Shedding
Wow, it seems like everyone’s trying to lose weight this summer, from Todd to Jess [well, sorta] to Heather and even Samantha, according to her in a conversation we had this evening.
If anyone really needs to, it’s me. I’ve got a lot of living to do yet, and I’ve put myself in quite a nice hole physically. I’ve been trying to eat better the last couple of weeks–some days succeeding, others not–but the big thing is going to be getting back to the gym on a more regular basis. My job mainly has me sitting square on my ass every day at work for eight hours a day, and that’s detrimental. I jiggle my legs up and down when I’m antsy [which is a lot at work], but that’s not anything I’d call exercise.
For the next couple weeks, I’m going to hit the gym on Tuesday and Thursday nights and sometime Saturday morning and do a bit of an aerobic workout. A big problem I have anytime I try to get on a healthy kick is to do too much at once. Todd will probably disagree with me here on this one, as he’s more of a proponent of radical change, but I know my body–when I’ve tried radical change before, it tells me to go jump in the lake.
I’m going to do some strength training at some point, but I really want my cardiovascular system in better shape first. Perhaps in June I’ll get to the weight room; for now, I just need to focus on gradually making working out a part of my daily routine, especially as my daily routine has been developing pretty well towards being a “professional”.
Of course, staying up until 11:45 at night just to blather on about building routines isn’t helping … and hey, I thought I was supposed to go to bed when I got home tonight. Oops. 
"for now, I just need to focus on gradually making working out a part of my daily routine," this is what I a proponent of. Not necessarily radical change although at this point, going from no exercise to exercising every day is pretty radical. But, I would rather see someone who is just starting working out for 10 minutes everyday rather than 20 minutes three days a week. Two reasons. First reason, it’s a lot easier to work out for 10 minutes than 20 minutes at a time. That makes you more likely to do it. Second reason, it’s a lot easier to get into a routine, or habit if you will, by doing it everyday. Granted, I haven’t taken any of my own advice on this in a while, but I get my fair share of exercise. I just need to regiment it some more.
May 14th, 2002 at 8:15 amIt took awhile for me to get used to going to a gym. I usually do something every day, whether it be at the gym or not. If I don’t feel like the gym, I’ll walk to Foggy Bottom from my office, which is a brisk 30-minute walk. If I go to the gym, I’m there for at least 45 minutes, up to 90 minutes if I do all my strength training stuff.
I’ll admit, though, the strength training has helped me the most. I didn’t know I had biceps…
May 14th, 2002 at 8:26 amWell, I recognize that every time I get into strength training, I overdo it the first couple of times and just flat stop. That’s the main reason I’m easing into it.
Of course, after about two weeks of going three times a week, I’ll bump it up to four, then five, and then six in ensuing weeks. It’s all about realizing what’s failed miserably before and trying not to do it again.
May 14th, 2002 at 8:29 amPreach on Brother Geof!
This is exactly what happens to me whenever I try to "get in shape". First, I make the decision. Then I go gung-ho. Then I’m so sore for the next few weeks that I can’t even imagine doing it again.
My plan for this summer though is to swim. How much motivation will it take after a day at work to go slip into a pool? Sure, I’ll be swimming laps to make it a workout, but that’s the whole point of it. AND, I’ll be able to tan up my ever-white torso!
May 14th, 2002 at 8:45 pmThat should be illegal, I think.
May 14th, 2002 at 9:25 pmA friend of mine joined Weight Watchers about a month ago. She sticks to it and walks 2.4 miles a day. She has lost 31 pounds and looks absolutely radiant.
My dad lost 50 pounds on WW, and my mom lost 75. I have had enough with being big. There are SO many skinny minnies around here that I can’t stand it. I feel like a cow everytime I go out in public. I signed up. I start on Monday. It should be easy. I already bike 25 miles a week and walk 2.5 miles a night.
Good luck Geof, stick with it…i wanna see big muscles in a few months LOL :O)
May 15th, 2002 at 11:55 amHeh. Thanks, Jen. I’ll do my damnedest.
May 15th, 2002 at 12:30 pmGeof, I concur with your idea of working out at the gym or otherwise. A long time ago I started running, or waddleing, about 1/2 mile every other day and eventually, slowly worked up to 1 1/2 miles every day. It kept my weight under Air Force maximums but the other thing it did was help me think clearly.
Thinking back, it was when I slacked off that I was down, mentally, as much as I have ever been. But then you know more about that than you should have been burdened with.
Enough of this. I’ll get long winded.
Start slowly, keep it up, try a little more every day, and go for it!
May 18th, 2002 at 9:10 pmYou can get long-winded if you want, Dad … Lord knows that I do!
May 19th, 2002 at 10:59 am