So the Resolution Solution is now over. kinda sad (as sad as getting a Tim's tea in a brown cup again). Last night we enjoyed a meal at the Mediterranean with the staffs from Crossfit and Simply for Life as well as the Silver Team and Green Team members (missed you being there Cheryl and Carol).
The night was an interesting night. Of course the green team won - duhhhh, but its why we won that matters to me. The entire final team (love you guys - Parris, Lisa, Shirley and Karlene) from day one had no quit in them. I feel quite comfortable saying that each and everyone of us knew that winning entry into this contest was a golden opportunity to radically change our lives, and change them we did. I truly feel that I have made some good friends and can not wait for some Simply for Life BBQ's this summer with the entire groups (even some silver members hopefully) where we put some exercises to the time test.
Karlene is clearly an athlete, and I feel she would say that what she got out of this program was more than physical fitness, but the mental ability to realize her potential. Each and every time we were at Crossfit together she always has a smile on [even when collapsed on the floor] and always cheered on her team mates and competition.
Parris is a monster. For someone to drop 40+ pounds in 8 weeks and change his look the way he did (a Silver member did not actually recognize him after week 4) is a true testament to the successful combination of Crossfit and Simply for Life. The nutrition program packed with plentiful delicious healthy choices that never left you wanting and the exercise experience of a program without routines made a full body change in Parris.
Lisa reminds me so much of me. Mentally tough but not in the shape she wants to be in. Like myself, Lisa showed that no quit attitude despite the natural set backs that happen. Lisa and I had a strong bond in this contest, often communicated by glances at each other which usually meant "is Mike f%#king nuts thinking we can do that". Lisa was there the day I managed my first unassisted sit up and she was as excited about it as I was. I was there when Lisa finally manged hers and on testing day with an original score of 18 sit ups using a ring to help pull herself up, Lisa managed to perform 474 sit ups unassisted. If your reading that, you should gasp. Its a feat to tell the grand-kids about.
Shirley, in my opinion, was always a member of the team despite starting as a spare. I think Shirley reminds me of my wife a lot. Fun, full of positive energy and suffering the side effects of children. Like myself, Shirley always saw the fun in every exercise. I think for me that's why Crossfit works so well. Its always fun. For being a rigorous random exercise routine, there is always that social aspect that leaves you smiling (sure your exhausted but you always love it).
That leaves me - time to self reflect. I, in case you missed this earlier in the contest, am a 36 year old short obese male. I can not even remember a time where is did not think that obese was the defining word about me. Like many obese people I used it as the excuse for any and all failures I might have had in life. I ate at wrong times, ate wrong foods and exercising meant having to go get the remote if I could not get someone to get it for me. Previous to this contest I had every excuse in the book related to being too fat for doing nothing about it and honesty believed nothing could be done. I accepted probably dying one day of a sudden heart attack and worried about leaving my wife and daughter unsupported in the future.
My last measurements were taken in September and I was 260 pounds, 46 inch waist and at my "roundest parts" I was 60 inches around - that's right 5 feet. As of today I am now 209 pounds, 38 inch waist and 45 inch gut. Unless you have been as big as I was, its almost impossible to fathom the change I have undergone. I can honesty say that despite still being in the obese category (well that's only stats anyway isn't it) I no longer feel like that is who I am. I feel 100% (no more than 100% students!!!) like a new person. I feel that I am now on my way to a new body and I can actually see my "future" shape in the mirror more that I can see my past shape. I now envision my future as being long in years and glorious in activity. I am not ashamed to be outside working and sweating or wearing shorts (something I would never do before).
I had an intersting conversation with Mike from Crossfit the other day about my original attitude vs my new attitude on the subject of exercise. Originally my attitude was clear. Exercise was a punishment we did to ourselves for past discretion's on nutrition. MAN I WAS SO WRONG. Now I love the workouts at Crossfit and actually get disappointed when I miss one. I have started to purchase equipment for my home to follow along (none of this fancy stuff - basic things like skipping ropes and kettle bells is all you need) and can not wait to get running as a regular part of my routine. This attitude change is to me the results of the connectivity between the two programs. I was never left on my own to figure out what to do. Bruce (SFL) and Mike (CF) were always available to answer questions, motivate me and help me. I could go on for days about the power of this combination, but hopefully you will give it a go for yourselves.
