Retrospective

So! I hit a milestone! A few days ago I reached 1,000 views on my blog! I’m pretty excited about it too. When I started writing my blog, I was doing it mainly for me. It was supposed to be kind of an outlet for me to think, and a place where I could be accountable for my goals. I think it’s cool that people read it now too. So thanks everyone, thanks for reading my blog. I’ve written 30 posts since February, and I’m really enjoying it. Hopefully I’ll continue to do it for a long time. So! To celebrate 1,000 views (even if it does seem a little corny) I made a basic collage of the designs I did. I’m also going to pick a random sentence (okay, maybe not COMPLETELY random) from each entry…and see what I get. It might be crazy, but here goes!

Ultimately I’m just trying to be more productive with my time. I tried it out…and they work out great! He needs to bulk up a little bit, and he could really become more of a dominant force in the NBA. I succeeded in avoiding the cookies that night, but the temptation was still there when I woke up. There were drinks, chips, candy, wings, pizza, mozzarella sticks, you name it! If I focused on that failure I would be bound to repeat it. I lost 10.4 pounds! He was shooting lights out, but I was actually holding my own.

Out of sight and out of mind is easier said than done. Quite the undertaking, right? I think my body is falling apart. It kinda stinks that I had to feel sick to learn it though. I’m crazy, I know. I got out of the habit, and it was easier to get out of the habit again the day after that, and so on. I knew it was a dumb idea, but I felt like fate convinced me even more. Doesn’t that kind of defeat the purpose?

The weather seemed a little dreary, but we didn’t think much of it. I feel pretty good about this decision. Not going to lie, I kind of have mixed feelings about the situation, but that’s usually the case. I’ve worked here for awhile, but I still don’t run the show. I think that’s a lesson we all need to learn.

One of the things we wanted to implement was boxing! Earning money is always a good thing. I hope other people can find the desire to do the same. Things are on the right path. However, I do have one set back, and that setback is nights. They eventually brought two extra people in for help. No arguing there. I guess I’ll just have to deal with it until something else comes along.

Well! That was actually pretty fun. Good times, for sure.

Drinking Drinks and Thinking Thinks

Alright, I’m done slacking. I’ve had my less productive week of illness, and I’m ready to get back into the swing of things. Believe it or not, I’m actually looking forward to working out regularly again. However, I am NOT looking forward to going back to work. Maceys is great and all, but I really just need something new. I need a job where I don’t have to be on my feet for eight-plus hours. My body is falling apart. The exercise I’ve been doing has been putting an added toll on my body. Combine that with work, and I’m a wreck. I know I’ll have to deal with the aches, pains, and hurts less once I lose weight, but for now I feel like it really is an issue. I guess I’ll just have to deal with it until something else comes along.

So I’ve mostly recovered from my bout of sickness. I do start work tomorrow, so hopefully things are all good. While I was sick, I didn’t get the opportunity to exercise (and for a good reason), but I didn’t really eat too terribly, so I feel like I’ve stayed about the same weight-wise. I did end my long weekend with a cherry-rickey though…they’re delicious. So! This entry was short, but those were my thoughts. If anyone hears of any solid jobs that don’t involve crazy amounts of standing, let me know!

Random Thoughts While Recovering

It’s been a few days since my near brush with viral meningitis, and I’m still on the recovery. I’m nowhere near as bad as I was on Wednesday, but I’m still not better. The one symptom that’s lingering is the severe headaches. Good fun for sure…not! Ibuprofen never does much for me, so I’ve been using the Lortab the doctor prescribed for me. One Lortab doesn’t do that much for me though, so I’ve been taking two at a time. The problem is I don’t have a ton, so I can’t take it as often as I’d like to. Haha, that sounded slightly like I was getting hooked, but I’m not! I’m just glad that there is finally something I can take that actually works. It doesn’t make me crazy or loopy like it does to a lot of other people though, so that’s good.

Things have been pretty low-key for me. I would have worked about 24-25 hours since Wednesday, but I couldn’t because of my virus (it wouldn’t be too nice to ask customers if they preferred paper and a virus or plastic and a virus). I’m glad I’ve had my iPad 2 to keep my company! Seriously, I love it. I’m writing this blog entry on it right now. It’s funny because I want to show a bunch of people, but too many people are afraid of my germs that they don’t want to test it out. If we’re friends, I’ll have to show you. If we’re not friends, why are you reading my blog? Creepy. Anyway, whoever you are, an iPad 2 is a good investment. I got mine engraved with my name on it, so don’t get any ideas!

Funny how I said Lortab doesn’t affect me in a weird way, and then I go on to write a random paragraph like the previous one. I’m not even on Lortab right now, just bored and in a random mood.

So! Here are a few things I’ve learned (or re-learned) in my time stuck at home:
1) I really wish Maceys would allow me to grow facial hair…Well, they allow you to have a moustache, but NO ONE should have just a mustache unless your name is Burt Reynolds or Tom Selleck.
2) The Wizard of Oz is a weird movie. No arguing there.
3) Wearing a surgical mask makes you look either: awesome, creepy, professional, diseased, or all of the above.
4) My friends and families are awesome.
5) Easter traditions are fun.
6) There is a new show like “Whose Line is it Anyway?” on tv now! It’s called “Drew Carey’s Improv-a-ganza” and it’s on GSN (the Game Show Network).

