Wish I Didn't Know Now What I Didn't Know Then

Well, nobody ever drove me to school when it was ninety degrees below, 
We had to walk butt naked through forty miles of snow. 
Worked in the coal mine twenty two hours a day for just half a cent,
and to sell my internal organs just to pay the rent!"
— "When I Was Your Age", "Weird Al" Yankovic

A while back I wrote about the odd, meaningless things I remember from my childhood (here it is if interested http://richosravings.blogspot.com/2010/01/memory-motel.html). Recently I started realizing there are a lot of things happening now that I DON'T remember from earlier times in my life. I'm giving ample warning that while this is not intended to be a "middle aged, single guy without kids being judgmental" kind of list it will probably read like that. It's meant to be tongue-in-cheek but if you take offense to it, well, bite me! Onward!

- I don't remember my mom needing hours of prep and endless supplies to leave the house with us in tow. While she probably didn't take us out as much as parents do now there just wasn't the hullabaloo, she just loaded us in the car

- I don't remember my mom needing to ply us with snacks wherever we went to keep us in line. A simple look or request to settle down was all it took

- I don't remember my mom having carriages or strollers the size of Escalades to get us around (and there were 6 of us with a total of 8 years in age between us). Or leashes. Again, in all fairness the poor lady didn't leave the house that much when we were babies and my poor sister Eileen became our surrogate other mom when she was "older" (like 5 or 6)

- I don't remember the need for everyone to have ginormous vehicles. We had one station wagon to get  the 8 of us where we needed to get to including work, sports and activities.

- I don't remember most of my friends going on lavish vacations which their families couldn't afford. Most of my friends who did go away it was typically because their family had some kind of beach cottage that had been in their family for decades and where you typically had to share space with your entire extended family

- I don't remember there being so many schools. Seriously, every day I hear about kids going to another school I never heard of! I was a public school kid and was familiar with and had friends who went to Catholic school (or parochial school as my parents called them) and knew of a few private schools but never heard of the majority of them. Or of foreign language schools. Or of charter schools. Or of Montessori schools. And sweet jumping Jehoshaphat the cost!!! $10,00, $20,000, $30,000???? Dear lord

- I don't remember the majority of my friends going to colleges they or their family couldn't afford and being in tens of thousands of dollars in debt into their 30's. Some, sure, but not the majority

- I don't remember needing to have so much crap with me at all times. I'd leave for school with a bag with my sports stuff, lunch and books/homework. When we went out if you couldn't carry it in your pockets you didn't need it.

- I don't remember the need to always have water and food with me when I left home. I also don't remember anyone dying of thirst or hunger on the mean streets of Arlington

- I also don't remember the need for bottled water. Tap water was just fine then and for me still is today

- I don't remember the obsession over sterilization. Hand sanitizer is ubiquitous now as is the practice of wearing gloves for almost everything

- I don't remember the overwhelming need to "keep up with the Joneses". Oh it surely existed but not to the level I see it now. My parents and most of my friends parents were realistic about where they fell in the economic food chain and rarely strayed from that spot

- I don't remember going out with friends and being way more concerned about people who weren't there then people who were. I was happy to give 100% of my attention to the people I was with and still try and do that now

- I don't remember everything being a celebration or reward worthy. Big events, big accomplishments, milestones, sure, all celebration worthy. Pre-school graduation, half-birthdays and the like, not so sure.

- I don't remember getting a ride everywhere. First it was unfeasible as we had 1 car and 8 people in the house. Second the idea of having my mom drive me everywhere was just foreign. A sign of (supposed) maturity and independence was the ability to get yourself from here to there on your own. When I was a young teen nobody wanted to be the person who's mom/dad dropped them off for a night of "who knows what" and you'd cross your fingers they'd have the decency to drop you off around the corner (tho I do remember my awesome mom driving us to Worcester for a concert when my friend's car wouldn't start which was pretty cool). And no, it wasn't a different world back then. It was just as dangerous/safe and just as many crazy people. We just didn't hear about them as much

Whether these things I don't remember are for the better or the worse is up to you to decide. Other things I do remember that are no longer as prevalent are even more significant but that's a blog for another day. And while I am taking a poke at modern life I am not silly enough to think things don't change be it for better or worse. And yes I know in many ways I'm a dinosaur (and out of touch and Peter Pan etc etc etc) but I still have an opinion and a keen sense of observation. And I'm sure my 15 year old nephew will some day be saying "I don't remember never leaving the house because everything we need is right here. I remember going out and doing things. That's the way it was and we liked it"

Luck O' The Irish

"The best luck of all is the luck you make for yourself"
Douglas MacArthur

I'll come right out and say it- I don't believe in luck. I believe you make your own luck. Your success and failure can be attributed to many things but not to luck. I bring this up because I tend to be told often how "lucky" I am for certain things I have. Sorry, luck had nothing to do with most of my life. Making the proper choices or circumstances that have nothing to do with luck did. Here's the ones I hear most often and my rebuking of the "luck" of the situation

"You're lucky you don't have to shovel (mow the lawn, rake, etc etc etc)". Wrong. When I got myself off the canvas financially with a big assist from my mom and was looking to buy a home I weighed the options on a house versus a condo and chose condo. No luck whatsoever rather a calculated decision

"You're lucky you have parking in the city". Wrong. See above. I would not have purchased a condo without parking

"You're lucky you've never been out of work". Wrong. No luck at all. I work my ass off every day and have for 26 years. I have tried to always bring new things to the table to make my relationship with my job one that's mutually beneficial. I feel my own success and the success of my employer are in direct correlation. And trust me, there were many years when I had to listen to "you're still doing that"! I proudly say "yup, been gainfully employed for 26 straight years, can you say the same"

"You're lucky you don't get sick" Wrong. Well, diabetes aside. I get sick like everyone else I just have a different definition of sick then many. A cold won't keep me from work or doing something I want to do. Plus it's not luck, it's genetics. I come from healthy stock. Lastly it's mind over matter in many cases and your level of sick is directly related to how important what you want or need to do is to you

"You're lucky you only have to worry about you and not a wife or kids"...I'm not even going to dignify this one with an answer

"You're lucky you come from a good family" Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. My parents are/were awesome people who came from awesome people so that reduced the odds of them sucking dramatically. Both came from nothing and worked hard to raise their children properly. Not sure where luck comes into play there. If you want to put a name on it you could say "blessed". That's closer to the truth

I know the whole "lucky" thing is just a throw away line to describe envy over certain parts of someones advantages or fortunes. It just chaps my ass to hear about how "lucky" I am for what in most cases are scenarios I have/had total control over. Well maybe I'll get lucky and won't have to hear this claptrap any more

14 Simple Rules For Staying On Track With Your Healthier Lifestyle (OK, it's kind of too many rules to be considered "simple")

So, a couple months ago I wrote what was my supposed last post on the whole Rich 2.0 thing and at the time I meant it. I still do. However I've had a lot of friends and acquaintances approach me asking for advice. If you've been following along for a while you know my standard answer is "here's what worked for me but I can't guarantee it will work for you". I have 3 friends who have had similar weight loss success following my exact method of using MyFitnessPal to track calories versus exercise (some with and some without utilizing Fitbit as well). That's so awesome it makes me smile. So I thought I'd take a minute and write some thoughts on what's worked for me and some general observations about weight loss/fitness/healthier living. This is less about me (for once) and more for folks looking for some good rules of thumb

1) One change in lifestyle is a good start but multiple changes will lead to success- You have to crawl before you walk and walk before you run so starting by adding or subtracting something right off the bat is a step in the right direction...but it can't be the only thing. I can't tell you the number of people I see training harder then me (running, biking, at the gym) or eating better then me (portion control, counting carbs and calories) still having minimal success. It's a combination of proper diet and exercise that will lead to continued success.

2) There is no singular, simple solution- Despite the ads, claims, and infomercials there is no simple method to healthier living. By drinking one juice/smoothie a day, by taking one supplement a day, by sending away for pre-purposed food every day won't get you to where you want to be without other changes along the way (see above). There is a kernel of truth in each claim but you have to read the fine print (not typical results, based on a 2000 calorie a day diet, along with regular exercise, etc)

3) Don't drink your calories- It sounds elementary but I think a lot of people don't pay attention to this. A small frozen Coffee Coolatta with cream is 460 calories and a Caramel Frappachino is 410 calories. A typical frozen mudslide is 460 calories and a frozen margarita can have upwards of 500 calories. A typical craft beer has 150 calories and even a "healthier" smoothie can reach 300-500 calories very quickly. Hell even a medium coffee with cream and sugar has about 160 calories. Not saying avoid but just be aware

4) Set yourself up to succeed by setting attainable goals- Have a goal! Goals are good! BUT make your goal realistic. Success breeds success whereas failure breeds failure. My initial goal was 30 lbs in a year and I got there in 6 months. This was because I got into good habits. Trying to lose 30 lbs in say 3 months likely means your crash dieting and that's not good in the long run. My mindset was a lb a week initially then 1/2 pound a week. I think both of these are safe, healthy benchmarks

5) It's a marathon, not a sprint- Be in it for the long haul, not short term. Make it lifestyle, not diet.

