Day 5

I reread my very first blog post (December 14, 2008) today.

I really enjoyed it so I am re-posting it below in it's (relatively brief) entirety:



"Above are screenshots of three of the hundreds of weight loss related blogs I've viewed in the last 2 days. And those three have something significant in common with 95% of those blogs: they didn't last long. At all. The majority have been under 10 posts total, and then...nothing.

Years pass.

I feel for all those would-be bloggers because, like most people that have struggled with their weight, or the larger concept of trying to create long-lasting, positive change in their lives, I have been there. I've launched a thousand "brand new days". New plans, new strategy's, new beginnings, new classes, books, groups, living situations, diets, lifestyles, routines, etc, etc, etc.

It never gets any easier; failing at a new approach, which is hard because it's so much fun at the start. I once heard the nature of man described aptly as something to the effect of "Great at creation, poor at maintenance".

But, when it comes to human nature, another common theme is perseverance. So, in the interest of attempting to persevere, I am following in the footsteps of both those who failed and left their blog like a virtual ghost town, and those who triumphed. I am starting a blog to track what I plan to be a journey of weight loss and overall success in a life previously marked by failure.

Good luck to me, and to serve the double purpose of serving as a self-motivating final statement of this post, and a potential piece of advice to those who pass by here in the future if I too abandon my post: Never Give Up."

---

I didn't exercise much yesterday, but I did a little, and "a little" is 100% more exercise than I get when I'm not striving for success, so I am counting it.

I did 50 wall push-ups.

And for that, I received a healthy George Washington.

Never Give Up.

Day 4

Yesterday I got up at 5:30...

I took a one hour and fifteen minute lunch...

I feel asleep last night easily and slept soundly...

Today I am sore...

What does it all mean?

Well, let's just say...

Day 4:

Did I exercise?


Yesssssssssssssssssssss.

I got up at bright and early and joined 3 friends for an hour of basketball.

Then, during my lunch break, I played another hour of basketball.

Today I feel like I spent two hours yesterday engaged in full-on cardio while vigorously working muscles in my arms, back and shoulders that I haven't worked in a while.

(I did)

And so...

Dolla dolla bills y'all.

Day 3

I haven't regularly posted since last summer, and since I'm committed to doing this 125 days of exercise in conjunction with 125 posts, I guess there's a chance that people who used to read this will come back and some new people may start.

So, just to get on the same page then - allow me to reintroduce myself:

I started this blog December 14, 2008.

At the time I was 620 lbs.

I've obviously had ups and downs since then (quick history of my weight can be found at the bar on the right.)

I like blogging.

It's been a great place to get my thoughts and feelings out; to energize and inspire me, and to keep me moving.

I enjoy reading other blogs. I have just restarted that in the last few days after months without reading any. I love seeing other people succeed.

I am a recovering alcoholic.

I went to rehab for alcohol and my weight in 2008.

I work doing sales and marketing for a a business who's focus actually is on assisting people in creating change in their lives.

I'm an excellent piano player.

I'm originally from Alaska.

I've hurt my family, friends, and loved-ones for years because of my issues (addictions, self-destruction, and the selfishness and many other failings that go hand-in-hand.)

I'm doing a good job slowly but surely starting to rebuild and repair those relationships.

I love Johnny Cash, the Velvet Underground, Ben Folds, Billy Joel, the Beatles, and the White Stripes.

I've come to believe in God in a powerful and personal way.

I was hit by a car in Rome once.

My hair started going grey at 12 years old.

I work very hard at my job and am damn good at it.

I once had a wild black bear in my bedroom.

---

I was asked recently in the comments how I lost 113 in 4 months (this Jan through April).

Well, let me answer that by saying: I also once lost 116 pounds in 11 weeks (Oct-end of December 2005), and earlier last year I lost 118 pounds in 9 weeks (again, see weight loss numbers at right for details).

I'm grateful for those numbers, and am hoping to produce more of the same moving forward.

That said, there was never any trick or shortcut during any of my greatest weight loss periods. For instance, during the 113 pounds lost earlier this year and during the 118 lost in 9 weeks last year, all I did was eat about 1500-1700 calories every day, consisting largely of lean meats, vegetables, a little cheese, milk and lots of beans. Another dietary thing is that I drank lots of water and lowered my sodium intake to no more than 2000 mg a day.

From an exercise standpoint I walked 3-5 times a week, did 50-150 wall push-ups a week, and eventually in both cases started playing basketball 3-5 times as well.

