I want to see what happens if I don't.

Bobby - 2, Runs - 0. Killed it again last night, another non-stop 4.5 mile run. You know, as hot as it was last night the run felt a little easier, well until the last mile. The last mile about killed me but I felt great until then. Definitely had to dig deep last night to keep running the last few hundred yards. For the first three plus miles all I could hear (other then my iPod) was that little white angel helping me along, "Go, Bobby, go!!", and then damn you last mile because the little devil took the microphone and kicked the angel to the curb, "Go ahead stop, it will feel sooo good." It would have felt great to stop because I was exhausted and I had been running in 93 degree heat for 40 some minutes but giving up would never feel as good as knowing I ran the whole thing. Pain is temporary, but the quitting would stick with me much longer. I kept thinking about my wife, how strong she is, how she motives me so much, how much I wanted to tell her that I did it again, that I ran without stopping. I wanted the high five she hits me with as soon as I walk in the house with that smile on my face, the smile of accomplishment. For the last bit of the run, it was her voice in my head that helped me when the going got real tough. Instead of following the old Bobby path of making excuses why I couldn't, I looked for reasons why I could. I just decided to focus on finishing instead of thinking about why I should stop. I already know what giving up feels like, I want to see what happens if I don't.

I am a runner.

Run one for the week done and done. I think I have run Burke Lake something like twelve times in the last couple of weeks. Twice I have been able to do it without walking, oh I'm sorry, make that three times after last night, BOOYAH!! Let's get something straight right off the bat, I don't feel like I have ever been a runner, it's not something that has agreed with me very much. It's hard for me to run, always has been. I do think running is absolutely necessary though in order to be physically fit, it's pretty much a yard stick for me on how fit someone actually is. You may have the biggest bulging biceps in the world but that does not mean you can run a mile without stopping. I have found that running is an incredibly useful tool in regards to health, fitness, and all around well being. I finished the run last night and while I was tired, I felt fantastic. A runners high. All the stress of the day was gone, work was completely forgotten, and I was even more excited to be home with my family. Maybe I am a runner, I may not love the act of running but I love everything that follows. I am not a fast runner so maybe in my head I think that I need to be able to run a six minute mile consistently to be a runner. The fact of the matter is, I went out and ran. I put one foot in front of the other, over and and over and over again. That makes me a runner. I may not be the fastest but still I am a runner. A twelve minute mile is just as far as a six minute mile. Tonight I will try to run the lake again without stopping. I will try to do it a little bit faster. I will focus on the end of the run rather than the moment itself when it hurts. Funny thing about a run is that they all end, yes it may hurt but it will end. I'll crank up the iPod, I'll push harder, I'll know the end is in sight. I will do this, I am a runner.

I can. I will. End of story.

It's been 221 days since my last blog post. If we were travelling to Mars, we would be about half way home at this point. That is too long. I have lost track in more ways than one. I need to get back to writing and keeping better track of my eating and working out. It's so easy to slip once, and then again and then again until you are just no longer following any type of plan other than when exactly it's time to break back out the fat clothes. I am not to that point yet but by golly it's getting close. Too close.

I previously spoke of my troubles with keeping up with boot camp while still trying to be healthy and a good husband and father. Read about it here. Well, I still have not been going to class much and have opted to cancel my account for a while. That does not mean I have not been working out, I have just been trying to find a schedule that allows more then an hour a day with my family. For the last few weeks that has been running Burke Lake. I am averaging 3 runs a week right now, with a goal of making it 4 runs this week. Right now running is working for me and I have been enjoying it, so I am sticking with what works. With a run, I still get in a workout and I don't get that overwhelming nagging feeling that I am not being there for my son. A run win-win. When you ask? Tonight.

Next week we are at the beach for a week. For. A. Whole. Week. OMG may I share that I am beyond excited? My goal is some kind of workout everyday. A boardwalk run with Hila and Eli in the running stroller, a beach run, an at home boot camp class, something, anything, as long as it involves moving and breaking a sweat, once a day, everyday.

I have been thinking that I needed to start writing again for a few weeks now and as soon as I start to forget about it again someone brings it up. "Hey Bobby, what ever happened to the blog?" Well, you know what friend, here it is. I'm back and I have missed you terribly. Writing keeps me focused, it keeps me grounded, it keeps me in check. Without it I lose focus, it becomes easier to put off a workout, I lose a sense of accountability. I need this in my life. I need you. This blog is another tool that helps me succeed, I just need to start using that tool again to help me find my success. I can. I will. End of story.

