Food Day - Blog #9

Temptations
Whenever you take on any challenge there are going to be some difficult moments where you are going to be tempted.  Last week seemed like that was the theme for the week!  Here a couple of examples this week.

Ex #1 Food Day
I have learned the last 3 years being over at the courts that if something can be celebrated, we are going to do it, and we are going to celebrate it with FOOD!  Of course that day is obviously named Food Day.  Do not get me wrong I have learned to LOVE food day.  The ladies at the courts, as Eminem puts it, are Phenomenal and their food is unbelievable.

I do not think I even have the writing skills to accurately describe the amount of food, so I just had to take a picture so that you could witness it with your own eyes.

I love taking part and would eat anything as I walked by, just because it was there.  Food Day is always done on Thursday, so all the leftovers could be put back out on Friday.  What a great plan, well except when you are on a diet!!!  So this Food Day I spent two days walking by all the awesome food and I never took part.  I stuck with my eggs, chicken, turkey, sweet potato and everything else that is good for you.

Ex #2 80s Arcade/Bar

Going out with the guys has always been fun.  Hitting the town, having some drinks, and just basically being a bunch of guys.  While I have been on a diet the guys have gone out and trust me I am still having fun, but that part about having some drinks (that I am not participating in), well that sucks!!  Last weekend we went to Ups and Downs, a great bar that is filled with old 80s arcade games and pinball machines.  All the TVs on the wall were playing old WWF reruns of the greatest wrestling matches.  When I say it was hard...IT WAS HARD not to cave in and order a beer while playing games and watch Ultimate Warrior flying into the ring!!

Heck, maybe the drinking would have made my pinball scores seem that much better.






Ex #3 Casino

Along with going out to bars with the guys we love to go to the casino.  If you know me you know that I love to gamble.  I love Blackjack, throwing the bones on the craps table and of course sitting down for some Hold'em.  I am so use to doing all this with a drink in my hand that doing this stuff without an alcoholic beverage seems odd!!!

I however did manage to get through the night without having a drink and as you can see, I still have a huge smile on my face at 2am!  The smile is not because I won money, more that I got a Jerry Springer signed photo!!!










There were several other times this week that I was somewhere and usually I would have a beer.  Such as, enjoying a cold overprice beer at the Royals game, sitting at the dock at the lake watching the kids swim and even going to BWW munching on a few wings.  So I am sure you are asking "Has it become easier?"  It has a little, but do I miss drinking my beer at those key times, OF COURSE!

NOW FOR

I mentioned WWF, so you are going to get a little Ultimate Warrior!!!

Have a rad day and an awesome week!!

-= Kurt =-

So Easy Down ... So Hard Back Up - Blog #8

Since I have started this journey to become healthy, eat right and prepare myself for an incredible challenge, I am now entering week 6!!  I am also happy to report, I am still ... Beer Free!!!  I knew going into this challenge that it was going to be more like playing Super Mario 3 for the very first time.  I was going to have to visit every world one at a time, there was not going to be any secret whistle that I could pick up to send me directly to the end without putting in the work.  As each week passes I feel a since of accomplishment!!

The family took an overdue trip to the lake house last weekend.  It was perfect weather and I was even able to get outside in the morning before everyone got up and did some running.  If you have not been to the Ozarks, let me tell you THERE ARE LARGE HILLS.  Driving there you do not think much about it, however, running up a steep incline, I thought about it a lot!!!

Hitting those hills I started to think, yes thinking is a dangerous thing sometimes!!  But I was trying to get my mind off of my legs which were burning and onto something else.  Figure I would share those thoughts that I had going through my head!  The first hill I ran down I thought, how easy is this!!  So glad that I did not have to work very hard, I was gain some distance on my run without having to spend very much time doing it!  There was a slight wind blowing, my music was rocking, my head was high, I felt great, I felt like I was on top of the world....well as I soon found out not so much on top of anything, but down in a valley.  Soon the easy down hill came to an end, the road flattened out and ahead of me was the hill back to the top!!!

Just remember, I was feeling good I thought I could tackle this, well I thought that until I got about half way up the hill.  I had to slow down, I REALLY had to slow down!!  Holy Hill I said.  As much of an easy road I had down the hill, I had an extremely tough time back up the other side.  Once I finally got to the top and back to level ground I started to think about what just happened and realized something.  All those hills (or times in life) that you put limited amount of work or effort into what you are doing, it will eventually change and when it changes it will be drastic!!!  Once you make that change you are going to have to work twice as hard going back up or getting to where you once were in life.

The Hills in Ozark (Left hill down, Right hill up)

Kinda sounds like when you make the decision to eat healthy?  Taking the easy hill down, not worried about your health, eating what you want...until you reach the bottom.  Now the hill back up is going to be so hard, so tough and a lot of work!!  I want to make sure I am the person when going back up that hill I do not give up and take the detour back to the hill to go back down.

