First check in of 2017

First check in for 2017. It's been a tough first couple of weeks. If you see my Facebookyou'll understand.

Exercise sessions: 0
Miles: 0
Weight loss 3 week/total: 3.0/3.0

Happy New Year!

Okay. Holidays are over. Time to get back on track.  I feel lucky to have lost a little (about 10 lbs total - some was before I started tracking here) last year. 

I know what I need to do. To borrow a phrase, "Just Do It!"

Catch you all in a week.

Week 21 (I think)

Kind of disappeared here. Been about 6 weeks since last posting. Just like my program at this point, I've kind of been wandering with my goals. Then came Thanksgiving. Definitely feeling the effects of *that* week. Baked goods are definitely my downfall.

Exercise sessions: 0
Miles: 0
Weight loss,  6 week/total: -3 (as in gain)/7.0 

Week 15: Still here

Yes. I'm still here. 

I was shocked this week when I got on the scale this morning. Down a little from three weeks ago, when I last weighed myself. Why shocked? Because I haven't logged food nor performed one step in the last three weeks (since Oct 3).

I'm thinking that things will settle down a bit at work (for the last two weeks lunch has literally been chowing something down while listening on a conference call). I'm going to try to get back on track with food logging this week. Who knows - maybe a walk or two may occur too (as long as I can get home at a reasonable time in the evening).

Okay. Going to try to get back on track this week.....

Exercise sessions: 0
Miles: 0
Weight loss 3 week/total: 0.5/10.0 

Week 12: Trying to get back on track

Is there an echo in the room?

Work has been pretty consuming the past few weeks. I'm having trouble making the time to log my food. And  by the time I get home, I'm too exhausted to get any exercise.

So - renewed effort this week to get back on the plan. Let's see how it goes.

Exercise sessions: 0
Miles: 0
Weight loss 2 week/total: 0.5/9.5

Week 10: Missing in Action

Hey! Where did everybody go?

I've been MIA for 3 weeks. All around. I'm feeling fortunate to not have given back a lot of my progress to date. 

Time to get back on the program. First thing I'll do is complete yesterday's food log.

If I'm not back next Monday - someone send in the Marines!

Weight loss 3 week/total: 0/9.0

Week 7 - Get With the Program

Hmm. Appears I missed a week. And not just a here, but on my food diary as well. Must be a Jungian thing (sorry for the Full Metal Jacket reference).

I'm also having trouble getting some regularity around the exercise thing. Not to make excuses, but it's been a tough month at work. Things are looking up though. Maybe next week I'll be able to home in time to get out for a walk around the neighborhood.

The good news is that my body seems to have adjusted to smaller portion sizing. So despite not logging food for a week and missing an accountability post, I'm still down a pound over two weeks. Quite shocking actually.

Scorecard for week ending 8/21:

Exercise sessions: 0
Miles: 0
Weight loss 2 week/total: 1.0/9.0

I have actually tightened up one belt loop! 

Week 5 - Am I Really This Boring?

Seems like a broken record. I did get home early enough one day last week to get out for a short walk.

Scorecard for week ending 8/7:

Exercise sessions: 1
Miles: 2
Weight loss week/total: 0.5/8.0 

Week 4 - More of the Same

Last week was more of the same. Late evenings working. Didn't even make it home for dinner at sunset a couple nights.

I'm hoping for some relief this week. We'll have to wait and see.

Weight loss slowed down a bit, but it's still going in the right direction. Overall no complaints.

Scorecard for week ending 7/31:

Exercise sessions: None
Miles: 0
Weight loss week/total: 0.5/7.5 

Exactly Why I'm Not Training - Week 3

Things are hot a heavy on the work front these days. I'm not making it home much before dark, and in July that is not good for the exercise front. On the other hand, it can make for some outstanding views at dinner.

The good news is I'm still tracking on the calorie plan. I *would* like to get to walk though so I can have the after dinner ice cream....

Scorecard for week ending 7/24:

Exercise sessions: None
Miles: 0
Weight loss week/total: 1.5/7 (noticing the clothes fitting a little looser already).

Week 2: Not Meeting the Goal!

Well, that week didn't go per plan.

An entire week of late evenings at work pretty much doomed the exercise front. I had intentions of getting out Saturday and Sunday, but chores, visiting the parents, etc. left little time to get out for any length of time. At least I was somewhat active around the house over the weekend.

I'm tracking to my food plan though. Down a pound and a half.

Scorecard for week ending 7/17:

Exercise sessions: None
Miles: 0
Weight loss week/total: 1.5/5.5

Week 1, Already a Setback

Where did the week go? 

I got out on Tuesday for 3 miles in the evening. It was a wonderful walk along the Back Bay here in Newport Beach.

Wednesday was a late night home from work (after 8PM). I didn't make it out the door Thursday.

No big deal though. I had Saturday and Sunday to head to the hills. Or so I thought. In my haste to get out of the house and off to work in time to prep for an 8AM meeting, I guess I must have twisted awkwardly. That was all she wrote. I was down for the count...

Actually, I was good enough to work and sit in a chair, but doing anything else (like standing up and walking) was pretty painful.  I've been on 600mg of Motrin every 6 hours since, and while I can at least walk around the house, getting up out of a chair is still painful. 

So, only one walk this week. My calorie counting is in full effect though, so I'm down one pound.

