the "circle of life" or how the man is keeping us down....

I am still processing everything I have been reading the last couple of weeks. I am normally a quick read, but this book has proven to be so thought provoking that I find myself only able to get through two chapters a night....

I am not normally a big conspiracy theory kind of guy... but our American culture/political machine, or whatever you want to call it, has our very society on a crash course with disaster!

In the name of more/cheep/forever shelf life/over processed food, we are ruining our very bodies.... making more health problems, and putting a greater strain on our health care system.

the epic levels of obesity and other diseases are all directly related to our over eating.... even when we don't think we are over eating, we are, due to all the extra stuff they are putting into ALL of our foods ( challenge, walk into your kitchen and try to put together a meal without ANY High fructose Corn Syrup, or any derivative of it.... good luck)

HFCS has an ad campaign now to give it a positive spin. If it needs this, shouldn't that be telling us something is very wrong?

Look at it this way, if the Meat industry has found that feeding the cattle a diet of corn can fatten them up three times faster then their normal grass diet, shouldn't that tell us something?

Corn is the wonder food... it packs an amazing caloric punch, too much of one. without us knowing or trying, we are eating TONS of it, every year. This is making us fatter and fatter...
and adding to a host of medical problems....

The human body is designed to crave sweet things ( it is a survival trait, so we put on weight to get through the next drought or disaster ) the more sweet we eat, the more we crave.... this insane packed diet of HFCS's is feeding into this cycle... trapping us into becoming fatter and more unhealthy.

I know I sound a little crazy right now.... but read this book, and you will understand it.

I have a lot to learn about food and nutrition. I really didn't understand how much I didn't know.

So it takes a lot to shut me up...

Hello all! I know myself well. I am the ultimate Chatty Kathy. Its a part of my charm ,and a flaw. I am OK with this. I know who I am.

My point with all this is, there is a reason why I have not blogged in a while. I am speechless.

Everyone go out and read this book!

The Omnivore's Dilemma, a natural history of four meals
by
Michael Pollan

I am more that half way through this book, and it has changed the way I look at the world, what I eat, and the ramifications of our nations behavior.

this book has left me speechless. READ THIS BOOK!


PS Don't worry Nick, I am still on track.

In spite of work being a total madhouse, I am still eating better (although my eating habits are going to improve even more!) and doing my workouts.

What I have been up too...

Its been a while, but things are good. I am still exercising, eating right, and feeling good. I have been spending a lot of time and energy reading different theories on nutrition and the human body. Some fascinating findings, I will up date my blog tonight with my reading list.

Slow and steady I am reshaping my body. I am going to start making some adjustments to my food intake and see what happens from there.

Good times.

SPRING BREAK!

I have the week off! (kind of, I have to work tomorrow, but the rest of the week is mine!)

things are going well. I feel good, I'm liking the way I am looking, and I like the direction things are going.

good times!

Howdy

I don't have much to report today. I am now almost half way through the semester, crunch time, when everything happens at once. Because I have retrained my mind and my body, I am not falling into my old habits. I still get up in the morning, exercise, eat a healthy breakfast, and plan for my day.

I am eating normal meals throughout the day, instead of skipping meals and then shoveling too much food in late at night, post show.

I feel good.
I am handling the stress level better...
Oh and did I mention, my blood pressure and resting heart rate have gone down, I am being better to my ticker! GOOD TIMES!

Loving the body I am in...

I feel like I have finished the first chapter in working toward a new me. I have made some quality improvements in my health and lifestyle habits. I am teaching myself how to look at myself. I know that sounds cheesy, but really its true, we are our own worst enemies.

I am learning, when we focus on all the negative and the things we hate, it only sends us down a bad path, "oh well, I am fat anyway, I will eat this, or fuck getting on the treadmill, it won't help"

Embracing what is good about me and my body, is making it easier to work on the things that need work. Each day I feel better inside and out. It is magic. Its magic that I am creating myself.

This working on me, if making me get back to doing the things I want to do in my life. I went to an audition this week (My first real audition in OVER TWO YEARS) I held my own, I had fun, and I survived the dance call. I am getting ready for others.

Each new day brings me closer to where I want to be, and who I want to be.

Body is shifting.

