Day 378-380: Reveille Weekend Success

Great News, I received the OK to return to full activity from all surgeons, doctors and even my guardian Eeyore gave his OK. Excellent, no time to waste!...

With the weekend here I got busy getting the heart rate and sweat pumping once again. So Saturday morning my wife, one son & I headed off to the YMCA. My wife got her workout on in the swimming pool as usual; a fish she is. Andrew & I hit the weights, above you see him working the lat-pulldowns which seemed like a fine machine to get started on.

Below is the rest of our routine that day...

Rowing

 Iso-Pulldowns

 Assisted Pull Ups

 Calf Press

 Tricep Presses

 Leg Press

 Horizontal Chest Press

 Incline Sit Ups

It felt great to get back in the gym. There were a few other exercises we did which I forgot to take photos of, e.g.squats, flys; we got in good variety in the hour we were there.

Sore, sore was the word of the day for the rest of my weekend. Amazing how muscle-memory works, it was like I hadn't skipped much of a beat. I felt a bit awkward on some of the exercises, felt a tad weak on triceps; but otherwise I was owning the steel.

Sore or not on Sunday, it was time to get in some more. I was determine to make this my Reveille Weekend and awaken from the stagnant slumber that I had been in for too long. Sunday, cardio! My wife was not feeling good so she didn't join as as she wanted to. Andrew & I got after it at the Rollins Savannah...

Last year I put in some great efforts here and put up a streak of personal records here as well. My best time last year on this 3.6 mile loop was 54:49 minutes. We set out with the idea of getting as close to it as possible. No way was achieving that time going to happen this day; No Way! I hadn't put in any consistent cardio in April, I still haven't shed that 10 pound regain from the winter, and my sore muscles weren't feeling extraordinary effort within them.

Never Say Never!

We smashed that PR in a big way.

I came in at 52:04 minutes...

Andrew at 51:35 minutes.

I feel an Oh Yeah!

Did you feel any Oh Yeah's this weekend/recently?

Final thought: We have Never Forgot 9/11 and those murdered, maimed and devastated. The news of OBL's termination is reason for pride swell and affirmation in our determination for justice; but it is not reason to now forget. The cause continues, sadly in the throws of war. Never Forget means just that; NEVER FORGET!

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 205 - Fruit To Battleship

Fruit Count: 172 - Through the weekend we have collectively enjoyed 172 pieces of fruit over the the past five days. Mandy continues to be our lead fruit challenger, she knocked down 7 again on Saturday and 8 pieces on Sunday! Can we get to our goal of 199 by the end of day today, or at latest Tuesday; making it a clean week to get this fruit challenge done? Lets make a go at it, pick, pack and munch some winning fruit and shout out how many pieces you eat today!

Today's post will be a picture based affair to get the week off to an easy start. The pic of the fruit there, those are the three pieces I am taking to work today. Those will be eaten for sure, likely another piece or two will find their way in my belly by bed time as well.

This past Saturday I went to the Rollins Savanna for my cardio walk. I had not been there since July. Great place to walk, very well maintained preserve. Chilly morning, lower 40's. Thus I was dressed for the chill, but I cannot be accused of putting any effort into color coordination of this ensemble...

Along the way I realized I had company, my shadow. Keeping pace with me step for step. Hhmmm, can I log double miles for my November Go The Distance challenge?

No, I didn't finish as neat & clean looking as I started, but I did finish the 3.6 mile walk. After 54:49 minutes I completed what I had began. A PR by nearly 3-1/2 minutes better than my walk here. Water, I needed water.

Did you get in any cardio this weekend?

When I home I wasted no time getting some food ready. I was hungry! And here was my meal of choice for lunch; A broiled 'Spicy Chicken Breast' over a medley of peppered veggies. Spicy, simple and filling...

Do you like it spicy?

Sunday my wife and I hung out. First stop for us in the morning was a visit to the YMCA where she is a member. She is a swimmer and gets her cardio in via the water when she can. I decided to go with er using a guest pass. I gave their weight room the once over and had a great time. So many more options there than on my home gym. We noodle the idea of converting her individual membership into a family membership,and we might. The only reason we have not is location, this place is near where she works which is nowhere near where I work. So I am having issues justifying the added cost when I would likely just use it on weekends. Maybe...

Where do you workout?

These next two pics I lifted from a friends facebook page. Any Star Wars fans out there? If you are this is good for a laugh. My kids messed with Mentos & Coke when they were younger, this certainly looks like something they would have cooked up for fun...

Have you ever mixed Mentos & Coke?

Now this one doesn't need much commentary from me. Simply said, times have come along way...

Has anyone ever purposely smiled while washing dishes?

- - -

Have a great Monday!

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 86 - Da Numbering

Yesterday was time to get away from the neighborhood for my walk so we went to the Rollins Savannah and it's 3.6 mile loop. My wife is nursing a bum leg and couldn't join me but two of the kids did in her place. There you see Cameron & Ashley by the trail map before we got to it.

They are both soccer players so their keeping up with me was not in question. It had been nearly a month since I walked the Savannah for time and then I set my best time of just over 62 minutes. Today with Cam & Ash pushing me I crushed that time and registered an awesome 58:18 minutes. Oh Yeah!, Thanks kids.

As promised yesterday I got the tape measure out and measured myself as part of my celebration for hitting 33% of my weight loss goal.

