Gumption, smumption...

Ok. It isn't the lack of knowledge that keeps me from using the kettelbells. It is... my fat ass. No, not really.

I have definitive depressive swings and I think I am finally coming out of one now. I guess that the Christmas season did its thing and "jollied" me out of it, but you never can be too careful.

Now, if I can just get myself to get up on time....

By the way...

I simultaneously love and hate that there is someone that I work with that makes peanut butter fudge and gives it away.

I think I ate at least a pound of fudge this afternoon....

Yeah....

So. Yeah....

It has been about a month and a half since my last post. Basically more of the same. I am still struggling with being a vegetarian but that will happen here. I think I am still struggling with my weight, although I haven't weighed myself in a while. I still fit into my new smaller pants, so I guess, Well, I'm not too worried.

Running has been hard to get done. My ankle doesn't want to respond to the healing thing so I am at a loss. I did get some kettlebells to start training with, but it is hard to get the gumption when I know so precious little about them.

Study, Study...

Right...

Right, the stress fracture. I have been working around it when I get time to exercise. I have been alternating using treadmill (it's butt-cold already) and a stationary bike. I have been slowly working my speed and distance up on the treadmill.

The other weekend I ran my fastest mile ever! 7:50! Ok, granted my fastest was 8 minutes, but that was in 1997. 14 years ago and I was 19 at the time. And had just been to nationals. And 15 pounds or so lighter.

So that was good. Meanwhile, I need to lose 10.5 more pounds to hit my first BIG goal. I think I can do it. I just need to keep the house stocked with veggies and fruit. And since I live in South Dakota, that proves more difficult that you could possibly know.

Yup

Been a while. Let me sum up....

Nope. Same old, same old. I had a few weeks of backtracking but I never when above the limit (270) and in fact I am down almost to 260 again.

We have finally become vegetarian. Something I have been wanting to do for years. However, a vegetarian in South Dakota can starve very easily. They put meat in EVERYTHING.

Also, I have quit pop. Yeah, I know, right? Of course like an ass I did them both at the same time. That was a rough week or so. Constant headaches and hungry all the time. But it is all good.

Now, I have maybe 1 pop a week and I feel better in general. I might eat meat if no other option avails itself (I am not gonig to be rude to a host).

Now I just need to prepare for the open house in 3 days...

Errr, ummm, yeah

So you know how I said it hurt for a little when I ran?  Turns out I may have a stress fracture in my ankle.  Yup.  Pure .... suckiness.

So over the last couple weeks I have gained weight but only a few (5, 5 God Damn Pounds) pounds and I have to start going to the gym and using the stationary bike.  Of course I am only guessing at the fracture, but I thought I was ok. I in fact waited a few days when it didn't hurt to walk or run and tried it out.  It didn't hurt until the 2 mile mark.  So I am not exactly sure what the deal is.

Lately....

So, lately I have been trying to break my plateau trend and have been running my ass off.  Or, more likely, my ankle off.  It is weird, it hurts the first mile or so and is fine.  It is like it needs to warm up first...

I was able to get some new five fingers yesterday.  I went with the new style Bikilas and I am indifferent as of yet.  They fit different and they don't hug around my ankle like they should.  BUT, the sole is thicker and I am thankful, or will be after I try them out on gravel in the morning.  Maybe.  I can't decide yet.  My ankle hurts and I should give it a rest, but I won't be able to go and run tomorrow.

OK, I will.  Maybe....

Not fit for the Marines....

It was raining hard this morning so instead of my awful run outside, I did one inside. I went to my local gym and attempted the treadmill. Now, I don't know the last time anyone had been on a treadmill, but there are a lot of options. Incline, speed, these are but two of the easy ones. There are fitness tests, intervals, hills, etc... I decided that I would do a fitness test to see how I would fare. Yet there were even more options, like Army, Navy, Marine, and some things composed merely of letters. I opted for the Marine test.

Little did I know that despite my not having used a treadmill in ages and not liking them and only wanting something to warm up on, that I was now on a 3 mile run, with my manhood at stake. That's right, I mean to say not literally, but my concept of myself as a man. I needed to complete this test to see how I measure up. I finished in 30 minutes, pretty good for me. I started slow and picked up my pace as needed. At the end I scored a 6.

6! I think, 6 out of 10 is fair, but what does the 6 really mean. I would last 6 seconds in combat? I am a 6 less of a man than a Marine?

