Walk it off.......

When you are a kid, how often did you hear the phrase "Walk it off?" It seems like every time a kid got hurt, either a teacher, a parent, or a coach would use that phrase. It was intended to make you not focus on the pain. The idea was to get your mind back to a good place, so that you could move on. Not bad advice back then, and maybe not so bad now.

Before my Weight Loss Surgery (WLS), when I was over 400 pounds, walking sucked. I couldn't do it. One of the most basic things in life. I just couldn't do it. I was forced to walk with a cane. I was carrying so much weight, just walking a couple of blocks would make my back hurt, my knees hurt, and my feet hurt. I couldn't even stand up straight. I was going in for steroid injections into my back 3-4 times per year. Take it from me, this is not a good way to live.

After WLS one of the things they recommend is that you start walking right away. In preparation, I adopted my first training partner, Rex, the American Bulldog, to aid in my walking quest. He would keep me company while we walked circles around the big meadow at the Dog Park. Our first couple of adventures were kind of sad. I could barely make it once around the half mile loop. Rex wanted to run and play. He would run ahead, then run back to make sure I was still breathing, then run ahead again. Slowly I got stronger and skinnier. Soon walking 2 or 3 miles with the dog was no big deal. Eventually we got to where I will even take him out for a run, however it all started with a small walk.

Most loyal readers to this blog know that I work for the Human Services Department of the County of Santa Cruz. I'm classified as a Systems Analyst, which means I spend most of my days sitting in front of my computer. Luckily, I work with a bunch of people who like to exercise. I know, not what you would expect since most of them are computer folks as well. They had a group that would go for a walk at morning break time, and then for a second walk at the afternoon break time. I decided to join this group.

The morning walk is a 1.64 mile round trip. It starts at our building, winds through the County Complex on Emeline and up the hill. It is a steep hill. For the longest time, I couldn't make the trip. I could only go part way up before I had to turn around and crawl back to work. I got to where I can now do it easily, but the grade is so steep that it still gets the old heart a pumping.

The afternoon walk is a 1.8 mile round trip through the surrounding neighborhood. It is a little longer than the morning walk, but since it is completely flat, not near as challenging. We used to do a shorter afternoon walk until one day the Big Boss went with us. She showed us a different route and ever since, we go for the longer one. I mean if the Boss takes us, it must be ok. :-)

Recently I've added a lunch time walk. At lunch, one of my buddies and I do the afternoon walk as well. Sometimes we even do a double lap. That means that on a normal day of walking, morning, lunch and afternoon, we log 5.24 miles and if we pull a double, we log 7.04 miles while at work. Not bad before going to the gym.

I've gotten into this walking thing into a big way. Between walking at work, running the dog, using the elliptical machine at the gym and walking with Kelly, I did over 245 miles in the month of October, 191 miles in September, and 231 miles in August. All that walking has to burn off some major calories.

So remember, after a big Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow, get up and "Walk it off!"

Pulling the Trigger

Well I did it. I've finally decided to pull the trigger and open an on-line vitamin and supplement store. Sometime in the near future, I'll be up and running with GetSeriousNutrition.com. I've purchased the domain and I'm currently developing the website.

Ever since I started blogging about my experience with the Blood Doc and my switch to higher quality supplements, I've had many people seek my advice. Especially people who have also had gastric by-pass surgery. You see once you have that kind of surgery, your body is permanently altered. You can no longer absorb natural vitamins and minerals. By-pass patients have to supplement their diets for the rest of their life. Finding quality vitamins and supplements that work, and are tolerable for weight loss surgery patients is not easy. Well, I'm going to change that.

I'm hoping to have my site up and running sometime in December. I'll keep you informed! :-)

Characters I Have Met.......

Back in June, I had the experience of a lifetime. My wife, Kelly, sent me to a professional Cage Fighting Training Camp, at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas. (Check them out at: http://xtremecouture.tv/)

I detailed this experience here on my blog. See my posts from June 14th, "Countdown to Training Camp," June 23rd, "Back from Camp and a Little Bit Sore," June 24th, "Back From Camp Part 2," and June 26th, Back From Camp Part 3."

While at this camp, I was able to receive instruction and work out with several World Class Athletes, including Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion of the World, Forrest Griffin. My training partner was a 38 year old guy name Matthew. Mathew was almost as tall as me, and probably 20 pounds lighter. He had a lot more experience and was gracious in showing me some of the finer points of MMA. He had told me that he was a published author, and was now working on a book about MMA. I asked him the name of his book, and he told me it was "American Shaolin." He was very humble and said it was moderately successful. I figured he was probably over stating his success and didn't think much more about it.

Fast forward to August 23rd. I'm looking at the Xtreme Couture Blog, longing to return, when I notice a story, and a link to the Las Vegas Sun newspaper. It turns out that not only was my training partner pretty famous, he actually continued on to train at Xtreme Coture after camp, to continue researching his next book. He also went on to have his first fight which he won.

(Check out the article at: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/aug/23/coutures-son-victorious-best-selling-author/)

This got me to thinking, "hey I should read this guys book." Well I just finished it and it was great. It is the story of Matthew Polly, dropping out of an Ivy League College to chase a dream of becoming a Shaolin Kung Fu guy, like David Caradine in the old "Kung Fu" television show. He went to China, not even knowing where the Shaolin Temple was located. He found it, and actually lived with the monks for 2 years while training in Kung Fu. The book chronicles his journey as he challenges his beliefs on life and begins to learn who he is. During this incredible journey, Mathew actually fights in a National Chinese Kick-Boxing tournament, and actually takes second place.

The book is fascinating, even for those not into the martial arts. This book can stand alone as a travel book, or even a philosophy book. Matthew was being extremely humble when he described the book as moderately successful. He has won numerous awards, made the talk-show rounds, promoting the book, and his book has been optioned to become a major motion picture.

On an interesting side note, one of the guys I work with immigrated from China. One day on our morning walk, I told him that I was reading a book called American Shaolin. He got very concerned and replied "There are no American Shaolin." I told him there was. He was my training partner at Xtreme Couture. I went on to briefly tell him about Matthew's story. He said, "Oh yea, I remember him now. He was very famous in China. He was on television often. He speaks Chinese very well."

The book based upon his MMA adventure is tentatively titled "Full Contact Writer." It is scheduled for release around March of 2010. The book will chronicle his journey to learn Mixed Martial Arts, including his journeys to Brazil, Russia, and of course Las Vegas. I'm expecting at least one chapter on the big, tough guy who was his training partner for Fight Camp at Xtreme Couture!