Happy Holidays, Now stop eating!

Well good morning everyone  I certainly hope everyone had a joyous  Christmas and are enjoying this slow end of the year week as we wrap up 2011.  Myself with all of my best efforts and diet determination was not enough to keep my from celebrating my way right off the diet wagon the last few days, I guess it's just with all of my work and progress there are just certain things I won't give in on and enjoying my Christmas and it's food with my family is one of them.  But now as the leftovers vanish and the wrapping paper gets trucked away in the recycling it's over and done and time to move on time to get ready to set my goals for 2012 and get set for a final 4 month push to April 7th to close out my year of weight loss.


So today it's time to get back into the gym and workout and burn off some more and get back into the swing of things, I must say this break came at a very good time as by last Thursday I was very worn out after  a few weeks of hard work and fatigue was really setting in so a few days to take it easy and rest my body and spirit was just what the doctor ordered as today I feel much better and am ready to roll.  I guess Santa was trying to tell me something this year as he left under my tree a whole bunch of cool exercise gadgets  and stuff to trick out my running and cycling.  One thing I have that I'm itching to try out is Nike+  for ipod, which is a receiver that you put in your shoe that works with your Ipod to track all your running and walking stats including speed, miles, calories all sorts of stuff so I am ready to get out and see how that works maybe tomorrow.  So anyone who has this and has some advice to give on this product I would love to hear about it maybe some tips you found out as gadgets like these always seem to have some quirks. I hope Santa brought you all of the stuff you were hoping for this year and that at least one thing was something to help get you motivating to improving your health.


So I'm getting ready to take my after picture this week for the FIT challenge as that gets wrapped up this week, then hopefully my progress has been good enough to make the finals.  But whatever happens with that I am really proud of the effort I put in and I think all the proof I need will soon be in the pictures because I know that even with a few holiday slowdowns I gave it all I had and made it so far in improving my Body composition  and  achieving my fitness goals and if some body else out there has given more than me and achieved more than me than god bless them I don't know how your still standing but  Ill sure tip my hat, lol


So thanks for checking back in this week as we rocket towards the end of 2011.  So are you ready to set those New Year's resolutions yet, well I want you to set them with me to join my team because  together I know we can achieve big time weight loss as I have a ways to go and my goal is going to be to lose 50 pounds in 2012 so what I really want is to get like 10 or 20 people and see if together we can loss a few hundred pounds and all celebrate together at the end of next year so be ready because if your New Year's resolution is to lose any amount of weight big or small I'm the man who is going to make sure you get there.  So again thanks for stopping by and reading today and please continue to click like and share on the blog so we can get as many people as possible to join our team for 2012.  Make it a great day and get out there and burn off a little Christmas  and take another step towards FIT.

Blood, Sweat and Tears

Well a good Thursday morning to everyone I hope every one's week before Christmas is going well.  Well last night was my third night of running with the run club and it certainly was exciting and really a microcosm of my whole Journey so far.  You see as you might remember my time last week was 45 minutes  so this week I set out to finish the course in at least under 44 minutes so I could at least see some improvement.  It was a nice night for a run and I was really giving it my all the whole way even without the shoes I still need I was down to the last tenth of a mile and was on track to beat my time, then it happened  with sweat pouring down my face and I'm completely out of breath I didn't see a high spot in the sidewalk and went down.  Now don't worry other than a scraped up elbow I'm fine but it just was  a test of my drive as I  was so determined to make it I got up brushed my self off a kept driving for the finish line and guess what I made it in an new record time of 42 minutes, so I am quite proud of myself this morning for making it over the finish line.

Now your probably asking yourself how does this have anything to do with my story as a whole.  Well it's just the whole Journey seems to have been this way made up of day after day of Blood, Sweat and Tears.  Just nothing but determination to get not just across that 5k finish line but my big finish line of completely  losing this weight and accomplishing my big goal now like my run last night I have fell countless times and it has seemed like I was so hurt and so tired that I couldn't go on any further as it was just too hard but like last night those times I picked my self up off the ground brushed off the dirt  toweled off my sweat and blood and kept going because that's how bad I want it that's how bad I wanted to beat that 45 minutes and that's how bad I want to accomplish this big weight loss. Now the moral to this story as they say is this if you decide to take on a Journey of transformation for yourself this too will happen to you, it will be hard you will fall you will hurt but when your down on the ground literally or metaphorical you have those two choices stay there and wallow if your mistakes or get up and keep driving for that finish line.  As simple as my words my seem the sad reality is over ninety percent of people who start a Journey like mine won't get up the will just wallow in there failure and stay down, why do you think there are so many over weight people because so many lack to drive to simply get up and keep moving.

So what do I do to keep myself in that 10 percent who will get up, it all begins with surrounding yourself with people who won't let you stay down people who except no excuses  people who want only to see you win as much as you do.  My advice to you is to seek these folks out no matter where they are you need them because you will fall you will want to quit but all you need is a hand to help you back up and an encouraging push back down the road to success. Another part of it comes with knowledge  learn as much as you can arm yourself with information to help ward off self doubt  to keep you from using something that might not even be true as a way to keep yourself down.  Now my goal with this blog has always been to not just share my story but to be a hand for you when you go down on one of those unforeseen bad places on your Journey or someone Else's so chin up and keep moving because that's what I do.

So I managed to beat my time by a full 3 minutes so I am pumped about that the weight loss has been so so so far this week and I don't know if that scale is going to give up the 299 number in the next 9 days or not I guess we shall just see.  I want to thank Troy and Jackie and all the folks who came out and ran last night and are always my helping hand for me to help me get across that finish line and whenever I may stumble on my Journey.  So thanks so much for stopping by today after a few days off from the blogging I needed a little inspiration and found it by a scraped up elbow but hey whatever it takes right.  So as always thanks for sharing the blog especially right now as we try to motivate people into really making those New Year's resolutions in a few days even if losing weight  isn't going to be yours I'm sure you know someone else who it needs to  be so be that hand for them pick them up and let's give them that push to set there own finish line in 2012.  Make it a great day and get out there and take another step towards FIT,

Hard earned Victories

Well good morning everyone I hope everyone had a nice weekend and managed some time for exercise this past weekend even if it was like me and was "power shopping" for those Christmas presents.  Well for those of you who did not catch my addition I made to Friday's blog, Friday afternoon I had a very successful weigh in and I am at a new all time low of 302 so I was so pumped to get a nice result last week after putting so much into making some progress last week.  Well with this week being the last full work week of the year and the last full week for me to stick to my regular schedule and get after that goal of getting these last 2 pounds off by the end of the year.  So it will be another hard week of training and hitting the gym each day beginning today with mega Monday and finding more creative ways to stay on my healthy eating plan, I tried a new recipe Saturday that turned out well as we made Chili but we switched the ground beef for lean ground chicken and it was very good and with so much seasoning you can not even tell and with the chicken it cuts the fat and calories way way down so I highly  recommend it just put in your favorite recipe with as many fresh veggies as you like makes it even better.


So my new weight loss total is up to 118  which leaves 32 more to go by April 7 to hit my year long goal, which may or may not be realistic I don't really know any more as slow as the progress has been the last 6 weeks or so as it has been a big struggle just to get from 310 to 300 but I am very committed to giving it my all and we will just see what happens. We also have just another 11 days left in the contest period for the FIT challenge as I have to submit my  After pictures by the 30th of this month and don't worry Ill be sure and post them here as well.  This week I had to submit  several more before pictures  for the contest and It really hit me as I was looking at them though how far I have came this year. I look at myself then and I can't really believe how bad I let myself get, how far I let myself slip, how much time I wasted being that much of an unappealing out of shape person  that I was at that size.  I guess it is all perspective  because if you never change you never really see the way you look when you see yourself in pictures even though so many of us say" Oh don't take my picture, I look bad" and run from the camera you still never know what you truly look like until you can compare yourself with something so totally different than you have ever seen before.  So these next two weeks I have an easy challenge for all of you when you gather these next two weeks don't run from the camera  be in as many pictures as possible get as many looks at yourself as you can at your worst in that ugly Christmas sweater, whatever just get a good look.  Than if you want to give yourself the thrill of a lifetime take the chance you have in 2012 to change it you will have 11 whole months to make such change that next year's holiday season you will be so excited to be in every photo because you love the way you have changed your whole look and your whole life. Just trust me there is no comparison to how you feel when you look back and don't even recognize yourself that is the payoff for hard work and it is awesome.


