Day 9 - the Feast

I weighed in at 160.6 pounds this morning. I am realizing more and more how bad it is that I go through most of the day without eating much food, then pound it down in the evening. You should have seen how much tri-tip, chicken, mashed potatoes, vegetables, and pie I ate for dinner. It was an insane amount of food. If only I could eat that way at breakfast, then be tapering off toward the evening. I think that it's habit at this point - all psychological. I am going to work on that.

Short exercise today:

• 100 squats
• 100 sit-ups
• 80 push-ups (1X34, 1X26, 1X20) - I was just too tired to pound out the last set of 20

Today my wife and I took communion together, and prayed together. I read from Hebrews 11 about great men of faith. Signing off for now - it's really late.

Tomorrow should be another 10 laps day.

Day 8 - Skittles Brought Me to My Demise!

Confessional: I cheated again today. Last time it was with pizza. This, now my second time, was Skittles. I took my son to the movies today and bought us popcorn and Skittles. He and I were sharing the Skittles, innocently, until I remembered that I'm not supposed to be eating candy. The bag was about 1/3 of the way gone, and I knew I couldn't give the rest to him or he'd be sick. So, I tried to keep the rest in my pocket, but I failed. He and I finished the rest together. I am doing so great on this journey in all other ways, but I have now failed twice with food, in the first 8 days. Let's see if I can do better in this area.

This morning I weighed in at 160.2 pounds.

Short workout today:

• 100 push-ups (5X20)
• 40 bicep curls -40 lb. bar- (4X10)

Read from Psalms today.

Psalm 130
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord;
O Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive
to my cry for mercy.

If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins,
O Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness;
therefore you are feared.

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits;
and in his word I put my hope.
My soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.

O Israel, put your hope in the Lord,
for with the Lord is unfailing love
and with him is full redemption.
He himself will redeem Israel
from all their sins.

No matter how hard we try, we cannot push the Lord away. We sin, and he is still there. I cannot help but to cry out his name. My soul waits to hear his reply. He will hear my call.

Day 7

One week down! I have been enjoying how I feel and looking forward to exercise.

Today I weighed in at 160.6 lbs.

Today's run was rough. I did 1o laps again. I thought I was in a groove, in that I would jog the first 6 laps, then run real hard laps 7 and 8, then walk the last two laps for cool down. That didn't work today. I was pushing hard just to keep moving on laps 7 and 8, but I did it, and it felt good.

As far as vegetables go for today, well, I'm on the fence on that one. I had 2 pickles with lunch, and another with dinner. They are cucumbers (which are a vegetable, right?) but my wife says all the nutrition is probably sucked out of them in the pickling process (I think she might be on to something). So, I'll eat a couple of carrots before bed, I promise.

This evening I was reading some stuff from 1 Corinthians.

"...those who buy something, (should live) as if it were not theirs to keep;
those who use the things of this world, (should live) as if not engrossed in them.
For this world in its present form is passing away."

Then from Isaiah 31,

"Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help,
who rely on horses,
who trust in the multitude of their chariots
and in the great strength of their horsemen,
but do not look to the Holy One of Israel,
or seek help from the Lord."

We too often rely on the things of this world, or depend on our own strength or the strength of those around us, when we need to lean into God. This will all pass away, our possessions that we engross ourselves in, our strength, will not matter in the end. Let's you and me commit together to look to the Holy One of Israel, to seek help from the Lord, to turn our eyes to him, rather than to this world and the things that are passing away.

Day 6 - brussels sprouts

Today I tried brussels sprouts for the first time. I was able to stomach the first two, but barely made it to the trash can to spit out my third. I had a salad loaded with greens to make up for it. Thanks, Wifey, for roasting them even though I couldn't take it.

Today's workout felt more difficult, but I still enjoyed it:

• 100 sit-ups
• 100 squats
• 60 push-ups (3X20)
• 45 bicep curls (3X15) - 30 lb. bar

Great insights from reading 1 Corinthians today. God has given us our bodies, and as we give them back to him, for his use, for his purposes, for his design, for his kingdom, that's when freedom is released. We so often think that this Christian walk is restrictive; yet it is through getting to know Christ, drawing close to Him, surrendering all, that true freedom comes.

Day 5 - Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving. I know that as I am off work for a few days now, and for an extended time closer to Christmas, this routine is going to be much more difficult to maintain.

I weighed 160.6 pounds this morning. Did a short workout while watching Sesame Street with my kids. I love being at home with my kids.

• 45 push-ups (3X15) - might do more later
• 45 bicep curls (3X15) - 30 lbs. barbell
• 100 sit-ups
• 30 dips (2X15)

Read from Isaiah 61 today. "I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness."

Day 4

On day 4 of my 100 day journey, and I feel great. Exercising is always difficult to start, but once I get going I am enjoying it, even though I'm sore and tired. I enjoy working through the soreness.

This morning I weighed 159.0 pounds. I ate carrots and broccoli today, and drank 2 protein shakes. They are vanilla flavored and they taste like garbage, but I think I can stomach 1 per day.

I charted my diet for Flex Milligan a few months ago, and he found that I don't get enough protein in my diet. He also found that I don't eat enough in general. On most weekdays I consume most of my calories between 3pm and 10pm. I don't stop to eat during the day. So that's something else I am going to work on. Today around 4pm I crashed. I felt horrible. My head was pounding and I was exhausted. I ate a ton of food, then felt a little better. I ate more food an hour and a half later, then felt great. I realized that I had hardly ate anything all day.

