Hi....remember me?
It's been a long time...since May 14th actually. But I have thought about my blog every day, and I have been silently watching other blogs as the days have gone by.
The last 3 months have literally come and gone. In the blink of an eye I have a high school graduate, an 18 year old, a new driver, another high school senior, and a 17 year old, we have reached a new high with my 17 year old's anxiety and things have literally been nonstop.
My sister got married on the 4th of July. I don't know what happened that weekend, but it was a huge turning point for me. I don't know if it was the complete lack of responsibility, the speed boat, the water, or the alcohol. Maybe it was a combination of it all.
But, I spent 7 days by a lake, tubing, speed boating, swimming and on occasion, partying. It was nothing astounding or mind blowing. My sister made it so I didn't have to do any driving, cooking, babysitting, nothing. I was able to totally relax.
For me, this is an incredibly rare thing, I have only found one other place I was able to completely clear my head and that is on my motorcycle. But, after riding a bike, the bustle of everyday would come back quickly and seem as if it never left.
But, this 4th of July weekend, still lingers. I came back with a renewed sense of something. I am not sure exactly what, but I am not questioning it. I have decided to embrace the way I felt that weekend and run with it.
Since I was in upstate NY I decided to visit Niagara Falls from the Canadian side and the US side. So after the wedding I drove the Canada and spent the night. Spent absurd amounts of money (since this is the one and only time I will ever be this close) that I would never spend, on a hotel room....
with a fantastic view....
ordered breakfast in....
and then spent 6 hours walking around Niagara Falls in Canada.
When I got back home to Colorado, I realized that I had been exercising 3 days in a row at this point, swimming, walking, hiking, so the day I got back I continued....Day 4....
And kept on going......
Day 7
And going...
Day 15....
And going....Day 25....
And then suddenly....
Day 30....
And then it happened....Day 31!
31 days in a row of moving!
Conclusion.....In the past I was trying to workout a specific number of days, for a specific amount of time. 1 hour 4-5 days a week. 2-3 rest days. When I got busy and missed a day, I was miserable. I would beat myself up for failing. I got off track and gained 45 lbs back of what I had lost.
I have come to realize, that nothing stays the same. With the girls I am constantly on the go and this routine just doesn't work. SO....I workout now, every morning, whether it be for 10 minutes or 90 minutes. I move, I sweat, I keep fighting.
I was looking into a band revision, but that doesn't look like its going to work out unless I do it on my own. My band is in a great position and nothing is wrong with it. So....I begin again....
Today was day 31, today my workout consisted of dancing with boxing gloves on, kickboxing and moving for 60 minutes.
I do 50 squats and 50 sit ups every day...I do the C25K program 3 days a week, work out with friends 2 days a week, bring my daughter and my dogs along at times, swim, ride my bike, kick box, go to the gym, work out with a trainer, and weight train. No regimented schedule, just whatever I feel like that particular day.
I have not made history, or broken any records, but I am down 8 lbs in the last 31 days. The scale is moving again. I am busting my butt, but I am making progress.....and I am about to tip the scales to the down side of 250 for the first time in 12 months!
My first long term goal, to be under 200 lbs by February 2016 so I can go skiing again! My second long term goal, to lose 100 lbs by August 2016 and run my second 5K. But for now, I concentrate on today, one day at a time, one pound at a time.
In the end, the uphill battle, the depression, the stress, constant struggle, will all be worth the fight. I have learned to survive; every hurdle that I have been faced with, I have managed to overcome. So I fight, for every pound, one day at a time....
; Always Keep Fighting!
Not going to promise a daily blog entry, not making any promises at all, but I won't stay away so long this time around. I just needed to find myself again.....Here's to a new beginning!
Cheers
~Chris
with a fantastic view....