Well thanks so much for stopping by and checking out the blog today I certainly appreciate all of your support each and everyday as we move along this Journey this year. So  thanks so much for sharing the blog and getting this challenge out  to all of your family and friends as we try and make a big change next year as I want to get all of you moving along your own journey too no matter how small or how far you have to go it all starts with a single step and that step could be forwarding this blog to somebody.  Well have a great Monday and get out there and take another step towards FIT.

A new kind of Holiday Lifestyle

Well Happy Friday to everyone as we finally  made it to the end of another long work week.  So I am back in the blogosphere today after a busy day yesterday and another great workout yesterday  as we did another strength training and boxing session with another one scheduled for this afternoon so I am really looking forward to the weekend.  So today I have been thinking a lot about how my new lifestyle has changed the way the Holiday season feels for me this year I can say it certainly has a much different feel to it than any other than I can remember.  With all of the sweet treats and all of the Christmas parties that we partake in this time of year it is certainly a time when so much extra calories and fattening food is thrown our way and we have to make those hard decisions do we hold strong and turn them down or give into tradition and go ahead with our regular  holiday traditions. Myself I have managed to turn them mostly all down and tried to find new alternatives  to enjoying this time of year without sacrificing my weight loss efforts and falling behind from where I want to be. It's just a simple choice for me no glass of eggnog is worth falling behind for me and no sugar cookie is worth an hour on the treadmill to make up.  But what does that mean really how do find that happy median between what is healthy  and what is happy.  Most studies have found that the average person this time of year puts on an additional 5 pounds during this season just from all the extra eating  and everything else that goes into the season so I figure this season if I can lose 5 pounds Ill really be losing ten pounds by not adding the other 5.  So where do you draw the line what indulgence is too much this time of year or is there anything that is too much for you?


So I am proud to report that Wednesday night my running with the running club went very well and I managed to lower my 5k time from 55 minutes to 45 minutes.  The first time out I probably jogged only about 25% of the distance and this week I managed to to jog over 50% and the best part was I feel good today and am not that sore.  It is funny now I can see so much progress in my cardio and how far I can run without getting  totally winded but it has gotten so much better than my body size would let on.  As now my leg strength  seems to give up long before my wind does because after all my legs are still pushing around 300 pounds.  So now I am going to just work on trying to lower my time each week and try to get it down to around 30 minutes eventually is my goal which would mean jogging the entire three miles so I still have a ways to go yet to reach than but I'm damn proud of a ten minute improvement this week.  So now I'm in the market for a great pair of running shoes, any ideas?  Has anyone found a great brand that works great for you and is moderately priced please let me know because I am definitely asking Santa for some next week and I need some suggestions on which ones to try.


So it has been a pretty successful week as I have been to the gym for at least 2 hours everyday this week and the diet has been going really good this week especially as I said for this time of year.  So hopefully I can have some great weigh in results to report on  this weekend as I continue to strive for 299 by the 31st.  But I am really in a good place right now no matter what the scale says, I have gone through periods where I have agonized  over each and every pound and it seemed to be quite litterely driving me nuts but now I can say I am truly happy with what ever I mange to do as long as I am giving it my all as I continue to do each and everyday.


So thanks so much for stopping back by today and checking out today's post as I  pontificate over another topic, lol  I really do appreciate all of your support as I try to find the extra gear of will power to get through this time of year and finish strong this year.  So be sure to become a follower of the blog if you have not already so you can get the latest updates.  To my Facebook friends thanks so much for clicking share on my facebook posts with the blog link so others can see it on your wall and maybe avoid that Holiday 5. Well everyone have a great Friday and please find a few minutes to get out there and take another step towards FIT.


P.S   12-17-11 A new all time low has been achieved, 302 pounds last night so my hard work this week really payed off and I'm totally pumped by these results only 2 more pounds to go and two weeks to get there. Have a great Saturday everyone.

Mom was right, eat your veggies.

Well a happy hump day to everyone out there as we charge through this week with less than the full twelve days of Christmas left. So yesterday I made it to the gym sore upper body and all and burned my 1000 calories on the treadmill and bike it's funny the best my chest felt all day was when I was working out again when I stopped it went right back to hurting. So tonight all systems look go for the run/walk club to meet tonight for our second 5k so that's what on today's agenda after the weather did not cooperate last week I'm ready to get back out there and see what I can do so anyone in the area feel free to stop in and walk with us  at 6 as we leave from Vintage Vino on Dakin Street.  So yesterday I had a good weigh in as I made it back down to a new all time low of 304 so no I'm still perched and ready to shake these last four pounds so at least I saw some loss that gives me hope to get a little bit more in these last few weeks.


So I have gotten some questions about the kinds of foods that I do eat on a regular basis that have gotten me where I am now.  There are so many options and opinions on what someone who is trying to lose weight should eat everyday and there are a lot of crazy diets with recipes for stuff that you should just eat for a specific amount of time and you will lose weight.  Well you probably will lose some weight you will also lose your mind and get sick of what ever 1 thing you eat over and over.  So what I suggest is finding a few Healthy staples and keep changing them up and reinventing them in ways to keep things fresh and new flavors coming.  My staples I have found that work for me are chicken breasts, sweet potatoes, okra and these steamer bags of mixed veggies but are mostly broccoli and fresh carrots.  I can say for certain that I have eaten more vegetables and more vegetables in different ways  in the last eight months than I have my entire life.  So that is really the secret get to love vegetable and fill your plate with them you can eat tons of them and the benefits only multiply because of the high nutritional value they have compared to other types of foods. So the real trick is to find some things you like that are good for you and as long as it is not white potatoes or corn the vegetable aisle is wide open for you to explore to your hearts content.


So thanks for stopping by today and checking out the blog  don't forget to share the facebook link and to become a follower of the blog so you can get the latest updates. So don't  I hope your plans of finishing out the year strong are coming along good and even during the Holiday season  you are finding some time to squeeze in some exercise and some healthy eating.  Well enjoy your Wednesday and get out and take another step towards FIT.

Pain is Good

Hello everyone and welcome to another blog entry from yours truly.  Well today I am sore as heck from a great chest workout yesterday afternoon with Ulrick and Jen.  I am so proud of Jen today as yesterday Jen was able to accomplish one of her big fitness goals she set out to do from the start and that was to be able to do some push ups and not only was she able to do one she was able to do three whole sets and with perfect form not even the girlie push up's but straight up push up's, so today we are all very proud of Jen for accomplishing this feat and impressing us all.   I have improved my ability to do sort of a push up it's still quite hard because I am lifting so much weight off the ground it kind of comes up in two steps and kind of looks like I'm doing the worm break dance.  But hey at least I'm trying and improving from not even being able to lift myself at all.

It had been a long time since I had done any weight training when I started these workouts back in April but one thing I have learned is nothing beats  weight lifting for something being a good measure of how your body is changing.  Each time you go you will be sore you will hurt that's just the way it is and that aspect scares off so many people from ever trying to do strength training and they just stick with cardio but no type of cardio can give you what strength training can as a positive result in the way your body looks and feels and shapes.  So I have resigned myself to the fact that pain is good, each week will hurt because next week ill be stronger and the week after that the week after that. That's just the way muscles are you have to break down the old to build back new that are a little bit bigger and a little bit stronger but the process in between can be difficult and painful but remember pain is good if you can't feel the muscle the next day screaming at you then you didn't work hard enough.  I'm really starting to see a few changes in the shape of certain parts of my body which is good as I knew it would take a long time to show any muscle development as everything was covered in inches and in some spots more than a foot of fat and as the fat melts away I am hopeful that new muscles that I have been building over the last eight months will begin to show.  Another huge advantage and something I highly suggest for anyone who wants to lose over a hundred or more pounds id strength training because It is a life saver when it comes to skin If all you do is burn fat you get loose skin and droopy skin in areas that used to be round, but if you replace that area with new muscle growth it takes up that slack and you still look good and not droopy with flabby skin especially on the arms and belly, so loose the arm fat and replace with biceps and triceps and loose the belly fat and replace with abs and much like the Men's warehouse commercials "You will like the way you look I guarantee it"

So yesterday we had some good conversation about choices  that people and a diet have to make about food and the weighing of Risk vs Reward when it comes to situations we are in.  This time of year I think it is certainly harder for us as even more choices are given to us and we feel more pressure to give in because it's the Holidays and because it's tradition.  Well tradition is whatever it is you make it out to be you want to start a new one start a new one just because some has done something for decades a certain way  doesn't mean it is right for you and when it comes to eating we all have to realize we are the master of our own destiny only we decide what we eat and only we can raise that fork or that cup. So consider that next time you are deciding Risk vs Reward with all this Holiday food be master of your own destiny.

