final four road trip!

I (and my PCP) are going to the final four.

I got a hotel with a gym, and I think I am gong to pack a great deal of measured food and a lot of egg whites.

I am going with my brother.

To day was strong and I can tell that I am gaining ground with my fitness. I drank less coffee today...trying to be willing.

Feeling good - I have been sauteing more lately - I like it

lots of squash.

Go Team Go!

Like a whole new car

I went for a run today and it is like driving a whole different car, more acceleration, better handling, and girls look at you different.

and

I had a colleague mention today how much leaner and fitter I look

and

after the workout (V sits last is tough) I just laid there. I am trying to pick up the pace a little and wow - not much left in the tank at the end.

I did drink less coffee today...I am going to have to work on that some more.

I are a little more protein than prescribed, it didn't mean to , I just wanted it and popped it into my mouth. not proud of that but real world for sure.

I am pretty close to being able to wear all the clothes I have and I really like that I have 66% of the program left to get into the best shape of my life. My 48th birthday is in a few weeks and I have though about that a little...about being at the height of my power right now. About having the best year of my life this year.

Go Team Go!

dinner and a collapse

Tonight I had a different dinner, I put a little olive oil in the pan and sauteed squash, spinach, and this really great shredded brocolli - with a little fish and a little steak. It was great.

The workout tonight was tough. I did a little better on the pull ups 5-4-5-4 with negaitves where I could not make it. I can feel the strength to weight ratio tipping in my favor. At the end of the planks I just laid there - whipped but quite satisfied - I went 5 extra seconds and forced myself to smile and thought about our team. A good moment. Almost done for the day.

Go Team Go!

Coffee!

Whoa - One cup of coffee, I think this is a crossroads.

I drink, well lets say, more coffee than that. I think this week I will cut back, and treat this as a goal or objective.

Other than that things are good. Happy to see the carbs decline late in the day and am mystified by the egg whites, but the left over yokes make an interesting component of the next protein.

I am looking forward to the week. I am feeling a little less scattered and more prepared.

My % body fat did drop today, maybe I will get a second one before next Sunday.

Things are good - My wife has certainly noticed and she has started to take some positive action herself. Awesome.

Go Team Go!

Well - here is the posed shot week four

I feel like I am getting somewhere but all in all a weird week

Off to the party

what is the deal

well this is weird - I must be on the door step of something big

I lost 1.5 pounds now 169 (That is less than I thought I would)

My % body fat stayed the same ( Seems like this number would move)

I feel thinner and fitter

Keep moving forward

going to a church dinner - need to be careful

whew

Super full day

tons of yard work

No poison ivy

Good meals, but I still find myself trying to sneak a few more grams here and there - worrisome

Great work out - I did all the V sits - Yeah

trying to get the wood stove going and have my snack.

more later

antennae - into chin up bar

Ok I did it. I made the old antennae in our workshop / garage / Fitness center in to an awesome chin up bar. This is going to be great.

So far so good today. Getting ready to workout. I am not going to get poison ivy tomorrow.

I have eaten out the last two days for lunch at awesome salad bars, I are what I wanted to but I think I ate more than the allotment. Not a crisis, but not a good trend either.

Also fun getting a picture in to blog. Little steps are good for me. The doctor says I am close to fully mended. Awesome!

The V sits went well (first set) Ok (second set), and then sad to pathetic (set last) Things will get better.

The cookie made the scale go up this morning.

I am going through many many eggs which is great for my friends egg business (I get locally laid eggs from her chickens)

Tune for lunch was dry.

Go Team Go!

Why does my stomach hurt?

Ok

I should have seen this coming. Great breakfast - started the day centered - wonderful PCP lunch and ...a chocolate oatmeal raisin cookie. I only ate a small section. my stomach is in knots.

Not Funny at all - I am not even sure if I can take the rest of the cookie.

I am not going to eat any more until my stomach feels better.

