TWO WEEKS IN

Two weeks in and I've lost weight.  You'll have to take my word on it as I'm not going to post a weight until the final weigh in.

I remember when I first started losing weight when I first tried back in 2010 -- I was everywhere posting about it.  This time - it's more low-key for me.  I'm okay with it being that way.  There's motivation in the accomplishment even if I'm the only one that knows of the success.

This blog and a share on social media is the most public that I've been about it.  I don't need it to be a show.  I don't need the accolades right now during the process.  I will take a "good job" and "dang - you look good man" later when I'm done.  I do hope that my focus and discipline will pay off or help others strive to be healthier.  I'll let that form on its own though.

What I want during the year of 36 is to be better at focus, discipline and health.  I want to be a good example.  I want to show my sons what self-discipline looks like.  I want them to know what it looks like to work hard and focus on something.  Hard work may seem scary but it's more scary that people don't know how to work hard.

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This is what I've been doing.

FOOD:

I've been using MyFitness Pal as a calorie counter.  Yeah, I know some people don't, won't or swear to never using a calorie counter but it's helpful to know where you are in terms of how many calories you've taken in.  I am a pretty routine and simple eater.  We try to eat as many meals as we can at home.  It tends to be healthier.  It is cheaper.  It is what we find that we desire after eating out too many times.  We haven't changed what we've cooked as I am the one training for this - I simply eat less than what I was doing.

I am shooting to eat around 1800 calories a day.  Granted, some days I may go over that but compared to what I was eating per day to now - there is a caloric deficit which is in my favor.

EXERCISE:

I've only been hitting the pavement and sidewalks.  My plan has been to continue to do the cardio and slowly introduce other things.  I did find a Dip machine for $20 on Facebook marketplace.  Snatched that up and pair that up with Pushups and Burpees -- I'll have myself a workout.

MENTAL:

The mental game is a tough one.  I don't mind silence.  I don't mine the long periods of time by myself running, etc.  There will be a time though that Mental Toughness will have to prevail.

This is going to sound crazy I'm sure but anyone who has set out to read the Bible in its entirety can talk about mental toughness.  I am a Student Minister at a church and I have challenged my students to read the Bible all of the way through WHILE taking notes on it in one year.  I can already see that the mental game is at play with them because it's done the same for me.

Now, I am a graduate of a Bible college.  I've read the entire Bible.  I've listened to the Bible all the way through.  I've taken notes on many parts of the Bible and still I find myself struggling.

It's probably not that much of a stretch to say that most people would probably elect to do one day of excruciating Obstacle Racing than a full year of studying their Bible.

I heard Bob Witte, a professor from Ozark Christian College, say "The Bible isn't boring, you just get bored".

That's a perspective that we overlook.  Maybe we are approaching things the wrong way.  I've definitely approached this goal of mine differently than I have in the past and I feel better, have seen progress and fully believe that I'm going to succeed.  I came across the quote...

"IF IT DOESN'T CHALLENGE YOU, IT DOESN'T CHANGE YOU."

In our society, people want to challenge everything but don't want to be challenged.  I don't know who phrased the quote.  I know that it makes sense to me though.  How do we become better at something if it's not challenging us?

The ability to focus on the task at hand, even when I use studying my Bible as an example, is key.

Saying "You can do this.  You got this.  You are a winner." only goes so far.  Knowing, by way of practice and execution, goes further.

The Year of 36

I'm at that point where I just have to train for something for something to happen...I'm talking about anything productive in fitness. 

I enjoy running (all 250 lbs of me) but I won't lie that it's harder when I am at this weight.  I remember the days when a 5k was an easy run.  I didn't think much about a 10k run and anything past that mileage was still fun for me.  A lot has changed since those heavy running days.

It's more work than fun anymore.

Three kids later, I find myself with less time able to run and more time at the dinner table.  The simplicity of going out for supper makes for some heavy feeling days.  Those days, does anyone want to get out and run, exercise, anything?

I recently turned 36 years old.  Leading up to that day I had made out a plan.  My plan was that at or towards the end of year 36 - I am going to do a 8-12 mile obstacle run.  I wasn't sure if this would be a Spartan Race, a Tough Mudder or what it was going to be but I was going to train for it during this year. 

That year has started.   

That event is going to be the TOUGHER MUDDER. 

10-12 miles - 25 obstacles - 1 year to train.

I do also have some road races that I have on the calendar but they are to help with the training for the Tougher Mudder.  I do know that it probably wouldn't take a year to train for it normally but I don't care about that.  I need something to train for during this next year and I need to put it on the calendar. 

This year, the year of 36, is the year of training for me. 

On another front - this year is the year of the beard for me.  Now, I always have a beard on my face and technically still do but for this year I have shaved it to just stubble and will not shave it again until after race completion.  I want to see the transformation at the end of this when I shave the beard.  The beard will act as a mask for my face.  Yes, it will  be evident that my face will be thinner but the reveal will be the shave.

I really do feel back in the game since I started back at it.  I have a long ways to go.  You get out what you put in.  Here's to the year of 36.