Week 24 Weigh-In

I'll be honest with you.  I never, ever thought I would make it this far.  See, I have a pretty solid history of starting things and not finishing them.  I've left more compositions started and unfinished than finished, and I even LIKE music!  So here we are.  Week 24.

I'm at 212.1, which is 47.9 pounds down - and although up from last week's total, I'm not worried.  I'm actually pretty happy.  Why, you might ask?

Last Tuesday, I finally joined the YMCA and immediately started attacking their stationary cycles.  It was great cardio and it was a way to start building up to the 90-mile round-trip Bike to Jack and Back, a charity event I'll be taking part in come October.  I'll be representing the company I work for, along with another colleague, and the moment I have any information on donation and sponsoring and whatnot, I'll post a link.

I also started lifting weights, which I've been very, very, very, very lax on.  I hit a low point on my weight mid-week last week at 209, which was great, but I'm back up to 212.1 and I'm down another 1/2 inch on my stomach!  Speaking of lifting weights, I found a great website that will help you track what you're doing and motivate you to keep going.  It's the most positive, supportive place on the internet.  Check it out over at fitocracy.com, and if you want to add me, please do!  You can see what I'm up to over there: My Fitocracy profile

I started all this on Janaury 9th, and it wasn't until January 24th that I actually took some measurements.  Since then, I've dropped 47.9 pounds, sure, but 21.5 inches on what I originally measured - hips, stomach, and thigh.  When I started, my stomach was larger than my hips.  Not so much anymore.

I know a lot of friends and family have started taking steps here and there to get healthier.  I'm touched that so many people have gone along with what I'm doing.

Let's see what another six months does.

Week 23 Weigh In

In 23 weeks, I've gone from someone that loathed exercise to someone that is now angry and restless that a bum knee is keeping him from exercising.  Funny what almost half a year can do.  More than a couple people have told me that this blog has been inspiring to them, and I suppose I can see that, but I'm still having trouble believing it.  About ten people have started the 100-day burpee challenge now, one of which is up into the 50s!  Exciting things going on all around me, and I'm glad I'm able to take part in it.

As far as the weigh-in goes, I finally hit another drop!  I'm down to 211.2, down 48.8 pounds from 23 weeks ago!  Knee is getting better, and if the YMCA will ever make up their mind on what I need to bring in for 'income verification,' I'll have actual exercise equipment - those stationary bikes are going to be very important in the coming months.

But that's a story for another time...

Week 22 Weigh-In

I'm so sorry, running.  I really mean it.  I said some awful, terrible things about you, but I take them all back!  For those of you that I haven't whined to yet, I hurt my knee running on Thursday and wasn't able to start week two of the Couch 2 5K yesterday, which is really bumming me out.  I'm trying to stay off my right leg to give my knee recovery time, but it's not easy.  Here's hoping it gets better soon and I'm able to start up again next Sunday.

As for the weight, there is a success there.  After a cheat day yesterday, I weighed in at 215.2 - down 44.8 pounds!  Almost at the 45 pound mark - here's shooting to cross the line next week!  75% to my goal weight.  Pretty exciting.

Week 21 Weigh-In!

And one week burpee-free!  Not much weight lost - for a rest week with two cheat days, I'm not very worried (or surprised) by a week loss of 0.3 pounds - down to 218.6.  This week should prove to be far more challenging, with six days of workouts and a renewed zeal to down water rather than soda.  Let's see what next week brings.

C25K - Day One

Oh sweet Lord, another multiple-week challenge?  At least it's not 100 days, nor is it EVERY DAY.  Woke up around 7am and went out to get the run out of the way early on.  The breakdown for today, as well as the other two days this week, is thus:

5 min warm-up walk
60 seconds jogging
90 seconds walking
60 seconds jogging
90 seconds walking
60 seconds jogging
90 seconds walking
60 seconds jogging
90 seconds walking
60 seconds jogging
90 seconds walking
You're donLOL NOPE SCREW YOU KEEP RUNNING
60 seconds jogging
90 seconds walking
60 seconds jogging
90 seconds walking
60 seconds jogging
90 seconds walking

5 min cool-down walk

For some reason, I had it in my head that it was only 5 total minutes of running.  So when I thought to myself, 'Hey, I'm almost done!" the app snapped me back to reality.

"Begin running.  You're halfway done!"

I would have called my phone a stupid hussy, but I couldn't really breathe at that point (because, DAMN, am I out of shape), but I'm sure it knew of my fury.

During the last half of this happy little jaunt, a squirrel skittered onto the asphalt track and was all like, "Hi."  I had to awkwardly extend my stride (which was not easy at this point) to keep from kicking him in his little squirrel head, and when I looked back to see if he was going to apologize, he was up on his hind legs, arms outstretched.  If squirrels were capable of human speech, he would have been all COME AT ME BRO and I would have been all MAYBE LATER I HAVE TO KEEP RUNNING FOR SOME STUPID REASON.

As it turned out, I wasn't that weird-ed out by the rodent's audacity, because I was much more confused by me actually running.

Eventually, though, it was over, and I wobbled victoriously towards a vehicle, drove off, and wept.