15,000 steps a day

It feels so good when hard work pays off. We weighed in last night and I dropped 2.4 pounds. What an amazing feeling. I worked hard all week and I love that I actually get to see and feel the results. This gives me even more motivation to keep moving and working out for another week. More step goals, more boot camp classes and more running.

I am still trying to figure out this whole step goal operation because I am only now finding out how many steps I take on a normal day. For example here are my steps since Saturday:

Saturday - 19,532. This includes a boot camp class, a walk with Hila and Eli and being home all day just being a husband and father. I also hit 10,000 steps before noon.
Sunday - 20,579. This includes a run at the gym and being home all day (chasing Eli around the house is an easy couple thousand steps a day). Also hit 10,000 steps before noon.
Monday - 20,000. Went to boot camp at 6 AM but did not hit 10,000 steps by noon since I took a most beloved nap while Eli slept, and yes it was glorious. I mean who gets up to go to bootcamp at 6 AM on a day off???
Tuesday - 16,050. Three mile run and a 20 min walk during lunch. Also a work day so much of the day was spent sitting.
Wednesday - 10,011. Now this is where things get interesting. I worked all day, and it snowed so I did not take any walks. I also went to Weight Watchers right after work so there was no workout involved. This tells me that on an average, normal day I take 10,000 steps with little to no effort.

My original goal was to take 10,000 steps a day but if I am already taking that many steps a day it is not really much of a goal. My new goal will be to take 15,000 steps a day. In order to do this on a work day I have to work out. Unless I am out on a jobsite for the better part of the day, I will never get to this step count without trying to do so. I like this goal. I like that it puts into perspective when I am and when I am not moving enough.

Plan for tonight is boot camp with a mile run before hand. We have a family challenge going on right now and I am getting beat by my wife, Hila is ALWAYS beating me in fitness challenges, she is a friggin beast, so with only today and tomorrow left I need to step up my game,

Fitbit

There has been much fitness talk afoot here as of late. I have not posted in many moons but that does not mean that it has not been on my mind.  I have been doing a lot of thinking and a lot of sole searching, thinking of fitness and running (get it sole...okay I'm done) and weight loss and an all around improvement in my general health. It is safe to say at this point that I fell off the deep end the past few months. The holidays are tough regardless and not fitting in workouts only exacerbates the problem further. Needless to say we are back to Weight Watchers and back to a firm fitness plan. My last weigh in came in at a whopping 231 pounds. Wow, that is the heaviest I have been in at least six or seven years. No bueno. Time to change.

I have felt a bit hypocritical and it has prevented me from writing. I talk and write about making time and finding that balance but have not done so myself. That has bothered me significantly. Now that my priorities have changed in life by starting a family I have struggled with this balance more than I would have thought possible. I am getting closer to figuring everything out and that has only been by setting small goals and striving towards achieving them. I will write about each of these goals more in upcoming posts but a big step towards setting and achieving these goals has been getting a Fitbit. For the holidays Hila and I pre-ordered the Fitbit Charge HR, well they just came in this past week. Needless to say, this has changed things for our household. Since getting the Fitbit I have hit 20,000 steps each day. While I don't think 20,000 steps is a workout in itself, I can tell you for sure that it has motivated us to move more. I received this from Amazon on Friday evening, first thing Saturday morning I went out to bootcamp. I literally cannot tell you the last time I went to to a Saturday morning bootcamp class. BAM hit 10,000 steps before noon. My goal per day was 10,000 steps a day so this was definitely a good start. Hit the gym for a quick run on Sunday. Back to bootcamp Monday morning again. I know this is new and that is playing a part in the excitement of all this but after today I will hit four workouts in a row. A feat that has been forgotten for longer than I want to admit. All that said I have been off work for the past three days. Today may paint a different picture since I have to sit at my desk for the better part of eight straight hours. I am aware now that I need to move more. Currently I am at 2,400 steps. Maybe I will got for a walk during my lunch, needlessly walk downstairs just so I have to get up and move, or push for a longer run with Brent tonight. More steps is the result of more moving, more moving results in more activity, and more activity means better health. It's a step, or many steps in the right direction.

Only you can change your life.

