Journey

Journey has been the theme of my blog for some time now. Losing weight and keeping it off is a constant battle. I had great success at first and have put on some weight over the last year, that I am working at getting back off, but overall feel good about the understanding I have gained about myslef throughout the process.

I have realized that focus is one of the greatest keys for me to do anything well. When I was able to focus on weight loss it went great, when I through in school, work, running for city-council, and applying to law school, somethings got less focus than others. To a great extent grades were the primary focus right after work and family. I am happy to let you know that the grades have paid off and today I was admitted to law school. UALR Bowen School of Law in Little Rock is a great fit for my family and looks like the best overall choice when we put in the many factors we are considering. I tell you this becasue it is an important day, but one that came becasue of this weight loss journey.

I remeber running with my friend Greg one day and telling him how losing weight and getting in better shape made me feel like I could do so much more. It helped me the confidence to go back and finish up my bacholors degree, through that journey I was encouraged by numerous professors and friends to conisder law school. Today is not the end of my health journey, but I think it is a mile post that must be recognized. Because of my health journey my legal journey starts in August.

Down a couple

I have not had the chance to really blog that I thought I would, but I have lost a couple of pounds since last I blogged.

I graduate from Arkansas State University on Saturday with my B.A. in Philosophy. I have taken 12-15 hours each semester and 6-9 in the summers for the last year and a half to finish up my degree. To say the least it has taken some time and energy that I would have normally put into working out or eating well. Between school, work, family, and applying to law school I have been a little busy. But my last final is Thursday and I should have a little more time to put into getting more healthy. It is a few years later than I had hoped, about nine to tell you the truth, but better late than never. The plan is to start law school in the fall, again, better late than never. I am going to take this time between now and August to work on getting into the best shape of my life. I hope to start law school at my lowest adult weight and to have finished a half-ironman just before the start of school. So 3 pounds down towards that goal and just another 45 or so to go!!

UPDATE

Do you want my really good excuses as to why I have been out of touch for some time now? Well I have some really good ones, but I won't go into detail here, only that I have been super busy and blogging has not made my top 50 on the priority list in a while, unfortunatly neither has working out or eating well.

I started this whole weight loss journey around 380 pounds, my lowest was around 240 back in April or so of 2007. Today I weigh 280, so that is a net loss of 100 pounds and a horrible relization that I have gained about 40 pounds. I can't tell you how angery I am at myslef for allowing this to happen, but the main thing is that I start the journey of getting it off. Speaking of journey I was reading back through some of my older post and realized how much I wrote about being on a journey. I can tell that lately I feel like I am either there or not and that there is no in between. This is the kind of thinking that has me do super good one week and lose 10pounds, only to gain it back the next weekend.

I am on a journey and I have some new benchmarks to help me realize my weight goals. My first step is to just get back in the gym at least 2 times a week to do some lifting. My second mandate is to run or bike at least 3 times a week. My third and probalby most important step is to take in 2000 or less calories a day. By sticking to these simple priorities I hope to start losing weight weekly once again. I also plan to set a race goal soon, perhaps the Country Music 1/2 marathon (this was my goal two years ago when I started this journey) in April and some 5ks along the way.

The main thing is that I can no longer lose integrity with myslef by failing to follow through on the one aspect of life that should be a very high priority and that is health. I hope to have some good weight loss news by this time next week and maybe even report a workout or eating update along the way.

It Has Been A While

Things have been a little crazy lately and I am not sure they are getting less so. I had a great loss this week. I was down over 10 pounds. It is amazing what happens when you eat right and work out every day. Kim and I have decided to do a triathlon in September in Conway so I knew I had some getting in shape to do. I still have over 30 pounds to lose before I get down to where I would like to be, but I feel that I am finally back on the right track, now if it wasn't for leaving for vacation on Saturday I might have a couple of good weeks in a row. I am going to try hard to actually lose weight on vacation for the first time ever. I will let you know how it goes.

Another Real Quick Update

I am still alive and working on this weight thing. I have been really too busy the last couple of months, but that should let up a little after Monday, so I will have much more time to devote to a fall race and getting some of this 30 pounds or so I have gained off.

Thanks for keeping up with me. This is a journey, and right now I am having to go up a hill.

Very Quick Update

Sorry I missed last week, but I was not overly excited to announce the largest one week gain in history, well maybe not history, but it was bad. After almost a week in beautiful Malibu California I gained 7.9 pounds. Not to fear I weighed today and lost 6 of it this week, so I am back on the right track!!

