Richard v2.0

For the past month and a half, I have been lost in my thoughts. I should have bring a map but I didn't. I was confident that it was small enough that I would find my way back. I didn't think I would need so much time to do so but it was worth it...

I also took a complete break from blogging. I didn't read nor posted. I need to keep myself focus without putting stress to my mental journey.

One problem with blogging I was having was one of motivation. Most of my days are copy and paste from one to the other. To me, it's exciting to walk 3-4 hours a day but to come up with good blogging materials while doing so is another thing.

I am also happy about my weight, I'm still losing weight but this is not my priority number uno anymore. So I'll completely going to drop that “losing” subject from my posts unless I come across a news worthy milestone.

So I re-define myself, I am going to concentrate on reaping the benefits from my new tuner body and posts about that. I'll be posting back daily (when possible) with a weekend break every 2 weeks.

What did you do last week? no one ask. I kicked the shit out of my personal records. Why did you do that? Still no one is asking. Tomorrow I will be posting about that. It took me a month and a half to get my answers, you can wait a day, right? Ha ha ha

Time for me to start catching up. Have a great week folks.

Did you Hear This?

It was the sound of more personal records being broken!

Last week goal was a reasonable crazy average of 20,000 steps a day. How did I do?

Monday 21,998

Tuesday 15,636

Wednesday 21,247

Thursday 24,051

Friday 15,468

So after 5 days my average was at 19,680 steps. Then I'm not sure what happen but all hell broke lose...

Saturday 30,731

Sunday 28,016

So Saturday was my most steps in a day and my total for the week 157,147 steps became also my new best week.

My previous records were done in July, at the time I though that I would try that again in January, NOT THE NEXT FREAKING MONTH!

Sunday was really hot, I usually go out early but since I walked about 2 hours, I come back home around 11 AM. I walk fast, at one point a lady from our park passed me, she was doing speed walking.

I observed her and analyzed her steps. I didn't like what I was seeing, it was just not natural, but she was getting away from me fast so what if it was not natural I kept thinking. Then a curve came up and I lost sight of her.

I decided to see how fast I could catch her by jogging. It was not a pursuit, I'm sure she didn't even notice from far behind her the man jogging but she became my goal.

Then we crossed path again, she had turn back. I was not done yet so I continue forward. Half time jogging, the other walking.

It felt so good, I can see my legs are in top shape. I was walking only because I didn't want to over do it, but I could have run a lot more. I was not even out of breath!

When I arrived home, I had sweat buckets. Just for fun, I stepped on the scale, 2 lbs down from before my workout... I know it was mostly water but still, it's a good indication that I have been doing great.

I had accumulate over 20,000 steps and knew that if I want to brake my most steps in a week record, I need another 7,000.

In the evening, supper was at a restaurant, I left the restaurant and walked back home... to my new record. At this point, the only thing left to do for me is to crash the most step in a month record. 

 

BMI down in the 25s

This morning my weight was at 165.4 lbs. That is a lost of 1.8 lb in a week, but what is getting me really excite; my BMI is at 25.9!

Soon my BMI will be in the “normal” (that's only about my weight mentally the jury is still out).

So if I round this result, I lost 50 lbs since Feb first. In all honesty, never thought it would happen, so many times on this journey but after a few weeks, or even a few hours, I would just get back to eat too much and the only exercise was the steps from the couch to the fridge.

I still need to lose 15 lbs to reach my goal of 150. So for the next while, I'll be working on this but I'll keep it easy at the same time, so stay tune, I'll drop everything in front of you in the upcoming weeks.

I Had a Dream

Actually I had many dreams, I slept for 8 hours! I really need that, maybe tonight could be an “encore” that would be something.

I had so much more energy today, I went out and walk 30,000 steps... this is the equivalent of doing half a marathon. One thing about walking that much, shower was NOT optional!

Thank you for leaving comments event if I was a little off, I'm much better and ready to resume back on the journey. Or as Ivy would say: “Yes the bugger is back!” :-)

What to do when you are in a miserable mood?

