Skip to main content

Back On The Wagon

Few things compare to a morning stroll upon a wooded trail. Patuxent Trails are perfect for walking, running, or biking. Although these trails are less than a five minute drive, I only started consistently using them in May after a six month break from my exercise routine.

Yeah, six months.

We canceled our LifeTime membership in November. Not the best of times to end a gym membership but LifeTime is expensive and we needed a plan that all of us could consistently use.
Our random and long Winter didn't help matters, however, the fault is not with the season. That'd fall squarely on my shoulders for not adjusting my routine. Thus, my weight is 254.

For perspective, that weight for a 6 foot male is considered obese.

A trainer at LifeTime once asked me, "What's your weight loss goal?" Pondering the question, I really didn't have an answer for him. "Everyone has to have a goal! How'd you know if you're on track?" There's nothing wrong with that approach. Maybe it's the only approach. I could tell myself, "Self, you need to lose 25 pounds by ___ date." I've done that and succeeded, but I've also done that and failed. I've been successful with the Atkins diet and tried numerous diet pills. I'm currently trying Plexus Slim, and I'm underwhelmed after a few months into it.

I've never liked my body and never really been comfortable in my own skin. But as I've grown older, I've come to realize the importance of taking care of my body more than having a certain weight or just the right tan.

My attitude about exercise is simple: do enough at least 5 days/week to elevate your heart rate and eat less calories than you burn. That's it. Seriously, it's that simple. Sure, one could exercise every day. One could flip tractor tires and jump on boxes. Everyone's different with how their bodies react, their goals, and their patience. It's no more complicated than moving more and eating less/more healthy.

My last post about my fitness journey was on April 13, 2012. I joined a gym on February 29. Then, I was 240 lbs. Two years and some change, I'm 14 pounds heavier. What am I doing about it? Brisk walks of three to four miles and drinking a gallon of water five day per week. Next is getting ready to walk a half marathon this fall in Baltimore.

The journey continues...

Previous articles on my fitness journey:

Tales From An Unexpected Gym Rat

Get Out of Gyms, Get Into Neighborhoods

Never Know Who's Watching You


Comments

  1. Good luck, Rick! I too have battled with my weight as an adult and know how hard it is to stay on track. Let me know when you want some company on the trails and I will join you!
    Also, I think Planet Fitness is running a $10/mo. promotion you may want to consider if you miss the gym.

    -Eric

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks, Bro! Summer has been a challenge with camps and swim practice. But we keep pressing on. I never know when I'm gonna be on the trail - whenever I have a free hour and change - but welcome the company, if you can keep up! :) Are you free during the days?

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

I Can Honestly Say Jon Is My Best Friend

At the beginning of this year, these were Kate Gosselin's words in an interview with Today's Christian Woman : "I can honestly say Jon is my best friend." Kate also says, "When the babies were born, I was well aware that our marriage could crumble. It was close to doing so at times. But we survived that first year. And then the second one. And then each year after that. Even though the issues have changed, it's never gotten easier. "But Jon and I are more determined than ever that we're in this together. We've told our kids many times that we're always going to be a family. There are no other options. Sure, Jon and I take our stress out on each other, and no, that's not always good or healthy. But we work hard as a team every day."

A Very Angry Prostate

Cancer.  No other word evokes so many emotions and consumes so many thoughts of both the one with the diagnosis and those who learn of it. On Tuesday, June 25, at 4:40pm, I learned that I have prostate cancer.  One of the questions I'm most asked: "How did you know to check?" Naturally, some wondered if I had signs or pains. There were none. Last September, I had my second physical with my new primary physician. With an age of 50, he requested a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test be added to my blood panel. The next day, the results were in my portal. For my age, my PSA should be no higher than 4. My reading was 4.191. Since this number was out of range, the portal chart visually shouted at me that this was HIGH. Googling sent me into a spiral of thinking I might have prostate cancer which led to many thoughts of mortality. I was at work sitting in my cubicle attempting to calm myself and praying as waves of anxiety, thoughts and emotions washed in. I contacte...

When Three Weeks Felt Like Three Months

These words have taken months to reconcile as I've wrestled with and revisited many times over. Summarizing three very long weeks of December 2023 has been quite the challenge. I was in Mississippi for what began as a hip fracture for my mother and ended in her passing. It's still rather surreal for her to be gone. The first Mother's Day without her impacted me more than what would've been her 86th birthday on January 24 or what would've been her 67th wedding anniversary on April 4. Not getting a call from her on my birthday July 1 was also a void which was filled with Dad calling in birthday wishes. My family being a thousand miles away for the last 20 years, only speaking on the phone once or twice a month, visits only being every few years due to life and expenses...it feels almost routine being disconnected from Mom. Yet, random memories and various regrets have trickled through my mind since those exhausting weeks in December. Three weeks which felt like three ...