt great. (My shins hurt a bit, but not so bad that it concerned me.)

On Tuesday morning I figured that I should finish the trifecta and get my cycling in while on the road. So, I rode the excercise bike for 30 minutes. I have no idea how far I went, or how fast I was going because the display was broken. I do know that I kept a pretty fast cadence for the entire 30 minutes and left a puddle of sweat behind that resembled Lake Michigan. I felt great about that work out too.

As I walked the corridors of O'Hare airport yesterday evening I was reminded of my work outs. I felt the tightness in my hamstrings and lower back and thought about the swim, and my calves and shins reminded me of my run the evening before. I noticed that my stomach felt a little firmer and my pants fit a bit looser. Even though no one stopped me and asked for my autograph because I was confused with a super model, I felt pretty darn good. My hard work was paying off. I was able to overcome the Road Block Blues and get three solid work outs in. I was seeing the difference and that was what mattered. At the end of the day this whole journey is about me triumphing over the old lazy weaker minded me.

28 miles down and the world to go!

2008-11-16T08:21:00.000-08:00

Yesterday at 6:45am Dixie knocked on my door. She was there so we could take our first "LONG" ride together in preperation for our upcoming triathlon race. We have both been riding in the gym together, but it's not really indicative of how riding outside is. So, we had to get outside and get used to real world environments.

I have to admit that I woke up at 6:30am to get ready before Dixie got there. I got my lovely blue bike shorts on, and promptly covered them up with another pair of shorts. I made sure my new helmet fit me properly and filled my water bottle. I was getting geared up for the ride, but deep inside I was a bit nervous because it has been over 15 years since I've riden a bike more than 15 miles at a single time. I didn't want to fall short of finishing the ride when I knew Dixie would never quit till she was finished.

So, with cleats on my feet and bike ready, Dixie and I headed off on our ride. We began at Harris Road and McKellips and road east on McKellips to Lindsay. At Lindsay we went North to McDowell then continued East on McDowell out to Las Sendas. I didn't notice the wind when we started, but by the time we were on McDowell I could feel the gusts of wind pushing back on me as we rode head long into it. The wind was noticeable, but as long as we were on the flat straights, it wasn't horrible. Dixie and I kept a solid pace and shared time leading until we got to Power Road and McDowell. We had to stop at the light which took all of our momentum. If you are not aware, at Power and McDowell it becomes a more noticeable hill that continues to grow as you go through Las Sendas. It was amazing how quickly Dixie took off, and how mired down I got when we went up the hill. I could not keep up and by the time I got to the turn off to Las Sendas I thought my legs were going to fall off. The muscles were screaming at me to stop and my lungs cried for air. Fortunately for me Dixie was so far ahead of me that she missed the turn off to Las Sendas. I waited at the light until Dixie realized that I was far back waiting for her to come back. Even with that rest I couldn't keep up with her when it came to climbing hills. I told her that it was easier for her because she's smaller...I'm like a Sail billowing in the wind, not to mention that I'm having to propel twice as much mass up those darn hills. (reality or not, the theories made me feel better.) It was one thing having Dixie get ahead of my on hills, but it was quite another to have old men pass me like I was standing still. As one man, obviously well into his 60's, passed me he said, "You know it's togh to climb hills, but it's hell when you have to climb hills with hard wind in your face." That was great...I had another excuse why I sucked at cycling.

So, with no Dixie in my sights I continued to churn my legs as fast as I could to get to the precipice of this hill Las Sendas is built on. When I crested the main point I looked out over Mesa and rememberd that the entire ride from Lindsay through Las Sendas is up hill, albeit a slight grade, but uphill nonetheless. In that brief moment of realiztion I felt a sense of accomplishment and excitement. I had ridden into the face of a stiff wind, uphill, and I was still riding and hadn't thrown up any lungs. That was the accomplishment part. The excitement came when I remembered that what goes up must come down and in this case it was ME. I put my bike into the lowest gear and began cranking as hard as I could. I started picking up speed and before long I was blowing past Dixie. (Mass is an interesting thing. When we climbed hills Dixie's lack of mass enabled her to climb faster and easier...when we were going down hill, my MASS gave me more speed.)