6) Don't get discouraged- This one is huge. Most people stumble and fall when they finally don't lose weight or put weight back on. It's NOT the end of the world!! Refocus, regroup, and keep on keeping on. I think this one makes me shake my head more then most. I've put 5 lbs back on since my lightest weight last summer but it hasn't changed how I approach the whole thing. I know I'm doing it the right way and am happy with that

7) No Days Off!- This goes back to the lifestyle thing. I have cheat days (and nights), trust me. Maybe more like cheat meals. Or cheat beer blasts. But when I know about these before hand I make sure to get more exercise in that day and that my non-cheat meals are far more in line with normal eating. Don't just say "well if its gonna be a bad food day lets go all in". Live the life and even if a you have bad day record it all and use it as motivation

8) Dress for success- If you have a lot to lose chances are you'll eventually need new clothes. Unless its necessary for work temper your buying binges until you've settled in on your end weight. I finally had to get all new jeans, shorts etc last year and now those are also too big. That kills the cheapskate in me! Get by as long as you can until you've plateaued. Oh, and dress appropriately. We all want to show off our slimmer bodies but odds are if you had a lot to lose you're still not supermodel material so don't wear anything you'd cringe at looking at a picture 5 years from now

9) Don't skip breakfast- Honestly, don't skip breakfast. It is indeed the most important meal of the day bar none. It's been proven that a healthy breakfast is important to a healthy metabolism. It sets your food tone for the day. It's the meal that will sustain you through the first half of the typical work day. I'll take it a step further. Breakfast should be your largest meal of the day. Because of my diabetes my nurse recommended a "reverse pyramid" diet with meals decreasing in size as the day progresses (big breakfast, smaller lunch, even smaller dinner). This way you're not sleeping on your largest calorie intake of the day

10) Drink Lots Of Water- I mean LOTS! Like an inordinate amount. It' keeps you hydrated, it keeps you full.The body craves hydration and water is still the best way to do this. It helps, trust me

11) Record Everything But Be Consistent- Tracking food, exercise and progress are important. That said, for progress it's important to do so in regular intervals in similar conditions. For example if you own a scale then that becomes your scale of record. If you weigh yourself in you underwear, always weigh yourself in your underwear. If you start the process by weighing yourself in the morning...you got it, always weigh yourself in the morning. Most importantly stick to some kind of regular interval and don't stray from it. Randomly weighing yourself with a different scale in different conditions can be a major blow to your psyche. Also, scale aside, the mirror doesn't lie so "look" for progress in areas other then just weight drop

12) Find The Time- You do need to work in the time to eat healthier and exercise more. There's no way around it. For me it meant getting up 3 hours before work to get my exercise and food prep in. It's meant living on 5-6 hours sleep. It's meant working more time into plans so I can walk somewhere versus driving.  It's meant dragging my ass out of bed even on vacation to get the work in. Time is one of the hardest things to find especially for those with kids but you owe it to yourself and your kids to be healthier so you need to make it work (I've devised some simple 15-20 minute "total body" workouts all using body weight resistance (some using simple apparatus, some without) that get you a great, quick workout and burns about 100-120 calories to boot. I'll post them sometime)

13) Healthier snacks yes, daily desserts, no- Despite what you may or may not have grown up with desserts should not be an every day thing. They should be a luxury to be enjoyed occasionally not after every meal. Healthier snacks to hold off hunger between meals are a definite but large, sugary desserts full of empty calories should be something to look forward to, not something expected every day

14) Set a good example- By taking better care of yourself you're setting a good example for your kids, younger siblings, etc. America is in crisis with more cases of obesity (and severe obesity) in young children then any time in history. By setting the example it's much easier to be able to say "hey, if I can do it you can do it"

If you have health or dietary restrictions you really should consult your physician before embarking on any kind of diet and exercise regime. There are probably more diets and lifestyles out there now then ever (vegetarian, vegan, Palleo, clean eating, South Beach, fasting diet, etc, etc). However you need to find what works for you initially and more importantly what you can stick with over time. It's not easy. Never has been, never will be. But, if you're like me, in the end you'll find it worthwhile. Success breeds success and is contagious. Anyhow, that's how I see it.

The Older I Get The Better I Was...NOT!

"The Older I Get The Better I Was"

Now I'm not 100% sure the above expression is a song, a famous quote or just an adage but it's one I'm familiar with. In fact someone recently left it as a comment on something I had posted on Facebook referring to the "good old days". A throwaway line for sure but it got me thinking "is it true"? I'm not so sure. Unlike a lot of people I never really had a "glory days" to think back on. A time when I was at my peak of whatever. I was never a great athlete, never spent summers away in cool places, lord knows I was never much of a lady killer. No, my favorite time period was when we were all together having fun being loud and stupid and, quite honestly, if others would do the same, I could still do that today. So I got to thinking- was I better when I was younger? I decided to pick an arbitrary time of 20 years ago when I was in my late 20's to compare and contrast to today in my late 40's. You may be surprised at the conclusion, I know I was

Physically- In my late 20's I was just starting my ascent into being really fat. I 'd say I was likely 270 lbs when I was 28. I was also at my physical peak strength wise (I had a legit nearly 500 lb drug-free bench press), hadn't had surgery of any sort and wasn't, as far as I know, diabetic. My hair was at least salt and pepper heading to pure salt. Today I am at around 185 lbs and in the best condition I've been in since my early 20's. Unfortunately much of my once vaunted strength is gone but it's been replaced with conditioning. I'm diabetic although recently re-diagnosed  as pre-diabetic because of taking better care of myself. I've had surgery on one knee and 2 shoulders and have a left hip that just plain tends to disagree with me about everything. The hair is snowy white but I actually don't mind it. All that said I feel the best I can remember so I'll call it a push Advantage- Even

Financially- This is an easy one. In my late 20's I was broke! I was struggling to get out of pile of credit card debt which kept me living at home until I was 36 years old. I owned the clothes on my back and a 7 year old Ford Probe that leaked when it rained. Today while I'm hardly living on Easy Street I'm doing ok. I own a condo (with a mortgage), a car that's paid off and have money set aside for retirement. I do well enough to be able to do MOST of the things I want to do and still live for the most part in the black (well, mortgage aside) Advantage- Now

Relationships- Um, right Still not married, still no kids, still not great with relationships. Advantage- Even

Work- Also pretty easy as I have the same job! That said I'm a lot happier with my job and a lot better at my job now then 20 years ago Advantage- Now

Life Skills- No contest. I didn't have any until I moved out by myself in my mid-30's. I couldn't balance a checkbook, cook anything beyond pasta, etc. Now, even tho it is for one, I run my home pretty efficiently. I do pretty well my managing my bills and finances, have taught myself to cook to a better then average level, and have mastered my time management skills Advantage- Now

Friends- OK, I'd say I actually have more close friends now and I'd say a couple of my closest friends I made in the years since my late 20's. However I don't see any of them to the degree I saw my friends from 20 years ago. I was never as close with a larger circle of friends as I was in my late 20's. Ironically 28 was around the time we all started moving on with life so literally 20 years ago was the end of my favorite time in my life as far as friends go. Advantage- Then

As A Person- Again, no contest. 40-something Rich is a much better person then 20-something Rich was. 20-something Rich was a good friend, a pretty good son and brother and a great guy to hang out with. 40-something Rich is far more developed. I'm a nicer person, I'm a better friend, son, brother and now uncle then I was then (and still pretty cool to hang out with).  I'm more tolerant, less angry, less moody, more contemplative, more in touch with my emotions...honestly, just a much better person. The ups and downs of life can take it's toll on you or make you stronger. For me it's been the latter Advantage- Now

So, in this very unscientific way, there it is. I'm the best Rich O I've ever been. I already knew that as I LIKE this me better then any previous version. I'm comfortable being me and don't give a rats behind if someone has issue with that. Let's face it, "looks" have never been a trademark for me (I was never cover model material). but I feel like I've "grown into my looks". When I look in the mirror sure I see the gray hair and the only just now appearing lines on my face.. But when I look "inside" I don't see 48. I don't see any age. I see a guy enjoying the age he's at. Maybe my decision to not marry or have kids (or maybe this was the decision of the women who got to know me well enough to run away) that's kept me feeling like I'm living life in a stasis chamber. Whatever it may be I'm cool with it. I plan to be a better version of me at 58 and 68 (78 is probably a stretch) as well. And hey if I'm not then I can look back on my late 40's as my "glory days".