Well thanks so much for stopping by on this Tuesday or whenever it is you check out this particular entry don't forget you can go back and read all of the previous entries  in the archives  through the link on the right hand side of the blog there just pick what month and he title. Also don't forget to share our website fitdon.com as it has access to the blog and some other stuff so go check it out and tell your friends that's where they can access the blog just type in that web address and there we are. So thanks for sharing the blog and all of your great feedback it helps everyday as we continue to push forward this end of 2011.  So make it a great day and get out there and work those muscles while taking another step towards FIT.

Risk versus Reward

Well a good Monday morning to everyone I certainly hope everyone had an enjoyable weekend as we continue our run up to the Christmas Holiday season.  Well I have to admit  I had a pretty lazy weekend and didn't do much as I just took some time off to rest up after a busy week on the fitness plan and this week should be even more active as we continue to add more to our plan.  But one thing I have to admit to all of you, is Saturday night I  decided to indulge in a tremendous craving I had for Chinese food and I know that it is a diet sin but I did it anyway not too over the top but not on the diet either if ya know what I mean.   But all of that really got me thinking about the decision making process that folks who try to live a reduced calorie diet and healthy lifestyle have to go through everyday.  For me each decision always comes down to Risk vs Reward what will I gain vs what will it cost me in the long run and nine times out of ten I always answer with it's just not worth it and pass it up and keep moving on.  But what is not so easy to quantify is the mental toll that all that saying no takes on one's life all of that being denied what we want really just becomes a real bummer after a while.  Yes I know that this kind of giving in is what leads 95 percent of all dieters down the path to failure and quitting but what I'm concerned with is us in the 5 percent  that can make it this far how do  we survive the craving's and the constant risk reward measurement, the constant bombardment of finding happiness in success on the plan or happiness in just getting what we want no matter how small.


Now I believe the answer as most answers lies somewhere in the middle somewhere deeply seated in the grey area's between to opposite choices.  The answers I have some up with are really to make a list of things that I have given up for good and will never go back to and stick with that no matter the situation and I have not had a problem with those items like soda's or juices or sweet snacks I don't eat them or don't want them.  For me the problems come from the things that are not what you would call healthy but are not things I would eat everyday or even every week,  like this weekend and my yearning for some General Tso's chicken now I decided since I had not had a cheat meal all week and had been the gym five times I would reward myself and risk the momentary setback of a single non diet meal.  But something else I can say for sure boy was it delightfully sinful and I savored every morsel of it to be sure egg roll , soup and all.


So what are the criteria for you when you have to make decisions everyday about what you choose to give in to and what you steadfastly avoid? Where do you draw the line. what is too bad, what can be forgiven and made up later?  These are all very difficult questions especially for us who are farther along the path towards the new selves we are searching for than those who are just starting up now.  But how do you make those decisions on what to eat and what to leave on the table without just going crazy. So let me know because we all need that kind of good advice  we all need the help to avoid those temptations and beat back those cravings and as I always say we are all in this together.


So it's another week and we are now sitting less than three weeks from the end of the year  that's how much time we have have left to accomplish the goal we have set out to beat this year. Me I'm still sitting here with just a few pounds left to lose  and working my butt off trying to make it happen.  But now I have resigned myself that if I get below 300 pounds when 2012 gets here great I would have achieved the goal but as long as I am giving it my all and retaining my sanity along the way I can be just as happen if when midnight of the 1st hits and I'm at 304  because I would have left it all on the field as they say.  So what's it going to be for you how close are you to your goals this year can you see them from here can you reach out and grab them before that clock strikes twelve.


So thanks for stopping back by today, I certainly appreciate each and everyone who takes timeout to read what I have to say if each one of us can just share this story with those in our lives who need that little push we can really get a great movement going to make 2012 the healthiest year yet. So start that ball rolling by sharing the blog on facebook by clicking the share button it is located right down next to the like button and this will share my blogs link to your wall so someone on your friends list might read it and join in on our path towards FIT. So everyone have a great Monday even on this gloomy wet day here in Florida and let's all take another step towards FIT.

Uncharted Waters

Well Happy Friday everyone we finally made it to the end of another long work week. So this morning I am feeling pretty good as I had a good result yesterday from my measurements, yesterday I measured my body composition with a body analyzer and scale that will tell you not only what you weigh  but what things make up that number.  You see I found out my body weight was 304 but my body fat is now down to 106 which is way down from the first time I used that type of measurement I was off the charts and it just came up error because I was over 225 pounds of body fat so I know now how much fat I have lost because my 305 I know now is made up of 106 pounds of fat and 198 pounds of everything else ( bones, muscle and organs).  See this is what I have learned and always say the scale will lie to you because it does not give you an accurate  and complete picture as to what you added up to reach that number. Because even now as I continue to lose fat pounds I gain muscle pounds and it will just be a wash and the scale will give me the same number.  So I really suggest to everyone to get one of these body analyzers and check your composition to see where you are at so you know the whole story and not just what the bathroom scale will tell you.  But what really made me happy was there is a chart that goes along with that machine that shows models for different body types with your fat % and I finally made the chart as I am now down below 35% and that is the highest the models go on the chart so It is a major victory for me to even make that chart being I was no where even close when I started.  My goal is to get down to around 20% or below but even then my body weight will still be above 230 so I'm just never going to be that light but as long as it's not body fat that the scale is weighing it's all good.


A number goal is important but it's only part of the story remember this low numbers make us feel good but they don't define success and failure all by themselves.  For me the proof is coming now every time I go shopping, you see my whole life when I went shopping for cloths  the only thing I could do was to find the biggest size the had and hope it would be lose enough to use and that's just all I have ever known.  Now I go shopping and my wife has to remind me  that things might be too big and I need smaller sizes, and that ladies and gentlemen blows my mind. I'm not the biggest possible size anymore and it is so weird to grab the cloths that are not all the way on the back of the racks where the big sizes are always put now, I'm more in the middle where the large and extra large things are.  I know I will never get down below a 1x shirt but coming from a 4x eight months ago to now most 2x shirts being too lose  it's like moving all the way to medium for most people.  So let your cloths do the talking they will tell you when fat is gone when you see that extra bunching up on your pants and your shirt hanging down a bit farther that's when you know even if the scale doesn't tell you what you want to hear.


So we made it to the end of the week how bout you are you ready for a new size in 2012  are you putting a smaller size on your Christmas list to motivate you to work hard to get into next year. So who's had some good results this week are you still working hard making smart choices and finding time for exercise no matter how small. Yesterday was another good workout this time we did legs so my legs are really screaming today but I know when they get better Ill just be that much stronger and able to do that much more than yesterday.  So back in the gym today for a nice long trip on the elliptical machine to close out the work week strong.


SO thanks so much for stopping by and checking out the blog today I always like to have good news to share even if it is a little scientific today, lol  Don't forget about clicking the share button on the facebook post's to share the blog and sign up to become a follower of the blog.  Well everyone enjoy your Friday and remember those healthy rewards and get out take another step towards FIT.

Finding another Foothold

Well good morning everyone on this chilly morning here in the sunshine state today.  So yesterday unfortunately it was too wet and windy to run so I guess we will just have to try it again next week, so I was a little bummed about that but today is another day.  Sometimes It gets hard for me to remember exactly what my life was like 8 months ago as it seems I have just been in this tunnel just trying to get from one side to the next but at each turn I see more tunnel ahead.  Yesterday I read a great post from someone else who has lost a lot of weight like me and he said sometimes you lose focus because you see so much mountain left ahead of you to climb until you look down and you can't see ground anymore.  That is what it is like I am stuck somewhere way past the middle but not so near the top that I can quite make out the summit so as any mountain climber will tell you the only thing left to do is find the next foot hold and pull yourself up another few feet.  That is what this process is like climbing a very steep mountain one step at a time each time I pull myself forward I'm one step closer to the top.  I think what so many people do is focus not on what they have done but what is left to do and that's when you get discouraged however also I have found if you linger to long on your accomplishments you can also become too content and lose focus on the path ahead.  This is why I try to take this huge climb just one new foothold at a time focus on each tiny step each new bit of ground I can gain is the best place to focus and not on the top or the bottom.