I have had something on my mind as of late and honestly it has kept me from writing. Maybe deep down I know that until I put this out there, there is nothing more important to talk about. I don't know why this got to me but it did. For the very first time, since I started writing this blog I received negative feedback from someone. I was told that I was self-centered, mainly because of what I write right here. My first thought was bewilderment because this person must have no clue what a blog is. It's about me, it's supposed to be what I think/feel/want/desire/need/dislike/fear/love, what do I know about what another person may want or need? What I write here are my thoughts and my thoughts alone. My second feeling was anger, if someone does not like what he/she reads here promptly move your mouse to the upper right hand side of your screen and click the little X because frankly I don't want or need you here if you are going to be negative. The entire point of all this to find encouragement and help from my friends and family to work towards a greater goal of better health and fitness, not listen to a bunch of negativity from someone who doesn't know what they are talking about. After the anger subsided it was replaced with enlightenment. This person was not being negative, this person is actually a fricking genius. I don't know why I didn't think of this before but being self-centered is the only way to get more healthy because literally NO ONE else can do it for you. If you don't worry about your health, then who will? Yes, your wife or husband or whoever will worry, but they cannot put in the work for you. Watch this, I will try:

"Hila, will you go out and run five miles for me?"

"Huh, for you? What do you mean?"

"I mean go out and run five miles but let me get all the benefits from it."

"Okayyyyy..." (what you can't see if Hila slapping me upside the head with a dictionary because this is absolutely ridiculous)

If you don't spend the time and energy focusing on yourself then you will never achieve your goals. No one else is going to do it for you. No one is going to get me to boot camp every day, no one is going to keep the burger and fries out of my mouth, no one is going to make me push harder in class, no one is going keep me healthy and fit. This is one thing that I must do myself. I am the only person who can be constantly vigilant about my needs. I am the only person who can make sure I achieve my goals. Others can help and influence me but ultimately this is my responsibility, it falls on no one's shoulders by my own. If someone thinks that is being self-centered then so be it, I will be self-centered all day long.

Life is a balance of holding on and letting go.

We have been back to Weight Watchers for about 6 weeks now and my starting weight was 229. I was steadying going down at first and then had a bad week (as you can see I gained three pounds, almost all the weight I had lost at that point). Last week we missed the meeting but made it last night and I lost another 1.8 pounds (current weight 226.8). So over 6 weeks total weight loss is 2.2 pounds. This shows me just how complacent I have been over a six week span. In one week I gained three pounds but over six I have only lost 2.2 pounds. Time to get this in check. Time to FOCUS!! I can do better than this.

This is even a more surprising chart. I first joined Weight Watchers in 2007 over 7 years and look how much my weight has fluctuated, looks like the Dow Jones... Starting weight was 240 pounds and in 2011 I got as low as 198.2.  

I really feel like a normal person can maintain just about even weight, not me. This is proof to me, once again, about my over eating. I need to stop cutting corners on counting my points, I need to stop thinking that it's okay to have multiple cheat nights, I need to stay focused on the plan over the weekend. There is no question that the weekends are the hardest. I like eating out, I like drinking wine. Just like working out, it's about finding that balance. I need to find that balance between holding on to what I need and letting go of what I think I want. Do I really want this extra slice of pizza? Do I really want this oh so delicious frozen Halloween peanut butter cup? You bet I do, but I want to lose weight and be healthy more. The more I focus on this fact, the clearer it becomes. Now the hard part...to stay focused.

FOCUS

There are two things I have been struggling with as of late, both of which have kept me from coming to class or working out on a regular basis.

1. Injuries - I used to think I was unbreakable. Never sick, never hurt, never broke a bone, just like Bruce Willis in the movie. Now it seems all I do is deal with injuries. First and foremost is my shoulder (which is the cause of all my other injuries). It has been almost two years since my surgery and I am not much better off. The doc said there was a chance that I would never get my shoulder strength back 100%. I think he may be right. I cannot hold the push up position for very long which affects all types of exercises, push ups obviously, burpees, mountain climbers, plank, and so on. Essentially what I have is an old crumbly rubber band of a rotator cuff left, just like the one in the back of your junk drawer. The elasticity is gone, because of this weakness on my left side my shoulder blades are no longer aligned causing a whole mess of back issues as well. I am a mess. All I can do is work through it and hope it gets better. I get discouraged that I can't do what I used to be able to do. The discouragement leads to doubt and doubt leads to laziness and laziness leads to skipping class. Add this on top of note two below and I am lucky to fit in two workouts a week.