AUGH

why am I so cranky?

grouch

I just realized that I am entering a strange new world. Here are two variables that are at play.

Variable one - less time
I have less time for work and daily things because I am doing a great job on PCP (food prep, measuring, working out, blogging, the list goes on. So there is some work piling up it seems.

Variable two - less cushion
Literally (belly) and emotionally (eat to feel better). I get happier, laugh louder, get more aggravated , moodier than I ever remember. My family is getting more of this - good and bad.

For the second time in a week I came home from church in a great place and "events transpired" that brought the walls crumbling down. That really tires me out. I need to lay down. I am looking forward to the treat tomorrow.

I am going to get an oatmeal raisin cookie or a piece of apple pie. I think the cookie.

Day 24 A

Slept late today - but I got all of my food packed before I took Caroline to School. WHEW.

I ate part of my breakfast in front of a sun filled window at the office. warm and nutritious.

excited for the day. Poison ivy making me a little crazy.

Drinking more coffee lately. I think I need to watch that. I continue to notch away at the weight but the % body fat is fluctuating strangly. It will be interesting to see how that behaves over time.

Go Team GO!

Day 23 - over 25% B

I will do better with the milk/yogurt

Poison ivy on both wrists from yard work is getting to be a pain

My wife keeps wanting to eat my fish - NO!

Got new tomato basil bread to day, a new kind of excellent rice and my favorite water - Gerolsteiner.

WOW - Orange is is heavy

Sold my truck today - it was a good truck. I think it is part of my re-do, re-focus, streamline, and energize time.

It was a 1985 Custom 10 Deluxe, color buckskin, it moved us four times and helped hundreds. I can still borrow it. Sad. My son will need a car soon. The dough will go there.

Exercises are going well. Doctor gave me a thumbs up on my recovery - WHEW. Hand strength is returning, Less pain altogether.

Good night

Day 23 - over 25%

What a difference a day makes - Last night was ideal.

We backed away from the edge and today the morning started better than ever.

Great start today - armed with my new yogurt measuring information I discovered I have been under eating the milk in the morning requirement by a great deal.

The workout went well yesterday. I hope the weight loss continues - because that will make the pull ups easier. I also am enjoying raw spinach and the decrease in carbs. Back to the back Doctor today. I am getting better.

Enjoy

Day 22

Horrible end of the day 21

Both kids upset, either in tears or angry

Me- frustrated - I felt like I was being dragged into a rat hole of bad memories and negative vibes.

Sometimes being a parent is exhausting and terribly painful.

The good news was I just went to bed and tried to wait until the new day to start anew. I didn't eat anything else.

My reward - this morning after years - I weighed 169, exciting to see different digits. and to have a chart to put them in - even better.

Good start to the day diet wise -

More later

day 21

Great start for the day - dynamite breakfast, went to church, then for a long bike ride before the rain, and a meeting with friends.

There is a growing trend of my family members eating the food I prep. Not sure weather to embrace and encourage their good choices (This is the high road) or tell them to prep their own @#%$#@ food (not the high road. I think the way to go is to ask them to help me prep next time.

Feeling good today. I am getting ready to update the picture, try and insert the graph, and settle in for for a little hoops.

My clothes felt great and difference today. Also I have lost less weight than I thought I would. But, my clothes fit better and I feel difference...which is better than a number.

day 20 end

What a difference a day makes.

We had a huge yard day - It was so beautiful - warm sunny.

My son at the second half of my pear and I had to go to the store for more - and then I had a few strawberries. I did a big chop and steam. Made more eggs - I am getting locally laid eggs, which are much better - even boiled.

I had a good workout and had a great jump rope. I finished with the 250 jump sets - a first for me. I have found that if I keep my feet very close together...good news...my calf does better. That was great to discover...It is a little more like a pogo stick action.

Thats it - a great day!

Watson

Day 19 B

End of day - strange temptation. My son baked some fruit type pastries and...I wanted to eat them.