Alright, well now I’m starting to ramble. The moral of this story: Being sick isn’t fun. I’m looking forward to being healthy. Happy Easter.

That Was Spinal Tap

It has been QUITE the day today. I woke up feeling absolutely miserable. I hadn’t felt too great yesterday, but I’d probably say my pain was two to three times worse this morning. My mom was nice enough to take me to the Instacare not too long after it had opened. Even though we were there pretty early, we still waited in the lobby for twenty five minutes or so. When they finally brought us in, we waited another 40 minutes or so! Absolutely ridiculous. There weren’t THAT many people. Oh well…So anyway! The Instacare doctor told me that I was exhibiting signs of viral meningitis, and that I needed to go to the Emergency Room right away. What?!? Crazy! Definitely not the results I was expecting…pretty scary.

My mom took me to the Emergency Room at McKay Dee Hospital…the wait time was CONSIDERABLY less. After talking with a few nurses and then a doctor, I knew it would be best for me to get a bunch of tests done, just in case. There was only one way to know for sure if I had viral meningitis, and that was through a lumbar puncture a.k.a. a spinal tap! Crazy. They took some blood for testing first, and then hooked me up to an i.v. It only took them four tries! My veins are deep/I’ve got a lot of “tissue” (lol) in the way. They eventually brought two extra people in for help. The fourth lady (the expert?) ended up just putting the i.v. in my hand.

I’m not going to lie, I was pretty nervous about having a spinal tap, especially when the doctor described the procedure to me. It still hurt, but it wasn’t as bad as I expected. I’m still short maybe a teaspoon a spinal fluid, lol. For testing purposes of course. We waited about an hour, and the tests came back negative for viral meningitis! Thank goodness!!! I still have a pretty bad virus, plus some other crap, but at least it’s not meningitis! I’ll be out of commission for a few days (which sucks because I have to miss work, but oh well!) All in all, I was at Instacare or the hospital for about six hours today. Good fun…not! They gave me some Lortab and something for nausea. I took one Lortab for my headache, but it really didn’t do anything. I’ll try two pills next time.

So amidst all the crap that happened today, I do have good news…I got my iPad 2 today!!! I love it! I’m actually writing this blog entry through my iPad. Lots of cool apps. Lots of cool features. I’m looking forward to getting used to it a little more. I really think it’s going to be a great tool/asset to me. Should be good!

The Dark Night

Alright, it’s time for a little audience participation. I’d like some suggestions. So like I said in my past blog entry, I really do feel like I’ve been doing pretty well. I’ve been exercising on a daily basis, and tracking my calories. However, I do have one set back, and that setback is nights. Allow me to elaborate. I’ve never been a morning person. I’ve always been more of a night owl. My moments of weakness come through snacking at night. I know it’s not good to stay up crazy late, and I also know that it’s bad to eat junk. Combine the two, and the results are less than desirable.

Like I said, I haven’t done terrible, I just have some room for improvement. So I’m asking for suggestions. How can I kick the habit of eating late at night? I know it should be as easy as simple as not doing it, but I’m looking for some advice that’s a little more specific.

This blog entry might seem a little scattered, but it’s late (ironic, huh?) and I’m tired. I just kind of had this on my mind, so I wanted to write about it. I’ve been doing so well, and I don’t want to let this dumb little thing hinder me any more than it has. So we can just pretend this blog entry is a little longer, and a little more entertaining to read. Comments are welcomed.

In the Loop

I know I haven’t been writing as often as I have in the past, but I’ll try to do better. Things have been going pretty well for me. In the past week (not counting today), I went to the gym five out of six days! I was pretty proud of myself. It’s starting to become a habit, and I’m really enjoying it. Of course there are ups and downs, but overall it’s been good! The results of this past week? Well I haven’t done an official weigh-in, but I’ve gone in a belt loop!

I’ve been alternating between upper body and lower body workouts, and I’ve done cardio every time I’ve worked out too. It’s been making me extremely sore, so I’ve been taking protein. I know a lot of people take protein to bulk up, but I’m taking it mainly for recovery…and I’ve definitely noticed a difference. I’ve still been sore, but it’s been A LOT better than the days where I’d gone without it.

My siblings were joking with me the other day that I must be falling apart because of all of the braces that I have. I have a knee brace, ankle brace, a finger brace, and I’m probably getting a thumb brace too! I guess carrying all this weight around has made me a little weak over time, but I’m trying to fix that! My body just isn’t used to the extra exertion, hence the braces.

My eating hasn’t been top notch this week, but I have been tracking my calories and stuff for the past two weeks, so that’s good at least! If I do better eating wise, combined with continued exercise, I should be able to see even quicker results!

Things are on the right path. I’ve gone in a loop, and that’s only the beginning!

Proud to be an American?