Working out has been limited to walks around the neighborhood chasing Kiley on her bicycle. With my current scheudule that is about the best I can hope for.

Down 2

It's not 8, but losing two pounds this week does not disappoint me. I ate poorly last weekend and did not get in near the exercise that I had hoped, so I was hoping to just not gain. I was pleasantly surprised to be down.

On another note, I saw a friend today at a store who complimented me on "how skinny" I am. Not that I mind being encouraged, I like it as matter of fact, but in my mind my first response was "if you only knew". To her I had lost all this weight, run a couple of marathons and a couple triathlons and was doing exactly what I needed to do. But from my perspective I am not working out hardly at all, cheat much more than I used to, and feel like not only I could fall of the wagon, but that wagon would then fall on top of me. I don't see her often and from her perspective I had this weight thing beat. A similar conversation happened this morning between Kim and her mom, it was not about weight, but about relationship. She told Kim how wonderful she thinks our marriage is how, in her words "have it all together" That has really stuck with me today. Let be me the first to tell you, Kim and I have a wonderful marriage, but are far from having "it all together" but like my friend in the store who I don't see often and her mom who lives in Chattanooga, the perception can be better than reality.

I think I have thought that at some point I would have it all together on this health and weight thing, that I would not have to go to meetings or not worry about pigging out and starting a downward spiral of gaining weight, but that is not reality. I think reality is no one ever has anything "all together" we are all on a journey and for some it's weight for others it something different, and to aspire to "having it all together" someday is setting yourself up for failure. I hope I can just enjoy the journey and do better tomorrow than I did today.

Down 8!!

Well the first week back on the wagon was a good one. I did not get near the physical activity that I wanted to, but did lose over 8 pounds. I hope to plan 5 or 10K or a bike race or something I can start training towards, because it is apparent that without a goal I won't get out and do much.

I know it is just the first week and I am still almost 30 pounds from my lowest weight of last year, but I feel like I am on the way, and that it will come off. I have not written about the possibility of an Ironman in a while, but it is something you have to register for a year in advance, and looking at my schedule for the year I am realizing that I might be able to start training at the first of 2009 and would like to at least think about doing one in July or August of 2009. That is along way away, but this years is just not a possibility with all that I have going on, a half marathon is probably the most I can hope for this year and some 5ks, but if things work out like I hope, I will have the first part of 2009 with much more spare time.

By the way I think I am beating Debbie in our newest challenge!!

Thanks

I appreciate so much the support and encouragment from you guys that read the blog as I start the HMR program again. Even though I weigh 100 pounds less than the first time I started, I am dissapointed that I have allowed myslef to gain back over 35 pounds, and not fit into some of the pants I could fit into at this time last year.

I have had a great week and look forward to my official weigh in next Thusday so that I can report a loss. I have to say that the accoutability and the structure built into the program really help me. I am hoping to do a 5k in the next couple of weeks just to get back in the swing of racing and try to work in a half marathon for the fall. I also hope the weather makes it easier to ride my bike soon.

Here we go...AGAIN

Well the slow methodical gain of weight has to stop. I am up over 30 pounds from my lowest weight which was around this time last year. I have still lost over 100, but I have to stop this silly bleeding now. As I posted I started Weight Watchers and I really thought that would work,and I think it if i just wanted to maintain, it would, but I need to lose about 50 pounds, and I know how to do that, I have done it before with the HMR program and as most people tend to do, when in doubt go back to what is familiar. I have swallowed my pride and emailed my old weight loss class instructor and have committed to getting back in a week from today. With all the other things I have going on like, finishing my degree (done in Dec) college ministry, my job, being a dad of two small children, and most recently being appointed by the Gov. to the Quorum Court, I have not had a lot of time to concentrate on how I eat or even think about working out very much.

I weight tomorrow and Debbie and I start over on our race to lose 30 pounds, I hope to at least make it competitive, I am striving to find that contentment of being in the journey that I talked about at this time last year, but for some reason it has been hard to find. I hope to start riding my bike again on Sat mornings soon and running more, but in the meantime I just need to control my eating and know that I am doing all I can do to make sure that part of the formula is successful.

Up and downs, thanks for coming along

It's Official

I owe Debbie www.debbiecook.blogspot.com a CD of her choice. We made the bet late last year, and the first one to 30 pounds won. She did great and I pretty much sucked it up. I went up I went down and in the end I think I gained 2 pounds over the same period of time that she lost 30. Wow that's depressing me just typing it out. But hey life has been pretty hectic and I have been really pre-occupied and..I have more excuses if you want to hear them. But I know you don't and I don't really either. I am trying to eat well and exercise, because next week we are going skiing and I bet I don't eat real well in Colorado, so I will have to make up for that when I get back. Last weekend I traveled to Nashville and didn't do real well there either. I try to update and report in good and bad and this is kinda of bad. But hey I have been lifiting weights a lot and getting a lot stronger and have more defenition in the upper body, now if I could just get that little film of fat that cover my whole body off I could actully enjoy all that work in the weight room.