Now for

We did some talking about Super Mario 3, how about we take a trip back to the original commercial!!

Have a rad day and an awesome week!!

-= Kurt =-

I Bet You Can't...I Don't Think You Can...You Are Not Going To - Blog #7

I bet you can't...I don't think you can...you are not going to....When someone says those words and they are talking about me, well lets just say...you said it to the wrong guy!!!

10 years ago those words were said to me several times when I showed interest in competing in the 1st Gun's N Hoses Boxing Match.  Yes, I had talked about actually getting into a boxing ring...with no experience at all!  People thought I was crazy and those words were uttered several times, which spurred me to say screw it I AM DOING THIS!!!

November of 2005, I walked out of a smoke filled tunnel, Godsmack I Stand Alone was playing on the loud speaker and in front of 10,000 people, I Entered the ring for my USA amateur boxing debut!!  Yes I did it!!  Don't say I can't do it, or you don't think I can or doubt that I will, because hearing that.....I will make it happen.

I am the one in blue

It is now 2015, I am almost 40 years old and the opportunity to get back into the ring has come up again.  However, there are just a few more obstacles that I might have to overcome if I want to get back into that ring!  The biggest is going to be my training, mainly giving up one of my favorite things, beer!!  I heard it from everyone, there is no way you can give that up, I don't think you can do that...etc!!  Guess what, there was my motivation!

This was going to be a huge commitment, but after talking to my wife she gave me her full support and encouragement I needed!!!  My buddy Shawn then also has promised to become my personal training and get me in shape!  The start date for this journey was set July 7.

Today, July 27th, I have started week 4 of my training.  I am still alcohol free, working out every day, and completely changed my eating habits.  I only have 16 more weeks left before fight night!!!  It is going to be one crazy ride, but I am gaining support each week as I am proving that I am actually going to do this!!!

NOW FOR

Katie and I love our Rocky, so when I asked her if I should box all we could think about was this scene!

Have a rad day and an awesome week!!

-= Kurt =-

Always Look Down!! - Blog #6

It truly has been an emotional 2 weeks.  It is also no joke life can throw some very hard punches.  But no matter how hard the punch is, no matter if it is a direct shot to the head or a glancing blow to the chin, you have to press forward.  A quote from one of my favorite movies explains nobody is gonna hit as hard as life....

Not forgetting the ones lost and at the same time moving forward with this beautiful thing we call life.  Always making sure you live life to the fullest, love the ones who are closest to you and laugh everyday!!

STILL ON FIRE
Even with everything going on I have stayed true to my plan working out almost every day.  I still have been getting up every morning at 6am and walking on the treadmill.  Some days I have even walked outside in the afternoon.

However, now that I started walking outside I have learned something, there is a big difference walking outside vs the treadmill.  On the treadmill I never have to look down, always forward at the tablet watching my TV show.  If you apply that same rule outside this is what happens . . .

LET ME EXPLAIN
Yes it was that bad (if you know me you know I love a story!!)  So I was just bee bopping along jamming out to some tunes being spun on Pandora, when I thought, "Hey this is a great song I need to pick up the pace and start to run."  So, boom like that, I am off, feeling like a jackrabbit, but looked more like a three-toed sloth (who averages .15 miles per hour, useless information).  So I take six or seven running jogs feeling good and then it feels like I am on a slip and slide...Zero to slippery in .06 seconds!!  Lucky for me I am just that athletic and I did not come crashing to the pavement.  So after catching my balance, I turned my head to look back to see what the heck I slipped on.  Yep a pile of poo and I do not mean the Winnie the Pooh kind.  I guess I should clarify it was not so much a pile any longer, I turned it into a long smear!

All I could think about was how do I get this off my shoes!!  My best thought was to try and keep my "great" running pace and at the same time drag my foot to get the crap off my shoes.  As I did this a few times I started to feel like some sort of Zombie running after brains, it was not working.  I decided to change my plan, stop for a minute and just rub my shoe on anything that I could that would remove the crap from the bottom.  After a several minutes and 143rd street now looking like dog ran around with diarrhea, I was then satisfied that most of it was removed from my shoe!!

The moral of the story, I guess, is that you can never out run or walk through life without getting a little shit on your shoes, just take time to wipe it off and carry on....or you can just look down when you are running!!! :)

NOW FOR

-= Kurt =-

Pain, What Is It Good For? - Blog #5

I am going to start this blog off adding a simple word to the Legendary Bruce Springsteen's hit song War.

Pain

What is it good for? Absolutely EVERYTHING

Say it again, pain

What is it good for? Absolutely EVERYTHING, come on

Pain, a word, that can carry so much emotion, so much heartache and then also much excitement and joy.  This week that little word pain has come to me in two of the very most extremes.  I know you are scratching your head and are saying huh?  So let me explain.

