Sunset Park Walk/Run

Bike Ride Commute

Beginning my training to be a Peace Officer

I am nowhere near where I need to be in order to become a cop, so I have decided to sit down and read over the requirements for different departments here in Nevada and I am going to train to not only meet them but also to do at least 20-30% better than required.

1. I must work on my 1 Mile (and 1.5) get it down to below 10 min.
2. I must do at least 30-50 push ups. No time limit but I will limit it to 2 min at first.
3. I must be able to do Sit ups ( I will refer back with more specific numbers).
4. I have passed the sprint and I will continue to improve it
5. I have passed the grip test with flying colors, but I see no reason not to improve.
6. I must work on bend and twist and get my flexibility in order

My goal is to have a 36-38" waist. Weight under 250, and decrease specific areas of my body (i.e. arms, thighs, neck, etc). Until I am actually seeing muscle. Then I will improve the muscles that need it.

I also intend to take some sort of physical defense class in martial arts of some kind, in order to improve in multiple areas.

This is the first set of many goals that I plan to achieve... If you have any ideas or recommendations please feel free to let me know.

How to Run Injury-Free

By Jeff Galloway
For Active.com

One of my proudest accomplishments is being free of overuse injuries for almost 30 years. Below you will find the risks and the ways to avoid them.

My advice comes from working with over 200,000 runners in Galloway training groups, one-day running schools, Tahoe retreats, e-coaching and individual consultations. As runners send me the results of my suggestions, I adjust the training and rest schedules. The current injury-free program is listed below, but I continue to look for better ways of avoiding problems and reducing downtime.

Fewer Days of Training Per Week

Those who run three days a week have the lowest rate of injury. I believe that almost all runners, except for Olympic candidates and world record aspirants, can be just as fit and perform as well running every other day. This may involve two-a-day workouts and more quality on each day.

Having 48 hours between runs is like magic in repairing damage. Those who insert a short and slow jog on recovery day (junk miles) are not allowing for complete recovery. When a client complains about lingering aches and pains, I cut them back to every other day and the problems usually go away.

Go Slower on the Long Runs

After 30 years of tracking injuries during marathon training programs, I've found that most are due to running the long ones too fast. You can't run the long ones too slowly--you get the same endurance whether you go very fast or very slow. Slow running will allow your legs to recover faster. The fastest that I want our Galloway Training groups to run is two minutes per mile slower than goal pace. Many run three or four min/mi slower and experience very fast recovery. Be sure to slow down as the temperature increases: 30 sec/mi slower for each 5 degrees of temperature increase above 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

More Walk Breaks

The continuous use of any muscle used the same way, increases fatigue more rapidly. Continuing to run continuously, with fatigued muscles, will greatly increase the chance of injury. You'll see on my website the recommended frequency of walk breaks, based upon pace. If you have aches and pains already, it is best to walk more often, from the beginning, than is recommended. The most important walk breaks are those taken in the beginning of the run, for these can erase all of the fatigue. Walk breaks will also tend to produce a faster time in all races from 5K up. The average improvement in a marathon among those who've run several without walk breaks is 13 minutes faster by taking the strategic walks.

Don't Stretch if You Have an Ache, Pain or Injury

Stretching a tight or injured muscle or tendon will increase the damage dramatically. Even one stretch will produce tears in the fibers, resulting in a longer recovery. Stretching a muscle that has been tightened by running can injure it within a minute. Massage is a great way to deal with the natural tightening produced by running. The tightening is mostly a good thing, allowing you to run more efficiently.

Be Careful With Speed Training

Speed workouts produce a lot of injuries. You can reduce the odds of this happening by warming up very well, doing a few light accelerations as described in my books Testing Yourself, Year-Round Plan, Half Marathon and Marathon. Other important injury-reduction factors are the following walking more between each speed repetition and staying smooth at the expense of time. Don't strain to run a certain time. This is most important at the end of a workout.

Never Push Through Pain, Inflammation or Loss-of-Function

If you experience one of the above, stop the run immediately. Continuing to run for another block or another lap will often produce multiples of damage requiring weeks or months off for repair--instead of days.