My Measurements~
0% Progress on April 18, 2010
Weight:... 320 lbs.
Neck:...20-1/2"
Chest:... 56-1/2"
Upper Arms:... 18-1/2"
Girth:... 58-1/4"
Waist:... 55-3/4"
Hips:... 51-1/2"
Upper Thighs:... 30"
Calfs:... 17-3/4"
Forehead:... 22-3/4"

33% Progress on July 11, 2010
Weight:... 280 lbs. (down 40 #)
Neck:...19-3/4" (down 3/4")
Chest:... 52-1/2" (down 4")
Upper Arms:... 19" (up 1/2")
Girth:... 55" (down 3-1/4")
Waist:... 54-1/2" (down 1-1/4") 
Hips:... 49" (down 2-1/2") 
Upper Thighs:... 28-1/2" (down 1-1/2")
Calfs:... 17-1/2" (down 1/4")
Forehead:... 22-3/4" (no change)

If I did my math right, and that 'if' should not be taken for granted; but if I did then I have reduced 13" off my apple shaped body so far. Hhmmm, sure; why not - Oh Yeah!

The upper arm measurement confuses me. Either I measured it poorly when took the initial measurement in April, or, the weight/strength training has been more friendly to my upper arms that I could have imagined. Not sure which really.

Another oddity I find in these results is the relationship of the girth, waist and hips measurement. The waist, where I wear my belt, was the considerably smallest loss of the trio. The girth is no surprise as the leader of this trio as it is measure across the widest mass of fat around my gut. Hips, allot of bone involved in the hip measurement but some upper butt fat too I suppose so no question for that loss. Hey, just an oddity as I said, I'll take these numbers!

Oh, forehead. So it didn't move but my progress sure has it feeling rather swelled at the moment.

How big is your Forehead?

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 56 - Saturday Serious

A great week is in the rear view mirror. One I will remember forever thanks to the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks. We capped of the week with an amazing experience at the parade & rally downtown yesterday. We were two of the two-million fans & of the Blackhawk Nation who showed up to participate in the fandemonium. It was truly amazing.

While we are still on an emotional high from this past week we realize it is time to resume our serious attention to our missions to get healthy. Oh we didn't take the past few days off. We did put exercise on the shelf for the past two days while we celebrated, but that's all we fluffed on. Eating was still kept to a healthy level and we woke up this morning feeling good and glad we didn't indulge through our guts the past few days.

This morning we got up and got out for a walk around the Rollins Savannah; a 3.5 mile loop. Up there you see my wife as we stepped off on our walk. It was a great walk on a foggy and dreary morning. I completed it today in 62:55 which was a PR for that loop; cool! When we got home I grabbed two of my boys, Andrew & Cameron, and we hit the home gym for a workout through that routine. Whew, yeah, safe to say we're back on track here. At least that is what my sore muscles are telling me.

The Rollins Savannah is such a cool place to walk, run, bike, whatever people which to do to work up a sweat. Allot of wild life there like this little gal to the right. She was mucnhing on breakfast about 40 yards (36.5 meters for those who've gone metric) off the trail.

It is just about 1 p.m. here in the Stanley Cup Champion time-zone. I await the delivery of a new refrigerator, old one is days away from dying, and the kids are starting to assemble in the family room to watch the World Cup match between England & USA. Go Red-White-&-Blue!

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Walk Complete!

There it is, the Rollins Savanna. There's my watch too telling me I did this 3.5 mile loop in 67:25 minutes. I was hoping for 70 or less, so all smiles here.

You get any miles in today?

Responsibility 199... Gotta Do It!!

Day 35 - What Today

Saturday is here. Saturday, what oh what shall I do this Saturday? What, I really have no idea. Saturday's are when we usually run a variety of errands, but maybe today we won't. All I know for certain is I need to find something fun to work into the day. I'm sure we'll figure it out.

So yesterday I was not in the mood to chat about exercise, food intake and that lot of usual subjects; it was Friday. Today, we'll give that serious stuff some time...

EXERCISE > I've been getting in daily exercise most of this week.Yesterday I set the treadmill for a 500 calorie burn and completed that in 57:24 minutes covering a distance of 2.75 miles. That was the first time I set the treadmill to go until I hit 500 calories, so I have no idea if that is a good time or not. Having covered 2.75 miles caught my attention more so than the time. I didn't plan to use the treadmill but my elliptical had a bolt break so I need to get to the hardware store and fix that. Put that on the list for today! Hope I can fix it, hate to think it can't keep up with me :-) Today I'm going to go for a walk around the Rollin's Savannah Forest Preserve which has a 3.5 mile loop walk/run/bike trail around it. That will be a challenge for me but I feel up to it. My wife is off on a challenge of her own doing a 5k walk with some friends from work. So there is our exercise planned for today.

FOOD > I've been eating good lately; a good sense of balanced nutrition and portioned right. What is that you say; what about the lasagna? That was Thursday night's indulgence but I had just a single serving, and not a huge hunk for a serving at that. Heck, it may have been the smallest hunk I've ever put on my plate. It was awesome and I could have had 2, 3, 4 more hunks for sure. But I held back, I didn't have any of the cheezy-garlic bread, just that single serving of heavenly lasagna. We had watermelon too for a light side dish to the lasagna and I did eat some of that up. Other than that meal, I've done well all week I believe. Tonight, I feel some fish coming on tonight. That is if the grocery store has anything fresh and inviting on hand. Tomorrow is weigh-in day, we'll see how the week's exercise and eating translates onto the scale.

I'm not the only one who weighs-in. Here is another one of our cats, this is Nacho.

A few weeks back he settled into this bucket at the vet for his own weigh-in, he weighs 11.2 lbs which the Vet said is perfect. Hmmm, if 11.2 is perfect I have a heck of a lot more weight to lose than I thought.

Saturday is happening, go gett'em people!

Responsibility 199... Gotta Do It!!