THE GOOD PAIN

I have stayed true to my word and I have continued to get up each morning to walk on the treadmill.  No matter how much it pains me to roll out of bed and 6:00 am I get it done.  I get an hour of walking in before I head off to work, about 3 miles.  After run/walk my muscles are in pain.  So as I reach down and rub the legs feeling the pain of the hurting muscles, however, have a sense of accomplishment.  Thank you pain, because of you I know I am pushing it, I am working hard.  No pain no gain, right!!

THE BAD PAIN

Going from such a high of my accomplishment and welcoming the pain into my life as I continue my path to healthy living.  Pain comes to me this week in a completely different way.  On Tuesday my co-worker, my friend, a brother, lost his life due to a heart attack he suffered.  What the heck happened...this great thing Pain that I have welcomed this week, that I had such joy receiving, has now come to me in a form I do not want.  To hear these phrases over and over all week, he has passed away, he was so young, he left 3 kids behind, his wife is now a widow...it is painful.  There is no rubbing away this pain.  Tomorrow will be the most painful day as we will bury our friend.

PAIN 1 MEET PAIN 2
On Saturday morning I decided to go for a long run/walk that I mapped out on MapMyRun.  It was going to be a 4.25 mile route. I was a very nervous but I put the shoes on and headed out.  I made it to the 2 mile mark, running a lot of it.  Then the muscles starting getting that pain and I really had to slow down and take a breath.  In that short time, that is all that Pain 2 needed.  I was overcome with sadness and even, yes, start to cry a little.  There I was half way through my walk, feeling the pain from my muscles and feeling the overwhelming pain from sadness.  I wished someone I knew would drive by, offer to pick me up and take me home.  But as I walked and pushed through these two pains, I realized, I needed this.  This was happening and it was good for me!!

THE ENDING
After walking about a half mile dealing with these two pains coming at me at the same time, I started feeling stronger.  Then the next song randomly played through my headset ... "Ooh Child" by The Five Stairsteps.  Hearing that, listening to the words, I knew there was a reason this song was playing now, it was going to be okay.  A blanket called relief was thrown over me and I realized I had to deal with both of these types of pains before I can come out on the other side.

So ask yourself again what is pain good for?  Absolutely everything, if you want to become a better person both emotionally and physically.

NOW FOR SOMETHING 80's (well close enough)

Have a rad day and an awesome week!!

-= Kurt =-

I AM BACK - Blog #4

After a whole year of no blogs, instead of I'll Be Back it is ...

And why would I not start the newest blog with a picture of one of the greatest action hero's of the 80s!!  An Action Hero who is also one buff dude but also a strong supporter of being healthy ... which leads into why I started to do these blogs again ... my motivation to get healthy!!

I figure I would continue to share my journey of losing weight and getting healthy by picking off where I left off last year with my weekly blog posts.  Entertaining the masses on this crazy journey!  So here we go....

THE MOTIVATION
Everyone who knows me know I am a very competitive person.  I love a challenge, I love the competition, I really love being number 1!!!  My work is taking the lead to get employees healthy with a challenge.  100 employees were provided a Garmin Vivofit.   The challenge...Start walking to compete with other employees on who can get the most steps.  Starting January 12th and going on for 8 weeks.  At the conclusion the employee with the most steps will be the winner.  Did someone say there will be a WINNER!!!  I was in!!!

DO I HAVE A PROBLEM?
Some might say, yes.  Those that do, guess you just do not know me that well, I am really just that competitive, where competitiveness is more like a drug.  Is that a problem, hell no, becasue I admitted it, I know about it and I know I gotta be first!!  So how did I get this way?  I for sure did not have a Dad who told me "If you are not first you are last."  So it was not in my upbringing.  My guess is being a winner is in my blood!!!  If it is in your blood then winning flows through your entire body!!  I guess in summary that is what makes me awesome!!

MY PROGRESS
The first week of the challenge is almost up and for those that are reading this your first questions, so are you in 1st.  The answer to that (as I bite down and clinch my fist) NO!!  However, has that motivated me to work harder and get to the top HELL YES!!!  I am in the top 10 as we speak, wait syncing my Garmin now...ok now top 8!!!

HOW AM I DOING IT
First week has been tough, well at least with my competitive addiction.  As the first day was closing I looked at the rankings, what I saw blew my mind, someone has 10k more steps then me!!  Of course I could not stand for that and went to the treadmill...at 11:30PM!!!  Yep had to squeeze as many steps as I could get to close out the day!!!  Nothing like working up a sweat and then trying to sleep!!  The rest of the week I have motivated myself to get up at 6am and get some walking in.  I guess we will see how long I can keep that up!!

IN CLOSING...Something 80!!!
As last year I always ended with something from the 80's.  Why you ask, well that was my childhood and I had so many good memories and cool things that happened during that time.  So it is another good motivator to end a blog on something fun!!

Only because we are talking about getting in shape how about we watch a true American Hero with his cartoon debut.

Have a rad day and an awesome week!!

-= Kurt =-