Getting Back to Fighting Shape

Its Vader time! Its Friday, September 9, 2011, I'm back in the game, and this is The Side. This is why I hardly ever go on vacation. You take a few days off and go somewhere and it feels like you need a week to get everything back to normal. Still, it was nice to get up to the mountain and see my Dad and Stepmom. He's completed his post heart surgery rehab. I think the nurses were sick of cranking the tread mill up to top speed and maximum incline and him asking when they were going to do something hard.

TOUGHEN UP!!

There's a lot of things that suck about getting older. I'm currently dealing with one in particular: my metabolism. Growing up I always had the metabolic rate of a blast furnace, so I basically ate whatever I wanted without having to worry about my weight. Well, those days are over. There's also a particular habit I used to have that I've broken. Those who have put up with the habit for years and fairly glad to see it go, but it was one that benefited me. I used to pace. I mean seriously pace. I'm talking affect the airflow around me pace. I'd march in my little OCD circle for sometimes well over an hour as my mind ran wild extrapolating story ideas and considering projects. I could probably march from here to Tokyo with the amount of steps I've taken pacing. But that habit got broken, mainly because it annoyed the hell out of people. Unfortunately, pacing the floor as I did burned a lot of calories. Now that I'm not doing it, those calories are hanging around.

Its not really about the number on the scale. Never has been. Its more about making my body do what it needs to do. I am carrying around extra weight. Its not a lot. The guys still call me 'Slim'. But its harder to keep my energy level up when my cardiovascular conditioning isn't as sharp as it used to be and my body is having to work harder to carry the extra weight. I'm finding myself wanting to take an afternoon nap and being tired more. Strength-wise I'm alright, but my energy level has dropped significantly. Not good.

Time to change things up. I've been trying to participate more in karate class as opposed to just teaching it. That can be a tricky balance to find, but I'm working on it. The elliptical trainer has been moved from the garage back into the house, and on the nights I don't work out I'll be spending some more quality time with it. It is difficult to find time for these things. I don't have the extra scratch for a gym membership, and if I did I don't really have the time for it. I've got a job (thankfully) and a family at home. Fortunately, little changes lead to results. If I can fit in some time at night on the elliptical before grabbing a shower and hitting the sack, great. If I have the option of grabbing an apple versus a snack cake, I'm going to go for it. That part is hard, as I do loves me some snack cakes. There's also the added workouts with my neighbor on Sunday morning in which we get old-school in his back yard leaving me sore and sweaty before the rest of the family is out of bed.

I'm not looking for huge results. I'm not trying to set a weight goal. I just want to feel better physically, and have the energy to do the things I want to do.

MUSIC!!

It was either ROCKY clips or put on Jensen Ackles lip syncing. I may have chose poorly.



That's the ballgame for me this go around. Everyone enjoy your weekend and I'll see y'all Sunday.