Unique Workouts Are The Best: Blizzard Hike 2016

As you probably know it snowed like a mug up in the DC area last weekend. I was stuck at my brother's house and we had no food, so I woke up early and headed outside in the blizzard, to see what was open.  What started out as a short trip to the 7-11 on the corner turned into quite the crazy adventure.

The Weigh-In

As you know, I made a huge mistake and signed up for a weight-loss challenge that I cannot win. For some reason, there is still something inside of me that incorrectly believes I actually CAN win. So as the time approached for my initial weigh-in I decided I needed to be as fat I possibly could be. The only problem was, the weigh-in was that same night.

And so began my quest to become super fat in just 8 hours...and you may be shocked by the result.

The New And Improved Me

The pictures above are just some of the looks I've gone with over the last 2 1/2 years. That time ago was the last time I cut my hair. Well, during ROUND 2, I decided I would add a few new changes to my life. One of those, the first one in fact...is my look. So without further ado, here is the new .... ME!

How I Accidentally Thought I Could Win The Gold's Gym Challenge

One of the things I wanted to measure this time around was not just my weight loss but the actual growth of my muscles, and shrinkage (I was in the pool!) of my waist. I'm not sure if it is a myth, but I feel like when I'm losing weight and gaining muscle, they are at least minimally cancelling each other out.

So I went down to the gym to have one of the trainers give me the full gamut of measurements...next thing I know I was tangled up in something I wasn't ready for...

So I Had A Relapse, A Fat Relapse

After starting this awesome blog, and being on my health plan for 5 whole weeks, I lost 12 pounds. I was rehabbing my knee way ahead of schedule and things were looking up. I wasn't exactly where I wanted to be but I was getting there quick. Oh, and my pants, they fit.


Well that was August 2015 and wouldn't you know it time just kept passing by and after the 5 weeks of hard work I found myself back at the bar, and sidelined from rehab for a bit due to a knee twist suffered while slipping in the rain (like an idiot).  I was stuck with horrible hair, a mustache and a fat stomach.

Welcome To Saturday

Saturday is a key day in living the new life. It is the last day of workouts which means I still have some hard work to do before getting a day and a half to relax and enjoy myself. Here is how my typical Saturday works:

Sleeeeeeep:

One of the reasons why Saturday ends up being a key day is because I can get an extra hour or 2 of sleep. I typically stay up later on Friday nights and the next day let myself wake up with no alarm. This usually puts me waking up at a time when on a typical weekday I've already been awake for 4 hours. That is some key sleep to break up the monotony of waking up at 5:45am.

Lunchfast:

Mushroom Crab Eggs Power Breakfast - Crabcake, Eggs, Mushrooms, English Muffin, Orange Juice

Because I am waking up later, that means I am sleeping through breakfast. With that in mind, I take my typical breakfast and add some power to it, tossing in some extra protein and carbs to make it more of a substantial meal (typically add meat like steak, chicken or crabcakes). 700-800 calories works good here.

Dealing With Surprise: The Struggle Is Real

Going to a special function, party or event can be really rough when you are trying to eat healthy. There is usually awesome free food everywhere and none of it has nutrition labels.  Plus there is no scale, so your estimation game has to be on point if you want to keep to the plan. If not there could be some major, non life threatening (lol), miscalculations.

Ish Happens, Especially When You Are On A Diet

It happens all the time. The first week of a brand new fitness plan and all of a sudden something pops up to shred the plan apart. Situations like this seem to emerge all the time when you are eating healthy. When you aren't, there is no free food, and when you are, there are barbecues every day.

Daily Log: Thursday, August 27th, 2015

My first challenge of the new lifestyle popped up on Thursday as a work function brought be to a lakehouse where my only option for survival was becoming a Terminator. I wrote about the whole thing here, but the gist of the story was I had to estimate and pick and choose from the provided food to keep within my calorie limit.

Physical Therapy, It Didn't Move

After the another successful warm-up week workout it was time for some fun. It was the first day of my official physical therapy and I was pumped/nervous! I didn't really know what to expect but I was ready to work hard.

