Final Fitness Revolution Update

So I have definitely slacked in the last several weeks. I haven't been writing here, I haven't been working out, and I haven't been eating too well. It's a lot easier to eat well if you're a vegan. It may not taste as good, but it's better for the insides. School has been a beast and it won't stop for at least three weeks. But after that? sweet bliss. I'll have a few weeks off (from school, not work) before my summer class starts.

I've talked to my wonderful wife about my disappointing fitness results and she's not nearly as disappointed as I am in me. She's been very encouraging and mentioned that planning the end of the revolution--the home stretch--to coincide with the home stretch of my semester might not have been the wisest decision. Anyway, I'm blaming my slacker ways on school and I'm happy with that. But fear not! This is not the end of the fitness revolution. I plan to continue the exercise and before too long I will reach my goal of 215 lbs. This morning I weighed in at 227 lbs. It's a few pound gain from my lowest, but it's a total loss of 12 pounds during the revolution. I feel better and a bit fitter and that motivates me to keep it up.

Thanks for caring and thanks for being my friend!

Fitness Revolution Update #11

The scale read 224 this morning. It is still declining, so that's good; but not quickly enough. Now I know it's not going as quickly as I would like because I haven't been working out, so I won't complain too much. I was sick all last week and when one is sick, he doesn't feel like working out, right? Unfortunately, Lent is over so I'm back to being able to eat anything, so a healthier diet will now be a bit more difficult. Let me tell you, a cheesesteak for lunch yesterday did not sit too well with the stomach. I need to ease into this food business.

Day-Late Fitness Revolution Update #10

Sorry this is a day late. I had a terrible stomach disease yesterday so it was taxing enough to move from bed to the couch. I did, however, weigh myself yesterday. At my lightest, I was 222 lbs, but that shouldn't count because I couldn't eat all day and other gross things. So after a meal of rice and apples (I'm on the BRAT [bananas, rice, apples, toast] diet until I'm fully better) last night, I weighed in at 225 this morning. I'm making progress, but without a significant change in habits I don't know that I'll make it to 215 by April 15th. I haven't gotten to exercise this week because of classes and sickness. We're driving to Ohio on Thursday night, so I doubt I'll get to exercise at all, we'll see how this goes. Have a lovely day!

Fitness Revolution Update #9

This morning, the scale read 227.5 lbs. It's a full pound loss from last week, but only a net loss of .5 lbs over two weeks. I probably sabotaged myself with a heaping plate of Buddha's Delight from New South Chinese last night, but it was so delightful--that or Mike & Ike's. Either way, I'm making progress, it's just not as fast as I would like. I have a little over a month to get down to 215. I still think I can do it; but it will take better discipline.

I went to a spinning class at the Y last night with a teacher I've not had before--Jen B. tried to kill us! Luckily, most of us survived. Tonight they're having an open volleyball court, so I think I'll stop down and see how bad I've gotten after having not played for a year. Wish me luck.

Fitness Revolution Update #8

So it wasn't a great week for my fitness revolution. Sure, I'm still not eating anything not-vegan or carbonated but I have discovered that most chips are vegan-friendly and since I've had a weird school/work schedule and little desire to make lunch/dinner for myself, between work and school I've been heading to Wawa for some apples and chips on most days. On top of that, I didn't go to the Y at all. I'm not doing a good job of revolutionizing my fitness. The scale this morning said 228.5 lbs. A half-pound gain. I need to do better, that's all there is to it.

Check me out, two posts in one day, mostly in the same hour! I figured I would start my schedule a day late (not a great start, I know). I figured that I'm either preponing my schedule for next Monday, or I'm just a day late. I'll go with the former. Have a fantastic day.

Fitness Revolution Update #7

It's hard to believe I've been going at this fitness program for eight weeks. As I sit here at work munching on mango chips (delicious!) from Carlino's Market of West Chester, PA, I am thinking upon what the scale read this morning: 228. That's a two pound loss from last week, I have lost a total of 11.5 pounds, and have thirteen to go. I certainly need to better dedicate myself to working out more frequently and eating a bit better (breakfast this morning was a piece of vegan cake I made on Saturday), but I am fairly pleased with my progress. Thank for your nice thoughts and comments.

Fitness Revolution Update #6

So this morning, I weighed in at 230: a one pound loss from last week. That's really all. I guess I'll need to exercise more often and eat a little more consistently better. I'm not too discouraged by the slow loss--at least I'm not gaining.

Fitness Revolution Update #5

This morning the scale read 231: a loss of two pounds leaving 16 pounds yet to lose. Honestly, I was expecting a greater loss because I have been on a significantly stricter diet (not in the sense of a eating program diet as much as watching what I eat type diet. Eating as a vegan and not having soft drinks tends to do that to you). I attribute the not-as-significant-as-I'd-hoped loss to minimal exercise. Instead of walking around West Chester daily at lunch I've been staying in, in an attempt to get some reading for class done. I'd like to say that will change, but there's much more to read this semester than last, and the classes are a little more scrunched together, time wise.

I will, however, not get disappointed because two pounds is still pretty awesome and I don't want to come across as whining or pouting, I just feel like I need to express my achievements and set backs equally. I will, instead of pouting, work to exercise more. I already went to the spinning class this morning, so that's a nice start. It's a great start to a day to sweat for an hour with twenty other semi-groggy people listening to a combination of synth-rock and Kid Rock. If all goes according to plan, I may go to the early morning yoga class at the Y tomorrow. Sometimes I just can't get enough keytar.

Super-Duper/Tsunami/Shrove/Gras Tuesday Fitness Revolution Update #4

Stepping on the scale this morning, before my hour-long spinning class at the Y, the number that came back at me between the toes was 233. That's a 3.5-pound loss from last week. I'm slowly making progress and with the new workout regimen I'm working myself into, I think things should go smoothly--at least I hope.