For more information, see Jeff's books Marathon, Half-Marathon, Running--A Year Round Plan, Walking -- The Complete Book and Galloway's Book on Running, 2nd Ed. These are available, autographed, from www.RunInjuryFree.com. Join Jeff's blog:www.jeffgallowayblog.com

New Idea

I am back, not just here but to blogging in general. I hope to have a better format for this blog and to post a lot more often. I have a membership to a gym and I am working on a new routine. I think that I will try a new routine and share it with you and see how well it works, the good and the bad. I will have a weekly tip for food, exercise and a tip for the psychology of loosing weight, feeling better and everything that goes along with it. I also want to do a Month to Month measurement. Weight, and all my other measurements. If anybody has any kinds of suggestions then feel free to share.

Thank you.

HOLY COW!!!

Ok, so what happened to me? What happened to my plan? I guess just like anyone, I got into a slump, but I suppose that is why I am here, and writing this. To show, that this is not always peachy keen. Life sometimes gets in the way.

So here is my status, the truth people... prepare to be shocked.. lol:

I am at 300lbs.. so I gained 40lbs total back... I feel like shit. So what happened?
No excuses is what I should say, but in reality, what were the contributing factors? What did I do, that led me astray?

I let my depression (not like last time) get to me. I was dealing with relationships, love, friendship, and worse of all MONEY... it all got to me. I stopped caring about my health, because I was worried about my survival. Emotionally and financially.

In truth, it was easier to loose weight in Texas, because I had 24/7 access to a gym that didn't cost me a dime. Wouldn't it be interesting to see gyms be a part of universal health care? I don't have extra money to spend on a membership, I don't even have cable, or Internet access (ok, ok.. I Wifi off of someone else...). So what am I to do? Workout at home.. which we all know is pretty fucking hard, unless you have a room, that you wont get distracted by things with, or equipment.

What about food? Ok ok, this is where I FUCKED UP... because I can eat good even on limited budget. I can get a salad, or fish or anything healthy instead of fried foods and other crap. It was my fault, for being too lazy to get up a little earlier in the morning to cook a healthy breakfast, or buy more fruit or fish. I really messed up and started eating breakfast fast food.. and that my friends is a shame... I hate fast food.. ok ok, I like the taste (sometimes), but it makes me feel like shit. So that.. is where I should have taken control... now once in a while isn't so bad, its when it becomes a habit that its bad.

The other thing is, that I should get out and walk more, or run more, but this is LAS VEGAS.. an arid environment. Which means it HOT as fuck in the summer, and COLD as fuck in the winter. So we have about 2-3 months MAX of decent weather. Maybe I shouldn't be such a puss about it.. but whatever.

So what am I going to do? I will stop eating so much fast food (the occasional sandwich -- chicken of course -- is ok), and Soda is a NO NO.. I feel terrible about drinking any at all... I will eat healthier, smaller portions, but more meals. lots more veggies and fruits. Fish and chicken more.

I will also make a plan for when I get up to get up stretch, do yoga/pilates at least, maybe some standard stuff like running, jump rope, a few free weights to get me going, until I can get a more stable income to do the gym.. then its on like donkey kong.

Other than that.. all I can do, is be so very happy I found the love of my life, and am still living. It just comes down to how bad I want to loose the weight again.

New Beginnings

Ok so it has been since January since I last posted. Nearly 8 Months. What is my status? I am at 280lbs, which means after my huge weight loss I have only gained about 20lbs totally back. I am sad that I have gained any back, and I have my reasons for lack of exercise but I am not one for excuses. I have been lazy lately. I seek to change all that once again.

My new goal is to get a gym membership, and to start on my running again. I want to train for a new 5k or even a 10k. I desperately want to do that.

My next weight goal is to get past 250, which means 30+lbs then onto my Big goal of 200lbs. Do you think I can do it? Who cares.. As long as I think I can do it, because I know I can. I was more than just happy when I lost weight, I was overall a better person. I loved myself and the world.

I plan on adding my food recipes as well as my workout routines. And then I hope to have a weekly status report on my weight, as well as other stats that will show my loss even better.

Thank you all who care to read.

Something to talk about

So I figured I needed to start posting more on this thing and to talk more about ALL the aspects of weight loss and healthy lifestyles that help out more than we think.

