It's been a long time since I rock and rolled

Woke up to a disappointing 271.2 lbs this morning. I had a bad week of eating during Thanksgiving week, and this past weekend wasn't too great either. The holidays are always rough when it comes to eating. I just have to get through Christmas and New Year's, and I should be ok. The other problem is waking up and getting to the gym on time. Now that Old Man Winter has reared his ugly head, it's harder for me to crawl out of my nice warm bed and brave the harsh Wichita winters. I know, they're all a bunch of poor excuses, but this is the shit that's goes through my head in the mornings.

A few weeks ago I hurt my right knee. It's not a terrible injury, but I can tell it's slowing me down. It's been about 2 or 3 weeks, and while it feels much better, it's still not 100 percent. I can bend it in its normal direction, and it feels fine. If I put pressure on it from the side when I stretch, or if I twist it when I kick with my left leg, it hurts pretty badly. Just like the cold I had a little while ago, it's more annoying than anything else. I'm hoping that it will be back to normal next week, but who knows. I mean it's carrying around 270 lbs everyday.

Today was one of those days when I was late to the gym. Chris asked me if I wanted to stay a little late after class to make up for the time I missed, and I did. I'm glad he asked because I got to spar again today. It's been a long time since I last sparred, and even though I'm still not very good at it, I love it. I sparred with a guy named Jesus (pronounced Hay-soos). He's much taller and more experienced than I am. I didn't feel like I did very well against him. He landed more punches than I did, and that really pisses me off. His reach is so much longer than mine. Every time I tried to get inside his reach, he just hit me on the top of the head. That gets annoying real quick. When I'd throw my jabs, they had about 4 inches to go before they could make contact. Jesus would just come back with a hook and get me right in the head. Again - annoying real fast. There was one point when Jesus caught me with a straight jab right to my mouth. My head flew back, and I felt a snap, crackle, or maybe it was a pop in the back of my neck. I thought, "Oh, man, I'm gonna feel that in the morning." I can feel some of the soreness setting in all through my neck and shoulders now, but I feel like these are the dues that I have to pay to become a fighter. Chris has more confidence in my abilities than I do, so I feel like maybe I just need more time sparring until I have that confidence in myself.

When we were done, I drank about half my bottle of water. As I was doing that, I tasted a familiar, bitter taste in my mouth. I spit out my mouthguard, and sure enough, there was a pool of blood in my mouthguard. All the punches and kicks that I've taken in the cage didn't hurt my body as much as this hurt my ego. This motherfucker drew my blood, and I let him. I can't let that go. I may not have the skills yet to settle this little "blood feud," but this definitely lights a much needed fire under my ass.

The Facts of Life

I'll start with the good news first. I just weighed in at 269.8 lbs. That's about 39 lbs lost, and less than 20 lbs to go before I reach my next goal. If I stay on track and keep working hard, I should be there in no time.

I didn't make it to the gym today because of my stupid cold, but Monday and Tuesday were pretty good. All the hot chicks seem to be taking the 8 a.m. class now which left me alone for the 9 a.m. on Monday. Chris really put me through the ringer. At one point I felt like I had to throw up. Luckily I was able to fight off that feeling, but that's a sign of a pretty intense workout. Tuesday was fun because I got to practice some kicks and do some mitt work with Amber. She's pretty short, so adjusting for the height difference was a bit of a workout on its own. (Not really, I just wanted to make fun of Amber for being short.) She's really good at it, and she helped me correct a couple of my combos. I would've liked to have worked on those some more today, but I felt like doo-doo when I woke up this morning.

I'm getting over a cold right now, and this cold has really slowed my training down. I've missed a few days at the gym so I can try and rest and get over it. I remember when I was younger, a cold would cycle through me in about 3 days. I've had this thing for almost 2 weeks now. Getting older sucks! I know a cold is far from the worst thing in the world. It just sucks to know what you're capable of doing when you're healthy, and you see how much that is impeded by something as simple as the common cold. It really puts into perspective what I'm trying to achieve with all my work at the gym. I didn't start working out so that I could fight; I started working out so I can get healthy. Fighting is just the cherry on top. The real goal here is to live a healthy lifestyle. I look at my family and I see the all the dangers of obesity: diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure...the list goes on and on. So while I sit here pissed off at the cold I have, I think how much worse things could be if I don't take care of myself. I can't control my age, but I can control my health. The Beatdownboys Training Center is the cornerstone for the healthy life that I'm trying to achieve, and I'm grateful for all their help.

