My doctor told me to start dieting and exercising. We went through the blood tests, and it is clear that this is something that I needed to do.
That was in April. I think I laced up my running shoes maybe once since then.
I've donated almost my entire closet to the Salvation Army, and I have maybe two pairs of pants that actually fit, and a handful of tops.
I actually give myself inner thigh burn when I wear skirts or dresses because there's too much fat right in that particular area.
None of these things have prompted me back on the road or to the gym.
My favorite running store of all time, located in New Jersey, just opened a new location in New York on Columbus Circle. They were the ones that got me running for the first after a five year hiatus, and I was just as fat then as I am now.
I think maybe it is time to start running again.
Saturday, September 05, 2009
Monday, June 01, 2009
Brooks Trance 8
I took the new shoes out for two runs. After the first run, I was disheartened and wanted to relegate them as treadmill shoes. They seemed flimsy on the first run, and I desperately wished that I had purchased a pair of Kayanos instead.
I took them out one more time yesterday, thinking that I would stop by Jack Rabbit after work during the week if my first assessment held true.
The second run was a bit surprising. I didn't notice the road as much as my first run, and my arches weren't as fatigued. I did wear a different pair of socks (a pair made by Under Armour), which probably changed the feel entirely.
So, I am happy to report that these shoes, with the right pair of socks, do pass go. I just hope they last.
In any event, I think I'll have to pick up a pair of Kayanos anyway. I'll use them as an alternate since I've been wearing my Asics Gel GT-2120 Trail as my default walking shoes around NYC.
Now ... I just need to commit to my next race.
I took them out one more time yesterday, thinking that I would stop by Jack Rabbit after work during the week if my first assessment held true.
The second run was a bit surprising. I didn't notice the road as much as my first run, and my arches weren't as fatigued. I did wear a different pair of socks (a pair made by Under Armour), which probably changed the feel entirely.
So, I am happy to report that these shoes, with the right pair of socks, do pass go. I just hope they last.
In any event, I think I'll have to pick up a pair of Kayanos anyway. I'll use them as an alternate since I've been wearing my Asics Gel GT-2120 Trail as my default walking shoes around NYC.
Now ... I just need to commit to my next race.
Sunday, May 03, 2009
With New Shoes, It Feels Like 2005
I have no idea what my body fat percentage is, but I have a hunch that is something scary. Medically, I think I'm at the obese end of the spectrum. At my physical, my new doctor was incredibly kind and gentle. She simply won't confirm or deny the bad stuff. Instead, she only gives encouragement. She simply said that I know what I need to do, and I just have to go and do it, when I'm ready.Mentally, I know I can get back to my size 4 /6 self, and I know what it takes to get there. So I don't feel overwhelmed, but I don't think I'm entirely ready to go at Project Weight Loss full force.
I am going to reintroduce physical activity back into daily life. Even if it means waking up before the sun does. I already started to take my vitamins again, and I went shoe shopping today at my new local running store.
This place actually has a camera set up at the back end of the treadmill, allowing you to view a digital video of your stride as you run. Since your gait can change with time, I showed up completely open minded to what they would say. Unsurprisingly, after video analysis, I am ... an overpronator.
I was given a choice of three running shoes. A trusty pair of Asics Kayano, another pair by Saucony, and a pair of Brooks Trance 8. I was tempted to go with the tried and true Kayano. I was in love with them since 2005, and Runner's World gave them Editors Choice in 2008 and 2009.
There was something about the Brooks that I couldn't shake off (pictured above with a Nathan Shoe Pocket attached on the left shoe). It felt so light, and my heals stayed firmly in place. It truly felt like a glove for my feet. They were so comfortable that it made me nervous; I thought that perhaps it was more of a treadmill shoe than a road shoe.
The sale woman assured me that wasn't the case, so I had to go against my inclination. They did not win Editor's Choice from RW, but this is what they have to say ...
Runner's World Shoe Lab Test Results
The new Trance 8 is the first Brooks shoe built using biodegradable midsole foam, which means that it lasts only about 20 years in a landfill--versus the 1,000 years it takes most running-shoe soles to break down. In our tests, this new foam performed as well as the previous versions. Some testers commented on how well the Trance held their feet, while others found that the laces were difficult to adjust. Recommended for runners with normal to low arches looking for a shoe that's more environmentally friendly than most.