2. Eli - Everyday I am not home with my son is a struggle. I wake up and leave the house before he gets up. If I workout I get home about 7 PM, an hour before he has to go to bed. Hila and I work together to get him fed, bathed and ready for bed. Before you know it, it's 8 PM. One hour is not enough time with him. This more than anything else has kept me from working out. I want to be home with him, to hold him, to kiss him, and one hour is not enough time. Yesterday Hila told a friend that she was off to pick up Eli from daycare so I could workout. The friend's response was "He still works out? After our baby, we gave that up?" Really?? Gave it up? We are trying to live a health active lifestyle there is no way we can give this up. The struggle is finding that balance between both. Anyone who has met Eli, or even seen a picture of him can see that he is quite literally the happiest baby alive. He smiles, he laughs, he barely cries. He is amazing. Hila and I have spoken many times about this and contribute much of his happiness to the fact that Hila was in such good health during her pregnancy. I mean she went to boot camp the morning she went into labor and still kicked just about everyone's butt in class. Beast mode level 1000. We need to keep this up, but how? How do you manage what you have to do with what you want to do? I have started thinking that working out is just something that I want to do, where it should be something that I HAVE to do. My old trainer said he could set his watch by how often I came to class, now it's once maybe twice a week. I have to get back to the old mindset of the level of importance of physical fitness. I feel like I am looking at a blurry picture of myself, I can see the old me there I just need to focus. I am still working all this out, how to manage this, how to fit it all in and still be a good husband and father. Maybe I need to hit the gym more, focus on weekend workouts, get up earlier and go to the gym. All of these are different than what I am used to but the course I am on now just ain't cutting it. I need to FOCUS on Following One Course Until Successful. That course will change, and change often but adjusting and figuring it out will make me that much stronger in the long run.

When nothing goes right...go left.

Something has been missing from my life for the past few months. I keep telling myself I can succeed on my own, that I can do this without the help of others but that is simply not the case. In terms of health and fitness it seems I have failed recently more than I have succeeded. I have a need to communicate with others about my achievements, whether good or bad, it keeps me honest. Without doing that I find that I can very easily lie to myself. I can eat this pizza, I can skip this workout and I will be okay. Wrong, wrong, and wrong again. I cannot do it on my own. If I could then I would not be gaining weight, steadily up and up it goes. I have been lost. My connection to the outside world has been my friends and family and this surprisingly powerful blog. It is not easy to share your thoughts with others but what I have found by sharing my thoughts and feelings with others is that the next time I am faced with a difficult decision it is easier to make the right choice because tomorrow I need to write about it. I have felt this way for as long as I have been writing this, but I see it so much more clearly now that I have not been writing. What has been missing in my life is accountability. Even if I don't write about it or talk about it or eat healthy food or workout, my body does not lie. I can tell myself all day long that it's okay but that fact of the matter is my body will prove my dishonesty. The shirt being tight around the belly is a good one but loosing up the belt a notch is just about the powerful honesty tool I have yet to find in life. Accountability. I have missed this word. I have been naive in thinking that I am stronger than my desires. I know that because I keep losing these battles. When faced with a difficult decision, I have been choosing that easier path, the path of least resistance. With your help I hope to overcome this yet again. I have been successful before and I will be again. I keep trying to take the well worn road in front of me, the problem is too many others have been down this road before, it's time to make my own path. It's time to go left.

Ask and ye shall receive.

I am fiberblasted...flabberblasted...fiberlglasted...oh geeze, blown away by how sore I am today.  I asked Kristina if it were possible to bring back the old tradition of playing Ultimate Frisbee this Thursday.  In years past Tom would bust out the bee and we would play maybe once a month for the entire class instead of doing a typical boot camp class.  Well as the title suggests, I asked and then received.  Needless to say, last night we played a killer game of Ultimate Frisbee and got in an absolute great workout.  I forwarded her the rules, ran out to Target and bought a Frisbee for her to keep with all our workout equipment with the hopes we can make this a little boot camp tradition.  I am more sore today than I have been the past couple of weeks.  Maybe it's from all the jockeying back and forth, the small bursts of sprinting, the reaching and jumping to block and stop plays, but I am sitting here now one sore mofo.  My feet, my legs, my back muscles, even my lungs, great googly moogly I am getting old.  Not going to lie, I hurt...all over.  But damn did we have fun.  Fitness is not just about power lifting, or winning races, or being the World's Toughest Mudder, sometimes it's about finding a way to get in a workout and having a good time.  We did both last night and I absolutely loved it.

