...and when performance is measured...

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Yes, I'll take the physical challenge.

Well, I'm on the brink of what I know will be a very challenging and rewarding 12 week process. I'm looking for some real physical body changes to try and reverse the years I've spent drinking soda and sitting behind a computer monitor all day. This whole thing started in January when I saw the scale inching toward the 200 pound mark, a barrier I had no intent of ever breaking. I hit 196 at one point - a good 20 pounds heavier than I probably should be. My main motivation for getting back into shape, or close to "shape", anyway, was that hunting season was approaching, and I wanted to be able to hoof the mountains of Colorado without overheating or exploding or something dramatic.

After getting down to 186, Bryan Hamblin suggested a 10 pound challenge on the skutch website. I was all over it, since I had already been doing it at a slower pace. Over the last few months, with the help of friends, I've dropped my weight down to around 175. That's included a lot of running, some diet changes (no soda, for one) and some weight lifting.

I felt great on my elk hunt, and the exercise paid off. I had been doing a lot of cardio work to get ready for the hikes and hadn't spent a lot of time on the weights. Now that I've dropped off a lot of the fat pounds, I'm ready to rip up a little. I'm still skinny and somewhat soft, so I could use a good ripping. I've chosen to follow a 12 week program called P90X. It looks like its going to be tough. It requires a lot of time, a lot of effort, and a lot of sacrifice. It involves 75 minutes of hard workouts 6 days a week, with an accompanying diet plan.

My end goal is to be able to look at my before pictures and my after pictures and see a real, noticeable, difference. I want to feel stronger and more fit. I really want to be in the best shape of my life 12 weeks from now. I'm 31 years old, and although that's not over the hill by any means, I have never been in prime physical shape. I want to get there and know what it is all about. Hopefully it will spark something in me that brings a desire to stay in better shape for the rest of my life. I feel so much better when I'm working out and eating right - more energy and fewer headaches. I'm ready to make a go of this.

I now commit to 12 weeks of body and mind changing disciplines, starting this Monday, the 24th of September. By Christmas, I hope to have made a change for the better, not only in my body, but my willingness and resolve to stick to a plan.

1 comment:

Jason said...

I feel like I'm joining the ranks under General Washington. Watch out Brits. We're taking Boston!