Power Outage

I admit that over the last 3 years I’ve gotten used to my more streamlined, leaner, “ropy”, more vascular physique. I’ve gotten used to my better condition and more practical, real world strength. What I haven’t gotten used to is the loss of the raw power I once possessed. I know to many this may seem a silly thing to miss but it was a huge part of my life for over 25 years. It was a sacrifice that was necessary at the time but one I’m starting to rethink

As a skinny, physically weak kid, when I first discovered weight training it was just something I took to and excelled with. Within a few years I got stronger and stronger. I continued to get stronger right up through my mid-30’s. And I was strong. How strong? Well at 36 I could benchpress sets of 315, 365 and 405 lbs and a one time max of 485 lbs. This was all without special shirts, braces, trusses or use of PED’s. Yea, I was that strong. And as I didn’t have the kind of physique that screamed strong I used to draw disbelieving looks at the gym. It was empowering. It stoked my ego and raised my self-esteem. But there was a downside...

The first problem was a lifetime of powerlifting took its toll on my joints having surgeries to repair both shoulders and one knee. Worse yet is there was always a link to my power and my weight. This is pretty much true in all cases. When I was at peak strength I was around 260 lbs at 5’9” which is way, way too heavy. As I crept into my 40’s my body was hurting and my workouts slowing down but I was still stronger then nearly anyone else I know. Then the shit hit the fan

Most of you know the story by now but in a nutshell after the physical from hell I made the decision to get healthier to help control diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. In the course of losing 50 lbs one of the sacrifices I made was to give up powerlifting in favor of more cardio and bodyweight exercises. This was both because I was physically beat up and because of my propensity for gaining weight with strength. I was and am happy with the gains (and losses) I’ve made and that should have been enough…but it’s not

I’ve been fairly heathy outside some minor elbow tendonitis and have maintained 185 lbs for almost 3 years now so I decided for my 50th year on earth I will slowly start amping up my strength again…but with a couple of caveats. 1) that I maintain a weight of no more then 195 lbs and 2) if the toll it takes on my joints prevents me from getting in my cardio I stop. I don’t have an immediate goal but the benchmark will be in benchpress which was always my defining lift. 3 years ago I could still bench 315 lbs several times at 245 lbs bodyweight. I’m nowhere close to that currently so I think that’ll be my mark. Or not

I don’t expect 99% of you to understand why this is important to me. It simply is. I should be more proud that I can do 15 pull-ups and 50 plus pushups and free squats, but I’m not. I always knew that the day I was no longer the strongest guy at the gym was coming and I was ready for that. But I know there is a compromise out there somewhere. I just hope I’m mature enough at this point to know where the tipping point is and don’t go past it.

Anyway I’m not sure this is the kind of thing I’ll be updating but more something I really just wanted to talk about “out loud”. Thanks for listening

The Walk Of Life!

So about 2 years ago when I made the decision to lose weight and get in better shape I weighed my options as to which form of cardio exercise would be most effective to get the job done. I considered running as I truly loved running back in the day. Unfortunately a life of doing heavy squats at the gym (be wary all you Cross Fitters) and walking around at too high a weight combined with my particular physiology left my knees and calves in too much pain to run regularly. Next I considered the machines at the gym (elliptical, treadmill, etc) but honestly I just got bored too easily on those. After talking to my diabetic nurse and reading up on the benefits of daily steps I settled on walking. I started in earnest on a path of at least 10,000 steps a day on March 17th 2013 and haven't stopped since. While it takes a little more time then running or cycling, walking is very low impact, good for the circulation and will certainly burn calories. It's an activity you can do every day as there is not the wear and tear and recovery period of more high impact exercise. All that said there are some tricks of the trade to a successful walking regime. I'll try and summarize as briefly as possible what I've done for the past 2 years and hope this helps you

