Up Off The Mat

Back in the Saddle

2012-07-01T18:45:00.002-07:00

Life definitely gets in the way!!

After trying to finish off the season and then being on the road for almost four months straight, five weeks of which were consecutive, and during which time I gained 15 pounds!! I have begun again to find a way to change. Having reached 210 pounds, and being uncomfortable and unhappy most of the time I have begun to move again. I call it shuffling, because jogging or running it isn't, but at least it is some place to start.

It is a choice.

Oops!!

2012-01-31T11:12:00.000-08:00

198.8 :(

The half gallon of ice cream I ate over two days probably was not good.

It is a choice.

Holding Pattern

2012-01-29T21:24:00.000-08:00

197.4, 28.4.

Not bad considering was on the bus all day yesterday and had fast food on the way back last night with the boys.

Honestly can't seem to get the enthusiasm back for going after this, but trying to at least not eat too poorly too often.

It is a choice ( and a battle ).

And Today's Winner Is

2012-01-27T22:21:00.000-08:00

197.4 Pounds. Not horrible.

The comical part is that I have had cinnamon pancakes each of the last two nights prior to going to be at 2:00 AM or so. Does not seem to be hurting me that badly, but probably not helping too much either.

We travel tomorrow, 5 hours on the bus each way. I have fruit and protein drink to take with me plus nice sandwiches from a local fresh bakery.

It is a choice.

Stupid is As Stupid Does

2012-01-26T17:06:00.000-08:00

Just a quick story to share. Last night at practice one of my players, a supposed college athlete, said he had to "pee." I looked at him funny and he headed off to the bathroom. He came back 15 minutes later and it did not give it any more thought at that time. During conditioning at the end of practice he asked if he could take a short break and my answer was no!! During the cool down at the end of practice when I visit briefly with every player, he confessed that he had been throwing up earlier. When I asked why he said that he had chicken nuggets just before practice.

This is not the first player to be this dumb, a couple of weeks ago a freshman had the same issue and it was because he had pasta and HOT DOGS for dinner.

It is a choice.

Yo-Yo

2012-01-26T17:01:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, 199.0. Today 196.8.

I do not think it is a good sign that my weight is fluctuating this much, but it is.

It is a choice.

Simply Put

2012-01-24T15:13:00.000-08:00

There is no real mystery here. When I was a kid I never stopped moving. When I become a somewhat serious athlete it was 2 1/2 to 3 hours of practice per day, lifting, walking or riding the bike home, go for a run every day. In college that only increased.

Then through my 20s there was club lacrosse, summer leagues, pick-up basketball and the habitual daily run.

30s was the same thing, with much more travel, but no desserts when traveling, no red meat, no cheese, and what I liked to call "running tours." I would literally get to know the places I was, from DC to Brussels, to Bern, to Steamboat, by running different loops around town. If that wasn't possible there was always the runs up and down the hallways and stairways in hotels.

40s was coaching and running, and especially at Chico State it was a run every morning early and then off to the office, plus lifting 6 nights a week.

Fast forward to now, wrecked my knee, stopped running, starting eating fast food after late practices and so my metabolism is essentially stopped, relative to what it was, and my exercise is zero.

All one can do is keep trying.

It is a choice.

Around and Around We Go

2012-01-24T15:03:00.000-08:00

199.0 yesterday, 197.8 today.

No ice cream or fast food yesterday.

This is not rocket science!!

It is a choice.

AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH

2012-01-19T15:43:00.001-08:00

198.8.

Just not making good choices right now!!

It is a choice.

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

2012-01-16T14:07:00.000-08:00

197, 198, 198.8, 197. Or something like that.

Two a days last week made it tough. I did not eat the way I should, or often enough. I did walk most every day, but without eating right or hydrating enough I just did not do a good job. Went to Mickey D's three times. Bought some more ice cream. Old habits are definitely hard to break.

Now traveling tonight and tomorrow, but will keep trying to do better.

It is a choice. (and one that I did not do well with last week)

Fooooood

2012-01-09T21:14:00.000-08:00

Glass of fresh apple cider
Couple of bites of Wheat Chex
Apple Walnut salad (multiple small servings)
1 1/2 hard boiled eggs (sliced with salad at dinner)
One teaspoon of peanut butter

Roughly 48 oz of water
One cup warm apple cider

It is a choice.

Today's Adventure (Exercise)

2012-01-09T21:10:00.000-08:00

Walked 2.0 miles in 50 minutes. Back was sore again on walk. It is what it is. Also paced a bit at three hours of practice.

It is a choice.

Take Two

2012-01-09T06:51:00.000-08:00

200.2 Pounds. 27.4 Percent body fat.

Had to travel this weekend to recruit and traveling is the hardest time to do the right thing, eat the right way, move as much as I should. Did start out right. Took container of celery sticks and grapes for the flight. Wound up eating well, as in decadently, enjoying deserts, and not walking enough.