I would like to thank all the sponsors of the contest including the ones that surprised us with some extra goodies on the final day. An amazing thank you to K100 for getting involved in the lives of some of their listeners. You may never realize that you have made a permanent change that will effect 100's in the long run for each and everyone of us.
A very special thanks goes to my colleagues and my students that asked me about this contest every day and encouraged me each and every time they saw me. Having 100 people want to know about getting healthy and encouraging me to get healthy made a large difference.
Well now its all over and I will be continuing with both Crossfit and Simply for Life . My goal: get healthier... get into the body and weight I deserve to have\be (150-160 pounds, < 34 inch waist) and get rid of my gut in the long term.
I hope you have enjoyed this blog... and don't forget listen to K100 - Today's Best Music .... they might just change your life forever like they changed mine
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
The Big Day: Recap
So Saturday was the big day..... The honorable GREEN team of lovely loyal listeners finally stood toe to toe with the serpentine like SILVER team of perky persistent personalities from K100.....
OK, that sounds corny.....
So Saturday was the big day......us listeners finally get to do an all out until you drop workout against the K100 employees and see just how many pull ups, sit ups, squats and pull ups each person can do. It was looking to be a fun day.
First of all, to have a bit of fun I showed up in some very professional looking bandages on my face, wrist, ankle and a crutch thrown in for fun. Not convinced that we fooled anyone, but Jay seemed concerned for me... in the end they enjoyed a good laugh. That is right MIKE... professional looking!!!!
Well pull ups were first and K100 Silver lost the flip to have to go first. I somehow don't think they were as fired up as we were to win. Despite, however, one being too sick to attend and at least half the others having bad colds + injuries, they did perform well. Our team watched and debated strategy. Do we try lower bands for a better multiplier..... hmm multiples of 0 push ups don't look good. Or do we stick the same band we started with and just put up large numbers. Well each of us made our decision. I originally managed only 7 with a 4 band (pitiful now that I think about it) and this time managed 41 with a 3 band (harder band that off sets less weight). I was annoyed at myself for not meeting my goal of 50 but I really had a hard time gripping the bar. It was my grip that failed me this day and not my pull (although that was not far behind). I just have to remember, however, that 41 is a lot more than I had done before. My hats off too to the SFL crew (especially Kat) for counting for me. When your giving it your all, it gets harder to count your numbers.
Next was sit ups and I was determined to breath some fun into this contest. I knew I could do 100 and I hoped I could manage 200. Well on this event Green team came to dominate as much as possible as well knew Steph would be on fire. Boy was K100 host steph on fire. 1000 (thousand - not a typo) sit ups... WE kinda all eventually left her to keep going and moved on. But our team had no one under 400 and I managed 450 with a little "sit up" based dancing thrown in for good measures.
Next was the squats and I was sure I could do 500. Well unfortunately I let my mental state stop me at 300... It really is all mental and not physical. Could I have done more physically - YES.. did I - no... my brain said no. But wow did others decide to play this one. Three members (Karleen, Parris and from K100 Silver Deb posted I believe over 1150 squats. That's hard to even image how long that took and how hard they were mentally focusing to get it done.
Finally, push ups. Its kinda weird. I managed to count to 60 push ups (I say it that was because you really don't focus on how many but just that next one). for an exercise I detest, I was quite proud of my performance.
That's it for this post and I'll post one more after the banquet - a synopsis so to say.
OK, that sounds corny.....
So Saturday was the big day......us listeners finally get to do an all out until you drop workout against the K100 employees and see just how many pull ups, sit ups, squats and pull ups each person can do. It was looking to be a fun day.
First of all, to have a bit of fun I showed up in some very professional looking bandages on my face, wrist, ankle and a crutch thrown in for fun. Not convinced that we fooled anyone, but Jay seemed concerned for me... in the end they enjoyed a good laugh. That is right MIKE... professional looking!!!!
Well pull ups were first and K100 Silver lost the flip to have to go first. I somehow don't think they were as fired up as we were to win. Despite, however, one being too sick to attend and at least half the others having bad colds + injuries, they did perform well. Our team watched and debated strategy. Do we try lower bands for a better multiplier..... hmm multiples of 0 push ups don't look good. Or do we stick the same band we started with and just put up large numbers. Well each of us made our decision. I originally managed only 7 with a 4 band (pitiful now that I think about it) and this time managed 41 with a 3 band (harder band that off sets less weight). I was annoyed at myself for not meeting my goal of 50 but I really had a hard time gripping the bar. It was my grip that failed me this day and not my pull (although that was not far behind). I just have to remember, however, that 41 is a lot more than I had done before. My hats off too to the SFL crew (especially Kat) for counting for me. When your giving it your all, it gets harder to count your numbers.
