Almost Been A Year

Well its been a while so i figured i would give an update. I am weighing in at 200lbs even as of today and im happy with that concidering i went up to 210 after wedding season but I am back on track now. In other news I made it into paramedic school and i am really excited about that. I got in and got the money together but now im just waiting to see how work can adjust my shift for the next year. It will be a long hard journey but it will be worth it in the end putting me one step closer(the biggest step) to my dream of being a firefighter. I also only did 1 5K this year and it was the cougar 5K at SXU not because i didnt want to do more but with paying off bills and trying to save up for medic school the entry fee's start to add up. But for next year I would like to do a few more as well as even train for the chicago half marathon. Well thats all i got for now but i will update again soon .

7 months in

Well lets see here now...... I am 7 months into my total me makeover and i am still going very well. I have cut back alot on the calorie counting to try and keep things normal and just watch what i eat but i have to admit when you dont have to look at the calories everday i find myself cheating alot more than i want. The other thing is im at the gym alot now and i feel great about that. I am still at 195lbs and i would love to get down to that 185-190 mark by the time one year rolls around but i am very happy with my fitness goals. I regularly go on 5 mile runs now and i can keep a steady pace of 10 min miles while doing it ad i have also gotten to the point where i can do pull-ups. 5 to be exact and that is something else i have never been able to do. well i hope to keep moving right along and will keep everyone updated.

training

Well happy memorial day to all and I just wanted to say that today was a great day for me. Even though i wasnt able to run in the ridge run 5K today I still went out on a run of my own. I was able to run for an hour straight for about 6 miles. I couldnt belive it I kinda felt like forest gump and i just started running and didnt want to stop. The working out has been going well too. I feel like all the pieces are comming together. I have even been looking into the idea of trying to run in the Chicago triathalon next year. I love my new lifestyle and even though this all started with a goal to swim accross lake geneva and we all kindda went off track a little but im thinking if i can train and finish the chicago tri then my next goal would be to do the bigfoot beach tri in lake geneva. Well to all my comrades good luck and i hope to hear from you guys and see how everone is doing.

the next phase begins

Well I am down to 195 now and I am soooo happy. I feel great and I am super proud of myself. Now that I am done with school I can begin the next phase and that is going to the gym to work on my body and overall physical ability. I have lost the weight but havent had much time to go to the gym so I get to start that and hopefully I will be able to get myself into the shape I want to be in. my first 5k is coming up and then hopefully to bigger and better things for next year.

getting closer

well i steped on the scale last thursday and i couldnt belive it, i finally broke the 200lbs mark. i weighed in at 198 . i feel fantastic. i am in the best shape of my life and am so happy. on other notes only 2 weeks left of emt school then a much needed summer and then hopefully i get into paramedic school and am able to make the next step in my life.

Almost there

Well it has been a little over 4 months since I basically started my life over and I feel amazing. I have lost 60 lbs so for and only need a few more to go til I reach my goal. I also have been 5 months without a drink or a smoke. I feel like a new better person than I was before. I am in the best shape of my life and its only going to get better. I am still training for my first 5k which I am changing and it will prolly be the run to remember. Over all my endurance is great and I don't think the 5k will be a problem. On other notes I am almost done with EMT school and I am still #1 in my class. I sit for my state licensing test in june. Also hopefully I will be going to get my instructor cert in first aid first responder and cpr aed. And if everything goes acording to plans I will be starting paramedic school in august. Besides that I am going to be getting on as a paid on call firefighter for merrionette park once I finish with emt school. Just one more step in a long journey. But I'm on the right track now and when I get done with medic school I will be 2/3 of the way to getting my A.A.S. Degree. Then I will be able to go back to school to study fire science and nursing. Well besides all of that I almost have all my debt paid off and hopefully I will be getting an apartment with my girlfriend around jan of next year. Well I will keep in touch and good luck to everyone else. I hope your progress is going well.

