ON2VICTORY's SparkPeople Blog

First Bike Ride Of The Year...

Tue, 14 May 2013 17:34:47 EST

Before I get into anything else I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who took the time to read and comment on my last blog, Attitude Mass Index. I was really surprised how it took off and the response I got from readers. The other side of that story is that I was at work at the time on a 12 hr shift. I was sitting in the truck waiting for a call and that thought just came to me, so I pulled out my phone and started tapping it out. Funny how some of the best material seems to spontaneous...

What Is Your Attitude Mass Index?

Fri, 10 May 2013 12:05:19 EST

We live in an appearance driven society. Many of us fret about toning up, getting the sexy abs, removing fat from areas that are not visually acceptable by societies standards. We focus on reducing our BMI (Body Mass Index) but overlook our AMI, our Attitude Mass Index.

As a society, we are far too external when it comes to combating our obesity. Don't believe it? Look at typical mainstream articles and advertising concerning weight loss, what do they focus on? Appearance and how ...

This week in training so far

Thu, 9 May 2013 05:51:49 EST

Just a quick entry before heading out to work. I have done really well this week. Sunday evening I headed out for what I term a "baseline run" Basically what that is and the theory behind it is simply to see where I am at fitness wise before I start my run training. I'm sticking my toe in the water before jumping in. I'm sure there is some reasoning's and logic that says that doing such is not a good idea but that's just how I roll, I just need to know where I am at especially after a long wi...

Today Was A Hard Day...more class prep..

Sun, 5 May 2013 00:09:33 EST

Today, I said my goodbyes to my trainer. He is moving to Texas to better his personal training career and to pursue his masters degree in the exercise sciences. I am really happy for him know it is the best move he could make. He is also like an adopted son to me and it hurts to see him go. I know he will come back and visit but its not the same. While he is like a son to me, he is sort of like a father to me as w...

I got my post published :) and training starts today...

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 08:27:22 EST

A few months back I submitted a short blog post to Ben Greenfield Fitness. For those that do not know, Ben Greenfield is a HUGE name in sports nutrition, triathlon and endurance sports..... Ok, ok, ok....a personal idol of mine. He also is on several weekly podcasts including Endurance Planet.

Anyway, I'm just sharing my woo hoo moment....

Link to my post...
www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/?p=1262
1

Today, Spring is finally here in the ...

My Inspiration...

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 02:20:41 EST

When you start training for something big, you spend alot of time soul searching and thinking. As race day inches closer, my thoughts are more and more consumed by what I have to do and even more importantly, why. This is so much bigger than a mid-lifer trying to grab the brass ring. Yes, there is a real rush in doing something epic, but it is the deep seated, resounding purpose that really anchors someone to their mission.

I believe that being firmly grounded in why you are doin...

Weight loss goals... are they realistic?

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:24:53 EST

What would you think concerning someone who comes into a hospital badly injured with a leg broken in three places and states that they will heal by such and such a date so they can make it to some long anticipated event? We would tell that person to put those plans on ice. They need to heal and we’d tell them that it might not happen according to their preferred timeline. Within ourselves, we would basically say that that person needs a serious reality check. That individual is NOT in control...

Fitness Memories...

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 21:42:29 EST

I'm writing this blog to myself to remind me of all of the great things that have happened to me, all of the lessons learned and what it is to find my inner champion.. The weather has been improving to where I will be able to finally get outside and run. I haven't seriously been running since my half marathon in November. There is quite a bit of anxiety that i have been feeling about getting back out there after such a long off season. Much like the anxiety one feels when you have been strayi...

Good News , Bad News

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 05:47:16 EST

I went through my yearly mine safety training session yesterday. While 99% of what happened is of no real interest here, I do get a free yearly screening and hearing check and then in another year or so I will probably also get a respritory exam to compare against my baseline to make sure I am not getting a lung condition from all of the things associated with mining. Being on an outside crew minimizes this aspect alot so no worries there.

The good news:

My blood work is...

My Review of theThe Spark Solution

Tue, 9 Apr 2013 17:10:52 EST

Review of the The Spark Solution: A Complete Two-Week Diet Program to Fast-Track Weight Loss and Total Body Health by Becky Hand, R.D. , Stepfanie Romine, and the experts and members at Sparkpeople.com.

When I was first asked by Coach Stepfanie to be a part of this group of reviewers of Sparkpeople’s new book, I was really excited. I counted it a privilege to be a small part of this project.
...

