External Motivation ... friends helping friends

Well, I'm back in the saddle.  As much as I enjoyed our time in Myrtle Beach in August, it really messed up my mojo.  I just could not get back into my routine.  As discouraged as I already felt, I couldn't get motivated enough to begin again but here I am after an 8 week hiatus, starting my Life Redux, with the help and motivation and basic bitch slapping of a very good and longtime friend, Angel.  

I saw him last weekend at my brothers house for a Wine Tasting party and when I realized he was there, I couldn't bring myself to face him as he is what got me motivated this past July in the first place and I felt I had let him down.  He didn't criticize me though; he just looked me dead in the face and told me it was OK and that I should just get back to it.  He said he would hound me everyday be it by text or phone just to make sure I got out there to do SOMETHING....anything.

Sexiness is in the eye of the beholder.
A great figure is nce, but it's
self-confidence that makes
someone really sexy.

Well, true to his word, he called me this morning and told me to get off my ass and start my journey towards sexiness.  He wasn't accepting any of my lame excuses either (i.e. – I just got out of the shower, it’s late in the day, my hair will frizz…blah, blah, blah).  “Give me 15 minutes and walk, that’s all I ask,” he said.  And so I did.  I set my Run Keeper app to track my progress and begrudgingly, at first, I set out to do 15 minutes, which turned out to be almost 33 minutes, I walked 2.18 miles burning 232 calories.  Boy do I feel great!  I need another shower but I do feel great and proud to have gone out.

So thank you, mi querido compadre, for caring enough to be true to your promise to get me back on my way to SEXINESS!!!

A Recipe for Success

Down 7lbs!!!

OMG!!! Just when I thought all was lost and despair was just about to rear it's ugly head, I saw a pinhole at the end of the tunnel.  I decided to finally jump on the scale, just for ha-ha's and nearly had a heart attack.  I was down 7lbs! Who woulda thunk that a lot of encouragement, a little exercise, some consistency, a bit of portion control and a copious amount of determination could produce such phenomenal results...and this is just the beginning.

Tonight I ran 2 miles (nonstop) for the first time in about a year, burning 400 cal in the process.  I was in my own grove, confident and so positive about ME.  There's no magic pill, my friends, just some hard work and dedication.  If you want it badly enough, get off your derrière and go get it!

Even on Vacation

Week 3 of my Life Redux ... I've been on vacation from work this week as my sister and her family were here visiting from Michigan.  This however did not stop me from fulfilling my obligation to self and no matter what transpired throughout the day, my nights were still dedicated to my fitness regiment.  I have NEVER had to pick Ed's jaw up off the floor like I did this evening when I walked in the door after my run.  He was at Sheridan's softball game while I was out ... IN THE RAIN and by the time I got home he was there.  As I walked in the door, he literally came out of the office with his jaw on the floor, the funniest look of surprise on his face.  I told you, Ed, I mean business.  Guess I do have it in me after all, to stay focused and to envision the prize at the end of the tunnel.

I haven't noticed any physical changes, in fact I am .5 lb heavier but mentally, I have a more positive attitude.  It's not been easy for me because I am normally not a disciplined person to make a plan and stick to it or follow thru, but I have to say that this road, though mentally and physically challenging for me, has thus far been very rewarding.

Hear No Evil, See No Evil....SPEAK NO EVIL

So, last night I had my first break down, and when I say break down, I mean I literally broke down and cried until I had no more tears.  As you know I've been faithfully working for 2 weeks but alas, I STILL LOOK THE SAME.   Lest we forget I am an instant results type B personality, or so I've been told. What can I say except that I'm only human.  Of course I haven't even weighed myself since last week so I'm not even sure if I've lost weight.

I did end up going for a jog but I went earlier than I have been going and it was incredibly hot and the air was so thick I could barely breath so, I jog/walked for about 1.5 miles and did my lunges to finish off my workout.  At least I made the effort!  Today, Ed and I set out to the gym to lift weights and that went well.  Hopefully while my lower half is shrinking, my upper half with grow :)

The moral of the story is that while one is working hard to fulfill their ultimate "push" prize, there will be times when one loses hope, or gets discouraged or even has moments of weakness.  One must get back on that horse and "push" forward, one wheelbarrow full at a time.

