Saturday is for Singing

Ladies and Gentlemen.... The Civil Wars.

Not Feeling It

You ever say that? "I'm not feeling it." I felt that way this whole week but especially this morning. I woke up with the full intention of doing no form of exercise whatsoever. But after seeing my wife and son off for school I strapped on the ol' running shorts and off I went.

I went my usual route back by the Naval Welfare Complex. It was so hot. At 7:00am it was in the high 80's. I did my thing, looking at my Garmin as I ran just thinking it was off or re-calibrating every time I looked at it. When I finished my 3 miles I stopped the Garmin and was shocked at what I saw. I ran my fastest 3 miles of the week. It taught me a valuable lesson.

The lesson I learned is that I could have a good day or a bad day but if I never try, I would never know. The choice to go is the choice of the journey. I could have gone out today and flamed out in 2 miles. Could've happened. Or I could have an average run and be done. Or I could have run my best run of the week. You know what would have happened if I chose not to go? Nothing.

Life is full of choices. We can choose to push through "not feeling it" and see what happens on the other side. Good or bad, you did it. You chose it. That is the adventure of life. Choosing to do something. If we choose nothing, we get exactly that. Choose to do something. Choose life. I think of what Jesus said, "I have come that you may have life and have it to the full." That means the whole roller coaster. The good, the bad, the ugly. Life fully lived. I want that. Maybe I am making too big a deal of taking 7 seconds off a mile but I don't think so.

Today Choose Life.

Been Dying to Share This

I have been wanting to post this. Here it is. If you watch a tv show in an hour, take that hour to watch this instead. You don't have to want to be an Ironman to enjoy this. This is inspiring. Year after year we hear stories of not just the pro athletes but the "back of packers" and their incredible stories of overcoming, persevering, faith and sheer will. Take an hour to be inspired. You can always tevo that reality show. I am moved by this all the time. I even watch the older events. More than once. I warn you, I don't cry... I cried. It was watching the 2005 Ironman that pushed me to my first marathon. Maybe this will help push you to your goals or discover them.

This is an 8-17 hour event summarized in an hour. These are some of the greatest videos out there.

Tools of the Trade?

I thought I would share a few tools I use. Maybe you would like to use them as well? I will even include a few I don't use but I know are helpful.

Online Resources

• LiveStrong - I use the MyPlate tool on this website. It is pretty exhaustive and you can track the food you eat everyday. It also keeps track of the nutritional values as well. It's not perfect because if it is not the exact product, it can vary but it gives you a pretty good idea. I have used it for years and helps me with weight loss because I can set calories and track calories burned in a workout. You can track your weight on here as well. Sign up is free. Check it out. Play around with it. I love it.
• Dailymile - I record every workout with it. LiveStrong can track calories, but DailyMile tracks progress and keeps track for you. You can even map out courses ahead of time so you get an idea of how far you are going or how big the spot is. You can build a little online community of locals that help keep you motivated as well. It can track 18 different types of workouts. Gives weekly totals as well. Good tool. Worth using.
• Runner's World - Yeah, Yeah. Not everyone is a runner, I know. But the fitness and nutrition advice are outstanding. There are inspiring and motivating articles as well. I like to check it out a couple times a week to see what is up.
• Triathlete - This is what I want to be when I grow up. It is a bookmark I see all the time. I read articles a couple times a week. I am not a triathlete. I want to be though. What do you want to be? Put it somewhere you can see it. This site sits next to Ironman Phuket 70.3. This is my dream goal for December 2013. Impossible is nothing. What would be your dream goal?
• Calorie King - I don't use this because I am a loyal to LiveStrong, but it is absolutely the best at tracking calories and nutritional values. Test it. It's good.

Workout Tools

• Polar Heart Rate Monitor - I used to use it all the time. Run in your heart zone. It is crucial. I stopped using it because I have a good feel for my body now and run on instinct. Weird I know, but if you never used one, take a look at it. Good stuff.
• Garmin Forerunner 101 - Super basic GPS. It keeps track of my runs. It tracks pace, ave pace, distance, laps. There are definitely much fancier ones than this one, but again, I am loyal to it. It still works. I've had it since 2006. Got me through my first marathon training. Much better than trying to figure it all out on your own.
• Swim Goggles - Wasn't a fan when I bought them. Now I can't swim without them. If you think you would like to swim, try a pair out and see if you like them. Never know.

I know there are tons of online resources as well as gadgets and gizmos. Do you guys have any input? Things you use that you like or don't like? Share away in the comment section below.

