Stand Up To Success

Rain, it rained while we were attending our son's soccer game yesterday. It happens. When it does, you can break out an umbrella, hang in there & tough out that which would deter you, or, you can flee from that which is unpleasant. What would you be more apt to do?

Keep in mind I am talking about a rain shower, not a hurricane. Sometimes, you gotta flee! But do those of us who struggle to get fit, stay fit; do we tend to flee too easily in the face of difficulty?

A whole post could be dedicated to what "difficulty" means to us, and I may do just that near term. But let me stay focused on my point; why we choose to stand down in the face of difficulty.

This analysis could go in so many directions. There is the science of the flight-or-fight response, but I'm not talking about facing a momma-grizzly bear protecting her cubs. There is the quest for convenience and ease in life; but I'm not talking about using the remote control to change the channel versus getting up and using the buttons on the television console - want to have some fun hide the remote at a time when you know your kids will watch television; odds are they will flee for something else to do before they push buttons on the television.

Instead, I believe why we most often choose to stand down the difficulties of weight loss is really quite simple; we don't step up and make decisions before we act.

Over the past month or two I've had so many opportunities to exercise, but quickly if not almost instantaneously decided not to. No, that is wrong, it wasn't a decision, it was a reflex reaction made nearly unconsciously. Why do I unconsciously not do what I know I ought to do?

Where does that come from? I'm honestly not certain. But what I am certain of is that when I am on my game, I am consciously determining the pro/con of options and making reasoned decisions. When I am off my game, I've checked out in the decision making department. That inner-demon has checked in and unconsiously decides that I will watch tevelvision versus go for a walk.

To be successful I need to stand up to the challenge of making difficult decisions. For some of us, choosing 30 minutes of exercise over 3 hours of television is a difficult decision. Choosing 30 minutes to prepare a healthy meal over a 3 minute drive-thru meal is a difficult decision.

Success is recognizing when a decision is before you that will impact your weight.
Success is standing up, spending 3 seconds reasoning the options and before we act.
Success is making a conscious decision in the best interest of you, not your inner-demon!


Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 461 - Impromptu It Is

Hot is the theme of the week. There you see the temp when I left the office yesterday. Ugh is an appropriate response. Or, perhaps Ahh if you are the Heat Miser; just a subtle reference reminder that Christmas is just 5 months and a few days away.

Yesterday my son waived me off from hanging out with him so that he could continue with his summer school assignments. Smart move on his part. With my evening suddenly free, I called my gorgeous wife and we went on an impromptu date night. The rest of the kids were out and about and already knew they were on their own for dinner.

We met up for dinner and had a relaxing, casual time together. Afterwards since we each had a vehicle I made a stop off at the mall to get a battery for my watch. On my way out these two just happened to latch on to me to escape the mall...

My wife loved the "Send The Pig" scene from the Winnie The Pooh movie so much, I thought they were an appropriate impromptu gift.

What? You haven't seen the movie yet? Well you must at least watch this clip...


Now that should have you planning a trip to the theatre this weekend. Or maybe today? Just go see this movie already!


Tonight, C25K-W1D3 is the goal. Heat or no heat, this I can do.

Got a goal for today?

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 358-360: Just Stuff U Wanna Read

Hope all had a fantastic weekend!. I did; highlights:
Wife bought me a new LaZBoy chair to replace the LaZBoy she bought some 11 years ago.
Dinner with my wife & mother at Bonefish Grill.
Watching (on TV) Matt Kenseth win the NASCAR race in Texas.
Watching the Blackhawks secure a playoff spot even though they lost their final game of the season.
Getting in an outdoor walk with my wife.
Going to the DMV on a Saturday morning, wait; that was NOT a highlight!

Yeah, I know it is Tuesday and that weekend well wish may be a day late. Took Sunday off from blogging and yesterday just too busy to get here. Almost made the time but just couldn't get the quality 10-15 minutes needed to write a post.

Question: How long does it take you to write your typical blog post? I know some can bust their typical post out in 5 minutes, others need an hour or more. Myself, 10-15 usually.

So the picture there to the top/left, what do you think that is? No, this is not a picture riddle. Has been a while since I've posted one of those, about time for another; soon I promise. But as I added in those two red circles to this cell phone photo of mine I wondered just what others might think I am highlighting...

A. That I started to draw a pair of googly-eyes and forget to finish?
B. My way of reminding myself that if I want to look so far away I need to remember to wear my glasses?
C. Using these circles meant to highlight something else?
D. Other?

My guess is more of you have D thoughts and if so please do share. While it is true both B & C apply here, C is what my intent is. As for A, I rarely draw googly-eyes but when I do, I am the Picasso or googly-eyes; just another of my many unknown talents now made public.

