No More Mr. Fat Guy

OK, so I’m not really what most people would call fat.

But when I stumbled across Rob Cooper’s site, FormerFatGuy, I took a step back and started mapping out the rest of my life. (Rob’s story is inspiring. He lost nearly 300 pounds in 30 months.)

I’ve been taking life as it comes for the past six years without of clear direction in mind for the next 30 or 40 years.  It feels like it’s time to sketch out a definitive Rest Of My Life plan.

First Up: The Fitness Plan

I’ve been contemplating ways to incorporate a fitness regimen into my daily routine. One of the attorney’s in our legal department runs ten miles to work each morning.

Not gonna happen. The only visual worse than me dancing… is me running. Poetry in motion it’s not.

Given that a gym membership isn’t likely to meet with much success on my part (I know this from past experience), I’m opting for an alternative approach…something more convenient than going to the gym…maybe something home-based.

Of course the risk in home-based fitness equipment is their insidious evolution from fitness device to temporary clothesline.  I’ve been guilty of hanging shirts on the handrails on my treadmill more the once.

This quote by Dave Navarro of RockYourDay.com is one that I’ve thought about quite a bit this summer.

Years ago, when I was trying to get from 215 tubby pounds to my muscular college weight of 185, I couldn’t get motivated because I just didn’t believe I could do it. I believed I was destined to be 215 pounds forever. I just couldn’t see myself ever breaking past 200. But a runner friend helped me focus on identifying with being 185 pounds, by forcing me to remind myself that I was an in-shape person, deep down … I’d just gotten off track.

I thought about this as I slipped on (read: painfully squeezed into) the tux for Ben’s wedding. I knew I was too heavy and I’d not done much to alter my appearance and health since my daughter’s wedding.

I think what effected me more was the passing of both Michael Jackson and Billy Mays (Oxi-Clean, Mighty-Putty, etc.). These men were both my age and both died way too young, both leaving children behind.

Then Came the Challenge

Mary, a coworker, issued a challenge last week.  She stated she was going to try and lose 15 pounds in a month without buying a sauna sweatsuit.

My first reaction was that losing 15 pounds in a month was a stretch, but I accepted her challenge and said I’d commit to losing 10 pounds in the next 30 days.

We differ on our approach.  Maryis going to concentrate only on the foods she eats and take her dogs on longer walks on the beach.I’m taking a more holistic approach and have a plan that includes physical activity, food choice, and weight training components.

Here’s how my plan shakes out.

Physical

• I usually walk about 2 miles a day.  I also have a route that I’ve estimated is just about 4 miles. So whether I do the 2 mile walk twice a day or the 4 mile walk once daily, I’m going to effectively double my distance and my cardio activity. Since LE is off school for the summer, he gets to double his activity as well.
• I told him today there isn’t a storage reservoir for fitness and if he doesn’t want to huff and puff on the first Monday Run of 8th grade, he’d better start accompanying me on a more regular basis. Needless to say, he’s thrilled.

Food

• After a revealing food log experience these past couple of weeks, I looked in the mirror and had a serious ‘Come-to-Buddha’  talk with myself. The result is a refinement of my existing food plan with a few changes: Lean meats, lots of green veggies, easy on the carbs, and no ETOH.
• The biggest change for me is replace breakfast with a protein isolate drink.  This morning I had two cups of coffee before my shower; then as I left the house for work, I took with me the protein drink I’d made with 2% milk. Costco’s Whey Protein Isolate mix is pretty tasty and sweeter than I expected.
• And speaking of taste, I’ve always liked a good breakfast but I’ve begun to accept that I really don’t need much in the morning to replenish my body’s metabolic needs. Eating smarter is the key; for me this means making a few changes but nothing drastic like suddenly going Vegan.

Weight Training

• I’ve never been a serious weightlifter but as a teenager, I bought a weight bench and a set of beginner’s weights.  I didn’t know what I was doing and my weight lifting career was short lived, so I’m not setting any big goals is this area.
• I do believe in the necessity of maintaining muscle tone and am open to the idea of building some muscle mass, especially in my arms and chest. Only one catch, I have no barbells.  Oh well, I guess I’ll check out the workout room at work…something I’ve avoided to date.

Beginning Stats, Summer 2009

• Weight: 225 lbs.
• Neck: 17 in.
• Waist: 38 in.

Summer 2010 Goals

• Weight: 185 lbs.
• Neck: 16 in.
• Waist: 34 in.

Wish me luck!

Got comments or recommendations? I’m all ears.