Running Bandit, Finding Sanook & Monday Weigh In

So I had a fun weekend. At Suan Luang Park there was a 1/2 marathon, 10k and 5 k run. I decided to show up that morning with 7 others from the Bangkok Runners and give it a go. It was incredibly well organized by Twin Lotus and all the money went to charity. There was one snag in the plan though. When I showed up that morning there were no more registrations being taken. I felt deflated. Although they told us we could run bandit (without registering), I didn't get an tshirt or the cool little prize package at the end. Priorities you know. Ha Ha! No I gave it a go anyways and it was a lot of fun! I ran the whole 10k in 1:20:32. I am not ashamed because I know what my second option was: nothing. I could have sat on my butt all day and did nothing.

I also think that Thai people must have the most fun at running events. All the way through there was laughing and smiling and joking around. I saw one guy (a runner) catching a ride on the back of a songtaaw (pick up w/ benches) and then I saw him later on the back of a scooter. He was a riot and added comic relief. What a good time. A Thai friend ran the whole with me. He could have beat me by 1/2 an hour but he wanted to enjoy the run and I am grateful. The company was great. Plus he helped translate the jokes about a pack of dogs at the 1/2 way point (true story). Sanook is the Thai word for fun. It is who they are and what they are about. If it isn't Sanook, it isn't happening. I am looking forward to more running events here in Bangkok.

Monday weigh in. I weighed in last week at 115.6 kg (254.3 lbs). I had lost 3.4 kg (7.5 lbs) that week. This week wasn't near as impressive. The weigh in was 114.8 kg. I lost 0.8 kg (1.8 lbs). But hey, I am happy with that! A loss is a loss. That's 4.2 kg (9.3 lbs) I know I have to reign in my eating a little better. Working on that this week. OK all, have a good week. Set a goal. Work hard. Blessings.

Saturday is for Singing

If I ran with an Ipod, this song would be on the playlist. It runs in my head as I run quite often. Motivating, fun, profound. And hey, who doesn't like Mumford & Sons? Don't answer that. No one needs to know.

Confessions of a Meat Eater

I talked a little in my last post about eating vegetarian. Let me confess something to you. I hate eating vegetables. Especially cooked vegetables. My church where I used to pastor at knows this all too well. Ask them. As a boy I have terrible memories of trying to down the peas on my plate. The cooked pea is the root of all evil.

I remember years later eating Shepherd's Pie. It is meat and cooked veggies covered in mashed potatoes. I picked out all the vegetables (allegedly) and began to eat. Before I continue I believe I have a medical condition that causes my gag reflex to kick in when I eat cooked veggies; especially broccoli, cooked carrots and peas. I have had this medical anomaly as far back as I can remember. So I digress. Anyways, where were we? Right. Shepherd's Pie. So after meticulously picking out all the cooked vegetable I began the inhaling of the pie. Suddenly, deep in my throat, it happened. The day I almost died. I felt a cooked carrot way in the back of my throat and yup, you guessed it, my gag reflex kicked in. I started choking and gagging and beating my chest. I didn't taste it. No, I just felt it. Finally after what felt like eternity (approx 10 sec) I was able to swallow the food. This happened over a decade ago and has scarred me deeply.

The church I worked for on my last Sunday, one of the youth presented me with a pan of cooked veggies. They all got a kick out of that. But boy I wish they could see me now. I have pushed through my medical condition (gag reflex) and am now eating cooked vegetables, including carrots, broccoli and snow peas. And guess what else? I love it! My neighbors who have restaurants make cooked veggies in stir fry and fried rice. It is incredible. I have overcome. Sure, every once in a while I can feel the reflex wants to kick in, but then my body realizes it can make it. Perseverance. Fight. Fight.

All that to say is if I can do it, I am completely convinced anyone can do it. I even eat cabbage for Pete's sake. I am still looking for variety. It's just learning how to ask for it. While I am OK at Thai, it is still hard to communicate some things. But seriously, just keep pushing on. If this meat eater with a gag reflex can do it, so can you.

Isn't Eating Vegetarian for Hippies and Tree Huggers?

Maybe. So what. I got good friends who are hippies and tree huggers. I am borderline myself, so lets cut some slack. Ha-ha! I have been eating vegetarian for almost 2 weeks now. I know that isn't a long time but I just wanted to talk about it a little bit.

First off, no it isn't easy at first. Your body is used to eating what it eats and when you deny it what it's used to, I believe you go through withdrawal. It was hard to push through, but I have made it. I actually enjoy the challenge of trying to find new foods to eat. In America I think it is much easier. We just never thought about not eating meat. The choices are plentiful and delicious. Just take some time and research it. I am still getting my daily fill of protein. Believe it or not, meat isn't the only source. It isn't even the healthiest choice. But I am not an expert and won't pretend to give you a list of foods to eat. This post is just to introduce you to the idea of a plant based diet.

