Did you know that the average human is made up of 50-65% water? Or you couldn’t live no more than three days without it? Water is one of the most important element of living… It flows through our blood, flushes wastes from our bodies, cushion our joints, and helps digest food. I would say it’s pretty darn important!! With that said are you drinking enough? If not, here are five ways that you can start drinking more water today.
1. Your first, last, and forever
Waking up dehydrated is the worst feeling eve to remedy this, start and end your day with water… I usually have a water bottle next to my bed … Just don’t drink too much before you go to bed or you will have nightmares about having to pee.
2. Carry water
Another way is to have more water around you… That’s right folks I’m talking about carrying a water bottle (or at least have one around) with you. My personal favorite is the Nalgene bottle. It’s BPA free and unbreakable. The only thing that I hate about the bottle is when I lose it and have to buy another one (I think the remedy that solution is to have one at home, work, school, and my car). If plastic is not your thing try out the glass bottles from Lifefactory or the Stainless Steel bottles from Contigo.
Want a quick and easy way to burn extra calories throughout the year? Well stop looking at yourself in the mirror and try these five exercises while brushing your teeth. These exercises will help improve your balance, flexibility, and strength. I can’t guarantee that they will give you bulging muscles but hey you got to start somewhere.
Exercise #1: Squats
This the simple exercise will not only improve your flexibility but it strengthen your whole lower body and core by targeting your hip flexors, glutes, lower back, and abdominals. Challenge yourself to see how many squats you can do while brushing teeth and try to beat that number every day.
Exercise #2: Tree Pose/ Single leg balance
Improving your balance can be as easy as standing on one leg. Why not do it while brushing your teeth? Add variation to this exercise by extending your leg to the front, back and sides. If you really want to test your balance try doing it with your eyes close.
Exercise #3: Modified Jacks
Got cardio? Doing modified jumping jacks while brushing your teeth will definitely raise your heart rate.
Exercise #4: Lunges
Lunges are another exercise that strengthen your legs, core, and improve flexibility and balance. Just make sure your bathroom is big enough to do them.
Exercise #5: Calf raises
Face it we all want nice calves and no I’m not talk about the calf in the picture. It’s pretty easy to do this exercise while brushing your teeth.
Give these exercises a shot… Just think about it if you brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day for 365 days that’s 1460 minutes or 24.3 hours of extra exercise the year. We all want to add more exercise in our lives and here is how you can do it.
Try out this WOD while brushing your teeth…I call it: The Sensodyne 5
So I busted out the pen and paper and thought about what people would say about me now at my funereal if I died today (as morbid is it is.. it really helped). A few things came to mind however I’m not going to discuss them. Then I thought about what I wanted people to say about me when I’m dead. Then came up with some fitness values that are in line with those things. Here are a few things that I came up with:
One of my fitness values come from life experiences, all my life I’ve been the biggest person in the room and by being the biggest person in the room there are certain things that I experienced and that I want to experience but couldn’t because of my size.
For example: I remember going to summer camp in the third or fourth grade and not being able to get a camp t-shirt nor a shirt with my team name on it because I was the biggest kid there. So when we had team challenges I was always stood out in more ways in one. The only black kid in the camp and I didn’t have shirt.
Not to make this a race thing but you have to understand where I came from…Detroit and the metro Detroit area is of the most segregated places in the U.S. The city of Detroit was about 99% black, however the surrounding cities were about 1% black and further you got pass 8 mile, such as 22 mile (yes there is such a thing), that number would be less than 1%.
So when I didn’t get a shirt at camp. I had to question is it because I’m the only black person here or is it because I’m the biggest kid here or is it both? I know now it’s because of my size but as a kid you don’t know and it makes you feel less than worthy either way.
I also remember the last day of camp where we had this obstacle course think Tough Mudder before it was cool. My team was in the lead throughout the race until we got to the last obstacle which was the wall. Being the biggest kid I helped everyone get over the wall but when it was my turn they couldn’t get me over. Eventually our team was disqualified because everyone i.e. me, didn’t make it through all the obstacles. The team blamed me for the loss.
Lately my friends and family members have mentioned, it’s been a while since I wrote a blog post and when am I planning to write on. I’ll usually respond with, “Soon!” Something so ambiguous that gives me more time to put blogging off. Then the question became, “Why are you avoiding blogging if you like it so much?” As I sit with a blank stare nothing comes to mind…
There is this feeling of emptiness resonating with me. I’ve completed one of my biggest goals, something that less than 1% of the population has done (run a marathon). So why do I feel empty? Empty like a brand-new piggy bank, empty like a car with on “E”, just plain emptiness!