Back from a short respite

I was scared to weigh myself after having been away for the last 5 days, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that I weighed in at 273.2 lbs. That's just a gain of one pound since last week. I spent 5 days down in Texas to go to my friend's wedding and to visit family. As far as my diet and exercise went, I did better than I thought, but not as well as I'd hoped. It's really hard for me to say no to chorizo, steak, and tamales (not all together, but that does sound delicious). Overall I'm happy I made it back without completely derailing all my previous efforts.

Today was my first day back at the gym since I got back from Texas. I'm coming down with a cold so I considered staying home so that I could recover quicker, and to keep others from catching whatever I'm fighting now. I gave it a second thought because I knew that wouldn't go over to well with Chris. I forced myself out of bed, and trudged through the cold, harsh morning weather (I have a penchant for the dramatic). Chris had me keep my sweats on so I could try and sweat out my cold. I got to do some more sparring today, and that's always good for me. It's a good reminder of how much training I have ahead of me, it's a great workout, and it's fun. I don't know if I actually sweated out my cold, but I did feel better after class. Unfortunately now that I'm cooled off, I feel lousy again. In a few days I should be back to my healthy self. Until then I'll be sweating out my cold little by little at Beatdownboys Training Center.

Maybe the best day ever

I don't usually update The Fat Man Diaries this often, but today was so great that I had to write about it. I got a text from Chris this morning asking if I wanted to spar today. My first thought was that I wish I had known earlier because everything I didn't do yesterday, I was going to do today. This is what I've been wanting, and I was about to throw it away because I had to do my laundry. Luckily I came to my senses.

I met Chris at the gym around 4 pm. Like every Sunday at 4, Jake was teaching a Jiu-Jitsu class. Chris had me warm up with Jake's class, and those are some pretty crazy warm ups. They're very intense on the joints, and I can see how Jiu-Jitsu can be incredible exercise. I didn't know what I was doing, but I was trying to take this opportunity to learn more. After the warm up, we paired up to do some rolling. If I tell you I have less than zero knowledge of Jiu-Jitsu, I'm being generous. All the guys paired up, and the only other guy without a partner was "Big Red." This guy is huge - 6' 2", 270 lbs, and all muscle. I'm 5' 8", 274 lbs, and not very much muscle. He's intimidating to look at; he looks like a superhero who just stepped out of a comic book. Turns out he's a really nice guy. I felt bad because I felt like I was taking away from his training. I didn't expect to participate in the class, and I'm sure he expected to roll with someone who's closer to his level. Luckily Chris pulled me away so we could start sparring.

This is where the real fun began. I went one round with Chris, and then one round with Matt. During the session with Matt, I got tagged directly in the nose. I saw stars for a second, and it really smarted. Matt gave me a couple seconds to collect myself, and I needed it. No damage, but I was a little gun shy coming back into it. I got back into the rhythm, but it felt like I had a bull's eye on my nose. I lost count of how many times I caught one in the nose, and by whom. My blocking is still pretty pathetic. After my session with Matt, 4 other guys got in the ring to spar too. We all partnered up and traded partners after every round. I took several good punches and kicks, and I was able to give a few too. As sadistic as it sounds, there's something satisfying about seeing a surprised look of pain on your opponent's face. I don't feel guilty because I know they enjoyed that same look on my face (more often than I'd like to admit). Here's the kicker: of all those guys I sparred with, somehow I ended up sparring with "Big Red" twice. I don't know how that's fair, but I had to go with it. It's very humbling to go up against someone who clearly outmatches you, but hopefully I can learn from it. (The only thing I learned was to never piss this guy off.) I felt like he was playing with me. I'd throw my punches; some would land, some were blocked. Then he'd barely throw a punch, and I could still feel the power behind those punches. I can't imagine what a full force punch from him (or any of the guys) would feel like.

I don't know how long the sparring sessions lasted from start to finish, but I was tired as hell when we were done. We were all drenched in sweat too. I could feel the aches and pains start to settle in (some of them settled in immediately during the sparring too). I don't know where the guys got the energy, but they went back to Jiu-Jitsu rolling on the mats. I watched them while I hoped that my back muscles wouldn't cramp up on me. I was at the gym for a little over 2 hours. My nose hurts, my head hurts a little, my back is sore as hell, my left leg is sore from being kicked so many times, and there are various other parts that are sore from punching, and being punched. I can't wait to do this again. Until then, I'm going to sleep like a baby.

Hardest week ever?

