In January, our family decided to sign up to run/walk the Flying Pig 5K together. Just 4 months later and we're almost to the date of the actual run/walk....and I'm not sure this pig is ready to fly!
Four months ago, I weighed a lot more than I do now. I felt like "slob, blob, robb" -- definitely a pig.
In four months, I've lost some weight and increased my energy level. I've tried new things, including jogging during my somewhat-daily walks and drinking my lunches. This pig no longer feels big.
Small changes have increased my confidence and motivated me to continue my journey.
This Saturday, me and my family will be walking side by side for 3+ miles. Just to sign up and pay the money to participate shows me that we are on the right track. Exercise and health are 2 things that we're teaching our kids and continuing to learn ourselves. This is definitely a step (no pun intended) in the right direction. And personally I am looking forward to a milestone in this pig's journey to slimming down.
Walking/jogging a 5K is not something that's been on my bucket list. Fear definitely takes over when I think about it: fear of failure, looking stupid, falling down due to being out of breath and/or tripping over something or someone--and in my case, it'd be when the local cameraman is filming me! Being with family is helpful, that's for sure. Now knowing that it's possible to walk briskly and even jog without dying is helpful too!
No matter what happens on Saturday, I am proud to be a pig that is learning to fly.....in more ways than one.
The Fat Man Is Thinning (Part 2)
In February, I committed online via this blog to continue thinning in anticipation of Cincinnati's Flying Pig 5K on May 5th.
I'm happy to say that 2 1/2 months later, I am still thinning. Yay!
I have stayed motivated to walk almost daily and even begin to attempt jogging a few times in between. I must confess - I'm no runner. My knees don't like me too much. I will say, however, that it has become easier the more I try it out. At this point, I'm planning to jog a bit more than originally thought in a few weeks during the 5K. Here's hoping the excitement that day will give me the additional push I need to jog just a little bit more. :)
I'm encouraged to continue because I am losing weight too. It's small steps, and it's decreasing. I'm also paying a bit more attention to additional movement (LOL), which can be defined in many ways: jump roping, a 10-minute cardio workout from SparkPeople.com, or just a few Wii Fit exercises with my favorite Wii "Buff." I'm not all about exercise, but I am trying. And that's what counts.
A couple highlights from my Thinning Journey:
* I am more willing to go outside with my kids and play.
* I don't get out of breath as fast.
* I ask them to walk with me.
* I jogged from the stop sign to the park without stopping and actually could breathe!
* I eat fiber and apples and a lot less of those pesky things called calories - - and I haven't died yet.
* I can feel the muscles in my belly working - - and they are very unhappy.
* Those same belly muscles are very slowly starting to peek through the diminishing rolls of fat.
* I have a new friend. His name is H2O. He and I go everywhere together.
In March, I took a break from all this thinning stuff and took time to write my mother-in-law a song for her 65th birthday. What a wonderful woman and I'm so blessed to have joined an amazing family. Later in the month, I took another break to write my mom a song for her 60th birthday. I have known her a lot longer, so I was able to include additional verses and get a little more creative. Normally, I come up with a quirky poem or card. For these special occasions, I took things to the "next step" and fortunately, both moms enjoyed their gifts immensely!
Motivation is the key at this point. The 5K is just a few weeks away. Great news is that I have a few more motivation points to continue my journey through the year and then maintain from there:
* May - 5K (can I simply 1/2 walk, 1/2 jog and not die? that's the motivation!)
* June - Family Reunion (I haven't seen or met some of this family for ages!)
* July - Beach Vacation (ah....will I be able to take off my shirt this year?)
* and the kicker - November - My 40th Birthday (what do I want to feel like at age 40? you'll see...)
Taking time for family and work and me all takes balance. A daily decision to keep in balance.
I choose to make those decisions.
Until next time....
I'm happy to say that 2 1/2 months later, I am still thinning. Yay!