Now I am not one who can be considered to always lead the healthiest lifestyle, I mean I loves me some Big Juicy Hamburgers dripping with grease... But not all the time, they are a treat that I usually pay for later (being in the potty LOL). In all reality it is not about not eating all those fattening things, or going cold turkey so to speak on things. Sure sometimes it helps, with me and soda it helped, but we all have urges and we should not try to supress them, they often rear their ugly heads later. So what do we do? We give in, but with control. Want a piece of cake? So fucking eat a piece of cake, but not one the size of your head. Control is the key.

So now that I have talked about that, I want to give some of you some cool shopping tips. I drink gatorade, it has become my life blood away from soda. But we shouldn't drink it like soda (though I sometimes do I admit). Always drink plenty of water, and use Gatorade or something similar to give you back those nutrients we sweat out at the gym. Now I shop around a lot trying to find a good deal, and usually I buy my gatorade at Vons when they are 10 for $10. These are the 32oz Bottles, great deal. However, I have been shopping at Target (one of my favorite stores for A LOT of things) and they have the "Endurance Formula" Gatorade, which I like better, a 34oz bottle for $0.97 each. They also have the 2 qt jugs for $1.38. Yet their 32oz bottles are almost the same price. They also have good deals on power bars and such if you eat those (I don't much) and other neat things.

Now all I need to do is find a place that has a Pilates Ball for cheaper than $30 fucking dollars. I swear they raise the price of these because I am coming to buy them.

Another neat thing I like to do when I am going out, is let's say that I am having dinner, and I order a water or tea. They usually bring me a damn lemon. Well I don't like lemons, but I do love Limes, and Oranges. Usually you can ask for those instead, and add a little jazz to your drinks but you can also get a little more fruit in your diet. I always ask for extra slices of Oranges, especially at breakfast. Cause like me, I am sure plenty of you forget to eat plenty of fruits in the day.

well that is all for now. I will find my groove on this blog soon enough. So stay tuned.

The Good, The Bad, The Uglyish

I finally finished my physical therapy for my hurt shoulder. Which I am extremely proud of. I ended leaving there at 257lbs, which as you all know broke my 100 lbs loss barrier.

Only my problem now is what to do next... I don't have a good gym and I have been really tired lately after work. My metabolism is much higher than before and I have actually been hungry lately. Which is good and bad. It means that my body wants more because it is burning more, but its bad because since I left I haven't been working out and really burning those calories and keeping in shape. Bah I know, I know... I suppose we all have a relapse or two, and this is mine. I have been craving snack foods like no other... And I usually hate snack foods.

So my plan of action is to buy healthy and enjoyable food, start cooking more because I need to. Buy a Pilates Ball, some weights, some stretch bands and a few other things and I should be able to start "working out" at home.

I also noticed that there are some walks/runs coming up. I know there is a 5k run/walk for Make a Wish foundation in early February, but I doubt I could be ready by then. I need to get my ass up and start running again, but for some reason I have lost that inner joy from it. Maybe I just need to find it. So I have new shoes, and I have a reason to run, and I just need to do it.

Wish me luck folks

Holidays

Ok so I need to update here since it has been a while. I have been actually loosing weight again, because well I am forcing myself to eat more than once or none a day. Which means I actually have energy, and I can loose weight. I am down to 266 which is good, but it doesn't mean anything yet. I am still doing physical therapy 2-3 times a week. I have learned a great deal of what Pilates can do for you. I am so amazed at how stonger I am by working the stabilizers and my core. See I could lift ok before, but now I can actually lift without my stabilizer muscles giving in and my arms start to shake, no sir re bob.

I also learned that to work your core you need to do it on a variety of levels. Most of us just do the abdominal by sit up or crunches (which is good) but it only works the muscles group one way, we need to work the opposite way or stretch out. I use a pilates machine but I also use a ball when I am at home or the gym. Just sit on your knees facing the ball, put your forearms on the ball and hold your hands. Slowly move forward on the ball until your midsection is streached out. Do this in sets of 25 4-5 times a day. And I guarantee you will feel and see an improvement. (Kind of like the picture to the left but you can do it on the floor where you stretch out rather than do a push up.)

Anyways, I wanted to wish you all a healthy and happy Christmas and New Year. Be Safe, Be Smart, and Enjoy yourself.