tenderfeet..

So Wednesday was NOT a good day in fatboy land. Suffice it to say that no exercise was performed, which might have been a good thing. The VGfatbody has been slowly deteriorating since I started this exercise regiment. To go from Jabba-esque couch potato to 6 days a week exerwarrior has proven to be tasking on the 40+ year old frame.

Anyway, did the tenderfoot test thing with #1 son on Thursday. I did 22 pushups. 12 situps. standing broad jump was 5'2", and I ran 400 meters in 2:20. Each of which is pretty bad, but at least the bar has been set.

Went for a leisurely walk/jog with #1 this morning. He had originally decided not to go, but hastened to catch up when he saw that I was going with or without him. Good boy.

Mini-me has started soccer, (with VGfatcoach) and is still practicing football, so our time is crazy. He survived his first practice with the bigger kids, and plays at Arcola Saturday night.

I hope to report some weight loss on Monday. I'm down 3lbs on the home scale. Hopefully this will be reflected on the contest scale. I'm going to TRY not to let my diet go crazy today.

Of beer, sleep, and exercise...

So, due to my backward progress last week, I've decided to lay off the suds until at least Friday...possibly Saturday. I spent a miserable tossing and turning night last night, awakened by every little noise in our house. Hmmmm....7-10 beers per night=sleep like a baby....no beers=no sleep. Coincidence, I THINK NOT!!!

On the bright side, I was raring to go for my weight training session this morning. Both Mini me and #1 son joined me. It wasn't the total fiasco it was the last time, but it had it's moments. MM would have loved to quit, but today I decided to encourage him to stick it out. After much wailing and gnashing of teeth, he stayed and had a decent workout.

We discovered that a neglected bow hunting target makes a fine impromptu punching bag. We would take turns doing sets of bicep curls and tricep extensions in rotation with punching the bag. My arms were pretty heavy by the time we stopped for stretching and sit ups.

Tomorrow I test for Tenderfoot Scout! I'm also doing sixth grade math for what seems like the first time. Of course, given my predilection for consuming nature's bounty when I was in sixth grade, I very well might be.

Well,now I'm pissed.

I gained two pounds, up to 270.1 at this week's weigh in. Not too surprising, as my diet had back slid. I was hoping that I could counter it through exercise, but obviously I didn't do enough. My nose is thoroughly against the grindstone this week, and if I don't drop a couple pounds, it won't be from a lack of trying.

Went for a solo run ( Katie dog went with me) this morning. I'm trying to stretch it out a bit and Monday mornings aren't pretty for #1 son. The boss and I decided that we will let him sleep in on Mondays. As part of his preparation for tenderfoot rank in Boy scouts, he has to be timed in the quarter mile and tested in pullups, pushups, and sit ups. We'll work on it for thirty days then re-test for improvement. I think I'll test myself also.

Mini-me's final "B" game of the season ended much as the previous six, with an L, 14-0 vs. Cerro Gordo. The entire team played flat as a fritter. I don't know if it's possible to instill passion in 9 yr olds. He had a nice solo tackle on a running back and assisted on one other tackle. He didn't get to play much in the second half, which was disappointing. He will now move up to the "lightweight" division for the next two weeks. There are some big boys (200+ lbs) in lightweights, so my 70lb son better be aware or he's going to get hurt. Of course, he's never going to be as big as most of the players on the field, so he might as well get used to it.

windsprint wednesday and thirsty thursday

#1 son, mini-me and I went to the school Wednesday morning and ran three sets of hills and a set of pyramids on the football field. After completing the pyramid, (10,20,30,40,50,40,30,20,10) #1 decided that we should sprint from goal line to goal line...what a GREAT idea. Talk about your basic 5 point palm exploding heart technique. If you happened to be outside, anywhere in the western hemisphere, at approximately 6 am, you probably felt the breeze as I sucked in air, trying to replenish the completely depleted 02 levels.

I introduced #1 son to the joys of weight lifting this morning. It went well, though he's in terrible shape for a 12 year old. Seeing him so out of shape so young is greater motivation than any personal goals I've set. Showed him the basics, (curls, tricep extensions, military press, squats) then threw in an impromptu HRD session to work up a good sweat.

I don't know or care, really, if all this exercise will be reflected in my Biggest Loser competition results. I do think that I'm setting an example for my children to follow and that has incredible value to me.

keep feeling....

Vacillation...with my sincerest apologies to the Human League.

So this morning I awoke, renewed in my dedication to working out, flush with a sense of dedication that I haven't felt for a while, and determined not to let anything or anyone stand in the way of my exercise sequence. Thusly motivated, I decided not to awaken the slumbering products of my holy union, choosing instead to let them remain enveloped in blissful repose.

I ventured forth into the garage, turned on XTRA 99.1 at reasonably loud volume, and proceeded to have an uninterupted 45 minute workout...no crying, complaining, arguing or self-injury. The best workout I've had in weeks......and it sucked, because my sons weren't there with me. So I guess that answers that question.

