I'm Back and in for the long haul.

Yeah its been forever sense i updated this blog.  How am I doing?  Well i have been better.  I turned 40 this year which was hard to swallow. Had a really rocky time in my marriage for 6 months or so and a recent rash of colds/flus that have been going through my house hold.  Someone essentially was sick in my house for months in a row (so tons of stress).  I ended up in the Dr's office 3 or 4 times trying to figure out what was going on with me.  At one point i almost passed out while driving down the freeway.  Anyway i have had blood tests, abdominal CT scan, Ultrasound, EKG, and a heart rhythm recording device.  Thus far they have found nothing really wrong with me which i guess is good, at least nothing that's not fixable with good nutrition, exercise, rest, and less stress ( elevated BP, cholesterol, and a bit of fat on my liver). They put me on Doxycycline (antibiotic) for what they thought was a sinus infection.  The antibiotic messed me up worse and made me think i had diabetes or something worse (the side effects for me were horrid).  My resting heart rate is good (in the 60s) but if i do even what i would consider moderate exercise it shoots up to 140s bpm and higher.  I talked to my Dr about it and he gave me the go ahead to continue exercising.  I still don't feel 100% but i seem to feel more normal than not which is good.  My son caught influenza A the Tuesday before Christmas and my wife caught it from him.  So we spent the majority of the entire holiday week cooped up in the house.  We made the best of things and I think the boys still had a great holiday (they are 6 and 9 now).  So we are hoping to have a much healthier 2015.  

Right now I am sitting at 235 lbs on my 6ft frame, not good at all.  I feel like my motivation is still the same and that this blog still captures my goals and whats important to me.  I still for the most part just want to be healthy and to be here for my kids and wife.  I still want to be able to do the active things I love like hiking, skiing, sports, travel etc etc..  Might as well have fun while your living right.  So i figured i would pick back up blogging as it helped me stay motivated in the past and was kind of a place i could vent my frustrations or success and not feel that judged.  

Given i am concerned with my heart rate I decided to get myself a new heart rate monitor/fitness tracker.  I picked up a Mio Fuse at my local REI.  

I was talking to one of my good friends about fitness (he is a triathlete and has always been uber fit).  He is very into heart rate training and says its really the only way to tell what kind of cardiovascular health you are in.  He says to always workout for time and HR and that over time your heart rate should be lower doing the same workout and with that you know you have increased cardiovascular health and fitness.  Anyway, i have looked back at previous times i have lost weight and truthfully i think a lot of the time i was over training/under eating.   Not that it was hurting me or stopping progress but I assume it slowed me down.  So even though i feel like my workouts are weak right now (not breathing hard or sweating profusely) my heart rate says i am working pretty hard.  So with that said I think i will focus on heart rate training and i think with time it will give me the weight loss and ability to do the things i want in life.  Here is my first 45 min workout 

Well this has turned into a super long post but I guess that happens when almost 2 years goes by.  I am planning on updating my goals etc and talking about them more.  Here's to me getting back to learning to live and finding a different lifestyle that leaves me healthier, lighter, and around for a long time to come.  

Still Kicking

Well Dave called me out on wanting a new post, yes I’m still alive and battling the bulge.  I am still reading posts when people post.  I am 9 weeks into a new round of p90x (yeah still kicking that dead horse).  It just seems to have the right amount of weights and cardio for me to get back going and its simple to follow having it laid out for you.  Diet has been better overall but I haven’t been super strict with it like I should be if I want to see really good results.  I am down about 15 lbs, feeling stronger again and my pants and shirts are fitting a little better again.  Definitely with a little success comes more motivation.  I am still working out with the same guy I have worked out with in the past, he is down 40lbs and getting close to where he wants to be.  That also helps motivate me.  Most of the other peoples blogs I follow have gotten quite too (so if you read this get to posting, I want to know how you’re doing).  We are finally starting to get some spring weather here in the PNW and I am loving it.  Makes a guy want to get out and move in the sunshine.  Hope this finds everyone happy and doing well!  

Screwed

Well the last week and a half or so we have had a nasty cold going though the house.  Guess who caught it? yes, me....  Its cost me several workouts and a 1.5 days off work.  Its amazing how the kids go back to school then the colds and flus start.  Luckily I got my yearly flu shot already (however sometimes I wonder if that's what makes me sick).  So I didn't weigh myself today as I know it wouldn't be a good thing.  Going to try and get in a stationary bike ride tonight just to keep stuff moving.  Time to buck back up and get after it.

Small Victories

WI: 238.4

Well I worked pretty hard the majority of this week to get that number up top.  My weekend wasn't great diet wise due to being out camping and meal sharing some.  During the week though my diet has been very good and I have been hitting my workouts like clockwork.  I was a little nervous about my number before stepping on the scale this morning, wondering if I had done enough.  Needless to say I was pretty happy with what I saw.  Its nothing crazy but I get to mark that little goal off my list which feels pretty darn good (even though it was late) its the small victories that keep me going and motivated.  I can tell my body is still in the early stages of workout fatigue.  I am pretty much sore all the time and I have had many moments where I was close to puking after pushing it to hard.  I have this memory of being able to go balls to the walls but in my current condition my body says are you freaking crazy.  I keep telling myself it will get easier as it always does and I will be less sore.

