If you have not already done so, please check out Day #82 for Part 1 of How I lost 45 pounds in 4 months. This is the second of three posts discussing how I physically and mentally prepared for this tour.
Step 4: Hit the gym
This was the hardest part. I went to the gym every morning. I missed only one day when my back went out and I was forced to spend the day in agonizing pain on my couch. There were several television shows that I was behind on and would have easily binge watched them in a weekend. Instead I decided that I was not allowed to watch any TV (except for live MLB Network programming) outside of the gym. I loaded up my iPad and spent an hour and a half at the gym every day. My routine was to do 35 minutes on the elliptical – mock if you want, but my knees and back will not allow me to do anything else – followed by 30 minutes of weight training and then 20 minutes of work on my abs. I alternated between chest, arms and legs depending on the day.
Step 5: It's the little things
Whether it was standing on the subway, taking the stairs instead of the escalator or picking a restaurant that was six blocks further just to get some extra exercise, I was always mindful of keeping active. After 15 years of living a sedentary lifestyle, I made sure to always be moving. If I was reading something on my laptop, I would pace around my apartment instead of sitting on my couch. If it was a nice day, I would walk the Brooklyn Bridge or around Central Park. These little choices in and of themselves do not mean much, but over time they start to add up. More importantly it put me in the right mindset and made me feel energized.
Step 6: Stay focused and keep it to myself
When I started this new regiment on January 3rd I genuinely did not think that it would last. In fact, I just went back and read what I wrote on that day and will include an excerpt from the entry
January 3rd, 2013
“ I am going to try and go to sleep at a reasonable hour, but I never know if that will work anymore. I'd like to be able to do this everyday but I am skeptical that I will make it even a week. I am debating whether or not to tell anyone that I am doing this or not...”
I did not end up telling anybody about my lifestyle changes until months later. I did not do this for anyone else but myself. There was no outside pressure and nobody to impress or disappoint. I lost 45 pounds in four months. I have some before and after pictures, but I will not subject you to seeing my naked flabby torso. I started this tour weighing in at 130 pounds.
End of Part 2
Travel Stats
Miles Traveled: 0
Time in Car: 0 hours
Sleep Time: 8 Hours
Bottles of Water: 7
Food Eaten: Grapes, blueberries, sausage pizza from Femi's
Total Money spent today $132.70
Cumulative Miles through today 15,834
Cumulative Time in car through today 288 hours 55 minutes