Get Good Footwear- This is essential. Get a good pair of walking or (as in my case) running shoes. Go to a legit store and ask questions. You want something that works with your particular gait and with the amount of motion control and cushioning you need. These shoes should be uni-taskers used solely for your walking routine and not every day shoes. The better the footwear the less the chances of pain or injury. I would also recommend a good set of insoles (I use SuperFeet) and a waterproof alternative for wet conditions (see next section). I prefer hiking boots for this. Lastly, especially if you're walking on asphalt or concrete, change your shoes frequently. I probably spent on the upside of $400 from 2014 to today on good Asics running shoes as I get a weird wear pattern and when my shoes are done my body tells me and I just replace them. It's money well spent. This is really all you need to get started to for continued success, read on

Dress For Success- Dress practically and for the weather for your daily walks. I start every morning by checking the weather app on my phone and dress accordingly. I have accumulated a bunch of athletic clothing for every weather condition. This way I have no excuses. Some essentials for me are-

• Under Armour Storm Gear hoodie- Warm without being too heavy and water resistant
• Compression shorts/leggings for under shorts/pants- helps prevent chaffing, wicks moisture
• Waterproof shoes and Goretex raincoat.- Rain is not an excuse not to walk
• Hats, gloves, long underwear- Cold is not an excuse for not walking. Layers is the secret to braving the coldest mornings/days
• Reflective vest/L.E.D.- For those times you find yourself walking in the dark 

I always prepare myself for whatever condition and often carry a backpack with extra clothing or to stow unneeded clothing as I go

Walk With A Purpose- (OK I stole this term from Mr McMahon of WWE fame) So just getting out there and moving is a great start. However if walking is going to be your choice for cardio you're going to have to do a bit more then meander. This means setting a pace that can raise your heart rate to at least  the "fat burning" zone for a sustained period of time. So how do you know what this pace is to sustain this? Well you can buy a heart rate monitor like I did and you'll know. Or you can use the GPS function on any number of apps to estimate. I've found for my age, weight, etc I try and achieve about 17 minute miles or less. I find the easiest way to achieve the calorie burn you're looking for is have a set distance for exercise and get that in with as few stops or slow downs as possible. If you want to extend the walk and stop along the way of coffee or shopping etc that's all good as it's all gravy after that. I don't have the fastest walking pace nor the slowest but it's consistent for the length of my walk. Anything other then walking at a decent pace you want to do from there like the whole pumping the arms thing or wearing wrist or ankle weights (been there, done that) is all up to you

One Is The Loneliest Number- At the end of the day walking for cardio exercise is a solo endeavor. It just is. If partnering up is the only way you'll do it then fine but otherwise you're better off alone. Think about it- if you are walking to get yourself in better physical shape then you need to go at YOUR pace, not be slowing down or hurrying up to be at another persons pace. This goes double for walking with the dog. From an exercise standpoint the dog ends up walking you more then you the dog. Sorry, running with the dog, maybe, walking with the dog, nope. Now you CAN have your cake and eat it too if you set aside time for your exercise THEN supplement it with a walk with a friend or a canine companion. As I said above, that's all gravy

Find Your Groove- Walking tends to take twice as long as equivalent running or 3 times as long as equivalent biking so find what makes the time most enjoyable. If you prefer the sounds of your environs more power to you. If putting on your headphones and cranking the tunes works, go for it. I've done both of those but I finally settled on audio books. It keeps my mind occupied and while not technically "reading" it allowed me to regain some of the reading time I lost  when I changed the way I ran my life. But really you need to find what works for you

Location, location, location- Living in Cambridge I've learned to love and prefer city walking. I love the sights, the sounds, the scents of an active city. It also allows me to just step out the door and get started. I have 2, 3 and 4 mile loops and in the case of cutting short I can simply turn around or take 3 right hand turns and be back home. I also have a few hikes and a few more scenic walks I enjoy but as they require driving to walk I reserve these for my days off. I also have the huge option of walking to and from work when time allows (4.1 miles each way). Again, find what works for you but also the most excuse free option which in most cases are the ones close to home

OK, so there you have it, my guide to a successful walking routine. I didn't mention hydration at all as you need to know your own body and it's needs. I own hydration packs, hydration belts, reusable bottles etc but I personally only use them if I'm going out in the most extreme temperatures at the height of the day or going somewhere where finding water is not an option. I usually start drinking water as soon as I wake up and start most mornings with a homemade juice so I don't worry much about hydration on an hour and ten minute walk but that's up to you. I think walking is the perfect cardio exercise and no matter what else I get into fitness-wise it will remain my constant until for some reason I'm physically incapable of doing it any longer

