I wanted to be posting all bout how great my Rosstraining was going....
It's harder than that...it's not going so great.
In a way I feel bad but in another way I feel encouraged because I have a plan now. Next week I'm going to break down the beg R.T. program in as small of chunks as necessary for me to complete. I'm going to build on that (no matter how small it is) and I'm going to build up to the full routines even if it kills me.
This plan is fool proof because either I'll make the goal or I will be dead and weighing only 21 grams should make completing the exercises a LOT easier. :)
I'm going into a tunnel now RossTraining or die!!
Updates to follow shortly......I hope. :o
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Time for massive action
What an crazy time since my last post.
My buddy Shaun gave me the short notice challenge last week that went something like this "Dude what are you doing day after tomorrow because I have 2 plane tickets to Chicago and 2 tickets to UFC 90 burning a hole in my pocket....what's up"?
We ended up doing a whirlwind 24 hour trip that jammed about 4 "normal people" days into one outlandish adventure. Damn that was fun! :) It deserves it's own post with pictures so I'll get something together later this week about the madness that was our Chicago UFC adventure.
On the fitness front: Things are (and have been) fairly static lately...too static for sure and something started making itself known as soon as the shadow of Chicago was in the airplanes rear view mirror. This thing has been looming for some time now and as it started to make it's presence require attention one of those cosmic signs happened and then it was all over. The time has come to get back to where I started with the RossTraining. I was not in good enough shape when I started to make a fair go of it but that was then and this is now. I know it's going to be VERY hard and there has been a certain amount of dragging my feet leading up to this but here it is.
IT'S ON!
With only 2 months left in this year I am fired up to make these last 8 weeks count. I'm going to throw everything I have into the rest of this year for a bunch of reasons. One reason is just that I owe it to the year. I've accomplished a lot in 2008 and I can't let it ease out without finishing strong. I expect to have significantly increased blogging the next 8 weeks as well because there is much to go over and I want to document this phase to look back on later.
More to follow soon......
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Kayak
Sometimes things work out the way they are supposed to....
Part of loosing weight is avoiding excess or "empty" calories. Of course life isn't about eating brown rice and broccoli 3X's per day so you shouldn't' get crazy militant about it if you do things like occasionally drink a beer or 2.
That being said when you have a capable all grain home brewery in your house, and always have beers and various styles on tap and in bottles within easy reach..(Like I used to have available) it's a conflict of interest. It has been nagging at me for a while now but my beloved hobby of brewing beer just doesn't fit into the lifestyle changes I'm making right now. It might be several years until I'll be in a position to handle having that much beer accessibility and I really needed to let it go for now. Instead of a passive hobby that gives me excess calories I really needed an active hobby to burn some calories...get out there and mix it up a little.
The idea to sell/trade my brewing gear for a kayak started forming and after some acceptance and grieving process of giving up my brew gear I know it was the right having to do for several reasons. A short while later a deal was hatched and off I went to pick up a kayak. I did tons of research and for my first kayak I decided on the yak board ocean kayak. I had 45 spare min yesterday so I decided to go grab my new toy at Academy...things did not go well. I wound up wasting 30 min with those clowns and despite my telling them clearly "I'm in a hurry but will buy one of these kayaks right now if you can tell me how to do it"....3 different employees trying to figure out what to do...eventually a guy tells me I am going to have to fill out an aquatic license paperwork of something but I could just throw away the registration papers when they mailed them to me, it should only take 10 min, blah, blah, blah,.. I walked out disgusted with how hard it is to buy things sometimes.
Having only 10min left I went into Gander Mountain and found the first salesman in the boat dept. I pretty much ran up to him and said "I have 10 min to spare and $300 to spend. I want an entry level sit on top kayak that I can just try out to see if I even like kayaks before I get something more expensive, can you help me?"
12 min. later I was driving away with my new kayak and 45 min after that I was in the water. :)
Today I took it out for the first real test. I spent an hour on the water this morning. The weather was perfect and after 20 min or so I realized I stumbled upon the absolute perfect kayak for what I wanted. There are some significant disadvantages to getting an entry level kayak like this and those deficiencies work directly to my advantage. For one this little 8'er is tippy....if feels WAY tippy when you first get in it. Excellent! It's a freaking core workout just to keep from dumping your ass in the water. HA! In reality it isn't that bad. It "feels" like you are going to topple over but I've leaned into it at a lot of angles and dug in pretty deep....it has not dumped me yet. I think having to balance it is a bonus for me. It tracks poorly (does not stay pointing were you want to go very easily) Perfect! This causes me to work harder to get where I want to go.
