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Posts
After the Rugged Maniac. While I am smiling I am thinking “why did I just put myself through?”. The Rugged Maniac was one of the toughest things I have done physically. Can’t wait to do it again next year!
This video has had a profound impact on me for reasons I can’t explain. Watching this video has helped me put things in my life into perspective; it has really opened my eyes to what is important. I’ve watched this video several times of the last few days.
- An Open Letter to Jay Cutler
Jay “Boo-Boo” Cutler,
I loathe you. I don’t know you, yet I loathe you. My perception of you is a person without character, selfish (borderline narcissistic), ignorant and a person with an ego larger than the football field you play on. Perception is reality.
You quit on the Broncos and you quit on your Bear’s teammates in the NFC Championship game. I know, I know…your knee was worse than what television depicted it as. Who cares! Don’t quit on your team, EVER.
I love when my fantasy football opponent starts you at QB. I know my defense will have at least four interceptions that day. Do you really think you can complete some of those passes (which is ignorant) or is your ego just too big to let you check down or throw the ball away?
You are probably saying “what have you done in your life? I’m a pro football player, what are you?” I am a fan of the game. I care about how people carry themselves. I know that no one player is larger than the game. That is a lesson you still need to learn.
Last season was your first winning season of your career since high school. Do you think you had anything to do with that? Or was it your teams fault? Your receivers fault? Winning isn’t just about practice and execution, its also a trait. Some people are born winners, some are born losers. The good news is that winning traits can be learned. I suggest you go to winners school. I’m really getting tired of hearing how much potential you have. When does that potential come to fruition or die? You can’t have potential forever. At some point (maybe very soon) potential becomes a waste.
The crux of this letter is that I don’t want to loathe you. I’m not that kind of guy. While you have been the butt of many of my jokes and banter, I really want to see you live up to your potential. I will be the first person to eat crow when you win.
If you read this (0.01% chance) and make your way back to Denver, look me up (0% chance). I’d love to have a beer with you to chat about my perception and why I think this way. Who knows, you might be the coolest guy ever who is just misunderstood. Until then, my perception is my reality and my reality is that you are a loser.
- Putting Happiness Into Perspective
The other day, as I was walking from my car to my place of employment, I crossed paths with a gentleman that was severely physically handicapped (I put an emphasis on physically because I think, for the story I’m about to tell, its important to point out that this gentleman was not mentally handicapped).
In passing, I gave a quick glance and I saw a huge smile on this man’s face. I did a double take and when I did, the man spoke to me. He said “good morning”. This seem somewhat trivial, but this changed my perspective on life and especially on being happy.
We all have problems, that at times, make it hard to be happy. But when this severely handicapped gentleman smiled and said good morning, I could feel his attitude, his happiness. How could this man be happy when he barely has the use of his legs? Why can’t I achieve true happiness when I am alive, capable and have the world at my finger tips?
These thoughts stopped me in my tracks. My entire life, all my choices and decisions leading up to this point, played like a movie in my head. It also made me put happiness into perspective. I have no reason to be unhappy. I have all the ability in the world to be happy. I am the person who molds me.
At that moment, I realized that every bit of the person that I want to be is within me. I can be that person and I can realize happiness.
Every morning I look for that handicapped man. I’d love to introduce myself and talk to him. He may never know that seeing him happy changed my life. I am grateful for that.
- There I Sat
I have been on a quest to improve my quality of life and as such, I have been living a pretty healthy lifestyle. Eating right and exercising has helped me lose over 50 pounds in the last year. I’ve kicked most of my bad/unhealthy habits except for one. I have a bad habit of consuming energy drinks. It’s closer to an addiction than to a habit.
I drink an energy drink a day. This is awful for a couple of reasons. Its really bad for my health. Energy drinks have been found to deplete the adrenal gland. Compounded with the fact that they are mostly composed of chemicals. They are also really bad for my bank account. These things are costly!