On to other things.

The last three years, I've given up escalating things for Lent: first pop, then pop and beef, then pop and all meat. I figured the logical step in the progression this year would be pop, all meat, and all animal by-products. That essentially means I'll be a vegan for 40 days, starting tomorrow. I'm not, nor have I ever been, Catholic; but I believe they have something very right in the whole Lent business. For me, it's similar to fasting (at which I'm horrible) but in a more manageable manner. It allows me a time to reflect on what I have been given while intentionally avoiding that which I would most like to have.

I say this, and I hope this is evident, not to sound righteous or pompous but in order to solicit some accountability and perhaps encouragement. And if you have a dynamite vegan cookie/any time of dessert recipe, I'd love to have it. Thanks and I love you.

ps-The last 15 minutes of the spinning class were devoted to "Free Bird." That was intense.

btw-- Yes, we can.

Fitness Revolution Update #3

So I stepped on the scale this morning and was shocked by the number between my toes: 236.5. That's two pounds more than last week! It is a bit frustrating, but upon further reflection I realized that I hadn't done anything in the last week to further my fitness goals, so I deserved this decidedly upsetting step backwards.

Luckily, Jenna and I finally got our membership to the local YMCA finalized. This morning (from 6-7) I participated in a spinning class and it was a whopper. Pretty much, I (along with 15 other people) sat on a pretty nice stationary bicycle and was goaded to go faster and harder by a guy named Fred yelling over mediocre-but-occasionally-amazing music. They played "Who Are You?" by The Who followed immediately by "Bawitdaba" by Kid Rock. It's not the ideal juxtaposition, but I dealt with it. I plan to do that class at least twice a week and lift at least twice. Hooray for the YMCA. It's fun to stay there.

ps- Go Obama Go!

Fitness Revolution Update #2

The weigh in today: 234.5 lbs. I know, I know it's only a loss of .5 pounds, but it is a loss of 5 pounds over two weeks. In my defense, I'm going to blame the nearly stagnant numbers on a nearly exerciseless week and the fact that as of yesterday, Jenna and I have been married for 6 months so we made a mighty filling dinner (of which I ate too much) complete with homemade (that means out of a box) cake and lots-o-icing. Our membership to the YMCA should kick in tomorrow, and that means that I can start early morning spinning classes before work and actually add the exercise portion to my fitness regiment. Thanks for all your support and thoughts. Know you're loved!

Fitness Revolution Update #1

So a week has come and gone since I laid forth my fitness goals for the next few months. I weighed myself and came in at 239.5 lbs. This morning when I woke, I was luckily awake enough to remember to weigh myself before I ate, or anything else so I'm fairly confident it's an accurate representation of my weight loss. The number: 235 lbs. I total loss of 4.5 pounds. Though the first pounds are, so I hear, always the easiest to lose, I fear that I may have set the bar too low for my weight loss. The weight loss came with no real effort. I, more or less, ate what I wanted; I just tried to eat a little less of it. I think the biggest help is my lack of pop. I do miss the Dew, but I'll certainly survive and feel better for it.

I had fully intended to work out often, but an application into the YMCA (we decided it was our best option. It seems expensive, but they give discounts if your family makes little enough money, and we qualify!) but the process of application and financial matters takes about two weeks. In an effort to be semi-active, I've been meandering the streets of West Chester on my lunch break. It's a lovely town and the people are surprisingly friendly. There are several book shops where I could spend far too much money and the same is true of restaurants. You should visit.

All-in-all, it was a successful fitness week, despite my lack of effort. I look forward to the results when I buckle down and try harder. Thanks for all your good thoughts, encouraging words, and friendship. Come visit me in West Chester! or Media.

New Year's Revolution

Following in the footsteps of many bloggers before me, I have decided to use this blog as an accountability took to aid in my new fitness plan that starts today. So we got ourselves a scale and, though it isn't the perfect fitness measuring instrument, it'll have to do because I don't want to spend the money on BMI indicating scales and fancier equipment. I plan to weigh myself frequently, but at least every Tuesday morning and report to you, the few who read this, what it says. This morning I weighed in at 239.5 lbs. That's too much for me to consider myself healthy, so I want to change that.

Now we all know that accountability does nothing if there aren't goals, right? So I'll now set forth the goals of my new fitness program.

I want to weigh in at 215 by April 15th--tax day. I guess now that I work at an FI (financial institution) that the day now holds some significance to me, at least more than before. All in all, that's a weight loss of 24.5 lbs in a little over three months. I don't think that sounds unreasonable since I have achieved my current size because I have completely ignored any form of exercise and eat whatever and whenever I want.

Now on the how portion of my goals.

I will simply dedicate myself to a more active life coupled with better eating habits. I think the biggest sacrifice, for me, is the decision to almost completely give up pop. I plan to allow myself no more than two small Mountain Dews a week, and that's only if I feel I cannot go without one. Jenna typically eats healthily, so she'll certainly help me out with this. I am currently looking into a few different gyms/fitness centers in the area and am sizing up which is best/most affordable. WCU (West Chester University) has a fitness center that will be free, but it's 30 minutes from my house (only three from work) and I'm not sure whether or not it has free weights. (My only beef with the Harding workout facility was the complete lack of free weights, I hate the machines.) There is also a nice-looking YMCA near our apartment and an L.A. Fitness nearby. Apparently a Y membership is expensive. Who knew?

Anyway, I took this idea from Mark Elrod and I can only hope that I'm nearly as successful. Thanks in advance for all your encouragement, prayers, and nagging.

Please know that I love you.