And if you are anything like Brent and his new shiner, this is not how you catch a Frisbee.

So we spent last night in Jail...

Holy moly what a week!  I am whooped.  As of this morning I have gotten in three workouts, one Burke Lake run and two boot camps.  I am so glad I was able to make it to class last night since we played Boot Camp Monopoly.  Good God I love this game.  It really makes for such a fun class and adds even a little more friendly competition to the evening (friendly being the key word here ladies).  I think it's safe to say that Brent and I spent the better part of the evening in Jail.  Eight times.  Eight friggin times we got sent to jail.  Let me paint a picture for you with my words.  Roll the dice, yeay a three, we do 20 leaping lunges.  Roll the dice again, a six, sweet making our way around the board, run three laps.  Roll the dice, two, pass GO, collect our check mark for one completed lap, do 20 bicep curls and 20 up right rows, hell yess already breaking a killer sweat.  Roll the dice, three, push ups - 20 regular, 20 wide and 20 diamond.  Roll the dice again, four...DAMN IT, jail, 20 burpees.  Now here is where things become interesting.  From Jail, Go to Jail is exactly one roll of the dice away if you roll a six, oh how I hate you Mr. Six.  So what do we do, we roll a six, Go to Jail, 20 more burpees.  New burpee count - 40.  "Brent roll again, roll another six and I will beat you."  Six, DAMN IT!!  20 more burpees, new updated burpee count - 60.  I am picturing the movie Groundhog day because this keeps again, and again, and again.  Eat, sleep, burpee, repeat.  End of class total burpee count - 160.  Let me do some slight mathematics for you, that is a shit-ton of burpees.  The word of the day today is ouch.  Legs - ouch, arms/shoulders - ouch.  Ouch, ouch, ouch.  Good God I friggin love it.  Here are some pics of what all this madness looks like from the parking garage, thank you Kristina for all the pics!!

Us in Jail, burpeeing it up.

Brent, what happened to you head?

This week started week one of my 10 week training program for the Army 10 Miler coming up in October, and so far I only have run once so I definitely need to get in a weekend run fo sho.  Here is my training plan for the next 9.5 weeks.  I made this myself but am essentially following a 10 mile Hal Higdon training plan just slightly modified to accommodate my workout routine.  This may change slightly some days but ideally this is what I am going to try and follow.  I am nervous even putting this next sentence into words but (deep breath) here is goes.  My goal for this race it to beat all other times of any previously run 10 miler.  Whew, that has hard to get out.  I am scared, I am nervous.  I always seem to struggle with the training, things come up, this, that, yada yada, blah, blah, blah, it just doesn't seem to go well for me.  And that is my fault, I make it not go well by my lack of commitment.  Well I am committed this year and I plan to achieve my goal.  Best previous time was 1 hour 36 minutes (9:36 pace).  That is not very fast but it's fast for me.  Maybe this year will finally be the year I finally beat my wife, whoa that came out all wrong, I do not beat my wife, maybe this year will finally be the year that I run a faster time than Hila.  On second thought I am not making that my goal because she is a beast and will surely make me eat those words...

I am not a zombie...

Holy sore gluteus maximus, (butt cheeks, derriere, backside, rump, caboose, pick your term, I don't care, backside, bum, posterior, fanny, yes I can keep going) it hurts.  Tom once told me that best the way to crush a grown man was to thrash his legs for an hour.  That is how I feel today.  Offset squats, knee benders, side step squats with resistance, backwards resisted band running (yes you read that right...backwards, trust me it's hard), but it was the dang leaping lunges that are such a pain in the rear aspect, see I told you.  Those things are brutal.  I have spoken with three boot campers this morning and the very first words out of each their mouths were, "Damn I am pretty sore from yesterday".  And that was all before 8 AM.  Ha!  The soreness has not even set in yet and all of us are S, T, rugglin, tomorrow should be interesting.  Right now I am sitting, it's not so bad, but in a few minutes I am going to get up from my desk where I have been sitting for over an hour, and walk down the hallway by my receptionist and she is going to ask me if everything is okay.  "Why do you ask?"  "Well, Bobby, you are stumbling about like one of the Walking Dead."  "No, Betty, I am not a zombie, yesterday was just leg day."  Nothing is easy the two days following leg day...and by nothing I mean absolutely nothing.  Luckily for me there are two set of stairs I have to take to get to and from my office and the front door.  Yeay me!