Who would have known that I opted for the green choice out of the mix of stability shoes? The thing is, as with most green choices, they tend to fall apart under heavy intense usage. For example, biodegradable road signage. It doesn't even sound like it would be a good idea. Buying green isn't always the greener option if you consume twice or three times as much product to handle the duration of your needs. I am now a "heavy" runner, so I am skeptical about a biodegradable midsole carrying this obese person for 500 miles. Well, we'll just have to see. Hopefully, I'll be taking off tomorrow morning. If not, I will be antsy through out the entire work day before I get to go for a ride in my new orange shoes.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Where's the Liquid Advil?
I worked frantically and stressfully for two months at my new gig, and it had wore me out. I suffer from migraines, and I had it pretty much under control so that I would only suffer maybe once or twice a season. The woman that I worked for drove me to five migraines in less than a month. I have never witnessed anything like her before. By her own admittance, she has on numerous occassions referred to herself as psycho.
The thing is ... psychotic doesn't begin to describe what she's like. Just an example, she's in dire need of revamping her project sheets. A project sheet is often times a one page description that includes some arrangement of graphics that represents and shows the design of the project, and the text to convey the complexities and technical difficulties of the project. These sheets are used in marketing packages as well as proposals to answer Request for Proposals (RFPs), which are the primary ways that companies win new jobs ... and in short ... make money. Without these sheets, a company has no foundation to prove that it is experienced enough to answer the needs and challenges of a new project. It's essentially a larger scale version of a resume, and the project sheets is equivalent to relevant job experiences.
Her project sheets were entirely devoid of technical information, and the writing style was not only redundant, but somewhat aggravating to read. Normally, within each project file, some type of contract or proposed scope of work is agreed between client and company, and the text portion of the project sheet originates from there. Her project files do not contain such information, so the only way to access this data is through her.
My first attempt at downloading project information from her head resulted in a screaming that lasted three hours. She was going off about how it's my job to come up with the write up, and the fact that I was without ANY PROJECT INFORMATION was entirely irrelevant. She also has this odd perception that work and a professional business relationship with her is not exactly a cooperative one. Instead, she believes that she is to be treated as the client, and it is my job to figure out what it is that she wants, needs, and everything else that she might possibly want or need that she is not yet aware of.
I had no idea that when I took her job offer that I had actually taken on a demanding - melodramatic - migraine - inducing - bona - fide - pain - in - the - ass - psycho wife on crack.
During her little tirade, the Intern decided at that moment that he had no interest in pursuing anything that require cooperation with her, people like her, or remotely entertain working under her specific discipline.
So I am living off my savings once again, looking for yet another job. The only problem is that I am limited to NYC entirely now because as part of my relocation and immersion as a real New Yorker with a real New York license ... I had done something that was both liberating and possibly incredibly stupid.
I ... sold ... my ... car.
On the flip side ... I have been going to Church rather regularly. I'm hoping that somewhere in the midst of this expansive universe ... I'm progressing along just as I should, and this little segment of extraordinary pain is a bit of a ... hazing?
The thing is ... psychotic doesn't begin to describe what she's like. Just an example, she's in dire need of revamping her project sheets. A project sheet is often times a one page description that includes some arrangement of graphics that represents and shows the design of the project, and the text to convey the complexities and technical difficulties of the project. These sheets are used in marketing packages as well as proposals to answer Request for Proposals (RFPs), which are the primary ways that companies win new jobs ... and in short ... make money. Without these sheets, a company has no foundation to prove that it is experienced enough to answer the needs and challenges of a new project. It's essentially a larger scale version of a resume, and the project sheets is equivalent to relevant job experiences.
Her project sheets were entirely devoid of technical information, and the writing style was not only redundant, but somewhat aggravating to read. Normally, within each project file, some type of contract or proposed scope of work is agreed between client and company, and the text portion of the project sheet originates from there. Her project files do not contain such information, so the only way to access this data is through her.
My first attempt at downloading project information from her head resulted in a screaming that lasted three hours. She was going off about how it's my job to come up with the write up, and the fact that I was without ANY PROJECT INFORMATION was entirely irrelevant. She also has this odd perception that work and a professional business relationship with her is not exactly a cooperative one. Instead, she believes that she is to be treated as the client, and it is my job to figure out what it is that she wants, needs, and everything else that she might possibly want or need that she is not yet aware of.