"The older I get the better I am"

Rich O'Rourke
July 2014

20 Years Gone, Still Unforgettable!

Life is made up of a series of moments, of benchmarks, of highlights (in a broad sense) that tell the story of where we've been. Graduation, wedding day, a milestone birthday or anniversary are all good examples. Sadly not all of these moments are happy. Not all anniversaries bring joy. June 27, 2014 marks the 20th anniversary of the loss of our beloved sister Mimi. It's still hard to say those words and it's still hard to believe it's been 20 years and she's still unforgettable

Mimi doing selfies 20 years before they were trendy

I'm sorry some of you never got to meet her. Born Patricia Ellen she was Mimi from day one it seems and was so until the day she died. She was a trip. Those of you lucky enough to have met her know what I mean. At her best she was smart, pretty, hard working, caring, stubborn, rebellious, loud and one of the funniest people I ever met. She was wacky in a good way. She was loyal and played favorites. Her favorites also tended to be the targets of her incessant, all-in-good-fun "busting of chops". She was uniquely Mimi from the top of her bleached platinum blonde hair to the soles of her white Doc Marten work shoes. She was unapologetic about who she was and we loved her for it  She was, simply put, unforgettable

I'm not going to discuss the circumstances of her death as it's neither the time nor place. If you were there you remember. If you want to ask me person to person I'll discuss. Suffice it to say Mimi died shortly after turning 27 years old. I was also 27 at the time as we were born a mere 11 months and 11 days apart (Irish twins dontcha know). I always think of June of 1994 as the end of the innocence. Gosh, we were such babies then. I didn't have a care in the world in those days. Work eat, sleep, party. Repeat. It was like being an eternal teenager. We were thrust headlong into adulthood that summer. You can't understand catastrophic  loss unless you've experience it. You just can't. There is simply nothing to compare it to. And sadly no one walks away from such loss unscathed. We had become such a big, close group of family and friends by this time that no one who knew her or my family walked away unaffected. But you get by. How? Why? Because that's what human beings do. You hurt, you grieve, you cope and you go on with life. I think all things considered we've done pretty well even with a giant hole in our lives. It was like a bright, shining life blinked out that day and, sadly, never came back on. The fact we got to bask in the light that was her too short life is something to cherish

Mimi chillin down the Cape

I still think about her a lot. We rarely talk about Mimi in any sad overtones but more about what a character she was. How funny. How awesome. How much her nieces and nephews would have loved her. How crazy she drove my dad. I honestly don't waste too much time thinking how different things would have been if she was still with us. It's truly impossible to say. Things would have been different for sure but in what way? Who knows. I won't even start to drive myself crazy thinking of it (butterfly effect and all that jazz). I will say this though, things would have been a lot happier and a lot funnier. Unforgettable in every way!

Below eulogy I wrote and read at Mimi's funeral. I've written a lot since that day but still nothing was ever more from the heart, more difficult to write, nearly impossible to read or more important to me. Rest In Peace sister, rest in peace!

A Tribute To Mimi

I've asked for a few minutes to speak to you about Mimi. Mimi touched many different lives all in the same way. She was simply unforgettable. Family, friends, co-workers, patients, and more people then I could mention here were touched indelibly by this unique soul

Her smile was like no other. She lit up a room when she entered. She knew how to make an entrance. Some people walk into a room, Mimi exploded into one. Whether it was the shock blonde hair, the outrageous outfits or simply her overwhelming personality, she always turned heads

Mimi was unique. To say she marched to the beat of a different drum would be a gross understatement. Mimi danced to the rhythm of a completely different symphony. It was her uniqueness which  will always hold a permanent spot in our hearts

Mimi loved being a nurse above almost all else. She was a nurse's nurse. She brought out the best in both her patients and coworkers . I don't think you could find a patient or their family or anyone who ever worked with her whose lives were not deeply touched by time spent with her

I ask today on behalf of Mimi's family and friends to remember Mimi for exactly what she was- an irrepressible bundle of energy who's far too short time with us will affect our lives from now until forever

God bless you Mimi, we will all miss you


Your brother Richard O'Rourke

Social Distortion

"It's important for people to talk and get beyond the wall of Facebook and social media"

Billy Corgan

It's a brave new world kids. For better or worse life has changed irrevocably since the simpler days of my childhood, my 20's and even much of my 30's. It can be summed up in 2 simple words- Social Media! Two simple words strung together that bring with them mixed feelings and many ironies. Like the fact that "social" media invites anti-social behavior towards real life, face-to-face situations. Or that social media has made the world oh so much smaller yet infinitely less, well, social. And believe me the irony that I'm writing a blog, a kind of social media in itself, and posting links to social media is not lost on me. It's a "good with the bad" type of thing. Like most things we enjoy, a modicum of moderation is usually the healthiest option. Having said all that I've found that socializing about social media can lead to socially awkward situations

1) Trying to decipher the word "friend" used in conversation! Someone mentions something a friend said. So is this a high school friend? Work friend? Or a Facebook friend?? I've written more then one rant about use of the term "friend" in social media settings and my distaste for it. For me there has to be more of a connection then wall postings to qualify as a friend. I'm proud to say that 95% of my Facebook friends I've  met face to face or at least spoken to on the phone so they actually do qualify as friends. Oh, and the term "follower" is just way too arrogant

2) Talking about what you posted/Tweeted etc- I'm not a Twitter guy but I hear a lot of the younger kids I work with talking to each other about what they Tweeted/Re-Tweeted etc. Something  about this is bizarro world to me plain and simple. Not, say, talking about the Bruins game last night directly but talking about what either they or someone else Tweeted about the game! Again, bizarro world

3) Social Media and lazy journalism- This is more a general observation then a social thing but something about national, "legit" media quoting famous folks Tweets and posts seems pretty rinky dink to me. If I wanted to know what these folks were saying on social media I'd follow them and find out for myself

4) That awkward moment when meet up with someone you have "conversations" with on social media and realize that's all you have to talk about- If you're on Facebook or Twitter you've likely experienced this. You have an acquaintance that reads and comments on all your posts. You share the same sense of humor and views on life. Then you see them in a real world setting and its just...weird. The sense of familiarity goes out the window and awkwardness ensues...

5) The perceived importance of sharing what social media folks are saying about where you are/what you're doing with the folks that are actually there with you- This goes back to my old irritation of a group of people out together all on their cell phones talking to people who aren't there. Now days it's more a group (or parts of a group) "checking in" or updating their status or posing pics and then telling everyone else what everyone else was posting about them being there. It's...Just...Mind Boggling!!

I enjoy social media for what it is. I've been part of it longer then most starting with AIM/Yahoo chats and then Myspace long before most (and I actually met cool, new people in both situations). I was on Twitter long before most people knew about it but had as little use for it then as I do now. I really like Instagram and Facebook is my comfort zone. Facebook allows me to keep up with real life friends I just don't get to see that much anymore and for that alone I'm grateful for social media. I'm also grateful its given me a voice to express myself beyond the folks I see every day (for better or worse). Heck I'm even grateful it's created a whole new genre of jobs which didn't exist pre-social media (and for those folks, including one of my best friends in the world, I let a lot of the above issues slide as they are just doing their job (well, as long as it's job related)). But like with all things there is a limitation to how much is too much.

I can see society slowly sliding into a nightmarish sci-fi vision where we no longer need face-to-face relationships anymore and will rely solely on electronic communication. I'm hoping this is long after I'm pushing up daisies! As much as I love social media it should be used more to set up actual real life meet up with real life laughs and real life hugs and not just LOL's and XOXO's. It's time to get our noses out of our phones, look our friends  in the eyes and enjoy the company of the ones with us, not the ones riding the information highway of life

Rich O 2.0- 1 Year Later (Or The End Of Rich O 2.0)

size 52 jacket circa 2012

About a year ago Rich O 2.0 was born. He was born out of necessity. He was born out of need. He was born out of a guy needing serious changes. About a year ago Rich O got the proverbial physical from hell. His blood sugar A1C was almost an 11 (not good...actually quite bad), blood pressure was 140/88, weighed in at 234 lbs and jean size 38. Rich 2.0 was born to make right the horrible effects of Rich O's negligence. Starting the 2nd week of March a strict routine of diet and exercise was put into

size 38 dress pants circa 2012

effect. The results? As of this writing the A1C is 5.3 (normal but still on meds), Blood pressure is 111/69, body weight is 180 (about 23.5 % body fat tho I find these measurements inexact) and jean size 32/33! Better results then could have been ever expected in a year. Having said all that it's time to retire Rich O 2.0. We've all had enough of him. Rich O 2.0 was no fun. Rich O 2.0 was too concerned about everything he ate and did. Rich O 2.0 looked withdrawn. Rich O 2.0 was, frankly, a drag. So
having accomplished everything he could it's time to say goodbye and good riddance to Rich O 2.0....and say hello to Rich O 2.1 (c'mon you didn't think it would be that easy, did you)!

from tree trunks to shredded

Rich O 2.1 was actually born about 8 months into the Rich O 2.0 era. Having lost all the weight I wanted to I now wanted to get my body back to a muscularity I was more used to as opposed to the kind of loose weight-loss look I had developed. I didn't want to abandon the good habits I'd developed but I wanted to step it up. So while I still tracked all my food on My Fitness Pal and still used my Fitbit religiously (and I will swear to this day you can 100% achieve your weight loss goals using just this method) some tweaks were needed. So I started eating more and eating more normal and less strictly. The trick was not getting back into foods that were counter intuitive to the blood sugar thing. I added lots of whole grains like quinoa to my diet. Lots of healthy veggies too like broccoli, asparagus, spinach  and carrots daily. I start every day with a mostly veggie smoothie before exercising. I also increased my activity level to a silly degree.  An hour plus of cardio to start every day and usually another 30 after work. Weights at the gym 3 times a week. TRX body weight workout on non-weight days. Old school calisthenics (push-ups, pull-ups, squats, etc) every day. Core work (I didn't know what core work was a year ago) every day.  It's to the point on days where my activity exceeds my food intake I supplement with protein shakes which I haven't touched in decades. The results so far have been a much healthier, toned physique then I ever had even in my best shape in my 20's!