I got too excited the other day with my weight loss because today I woke up to 274.2 lbs. Only a pound - I know, but it would've been great if it had been a pound in the other direction. Chris has me aiming to get into the 260s, but my next personal goal is to be 250 lbs. I have a few obstacles coming up that threaten that goal. Next week I'll be in Texas for my friend's wedding. That's free, delicious food, and an open bar. Then there's time with family and friends, and that always includes eating. I'm going to be strong, but there's only so much temptation one man can resist. It reminds me of something Oscar Wilde once said, "I can resist everything except temptation."

I don't know what it was about this week, but it's some of the hardest work I've put in at the gym. There weren't really any new exercises that I can think of, but somehow they all took their toll on me. Maybe I tried harder this week because there are a couple of cute chicks in the class...I don't know. Whatever it was, it's been tough. Here's a quick list of my aches and pains for the week: right big toe is hurting, both of my thumbs, deltoids, traps, neck, butt, and my legs. Somehow my abs made it through the week despite the many ab exercises we did. For all the pain I'm feeling, I'm happy about it. As long as nothing is majorly hurt, I love this. I feel like I'm accomplishing something. There is no reward without sacrifice, and if I have to put my body through this treachery to reach my end game, then I'm willing to keep doing it.

Today was great, even though none of the pretty women showed up for class. I got to do some more light sparring, but this time inside the cage. It's the same cage that I've seen real fighters fight in, and it makes me want to get there faster. I'd really like to go harder in the sparring, but I'm not looking to hurt anyone while practicing. Come to think of it, I'm not looking to get hurt this early on either, so I'll just be happy with this light version for now. I can't get too ahead of myself because the fact of the matter is that I'm just not good enough yet. It's still fun and still a great workout. After our regular class, Jake (the Jiu-Jitsu instructor) showed us a couple of Jiu-Jitsu moves. I'd love to take that class, but money's kind of tight right now. It was great though because I feel like anything I can learn from any style of fighting can only make me a better MMA fighter. I'm not calling myself and MMA fighter yet, but as a student in training, I'd love to learn as much as I can from every style of fighting. In the meantime, I have plenty to work with, and a long way to go to achieve excellence.

Some days seem harder than others

Woke up to a happy 273.2 lbs this morning. I've been struggling between 274 and 276 for quite a while now, so I'm not celebrating just yet. That being said, I'm still glad that the scale is showing smaller and smaller numbers.

This is just the second day into the week, and I feel like dying. Chris worked us out pretty well yesterday - so much so that my shoulders have really been killing me. Add to that a couple of sore legs and butt muscles, then mix in the cold weather I woke up to, and you have a recipe for some real aches and pains. Today was one of those days when I just wanted to roll over and sleep for a couple more hours, but I had to fight through it. Being a child of pop culture, I thought about what Rocky Balboa told his son in "Rocky Balboa." "...it ain't about how hard you hit, it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward, how much can you take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!" Maybe a little too dramatic for my situation, but it worked. I got out of bed and got some more punishment at the gym this morning.

I'm really glad I went today too. Not only for the benefit of the workout, but because Chris had an MMA cage set up. We got to work out in it for a bit, and it was really cool. Walking up those steps and setting foot in the cage...one day I'll be doing that to face a bona fide opponent. For now I was pretty much a punching bag. I have so much work ahead of me. I really need to learn to block better. I'm still so damn fat that my arms don't cover much of my body to offer a great deal of protection. I got through it though, and, like Nietzsche said, "That which does not kill us makes us stronger." After today's workout, I sure hope I'm stronger because it really kicked my ass.

Cutting short a long weekend

When I get a 3 day weekend at work, it doesn't really motivate me to go to the gym and workout. I gave that some thought over the weekend, and I decided it would be in my best interest to work out despite not having to be a slave to my normal Monday routine. I went to bed pretty early last night (before 11 p.m.), and I actually got the gym about 20 minutes early. I took advantage of that extra time (because of Chris' suggestion) by doing a few extra rounds of jump rope. It's a good warm-up, and with the chilly morning air, it's way better than going for a run.

As far as the workout is concerned, it's always tough. Chris corrected my form when I throw right crosses, and he's also trying to improve my speed. I know I'm still slow, but my speed is getting better. The big thing that I'm still having a problem with is dodging punches. Chris threw a few light ones at me. I dodged some, but if Chris had followed through with the others, I would've been laid out on the floor. I'm about 10 or 11 weeks into this training, and I'm still a long way from many of my goals. I'm not ready to give up; I keep thinking of the day I can walk down that aisle and step into the cage. Do I have what it takes to be a fighter? I think I do, but I don't just want to think it...I need to know it.