Next was sit ups and I was determined to breath some fun into this contest. I knew I could do 100 and I hoped I could manage 200. Well on this event Green team came to dominate as much as possible as well knew Steph would be on fire. Boy was K100 host steph on fire. 1000 (thousand - not a typo) sit ups... WE kinda all eventually left her to keep going and moved on. But our team had no one under 400 and I managed 450 with a little "sit up" based dancing thrown in for good measures.
Next was the squats and I was sure I could do 500. Well unfortunately I let my mental state stop me at 300... It really is all mental and not physical. Could I have done more physically - YES.. did I - no... my brain said no. But wow did others decide to play this one. Three members (Karleen, Parris and from K100 Silver Deb posted I believe over 1150 squats. That's hard to even image how long that took and how hard they were mentally focusing to get it done.
Finally, push ups. Its kinda weird. I managed to count to 60 push ups (I say it that was because you really don't focus on how many but just that next one). for an exercise I detest, I was quite proud of my performance.
That's it for this post and I'll post one more after the banquet - a synopsis so to say.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Results and Rollie Pollie Fly Boy Snapping
OK, so first things first, The 8 weeks of the Resolution Solution are basically over. Yesterday I had my final weigh in and my total weight loss for the 8 weeks was 23 pounds on the dot. Considering I had previously lost 28.2 pounds this brings my total weight loss since September to 51.2 pounds.
51.2 pounds is almost inconceivable for me. this is better than I ever expected. However the one thing that the combination of Simply For Life (www.simplyforlife.com) and Crossfit (www.crossfitsaintjohn.ca) has taught me is that I can go so much further than I have. Not only did I sign up for SFL for the next 6 months but I also plan on plopping down cash on Monday for the next 2 months of Crossfit.
When in life you find a winning combination, then don't let it slip away is what I say.
So yesterday was the last "formal workout" for the contest at Crossfit too and what a way to end. A new routine involving 4 new moves which were... well..... too much fun to be considered exercise. We were holding ourselves up, rolling over the floor, snapping our bodies together and doing some hard sit ups with medicine balls. I was sweating up a workout while laughing my head off. Seriously... to me Crossfit Saint John is the best social hour of my day and on top of that I always come out with the exhilarated feeling of having completed a complicated workout that I usually went into thinking I could never manage. Mike and Amy have both shown me my capabilities and I am not even half way to where I plan on being in the future.
Thanks guys, see you Saturday when I surprise you all with my no-quit attitude.
51.2 pounds is almost inconceivable for me. this is better than I ever expected. However the one thing that the combination of Simply For Life (www.simplyforlife.com) and Crossfit (www.crossfitsaintjohn.ca) has taught me is that I can go so much further than I have. Not only did I sign up for SFL for the next 6 months but I also plan on plopping down cash on Monday for the next 2 months of Crossfit.
When in life you find a winning combination, then don't let it slip away is what I say.
So yesterday was the last "formal workout" for the contest at Crossfit too and what a way to end. A new routine involving 4 new moves which were... well..... too much fun to be considered exercise. We were holding ourselves up, rolling over the floor, snapping our bodies together and doing some hard sit ups with medicine balls. I was sweating up a workout while laughing my head off. Seriously... to me Crossfit Saint John is the best social hour of my day and on top of that I always come out with the exhilarated feeling of having completed a complicated workout that I usually went into thinking I could never manage. Mike and Amy have both shown me my capabilities and I am not even half way to where I plan on being in the future.
Thanks guys, see you Saturday when I surprise you all with my no-quit attitude.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Two Days of Crossfit (oh why) Crossfit (oh my)
So two sessions so far this week and for each one I remember thinking the same thing on my way to the center.
WHY OH WHY AM I GOING... JUST TO EMBARRASS MYSELF?
the first work out was called Lumberjack 20 and for me it consisted of
20 Dead lifts (115lbs)
Run 500m
20 KB swings (35lbs)
Run 500m
20 Overhead Squats (45lbs)
Run 500m
20 Burpees
Run 500m
20 Pull ups (Chest to Bar)
Run 500m
20 Box jumps on tire
Run 500m
20 DB Squat Cleans (75lbs)
Run 500m
OK so for someone that hates running, I did manage to make it through this on in under 40 minutes (by 3 seconds I think) and actually did not feel like quitting too much (the burpees of course made me want to quit). I was saying at the start that I would never be able to complete this (careful not to say can't) as I once ran 5 laps with work in between and through pinching a nerve in my hip lost feeling in my leg for 3-4 weeks. Since then I had restricted myself to running one lap except twice. Once recently I ran one lap at the start and once at the end, and last week I managed a three lap workout with squat cleans involved. Seven.. i think constable Mike is on drugs...
