My boys

Ok so as I stated earlier my middle son Logan, was beginning a ride down the overweight road too, but my oldest son Zac was sleeping his summer away. After I started running I suggested he should start running also. It began as an "ok dad" kind of thing, Logan went with him sometimes but couldn't keep up so he stopped. Zac kept right on running. He was enjoying it. He was impressed with his accomplishments.

This is his first year of high school so we got him on the Cross Country team. His starting time was not great but by the end of the season it got much better.
Ok so now he decides to run winter track.... Awesome. He is running distance, his CC coach is his distance coach, even better. While all this is going on, I suggest to Zac that he visits the gym with me, he loved it and we joined him up on the spot. We are on the elliptical every day, lifting, taking classes he's liking the "getting ripped" feeling.

So I go to a meet and watch him compete. By no means the fastest and most surely not the slowest. It felt good afterwards when the coach asked what he was doing differently. Zac had gone from a like a 7:45 mile to a 6 minute mile. The change was working on him too.

I had discussions with Logan as to what he wanted to do, of course as most 10yr old boys, he wanted to take Karate. Ok, let's give it a whirl. We signed up for a 1 month introductory class, got his uniform, felt good for the first couple of classes then completely lost interest......hmmm what gives? So we ditch the karate.

My next question for him was what sport do you really want to play.... FOOTBALL. Ok. I know he can throw, been the receiver many, many times, can catch pretty well too.... But he is slower than molasses. Lol. He knows this too. What to do, what to do? Ah ha!!!! The gym offers Parisi speed school for kids (http://www.parisischool.com/trainerfinder/websites/60063/otac/index.html). Perfect, we go to the open house they test him. He likes it. He wants to join, heck yeah, join him up!!!! Now there's 3 of us going to the gym. Zac and I have adjusted our workout schedule to revolve around Logan's classes. He is loving it and is getting much better. Gets up every Saturday morning to go too.

The little guy, Caleb goes to the gym with us and goes into kid care where he gets to play "dance 2" on the Wii. Sometimes he comes out of there sweatier than I get after working out. He has to wait until next January to start Parisi.

So here they are working out and I am trying to explain nutrition to them so they can understand the benefits of a healthy diet. But one step at a time..... Let the changes continue.

The beginning

OK so....where to start? Several months ago I found myself overweight, out of shape and living in a rut. Same thing day in day out. One morning in August I tried to tie my shoes and realized i had to hold my breath to get my foot up on my leg.... What the heck happened to me? Sure I held my breath to tie my shoe but then it took forever to get my breath back.

I started thinking on the way to work, what is going to become of me if I continue the same path? I am always sick, my body is forever in pain...What to do, what to do? Then I see the above pic, wow, I need to do something, what is that hanging over my belt??????

I have 3 awesome sons, I need to be around to watch them get old. My middle son is starting to become overweight, too many snacks and way too many video games. I need to be the example...

So where did I start?

First off was quit the 6 pack a night habit.... nothing but empty calories. Talk about hard, for someone that receives both Draft and Beer magazines and has a bar in their basement it was difficult, but definitely got much easier. Then it was the visit to the local gyms around Warrenton. I had to feel comfortable and not be judged. I had'nt been in a gym in 3 years, but even back then, I wasn't 100% committed to a lifestyle change.

I found my gym...Old Town Athletic Club (http://www.otacfitness.com/). It is gym that has been around Warrenton, but was now in their brand new building, gorgeous, had everything I needed and could ever ask for in a gym. I felt right at home right from day one, never judged at all.

Ok, so now, I quit my drinking, I only drink water now, and of course a nice shake occasionally. I joined a gym and was showing up, whats next?????

I bought a GOOD pair of Nike's, and my job allows for a 1 hour lunch, I take this time to start running. I have a couple guys I used to run with, but once it got cold, they would spend thieir lunch at the gym next door. So here I am running alone with my iPhone. 3 times a week I am hitting the pavement. Trying to increase my distance, trying to decrease my time. My body easily adjusts to the pain, it is the breathing that causes me issues. You see, I smoked for almost 26 years. I had my first smoke at 10yrs old, and just kept right on going. I could only imagine what my lungs look like!!!!

Ok so I'm drinking water, going to the gym, and running. I am starting to feel a lil better. Now the food!!!!!

I was always quick to get something fast and easy to eat for all my meals. Sandwich for breakfast, bacon, eggs and cheese. Whatever i felt like that day. Lunch was pizza or McDonalds or something else fast. Dinner was usually out somewhere. Throwing steaks and potatoes down my throat. I needed to research and re-evaluate my nutrition.

Exercising and eating trash is like changing the oil in your car and leaving the old filter in there.

So I get myself on a pretty good diet (I'll explain my diet in another post) and stay religious to my exercising. The pounds are starting to come off...wow, amazing. I am getting addicted and its awesome even though its now October and its only been 2 months. Step one to lifestyle change is falling into place.