#MondayMotivation - A Healthier Mike: May 2020 Update

---

THE GOOD STUFF

• Every day had at least a walk (only a few were less than 4 miles)

• Learned more about stretches necessary for keeping my hip, knee, and back in check

• I hiked! Oh my glob did I hike! It was glorious, too. Thirty miles of hiking felt wonderful after months with little to none.

• I feel well enough to start running again

• I managed to maintain my weight, without gaining anything

• It was another month over 150 miles of activity (168 actually, even 162 if you take out the biking)

• My lowest daily steps was in the 9000s which is great

• I closed my rings every day, in theory. I missed one day of standing because I left my watch on the charger for 6 hours. BUT, I did stand so…whatever.

• Average daily mileage was over 4 miles

• I know where I need to improve and refocus.

• I feel good and I think I look better. My confidence is a little higher these days.

• Ran my fastest mile to date!

---

THE NOT-SO-GOOD

• I miss the gym

• I need more sleep

• I need to stop letting myself be dragged down by others

• I didn’t lose as much weight as I was hoping, and I certainly didn’t build any muscle but I maintained so I guess that’s a neutral

• My bike was neglected, as were my running shoes. Stupid hips.

• I had a lot of binge-type days that included truckloads of alcohol and snacks. I learned it doesn’t ruin the whole process, but certainly doesn’t help. The water weight/bloating from one snack/drink happy hour stayed with me for a few days and really killed my vibe.

---

MENTAL HEALTH

• Even though work is at home, I’ve learned to leave it in the corner after hours.

• I’m about over my own stupidity. I have a lot of solutions for my own problems but no willpower or energy to do anything. It’s awful.

• Constantly having to respond and reach out to people can be tiresome, even for this extrovert. Sorry not sorry if I seem anti-social or haven’t reached out “enough” lately.

• Sleep is a constant battle… there was a period of time I was sleeping a lot, or a lot more than normal. Now, I’m back to being weird. I’m staying up late, which is my not so secret favorite, and waking up just in time to do a morning work call. This is not enjoyable. I wish there was a world where I could stay up late and get up early, like I used to, but there’s not. SO, I’m going to start trying to sleep before 11pm again and wake up at 6am. That’s the goal for June.

• I’m reminded of how lucky I am in these trying times. SO VERY FUCKING LUCKY, even if things sometimes just shit all over me.

• I am my own worst enemy.

• Apple Health isn’t the end-all-be-all. It’s a tool in bettering yourself. I rely too heavily on this for what? For my own tracking and motivation. I need to stop letting it really bother me. If I’m doing enough and feeling fine, fuck it.

---

GOALS FOR JUNE

• Read a Damn Book!
  OK, TV be damned. I’m going to set a tough goal of reading 6 books this month to catch up for the year and get my head out of the programming.

• More Salads & Greens.
  Veggies are my friend. I haven’t had enough lately, and it shows. Time to re-up the salads and make them in bulk for lunches.

• Social Media Break (3 days, at least)
  I’m heading off the grid to the cabin to do some work/relax for at least three days.

• Run Run Run!
  May was a total bust for running, whatever. I will run my ass off in June. My race isn’t canceled, yet!

• Keep going!
  Now that the state parks are open, I plan to make up the lost hikes of 2020. I’m checking off quest goals while hitting mileage ideals.

• FOUR+ Hikes in June
  Got some really good hikes in during May, hopeful for as many ore more in June.

• 175 Miles.
  I hit 160, so I’m going to try for 175. Obviously, if I run, walk, and bike in the same day it could really amp it up.

• Lose 5+ pounds
  I know it’s not about the weight, but I need to rethink what I’m eating and drinking and really push to be better overall and I think this is a reasonable number to shoot for. I’d like to end the sixth month 50 pounds down for the year.

---

THOUGHTS, NOTES, CONCLUSIONS

• I am on the right path. My momentum kind of stalled in May, but added hiking kept me going. I’m still working on my food/alcohol/exercise balance and getting more sleep. This is the right path and my clothes falling off are proof.

• I am using Noom. My Noom was reset by 4 weeks to help me improve and reinvigorate me. I’m basically using it to track and I really need to be more mindful of what the lessons are each day.

• I have accepted the new me. I still enjoy some days with indulgence, and that’s not going to change. If I have to cut something completely out of my life, I don’t succeed. The beauty of my main meals being overall better for me is that the indulgence days don’t completely fuck me over in the long run. Balance, baby! (Still a work in progress)

• I’m still like running. I am going to amp it back up this month. I’ve got pages of stretches and yoga moves to help keep me limber.

