The important things in life are not easy

People desire instant gratification when the things that truly gratify take time to form. 

That applies to all things that we do. 

We want a deeper faith but with less time invested, however a believer invested in their faith can move mountains.

We want a hotter body with less hard work, however more hard work creates a harder, hotter body longer.

We want hot sex with no strings attached, however sex with your spouse is more intimate and can be crazy hot because of the relationship built.

We want the bigger and better, however bigger is not always better and what we sacrifice for that appearance is probably what was best for us.

We want every high possible, however if you never experience the low you won't appreciate the high.

I question the motives, my motives.  Do I fall into the trap because I am never satisfied, filled, complete?  Do I take the easy route because I'm not good enough for the long haul?

I don't know the answer for the rest of you, but for me I am all of these things when I am not invested into my relationship with God.  So, this is what I've written to myself in regards to those traps that try to catch my eye.

Take time to appreciate your blessings.  Take time to let the things that gratify take form and shape. 

Invest yourself into what you believe and know to be true.  Invest yourself into being spiritually fit (that is taking steps to having a deeper relationship with your creator) and that the physical fitness will be second nature.  Protect and take care for the body that you have and do what you have the power to do to make it the body you desire...through hard work.

Work harder, be disciplined and experience a healthy, fit body, mind and soul not tossing yourself into whatever the new thing is.  Define who you are...better yet, define whose you are and let the 'who you are' derive from there.  No longer be shallow in what you do but grow some roots and be firm.  A solid plant grows in deep, rich soil as the shallow rooted plant will wither away.  Do not be afraid of hard work.  Do not be scared to get messy.  Put your big boy pants on and be who you were meant to be.  Weather the storms that are in your path and plant your faith in the Words that God has provided for you.  Stand up, Stand strong, Stand firm, and Step out and greet a failing world with hope extending your hand to help others.  Help them out of darkness.  Know that everything worth anything is not easy and takes effort; embrace the task.  Be satisfied.  Be filled. Be complete.  Be holy.  Be thankful.  Be the man God created you to be.

Knowing the Facts help

Midwest Weather Workout

It seems that no matter where I go, that place will tell you the same thing that the last did about it's weather pattern - that it's unpredictable or that anything can happen.

It's no different here.

Anything can happen.

Just a few days ago we were into the 60 degree mark and today, 10-11 inches of snow sits on the ground.  Missouri weather really is crazy.  I would love for it to be 50 degrees or higher year round, but it just doesn't happen.  But as they say...

"when life gives you lemons, make lemonade...unless you don't like lemonade b/c then you are supposed to do something else with them"

It might be hard to tell b/c everything is white, but that snow is 10-11" deep and  it was no easy feat.  Glad I've only had to do that once this year.

I decided yesterday to go out into the snow and be a Snow Plow.  I dug my driveway (which is not a short driveway) and definitely put to work my Insanity workout moves.  I did a lot of squats, a ton of ab work, and shoulder work.  It was a good workout.  I do credit INSANITY that I was able to knock the drive out in pretty good time.  And what better way to credit INSANITY than to still do your INSANITY workout later that evening.

Workout out with a group has been great.  I've been pushed and believe to push others.  Tomorrow will complete week four and we'll begin the recovery week.  Only 5 weeks left!

Core Killer. Fit Test 2 results

Today we (me and a group of guys) did the 2nd Fit Test for Insanity.  It kills me every time, but it's nice to see some results!  Such a core workout.  

  

Introverted or Extroverted Workouts: which one is for you?

I've always been a loner type of "worker-outer" since high school.  I'm pretty sure that isn't a word, but we'll go with it.  Let's just say that I always thought I was my best partner when it comes to working out.  I don't need anyone else to push me verbally because I, most times, can talk myself into pushing harder.  Discipline, while working out, is my thing.  Discipline to start the workout is something else entirely though.

I've tried my turn at Insanity alone and I got through about 4 weeks of it, but things started to creep in and take priority over my workout time slot.  Maybe that's the way of the workout world. I didn't finish it.  I've started another turn at Insanity. This time however, I'm not doing it alone.

(picture originated HERE)

I'm a broken record when I say that my church has an awesome Gym to play sports in, but I've put together a few guys to do Insanity with me and that awesome gymnasium plays a big role.  A friend of mine lives just down the road from me and I asked if he wanted to do the Insanity workout with me and he was all for it.  So, having two people is better than just one right?  Yes, when it comes to Insanity two is better than one.  You know what's even better than having two people pushing each other during the Insanity workout?  Five or Six people doing that workout together. 