Decisions can be difficult.

Life is full of decisions, big and small, that affect us one way or another.  For example, yesterday the decision was boot camp or run.  Of course boot camp is the obvious choice, it's a solid workout guaranteed to be killer, on the other hand so is a 4.5 mile run around Burke Lake.  Boot camp is also an all around full body workout, sure we focus on specific areas sometimes but there has never been a class that we have not used both upper and lower body muscles for something, running is just legs and cardio.  On the other hand I also have the Army 10 miler coming up in just over ten weeks (more to follow on that training plan this week) so an extra run here and there will do nothing but help me in the long run....get it long run, okay I'm done.  The weather was absolutely perfect yesterday so either way I wanted to be outside, both offered that.  As a recent father my son is now majorly influencing my decisions as well.  I get about an hour and a half with him on the nights I go to boot camp, maybe two.  After class I get home somewhere between 6:45 and 7 PM.  Eli goes to bed somewhere around 8:30.  One and a half hours, that sucks.  That is not enough time.  This was ultimately the deciding factor on the boot camp or run decision yesterday.  If I run Burke lake I am finished by or before 6 PM, that puts me home before boot camp even ends giving me an extra 30 - 45 minutes with my family.  Needless to say, that is what I did, I ran Burke Lake and it was glorious.  Such a beautiful night and I thoroughly enjoyed my extra time with my son.  It's tough to manage life, working out, work, family, and free time.  Decisions can be difficult.  How do you do it?  How do you fit in all the things you want while still making sure all the things you need are handled?  Every day is hard, there is always something that comes up, I guess the key is to find that balance that keeps you and your family happy and safe.

Difficult? YES. Impossible? NO.

I learned two small lessons this week which resulted in one larger lesson learned, all pertaining to me being out of shape.

1. You cannot go all balls crazy working out when it's close to 100 degrees outside when not in at least somewhat good physical condition. Wednesday was extremely friggin hot outside I honestly don't know what the hell we were thinking. We ran 1.5 miles before class then near the start of class we ran some stairs. Here is a perfect example of when my mind is telling me yes but my body is telling me no. My body didn't just tell me no it straight up stopped. I thought I could sprint the stairs, just like the good ole days, and still participate in class. Ha! That didn't happen. I pretty much spent the remaining 45 minutes of class standing there in a dizzy daze until my body was able to come back to the land of the living. Not the best of workouts but I burned some calories and broke a serious sweat. Lesson learned - take it a little bit easy until I get more into shape. There is no point in pushing 110% for the first 15 minutes of class if that means you can only push 60% the rest of class. Pace yourself, you will get there, it's not a race, it's process.

2. Even if you only have 30 minutes, something is better than nothing.  I had a small window yesterday of 30 minutes to get in a workout. I was considering running but due to the lack of strength training this week I wanted to work my muscles not just cardio. So I went with the 5-4-3-2-1 workout. My goal was to get in as much of it as I could in 30 minutes. In months prior I could do the entire workout in under 50 minutes so I thought I could keep close to that time. Ha! Again my mind telling me yes but my body telling me no. I am not one to manipulate R. Kelly lyrics but if the shoe fits...or when in Rome...or if you can't stand the heat, no that one does not work. Anyway, what I am trying to say is I only had 30 minutes and I found a way to fit in a workout. I was able to do exactly half the workout in 31 minutes, so I guess I really had 31 minutes available to workout, look I am not a mathmatician, or a good speeler, K? I made the best use of the time provided. Not going to lie, I am sore today from it. I tried to do as many of the push ups as possible on my toes (not my knees), I held and 8 lb. ball when doing the squats, and I added a jump to the burpees. Both my shoulders and my legs are sore today. You don't always need a full boot camp class, or a 5 mile run, or a full hour at the gym. As long as you do something, anything, as often as you can you are doing something good for yourself. I could have sat on the couch last night and read, or taken a nap, or done any number of things, but none of those things will help me achieve my goals of getting fit and losing weight. Even though I only did half the workout, look at what I was able to do, 250 jumping jacks, 200 squats, 150 sit ups, 100 push ups and 50 burpees, not too shabby. I'll take it.

The larger lesson learned here is it takes weeks and weeks and weeks to get into shape. No need to rush the results, they will come with hard work and dedication. I need to constantly remind myself to take it slow, workout everyday I can and it will happen. Yes it's going to be difficult, no it's not impossible but I assure you it's absolutely worth it.