I walked up to the counter at the physical therapy building and told the lady at the front desk my name. She couldn't find it.

Daily Log: Wednesday, August 26th, 2015

Another great breakfast and another great day at the gym. The P of DEEP was working in full effect and I was following the plan to a T. The headache from being hungry even went away although I still felt like I was starving a few hours before each meal. Again, I need to snack better.

Don't Mourn The Morning: 4 Reasons To Workout After You Wake Up

Waking up at 5:45 in the morning every day can be quite awful. If you want enough sleep (and I do) you often have to skip out on some fun weeknight activities, a ballgame or your favorite TV show. However I find this is the best time to get a consistent workout in before a busy day takes over your life.

A few pre bedtime and wake up routines help a lot (I'll talk about those later) and after a few days you'll start to get used to your new schedule, digging DEEP. Here are 4 other reasons why working out in the morning is the way to go.

Daily Log: Tuesday, August 25th, 2015

The first day of cardio...and I'm not allowed to do cardio!

After a successful day 1 in the weight room I found myself right back again on Tuesday. Only this time I didn't really have anything to do! I couldn't do any leg work on the machines due to my recently surgically repaired knee. I couldn't run. I couldn't do anything!

I Don't Want Your Disgusting Baked Goods And 5 Other Dieting Answers

One of the bad things about eating healthy and getting your D on is that you constantly have to explain yourself to people. You have to answer questions like "Why don't you want a beer" or "Why don't you want a slice of cake". Instead of answering the question the more accurate way, "because you baked it and it is probably horrible", I answer with the other half of the truth; "I'm eating healthy". The questions always continue and I've got a few more answers.

"Eating healthy? So what? no carbs?"

This is where my head explodes.

Daily Log: Monday, August 24th, 2015

I love the first day of the gym!

After a whole summer of getting fat it is time to go back and see all your old pals again. The bench press. The barbells. Even that annoying kid, the pullup bar is a sight for sore eyes (and sore arms).

On the eve of the first day of gym I did all the right things. I got everything prepared before bed. I turned off my laptop an hour before sleep. I read a book. I didn't even watch the Walking Dead spinoff premier.  I took a Tylenol PM for a slight assistance and got to bed by my brand new bedtime, 10pm.

Benching The Bar: Warm Up Week

It feels like everyone is watching me. I'm tired as hell, my face looks like I've been hit by a bus and my hair is an absolute trainwreck. I'm laying down on a bench press machine and making strange faces as I lift the bar. And here's the thing, there are no weights on it! Embarrassing!

This is warm-up week and it is the way I like to ease myself back into the flow of a healthy lifestyle. Instead of worrying about the onlookers I worry about one thing, myself and I don't care how stupid it looks, I dig DEEP.

Daily Log: My Committments

Here we go again!

Tomorrow is the start of something great. Tomorrow I end the Road to Destruction and go right into the DEEP end. Tomorrow is the first day of my new life!

In The DEEP End

When I decided to get my life back on track I knew I didn't want to go half speed. I didn't want to just stick my toe in the water and then slowly climb down the ladder into the pool. I wanted to go over by the diving board and jump in the deep end.

I picked out 4 areas of my life that needed work and I made a promise to myself to work on them. I thought about that pool analogy and came up with an acronym to help focus on this plan, DEEP. DEEP is the way I want to change my life. I want to get in that DEEP end, I want to dig DEEP and I want to lose myself in DEEP thought. And if I don't...I'll be in DEEP s**t!

The Road To Destruction

The Belly Button Burrito

I think it was one night when I was laying in my bed watching TV that I realized it might be time to turn things around. Sitting atop my stomach were 2 Taco Bell tacos and a 3rd was being shoved into my mouth by my hand. My stomach was so big I was using it as a table and it was doing a heck of a job. Inside my belly button were flakes of taco shells mixed with cheese, meats and whatever else fell down there, a belly button burrito bowl of sorts (Yum!). Mid taco-bite I mentally stepped back and truly pondered the situation. That's when I began to laugh uncontrollably.