I had no idea that when I took her job offer that I had actually taken on a demanding - melodramatic - migraine - inducing - bona - fide - pain - in - the - ass - psycho wife on crack.
During her little tirade, the Intern decided at that moment that he had no interest in pursuing anything that require cooperation with her, people like her, or remotely entertain working under her specific discipline.
So I am living off my savings once again, looking for yet another job. The only problem is that I am limited to NYC entirely now because as part of my relocation and immersion as a real New Yorker with a real New York license ... I had done something that was both liberating and possibly incredibly stupid.
I ... sold ... my ... car.
On the flip side ... I have been going to Church rather regularly. I'm hoping that somewhere in the midst of this expansive universe ... I'm progressing along just as I should, and this little segment of extraordinary pain is a bit of a ... hazing?
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Back from Dormancy ...
... and transplanted in New York City.
Since my last entry, I've logged zero miles in terms of running, but I've traveled close to 3,000 miles in pursuit of a new gig. I was flown down to New Orleans for an amazing job offer that doubled my previous salary, but may have actually tripled my overall disposable income. Housing and the cost of living in New Orleans isn't quite as pricey as it is in Jersey.
After some agonizing analysis, I had to reject their generous offer, and I took a job that's a lot less stable, a lot less appealing in many levels, but offered the most amount of promise. My salary did not exactly double from my previous one, but it does come pretty close to a double. Unfortunately, my disposable income has been greatly decreased. Housing in NYC is insane, and the cost of living is much more expansive here than in Jersey. I would have been much better off living in Jersey IF the office was more reasonably accessible by mass transit, but it is not.
The mass transit commute would be in excess of two hours each way (the office is only accessible by MTA bus), and a vehicular commute would not make it any better. Considering gas prices, toll charges, and wanting to minimize suicidal inclinations induced by commuter related frustrations, it made a lot more sense to move into a neighborhood that's close to the office. So that is what I did. Apparently, my body is HATING the relocation, and I can't say that my soul is too pleased with the situation either.
I'm hoping that this is just part of the adjustment period and that I will eventually start to love this place.
As for the other half of my life, it is about to come around again. I'm optimistic that tomorrow will be my first stab at my return to the world of health and fitness. I'm currently reading Bart Yasso's book, My Life on the Run, and I think it poked at some embers of inspiration.
Better entries are coming. Despite the drawbacks, every single day in New York is truly a new day. No two days are the same, and there are so many surprising things that just happens along the way to where it is that you need to be. The saying is so incredibly true ... Only in New York.
Since my last entry, I've logged zero miles in terms of running, but I've traveled close to 3,000 miles in pursuit of a new gig. I was flown down to New Orleans for an amazing job offer that doubled my previous salary, but may have actually tripled my overall disposable income. Housing and the cost of living in New Orleans isn't quite as pricey as it is in Jersey.
After some agonizing analysis, I had to reject their generous offer, and I took a job that's a lot less stable, a lot less appealing in many levels, but offered the most amount of promise. My salary did not exactly double from my previous one, but it does come pretty close to a double. Unfortunately, my disposable income has been greatly decreased. Housing in NYC is insane, and the cost of living is much more expansive here than in Jersey. I would have been much better off living in Jersey IF the office was more reasonably accessible by mass transit, but it is not.
The mass transit commute would be in excess of two hours each way (the office is only accessible by MTA bus), and a vehicular commute would not make it any better. Considering gas prices, toll charges, and wanting to minimize suicidal inclinations induced by commuter related frustrations, it made a lot more sense to move into a neighborhood that's close to the office. So that is what I did. Apparently, my body is HATING the relocation, and I can't say that my soul is too pleased with the situation either.
I'm hoping that this is just part of the adjustment period and that I will eventually start to love this place.
As for the other half of my life, it is about to come around again. I'm optimistic that tomorrow will be my first stab at my return to the world of health and fitness. I'm currently reading Bart Yasso's book, My Life on the Run, and I think it poked at some embers of inspiration.
Better entries are coming. Despite the drawbacks, every single day in New York is truly a new day. No two days are the same, and there are so many surprising things that just happens along the way to where it is that you need to be. The saying is so incredibly true ... Only in New York.
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