Franklin test numero 2

I didn't want to wake up this morning. It was cold in my apartment, and I really wanted to stay under my warm comforter. After snoozing my alarm a couple of times, I decided to force myself out of bed. I weighed in this morning at a surprising 278.8 lbs. I never trust my scale when I drop a couple of pounds. I feel like it's playing a cruel joke on me - especially since I didn't work out on Saturday.

I decided to give the Franklin compression underpants a second try today. I never know what we're going to do in class, so today was as good a day as any. They held up pretty well through the workout that Chris put us through today, but we never did any squats or lunges. I feel like that is still the best test. After class, though, Chris took a couple of us running. We did somewhere between 1 and 2 miles. Running might be the second best test for compression shorts. I have to admit that the Franklin shorts held up (no pun intended). I hate running - I'm just not built for it, but Chris wants to add that to my workout to help with the weight loss. I was starting to plateau, and he thinks this will kickstart my body into burning more fat. He's right, but I'm just so bad at it. I mostly jog through our runs, but I only slowed down to a walk 2 or 3 times today (and not for very long). I am happy to say that I did get a second wind when I was about 2 or 3 blocks away from the gym. Maybe it was because I wanted it to end sooner, but I got a boost and finished up pretty strongly. Unfortunately when I stopped, my knees and lower back were really aching. I think I might need to get a new pair of shoes. I've had this pair for a long time, and they just aren't absorbing enough of the shock anymore. Remember, every time my foot comes down, that's about 280 lbs coming down on top of it. I got through this one ok; I just need to rinse and repeat every morning.

This might be a little too personal...

Weighed in at 280.2 lbs this morning. I was very happy to see that number since I forgot to weigh in yesterday. It's always scary after the weekends because I usually put a little weight back on (probably from lack of exercise). But I'm getting closer to my next goal of 275 lbs. I'm very happy with the weight loss, but I think I could do more to help reach my goal. I'm pretty much off red meat (which I miss very badly), but I still have a steak on Sundays as a reward for myself. I need to cut back on my sodium intake. Aaron told me to try different seasonings like Mrs. Dash, or lemon-pepper for some of my food, but I'm still seasoning my chicken with Tex-Joy steak seasoning (it's the best). I can probably cut some water retention by switching over. Also, my turkey hot dogs and turkey bacon are both high in sodium. I need to wane off those too. I'm sure my turkey lunch meat has a lot of sodium too, but I'm not giving that up too. Of course there's salt in my other food, but I think these are the biggest culprits. If I can handle it, I might try oatmeal for breakfast more often than turkey bacon and eggs. We'll see if that helps. Lately I've still been too tired to stick around for more than one class. I need to work on that too because it's all part of the training.

Speaking of training, I've been trying something new for the past 2 days at the gym. Not a new exercise, but some new protective equipment. This might be a little too personal for some, but I'll look at it as a public service announcement. For the past few years I've been wearing jock straps when I work out. I was never an athlete in school, so I wasn't familiar with how that equipment was supposed to work. All I know is I hurt myself a couple of times without it, and my doctor recommended that I wear one when I worked out. They're not hard to figure out, but they are way uncomfortable. I mean it really pushes your bits against your pieces, but I guess that's what it's supposed to do to protect you. There's an item on the market that does pretty much the same thing, but they're at least 3 times as expensive as jock straps. They're called compression shorts, and they perform basically the same task.

I tried 2 of the lesser expensive brands: Starter and Franklin. Yesterday I wore the Starters, and I'm really not sure how they're supposed to feel. I got the same size as the jock straps, but I had a hard time getting these undies around my thick thighs (mostly muscle of course). After a little effort, and a lot of adjustment, I got them on. They felt pretty good. It was nice to have some pressure around my legs and butt, but I wasn't sure if they offered as much support to my huevos as a jock strap. I wasn't being cradled like I was used to, but I still risked it and tried them at the gym. For the most part, I liked them. We did a lot of squats and lunges yesterday, and that's when I need support the most. It definitely didn't offer as much support as the jock straps during that exercise, but I think it offered enough support. Again, this may be a sizing issue, but I'm leaning more towards like than dislike for these shorts. I'll definitely give them another try.

Today I wore the Franklin brand. These were a little less snug than the Starters, and it came with a cup holder. Not the kind where you can put your drink, but kind where you put a protective cup to protect your groin from getting kicked or punched. I didn't wear the cup to work out because that kind of groin injury is rare for just a workout. Like I mentioned, these weren't as snug as the Starter brand, but they were the same size. We did squats again today, and I felt like these didn't offer the fellas as much support. I wonder if it's because it was designed with a protective cup in mind. The legs and butt compression felt comfortable, but I just don't think sack support was good enough. I'll try them one more time without the cup just to make sure , and then I'll try them again with the cup to see if my suspicions are correct. When I can afford it, I'd like to try some of the more expensive brands. In the meantime, I just have these 2 to work with. Tomorrow it's back to the harsh cradling of the old jock straps.

