To Whom It May Concern

The Pain Of The Journey Pays Off!

I have tried to remain true during the last two years to working out regularly, but admittedly, it has been hard. I have an exhausting job, and trying to balance everything else out while already tired, well, I got a little behind. I'd basically settled in around 195 to 205 lbs during that time also, spending a small amount of time above 205 and also a little time below 195, never more than 5 lbs either way.

During this time I've had strange chest pains, pretty much a constant annoying thing. Doctors thought it was heart burn, a strained rib muscle, or other things, but it still hasn't really been narrowed down. For whatever reason, it was actually a real struggle to run, and I've never had to deal with that before.

As Belly headed off for boot camp, I decided it was time to make an effort also on my part to get back into excellent shape, so I decided I would tone down to 178 lbs. That was on January 3rd, I weighed 204 lbs that day. Now I'm at 184 lbs. Not a bad job for one month's work, if I do say so myself. However, I am finding this last 6 lbs is going to be the hard part.

I've really cut back what I've been eating, big time. I usually have some cereal for breakfast, all I ever drank anyway, even before, was skim milk, I absolutely cannot stand any other type of 'city milk' as I call it. My lunch is usually a turkey breast sandwich, or a small portion of leftovers from the night before. At dinner I try and eat a sensible and light portion of food.

I have been working out every night also. I go three times a week to the base gym, run 3.5 miles, bike for 20 minutes, do a bunch of situp and pushups, and sit in the sauna for 10 minutes. I'm going to be upgrading that workout now to include curls, pullups, shoulder press, and other things. The other 4 days at home I do my pushups and situps, but I'm also upgrading that with bicycle crunches, curls, and other things.

Tonite, for the first time, I really noticed a significant increase in my ability to hold a fast pace while I'm running. For so long now I haven't been able to run fast at all and it was so incredibly frustrating. I'm used to being able to basically 'ride a breeze' so to speak, to run so fast it looks like I'm not even trying, and to be slowed way down, for whatever reason, has been hard for me to take.

I don't know if it's the situps and pushups getting my muscles all back into shape, the weight loss, the running itself, or a combination of everything, I just know it feels great to kick the afterburners in and jet around that track like I used to. I'll probably reach my goal weight around valentine's day, an unfortunate day to spend alone, but I'm not really alone at all, even if I am physically, she's with me in spirit, and I'm with her.

I'll tell you this much though, when I reach 178 lbs, I will go with midas to the American Steak Buffet and CHOW down, because I deserve it, sure I'll gain 5 lbs right away, but I can work that back down, I'm a good month and a half ahead of schedule!! I'll need something to work at for the next 45 days till I see my baby!!