Starting Nov. 30th 226lbs Today March 1st 210lbs
Chest messurement 46" today 44"
Waist 45" today 40"
Hips 42" Today 42"

Quads 22" today 23"

All my size 36 pants and shorts are in a bag for good will, I can pull them on and off totally buttoned up

I am comfortably fitting into all my 34" (and I can fit into my "Loose fit" 32" jeans!

I have lost 7" of "fat" zone size and built up another inch to my quads (leg muscles) and a good thing, I had such skinny embarrassing legs (I am being sarcastic)

I do a minimum of one hour of cardio six days a week and burn about 1,000 calories in each session.

I am starting to see my abdominal muscles peaking out from the tub of lard!

I feel great.

Good times!

end of another week...

So this is the end of my second week of serious running. Today I ran three consecutive 11.5 minute miles! With the incline on 4. I feel great.

I am going to take all new measurements, I can tell I have lost inches... I can't wait to see how many.

#$%#$

Why am I not a super model yet?!

Damm it!


Ok that's all I got, just a case of the ho-hums.
sad face

its working.

Yesterday one of my staff members noticed that I have gotten skinnier!!!
She even said that I look different, my whole body is streamlining.

When someone sees you every day, and the notice, that's some good times!

Every day, lots of miles!

I did another four miles this morning, I feel amazing, my lower back isn't hurting anymore... I am also stretching 25 minutes a day.

I plan on doing some more cardio tonight, when I get home.

Interestingly enough, I am also sleeping better at night.....

Connection? I think so.

four miles!

I ran four miles today in one session.... I am not breaking any land speed records (but for me a 12.5 minute mile is trucking!) I feel great, I burned over 800 calories in one workout session. This afternoon I'm gonna do some Pilate's and then another smaller cardio session. my goal for this week is to average 1000 calories a day in cardio burn to see if that ramps up the weight loss some more.

I feel amazing!

Stress now equals exersize....

It used to equal, lots of carbs, and deep fried food, and cakes, cookies, milkshakes... and potato chips, and french fries.... and bread... lots and lots of fresh bread.

now it equals treadmill... I used to call it the dreadmill... now its my time, to unwind the gears in my mind. (If we could put a generator to my mind the whole planet would have enough electricity for a century)

The world is crazy, my job out look is lousy as Arizona is in a race with California to see who can become a third world country first.... but it will all work out and I will deal with it.

Good times.

I am gonna go work out now.

When you work toward your goals, things come to you...

One of the non health reasons to get my fat ass in shape, was to be able to start performing again and not be so self conscious....
Well without trying things have come to me! I am cast in a play that goes up the end of April, and in May I will be dancing in the Spring concert at the college!!!!

Good times!

I am also at just about at goal for this month!!!! Good times!

my last cardio workout I burned 750 calories! I am feeling great.

Trucking along!!!

Its not half way through the month and I am half way to my goal weight for the month!!!!!

I am loving it!

good times!

Smell it bitches!

214.4 lbs

I can now jog 3 miles at a time. I am dealing with stress better at work (as in I don't punch anyone, I don't eat a candy bar, and I don't go to Jack in the Box) I am taking walking lunch breaks everyday now. I am now officially between my fat pants and my almost skinny pants.

Good Times!

Here we go....

I have not been blogging as much as I would like. Work has been extra crazy. I am starting to really think about other options. Show biz is not fun anymore. Plus its not like I am helping other people achieve greatness... I am teching shows at a two bit community college in a desolate uncultured red state. Ouch... tell us how you really feel.

In other news this is all inspiring me to log a lot more time with the jogging.

Other wise doing well, I am right on target, and thats all one can ask for yes?

Yes.

I had a bad day.

Tech week, first week of the school's semester and it is also tech week, this should never happen again....

did I mention my assistant TD is out for the week, and my rock star stage manager has another gig? OH yes, this is the third ring of hell.

In the past I would reach for lots of chocolate in instances like today. My new habit has been to take a little walk. I didn't eat lots of junk food today. I did however take two 15 minute walks.

Tomorrow is final dress....and then shows Friday and Saturday...

Oh this will be a rough semester....
good times.

A quiet thing...

I have not been writing much lately... Things I am noticing.

Fast food is gross, and doesn't taste good.