Yesterday and today, I played 2 hours of picklebal each day. This hasn't change my mood but boy now I'm in so much muscle pain than my mood is not my first preoccupation!

How to Spell Success

This morning after a week of starvation (really not!), junk food ( not!) and dessert-O-thon (just kidding), I learned a new way to spell success... t.w.o.p.o.i.n.t.t.w.o.p.o.u.n.d.s.l.o.s.t!

After last week gain, it was a great victory of mind over fat matter. My scale this morning was at 167.2 lbs, this is as light as I have been since my late 20s! Pretty soon, I might have to carry more change in my pocket; I'll be floating.

This week was not a great week, mentally speaking, I'm so tired, I haven't slept good for almost a month and my mood is miserable. So I was staying away from everyone, I haven't read most of your posts, so next week my mission is to get back in my routine, read the one I missed and get back in shape.

24 Hours Notice!

Yesterday I said that today I would post suggestion about places to walk. So truth to my statement here is 5 suggestions with some pro and con. This will be so professional, no one will recognize me...

1. Round and Round
   Maybe the weather look bad, maybe you are still in your sleeping clothing, or you suffer from Agoraphobia (fear of going outside); some people walk in their own home. They go round and round, from the dining to the living room in an endless loop. If you are that dedicate that walking in your house is what you would do... go for it! But why not go the extra mile (figuratively speaking) and Vacuum at the same time.
   Pro: No one care about what you wear; You don't need to shave or brush your hair (if you have them); If it's windy, it might be from what you just ate; Always in proximity of a toilet.
   Con: Boring; Used up the floor; Can trip on your pet or a forgotten lego; Always make sure to turn before hitting the “wall”;
2. Sidewalking
   You live in a town, there is a sidewalk. The chance are that it will be free cause no one else is walking.
   Pro: Relatively safe, however if a car slow down and the old men offer you candy, walking is not for you, RUN is;
   Con: Don't forget to go to the toilet before leaving home; Dangerous, if a car slow down and the old men offer you candy, don't take any, sweet is poison!
3. Trail in the wood
   Is there a better way of getting closer to nature by going in a hike?
   Pro: Birds singing; Wind chiming in the trees; Smell and sound show. If you really have to go... there is always plenty of leave to wipe to, but choose wisely make sure you know what is poison Ivy (I'm just saying)
   Con: Watch out you are close to nature and in nature there are bears. I would recommended to go in a group and make sure one is slower and tastier than you are!
4. Beach walking
   If you are on holiday at a beach, walking it is fantastic!
   Pro: Rolling of the waves; Hot sand; Smell of sun lotion.
   Con: Tidal wave; Sharks; Sun bather (stay focus, don't look side way, remember success is a road paved with tempting parking spaces); and remember some people used the sea as their toilet so don't pick anything.
5. Shopping Mall
   Sometimes you want to get out of the sun or the 3 feet of the white shit that just felt down; walking at the mall might be a great solution.
   Pro: Climate control (That's it, I have nothing else)
   Con: Don't go on December 24^th; Don't look at the Sales sign; STAY away from the food court. Be careful if you go to the toilet, you are not the first one to use them and you might catch something that will require to take penicillin for a long time (not a personal experience).

I'm giving you a 24 hours notice, tomorrow I'm taking a post day off. During my day off, please try to behave but I know it is asking a lot to some of you. LOL

What I love about walking?

Everything!

It's available to every one; You don't need to be in the shape of athletes that are training for the Olympics.

You can be overweight, underweight, obese, thinese, tall, small, men, women, elders, not so elders, almost everyone, all you have to do is get off the couch, move one foot forward, then the next one and repeat as long as you can. I found it easier to do with a mantra, so if you see my lips moving I might be repeating: “Left, Right, Left, Right, Left, Right...”

You can practice your activity almost every where. Tomorrow I'll post about some suggestions.

You don't need to spend a fortune in equipment. But I would highly recommended getting a good pair of comfortable running shoes. I buy a lot of stuff at Walmart but not that. As a bonus, you can get an activity tracker (I don't walk without mine) and a MP3 player for the time when you get sick of repeating your mantra.