I cant believe next week I turn 38.  Time flies really fast as does ones youth, so if your reading this and your young enjoy it and use it to your best potential.  Don't squander it being overweight and unhealthy cause it just gets harder.  I know I am not a crypt keeper but I am super thankful that I am still able bodied and willing to exercise and be physical.  My wife is getting me a set of golf clubs for my bday.  I have always wanted to golf (tried a few times) and was horrible at it.  Luckily my brother in law is a golf pro and said he would give me lessons and build me some custom clubs.  So hopefully with his professional help and practice I will be able to hit that stupid little white ball.  Too many years of softball has made my swing (slice) horrible.  

Life is good, seize the day!

Pissed Off at Myself

WI: 240.5

Well the number pretty much speaks for itself and shows the effort I put in this last week.  I am feeling a little like the cat on the right in the pic.  I missed my first short term goal which should have been my easiest.  I thought about re-assigning dates to my goals but at this point what good does that do? I will mark that bitch off by next Wednesday come hell or high water.  Late is better than just saying F it.  I know for me to start the wheels rolling its all coming down to getting my diet on track.  Its definitely been better at times but I am still letting to much crap sneak in.  I am moving in the right direction but not fast enough in my opinion, so time to kick it up a notch.  We did have a really great long weekend up north in Seattle with some good friends.  However with that comes social drinking and eating which has always been my achilles heel.  So too much garbage food and not enough moving caused this weeks missed goal.  This coming weekend we are going to go camping with my parents.  We have already meal planned and the food we are having is pretty solid.  If I can get some good hikes in etc I should be doing pretty good.  I did however get in my 4 workouts last week... but as we all know you cant out train a bad diet.

Another thing that has been in the for front of my mind is pictures...  The main bad point is I don't want to be in them.  Yet I love pictures, looking at them, and taking them.  They are so powerful in remembering wonderful times in your life.  The last time I struggled to get below 200 I actually didn't mind seeing pictures of myself.  Recently a few pics of me have popped up and I hardly recognized myself and I am really ashamed at what I see.  I look very unhealthy, un-kept, and bloated (not the first impression I want to give).  Truthfully when I look in the mirror I don't see that person, yes I still see a fat guy but not that big of a guy.  I am starting to keep a file with these types of pictures to help remind myself what I truly look like.  It will be nice to be ok with being in pictures again.

This week is going to be a good one!

Weeks Fly By

WI: 240.5

The weight is going in the right direction but thus far I know I have allot more I can commit to this journey.  I only hit 3 out of the 4 workouts last week that I wanted to.  My eating has definitely been better and more mindful but still lots of room to improve there too.   Celebrated a wonderful 13 years being married to my wife this last weekend.  Cant believe how fast it has gone by.

This week my dad, one of the best men I know finally gets to retire ( at 65yo ).  They are having a big retirement party for him tomorrow and I am smoking/BBQ'n about 30 pounds of pulled pork.  I am super happy for my dad as he deserves it so very much.  Then on Friday we are traveling up to Seattle to see some friends for the long holiday weekend.

The plan for the week is 4 workouts and I need to hit my first mini weight loss goal of sub 240 in the next 3 days.  At only a half a pound I think its doable.  Will be nice to get that first goal crossed off.  I know food is going to be kind of tuff this coming weekend. So the goal there is to minimize bad choices as much as possible and use portion control to keep bad as small as possible.

My wife and her friend have committed to each other to train for a 5k.  They are starting a couch to 5k program this coming month in early September.  Of course I told them I am in for husband support and that I will do the 5k with them, her friends husband also said he would do it too.  So looks like I am going to be strapping back on the running shoes and pounding the pavement.  Nothing like running to spur some weight loss.

Until next time....  

Slow Go

WI: 242

Well I didn't get any ground breaking weight loss done this last week.  I did get 3 workouts in and several days of good eating done.

Couple Friends doing back flips

Last weekend I had a father son camp trip with my oldest son down at Lake Billy Chinnook.  We had a really nice time and spent a ton of time on the water.  As always this time reminded me why I want to be in better shape because I was by far the fattest dad there out of 5 families.  This always makes me reflect on my ultimate goal of being able to take my shirt off in public and feel alright about it.

This coming weekend we are celebrating my wife and I's 13 year marriage anniversary.  My folks are taking the boys for the night and we are going to stay the evening over in Portland.  I am sure there will be a drink or two and some yummy food but I am going to try to minimalize the damage.

I updated my goals on the right side bar.  It is somewhat aggressive at 1.5 lbs a week but I believe doable.  My short term goal of sub 240 is starting to loom so I need to have a good last couple weeks of August.  This week ( wed to wed ) I am going to hit 4 workouts at least and 6 good days of eating.