Challenge Yourself

When was the last time you challenged yourself? even if its a small one. I know it’s been a while for me. Until now. I was talking with my older brother the other night, and during the conversation he mentioned that it had been a while – months in fact – since he had some sweets . He has quite a sweet tooth, as do I , so this isn’t easy. So when he put forth a challenge that i couldn’t go a month without them, i decided take him up on it. For the month of November, we won’t consume any sweets. It’s a gentlemen’s bet. I believe I can do this. In fact, If you see me out on the town and catch me breaking the challenge, I’ll give you $20. What does this include, you wonder? Soda, candy, sugary coffee drinks (like my mocha), cookies, cake, pie, ice cream – basically anything that is bad for you and consumed during the holidays. Juices and lemonade are fine. In anticipation of November 1st, I was tempted to binge a little. I came up with the idea of a cupcake crawl, and even tweeted about it, to see if there was any interest from others. A few people liked the idea, but nobody agreed to participate. This was for the best. Binging just isn’t healthy. I still had the craving though. Fortunately, I was able to extinguish that desire by watching an episode of the Biggest Loser. Seeing the amount of sacrifice and motivation they need to overcome their current condition is humbling. I could stop there. However, I could also use this opportunity to do another, complementary challenge. Not eating sweets for a month is preventing me from doing something bad. I decided to take on a challenge that would make me do something good. This one was inspired by my friend Anthony Stevens. He recently challenged himself to exercise for 100 consecutive days. He did it! An admirable challenge to be sure. However, I’m going to start with 30 consecutive days of exercise. I can re-up at the end of the November right? Besides, i like that the 2 challenges will line up with one another. To be clear, both challenges begin on November 1 and end November 30. Do you want to participate in either one (or both) of the challenges? If so, write which challenge you want to do in the comments. Let’s work together on this.

lifting weights

In my efforts to get fit, I’ve historically avoided lifting weights. I’ve always felt that i gain mass easily. So i feared that I would become one of those guys with no neck, giant muscles but no muscle definition. That’s the exact thing I don’t want. Because of that I’ve been focusing on cardio. After all, look at marathon runners. They have small, defined muscles and they still have a neck. I really want to delete my belly and love handles. By the way, I’ve never loved them. That’s the worst name ever! I recently read Urban Smiler’s article “So you want a flat tummy/6 pack”. When I saw the title I thought “yes please!”, then actually read the article. If I’m understanding her first point, definition comes not from adding muscle, but rather removing fat. Strengthening the muscle with make it bigger and more pronounced when the fat is removed. In her second point, I’m wondering what she means by “major muscle strength work”. Does it mean work all the muscle groups? or does it mean intense muscle building , which will render large muscles? In any case, I’m looking to build lean muscle and gain definition in my chest, stomach, back and shoulders. What’s the best way to do that? leave your ideas in the comments

The Fine Art of a Playlist

If you ask people what they love, it’s very likely that music is one of the things they say. So it’s fair to say that just about everybody has mp3 player, whether it’s one of Apple’s iPods (raises hand. I luv my nano), a Zune, or another fledgling player. I cant help but wonder “how many people use playlists, and of those, how many plan the contents of the playlist strategically?”. Every player lets you select music by artist or genre. When I talk about playlists, I’m referring to “a themed or purpose-driven, manually selected set of songs”. For example, I like to run around Green Lake in the afternoons after work. One revolution is 2.8 miles, which takes me about 33-35 minutes, depending upon the day. I have constructed a playlist called “Running”, which contains particular songs in a specific order. What determines my order? Motivation. It’s specifically tailored to my sticking points. I know that at mile 1, I have different emotional needs than at mile 2. I’ve included my “Running” playlist to demonstrate.

Morning Exercise by The Heavenly States
Bad Reputation by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
Slave to the Grind by Skid Row
Monkey Business by Skid Row
Lost in the Light by The Heavenly States
The Middle by Jimmy Eat World
Are You Gonna Be My Girl by Jet
Middle of the Road by The Pretenders
Cold Hard Bitch by Jet
Go Faster by The Black Crowes
Take It Off by The Donnas
Chelsea Dagger by The Fratellis
Workin’ for a Livin’ by Huey Lewis and the News
Mistaken by Save Ferris
Dakota by Stereophonics

As of now, the total time for this list is 53.3 minutes. It’s always good to have a few extra songs in case you exceed your normal routine. This list is purpose-driven. Another way to create a list is to organize around a theme. I have a list called “Happy” that is designed to put me in a good mood. There are many other themes you could use like creativity, productivity, nostalgia, and relaxed – the possibilities are vast. I’m also including my Happy playlist.

Ain’t That a Kick in the Head by Dean Martin
Cliffs of Dover by Eric Johnson
Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles
I Believe in a Thing Called Love by The Darkness
Kodachrome by Paul Simon
Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours by Stevie Wonder
Such Great Heights by The Postal Service
A Wink and a Smile by Harry Connick Jr.
You Can Call Me Al by Paul Simon
(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher by Jackie Wilson

How do you organize your playlists? Share one of your playlists in the comments.