My goal was to get some exercise, upper body, and be active.
Because this kayak is so small it's a snap to transport to the water. I've had it out twice in the last two days and it's not a production at all. I can be in the water in under 15 min of just deciding I feel like it. This ease of use is vitally important. If I had to load up for half an hour and drive 30 min each way I'd probably be able to get it out 1-2 times per month. Now I can go out as often as I want.
If I'd have had time to research this kayak I never would have chosen it. It's only because I was aggravated and in a hurry that I just grabbed it. I think it's perfect for my needs and goals at this time.
I'm half tempted to start answering people differently when they ask..
"So what do you do?"
I climb mountains and kayak. ;)
Monday, October 6, 2008
Monday weigh in
Weight today 220.
I held on at 220 this week and at this point I'm used to that. It only starts to bug me after 3 weeks of holding because I am convinced that things are changing the scale does not see. First off I know how I feel and I also can see things like my forearms or ankles...I can tell that progress goes on that does not show up as a lost # on the scale (that can be measured in 7 days).
21 days is a different story and to me signifies either that I am slacking off or I have reached a new mile marker that requires more effort to get results.
For the virtual fight at 205 idea.....
It was a fun idea but it's not going to work for several reasons. :(
What I can say is that I got to a gym with my buddy Shaun and he showed me some Mui Thai techniques that were eye opening. I have never seen how to throw a Mui Thai leg kick properly. I had also never been hit with one....it hurts. :) Due to some introspective thinking I've decided that I really do want to get in a gym and learn various fighting styles I have not seen before and possibly get some instruction but my reasons are a lot different than I thought they were. I am not looking for the healthy competition in that arena..... I just like hitting things and learning how to hit them harder/smarter than the average Joe. Just how terribly rusty you get after taking about 20 years off of martial arts was brutally obvious in the first 10 seconds of hitting the bag. I don't like being that rusty and "unprepared" those are the reasons I'll pursue something to remedy that not because I want to test my skills and go for a trophy, ribbon , or patch. I used to hate that back in the day and only wanted to train and spar. Tests, competitions, breaking demos....I hate that stuff.
Anyway it's Monday and work is calling me. Booo work. -:
I held on at 220 this week and at this point I'm used to that. It only starts to bug me after 3 weeks of holding because I am convinced that things are changing the scale does not see. First off I know how I feel and I also can see things like my forearms or ankles...I can tell that progress goes on that does not show up as a lost # on the scale (that can be measured in 7 days).
21 days is a different story and to me signifies either that I am slacking off or I have reached a new mile marker that requires more effort to get results.
For the virtual fight at 205 idea.....
It was a fun idea but it's not going to work for several reasons. :(
What I can say is that I got to a gym with my buddy Shaun and he showed me some Mui Thai techniques that were eye opening. I have never seen how to throw a Mui Thai leg kick properly. I had also never been hit with one....it hurts. :) Due to some introspective thinking I've decided that I really do want to get in a gym and learn various fighting styles I have not seen before and possibly get some instruction but my reasons are a lot different than I thought they were. I am not looking for the healthy competition in that arena..... I just like hitting things and learning how to hit them harder/smarter than the average Joe. Just how terribly rusty you get after taking about 20 years off of martial arts was brutally obvious in the first 10 seconds of hitting the bag. I don't like being that rusty and "unprepared" those are the reasons I'll pursue something to remedy that not because I want to test my skills and go for a trophy, ribbon , or patch. I used to hate that back in the day and only wanted to train and spar. Tests, competitions, breaking demos....I hate that stuff.
Anyway it's Monday and work is calling me. Booo work. -:
Monday, September 29, 2008
Monday weigh in
Jumped on the scale today.....
Weight today: 220
Loss to date: -50#'s
There is something mentally satisfying about crossing each new 10# increment and the 50# mark feels pretty good. It feels like a significant number to me at this point. I'm weird I guess but having lost 50 feels more substantial to me than the 2#'s more then 48 it actually is if that makes any sense. It's a nice solid number that looks big....it feels big enough for me to acknowledge it to myself.