Two Years Later

Sept 2012

This March 2015 marks 2 years since I made the decision to get healthier. There are several blogs herein that gives the whole long, long story so if you need the long version please go back and read. I'll wait...The Reader's Digest version is at 46 years old my blood sugar was out of control despite medication and my cholesterol and blood pressure were also skyrocketing. I was at least 40 lbs overweight at 235 lbs at 5' 9" tall (and having been as heavy as 297 in my life). After serious soul searching I made the decision to lose weight and take better care of myself. I wanted to lose 20 lbs and ended up losing more then 50 lbs getting down as low as 179 lbs in about a year. After the year I switched it up and became less about losing weight and more about maintaining weight and getting back to the level of muscularity I was used to sans the excess weight. All the while the

March 2015

health being the most important factor (blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol). My primary tools to accomplish this were getting at least 10,000 steps a day tracking with my Fitbit and netting below 2000 calories a day logging food on MyFitnessPal. After one year I had cut my glucose A1C (the measuring stick for blood sugar over an extended period as opposed to daily readings) and my blood pressure and cholesterol were normal although the doctor thought it wise to keep me on meds for the time being as I had no adverse effects from them. At this point I declared Rich O 2.0 (the lame nickname I had given the "new" me) dead as that phase had gone as far as it could and I entered phase Rich O 2.1 (also lame) (AS of this writing my glucose A1C is "normal" (below 5.6) for the first time in 13 years!!)

So what changed? Well I was certainly happy with my vitals and my new streamlined look but I've been used to a certain level of muscularity my entire adult life much of which I'd lost as during the bulk of my weight crashing I had developed elbow tendinitis (tennis elbow, go figure) so I hadn't been strength training much. As soon as I was healthy I went back to weights 3 times a week at the gym. Sadly the weight loss and having beat my joints for so long meant that a lot of the power was gone. But I didn't care. Lean, functional muscle was what I was looking for. I also continued my daily calisthenics and body weight exercises switching off from  pull ups, push ups and squats to TRX
 exercises to dips and back again. Always changing it up. And I noticed a big difference. I also worked my core. Hard! At
least 6 days a week a put in exercise for my core and abs. Knee raises, yoga ball crunches, ab wheel, etc etc. And it's made a huge difference. My whole middle of my body feels so much stronger and looks much different. If you strain your eyes you can see visible abs below the lingering layer of flab, something I didn't have even in my 20's. When I look in the mirror I see the thick bulk of my power lifting days replaced by definition, my upper body more of a "V" shape and my legs from think tree trunks to ripped up looking. Now problem areas still exist like my lower belly and lower pecs. I'm not sure that without cutting more fat out of my diet if these will ever go away and I  am not sure I care. I kind of feel like this is how I always wanted to look in my minds eye (probably a little more mass then this but whatever) and am generally happy. While I'll never be "beach body" ready I feel now more like an athlete going soft as opposed to an out of shape guy trying to get into shape. I can live with that

As far as cardio goes I just kept on my path striving for 10,000 steps a day minimum and averaging about 16,000-17,000. Walking is still my primary means but this past winter forced me to change things up as the snow made walking all but impossible and at the least very unpleasant all to often. I used my exercise bike a lot but as I was still focused on steps first and all around cardio second I
 came up with new things. Like walking/marching/jogging in place. And going up and down the stairs in my building. And old school step aerobic inspired exercises. I also added heavy bag training as more a cardio burn then for steps. I don't really know what I'm doing but it certainly gets the heart pounding. Believe it or not I even started using the Kinect games on my Xbox like Boxing and Your Fitness Evolved on days I was trapped inside. Of course there's always the elliptical and treadmill at the gym. I tried running for a bit but it was just too much on my knees and calves so I went back to walking. I credit the constant, low impact cardio as the most important part of my fitness regime and am most proud to have hit my goal of at least 10,000 steps a day every single day for more then 2 years now! My pocket carried Fitbit One is showing signs of wear and tear and may need replacing but it's all money wells spent