Don't take my word for it. Check out Dr. Esselstyn's book "Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease: The Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven, Nutrition-Based Cure". He is a doctor at the world renowned Cleveland Clinic. He is not only bringing heart disease to a halt but reversing it. I haven't made the full commitment he has, but I hope to in time. And the science and stories speak for themselves. There are also endurance athletes, boxers, mma and many other athletes from different sports who live on a plant based diet.

Lastly, I am a social meat eater. Mainly because I think it is important to honor my hosts and impose my limitations upon them. I embrace the hospitality and enjoy the food. Guiltless. Mainly because it is all about not just a healthy body but healthy relationships too. I honor relationships over my own needs. I am OK with that.

Do some homework Give it a shot. Maybe just a day a week. Do it progressively. It's not perfect. I still have to choose to eat fruits and veggies. I mean I could technically eat doughnuts and cheese pizza and still be a vegetarian. It's about good choices. So far, it works for me. Maybe I will make it 100% vegetarian (vegan) one day. We'll see. Something to shoot for.

Connecting My Soul

There is alot to be thinking about these days. I got alot on my mind. One thing on my mind is the connection of the spiritual and the physical. And to be honest, I think it is a false dichotomy. I believe that everything in our lives is spiritual. You might say, "Wait, I'm not into being spiritual". Too late. We are connected to something bigger than ourselves. That is part of the journey for me in my quest for better health. I believe that working out, family, work, faith, friends, mowing the yard, doing taxes are all connected. It is all a spiritual act. It is just a matter of us opening our eyes, hearts and soul to see it as such.

I am a follower of Jesus. Not everyone who reads this post is a follower of Jesus. No worries. I won't get preachy on you. That is not my point. My point is, our lives are connected to something bigger than ourselves. We must recognize that. It is part of our quest towards wholeness. This is what I am learning. When I am struggling in the pool, running 10k, doing the dishes, spending time with my family or riding the bus, it is all holy ground. I must recognize that God is with me and every moment is sacred. So the way I treat my body, my family, my enemies, myself is all a direct reflection of the health of my soul and my connectedness to Jesus.

My endevour to be physically healthier is not a separate endevour from my pursuit of Jesus. It is the same pursuit.

That is what I am connected to. What are you connected to outside yourself? Give me some feedback.

My Body Hates Me

Not too much to report today. It was tough waking up and realizing I couldn't run. My back had just had enough. It was pretty sore from 9.56 miles on Sunday and swimming yesterday. Fair enough. Tomorrow maybe I'll do 1/2 hour swim and 1/2 hour run.

Sometimes we have to know when our bodies need rest and when to push through. Today, because of the location (lower back) I knew I had to give it a rest. It is important to learn your body and know the difference between wimping out and allowing yourself to heal. I still focused on nutrition today and am doing pretty good. Just because we can't accomplish the fitness part of the day, doesn't mean we throw in the towel right?

On a side note, I just finished a book by Andy Holgate. It is called Can't Swim, Can't Bike, Can't Run. It is the story of a regular guy who decides to see what he is made of. He ends up becoming an Ironman. Check out the story of this librarian and see what connects with you. Maybe your challenge isn't in an Ironman, but find that dream your chasing and go get it. God plants dreams in our hearts but it is up to us if we are willing to pursue it. We were made for a purpose and for different challenges.

Go get it.

Sunday Madness and Monday Morning Weigh In

Ok. So I dont blog on Sundays. it doesn't mean I wasn't busy though. I met with the Bangkok Running Club for the first time yesterday. What a great bunch of guys...and girl. Everyone was at different levels so it made for a good time of running. Everyone had someone to run with most of the time.

They wanted to do about 15k (9 miles or so). I was game to do about 10k of that, That would have been more running than I had ever done in Bangkok. As I was coming around my 4th lap where I wanted to finish I came across our group leader. He encouraged me to stick with him for one more lap (1.5 miles). The goal was 6 laps total. When him and I got around to finish 5 there was the crew at the drink stand encouraging us on. Good people. So we decided to push it one more lap. Yes we walked and ran. It was good to mix it up. Hey, I'm not marathon training yet. I got about 5 more weeks for that.

So sure enough I covered a distance of 9.56 miles (15.38532864000827 km). Thank you online converter. It was a real sense of accomplishment. Sure my body aches today. Better than aching from a bad night drinking or eating too much.

