Life Happens

I haven't been back in awhile. This will be brief even though it's going to cover several days. I went back to the gym Monday. I went to the nutrition class. As always Norene was very insightful, and very informative. She spoke on how the digestive tract works and the importance of fiber in your diet to the whole process.

After the class I worked out with Jeremy. Jeremy kicked my butt this night. We did weights as a circuit. This was hard. I did a series of exercises and lifts for 30 or 60 seconds each. Today's workout was concentrating on the core. After the workout I was tired, sweaty, and worn out. The good thing is I felt good later that night. I was just a bit tired and sore but nothing like when it all started.

Tuesday I had a training and didn't have to be there till 830. It was for this reason I workout in the morning. I have been doing my running on a treadmill but on this morning I decided to run on the road. The road is much harder than the treadmill. I was feeling pretty confident in doing these treadmill workouts, not so confident on the road. I made it though. The bad part was the shin splints after the fact.

Tuesday evening Jenny, the kids and I went out to eat. I gorged myself on sushi, chased down with awesome homemade cheesecake that Jenny made for me.

Wednesday I skipped the cardio. Jack was sick, I had came home form school and relieved Jenny so she could go teach her art class. It was this reason that I missed my meeting with Norene. We did talk over the phone though in a brief conversation. When Jenny got home I headed to the gym and worked out with Jeremy. We had another good workout. This workout was also focused on the core and balance. Jeremy had me standing on one leg doing different exercises. Come on man, I'm top heavy, that doesn't work well! I made it through. At the end of the workout I felt fine.

Now-a-days the workout are hard during, but after the fact... I feel good, not that sore...

I'm looking forward to keeping on keeping on....

Two Days...One Post

Brief post today. Saturday I took the day off. Huguley was closed, I didn't work out at home. I did get up and work in the yard all morning. This is encouraging because I usually don't have that much energy. I usually wouldn't do anything I didn't have to. I was glad to get a lot accomplished.

On Sunday my Disciple class and my small group was cancelled so wasn't a real busy day. After church Jenny and I packed up the family truckster and went to Sam's club for some family shopping. Lauren was feeling bad all weekend. We thought she was over it but then at Sam's on Sunday she relapsed. When we got home we unpacked the truckster and all took naps. I woke up at 345 having to be up at church by 4 for the last session of the inquirer's class.

After the class I headed up to Huguley for my workout. I did day two of the running program that Jeremy had given me. It was much easier than Friday. At the end of the workout I felt good. I could have kept going. I've said it before, I don't how much is mental and how much is physical....but I'll take it.

I decided to go to the gym early this morning. I woke up at 5:15 and headed to the gym. I got my cardio done and headed to school. I heard something funny today. I heard two men talking in the locker room about how they are able to get the machines they want and It's not as crowed. The other man said yep, "looks like we're getting through the New Year's People". Then I asked myself, am I a New Years People? I thinks so. How long do you have to go, to not be a New Year's People any more? Anyway I left the gym and headed to school. I got here at 10 till 7 this morning. Man that's early. But here I am. I decided to do some blogging this morning. I go back to the gym tonight. At 6 I go to Norene's nutrition class. It is open to the public tonight and is in the Huguley Fitness Center Amphitheater. After the class I work out with Jeremy. Be back later.

Not much new today

I know it's an age old questions, but has anyone ever answered it? Why is that at 7 am Monday - Friday, getting my kids out of bed is pulling teeth and a battle? Come Saturday morning they're in my room at 6:30 bouncing off the walls!

Took the day off from any working out today. Jeremy told me cardio 6 days a week. Lauren didn't feel good so she laid around the house all day. Jack and I extended the flowerbed in the front of the house. We then moved a shrub in the front of the house to the extension. When that was done we spot treated some weeded areas with round up. My backyard is a jungle, I rounded it up, so soon it will be a mess! I am just tired of looking at weeds.

Jack was a big help today we filled in holes the dog and dug and just cleaned the yard and made it look better.

I really attribute having more energy to working out and diet. It is nice to not feel so lazy anymore. Whether it be physical or mental I feel like moving around and doing more. I was never like this before.

I was thinking of things I will look forward to and things I won't miss when I am down to a normal size. I will always be 6'4" but getting rid of 100+ pounds will make life better. At the end of some entries, (if i remember) I will put some of these. Here are a couple for today. If anyone can think of some please put them in the comments, or email them to me and I will add them. Also if you look to the right you will see a call me icon. I was playing with Google voice and saw that I can add a voicemail to my blog its more of a toy to play with, but because I could, I added it.. So feel free to call and leave a voicemail. Anyway; I digress, here are things that I look forward to- or won't miss.

I will enjoy being able to go to a store/ concert/ sporting event and be able to buy clothes or t-shirts that fit.

I will enjoy have a butt again. Right now the layer of fat on the bottom of my back is even with my butt. This give the appearance of having no butt. Worse than that my paints slide right down, even with a belt. This, my friends, causes plumber's crack. In a classroom full of elementary students it also causes, "crack kills Mr. Duke".