I Really Can't Belive It

Well I feel great and I never thought I would be able to get to where I am today but with more motivation and determination then I ever thought I had I have been able to find the will power to become a different and better person than I was before. As of today I am down to 206 lbs from the 260 I was at when I started my journey 3 months ago. I feel like a new person. A more confident healthier more motivated person. The only thing I wish is that I could go to the gym more often but with work and school it has been hard to get there but I am still getting into better shape. Anyway I just thought I would update. Hope everyone else is doing well and hope to hear from you guys.

-Nick-

Keep on movin

Well as of today I am down to 215lbs. I cant belive it. I havent been this weight since I graduated high school. I can honestly say that I am in the best shape of my life and I am only going to get better. I also have my best mile time ever that I logged today. 8min even. Thas quite the improvement from where I was 4 months ago. Well just wanted to giv an update. I have also added the 5th 5k of the year to run on my list. I am running in the run for hope 5k on 6/7. Well I only got about another 20-30 lbs to go before I reach my ultimate goal of being @ 190 lbs. I have also come to realize that with enough self motivation and will power you can overcome anything that stands in front of you.

Today

Today marks 2 weeks on Chantix. I get cravings and some are much worse than others, like right now. Usually I just have a cup of tea and it passes but it's not going away so I figured I'd write a post to deter my mind.

I've been pushing the scale down little by little, not as much as Nick O., but not to bad. I need to get back to the gym REGULARLY. I've been pushing it off because the smoking was holding me back big time. I should be good to go back full speed again soon.

My Goals For Now

I have looked online and I have found a few 5K's that I am gonna try this year. My goal was to do at least 5 , 5k runs so here is what I have found.

1)The Chocolate Chase Rabbit Race in Palos on 4/4
2)the Quarryman Challenge in Lemont on 5/2
3)The CFD run for kids on 7/9
4)The cougar 5k at SXU in October

Well besides those I still need to find 1 more but overall i am very excited. As far as the rest goes School is still going very well I talked to my instructor and he said I was #1 in the class right now overall so that is great. And I am still lossing weight and getting in better shape everday. On sat I finnaly got my mile time to under 9min and as of today I am down about 38 lbs from october so only about another 20-30 to go before i am at my goal. So I feel great and it feels so good to finally accomplish my goals for once. Well I will keep you all updated.

What the future holds

Well it sure has been a long time so i figured i should go ahead and update with some new goals and things that have been going on in my life. First off i am really proud of myself for how far i have come in the past few months.
1) I havent had a single smoke in over 3 months now
2) I have cut out alcohol completely for about 3 months
3) I have been eating really healthy and working out regularly
4) I am down 30 lbs right now
5) I have gotten into pretty good shape and have got my mile time to 9:30

So I have had to overcome a few obsticals in my way but i have overcome because I have decided that i will let nothing get in my way of achieving my goals and being fit and healthy.

As far as future plans go I dont have anything exciting like joing rugby to talk about (even though it would be fun) but i do have a goal set for wanting to do at least 5 , 5K runs this year and posibly even an 8k. Besides that i am mainly just traing so that anytime in the future i get confronted with a physical callenge i will not fail. So bring on the Fire test and Bring on the police test. For now im just trying to get to the gym as much as posible with working full time and EMT school but once class is out then i can get back to the gym 5-6 days a week again.

Well thats all for now and I will update ya'll on how things progress.

We're Bringing Sexy Back!

I have been doing a little but not enough to keep myself on track. I'll try to post at least once a week to keep myself in check.

I started using Chantix (the quit smoking pill) because all previous efforts have failed me. I'm on day two and my quit date is Monday so we'll see how this goes. I really do want to quit, each time I've truly wanted to quit. I just hope this is the final nail in that coffin.

As Jon stated I am going to be playing for the Chicago Riot. This will be my first time ever playing rugby. I've watched rugby but never played it. It's a physically demanding sport and I know it will help me in my efforts to get and stay healthy. I am very excited to start hitting people again.