It's called life and sometimes it gets in the way.

Well damn. 4:30 this morning came and went with just a few taps of the snooze button. I have zero memory of changing the alarm this morning so that tells me my body must have needed the sleep. Also skipped boot camp last night to attend to the sickly folks sleeping in my house. That means in order to fit in 5 days this week I have to workout everyday from tomorrow to Sunday. Sheesh. Going to be tough. Might have to fit in a morning run and an evening boot camp one day to make up the difference. No worries though, it's called life and sometimes it gets in the way. Can't workout tonight because we are going to see The Lion King at the Kennedy Center!! Nants ingonyama bagithi.... Cannot wait to see this show, it is one of the few I have not seen on stage.

From what I hear on the home front is that everyone seems to be feeling better now.  Even though I have gone three days without a workout, my eating has been on point. I even had two puddings last night, I know crazy right.  You never know what is going to happen at night in the DeLong household...

Success - What it really looks like.

I am tired.  I am tired of being a slave to food.  I am tired of being overweight.  I am tired of not having the body I want.  I am sick and tired of it all.  The change is coming, I can feel it.  The desire to be fit and lose weight has, as of late, been just that, a desire.  I have turned that desire into a need.  I feel the need to achieve my goals, not just try and achieve them.  I have not felt this motivated in many months.  I am distancing myself from over eating.  I am not much of a junk food eater, I don't sit around eating chips and candy.  My issue is overeating, always has been, I have a hollow leg.  I do not posses that switch in my brain that says stop eating, but with this new Simply Filling plan, I am learning to find it.  I feel fuller when I eat.  I mean how many bananas and peaches can you really sit down and eat?  A plate full of chicken, rice, and veggies seems to fill me up and keep me feeling full longer than a burger a fries.  I don't know the science behind it but it is working.  Go figure good healthy foods are better for you, who knew??  After two weeks I already feel better.  I was able to fit in five workouts last week.  Woke up Friday and ran five miles before work, let me tell you after the run, then working all day, then spending some time with the fam, I slept like a baby Friday night.  Took the bike out for an hour or so on Saturday and I still have the sore behind to remind me of the first ride of the season.  Wanted to get a run in yesterday but I have a house full of sick people so after some Pho and much needed rest the run just didn't happen, oh well.  Glad I did what I could earlier in the week because you never know when you are going to get thrown a curve ball like a sick wife and baby.  WYCWYC!!  It's not about getting from point A to point B quickly, it's about learning why it's important to get to point B at all.

Goals for this week are to continue eating well and to workout at least five times.  Plus Dave Matthews is on Saturday so I need to be extra careful as that day will consist of many consumed empty calories if you are picking up what I am putting down here...

Sore today, strong tomorrow.

I hurt.  From my neck to my knees, complete and absolute pain.  But oh so satisfying pain.  The feeling of being sore.  I love it.  Three days in a row at boot camp this week, that has not happened in months and months.  Going for the three days on one day off plan this week.  Skipped the gym this morning to let the old muscles rest a bit.  I will be back tomorrow, bright and early at the gym.  The hard part is going to come this weekend when I will need to workout both Saturday and Sunday.  Maybe time to bust out the mountain bike and hit the old dusty trail since the weather will be so nice.  Speaking of which, working out last night compared to Monday was B, E, A, utiful.  Last night was gorgeous, much of the same today so enjoy all you outdoor workerouters, yes I just made that word up.  Goal for the coming weekend is to stay on track, eat well, and workout hard.  All of which are in reach as long as I keep reaching.  I can do this.

Weekend Roundup.

I needed to workout so badly yesterday.  This weekend was rough.  Dinner Friday night at Aggio, another one of Brian Voltaggio's restaurants.  Good but not great if I am being honest.  Service was phenomenal food was just okay, Range is better.  If you want a great dinner one night I highly recommend going to Range.  It's small plates so you kind of order four or five different dishes each and share, it's ridiculously good.  We wanted to try Aggio since it is a restaurant within Range and have loved all of his other restaurants.  Probably won't go back but we still had a great time.

Clockwise starting at the top left - Lamb Ragu, Roasted Artichoke Ravioli Soup, Lamb, Pork, Olive Cake.  I cannot remember the exact names but you get the gist.