My next intermediate goal is to "make weight" for an imaginary fight at 205.
My plan is over the next few days to go pick a UFC fighter at 205 and build a pretend fight with him where eventually I will set the date, start watching tape on him and train for the fight. I might even take a few private BJJ lessons or boxing lessons to add to the fun and "reality" of it all. The next 20#'s will be like a game.
Anyway, 220#'s today.... 50#'s down and my first 14er done and successfully marked on my peak list. Next target of 205 is coming online swiftly and my next 14er as well as some flatter but easily accessible weekend hikes are in the works. Production level is is good right now. ;)
Weight today: 220
Loss to date: -50#'s
There is something mentally satisfying about crossing each new 10# increment and the 50# mark feels pretty good. It feels like a significant number to me at this point. I'm weird I guess but having lost 50 feels more substantial to me than the 2#'s more then 48 it actually is if that makes any sense. It's a nice solid number that looks big....it feels big enough for me to acknowledge it to myself.
My next intermediate goal is to "make weight" for an imaginary fight at 205.
My plan is over the next few days to go pick a UFC fighter at 205 and build a pretend fight with him where eventually I will set the date, start watching tape on him and train for the fight. I might even take a few private BJJ lessons or boxing lessons to add to the fun and "reality" of it all. The next 20#'s will be like a game.
Anyway, 220#'s today.... 50#'s down and my first 14er done and successfully marked on my peak list. Next target of 205 is coming online swiftly and my next 14er as well as some flatter but easily accessible weekend hikes are in the works. Production level is is good right now. ;)
Friday, September 26, 2008
False summit
Here is a very short vid I found of the last portions of some people climbing Handies. These guys are from http://www.neverbad.com and they are climbing all the 14ers and posting up on each of them.
It's the only representation I have found that shows the steepness of this section. I looked at a lot of pictures before climbing and most of it looked like a fairly gentle slope. I was surprised to see it for real because even the first 100 steps off the trail head (that are drastically more gentle than the reach for the summit) are much steeper than pictures would have you believe. For some reason grade/elevation does not translate well in pictures.
This vid gives and idea but even it is deceptive. The real tell is the guys voice when he says the words "steep" and "false summit". :) it's a real kick in the ass to gain the false summit BTW. You know for sure you will make it at that point because it's only 100 yards away but there is something cruel but appropriate about the mountain getting in an extra smack upside your head right at the end...ha ha, silly mountains.
http://www.neverbad.com/14er/2008/handies/tom/false%20summit.wmv
It's the only representation I have found that shows the steepness of this section. I looked at a lot of pictures before climbing and most of it looked like a fairly gentle slope. I was surprised to see it for real because even the first 100 steps off the trail head (that are drastically more gentle than the reach for the summit) are much steeper than pictures would have you believe. For some reason grade/elevation does not translate well in pictures.
This vid gives and idea but even it is deceptive. The real tell is the guys voice when he says the words "steep" and "false summit". :) it's a real kick in the ass to gain the false summit BTW. You know for sure you will make it at that point because it's only 100 yards away but there is something cruel but appropriate about the mountain getting in an extra smack upside your head right at the end...ha ha, silly mountains.
http://www.neverbad.com/14er/2008/handies/tom/false%20summit.wmv
Monday, September 22, 2008
Handies Peak
Here are some initial pics of our Colorado trip. It was an incredible trip filled with fun, food, beer, and views.
I gained 1# that will be gone within 24 hours.
No problem considering the food porn I'm about to post......
Back to normally scheduled programing next Monday and more details of the climb to follow once I am done processing what happened. :) I need to gather my thoughts on the 14er but for now here is a hint of what it our last week looked like.
I gained 1# that will be gone within 24 hours.
No problem considering the food porn I'm about to post......
Back to normally scheduled programing next Monday and more details of the climb to follow once I am done processing what happened. :) I need to gather my thoughts on the 14er but for now here is a hint of what it our last week looked like.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Closing in
The date for the 14er is closing in. As things get closer I'm not sure where my head is going to be at and I may/may not update until I get back on the 20th.
What I can say is that my weight today was 223 so I do expect to make my goal of 222 by Monday but like I said I'm not sure if I will update or not because it's getting to "all things 14er" pretty quick.