And the last for the list today is this. I will enjoy sitting in a booth at a restaurant and not have to be squished. Sitting in a booth is easier with kids. You sit next to them, you help feed them. You can control them and beat them without the world seeing. When you have a large protruding gut though, It can be uncomfortable. Luckily a lot of places the table's move so I am able to rearrange but some do not. When this is the case I have to suck in, and take shallow breaths. I am way to embarrassed to pull a chair to the end of the table or ask to move, so I just deal with it. I will be glad when this is not the norm anymore.

Git er Dun!

This morning was just like all the other. I woke up late, real late. I had time to either pack a lunch or a gym bag. I chose the gym bag. It is much easier to go straight from school to the gym, than to come home first. Plus on Friday, Huguley closes at 5 pm, so I wouldn't have a bunch of time after school.

I am lucky where I work. My school is near Hemphill and Berry, we are surrounded by good Mexican food, and near TCU area. There is a lot of good places to eat. For lunch we decided to go to Carshon's Deli. It is so good. I split a Rebecca with one of my co teachers. It is one of the best sandwiches ever! I doubt its real healthy, but its awesome. I also tried a first today. I had a bagel with cream cheese and lox. I split this with Christine as well, I really liked it.

After school I ended up staying way to long considering Huguley closed at 5pm. I stayed till 4 pm. I made it by 4:20, rushed in changed and went to workout. I went to the first level of machines to get on an elliptical. They were all taken so I went treadmill. Today I started the workout that Jeremy had given me so that I could start running. I made it through. At first I thought it was easy, the longer it went on, the more I realized it wasn't as easy as I thought. I made it through. It's gonna be a long haul to get up to running. The one thing that I found discouraging is the fact that I was dripping with sweat, and pretty tired, however, my calorie count on the machine was half of what the elliptical says after 30 minutes. I am not on the machine really looking for a specific calorie count but I do watch it.

Just read this post, it's pretty broing and poorl written, sorry for that but it's late and I'm tired. Be back tomorrow.

Another day down

Woke up quick at about noon.... or maybe earlier. Went off to work. I'm feeling a little sore in the legs today, dang lunges. Work was a long day, on and on and on. Left work went to the gym to do some elliptical. It was not quite as easy as I remembered it. I think part of the problem is that I have slacked a bit previously. This is more of a reason to stay at it and not slack off.

Yesterday Jeremy told me to start jump roping. I think I surprised him when he saw my light feet. 300 plus on the toes. I don't think that he was surprised when I only lasted 30 seconds a round. Of course it was after the workout that I was jump roping, so what did he expect? But now he wants me to work up to 5 minutes at a time! What????

I tell this part of the story here for one reason. After the elliptical I didn't do the jump rope. I had to pick up Jack by 6 and it was 5:20 by the time I left the gym. I was also supposed to pick up my neighbor's son. This was the the reason i left the gym a bit early, see they are out of town and a relative is in from Florida to watch the kids. When I wasn't there by 5: 30 I think she was a bit concerned, and she didn't have my cell. I really felt bad about this, but it all worked out in the end.

My co teacher Christine has been going to the gym lately. She is walking around the class room like I did my first week. I think its funny. I felt a little good when i read on her facebook the other day that I inspired her to go. That is what this is all about. I have also been inviting a lot of people to hear Norene talk at the nutrition classes that she is giving. Please come, it is Monday at Huguley fitness center amphitheater , it is free and she is good, you can learn a lot. I've been getting some good feedback from people reading this blog. Feel free to become a follower or leave comments or questions. I would love to know who's reading and what you think.

One of Those Days....

I must confess.... With Jenny's aching mouth she is limited to what she can eat. She asked me on Monday to stop and grab her a malt on the way home, who can go buy one and not get them self one? Don't judge me! I had my alarm set to go off early Tuesday morning, but managed to snooze for an hour, as luck might have it i got up at my regular time. I was up and off to work. I felt sluggish all day.

After work I picked Lauren and Jack up and headed home. I changed clothes and jumped on the treadmill to work out. I am trying to work up to do some running, I figured that I do pretty good on the elliptical, lets step it up on the treadmill. Every time I cranked the thing up to a running pace though, the breaker would blow. So lets go back to walking, fast-ish. After I finally got the thing going and in stride the kids came in. Daddy how much longer? Daddy I'm hungry? Daddy can I try? Daddy... Daddy.... Daddy... Alright I'm done. I did around 20 minutes or so. That was not a good workout. For supper that night I cooked a good meal that I had talked with Norene about. That night Jenny, who still can't eat went for a milkshake. Don't judge me!!!

Today I woke up and headed off to work. I felt sluggish all day again today. I tried to figure out why the last couple of days were tough. I was almost falling asleep while sitting up in a conversation. The only difference I could think of was the milk shake before bed. I did not have one today, lets see how tomorrow goes.

