My First 10k... and beyond

So I DID IT… I survived the 10K.  It also was a lot more fun and easier than I thought it was.  The two things I took away from the run were that it is OKAY to walk if you have to and to set your own pace.  If you are like me and not competing against anyone and just doing the race/run for fun, you only have yourself to compete with.

Let’s talk about the race a little.  The first mile was up hill not bad because the next ¼ mile was down hill… Now for the fun part the next 2 miles were straight up hill along a trail.  Miles two and three were UP HILL… a very steep hill that was never ending.  It was pretty crazy and tiring.  The next 3 miles were mostly flat and I was able to keep and increase my pace.  The last .2 miles was up a very steep hill that most everyone walked.  Also the last half which is about 3.1 miles I used headphones which really helped me focus on my breathing and stride. With that said I did my personnel best.  I ran the race in 1hr 19min.  That was an awesome time for me and right on pace with what I wanted run.  So, 1hr 19 min of a work out and a NEW PERSONNEL BEST!

There you have it… Now it is exactly one week after the run and I took most of the week off.  I have about 10 weeks until the ½ marathon and only one more week to decide if I am going to run a full marathon.

So for Christmas… I want a new pair of shoes!!

On 17 Mar 12 I weighed 285.2…I lost some more weight I Keep dropping!

As of Saturday 17 Mar 12, I weighed 285.2

288.2 (3 Mar 12) – 285.2 (17 Mar 12) = 3 LBS NET LOSS!!!

Total weight loss = 318.5 (5 Aug 11) –282.2 (17 Mar 12)  = 33.3 lbs total net loss

I am a still little over 5lbs to my next mile stone weight of 280… hoping to be there by April… we will see.  Now I have to start training.

Until next time keep up the workouts and keep loosing!!

After a slight Hiatus, I come out ahead.

Hello, fellow losers.  It has been quite the busy couple of weeks, which included lots of working out and great things.  Actually it has been so long that Mel is threatening to take me off of her page.  Let her know that you like my posts not matter how often I get them up there.

Work has been as it has been… crazy busy with lots of hours but I have been able to manage to get work outs in as I will explain in the next couple of paragraphs.  Over all operation “begin working out” has been a complete success.  One of my favorite parts of working out is being sore afterwards.  Working out makes you feel so much better and have really helped with my attitude.  It is an adjustment that I am going to try to keep up.  With two “state of the art” gyms at my disposal I am only hurting myself by not using them. 

 I am only two weeks away from my first 10K ever and am quite excited.  Although the past couple of days I have not been able to work out, the past several weeks I have worked out almost every single day running up to 8k.  The first week I started out super slow only two miles at a time but by the second week, I was running 5K.  The third week I ran 7k and realized I was pushing myself a little too much.  So, I started scaling back a little by working out on both the elliptical and treadmill.  As my brother told me, one of the best things I can do is make sure I am working out. I think I am. However, I am still pretty worried.  Especially as the past couple of days have been really hard based on my work hours.

So as always… I will do the infamous “rundown”

On 3 Mar 12 I weighed 288.2… THAT’S RIGHT…I am BELOW THE DREADED 290 not to my goal of 280 but still I am quite happy about that!

As of Saturday 3 Mar 12, I weighed 295.2

295.2 (4 Jan 11) – 288.2 (3 Mar 12) = 7 LBS NET LOSS!!!

Total weight loss = 318.5 (5 Aug 11) –288.2 (3 Mar 12)  = 30.3 lbs total net loss

I am a still little over 8lbs to my next mile stone weight of 280… hoping to be there by April… we will see.  One thing is for sure…  I really did miss working out and it is like finding a long lost friend. 

How is everyone else doing with his or her goals?

10k and Half Marathon - oh my!

Okay so I have been really bad lately about getting posts up about my weight loss journey.  There are several reasons for this:

1)     I was not losing any weight… and was a little embarrassed especially after all of my success.  I am sure you can understand.   

2)     I have been crazy busy working at work and a couple of very important and exciting projects at home.  Things seem to be falling in to place for those and I am excited about the prospects for us.