I have stayed motivated to walk almost daily and even begin to attempt jogging a few times in between. I must confess - I'm no runner. My knees don't like me too much. I will say, however, that it has become easier the more I try it out. At this point, I'm planning to jog a bit more than originally thought in a few weeks during the 5K. Here's hoping the excitement that day will give me the additional push I need to jog just a little bit more. :)
I'm encouraged to continue because I am losing weight too. It's small steps, and it's decreasing. I'm also paying a bit more attention to additional movement (LOL), which can be defined in many ways: jump roping, a 10-minute cardio workout from SparkPeople.com, or just a few Wii Fit exercises with my favorite Wii "Buff." I'm not all about exercise, but I am trying. And that's what counts.
A couple highlights from my Thinning Journey:
* I am more willing to go outside with my kids and play.
* I don't get out of breath as fast.
* I ask them to walk with me.
* I jogged from the stop sign to the park without stopping and actually could breathe!
* I eat fiber and apples and a lot less of those pesky things called calories - - and I haven't died yet.
* I can feel the muscles in my belly working - - and they are very unhappy.
* Those same belly muscles are very slowly starting to peek through the diminishing rolls of fat.
* I have a new friend. His name is H2O. He and I go everywhere together.
In March, I took a break from all this thinning stuff and took time to write my mother-in-law a song for her 65th birthday. What a wonderful woman and I'm so blessed to have joined an amazing family. Later in the month, I took another break to write my mom a song for her 60th birthday. I have known her a lot longer, so I was able to include additional verses and get a little more creative. Normally, I come up with a quirky poem or card. For these special occasions, I took things to the "next step" and fortunately, both moms enjoyed their gifts immensely!
Motivation is the key at this point. The 5K is just a few weeks away. Great news is that I have a few more motivation points to continue my journey through the year and then maintain from there:
* May - 5K (can I simply 1/2 walk, 1/2 jog and not die? that's the motivation!)
* June - Family Reunion (I haven't seen or met some of this family for ages!)
* July - Beach Vacation (ah....will I be able to take off my shirt this year?)
* and the kicker - November - My 40th Birthday (what do I want to feel like at age 40? you'll see...)
Taking time for family and work and me all takes balance. A daily decision to keep in balance.
I choose to make those decisions.
Until next time....
Tried Something New Today
It's interesting how God works through people. My friend, Sarah Mitchell, sang with me (and others) this past Sunday. Like me, she is rediscovering herself through weight loss - and we had the opportunity to talk about it a little bit, between praise songs! :) The result was an invitation to visit her workplace and get "profiled." Full support in mind, I said yes - -and was pretty interested, too!
[My introverted nature doesn't like it when the tiny part of me says "hey, let's try something new today!"
I'm glad I continue to let that part of me "win" as much as possible. Today was one of those times.]
I had the most enjoyable time today at Vibe! Located along the bike path in Loveland and just down the way from work, I took my lunch break to drive over there for lunch. What a FUN atmosphere! A little yellow house with a cute purple porch, in the style you'd expect in quaint Loveland, Ohio. Upon entering I was greeted by Sarah and her very friendly co-workers. After a quick "hi", we moved right to lunch (I liked that!). We moved to a smaller room with a large counter and a most-friendly hostess, who was a joy to speak to. For the life of me, I can't remember her name, but she was oh-so-nice and showed me just what I had gotten myself into. The menu was simple: 1 cleanser, 1 drink, and 1 shake.
[Hmmmm....I'm drinking my lunch? Interesting....and definitely fits the bill for "something new"]
Honestly I was trying to listen and take in the atmosphere all at the same time. I kinda missed some of the initial information. But the drinking parts were awesome. First the cleanser looked like water in a shot glass. And oh! The water tasted like mango. Yum. To me, it felt like a palate cleaner. From what I recall, it helps digestion. [I'd drink it again, for sure]
Then the drink. Lots of options: house lemonade, tea, raspberry - - - once she said "raspberry" I stopped listening. I got cold raspberry tea and it was scrumptious.