But, like most things, there's a downside. It takes time, discipline, and sacrifice. I've said it before and I'll say it again- someone married with kids would have a hard time with my method. This is an idea of my schedule during the work week-

6:15 am- alarm goes off
6:30/6:45- feet hit the floor. Have my morning green smoothie
6:45/7:00- Start morning exercise for 1-1.5 hours. Typically walking but often stationary bike
8:15- Take AM pills, start breakfast. Do calisthenics/body weight exercises (abs, push-ups, pull-ups, etc)
8:45- Eat breakfast
9:00- Shower and get ready for work
9:45- 7:00- Work (I get in a minimum of 7,000 steps (around 3.5 miles) at work)
7:15-8:45- The gym for weights and cardio
9:15- Start dinner, start prep for next day (make lunch, breakfast and smoothie prep to save time in the morning, clean up, dishes, etc)
9:45- Eat dinner
10:15- More calisthenics
10:45- Self physical therapy- Rehab bad elbow, ice bad shoulder, stretch out ridiculous calves
11:00- Relax
12:00/12:30 Go to bed

Days off work are less structured but just as active. Now this may seem absurd but it allows me to live a regular, non-diet lifestyle. to eat what I want if the occasion calls for it and to worry less about "cheating".  Plus I put it on myself for letting myself get so out of shape. Mentally and emotionally I still have trouble with the sheer power I've lost. This is hard to understand unless you've ever been where I was in the power department from age 17-37. My functional strength is far better then ever but the raw strength not so much. But I'm as happy with myself as I've ever been. I get a lot of reactions to how "skinny" I look. As a formerly skinny kid I have trouble accepting this as the compliment it's intended. I think I look fit. I also know the manner in which I dress (baggy) does not really "compliment" my streamlined look but I'll always be a fat guy at heart. That's one of the reasons I'm posting these one time only "after pictures". As a guy with body issues this wasn't easy to do but it feels like closure. I still have work to do like increasing my cardiovascular conditioning and toning up my pecs and lower abs (some bodily abuses can't be fixed over night). My goal now? On July 5th 2016 I want to be able to say "my name is Rich I'm 50 years old and I'm in the best shape of mt life".

This is likely the last ever blog on my fitness goals. I've adopted this as lifestyle for the foreseeable
future. I know friends, family, and coworkers are probably sick of hearing my talk to people about it BUT if there is any advice I can give on what's worked for me, please don't hesitate to ask! Below are links to some of the sites and products that have helped me along the way. Stay active my friends!

My Fitness Pal- My calorie tracker and safety blanket

Fitbit- 10,000 steps every day for life baby

Digifit- For tracking non-step cardio (stationary bike, elliptical, etc)

Polar H7 HRM- Heart Rate monitor to accurately track calorie burn during workouts

Every Move- A site that rewards activity with discounts and donations to charity

Runtastic Apps- Start a regiment of push-ups, pull-ups and free squats

Runtastic Six Pack Abs- Like the name implies

7 Minute Workout Challenge- Great in a pinch

Fitness Buddy- Replaces notebooks and charts for tacking gym workouts

MotionX24/7 sleep tracker- How much are you actually sleeping??

Steam Vita- Tasty, healthy steamed food

NutriBullet- Healthy "nutri-blasts"

Yonanas- Creamy desserts, no added sugar

Gorilla Gym- The ultimate doorway gym

Perfect Fitness- Home of Perfect Pushup and Ab Carver

Drive Me Crazy

I admit I consider myself a pretty good driver. If it wasn't for the state of New Hampshire I would have no driving citations other then one involving an accident 25 years ago. Not bad for being a licensed driver for 30 plus years now. In my recent rebirth as a constant pedestrian and as someone who lives and works in busy, thickly settled areas I've noticed overall driving skills and adherence to written and unwritten rules of the road have waned quite a bit over recent years. I'd say the #1 culprit is cellphones as it's impossible to pay attention 100% to the world around you while in conversation. Impossible. Other mitigating factors could be the number of drivers who learned the rules of the road in a city, state or even country different from Massachusetts, USA. Finally I think a lot of unwritten rules simply aren't passed on as much to newer drivers as they were when I was tutored by my mom and the drivers ed folk. These are just a few recent observations

- For many the concept of "pedestrian crossing" is less a law then a target to aim for

- In busy city blocks drivers and pedestrians often get the green light/walk signal simultaneous so cars turning left or right still need to give right of way to the pedestrian. So pay the f*#k attention and lay off your horn you ignorant tool!

- That many drivers no longer understand the etiquette of funeral processions. Twice recently I'm been in funeral processions only to have other drivers cutting in and out of the procession of blowing right through where the funeral director had traffic stopped to allow the funeral to pass. This is something my parents taught me was very important as it is the respectful thing to do if not an outright law

- That people are often so wrapped up in other things during inclement weather they drive through large puddles and slushy snow at full speed regardless of soaking pedestrians on the sidewalk, bus stops or standing in front of schools

- That people can drive cars that will save the environment and tattoo their cars with stickers telling us all the things they support from far off countries to animals rights yet still treat pedestrians in their own backyards like cannon fodder because of distractions or their hurry to get to where they are going

I've been guilty of some of these transgressions myself but have become a more attentive driver since becoming more of a pedestrian. I put most of the onus on talking on the phone while driving. You will never, ever convince me this should not be highly illegal. I don't and won't do it (I have done speaker phone and Bluetooth before but usually just wait until I've stopped) Multitasking while driving is a dumb concept as simply driving deserves you full attention. In my opinion any moving violation fine or accident caused by a person driving while on the phone the penalty would be doubled or more. All I'm really asking is pay attention people! My life may depend upon it

Sincere Gesture Or Pre-Programmed Auto Response?

I recently went about replacing my iPad 1 with a new model. I saw that MicroCenter was running a sale thru MLK weekend but as I was working pretty much every hour they were open I decided to go pay online and pick up in person to get the deal. It went reasonably well although I never got the confirmation email that my pickup was ready (they pride themselves on 18 minute pickup) but it wasn't a real concern as I couldn't get there that night either way. After a day of no confirmation I call over just to make sure and they are befuddled why I didn't get it but assured me the order was there awaiting pickup. Cool. So I finally get there and after a quick browse of the place I go to the pickup desk. The man working the desk gets my item and upon looking at it asks one of the other guys to page a manager for a "thank you". Sure enough on the package is written "give thank you". Huh. Maybe they feel bad about the confirmation thing and are going to offer me...something? Anyway a thin, pale young man, looking very uncomfortable in a suit and tie, introduces himself as one of the managers and says "thank you for buying your iPad here" and shakes my hand. I say "you're welcome" and then we all stand there awkwardly until I say "goodbye"

Now many of you know I've been in retail sales (well small business retail entails a lot more then sales but for brevity's sake...) for over 20 years so I treat fellow retail employees with nothing but patience and respect. However, I'm still debating to myself whether I should take this as a genuine gesture or a corporate ordained come on for people buying Apple products. I always finish my sales with a genuine "thank you" and proffer a handshake even if the sale was painful. This is because 1) I mean it and 2) In a small business every sale really makes a difference to the bottom line (even for those of us not on commission). So on the one hand had the "thank you" happened organically, as in he just happened to be nearby, or if the kid at the desk had just said "thank you" it would have felt genuine. Instead with the paging, note written on the work order and practiced speech it came off instead as disingenuous. I dunno

I'm struggling with whether my standards for retail are too high as I'm a lifer at it and (if I do say so myself) very good at what I do. Practiced thank yous, phone salutations and sales pitches are so foreign and phony to me they make me roll my eyes. But then again maybe I am just becoming more jaded and cynical as I get older. At the end of the day it didn't affect my thoughts on the experience and I will shop there again but something about the whole thing just rubs me the wrong way (and yes, this was going to be a Facebook post rather then a blog but , ya know...)