Saturday night we went out with the friends for a night on the town.  Needless to say we are not 21 anymore and two nights out in a row, when drinking and being up late, while having to get up early and take care of a four month old is rough.  We did it though and enjoyed ourselves thoroughly, but I am glad to be back on a normal schedule this week.  The workout last night helped tremendously.  I was glad to sweat out all the toxins consumed this weekend.  Today I feel much better.

The good news for the day is I didn't have to wake up at 4:30 and get half a workout in at the gym.  My mom is coming over tonight to watch Eli while Hila gets her body combat on.  So that means another boot camp for me tonight.  That makes me very happy.  I will get three boot camps in a row which has not happened for many moons.

As far as eating has been going, other than parts of this weekend, I am loving this Simply Filling plan on Weight Watchers.  No counting, no processed foods, and what a perfect time it is to start this plan with all the fruits and vegetables they have at the farmers market now.  I mean look at my snack the other day.

My lunch from yesterday.

My breakfast from today.   Mmmmmm runny egg....

These are some great plates of food.  I feel so good just from eating good healthy filling foods.  I have not found that I am missing any of the other crap I used to eat to fill in between meals.  We will see how the weight loss goes but I can already tell that this is working for me.  See you at the Farmer's market on Saturday!!

Happy Birthday Hila.

There are some days that are more special than others.  Anniversaries, birthdays, holidays, well today is one of those days.  Today is Hila's birthday.

I thank God everyday for allowing me to live my life in such a way that it brought me to Hila.  I have made many mistakes in life, many missed opportunities, many bad decisions, sometimes I think about these and wish things would have been different.  But then I think what if one of these different decisions would have taken me in a different path, a path away from Hila, and it's then that I know any decision I have made, whether right or wrong at the time, was for a reason, for a purpose.  That purpose is to guide me towards the woman of my dreams.  Not everyone finds that one person who is truly meant for them, their soul mate, their true love.  Somehow I did, I found her, although I didn't know it at the time, when I was just twenty one years old and I almost let her get away.  It wouldn't be until years later that our paths would cross again, but by the grace of God there were years and years of right and wrong decisions that somehow put us in the right place at the right time with the right state of mind.  I am truly grateful to be presented the opportunity to prove that I can love her, provide for her, father her children, and be a part of her loving family.  It is because of her I am who I am today.  I would have continued down a path taking me farther and farther away from what I know to be right.  It is because of her guidance, love, and compassion that I have learned to be the man I am today.  These words do not properly express how I feel or truly show my love for this woman, they are just words and anyone can write words.  The reality comes in the actions.  I have and will continue to love her, cherish her, and appreciate her every waking moment.  She is my life, my love, my friend and my wife.  She is beautiful on both the inside and the outside, and I am lucky to have her by my side.  Happy Birthday Hila.

Wow, I really regret that workout.

A gym rat I am not.  More like a lost puppy dog wandering around aimlessly looking for the best place to pee.  Today I made a mistake, I went to the gym without a plan.  Big mistake.  Thought I could wing it, I did wing it but I didn't make the best use of my time.  I need structure, I need someone who knows what they are doing to tell me what to do.  Even with several years of working out experience I was still lost without a plan.  Hell, I didn't even know what half the machines were for.  I was looking for the little stand where you can do sit ups or back extensions and came up to one and was like "is this it" then I see someone else doing an entirely different exercise on it.  It's intimidating.  It's awkward.  I know why so many people join a gym, go for a week and never come back.  They have no friggin clue what to do.  None, nadda, zip.  I almost know what I am doing and I still didn't have a friggin clue.  Boot camp is my answer to all of these issues.  Boot camp takes away all of the wonder, worry, and concern.  All I have to do is show up and I get a fantastic workout.  Someone else (Tom) sets up the workout and the trainer teaches us.  What do I know about switching muscle groups up?  Muscle confusion?  What do I know about some double cycle pulley system thing that without a picture on it I wouldn't even know what muscle group it worked?  Did I get a good workout this morning, yes I did, but I got a better workout last night in class.  Not just physically but mentally as well.  When it comes to working out it is so much easier to keep pace and cadence when someone else is counting for you.  When you do it on your own you take more breaks, you take longer between sets, it's just human nature to slow down when you are tired, it just happens.  The difference is when someone else is counting and pushing you, you are much more likely to try harder or get back into the rhythm more quickly.   That makes all the difference in the world when it comes to getting fit.  It's the pushing through the pain that takes you to the next level, it's the times it hurts the most that you are doing the best for yourself.  And as much as it hurts at the time I have never finished a workout and said I wish I hadn't done that.