Amazingly though I always knew I could run that one more lap and managed a time I was happy with. sure others were like 40% faster than I was, but I'm not them. I'm gold, OLD FAT me.... and I did manage to finish it. I still get personally annoyed at the time with all the "you can do its" and "come on Jeff"s as I feel they are saying "of course your slow and fat... you old %^$%^%#$%#$"
Well after that work out Mike and I had a friendly conversation about Brupies. I would love to have seen 20 push ups and really push myself to do them, but Burpies.. Well I feel (and still do) they do not serve a good purpose. Mentally they only seek to depress people and that I disagree with fundamentally.
So today what does Mike put up but 100 BURPIES... oops "he whom doth protest to much".... And on top of that after 60 seconds and every 60 seconds thereafter you much skip 20 times (or 10 doubles but I need to get my regular skipping back in check first) before resuming your burpies. A definitely race the clock workout. So driving to the center i was thinking
WHY OH WHY AM I GOING... JUST TO EMBARRASS MYSELF?
sound familiar..... But I made a promise to myself to push hard. To not get only 2 burpies per minute but rather to get at least 5 per minute in and 10 the first minute (probably a personal record for me). And push I did (I think sweat was flying off my by minute 5). Well 15:30ish I think it was, and I managed to finish. After three minutes I was at 25 burpies done and after 6 minutes finally managed to get my skipping going better so I was getting over 30 seconds of burpies per minute in (had to get mad at the rope and really speed pull it down each swing). Of course the others all finished before me, but lets be honest finishing first is not always good ;)
ps: ending classes this week at UNB Saint John - god I love this city and campus soo much and really hope I might get a chance to get back here this fall for another year, two, three or life :)
WHY OH WHY AM I GOING... JUST TO EMBARRASS MYSELF?
the first work out was called Lumberjack 20 and for me it consisted of
20 Dead lifts (115lbs)
Run 500m
20 KB swings (35lbs)
Run 500m
20 Overhead Squats (45lbs)
Run 500m
20 Burpees
Run 500m
20 Pull ups (Chest to Bar)
Run 500m
20 Box jumps on tire
Run 500m
20 DB Squat Cleans (75lbs)
Run 500m
OK so for someone that hates running, I did manage to make it through this on in under 40 minutes (by 3 seconds I think) and actually did not feel like quitting too much (the burpees of course made me want to quit). I was saying at the start that I would never be able to complete this (careful not to say can't) as I once ran 5 laps with work in between and through pinching a nerve in my hip lost feeling in my leg for 3-4 weeks. Since then I had restricted myself to running one lap except twice. Once recently I ran one lap at the start and once at the end, and last week I managed a three lap workout with squat cleans involved. Seven.. i think constable Mike is on drugs...
Amazingly though I always knew I could run that one more lap and managed a time I was happy with. sure others were like 40% faster than I was, but I'm not them. I'm gold, OLD FAT me.... and I did manage to finish it. I still get personally annoyed at the time with all the "you can do its" and "come on Jeff"s as I feel they are saying "of course your slow and fat... you old %^$%^%#$%#$"
Well after that work out Mike and I had a friendly conversation about Brupies. I would love to have seen 20 push ups and really push myself to do them, but Burpies.. Well I feel (and still do) they do not serve a good purpose. Mentally they only seek to depress people and that I disagree with fundamentally.