We flew down the hills of Las Sendas and back out to Power Road for our return. The entire ride home felt so much easier as the wind was too our backs and the grade of the road was now in our favor. We passed other cyclists who promptly scolded Dixie for not having a helmet. (I was pleased that it was not me that got chided...as it usually is.) We saw runners and cyclsits a plenty. I felt like part of the club. Just months ago I looked at these same people with a sense of disbelief and wonder as they rode up and down hills for mile after mile. Now I was one of them, and their reasons for riding those long miles and hard trails became very clear. As I finished my ride with my little sister I felt great. Yes, my butt hurt a little, but the overriding feelings of completion and growing fitness level were so much more powerful.

I want to thank Dixie for her continued prodding. It has been great training with her, and I look forward to many more years of training with her.

Biking, FOR REAL!

2008-11-12T15:54:00.000-08:00

Last night I picked up my bike that I'm using in the triathlon. Thankfully I live in a biking rich neighborhood. I'm not kidding, we counted 8-10 SERIOUS bikers in my neighborhood. They all belong to a biking club and ride 5 days a week, culminating on Saturday with a 60-80 mile ride. These people are SERIOUS.

This group has been trying to get me to come ride with them for years. They saw the fat out of shape blob I had become and knew that biking would be a great way to get me into shape. They are also a good group of people who are genuinely friendly.

When I began talking about training for a triathlon many of my biker friends asked me what I was going to be riding. I told them I didn't know as I didn't have a bike now, and couldn't see spending $1500-$3000 on a bike if I wasn't going to continue with the cycling. Without having to ask, I had three people offer to let me use their EXTRA bike. Fortunately for me all of the bikes were good, but only one fit me, so it made the choosing easy.

I picked up my bike last night, but still had to get pedals, cleat shoes and helmet. I got everything but the helmet taken care of last night. The bike is an Italian road bike called a Bianchi. It is a combination Chromoly/carbon fiber bike. It rides like a dream.

I was anxious to actually get out on the bike and see how different riding in the wild was compared to riding a stationary bike in the gym. So, today I decided to ride to the gym for a duel work out. I rode 5 miles to the gym, swam my laps, then rode home. Although I did feel a difference on the road, it wasn't significant and I felt strong in my cycling. I know that I could not keep up with my SERIOUS cycle buddies, but for my level of fitness I am doing pretty well.

I have decided to continue with the cycling even after the triathlon. I am going to join in with this group and see how far I can take it. I have incentive...three of my neighbors that joined this group have each lost an average of 30 lbs. They look great, and you can see that they feel great. I don't have any false aspirations of becoming Lance Armstrong, but I do believe I can get in great shape and have fun doing it.

Just a Quick Note

2008-11-08T07:12:00.000-08:00

So, naturally injury and illness affect world class athletes as well as out of shape ametures like me. I'm wondering what they do to keep from getting derailed like have for the past week?

I have had a head cold and sore back for the past week. (Back for nearly two weeks.) In addition I have been traveling most of the week. As a result I have not done well with my work outs this week.

I am going to hit it hard starting today and keep it going till the triathlon. My back is finally starting to feel better. As for the head cold, it continues to linger. I'll just have to deal with it I guess.

That's it for now.

My Progress Report

2008-10-30T19:17:00.000-07:00

I have made progress, whether you can tell or not. When I started on my trek I weighed a whopping 254 pounds. As of this morning, I was exactly 240. Yes ladies and gentlemen, look at those pictures closer and you will see 14 pounds less of me in the black skivvies.

I give the majority of the credit to my work outs because I have not been holding to a strict diet. I have cut back on what I eat, and I eat WAY less junk food; but I could benefit from holding to a stricter diet. That is my next step in this process.

Triathlon update: I think between now and the race I'll get strong enough in the swim to be able to complete it. It won't be pretty, but I will finish the entire race. Yesterday I was able to swim 24 laps. That was 8 more than any other day. Tomorrow morning I'm actually going to swim in the dark. I'm kind of intimidated by the thought of swimming in the dark. People that swim in the dark are SERIOUS about their swimming, and I'm not those people. But Dixie has been doing it and I can't let her have all the fun.

So, ba dee, ba dee, ba dee, That's All Folks!