Which may sound crazy until you experience it yourself. I spent so much time, effort, blood, sweat, and tears working on this goal. Then when I completed it I didn’t know what to do. Face it I feel as lost as I did when I walked in that doctor’s office for the first time.
As a man I muddle through these thoughts and feeling looking to find some meaning of all of this… Meaning of this journey, meaning of this blog, and meaning of my career. Needless to say your boy has done some soul-searching.
Fast forward to last week when I went to a training on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for Weight Loss ran by Dr. Jason Lillis. The basis of ACT is letting our valuables or beliefs be to compass of our behavior. One of the questions that I brought up during the training was why values? Values are not SMART, meaning values on not specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, nor timely.
His response was the problem with being goal driven is what do you do with them once you reach them? You lose 100 pounds now what? You run a marathon now what? You get a PhD now what? However, values are theoretically unattainable but you can always work to reach them.
Think of your values as a direction on a compass such as, east. Whenever you are doing a behavior that are consistent with your values you are going in the right direction. So you’re going east. However if you are doing something that goes against your values you’re going in opposite direction i.e. going west.
Values and goals work hand in hand. Since there could be an infinite number of goals that can be consistent with a certain value. Values become a goal generator.
Then it hit me I’ve been looking at this journey with the wrong lens. Everything has been based on single goals and as I complete them I feel emptier and emptier. However if I based my journey on set values, it wouldn’t matter what goal I accomplished as long as it is consistent with my values…
I don’t know about you all but the make total sense to me.
So I’ve lost over 70 pounds, ran a marathon and been on TV multiple times. As a steady approach my goal weight/ size the question I’m now asking myself: What are my core fitness values and how does that relate to 300 Pounds and Running?
I think it time to go to the drawing board and figure out my values…And just like that it’s needless to say that your boy is back in business! 🙂
I’m officially a marathoner!! All of the hard work, all of the miles ran, and all the ice baths finally paid off. For those who don’t follow me on social media or live under a rock this past weekend I ran the Detroit Free Press Marathon… And finished!!
Words can’t explain how I feel accomplishing a goal that I have worked for since I started this journey. Words can’t explain how I felt crossing the finish line…Nor can words explain how I feel as I write this post. Quite frankly I’m still in awe that I did it.
First I want to thank everyone who supported me. From the folks that cheer me on , to the folks who gave me advice along the way, to everyone who calm my nerves when things were getting crazy this past month. Thank you all!! I might have finished the marathon but this is a victory for all of us.
This shows that you don’t need to be a certain size or weight to do something like this…You just need hard work, dedication, and perseverance. I know many people want to know all the details of my race experience so let’s get in to it.
At the Expo!
On Friday I went to the expo to pick up my race packet. After I picked up my race packet I signed up for the last chance pacing team, even though I didn’t have a goal time in mind. I join the pace team strictly for strategy. The race had a time limit and if you fell behind the last chance pacer they will put you on the bus and bring you back to the finish line. That was not about to happen to me so I join the pace team so I know exactly where the pacer was.
The Dress Rehearsal
Saturday was the dress rehearsal I put on everything that I planned to wear during the race and ran a few miles… It was raining so nobody was outside, I happen to run past another running and she told me to get it in big man… Funny if she only knew what was going down the next day.
Race Day
Race day I woke around 4:30 am, excitement was running through my veins but I play it nonchalant when my mother and girlfriend asked me how I’m feeling. I got to the starting line found my corral, looked around and took in the environment. There were people everywhere, funny it ended up being a record attendance for the race.
So many things running through my mind, to keep my nerves down I started to tell myself that this is a regular training run there was nothing new here, new special, just me and the road. That worked for a bit until the race officially started. While waiting for my corral to get to the line my girlfriend decided to take a few pictures because when I come back I will be a marathoner.
My corral gets to the starting line and everyone takes off like a speeding bullet. I was tempted to take off also but I decide to pull back and chat with the pacer instead. Though I’ve ran many race I still feel like that I should be running as fast as everyone at the beginning of the race but I know that they will pace for it at the end. Anyways I stuck around the pacer until we got to the Ambassador Bridge (the bridge to Canada); I took a few picture of the view and chat it up with a few people.
One person that I had an interesting conversation with this woman named Carrie; it was her 6th or 7th half marathon. We ran and talked for about a mile or so until I had to make a pit stop. After my pit stop I took a few pictures along the way until I got to the Detroit tunnel (mile 7).
They say the underwater mile is a magnificent thing to experience. Well they were right!! It was so amazing knowing that you are running underwater. What would be it better if the tunnel was clear. Here are a few pictures below.