 The light is still at the end of the tunnel, one just needs to get there however long it takes .... and no more SPEAKING EVIL!

The Search Continues....

Why you look at me?  Because you like to?

As week 2 comes to an end, I find myself thinking...WHERE THE HELL IS MY NEW BODY. Discouragement has already set in as I'm a "give me results now" kind of person.  Luckily I have my giant teddy bear constantly encouraging me and telling me how beautiful I am.  I guess love really is blind!

I had a really great week "pushing" forward including denying myself a well deserved Dairy Queen treat after Sheridan's great softball game last night.  I opted, instead, to go for a jog.  I ran 2 miles non stop and did lunges for the last 500 feet to my driveway.  I was a sweaty, hot mess but proud that I did it.  I was so energized I felt like I could go out and run at least another mile. I've really applied myself wholeheartedly which I know will result to a new and improved me.  I'm so ready to grab the bull by the horns, so-to-speak, and take charge of ME!  I've never felt so focused before or have wanted anything more ... EVER.  I mean really, who wouldn't want to work towards a push ring like that!  In fact, I may even upgrade to something bigger and brighter...something that will look bigger than me.  

Thanks to all my loyal supporters who constantly encourage me via text and make drunken bets involving thousands of dollars as a reward at the end of my journey.  Though I may not take you up on that bet, having a new body (and a new ring to boot) will surely be reward enough.

L.I.T.

                                                   

For those of you who don't know me all that well, I'm known around these parts as LIT, short for "Lost In Translation."  Many interesting things have slipped from my mouth over the years.  More often than not, my mind thinks one thing, quickly translates it in my head and viola...the delivery is a hot mess.  The word LEGALS, for example, from my previous post was used in lieu of LEGS, to describe how they hurt after a good workout.

I think I get that from my mother who once asked my sister-in-law TO BE how her older sister would feel when her husband was "decayed." We had just met her entire family (she's one of 9 children) and one of her older sisters was married to man twice her age.  They say curiosity killed the cat?  Well it literally did that day....we laughed so hard, we nearly died.  Not entirely sure exactly what she was asking or even what she meant by it but she was definitely LIT!

My point is, as you are enjoying the reads of this blog, you may come across something that may not quite make sense.  Never fear, you don't have glaucoma or cataracts...it's not you, it's me and my diarrhea of the mouth!

Push Ring

Push it real good!

One week down Fifty-one to go.  We decided to up the ante a bit and come up with some awesome incentive to help build momentum in our challenge.  There has been a recent trend of 'push gifts' for women who give birth (why the guy doesn't get a gift for the 'driving force of conception push' is beyond the scope of this blog, but well worth pondering).  Seeing as there is tons of pushing in the gym, a push ring seemed like the perfect incentive to keep Lissy on track.  She has been eyeing a particular emerald cut baguette band, so that will be her carrot on the stick so to speak for the next number of weeks.

Now to come up with the goals that will net her this fine flawless ring of rocks.  Today we'll be doing a weigh in and tape session so we have some metrics to track our progress.  Goals may be losing a certain number of inches, achieving a specific body-fat percentage or BMI (though I really hate BMI myself, I think it's too simple an equation for the varying range of body types out there), or reaching a weight lifting threshold like benching a goal amount or cranking out a high number of reps.

Assume the position

Lissy came along to the gym with me for the first time in probably over a year or two.  I hadn't been for a few months myself after having strained the tendon in my right forearm.  Tendon strains are a bitch, they heal very slowly and are so frustrating.  It blows that I got knocked out of the game for so long, but now I have to just suck it up and get back to basics.  It felt great to get back, and I realized just how much I had missed it.  Having my spotting partner back with me was the icing on the cake.

So check in with us every now and again and see how we're doing.  Shoot us a text or phone call, or better yet, comment right here on our blog.  Don't let us slack off; we expect our readers to hold us accountable!

My Legals Hurt ...

I still don’t see the light at the end of my tunnel yet but it’s still very early in my journey and I’m confident that that tunnel will get brighter very soon.

At the end of my journey, I'll have this!