A Sobering Reminder...

Sun, 7 Apr 2013 11:12:12 EST

I don't want to "milk" my before pics to try to get a reaction, I am posting these for ME. My wife was cruising through the kids computer (which used to be mine) and there were some pics on there that was downloaded from a birthday party and a vacation about 6 or so years ago. I never exported these to my new system and usually pics like these never made it to the computer because they revealed ugliness so they g...

My new swim distance record...

Thu, 4 Apr 2013 13:37:58 EST

I had a very unexpected / unplanned epic moment today at the Y. First a little history. I work a very unconventional schedule that severely limits my access to a pool. The only time I have access is roughly one week a month and during that week of possible access, there are only two days that I can actually, feasibly access the pool. The other days, let's face it, the idea of being at the pool 18 miles away BY 630am after working afternoon shift and not getting to bed until almost 1am.... I'm...

What will you do TODAY?

Tue, 2 Apr 2013 13:49:07 EST

After having lost 118lbs, I can tell you from experience that weight loss is NEVER and has NEVER been a consistent, linear experience.. linear meaning the line on the graph goes down at the same rate over the same amount of time..ie.. a consistent 1-3 lbs per week. It looks far more like the ups and downs of a stock market graph.

Like judging the quality of a stock, it isn't what it has done over a week or a month but what has it done over a significantly longer period of time.

What is 100%?

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 12:44:05 EST

I am finally back to my old self after a triple whammy of illness, injury, and other issues that left me out of commission for about a month. Through all of this, I have learned what truly defines 100%. In short, 100% is defined by how you do in your present condition not by how you used to do.

100% is based on the here and now, not by previous best.

In the times of my life where I have been sidelined, I struggled, always remembering what I used to be before what ever it...

Back on track and moving forward- update

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 13:29:23 EST

Looking a tad rough but still in the fight :)

I am on the mend after having had numerous set backs from sickness, back problems and other problems since around the end of February. It has been difficult but the end result is that there has been no set back as far as my weight is concern. I have worked out very little and my eating has been less than perfect (interpretation...mindless emotional eat...

recovering

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 20:36:01 EST

I wanted to post this just to give my friends an idea whats been going on before I fall off the radar on night shift coming up here pretty quick. To say the least, this has been quite the experience, I have really been knocked off my feet and hit the ground pretty hard. Anxiety has been pretty high but I am coping on a day to day basis the best I can.

After the mental blow and struggling to get my bearings after that, I had the mother of all back spasms while shoveling snow which t...

The Upcoming Challenge For Me... Choosing To Live.

Tue, 5 Mar 2013 15:02:22 EST

One of my greatest fears is economic uncertainty. Those fears have come to pass and now I have to deal with them.

The mine where I work is on the chopping block and a year from now, I may be totally out of work depending on how deep the cuts go, range wide bumping by seniority etc... I am seemingly fearless is so many areas but this is what paralyzes me. Rumors and speculation have been floating around for years but now it is official.

News Link
www.uppermich...

Intro To My Class - 2nd try, new format

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 10:41:25 EST

This is the slide show I am going to use to introduce both myself and the program to the class. Let me know what you think.

I also uploaded a copy on You Tube because initially the video on Sparkpeople would not process or took a long time to process. Anyway, that is fixed now.

You Tube link
youtu.be/3TeBdktZWvE

The class itself will be about 6 sessions, 1 hour each where we will go in depth on various topics addressing the common challen...

Calling all Sparkfriends....

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 20:07:51 EST

I have a friend that just joined Sparkpeople.

I rarely ask my Sparkfriends for much but I am asking this time. It would mean the world to me if you could go over to her page and welcome her to Sparkpeople and make her feel at home. She is just learning how to use the site and is a very busy person with lots of responsibilities so she may not have alot of time to reach out. I just want to make sure that she has the best possible experience and doesnt get lost in the shuffle.... th...

Subject outline for class and facts for taking your eyes off the scale

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 15:45:34 EST

I wanted to share a rough outline of my class series that I will be teaching at my local fitness facility. I am going to be putting up the lessons on my blog as I complete them. I am also tossing around the idea of making them into short video presentations ( 10 min ) with links on the blog itself to reference my sources and see it for yourself.

I also want to get out some information that I feel is extremely important right now even though I will present it later.

Fir...

So many good things happening...