Trouble Getting Started

Getting started with the process of getting fit has been a little slow lately. I haven’t jumped in with both feet yet. Instead I’ve been touching my toe in the water. I think part of that is I’m realizing I’m gonna have to give things up that I know are bad for me. While I know this logically, I’ve been caving into my desires. We can all agree that this has to stop. I have a goal. My goal is to weigh 240 pounds by September 26, 2009. That’s 29 pounds to lose in 82 days from today. Is that possible? I wonder. I just did a search and found that WebMD says “If you need to lose 25 pounds, figure you are embarking on at least a three-month program“. My goal is a little more ambitious than that, but it’s not totally unattainable. I suppose that even if I don’t make that goal, I still win, right? So, Dear Reader, tell me – how do you stay motivated with your fitness? Do you set treat goals – only have ice cream once a week? or run a mile for every beer you drink? buy yourself something nice for reaching milestones? I wanna know.

Geek Fit Seattle

As if getting fit wasn’t hard enough, it’s even tougher when you try to do it on your own. I know you’ve tried it. Maybe you’re were one of the lucky ones and accomplished your goal. But more than likely, something came up and managed to derail your plans. I’ve been there. I’ve done that several times in fact. However, I have an idea that will help things be different this time. The secret to success with fitness is a combination of collaboration and independence. This means we work together, but in a way that adapts to our individual lives. Its a hybrid of Meetup and Daily Burn. In fact, we would use both of those sites to coordinate. I’m calling it Geek Fit Seattle. It works like this: On Meetup, I set up various events like a Green Lake run, a bike ride on the Burke Gilman trail and people sign up for the events that interest them. After we complete the event, update your Daily Burn account with the info. Simple. The other side of this is accountability – to keep each other accountable and on track with the goals we say we want to achieve, to motivate and cheer on our friends, while making everyone healthier. The goal is for everyone to gain the fitness level and lose the weight they desire. What I want to know is: How many people are interested in this? When do you want to start?

Update Fri June 19, 2009

A few days ago, I created the Geek Fit Seattle group on Meetup.com. Last night we had the first event, which was a Greenlake Run. We’re already up to 25 members in the group. This makes me happy. Now I’m trying to decide what kind of events people want to participate, and which are the best days to schedule events. This will take time to master. I’m really hoping that people in the group blend well together. Ideally, every member will have at least one buddy to help keep them on track. This also will come with time. That being said, It can’t be forced and has to come naturally.

Update Mon June 22, 2009

A Geek Fit Seattle group has been created on Daily Burn (formerly Gyminee). Sign up so you can track your fitness information for the events you attend, as well as the exercise you do when not with the group. I look forward to seeing everyones progress.

Getting Fit

It’s time! I’ve been carrying around extra weight for far too long. So now is the time to get rid of it. By spending the summer exercising and modifying nutritional habits, it should be possible to remove the majority of it by the end of September. Last year, I managed to lose 11 pounds in a month during Junk Food Free July. However, it wasn’t maintained, and after two months it had returned. – mostly through laziness. It didn’t help any that I reverted to some bad habits. Cooking at home most of the time should help too. I don’t want get too caught up in numbers but, I anticipate losing between 40 – 60 pounds. If all goes well, I’ll be looking like a new man by Christmas. Nice! I’ll update this blog every couple of weeks with my progress to let you all know how I’m doing. If you do something similar, let me know. Wish me luck!

2009 New Years Resolutions

I like the idea of New Year’s resolutions, as they provide us with an opportunity to be better. Not everyone does. They say things like “my resolution is to not make resolutions” or “they never work” . I suspect it’s because they have not had a positive experience in executing them, and therefore see it as an exercise in futility. Maybe they made too many, or they weren’t able to be completed in a year. But I digress … The question we should ask ourselves is “how can I be better ?”. There are other questions you could ask, like “what do i want?”, “What’s missing from my life?”, “How can I make this year suck less than last year?”, but in the end they’re essentially asking the same thing. Reflecting on this and other years past, I’ve realized that I don’t take enough chances. When confronted with a situation where I could be disappointed with the outcome, I distance myself from it and consequently prevent that possible outcome from presenting itself. Additionally, I need to get fit. I have a sizable amount of weight to shed. I have a picture in my head of what I should look like. I’m guessing that to get from here to there is about 50 pounds, but it’s probably more. The challenge I run into is that, the ultimate goal seems so far off, that it seems impossible. So I give up before I start. I know I’m not the only one that feels this way. But that was then. this is now. This is the moment to change. It’s in your power to change your life. the first step is decide that you want it. The next step is to do it. With all your drive, power, and determination, do everything you can to make it happen. No one else can do it for you. Others can help, and you should reach out to them, but ultimately, the power is in your hands. Good luck and godspeed! My Resolutions:

Be Bold
Get Fit

Quotes

“Courage is the first of the human qualities because it is the quality which guarantees all the others” –Sir Winston Churchill
“Why not go out on a limb? isn’t that where the fruit is?” –Frank Scully
“Fortune and love favor the brave” –Ovid
“Courage is doing what you’re afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you’re scared” –Eddie Rickenbacker