Today was a good day...so far

I wasn't too pleased with the scale this morning. Yesterday it read 282.2 lbs, and today it was up to 283.6 lbs. Not sure where the extra 1.4 lbs came from, but I think I worked it off today at the gym.

We traded shots today for part of the 9 o'clock class. I got to be the punching bag pretty much. I'm cool with that because it gives me an opportunity to practice my blocking. I'm not too proud to admit that I need a lot of practice there too. When class was over, I was doing ab exercises with one of the girls in class because she pretty much challenged me to it. I didn't get to finish though because Chris called me over to ask me a question. I was tired and pretty much ready to go home, but Chris asked me if I wanted to stay and trade punches with "Hollywood" (the guy I sometimes train with in the 10 o'clock class). Hell yeah I wanted to stay for that. I wrapped my hands again and got gloved up because I really wanted to do this. I know I have a lot of work to do before I can step into the cage for a real fight, and this only proved how much work I need. Like I said, my blocking needs work, my punches are pretty slow, and I need more cardio to keep me going. All in all, it was a great workout. Hollywood has some fast, strong punches. We weren't going full force, but I could tell he knew what he was doing. We caught each other a couple of times in the face, but nothing that will leave any cool marks. All I know is, I'm going to be sore as hell tomorrow. I can feel it in my lower back now, and my shoulders are starting to burn too. I might have a date with some Advil tonight. As much as I'm going to hurt, I'm going to rest comfortably knowing that I earned every ache and pain. Yup, today was a good day...so far.

Slowing down

I forgot to weigh myself this morning, but yesterday I was a trim 283.2 lbs. I'm still dropping, but I'm slowing down. I guess it's to be expected.

To help speed up the weight loss, I doubled up on class today at the gym. I was late again for the first class, but I made up for it in the second one. Yesterday and today were some of the most fun times I've had working out. Yesterday we got to trade punches, which was a lot of fun. Today I did the same thing in the second class. The guy I was training with today is a lot better than the ones I worked with yesterday. Obviously we weren't hitting full force, but the guy still has some good solid punches. My arm is pretty sore right now from blocking punches, and there's a pretty nasty bruise on my left arm right near my armpit. It's ugly, but I love it. I feel like I earned it. Nobody wants to get seriously injured doing this sport, but when I come home aching and sore, I feel like I'm accomplishing something. It's like having temporary battle scars. I've never had a real fight in my life. Tyler Durden said it best when he asked, "How much can you know about yourself, you've never been in a fight?" Maybe he's not the best role model, but he asks a relevant question. Now I'm searching for the answer.

The week in review

I've been at 284.6 lbs for the past few days now. While I'm happy I've reached my first goal of 285, I'm a little disappointed that I've plateaued for these past 2 or 3 days. I made it to class all 5 days this week (a couple of times on time), and now I'm shooting for my next goal of 275 lbs. This week wasn't particularly hard, and I think part of that is because I didn't double up most of my workouts. When I say it hasn't been that hard, it's not to say that it hasn't been hard at all. The reason I haven't doubled up that much is because I've been too tired after the first class to try and stay for another. My abs, back, and shoulders have really taken the worst of it this week. There's a class on Saturday mornings too that I'd like to go to. I'm not sure if I can force myself out of bed on Saturday, but I'm going to give it a shot tomorrow. I could certainly use the extra exercise.

A couple of things I'm really excited about this week. I ordered a custom mouthguard, and the impression kit came in yesterday. I'm going to have a busy weekend trying to do it correctly so I can get the right fit. Also, Chris has been shooting some video at the gym, and I'm going to edit some of it together so he can use it to help advertise the Beatdownboys Training Center. I'm really excited about that. I wish I could have shot the video myself, but the day job gets in the way of that. It's still going to be cool to edit some video again.

One last thing. I've been taking Chris' class for about 3 years now, and I never felt like my punches were any good. Today, however, I felt like I was throwing some good, solid punches. I'm not saying they were knockout bombs, but they felt like they could do some damage. Stuff like that makes me happy.