Example: today I had a job cancel and found some free time. I wound up getting a lap in at a local park pictured above so I could try out my shoes on some different conditions like pebbles, larger rock, grass/dirt.. My normal walk is on super smooth sidewalks so it was a good chance to see how they feel. They feel awesome. :) I had read a negative review of Merrell and sometimes that one negative review sticks in your mind. So far from the second I put these shoes on in the store to breaking them in and today's tests on various surfaces my feeling is that these shoes are a truly outstanding value. If I go on to take on more 14ers in the future I'm not sure how fantastic a shoe is going to have to be for me to buy it (and the mountain will be the real test of course) but I'm very happy with this product so far.
I actually have 5 major things running in the back of my mind right now that I want to explore but I feel the mental dial moving to 14er 24/7 and I just can't get into any of it right now.
We leave on the 14th and come back on the 20th with climb day on the 16th.
I am more than ready to get at it and report back about the journey ASAP.
Anybody who happens to read this hope for good weather for me on the 16th because all I really need at this point is good weather. ;)
Be back soon......
Monday, September 1, 2008
wek 28
I had a flat week this time and am holding at 224#.
There were some factors like beer an pizza on my B-day so I am fine with 224 this week..next week is a differnt story and I am targeting 222#'s for week 29. :)
There were some factors like beer an pizza on my B-day so I am fine with 224 this week..next week is a differnt story and I am targeting 222#'s for week 29. :)
Monday, August 25, 2008
Week 27 weigh in
Weight today 224
Weight loss to date 46#'s
Current avg -1.70#'s per week.
I feel re-focused now and am really glad my laziness over the last few weeks didn't hurt me too much. It hurt my rate of progress for sure but I'm back with it now.
I'm feeling great and am only a few weeks away from climbing my first 14er. A goal that was for some distant "one of these days" back when I set it but now it's really, really real and close at hand. I'm jazzed for it and am starting to feel like I used to feel before going on stage. It's anxious energy and I just want to get to it NOW. Waiting is going to get harder by the day...
Weight loss to date 46#'s
Current avg -1.70#'s per week.
I feel re-focused now and am really glad my laziness over the last few weeks didn't hurt me too much. It hurt my rate of progress for sure but I'm back with it now.
I'm feeling great and am only a few weeks away from climbing my first 14er. A goal that was for some distant "one of these days" back when I set it but now it's really, really real and close at hand. I'm jazzed for it and am starting to feel like I used to feel before going on stage. It's anxious energy and I just want to get to it NOW. Waiting is going to get harder by the day...
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Week 26 back on it!
After several weeks of static limbo I'm ready to get back to business.
I had several weeks of loosing focus of my goals but didn't suffer any sort of "falling off the wagon" or anything I just went into a lazy phase.
My laziness was rewarded with zero progress towards my goal. :(
Week 26 weight in...
Weight: 226
Weight loss to date: 44#'s.
Monday is the next week weigh in and I am geared up to be back on track.
I had several weeks of loosing focus of my goals but didn't suffer any sort of "falling off the wagon" or anything I just went into a lazy phase.
My laziness was rewarded with zero progress towards my goal. :(
Week 26 weight in...
Weight: 226
Weight loss to date: 44#'s.
Monday is the next week weigh in and I am geared up to be back on track.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Coffee Break
I've run into a break on blogging my weight loss.
I have NOT been eating Moonpies and milkshakes or gaining weight. I did gain a pound as I mentioned last time and that bummed me out because the week after that I held STRONG on that one pound gain and the scale did not move for 7 days straight (not even in the tenths of pounds).
I will be back to regularly scheduled programing soon but life had a way of distracting me and I let it......I'm not sure if it's a god thing to just take a mental break or if it is weakness to let myself do it but either way the break is almost over. ;)
I have NOT been eating Moonpies and milkshakes or gaining weight. I did gain a pound as I mentioned last time and that bummed me out because the week after that I held STRONG on that one pound gain and the scale did not move for 7 days straight (not even in the tenths of pounds).
I will be back to regularly scheduled programing soon but life had a way of distracting me and I let it......I'm not sure if it's a god thing to just take a mental break or if it is weakness to let myself do it but either way the break is almost over. ;)
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