• For real REAL. I’m finally on a path that allows me to have the things I want with little sacrifice as far as food and drink go. It feels good to be in the 280s and not going back up. It feels good to know that I can have a burger and fries, once in a while.

“Oh, why do I compare myself to everyone?
And I always got my finger on the self destruct”

— Demi Lovato - I Love Me

#MondayMotivation - Trail Run?

I’m not a runner, not really.

I haven’t ever run more than a mile at once, and I haven’t done that since high school. I have done the Couch 2 5K for about 4 weeks, before petering out. I’m not a runner, but I’m trying it on for size now.

So… I signed up for the LBA - Little Backyard Adventure trail race sponsored and hosted by The Outdoor Society in Olympia, Washington. It is Saturday, August 10 and I’m going to train until then in hopes of coming in better than last place. It’s a simple motivation today - try harder, work for it, and don’t come in last place in August. I’ve already started incorporating little spurts of jogging into my daily dog walks and I don’t hate it.

Observations:

• My dog maxes out at about 16 minute miles - if we REALLY hustle. He’s more comfortable around 17-20 minute miles. He’s kind of holding me back, but I love him so I’ll have to train separately or just drag him.

• I am to the where walking fast is more annoying than just running slowly. Yeah, I run slowly, but I am still in the motion and it’s still running.

• My self-centered notion that people are judging my running ability is just silly. EVEN if they are, who the fuck cares? Not me, from this moment forward anyway.

• Running on a treadmill is absolute horse shit. I hate it. I was like, why do I hate running? It’s because I did Couch 2 5K on a treadmill and that was the dumbest thing. I mean, not THE dumbest thing, but dumb enough for me. Running outside, though probably slower, is just so much better feeling in my body. I will save the treadmill as a last resort, when it is storming or I am unable to go before triple digit temps for the day.

• I sweat a lot. I sweat walking through an air conditioned building, but running really soaks me. I’m also coming to terms with the fact that this doesn’t matter either. Re-hydrate and move on, Mike.

As someone WHO never did ANY sport or any fun running, this is kind of cool. I know, so many of you ran in high school or run for health. I just never did, and it is kind of exciting for me. I have a goal, a real motivator, and I’m ready to commit.

#MondayMotivation - Fancy Mixed Nuts

I often lose sight of my goals when I get caught up in the work necessary to achieve them. I constantly forget why I’m doing what I’m doing, so I create lists and trackers to help me along.

One of my goals was to save for a kayak and also drop a few pounds for said kayak. You can buy heavy duty kayaks, but I still wanted to be a little lighter so I could bring a cooler or camping gear along. I’m slowly making my way to the goal, both in saving and losing the weight, and I was reminded of the “WHY” I wanted to do this beyond getting healthier and not adding to my debt. It’s an attainable goal, with no real end date so I’m setting one. I’m going to drop 30 lbs and get the kayak by my birthday this year. Added mini goals to the big goal are to find a way to store the kayak at my apartment and save enough for the car rack and paddle. I have ropes, PFD, and water clothing already. Attack a goal bit by bit, right?

View fullsize

On the topic of goals… I’ve been toying with the idea of doing a trail race. Mind you, I’ve never even run an entire mile in years (decades) or on a trail beyond maybe running up a hill to get it over with. I hike, I jog intermittently, but I haven’t really done much beyond those things. So, if I can whip myself into shape and get in the runner mindset over the next month, before the race registration goes up in cost, I will register. I don’t care if I come in last, I just want to participate and complete one in the near(er) future. I finally participated in a 5K last year, though it was mostly intermittent running. I wasn’t last, and it made me want to do more of them because no one cares how slow or fast you are they’re just worried about themselves and their goals. I think if I get back on the wagon and just start doing it I’ll be able to do the smallest loop of the trail in the course by the August race date. I’m putting this all out there so I remember and so I can have some public accountability. Back on the treadmill this week, unless I get the courage to try the outdoors.

What are some goals you have? Do you lose sight of them or lose track of them if you’re not vigilant? Keep it real—istic. You can do it, people, whatever “it” is.

A NOTE: From the time I came up with the idea for this post (about 9 hours), to the time I finished writing it and posting it, I binge ate a lot of Kirkland fancy mixed nuts. Sigh. I remembered I hadn’t finished this, remembered I had goals, and then went for a walk. On the walk, I regretted the fancy mixed nuts and also the fact that I forgot to write/publish this before going for a walk. Either way, mistakes happen - accidentally or not. It’s all about going with the flow and remembering the goals. Carry on and don’t let a little bit of fancy mixed nuts stop you from your dreams.