It's turned into just that and I wasn't sure how it'd work or if I'd feel awkward doing Insanity in a group setting, but it's been great.  Afterwards, we usually shoot some hoops or just hang out for a while. 

My wife, Carol, has worked out with a group of friends from church on a regular basis and I figured it was just a female thing, but having the guys there has pushed me.  I've gotta say though, there isn't really any pep talk during the workout, but a timely joke and just seeing that others are working hard makes the workout seem more fun and a better overall workout. 

Do you like to work out with partners or do you like to workout alone?!

7 NoNo's for gym etiquette

So, I went into the gym tonight just to get a couple miles in on the treadmill since it is no longer 60+ degrees outside.  It's more like 30 something degrees.  Blah.  I forgot my headphones so I actually got to hear some of what was going on around me and paid attention to those around me.  There was a lot that I saw that I didn't like.  Don't get me wrong - I have a great gym and a great place to workout, but tonight it got me thinking about some of what I consider NoNo's at the gym.  It's only proper to follow some type of gym etiquette right?  So, here are 7 gym NoNo's, in no particular order, just from tonight that would make my gym experience more pleasant for me.  So here's to me for changing no one there b/c they don't follow my blog but I'm posting them anyway!

1.  Not cleaning the cardio equipment you just bathed with your sweat.  I get it, you're a stud because you ran 20 miles and sweat happens - but real men take care of their messes...and you're a mess man.

2.  Not returning the treadmill to level zero.  Yes!  Congratulations, you hiked up an 8% incline and slid down the treadmill like you were skiing down a Black Diamond slope!  Now please go back up there and return the treadmill to normal. 

3.  Having all the TV's on news stations, except one small tv in the corner.  It's not like I can hear the TV, but come on - I can only read one BREAKING NEWS marquee at a time anyway.  Put something on the tele that is going to take my mind off of the pain instead of stressing me out. 

4.  Dropping the F*Bomb as a gym employee when talking with your friends that are just hanging out to talk.  If foul language is your thing, use it on your own time.  It's not for me and I dont' use it, but as a place of business and you as the representation of said company - you shouldn't use it either.  Let's give this a try, here's an example.  Instead of saying, "that was f* crazy", try this "that was crazy".  I know, you really wanted to insert it but you're employer would love it if you didn't. 

5.  Turning some of the lights off when the gym is still open.  I do understand this, you want to go home and this guy comes in with 45 minutes of still open time.  You are just getting ready to head home.  I get that.  I would do that too....as long as that light isn't in the area of the gym that is being used.  Turn the lights over at the free weight area off, but don't start turning off lights of an area that I am at or have to go to when going to the locker room. 

6.  Talking openly about the women and their attractiveness.  Dude, I'm a dude; dude's notice chicks and their attractiveness, but is the gym the best place to pick them up?  And besides, they are already self-conscious about the way that they look so do you think that if you were to even approach them when they are all hot and sweaty and not "made up", that they'd give you the light of day?  You gotta do better than that.  And the comment, "even the ugly ones have nice bodies" doesn't help your case.  Shows your desperation and shallowness. 

7.  Admiring your body in the mirror for like, forever.  Mirrors reflect images, but staring at yourself for an extended time in the very public mirror examining your muscles makes you look like a dork.  One thing I've learned at gyms, few people actually care what you look like.  They are there to work out and do their thing and now you're just standing in the way of the dumbbells.  Buy a mirror and hang it up in your room and you can play kissy face there.

Well, I don't have many others tonight.  I'm sure I could stretch and pull a few more out, but these are the ones that I saw tonight.  It's actually kind of amusing to me the things that you do see at the gym.  I'm a people watcher, I know that's creepy right.  It's my thing though. 

What are some of your NoNo's at the gym?  Let me hear them!

If volleyball is a girl's sport then call me Betty

I love playing volleyball, but growing up I always thought it was primarily a girl sport.  I've been enlightened.  I really enjoy playing volleyball.  I guess Betty would be my female alter ego.  Why Betty though?  Well, it's the first name that came to mind when typing.  Sometimes my fingers just go ahead of my brain and type things.  It's called typoicular tourrets - it's an annoying thing but something I've come to live with.

