Dropping the lbs.

Peddle Peddle Peddle

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:57:43 -0800

My parents came and whisked away Nathan for the night, so I jumped on the bike and knocked out a little 6.42 mile ride in 26:48, 4:11 per mile average. Legs felt stiff and dead about half way through.

Now though, since we are kid free for the night we’re taking the opportunity to celebrate Valentine’s day a little early and head out for dinner and a movie. Have fun!

You used to comment and like my posts. No you don't, what's going on? Tumblr is a two way street....

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:18:33 -0800

First of all, thanks for your question. Seriously, it is something I should answer.

A. The canned “I’m really busy lately” excuse. I know others are busier than me and still make the time to interact, but regardless I am really busy lately. Tiffany and I both working full time, raising an almost 4 year old, twice a week swim classes for him, trying to get exercise in, work is busy. Yep it gets a little busy! Others can do it, and hats off to the them it is amazing.

Now the other reason, and I don’t know how to say this without kind of being, I don’t know, a jerk I guess? I’m jealous. Or I should say when I read through tumblr lately I get jealous, and it doesn’t put me in the best place.

Last year at this time I would read on tumblr and see people doing incredible things and I’d think about doing them one day, and get inspired. Or I’d read about other people in my spot starting out, and we’d both be making progress doing new achievements, it was a lot of fun!

Now I read through tumblr, and I see people doing amazing things and think about how my knee crumbled at the thought of a half marathon, or I see people training for a marathon right after my phone reminds me that I should be doing a 9 mile pace run today to be on pace for the marathon I wanted to do this spring. Or I see people that were struggling along at the same point of C25K as me last year, and they are crushing it just way beyond where I am at this point.

All that kind of sucks to read, and turns me into a jealous hater. Which I really don’t want to be. So right now I’m not really reading my dashboard. Is that fair? No. Are the people who followed me, and interacted with me last year, getting what they deserve? No. I know that. I’m not proud of it. But, it is what it is right now. I really really really appreciate the people who still like and comment on my posts, they are awesome, and as I work back into a state where I can read their accomplishments without being jealous I’ll give them my full support.

For now, all I can do is say Thank You. I appreciate your support. I hope to give it back to you one day. I hope you can be understanding for now, no matter how petty, silly, and unfair I am being.

-Josh

Run, walk, run, walk, run

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:39:06 -0800

Ran a mile, walked half a mile, ran a mile, walked half a mile, ran .44 miles. 3.44 miles, 44:49.

Was bumming so perspective, a year ago I did 2.73 miles in 45:09, and weighed 20 lbs more than I do today. I was happy about both of those things. Yes, I’d like to be further along than I am, but as long as I get out of this rut and get going I’m fine. Make progress, not excuses.

Run!

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:22:15 -0800

Snuck in a quick run before swim lessons tonight. Tiffany has a new schedule where she gets off an hour earlier Tues-Fri which makes working on out on swim lesson days a little easier.

So tonight I did 3.42 miles, alternating a half mile run with a half mile walk. 48:10 overall. Legs still tighten up on the runs and bike rides, but no pain, still stick with run walk combos for now.

Also Calorie tracking starts tomorrow. Weighed in at 201.2 today, ouch…

Another nice day

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 15:39:34 -0800

Jumped in the bike again pre-super bowl. 6.97 miles, 28:55, 4:09 per mile. Quads have a nice pump right now.

Now it’s time for the super bowl, don’t really care about either team so I’m pulling for some nice plays by a couple of my favorite former Ducks, Spencer Paysinger and Patrick Chung. Either way it goes one of them will get a ring.

Nice day... Jump on the bike

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 17:05:57 -0800

Another day back being active. Sun was shining, it was a little cold but nice for February, calm and no wind, so I jumped on the bike and did a nice little 7.1 mile bike ride. Total time 28:29, 4:01 per mile, little slower than before the break, but pretty close!