Today is the beginning of our pre-season, or two a days, so will walk while the guys run, and will try and eat the right way again!! We shall see.

It is a choice.

Day Off

2012-01-05T23:20:00.000-08:00

One thing I forgot to mention is that every Thursday is all you can eat day. Not exactly, but it has always been the day that I do not workout and that I can eat what I want.

I over did it.

It is important to give yourself, and your body, a break once a week.

It is a choice.

Exercise for the Day

2012-01-04T19:48:00.001-08:00

40 Minute walk (2.0 miles).

The walk felt better today, although winded while on the phone.

It is a choice.

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

2012-01-04T10:37:00.000-08:00

195.6 Pounds. 27.7 Percent body fat.

Here is the interesting thing today, which we will go into in more detail later, but I didn't sleep well early and thus woke up at 2ish. I got on the scale shortly after that, and was at 197. This means that after I fell back to sleep, which was probably 5ish, my body continued to burn off another pound and a half. I also vaguely remember having a dream about eating ice cream and being very angry at myself.

Interesting.

It is a choice.

Exercise for the Day

2012-01-03T17:37:00.001-08:00

Went for a 40 minute walk (1.8 miles). Did not make it to the bike.

Back got sore again, but not until the end. Felt really good on the way out, and half way back, then got tired.

It is a choice.

Food for the Day

2012-01-03T16:26:00.000-08:00

Pretty similar to yesterday:

Full glass of cider

Small bowl of Wheat Chex

Aroweat English Muffin w/peanut butter (1/2 at a time)

Small helpings of Walnut Apple salad

It is a choice.

Dawn of a New Day

2012-01-03T08:45:00.001-08:00

196.8 Pounds. 28.7 percent body fat.

Not a surprise that the scale was kind today after moving from tater tots and ice cream on Sunday to fresh juice, wheat checks, and salad. I still believe that the hydration, over 64 fluid oz of water yesterday, helps a great deal.

It is a choice.

Exercise for the Day

2012-01-02T17:49:00.000-08:00

Went for a 25 minute walk. 5 minute spin on the bike.

Back got sore on the walk. Lactic acid built up quickly during spin. Definitely starting from scratch.

It is a choice.

Walnut Apple Salad

2012-01-02T15:23:00.000-08:00

First, to be clear, I have no original thoughts, so I am sure I got this salad from somewhere, or at least the idea.

Large spinach (whole leafs)
White cabbage (chopped)
Granny Smith apples (cubes)
Macintosh apples (cubes)
Red seedless grapes (sliced in two)
Crumbled blue cheese
Crumbled feta
Handful of walnuts (chopped)
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar

All of these ingredients can be substituted for with like ingredients based on personal preference. The point is to have the greens and the fresh fruit as the bulk of the salad, and to have cheeses and walnuts in small quantities to add flavor and protein.

Create a bed of spinach and cabbage on bottom of salad bowl. Place apples, grapes, walnuts and crumbles over bed. Sprinkle with olive oil and balsamic. Toss and eat.

It is a choice.

Food for the Day

2012-01-02T15:08:00.000-08:00

Small glass (4 oz) of fresh apple cider (locally sourced)
Small bowl of Wheat Chex with Lactaid Fat Free milk with calcium
Celery sticks (1 1/2 thus far)
Small helpings (3) of Walnut Apple Salad (see post)

It is a choice.

Celebrating Small Victories

2012-01-02T13:02:00.000-08:00

If there is one thing I have learned from business and coaching it is to celebrate small victories. Back from the store. Lots of green things came back with me, celery, cabbage, spinach!! Time for a couple of celery sticks for a snack and then have to keep moving.

It is a choice.

Sluggish Start

2012-01-02T11:34:00.000-08:00

Not sleeping well last night, and still recovering from being sick, I passed out again and slept for a while. Follow that up with needing to watch the Tournament of Roses Parade, a friend's son was marching, and no I did not see him while trying to capture every minute I could with two different channels, and then the start of two very boring bowl games, and now it is 12:30 PM and I have yet to get on the bike.

Breakfast, grocery store for salad stuff, and extra veggies, then probably a walk on the Green Belt, then 10 minutes on the bike at some point this afternoon. Grand plans, hope it works out.

It is a choice.

Amusing Place to Start

2012-01-02T05:59:00.000-08:00

200 Pounds - 30 % body fat!!

Just some background; from my Junior year in high school until three years ago I was between 165 and 170 pounds, with very little deviation, 184 my junior year of college while getting ready for football, 148 3 1/2 years ago while sick. The 148 was probably a part of the issue, but still.

A big part of this is karma as I have spent much of my life saying that I would also be active, always keep running, and "I will never become my father" physically speaking, who is exactly the person I see when I look in the mirror right now.

The knee feels as "vacant" as usual right now, but is not sore this morning. Time to change and get on the bike now. Will start extremely slow this morning. Probably 10 minutes.

It is a choice.