I’ve been trying to break the habit (kick the addiction) and I just haven’t been able to do it. Along comes Lent. To help me get these out of my life, I have given these up for Lent. I have done great in avoiding them since Lent started, however, today was a different day.
As I left my house, I could taste the energy drink and immediately started to crave it. I drove to 7-Eleven with an intent to buy one, and down it as fast as I can. As I pulled into the parking lot, I had a sense of guilt and anger. I promised myself that I would kick this addiction, yet here I was about to give in. There I sat in my truck in the parking lot for several minutes fighting an intense debate with myself.
There I sat as the debate went back and forth. The entire time I struggled with this decision, I could literally taste the drink. I was about to give in when the debate ended. I put my truck in reverse and left without buying an energy drink. Its a decision I knew I had to make. I need to improve all facets of my life and not drinking these will be a sure improvement in the quality of my life on several levels.
Here I sit writing this and must say, I am really happy and proud of my decision.
- Fight For Air Climb | Team Sherpa
2009 Team Sherpa
Results:Jon=19:26, Sarah=24:38, Michael=19:38, Shaunna=17:10, Colin=25:07, Sara=18:28, Steve=12:59, Kyle=11:56, Pete=12:51
2010 Team Sherpa
Results:Jon=20:57, Sarah=38:17, Michael=20:44, Shaunna=19:31, Quentin=13:45, Colin=27:00, Sara=17:24, Steve=12:36, Kyle=10:53, Matt=14:55, Pete=12:04, Mel=13:57, Tricia=38:38
2011 Team Sherpa
Results:
Jon=13:12, Michael=15:42, Shaunna=14:35, Quentin=13:28, Colin=21:59, Sara=16:19
- Interesting NBA Observation
I have made an interesting observation about current NBA players, their ability and their name. It seems that many of today’s top players have a last name that could also be a first name:
Kobe BRYANT
Carmelo ANTHONY
Chris PAUL
Lebron JAMES
Dwyane WADE
Ray ALLEN
Tim DUNCAN
Dwight HOWARD
Brandon ROY
Michael JORDAN (greatest of all time)This strikes me as odd and its most likely a coincidence, but what if a last name can be an indication of aptitude, ability or greatness?
- Why the new AppleTV will kill the Roku Player
Let me first say that I currently own an older AppleTv and I also own a Roku Player. I use my AppleTV to stream content/media (movies & music) from my computer to my tv as well as rent movies from iTunes. I use my Roku Player for Pandora and Netflix.
THe new AppleTV has basically integrated the best that Roku has to offer. Meanwhile, Roku hasn’t done anything new recently save release new hardware. I’ve always wished that my AppleTV could play Netflix and Pandora or that my Roku could stream my content.The new AppleTV has done just that.
I am assuming that Pandora will be available on the new AppleTV via an app and Netflix will be integrated. What more could I want?
I know that there are ways to stream my media from my computer to my Roku, but they are all hacks as the Roku doesn’t do this as a channel. Besides Pandora, Netflix, Amazon Video & MLB.tv, most of the channels that Roku offer are public access type programming broadcasted over the internet. Yes, there are some gems here and there, but for the most part its stuff I’ll never watch. Kinda like buying a car cause the back seat has cool cup holders.
The new AppleTV is consolidating devices in my entertainment center. It is doing everything the Roku does and more. It won’t take long for Apple to have content agreements in place with the same providers that Roku has. When that happens, the Roku will officially be done for…unless…Roku has something up their sleeve that has not been floated around the internets. Will the Roku offer a channel to stream media from my computer?
The real nail in the coffin is that the new AppleTV will allow you to stream (via a wireless connection) from my ipad to the AppleTV. This means that Hulu will now be able to be streamed without connecting my laptop to my tv. Goodnight Roku!
Unless I see something from Roku soon, my old AppleTV and my Roku player will be listed on Denver Craigslist in the near future. Want to make me an offer?