I Hope I Die Before I Get Old (Or, More Accurately, Start Acting Old)

"Youth is wasted on the young"
George Bernard Shaw

"Maturity is a bitter disappointment for which no remedy exists, unless laughter could be said to remedy anything"
Kurt Vonnegut

"Lighten up Francis"
Sargent Hulka (Warren Oates) Stripes

"And we wanna have a good time. And that's what we are gonna do. We are gonna have a good time..."
Heavenly Blues (Peter Fonda), Wild Angels

"Why...So...Serious?"
The Joker (Heath Ledger) The Dark Knight

 "I hope I die before I get old"
The Who

Remember when you were younger and carefree? You did stupid, immature, often regrettable things. But man, did you have fun! Why is there some universal law that says as you get older your level of propriety has to be so high that all the fun seems sucked out of you? Look, I understand as "adults" certain things are expected of us versus younger folk. But I also know getting older is not an excuse for not having fun. Now I'm not saying you have to be "The Dude" but you also don't have to be so tight-assed that your sphincter whistles when you pass gas! I truly believe that NOT acting your age 24/7, 365 keeps you younger. For some of us this is easy. For others it requires getting out of you comfort zone now and again. Whether it the same zone you've always had or a new one you've developed over time is an individual thing. Here's a few suggestions both broad and specific

***I want to be perfectly, crystal clear (and I will mention this several times more) that I am NOT recommending drinking to excess or doing anything illegal or dangerous. I know some people have issues with substances and obviously certain small parts of this diatribe mentions alcohol. I also want you to know what I am saying is not just the ravings of a guy with less responsibilities then many as I've had this same conversation with friends of mine who are married, have kids, parents to care for, jobs of renown, etc etc. Now on to the drivel***

1) Get loud- We worry so much about our noise levels that we're used to speaking in hushed tones when there are others about. Yes, in most setting this is polite and proper. However, if you're at a club, bar, or concert all bets are off. Tell loud, funny jokes. Laugh a bit louder then is appropriate. Sing along...no matter it a band, jukebox or your mobile device., just because its fun. Find a nice, quiet, secluded spot and just...SCREAM at the top of you're lungs. You'd be surprised how liberating it is

2) Stay a little longer/later then you planned- So often we go out with a preconceived time limit on how long we'll stay. Or how late we'll stay out. I tend to go out with an open mind. If I'm not having fun I'll leave early. If I'm having more fun then anticipated I'll stay longer.  Now those with young kids do need these outs but often it's just a crutch. "I have to work tomorrow". "I need my sleep". So do we all! Once in a while staying out for 4 hours or more and getting 4 hours of sleep or less isn't gonna kill you (if it did I'd already be dead)

3) Loosen up- This one has a zillion caveats so stick with me. I'm not advocating drinking , smoking pot or anything else. Far from it. I'm also not advocating drinking to excess and putting yourself or others in danger either. But if you do like to go out for a drink now and then, and if someone else is driving or you can walk or take a cab, every once and a while get a little loosy-goosy. Letting go of you inhibitions is good for the soul now and then (plus it gives you stories to talk about and try to live down)

4) Do something crazy (for you)- Again, not advocating anything dangerous or illegal. But now and then it's good to do something you would "never do". Wear a stupid hat or loud clothing. Go to a dress up theme party and enjoy it. Do something personally terrifying, just for the adrenaline rush. Run around in your underwear or go skinny-dipping. Grow a stupid mustache for Movember. Paint your face or chest for a sporting event. Go to a drag show....I could go on and on here

5) Screw the weather- I'm starting to feel like I have a legal team looking over my shoulder...I'm not recommending stupidity during the most severe of weather. I'm recommending stupidity during plain old bad weather. Do something despite the weather rather then not doing something because of the weather. Go for a run or a walk in the rain, snow or searing heat. Dance in the rain. Jump in a puddle. Belly-flop through the mud. make a snow angel. Have a snowball fight.

6) Make a fool of yourself in front of strangers- Why we worry about what strangers think of us I'll never know. I'm also guilty of this. But why? We don't worry much about making a fool of ourselves in front of friends and family we see all the time so why worry about people we'll likely never see again. So go do Karaoke badly. Go to open mike night. Take part in a audience participation show. Put yourself out there because, well, who really cares?

7) Say "yes" now and then rather then "no"- Let's say you have a group that get's together now and again for cards, or board games, or book club, or whatever. And you're always invited but you never go because "I don't like..." whatever. Well in most cases whatever they're doing is more or less an excuse to hang out with friends more then for the stated reason. Now and then say "sure, I'll be there" and enjoy a good game of poker or Catch Phrase (or um, talk about Nicholas Sparks latest tear jerker)

8) Try something new- This is probably where I'm personally guilty most often but I'm getting better. Eat a cuisine you "don't like" because you've never tried (that was me with Indian food). Go listen to a band who plays music that "isn't really your thing". Play darts, go bowling, take a hike, go rollerblading, rent some skates and hit the ice, try snowshoeing, There are so many enjoyable things we've never tried because we think we won't (or don't) like them

Now some of you are saying well sure Rich, you're just a big kid. Thank you, that's a compliment. I've been accused of being a bon vivant before (and had to google it to see what it meant) and didn't totally disagree. But it's not like I'm not a responsible adult. I've been gainfully employed for 25 straight year missing less then a 1/3 of a day a year for reasons of sickness or whatever. I also manage a home, bills, investments, etc all by myself. I am a single man without kids but also a responsible adult who likes to let it "all hang out" now and then. Also everyone's definition of fun is different. There's about a a million things I like to do that don't fall into the above categories but they fall into the atypical "adult" category that frankly aren't much fun to talk about. Lastly, most of my friends are not like me from a lifestyle standpoint but most (tho not all) share my love for acting childish now and then. They are husbands, wives and parents. They are professionals and working stiffs, Some are younger, some older. They are lawyers, teachers, and corporate drones, Some are well off and some just scraping by. Many on the surface would seem an odd match as friends of mine but we share in the joy of FUN!

Anyway I don't judge and how people live their lives is their business. That said how I live mine is my business and shouldn't be judged either. I hope I never start acting my age. My dad never did. Up until he got sick he was still the life of the party. Even tho he'd been sober for decades he went to every retirement party, neighborhood or high school reunion. He was the first to dance at any occasion. He told corny (often off-color) jokes to anyone that would listen. He yelled and whistled and made a fool of himself during exercise classes...in other words he had FUN! I can't imagine a better role model then you pop!

Rich O 2.0- Almost 8 Months Later

So 5 months ago I said I was taking a break from talking about my new healthier lifestyle here (tho I've bored people aplenty on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) and I was good to my word. Recently I felt compelled to check in again as I get a lot of people asking how it's going and even more people asking how I'm doing it. I'm technically about 7 3/4 months since I started this crazy lifestyle change on March 1, 2013 and feel like I've got a solid plan in place to keep it going for the foreseeable future

A1C Risk Chart

To refresh memories I started on this path (ugh, I almost said journey...barf) after a horrible physical where my blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure were all way up. My primary goal was to reduce my hemoglobin A1C (kind of a look at blood sugar levels over a 90 day period. See chart to the right to see the dangers of a high A1C) from a 11 to a 6 with my lesser goals being to lose 35 pounds and to regulate my blood pressure. As of October 8th my A1C was 5.85 (which is the edge of pre-diabetes), I went from 234 lbs to 187 lbs (I sit around 190 as of this writing and I'm happy about that (to be explained a bit later)) for a grand total of 47 lbs lost and my blood pressure of 140/88 to an average of 115/75! On a more aesthetic level I dropped from a 38 to 34 waist in pants, XXL to XL or L in shirts and L in gym shorts and bathing suits. I've put in over 300 cardio workouts, walked over 1,500 miles and totally changed my eating habits! Mission accomplished? Mission just getting started!!

One of the odd side effects of this has been people 1) commenting on how "good" I look and 2) asking for advice. The former is hard on me as if you know me you know I'm far more comfortable poking fun at myself then taking compliments. The latter I Always start with "well, here's what I did but that may or may not work for you". My method took discipline, regiment, and sacrifice to a level I didn't know I was capable of. For me the hardest sacrifices were those of spare time, my beloved junk food, and a lot of my vaunted strength. I've slowly worked all these things back into my life in various quantities and am happy with the results. I finally feel like I've packed some lean muscle back on which makes me happy. But every situation is different so below are some generalities I'd recommend for anyone looking to change up their health and wellness routine

1) Dieting Doesn't Work- Dieting by its very nature is a change in eating for a specific amount of time to reach a specific goal and then ends. If you've gone this route you know how hard it is to maintain once your goal is reached A mix of eating smarter and exercise which you can maintain forever is a better idea

2) Do What Works Best For Your Situation- You need to know how you can work exercise and better eating into your particular circumstance. For me running was out because of bad knees so I walk. My job affords me being able to stay active so I do. My singleness allows me to eat what and when I want so I take advantage of that. Trying to do someone else's routine usually doesn't work

3) Get Up And Move- I cannot stress enough that this was the #1 mitigating factor in my well being. Go grab a Fitbit or download Argus or even just grab a pedometer and get moving! 10,000 steps a day is the minimum you should be looking for (I average about 15,000) and you can get there through every day chores as well as straight up exercise. If you do nothing else, do this. It will help, I promise

4) Stop Wishing, Start Doing- Don't get mad, jealous, etc at someone's success and your struggles. Whether it's easier or harder for someone else the odds are their success is linked to hard work and discipline. You can do it too!