Tomorrow is windsprint Wednesday...so if you happen to be in VG at 5:30 a.m. ish, feel free to drop by the school. Fatty likes company. His sons do, too.

the horns of a dilemma

So today the only reason I rolled out of bed for my run was the fact that #1 son is my running partner. The problem is that my stamina is improving, making me want to go further and faster, and he's not willing to make the effort. He cries, moans and whines throughout the evolution, which is a major bummer to say the least. Ultimately, my workout was curtailed, but there probably wouldn't have been a workout at all if he wasn't involved, as bed was mighty toasty at 5 am. I am truly starting to think that the only resolution is to go twice a day. Yippee ki Yay.

In Big fat loser news...another 1.2 pounds fell by the wayside...bringing me to 268.1. Not nearly enough to be in the money, but a positive step nonetheless. The person who won the week has lost 10% of her body weight in two weeks...KUDOS to Cheryl for that!

Mini-me had the best game of his young football career, saving a touchdown by running a back down from behind. he also nailed the qb on an option, causing an errant pitch that was recovered by a teammate, and he had one other tackle. They lost to Argenta 8-0 however, as the offense continually shot itself in the foot at inopportune times. This saturday concludes his season. Alas, there will be no extra free time for the fatboy family as soccer starts next week. Sigh.

a stitch in time....

With the arrival of cooler weather, I am looking to increase the duration of my morning jog. This has caused considerable consternation for #1 son, my erstwhile running partner. He's started experiencing side stitches whenever we try to go for any distance longer than a block . I'm not certain how to address them.

Today's issues were compounded by the fact that mini-me went with us. He's a better runner than either #1 son or me, and this is a tremendous source of frustration for big brother, who seems to feel like he's entitled to being better based on the fact that he's older. That mini-me is constantly in motion, involved in every sport, is irrelevant to my bookish oldest. So now I'm faced with a dilemma. I enjoy the one on one time with #1, but I don't want to discourage mm, because he likes it and seems to have a genuine talent for it. Perhaps the fatboy will be going on TWO daily runs in the near future. Damned kids.

The hills are alive.....

With the sounds of fat boy squealing!!

Behind the VG school is an innocuous looking hill leading to the river. No more than 20-30 feet from top to bottom, it's a harmless little bump, really. Until you decide to run wind sprints up and down it. It then becomes a sinister, imposing vista as #1 son and I discovered this morning. 3 sets of up and downs before moving on to the football field for Wednesday wind sprints. We know how to party...the boy and I.

The boss is really trying to lay off the smokes...I am so proud of her efforts because I know LOTS about addictive behavior. The fatboy family will do everything we can to get her through this...hopefully without her taking one of us out!

lessons learned

#1 million....

When your martial arts instructor says "Let's have some fun!", feign injury or death! He finished last night's class with a 20 minute introduction to calisthenics that were surely designed by the Marquis de Sade, in consultation with Satan and Richard Simmons. The diamond push up, the "w" pushup and the "rope pull" were just three of the little beauties that we enjoyed last night. The fact that I desparately need the exercise did little to mitigate the agony.

I added another item to the long, long list of things that my spouse can do better than I last night. After the joyous exercise session had ended, it was time to clean the workout mats. This is accomplished by spreading a wet towel on the floor and bear crawling it from one end to the other. The boss is amazingly quick, flying back and forth like a kid. Meanwhile I floundered like, well, Flounder.

big fat loser

I managed to lose some weight (down to 269.3) first time I've been south of 270 in about a year.

Went for a great walk with #1 son this morning, then HRD tonight. Exercise is still something that I have to force myself to do, rather than something I want to do. I don't know if this mindset will ever change.

In noticias del Futbol Americano, VG lost to an inferior Arthur team 12-6. Gave up two long scoring runs in the first quarter, and then completely dominated the rest of the game, but couldn't score. Mini-me had three assists....still a little hesitant to put a hit on somebody, but at least he's not blatantly out of position, as he's been in the past.

general malaise

Is my commander in chief today.

Don't have much to report on the fitness front. Went and ran pyramids with #1 son on Wednesday. Didn't do squat today, and I'm skipping HRD tonight. I think I've got some sort of flu thing coming on. Can't afford to be sick now, but it is what it is.

It's official!!

I AM the VG fatboy. Weighed in at 273.2 pounds with a bmi north of 40. Not good, but it's not like I wasn't expecting something like this. I'll be posting regularly as we go along. Next weigh in is Sunday.

VG football lost to Sangamon Valley 22-8. Our "b" team played their lightweights. Apparently the only teams who have B teams don't have enough fourth graders to fill them, so we play 5th & 6th graders every week. Arthur, for example, had 6 fourth graders come out for the team, so next week we'll be playing older kids again. It's good experience, I suppose, but the boys are tired of losing.