- Bye-Bye Foursquare
I’ve given up on Foursquare. Not that I don’t think its cool or doesn’t have potential, I just don’t use it and don’t see it fitting into my life. I am giving up on trying to be the mayor of anywhere. I used to be the mayor of 8 or so establishments and took pride in that title. But it dawned on me that being the mayor only means you are spending more time and money at that particular location than anyone else is…big deal. I broadcast my location to a bunch of people I don’t know. Who cares where I am? I don’t care where people are that I don’t know.
Foursquare would be cool if it allowed you to build a private network sorta like Yammer did with the Twitter concept. I guess that’s what Google Latitude is, but who wants to share all their data with Google? But this is predicated on friends and family also using the service, which is a tough sell to someone who doesn’t know or care about LBS.
While I’ve made an example out of Foursquare, I really am trying to unclutter all facets of my life. You’ve probably received advice that you should throw out (or donate) old clothing if you haven’t worn it in 6 months. I am taking that same philosophical approach to my iPhone apps. If I haven’t used them is x-amount of time, they will be deleted.
I want my brain back!
- A New Addiction
I’ve recently delved into the world of bicycles. I started to tinker with a single speed conversion of a red schwinn (see previous posts), but I wasn’t into it yet. I really didn’t know what I was doing, and more importantly, what I wanted. I think I have it figured out now.
I have a plan to have three bikes:
1) Daily commuter - This bike is a Giant ATX 830. Its older, but its aluminum and light. I have been continually upgrading and making it better. I removed the two small rings in the front leaving only the big ring. This allowed me to remove the front shifter and derailleur. I opted for the road slicks instead of traditional mountain bike tires. I need to replace the brakes with new ones and it should be a completed project. I would remove the 7 rear gears, but I really do need them to commute to and from work.
2) Cruiser - I just procured a Schwinn Panther beach cruiser. I had the hand brakes taken off and a coaster brake put in. I also have small sized ape hanger handlebars that I will be painting white. Not a lot to do with this project except ride it!
3) Single Speed Mountain Bike - I have yet to buy a bike to convert as I have been researching what kind of bike I want and how I want it to look afterward. I know that I only want a front brake to keep it as clean as possible. But I’m not sure of frame design yet.
I really enjoy riding my bike(s) and look forward to continuous tinkering!
Great illustration of how Google works and how it makes money. Although it omits how it gets and stores your personal data to know everything about you.
- Riding My Bike
Its been almost two weeks since I started riding my bike into work. I don’t actually ride my bike from my house to my place of work, rather I drive my car close to work and park on the street where its free. I then take my bike out of my truck and ride from there. Parking in downtown Denver ranges from $1.50 (8 blocks away) to $14-$20 a day at my building. Instead of asking for more money just to pay my parking bill, I decided to ride my bike. I’m not in good enough shape to ride door-to-door yet, but I hope to get there soon. Every couple of days, I am parking just a little further away from work in hopes that one day I’ll be riding from my house.
I’ve learned so much from riding my bike to work. First, it seems that there have been a well devised plan for bike riders. There are a ton of trails and ways to get around the city. Second, more people ride and/or walk than what I thought. Its nice to see so many people commuting without the use of a car.
We have reached a point where, as a collective, human charater doesn’t mean much in American culture. As such, now is the time more than ever to be true to your true self.
AnonymousI don’t see how my beloved Hulu can survive. The very reason for Hulu’s success (overpriced cable) is now controlling its destiny. This can’t end well for Hulu
Its been a year since Handbrake was updated. This is the best ripping software on the market
A while ago, I wrote about converting an old school Schwinn ten speed to a single speed bike. While I have slowed down a bit, I still have the motivation to get it done. Kyle took some photos of the bike before he stripped it down and after he removed all of the components. More to come…
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Tweets
- Acceptance: A blog post on being overweight. http://t.co/ojSE4iXR #FitFluential
- @azdavidanderson Yo! Long time....how you been man? Not sure any other way to get in touch with youMay 15, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- @rudybull23 welcome back
- I wonder which @denvernuggets player will get elbowed by World Peace on Sarurday night?
