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.

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

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.

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.

One Step Foward, Two Steps Back

I've been trying to keep with good habits, but it seems that everything I set to do I just can't keep with it. I haven't ran for over a week now. I have been walking stairs at work but that's not going to cut it.

The smoking has gone horriably off course, and it's time I admit that I can't do it on my own. I have a doctor's appointment set for this Thursday... well actually that's today, to get a perscription for Chantix, a stop smoking aid. Hopefully that will help me on this dirty little journey.

I did take a step foward and joined a gym, so as long as I use it that will be a great asset to me. I hope that this turns out different than all those other times. It seems like it's taking the same downturn but I am determined to not let it.

Rethinking the Hancock

So yesterday I ran a 8.45 mile (close to a personal best in my post college world) and so I was feeling pretty good. I though I would attempt to begin training for the Hustle up the Hancock... which now seems a very stupid and pointless thing. I went for about 10 minutes on the stairmaster and was dripping sweat from every pore on my body and was beyond tired, and that was at level 7... I am beginning to rethink this Hustle thing, not that I do not think I can do it, but that I wonder if i want to do it. It seems a lot of work and I may just stick to running.

I am also revising my goals set forth earlier. On Monday I ran 3 miles in about 27.45. This makes me think I can do a 5K (3.1 miles) in under 28 to begin with, so my revised goal is by year end a 5K under 26.30 and at least 1 under 27 min.

Just remember guys, consistency is the hardest part, but the most rewarding... better to run a mile every day for a week than to run 7 miles in one day and not run at all the next week...

There is the Lung Run in September, to benefit lung cancer research, I think this would be a good run for us considering we have stopped smoking and will be in MUCH better help when this comes around... let me know what you think.

J

Tired...

Everything seems to be going pretty well so far. Went up to the RoPo aka Rogers Park to shoot hoops with the guys from work yesterday, those guys really know how to wear a man out.

I am struggling to keep running because I try to do too many things in a day, but I'll make it. Except for today I am way to freaking tired to workout today. I feel like I'm going to pass out at any second.

Day one

Well today was officially the first day of the rest of my life or at least i hope so. I started at the gym and on my diet today.

The gym: well i think i am off to a good start i ran on the treadmill and also did some time on the eliptical and the stairmaster. Also had a good core, chest and arms workout.

The diet: well i have found out that it is not cheap to eat healthy. i spent alot of money but it is all worth it cuz i need to make some changes esspecialy the way i eat. working weird hours is no excuse to eat fast food all the time and become a fatass.

The smoking: well i think i have almost fully conqured one of my biggest deamons so i feel great about that.

Well i feel like this whole thing is possible and that i can finally start making the move to be a thiner fitter heathier me. the only thing i wish is that i had someone to workout with because this blogging helps but i would really like to have a workout partner as well. maybe we can all get together one day a week and play raquetball or something.

5K Training

I haven't smoked for 5 days, 9 hours and 42 minutes, saving 108.09 cigarettes and $24.32 .

That being said I start today with my 7 week training to run the 5k which is in 48 days. I have run a little before but never anything specific for training. Except for maybe hills and the track for football but even that had no purpose deep inside me.

I am excited, I have never run a race before and this is just a notch in my belt on the way to the marathon. I already know Jon is gonna whoop my ass because of the fact he has run these things before. I'm looking for forward to seeing what Nick has in him, he's a such great competitor and we always cause each other to take it up a notch. It seems as though Jon has caused me to try and raise the bar around him as well because he has another competitive spirit.

Lookin' Good

I played basketball with some guys from work yesterday and I thought I was gonna collapse at certain points. Looks like it'll be a weekly thing now which will be good, that kinda exercise I don't mind.

I got some hip hop workout videos which are fun and challenging as hell. I am hoping to add those in to non-run training days.

I am also looking into a Crunch Fitness membership because I get a discount from work and it's literally located across the street from the job.

Also: I haven't smoked for 1 day, 18 hours and 47 minutes, saving 35.65 cigarettes and $8.02 .