70 Days into my health kick. Like the Energizer Bunny, I keep going and going and going....
Lots of good news
1. Weight down 8-9 lbs 182-183 range. And I've eaten like an 18 year old. Been on the road last 3 weeks. Ate steak, doughnuts, French toast, bacon, fried chicken. Chinese food 3 times. And lost weight.
2. Had elbow tendonitis finally taken care of with a cortisone shot. It was sore for 2 days after the shot, now, pain free.
3. While there, they took my blood pressure. Wasn't expecting that after 3 cups of coffee. 135/77 down from 142/96. And believe me, I've had some stress in my life.
4. New role, start that tomorrow. It's still working from home and will be a great opportunity to leverage what I've been doing.
5. Still on the wagon with zero temptation. Probably going to be permanent.
6. I feel 25 years younger, physically
7. Consistent with workouts.
Habits I'm continuing
1. Still drinking a pint of coconut water a day for potassium and to help lower blood pressure.
2. Still have my 2 Tbs of Apple Cider Vinegar, 2 Tbs of Lemon Juice and Water, taken the rest of the stuff out of it. Drinking before bed vs. before a meal. it's supposed to lower blood sugar at night by up to 6%.
3. Keep fighting through stress. I wouldn't call it a banner month from a personal standpoint (parenting is REALLY hard sometimes), but I'm on my game.
4. No drinking.
Workouts
1. Hitting Planet Fitness 1-2 x a week to do chest and back exercises and a 2 mile run. When I was in San Francisco the second week, there was one 100 yards from my hotel, used twice.
2. Still doing kettlebells. More getups and swings because of my balky elbow. Been gingerly trying not to re-injure it. Did about 25 snatches yesterday, in sets of 5, no pain. Not doing any real programming right now.
3. Been running a little. did 5.4 miles outdoors last Sunday, then took a few days off.
4. In San Francisco they had a group bodyweight Orange Theory class at 6 AM at the hotel. Brutal. I was having conversations with myself about losing the previous night's dinner. And I was in bed by 10 PM PDT. I could only imagine my colleagues whose livers were in overdrive from the night before.
My previous post was my most read to date, by far. There were quite a few people, who I know personally have come up to me and told me they read it. Kind of surprised me to tell you the truth. Usually I feel like I'm writing to a bunch of strangers and I like it that way. Though I do catch a little grief from some of my closer friends and relatives. What people don't understand is, we are always evolving. Values change, people change. I have a friend who is getting pretty famous on his YouTube channel. I laugh hysterically when I watch it. I've taken to calling him "The Luckiest Man On Earth" to his face, after he referred to himself as that after Hurricane Irma. But, I also can appreciate that he's building his brand, and 99% of the people who watch him don't know him like I do. I've done a couple of videos. I don't like the way I look or sound. I feel vulnerable in front of the camera. I guess that means you won't see any sex videos of me being released.
Thoughts on not drinking
Now we've gotten to the meat and potatoes of this blog. Let me preface this by saying, I never had a drinking problem. Did I binge drink like a lot of adults? Sometimes, yes. Did I drink every day? No way. Call it 15-20 units a week over 3-4 days. I drank on weekends, or when going out to dinners or social events. I love scotch, could take or leave everything else. My only advice to any of you who want to lose weight, get in great shape, feel healthier, abstaining from alcohol is 100% the magic pill. Not even in moderation. You will look better, feel better, perform better, behave better. The trade-off is; life will get a little slower, maybe even boring. I've been to bars, out for drinks, numerous parties, golfing, hanging out at the 19th hole, stuck in airports, traveled back and forth cross country twice, a terrible week of meetings away from home, professional social events, on vacation with my friends and haven't drank. I've only been quasi-tempted once. Me and my colleague/friend were walking down Nob Hill in San Francisco, near the Buenavista Cafe and I thought about their Irish Coffee. Other than that, it never crosses my mind. Once my mind is made up to quit something, I'm good.
I still have a good time. I'm a world class chatterbox, so I don't have any issue holding conversations. Last week in Asheville, after dinner, we went to a blues bar. Great music, hilarious people watching, (judging here, but it's a bunch of hipsters trying WAY too hard to be different). Artistic, eclectic, a glorified Vermont come to my mind. My buddy has a house on a ridge above timber at the top of a mountain. Drove the rented Tahoe in the dark up the mountain. Provided a great rush for me. Any personal issues I have, I feel I can deal with them head on with laser like execution. Fighting off a hangover when you're not feeling great personally really stinks.
What is your preferred potable?