Though I still feel like I haven’t put a dent in our 15 tons of fill, I’m proud of myself for putting my best foot forward…literally.  I skipped my abs regiment last night, 3 nights in a row was killing me, but I did go for a jog.  I thought I would do a mile to start so, with the encouragement of my BFF’s 13 year old, we ventured out at 10:30 pm last night. I started very slow but steady and quickly found that I couldn't even make it up the street without stopping to catch my breath.  For the next 30 minutes I jumped between a slow & steady wins the race jog to a very intense speed walk.  Melody however never skipped a beat.  She continued her jog, while circling around every few streets to make sure I wasn't too far behind.  Thanks, Melody!!! When we finally made it back to her house, we had completed our mile and I felt AWESOME! It was such a great feeling to accomplish one wheel barrel full…many more to go.

There really is light at the end!

Day Three Musings - can I check out my abs now?

The kids have been exitedly joining us on our fitness journey.  We're all doing sit-ups and crunches on the living room floor, and chatting about diet and exercise along the way.  Everyone is working up a sweat and lamenting the soreness in our stomachs and sides from the last few days exertion.

Butterbean Baby!

So, Shea J (a.k.a. "Little Man", or MaML - Man of Much Littleness) starts chatting with me excitedly, wanting to know when he's going to see results and his six pack abs.  I mistakenly told him yesterday that he will notice changes in as little as a week or two.  Well, 'changes' to a 9 year old is probably akin to looking like Hugh Jackman and not just 'feeling more fit'.  He was visibly dissapointed when I told him that six pack abs were gonna be somewhere way down the road, maybe months or a year away.  I didn't bother going into the details of Comstock genetics which may lead him to being a big kid someday, but probably more like Butterbean than Brad Pitt.

Enough about you,
 lets talk about me

Is there a point to all this rambling?  Well, of course there is patient reader!  Lissy said after our excercise today, "You know, I feel like that day when we were building the patio and the 15 tons of fill got delivered and dumped into a huge pile in our back yard.  I never thought we would ever see the day when that pile was gone."

We worked week after week, moving the fill from that pile into the area we had dug out for the patio, one shovel full and wheelbarrow load at a time.  Finally the day came when the pile was gone, the pavers were laid, and the grout and sealant were finished.  Looking back on all the effort invested, it had taken hours of labor, fatigue, and fighting through days where you just didn't feel like lifting another shovel full.  In the end though, there was no better feeling of pride and satisfaction than appreciating all we'd accomplished and knowing we'd done it all on our own.  We took our time, stayed patient, and did it right.

Here we are again with another 15 ton pile that we need to move.  The difference here is we're the 15 ton pile, with situps and pushups as our shovels and wheelbarrows.  This won't happen in a week.  This may not happen in six weeks, or eight weeks, or eight months.  You know what though?  We're O.K. with that.

Don't believe the hype of 8 minute abs, cabbage soup diets, and 3 day lemon water detox.  Being healthy and fit is a lifestyle, not a quick fix.  We'll delve into lifestyle vs. fad diets another day.  For now we just want to lay the groundwork and understanding that change is an evolution.  Be patient, do the little things right, and enjoy the journey.  See you next year, Mr. Pitt.

Charge!

SitRep:  Today is the day we take the fight to the enemy.

Enemies:

• Laziness
• Excuses
• S.A.D (Standard American Diet)
• Schedule
• Peer Pressure
• Habit
• Self Doubt
• Immediate Satisfaction

Weapons:

• Mountain Bikes
• Body Weight Exercises (push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, crunches, lunges, jogging)
• Healthy food
• Battle Buddy
• Kayaks
• Hiking Boots
• Sleep/rest
• Meditation
• Yoga
• Spirituality
• Attitude

Battlefield:  The soft lumpy landscape of Lissy and Ed's bodies. 

Strategic Objective:  Peak health and wellness

Tactical Objectives:

• Reduce Body Fat Percentage
• Increased Muscle Mass and Strength
• Increased Flexibility
• Increased Mental Well Being
• Reduce/Eliminate Western Medicine Fixes (CPAP, prescription drugs, etc) and health issues

Commander's Intent:  We have been in this weak defensive posture too long.  The enemy continues to assault and infringe on our territory.  We will not stand for this.  This battle will be difficult.  There will not be easy victories.  We will claw and scratch for every gain, and there may be some setbacks along the way.  The enemy is determined and relentless, but we are angry and highly motivated.  This fight is for the salvation of our homeland - losing is not an option!