So today I am back in the warm confides of the gym as we wait out this brief cold snap to pass.  With our usual training session with Ulrick  just as on Monday when we worked shoulders I'm finally today able to raise my arms above my head again so I guess it's time to find some new pain, lol  Each time we work different body parts in addition to  the cardio and the boxing really adds up to a real butt kicking each session for yours truly. You know getting with a trainer as I have said  has been on huge key to me sticking with this as long as I have because it really does make a difference, just knowing that you have a plan a schedule and someone else has their time invested in us makes a huge difference  not to mention all the benefits from the workouts themselves. If you are at all able to consult with a personal trainer and train working out with one in your gym I highly suggest it it makes all the difference I have seen the results and I live the results everyday.  Just having as many people invested in your success makes the difference having others who have a stake in your success can mean the difference in success and failure.


So thanks for stopping by and checking out a brief if yet poignant blog entry today, lol So don't forget to become a follower of the blog by clicking the button on the right side that says become a follower it is free and easy and you will get the latest updates.  As always thanks for clicking like and share on the facebook post's  so we can keep the post visible in the ticker. Well everyone make it a great day stay warm but still get out there and take another step towards FIT.

DON VS. SCALE

Well a pleasant Wednesday to everyone and thanks for checking back in today.  Well it has been 10 days now since my post Thanksgiving re commitment  I can report I am still going extra strong my diet has been spot on and I have worked out  9 out of 10 days taking only one day off to rest up.  But even with all of this even with going flat out like I have the scale is still not my friend and it is getting pretty frustrating to the point I am ready to smash that thing to pieces.  Now I know all of this I am doing has me going in the right direction and as fast as I can get there but it is still frustrating to set a number goal and not see the progress that I was looking for and Ill admit it is down right discouraging as a matter of fact when the scale just doesn't reflect the effort that I have put in the last ten days.  It's getting so hard now and I have to do so much to lose anymore weight  even though it looks like I have a lot left to lose  as most people if they weighed 305 would think they were really heavy and it was a time to start to lose weight.


So tonight is night number two of the running walking club and I am going to try and better my time of 55 minutes from last week with a little more jogging and a little less walking.  So anyone in the Kissimmee area who wants to come out and hit the pavement with me tonight we leave at six and go three miles, it doesn't matter how fast or slow you think you can do it only that you do it, just put one foot in front of the other and get it done.  It's so different to actually get outside and do some jogging as apposed to inside the gym it is so much more fun and I'm actually looking forward to getting out there tonight and seeing what I can do.  So how have you been doing this week have you been going strong for the finish line this year or just limping across and living on hope for next year. The key is to build now and that big start come January 2 that so many of try and do will be easy because you will already be in motion.  So get out there and set those wheels in motion now and come January 2nd all you will have to do is speed them up.


So as I continue to go hand to hand combat with the scale this week  I definitely need to hear all of your success as motivation for me to keep up the good fight and conquer this foe.  So somebody anybody please let me hear how you struck a blow against the scale this week cause I need to know of a victory for our side the bigger the better. Have you lost a pound over the last few weeks how bout 2 or 5. Because the scale as we all know is a very strong opponent and it will take all of us to beat him that's for sure.


So thanks so much for coming back by and checking out the blog today and for all of your comments.  Remember to remind your friends to click on the  from fat to fit link on the facebook post and not just read the facebook post. Also thanks so much to my friends who continue to click share on the links I post everyday so other can find the blog as it is easy to get lost on the ticker. Don't forget about the run club for anyone who is interested in joining my walking team just get in touch with me and Ill give you more info and by the way it's all free. So again thanks for stopping by and lets all get out there today and strike a blow for FIT.

The Game of our Lives

Well a pleasant morning to everyone this Monday I certainly hope everyone had a nice weekend  and made some time to work on closing the year on a high note.  Well yours truly had a productive weekend  and have managed to get myself back to where I was a few weeks ago when I was setting a goal to get down to 303 or below.  It was a week of hard work and executing the plan but I am back on track and rolling strong in the right direction. Saturday I was at the gym yet again for workout number 5 this week  then Sunday I went on the spinning bikes with Ulrick to make a total of 6 days of working out last week so I really went all out to make progress last week. So how did the weekend go for all of you, were you able to resist all the temptation's that come this time of year with Christmas parties and all the food and drink that goes with the season.  You know I really love peppermint and right now Chick Fil"A has commercial for a peppermint milk shake which is absolutely brutal for me it seems like they play the damn thing every 15 seconds just to tempt me and rub it in my face.But such is life I guess, everyday we are  bombarded with temptation for the things  we want even if we know they are not what we need.

You know one realization I have had while on this diet is this, the battle of weight loss for people who are over weight is a rigged game a totally rigged game it's all designed for us to fail at  not just once but over and over again.  I say this because think about it for a moment we are bombarded everyday with two types of messages one is a characterization of what is sexy and what is a desirable look you want that is beautiful and hot.  The people we all wish we could look like with the nice flat stomach's and Ab's able to look good in anything draped over them these are the bodies we are all sold is what we should be because these are the cool people these are the one's who come into our homes on TV and movies and music these are the people that get on magazine covers and become our sports hero's.  Now how is it a rigged game you ask, well look at all the advertisement's that fill the space in between us looking at the desirable people doing these desirable things. Most all of it is for things that will never make you look like any of them for example fast food ad's make up a huge segment of marketing on TV and radio and nothing they have to sell will ever help you achieve becoming one of the desirable people who you are tuning in to see.  Do you honestly believe Tom Brady or Angelina Jolie is stuffing their face with Mcrib's and washing it down with peppermint milkshakes heck no they are not. That's why it's a rigged game my friend's the world dangles the carrot for us as to how good we can look but then only sells us things that will never make it happen.

But rigged game or not this time I'm going to beat the house I'm going to beat them at their own rigged game, I'm going to grab that carrot and do it in the face of all these ad's that do nothing but try to sell me things that will make me fail.  The peppermint Milkshake as good as I'm sure it is will only set me way behind I know this and the harder I work at this the more I'm able to resist it and just say no because themore I have invested the more I have to lose.  That's why I always try to get you to to get more and more invested in your own self just like me because that my friends is the only way to win this rigged game to have so much on the line that you can resist their best efforts to throw you back down because you have to have something to lose before you can have something to win.  So work at it anyway try harder anyway even if they managed to stop you before by luring you back down the path to failure keep playing because this is the game of our very lives.

Well thanks so much for stopping in and listing to my rant today     ( that damn milkshake ad is just making me mad) lol.  It's going to be another big week for me as I am really going to try hard to get below 303 this week and be right on track for my end of the year goal and get into uncharted waters as I am now back down to about my all time low now, so into the unknown  we go.  Well thanks for sharing the blog we got some wonderful comments from some new folks over the weekend and I really do appreciate so much all of your support and faith in me, and know that I have faith in all of you too. So be sure to become a follower of the blog it only takes a moment it's up in the upper right hand corner there.  Thanks so much to my facebook book friends who continue to click like and share on the Facebook post as well.  Well let's all start this week off strong and get out and take another step towards FIT.

4 days and 4 pounds

Well Happy Friday everyone we are nearly there on making it through another work week.  Well I hit the gym yesterday for the fourth straight day and had another training session with team Don and boy was it brutal, my abs are really killing me this morning but I'm getting stronger and better at that plank each time.  However the good news I have to share today comes from the weigh in last night as I am well on my way to getting to my end of the year goal and ditching the extra add on from Thanksgiving, If you remember I started off Monday morning at a brutal 310 but after four days of hard work I weighed in yesterday at 306.  Now I know some of that was water weight from the food but I am quite proud of it and am glad to be within sight of my all time low of 304 that I hope to get back too in the next few days.  It always is one of the best feeling you can ever have to have hard work on eating right pay off and give you a positive result like I got this week.  So now you can see why I always say you too can make it happen for yourself and all you need is hard work and good decision's and it will happen, we all have the power to make changes it only takes to "want to" , to make it happen for us. I have a whole bunch of "want to" to hit this goal by the end of this month I am so close to being below 300 I can taste it and I believe it will taste pretty damn sweet, sweeter than any desert or candy I know of.