After work I picked the kids up and we hung out here at the house till 6 30. We headed up to St. Matthew for the Wednesday lent service. Another great prayerful service. After the service I headed up to Huguley to meet Jeremy. I must admit I wasn't looking forward to it. I wasn't quite dreading it, but I wasn't looking forward to it. The workout wasn't that bad. Don't get me wrong he kicked my butt! It hurt, but I made it through and felt good on the back side. I still hate lunges....

Here's a couple of side notes. As I said earlier I want to start running. I would like to run a 5K or 10K. Jeremy gave me a workout to prepare. A few months ago I watched my brother in law Rob run the Houston marathon, it was so inspiring. I don't know if I will quite be ready to run a marathon but I have to start somewhere, Bit by bit, I will be running soon.

As far as me... There are good days and bad days. Some days I have to really make myself workout (see Tuesday). Other days I look forward to it. The leaving to work out is also hard around the house. I'm gone a lot of evenings. When I get home I read my Bible, blog, shower, get lunch for tomorrow packed, and on and on. I think that Jenny gets tired of me being gone and coming to bed late. I will try to get up early more often, but man do I hate getting up any earlier than I have to. I need a am workout partner who could meet me at about 5:30 am. Not sure if that would make a different but who knows.....

I have really been trying to work on eating slow, not eating when I'm not really hungry, and stopping when I'm full. It's not as easy as it sounds. I got into a conversation with a co-worker about this today. He said will-power, you just do it. He couldn't quite understand it's just not that simple when your 300 + lbs. If I could just have "will power" this wouldn't have ever happened. Step by Step though, just as with the working out, I'll get there.

7 secrets of....

We've all heard of the books. I learned a new one tonight, 7 Secrets of a Slim Person. I didn't read it but I got the Cliff's notes from Norene. Here they are:
1) Listen to your body not your mind. ie. ignore that little voice in your head if your not hungry don't eat. May sound simple to many but not as easy for a lot of us.
2) Eat with awareness and judgement. This is the meaning I took with this. Slow down and enjoy food. Be aware of what your eating and the flavors. This will help you enjoy it more. Also make food a part of your experience not your experience. If you go out to eat with your spouse, friends, etc; make the evening about the people not the food.
3) Eat only when your physically hungry. Many people eat with their anxious, nervous, sad, etc. You may even think your hungry. Go back to number one, listen to your body. If you just ate a big meal, your probably not hungry. Also if it's not meal time start with water. Sometime your really thirsty and not hungry.
4) Stop eating with your satisfied not full. I think this one is self explanatory but not always easy.
5) Eat what you want most. This will help you enjoy eating. The kicker is this, never eat it alone. Always eat a vegetable with your food.
6) Notice how your body feels after eating. On a scale of 0-10 you should always be between a 3-7. You don't want to be starved but you never want to over eat.
7) Honor your feelings don't hide them in food.

To many these might sound easy. To those of us who over eat and struggle with food; not so easy. We talked about many things tonight. So far it's easy because Norene has me taking baby steps. When she tells me where I will eventually be, I say good luck. I will get there. We will talk more on that later.

Let's talk a bit about my day. I took the day off for Jenny. She had a rough day and needed me home. She had a molar pulled and has been in a lot of pain. While she was at the dentist's office I went to the gym and did my cardio. I really must say it is getting easier and easier. I really believe that I hit my wall last week. I don't dread going, and it is easy when I'm there. I went and picked Jenny up, and took her home. I ran some errands and took care of some chores. I got my Bible study stuff done. When the car pool dropped Lauren off, She and I went to pick Jack up. We then ran another errand or two and came home. We were home for about an hour and I changed and went back to the gym.

When I got to the gym I met with Norene. after my meeting with Norene, I went and warmed up to get ready for my workout with Jeremy. The first words out of his mouth today was, "your gonna hate me today". I said "bring it on" (well not really, but it sounds good on paper). What we've been doing is called weight stripping. I got pretty comfortable with that. He said that we are going to be changing the routine every two weeks. This two weeks is call supersets. The first exercise out of the bag was leg press and the dreaded lunges. I do 20 reps of each exercise for 1 set. that is 40 reps a set. Three sets is 120 reps in all. On the first set Jeremy saw how I was struggling and said we'll only do 10. I stopped at 10, as I stood there for a few seconds I started working again. He told me I could stop... NO! you wanted 20 your getting 20! It might hurt, they might not be pretty, they might not be any where near the way they should be... but I am going to do it. I did do it. I made it through the rest of the night. It was hard, It's not all fun, but i am starting to enjoy it. When I leave the gym I feel like I've had a good workout but I can walk on my own.

This is one of the greatest experiences in my life. As I wanted; this is going to be life changing for me and my family. I see improvements in my physical and mental shape. It makes it easier that I can find a little victory in each day. I think of how hard its been and want to see more progress. I then look at the big picture, it's only been 2 weeks, Patience Grasshopper.!