Wed, 6 Feb 2013 10:19:06 EST

So many times in my life, trouble has come in waves like an avalanche that the good can seem like it only pops up on the radar once in a while. These last few weeks have been different. It seems like I got really "lucky" recently but in reality, what people call luck is really the result of preparation intersecting with opportunity. I have noticed that I always act on my hearts desire and I have desired starting some sort of weight loss support group and doing presentations for a very long t...

Weight loss class is a GO!

Fri, 1 Feb 2013 15:53:11 EST

I got an email this morning from the manager of my gym that my proposal to teach a weight loss and lifestyle change seminar is a go! Also, there is alot of enthusiasm for the couch to 5k and half marathon training academy as well. With the running groups I will need to obtain a certification first for liability reasons. The cert I did have is not on the list of acceptable ones to have but there is no worries there, I know I can do it so I am not concerned.

I feel like I have real...

Celebrating A Non-Scale Victory Today :)

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 01:17:27 EST

Today, I reached a new milestone in my strength training. I have progressed to the point that I can now do Kettlebell swings with an 80 pounder :)

Here is a pic of my new Kettlebell compared to my original 20 pounder

My new line up of heavier Kettlebells...my collection is growing.. :)
**80 lbs - 55lbs - 40 lbs

Sparkpeople Radio Interview..

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 16:20:48 EST

Wow, what a great experience talking with Lily Hills and Karen Hudson on Sparkpeople Radio. We chatted and shared a little before the actual interview and overall it was a really fun and rewarding time. They really put alot of work into what they do and most of all, they love what they do.

I was really surprised when I got an email about a month ago asking me to come on the show.

Also, a few quick updates on some other big news. It is looking really good right now for ...

Now for the big challenge...

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 16:20:24 EST

This has been a tough 2 weeks for me. Without wanting to be redundant, I will simply say that I had the worst anxiety / depressive episode I have ever had. All of the triggers were present to bring on the mother of all panic attacks. It has taken a while but after some corrective action, I have finally gotten to a place where I am back to my old self.

After some therapy (ongoing) and some modifications in my lifestyle, I have seen some relief and a new sense of being on the right t...

Non Scale Victories Inspire Hope.

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 15:08:40 EST

It has been a long recovery from the emotional crash and burn that i had on night shift but I have finally come around. So far in therapy, we have really made strides. I’m getting full spectrum lights in place to cope with the physical problems due to the 7 days of total darkness during night shift. Over the last 5 years I have always snapped back after a few days, usually over my long weekend, but not this time. That is what prompted me to finally seeking professional help. This was a great ...

Pinkie Promise?

Sat, 12 Jan 2013 15:12:46 EST

I posted about my issues with depression and anxiety because I want to set the example. It's ok to talk about it. While there is indeed a fine line between too much information and honesty, there is a tendency for those who struggle to hide and put up a false front. That never solves the problem, action and dialogue does.

It has been difficult to get back on my feet and back to my routine but I'm ok with the slow turn around. Things have improved in spite of the anxiety triggers at...

What do I say?

Wed, 9 Jan 2013 12:31:29 EST

A friend sent this photo to me to show support for what has been happening lately. I guess the big question after a blog like the last one is, what do I say? I am seeing a therapist finally and we have made some good gains. While this is not the only reason why things are happening the way they are but I felt to put this out there in case if anyone else is having the same problem.

My shift work schedule...

The Hardest Blog Ever Written.

Sun, 30 Dec 2012 17:19:02 EST

I have met the enemy...and he is me.

I have made the decision to go for counseling. That one sentence embodies the toughest decision I have ever made. It goes against my very fibre of "I'm gonna do it my way". I guess I got that way from years of feeling like no one understands, or cares for that matter, so therefore I must handle everything myself.

How, where, or why I guess is a moot point.

I did talk to a clinician last night and after reviewing my physica...

Living again...

Tue, 25 Dec 2012 16:29:27 EST

I have had a very rough 7 days. Not going into detail but just simply life was difficult as it can be sometimes. This led to an awful lot of emotional eating and just a overall negative attitude in general. Today as I write this, I am still very tired. I have had zero desire to do any workout and my eating went out the window. In short, it was quite a bender. Truth is, I will always have to fight emotional eating and binging. This is my lot, it will always be there, just waiting to swallow...

Workout log... boring read, this is for accountability.

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 23:04:52 EST

This is a boring blog, this is just posted for workout accountability while my trainer is away on vacation.