So who else has been making it happen this week I know if you have worked as hard as I have you are seeing some good results this week too.  It is far too easy for us to cast off this time of year and just say "oh Ill just start next year".  However the truth is this is the perfect time to start, think about it if you can make it through the Holiday's with making good decisions about your food and your health any other time of the year will be easy, walk though fire now and the rest of the year will just be sand. 


So this weekend I am going to continue my exercise and make some more ground cause a diet and exercise in not a Monday to Friday thing it is everyday. A few months ago I entered the FIT Challenge  a contest being put on by Tahitian Noni for people who are using the FIT products and losing weight and fat, and the contest period ends December 30 so I have another 28 days to improve my numbers for that so that's even more motivation.  What kind of motivation you ask, how bout a trip for 2 to Europe, yeah that's whats on the line for me this month as I really want to win this thing.  So by the end of the month I am really going to need all of your help to help me win the contest but Ill have more on that later.


So this weekend I am going to be filming some videos to put up on the blog and on Fitdon.com so get ready for that.  So thanks so much for stopping by today and checking out the blog today and to those of you who went and checked out the blog all week as it has really been a busy week as our readership is now over 1400 so thanks so much for sharing the blog it really does make a difference to me but mostly to any one who we may inspire to go out and make a positive change for themselves because that's what we are trying to do here. So everyone make it a great Friday and a great weekend and please get out there and take another step towards FIT.

Run Don Run

Good morning everybody, I hope everybody is well enough on this chilly morning from here in Florida no matter where you are in the world.  Well last night I had my first run walk club event and I am happy to report that I came, I saw and I ran ( well maybe walked most of the way) all 5 kilometers and had a lot of fun and met some fun new people who I look forward to walking with each Wednesday. It was a little bit chilly out but as long as you keep moving you feel fine. So my new Nike shirt worked out well too it moved well and kept me plenty warm but was light too.

So now I just have to fine tune a few things to improve my comfort cause let me tell you it is no small effort to get even the new smaller me to run down the sidewalk.  So last night my goal was just to complete the course in less than an hour and see what it was all about and I managed it in about 55 minutes so mission accomplished there now I can just try to work on that time every week to make it better and better and add more jogging and less walking.  But I have to say a big thank you to Jackie and Troy for setting it all up and making it happen, it was a lot of fun and I look forward to it next week and making it bigger and better.  So all of my Kissimmee area friends really need to come by next Wednesday at 6 to get out there and see how you do with a 5k course. It's so nice if you are like me and do most of your exercise indoors at the gym or at home to get outside and get some fresh air and see some different scenery sometimes it's really good to mix things up. That's really what I am trying to do now just add more and more ways to exercise in different ways I just want to try as much as I can while I'm still young enough to do it whether it is a class or a run club or learning a new sport that's what I want to do now.  I can't stress enough how if you have a lot of weight to lose once you lose a bunch of it you will feel more energy than you ever have you will feel like a dog who has been tied up and can finally (literally) run free. 

So yesterday I talked to another member of my gym who is starting her Journey to Fit just like I and hopefully some of you have too and she decided to start her own blog to tell her story her blog is http://courtneyloses.blogspot.com/ so we all need to go and check out Courtney's story because she has a very  real story to tell just like I do and we can all learn something from someone else's  struggles and success's along this path to become the awesome people we all aspire to be.  So go on over and check out her blog and let's all support her as she starts anew on her path to fit but this time she has something she didn't before all of us here.

So thanks for stopping by today, I certainly hope everyone had a successful day yesterday and got out and was productive.  So today I am going to begin video chronicling my workout's and other stuff so I can start incorporating some video blogging so if you don't have speakers better hurry up and put some on your Christmas list, lol  So be sure to tune in tomorrow as I hope to have some cool new stuff to share.  As always thanks so much for stopping by and sharing this blog and Courtney's blog as well as we all get out there and take another step towards FIT.

Cooling Down and Heating up

Well a happy hump day to everyone on this cool morning even here in Florida.  Well I am moving right along this week doing very well so far, made it to the gym yesterday for my usual  1000 calorie's workout I do on Tuesday's.  I do 65 minutes on the treadmill and an additional 20 minutes on the bike for a combined 1000 calories and I am good and sweaty and worn out after that let me tell you.  When I first started the best I could do was about 30 minutes on the treadmill at about 2.4 mph with no incline and I was huffing and puffing now I do 65 minutes at 4.2 mph with a 3.0 incline and have energy to spare.  I am quite proud of my progress I have made over my old Nemesis the treadmill it's just one of those things that I have really been able to chart my progress as I just got faster and faster. I once saw a quote that said something like there are two types of people when it comes to treadmills the ones who voluntarily walk on them and those who wait till a doctor makes them at a stress test because of heart trouble. So I decided to put myself in the first group rather than wait on the second one, how bout you?


So the weather finally turned a bit cool this morning here in the sunshine state, just in time for my three mile walk this evening with the walk jog club at the gym.  Luckily for me my wife thought ahead and got me a new long sleeve Nike  thermal layer to try out tonight so I am kinda excited about that it's a bit snug still but it gives me something to shoot for to make it looser yet. I am doing well so far too  as I am regulating my portion sizes better and really counting every calorie and I have already noticed some of that Thanksgiving weight starting to come off as I am down 2 pounds since Sunday so I am right on track but still with  much track in front of me.  So how have you been doing so far, have you noticed where all that stuffing and cranberry sauce ended up as it always has to find a place to land and you will see it a few days later lol Well the good news is as I am proving  you can make it go away fast enough all it takes is a little work this week and you too can be right with me on track to have Thanksgiving's leftovers behind us.  The two things I have found that can really slow any weight loss attempt is eating too much food and snacking, especially snacking.  All those little empty calories really add up during the course of a day a cookie here and a piece of candy there or even just a few bites of something right out the fridge can end up being worse than sitting down and eating a really bad snack just once a day.  What I do is eat my regular 3 meals a day and plan ahead with my snack if I need a quick snack fruit is your friend so be sure to call them before you hit that vending machine. 


So wish me luck as I embark on my first attempt at the 5k walk jog tonight with the walk Jog club so any of my local friends who feel like getting out for a walk tonight we will be leaving from the gym around 5:30 so come on by and hit the trail with me I can always use all the support I can get.  So thanks so much for stopping by today I hope that you are having some success of your own this week and are using this week to start off your drive to finish off this year strong and be ready to find the new you in 2012 or even if it's just to get rid of those Thanksgiving leftovers.  So as always thanks for sharing the blog and don't forget to check in later this week for the debut of video as we are getting that set up now.  So make it a great day and get out there and get on a treadmill and take another step towards FIT.

Off and Running

Well a good Tuesday morning to everyone this morning.   Well day 1 of my re commitment went well and I am well on my way of getting back in my weight loss groove  and getting some more  results.  I'm not going to lie it was a little bit tough  getting back on the horse after a nearly a few weeks off but I know it's all just a matter of getting back into the plan I was in before  I was forced to slow down. Yet another thing I have learned is that your body will adjust to whatever lifestyle you choose to throw at it.  If you live a very sedentary life and never leave your house or raise your heat rate your body will sense that as normal so when you try to go beyond that normal that's why you feel tired.  However the real trick is knowing you have the power to change that normal you can make a new normal where you body is used to physical activity to regularly having to put out more energy to raise your heart rate during daily physical activity. The longer you put yourself in that lazy groove as weeks and months and even as in my case years go by without you asking your body to raise it's level of activity the harder and more painful of a process it is to make the change to a level where when you are active you don't feel like you are about to die.  So this week I am only having to make a small change only from a short resting period back to being active as my normal but you can only imagine the way I was back in April  my first workout I literally felt as though I was going to pass out for days afterwards my body hurt it screamed at me " what the hell are you doing to me, this is not what you are supposed to be doing, go home and lay down and watch TV"  But you know what you have to do? Just don't listen keep pushing yourself and your body will adjust, it gets easier  it gets more rewarding but at first it is hard but remember it's hard because it's supposed to be hard if it were easy there would be no fat people  because it would be so easy to not be fat.


