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Family Speed Health Changes


Speed99

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2.5 years after falling off the weight loss, healthy diet, exercise wagon and 1.5 years after attempting to get back on said wagon via the RacerXX challenge, are making some needed changes. Its never too late.

Michelle and I hashed out a plan over dinner tonight.

The obstacles:

Quit smoking again. I let my cogar habit grow into a smoking a pack a day habit after being cigarette free for several years. A few months ago before the house move, Michelle started again.

Diet. Since the twins were born, our live has been insane. Quick meals and poor eating habits coupled with a love of soda has me sitting at 230 again and Michelle still hasnt lost her twin preggo weight. It hit us tonigt especially hard as we were clothes shopping and all the nice stuff just doesnt look good on fat people

Exercise. We have been lucky to sleep for several months much less find time to work out, but as I pointed out to Michelle tonight, we find time to sit outside for a smoke several times and evening. I also know that exercising makes you feel mor rested and helps you sleep better.

So....

We are starting the week of July 16th. Why wait? Because we have vacation coming up and dont want to start and then stop. Gonna enjoy vaca without guilt and then hit the plan hard.

A few things we are doing...

-We live and die by our Outlook calendars for work and planning so we are going to add our exercise schedule as "time away" and incorporate it into our lives.

-We are setting a weekly weigh where we also chart our progress on weight lost, miles walked or run, time on cardio, measurements, etc. At the same time we will plan meals for the following week and then stop by the ATM and withdraw the money we saved on cigarettes and throw it into piggy bank. More on that in a sec.

-we are setting our target for weight loss. Mine is to get to a healthy 190.

-based on our target weight loss number, we will set interim goals in 25% increments of the total goal. Each time we reach a milestone, that person reaches into the piggy bank and pulls money to go buy something for the house that we want. This is a motivator for us.

-each person will have a reward of their choosing that they get when they reach their goal. It should be something personal and designed to be just for them. If Michelle wants to do a trip to Canada to visit old friends while I hang home with the kids....DONE. My initial thought is that I will book a weekend at Barber and hope some of the boys can make it.

-once we both have reached our goal, we will do something together. Initial thought is a cruise....no kids. Of course it is likely that one person may reach the goal before the other. If so, that person has to maintain their target weight.

- we know that we will have to set some goals to KEEP the weight off, but that will be the next step to think about as we get closer.

I imagine it will take a good year to do it the right way, but it is time to start. Will post here every now and then on our progress.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks!

Smoke free since Tuesday

Soda free since Tuesday.

Drinking a lot of water and trying to eat sensibly and eat healthy snacks.

226.8 was my official weigh in Tuesday morning.

Target is 190.

36 pounds. First goal is 9 pounds and then go from there, 36 pounds will not only get me to my target where I can reward myself, it will also save my about a grand in suspension work on the Trumpet. The bike is currently sprung for a 185 pound rider.

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Congrats Rick to both of you.

I have been heavily exercising since early May and I feel netters now than ever.

I started running and now for fun I am doing strongman training with some friends that are training for competition.

I have lost almost 7 lbs and gains muscle. I am not trying to loose a bunch of weight but just trying to get my body back to what I looked like before I got married 18 ago.

Erica told me just last night that she can see the difference so it must be working.

Best if luck to both of you. Good quality time spent together for you 2.

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Thanks Stefen.

6 pounds in week one, but the first couple of weeks it is always easy to see big gains.

Still soda free which is a big step. Have also made sure I am eating breakfast and sensible meals. Trying to cut out sugar and empty calories. The big step is exercise. Life is so nuts that it is hard to get out. Michelle is also out of town for work this week so getting time for some cardio is going to be impossible since I have all three little ones on my own.

It will come....its a journey, not a sprint.

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Thanks Stefen.

6 pounds in week one, but the first couple of weeks it is always easy to see big gains.

Still soda free which is a big step. Have also made sure I am eating breakfast and sensible meals. Trying to cut out sugar and empty calories. The big step is exercise. Life is so nuts that it is hard to get out. Michelle is also out of town for work this week so getting time for some cardio is going to be impossible since I have all three little ones on my own.

It will come....its a journey, not a sprint.

Like many things in life, success shouldn't be measured at 100%. Just getting a 'C' in the fitness department is enough for most people. A 30 minute walk each day with the kids could be your minimum bar. Walking has amazing health benefits that most people aren't aware of and setting the bar at that minimum activity is not too low.

One trick I learned is to look for opportunities that don't include the gym (I hate gyms) but do include your kids. Take them to the park, while you're there, find things for yourself to do that gives you a bit of a workout. I have a co-pilot that attaches to my mountain bike that my daughter loves to ride on when I go for bicycle rides -- she adds a great deal of parasitic drag to the equation, which is great, because the point is to get exercise and spend time with her, not winning a race. Throw 100 jumping jacks into the start of your day, follow it with as many pushups/situps/pullups as you can. When you swim, push yourself to do a few hard laps amid the fun time with the family.