Micro Brew
Pros: Have a better flavor than mass-produced beer, interesting styles of taste.
Cons: They're heavy, hard to drink more than two, hoppy beers release estrogen. Estrogen gives men Bitch Tits
Regular Beer
Pros: The ultimate culture uniter among male friends. "Let's have some beers" Great on the beach or after mowing the lawn.
Cons: Light beer has no flavor or alcohol, need at least 6 to feel anything. No point to it. Regular beer has a sweet aftertaste and makes you feel bloated.
Wine
Pros: Wine tasting at vineyards is a nice thing to do with your sweetie. Pairs well with food. Different types of grapes bring different types of wine
Cons: Makes you feel sluggish and sleepy. Too much wine leads to nasty hangovers. The mommy/wine culture is stupid. Go to your local liquor store for a wine tasting. Look at the dregs of society that show up.
Scotch
Pros: Once you acquire the taste, the differences in whiskies are quite interesting. Relaxing with a book in front of a fire. Good bang for the buck,
Cons: Can't have more than two and the best scotch according to my cousin is the second one. Can go down fast. Best only in moderation.
Bourbon/Rye
Pros: Good for cocktails. An okay substitute if there is no scotch.
Cons: Scotch tastes better. I find bourbon to be too hillbilly/charcoal infested for my pallet. Same issues about potency as scotch.
Vodka
Pros: Good to mix with. Comes in a variety of flavors
Cons: Makes some people insane. I'm not a vodka guy at all. Would drink it maybe once a year tops.
Gin
Pros: Mixes well for martinis or with tonic water. Great refresher on a hot day coming off the beach
Cons: Liquid Satan. 94 proof, more than vodka or whisky. Hits you like an uppercut. Tastes like soap after the second one.
So as you can see with no scotch in the house, it is easy for me to abstain. I'm at the point where, if all this stuff is going well for me, why even bother starting again? Oh and the cash register is up to at least $500 saved. I've put my money to better use. Bought a set of Callaway woods for golfing. $360 and paid for my flight down to Asheville.
Today's workout:
28 kg kettlebell
2-5 rounds:
1 Turkish Getup Each Side
10 two hand swings
2 Turkish Getups on one side, then 2 on the other
15 two hand swings
3 Turkish Getups on one side then 3 on the other
25 two hand swings
50 two hands swings
Lots of good news
1. Weight down 8-9 lbs 182-183 range. And I've eaten like an 18 year old. Been on the road last 3 weeks. Ate steak, doughnuts, French toast, bacon, fried chicken. Chinese food 3 times. And lost weight.
2. Had elbow tendonitis finally taken care of with a cortisone shot. It was sore for 2 days after the shot, now, pain free.
3. While there, they took my blood pressure. Wasn't expecting that after 3 cups of coffee. 135/77 down from 142/96. And believe me, I've had some stress in my life.
4. New role, start that tomorrow. It's still working from home and will be a great opportunity to leverage what I've been doing.
5. Still on the wagon with zero temptation. Probably going to be permanent.
6. I feel 25 years younger, physically
7. Consistent with workouts.
Habits I'm continuing
1. Still drinking a pint of coconut water a day for potassium and to help lower blood pressure.
2. Still have my 2 Tbs of Apple Cider Vinegar, 2 Tbs of Lemon Juice and Water, taken the rest of the stuff out of it. Drinking before bed vs. before a meal. it's supposed to lower blood sugar at night by up to 6%.
3. Keep fighting through stress. I wouldn't call it a banner month from a personal standpoint (parenting is REALLY hard sometimes), but I'm on my game.
4. No drinking.
Workouts
1. Hitting Planet Fitness 1-2 x a week to do chest and back exercises and a 2 mile run. When I was in San Francisco the second week, there was one 100 yards from my hotel, used twice.
2. Still doing kettlebells. More getups and swings because of my balky elbow. Been gingerly trying not to re-injure it. Did about 25 snatches yesterday, in sets of 5, no pain. Not doing any real programming right now.
3. Been running a little. did 5.4 miles outdoors last Sunday, then took a few days off.
4. In San Francisco they had a group bodyweight Orange Theory class at 6 AM at the hotel. Brutal. I was having conversations with myself about losing the previous night's dinner. And I was in bed by 10 PM PDT. I could only imagine my colleagues whose livers were in overdrive from the night before.