So  what about you today have you made a commitment to finish this year off strong and use these last 30 or so days we have to build a strong foundation that you can build on in 2012. That's what I have been doing these last months is building a foundation tearing down the old me has been brutal and there is still quite a bit of that left still to do but day by day I take down another piece and begin to lay a new foundation that next year I can begin building a new me that is beyond any thing I have ever imagined before that I could be.  So please it's not too late this year don't wait on that resolution start now ask Santa for some new work out cloths this Christmas  so your ready to get  going strong in the new Year.  However here's what you do ask for some that are a size smaller than the ones you have now and there is your motivation right there, you want to use those cloths than get out there today and start earning them and after you used these last 33 days to your advantage when it's time to put them on you will be ready. Just imagine how much better you will feel when you know those smaller sizes you made happen you set your mind to it and made it happen by your own free will to make it happen for yourself.


So today as you have probably noticed I am trying out a new font size so I would really appreciate  your feedback on it does it make it easier to read or does it make it too long.  So let me know in the comment section what you think and I can adjust accordingly because it's really all about you the reader.  So with Facebook I have done a recent study and have found that with the new format post's tend to get buried in the feed so If you could do me a favor and after you read the post just click on share so the post gets bumped back up the order so others can see it when they log on.  In addition coming very soon will be a new experiment for me video, that's right get ready to see more of yours truly as I plan on taking you into a day in the life of Don and taking you the gym whether you like it or not,lol Even if it's just virtually. So stay tuned for that and much more.  Well thanks for stopping by today and I hope you make that commitment to finish strong.  So get out there today and take another step towards FIT.

It's go time!

Well a good Monday to everyone, I hope everyone had a nice long holiday weekend. I took a few days off from blogging to recharge my batteries and get ready  for a big push this month as I try and close this year out strong. So today I'm starting over, last month seemed to be not nearly as successful as I had hoped, with everything that happened traveling, filming, illness and thanksgiving are now all behind  me and today I am recommitting myself  to making the next thirty days  some of the most successful I have had. I didn't do too bad even during the worst of my slacking but still I feel over the last few weeks I have been really spinning my wheels at best and a slight back slide at worst.  It's just a matter of letting life get in the way of my plans and losing focus on what  I have been working so hard to achieve over the last seven months.  So today I am vowing to myself and all of you that it's time to put the blinders back on and pull like  mule and get this thing across the 2011 finish line strong and achieve my goal of weighing less than 300 by the end of the year. So today I'm back hitting the gym hard with the return of mega Monday as Ulrick as finally returned from his vacation so it's training then the Zumba class.  I also hope to actually complete that 3 mile walk on Wednesday that I was supposed to do last week but didn't feel up to.  So I've got some big fitness goals this week but most important for me I think it's just so vital that I get back in my routine  and start making it happen again.  You know as hard as it has been you wouldn't think I would miss it all but I have missed it terribly the last few weeks I have felt like I just was truck that has been climbing up a hill but now I'm just spinning my wheels, so it's time to grab a new gear and keep hauling this thing to the top.

Well as you can probably guess by my horrible report on how things have been going I have backslid slightly and am now at 310 up from 304 about four weeks ago, so that means I have 11 pounds to lose before that ball drops in Times Square to hit my goal of being sub 300 by 2012.  But I am vowing to take these next few weeks and really work my ass off and try some new things to make this goal happen.  One thing I need to work on is how much food I eat even when it is healthy I am going to try to work on portion control to try and cut my calories back another notch to help get that scale back falling in the right direction.  Because one thing I have learned is that when dieting, to much of a good thing is a bad thing and I'm getting a little too used to heaping my dinner plate too high even with chicken and veggies.  So it's time to try out some new plans and re commit to giving the tried and true ones a new commitment today.

So how have your plans been going the last few months did the double whammy of Thanksgiving and a long weekend of shopping and resting put you behind the weight loss eight ball.  If so then it's time to be like me and put the past in the past and recommit to doing better these next few weeks and months so you can start your new years resolution off on a nice head start rather than starting from scratch then because it will just be harder if you fall further behind.  So today I really want to hear from those of you who are making the tough choice to recommit your selves or commit for the first time.Will you  work along with me on finishing this year out strong and making it happen the next few weeks?  What changes do you need to make starting now what small change can you make starting now that you can squeeze in to your busy Holiday plans  to will help you start 2012 off strong.  Mine is the portion control and the recommitting myself to my workouts but what does yours need to be maybe even as small as cutting back on a few soda's a day until you can get off of them completely, whatever it is, it is never to small to make a big help down the road.

So thanks for coming back to the blog today and checking us out I will  be sure keep everyone more up to date with my progress as I really try to make it happen for myself these next few weeks and post results and pictures along the way. So as always thanks for your comments and emails to fitdon2011@gmail.com and clicking like or share on the Facebook posts so the blog can go out to a wider audience and others might let us know of how they are going to make it happen the next few weeks.  So today  be like me and get out there and take a BIG step towards FIT.

Happy Thanksgiving

Well let me start by wishing all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving today, I certainly hope that all of you have a chance to gather somewhere today with your family and friends and enjoy a meal and be thankful for what we all have.  I know this year I certainly have more than usual to be thankful for as it has truly been an extraordinary year  for me with all the changes and all that is going on.  But I just wanted to let all the people who are in my life on this day of thanksgiving know that I am most thankful for you the people who are helping me to achieve my dreams.  Nobody does it alone it takes other people to make it all happen, people who support and encourage me give me advice and positive feedback and won't let me fail.  So to all the members of team Don who do things great and small who have had a hand in my success this year know that this day as I sit over my {reduced calorie) plate it is you whom I am most thankful for this year as it is you who is giving me the greatest gift of all, giving me back my own life.  I am also thankful for all of you who come here each day and enjoy this forum it is very touching to me to know that my story has the power to inspire people to want to not only achieve some success for themselves in the battle against obesity but to it the right way and the healthy way. It has been a great few weeks and I thank each of you for choosing to come along with me so far and look forward to sharing it all with you down the road.

So as you gather together today to be with those you care about remember to take a moment and actually think about the meaning of this day what is it your thankful for, Just ask yourselves, I am truly thankful for_____? So what is it you would fill in that blank space think about it and and let us know here on the blog today's question is just that what are you thankful for this Thanksgiving no matter what I have already said mine so that only leaves yours. But in addition to writing it here if your thankful for somebody in your life your family or your friends be sure and tell them today tell them what they mean to you and how thankful you are that everyday they do what they do to make your life happen. Take it from someone who is quickly learning the value of surrounding yourself with quality people there is never a bad time to thank the ones who give of themselves to us with their time and their council the only bad word of thanks is the one that goes unspoken.

So today will be a challenge for me I know. Like most of you I too love Thanksgiving and all the trimming that go with it but I am determined to just do the best I can this thanksgiving weekend, because after all we all know the food will go on and all all weekend. I'm just going to try and reduce everything on my plate, enjoy what I eat but not eat to the point of bursting at the seems just till I'm full and stop. The good news I'm feeling quite a bit better today so I'm an track to get back on track and make up for the diet sins that I plan on committing today, lol  Remember watch those carbs they are what really gets ya more turkey less bread,  Even after your feast rather than take a nap try and get outside and take a nice walk if the weather will cooperate where you live today I know it is a gorgeous day in in Florida so take stroll around the neighborhood enjoy being with your family and work off some of those carbs.

Well thanks so much for stopping by today and once again Have a very Happy Thanksgiving and to those of you hitting the black Friday madness good luck I hope you find what your looking for and get out safely, lol  As always thanks so much for sharing the blog and clicking share on Facebook post to keep us visible on other people's walls. So today answer that question in the comment section what are You thankful for, let's hear it. So have a great day and holiday everybody and even on thanksgiving let's all take another step towards FIT.