3)     Okay so… it is worse than not just losing weight I gained about 5 lbs over the holiday season.  So what I can say total failure.

Work has been crazy.  This week alone I had to travel to the Great State of FL for the week.  I just found out that I was going to have to travel for the week last Thursday.  I am not complaining, I like traveling and I like what I do so it is not to bad but still I have work at work that needs to be done and traveling right now was not really the best… timing wise. 

I don’t remember if I told you or not but I have been promoted at work.  I am now a full manager and am having fun.  I do miss some of the work I was doing as a just a worker but I like managing.  So that is all very exciting.  Okay so now for a very exciting announcement….

Coming from a military background, I have learned one thing and that is that you have to do what it takes to accomplish the mission.  If you are told to take a hill with a paper clip and glue you will figure out a way how to get it done.  With this in mind I have devised a very special plan in which to succeed at my goals of ultimate weight loss.  I have informed my boss that they might need to find a replacement for in May 12.  I am doing something I never thought I would…as a fat guy or big guy I never thought I would do this…I have signed up for a 10K race.  Yep that’s right I will be running a 10k in March.  I know crazy right.

Now all of you are thinking why would he say that he told his boss she might have to find a replacement in May instead of March?  It must have been a typo... etc.

Nope!! I plan to do something even crazier… I am going to run a ½ marathon in May.  Yep that’s right… I am training as of Monday 30 Jan 12 to run a ½ marathon in May 12.  So fatty have to run.  The total cost of the races was $100 dollars.  Melissa has told me that I “better go and run” or she will be “pissed!”  So that is where I am.  Since I have always done it will continue to do it…. Here is the rundown of current weight.

On 4 Jan 11 I weighed 295.2… 5 lbs gained :(… not happy about this but will have to live with it.

This week’s run down was:

As of Saturday 4 Jan 11, I weighed 295.2

290.2 (3 Dec 11) – 295.2 (4 Jan 11) = 5 lbs net gain

Total weight loss = 318.5 (5 Aug 11) –295.2 (3 Dec 11)  = 23.3 lbs total net loss

I am a still little over 15lbs to my next mile stone weight of 280… hoping to be there by March… we will see.  One thing is for sure.  I have to work out and work out hard.  I wish you all the best and hope you are keeping your goals better than me.

What Is with all of this Yummy Food?

Wow… it has been a really long time since I have updated everyone on what is going on with the war that is weight loss.  To get it out of the way… No I have not worked out.  The past several weeks have been very busy.  It looks like I am going to get some extra responsibility at work, Mel and I took that “wonderful” trip to Florida, and it is the food frenzy of the Winter/Year.  Although the summer is great for BBQ everyone knows that in Western culture the winter is filled with feasts.

It starts as innocent as “trick-or-treat”… ahh yes the fun size candies are so much fun when you eat the whole bag.  This year Mel and I scaled back compared to the amount of candy we have purchased in the past few years... This year was the first year we actually had some legitimate patrons.  So what do you do with the left over candy… we ate it.  I think there is a lot to be said for UNICEF.  If every kid did that I would eat less candy.

From Halloween we move right into the true testaments of gluttony…Thanksgiving and then Christmas.  Losing weight in the months of November and December is almost impossible.  There is a party every week and it really starts with Halloween.

Now in my case this year was a little different.  Mel & I were away for Thanksgiving but we did not eat healthy all week.  Never good… and then we celebrated Thanksgiving exactly 10 days later.  For me it is not just all of the great regular food… it is the exceptional deserts.  It seems like for the last month every day someone at work has great deserts to shear.  Cookies, cakes, and pie… and we have all read about my weakness for some of these items.

I always try to give some advice to everyone. Today I have this:  Keep on your plan if you can… yes it is hard.  I also recommend that everyone indulge.  The one thing Mel has taught me is moderation.  All week I try to decrease my Point intake and save it for the weekends.  I also do not have any great expectations for myself.  Some weeks you might gain weight while others you will lose.  Just keep you head about yourself… and don’t go crazy.  What has been working for you?  Have you been able to keep up with your goals?