5) Take Your Time- I used My Fitness Pal to set a goal weight and a time to get there. I figured on losing 1/2 pound to a pound a week. I knew this was healthy and attainable and I could do it without "starving". Trust me, you'll end up losing weight more quickly then a 1/2 pound a week

6) Be Consistent- Use the same scale to weigh yourself. Weigh yourself once a week (max) the same time of day and in the same state of dress. Weighing yourself too often our with many different scales will most likely have a negative effect on you mentally

7) Count Your Calories- I've mentioned it before but the formula for losing weight is calories in less calories burned thru activity. At the beginning worry only about total calories eaten, not kind of calories eaten (well, there are exceptions, see #8). Carbs have gotten a bad rap and are an essential part of a balanced diet to don't skip them

8) Check With Your Doctor First- I know that sounds like a line from an infomercial but it's true. If you have a condition like diabetes, high blood pressure, celiak, or anything else then the rules for your food plan will likely be different from the norm

9) Knowledge Is Power- It is important to know exactly how much you're eating and how much you're burning to be successful. Packaged food comes with tons of caloric information on it but generic foods are harder to nail down, not to mention restaurant meals. I strongly recommend a combination of My Fitness Pal (caloric data base), Digifit (cardio tracker) and Fitbit (activity tracker) to most accurately track calories in versus out

10) No Days Off- Live the lifestyle! Enjoy life but know it comes with trade offs. If you know you have a big meal ahead exercise more and eat less earlier that day. Make sure you work at least 30 minutes of activity into every day, no excuses. I walked 5 miles in a 4 hour layover at an airport recently, will get up and exercise on Thanksgiving and Christmas morning. I won't kill myself but by getting my work in I can relax and enjoy the day without worry.

And Lastly 11) Don't Get Discouraged- Nothing can foil plans of a healthier lifestyle then getting discouraged because a) you're not being as successful as you want or b) because you were "bad" for a day. Simply hike up your pants, lace up your boots and get right back at it the next day

So, yes, that's the advice I can give. I'm NOT an expert. I DON'T have years of success. I CAN'T guarantee I won't regain everything I've lost. But I BELIEVE following these guidelines I will continue to have success. If you take nothing else out of this just remember that you need to find what works best for you and your situation. Everything else should fall into place from there

(Not So) Easy Peasy

"If anyone told you life was going to be easy they lied"

Rich O'Rourke, date unknown

The quote above is attributed to me as I don't recall hearing anywhere specifically (tho variations surely exist) and I've adopted as my own. I say it a lot when I hear people who are down on their lives (the FML crowd). I've always been a realist and with a few exceptions never one to fall into "woe is me mode". There was a short period in my life when I actually had people seek out my counseling or advice for what they interpreted as their crappy life. I'd always open with "do you want the truth or do you want me to make you feel good" and upon the truth selection I'd say "If anyone told you life was going to be easy they lied". Tough love for sure. The plain truth is life is incredibly hard.Just living life and all it's pitfalls and the like is the hardest thing we do. But you know what? If it was easy anyone could do it

Life starts difficult and gets more so as we move along in life. Let's face it the process of being born is likely an unpleasant experience, just one we (thankfully) don't remember. Learning to crawl, walk and speak are hard. Being a kid is no simple task. High school...wow, can anything be more difficult then navigating your teen years as a high school student? College is a lot of work and stress. Your job can be all consuming. Relationships are really hard. Maintaining a relationship is even harder. Being a parent is maybe the hardest job anyone will ever have. Being a GOOD parent even harder. Getting old...well, that just plain sucks. My point? Life, from the day we're born to the day we drop, is not easy

So why is it so difficult? Because being a person, a human being, if a very complicated deal. The older we get the more we're responsible for and the more we're expected to know about how to handle these things. The problem is there is no real instruction manual for life! We fumble and stumble through most things thinking we know how we're going to do only to realize we know nothing! As much as they pump it into your head, what you learn in college rarely prepares you for your actual job. Getting married, cohabiting with someone for the rest of your life, isn't as simple as it might seem. No advice, no book, no online course or video series can possibly prepare us for parenting. Nope, life is all about trial and error, on the job training and learning experiences. And no, it's never easy

So why do we get out of bed in the morning when life is so hard? Well because life is so awesome it's worth all the pain and aggravation! The pride of winning that game, graduating from school, that first paycheck or promotion, watching your child's first step, or attending your grand kid's wedding. They make it all worthwhile. Human beings are quick to learn from their mistakes and are very forgiving so tho we may stumble we tend to get another chance to make right. And another. Annnnnd another. In most cases we have parents, teachers, friends, mentors and other role models to emulate and to guide us along the right path. Even when we fail completely life always offers us opportunity to try, try again. And THAT is what makes life worth living

So, yeah, life ain't easy and sometimes it downright sucks. But don't get down as we're all in the same boat and we'll get through this together. Keep your chin up, stay even keeled, keep your eyes on the prize and any other bullshit cliche you can come up with. The rewards for all our stress, heartache, pain, and crying far out weight the risks. Ask questions, read books, pray, cry, see a therapist, make mistakes, make adjustments, make corrections, get it right. Rinse and repeat.

So, no, life isn't easy. If it was anyone could do it...

Stupid Is As Stupid Does

Ah, mankind! The highest form of intelligence on planet Earth. The Alpha species if you will. Yup, top of the food chain we are. Well I've got news for ya. We ain't all that smart. Oh sure we've come up with some amazing things. The internal combustion engine, splitting the atom, and even space travel. But just take a look at your television and tell me the minds that came up with those life changing ideas are from the same gene pool as those featured on America's Funniest Home Videos, Ridiculousness, or any reality show. Hard to fathom, no? Not only are we stupid but we're treated stupidly apparently for our own good. This is notable  in the signs, labels and warnings we see every day. So some of you are saying "But Rich, you've mentioned this before". Yes, yes I have! This however is more of my master list of stupid, pointless signs, labels and warning I literally see almost every day. So...

1) The drinking fountain a the gym has a sign that reads "No spitting in drinking fountain" then amended to say "no spitting gum in drinking fountain". Either action is so obviously something a child shouldn't do let alone a gym full of "adults" that a sign should not be necessary. Last night at the gym there was a giant wad of green gum in the drinking fountain

2) Same gym at least 10 signs which state "No Cell Phone Use" while the machines, cardio equipment and locker rooms are chock full of people...you guessed it, on their phones

3) On the lawn of a church near my house the sign reads "Please Don't Curb Your Dog On Our Lawn". I'd think for most normal folk that would be obvious

4) Conversely the park I sometimes walk around has dozens and dozens of signs imploring dog owners to pick up their dogs feces. Since half the dogs are nowhere near their owners, and large piles of shit remain on the path, I'm sure it was someone else s dog's shit

5) The always busy on-ramp on my way to work with the sign that says "No Turns". Honestly, anyone stupid enough to try and take a 180 degree turn to drive the wrong way on that ramp deserves what they get. (on a side not that ramp also features a sign that reads "Yield" that as far as I can recall no one has ever heeded)

6) The plastic bags that nearly everything comes packed in has to read "This Is Not A Toy" for fear of a child suffocating. Fine except the fact the most likely victims of this would be children too young to read the warning. Any parent who encourages it as a toy should be suffocated

Our coffee cups tell us the liquid is hot, water bottles list water as an ingredient, drain cleaner warns us not to drink it,  we have signs on the highway telling us it's illegal to text and drive and we can't enter an establishment that serves food without being reminded that consuming undercooked meat is bad (and overcooked meat a crime) and to inform our server if we have any food allergies. It's a wonder we ever made it this far without this explicit set of instructions since man walked upright

My old boss prescribed to the theory you have to spell everything out to people explicitly or they are bound to not understand (or try and twist ambiguous language to their advantage). I feel the opposite. I still think people should be able to think things out for themselves but prefer not to think at all. Think about it...