Food wise I've made changes both on the plus and the minus side. On the plus side I continued with the big, protein filled breakfasts, medium protein filled lunch and small protein filled dinner. My meals are better balanced with every meals featuring carbs, proteins, dairy and fruits/veggies. I've consumed more broccoli, asparagus, egg whites/egg substitute and romaine lettuce then I thought possible. I've worked a lot of whole grains and "super foods into my diet like chia, cacao nib, and quinoa. While breads and potatoes are still a part of my life rice and pasta are a rare treat. I've also worked juicing more into my morning routine alternating with smoothies. I like the smoothies but as I use them as supplemental and not meal replacement the calorie count can get pretty high. Overall I think my "normal" eating habits are very sensible and I probably kept under my calorie goal (2 years straight of logging in to MyFitnessPal) 340-350 days last year. On the minus end I let the foot off the gas a bit as I decided to "live life". No more skipping pizza and beer night with friends or whatever. On days where I know I'm going to be "bad" I try my best to adjust my other meals and put more work in. It doesn't always work out but I always try to make it work. And if it doesn't, oh well. I simply won't let myself fall back into old bad habits and I'm secure enough in how things are that one or two bad days will not undo all the good I've done the past 2 years

So, 2 years later, has my life changed? Well, yes. And No. I feel better for sure. And I feel better about myself. I haven't really been sick since I started this new regime (keep in mind colds are not sick in my world). I haven't really changed much in how I act or how I dress (tho I will admit an affinity for compression fit Under Armour shirts at the gym which I would have never worn before). Sadly unlike in the movies and TV our protagonist losing weight does not suddenly make him/her irresistible to the opposite sex (dammit) but other then that I definitely feel less self-conscious about my appearance then at any point since my 20's. I feel accomplished as I feel like (for now) I dodged a huge bullet and did something about it. The downside? Well there's a lot of sacrifice. Exercising when you don't feel like it. Or you're tired. Or sick. Or hungover. Or on vacation. Skipping dessert and making smarter choices. Giving up some of your favorite foods. And there's the cost involved. Eating better in my experience costs more (cutting out processed food for fresh is a big part). And the time to prep your meals. I don't sit down after work until almost 9:30 by the time I'm done working out, making dinner and prepping  the next days breakfast and lunch. And clothes.Dear lord I've gone through clothes. In my jeans drawer alone I have 36", 34", 33" and 32" as I'm struggling to find the balance tween fit and comfort (ok, the 36" were from last year I just can't get rid of them yet as a veteran of the weight loss wars. And the compliments. I'm not one comfortable with compliments and usually deflect them with self-deprecating humor. And the disbelief. I've gone through everything from people thinking I'm sick or worse to people not believing I've weighed almost 300 lbs and most recently 240 lbs. But those are all minor quibbles in the overall scheme of things

I'm not "proud" of what I've done as if I had pride to start with I wouldn't have let myself fall so far. I do feel accomplished and somewhat satisfied. And I'm always willing to give what advice I can give. I'll end this with what of said all along- find what works for you but make a choice you can stick with, not a quick fix. End of the day it's all about diet and exercise and that will never change

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.

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

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

Rich O 2.0 Part 1- How We Got Here (Or How Getting The Shingles Changed My Life And I Never Had A Chance To Thank Them)

OK, I admit it, I'm not nearly as smart as I think I am. Oh, I'm not stupid, I'm just not smart. Well, at least not when it comes to taking care of myself. I'm 46 years old, Type 2 diabetic and have been overweight most of the latter part of my adult life. Ironically, I never get sick hence I rarely end up at the doctors. This past February I developed a painful rash in the middle of my back and from a discussion with someone who had been thru it before determined it was shingles. So I did something out of the ordinary- I went to the doctor. OK, actually it was a nurse practitioner which was cool as my primary is kind of a tool. She confirms it's shingles and prescribes an anti-viral. As I get up to leave she informs me it's been nearly 3 years since my last physical!! I agree she's correct and, based on a pact I made with a friend, I consent to come in for a physical. Long story short- height 5'9', weight 234 lbs (actually down over the last few years but still), blood sugar A1C was in the range of 11 when it should be lower then a 6, blood pressure was 140/89 with a resting bpm of 106 and my cholesterol was borderline high but as a diabetic, too high. By the grace of God I hadn't done any damage to my internal organs but still, yikes. So she upped my diabetes med, put me on something for the cholesterol and high blood pressure and sent me on my merry way and told to come back in 6 weeks. Wake up call #3. Something had to be done so I...wait, I'm getting ahead of myself. Just how the hell did I get here?? Glad you asked...