Detroit Free Press Marathon
Coming out the tunnel on the US side they had a big cheering section. It made it feel as you were a super star… Maybe they read my blog… After the tunnel we ran toward the Joe Louis Arena (where the Detroit Red Wings play).
After which I stop taking pictures to focus on my running. From mile 10-13, I listened to my breathing and feet hitting the pavement. I ran past a few people who read my blog… It was interesting because I think nobody reads my blog but a handful of friends, my girlfriend, and maybe my sister. We talked for a second or two then we went our separate ways.
Once I got to mile 13, I was in complete shock to see all the half marathoners head to the finish line as marathoners made a left turn. After the left turn it was hardly anyone on the road running. For a second I thought that I got off the courses. At that point I decided to put in my ear buds and listen to some music.
Mile 15 is where I met people again. When I started to passed folks they would get all weird and to try catch up and past me. This happened through miles 17-19, until someone ask me if I was on the pacer. Ha! This explains everything, I completely forgot that I was even on the pace team. Now I knew why was getting that “Holy Shit!” response when I pass someone.
Mile 19 was the entrance to the MacArthur Bridge which leads to Belle Isle. Between miles 19-20 I seen a few people hit the wall and it isn’t a pretty sight to see. I felt kind of bad for them because that meant they had to power through it or get on the bus. I tried my best to talk a person through it but he was done, he had lost all hope.
When I past the 20 mile marker, I thought to myself this is the furthest that I have ever ran. I’m now entering uncharted territory. I checked in with myself to see how that I’m doing. What was my pace looking like and whether I was in pain anywhere. I concluded that I was little fatigue but overall I was still good.
Once I got done checking in with myself a bus drives along side of me the driver lowers his video and says to me “You’re looking good big man,” I responded, “thanks!” Then he proceeds to ask if I would like a ride back to the finish line. I said Hell No! He laughed then drove off. I talked to a few people until the mile 21 came and the bus comes along side me again. The driver says, “You’re still looking good.” I said “Yup,” then he asks if I wanted a ride back to the finish line. “No thank you,” I responded and then he drove off again.
At mile 22 a woman gave me two hand full of Jolly Ranches, I immediately started to chewing on them. Then I past a couple that were running the race together and I jokingly said to them “look at my back” and that started the game of cat and mouse. About a ½ mile later, the couple catches and passes me with the respond, “Look at our back!” As they passed me that damn bus pulls alongside me again and the driver says to me again, “You’re looking good,” this time I don’t even give him a response. Then he asks if I would I like a ride back to the finish line. I just waved him off.
I continue to the cat and mouse game with Jodie and Jonny boy (yeah by now I knew their name) until mile 24. They passed me but I wasn’t able to catch up to them again. Then I started to feel really fatigue and my back was starting to ache. Still popping Jolly Ranchers I told myself, that I’m not getting on that bus no matter what so I needed to power through and get to the finish. After I have this conversation with myself the bus pulls alongside me again and say you’re starting to slow down, now do you need a ride to the finish line? I didn’t even respond I just kept looking forward and kept moving.
When I got to mile 25 a guy on a bike asked me, “Do I know where I am?” I said the finish line!?! He said you’re at mile 25 keep going. A ½ mile later another guy on a bike asks me, “If I would like a ride to the finish?” I look at him and said, “Are you serious I’m almost there.” However at this point my mind was starting to play tricks on me, I had thoughts like, “If you got on the bus the pain would go way or maybe if you stop and walk for a few seconds you could run faster.” It took all my mental power to say no and kept moving.
I made a left turn and I could see the finish line. I could see my girlfriend and mother cheering and that gave me the boost of energy I needed to sprint to the finish.. I did it!! I’m a marathoner!! Everyone is asking how it feels all I can say is I’m tired…. Where’s that bagel I bought before the race. That was my experience of the Detroit Free Press Marathon.
Detroit Free Press Marathon
Detroit Free Press Marathon
Detroit Free Press Marathon
Detroit Free Press Marathon
I know this post is pretty lengthy so stay tuned. Next time I will discuss what I learned from running the Detroit Free Press Marathon.
What’s up Goal Crushers!! I just wanted to drop quick line to say that I crushed another goal. I ran my first marathon (Detroit Free Press Marathon)! I will do a race recap in a couple of days and a review on the watch that I have worn to train for the marathon. Before I sign off, I just want to say anything is possible as long as you put your mind to it. I know it might sound cliché’ but it’s the truth. July 1 st of 2012 I started this journey weighing around 350 pounds. Now I just finished my first marathon. I attribute my success in this journey to dedication, hard work , persistence, perseverance, and consistency. I leave you with a couple of pictures from the race.. Until next time