Neither Rain, Nor Snow, Nor Sleet, Nor Hail Shall Keep you from enjoying walking.

Talking about walking, look at last week winner of the Vivofit challenge and the runner up.

I can't even imagine myself ever going over 160,000. The winner 201,978 steps and the second one 161,715. Those are very serious people. But really how does a human do that in a week? Yes I end up seventh, there was 10 persons in this challenge so I won't brag much LOL 

Beauty Product for Men

This is a post that might be more for the one or two men that read my post, so lady read if you want but pleeease remember your are not my target audience.

Should real men use beauty product? There is also that line of thought about if you have to ask... but really, should I? I don't know but I'll do some scientific deficient research about it.

Dry Skin

Let me start by putting you in a context... I take a shower, I'm dripping wet (ladies I already told you this is for my fellow men kind, stop dreaming!), I used a towel and dry myself, is that dry skin? Should I applied cream? But then I'll be dirty and need to get back in the shower, but then I'll be dripping wet, ..., is that the circle of life for men?

This seems to be more complex than I first thought but lets move on without finding any answers because I am that unprofessional.

Lip Balm

I just don't like it, do you know what contain balm? emBALMing, so I won't give you more than that, made up your own mind but I'M STAYING AWAY FROM IT!

Pedicure

I know it's not a product, but I'm a man so give me a break. Once upon a time I was in North Carolina in a shopping Mall, I was on the second floor and looking down at the ones in the first floor (yes it's call stalking). I was looking into a Nails shop and saw a man getting a pedicure. My first, my second and my third reflex was to laugh but then it hit me, do I need a pedicure? For 55 years, I have been chewing successfully my own nails (yes I'm that flexible) but by seeing this other male specie getting a pedicure, it kind of validate my own way. So NO don't get a pedicure, but if you do, could you let me know I need a good laugh!

Tattoo

“The plane boss, the plane!”

Hair removal

Don't even come closed to me with your bee wax!

I hate to do that but that's all I have for now. I didn't realize doing such a scientific deficient research was that time consuming and there is a game that is about to start on TV and I can't find the remote, so stay tune who knows, I might be back with more unanswered.

Not That Perfect

This morning is Sunday. Every Sunday since I started this journey toward the health light have been successful. The day I didn't reach my weight goal was because: 1. I exceeded it 2. I was a little off. Not today, my weight is now 169.6 lbs, this is a GAIN of .6 pound!

I'm not going to start a self-public flagellation session. But, I'll admit that if you don't eat less and made poor choices, success might slip from your hands faster than a glazed donuts (figuratively, I haven't had one of those for over half a year)!

Humiliate, I'll buried my head in the sand today. So if you happen to walk by and you see a butt (in a medium size underwear, mind you) sticking out of the sand, it's me.

I hope every one else is doing great on this Sunday!

Half and Half

Yesterday was a big anniversary, well maybe I'm exaggerating, it was a half anniversary; It has been six months since I took this journey to health!

So many times, I took the path to health but end up in a dead end. So many times when I was so motivated and by the end of the third day, I was back on track to maintaining my overweight and add some.

What is the main difference between this time around and all the other unsuccessful times?

Mentally ready

Like a lot of others, I always knew that I had to lose weight for my health. But there is miles apart between knowing and doing. This times, I had proof of my poor life choice; I had to take one small pills for my cholesterol.

Strangely, February first when I started I knew there was no turning back, I could feel that I would get where I need to go. I mentioned that already but this is really the biggest change: I didn't “want” to lose weight, I “need” to lose weight.

When you want something, it is just too easy to compromise. When you need something, you do everything you have to. This also mean that I was doing the best I could all the time and not struggling with any decision.

Be positive and motivate

Failures and excuses were not part of my language. If you think you can, you can! We have to have faith in ourselves, forget the past! we all can do what we need, don't we?

The greatest source of motivation is reading those lines right now. I believe 75% of my motivation is from blogging, I keep myself accountable and now with being more conscious that I might be a trigger for some... just mind blowing and a bucket full of motivation!

Thank you all, you are the cream (no fat) and so sweet (sugar less).

Richard