Which brings me today. After a week of eating vegetarian (90% anyways) and a good week of exercise, I was hoping to lose at least 1/2 a kilo. Well I stood on the scale today. Last week I weighed in at 119 kg. Today I weighed in at...115.6kg!!! Wow! Blown away. That's 3.4kg or 7.5 lbs. I am more than pleased. It lets me know I am on the right track. Now on to the next week.

Week 1 weight: 119kg (261.8 lbs)

Current weight: 115.6 (254.3 lbs)

Target: 91kg (200lbs)

Saturday is for Singing

Until I know you all won't judge me, I will keep my Saturday song selection conservative. I think I will keep Saturdays easy and fun by posting a song I love that motivates or inspires me. Music should touch your soul. Sometimes it is musically and sometimes it is lyrically. And on occasion I have the opportunity to present both. And here it is. Ladies and Gentlemen: The Decemberists...

Swimming...Or Something Like That

I get to swim at a Sports Complex close to my house that is ran by the Thai Navy. It's a nice outdoor pool 50m long. I have swam in it twice so far. The first time was for only 200m and this last time was only 300m. Do any of you struggle with swimming? Man it is a terrible experience as far as feeling like I am getting anywhere. As a matter of fact I have 2 pictures to show you of my swimming experience.

Well, at least this is how I usually feel. I am either feeling like a huge whale barely trudging through the water or I feel like I am going to drown. But I swim because it is good for my body. My knees thank me and my back does too. It is a full body workout without the pounding of running on pavement. I would like to swim 3x a week and run 3x a week until its time to start marathon training. I just need to learn a little bit more about the mechanics of swimming.

Anyone have any good swimming advice? Does anyone know any good online tutorials? One of the big questions I have is should I swim for an hour and just try to improve on how many laps I accomplish? Or should I try to continue to increase distance/time?

Swimming is a sport I love and hate. Anyone else? If not swimming, what sport/exercise do you love to hate? I am just going to keep persevering. A bad day of exercising is still a good day to be alive.

For Starters

OK. So you guys are catching me at the very start of this thing. I am not sure where this is going but we will find out. I have always been a bit of a big guy. That is probably an understatement. at my largest that I weighed in at, I was 381 pounds. I was newly married and I knew my life had to change drastically and I took some pretty extreme measures (lap-band surgery). I'll save that story for another time. But just to let you know briefly where I am coming from and where I am going, this is my first post.

Honestly though, surgery aside, with the help of family I was able to get with a personal trainer who helped me with not just exercising but changing the way I live my life. We worked hard. And with his help I got my weight down to 231lbs and I ran my first Marathon in 2007 in Cleveland in, Ohio in 5:26:36. That was something I thought I would never do. Here was the problem though. I got frustrated that I wasn't losing anymore weight and I was never able to see myself as skinny. Even though I went from a 4XL to XL and even at times L, I always saw myself as the fat guy. It is who I believed I was. My life was disconnected.

I have been able to run 3 marathons since then. Disney World, Columbus and Akron. My weight ballooned back up. I even got back up to 280 at one point. Disney World and Columbus, although I finished, were very disappointing. I wept after both of them probably out of exhaustion and the realization how out of shape I was getting. I felt like it was confirming what I believed my whole life about myself. Akron was my comeback in the fall of 2011. It felt great. I finished in just under 6 hours. But my weight is still floating around 261 lbs (119kg) and I am back to wearing 2XL or hate to say even 3XL depending on the make.

I am realizing my health is connected to my relationships, my spirituality, my work and all aspects of my life. It is all connected. And when one part is out of whack, it puts the rest of my life out of whack. So welcome to my blog. My quest for physical, relational and spiritual health. Journey with me if you want. Share your story as we go. But if you have struggled your whole life with your weight and have seen how it affects the rest of your life, I feel your pain. I am there, but I am not staying there. I am 37 and am not getting younger. I have a 5 yr old son who is awesome and a supportive wife. This is for them as much as me. LOL, they don't even know I started this blog.

How This Blog Works:

1. Still figuring that out.

2. I will probably be overly personal and at times speak over emotionally. lol. But I want it to be honest.

3. Monday morning Weigh In's. Feel free to add your progress or struggle in with mine.

4. I am learning alot about eating vegetarian. I am not there yet although I have made it2.5 days now. Come either help teach me or learn what I am learning.

5. I live in Bangkok, Thailand so I may be referencing time that hasn't happened for you yet. Just know I am about 12 hours ahead and not a time traveler.

OK. That's it for now. My blog isn't completely set up but I will take it as it comes. Please feel free to follow along.

Did I mention the Bangkok Marathon is November 18th? Yeah, I'm doing that.