To understand my documentation, I work in circuits. IE... Round1 would be for example..

squat rows 72.5x10, 105x10, 105 x7
Tricep Extensions 52.5x10, 67.5x5, 62.5x5
Assisted pullups 130x5, 145x6, 160x10

What that means is that I did 3 sets of squat row, tricep extension, assisted pullups. The weights are represented by 72.5 for weight and th...

To succeed you must first be willing to fail

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 00:29:17 EST

One thought that I have been mulling over for quite a while is that success comes when we embrace failure, both real and perceived, as part of the process. I have spent a lot of time pondering this element of our journey.

It's only when there is a willingness to experience the sting of failure that we will ever experience a breakthrough. I have observed during my journey that the only times I really made progress was when I was willing to step out and do what needed to be done i...

My New Kettlebells are now here :)

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 13:09:02 EST

My vacation workout with Kevin (Mobycarp) really drove it home and confirmed that I needed indeed to increase the weight I was using during my Kettlebell workouts. I had ordered two different sizes, 40 and 55 lbs. When the 40 came in, I felt like a kid at Christmas. I promptly began using it with great success, the increase felt right. My 55 got somehow lost in the shuffle and the shipper resent another one and it ...

A case for strength training for runners.

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 12:30:31 EST

I have been doing a lot of thinking about my recent half marathon in Cleveland and what exactly brought about such a dramatic reduction in my overall finishing time. The reason I feel it is so important to hash all of this out like this is that it is easier for me to see facts, trends, and patterns if I lay it out in writing VS juggling it all around in my head.

In short, I am seriously becoming more and more at odds with my old, chronic cardio ''party till I puke'' mentality - my ...

Great Workout Today - new weight lifting PR :)

Sun, 9 Dec 2012 01:06:04 EST

The last several days have been filled with some really great workouts.

Thursday - my new 40 lb Kettlebell and the latest copy of Triathlete magazine came in.. magazine had to wait, the Kettlebell was calling.

-Did some great alternating one handed swings, clean and jerks, and one legged rows then switched up to a 25lb bell to do some snatches.

Friday - Training session with trainer. hug...

Something Worthwhile, Something Special....

Thu, 6 Dec 2012 01:26:20 EST

I was going to blog about something that was probably pretty boring but then something really cool happened so you get to hear about the really cool rather than the boring blah blah blah I had planned.

It is looking like I will finally reach my goal of teaching a weight loss seminar. Earlier I had invited my trainer over to my house for breakfast and to just geek out on fitness for a while. He also wanted to check out my workout equipment and bike. He was impressed and we had a gre...

Vacation weigh in results..

Sun, 2 Dec 2012 01:41:38 EST

I normally don't blog on night shift simply because its tough to keep my train of thought from getting derailed. I guess old bloggers never die, they just lose their text and wander.. I hope I don't do that tonight.

Some have inquired about how my vacation went so here it is...I weighed in the minute I got home and I was mildly amused at the numbers. Since I have tracked such instances of sudden weight gain before, it was no surprise and I also could place a very accurate guess as ...

Got in another workout.... Leaving soon...

Sat, 24 Nov 2012 11:17:37 EST

I got to go over to Kevin's house to workout today. (Mobycarp).
www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_jo
urnal_individual.asp?blog_id=5143708

I was pretty excited about it since I was really wanting to get a feel for the heavier kettlebells. I can't get anything over 25 lbs where I am at unless I order them online and that can be a crapshoot. As expensive as it is to ship something that weighs that much, I don't want to be ordering a bunch just as an experime...

Had a good Thanksgiving workout...

Fri, 23 Nov 2012 01:40:33 EST

After such a great personal best at the half marathon on the 18th, I had decided to not run the Webster Turkey Trot today for safety reasons. I didn't feel that my ankle could handle being in a race so soon after a half marathon and I didn't want to push my luck. I haven't given it a second thought. I have been stretching and taking care of myself and it has been paying off nicely.

Today, I got to meet a new Sparkfriend, Mobycarp (Kevin). He had just finished the Race With Grace an...

Total pamper day for me....

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 23:42:34 EST

Yup that's right.... I totally spoiled myself rotten today.

Went to Cracker Barrel....

Hung out at Barnes and Noble... Love book stores...

Went out later to a Japanese restaurant,
I had some really yummy sushi-

Had a really fun time getting food tossed at me by the hibachi chef....I think I got most ...