Not to worry - today the mind is strong. My doctor thinks I am on the mend and I think I over did the workout. So fat these are the physical problems.

Left calf will cramp or tear as I approach around 500 jumps (sets of 100 or 150) I can feel it tighten. I stretch between jump rope sets, sometimes go with right foot only. I am going to make it.

Right hand, elbow. and shoulder. These are getting better - but most nights if there is time I ice and heat my shoulder and back. I think my body is trying to get rid of something and I hope it gets on with it. I am trying to visualize what I am becoming...see the future...use my imagination to imagine something great.

Tomorrow is a yard day - I need to find a way to stay active and engaged. To have a balanced life and stay in this program - I am better of being in the day, and not looking at the future too much.

I am hoping to feel better tomorrow.

I discovered that half of a pear is just about a fruit serving - good thing I have some experience throwing away food.

Day 19A

Great start to the day.

The concert was awesome - and I was easily able to follow the PCP guidelines.

I did more of the workout yesterday and feel OK today. I go back to the doctor today - hopefully I get the green light.

I did go on a bike ride yesterday. Our weather is improving and it feels great.

Spinach is not better steamed!

More later

Day 18 A

Off to a great start today - solid breakfast and a beautiful start to the day in Asheville. I took my daughter to school and am at the TABS office early. I weighed another pound less today so I am getting close to the 160s. For me pretty exciting.

The eggplant is great and I found that the steamer is great for the sweet potato that I enjoy (a good color). Also good to know that spinach has a high nutritional payload and is not heavy. Ren's egg cooking tips were great and I am getting closer to adding the third picture and a graph of weight and body fat. I just need that uninterrupted hour.

I went running yesterday in stead of just jumping and it is easier to run faster with less of me. However, after I returned and did my exercise my back and arm were quite painful. I went to my favorite Lenten service (a candlelight meditative service) and worked to pay attention to what my body was saying. To quit fighting and let is settle. Sad to say that the pain and spasming did not dissolve into a spiritual abyss.

But I did have some time last night to apply several sessions of alternating cold then heat. I got a better nights sleep and am convinced that I am on the mend. My hand is still wear, which makes pull ups comical. Meghan (wife) and I are going to a George Thorogood concert. It has been a long time since I went to a concert. It is an early birthday present for me. Long a go I rocked the house while I was a frat boy at Wofford college singing George Thorogood songs. HMMM...that was 28 years ago.

Go Team GO.

Day 17 A

Off to a good start - I weighted 171.5 this morning, which is some real movement. Speaking of weight - my wife had a dream that I weighed 152. I wrestled 155 in highschool. It is official - that is a goal.

I am running today instead of jumping - I will do the exercises as best as I can. I am going to work in the run more than normal.

I have made my food for lunch and snack - Go team Go!

day 16 B

A great day eating. I even used the yellow part of the egg in dinner and have saved the white part for my super night snack

Great time getting food. I made plenty of fish for the next and have veg ready to steam. I am excited about teh eggplant I got. A favorite.

Made some progress at teh Doctor today. She forbade me from using my arms for anything. HMMM...so I jumped without the rope. After Patricks e-mail I may go running for the rest of the week. I didn't know what to do about the arm exercises...so I did them with no weight...just focused slow movement. Talk about going through the motions :)

But that seemed way better than not doing them and I like sticking with the routine. I also did more core just to do something.

I hope this works

done for the day - WJ

Day 16 A

Great day eating so far!

I went to the doctor again - and made some progress - nerve pinch and pressure. I may be a case study for Patrick's next book. I am going to have an issue with some exercises this week. However, I will find a way to stay in the hunt.

Excited about colorful vegetable shopping today.

New steamer is great - simplifies things.

More later - WJ

day 15 b

OK - an egg white is not the snack I would select. I wonder if I could have no snack instead.