So the something else I am highlighting for you here is a pair of deer. The walk my gorgeous wife & I went on this past Sunday was at the Rollins Savanna, a place I have blogged about often. We just did the 2-mile segment versus the 3.6 mile full loop. Weather was amazing, it was this amazing...

Friday it was 50F'something, Monday 60F'something; great days sandwiching an awesome 84F Sunday. A freak temp spike for April for sure, not complaining for certain.

OK, back to the red circles, sorry had a momentary bout of bloggers ADD, aka as BADD. As I said there are deer in them circles, see them? No, of course you don't, neither do I. This photo was taken while my amazing wife & I were on that walk. I used my trusty Blackberry to snap that shot knowing full well it was futile. OK, it was an excuse to stop walking for a minute and look at lunch, I mean at the deer.

Trust me, there is a deer in each of those circles. I could see them clearly with my naked-eye, and not at all with the Blackberry camera; doesn't say much for Blackberry does it?

Gas prices continue to rise around here. Hard to find the cheap stuff under $4 now. Saw one yesterday that was $3.97, this however seems to be the norm north of Chicago & Cook County...

Last week John shared with me his horror of when he landed at Chicago's Midway airport and was shocked to see 4.29 for regular unleaded... ugh, soon that will make its way north to my pump I am afraid. Forgetting about gas, let me talk about John. Not that he has gas, not uncool correlation intended there. Rather let it be know John is way cool and you would be way cooler if you followed him. My opinion, for what it's worth. What is it worth by the way?

HAVE FUN!

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 280 - You Can Quote Me, It Is COLD

Yep, I am sure it is cold where you are too. Well, a few of you live in Florida or Hawaii or in the Southern Hemi I know; but a majority of us have awaken to a cold frigid friggin morning. As you can see from the pic of my vehicles temp, -9F is what I was greeted to when I left the house at 6 a.m. today.

Ok, so it is cold. We have to work with what we got so lets enjoy some famous, or infamous, tidbits about COLD...

“I like these cold, gray winter days. Days like these let you savor a bad mood.” -Bill Watterson (author of Calvin and Hobbes)
My take; the stack of Calvin and Hobbes books in my son's room is a certain give way of his love of that comic strip. As far as bad moods, I see no use in them and try to avoid them as much as possible. Thus, I am forgivable to a fault.

“It doesn't matter if the water is cold or warm if you're going to have to wade through it anyway” -Teilhard de Chardin (a French philosopher)
My take; sure much like a mission to get healthy no matter what your attitude is about the work that lay ahead, cold or warm, you have got to wade into it if it is going to get done.

“I will have naught to do with a man who can blow hot and cold with the same breath” -Aesop (Ancient Greek story-teller)
My take; Whatever

“He receives comfort like cold porridge.” -William Shakespeare
My take; Huh, what do you know, Shakespeare knew my father.

“Three feet of ice does not result from one day of cold weather.” -Chinese Proverb
My take; Yep, three layers of blubber did not form on my carcass from one day of bad eating.

Alright, I think that is enough. So it is cold. Not going to let it get me down. It is warm in the office and yes I am grateful I do not work outside for a living, I will eat hot food and skip the salad bar this day, I will be healthy indoors as it really isn't hard, and I can't wait for the Bears game on Sunday; GO BEARS!

That is me this a.m. at work, we were granted the OK to wear the jersey of the team we support today; otherwise it is business casual everyday here. Being so close to the IL/WI border there will be a fair amount of folks wearing Green Bay Packer jerseys today; punks! Also a few Steeler jerseys as for some odd reason there is a number of exiled Steeler fans in this community, even a bar not far from here that is all things Steelers. I'll be shocked if I see a Jets jersey (sorry Kelly)... as I said GO BEARS!

So how cold is it where you are today and are you letting it get you down?

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 63 - Fish & Vish

Good Morning!
Walleye anyone? Walleye is my favorite fresh water fish. Here you see a pan-seared & blackened fillet, I like it spicy. This was dinner last night in Rockford, Illinois at the Thunder Bay Grille; one of our favorite places which we only get when we get to Milwaukee or Rockford.

What a wicked drive to St. Charles Missouri it was last night. From Rockford to Springfield Illinois we drove through the nastiest lightning & rain I've ever been in while in a car. But we got in at 1am, slept fine, and now I am off to check out the hotel's fitness room.

My buddy Vish gets married at 1pm, and it is an outdoors wedding, and it'll be 97 F degrees today ~ awesome!

You sweat'n today too?

Responsibility 199... Gotta Do It!!