Fall Classic half marathon, Cleveland, OH

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 00:02:05 EST

I'll keep it short, I'm pretty beat but boy did I have a fantastic day at the Fall Classic Half Marathon. I got a chance to run the event with my Sparkfriends Jan Frandsen and Tracy ( ie Pixiemom13). Just getting the time off to be able to do this was a challenge then to top it all off we had the most awesome weather imaginable for an event this late in the year. It was cold in the morning, frost on the ground kinda cold, but by race time it was about 40 then as the race progressed, it was ab...

On the road...day 1

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 22:34:31 EST

It's been a pretty long day on the road so I'll keep it short, I'm pretty wiped out. My eating today has been pretty good. I packed a "survival kit" of sorts. Basically consisting of pre-cooked egg whites, plain Greek yogurt, blueberries and blackberries, pre-measured 1/2 cup servings of oats, hard boiled eggs, salmon, Keifer, almonds, walnuts and more...

I took a number of breaks along the way from Marquette, MI to Ann Arbor, MI. Most breaks I did some short kettlebell workouts in...

So far.. doing awesome... big news...

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 15:19:07 EST

First and foremost... I am doing really well on vacation. Yes, I did have some indulgences such as an all you can eat fish fry (my weakness ) then went to a party later that week and let it all hang out dietarily but overall I have been doing excellent.

I've really connected with my trainer. He is pumped about what we are doing and is stopping by my house tomorrow to check out my home gym and we can chat about goals and objectives for my trip. I really feel like he is totally in my...

Happy Veterans Day, military memories...

Sun, 11 Nov 2012 09:54:34 EST

I wanted to wish all of our vets on Sparkpeople a happy Veterans Day. Thank you for your service to our great country. With all of our issues and faults, the United States Of America is still the example of freedom to the world. It is because of this commitment to freedom that we have the right to vote, to voice opposition, and to protest if necessary to express that opposition rather than to simply roll over and accept another edict from a dictatorship.

I guess all of this has bro...

First 48 hrs of vacation...

Thu, 8 Nov 2012 18:40:11 EST

I guess this is more for accountability than it is to say something profound. My big objective is to ensure that I dont crash and burn on this vacation. I had a significant fat gain the last time I was home after I ran my marathon. Probably the first human in recorded history to gain fat after 26.2 miles and it took a few months to lose it. I know that will not happen again because I have a solid plan and I'm on a mission (plus being able to walk is a big help- i couldnt move after the race....

Freedom!

Tue, 6 Nov 2012 18:09:05 EST

Officially I am now on vacation and not a moment too soon. This last week has been nothing short of brutal. 12 hour shifts, the climbing, the mud, the cold, the yuck... life in the mine has been .. well business as usual but I have been so tired. I have been totally wiped out but that's over now. It's time for my edition of "Miners Gone Wild!"

I have always dreamed of what it would be like to workout and go to the gym without always fretting about getting to work or being so tired ...

Training Started

Thu, 1 Nov 2012 18:32:23 EST

I had my first session yesterday and things went really well. My current schedule with my trainer is 3x per week for the next 4 months. I had to make a decision with what I was going to do. At first I was going to do a Crossft style group workout at another facility but after checking out training options I opted for a personal trainer instead. The guy has some serious credentials, a very good disposition, and he takes me seriously. We hit it off right away. He reminds me of a good friend I h...

Doing really good so far...

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 08:41:06 EST

. So far this week, I have really brought my A game. Not totally sure how, but i think i had something dialed in nutritionally. I had a ton of energy after my 2 12 hr shifts where i went running after both shifts. Although i did increase my carb intake a little, said changes were made too early in the day to make any significant difference 10 hours later.

I checked my training log and according to that I pr'd my 5k time on my first run.. 1st mile run was 11min flat then 5k was 38:...

Training Startup...

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 18:16:22 EST

I'm heading to Rochester, NY in mid November. I'm really excited to be going, it is the first time I have been home in a very long time. As it fell out, I have the majority of November off, I need a rest, pure and simple. I am also looking forward to meeting up with some Spark buddies in Cleveland for the Fall Classic Half Marathon. This is gonna be cool. After that, it's the Turkey Trot in Webster, NY.

In spite of all the running, I will be very wary with my eating. It is far too ...

Progress Photos...

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 16:38:34 EST

I finally got around to uploading photos and updating my FB page...yup...I know...
198 -About bloody time.

here is what I put up in case we are not FB friends,

**STARTING** 385 ....2008

**350**

**345**

<...