200.6

Here I go again…

As the age 40 crept closer, I vowed to get into better shape. I started and felt like I had gotten into the best shape I’d ever been in as I ‘faced 40’. The running has continued and I’ve got a marathon under my belt and as of this writing, I’ve run at least a mile a day for the last 563 days. So you might imagine my surprise when I stepped on the scale the other day and it read 200.6.

I was surprised because on Jan. 1, 2016 when I revamped and rededicated myself to ‘Operation Find My Abs’ I was the heaviest I’d ever been at 193.6 pounds. I vowed then to work out more and eat healthier. And it worked for about the first six months of the year.

The running continued of course, but I feel of the daily gym wagon and my eating and drinking habits morphed into a creature of its own. I wouldn’t say I freaked out when I stepped on the scale and hit the 200+ pound mark. But it was a slap in the face that I do indeed need to reaffirm myself to adding some muscle and eliminating the belly fat.

I blame no one but myself. My mind is still set to, ‘I ran today, therefore I can have this (candy, cake, doughnuts, beer, etc). Despite talking to experts and seeing this mantra not work out for me, I continue to indulge. But I have joined a gym (again), this time The Sweatshop Fitness Center in downtown Carterville. I’ve been more days than not since joining on November 1. I declared that my new New Years Day.

Besides continuing to run each day, I’ve added weight training too. But my new love (sometimes hate) workout is spending some time on the heavy bag. I put on the boxing gloves and go to town. Right now I’m only spending five minutes doing this, but I’m spent when my timer sounds. As my endurance and strength build, I will add time to that along with variations.

I originally wasn’t going to write about this and just engage in the workout mode. However, I’ve always found positive feedback to be a motivator and even some of my friends who already know the answer ask “Have you found your abs yet?” The answer, of course, is no, and I know I’ll likely never have a six-pack, other than the craft beer in my fridge. But I am eating better, exercising more and hopefully will modify my sleep routine too. It’s a journey I’m choosing to share and have thick enough skin for the comments. I will spare you all the before pics this go around and save that for when I start seeing results.