Enough complaining. An outstanding day of being willing to follow directions. What a comfort to follow direction with minimal thought...just do it.

Second, I am concerned/mad about the strength in my right hand. After 100 or so jump sit starts to slip. On the pull up I can see it failing. I am sending the same message to each hand and the right one will not obey. I have some fear and apprehension.

The upside I am already working on my fitness. I think this is something my chiropractor can help me overcome. Another challenge...bring it on.

I get to go to the EARTFARE, my fav supermarket tomorrow to get some more fish, raw oats (steel cut and regular) and some vegetables with color!

I miss running, but take some comfort that my best running is ahead of me.

That is a wrap day 15!

day 15 A

How great to eat at home and not on the road

total measurement perfection

I am going to the doctor for my right shoulder, arm, hand. Think posotive

WJ

Week two wrap

All in all an excellent week

Traveling and working on the road is a real challenge. I felt posotive about following the diet. I missed teh workouts and the comfort of home.

My wife and I spent the night at a resort last night and it was one more set of meals that I was doing the best I could. I did get the workout in and that felt great.

There is a real comfort being home with my scale and surroundings. I did get a steamer today and a new jump rope. Much better. I have been doing the jumping in sets and have started to introduce some twists (jump for 25 twisted to the left, then back to center, then to the right). The sets are getting longer and it is way better to jump in sock or I guess barefooted.

My goal this week is to discover how to put live graphs on either my flicker of blog page. I have an old scale that shows weight and % body fat. I love entering them regularly.

I am going to have an outstanding week. I have had fun telling people what I am doing and feeling like an athlete again.

super full day

good diet

good workout

Got massage today

TWEAKED left calf - had to finsih last 350 jumps on one leg

Good to be home

Got to GO

made it home

did great job with diet for entire trip

worked out today

back on track yeehaa

good to be home - sleep in own bed tonight

WJ

flight home this morning

good breakfast

will try and eat an apple before boarding

no snacks in airport

Watson

Day 10 new york

Another great diet day and very productive work day

Will be glad to get home

I need to work out

WJ

end of day two new york

Great job on the diet for day two on the road

I think I ate enough and had fruit when instructed

Exhausted

day two in New York

So faR SO GOOD DIET WISE IN NEW York

found great lunch

looking for fruit

Workout will happen

WJ

Day 9 in New York

I got to New York had a great day and stuck to my diet well.

I was a little short on what I was supposedd to eat. I missed a fruit and some milk. But I kept the big picture in mind.

I totally missed the workout. But I did swim a little and took a whirlpool and steam. It was great - I hope it helped my shoulder and elbow.

I am going to keep focusing on diet while I am on the road.

I really miss salt

Week Two Day 9

Traveling today

I am going to focus on Diet first

Go team Go

WJ

week Two (days 8 - 14)

Day 8

I like the diet

I miss salt

I like the new raw oat bread I got

I miss salt

My shoulder is killing me

I can totaly kick ass jumping rope compared to a week ago

I do full sets of 100 BANG

Having fun with variety push ups (brick, regular, iron gym - I think I like the bricks best

I am dong the sit ups like Patrick's picture - I do not take my elbows to my knees

I take too long between sets

I am picturing myself as the body I always wanted - this is a breakthrough moment

totally behind at work - flying to NYC for the week tomorrow

WHEW - a rich and full life

Week Two (days 8 - 14)

Day Eight

OK - I like the diet, but this is more than I have been eating. I am going to just be willing for this week to follow with zeal and not question.

I had oats and yogurt - egg veg and a wrap. I think I got it close to right.

More after lunch

It would be fun to find a widget that can track % body fat and weight for one of the pages -blog or flicker

week 1 day 7

Wow - I am done with week one.

What a great week

I went running sat and sun and did my PCP and ate half.