Good week of staying active after a couple month practically total shut down. 2 runs, with 3 miles of running, 1.8 miles of walking, 1 bike ride of 7.1 miles, 3 days of activity. Feeling good, got to keep it up!

Ran again

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:57:35 -0800

Twice in one week? Maybe I’m back. Ran a mile, walked a mile, ran a mile. 10:05 first mile, 11:13 second running mile. Pretty good times for me actually.

Some stiffness, but on the whole not bad. No pain to speak of. Hopefully get a good bike ride in this weekend. Feels good to be getting back in action.

Also I received an ask, I am still chew free. Still using the nicotine lozenges, but I’m down to 2-3 a day, which is ahead of schedule and I’m feeling pretty good about it.

So tobacco free, getting fitness back in action, next up getting food back in line…

Run!

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:18:29 -0800

Just a quick little run, but looking at Nike+ its the first run since 1/4 and second run since 11/17. I think I’m missing a fun or two in between 11/17 and 1/4 after restoring my phone, but maybe not…

Either way, it slow and I took walk breaks whenever my leg and knee stiffened up. I ran 1 mile straight, than alternated run walks for another .8 of a mile. My quad, knee, hamstring on my right leg stiffened up, but never hit the sharp pain in my knee that I was having before.

Just did some foam rolling and stretching. Fun, fun, fun. Which really means ouch ouch ouch. Foam rolling hurts more after a run apparently, the pain was like when I was starting out foam rolling, rather than the more mellow feeling it has been working towards lately.

Thanks for the likes and comment on my earlier post, I haven’t been reading tumblr recently but you guys are the best!

I'm going to run tonight

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:29:13 -0800

Saying it so I have to do it. It won’t be far, it won’t be fast, but it will happen.

Go Go Go

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:47:36 -0800

Pretty busy day! Work, Physical Therapy, Cook Dinner, Swim Classes!

Physical Therapy was pretty good, lots of range of motion checks, stretching instructions, massage. He wants me to stretch a lot more than the Doctor was instructing me to do, so I’ll do that. Also gave me this band that I put around my ankles, squat and shuffle back and forth which should build up the muscles on the outside of my upper legs.

Twice a week PT for the next two weeks, then once a week for two weeks. He’d like me to follow up with my Doctor after these two weeks, and then get a run in of a couple of miles and see how the knee responds after a run.

He did stress that when I start running again he wants me to treat it like I’m new, IE long runs of 2-3 miles and build from there, don’t just get going again with a 5-6 mile long run and build. Start the base over.

He again mentioned how tight I am, and said over and over again “Man, you are really really tight!”. So uh, yeah I must not flexible at all. Excuse me while I go stretch again.

Hopefully swimming tomorrow night!

Rolling, Stretching, Standing

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:48:37 -0800

That’s what I’m about these days. Just foam rolled (hurts a little less each day), stretched (getting closer to my toes), and took turns standing on each leg (wobble wobble wobble). Feel like I’m slowly making progress.

Depending on the weather I should have my first full on physical therapy session tomorrow. Hopefully swimming on Wednesday, that also is weather dependent but it’s a little more in my hands.

Tabacco free is still going well. It’s interesting that I’m slowly dropping followers, too bad I’m slowly replacing them with some extra pounds.

Bike ride

Sat, 14 Jan 2012 14:20:41 -0800

I said yesterday I was going for a bike ride. So. When the time came and it was pouring and 39, I put some workout pants on instead of shorts, grabbed my running jacket, and got the bike ready. Should have grabbed some gloves though.

Just did a short running loop though, 2.5 miles 12:35. Not very quick, not very far, but at least I got out there. Definitely have lost some fitness over the last couple months, my legs feel like they did when I would go on 12 mile rides.

Daily Wrap

Sat, 14 Jan 2012 02:28:34 -0800

Nice day with the family, we headed up to Portland and went to O.M.S.I. (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry). Spent a good 3 hours playing with all the exhibits. Tiffany had won admission through her work to see the body works exhibit, and today was the last day it was there. Pretty interesting stuff, but Nathan was in a big hurry to rush through it and get to the stuff you could touch and interact with.