So I googled and got the answer I wish I didn't know. 6.. out of .... 100. Yes, I suck. I could not be a Marine even if I wanted to be one. Then I looked further and found that they make concessions for age. I find that in my age group (30ish) that if I run it at 29 minutes, I would make the minimum.

YEAH! That's right, I could be a Marine, just a bare bones minimum if I was 1 measly minute faster. I know I could do it. So now.... I have a goal!

Although I would also have to do 3 pullups and 45 situps in under a minute, the latter no problem, the former.... Well, let's say I take umbrage at the indignity that is gravity. Maybe I can do 1, but catch me a break. I have been around 300 pounds most of my adult life.

Speaking of weight, some of it is back. I rue the plateau, hate the gain. Did you know that Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chip cookies have like 400 cal!?!?!?!? I guess my kids get to eat them.

By the way, it is awfully hard to keep your cool when you are working on the computer and some random person (about 3 feet tall and likes to push buttons) wanders over and pushes the button on the power strip for the computer and all of its accoutrement. Just because. Just since it is there and needs to be pushed, as it is a button.

Glourp

Glourp. This is the sound I make. I have been completely derailed. I was able to maintain a little at first, but remember when I said I can't take time off, I lose momentum?

Momentum lost. Reward for lost momentum, answers to the name ... Well, you get the point.

This is me remembering what I need to do and to stop thinking about it.

So it totally sucks that I have to only eat like 1500 cal to lose weight. I mean, come on!




This is me stopping my hissy-fit.

Unless you have already guessed it, I am no long on a plateau but on a steady upwards incline, not the good up. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRroar. So here I am to reaffirm myself and get things un-derailed. Of course, the bowl of breaded and fried steak cubes doesn't help, but this is where the thinking is not good. I was thinking "Hey! My protein intake is always low, I should eat this like this!" No, I shouldn't. Anyway, here I come less calories in and more out.

I put a coloring page on the wall in my office. It is of the panda Po and the turtle saying "Ah, I see you eat when you are upset."

This is me, being Po.

Update....

By the way, the running is going well. I broke 10 minutes for my first mile the other day (9.30) and I am consistently around 10 minutes now.

Plus, the Anytime Health website is much better. I like it a lot more, especially because it factors in the calories burned with your calories consumed. I just creates a better picture of what I need to do.

BLARGH!

Ok, I understand that the body needs rest and recuperation. But, I am weak willed and cannot take breaks or I lose momentum. I haven't exercised for the last 2 days and I feel fat. Well, it doesn't help that I have been eating like a pig and all that either. I just keep telling myself that I am just trying to make up for the calorie deficit from the weekend.

This is me regaining control.

I ran again this morning and worked out on the Wii. So, the hula thing.... Damn.

Anyway, I need to get my head on straight. I have a HUGE demo this afternoon that I haven't prepared for. It should go ok, I hope. I am a little nervous since it is going to be broadcast live on the newspaper's website and it is on a huge stage at lunch time at the county fair. And I have little to nothing prepared.

But Hey! Check it out on aberdeennews.com. I hope that they keep a copy of it and I can use it for something on the gym's website. I have been thinking that anyway. I may have to enlist some of my in-house editors....

Ok, still here....

It has been a week and a half but I am still on my feet. Down to 264.5 this morning, but I also almost had heat exhaustion yesterday. Black Belt Camp went pretty well.

This is me not dwelling on losing my second fight at the Kumdo tournament.

It went pretty good this weekend and I had a fairly good time. It was awesome putting in 2 hours of taekwondo training in my online tracker. It's around 1100 cal burned. Awesome...

Getting sleepy, and tired and sore. I saw so many Vibram and Vibram like shoes this weekend. I really wish they would have let me sell them. I could have made a mint.



Oops, dozed off for a bit. More later....

And another one (and a half) bites the dust...

268 today! It is seeming more like a reality. I just may get down to my post-national wieght. I didn't think it would happen this week. I thought I would either plateau or gain since I was sick one day (ended up sleeping around 10 hours-a feat for me) and ate rather unwell (depression can be a bitch). But, I am doing well and since we have no money (I mean like, NO money) I won't have to worry about eating too much. We won't have anything to eat ;).

So, for now, I will enjoy my bibimbap breakfast and dream of more lucrative days....

And now....

So, I don't want to sound pitchy or anything, but I do want to point out that I have issues with shoes. I have always had issues with shoes. It has often been said that I have Fred Flintstone feet, which I kind of do, so shoes.... Well... They aren't made for people of my body type.