Gotta have a strong heart

This one has to be quick because I have to get ready for work. Weighed in at 287.8 lbs this morning. That's a total loss of about 20 lbs in 5.5 weeks. Not too shabby if I say so myself. I'm staying pretty loyal to the diet, except for this past weekend when my brother came to visit. We hit a Chinese buffet, and I was pretty good the first go round. I had some roasted chicken, shrimp, and some shiny green beans. Eventually I had a taste of some crappy buffet pizza, a fried spring roll, and some fried shrimp. But I didn't overdo it like I know I can. Other than that, everything has been pretty well on track.

I skipped the gym yesterday morning. I know I said I had to fight through those lazy days, but yesterday was not laziness. I was tired...dead tired, and I got some much needed extra sleep. I caught some shit for that today at the gym, but I don't think I deserved it. I also caught shit for constantly being late to class. That I deserve. I don't know why I can't seem to get there on time. It's not just at this new location either; it just seems to be a bad habit. I'm working on that, but it's going to be a process. I took the class, and it was hard as usual. Tuesday I went for approximately a mile jog with Amber, and I actually made it most of the way without walking. My hamstrings got really tight since I didn't use them yesterday, and they were killing me today. After class I did a 2 mile jog with one of the other women in class. I didn't realize what I had gotten myself into until I was a couple of blocks into it. Usually I run to warm up before class, but this was after class - after I was exhausted. I probably still ran more than I walked, but I did a lot of walking on this stint. When I finally got back to the gym, I felt like all the life and energy had been sucked out of me. I was catching my breath, and I was very aware of my heart pumping blood to meet the demand my body was putting on it. It wasn't a scary feeling. I didn't think I was going to have a heart attack, but I could feel it beating at a much faster pace than usual. I just thought to myself that I gotta have a strong heart if I'm going to make it through this training. Not just in the physical sense either. All the stuff I've described before: the guts it takes to step into the ring, the camaraderie and sportsmanship involved, and everything else that these fighters do for the love of the sport...it's all heart. That's what I need, and I'm going to have a strong heart.

Still going strong (barely)

First off, I weighed in at 289.4 lbs this morning. Chris wanted me below 290 by next week, and I made it. In fact, I'm almost to my next goal of 285 lbs. I'm not sure if I've actually burned that much fat, or if it's water, or maybe even something else. Whatever it is, I'm losing weight, and I'm eating much healthier.

All week I've been trying to workout a little extra after class - usually about 20 or 30 minutes of cardio. Yesterday was the worst so far. I did 2 classes back-to-back, and it really drained me. I was exhausted. I slept so well last night that I really didn't want it to end. In fact, I almost stayed in bed this morning. Then I remembered how I felt last time I slept in, and I forced myself out of bed and got my ass to class. Thankfully Chris took it a little easier on me today.

Oh yeah, somehow I let myself get talked into training for a 5K run for St. Patrick's Day. I don't know what the hell I was thinking, but I already told Amber I'd do it. I know it's not that long of a run, but I carry some major heft with me, and running doesn't really agree with me. I ran Monday thru Wednesday to warm up, and my feet, legs, hips, and back were killing me. When all this is said and done, I'd better be one bad ass mofo. I don't think that's too much to ask for.

Back in the saddle

Weighed in this morning at 294.2 lbs. Still trying to drop those 10 lbs. to get to my next goal of 285. At least the weight isn't going back up. I was late to the 9 a.m. class, but on Wednesdays I'm really not supposed to be there until 10. In my head I was really early, but no one else seemed to see it that way. My plan was to double up today to make up for Monday and Tuesday. I knew it was going to be hard, but I don't want to lose the momentum I've been building up the past few weeks. I jumped in with the rest of the class, and it was a real pisser. By the last exercise I was sweating buckets and panting like a pervert. Everyone else stretched and left. I stuck around for a little while longer. I did some bag work and a lot of cardio. I heard that cardio lowers your testosterone, so I did a little weight lifting to try and even it out. I didn't make it through the full 2nd hour. I think if I had really tried, I could have, but I was beat. I made it through about 35 minutes. All in all, it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. I thought I would be aching like I did after the first class, but everything was ok. I'm sore for sure, but it's not any worse than when I train any other day. I guess the hard part is over. I just have to wake up and do it all over again tomorrow.

Going to feel like the first time

The weekend was a little scary because my weight went up a little bit, but then it came back down. I'm currently floating around 294.2 lbs. Not much in the way of loss, but I haven't worked out in a few days either. My trainer's been out of town for a couple of days, so I had the weekend off plus these past 2 days. Tomorrow's going to feel like the first time I've trained. I know it is, and I'm a little nervous about it. I've gotten some pretty good rest on these off days, but it's never enough when you train with Chris and Aaron at the Beatdownboys Training Center.

