2 Years of Change...

Enjoying the hell out of the following:

- The 24 hour fitness @ Triangle Square; $30 a month, private showers, a clean gym AND towel service!

- Heart of a Champion workout program

- Being a vegetarian (coming up on 3 years!)

Here is a picture from progression showing changes.  The far left is Oct 2010, I was a year into vegetarian eating doing CrossFit and weighed about 148lbs.  The middle pic was May 2011 during my 'weight gain' phase; I was eating about 3500 calories a day and doing a traditional body building program.  The last picture is July 2012, I am eating around 2,300 calories a day and doing the Heart of a Champion program.

Honestly all three programs have helped me so much.  CrossFit was amazing and gave me such a foundation for fitness that I never had prior.  The body building phase let me put on muscle that I have been able to retain and the program I'm on now has really helped me bring it all together with the results I was always aiming for.

I'm also excited to say that in the same time I've raised my max pushups to 45 (from 25, 2 years ago) and my resting heart rate has dropped from 68 to 54.  Hell yeah!

Still lots of work, but not bad and 100% vegetarian.  No meat, no fish; I do eat dairy & eggs.

One more thing...

Do you want to lose weight?  If the answer is yes, then do this...

For the next 3 months drink:
- Black Coffee
- Ice Tea/hot tea with no sugar
- Water

No diet soda, redbull, sugar free redbull, OJ, milk, or any other drink with calories or ingredients.

If you aren't willing to do that for 3 months, then choose one of the following two options:

Option 1: Accept yourself as you are, it's okay to be a little soft, fat or obese.  You are the majority.
Option 2: Dedicate your mind to not getting what you want for a greater good.

Soft Drink = Soft Belly

Almost February, which means the gym should be looking more normal again soon.  

Now all the people that have 'thyroid issues', 'slowed metabolism' and need electrolytes during their 30 minute works yet can't figure out why they can't shed that last 10lbs (which is actually more like 40lbs) can start getting more sleep.

New years resolution almost done?  It shouldn't be.  

Here's a mistake most people make.  "This year, I'm losing 10lbs" or "This year, I'm getting a six pack" or whatever that end result is.  Make no mistake goals and desires are great to have, but often in life you can't control an outcome.  What you can control are your actions.

Here's my new years resolution.  75,030 crunches.  Seem stupid?  We'll, on December 29th, 2011; when most people will be making the same resolution as last year, I'll be working on finishing mine.

205 crunches a day.  Every day for 366 days (leap year).  You see, I don't care what the results are, my goal is in dedicating myself to an action, not a result.

And don't get me wrong, 75,030 crunches isn't my athletic duty for the year.  I'm still working out 4+ days a week and continuing with 1 soda/juice/slurpee a month & an overall balanced diet.  But, hell, I was already doing that so why not do something new and fun?!?

Here's another way to look at it.  Be > Do > Have

Most people focus on Have, "I want to HAVE bigger arms", then set the goal 'this year I will get bigger arms'.  But go back one step, what must you DO to HAVE bigger arms?  Then go back one more step, what must you BE to DO what you need to DO to HAVE bigger arms?  Confused yet?

To HAVE bigger arms you must DO workouts that will grow muscles and eat the right diet to promote that growth.  To DO workouts and eat right, you must BE dedicated to an idea of fitness and growth.

Everyone wants to HAVE a better body, some people DO some of the work, but those that HAVE what you want are the ones that BE.

So what do you want to BE?  Who do you want to BE?

Side note, Jenni and I are now at the 24 hour fitness at Triangle Square.  It is epic.  I've never in my life seen or been to such an awesome gym.  So much fun!!!