- @carmeloanthony will never win a championship. he can't play team ball like the @denvernuggets. I know, he's rich and I sit in a cube
- No wonder why Kobe is top scorer in the league... The NBA and #DavidStern won't allow him to foul out. #DavidStern is a crook
- @alexismallen usually a gentleman.., but a little pissy tonight. Sorry if I'm being a dick...not intentional
- The US congress won't allow gay marriage but they'll let millions of consumers get ripped off by the NBA. #DavidStern is a crook
- @alexismallen the NBA has to let another team win against the celts once in a while to hide their bias.
- Even though the @denvernuggets are dominating, the @NBA and #DavidStern lost a fan tonight. Transparency and consistency is key to business
- @alexismallen yeah right...I'm just being bitter. Not a fan of the NBA right now. Allowing shitting officiating is wrecking their product
- Kenneth Fareed is a #Manimal. Yet #DavidStern is still a terrible human. #NBAsucks #ConspiracyTheory
- #DavidStern is a piece of shit. That is all
- I've never blamed a loss on officiating, but if @denvernuggets lose this game it's all on @NBA and their blatantly obvious biased officials
- @NBA...way to build a fan following. Make your fans hate your product, real smart. Officiate fairly, be transparent. Your product sucks
- The @NBA only wants people to be a fan of 4 teams: lakers, heat, bulls, celts. Case study in bad marketing
- The @NBA is a f-ing joke. All calls are going Lakers way. And we wonder why robots are taking human jobs. Robots aren't biased.
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Info
- SummarySpecialties: Project Management, eCommerce Development, Agile Development, Systems EngineeringExperience
- Jan 2012 - PresenteBusiness Operations Project Manager / CenturyLink
- Jan 2011 - PresentBoard of Directors / Arvada Colts, Inc.
- Jun 2010 - Jan 2012Lead Systems Engineer / Access Data
- Apr 2009 - Jan 2011VP Technology/eCommerce / Strandle, LLC
- Nov 2007 - Mar 2010IT Project Lead/eCommerce Manager / Janus Capital Group
- May 2006 - Nov 2007IT Manager II - eCommerce / EchoStar Satellite LLC
- Aug 1998 - May 2006Project Manager / Qwest Communications
Education-
1998 - 2000University of Colorado at Denver
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1994 - 1998Northern Arizona University
Additional Information-
Websites:
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Posts
- May 24, 12
Everyone wants to be accepted. Everyone wants to be accepted by their friends, family, schoolmates, co-workers and society in general. Being accepted is a tough thing to do because of the number of elements that you are constantly judged by: weight, looks, personality, hair color, skin color, what you wear…the list is endless. No one should ever be rejected based on any of these, especially based on weight. Being accepted by family usually isn’t an issue when you’re overweight, although I’ve read stories of people being rejected by their families due to their weight, which is very sad to me. However, being accepted by friends, co-workers and society in general is tough when you are overweight. People look at you and treat you differently when you are overweight. There are looks, stares, comments, eye rolling and avoidance when they see an overweight person approaching.
When I talk to people about weight loss, I always like to ask why do they want to lose weight. The answer I get varies by age group, but is almost universal within an age group. People who are 30 years old and older, almost always respond that they want to lose weight to be healthy, live longer for their family and improve the quality of life. About 90% of the time, people under 30 respond by saying that they want to look good at the pool and to fit in.*
We all want to fit in, but it makes me a bit sad that people feel like they have to lose weight to fit in. It makes me sad and a little ashamed that I live in a society where people are judge on how much they weigh instead of who they are. Me being overweight does not define me. Not being able to fit into a booth at a restaurant does not define me. Conversely, when someone does not accept someone else because that person is overweight, that defines them as having shallow/poor character. I’m happy not to be accepted by a person like that. Would like to stay as far away from that person as possible.