After our night service last night at church we had several people get together to play some volleyball.  Our service got over at 7pm and I didn't lock up the church until after 10:30pm.  Yes, 3 1/2 hours of continuous volleyball going on in our gym.  Love it!

I'm sore today but it was worth it.  Not everytime that pain and soreness shows it's face is it a bad thing.

I'm a sports guy so I love to just be active.  I'm hoping that I can get someone together in town to play some tennis this evening.  Now, talk about a workout - tennis has got it going on!

I also plan on hitting the gym at some time tonight to get my miles in.  It's nice to have a gym that is open late at night.  It's not the biggest gym but it has all that I need.  I have a 5k coming up in April and I'd really like to get to the sub 30 mark again.  I don't think i've run a 5k in under 30 minutes in over a year.  Wow, that just blew my mind.  It's been so long for that to happen - it's going to happen.  I ran a 5k not to long ago and finished in 33 minutes.  I was close, but I want to be there.  It'll happen this year.  Oh to be back at 25 minutes and some odd change again. 

With the idea of alter egos -- it made me think of Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory.  I don't always have a TV reference with each post, but "Betty" reminds me of when Rob and Drama (Chris Pfaff) go get hypnotized for success.  The hypnotist calls for each of them to find their inner self and to name their inner self.  They start with Drama and he says, "Steve".  They make fun of Drama a lot and keep laughing that he could have picked anything, but he chose Steve.  It was really funny.  Rob's was something like "Battle Hardened". 

So, I guess maybe I need to come up with a better volley innerself name.

Nasty Flu. Rawness. Aldis. Duck Dynasty. Conan

Nasty stomach flu. I was just a few days into my pursuit of 1000 miles via running/walking again and I get hit with this nasty stomach flu. It put me out of commission for a couple days. Any other days that I've missed this month were just my fault. That flu though was something fierce. Something fierce.

Have you ever had that time when you were sitting in the restroom on the throne of peace and serenity (*you know that's the calmest place in the whole house when you have a kid) only for it to be defiled by a nasty stomach flu where you can't decide which you need to do: stand up or sit down. Sometimes the option is to just have the trash can in front of you. Truly something fierce.

I hope none of you get it. I am better now though.

I've been chipping away at my new goal of 1000 miles for 2013. I feel as if I'm going up hill already as I've gotten behind. It's hard for me to give up though, I've never been one for giving up -- especially when I see more than 11 months to get the job done. I almost quit baseball once in high school. I'm so glad that I didn't. Those sports really are the moments that I tend to remember when I think of high school. I enjoy having those accomplishments to look back to. Here, on Fit With a Purpose, some of you who might have been with me since my first days might remember that my first goal was to get 1,010 miles in 2010. I fell short but I fell short working my butt off.

You know, those were some of the rawest days. I didn't have to be a wordsmith or use the 'get-their-attention' rhetoric riddling my posts with phrases in an attempt to smoothly attract you to follow my blog. Everything was so fresh and new that the whole experience was attractive enough.

Maybe that's why it was easier and more fun to post then. It wasn't work but more of a hobby; simply something I enjoyed to do. You see, when you start to grow in numbers on the website you feel as if you have to be careful with how you post and what you post in order to please everyone; not to mention trying to get the free stuff from the different companies. Which I still would like freebies from the following types of companies: running related and healthy food related. I researched it and my wife researched it in her own online pursuits. I knew my audience and my site grew in numbers, but my posts sometimes lacked rawness, realness, and "sethness".

I mean, do you really care what I had to eat for lunch? It's usually the same thing every day. Bread, lunch meat, cheese, a little mayo and a diet cola. All ingredients are typically from Aldi's. Making a post about that is a lot of work. I'd be more interested in the deals that I got at Aldi's or how I usually take a bite of my sandwich from the top left of the sandwich, then the top right, and then the middle. That's the good stuff, that's the "Sethness".

So, that's my direction. If you are a follower of my site - it's been great and I hope that you stick around. Thank you for finding it in the depths of your heart to grunt through the posts that were posted to simply have a new post. Can I set another goal? My goal is not to post just to have a post but to post when I want to post.

With posting what I want to post, here is Phil and Willie Robertson from Duck Dynasty on CONAN to close me out

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