Over the recent decade having my blood pressure head the way my father's went at my age motivated me to find the time, finally. I am averaging a 'B' most weeks and I'm down about 30 pounds and actually feel somewhat fit. As you put it, however, it is a journey..and I don't plan on stopping this one ever again.

2ish years into it I can finally say that finding 30-45 minutes most days is very doable - some days that workout is even worth more than 30 minutes of sleep.. I rarely have the perfect workout, but rarely does a day pass that I didn't find a time/place to push myself to walk, at a minimum. I have a headset for my phone that has fantastic noise cancellation and I will sometimes take a meeting outside on a walk with me rather than dialing in from my desk.

Just some food for thought, a bit of a testimony, and well wishes for you and yours, Rick.

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+1 on the walking.

I was just breaking even with my weight, even though I cut down on food, and go to the gym regularly. I added a walk every day at lunch and started losing weight again.

Started out just me walking. Now there are three of us at work who eat quickly, then walk for the rest of our lunch hour.

It gets me away from my job, lowers my blood pressure adds exercize, and it's fun.

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Make it fun !!!!! That makes it easy to get Into.

I love to run now but get shin splints very easily so I am starting to ride my bicycle that is... :icon_evilgrin: and walking mote coupled with my workouts with my buddy doing the power lifting I am now holding about 188-189 and feeling great and looking better.

Just remember if it Is fun u won't do it.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks guys. Great advice.

I am having a really hard time finding time to get in some cardio. I am making sure I park at the back of the lot so I get extra walk time. I also am taking the stairs up 4 floors instead of the elevator. Little things. Still doing well avoiding sodas. Have had 1.5 in the last 2 weeks.

I was at Dicks Spoting Goods and they have a Lance Armstrong branded elliptical. I tried it out and it feels like the high end machines, Smooth and a long stride. It was regularly $2100 and they had it on sale for $699. I am thinking I might go get it. The elliptical and the rowing machine are my favs and I really enjoy using them. By the time I get done chasing kids after work, It is too dark to go walk. We shall see, but I am headed in the right direction. I saw sub 220 for the first time in a few years.

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Been there done that with the equipment. Obviously everyone is different but I need to be held accountable to getting out of the house and Planet Fitness has made it easy at $10/month and they set up some seriously amazing centers.

Pay an extra $10/month and you can hit any center country wide.

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Dude, you're a man and a half for even attempting to lose weight and stop smoking at the same time. That's more than most can manage and I've seen your life, it's..intense, to say the least. Your progress thus far is fucking amazing, I couldn't do it with your schedule, not a chance. Keep up what you're doing and think long term, not "when am I done". I managed to lose a bit of weight a couple years ago, but setting myself up to not put it back on was the larger task. Loosing weight is easy (for just about anyone but you, you're still my hero for not being in a tower with a rifle, never mind losing weight), keeping it off is the goal. Cliche time- life changes, not weight loss.

BTW, WTF does "too dark to walk" mean? If you wanna move, move. You don't need a $700 machine to do it.

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BTW, WTF does "too dark to walk" mean? If you wanna move, move. You don't need a $700 machine to do it.

+1. Fuck the treadmill. Many times they wind up being an expensive clothes rack. Go outside. Leave your headphones at home and enjoy the morning sounds. I was out walking this morning at 4:00 AM. I live close to a big open space that extends up to the foothills. They have a bike path that runs right through it. It's just me and the coyotes that time of the morning.

The coyotes are pretty loud.

You are my hero for quitting smoking and losing weight at the same time. That's usually an either or thing. Keep up the good work.

Think long term. Try to find an exercize program you like enough to make into a lifetime habit.

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Michelle is also out of town for work this week so getting time for some cardio is going to be impossible since I have all three little ones on my own.

It will come....its a journey, not a sprint.

Buy a jump rope. Work out either before or after the littleones go to bed.

Walking is better than nothing, but don't fool yourself into thinking you're really working out.

If you don't have a good sweat pouring off of you when you are done, you didn't work out.

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Good work, and keep posting on the progress :icon_clap:

This summer the scale has been even, no gain and no loss.

But I'm happy I don't gain weight.

Still 90 lbs of and 30 lbs left to loose in the winter :icon_biggrin:

Kudos on quitting smoking :icon_thumbsup:

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Thanks guys.

Still doing great at avoiding the sodas (this is huge for me). Saw 218 on the scale this week. Smoking? I haven't been perfect, but much better. Meals are getting healthier, but there is room to work there. One of our twins ended up in the hospital last week and fast food was easier on our schedule. No Excuses, just a choice to balance between getting stuff done and eating.