Panick Sets In!

2008-10-25T16:18:00.000-07:00

After a few weeks of running and cycling I was starting to feel pretty good about my odds of finishing my first triathlon. Not only did I think I'd finish it, I was beginning to have illusions of gandeur and thought I might finish close to Dixie.

HA! I laugh in my own face. Today was a day of reckoning and a serious WAKE UP call!

I finally broke down and bought some new swimming goggles. I went to the YMCA this morning and dedicated myself to the swim portion of the triathlon. HOLY CRAP! I suck. Let me say that the swim portion of our triathlon is only 400 meters. That is 16 laps in a competition pool. Also I should point out that my new goggles were lovely and didn't leak at all. Now, on with the story.

When I got into the pool I noticed two "heavier" girls swimming laps. They kept a steady pace and seemed to be on a chain as they went back and forth in their lane. I figured that if they could do it, so could I, NO PROBLEM. Ha, I laugh in my face again. My goal was to swim 16 laps, and maybe more if I was feeling good. I finished 4 laps before I had to stop and gulp as much air as I could to keep my brain from shutting off due to a lack of oxygen. 4 laps, are you kidding me? I did this three more times before I called it quits for the day. So, technically I finished 400 meters, but there were frequent and lengthy waits inbetween sets. This is no way to complete a triathlon.

Even though today was a RUDE awakening, it showed me that I still have a LONG way to go before I'm really ready for this triathlon. It also showed me where to put my focus for the next month. I will try and get my swim in EVERY morning and then do an alternating run and bike in the evenings. I refuse to be that guy that stands in the corner catching his breath, or gets scooped up off the bottom of the pool when everyone else is finished with the race. I have one month to get my lungs and muscles in decent enough shape to finish this "SPRINT" triathlon strongly.

Progress

2008-10-22T10:35:00.000-07:00

Sometimes progress seems slow and unnoticed. But then there are times where progress is rapid and shows itself very clearly.

I was looking through some pictures of my last trip to China and Hong Kong. I was heavier then as you can see by the picture above. Since working out and focusing on my diet I have made progress. I had to give us Sumo Wrestling because I just didn't have the weight to push around anymore. Instead I've replaced it with training for a triathlon with my little sister Dixie.

Today she publicly stated that she is going to kick my trash in the race. (Probably right, but we aren't going to let her believe that.) We have always been a competitive family. No matter what the situation we always seem to compete. To me that is great! Even though Dixie is in better shape than me, I will do everything I can to beat her in this triathlon. I am confident that my cycling is stronger than hers, but her run and swim are WAY better than mine. So, I may have to run her into a few parked cars early in the race, and flatten her tires to make this competitive.

At the end of the day, all of this competition and trash talk is fun because it keeps me focused on my goal of true physical and mental health. I appreciate Dixie's motivation she provides and look forward to completing my first triathlon with her.

I Live

2008-10-21T12:38:00.000-07:00

So it's been a while since I've written. That's what happens when you are traveling all the time and working 15 hour days. Somethings got to give...and this was it. However, I am pleased to say that I have continued to work out nearly daily.

I worked out yesterday inspite of a very sore back. It kept me up much of the night. When I woke up I didn't think I could do much of a work out, but figured I could at least ride the bike. So, I went to the gym. I saw Dixie running her guts out and promptly gave her the bird because she could run and I couldn't. After stretching for a second less than an etirnity I mosied over to the bikes.

I rode 13 miles. It sucked. Dixie came by and wished me well and then she was off. Admittedly, the ride itself was not horrible. I need to pick up my pace a bit, but 13 miles didn't kill me. It wasn't until I was trying to get off the bike that the real problem came to light. My back had been stuck in that bent over position for 44 minutes and with the preceding soreness, it didn't want to let me stand up. I kid you not, it took me over a minute to ease up into a standing position.

Needless to say, I didn't go to the gym this morning. In lieu of that I stretched my back a number of times today. It is starting to loosen up and feel a little better, but I am not going to push it just yet. Tommorrow may be another long bike ride.

I'm hoping to start the swimming by Thursday. That is far and away my most weak portion and most intimidating portion. Fortunately it's in a pool, so they can fish me out after I drown.