There is a paradox that happens, which is a laughable situation. There are people that I work with or am in the same social circle with that never game me the time of day when I was overweight are now more than willing to offer their support and kind words in regards to my weight loss. I cordially accept their compliments but they really don’t mean much to me. Why couldn’t they have offered support and encouragement when I was overweight? They barely spoke two words to me then, why do I care what they have to say now?
I used to strive for acceptance. I spent quite a bit of time, energy and emotion on trying to be accepted. Magically that changed when I starting to lose weight for, what I consider, the right reasons. I wasn’t trying to lose weight to look good at the pool or to be accepted by people. I started losing weight to get healthy and to live a full life with my wife and son. They were there for me when I was overweight, they accepted me unconditionally. I spent too much time trying to be accepted by people that didn’t care about me, when I have a large group of people that care for me and have already accepted me. I lose weight for me and I lose weight for them. I don’t lose weight for others.
Feels good to put that in writing and get it off my chest. If you’ve been there for me regardless of my weight, I love you and appreciate you.
*Not a scientific study or poll. Just me chatting with people and making an observation.
- Apr 12, 12
The Military Spartan Sprint in Colorado Springs in fast approaching. I am getting prepared to become a Spartan. I’ve watched countless hours of past Spartan Races to prepare and I get a little more nervous the more I watch. I’m not sure how to approach training for such an event. It seems that being overall fit is better than trying to concentrate on a particular aspect (such as running/endurance, lifting etc). I’ve been running more than I have been doing anything else, but I’m thinking that may not be the best approach.
When it comes down to it, I’m not trying to compete against others. I’m trying to beat myself. To do better than I ever have before. I know that when I cross the finish line, I will have given the course everything I have. I know, its just a silly obstacle course. While it may be that on the surface, I see it as much more. I used to be very overweight and still struggle with eating issues, lack of motivation, lack of action and every other affliction that touches people that want to lose weight. I see this as a chance to prove something to myself. There is a voice inside my head that tells me I can’t do it. It tells me every day that I can’t be my best. Getting in shape and completing an event like the Spartan Race is my opportunity to be great, if only for the amount of time it takes to complete the course. The real greatness comes from the training. Training is where I make myself better. Training is where I lose the weight I want to lose and get into the Victory Mindset.
In my quest to do the best I can at these events, I researched various training programs that specialize in training just for obstacle racing. Crossfit seems to be the foundation of all training plans marketed for obstacle racing. I’ve also been ready the blog/web site of Hobie Call quite a bit lately. Hobie is the worlds greatest obstacle racer winning most of the events he enters including winning the Spartan Race several times. His workouts are also Crossfit in nature, but he has also set up a training course that allows for him to develop the speed, endurance and muscle necessary to do great at these events. Since I began obstacle racing, I’ve kept an eye on Hobie and tried to learn from him. His web site is basically a blueprint on how to get fit and do well in obstacle races. I hope to by like Hobie Call one day; he is incredibly fit, passionate and dedicated to being his best.
Obstacle racing has grown in an incredibly short time with tons of people participating. If you are an obstacle racer, do you train for them or do you just go out and do them for fun? If you train for them, what are some of the things you do to prepare. I would love to hear your tips and learn from you!
- Mar 06, 12
It’s been 8 months since you son was born which means it’s been 8 months since I went to the gym. Before my son was born, I was going to the gym on a regular basis and had a great routine and workout plan. When my son was born, a wrench was thrown into my routine and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Being a dad is awesome. However, I wasn’t able to find a new routine that worked for me and my family. My wife and I tried to figure out a schedule that would allow each of us to go to the gym while the other cared for the lil guy. We tried an assortment of schedules, but nothing seemed to work. As a last resort, we both went to the gym and put the lil guy in the kid’s center at the gym. We really didn’t want to do that, but we gave it a shot and it seemed to work out pretty well. But this post isn’t about that…
This post is about getting back into the workout groove after an 8 month layoff. While I hadn’t been to the gym for 8 months, I still exercised. I took up running, which I enjoy more than I thought I would. I really missed the gym and wanted to get back to strength training, which I love. I was filled with giddiness on my first trip to the gym in 8 months. I setup my workout the night before and was ready to get to work. The workout I prepared was the same one I was using (and loved) before my son’s birth.
