Get Fit Big Guy

So many men I know who have been successful with long-term health attribute much of that success to having their wives on board and working towards those health goals with them. Well, now I am such a man.

My gorgeous wife, Micky, has decided to work on herself a bit via regular exercise and a low glycemic diet. If we can manage to keep the garbage grains and other crap out of the house and limit trips out to eat, I know we’ll be successful.

We’ve also began working out almost daily with our new game for the Wii, EA Active. I’ll give a more in-depth review in a week or so once we get deep enough in it to give it a fair shake. So far, it will definitely be a good review.

In “not the happiest news I’ve heard today” category: http://www.thefactsaboutfitness.com/research/alcohol.htm. So, I suppose I’ll be cutting back on the little bit of beer I do have currently and go for an occasional glass of wine once a week or so now.

So, gained a few pounds back, but am glad to be getting even more off between now and the end of the year. We’re shooting for 200, then we’ll see where to go from there. Maybe I can get Micky on here as well and we can amp this thing up a bit.

One should never break a fast with donuts, beer and the near-food that is known to most as Taco Bell.

I have been eating well for the a quarter of a year now. I’ve eaten mostly salads, limited my intake of grains to the occasional brown rice and cut virtually all processed sugars out of my life. So, why in the name of all that is good and holy did I go and binge like an Amish Kid out on Rumspringa?

Saturday evening, I finished the days eating off with a small salad around 6:30 or so. I fasted on Sunday, but still took my supplements and drank a healthy bit of water. Monday morning arrived and I knew this final weigh-in would go my way. I would go to staff meeting, be done by around 9:30, weigh in and then celebrate with a nice lunch! Nothing crazy, but certainly not the same level of strictness I’d been giving myself.

It was not to be.

I walk into our conference center to the sound of “There are donuts in the kitchen…we’re celebrating…” I turn the corner to find two long rows of tables filled with every variety of Dunkin’ Donuts known to man.

“This is gonna be OK,” I tell myself. “You can do this…and after you weigh in, you can even HAVE one!” I was gonna be ok…I could make it through the staff meeting. I even snagged two on a plate and kept them close by so I was assured of my reward.

Then staff meeting turns into an open mic night.

An aside: I love my coworkers. I work with some of the best people on the planet.

Continuing…

I have never wanted to bludgeon someone with an aluminum baseball bat so badly in my life.

My stomach was roaring from its unfulfilled hunger, my head reeling from the lack of nutrients, and all I could think of was tackling the next person who got up to “share” and seeing to their demise.

I turned to get the attention of the curator of the weight loss event. “Nathan,” I mouthed, “can we go weigh in…in there…NOW!?!?!?” My request was met with funny looks and a polite negative gesture. Nathan used to be overweight. Apparently, he forgot what it’s like to be fat and hungry. “I’ll deal with you later,” I think to myself as I turn back around dejectedly.

Staff meeting finally ends and the weigh in begins. Currently, I am at 257 lbs. 11.7% of my bulk has been cast aside. I’ll need a new belt soon as I am out of holes on the current one. It’s a good feeling. One of the last good feelings I’ll have for the day.

I managed to sample 4 or 5 different varieties of donut while only eating the equivalent of 1.5-2 actual donuts. Not bad. Fortunately, lunch is only an hour or so away at this point.

The fish sandwich – not a bad choice. The garlic parmesan fries – not a great choice. Still not a deal breaker per se.

My “weight pimp,” Daniel, was unable to join us for lunch, but was kind enough to bring me a congratulatory cupcake from one of those boutiques on the square in downtown Franklin. Chocolate icing on a chocolate cupcake…with some chocolate chips thrown in for good measure. Tasty indeed.

I have some time to kill after work since no one will be home for a while, so I head over to a local sports bar and enjoy two pints of ale and get in some reading. A good time.

As I’m making my way home, I see Taco Bell in the distance.

I have had a love/hate relationship with the border for many years now. In my radio days, I would stop in and pick up their “10 Tacos to Go” special. By the end of my shift, I’d eaten them all. I imagine I can contribute all the fat in my thighs to my pseudo-Mexican mistress.

