www.lovehandlesall.com

30 Days until 30 (also, one day left to vote)

The world celebrated Valentine's Day yesterday. A friend of mine calls it Singles Awareness Day. But that was yesterday thirty-one days away from my birthday.

This life's journey is always full of surprises. I used to hate the unknown. We fear what we do not know when we should embrace the ambiguity the unknown presents. I would have never expected twenty months and three days ago, the date of my surgery, that my neck size would be too small for to find shirts that fit my neck and arms. Twenty months ago, my neck was nine inches larger. Who knew then that I would be able to burn 700 calories five times this week doing aerobic workouts? Definitely not me. I could barely walk upstairs to my bedroom without experiencing pain in my legs or back. I ate so much food twenty months ago that my bowels began moving the moment my car pulled into the garage. I had to race to reach the bathroom. I ate so much food incontinence was my constant companion. Twenty months ago, the good folks at Southwest Airlines humiliated me by making me buy an extra seat due to my size. It did not matter that the flights were not full. According to Oscar, at the Austin Airport, this was for my "safety and comfort." My humiliation on those two flights began my downward spiral to bottom. That humiliation cost Southwest Airlines over 200 legs flown on their competition. I am grateful to Oscar. He was doing his job and remained empathetic. Although, it was a horrible thing to do a person. How much business has that cost Southwest. This was part of my journey twenty months ago that helped me get to bottom.

Today, marks thirty days from my thirtieth birthday. Makes sense today is a Thursday. I was born on a Thursday minutes after midnight. What is different today than two years ago? A million and one better choices. I went to sleep and woke up at normal times. Went to a sensible lunch with a friend. Worked hard at work. Reconnected with an old friend, John at Running Fit in Ann Arbor (www.runningfit.com). Sweated and worked my tail off this evening at RPM class. I want to get a shirt made that says RPM Masochist. The instructors can wear shirts that RPM Sadists. We are willing participants. This was my third workout of the week with three more scheduled. I exercised more this week than I did all year two years ago or three years ago. More than in the five years prior to my surgery. Reaching thirty is a milestone I was not sure I'd reach two years ago. According to realage.com my physiological age equals 19 years; ten years younger than I actually am. When I first took their test years ago, my physiological age was seven years older than my biological age. A million small decisions equal big results. Imagine what we could do if we all work together to achieve big results.

Help me celebrate my thirty day countdown by joining me in an RPM class sometime at Golds. Or go for a walk with your family. Start the Body for Life Challenge. Eat a piece of fruit instead pie. Eat something broiled instead fried. Make the first choice toward your one million better choices. They add up.

Friday is the final day to vote for the Most Eligible Bachelor in Central Texas.  Voting is your sovereign franchise to exercise. Thank for you for voting.

http://www.wacotrib.com/featr/content/features/bachelorvote.html

MS

Cooper Institute, continued & A lie I can no longer live...

I am living a lie. This lie has been a constant part of my life for years. Most people who know me politely ignore the lie when asked; it is fairly obvious. Honesty is a necessary component of my recovery from compulsive overeating. However, first things first...

Yesterday, I was too tired to write about my experience at the Cooper Institute at the Cooper Aerobics facility in Dallas. I was at Cooper to participate in VO2 Max test. The VO2 tests an individual's aerobic threshold providing a baseline to systematically train at the optimum level. What do they do: You either run on a treadmill or ride the exercise bike. With flabby skin around my belly running was out. I started off on the exercise bike accompanied by a medley of Axl Rose's best hits. How do they measure? You were a device on your head that captures your inhalation and exhalation. They clip your nose so no cheating and no grabbing the water bottle. This is just you and the bike on the toughest hill you will ever face. They also tested my lactate levels which began the whole process. Nothing like getting my skin pricked and seeing blood. I hate needles. Thank god that my obesity never manifested into diabetes. I hate needles. I would make one lousy junky.

The test began once a baseline blood draw established my beginning lactic acid levels. Stage's 1 & 2 lasted about 4 minutes total. Spinning, RPM, class paid off. I kept a steady cadence of roughly 95+ RPM. My lactic acid levels were checked during the interval of each stage while the testing team also verified how I felt (point on the chart 1=This is nothing...10=No more. Just get a bed and a margarita).

Just like any trip to the doc's this involved getting my weight and height. My weight's fluctuated between 185-193 since I purchased a digital scale. Damn the accuracy. My height is another matter. I have lived a lie. I am not the strapping 5'11" that I claim. No, I am actually 5' 9 1/4". It just isn't going to happen where I will ever be as tall as my father or brother. That's the lie I have been living.

The computer adds resistance following the transition of each stage. I ended up lasting about 18:30 minutes. Is this a long time or a short time? Who knows and who cares. My output was half of Lance Armstrong's! I am astonished. My resting heart rate is just as low as his -- even more astonished! I do know that I have come a long way in over eighteen months. According to Polar's Heart monitor chart I have gone from level 1 to a Level 5 out of 6 in terms of fitnes ability. I may not win any races but I will damn sure be competitive. That's winning in my book. I make time in my schedule to exercise nearly every day. Today was an exception. I attended a power yoga class last night after the VO2 test. Power Yoga calms me while providing a wonderful way to round out my training. I needed a day off. I am sore. A muscle cramp in my right quad woke me up early this morning. Yes, I am wimp. Another reason I am glad to be a man. I could not endure the agony of childbirth.