My previous post was my most read to date, by far. There were quite a few people, who I know personally have come up to me and told me they read it. Kind of surprised me to tell you the truth. Usually I feel like I'm writing to a bunch of strangers and I like it that way. Though I do catch a little grief from some of my closer friends and relatives. What people don't understand is, we are always evolving. Values change, people change. I have a friend who is getting pretty famous on his YouTube channel. I laugh hysterically when I watch it. I've taken to calling him "The Luckiest Man On Earth" to his face, after he referred to himself as that after Hurricane Irma. But, I also can appreciate that he's building his brand, and 99% of the people who watch him don't know him like I do. I've done a couple of videos. I don't like the way I look or sound. I feel vulnerable in front of the camera. I guess that means you won't see any sex videos of me being released.
Thoughts on not drinking
Now we've gotten to the meat and potatoes of this blog. Let me preface this by saying, I never had a drinking problem. Did I binge drink like a lot of adults? Sometimes, yes. Did I drink every day? No way. Call it 15-20 units a week over 3-4 days. I drank on weekends, or when going out to dinners or social events. I love scotch, could take or leave everything else. My only advice to any of you who want to lose weight, get in great shape, feel healthier, abstaining from alcohol is 100% the magic pill. Not even in moderation. You will look better, feel better, perform better, behave better. The trade-off is; life will get a little slower, maybe even boring. I've been to bars, out for drinks, numerous parties, golfing, hanging out at the 19th hole, stuck in airports, traveled back and forth cross country twice, a terrible week of meetings away from home, professional social events, on vacation with my friends and haven't drank. I've only been quasi-tempted once. Me and my colleague/friend were walking down Nob Hill in San Francisco, near the Buenavista Cafe and I thought about their Irish Coffee. Other than that, it never crosses my mind. Once my mind is made up to quit something, I'm good.
I still have a good time. I'm a world class chatterbox, so I don't have any issue holding conversations. Last week in Asheville, after dinner, we went to a blues bar. Great music, hilarious people watching, (judging here, but it's a bunch of hipsters trying WAY too hard to be different). Artistic, eclectic, a glorified Vermont come to my mind. My buddy has a house on a ridge above timber at the top of a mountain. Drove the rented Tahoe in the dark up the mountain. Provided a great rush for me. Any personal issues I have, I feel I can deal with them head on with laser like execution. Fighting off a hangover when you're not feeling great personally really stinks.
What is your preferred potable?
Micro Brew
Pros: Have a better flavor than mass-produced beer, interesting styles of taste.
Cons: They're heavy, hard to drink more than two, hoppy beers release estrogen. Estrogen gives men Bitch Tits
Regular Beer
Pros: The ultimate culture uniter among male friends. "Let's have some beers" Great on the beach or after mowing the lawn.
Cons: Light beer has no flavor or alcohol, need at least 6 to feel anything. No point to it. Regular beer has a sweet aftertaste and makes you feel bloated.
Wine
Pros: Wine tasting at vineyards is a nice thing to do with your sweetie. Pairs well with food. Different types of grapes bring different types of wine
Cons: Makes you feel sluggish and sleepy. Too much wine leads to nasty hangovers. The mommy/wine culture is stupid. Go to your local liquor store for a wine tasting. Look at the dregs of society that show up.
Scotch
Pros: Once you acquire the taste, the differences in whiskies are quite interesting. Relaxing with a book in front of a fire. Good bang for the buck,
Cons: Can't have more than two and the best scotch according to my cousin is the second one. Can go down fast. Best only in moderation.
Bourbon/Rye
Pros: Good for cocktails. An okay substitute if there is no scotch.
Cons: Scotch tastes better. I find bourbon to be too hillbilly/charcoal infested for my pallet. Same issues about potency as scotch.
Vodka
Pros: Good to mix with. Comes in a variety of flavors
Cons: Makes some people insane. I'm not a vodka guy at all. Would drink it maybe once a year tops.
Gin
Pros: Mixes well for martinis or with tonic water. Great refresher on a hot day coming off the beach
Cons: Liquid Satan. 94 proof, more than vodka or whisky. Hits you like an uppercut. Tastes like soap after the second one.
So as you can see with no scotch in the house, it is easy for me to abstain. I'm at the point where, if all this stuff is going well for me, why even bother starting again? Oh and the cash register is up to at least $500 saved. I've put my money to better use. Bought a set of Callaway woods for golfing. $360 and paid for my flight down to Asheville.
Today's workout:
28 kg kettlebell
2-5 rounds:
1 Turkish Getup Each Side
10 two hand swings
2 Turkish Getups on one side, then 2 on the other
15 two hand swings
3 Turkish Getups on one side then 3 on the other
25 two hand swings
50 two hands swings
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