As I prepared the equipment for the first exercise (squats), I loaded the bar with the weight I was using 8 months ago. I looked at the bar with a sense of pride and happiness. As I put the bar on my shoulders I realized that there is no way I could perform this exercise with the weight that I loaded on the bar. I took a step back with a sense of shame, disappointment and frustration. How quick my feelings changed! As I stood there staring at the bar, I realized that my expectations of myself were way too high. I can’t expect to take 8 months off and start back up where I left off. As I stood there, I let it sink in that I am insane to think that this was possible.
I took a few minutes to reassess my workout and my expectations. I changed the weight of all my exercises and reset my expectations. If I tried to do the weight of 8 months ago there is no doubt that I would have injured myself and my ego! I understand that I need to ease back into the exercises and enjoy them as I build back up to where I was. No need in being frustrated and disappointed, just enjoy the experience and know that I am making myself better each day no matter how much weight I am pushing. Just being there, being in the moment and enjoying the workout is what counts.
It feels good to get back into the gym and I’m prepared to do what it takes to get back to where I was. I know that I can’t jump back into it, but to re-start slowly and not get injured.
What are your tips for someone that is getting back into it or re-starting after time off?
- Feb 22, 12
Being Awesome (weight loss & fitness edition) is:
- Finishing a race/event no matter what your time is
- Working out regardless of your motivation level
- Not letting a temptation get the best of your (I’m talking to you Reeses Peanut Butter Cups)
- Setting a personal best at anything
- Seeing the scale show you a number you didn’t expect (excludes a larger number than you expected)
- Being asked to spot someone else at the gym
- Being a FitFluential Ambassador
- Waking up early to get a workout in (sucks at first however)
- Finishing a workout with nothing left in the tank
- Forming health/fitness related relationships with others (includes Facebook/Twitter/Blogs etc)
- Learning something new about yourself everyday
- Not being a health-related risk statistic
- Knowing you did your best and gave your all
I strive to be Awesome every day. Some days are better than others, but being Awesome feels…well…pretty Awesome!
Let me disclaim that this is my definition of Awesome. I’m sure that everyone has their own ideas what it means to be Awesome or to utilize Awesomeness.
How do you define “Being Awesome”?
- Feb 20, 12
It’s been a while since I posted. I suffered through a painful bout of Achilles Tendonitis. It started of as general soreness, not really a big deal but quickly escalated into a few days where I couldn’t walk. All-in-all, the injury lasted just over 4 weeks. I am a 100% now, which means I can workout and run again, which means I can get back to weight loss. There are a few valuable things I learned while being injured:
- I don’t like being injured
- I get frustrated when I am motivated and ready to workout but can’t due to an injury
- Diet is more important than ever when I can’t workout
- Trying to workout before I am healed prolongs the injury
- It’s hard to get motivated to workout after a layoff due to injury
- I don’t like being injured
The most important lesson that I learned is that eating right/healthy is key. If I can’t workout, I’m not burning calories and must watch what I eat more diligently than I do when I’m exercising. While this isn’t always easy to do, I’ve found that it’s mandatory for me as I eat when I get bored and its way too easy to cheat and end up in a downward spiral.
Now that I’m back to 100%, I’ve had to ease back into my exercise routine. A few weeks off from a routine disrupts that routine and makes it hard to get back into the flow of things. I’m looking forward to getting back into my routine full swing to see the results I was seeing before I got injured.
What lessons have you learned from being injured?