Friday was really cool because we were learning to block punches thrown at our faces. Chris told me to bring a mouth guard to protect my teeth. I have an old boil and bite mouth guard, but I really want to get a custom one. My teeth are pretty jacked up, and the boil and bite guards just don't work that well for me. They work, but not great. I called my dentist's office to see what they charge, and they start at $250. That's a little steep for my pocket book, but I found a place on the Internet that makes them for $50 plus shipping. That's still a little pricey, but it's my best option. Besides, it's a lot cheaper than replacing knocked out teeth. Despite the horrible thought of losing my teeth in a fight, I'm charged up at the thought of training at a more difficult, more serious level. I have my new MMA gloves, and now I'm in the market for a custom mouth guard. Except for the part about knowing how to fight, I feel like a real fighter. Just kidding; those people get much respect from me. The discipline and commitment the training requires, the guts it takes to step into the ring, the camaraderie and sportsmanship involved... I love it all, and I can't wait to earn my way into it.

The long and winding road

Not only is that a great Beatles song, it's also what I still have to travel. I'm down to 295.8 lbs. Still heavy, but that's about 12 lbs lighter than when I started a few weeks ago. I couldn't wait to share the news with Chris and Aaron, but I was late to class today. I still haven't adjusted for the longer distance, traffic, and traffic lights. I probably shouldn't snooze my alarm when it goes off.

I got to class, and waiting for me were my new Title gel MMA gloves. (Thank you for picking them up, Amber.) I couldn't wait to use them. They're much sturdier than the old Century gloves I was using. Well, I had to wait to use them because I still had to warm up and do some other exercises that Chris had me start with. After about 20 minutes, I finally got to try them out. It's going to take a little while to break them in, but I think they're going to work great for me. Class was really good today too. We did a lot of work on punches (I have a lot to work on there) and knees (I have a lot of work to do there too). I'm hoping that once I get my enormous gut down to a reasonable size, I'll be able to keep my balance better when I throw punches, knees, and kicks. Right now when that belly goes one way, the rest of my body feels inclined to follow it. I'll just have to be patient for now; it's a virtue I have to learn anyway. I may have to start practicing my Vipassana Meditation again...I probably never should've stopped.

I got a good beatdown today

I've been in training at the Beatdownboys Training Center for a few weeks now, but today I learned why they call themselves Beatdownboys. If a trainer asks if you're done, the response is always "Yes!" Don't be like me and say, "Nah, what else you got for me?" I realize that sounds cocky, but believe me, I wasn't trying to be. Chris and Aaron gave me 2 more exercises that took everything out of me. The class was difficult enough, but I still had some energy leftover. I didn't want to lie and look like a pussy. That didn't matter because while I was struggling through the exercises, I still got called a pussy. Hahaha, just my luck. Today was rough, but I loved it. There was a point when I was breathing so hard that it started to sound guttural...almost like a growl. It sounded pretty intimidating, but I was struggling to breathe. Luckily I was able to catch my breath and keep going. When I was finally done with everything, I left a very nice pool of sweat on the mats. Blood, sweat, and tears - that's what they say it takes. I've bled (very little) and I've sweated (quite a lot); I guess the tears are next.

Peaks and valleys

As good as I was feeling yesterday, today is almost a complete 180. My back was hurting when I woke up. My calves were sore. My right shoulder has been hurting since last night. Oh and let me break you off a piece of workout math too: sweaty shirt from first workout + jumping rope + jumping jacks = chafed nipples. (Note to self, bring an extra shirt just in case you want to workout twice.) I told myself that since I worked out twice yesterday, then I could stay in bed today. I mean, I worked out once for yesterday, and the extra one could count for today, right? Well, I remembered that I had to fight through that b.s. So I fought through the b.s. I was late to the gym today, but at least I made it. Chris and Aaron gave us a good workout, and I felt even worse after class. The aches and pains actually felt a little better, but I was tired. Still am. But I'm happy I made it to class, and I intend to fight through those lazy days in the future. I know there's a ton ahead of me, and I plan to fight through them all.

After I got home from the gym, my cousin hit me up for some weight loss advice; we're pretty much in the same boat. I passed on the wisdom that I've picked up from Chris and Aaron, and I'm hoping that it will help. It feels good to help someone else. I'm hoping we'll be able to motivate each other even though we'll have to do it from such a long distance. Good luck, cuz.