This past week and a half in Ogden has helped me re-realize a few things, one of them is the fact that America is SOOO unhealthy! It’s gross. I guess when I was eating bad, I never really paid attention to what other people were doing. Now that I’m trying to make better choices, I’m becoming more aware of the bad choices that A LOT of people are making, at least when it comes to grocery shopping. Based on grocery choices, Provo is healthier than Ogden. I think that’s partially because Ogden is poorer, and people tend to make worse decisions when it comes to food choices. (You’ll have to pardon my scattered thoughts today; it’s been a long day.) So! Here are a few more detailed observations I’ve rediscovered. I’m going to generalize and say that WAY too many Americans:

• Buy processed/pre-made foods. i.e. frozen dinners
• Spend their money on junk (chips, pop, candy)
• Put WAY too much trust and money into energy drinks
• Don’t buy enough whole grains or produce

So I know that I’m probably stating the obvious, but it’s becoming more and more clear to me that the mass public is heading down the completely wrong direction. It makes me sad. I hate it when I see people that I haven’t seen for awhile, and they’ve put on a lot of weight. I’m not meaning anyone in particular, so no one jump to any conclusions! As weird as it sounds, I’ve noticed it with a few Maceys regulars (customers) that have put on 40 or 50 pounds. It’s sad though, because I can relate to them…and it sucks! It’s no fun gaining weight, and often times if you don’t take care of it, it can have a snowballing-type effect. I know I need to change, and I’ve been trying to make steps in the right direction. I hope other people can find the desire to do the same.

At a Crossroads

Things continue to roll along here in Ogden. I officially joined Crossroads gym in South Ogden yesterday. I walked in, got a tour of the facility, did some paperwork, and I was set! It’s a more than reasonable price, so the “enrollment fee” didn’t bother me too much. It’s a really nice gym. It doesn’t seem to crowded, their equipment seems really nice, and the staff is willing to help out. They’ve got these biaxial machines that are pretty cool too. Rather than changing weights, you just adjust the pressure to your desired weight. Kind of modern and new-age-ish, so it seems like a lot of people have been staying away from them, but I think they’re great!

Today was really productive for me. I woke up early and went to the gym. I did a decent amount on the treadmill, and then just spent the rest of the time re-familiarizing myself with the weight machines. I only did a pretty basic upper-body workout. When I got home I started to tackle another cleaning project. My room was a complete and utter disaster. There was tons of stuff there (a lot of stuff was moved there when our basement flooded a little bit), so it was quite the undertaking. I’m wanting to attack a lot of stuff though (cleaning wise), so this was a good start.

I was only cleaning for awhile before my friend/my brother’s friend Steve showed up to workout with me. We did some boxing stuff (I’m really enjoying that!) and then he also taught me some exercises with a medicine ball. To top all of that off, we met up with my brother Dax (and his buddy Parker) to play an hour or so of basketball. WAY tiring day. When I got home I finished cleaning my room (took QUITE awhile), and then even made dinner.

I’m really trying to be productive with my time, so it seems like my days have been pretty hectic. I figure the less time I waste, the more time I spend exercising or doing PRODUCTIVE things. I start work tomorrow (Maceys again! Yay!), and work eight hour shifts for the next three days. Not looking forward to that, not gonna lie. It’ll be good to work though. Earning money is always a good thing. I’m sure it’ll take a toll on me physically (I’m already WAY sore), but I just need to push through it and keep on trying to exercise and eat right. Should be an interesting weekend!

Thinking Inside of the Box

Well, I’m home! I’ll definitely miss Provo, but things have gone pretty well so far. We had a good General Conference weekend, had our usual Priesthood session/dinner night (this time with Uncle Kevin, Taz, and Steve), and we had a family meeting too. I’m looking forward to making that a habit. I think it’s a really good idea because it helps the family get on the same page. We talked about a lot of things, and set some good goals as well. One of the things we wanted to implement was boxing!

We’re all really wanting to become healthier and get in better shape. The Biggest Loser kind of generated my interest in boxing. It’s definitely a workout, and it’s something that seems like it would be FUN. I think that’s really important because the more you enjoy it, the more likely you are to do it. The rest of my family is on board too, so that’s going to help.

Boxing stuff can add up pretty quickly, so we checked out other places than just the usual sports stores. My dad was able to find a really good deal for a 100 lb heavy bag and a stand for about $100. The girl selling it had just moved and didn’t have any room for it. It was still pretty new, and was in great condition, so we decided to go ahead and buy it. Dax and two of his friends (Taylor and Louie) helped my pick it up (my mom and I had gone and checked it out earlier). Louie has a truck, so that’s how we were able to fit it, and bring it home.

I had looked around at a lot of different stores for gloves and such, and I actually found the best deal at Big 5. They had a pretty good sale going on, so that was nice. We ended up getting three pairs of gloves, five handwraps (one for each member), and a set of punching mitts. I’m really excited! Taylor was showing us some stuff and we were trying out the punching bag too. I feel like this is going to be really good for me…and my family too! My next step on my road to a healthier lifestyle is to join a gym. I’m going to check out one or two tomorrow.

So things are going pretty good. Ogden is treating me pretty well. I’m looking forward to being able to see progress again. I’m really excited about this whole boxing thing. Should be good!