On 3 Dec 11 I weighed 290.2… Nothing lost, but nothing gained

This week’s run down was:

As of Saturday 3 Dec 11, I weighed 290.2

290.2 (29 Oct 11) – 290.2 (3 Dec 11) = 0 lbs net loss/gain

Total weight loss = 318.5 (5 Aug 11) –290.2 (3 Dec 11)  = 28.3 lbs total net loss

I am a still little over 10lbs to my next mile stone weight of 280… It will likely not be lost by Christmas… but hopefully by the beginning of February.  Keep losing and I wish all of my fellow losers the best!!

Is it Wrong to be Proud of Yourself?

Originally, I was going to write about what motivated me to lose weight and why I choose now… but recent events at work, on the news, and on Facebook have motivated me to change what I am going to write about.  I decided that I am going to write about Pride.

 As I hit last week I realized that I am proud of what I have done and not just in weight loss.  As I mentioned in my very first post I am veteran… I am the 1% of Americans.  I have fought and sacrificed when my country asked me too.  I have realized three things over the past 10 years of my short career as a soldier, student, and Civilian that…

1) You have to work hard… you will never be given anything in this world and those who are have little character.  Make everything you do the best possible product it can be.  If you are not going to do your best no one else will.  Take pride in what you do and realize that what you do is a reflection of you, your company or organization

2) Take personal responsibility…if you did something fess up to it.  You got yourself into any situation… figure out how to get out ethically and morally.  The concept of enlightened self interest must and will be enforced just ask Key Lay. 

3) Take the road less traveled.  The true definition of a wuss is someone who runs away from a challenge.  Taking the easy way out is just that… and is often a It may mean more work it might be different then your friends… but risk is what makes our country great.  With risk comes the possibility of failure… learn from failure and mitigate your future risk by being proactive.  With this in mind, I learned to volunteer for everything if the boss needs someone to work late take the opportunity and run with it. 

I will say this that of all the things I have done in the past 10 years getting my college degree was the easiest.  In my opinion, I worked harder to become a soldier than I did ever to get my Bachelors degree.  I work harder every day than most people did obtaining my degree as well.  The army taught me skills for time efficiency and how to manage the “impossible.”  These concepts are imperative to success… nothing is impossible.  

With that said… I have recently taken these three concepts into my weight loss.  I work hard to stay well under my points most days.  This is very difficult but with Mel’s help has been very possible.  Take responsibility… well I still have not worked out and I could be losing more weight if I did.  In addition, I just decided to start to lose weight… I took 27 years to get to this point and I am changing behavior this time.  I am hoping that as I write in the future I am able to take on what Mel has done…. The most difficult part of weight loss maintenance.    That to me is the true challenge staying on track and not falling into old bad habits.  This is going to be the hard part.  With that said, I am proud of the work I have accomplished and look forward to the future.

Now for my weigh-in:

On 29 Oct 11 I weighed 290.2… It is truly awesome to keep dropping

This week’s run down was:

As of Saturday 29 Oct 11, I weighed 290.2

293.2 (22 Oct 11) – 290.2 (29 Oct 11) = 3.0 lbs net loss

Total weight loss = 318.5 (5 Aug 11) –290.2 (29 Oct 11)  = 28.3 lbs total net loss

I am a little over 10lbs to my next mile stone weight of 280… looking forward to it… hope to be close by Thanksgiving.

As Always thank you for posting a comment… I love them and appreciate them!!

@ Chantelle – Great points… I have started to do some of that… I try to get up and walk around my desk area more.  I need to start the push up thing I should just start to do them.  You are very creative… thanks for the great ideas.  I hope you keep doing well in Cambodia and stay safe.  KEITH KEEP HER SAFE BUD…  We love you both.

@ Diane – I always love responding to your comments.  You have never offended me it is just that sometimes when people write it triggers something.  What you said was not offensive at all… I am just having some stress at work with some things and it comes out in my writing.  Thank your Husband for his service… it is appreciated.  Thank you for your posts and keep them coming.

Please leave me a message…. What are you goals this week and let me know how you are doing obtaining them.