- Jan 11, 12
Everyone who is trying to lose weight or be healthy is motivated by something. Each person has a personal motivation; might be children, looking good in a swimsuit, health issues, setting a personal best…etc. The list is endless. I use all sorts of things as my motivation to get up and workout and to stay on track to hit my goal weight. One thing that I have never used (never really thought about) for motivation is fear.
Losing weight is hard, especially since I had so many bad habits that I needed to break and so many new habits I needed to form. Over the course of time, losing weight becomes easier as habits are broken and formed, but fundamentally, losing weight is not easy. To me, maintaining is even more difficult than losing. While I have formed great habits in regards to eating healthy and working out, its just too easy to fall back into the old habits that got me overweight in the first place…and this leads me to being motivated by fear.
I am afraid that I can fall back into overeating, binge eating, emotional eating, skipping workouts and so on. I fear that I can become what I once was. This fear has been the greatest motivating force in my life for the last 3 months. I love the fact that I have something fueling my fire, buts its a terrible way to live. Living in fear of anything adds a tremendous amount of unnecessary stress, which we all know is bad for your health. Its a vicious cycle.
Having this fear makes me believe that, while I have transformed my outward appearance, I still have some work to do to my mentally. It makes me believe that sub-consciously, my brain still acts as if I’m overweight. If I really want to transform my life, I need to work on my brain and form new thinking habits, habits that make me believe that I am healthy and not overweight. I will know that I have accomplished this when I no longer feel the fear looking over my shoulder.
For now, I will harness the motivation that fear gives me and continue on my path to a healthy life, which includes working on my state of mind and having belief in myself that I’m not that same person I once was.
Do you have a sense of fear? Does it motivate you?
- Jan 10, 12
Woke up this morning with a pretty painful, yet unknown and unspecified, foot/heel injury. I can’t put any pressure on my right foot without severe pain. But I’ve come to understand injuries and know that, unfortunately, its part of the process. If you’re working out in the gym or running, injuries are going to happen. Its part of the game. I hope I don’t get injured, not because of the pain, but because its a setback. It throws a wrench in my workout plans/schedule. This isn’t my first injury due to working out, nor do I expect it to be my last. After my first few minor injuries, I came up with a game plan for dealing with injuries:
Acceptance
The first time I got injured working out, I tried to ignore it. I could deal with it and continued to workout. This turned out to be an awful idea as it made it worse. Since then, when I get injured, I accept that I am injured and give the pain the respect it deserves.Rest
As mentioned above, taking time off and resting is the best way to handle an injury. Pushing myself and working out with an injury just exacerbates the problem and setting me back even more.Understanding
Taking time to understand my injury, what my injury is and why I got injured helps to prevent that injury in the future. Did I have bad form performing a particular lift? Did I push myself too hard during a run? Was I using the wrong equipment/gear? Understanding the injury has helped me figure out how to make my workouts better and prevent future injury.Learn
Going hand-in-hand with understanding, learning from the injury is important. If doing something injuries me, I should take a lesson and not do that again. Learning why I got injured has also helped me push myself and try different things that I probably wouldn’t have.I love working out and have come to love running. While I hope I never get injured, I know that injuries happen. Its part of the process. I hope that I can learn from my injuries, take necessary steps to prevent it in the future and keep forging on.
*Disclaimer* – I am not a doctor nor do I play one on TV. If you have a serious injury, please seek medical attention.
- Jan 04, 12
As I embark on a new year, with a new set of goals and renewed motivation, I take a look back at the past year to see what I can learn from as well as what I can appreciate and be grateful for. 2011 was a great year in many aspects but I also know that I could have pushed myself harder.
Some Amazing things happened to me in 2011:
- The birth of my first child. This changed my life in more ways than I ever expected. I am grateful to have such a wonderful addition to my life.