Mama says, "Stupid is as stupid does." Forrest Gump

Rich O 2.0- Update 90 Days In

So after boring you all to tears with the why and how for my changes in taking care of myself I figured it's time for an update. As I write this I've more or less hit my initial goal of 200 lbs. More or less as I'm hovering right around that line. As I've been a slave to weighing in the same time and day every week for accuracy I know any given random night after a big meal etc I could be 201. Or 197. Or who knows. But I'm happy with where I'm at. The daily fasting glucose has been between 90 and 120 for almost 2 months (pretty good), blood pressure continues to drop, I've dropped a pant size and shirt size (and made a few trips to Goobwill will the fat, fat pants as you always hang onto the fat pants for a while) and have gone 90 straight days with at least 40 minutes of cardio exercise. So now the question is where do we I go next?

As I've said over and again I started this for health reasons, not to look good (lets face it, that's not an easy task given what I got to work with). I do look in the mirror and see a healthier looking person so that's a bonus. I'm not looking to get in triathlon shape, just be a healthier version of old me. I want to learn to maintain the good eating habits I've started for general health as well as diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol. I want to stick with the better balance of proteins, fast carbs, slow carbs and veggies that I've established. I want to stay injury free and start packing some of the lost muscle back on my frame. What I'm not sure about is how much more actual weight I want to lose

I'm trying not to sound cocky but I feel that with the plan I set forth I could likely get down to 185 in a couple more months. But that's not what I want right now. I don't want to keep losing in big chunks but rather a 1/2 pound a week max right now. And it's not as easy as it sounds. I've been burning about
800-1,200 calories a day on average through exercise and being generally very active (Fitbit activity tracker is the best investment I ever made) while trying to hit a net of 2050 calories  which would mean eating around 3,000 calories a day of "good" food. Not as easy as it sounds. I'm eating about 1000% more veggies then ever before but, prepared healthily, you have to eats tons of them to get to a decent caloric intake. Fast carbs (breads, pasta, potatoes) are more or less treats now. They'll never be gone completely as while carbs have become seen as something evil they are necessary in a balanced diet. I've been experimenting more with fast carbs like sweet potato and quinoa but I'm still trying to avoid carbs period in my last meal of the day which, ironically enough, is the only meal I'd have time to preparing quinoa or sweet potato. Ughhhh!

Soooo...I've decided to keep on keeping on. I'm going to try and keep eating like I've been eating and not going to try too hard to add calories. I'll just let the chips fall where they may. While I'll keep checking my weight once a week I won't be obsessed with no loss or a slight gain as, assuming my elbow holds up, I plan to be back on weight training 3-4 times a week.  I'll continue to work on my diet and rely less on supplements (and hopefully meds soon) to remain healthy. I've been experimenting with green smoothies (spinach, apple, celery, cucumber, parsley and ginger) to supplement my diets as opposed to meal replacements (again, as a diabetic my meals need more balance then all veggies & fruit). I'll continue to vary and increase my cardio past weight loss level and onto aerobic level and higher. I still think my knees and feet won't ever withstand running but see more hiking in my near future. I still have a rather prodigious beer belly that needs some smoothing out. So I guess bottom line is just keep improving myself where I can, have fun when I want but always earning my cheat meals and Miller Lites. Sounds like a plan, right?

So, that's where we're at. I'm still going to lean heavily on Fitbit, Digifit, and MyFitnessPal so if anyone uses them and wants to be friends and share encouragement let me know. What I know about all this stuff I could fit in my pinkie nail so please continue with the sage advice. Well hopefully this is the last post about my
health crisis for a while. Party on!

Rich O 2.0 Part 3- What's Been My Biggest Help (Or Using Your Smart Phone For More Then Angry Birds To Help You Get Healthy)

So I've talked some about my diet and exercise plan to get healthier and my tact being hitting a net caloric goal of calories in from food less calories burned thru exercise and activity. For me the magic number has been 2050 net calories. Below that means more weight loss, above that, well, not so much. A daunting task to keep track of accurately. So I put on my thinking cap and I realized I already had the most important tool to get this done!

OK I want you to reach into your pocket or belt holster or pocketbook and tell me if you find an object about 4 1/2 inches long x 2 1/2 inches wide (get your minds out of the gutter). Go ahead, I can wait...If you're like a growing percentage of the population you'll probably find an iPhone or Android or some other form of smart phone. Well for a lot of people the "smart" is a misnomer. They simply aren't used very smartly. Most of us don't get past email, texts, photos, games and social media (oh, and phone calls). There is a slew of practical, useful apps out there that can make you more productive including many to help with fitness and weight loss. As I've said before I'm a geek at heart and I like numerical evidence of how things work so for me using my phone to track everything I did was a perfect match. I looked around a bit and some trial and error and found what worked for me. All 3 apps and/or websites are free to use but there is one additional piece of hardware you need and to make all 3 synchronize in perfect harmony it will probably cost you about $7-$10 for premium service. This is not the order I discovered these apps but in retrospect this is the order to get them and to synch them

screen shot FitBit app

First is the Fitbit One (or whatever the most current model is). It's what's known as an activity meter. Think of it as a pedometer on steroids. I got my Fitbit One at Amazon. It's primary function is to track your daily activity counting steps and floors climbed The preset goal is 10,000 steps and 10 floors a day. It's not as
easy as it sounds. For me 10,000 steps is just under 5 miles. On a work day, along with my morning walk, I usually hit 15,000 steps. It also calculates, based on age and weight, the number of calories you burn hitting you goal. I generally put it in my pocket when I go to work and carry it all day. On my days off it's a nice reminder to get up and get moving. You'll feel guilty if you don't hit your goal, trust me. What it really does is it forces you to do all the cliches you've been hearing for years like "park further away and walk" or "take the stairs and not the elevator". But you know what? It's true. You burn calories in everything you do and Fitbit allows you to track and get credit for this. It can also be used independent of a phone app on your computer, can track sleep and exercise and calories so if you just want to start simple this is the one for you. But there are better options for tracking exercise and calories

Screen shot DigiFit app

Digifit is the first fitness app I used. I was walking and looking for a way to track how far I'd walked. I had seen a commercial where some dork used GPS tracking technology and his bike to draw a heart around the city so I knew it existed. There's actually quite a few of them. I settled on Digifit (which to also confuse things
markets itself under several different names) as it tracked a variety of outdoor activities and indoor cardio as well with some accessories. The free version works based on GPS so it tracks how far and how fast you've done your exercise then based on age and weight (kind of like the cardio machines at the gym) gives you a calories burned number. Beautiful. The premium version allows you to connect to external devices and other apps including Fitbit! I ended up also purchasing a heart rate monitor strap (hrm) as I wanted more accurate reading especially when I was using the elliptical or stationary bike at the gym. With Digifit and Fitbit synched it gives you the best idea of how many calories you burn between actual exercise and just keeping busy. For example if you wear Fitbit for a walk, jog, run or hike it counts your steps but ignore the calories burned for that specific event so you don't get a double count. Brilliant. But how do we know how many calories we've eaten without checking every damned label?? Well for that we have...

Screen shot MyFitnessPal app

My Fitness Pal is a calorie counting website/app with a massive, massive database of foods both general and specific, covers foods found at the grocery store, chain restaurants, as well as lets you input you own recipes. This is a powerful tool! Ya know the expression what you don't know may kill you?? Well if it's food we're talking about it just may be true. Pop quiz- Which has more calories 4 tablespoons (I'd say about the average amount most people use) of my awesome homemade Caesar dressing or an Egg McMuffin sandwich? Sadly Mickey Dees wins that one 300 to 320! How about 3 Miller Lite (288) versus 2 Buds (290) versus 2 Blue Moon (368)? It all adds up. Knowledge is power! You will be prompted to give your age, weight and goal weight and it will set a daily net calorie goal for you. To use it you simply start typing in the food item (or scan a bar code) that you are going to eat, select the number of serving and BAM it's added to your daily total giving you a snapshot of what you have left for the day. As it's net calories it subtracts calories burnt through exercise so it gives you a real life number. Exercise calories can be entered manually of course but there is a better way...

So I chose each of these programs/apps/devices for they're versatility, accuracy, the fact all 3 work together harmoniously and all 3 have an iPhone app as well as full websites . There are other activity meters out there but none other then FitBit that works with DigiFit and MyFitnessPal. So here's how I used all 3 to get in better shape!
1) Buy a bathroom scale and weigh in once a week. Daily will drive you nuts. Buy a kitchen scale as portion control and understanding potions is key. Meal prep is also key as "winging it" has a lot more pitfalls then a well thought out meal. Also I cant swear this "system" works for specialized diets like Paleo, clean foods, juicing, etc but rather for a balanced eating plan. Most importantly be honest. Lying about what you ate does you no good. Sweat the details and include everything including condiments and drinks (veggie toppings etc you don't need to worry about too much) including the milk or cream in your coffee. I almost always enter breakfast and lunch items in the night before as I always know what I'm having for those meals. Being regimented and disciplined can only help

2) Get your FitBit and download the app. Get the paid version of Digifit and get MyFitnessPal. Now for best accuracy connect the apps together as such FitBit to DigiFit, FitBit to MyFitnessPal. If you do it any other way the calories burned will be inaccurate (its all based on algorithms etc anyway so nothing is 100% accurate). Set up of each is fairly simple.