I am signing up for my first 5k since the Cougar 5k fell through and I wasn't ready any way. I am signing up for the Run to Remember, a 5k benefiting the families of fallen CPD heroes. I will be there even if I have to walk part I'll finish the race and have one under my belt. I hope this will motivate me even more to compete harder, train harder and finish more races.

Well that's what's going on in a nutshell. Deuces!

and so it begins again

so I'm posting again... it's been awhile... but 2 things triggered me to post

1. Jay calling me yesterday. This reminded me about rugby and how soon it will be upon me. Last weekend we had our 2008 banquet where I won Most Improved Player. I felt this was a great honor. It means that my dedication last year showed. It means I improved upon myself and therefore improved the team. Rugby is a team sport filled with individuals. It is much more brutal than football, we don't wear pads, we don't have blockers, we just hit each other. Oddly enough, there are fewer major injuries in rugby than in football. Sure there are sprained ankles, or the occasional arm twist, but as far as broken bones go... it's much safer. I think that this is due to the fitness and finesse that rugby is. I'm excited as hell that Jay is going to come out this spring for Chicago Riot Rugby. Rugby is a great team sport that gets you in shape as well, increases your natural competitiveness and makes a lot of good friends. One thing is for sure: this season is going to be awesome.

2. Today, I began training for the Shamrock Shuffle. This is an 8K (5 miles) ran on March 29th. I'm using Hal Higdon's intermediate training program. This involved me running 3 miles today, as well as some strength and stretching. I ran 2 miles, and then had to take a couple, short, walking breaks. I did finish 3 miles, and I finished it running. It took me just under 29 minutes. I'm proud that I finished the 3 miles, but I do see the room and need for improvement. I have 8 weeks in which to train and complete the 8K. Last year I finished in 47:19...


With that in mind. I set forth my goals for 2009 (I may be a month late, but honestly, it's better late than never)

1. Shamrock Shuffle in under 45 minutes
2. Multiple 5K's throughout the summer (end goal of one under 26.30)
3. Success during Rugby
4. Look Good

I know that Goals 3 and 4 are not definite, but I see them as definite. Look Good means I do not have a definite weight goal, I do not feel I need one because, although I would like to lose 20 or 30 pounds, I would like to gain 10 to 15 pounds in muscle. Look Good means to take my shirt off at the beach without a second thought. Look Good means I will no longer have that "pouch", "spare tire", "gut" or whatever else you call it... I define it as there's no "hang-over" the waist of my pants....


ok, that's a lot for the first post in a while, but it's needed to revive this.

Let me know where you are and where you would like to be and most importantly, how WE can get there.

JW

Minor Update from Quitomzilla

There is a nice add-on for your Firefox browser to help you quit smoking. It's a nice little app that will tell you how much you've saved and how long it's been since you quit.

Here are my stats: I haven't smoked for 1 week, 2 days and 18 hours, saving 195.39 cigarettes and $48.84 .

Here is the link: Quitomzilla

Training

Well I have two days of running under my belt now and even though I am sore as hell I feel great. I have been running/jogging 2 miles because the test I am training for is 1 1/2 miles and I need to run it in 13:46. For some reason I feel super motivated about this attempt at the test. I need to do something with my life and prove to myself that I can do it. I got a long way to go because I have averaged a 2 mile time of 27 min but I also never really ran before. Also quiting smoking will help too. No smokes for 6 days.

Time for a new me

We just like Jay I failed miserably at my goals that I set and now I have to do something about it. I have a great opportunity to become a police officer and all I have to do is pass the power test. The only problem has been that I never was able to motivate myself to do it. Now is a little different because I have failed it 3 times before and I will not do it again. I also got really motivated when my boss sat me down and told me how much they want me on the department. And the last thing is that my partner has told me that he will help me train for the test. And that is super important because I think that might of been one of the reasons I have failed in the past was because I had no one to train with. Well I have to do this. I need to do this for me and for everyone else. I need to do something with my life and I need to become a healthier and fitter me. I will keep ya'll updated.