Nice time with family this weekend - sunshine warm weather - Fanitastic

Ready for week two

week One - Day 6

What a glorious day

I spent time with friends this morning

Made our garage in to PCP central in the afternoon

Did my workout and ran 3 miles with my son

I have a blazing fire and we are getting ready to watch Chariots of fire

GO TEAM GO!

Week one - Day 5

Week One - Day 5

Whew - What a day!

I went to my son's track meet 9 quite cold and I remembered to take my workout stuff. So there I was jumping rope, pushing up, squatting, and sitting up in the parking lot between his events. I have been hit and miss at work and making up for it after hours kind of.

I am still not caught up from the trip to SF and am excited for the work and thrilled that what I have been doing is including my personal life in the equation.

Push ups are getting better. on all the exercises I am trying to go slower. Except skipping rope - which I do MUCH better with when I pick up the pace. Today, I had a new insight. I have been thinking that when I miss it is my feet. Not so my friend, it is my arms, they slow down i fI dont remain mindful.

Going up stairs - good day

I worked out earlier today - nice to get a break in the action.

I can feel a part of my brain that wants to eat more. I am glad I am writing things down. I need to get going on the pictures. I am going to take it out of gear tonight. Watch a little netflix.

Listening to Allman brothers today - feel good music for me.

Pretty frustrating day - I did not get much traction. One of those days where I wish I had gone to see a movie.

Oh Well - I have done fine job with PCP and my exercise.

The sun will rise tomorrow.

WJ

Here we go day four

I had a good day yesterday. Although I could hear my mind thinking of reasons I should eat more. Even rice cakes seem like a treat. I have gotten better at planning to eat half. I just need to remember to keep the denominator the same. :)

The work out is going well. I used bricks for the push ups. Loved it - felt like Rocky, which for me is really good. My back is getting better - I am doing crunches as a substitute for sit-ups (If I go all the way up, and keep my feet on the ground - OUCH. I bring my elbows up and my knees up and the touch... repeat.

I am also using the Lenny Kravitz song " Are you going to go my way" as my theme song.

Enjoy the Day,

WJ

Felt good tonight doing the workout

Long day

Looking for discount flight from Australia to Shag hai i June

heading to bed

Watson

Day three

WHOOPS - I sprained my back on Saturday. But, I am on the mend and under Dr. Nancy's care. I am having a good experience with my weight. I lost a pound yesterday.

I am pumped about the process on Day three. Trying to be in the day...in the moment.

ALso doing a little visualization of what I hope to see. Definetly feeling the modest core exercises and pushups. Good.

Got to make money.

Watson

End of day two

A good day o feating half - I have been a plate cleaner in the past and it is odd to leave food behind. However, I think that is great imagery as I am leaving a part of me I no longer need behind as well.

Great news - I was helping a friend and he had an iron gym in his closet and a jump rope. So i am totally in the game in terms of gear.

Back felt better today, Go advil Go.

Should be able to post week 1 picture tomorrow.

Enjoy the Day - WJ

Day Two

Well - here goes day two. I ate less breakfast - I usually have oatmeal/gruel with yogurt and I had less than normal. I have not been able to throw out food when I served my own plate...just trying to serve less - or rather half.

I did weigh less today. GREAT

It is snowing today and my daughter has a two hour delay. It is not fun for me to be around the house after I have taken my son to school in the morning until after my wife and daughter have left. They just bicker and talk all the time.

End of Day One

I am happy to report that my back held up for the workout and WOW, I can still jump rope - funny how satisfying that can be. Jumping 50 times 5 times. hmmm

The rest was fine. I had not done push ups in a while and I could tell.

For lent I am not eating after the sun goes down...We will see how I feel after a few days of limited intake. Centered right now.

Going to doctor tomorrow for back. I don't have to fly for a few weeks. so that is good.

Enjoy the Day,

WJ

I just threw away part of my nutrigrain bar

That was odd. But inclusive to follow the suggestions.

I took some advil and think I can get the jump roping in - I hope the back is temporary.

Long plane rides are a pain in the .......

more later