Now that I have the testing data from the VO2 coupled with an updated Resting Metabolic test, performed by Kim Wical earlier this week at Hillcrest, I know two great truths. VO2 = I know where I need to train to get better in shape while building more lean muscle. Resting Metabolic data lets me know just how many calories I need to consume daily. I was getting my protein in but my calorie intake was 600 -700 under what it needs to be. Remember, this is my journey and not medical advice for anyone else. I rely upon the expertise of various doctors, dietitians, and exercise physiologists to guide me.

This test was a touchstone. I do not have any immediate plans to run a 10k but I can at least train with that goal in mind. I am training for life. During my theater training, a voice teacher used this analogy to describe a diligent work ethic, "A friend of mine dances ballet. She is a master ballerina but every day she still does her bar routine. Every day. Holidays, vacations. Every day. She says that if she misses a day she can tell the difference. After two days, the dance company will notice. Three days, the audience." Exercise and diet are our ballet bar or piano scales. Pick your analogy.

A woman of stunning beauty was a member of the the VO2 testing team . My first reaction upon seeing her, "I am going to embarrass myself in front of this woman. She knows nothing about obesity or body issues." I immediately labeled her just as people used to label me when I was heavy. I owe her an apology for making this assumption. That assumption was where my mind was at the time. In that moment, my disease, my compulsive overeating, had me. She is nothing like I imagined and everything people hope to find in others: funny, charming, a good person. I am grateful to her and everyone else at Cooper for their support. I am also grateful to my RPM friends in Waco: Dave, Susan, Conan, Morgan, Ashley, and Amy. We all care about each other's success.

I need to remember the advice of another friend who told me that he lives by the premise that gossip stops at his lips. Just like gossip, bad thoughts/intentions need to stop with me before they start.

Two women I met at Cooper took time to look at my website. We talked about our shared experiences with weight, food, and overeating. One struggles with OA just like me. Another, has a tough time getting through her workouts. I struggle constantly with both. Taking helped. By adding someone else to our circle we gain more perspective. Bill W. was onto something. While I am a Friend of Ben & Jerry's, the AA premise is the root of Overeater's Anonymous.

The Waco Tribune ran a great article yesterday about the people's relationship with food. I encourage you to read Wendy Gragg's article (see link below).

Through sharing our experiences we endure.

Mark

http://www.cooperlabs.org/12.html

http://www.wacotrib.com/featr/content/features/stories/2007/01/23/01232007wacblweight.html

Cooper Institute

Underwent a fitness evaluation at Cooper Fitness. They, plus yoga this evening, wore me out. I will elaborate soon.

RPM/Weights/Power Yoga

Going to the gym is part of my daily routine. I attend RPM (Spinning) classes on a regular basis. My friend Dave, got me addicted to this class almost a year ago. The class rides for an hour in semi-darkness to various tracks of music while our instructor persuades us to challenge ourselves. I wear my heart monitor during classes. RPM delivers the most bang in cardio. I typically burn around 700 calories over a forty-five minute period while my pulse averages about 140+ BPM.

Weights are also another part of the routine. My equipment at home works well but does not offer the intensity of the equipment at Gold's. Champ, one of the instructors at the gym (call her Rock-star), gave me a break down of the various machine weights. Weights, just likes scales, do not  lie. I now have a much better grasp of what work needs to occur if I wish to attain my goals.

Attended my first yoga class in years. Most acting students have taken yoga, movement, Pilate's, Alexander, dance, and Tai Chi. When I was an actor, I took all of these classes. I vividly remember my first experience with serious yoga poses. Wesley Fata, a master teacher at Yale, told my summer class daily that "Our body doesn't lie. Your body is your temple." His mantra is the inspiration for several of the shirts in my store. Today was my first true yoga class in over eight years. I do not know how it happened, but my flexibility is greater now than ever before. Even with all my weight I remained limber. I have not made any effort to stretch regularly but have noticed a marked improvement in my flexibility. During class my mind kept racing back to that summer in New Haven and the following summer in Williamstown. I fought my body all those years ago. Today, when a pose was too difficult I just laughed, breathed, and let the pose and stretch find me.

My goals are relatively simple. Running is too difficult because of the flopping of some loose skin. Gross, but true. RPM pushes me to push myself. I remember not being able to finish my cycling merit badge. That memory propels me during every class. I could never really do pull-ups or push-ups. Then again, I never made the attempt to put in the work. It was my eleventh hour lazy way of expecting success without the work. What are your goals? My simple goals are aspects of larger life-ambitions. Each aspect builds upon the next part of the plan. I know now that the path toward my end results will most likely contain divergent routes than originally planned.

Body for Life: Day 4

Still feeling the effects of my Monday's upper body workout.

Today is a cardio day. I had a strong desire to sweat this afternoon so I went to a Spinning, RPM, class at the new Gold's Gym in Waco. Morgan class was fantastic tonight. We had a pretty full group. Spinning is a longer workout than BFL requires but I love it.

I wear a heart-rate monitor to maximize my cardio workouts keeping my pulse in the upper levels of my aerobic zone before going ana-aerobic. This philosophy of aerobic training is what helped Mark Allen capture six Ironman wins in Hawaii. Check his website for more information:

http://www.markallenonline.com/heartrate.asp

Body for Life Challenge: Day 1

This morning I began a new journey. I am attempting to compete in Bill Phillip's "Body for Life Challenge." I got up early to excercise. Today's workout demanded intense upper body work.

My arms were so sore I could barely lift them when I got into the shower. Success only comes before work in the dictionary.

One day down, only eighty-four days to go.