OK that was not a big revelation... In eating better we have been avoiding fast food. Tonight we were running around (price checking Home Depot vs. Loews ) and decided to grab a bite at Boston Market. We used to love Boston Market. Not so much. It was heavy and drenched in sodium. The meal was totally gross.

Restaurants food portions really are double to triple what we need.

In the last month I have not finished a single meal in a restaurant, unless it was a "small" or "right sized" portion. I get lots of protest from my servers... because they somehow know what I need or want... how could I possibly be full on a "child sized" portion. Otherwise I take half of it home.

I am not dropping drastic weight. It is slow and steady. I feel good. I like the way I am looking. I am enjoying working out. I am stronger, and healthier. I have more endurance with cardiovascular workouts.

Nothing exciting to report, other than I am changed.

sore....

We are still doing resistance training four days a week, but we are adding some more intensity to the workout...

I am hitting the cardio sessions harder, and making them longer, I am averaging about 500 calories of burn per session.

I feel good, but boy and I out of shape, and sore! Slowly getting there.
slowly.

Good times.

Ramping it up!

I jogged two miles nonstop today!

It took me 28 minutes.

It felt great.

Goal for the end of the month....

We all have landmark weights... or happy zones... these are places where the body says.... "hey, I like this weight, this is what I should weight, regardless of what you think..."
For me its 215.... once I blast past this point, I can make magic happen... the trick is getting my body to agree with my mind... once I do that, its all good....

To stay on target with my month to month goal of 4 pounds a month I will be sitting at 215....

So close.

I want to be well past this mark so I know I am on my way to the promised land....
plus I am thinking about all the really cute swim suits I got on sale last year, and the fact that we have a pool... and that means pool parties.... and In Arizona bathing suit season starts earlier and goes well past Ohio's...
so there is work to do!

I jogged a full mile yesterday without stopping... another landmark, my cardio endurance is increasing again, it feels good.

PS

I can do 25 push ups with out stopping... not to bad...
I'm just saying.

What gives?

Hey all,
fun fact, I like to exercise. I truly enjoy breaking a sweat and pushing my body to its limits. No really, its true.

I have an over active mind (Hey, I know who I am... and when I exercise I feel like my mind slows down and my body catches up. I am sure they make a pill for this, but I believe pills should be saved for recreational purposes...)

In fact before we moved out to AZ I thought I was going to get back in shape and study to become a personal trainer. (I love teaching and I am good at it, so I thought what a perfect combo....)

What happened you ask?

I got scared. I didn't know where to start, I was depressed, the move was sudden and I didn't know anyone. I missed my family and friends. I missed not having a job (typical male I have my self worth tied directly into my paycheck).

I did the most obvious and worst thing I could do, eat a lot and gain 20 more pounds!

So then I decided I was too fat to be a personal trainer (I thought wow I am a walking SNL sketch)

I still have all the study at home items collecting dust... it's never too late.

The next question, if I love exercise so much, what gives? Why don't I do it all the time and get healthy and happy with my body?

Ever notice the farther out of shape you get, the less inspired you are to work out? Is it because you are sad at what little your capable of? Is it regret for letting you slip away? It becomes a slippery slope.


Before I met Chris I did not have cable TV. It was not a priority. It was not in the budget. I did not care, I felt that I was living life instead of watching other people live.

When we finished remodeling the house (about eight months before the big move) we rewarded ourselves with cable.

This is a totally lame excuse.

I was a Moth to the flame....

It is such an easy escape.

I at least can see it now for what it really is.

Plus I could turn the TV on and get on the treadmill...

Why does the TV brainwash you and turn you into a lazy pile of crap? what is its intoxicating power?

Kill your TV and go out and live.

That time of year...

That time of year is now officially over. I am back at work, back in my own home, and grateful to have survived the holiday mayhem.

I think I saw enough food in one month that would've fed me for the next year.

What is that all about?

And (this includes myself) must one always bring something unhealthy over to a friends/family member's house when we pay a visit? To be nice? Here you go, something unhealthy that you will regret eating/drinking later... Cheers!

WTF?

I am just as guilty as the next person... so how do we stop? If I want to be polite and bring a small something when I come over for a visit, what should it be?

Please post your suggestions.... Something that is not food or booze that would be a nice small token.

Happy new year