So today what does Mike put up but 100 BURPIES... oops "he whom doth protest to much".... And on top of that after 60 seconds and every 60 seconds thereafter you much skip 20 times (or 10 doubles but I need to get my regular skipping back in check first) before resuming your burpies. A definitely race the clock workout. So driving to the center i was thinking
WHY OH WHY AM I GOING... JUST TO EMBARRASS MYSELF?
sound familiar..... But I made a promise to myself to push hard. To not get only 2 burpies per minute but rather to get at least 5 per minute in and 10 the first minute (probably a personal record for me). And push I did (I think sweat was flying off my by minute 5). Well 15:30ish I think it was, and I managed to finish. After three minutes I was at 25 burpies done and after 6 minutes finally managed to get my skipping going better so I was getting over 30 seconds of burpies per minute in (had to get mad at the rope and really speed pull it down each swing). Of course the others all finished before me, but lets be honest finishing first is not always good ;)
ps: ending classes this week at UNB Saint John - god I love this city and campus soo much and really hope I might get a chance to get back here this fall for another year, two, three or life :)
The Final Contest Week
Well its the final week of the Resolution Solution folks (not that I think anyone is reading this blog) and I have to say the results have so exceeded my original expectations.
Back when I won this contest at my First SFL weigh in I was 231.8. Now I believe I am under 210 with my final weigh in tomorrow (Thursday the 8th). If you told me I would lose about 22 pounds in only 2 months having just lost 30 pounds in about 5 months by eating right and exercising well I would have said "yeah yeah yeah, blah blah blah"...
But it happened.
Not only did it happen, but I feel a real change in my attitude about both parts of my life. Eating can be healthy, inexpensive and enjoyable. I feel great about the foods I'm eating, I have more energy than ever and I am more productive at work. Not only that but my wife and daughter love my new look, and I love their new looks. My Wii fit (I love my Wii) now says my daughter is a healthy weight (which gives me a large smile) and my wife has dropped out of the obese category on their chart which means she is very happy (its a small gain, but a mentally powerful one - she has lost about 25 pounds on just Simply for Life with no added physical activity).
So what next... well I might have won 8 weeks of each program, but my no means do I plan on quitting. Tomorrow I sign up for SFL (www.simplyforlife.com) to continue - I am sold on this program as the one out there that works .... and I've tried a few. My goal is to get down to 165-175 and then re-evaluate. I see no reason in stopping what looks like a great trend from continuing. New week, also expect to see me at Crossfit. This program also works and is, in my opinion, the best fitness program out there - and not just because of smiley mike.
Originally 8 weeks ago, I recall standing there and thinking things like "can't they at least get us chairs" or "they can not seriously be thinking we will be doing these things". The next few days we learnt the technical moves and I distinctly remember having to use a ring to pull myself up to get only 3 sit ups completed. Its almost embarrassing how hard it is to do exercise moves we should all be able to do with ease. A week later the original benchmarks made me bean when I managed only 19 sit ups and 7 pull ups. Well this Saturday (www.crossfitsaintjohn.ca) you can see me do my final contest benchmarks when GREEN TEAM will send SILVER into shame
Back when I won this contest at my First SFL weigh in I was 231.8. Now I believe I am under 210 with my final weigh in tomorrow (Thursday the 8th). If you told me I would lose about 22 pounds in only 2 months having just lost 30 pounds in about 5 months by eating right and exercising well I would have said "yeah yeah yeah, blah blah blah"...
But it happened.
Not only did it happen, but I feel a real change in my attitude about both parts of my life. Eating can be healthy, inexpensive and enjoyable. I feel great about the foods I'm eating, I have more energy than ever and I am more productive at work. Not only that but my wife and daughter love my new look, and I love their new looks. My Wii fit (I love my Wii) now says my daughter is a healthy weight (which gives me a large smile) and my wife has dropped out of the obese category on their chart which means she is very happy (its a small gain, but a mentally powerful one - she has lost about 25 pounds on just Simply for Life with no added physical activity).
So what next... well I might have won 8 weeks of each program, but my no means do I plan on quitting. Tomorrow I sign up for SFL (www.simplyforlife.com) to continue - I am sold on this program as the one out there that works .... and I've tried a few. My goal is to get down to 165-175 and then re-evaluate. I see no reason in stopping what looks like a great trend from continuing. New week, also expect to see me at Crossfit. This program also works and is, in my opinion, the best fitness program out there - and not just because of smiley mike.
Originally 8 weeks ago, I recall standing there and thinking things like "can't they at least get us chairs" or "they can not seriously be thinking we will be doing these things". The next few days we learnt the technical moves and I distinctly remember having to use a ring to pull myself up to get only 3 sit ups completed. Its almost embarrassing how hard it is to do exercise moves we should all be able to do with ease. A week later the original benchmarks made me bean when I managed only 19 sit ups and 7 pull ups. Well this Saturday (www.crossfitsaintjohn.ca) you can see me do my final contest benchmarks when GREEN TEAM will send SILVER into shame
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