Lastly and most importantly, the main course. What type of shake do I want? Well...what are my options? Turning around, I was introduced to the huge list of options: grasshopper, blueberry cheesecake, something, something, something, oooh. chocolate chip. Yes. that's the one!
Like Campbell's Soup, it's MMMMMM....MMMMM....GOOD!!!
[While these things were happening, we were chatting a bit and I filled out some information forms. Sarah helped explain what it was I was drinking/eating. And once I was sipping my shake, we moved to the larger room for the "profile."]
The profile process was quick, easy, and quite enjoyable. I say that because I felt pretty comfortable in the space, happy with my lunch shake, and at ease with Sarah as my guide. She hooked up funny little sticky things to monitor my metabolism and then we just chatted about my health/weight goals, my specific calculations, and my nutrition/health plans.
What a FUN, NEW experience to take part in! Thanks, Sarah Mitchell, for a wonderfully pleasant experience! For those in the Cincinnati area, I highly recommend the place - - and the shakes - - as an option for lunch, an option for weight loss incentive, and an option for meeting new friends!
[My introverted nature doesn't like it when the tiny part of me says "hey, let's try something new today!"
I'm glad I continue to let that part of me "win" as much as possible. Today was one of those times.]
I had the most enjoyable time today at Vibe! Located along the bike path in Loveland and just down the way from work, I took my lunch break to drive over there for lunch. What a FUN atmosphere! A little yellow house with a cute purple porch, in the style you'd expect in quaint Loveland, Ohio. Upon entering I was greeted by Sarah and her very friendly co-workers. After a quick "hi", we moved right to lunch (I liked that!). We moved to a smaller room with a large counter and a most-friendly hostess, who was a joy to speak to. For the life of me, I can't remember her name, but she was oh-so-nice and showed me just what I had gotten myself into. The menu was simple: 1 cleanser, 1 drink, and 1 shake.
[Hmmmm....I'm drinking my lunch? Interesting....and definitely fits the bill for "something new"]
Honestly I was trying to listen and take in the atmosphere all at the same time. I kinda missed some of the initial information. But the drinking parts were awesome. First the cleanser looked like water in a shot glass. And oh! The water tasted like mango. Yum. To me, it felt like a palate cleaner. From what I recall, it helps digestion. [I'd drink it again, for sure]
Then the drink. Lots of options: house lemonade, tea, raspberry - - - once she said "raspberry" I stopped listening. I got cold raspberry tea and it was scrumptious.
Lastly and most importantly, the main course. What type of shake do I want? Well...what are my options? Turning around, I was introduced to the huge list of options: grasshopper, blueberry cheesecake, something, something, something, oooh. chocolate chip. Yes. that's the one!
Like Campbell's Soup, it's MMMMMM....MMMMM....GOOD!!!
[While these things were happening, we were chatting a bit and I filled out some information forms. Sarah helped explain what it was I was drinking/eating. And once I was sipping my shake, we moved to the larger room for the "profile."]
The profile process was quick, easy, and quite enjoyable. I say that because I felt pretty comfortable in the space, happy with my lunch shake, and at ease with Sarah as my guide. She hooked up funny little sticky things to monitor my metabolism and then we just chatted about my health/weight goals, my specific calculations, and my nutrition/health plans.
What a FUN, NEW experience to take part in! Thanks, Sarah Mitchell, for a wonderfully pleasant experience! For those in the Cincinnati area, I highly recommend the place - - and the shakes - - as an option for lunch, an option for weight loss incentive, and an option for meeting new friends!
The Bible Experience
I hate reading the Bible.
Okay...that might need a little explanation.
Taking time each morning for a "daily devotion" doesn't work for me. I'm not a morning person. Stopping my work mid-day to catch up on my Bible reading....well, that's just not gonna happen. By the time evening comes and I've enjoyed some dinner time, family time, TV time, and computer time, I'm pretty wiped out. I am a night owl, however, so I could stay up and read a couple chapters. It's not really appealing at that point in the day.