Renewal

2008-10-13T07:21:00.001-07:00

After 2.5 weeks of dedicated effort and careful dieting I slipped. I had about 4 days where I just didn't eat well and I worked out little or none. It's amazing how quickly things can slip if you are not careful. I got a bit complacent and poof, I was on the lazy train to no where.

So, I took this new day and grabbed it by the horns and decided to have a Renewal of my plans, goals and journey. I hadn't slipped too far, but it was enough. I struggled to get out of bed this morning, but I did it. It was hard to run 2.5 miles, but knowing that Dixie was doing it gave me the extra push I needed. And, the biggest motivator is knowing that I already paid for the triathlon in late November.

Renewal has begun and the path is clear.

They Come in Threes; So Am I Good?

2008-10-12T07:53:00.000-07:00

They say bad things or disasters come in clusters of three. I remember hearing that when I was a kid and three airplanes had crashed in a 1-2 month period. I remember hearing that when tornado's hit towns in OK one right after another till three successive tornadoes had torn apart the region. I was reminded about that again last night by Jody.

Driving home from a dinner party at our friends in Carefree, AZ we had a blow out. We were heading South on the 51, in the far inside lane, when I felt and heard the thud thud thud of a flat tire. By the time I pissed of 3 drivers by cutting in front of them to get off the freeway my tire had shredded and pulled away from the rim. I could hear the grinding of the metal hitting asphalt and it made me cringe to think of the damage it was doing to my rims.

I didn't even have to look at the tire to know it was toast. I immediately went for the high quality jack that was sold with the truck. I got the jack placed under the truck after a bit of work and began jacking up the truck to get the darn tire fixed. While trying to jack up the truck Jody reminded me that bad things happen in series of three. Over the past 2 months we have had 3 tires blow between her Jeep and my truck. That is three more blown or flat tires than either of us had in the preceding 10 years. It must be so; bad things happen in threes.

So, to wrap this saga up I'll tell you the rest of the story. (I'm sorry, I don't have Andy Rooney's ability to story tell as well.) The lovely, "Strong" jack that came with my F-150 truck broke. We could not get it to jack up the truck, thereby rendering us useless and stuck on the side of the freeway. We debated calling AAA until we realized that we don't have the service. We debated calling a tow truck, but the idea of spending $150 to have some dude named Claude come do $5 worth of work wasn't sitting well with me. So, we called some other friends that live close and asked if they had a decent jack. Providence smiled down upon us as they not only had a jack, but offered to come rescue our sorry butts.

After a brief, but lovely wait on the side of the freeway our friends showed up, jacked up our truck and helped us change the tire. Firstly, we're grateful for friends that would come save us at 10:30pm, and second we're grateful for working jacks.

So, what did I learn from this ordeal. 1. Buy AAA, it's worth it even if you only use it once in 5 years. 2. Don't put off getting new tires when you see your tires wearing out. 3. After the second bad thing happens get ready...they come in threes.

It's ON!

2008-10-09T11:39:00.001-07:00

The triathlon is on. I am going to do it. I have not figured out how I'm going to do it, but I'm doing it.

This morning when I went to the gym I figured I'd have some mental solitude amongst a crowd of people. I get that way when I am listening to my Ipod and working out. That wasn't to be the case.

I had just finished stretching when I saw this tight bodied lady stretching on the treadmill. Fortunately I recognized who it was before I let my mind wander. I walked over and got onto the treadmill beside Dixie and got her attention. It was just what I needed to get enthused about doing this triathlon.

We ran together (2 miles) until I couldn't stand the fun any longer. Dixie continued another 1.5 miles after I quit her. I went over and did my best Arnold Schwarzenegger impersonation and pumped up my arms and shoulders. I worked in sit ups and leg lifts for a solid work out. When I was finished it looked like I had swam a mile, while Dixie looked fresh and at ease. It's not fair.

When I came home I told Jody about the chance meeting and work out with Dixie. I told her that I felt pretty confident on the bike part of the triathlon, but the swim and run part have me nervous. I told her my goal was to keep up with Dixie for the 2 mile run because I think I can hang with her on the bike, but KNOW that even if I was a mile ahead of her after those two legs, I'd still loose because she is a mermaid. Funny thing is, I don't know who I'm kidding thinking that I'll be able to keep up with Dixie for more than 100 yards. She'll probably be putting her bike away when I'm finishing the run.

