Archive for May, 2008

May is over, time for an update

Saturday, May 31st, 2008

The month of may is over. It was a good month in many ways. I’ve taken some fairly big steps in improving myself and doing things I’ve always meant to do. I’m currently enrolled to attend a technical college in the fall. Its looking good, and it looks like with financial aid I’ll be able to cover most the cost of attending.

As usual for my progression posts, I’ve posted new pictures of myself on my progression page. You can find the link on the right under “navigation”. I posted a disclaimer, but I’ll say it again here. I don’t dress up for my photos. You get me how I am that day.

My ankle is doing much better. I’ll always have pain there, I have for years, but as I lose weight, it gets better. I was told by my brother that I limp much less now then I used to. Which I never did much to begin, but even less is good. I feel a lot more “fit” then I have in the past. I enjoy doing my cardio, working up a sweat. I kinda feel like a new person in that regard. I used to despise that “work out” feeling. 

I’ve started doing some HIIT on the exercise bike. I like it I think, and I’d like to incorporate some running/sprinting HIIT in the future. Just something to work towards.

So goals…

May Goals

Get to 295 lbs, losing my 2nd 10% of my body weight - I got to 298, close, but not quite. Still good though.

Be able to jog 1 mile - Did this one. Well before the end of the month.

Incorporate some stretching/yoga into my weekly routine - I’ve been stretching more, but no Yoga.

Do more body weight training - I’ve been doing push-ups and planks mostly

Stay smoke and soda free - Done and Done

June Goals

Get to 280 lbs

Time my mile jog and get to 12 minutes if its longer

Be able to do 10 military push-ups

Start working on pull/chin ups

Stay smoke and soda free

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Life moves forward

Tuesday, May 20th, 2008

Life moves forward,

I’m still jobless. Which is a little annoying, as I’ve actually been trying to get at least a part time one. Some positive things though. I started the ball rolling early this month to go back to school. Right now its look very good. I’ve got my stuff in for financial aid, and I took my Accuplacer Test today. I was nervous as all get out going in. I haven’t really taken any tests in 10 years. I did well, well enough to get in for my degree of choice for sure. What am I looking at? IT Programmer/Analyst. Its not what I really want to do, that would be Physics. A 2 year program compared to the 6-8 I’d need in Physics is more appealing at present though. I think I’d like to go for Physics afterwards, but this will give me something to work with, career wise.

Yesterday was also a good day for me. I reach one of my personal monthly goals. I jogged a full and complete mile, without stopping. I don’t jog very fast, and my legs felt kinda jell-oish afterwards, but I did it. Now I just need to continue, letting jogging become easier and easier. I will get to that 7 minute mile. Its just a matter of time.

I’ve also made a little change to my weight training. I’m starting to incorporate some more body weight exercises. Push-ups, squats, lunges, to name a few. I’m hoping to add some pull-up/chin-ups once I shed a bit more weight and get a little stronger. I’m aiming to be functionally fit, and these I think will help me with that goal.

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You notice the small things

Friday, May 9th, 2008

The small things are sometimes the most obvious and encouraging results to what you’ve been trying to do. However it becomes easy to overlook them in pursuit of that large goal you’ve set for yourself. It helps to remind yourself, at least for me, that goals are there to motivate and drive us, not consume us. You have to step back and look at everything, pay attention for the small things and feel good about them.

Yesterday I played catch with a football for the first time in probably 3 or 4 years. It was my 2 brothers and myself. I was making sure to move around, jumping, diving for the ball. Just trying to make it as much of a work out as possible while having fun. After a while both my brothers gave up, “they were tired”, and needed to stop. While I may have been sweating and getting a little tired myself, I was more then ready to continue playing. As I was cooling down, and relaxing it dawned on me. I had just outlasted my two brothers, one of whom is 50lbs lighter and 5 years younger then myself. It was a good feeling. I think I’m becoming the most fit person in the household. While that could be viewed as a sad comment on the state of the people I live with, I think its more a positive comment on the pay off I’m seeing from my work. I have more drive, I can go longer, and I get less tired doing the same physical activities as other people.

I may still be a fat guy, but the inner athlete is starting to emerge I think. He’s fighting to get out, and I know I just have to keep with what I’m doing, continue to refine it, and I’ll get there. That’s a pretty positive and motivating thing to think about.

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