Running on fumes

Hello again everybody, I certainly hope every one's Tuesday is treating them good so far today. Today is just one of those day's where It just seems like I am just running on fumes one of those days where it just feels like I am not going to survive the day.  But on a good news front I can report for those of you who have not already heard my mom is home from the hospital, she still has some recovery to do but at least she is back home.  Me on the other hand feels like this head cold is going to kill me but never the less I am soldiering on today and carrying the ball up the hill.  With the Holiday season nearly upon us it just seems like the perfect storm of problems are converging on me right now to throw me for a curve but through it all I just keep trying to move forward and doing the best in the situation I have to work with.  That's really one of the lesson's  my Journey has been teaching me the last half year plus is the difference between success and failure is all in how we choose to react to adversity when it comes our way. I faced many challenges along this path I have had times when I wanted to give up times when I thought maybe just maybe it's all not worth it and wanted to flee back to the unhealthy yet comfortable lifestyle I was living before , but I didn't, not this time. this time I keep my eyes on the prize and keep moving forward with stead fast determination to complete this goal and beat the odds this time.

So what about you how's your week going, have you set another goal this week and are working hard to achieve it or are you just coasting by trying to get to your four day weekend.  I really hope it is former and not the latter and that even now in this week you might still remember that there is always room for a healthy lifestyle even at the Thanksgiving table. Remember it really isn't the turkey that will get you this week it's the carb laden sides that will really weigh us down  stuffing, mashed potatoes  and bread are the three biggest offenders found on most people's plates so please do this poor sick guy a favor and think of me and say no to that fourth heaping spoon of stuffing trust me you will thank me later.

So thanks so much for all of your kind comments that I have received this week it means so much especially at a time when the finally tuned engine that was Don's journey seems to be coasting on fumes trying to get past all of these obstacles.  It means so much each time I hear from someone who has both enjoyed the postings and decided to make a change in their own life for the betterment of their health or maybe the health of a friend or family member who might be struggling with weight and an unhealthy lifestyle. SO be sure to sign up to become a follower of the blog it's quick and easy you just click right here on the page because I'm planning some special stuff upcoming just for followers. As always thanks also for clicking share on the Facebook post it's a new feature to facebook that is located right next to the comment button on the post, when you do that my post will go out to your wall so all of your friends can also see it ans check us out too.  Well make it a great Tuesday everyone and wish me luck for shaking off this bug because it's really killing me to be off of my regular routine. So even if it's just to pick up my slack today please get out there and take another step towards FIT.

Conditions Improving.

Well a good Monday to everyone this morning on this short week for most of us as Thanksgiving is only a few days away.  So first let me start by saying thanks so much for all your thoughts and prayers this weekend and I am happy to report that my mom is doing much better and her lungs are clearing up and we hope to have her home in the next day or two.  My own health has been slowed the last few days by a cold and I have not been able to keep up with my regular exercise schedule although I have stuck to my diet but I am sorry to report due to all the unforeseen circumstance last week I am not yet able to achieve my goal of 303  I did come down some but not enough to declare victory just yet. So therefore today I really need to hear of some success  so those of you who did challenge yourself to achieve  a goal last week and made it happen lets hear it don't be shy post in the comments section today or send us an email if you would rather but lets hear it even if your goal was small I want to hear about it, how you did it and how you feel now.  Even if your like me and set a goal and didn't quite make it I want to know because examining the obstacles that keep us from our success is the first part of gaining that success next week and the weeks to come.  But I have to tell you I hate feeling sick I'm a terrible sick person I just feel like my energy has a 500 pound gorilla sitting on it holding me down when I want to for really the first time in my life get out and walk and exercise but I just can't the  last few days.

But on a better note today is also a very special day it is my two year wedding anniversary.  So today I have to say happy anniversary to my wife my partner and my rock that I lean on through all of this, I love you so much Jen and as you know my number one reason I'm working as hard as I am at improving myself Is so Ill be around to celebrate many many more anniversaries with my wife. Here is one of our favorite pics from our wedding you know Id really like to go back in time and see what Id look like in that Tux today I bet Id enjoy these pictures a lot more if I looked then like I do now. But fat or thin it was still the happiest day of my life.

So this week my friends we all have to stay strong and keep moving forward set a goal for your self even if it's just eating one less plate this Thursday or maybe a little less gravy, lol I know it will certainly be a different Thanksgiving for me but I'm still going to sit down and enjoy the holiday with my family but just try to plan ahead and do the best that I can. I'm really hoping I can shake this cold by Wednesday so I can get back in the gym but we will just have to see so for now i need you to walk a few extra miles for me and do an extra set or two when you workout to pick up my slack. Once again thanks so much for all your comments so far and don't forget about becoming a follower of the blog it's up in the upper right hand corner there because I'm planning on having some special upcoming surprises just for those who become followers. So lets hear from those of you who planted that flag of victory last week no matter how small it may seem. Thanks for stopping in today and for all your comments and for sharing the blog both on Facebook and to your family and friends through Fitdon.com.  So wish me luck getting better soon so I can rejoin all of you in getting out there and taking another step towards FIT.

When adversity comes.

Good evening everyone, I certainly hope everyone is enjoying their weekend thus far and is finding the sledding a little easier than I am so far this weekend.  Well even with the added adversity of being without my trainer for the past  week and for another week to come I now find myself feeling  a little under the weather this weekend  which is further putting me behind the eight ball this week.  In addition to all that my mom is in the Hospital so we have been having to worry about her and deal with all that entails.  On that note I would just like to ask a personal favor  if all of you who read this could Just keep her in your thoughts and prayers this weekend that she gets better soon and gets to return home very soon.  My mom over the last few months has been such a huge part of our success and her support always means so much to me as I have been working to do what I have done.

All of these seemed to have descended upon me all in the same week but that's life I guess I have truly been really lucky so far I guess as I have really been sailing along the last seven months quite smoothly.  However as any sailor will tell you it is one of life's inevitable truths that if you stay on the water long enough you will eventually hit some rough water. That's where I find myself now with all of these problems descending on me just in the time when I have been left to walk the wire without my friend and advisor who has the nerve to go off and enjoy his honeymoon with his wife. So Ulrick if your reading this from a beach in Jamaica enjoy your trip but hurry back before we all go crazy, lol   But every person I have found or read about who started out on a long term life changing journey like I have embarked on has found that all success and failure comes from how you over come adversity and continue to prosper when it comes your way.  So that's what I have have been focusing on this week doing the very best I can with my diet and exercise trying to get my own health better and trying to be there for everyone else in my life.  One thing that I noticed this week and I am very proud of is no matter how adverse things seem to get I don't feel like turning to food for comfort, before on every diet I tried once the slightest turmoil hit to throw me off the track I would go running back to the comfort and safety of the bad food and comfortable laziness that made me the way I was.  I'm also finding strength from this blog and all of you just know that you there no matter if I have met you before or not are there to keep me accountable for my own actions just for no other reason that you listen to what I say and do.

So I Just wanted to get a quick little blog in tonight to let you know what's going on and to ask all of you as you may be headed out to whatever place of worship you may choose to attend this weekend if you could include my mom in your prayers that she gets better soon.  But thanks so much for stopping by and being there for me as we are all in there together after all. Enjoy the rest of your weekend continue to share and link the blog and thank you so much for all the comments so far.  So get out there this weekend and take another step towards FIT.

The building of Don version 2.0

Well Happy Friday everyone we finally made it to the end of another work week here on the cusp of the Holiday season with Thanksgiving less than a week away.So how with five days of effort behind us how many of us have managed to accomplish what we set out to do this week. I continue to move right along this week towards my goals this week as I am having a good week diet wise and exercise wise just putting in the time and effort and waiting on the payout, but isn't that life ya no matter what you do.  Yesterday we started a new Facebook home for fitdon.com so whether you are  a friend of mine personally or not  come check us out on Facebook just search fitdon.com and like our page so you can get the latest links and info. In addition to that yesterday I found out my training for my 5k race is about to get ramped up in a big way.  Our gym Downtown Health and Fitness is starting a run- walk- jog club that I am going to be a part of, it will be every Wednesday evening  at 5:45 PM  we will leave from the gym and cover a 3 mile course just going at whatever pace is comfortable for you ending at a downtown Kissimmee cafe for a light dinner and drink specials and this week to kick things off they have some special prizes and gifts lined up for all participate that you will get along the way. So I would like to ask all of Kissimmee area readers to come out and join us next Wednesday and challenge yourself to a run or a nice walk along Lake Toho or you can just come to support me and drink wine what ever works for you but it would be cool if you would walk with me on my team. So if you would like more info drop us an email or call the gym at 407-201-7968.