- Lost about 30 pounds in 2011
- Ran in my first real fitness events
- Took up running and now I’m addicted
2011 was also the year of learning for me:
- Learned that I can push myself to wake up early and get a great workout in
- Learned that I
likelove running (even in the cold) - Learned that being a father is really something special
- Learned that I can’t take any breaks if I really want to be healthy…gotta work at it every day
What I need to work on in 2012:
- I need to be more diligent in my eating. In 2011 I would get on a real nice eating streak and then cave for a week or so. I need to limit the amount of times I fall off the wagon
- I need to mix up my workout routine. Early 2011 I was all about lifting and didn’t do much else. Late 2011 I was all about running and didn’t do much else. I would like to mix it up and incorporate both
- I need to push myself harder and further than ever before. I want and need to be the best me
2011 was a great year but I know that 2012 will be even better. I am dedicated, motivated and willing to make it possible.
- Dec 16, 11
Admitting and owning up to my weaknesses is very tough for me. Its tough for a lot of people. Taking ownership of those weaknesses is the very essence and reason this blog exists. One weakness that I had when I was overweight was to hide my emotions and feeling of sadness behind a mask of comedy. I hated being overweight and instead of dealing with the issues of why I was overweight, I dealt with it by taking on a persona of the funny fat friend.
That personification worked for my friends and family. But it really wasn’t working for me. I was able to get by, but I wasn’t improving myself. I knew I wanted more out of life than to be that funny guy that everyone knew was overweight. The more I perpetuated the funny guy, the more ashamed I became of my weight and health. It was difficult to break that mold as everyone loved the funny fat guy….except me.
Fast forward…
I lost 50 pounds and haven’t lost my sense of humor. Looking back, I’ve realized that the funny guy persona was less about being funny and more about deflecting thoughts and discussions about my health. It feels great to just be me and not have to develop and live up to a fabricated persona. The one positive aspect that I have taken away from that time in my life is that my friends and family loved me regardless of my outward appearance. They love me the same and will be able to for many more years. That would have been cut short if I continued down my health destruction path.
I’ve left that persona behind, no longer need it. I’m more focused than ever to be myself, be healthy and created laughs well into the future.
- Dec 13, 11
I’ve learned a lot of things in the last year and a half. I’ve learned that I can overcome many things. I’ve learned what my limitations are. I’ve learned that I can defy those limitations and push past them. I’ve learned that I can be tempted yet not cave in to delicious junk food. I’ve learned what clothes I like to workout in. I’ve learned what time of day is best for me to eat. The list is endless. However, the most important thing I’ve learned is that I’ve failed and fallen many times and that I will continue to do so and that I have the power and will to get up, learn a lesson and keep going.
This was a tough lesson to learn. The first time I failed was my first full weekend after starting my weight loss journey. I ate like I have never eaten before. It felt good at the time, but the scale begged to differ. It would have been easy for me to quit right there and tell myself that I can’t do it. That I can’t eat right and lose weight. It would have been easy for me to shut it down, return to my usual habits and continue to gain weight. But I refused; I picked myself up and forged ahead.
I soon learned that falling down is all part of the experience. It comes with the territory. Once I understood that, I took more risks and pushed myself. I knew that I would fall down. But I also knew that I would get back up and keep going. Failing isn’t a bad thing, in fact I think its necessary. To truly understand my limits, to learn and to grow, I know that I need to push my boundaries. In doing that, failures will happen. When I push those limits and fall down, I take a few moments to understand why, learn from it and keep going.
I think too many people go into weight loss with the idea that it will all go smoothly and the pounds will melt off. When they encounter a bump in the road, they get bummed out and revert to their old ways. I see too many people that do well for 2 weeks, a month and then gain all the weight back plus some. They fell down along the way and didn’t get back up. Getting back up is, for me at least, the key to losing weight and living the life I want to live.
Know that falling down and getting up is within me, I have been able to push my limits even further and experiment with different things. What time of day I eat, what I eat, how much water to drink, when to workout etc. Its been fun to learn my body and how it reacts to different scenarios. Most of the experiments are failures but in failure comes knowledge.
I know that I will fall down and fail dozens of times in the future. But I will also get back up!
