We need to get paid!

     I know its been a few days since I have made a post, actually, I'm about a week behind, and for that I am sorry.
           Now, onto the topic at hand that I have been pondering over the past several days. The word of the week is Consistency. It is a word that serves as a staple in all of our lives. It allows you to get a pay check ( you constantly go to work ); it allows you to get places ( constantly going to the gas station to put gas in your vehicle ), and it allows people to either depend on or not rely on you. If you are constantly reliable, people will know that they can depend on you to do what you say you are going to do. If you are constantly letting people down, well guess what? They will not come to you and rely on you to get done what they need.
     The same goes with everything else in life. Whether it be you have a new commitment to yourself to lose weight, to become a better spouse, a better friend, or to stop a vice such as smoking. We all must be constantly striving to be consistent in our efforts. It's not a once a week trial. It's not a once a month trial. It is a day by day trial and effort.
    I know to some of my readers/followers, I may be sounding redundant, but that is alright. Again folks, this is what I believe, and it's not gospel or pure truth. Besides, isn't that the point of a blog? To write down your ideas and hope that others have a desire to read them for whatever reason? ( insert playful laugh here )
     Now, how does this all apply towards what I normally talk about? In order to lose weight, or to maintain weight, or to even shed just a few unwanted pounds, we must be consistent with our efforts to achieve what we are seeking. We must be consistent AND constant about going to the gym. We must be consistent AND constant about watching and maintaining our diet, and we must be willing to be constant about exercise in order to achieve our goals. It's that simple folks. I know, I know... it sounds easier than it really is. We all get frustrated when we continuously put forth the efforts, but fail to see results. I liken that to our jobs. How many times in the work force have you put your best effort forward to get recognized as a contender for that upcoming promotion at work, just to see it slip by and be given to someone else who is more often times than not, undeserving of that said promotion. Do we just up and quit our job because we didn't get it when we felt we deserved it? No, we go back to work the next day putting our nose to the grind stone. Why? Because we need to get paid. Well, the same goes for our fitness goals. Think of it as each goal you reach like a promotion at work. If we get it, we feel great about ourselves and it makes us want to work harder. But if we don't get it, we just can't give up. We have to get paid! The check we receive from the gym is obtaining the goals we have set forth for ourselves.  Is it starting to click now?
         I know, I know... " But Shane, you had Gastric Bypass surgery.... you lost a lot of your weight by cheating, and not doing it the hard way ". True, that statement can be made, but what you may or may not realize dear reader is that I had to first lose from 350-360 lbs down to 298 lbs just to be ready for the surgery. Then, yes, I did have my surgery., and yes I did lose an enormous amount of weight. But, I've also had to work over peaks in my weight loss, and I've also had to struggle to maintain where I am at now in my weight just to prevent it from bouncing back up to where I once was, and I have set goals to even lose a few more pounds, and tighten and tone some of the residual excess skin due to the dramatic decrease in weight in such a short period of time. But, I will still get paid ladies and gentlemen... because I am constant and consistent about getting my ass in the gym.
          So goes for each of you my friends. I know that you can get paid, and be paid well. For those of you who have come to me for advice, or suggestions, or with just general questions, I hear it in your voices that you are ready to get paid. You deserve it and I know that each of you individually have a check ready to be cashed out in full. So.... GO GET PAID.
           I hold each and everyone of you in high regard as a dear friend, and I wish all of you nothing but great success. Remember, when times are hard, and you don't think you have anyone to lean towards for support or guidance, or just a general outreach to bitch and gripe to; you are sadly mistaken. I will listen, and I will offer advice, and I will be supportive. Because I want to see each of you obtain your goals and pay yourselves in huge dividends!
           Be good to each other folks, and most importantly.... be good to yourselves.
   

Week ending 20 March 2011

So what has been happening with me this week? Its been an interesting week with learning the ins and outs of my new promotion at work, and I've learned a bit more about time management. Making time for family, plus Gym time, plus getting my meals together ( which, without my wife, I don't know how I'd do it, so thank you Melissa ), plus getting ample sleep, the day goes by so fast, that it is just amazing to sit back and realize I have no time to get into trouble!
    As for the Gym, I've had some great increases! I am finally pushing 150 lbs on the bench press. I know, doesn't sound like a lot to some of those who might be gym rats, but from not benching at all for the past 8 years or better, and having only been really hitting the weights for the past 5 months or so, I find it somewhat decent. My short term goal on the bench press is to be able to bench my body weight ( 180 lbs ) by the end of summer 2011. I'm preacher curling 70 lbs, at 10 reps a set, and doing about 3-4 sets. Tried out a new exercise the other day for my back routine. I'm not exactly sure what it is called, but its where you stand on a platform. You stand over a bar that has weights attached to it at the end basically right underneath you. You hunch over and LIFT the weights up to your chest, almost like a standing row or something like that. Well, for my first try ever doing this exercise, I was able to do 90 lbs 8 reps per set and did 2 sets. Again, nothing drastic and fanatic, but for my first ever attempt at it, I was rather pleased. I did lat pull downs at 100 lbs 4 sets, 12 reps/set as well.
      OH YEAH! That brings up to another point of the gym. I got and tried Nutrex's new Hemo Rage Ultra Concentrate Orange Creamation. My god, is this stuff not only incredible, but the taste is amazing. It truly brings me back to my childhood memories of eating an Orange Creamsicle on a hot summer day.
        Stay tuned for more folks, as I am sure there will be things to follow with my new life that I have found since my surgery.