Fell off due to work

but I reached a new landmark - 174.6 lbs!

Dec 9

Yoga X. I made a mistake today in eating a rather large breakfast just prior to starting yoga. Oh, the discomfort in my belly!

I lasted about 22 minutes, took a break for about a half hour then sorta did another 30 minutes. As punishment I've somehow gained a pound and a half. Only ate lunch after that and coffee for dinner. What the heck? I get not burning a bunch of calories, but gaining weight? I mean, I was certainly active for the rest of the day including working until almost midnight!

A frustrating journey, but I'll continue nevertheless.

Dec 7

Shoulders & arms. Done.

eating

Eating has been going well over the past week. I'm following the Belly Fat Cure plan of no more than 15 grams per day of sugar and 6 servings (20 grams each) of carbs. I'm following the BFC mainly because that's where all my extra weight seems to be, and since that's is last area to come off, any other weight should come off in the process.

Yesterday was probably my most controlled day food wise, which is why today was a little bit of a disappointment when I weighed in at the exact same as yesterday:-(

Dec 5

Yoga today at the gym. My first time and it went well, I like it.

Dec 4

Company at the house so working out at home is not an option today. Made an attempt to go to the gym but ended up being too tired and distracted.

Poor excuse, I know, nevertheless it is what it is.

Day 3, a day off.

Dec 3

My son actually reminded me that we need to workout today. Cute.

Cardio X. Done.

Dec 2

Made an old mistake, didn't work out in the morning because I planned on working out in the evening. What always happens? The day gets too busy and the evening workout ends up getting sucked out.

I won't allow myself to do this anymore unless I'm able to make a habit of evening workouts even while doing a morning workout the same day, first.

No problem. Problem identified, moving on.

Dec 1, day 1

I made it. Day one, core synergistics. I am sick with something like the flu so I mostly went through the motions but I committed the time and finished. I know what you're thinking - what are you doing working out when you are sick, especially with something like a virus?! I'm working my ass off is what I'm doing, granted I only went through the motions mostly just stretching, I committed the time and am not letting another excuse get in the way.

It went well. If I felt overexerted, I slowed down. If I couldn't breathe or started hacking, I took a break and chugged water. Most importantly, I started and feel better for it. I took a nice hot shower and will spend the rest of the day going back to recovering from being sick.

I think the increased blood flow, extra water intake, as a result improved rest, hot shower, and overall feeling better physically and emotionally, will aid in my recovery as well. At least I will assume so:-)

I'M BACK AND SERIOUSLY MOTIVATED!

That's right, I've found the motivation to do this. What was it you ask? First I'll mention that I've been going through some pretty heavy depression (though I'll spare you the details) and except for a brief time of feeling motivated by fear to do daily cardio (the doc says my cholesterol is out of wack and I need more exercise) I've had no interest in exercising, yet still dream of being in shape.

Okay, so here is what motivated me. It from an artist named Hugh Macleod. I stumbled upon
his website ( www.gapingvoid.com ) recently and was struck by this truth. Heavy, huh? All too true. I've experienced it myself (AM experiencing it) and have seen it all around, in most people in fact.

If you're not convinced yet, go ahead and ask yourself or anyone you're speaking to when they say they really want something or wish they could do something, just what they are doing to make it happen. I think you already know the answer...nothing.

Anyway, I don't mean to preach. I'm just saying this is what motivated me to look deeper at what I 'want' and ask myself "am I willing to work my ass off for it?". What follows that question is either starting the process of working my ass off, or discarding the thought as not worth it.

Wow. Very freeing. You'll feel quite a load taken off when you can finally just let something go instead of lusting after something you're not even willing to work for. You'll also feel great pride and focus in that thing you ARE will to work your ass off for.

BTW, focus is what will make you successful. Consider this before taking on your next challenge, a quote from Thich Nhat Hanh:

In the United States, I have a close friend named Jim Forest. When I first met him eight years ago, he was working with the Catholic Peace Fellowship. Last winter, Jim came to visit. I usually wash the dishes after we’ve finished the evening meal, before sitting down and drinking tea with everyone else. One night, Jim asked if he might do the dishes. I said, “Go ahead, but if you wash the dishes you must know the way to wash them.” Jim replied, “Come on, you think I don’t know how to wash the dishes?” I answered, “There are two ways to wash the dishes. The first is to wash the dishes in order to have clean dishes and the second is to wash the dishes to wash the dishes.” Jim was delighted and said, “I choose the second way–to wash the dishes to wash the dishes.” From then on, Jim knew how to wash the dishes. I transferred the “responsibility” to him for an entire week.

If while washing dishes, we think only of the cup of tea that awaits us, thus hurrying to get the dishes out of the way as if they were a nuisance, then we are not “washing the dishes to wash the dishes.” What’s more, we are not alive during the time we are washing the dishes. In fact, we are completely incapable of realizing the miracle of life while standing at the sink. If we can’t wash the dishes, the chances are we won’t be able to drink our tea either. While drinking the cup of tea, we will only be thinking of other things, barely aware of the cup in our hands. Thus we are sucked away into the future and we are incapable of actually living one minute of life.