Thursday, April 1, 2010

Advice, Workout Pledges, and Binges.

First of all, thanks to Kat for the mention on her site.  Secrets to Losing 100 Pounds was the very first blog I started reading when I was just starting 100 Pounds in a Year.  I really connected with her because she had the same weight loss goal I had and was already on her way toward reaching it.  If you look carefully, you'll see I stole borrowed much of my layout from her.  She featured a piece of advice I sent her about building habits.  Check her out here!

Regarding another blog.  Mary at A Merry Life recently did a workout pledge.  Her's was much more simple than any I've done.  She added 30 seconds for every comment posted on her blog.  I (along with 21 other weight-loss bloggers) decided I should match her pledge.  180 comments later, the time limit for the pledge was set.  My next workout would be 90 minutes long.

I tried to do it today, but realized after 50 minutes on the elliptical that I had somewhere to be and couldn't possibly finish.  So I decide I'll be starting again tomorrow (and finishing this time).

I also did day 2 of C25k today with my wife.  Other than the side aches, I'm really digging it.  It's a very manageable way to get this fat guy running.

I also have a confession to make.  I had a mini-binge today.  Claire and I went to a picnic for a friend's birthday.  There were chips and salsa there and I had a lot of both.  I also had some Doritos and some orange Gatorade and the most amazing tiramisu (sp) brownies ever.  I was stuffed in the end, but I figure some of that was negated by the double-dose of workout I had today.

One last thing, I recently heard from a friend I haven't heard from in a while.  He mentioned that he'd been reading my blog and every time he needs a push to get to the gym, he reads my blog.  It makes me feel really good to know that I'm helping other people become healthier. 

He told me about a facebook group he's a part of called Beach Body Here I Come!  It's a group of people keeping each other motivated to lose weight and live healthier.  I'll be going there frequently to give and get advice and motivation.  You should check it out too.

What or who inspires and motivates you to live a healthier life?

10 comments:

  1. You do! Everyone I see running outside or at the gym! Having a super fit boyfriend is both discouraging and encouraging. We're doing the same workout program (P90X) so we can talk about that together, what workouts we like, how far we got etc. Currently I can do the entire ab workout and he can't so that's always a plus considering his abs are like a washboard. :)

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  2. I'm motivated by my son, because I know that I deserve to be healthy for him. I'm motivated by my fellow bloggers, who all deserve to be healthy and happy. Just to name two... :-)

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  3. I love it when someone close to me says that they have been reading and that it inspires them and motivates them to do better health wise. recently, i had a comment from someone I hadn't seen in probably 9 years send me a message letting me know that. Congrats on your compliments as well.

    We all have days that we may eat just a little too much but the thing about this is that you can bounce back with no problem fully knowing what you need to do to remediate the binge.

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  4. It's hard for me to pinpoint just one thing that motivates me. I think my overall desire for health helps me get to the gym on the days I don't really want to go. When I wasn't so fit in my life I just didn't appreciate myself the way I should have-staying fit changes that. I'm inspired by people just like me-they don't always want to go to the gym, but they want to enjoy their life in their bodies, so they go and do the best they can.

    And a little chips and salsa is bad!! very bad! :) (just kidding; I've been eating a ton of jelly beans lately!)

    What do you do when you work out, and what are your non-specific (or specific) fitness goals??-These can be short-term or long-term.

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  5. I have a lot of inspiration. You. Others who blog. Friends who've lost weight.

    Let me know when you finish and how far you go distance wise so I can add you to the list!

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  6. Just found this blog and am loving it. A hundred pounds in a year is a great goal. I myself am trying to lose some weight and you're journey is an inspiration.

    If I can offer a bit of advice on the C25k program - take it slow. A lot of people I know who have used that program feel that they can run more than the program recommends, but be careful of that, if you haven't been running much, those first couple of months are when you're likely to get injured. Take it slow and you're more likely to make it through the program.

    Good luck!

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  7. Hey thanks for the mention! Motivation for me is myself. No one has ever helped me get motivated!

    ok ok April fools.

    The biggest thing for me lately has just been reading this blog and writing and talking with other people who are working hard to reach their goals. When I know people are out there working to become a better and healthier people it makes me wanna work harder! (Partly because I'm very competitive and I don't want them to beat me!) Oh and looking better is definitely a big reason! Keep blogging for me and you buddy!

    The group is private because we wanted only serious members that had similar goals that we had. Message me on Facebook and let me know that your from this blog and I would be happy to invite you! All I ask is bring your wisdom and personality to the group!

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  8. My inspiration mostly comes from my wife and the blogging community. So many people out here are just SUPER inspiring. It's amazing. So are you, Andrew.

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  9. My motivation might be a little different, but I'll still give my two cents.....
    1. Baby-If I don't get some sort of exercise in, or when I crave that caffeine which I don't need any more of, I just think "be healthy for baby".
    2. Prudence-I feel guilty when she doesn't get a walk. And with this beautiful weather, fresh air really does us well.
    3. My sister-She started running about a year or two ago. Us girls are not runners. But she's very committed. Her husband and two girls go to her races and cheer her on. She's lost a bunch of weight, but more importantly, she looks really healthy. She's changed her eating habits and stays very active. It's become a family routine for them. They plan on taking one weekend a month this summer to visit a state park and go biking. This is the sort of family stuff I want to do someday.
    4. Tyler-His "coaching" sometimes gets annoying, but he really is just doing the best for us. And with everything he sees at work we often talk about how much medical stuff can be prevented if you just make simple lifestyle changes.
    So there ya go. I might not have the same exact situation as you, but it's always good to be thinking about where you are and where you want to be right?

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  10. Random thought - now that you're 30 lbs lighter, you may have to work more to burn more weight, right? Every exercise you do is slightly less strenuous than a few months ago. Maybe this has already been discussed but I just thought of that now...

    This summer, get outside as much as possible - don't vegetate even if it is your summer break.

    In any case, keep motivating and rewarding yourself with cool toys. Maybe you can involve your readership in assisting you - they sound motivated by YOU!

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