So today by popular demand I have some more of what you have been asking for Pictures here are two both from this year that I think demonstrate the difference I have seen in the last seven months the first shot is from March and the second is from October.

You know it is actually a lot harder to notice weight loss in ones own self than it is for someone else to notice it in you it took me a long time before I finally started to say " Hey you know I think I might actually be getting a little smaller"  I guess you just get so used to seeing yourself in the mirror everyday and in pictures that it takes longer to notice.  The first picture was taken in march at my cousin Laura's wedding and I weighed approx 420 pounds that was about 2 weeks before I started the change my life.  The second pic was from our trip to Utah just about a month ago and I weighed  310 pounds and check the huge progress of my smoking hot wife has made in this time as well. But really as they say in the software world I have set out to design Don version 2.0 just like with software I am aiming to take out the things that didn't work and were holding me back and maximize and make better the things that are. Remember it is never to late to design a Your name Version 2.0 also no matter what problems you think are too bad it's never too late to change and make a new you that is better than ever. It's not easy just as a software engineer will tell you and you always worry what people will think of the new version but you press on anyway and continue to make it better and better despite that fear of the unknown and what will happen when I get there what will it all look like. Finally a non star wars movie quote for ya this time from another of my favorites " Joe vs. the volcano" it's where Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan's characters and standing on the precipice of a spewing volcano and they are being told to jump in and  Meg Ryan tells him " I don't know what will happen, we will just jump and we will see, just jump and see"  That is another of my favorites that I think of often the last few months cause that is what we did we jumped and we are seeing, that's what I did when I started this blog  I jumped and I saw.  If you get nothing else from what I write about get that please don't be afraid to just "Jump and see" it's the only way your ever truly going to know how the, you version 2.0 will ever turn out.  By the way for those of you who never saw the movie the characters get spit out of the volcano  and live happily ever after.

Well yesterday we crossed a huge Milestone here on the blog as we had our 1000th visitor who knows maybe it was you or even if you were number 997 thanks just the same it means so much that so many of you have taken the time to read what I write each day and share it with your friends and I truly hope there is some bit of inspiration in it for you because that is truly my intent of this whole thing.  Well as always thanks for stopping by, enjoy your Friday and remember "Healthy Rewards" people healthy rewards go back and read it if you need to.  We will see you tomorrow so get out there and  Jump and  See what it takes to take another step towards FIT.

The cost of obesity

Happy Thursday everybody we are almost there that weekend is right around the corner.  So we are now four days in towards achieving our goals that we set for ourselves this week and hows it going for you so far. I made it three days in a row to the gym yesterday  and worked out with the wife and Lori. One of the best workouts I have found that I do on a regular basis is Boxing, I love  just hitting that heavy bag now it is not only a great cardio workout and great for all the muscles but it has the added benefit of being some of the best stress relief  from exercise I have ever found.  You just put those gloves on and pound away the stresses of the day while getting a good workout at the same time.  So I am right on track with achieving my goal of losing a pound or two this week as long as my friend the scale will cooperate with me, sometimes as I have said it can be so frustrating  when you work hard all week and do everything perfect and that scale just won't budge so hopefully I can see some results by Sunday but if not I know I'm still making progress cause I'm doing all I can do to keep me moving forward.  That's really the real trick is just to know your doing the best you can and attacking the problem on all fronts (nutrition, fitness, health) and you will feel better knowing that you are definitely moving in the right direction if one measuring stick doesn't want to tell you, you still just know it's true. So what ever your goal you set this no matter how slack you may have been these last few days you can still get out there today and attack it on all fronts and have some success this week.

This morning I read a very interesting article about the rising cost of insurance as it is linked to obesity  and smoking in particular here is the link  Insurance story.  Now my opinion about this story has really changed over the last few months because when I was as obese as I was I really didn't care to think about how much of a liability I really was medically speaking to someone like an insurance company.  But now as I continue to turn my life around  I can really see their point of view and agree it should cost more for someone to make the decision to walk around being more than 100 pounds or more over weight and just waiting for something bad to happen to their health because of it. I will also tell you coming from someone who made those bad choices year after fat year it is a choice Ill say it again  PEOPLE CHOOSE TO BE FAT.  Some might say Don that's not too nice what about people with medical conditions and things like that and I say this, when you pick up any piece of food or raise any liquid to your lips you are making a conscious choice no matter what is going on with you, you choose what is on that fork and in that glass just as you choose to watch TV rather than be as active as you can be. So what do you think about this article should people who make the choice to be obese or to smoke  have to pay a higher and higher cost for insurance it can be a very controversial subject. But I will say now today my answer is yes and Ill tell you why, because now I know how hard it truly is to make the right choices to change you whole life and decisions you make about what you eat and what you do and believe now not only should people who make the right choices get rewarded with discounts people who make poor choices should have to pay even more because of theirs.

So thanks for stopping by today and checking out the blog I hope to have some big changes coming along in the coming weeks including more pics and hopefully some video entries.  Today I have added a few new areas to the site, their is now an option to sign up to receive the blog delivered to your email all you do is sign up with your email address and it will be delivered each update.  Also below each update there are now links to the most popular blog posts so you can go back and catch up on the ones others found to be the most interesting. I wan to thank all you so much because we are now closing in our 1000th page view and I am very honored that that many of you have taken the time to hear what I have to say each day. Thanks so much for continuing to share the blog on facebook and anyplace else.  Have a great day everybody and get out there and make a Choice to take a step towards FIT.

Will you be on my team?

Hi again everybody I hope every one's Wednesday is going good. Well after two days on our own I am doing pretty good still sticking to the diet and have been to gym both yesterday and Monday and walked 4 miles each day plus some weights. I decided to try very hard between now and thanksgiving to try my best to achieve a loss of four pounds without the aide of my trainer to see if I can do it myself if I can take what I have learned and turn it into results on my own. So now we are three days into your healthy goal that we are trying  to accomplish this week, how's it going did you start out strong or didn't start to well, have you hit obstacles already but managed to over come them.  Life will constantly throw us curve balls and challenges but the difference between whether we can accomplish even a small goal that just takes a week or fail to start at all is how we handle those unexpected curves. I have had so many obstacles along my path the last seven months I can't even count them but I just keep moving forward slow down if you have too but keep moving forward all the time.  These next two weeks I really have a drive to accomplish my goal of losing 3-4 pounds by next weekend I have taken it as a personal challenge to be able do this on our own and prove to myself that I can do it if I try hard enough.

So whats fueling you this week to drive you towards achieving your goal you set for yourself this week?  Is it a need to really turn your life around or is it just to see if you can do it.  What ever your reasons are use them to fuel you towards your goals so you can block  out those distractions and focus on accomplishing your goal this week. Another of my goals I have set forth for myself is by next spring I want to get myself in good enough shape to complete a 5k.  There are several in the spring that I have my eye on and I am going to start training for after the start of the new year. From where I was seven months ago if you would have told me I would even consider entering a race where I had to jog for several miles I would tell you you were on something funny but now I feel like I can really get out their and accomplish those big goals.  I am even thinking of starting a team to compete in a 5k race this spring and I want as many people to come and complete that race right along side me. We are going to start training for it in January and I want as many people has I can possibly get who read this blog to do this thing with me, come train with us and we can accomplish this big goal together by knocking out those 3 miles as a team, so the only question left is who's with me who's willing to take that step and join my team to get in shape to run that 5K next spring, let me know and we can make it happen.

So thanks so much for the great comments I have received so far. I made a few changes to the blog yesterday let me know what you think about the new color scheme and if I should go back to the old one I thought this one was more thanksgiving like also I changed the way the blog appears on fitdon.com you will only see the latest blog shown but you can always go back into the archives to read earlier posts.  Well everybody make it a great Wednesday and think about your goal this week and if your willing to come and walk/ run with us so can all win. Well thanks for stopping in today and reading and sharing the blog don't forget about or email it's fitdon2011@gmail.com so feel free drop us a line. Thanks everyone and get out there and take yet another step towards FIT.