Half of Phil

It was 32 degrees and light frost Tuesday Morning, but now it seems like maybe Spring is finally here.  Been in the 80s since then. We had a good spring break to the Grand Canyon and Arizona.  Was a busy trip but we had loads of fun.  I took the kids a mile down into the canyon.  It was pretty easy going in, but coming out was tough. For the month of March I topped my total step record, I was surprised because I hadn't been tracking or shooting for it.  Weight wise I'm kinda stagnant but clothes are still fitting better even the new ones I got at Christmas, so I know I'm making progress.   Still making it to 9Round 4 times a week when I've been in town.  I haven't done any running since we got back from Spring Break, but hope to start back next week.  I picked up a cold and I've been fighting it the last week or so. Met with the nutritionist today and she was pretty adamant I need to do better on sleep, so I'm gonna focus o...

We had Spring in late winter and we've had winter in early spring!!  Go figure, the weather has been absolutely crazy the last few weeks. I've stuck with my exercise program well except for this week.  9round 4 times a week with at least 15k in steps and then the other 3 days running 2 miles and at least 17k steps.  Weight loss is definitely plateaued, but I'm feeling better and clothes are fitting better.  I bought a pair of size 44 jeans a few weeks ago! The running is getting better and I've stretched my distance to keep running, ok jogging, longer and now it's definitely 3/4 running and 1/4 walking time wise.  I've got it routinely down to right at 30 minutes. My initial up tracker finally died, so I've had to go to a backup I ordered a few months ago.  I was able to get it to calibrate so my times and distances are more accurate now, I admit I liked the old one told me I was going faster and further than reality!  Ha. I took my son down to...

We head to my son's spring Soccer Tourney today.  So it kinda feels like the 2 year anniversary of this new journey, even though it's about 6 weeks away.  They are going to a different tourney this year in Charleston. I'm back on track with 9Round and have been running some the last 2 weeks.  I'm averaging about 13 min per mile when I run my 2 mile loop.  I'd estimate I'm running at least 2/3rds of the distance now. My son made the soccer team last week so that is very exciting.  He's worked hard to get into better shape and be in the position to make it.  It'll be an exciting but hectic couple months. I need to do some more pics, but I think  I'll save that for my 2 year anniversary post. I'm excited to be headed to Arizona in a few weeks.  It's been a interesting first few months of 2018.  About forgot that we are reviving our CAD-Que bbq comp team, to compete in the first annual Harrisburg BBQ contest.  It should be a fun even...

I've not really kept up with my blogging well, but I've stayed on track with my workouts for the most part. Taking a week for my back to heal was definitely the right call with 9Round.  I went back the next week and the first few times were tough after missing the time I did. Just as I was getting back on track I had to miss another chunk when I went to Murphy to clean out Mom's house.  It was several long days of hard work.  I am confident that I'd never have been able to do what I did a couple years ago before beginning this journey.  I may be in better shape than I was in my teens and early 20s but I'm definitely not nearly as strong as I was back then!!! I had hit a plateau with weight loss at the end of the year and in January, but it started to come off the last few weeks.  I'm really not doing anything different, it's just started to come off.  I'm down 146 lbs overall.  I now weigh less than I did in the 8th grade.  For Christmas...

I don't know how we stay so busy but we do.  Our calendar stays full, but at least then no one has time to get bored. I hurt my back somehow last week and I've had to miss 9round for awhile to allow it time to heal.  I'm planning to start back next week since the pain is much better now. I've kept up my steps though even w/o going to 9round.  I crossed over 8 million steps this week on 1/31.  Since 8/29/16 I've averaged 15,269 steps I think that's amazing. Weight wise I'm about the same tettered up some but I was right at 137 down this morning. Next committed update 2/23

I missed a couple posts in December and had planned to get a good year end summary post done on the 31st, but life had other plans. My mom passed away on the 31st and I missed my step goal for the first time since late August 2016, and then again on Jan 6th the day we buried her.  It was a rough first week to the year to say the least and I'm not sure I've dealt with the best way, but I'm making it the best I can. On some more positive notes I did finish Dec 2018 with my highest month step total ever: 523,752 steps.  When I returned home from Mom's I weighed in 137 lbs down over all. The last week or so I've not gotten back to good steps, between working from home due to grief and now the snow, I've only been to the office once in 2018. Hopefully next week I'll get back in the swing of things. I missed a week of 9round up at Mom's but have been back as much as I could since returning home.  It's tough to get back into the swing of things....

I get asked that question every time I discuss my journey with someone.  I generally respond with 'well I'm still old' and let it go at that. Lately though I've been giving it some real thought and I actually do feel a lot better. It's one of those things that's kinda hard to pin down, but I have thought of two key things I know lead to feeling better: I don't take ibuprofen every single day much less morning and night any more. I don't have to lay on the ground with my legs elevated to relieve my aching back anymore on a daily basis. The other thing is that I can see myself alive beyond the next 5-10 years now, obviously none of us know the future, but I definitely see myself in a more long term future than I did when I made the first post back in 2016. As 2017 winds down, I'm very close to breaking 300 lb mark, but just can't quite get there.  I'm confident it'll come in time. I did the high part of our christmas lights again...