Also, in all of the above cited weight-loss periods, I started from a weight of no lower than 494 lbs, and as high as 667 lbs, so there's always been plenty of weight dying to come off.

---

I read Tony's blog over the weekend (The Anti-Jared) and he mentioned me:

"Stages of Change, you wrote a great post about how people can change. How I did not believe that was possible. I was wrong, people can change.They just have to want it."

And I just wanted to say thanks to Tony. I really dig that comment. He is right. It's not always easy for any of us to see, but it is the truth. We can change, we "just have to want it". Damn right. Tony's amazing and inspirational multi-pronged transformation proves it. I love it.

His comment reminded me of that old post I wrote, which I liked because it fired me up. If anyone is interested, you can read it here: "Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes"

---

Lastly, yesterday was Day 3:

Did I exercise?

Yes I did.

I walked a one mile loop on a local trail.

So, I received another $1 bill.

"The most important thing to remember is this: To be ready at any moment to give up what you are for what you might become." - W. E. B. Du Bois

Day 2

Yesterday was a very productive day.

I got a variety of things done that were beneficial yesterday and will prove helpful in the week ahead.

My last post before the start of this 125 days of exercise thing was about how losing weight and changing your life is not "hard"

I just wanted to say, in case there is any doubt...

That is still true.

This is not hard.

I just wanted to reaffirm that. And not in a cocky way. I don't care about me being right, I do, however, love that it is right.

And what is right...and what is true...is that everything is only ever about how we choose to see it.

That concept is one I've written about before, but meh, I'll never stop writing, thinking, and talking about it, because it's the truth, and it's glorious, seriously.

Not to say that life can't be a struggle: that tragedy doesn't strike, that fluke accidents don't happen, that additional work isn't unexpectedly given to us.

But so much of life is about our choices.

And the biggest one is how are we going to feel in the moment. I can choose to feel labored, over-worked, under-appreciated, stressed-out, victimized, helpless, hopeless. Or I can choose to feel positive and put my best foot forward.

Yesterday, I choose the latter.

And yesterday, was Day 2 of my 125 day challenge:

Did I exercise?

Yes I did.

I again played basketball, this time for an hour, from 6-7am.

As a result, I earned dollar number 2.

"We are not animals. We are not a product of what has happened to us in our past. We have the power of choice. " - Stephen Covey

Day 1

Since last fall, I've only posted a few times.

Here's an extremely brief recap of what's happened:

I went from 534 lbs in November

To 600 lbs in January, 2010.

Then I got all the way down to 487 lbs by April 24 (the lowest weight I'd been at since summer of 2007)

Now I sit around the mid 500's I'm guessing (I plan to go weigh soon to see the real number)

Ups and downs.

Throughout the last 9 months however, regardless of the ups and downs, I have thankfully continued to grow as a person, I have solidified a new spiritual direction, and I have learned futher valuable lessons and gained new insights.

Now on to my plan to use the money Anne H sent me that Jack Sh*t awarded me as motivation towards a goal. Below is my original submission for Jack's giveaway, outlining my idea:

"My 10 year high school reunion is later this spring, in a little over 100 days.

I would break the hundred dollar bill into one hundred individual dollar bills.

I would give them all to my sister's family, with one caveat: I would start a goal to workout every day for one hundred days, not killing myself, just doing it...every day. And at the end of every workout, I would go see my sister and she would pay me one dollar. I would post pictures and updates.

After 100 days, (and hopefully, having lost enough weight to go back to Washington and see friends and family at less than 100 pounds higher than I was at 18 years old), all the dollars I had earned would be passed on to another weight loss blogger to do something cool and worthwhile with via this exact type of giveaway...(and) if I workout all one hundred days, and thus earn back all $100, then I will add one hundred of my own, and pass on $200 to some other WL blogger."

Well, it turns out I've come up short on that goal already, because my reunion is about 80 days away instead of 100.

So, the new concept is to excercise every day for those 80 days hoping to arrive at my reunion not much bigger than I was in high school (yes, I was 400 lbs senior year), and then excercise every day for another 45.

After the 125 days are up, I will indeed be giving away the money to another WL blogger.

Now, yesterday was the start of the plan...

Day 1:

Did I exercise?





Yes.

I did.

I played 40 minutes of basketball, all of which were cardio, and 15 of which was very strenuous.

As a result, I had a family member pay me $1 of the $125:

Day 2 awaits.

I'm Sorry Jack Sh*t