The desire for a Grilled Stuft Burrito took hold and would not let go. With unrelenting force, it ripped the steering wheel from my hands and headed straight for the drive thru. What could I do but obey?

I ordered far less than I would have 4 months ago. I kept it to two items: the Grilled Stuft Beef Burrito and a Cheesy Bean and Rice Burrito. The prices had gone up and my beloved Spicy Chicken Burrito was MIA, but I knew what I wanted and I wanted it bad. The same kids were still working the drive thru and hurried me on my way. I tore into the Cheesy Beans and Rice as I peeled out of the parking lot. It was all gone before I could make it home?

I think my pancreas, liver and stomach are all highly upset with me for the havoc wrought. Still not feeling quite right and my wife wants to order pizza. Fortunately, I think she’s ready to get on the good-eating bandwagon. I’ll let you know how our discussion of “the family diet” goes tonight.

So, the 3-month contest is over, and I am proud to say that all of my wonderful sponsors are getting their money back! I am down 34 pounds!

Good stuff indeed! Thanks for all the encouragement folks, and know that you guys can slap food out of my hand or chase me with your car anytime.

Well, the good kind of abuse…I guess. If there can be such a thing.

OK, so last year around this time, I was gearing up for our Lampo Losers weight loss challenge at work. It went well…more or less, but I missed getting my money back by 0.7 lb. Needless to say, I was REALLY frustrated, so when I was asked about doing it again this year, I was hesitant. But after some gentle encouragement (and a good dose of harassment), I have decided to do it again. HOWEVER, I will not go it alone.

My coworker and friend, Daniel Bell, has decided to enlist sponsors for me. Eighteen sponsors to be precise. Each has put in a percentage of my entry fee into the contest, and each of them will have full rights to encourage, harass, punish, smack food out of my hand, push me off elevators to take the stairs and other “helpful” things like that.

I have also – with a great deal of fear and trepidation – decided to give Daniel author access here on the blog, so I’ll save the full story for him as I’m sure he’ll enjoy it on a whole ‘nother level.

So, there it is, folks. Tomorrow is the Super Bowl and my 12th wedding anniversary. I can eat as much of anything as I can handle, but Monday, that life is behind me. I am walking into a lifestyle that will give me energy and life so I can enjoy the rest of my days here on this earth! So, here we go.

Details to come, but it’s looking like you will finally have a good excuse to visit every day!

Perhaps.

Perhaps, we will.

So, Tuesday, Chad took it “easy” on me. And it went well. I’m working out with two other guys, and it’s great motivation.

I was nice and sore by Wednesday morning, but there was more to come when we amped it up on Thursday. Now, I’m hurting bad, but in a real good way. Chad has to take next week off for a training, so it’s going to be up to me pretty early in the game to not just squander this first week of work.

I’m starting to see some renewed hope for this whole thing, but please keep me in your thoughts and prayers.

Also, for fellow Lampo folks, I know we started talking about local workout groups, but we all dropped out of that convo real quickly. Let’s do that for real and make that happen. My vote is 6:15am Monday, Wednesday, & Friday at Longview for the folks in Spring Hill with memberships there. If there’s a group of you still with Fuel/National, then hook that up. If you’re in Franklin, make that happen, too! We can do this.

We just have to constantly remind ourselves and each other of that fact!

Tomorrow starts a new chapter in this fight. Hopefully, this chapter won’t be the letdown past ones have been.

I begin training tomorrow with Chad Nikazy of Top Step Fitness.

I’m a little intimidated cause I’ve heard he’s ridiculously tough…and I can be a little wimpy.

We’ll see how it goes, but I’ve got some money invested in it and Chad seems to really want to help me out, so prayers and good vibes and all that are welcome.

I’ll try to update the site more real soon. If you’re still checking for me, thanks.