Flying high now

Ok, so maybe I'm not flying high like Rocky, but I'm feeling pretty good. I'm eating better, and while I have my moments of weakness, I still manage to get passed it. I barreled through 2 classes back to back at the gym today. I'm tired but not beat. I'm only going into my 3rd week of training, but I'm thinking that this time around might be the one that sticks. I have a few scrapes and bruises, and while they're not painful, they are inconvenient. I wish they'd hurry up and heal. In the meantime I'll look at them as small badges of honor. Kicks, knees, punches -- I'm learning them all (some better than others), and I'm loving it more and more.

Sometimes I just don't know what to do with myself

You know, it's days like today that I really upset myself. I woke up this morning, and I was tired -- really tired. I realize that I should have fought through that and made my way to the gym, but I didn't. Instead, I gave into my muscle soreness and lack of rest, and I just gave up. I told myself that it would be like recharging my batteries, but for some reason I feel like I was just being lazy. I've had some really good workouts this week, and I'm down about 7 lbs. since I started training. After class yesterday I even spent about an hour in the pool. I can't really swim, but I did what I could to exercise my shoulders and abs. I could really feel the soreness settle in as the day went on, but I kind of get off on that. It makes me feel like I'm accomplishing something. I didn't really accomplish anything today. I won't dwell on this too much; I'll just make a mental note to fight through it next time. After all, that's why I'm in training...to learn how to fight.

I started reading "Iceman: My Fighting Life," by Chuck Liddell last night. He's a UFC fighter, and I'm hoping to draw some inspiration from the book. A while back I read "A Fighter's Heart," by Sam Sheridan, and the first half was so amazing that I wanted to fight right then and there. If nothing comes from "Iceman," I'll just go back to the other book. In the meantime there's a long road ahead, and I won't get to the finish line any quicker by staying in bed. Tomorrow is a new day to apply the lesson I learned today: Get off your lazy ass and work!

Holy Shizzle!

Hey, peeps, today may have been the hardest workout I've ever had. If not that, then it was definitely the hardest one I've had in a long time. At one point I was dizzy and lightheaded. I was the only one in class, and I usually like that because I get more of a personal workout session. Well when you have two fighters training you at once, it's not twice as hard -- I'd have to say it's at least 4 times as hard. I don't think we even went a full hour today, but however long we went was enough for me. It took me about a half hour to really catch my breath after class. If nothing else, I'll get a strong heart out of all this training ,and really, what more could you ask for? My eating is better for the most part, and I'm training on a pretty regular basis. I think I've dropped a few pounds, but I haven't weighed myself in a few days, so I can't say exactly how much. I started off around 308 - 310 lbs, and I think I'm around 304 or 305 now. Not a lot, but this is just the second week in. Chris said training officially began, and not just in the gym. If I can continue to resist temptation and eat correctly, then the weight will come off on its own. It's an uphill battle, but it can be won. I have 2 great guys helping me, and the eating is the only thing that can hold me back. I made it through my Dallas trip without completely destroying the work I've put in. I only had one bad meal, and the rest was acceptable. It wasn't easy, but I had to do it. There are only so many times I can screw up before Chris gives up on me. If that happens, this whole thing will become exponentially harder. This has to be the time that I succeed.

A new beginning

I know already that this isn't going to be easy. I mean nothing good in life ever is, right? Chris Haines is my fitness instructor, and he's an MMA fighter to boot. I've been working out with him for almost 3 years now, and he's seen my weight go up and down. He's been trying his best to help me keep it down, but my bad eating habits have been keeping the weight up. That's going to change real soon because Aaron, another fighter and trainer, has given me a meal plan to try out. I'm only on day 2 of that, but I can see that it will help if I can stick with it. This weekend is going to be a problem because I'm going to visit my brother in Dallas. Texas has such great tasting food, but it's very rarely good for you (let's face it, it's never good for you). That's a battle I probably won't win.

Here's the real reason for this blog. Chris had a fight a couple of months ago, and he won. It was a great fight, and I was really proud of him and all his efforts. I mentioned that I would like to try at least one fight. In my head I wouldn't mind trying it, but in the real world, there's a shitload of stuff that goes into it. Chris brought it up today, and he said, "Training begins today." Not just in the gym either. So class was really great today. I don't know how serious Chris is about training me to fight, but if he is, I'm going to give it my all (except maybe this weekend in Dallas). We practiced kicks, mounts, and of course punches today. I have a long road ahead of me, but at least this gives me an exciting goal to work towards. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared, but I'm way more excited about the prospect. At the very least, I can get into better shape and be healthier. That's all I really want. Everything else is just gravy -- a lowfat healthier alternative to gravy.