Jingle Bell Run 2008 Results

Today was a great day for a run. I ran the Jingle Bell with my two team mates, Wendy Chisholm and Erika Hargadine, as well as new comer Summer, a friend of Wendy’s. Thousands of people showed up this morning to run. The race got off to a slow start, but soon quickly picked up in the first 1/2 mile as people spread out. As we headed into the express lane tunnels, the Seattle PD were trying to steer the runners away from the side of the road where ice had formed. Fortunately I didn’t witness anybody falling on the ice, but with thousands of of people the odds are good that someone took a spill. I had bundles of energy at this point. I had a good pace, and not alot of people were passing me. As I exited the tunnel, the runners spread out using the wider road to its advantge. I was able to pass many more people as I took advantage of the downhill. It was pretty level near the 2 mile marker. I felt ok, but I was starting to feel a little out of breath due to faster the normal pace. I tried to slow my stride but found that difficult. The adrenaline of being in the pack with still driving me. Around 2.5 miles, we reached the off ramp, which is 2 small consective uphills, with the second more dramatic than the first. This is where my stride got smaller, but my pace only slowed a little. The legs were willing, but I was really struggling with maintaining a good breathe. This is where I really wanted just to walk, but I knew if I could just reach the crest that it’s all downhill after that. I didn’t walk. I managed to keep the run going. As I turned on to Pine St. and saw the finish line, it was easy to keep going. It was great feeling to cross the finish knowing that I didn’t give up. It wasn’t until I got home after breakfast that I caculated the time it took for me to finish. I didn’t have my digital watch, so I used the songs on my ipod playlist. It took me 33:08 to run the course. In my training I was averaging 37 minutes. That’s a big difference. Also running on the treadmill is easier. For my next race, I need to do more road work in my training.

Jingle Bell Run 2008

It’s that time of year again, when the twain of the festive and the athletic meet. It’s time for the Jingle Bell Run. For those unfamiliar, “The Jingle Bell Run & Walk Event consists of a 5k Run, 5K Walk and 1K Children’s Run with the Elves. The Jingle Bell Run & Walk is an annual fundraiser to benefit the Arthritis Foundation.” Put another way, it’s a festive and fun way to demonstrate your Christmas Spirit and get some exercise. I did the Jingle Bell Run last year and had a great time! Just like last year, I’ll be running in the second wave “Dasher’s Dashers”. Unlike last year, I’ve created a team – “Jingle Nerds”. So now you can join my team. I look forward to seeing everyone. One last thing, if you’re a particularly festive person, you are encouraged to dress the part.

Junk Food Free July – Week 4 Result

Well, July is now over. I wanted to give you all my weekly update, as well as my monthly summary. On the nutrition side of things, I’ve been getting more protein. This is mostly chicken that I’ve cooked, and some beef. Speaking of which, a burger on whole wheat toast is awesome! way better than just a white bun. I’ve also been drinking a ton of water at work. I haven’t done as well with the fruits and vegetable however. The exercise has also suffered a little. I didn’t meet my goal of 16km for the week, although i did run 4 miles on Saturday morning without much trouble. So I’m getting better at it. I’m wondering if 16km was too ambitious. I’m usually sore the day after a run, so it’s not so easy to run 2 days in a row. That can be problematic if I don’t plan the week ahead of time. The takeaway here is that i need to stay on top of it. So I need to be mindful of when I last ran. I’ve been taking the bus this past week, so I walk around more. I doubt it had any significant impact, but it feels good. By the way, if you live in Seattle I suggest that you try out the bus system – it’s pretty good. I am happy with my overall progress this month. I’m 10 pounds lighter than when I started. While I’d like to think “I’ll just do exactly the same thing for the next 3 months and I’m done” – something tells me it’s not going to be that easy. So, what have I learned? A few things actually. The biggest thing is don’t eat a lot at one sitting – space things out. By doing this, I don’t get super tired in the afternoon like i used to. Nowaday if I’m tired, its because I didn’t sleep well the night before and not because I’m in the midst of a food coma. Another thing is time matters. When you eat something, seems to matter. There were several nights where I hungry at 10pm or 11pm. Usually I’d just go to sleep. The metabolism is gonna slow down as soon as I go to sleep, so it’s best not to give it additional food to digest. It probably wont get to it anyway and just store it as fat. If the hunger pangs are just too much, drink some water. This will let you feel full, without the additional calories. This will just tide you over until you can eat something good in the morning. Also, progress comes from modifying your diet and exercise. Doing just one only maintains what you have. I had started with the idea of twittering my daily status. I did do it for a few days, but it quickly fell by the way side. I think I just needed something to keep me mindful of the goal. Now I’m thinking that writing this blog weekly was enough to accomplish that. Once I got into it, it was easier. I kept the commitment to myself. Just like the life lesson that we learn from Back to the Future – you can accomplish anything if you put your mind to it Weight: 262 ( delta from last week is -3 )