So, Day one of the triathlon training has been completed and my feet hurt.

The Gauntlet Has Been Thrown Down!

2008-10-06T14:49:00.001-07:00

Dixie did it. She threw down the gauntlet and called me out. The challenge? A triathalong for Thanksgiving. I'm trying to think of every reason I can't accept her challenge, but in the back of my mind I hear a crazy man saying, "Sure, it'd be good to have something like that to push me." SHUT UP!

Although I have not figured out how I'm going to do this triathalon, I am going to accept Dixie's challenge and begin working for that goal. I'm hoping it's one of those Mini mini triathalon's. You know the kind: 50 yard dash swim, 1 mile bike and .25 mile run. I may be able to finish that one in a few hours.

I have some other challenges to completing in this event.

1. I don't have any goggles for swimming. I can't swim without goggles. Also the goggles need to work with my contacts.

2. I don't have a bike. OK, I have a bike, but it is in serious need of euthanasia. It does a much better job as a spider web holder than it ever did as a bicycle.

3. I don't look good in speedos and biking shoes, individually or as a combination. Although, it may not be a bad strategy now that I think about it. I can get a good head start on the bike because the rest of the contestants will be on the floor laughing.

As you can see I have lots of serious obstacles to overcome to actually compete in this event, but I am going to try. Wish me luck; I'll need it. Also, have a defibrilator close by.

Good Times

2008-10-05T07:27:00.000-07:00

Last night marked the end of 2008 Phoenix Runway. Jody had been the face of this charitable event over the past 5 months or so. The event was a series of runway shows showcasing local and some national designers, boutiques and even some novelty dog fashions. (Jody didn't model the dog fashions.) Jody was in both nights shows modeling dresses from Randall Design, a local designer that created the dreses worn in "Dancing With the Stars."

On the first night Jody walked the runway durring the "Celebrity" portion of the runway show. Before she came out they introduced a number of local celebrities, like radio show hosts, Tim Perry from Channel 3 News, some local singers, etc. Each one was introduced with what they do they makes them a celebrity. I was curious to hear what they were going to say about Jody. When it was her turn they introduced her, "And 'Model,' Jody Shumway, representing Randall Design." It was simple, but the impression was set that she was a celebrity model. I failed to point out that the first part of the runway show featured young children, most of whom stayed to watch the remainder of the runway show. When the entire show was over for the night and everyone was getting ready to leave, Jody was mobbed by most of these yound kids to get her autograph. It was so cute to see these young 8-13 year old girls asking for Jody's autograph. They saw in her what each of them wanted to become. True to form, Jody was sweet and gladly signed an autograph for anyone that was asking.

Day two was more of a traditional runway show featuring fashion designers and their works. These fashions ranged from Urban Chic to period piece costumes. Some were absolutely stunning while others were...less than stunning. The same could be said about the models. Jody again modeled dresses for Randall Designs. The first dress she wore was a bubble gum pink waltzing gown with the bottom hemmed with "boa" feathers. They were flying all over the place durring her walk. I have to admit I was not a fan of that dress. However, her second dress was a white and black number that really showed off Jody's figure and had some unique feather treatments along the collar. Jody did a great job working the runway and it was clear she was having fun.

Although Jody is still an unsigned model, she had a LOT of fun being part of this event. It has opened some opportunities for her to do more local modeling. She's been asked to model one designers clothes on Channel 3's morning show in the upcoming weeks as well as his upcoming print add. Who know's where it will lead...as long as Jody is having fun we don't care.

Being with Jody in this fashion environment was another good spur to keep on the path to physical fitness. Who wants to be the fat guy with the sexy model? Not me.

A Cure for Stress

2008-10-03T06:40:00.000-07:00

During these trying times the stress level is at an all time high for many of us. I know it has been for me. Between the economy being in the crapper, political strife throughout most of the world and monies drying up, it's easy to understand why people are at peak stress these days.