I end up wearing shoes a little to long so that they are wide enough and I never get to pick out the cool shoes. Or, if I do, they are damned expensive. Also, when I run, my feet go numb. Usually between 1 and 3/4 miles to 2 miles. But if I am barefoot, I'm fine.

With that being said, I have found the world's best shoes. Vibram Five Fingers Rock! They kicked my ass at first, but once I was used to them, I don't think I will ever go back. Sorry New Balance, you have been replaced.

I love my KSO style shoes, but they come apart at the seams. I think I will go with the Bikilas next, they have better "track" record.

By the way, since my last entry, I made a running mix for my iPod and I ran 2.2 miles in 22 minutes. Not bad for me. I have also looked at using the website from the gym that I go to instead of Web MD. Right now I am doing both, but just until I decide I like one over the other.

Broken!

The wall has come down! I have broken past the 270 wall at last!

Today, after my morning run I decided to weigh in on a whim. 269.5! Plus, I ran a mile faster than I have for a long while. Thanks to my wonderful wife. She splurged for my birthday and got me an iPod shuffle. It seems that when all I have to listen to are my heavy footfalls and wheezing breath, I only run so fast. Now with The Offspring and other such fast paced music I can be fast paced as well. I was a little confused when all of the singing nuns chimed in, but I put together a play list after the run to avoid the cast of Nunsense impeding my workout.

I think I may have also discovered a key to my personal nutrition. A big breakfast. The last two mornings I have been eating a big plate of bibimbap (a Korean dish consisting of lightly stir fried veggies over a bed of rice and a sunny-side-up fried egg on the top, delicious!) making sure I use a lot of cabbage (well, a lot to most mortals; cup, cup and a half at most). This keeps me tided over very well until supper, allowing me to have a lighter than light lunch to keep me going (like a banana or the like).

Of course, those of you in the know recognize a big breakfast, no lunch, moderate supper schedule. I probably could have figured it out sooner. I am happy I have it figured out at all...

Now, what is the new goal? Baby steps. Probably..... 250? Smaller? Ok, 260 but that is my final offer.

Happy Birthday

So it was my birthday today. I have found that after 30, they aren't as painful as 30 and not nearly as sad.

I had cake damn it! And I made fried chicken because I will be damned if I will let just one measly year keep me from enjoying my life and my age.

Of course, I still have 4 or 5 days until I weigh in again. I think I can make it this time if I really put my mind to it.

This is me leaving the leftovers in the fridge.

Hey running shoes! You are my bitches in the morning!

Peanuts peanuts peanuts

Ok, so I got some peanuts the other day to snack on. Bad idea. Good for sodium, bad for calorie intake.





I have found out that basically, the reason I am the weight that I am is due souly to my eating. Bummer, cause I like to eat. I wish there was a food that was cheap, low in calories (as in 0), tasty, and abundant. Then I could eat that and satisfy the munchies and the need to constantly eat.

Yeah....

It's 90 calories. I have such a hard time keeping track of my calorie intake on the weekends. Plus, it is a little stressful and I am an emotional eater, stress eater, and I like food so, an eater, plain.





It doesn't help that I spent over an hour with a 4 year old yelling at me....

Or that there is a funeral tomorrow that I should be at but I am not...

First Post

Aaaah. The first post. A clean slate. My first chance to grab the attention of my ... audience.

I am writing this post since the last post I did was mostly work. I want this one to be fun and just be my thoughts put to screen.

As the title dictates, I am a fat black belt. Well, fat master. But I thought that a blog titled "Fat Master" would sound to much like an infomercial. I have been training in martial arts for most of my life (about 19 years) and have consistently been heavy. Like, way heavier than most mortals.

I thought about writing this blog in particular since I am again treading the path that leads to the weekly weigh in. I have had a fair amount of success so far, but I have hit my plateau, again. I cannot seem to get below 270.

Years ago, when I was much younger and healed faster I was down to 245, but I was 18, single, I couldn't afford food, and I had the time that I needed to train all the time. Even just 6 years after that, I was stuck. I was preparing for a training trip to South Korea and was running 4 plus miles, at least 2 times a week. I still was stuck, but that time at 300. I think it was from the weight lifting.

So here I am again. 14 years later, chasing the evasive under 270. It seems that it doesn't make a difference on how much I work out (I am in moderate shape, considering) but how much I eat. I hope that instead of eating, I will blog.

Here is me eating only a 2 egg sandwich for breakfast.

Eggs are much healthier than people give them credit for. They are only like 60 or 90 calories each. And since I get them free from my in-laws, I can't complain.