Well, I didn’t lose much this week (just half a pound), but then I did enjoy myself at some of Louisiana’s finer establishments.  Hole in the wall Cajun restaurants are the best (unless you’re trying to lose weight).

I also didn’t work out as heavily as I could have.  I let my push up challenge workouts fall out.  I’ll get back on it tomorrow morning.

I am at a total of 15 lbs lost.  I’m on target for my year long journey.  So, all is good in the world!

I will be weighing in on Thursday morning since I’m going out of town.  The dangerous part of this is that I’ll be traveling for a full month.  Keeping focus during that time will be challenging, which is a main theme of this blog.  We will persevere!

When you look in the mirror do you see who you are, who you were, or someone else? This is a fundamental question that you should really take seriously. Self image is an increasingly difficult concept today. We are inundated with the rhetoric of the be this way or you suck or be fat and happy.

Elsie commented on my Ironman post that I shouldn’t hold myself to that standard. To some extent, she was right on target. We should be realistic about who we are and what we can accomplish. I’ve been giving that a lot of thought. What should a healthy 42 year old man look like? Do I fit that mold?

Here is a picture of me when I was 29.

Women noticed me. Men respected me for my strength and ability. I was smart, strong and sober. I had single digit fat percentage. I could run a marathon on Saturday and a 5K the next day. I could leg press 800 lbs for reps. I miss that part of me.

So, here is the target. I want to get closer to that, without losing who am today. Exactly where that journey takes me is anybody’s guess. I thank you for joining me on this journey! Your comments mean the world to me, even when I don’t respond. Please keep ‘em coming.

Yep, that is the next step in this journey.  As of yesterday, I will be abstaining from alcohol.  This is a permanent choice.  No going back.  What was significant about yesterday?  Nothing in particular, but I am on a business trip and that is when my overeating and empty calories hit their peak.  Also, I’ve been looking back as a way of planning my life going forward (If you don’t study your mistakes you’re more likely to repeat them).

I’m doing this for two reasons:

1) It isn’t fun any more.  I’m generally a pretty outgoing guy.  I don’t need alcohol to overcome shyness or make a scene more enjoyable.  Also, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve noticed that I don’t process alcohol as effectively.  I don’t feel well the day after I drink.

2) I was looking at pictures of myself when I was younger.  Unlike most people, beyond a few weekends when I was 14-15, I didn’t start drinking until I was 30.  And consequently, I weighed less than 200 lbs.  And since I want to get back to that place, I figure I probably need to go back to the lifestyle I had back then as well.  That included getting plenty of exercise and no alcohol.

And the add on benefit of lower restaurant bills won’t hurt either.

Back on track that is! My weigh in this week has me down to a new low (at least for this challenge). I am so glad that I got these results. I was very disappointed with my results last week and I pushed myself a bit harder this week. If anything, I thought I’d lose more, but I won’t complain.

Much of this week happened due to my exercise. As you can see from my previous post, I started the 100 pushup challenge. So three times this week, I was in the “front leaning rest” for some fun fun. I did the top tier workout for week one. Each workout escalates a good bit from the prior one, so I’m sure I’m going to find a sticking point fairly soon. But I’ll keep at it.

I also spent a good bit of time on my Wii Fit. I’ve opened most of the balance sets. For some reason I still suck at the ski jump. If you know the trick, please let me in on it. This week, I introduced a couple of yoga exercises. Apparently I’m very good at breathing. Good thing as I’ve had over 42 years of practicing.

This week has me on the road. I’ll be driving through Louisiana for work. That means hotels, driving, and several opportunities to partake in some of the best food on Earth! That said, I’m still going to target another pound this week. I want to have the “I lost 15 lbs” in my repertoire. Sounds good, doesn’t it? And that puts me on track for another Mardi Gras!

It looks like someone has started a new Internet Fitness craze. Like most of these, it starts with a simple premise. What if you could do 100 pushups without stopping? Seems far fetched on the outside, but then again, why not? If I followed a regimented program and applied myself, could I do it?

Honestly, I don’t know. But, you never know what you’re capable of until you try. When I was at my fittest, I was a marathon runner. I even ran a 50 mile ultra-marathon (okay, I walked some of it, but still…). This is something I can do in a hotel room, so travel shouldn’t slow my progress a bit. This one is a no brainer for me.

Even if I don’t make it to 100, I will improve and build more strength. And since I’m not doing any weight training now, it would do me good to mix in some upper body strength training.

So, I’m joining the One Hundred Pushups Challenge! I tested myself last night and came away with 24. I’ll come back with updates as we go. Wish me luck!

Well, lets just call a duck a duck.  Yes, I did a great deal of walking while in DC, but to be frank, I didn’t really watch what I was eating, or drinking.  The results speak for themselves.  I put on three pounds.  I am not happy about that to say the least.