Due to some late evening e-mails I received; last night was a very stressful and fitful sleep. I kept thinking about how I could influence these situations to help turn them around and get things back on track. I worked through one scenario after another and no matter what I came up with I never felt comfortable that it was the right thing for the situations at hand. The nervous energy has been coursing through my veins all night and when I woke I could feel that I was on edge. I'm sure this describes most people I know these days.

To combat these negative emotions I am turning to the treadmill and weights. This energy is crying to be used. I can burn it spinning my wheels trying to solve problems I have no control over, or I can apply it where I'll get physical benefit...my work out.

Who knows, if things continue like they are and I have to keep fueling my work outs with negetive energy, or nervous energy I should end up looking svelt and in great shape. I sure have enough of that energy to go around these days.

Today is back to the gym hitting the lower body weights and riding the stationary bike. YeeHa!

Sometimes Traveling for Work SUCKS!

2008-10-01T20:09:00.000-07:00

I just got home from a 2 day trip to the Bay Area. The weather was beautiful, and I got to spend time in Santa Cruz, which I had never done before. But that is where the good times end and the sucky part begins.

When I travel for work it is anything but a picnic. I pack in as many meetings as time will allow so that I maximize my time away. We usually start at 7am and have meetings with clients or prospective clients till 5 and then I have dinner with my reps...which really is another way of saying, MORE MEETINGS! By the time the day is finished it's nearly 9pm and I'm tired.

Having a day that filled certainly makes the time go by fast; which is one of the reasons I pack my days so full. But there is a real downside to days like I outlined. Because we start so early I don't have time to get a good work out in early, and by the time I get home I'm too tired to get a good work out in later. So what usually happens is I do some token push ups and situps and give up. I did better than that on this trip, but only slightly better.

It helps that I'm comitted to this journey; I was able to push my self a bit harder than normal. I did my obligatory push ups and sit ups (enough to break a sweat and have a sore stomach,) and then I ran the stairs outside my hotel room. After the second time up I thought that they had lenthened the rise of the stairs. They seemed so much longer and taller than I remembered them the first time. I thought I'd never reach the top again. I ended up doing 5 sets of the stairs and decided that I'd had enough of that fun, and went back to my room.

I sat on my bed contemplating my navel and thought how much easier it was to get my work outs in when I'm at home and how much more I disliked working out while traveling. My whole routine gets screwed up when I travel. As I sat there complaining to myself about how much it sucked, I kept thinking..."But you travel for a living." That certainly creates a conundrum. I had two choices...1. stop traveling so I can focus on my work outs, or 2. change my attitude and learn to get good solid work outs in while on the road. Being a step above an idiot enabled me to quickly recognize that Number 1 was not going to work, so I'd better focus on Number 2. (No, we're not talking about poopy, people.) So, I'm working on my attitude because I have LOTS more trips over the next 3-4 weeks and I have goals to reach for this journey.

Although my main thoughts centered around my work outs and traveling it made me realize that this lesson can be applied to many areas of our lives. We don't always get to stay in our comfy routine. Sometimes we have to adapt and get creative, or fight through the changes and keep focused on our prize. Work through the challenges and when we come out on the other side it will be that much more sweet.

Body AND Mind

2008-09-28T16:49:00.000-07:00

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.

Ah Yeah, That's It!

2008-09-26T12:28:00.000-07:00

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.

Record Set at 11

2008-09-25T11:46:00.000-07:00

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.

No Travel; No Problem.

2008-09-24T11:35:00.001-07:00

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!

Weight Loss Quotes

2008-09-23T17:30:00.000-07:00

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.

When Will I Notice?

2008-09-22T14:15:00.001-07:00

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.

Sedona and Family

2008-09-21T08:13:00.000-07:00

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.

The Weigh In!

2008-09-19T15:34:00.001-07:00

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.

The Tape Doesn't Lie

2008-09-18T13:12:00.000-07:00

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.

Staying the Course.

2008-09-17T16:12:00.000-07:00

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.

The UGLY Naked Truth

2008-09-16T08:10:00.000-07:00

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.

Day 1, When the Rubber Hits the Road!

2008-09-15T12:07:00.000-07:00

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.

My Physical Odessy Begins...AGAIN!

2008-09-14T06:13:00.000-07:00

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