My wonderful mother-in-law (I love her to pieces, and we get along just great!) gave me an interesting Christmas gift this past year: The Bible Experience, the New Testament. And it is AWESOME!
Now I like reading the Bible....in the car....listening to the Word of God read by a host of interesting people!
Mind you, it's nothing like the "old dramatic audio versions." You know the ones I'm talking about. Dearest Father in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name....blah, blah, blah...with the deep James Earl Jones voice and conjuring up an image of Charlton Heston's Moses on Mt Sinai....
Nope. It's "the most ambitious production of the greatest story ever told" featuring "400 world-class talents delivering powerhouse performances."
Blair Underwood is Jesus. Hearing the Bible is incredible as I listen to the words of Jesus come to life. The pictures in my head hit me with commonality and relevance in a new and enlightening way. His teachings are real. His words impact His followers, and like me they are struggling to understand Him.
By the time I listened through the Gospels, I had a new perspective on the life of Christ. His death and resurrection are POWERFULLY read. I'm in Acts now and so far, Stephen's sermon before his stoning has impacted me greatly! What a great speaker!
Yes, I hate reading the Bible; however, I anticipate my Bible reading time: on my way to work, at lunch, and driving home from work! These are the times I am growing in His Word.
Definitely consider The Bible Experience!
Okay...that might need a little explanation.
Taking time each morning for a "daily devotion" doesn't work for me. I'm not a morning person. Stopping my work mid-day to catch up on my Bible reading....well, that's just not gonna happen. By the time evening comes and I've enjoyed some dinner time, family time, TV time, and computer time, I'm pretty wiped out. I am a night owl, however, so I could stay up and read a couple chapters. It's not really appealing at that point in the day.
My wonderful mother-in-law (I love her to pieces, and we get along just great!) gave me an interesting Christmas gift this past year: The Bible Experience, the New Testament. And it is AWESOME!
Now I like reading the Bible....in the car....listening to the Word of God read by a host of interesting people!
Mind you, it's nothing like the "old dramatic audio versions." You know the ones I'm talking about. Dearest Father in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name....blah, blah, blah...with the deep James Earl Jones voice and conjuring up an image of Charlton Heston's Moses on Mt Sinai....
Nope. It's "the most ambitious production of the greatest story ever told" featuring "400 world-class talents delivering powerhouse performances."
Blair Underwood is Jesus. Hearing the Bible is incredible as I listen to the words of Jesus come to life. The pictures in my head hit me with commonality and relevance in a new and enlightening way. His teachings are real. His words impact His followers, and like me they are struggling to understand Him.
By the time I listened through the Gospels, I had a new perspective on the life of Christ. His death and resurrection are POWERFULLY read. I'm in Acts now and so far, Stephen's sermon before his stoning has impacted me greatly! What a great speaker!
Yes, I hate reading the Bible; however, I anticipate my Bible reading time: on my way to work, at lunch, and driving home from work! These are the times I am growing in His Word.
Definitely consider The Bible Experience!
Banishing My Boobs?
I'm a new reader to Men's Health magazine...online. The fitness tips and weight loss ideas are pretty inspiring....for a fat guy like me, that is. The buff pictures are a dream away, and some of the content is a little risque. So I stick to the tips and ideas.
Tonight the most interesting article was titled "Banish Your Man Boobs", at which I couldn't help but read because of that funny title!
My kids and I call them MB's - - and I'm sad to say mine are just plump enough to be annoying AND fall into the MB category just a bit! The goal is definitely not to have the MB's floppin' all over the place anymore! Hopefully sometime soon I'll just be a TB, for "The Bomb"!!! LOL!
Now back to those push-ups.....
Tonight the most interesting article was titled "Banish Your Man Boobs", at which I couldn't help but read because of that funny title!
My kids and I call them MB's - - and I'm sad to say mine are just plump enough to be annoying AND fall into the MB category just a bit! The goal is definitely not to have the MB's floppin' all over the place anymore! Hopefully sometime soon I'll just be a TB, for "The Bomb"!!! LOL!
Now back to those push-ups.....
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