Fit for a lifetime in the new year. Another resolution!

Not feeling so hot tonight. Knee surgery two days ago. Started the chemotherapy Efudex for precancer and basal cell on my skin that day and I have ballooned up to 193 pounds. Oh, did I mention I have a nice cold as well? Happy friggen new year! I feel like I should have enough to be bummed about but instead I feel inspired. I am one of those optimists who actually believe I can change my life. Really change my life. I don;t just cling to the hope that I can begin my New Years resolution. I actually have a solid plan. Starting tomorrow. Join me for the ride.

Talk is a great breakfast but a lousy dinner

If talk were action, I would be further along in my fitness quest as well as in many other endeavours. I really have great plans and I honestly believe I will do the things I talk about, but I just don't do them. Talk is a great start for sure and the beginning step. It shows some willingnness but one must really take a look at oneself and ask if one is really going to do what one says one will do. The key word is honesty. I have to step back and assess whether the goal is realistic and what level of interest there is achieving the goal. Changing habits are entirely possible but it requires a coordinated effort akin to moving a mountain or chopping down a a huge tree. It takes massive effort even if the effort is small and consistent. Shoveling a scoop of dirt or taking one swing with the axe will achieve the goal if you just keep going and don't stop.

Fit at Fifty: A bad knee is no excuse

Fit at Fifty: A bad knee is no excuse: "Got the bad news last week. I need knee surgery soon. It's routine if you can call surgery routine. I expect the ortho doc to find some medi..."

A bad knee is no excuse

Got the bad news last week. I need knee surgery soon. It's routine if you can call surgery routine. I expect the ortho doc to find some medial meniscal damage and maybe some junk in there. I can feel it on the medial side and I don't any instability so I think it will be...routine. Grateful to get it fixed but not pumped that the time to be back in full swing is about 4-6 months. To be sure, I can be walking the next day and perhaps driving in a week but to get back and get fit I expect a few months minimum. That vastus medialis takes time to get strong again and restore stability to the knee at the end of extension. That puts me into the summer for fitness and well past my fiftieth birthday. No birthday challenge on my birthday at least on the legs.
Excuses. This is a good one and the last time I had knee surgery I gained 15 pounds and was nearly 200 pounds. I felt worse than I have ever felt. I had this bloated congested feeling that made every minute uncomfortable. I ate and did nothing else.
This time it will be different. Here is my I can use my lower body to get in shape strategy:
1. Immediate portion control. No more than a handful of protein and a handful of carbs per meal.
2. 8 oz of water 20 minutes prior to meal and every two hours. Goal is 100 oz.
3. No carb in the last meal other than veggies ( brocolli or salad).
4. No food past 7 pm to induce gluconeogenesis. Get that fat to work.
5. Upper body workouts alternate with lower body at 3 per week.
6. Ab workouts 3 days a week.
7. No sugar sodas or sugar except on the cheat day.

Bad diet Bad body

Is your diet bad? Mine is. Are you addicted to food? I am and it seems to be getting worse. The crazy thing is that I know it but I cannot seem to be able to do much about it for any length of time.
It was not a problem when I was 20 and playing hockey for two hours a day. I could eat eat all I wanted and I was still hungry. Now I expend half the energy and I think I am hungry and obsess about food. I know I won't be playing two hours of ice hockey anytime soon so I had better come up with a better strategy.

If not now, when? Getting fit after Mt Whitney.

Day 2 after my summit of Mt Whitney. My legs feel pretty good considering the 22 mile round trip to the top of Mt Whitney. One would think that after training I would be in great shape, but it is not the case. Cardiovascular wise I am great, but I feel bloated and pudgy.
I weighed 196 last year at this time. While I about 8 pounds less than last year after my knee surgery I have been up and down on my weight all year. At one point in April, I was down to 172 and felt fantastic for my 49 fitness challenge. I did what most people do though: I got excited and started getting in shape, but fell off the wagon. I wanted to weight under 170 for the Whitney summit but my diet was terrible for the past couple months.
First advice: If your diet is bad you will be fighting your weight constantly. This is so important for you to get. More on that later but let that start to sink in.
Back to the title of this blog If not now, when? When are you going to commit to finally getting shape? Talking about it is frustrating for you and annoying for others. I have decided after today I am going to be in the best shape of my life by my 50th birthday on April 7, 2011. I will do something everyday to move my body and eat portions that are reasonable for my age and fitness level.
I hope this blog will help you finally get in shape. If you stick with me you will!