Double or nothiing??? Come on Debbie!!

I like this Weight Watchers thing

I lost 7.8 pounds in my first week of Weight Watchers. I have to say that it is a little more than I thought I would lose and I am sure it will slow down, but I am excited about it. It is good to be back in the swing of going to a meeting and having the accountabiltiy factor. I hope to cook a WW receipe of poppy seed chicken tonight and the whole family can enjoy it. Even with Kim and I going out of town last weekend I was able to stay on program and eat out the whole weekend.

I really feel that this is a lifestyle thing and would not be hard to stay on long term. Kim is really an example to that, she lost all like 15 pounds she gained afer both kids and continues to go to the meeting once a month and weigh in and stick to the points program pretty well to maintain her weight. She has been doing it for over 5 years or so now.

The weight lifting is still going well 2 days a week and I am trying to get in more running or biking, but the weather has really been bad , and I have not been terribly motivated or had a ton of time, but once momentum starts in the right direction it makes it a lot easier to keep it going and doing the right things to stay in shape.

Big Weight Announcement

Today I made a prettty big decesion. I have joined Weight Watchers. You are probably wondering why I would do that with the success I was having and had with the medically supervised program. 1) I am taking over grocery shopping and dinner making at the Shumpert house and Kim is on Weight Watchers and Kiley and Robyn need to start leaning to eat healthy, more so Kiley right now, but it will be better for us to all be on the same page. 2) Those of you who know my extremist personality know that I am all in or not, and I loved the shakes only and it helped me get where I felt my weight is vey managable, but looking for the long run I really like the WW plan and think it might fit better into my physicaly active lifestly by allowing points and more food for more exercise. 3) I wanted the accoutability of a group and going into weigh each week like the other program, but did not want to spend the extra money for the other program. 4) As much as I like shakes and prepackeded meals, there is real food in the real world and I have got to learn to maintain and lose weight with it everday. 5) I needed to do something to shake things up becasue the 20 pounds I have gained are turing the corner and looking more like 30, it was time to make a drastic step to stop the bleeding and regain control, and like any good addict I realized I needed help. 6) After I get to my goal at WW I can get my own class and launch my motivatianl speaking and book deal. Ok so maybe number six is not a good reason, but I am being transparent here.

My first weigh in is next Friday that is a week from Friday, I will let you know how it goes.

Busy, busy, but not bad

Well I have been out of town a couple of weekends and have not lost any weight the last two weeks, I have not gained, but at this point staying the same is not really the goal. I have been working out in the weight room two days a week and actually ran once last week. I am currently just trying to get everything I have to get done taken care of and running or biking or swimming is a luxery. My main goal is to weigh Monday with some weight lost and to have done a good job with dicipline over the weekend. That has been a key phrase lately when I want to eat something I should not, I ask myslef if I really have no dicipline and usually I can answer myslef (which they say is a sign of mental illness) with an affrmitive and make a good eating choice. I am going to have to start running on a consistant basis again soon, but I am taking a class a Spanish class everyday at 8 in the monring and my afternoons are always busy, so in order to run I may start trying to get at it around 5:30 or so in the monrings a couple of days a week. I feel that I am on track and the journey is still very much on the right road, I am just afraid that I am going to have to buy Debbie a CD very soon becasue she is kicking my butt at the race to lose 30 pounds.

DOWN 6

It has been a great week and I have eaten well and worked out and I am seeing it pay off in the weight loss for the week. It is amazing how eating less and exercising causes one to lose weight. Now the challenge is to string two weeks together of doing the right things. The weekend are always a challenge and sometimes after a big week like this I feel like I deserve to indulge a little on the weekend and end up gaining back a majority of my loss during the week. But I am going to do my best to actually lose weight over the weekend, I will let you know how it goes Monday.

Finally, Good News to Report

I had a really good week last week and this week (all one day of it) is going well on the eating and working out. I am just trying to make it one day at a time and let one good day build on the next. After the marathon I got out of the habit of eating well and excercising and it is harder than one would think to just jump back in.

Thanks for the all the support. I am hoping to get back down to my lowest before we go sking in March.