3) OK so here's what I do. Any activity I do involving steps (walking, jogging, running, hiking) I carry my Fitbit and record the workout using Digifit. Digifit intuitively doesn't give you double credit for the calories but still allows you to keep track of your workouts and give you credits towards your daily step goal. The calorie information is then synched to MyFitnessPal and you get you net calorie total (food less exercise). I also carry my FitBit with me every waking moment so I can track what kind of activity I'm producing during mundane tasks like work and cleaning my house. Any workouts I do at the gym I record manually (or as I bought a heart rate monitor its recorded automatically). All 3 apps give you places to track your goals and weight, measurements, etc and they synch up with each other! As a system it gives you a nice snapshot of your day in food and exercise. What I mostly love is the checks and balances. If I don't feel like going to the gym then smaller dinner. If I wanna go out for a few beers then I exercise a little harder. Pretty simple if you ask me

Like I said, this has worked for me so far. This was built for someone who takes on things the way I do. I've been to a lot of websites reading about weight loss and health as a "journey". For me it's not a journey but a goal and I'm attacking it like any other goal I've set. When I was power training I had a mindset, a zone, a place I "went to" that helped me achieve being the strongest S.O.B. in the gym. I'm too beat up to lift like that anymore but I'm going at this the same way. There's a learning curve and a discipline to make it work but it's all very doable. By using this system I've been able to track my exercise, activity and diet towards a healthier me!

Rich O 2.0 Part 2- What I'm Doing About It (Or The One Where Rich Learned To Love Egg Beaters-Yuck!)

So, where were we? Oh yeah, wake up call #3. It was like being hit over the head with a cast iron pan to try and wrap my head around high blood sugar, high blood pressure and cholesterol all at once. The NP recommended I meet with the diabetic nurse in a couple weeks to get some insight into eating and diabetes and I agreed (ironically I had met with the same nurse back at the onset of the diabetes). She also recommended walking at least 30 minutes a day. Apparently from a blood circulation standpoint etc sustained movement is better then short, intense cardio. She also mentioned losing weight would go a long way towards lowering all 3 issues that I was experiencing. So I left the hospital and do what I typically do when taking on something new that's important to me. I set a plan in motion and jumped in headlong

The first thing I did was to prioritize and the order of importance was 1) blood sugar 2) exercise 3) weight loss 4) blood pressure & cholesterol. I figured #2 & #3 would help in #4. So I immediately purchased a new glucose meter and strips for of the moment blood sugar readings, a scale (for the first time in my life) and a blood pressure cuff. I made a promise to myself I'd only use the scale and cuff once a week to not drive myself crazy. I decided to go at this old school Atkins style by counting all net carbs and seeing the effect on my blood sugar (there's an app for that...more on that soon). I decided to finally take advantage of my new later work hours by getting up and walking before work. So bright and early the next morning (and every morning but one since) I walked 40-60 minutes at a brisk pace. It wasn't always as simple as it sounds as it was still butt cold and often rainy but I decided no excuses!! The harder part was giving up so many of my beloved homemade foods based on the high carb count or not getting accurate nutritional info like you can get on (ugh) packaged food. Just to clear the air on one thing, I generally ate very healthy 5 days and 4 nights a week. Weekends were my downfall. All those awesome, yummy, unhealthy pictures I tantalized you with were simply picture-posting worthy food and not typical of how I ate. That said I had no handle on how good or bad what I was ingesting was for me. So anyhow I was counting carbs, recording glucose, weighing in and taking my blood pressure and just before my meeting with the diabetic nurse all 3 had improved tho not dramatically (the drugs probably helped as well). The diabetic nurse was the one that really set me on the right path

So the nurse was a small, upper middle age woman who I had met before in 2003. She pretended she remembered me but cmon! Anyways she reviewed my A1C, where it was and where it should be. Told me to stop counting carbs and worry more about calories!! She said more people control their diabetes by common sense and weight loss then counting carbs.  We discussed the mix of proteins to carbs to fruits and veggies, which were best and when best to eat them (and best when to not eat them). We talked specifically about my lifestyle and work schedule and set forth an eating schedule. My new plan of attack was eating in a reverse pyramid of descending meal size starting with a big breakfast with carbs, protein, etc ending with dinner which would only be protein and veggies. Probably most important was a smaller meal while I was at work for the sake of energy, hunger management, blood sugar control and eliminating the need for a larger meal after 7:30. She also said some stuff I took with a grain of salt (buying smaller plates, special ordering food when I go out to dinner, throwing out anything unhealthy I have in my house, etc). I know my self control and know what I can and cannot handle. So, new information in hand I went on my merry way again

So I start some research on do's and don'ts and philosophy on calories in versus out to reach a preset goal. It wasn't easy so I thought to myself "self, there are options". I could join a group (nah, at heart I'm a loner when it comes to things like this) or send away for food (too much respect for food for that) or even some kind of OTC or prescription weight loss pills (sorry, explosive diarrhea ain't my thing). No, in the end I decided good old fashioned diet and exercise was my path. So I embraced my inner geek and figured "there's an app for that too". And there was. 3 intertwined apps in fact. My Fitness Pal to track net calories versus calories burned thru exercise became my new weight loss guide. I'll go over these 3 phone apps (also websites) in part 3 of this multi-part epic tale. I set my goal at 200 lbs and it gave me a net calories (calories from food less calories burned thru exercise) of 2050 daily to achieve this goal (it doesn't specify a date as how far you're over or under changes the projection). The morning walk and gym 3-4 times a week and having a job where I am pretty active have made the exercise part pretty easy. Next I had to learn how and when to use these calories. It's not as easy as it sounds as I'm dealing with pre-high cholesterol and pre-hypertension so certain foods (eggs, cold cuts, etc) which I was told were good based on calories and lack of carbs weren't good for some of my other issues. So now most of my breakfasts are Egg Beaters, bagel slims and leaner breakfast meats, lunch is home cooked protein in a sandwich or in a salad (I roast a turkey breast every single week) and dinner is mostly grilled meats and veggies. It's not perfect as there are always traps to everything but veggies and how food is prepared can make a HUGE difference.Yup, it's mundane but that's now my life in food

So I'm no expert on anything to do with health but this has been working for me. That said I have a few advantages most people don't. As a single person who lives alone I only have to prepare meals for me and not a wife or kids. I also have no one to make a schedule around so when I eat and when I exercise is all by choice, not circumstance. Mostly my biggest advantage is I'm never hungry! Haven't been for years. Maybe a result of the diabetes? Not sure but the fact is I can't recall the last time my stomach rumbled. So, how did I get so fat (beer consumption aside)? As I discussed with my sister I fall into the "live to eat" and she the "eat to live" category. I love food! I crave the tastes and textures and smells...but I'm never hungry. This is a big plus. There are pitfalls of course like the fact I hate cooked veggies but I'm trying. That 3 of my primal loves, potatoes, white bread and cheese (OK, 4 including beer), are on the "not good" list. And meal prep and planning, essential to living like this, can be a wicked drag. Some days are simply walk, eat, work, eat, gym, eat, prep food for next day, sleep. I've had lot's of great advice along the way from healthier food prep to "clean" foods to supplements for a heart healthy lifestyle and it's all been greatly appreciated

I've stated before my plan is this isn't a diet but a switch to a healthier lifestyle as diets to me have a beginning and end. That said I still want to be an active 46 y/o single guy and not fret about the occasional cheat meal, cheat day or beer blast. If I know it's coming I'll simply exercise more in anticipation. If I go over my calorie count one day, no biggie, right back at it the next day. Bottom line is I'm seeing results externally and internally. When I look in the mirror my face looks thinner, almost withdrawn versus how it's been for 25 years. My paunch is less paunchy. At the same time my once tree trunk legs are now looking lean and toned (well except the Popeye calves) which I'm not sure I like but hopefully being back to weight training will solve that issue. Most importantly the numbers that matter are improving. As of today, May 1 2013, my blood pressure is 125/75  with a resting bpm of 86 versus 140/89 with a resting bpm of 106. My fasting blood sugar has been mostly sub 110 and never higher then 130 for over a month now (versus 220-240 in February) and my weight is 208 versus 234. So yeah, I'm getting there but I have a long way to go. Healthy is more important then looking good so I wouldn't anticipate any shirtless "before and after" pictures ever! I have no idea where it will lead and lord knows I wouldn't be the first person to talk about all this stuff then fall on his face but I feel like I'm off to a good start

We'll wrap this up next time with how using my iPhone for more then Words With Friends has been the key to my early success