Did get my stretching in, and my foam rolling. I’m going for a bike ride tomorrow as too. Pretty excited to get back on the bike!

On the tabacco front, instead of Nicotine lozenges I’m alternative between a sugar free Wintercool Ice Breaker mint, and the nicotine lozenges. I’m already doing less lozenges than recommended, but I’d like to not repurchase them once this initial supply is up. They say to use at least 9 a day for the first few weeks, and 72 come in a box, so that should last about a 8 days if you just use the minimum. I’m 8 days in and about half way through the supply. Seems pretty doable to ween back quicker than they recommend. I do crave from time to time, but its not too bad, I’ll make it. The doctor was pretty stoked when I was talking with him about it yesterday.

Doctor visit complete

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:53:30 -0800

Twice a week physical therapy, twice a day self foam rolling, follow up with this doctor in two weeks to check progress. Daily stretching, focus in on hamstrings which are extremely tight, and strengthening of some word that I forget that correlates to all the little muscles in your legs (stand on one leg for as long as you can eyes closed, then switch legs).

No running for now, swimming and biking encouraged to keep building cardiovascular endurance. The big focus on building smaller muscles and flexibility will be happening for at least a couple months, due to how extremely tight my legs and back are.

One week

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 01:12:00 -0800

One week tobacco free, getting a little better each day. Follow up doctor appointment tomorrow, where I’ll be in pain but learning how to get better. Peaked at the scale, even splurging a bit, crazy sodium intake, lack of exercise, and general not worrying about weight loss for the last week, the scale is the same. Tomorrow is my “Friday” leading into a 4 day weekend. All in all not too shabby.

Quick update

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 07:45:02 -0800

My last few updates have just been, ok still alive, still quiting tabacco posts, so what’s going on?

Well, right now I’m just focusing on getting off tabacco. That means, lots of sun flower seeds, good amount of beef jerky, and nicotine lozenges. It sucks a lot of the time, so to eliminate any extra pressure I’m not tracking calories. At the same time I’m not going crazy, and I’m trying to eat pretty well. And I have except for last Friday where I did eat fast food twice (first full day quitting, I didn’t care).

Other than that its been pretty standard, Turkey Sandwhich, apple, yogurt for lunch and dinner in with the family. I stepped on the scale once this weekend, and was up a couple of pounds, so I’m going to stay off for a bit, and chalk it up to the sodium from Sunflower Seeds and jerky.

The cravings are getting better, but still suck a lot of the time. Don’t ever chew, smoke, or whatever, its dumb and sucks to quit.

Dr visit on Thursday. Hoping I’ll get cleared to start running. Its a session to learn strengthening exercises, and stretching to deal with IT Band. I’m not sure if the Doctor will want me to work those for a while before I start running again, or if I can run while I continue to do them. Also going to ask about biking, I can’t do it during the week, but it’d be cool if I can do it on weekends. Looking forward to Thursday to find this stuff out.

Its another go go go day. Work, pickup Nathan, clean house, get dinner ready, eat as soon as Tiffany gets in the door, rush to swim class. Busy but fun and worthwhile, Nathan loves swim class and I love to see him have fun and learn. Have a good day!

Day 5

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:45:58 -0800

Just might make it.

Daily Wrap

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 21:27:19 -0800

Nice relaxing day at home, with treks out to exchange a duplicate Christmas present Nathan received and to do the weekly grocery shopping. Not much else going on.

Day 4 in the books. Still on edge, still downing sodium, still tobacco free.

Bring on the sodium

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 21:46:08 -0800

Craving salty things like crazy. If I get through a week or two it’ll be fine. My blood pressure was really good 102/60, so extra salt won’t hurt right? For now non stop sunflower seeds, fills the salt craving, keeps my mouth busy.

Day 3 in the books. PS food was terrible again today, but that’s not the focus for a few days.

Go Lions!

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:51:17 -0800

Been a long wait, let’s hope it’s not a short trip.