A very cool thing happened today...

So, I am down in the basement. Got my lunch. Heading up to my desk. I was thinking about something else and then I noticed I was up a flight of stairs already. I had sub-consciously / automatically chosen to take the stairs. There was no deciding or thought process, I just took the stairs because that is my habit.

That is a major victory. I set out to make that a habit, and this show of auto pilot proves that I have successfully done that. Now I need to keep reinforcing it so I don't even notice later that I made the right choice automatically.

Also, just eating better, biking to work, and general improved movement and exercise has as predicted left me feeling much better. When everything aches, I might spend more time deciding to take the elevator this time :)

I might do away witih my food log. I don't like logging things, and I'm not logged into the website at night to record evening items. It just isn't working in my life, and since I am eating pretty healthy anyway, I just don't see much value in it. Well, I lie. The value is in the name 'SHOW YOU FITNESS'. But I'm far less concerned about building a blog with viewers than the benefit to myself of having a personal journal. The public part is just because I'm attention whore I guess. So, I'm probably going to can the food log because that is a habit that ISN'T sticking, and isn't useful to me.

Success!

So I started bussing and bike riding now that the weather is nice. After Judo, I had a several mile ride after not riding much, and I did it. I climbed the little hill at the end without having to stop (although it was quite a huff and puff adventure).

After my knee surgery, I originally coudln't get up that hill without stopping and walking, so with as out of shape as I am righgt now, it was a great victory to make it despite the burning thigh muscles.

After my knee surgery when I kept at it, biking, soon my fitness level dramatically improved. I lost a LOT of body fat. Combined with my physical therapy I gained a LOT of muscle. I'm doing the smae things I did then to repeat the phenomena. I have to figure out a way to keep that momentum going through winter/snow/slush season. I'll be extending the success. Also, by riding the bike/bus, I save MONEY. Lots of money. I'm going to try to convince my wife to drop to one car for the family. That would save us hundreds every month. Even if we need to rent a car now and then, we'd still come out very much ahead. Savings in gas, maintenance, tires, insurance, registration, etc, etc. It all adds up! This second vehicle is very luxurious, very nice and safe, but ultimately it is not luxury we need right now and it is just a drain on our finances. The benefit that I get healthier too is icing! Downside is it takes more time, but it's kind of like forcing me to go to the gym, so I guess that is good.

Habits are funny things

While I'm trying to build positive habits, I've managed to let some negative ones mess up this journal.

In the meantime, I was promoted to Ikkyu at Judo, that means my next promotion will be to black belt. That will take 1 to 3 years or so, depending on how I do competing.

My weight has crept up to 232, and I'm going nuclear. Back to riding the bus, which is now feasible because I can also ride my bike. In winter the schedules to my house didn't work, but there is a much more frequent bus that goes 5 miles from my house that I can bike from.

I'm easing up on paleo and switching back to a 'beans and rice, rice and beans' diet. That terminology might be familiar to folks who listen to a certain radio talk show host. I'm doing it to consolidate all dollars. I have a very aggressive savings goal, and if I'm going to make it, I'm going to have to cut to the bone to do it. I still want this to be as healthy as possible, so I am still choosing home grown and organic fruits and vegetables as the bulk of my diet. If you just heard organic and cheap together, well, they aren't. But I won't sacrifice my health! Also, with my weight creeping up, paleo hasn't been working for me like I'd like, although that's because I'm NOT STICKING TO IT.

With the extra biking, moving up to as many as 170 miles a week if I can grow into that, this will help with fitness goals. The last time I biked close to this much, I ended up the leanest, strongest, and fastest I had been. These goals are all synergistic. I save money by commuting 'free', I get in better shape losing weight, I get fitter which helps me at Judo. Win/Win/Win. The downside is time, I spend more time. But, I needed to spend more time exercising anyway, why not make it part of my commute? Kill two birds with one stone so to say.

I'm not a good blogger

A major change at work caused me to stop blogging for quite awhile. The change has now reverted back to normal, so here I am again. Not much progress to report, I've been sticking to a pretty good diet. Getting stronger, getting back into cycling. With my diet relatively good I need to just dramatically up my activity.

I commit to being more regular about posting again.

I'm experimenting not being so strict with Primal and adding some more carbs back into my life, both to support the extra activity and because with my test for Ikkyu in Judo (the promotion before black belt), I'm going to have to get real good at competing or it'll take me 3 more years to get Shodan! Yuck.

So, I'm going to really focus, try to win some competition points, and the way to do that is to get very fit. Also with my work schedule back to normal I'm going to try to attend at least 2 brazillian jiu jitsu's a week, which supplements Judo nicely.

Weekly stats 3/3/13

Weight: 225.5 (-3.3) bmi 30.6 (-.4) Neck: 16.75 (0) Chest: 45.50 (-.75) (Arms halfway up) Waist/belly: 43.5 (-.5 ) out 39.5 (+.25) in 41.00 mid (-1.0) Hips/butt: 42.0 (-.0) Thigh : 26.25 (-.0) Calf: 15.75 (-.0) Forearm: 12 (0) Bicep: 13 (-.0)

Not seeing the progress I need to in measurements. Not sure why yet. Will monitor.