24. November 2008 by admin.

I’ve missed you folks.  My life has been a little chaotic with the back and forth from TX to MN every other week and some other personal issues.  With all that, I have stayed on program and kept focus on my goals.  I weighed in this morning at 207.6 lbs! I wear size L shirts and 34″ inch jeans.  I can’t imagine handling the things I do right now carrying that extra 50 plus pounds I had when I first started this loss.  My new apt in Texas has a fitness center.  I have started using dumbells down there and sticking with my barbell up here.  Different workouts but I think the switching up has actually brought about some good results. 

I had a great moment on Sunday.  I was getting on the airplane to fly home to Minneapolis.  Two young men, brothers, sat down next to me.  We both watched as some poor overwieght guy and his unfortunate seatmates went through an embarrasing dance to get seat belts on.  I turned to the one next to me and said “thank you for being thin”  He turned to me and said “you too man”.  I don’t think that young man will ever know how much those simple words meant to me.  So Jamicheal, if you ever read this.  Thank you!!

eat turkey, drink water, seek elevation and pull yourself up!

249 lbs  0 pullups                                                 207 lbs   3 pullups

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments »

31. October 2008 by admin.

LAP TOP IS BACK!  We had some problems with the new software, but everything seems to be good now.  Sticking with the program hard core.  All weights went up this morning on the lifting end.  On the running end, my legs feel like concrete.  I don’t know if it’s the squats or what.  34″ jeans zip up, but aint pretty.  Hey, the fact that they zip up is amazing in my book.  Another week and I’ll be wearing them I’m sure.  Found out today that I have to leave for Dallas on Sunday.  Next weeks posts will be from my apartment down there.  It will be nice to be in a warmer sunnier climate.  I’m bringing my bike down with me on this trip.  Get some miles in before the snow flies up here.

Roll with the punches, punch back when you can, seek elevation and pull yourself up!

Posted in Uncategorized | 5 Comments »

28. October 2008 by admin.

Today I was having some technical issues with my laptop.  I had installed some new software and it was raising seven kinds of hell with my startup.  On windows XP there is a handy little application called “system restore” which enables you to reset your computer at it’s settings from a previous day, week, whatever.  It does not affect the software you have installed, just your settings.  It works brilliantly. 

Tonight i was running on the golf course.  35f not a cloud in the sky and the stars are so clear.  (One of the benefits of living north and away from the big city)  I ran so hard, I felt so fast. Faster then I have felt in years.  I wondered, how have I managed to stay this motivated now.  I am still tired when I get home from work but now I put on the shoes and  it sweats and hit the turf.  During my visualization tonight (from the 10th tee) it hit me.  I treat every day like day 2 of my journey. I can remember how motivated I was on day 2, I think all of us on this type of journey can relate to that.    Day 1 represents the beginning, day 2 is the first day of PROGRESS.  I have somehow found a way to reset my system to day 2 and get done what needs to get done. 

Embrace successes, visualize your goals, seek elevation and pull yourself up.

day 72

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

27. October 2008 by admin.

1 pullup today, but it was easier and with better form.  You’ll never see it though as I left my video camera at the OFFICE!  Yes folks, on the nice clean desk. 

De-leafed the yard (until it started to snow!) and went for a long hike with the dog.  18k steps on the pedometer. 

Mulch the leaves, ready the plow, seek elevation and pull yourself up!

PS:  Sorry this is late, I hit “save” instead of “publish” last night.

day 0                                                                                       day 70

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

25. October 2008 by admin.

First time I’ve low carbed it on a day that I have lifted.  I felt it.  I got everything done but I felt drained.  As you may recall, missing wednesday’s workout neccesitated lifting today.  I went for a long hike with the dog this morning. Lifted and did some interval training with my abb workout.  Still going to go for a walk on the golf course tonight as soon as my wife gets back from the vet.  Come to find out our new puppy came with a case of mange.  Now she needs baths every other day for a month and a pill everday.  Lovely!

Eat meat, bathe the dog, seek elevation and pull yourself up!

day 69

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

24. October 2008 by admin.

It seems the more I lose the harder I work to lose the rest.  My impatience is the reason I have been doubling up on the cardio and low carbing it on the weekends.  It’s like I can see the finish line and can’t wait to bust through the tape!  That having been said, the journey itself is so very worth it.  Every day now I see and feel small changes.  5 extra pounds on an exercise here, an extra couple minutes of cardio there and 36″ JEANS ON MY ASS!  That’s 6″ down fellow shredders!  My secret goal of 34″ by Halloween (which is not much of a secret now) is going to take a lot of work.  I don’t know if it is even possible to lose that in a week.  I won’t cut my calories so I will be doing it all with cardio, and my normal weight training.  Call this a mini challenge.  I am going to bust my ass over the next 7 days, so follow along as I either shred 2 inches or die trying!  I walked 3 miles today and did 22 minutes of HIIT.  Tomorrow I lift again to get back on schedule and do some extended cardio of some sort.  VERY EXTENDED!

Shred hard, shred harder, shred harderer, seek elevation and pull yourself up!

Tonights photo is an homage to our favorite Aussie bodybuilder.  Get well soon buddy!

day 60

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

24. October 2008 by admin.

Well another whirlwind couple of days.  I had a big event at the office.  Brought in a bunch of vendors and customers.  This has been my first night home since Sunday.  Yesterday I missed my first workout since I started this journey.  The hotel’s “fitness center”  consisted of a treadmill and an eliptical.  No weights, no machines!  I did some HIIT and then hit the weights today when I got home.  No big deal, I’ll lift again on Saturday and be back on schedule (M,W,F) next week.  I like to have a rest day before the pull-up attempt but, no biggie.  In response to the great concerns about my desk, clutter is my enemy!  I de-clutter the desk before I leave every night.  This has been a huge change in the last couple months as well.  As I have had to organize my eating and my workouts, I have also just incorporated that discipline into other aspects of my life.  I am much more efficient now!

Danny, I am still doing the “negtives”.  I am seeing real gains and look forward to the ripped feeling I get when I am done with my sets. 

Oranize your life,  ……….

It was at this point last night that my power supply fried out.  So, i’ll post again tonight.  90USD’s poorer.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

20. October 2008 by admin.

Well I’m working late at the office so not much time for a real lengthy post.  Worked out this morning.  I haven’t lifted in the morning in awhile.  Wasn’t quite firing on all 8 cylinders at first.  After the first set, i was back in the groove.

Work hard, play harder, seek elevation and pull yourself up!

day 64

Posted in Uncategorized | 5 Comments »

19. October 2008 by admin.

In the last couple of weeks I have seen some real payoffs for my efforts.  Sure, it’s great to look better but, unless your a model or spend all day looking in the mirror is it really the all beat all reason for being fit?  I like to do things.  And I can do a hell of a lot more “things” today then I could do 63 days ago!

Watch the video:  http://video.yahoo.com/watch/3742359/10278892 

Focus on action, Mike IS a body builder, seek elevation and pull yourself up!

day 0                                                                             day 63

Mt. Trudee   1580 ft / 482 m  Sawtooth Range, MN

Mt Trudee

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

18. October 2008 by admin.

I drove up the north shore of Lake Superior to the Mt. Trudee trail head.  9.6 mile round trip to the summit.  Great pics, I will post them tomorrow as I download them.  What a hike.  Crazy thing.  As strenuous as the hike was with it hitting 4 lesser peaks both their and back, I still thought I had a little left in the tank, so to speak, at the end.

Climb hard, come down safe, seek elevation and pull yourself up! 

day 62

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »