Today is a "Rest Day" for me, and as it happens it's also my weigh in day. Since I started tracking my weight back in early January, I'm now down approximately 20lbs, to a hefty number of 235. I have a ways to go at this point, but it's nice that the numbers moved for me early, as it's given me some motivation to keep working hard. I need to adjust my schedule some, and be more regimented with "this is a swim day, don't go riding" for a bit to balance out my workouts, and time with the wife at the gym, some. At the end of the day I feel a lot better, have more energy, and I'm energized to battle the next 10 lbs, which I'm figuring will take a lot longer than the first 20. The last 10-20 I'm expecting to be the "long haul" of the journey, where I'm expecting that it'll be next cycling season before I'm even close to where I want to be. But the effort will pay off.
What I also realized while looking back at the last 20lbs is how blessed and fortunate I am. I've tried to make changes before, and they have gone okay, but I always end up slipping in the end. I have too many temptations, too many distractions, too much of my old life in the way. Even up until January this was an issue. I was working out, getting in 2-4 rides a week, working hard. The weight wasn't coming off and I wasn't really feeling all that much better. Since starting Rob's Big Losers though, things have been different. I've already blogged about how much I'm proud of how my family has taken to the challenge along side of me, and I think the prayers that I've had with my friends, my family, and my church has gone a long way to extend that. Temptations and cravings just don't seem to be there. I go to Wild Wing Cafe and broccoli is just a natural change for me from fries. I don't even want them (and I'm a salty carb fiend!). I find myself wanting to find more ways to add veggies and fruits to meals, not trying to dodge it or forcing myself to eat them. It's truly a blessing, and I cannot thank God enough for that gift during this journey. Even when my 12 week journey with Rob's Big Losers is done, I don't think I can return to having fried food 5+ times a week. I just don't crave it, and I the few times that I've had something heavier my body has rejected it pretty strongly.
I started this entry with a more general title, but I think this one fits. There will be a day this year when I'll have to post up "A Pirate looks at -40" for the parrot-head in me, and this is my reminder that I'll be down 40 soon enough. I'm not going to rush for it, but I'll be as excited to write that post as I was to write about the first time up Paris Mountain (as read in the entry "Over the Mountain")
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