Tim, I was going to make some lame excuse about it being "too dark to walk" because I really meant to say "too late to walk" but even as I typed THAT, I realized it is me masking the real problem. So I started thinking about it. I then formulated my second excuse which was "I don't have time to walk." Then I thought about THAT and realized it wouldn't fly with this group and simply came to the conclusion, "I don't have time to walk with my spouse." Which is true.

Tim can testify on my behalf when I say that our life is non-fucking-stop with these kids. We get up about 6:00am and it starts. Get them ready, get us ready, get them to daycare, get us to work, work all day, pick them up, feed them, get them ready for bed, betime...BAM....it is 8:30pm.

I am usually wiped, but I also want to get in my walks with my wife. I feel guilty if I am exercising and she isn't. We can't do it together because kids are home in bed. I have to accept the fact that this (walking/running with Michelle) isn't going to happen. What I need to do is get Addy to bed, change my clothes and go for a run/walk. Every single night. If she wants to go before me or after me...fine. Split duty being at home with the kids. We moved to a great gated neighborhood with gate guards. The place is safe. Time to take advantage of that.

I like the jump rope idea as well.

Dave, going to the gym isn't in the cards for me right now. I need something that requires 0 travel time. I have a gym at work and want to get there during lunch, but I use my lunch time to do business. Meetings with the boss, team members, etc. "right now" I need something I can do at home on my own time.

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  • 3 months later...
  • 4 months later...

We are getting there. I have made progress and wife has not...she has just maintained.

Recently switched to eCigs to get away from smoke. It is helping a lot and been off cigarettes for over a month.

I have been trying to stay active and am down to 215. Slow. We are getting ready to add an elliptical to the house so we can add in cardio to our day without haveing to pack up and go somewhere to do it. I know home exercise equipment is a big gamble, but we both feel strongly that it is something we can and will do if it is available to us at home. The good thing is that I will be using "points" I earn from travel to pay for the elliptical so it will be very little cash out of pocket.

That is the next step. Haven;t met goals, but not discouraged. Just need to adapt and make it happen.

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Keep at it Rick.

The easter candy is what is killing me. I have not really gained but just feel sluggish . Chocolate is my weakness.

I have stayed between 188-190 all through the winter so that is a plus for me.

You looked good in March so whatever you are doing keep at it.

How you even have the energy to think about exercise after work and chasing all the kids around is beyond me.

Keep up the good work and never give up.

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  • 5 months later...

Update...

Good intention and poor execution led up to that "I gotta get this shit under control" moment about three weeks ago. We had a bad ass elliptical that has been virtually sitting in the corner of our room. No more. I didn't post it till now because I didn't want to face failure again.

21 days of changes.

Doing 30 mins of cardio on the elliptical about 4 or 5 days each week.

Started out struggling to reach 2.2 miles....after three weeks, I am able to push it and hit 3.2 miles in the same 30 mins.

My endurance is definitely increasing and I can feel it.

Sodas...out of my diet. NONE!

Junk....out of my diet.

I allow myself a little treat now and then, but limit it significantly.

Added breakfast to my daily routine..cereal, oatmeal, or yogurt. Something to kick the metabolism into gear each day.

Having more sensible meal with small healthy snacks mid day and evenings.

Using the myfitnesspal app to track progress and food intake.

226.8 three weeks ago. This morning weighed in at 214.2.

I am targeting 5 lb goals. Next up...210. First big goal will be to break 200. I am think a fit 190 will be good, but we will see when I get there.

My track bike suspension is set up for a 190 lb rider. I will save myself some significant coin if I can work my body into my suspension sweet spot vs changing suspension to match my fatness.

Living the advice Timmy gave me. "Eat less, move more."

So far it is working.

Also.... Training to run the Gasparilla 5k in February.

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That is awesome Rick. Just remember it will take time but you can do it.

If you can, lift some weights to build lean muscle that will help burn the fat.

Also try to make some fruit smoothies as a snack but add green veggies also. They are very saticefying and healthy.

I use spinach, broccoli, kale, peas, banana, mixed fruit, apple juice, cranberry jucie, milk and honey.

I also add protein powder but you don't need to do that.

It makes a tasty snack for those mid day cravings.

Keep at it you can do it you sexy beast..... ;)

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Living the advice Timmy gave me. "Eat less, move more."

I can hardly take credit for that advice, it's simply a well established philosophy that I happen to embrace. :)

Good for you, man. Keep it up and you'll be at 190 before you know it.

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Living the advice Timmy gave me. "Eat less, move more."

I can hardly take credit for that advice, it's simply a well established philosophy that I happen to embrace. :)

Good for you, man. Keep it up and you'll be at 190 before you know it.

Thanks Tim. I credit you for putting the philosophy in my head.

213 this morning. Michelle and I did our second walk/run 5K in as many days.

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