Today marks the one year anniversary that I decided to get off my butt and do something about my weight and health. My heaviest to lightest differential is FIFTY, yes, 50 POUNDS. I’ve gained about 5 pounds back, but it’s all muscle weight. I’ve been yoyoing at this number for a while, so this might be a good weight to maintain. Overall I feel better, sleep a little better (albeit still not enough), eat a LOT better.
I used to be that person. I used to make excuses, “there’s no time,” “I’m too tired/hungry when I get home from work,” “I’m too busy,” ETC. Probably true. A simple thing like cut sodas and fast food would help dramatically. It wasn’t easy, but I managed to cut almost completely sodas, and a lot of fast food. Sure, I’ll admit, I still partake in some fast food. But I calorie count so much, I know what I can and can’t eat. So, I eat anything in moderation. Hamburgers? Yes. Pizza? Yes. Tacos? OF FRIGGEN COURSE! I wouldn’t cut tacos, ever. I just order much less than I have in the past. Who need’s six to eight tacos when four is enough? I used to eat tacos like the place was going to burn down and I’d never have tacos again. Something had to change. I justified it with, “oh, I’m playing hockey tomorrow, it’s ok I’ll burn it all off.” Big mistake. While playing hockey, at an average 20 min ice time per game, I wasn’t burning off a while lot of calories and at most that was once a week. Again, something needed to change.
One of my favorite motivational images. Honestly, how many people can actually sleep 8 hours a day. Add commute time, REAL work schedule (they aren’t 40 hours a week!), time with significant other… There’s STILL time to workout!
I started walking at work. I took one of my breaks to walk around the marshes of Redwood City. It wasn’t much, but I was moving… I turned it into both breaks. Which turned into lunch time walks. I then added BEFORE-work walks. Which again morphed into jogging, into running, into my first 5k, 10k, half marathon, and here I am today doing Spartans and other variety races/OCRs. I’m jumping ahead too much, but you get the idea.
Before I forget, my Fitbit is probably one of my biggest motivators. Gamifying life is the perfect solution (FOR ME) to motivate me to do anything. I did have to drop $100 for a Fitbit, but it got me wanting to beat that 10k step a day goal EVERY possible day. Sure I’ve missed a couple, but I usually make it up during the week. I now average 16k steps a day, sometimes more, sometimes less. But I try to at very least hit those 10k steps.
In the past I’ve done the P90X; I’ve done the Insanity workouts. I had lackluster results, I blamed the videos. I did lose some weight and gained muscle, but I was still heavy. I was stupid and didn’t get a good diet going. When something clicked in my head one year ago, I just got it. Everything for some reason was clear. While transitioning from walking to running, moO’s cousin introduced me to T25. This was the same group that did P90X and Insanity (same trainer as Insanity as well). 25 minutes, that can’t be so bad. It wasn’t… So much, I did two a day for the entire program! Weight/fat melted right off with the workouts and eating healthy. I still wasn’t 100% satisfied. I joined my work gym and started pumping iron. Great, I’m a gym rat now. I now go to the gym usually twice a day, before and after work. And as much as four workouts a day, including a lunchtime run as well as an after-work-after-gym T25 workout at home. But I’ll admit that’s pretty rare. I’m crazy, yes. I’ve dropped most of my other hobbies just to train for my next race, be it running race or OCR. I now normally train in the hills in the HEAT because it’s a great leg workout and I need training for my Spartan Beast in Temecula (SoCal).
I do have some moments of “why do I still do this?” “I’ve reached all my goals, why bother?” and so on. I do it to STAY healthy, with or without all the races. Yes, I still have a little sadness deep inside me when I hear someone crack open a Coke at work. Sure I can have one. But I’ll save it for after a race in lieu of the free beer tickets.
Sad unused beer ticket. =(
Now, excuse me while I go on my third trail run of the long 4th of July weekend…