Uhm, just a sec. I need to go throw up.

My first full workout with Ben the trainer was today. Needless to say he kicked my ass, and I deserved it for being a lazy piece of crap for the last oh... 7 years.

He strapped me up with a heart monitor and it was time to go! We started out with a little cardio, that was cool, no major complaints. Then the torture started. We hit the arm bike, 30 forward then 30 backward then fast to the stationary bike for a minute then fast back to the arm bike, 4x. I got up after the last set and when I saw myself in the mirror, I honestly couldn't remember the last time I was that sweaty. Then pull ups and push ups and step things and some ball on the ground and leg ups and swinging a giant metal ball then...

Me: Uhm Ben I need a sec.
Ben: Come on keep moving your doing fine.
Me: Uhm, just a sec. I need to go throw up.

5 minutes later...

Ben: Did you throw up?
Me: Yeah, I feel better now.
Ben: *High Five* Yes! That's my second this year!
Me: This is gonna fun.
Ben: Yes!

Well, now it was time to cycle through all the exercises again. I made it through to the end and it was time to throw up again. Man I am amazingly out of shape. This time though I couldn't keep going I was getting dizzy and my workout was pretty much done anyway. I threw up one more time for the trifecta and went to talk it out with Ben. He took my heart monitor and got really excited because, well first because he made me puke three times, but second because I burned 834 calories. I got excited because this weeks torture session was over.

Beave's Kitchen

I my quest to become a better, stronger, healthier me, I am taking my old recipes and turning them healthy. I will be sharing all of my recipes on my new blog Beave's Kitchen. Every few days I'll post a new super healthy but super tasty recipe.

Check it out and tell me if it needs more salt.

I Can Only Speak for Myself

I don't know how everyone else's past 2 and a half months went but mine sucked. I failed miserably in any attempt to stay or become healthy. It's time to start again.

I got myself a personal trainer to help me get to where I want to be. One day a week I will be meeting with "Ben," who will be kicking my ass and making sure the rest of the week I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing. You should see the print out they gave me. If I stick to the program I'm gonna look like an effing beast.

I went grocery shopping to to buy the necessary food stuffs. BORING! But I'm pretty good at the cooking thing so I hope to make it easy. Oh and Aldi's makes it really easy to eat really good for really cheap. I got 6 pork chops, 4 pieces of salmon, 8 flavored tuna packs, 12 cans of chicken, 2 bags of almonds, a whole bunch of frozen fruit, jello cups, vitamins, a big tub of yogurt and some other crap for like 60 bucks. Try doing that anywhere else. All the old food and crap around the house, yeah that's been removed. Out with the old in with the new.

I am going to stop being a sissy and not smoke another cigarette. I need to have self control if I am going to stick with this. If I can't not smoke, I can't do any of this.

I am motivated. I am ready. I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.

I guess you can call it progress

Well just like jay i have gone way south on the running portion of the plan. I havn't run in about two weeks but i still feel pretty damn good about myself. Its not that i am totally lazy i have been pretty busy lately and havnt had much time for running. But i willget back to the gym if not for our group goal then for my own new goal of being in shape so when i finally get a call from a Fire dept. then i wont have to kill myself training and can just go and do it. I have let good career opportunities pass me by before due to my poor fitness and i will not let it happen again.

As far as the smoking goes i am doing better. I am not longer a "full time" smoker and have only been having smokes on occasion. so if i can beat those urges on occasion then i will have this monster beat.

And to the diet or lack there of. I am not one of those people who can diet easily. I LOVE FOOD. but i also am not to worried about it because with fittness comes weightloss and im not too upset with myself and my body it could be worse but it caould also be alot better.

Anyway i am going for my written test for the Milwaukee Fire Dept on tues and we will see what comes of that and then i am off the the wis dell for thurs to sun. and then after that i have no more major plans and maybe i can get myself back on track..

Peace out,
Nick