So, I’ve really slipped up. I haven’t bothered to weigh cause I really don’t want to know how bad I’ve fallen off the wagon. In the week leading up to my birthday, I really stopped watching what food I was eating and started just neglecting myself all around. I’ve not gotten even nearly enough sleep in the past month. I have continually and habitually made poor choices for myself. I’ve allowed myself to be a victim of circumstance, being tossed around by my lack of will power and unwillingness to plan.

Now, I have to fight cynicism. I am naturally inclined to be cynical, yet I know that there’s little truth there, so I have to try and be discerning and see what’s true. Because of my struggle, it is really hard for me to hear most any “self-help” or “self-improvement” teaching without scoffing. Yet, I know there is a lot of truth in there, so I have to persevere past my own inclinations.

That said, I’ve started reading “48 Days to the Work You Love” by Dan Miller. I’m only getting into Chapter 4, but the things he and my boss have said regarding goal-setting continues to ring true. I am not – by nature – a “goals person.” I am starting to see where that may have been my downfall in a number of areas of my life.

Now, I’ve set this outlandish goal of reaching 200 pounds by the end of August. That goal slipped out of my reach before I really even got on track with it. I’m guessing that’s because it wasn’t immediate enough or something…who knows? All I know is that this seems to happen a lot. When I’ve tried to set goals, I am consistent…about letting myself down and watching those goals slip away.

The biggest frustration I have with myself is this:

As much as I want to be healthier and in good shape, I continue to thwart my every effort through either laziness, selfishness or some other personal weakness. And while I can identify those many stumbling blocks, I feel unable to overcome them. Even though I understand that lesser people have gotten past far more daunting obstacles to reach their goals…it’s like this roller coaster of poor logic and unhealthy thoughts.

So, what’s next?

I’d love to say that I’m drawing a line in the sand and that I’ll never go back to the old way, but I don’t know that I can honestly say that right now. And I really hate that.

If anyone has some good ideas about how to set goals and see them through, I would love to get some insight, because I can’t think of a time in my life when I’ve actually done that. I’m sad to say that, especially with the sort of people I work with and for, but it’s the truth. If this sounds like some sort of cry for help, then so be it…maybe it is. All I know is that I can’t do it myself. I need help. And I’m sorry if I sound like some melodramatic freak, but I really don’t know what to do besides ask for help.

OK, so I’m somewhat sad that I’ve managed to lose my momentum so quickly. Not that I’m doing bad, but I am not doing well either.

Now, on Sunday I celebrated my 34th birthday. Feeling older than I should – one would think – would be a good motivator. However, that has not been the case for me…as a weekend of cheesecake, cookies and ice cream can attest to.

So, while I’m really trying to do this, I am STRUGGLING! So, my co-workers to the rescue! Next week, we are starting bi-weekly weigh-ins for anyone who wants to stay on track. This was a good motivator for me while we were doing it for three months, so I’m hoping it will help me as well.

I’ve got a membership to our local rec center – which I hear is quite nice – and I’ve got to get over there to use it! I’ve got to get some sort of consistent training or activity that I am PAYING for so I have something invested and maybe THAT will make it harder for me to avoid doing it. I’ve got two really great options that I’m looking into at the moment, but I’m still torn, so prayers are welcome!

To Daniel Box: I have let you down already, man! At just 9 days in and I’ve ran like 3 times! I feel awful, but my knees feel worse! I’ve got to either find a bike or something cause the knees are not getting any better, and that’s a real point of frustration.

To the praying folks in here: Please pray that I can really get back on track. I know I’ve only veered off for a week or so now, but I’m really needing to nail down my diet as well as the exercise. My diet is tough since I have blood sugar issues and have to eat the right things throughout the day at the right times. It’s fine if I do a low-carb diet, but I’ve grown more concerned of the health benefits of that, so I’m not sure I want to go that route. If you’ve got any experience with blood sugar issues and diet, I would appreciate any insight.

Thanks to those of you who have asked me how things are going and all that. Even though I don’t WANT to be HASSLED, I need it and it’s the reason I got this site going again. So, keep harassing me! One day, I’ll thank you…even if I glare at you right now