4XLT

I started my new job this week, so things have been pretty busy. I won’t say they’ve been crazy, as I think I’m adjusting to my new schedule pretty well. However, part of that adjusting has been finding time to blog. So, in the spirit of 4XLT being a free-wheeling personal blog first and foremost, I’ve got some random thoughts and commentary to share with you!

1: Give Up a Little and Lose a Lot

Monday night, I ate dinner really late with a friend. To compound the problem, I ate very poorly. Burger. Fries. Chips & black bean dip. However, I had been eating well for the better part of the weekend, and didn’t think it would hurt me much.

I was wrong.

I woke up the next morning a full four pounds heavier! I went from a mid 333 on Monday to a low 338 Tuesday morning. Needless to say, I’m pretty pissed at myself for my moment of mental weakness. Three days later, this morning I weighed in at an even 335.0.

These series of yo-yo weigh ins have killed me in the 330s. I can talk the talk, but now I need to walk the walk. That’s the bottom line.

2. Tug of War Was a Bad Choice

I’ve been going hard at the gym lately. Consistent weight training while focusing on my squats and power cleans has been a good return to form for me. I’ve been attacking my cardio with a combo of rowing, HIIT on the elipticals, and steady state on the bike.

All that to say that my gym time has been priority number one lately (as it should be).

With my weak right ankle and consistently unreliable right knee, why would I risk playing tug of war at a picnic? Call it stupid male ego, and be done with it, I suppose. But as I’m more of a lumbering giant than more nimble type, the tug of war is about the only game I can compete in. I’ve got to show up and make a statement, right?

Bad idea, as my team was the underdogs (I was the only strong guy on the team with several smaller girls). As we were getting yanked nearly over the line, I posted my right leg, sat back, and begin to find that happy place I go to when rowing at the gym.

Too bad we went over the line. My upper body did, too, but my leg stayed stoutly planted in the ground.

I went down grimacing and needed help standing. My knee and my ankle were both pretty banged up. My knee’s much better, but my ankle still hurts and is sore at the end of the day.

And so, I’ve blown my opportunity for a top flight work out at the gym by being unable to do cardio AND my big, leg-centric lifts (squats and power cleans) by having a bum leg.

Stupid move, Will.

3. What’s Up with My Arm?

I can see the curve of my bicep! It’s not much, but after being both weak and fat for so long, this is a welcome change! And, while catching my breathe in between my bicep/dips superset at the gym earlier this week, I noticed my delts (shoulders) are a lot more noticeable now.

That’s cool, for no other reason that being vain.

4. My Name is Robert Paulson

(Watch Fight Club if you’re not familiar with Bob Paulson)

I’m still fat. Really fat. With a long ways to go. And for whatever reason, I seem to be noticing that certain parts of my anatomy are dropping down in size a lot quicker than others.

For example: my gut. It’s shrinking, and that’s great. But slightly to the north, things seem as.. prominent.. as ever. Damn man boobs. They’ve ever been the single thing I’m most conscious about. Well, more weight loss is all I can do, right?

5. Eating Right at Work is Completely Doable

I think that keeping the nutrition strong and healthy while at my new job is going to be 100% doable – and easy. Why? The structure of my work day looks like it will play a big role.

In fact, the overwhelming change in my day-to-day life in to a rigid, organized schedule at a corporate job and away from the much, MUCH looser self-employed / nonprofit work I’ve been doing for the past three years looks like it will favor me in a number of ways.

I’ll be able to establish a routine of life (and eating and working out and sleeping) that will help me create a happy of healthy eating and such as the weeks move on.

I’m looking forward to how this plays itself out.

6. The Seahawks Got Roughed Up in a Gang Fight

My Hawks have been dropping like flies do to all the injuries over the past couple of weeks, and the past few days are no different. Seattle has an early bye this year (Week 4), and the next two games (San Francisco and St. Louis) should be much easier than last week’s versus the Bills.

If the Hawks can make it to the bye in three weeks and get healthy, we might have a decent shot in the playoffs, but I’m waiting to see how we fare against the Giants in Week 5 before making my decision about the season.

At any rate, the NFL is back and that makes me oh so very happy.

The trick for me is finally finding a cool place to watch it on Sunday afternoons.