But, I am committed to turn this around.  Today is a new day.  I’ve started on the right foot, watching my eating, timing out my meals, etc.  I’m also committing hold my Mardi Gras captive until I get below 215 lbs (basically, a ten pound drop).   It might take me a month to get there, but I will.

Thanks to all of you who have offered support!  It really means a lot to me!  Onward!

If you’re a regular reader of this blog then you know that I spent most of last week fighting a terrible cold.  I felt it coming on Sunday, still I pushed myself to go to the gym for a cardio session.  On Monday I was wiped.  I didn’t make it back to the gym until Monday morning a week later.

This begs the question: Should you work out when you’re sick?

I did a bit of research on this.  The best source I found was a WebMD article.  Everything else I found pretty much repeated what was said in the WebMD piece.

Here are the Cliff Notes:  You should avoid exercise if you have a fever or the cold/flu symptoms are below the neck.  Otherwise, exercise is ok.  They just advise you to listen to your body and lower the intensity if necessary.

Its safe, but is it the right thing to do?

We all know we catch these bugs when we come in contact with them.  This typically happens when we touch someone who has a cold/flu or we touch a surface they touched.  They gym is full of places and opportunities to do just that.

My advice is to stay at home.  Exercise there or outside if you must.  Out of respect for us at the gym, don’t come and infect us.

Exercise is an important part of staying healthy.  Studies have shown that it boosts your immune system.  That is unless you push yourself too hard or overtrain.  Be smart about it.  Take a break and eat accordingly.  It worked for me.

One and a half pounds lost this week was a welcome sight.  I faced some big challenges to my program.  I have had a bad gold and as a result didn’t go to the gym.  I also had to take a road trip with my daughter for a band thing.  We also had our neighbors over for dinner to thank them for their help.

Generally, I was able to keep my eating in check this week, which is what made the difference.  I did partake of alcohol, but nothing too massive.

My cold is finally winding down, so I should be able to get in the gym a few days early this week.  I am taking my daughter to Washington, DC on Wednesday (parlaying a business trip).  That should mean a lot of walking.  I just need to keep my eating in control and it should be a good week.

All cross America we are beginning to feel the pinch at the pump. I’ll admit it, my truck takes almost $100 to fill up, which is a sobering thought. But ever the optimist, I starting thinking about this from a slightly different perspective. Maybe, just maybe, $4 per gallon of gasoline is a good thing.

Hear me out.

When our budgets get squeezed, we each have to resort to changes in our behavior in order to make ends meet. Exactly what changes are we making as the result of rising costs?

I for one am not going out to restaurants as often (yes, that is a part of my eating/diet plan), but it definitely is cheaper to buy groceries for a family than to eat in a restaurant. As a result, I’m eating better. I’m also eating less as I look to stretch a meal into leftovers for the next day’s lunch.

I’m also driving my Can-Am Spyder (a three wheeled motorcycle) to work. It burns much less gas than my truck. And because I lean into the curves, it is working my core more than driving a car or truck. Yes, that is relatively minor, but small changes do make a difference over time. I’ve also considered walking to work (although the 90 degree plus days with South Arkansas humidity would leave me a bit unkempt). Are more people walking? Or at least walking to the closest bus/subway stop? I imagine so.

My girlfriend (fancypants) was telling me that the company she used to work for is now allowing all employees to work from home one day per week as a way of helping their employees deal with the higher commuting costs.  Fewer cars on the road, driving fewer miles also means cleaner air.  Think about that one for a while.

Another area where I can see a potential positive is where companies might cut back on employee travel to make it through the economic slump.  Less travel means fewer business meals and tempting hotel bars/mini-bars.  I definitely feel more comfortable sticking to plan when I’m home.  I’m not sure my travel will be reduced (due to the nature of my job), but for many, I could see this being a real possibility.

I’m not so sure that paying more for gas is a curse. It might just be a blessing for many of us. What do you think?

It has been an interesting week.  I didn’t meet a single diet or exercise goal that I set for myself. 

The hotel I was staying in didn’t have a fitness center and I didn’t see one around the area.  Not that I would have had time to exercise.  I seem to be constantly going, even when I shouldn’t have been.  It was training at Disney World, but I never saw the park.

What was there were plenty of opportunities to eat and drink, both for social and other reasons (collegues from the course and friends who live in the area).  That and much better restaurants than I have available at home.

Then I finished my week off with a terrible cold.  I arrived at home yesterday and hit the bed, waking this morning almost sixteen hours later.

But somehow, this has happened: 

I’ve lost three pounds this week!  All goes to show you that there are basic truths in life, but even they may not be absolutes every time.  I know I won’t always get the positive end of that every time, so I still need to strive for consistency.