Growing up I was small, thin, and physically not very strong. Maybe what you'd call a late bloomer. Somewhere around the summer of between 7th and 8th grade 2 things happened. I started filling out and I discovered weight lifting. Becoming the strongest I could be became an  obsession. I never cared about a body builders physique just raw power. The high school gym wasn't enough anymore so I saved my money and joined Mike's gym (calling it a shit hole would be an insult to actual shit holes) and learned a lot more about serious strength training. I graduated from high school around a solid 200 lbs with a bench press of around 325 lbs. In college I threw the hammer on the track team but was far and away the smallest guy there at around 210 lbs. The coach and his star athlete were both heavy into performance enhancing drugs which was something I would never consider. I did learn good strength training from the experience and by the time I graduated I was around 225 lbs and had a bench press (always my best lift so its my best point of reference) of around 375 lbs. In my 20's I fluctuated from a lean 185 to a stocky 250 all the while only being concerned with being the strongest guy in the gym. Somewhere around 1996 I blew out my knee playing touch football and needed surgery. It turns out I hadn't had a physical since my college entrance physical in 1984 (I'm serious)!! I get on the scale and to my horror I'm 297 lbs!!!!! I never would have guessed as I always thought I had that 1960's wrestler/tight end sort of look; big chest, big belly, short thick arms. But really? 300 lbs?? Wake up call #1

Flash forward a few years. Now in my early 30's walking around at a "trim" 265 lbs. Still healthy, still stronger then most guys 10 years my junior peaking at a 485 gym lift bench press. Then it all started unraveling. Chronic issues with both shoulders cropped up and I started training down. In 2003 2 things happened (things tend to happen in pairs for me). I moved out on my own for the first time ever and I completely tore my right shoulder rotator cuff. I didn't know how to cook so eating healthy wasn't a priority and as I had moved a stones throw from a dozen bars...well, enough said. Much like with the knee when I went to have should surgery it turns out my last physical had been that now infamous 297 lb physical in 1996!! Ugh. So I have surgery, get the physical and await the results which don't come. A couple months later, out of curiosity, I call and ask what happened and they tell me it slipped thru the cracks. One night, coming home from the bar, I check my mail and there's the results. I call my older sister and ask what blood sugar in the 200's means?? She tells me I'm diabetic and call the doctor right away!! I'm not going to lie, I cried a lot that night. Thinking about everything I would have to give up was crushing to me. Wake up call #2

Well the diabetic thing wasn't the end of my life. I got meds, changed my diet, found an interest in cooking and lived a slightly healthier lifestyle. At this point I was around 240-245 lbs. I checked my blood levels, watched what I ate etc etc etc. All seemed well as I still hadn't had one tell-tale symptom. As my cooking and baking skills improved my healthier eating backslid and I started eating like a non-diabetic. I mean, I took my meds and I felt great. At the same time my wear and tear injuries started accumulating and getting to the gym to train became more and more a chore and going just for cardio was almost unthinkable. I got into a prolonged slump. My hours at work changed to going in an hour later and working an hour later at night. This was the perfect time for a fresh start of fitness and activity in the morning! Well, that didn't happen. Worse yet trying to get to the gym after 7:00 at night just wasn't happening.  As irony would have it I was the walking around the lightest I'd been in more of a decade but lying just below the surface I was in bad shape

So that brings us back to where this tale started. I was guilty of the Deadly sins of both gluttony and sloth and that had to change...but that's for next time