Scorecard for week ending 7/10:

Exercise sessions: 1 walk
Miles: 3.03
Weight loss week/total: 1/4

I'm going to post this. Let's see if IFTTT works!

The Accountability Application

So. 2010. Has it really been 6 years since I last ran a race? Or been worried about physical fitness?

A lot of things have changed since then. New job. New position. Lots of hours at work. Also 50 pounds. Marginally high blood pressure. And excuses. All the excuses in the world. Leave for work early. Get home from work late. Stress. Pressure. And lack of accountability.

The reality is I'm not getting younger. Or better. I'm just getting more old man. And fatter.

I've set some decent goals (That Was a Good Vacation). The problem is accountability. Excuses. Always someone or something else that got in the way.

I'm finally tired enough about this that I'm going to do something about it. Two weeks ago I resurrected by MyFitnessPal account. Started logging calories. Down 4 pounds.

Next, I need to get on a regular exercise regimen. Right now it will be walking 4 times a week. Sometimes 2 miles. Sometimes 4. Sometimes around the neighborhood. Sometimes in the hills.

And I'll be posting here every week for accountability. This blog won't be a training blog for a while (if ever).  I just don't realistically have the time to train for any races. But, I do need accountability. Accountability to dropping 50 pounds and getting my RHR back down to 60 bpm.

Accountability. That's the only way to get things done.

Dust dust dust

Dusting things off. Maybe. Just maybe.

Well….

I *did* have every intention of coming back. In the meantime, promotion and a new position at work. It’s 10:30 (PM) and I’m just wrapping up my day. Something has to give. For now it will be The Running Fat Guy.

Hope to be back in a bit.

So, That was a Nice Vacation

It’s the 19th of January. My last post here prior to the end of 2014. To say that I’m not motivated is an understatement.

So, it’s back to Motivation 101. For me, motivation is driven by goals. So, without goals, guess what? Pretty much 2014.

When I go back and look at what was the years where I had the most success (208, 2009, 2010), I had an ulterior motive. Once that goal was achieved, it was like there was no reason to run any more. Add some knee tendonitis, and it became very easy to sit around. Unfortunately, that “sit around” turned into about 4 years.

So, I think its time to come up with some goals that will keep me motivated in 2015. One thing for sure – running for the sake of running isn’t motivation for me. I’m going to need to come up with something that is a target I can shoot for. I’m thinking this might be it: http://hikinjim.blogspot.com/p/southern-california-peaks-above-10-000.html

There are some constraints this time around:

1. Work: I’m no longer working for myself (and that’s not bad). The issue is that available time is an issue. I had three nights this week where I wrapped things up at 10PM. Makes it tough to have a formal training plan.
2. My “other” hobby: At least one day a weekend I end up at a poker table. Once again, makes it tough to tackle those long runs that take up the entire day.

So, here’s where I go from here:

1. By next Saturday, I’ll make up my mind whether tacking Southern California peaks is motivation enough for 2015 (obviously not all of them in one summer).
2. Lay out a plan for 2015.

Talk to you in a week!

Annual Wrap Up–almost

Well, with a couple of weeks left to go, I decided to look at how I’m doing this year. Hmm. I guess there’s a reason you haven’t heard from me since Thanksgiving.

The good news is that I think I can make 200 miles this year. A little off my 1500 mile year in 2009, but hey, who’s counting?

Now that *that’s* over..

Thanksgiving is always a festive time at the Jones household. This old man gets to dust off the apron and put together a feast for the family that gathers at the abode. The morning starts out with a relaxing cup of coffee. It doesn’t hurt that it was forecast to be a sunny 80 degrees.

The fun and festivities start about 10 in the morning with some hickory chips soaking in water. I use these to smoke the turkey.

Yes. Smoked turkey. On the charcoal BBQ. One of the perks of living in Southern California:

The real fun starts around 2, when I get working on the standard fare and then throw in one or two new dishes for variety:

Prime rib:

Green bean casserole:

Stuffing:

Candied squash (I prefer squash to yams):

For variety this year, I threw in an asparagus, tomato and feta salad. Steam some tender asparagus so that it is tender, but firm. Heat about a tablespoon of EVO in a large skillet, toss together the asparagus with some halved grape tomatoes until heated through, and then sprinkle some feta cheese on your concoction:

The second new dish this year was soyccotash. Just like it sounds. Succotash with edamame instead of lima beans. Delish!

Just about time the all the fixin’s are done, it was time to take the turkey off the BBQ:

Mmmm mmmm if I say so myself! Dinner at 5!

Oh. And I made it out for a stroll around the neighborhood too:

Thursday:

Mileage: 2.66 @ 16:24

Saturday:

Mileage: 2.66 @ 16:20.

Now that the “big day” is over – time to start tracking the calories again. I sure hope the damage from the past couple days is salvageable!

It took a while…

I’m still here. It only took five weeks for me to remember to lace up my shoes. Got out for 2.7 miles on Saturday and a mile on Sunday.

Still trying to be methodical about calorie tracking.

At least I’m still doing the motions even though I’m not making progress…

Lost….

Somewhere along the way I got lost. Since this blog is my line of accountability, I figured I should fess up.

So, starting today, it’s back to work.

Goals:

• Drop 20 pounds by end of May 2015
• Move at least three days a week

Ok. Off my a**.