This evening I had a short but solid workout:

• 100 sit-ups
• 75 push-ups (3X20, 1X15)
• 40 bicep curls (4X10) on a 30 lb. bar

Great insight from Philippians 4:8
"Finally, brothers,
whatever is true,
whatever is noble,
whatever is right,
whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable -
if anything is excellent
or praiseworthy -
think about such things."

What we allow ourselves to think about dictates our words and actions. It's funny to think that something as small as a thought has that much power. Controlling our thoughts will determine who we become.

Day 3

This morning I weighed in at 158.0 lbs. I ate a salad for lunch, and steamed vegetables for dinner.

I ran 10 laps around the block (which I estimate to be about 4 1/2 miles, but I'll drive it soon to be sure), and did 100 push-ups. I was really tired, but was motivated by an earlier failure. But, my faithful readers, as in all failure in life, when we allow ourselves to consider our wrongs and make them right, we are grown and transformed.

Today I Ate Pizza

I know pizza wasn't on my naughty list, but white bread was. I would love to say that I started eating the pizza not realizing what I was doing - that I was consuming white bread - but, my faithful readers, that would not be true. It was premeditated. I considered hiding it, but decided to use it as an example of my integrity to you all. I will be honest about my failures and my successes during this 100 day journey. One success is that I began eating a roll (white bread) with dinner and quickly realized what I was doing, and put it down. There is definitely going to be some training in the process.

Eating the pizza today encouraged me during my run, so one failure led to a great success. Such is life; such is the Christian journey. We stumble and fall, sin and cause pain, yet God will lift us up, and if we listen and follow, He will transform us into beings more like Him each day.

Today I read from the Psalms:
"Those who sow in tears
will reap with songs of joy.
He who goes out weeping,
carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
carrying sheaves with him."

Although my setback was minor (in the grand scheme of things eating some pizza is no big deal), God has given me much joy tonight, with the promise that we, his followers, will always, ultimately, return with songs of joy, carrying in the harvest of our lives, as we learn to follow and obey.

Day 2 - Pressing on Toward the Goal

This morning I weighed in at 160.6 lbs. I ate a barbeque chicken salad (lots of veggies) and did:

• 100 squats
• 100 sit-ups
• 50 push-ups

I sweated just during the 100 squats alone. My legs feel like jello. I have been stretching a bit today and yesterday, and hope to continue that too as I go.

I also read my Bible this evening, which is one of my goals. I revisited a passage that I have visited many times in the past month or so: "...I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me." (Philippians 3:12). The commentary in my Bible talks about our goal of knowing Christ and becoming more like him absorbing all our energy - like an athlete in training we are to not allow anything to take our eyes off the goal. We must put aside anything harmful and forsake all that distracts us from achieving our goal - to become more like Christ.

The commentary then asks: "What is holding you back?" The first thing that popped into my mind is lack of discipline. God has gifted me in so many ways and so badly wants me to know him more. It's my lack of discipline that keeps us apart. I am so thankful to have spending time in the Word as one of my fitness goals, as my spiritual fitness is most important.

• For what did Christ Jesus take hold of me? To become more like him.
• What does that mean for me? I have a hunch that the next 100 days will reveal.
  

Day 1

I decided to start my 100 days of sweat at around 8:30 pm, after eating like a pig at dinner and then enjoying a large portion of dessert. So, although I did sweat today, I consumed ice cream (my last portion for the next 100 days).

This morning I weighed 162.2 lbs.
I jogged around the block 10 times.
I ate lots of salad (at lunch and at dinner).

I'll get more into the groove tomorrow, since it's already 10:42 and way past bedtime.

Intro to 100 Days of Sweat

I am not a fat man, by any means. I do think about my health, though, and often. A recent episode of "out of breath and sweaty" with minimal effort got me thinking - I don't often sweat. As I hang out with Flex Milligan and Lost 40 Johnson, I am inspired to not just be thin, but to be healthy - to have strong solid muscles, a healthy heart, a natural diet.

After much thinking and not a lot of doing, I have decided to begin a fitness program tailored to me. I don't have a lot of time, nor am I willing to make this a high enough priority to join a gym, take time away from my family, or invest in any equipment. What I do have time for - is to sweat.

So, I hereby set out to sweat. That's my goal - to sweat once a day, everyday, for the next 100 days. I have no mileage goals, nor do I have to sweat each day for a certain amount of time. I don't have to be able to bench 200 or have a low body fat percentage when I am done. Those types of goals may be in my future, but right now what will work is this one goal. Activities are open: skateboarding, run or jog, ride a bike, shag balls for the baseball team, soccer, the options are endless.

As I commit to sweating each day, I also commit to the following dietary guidelines. I will consume no:

• ice cream
• candy
• french fries
• chips
• crackers
• white bread
• soda

To sum up, here's what I'm going to do for the next 100 days:

1. weigh myself each morning and post daily
2. Sweat each day
3. Follow the food restrictions above
4. Eat at least one serving of vegetables daily
5. Take the physical fitness test once per week (http://www.adultfitnesstest.org/)
6. Read my Bible daily

So, off I go on my challenge.