Today after my workout I made a trip to my local bike shop, First Flight Bicycles of Statesville, NC. With a little bit of money I have saved I was excited to go see what I might be able to fix on my bike. Over time and due to all of my moves I have frequented 11 different local bike shops and 2 large chain bike shops (Performance Cary and Chapel Hill), to date I can not think of a bad experience at an LBS. I guess there is a first time for everything.
I went to the store today with my biggest priority being fine-tuning my cleats, handle bars, and seat in order to have a more comfortable ride. I have also wanted to check on used road bikes since I do want to compete in a Tri and would like to ride more often, as well as a new wheels set. When I came in to the store I spoke with the one full time employ who I have spoken to many times since 2006 when I began shopping at this store. I asked for advise and assistance getting the bike to fit better. I was informed that since I did not buy the bike or shoes there and since time is money (note: he was on the computer when I came in doing clearly more important things) there was little he could do for me. He then gave me quick notes on the seat and bars but told me that the original bike shop should have done this for me. HE also said it is part of the package of buying a bike from them before you ever leave with it. He then went on to insult my shoes and my crank brother pedals.
Next, I asked that since I was unable at this time to buy the road bike that I want ( I want a Trek 1.2), how much would it cost to build a wheel set with slick tires. I prefaced this answer with the fact I am on a tight budget and and am trying to optimize performance and efficiency while minimizing cost and would like to find the median between the two. He rolled his eyes and smirked when I said this. He told me that with wheels, tubes, and tires it would cost $250 - $300 and that probably would not be good for me since this was clearly more than my bike is worth. He also added there would be some mechanical issues that would also make it hard like chain wear, etc. These problems I understand. He suggested that I buy a set of slicks and new tubes and get practice at changing tires. This is exactly what I did, I purchased the Bontrager H2 tires and standard tubes.
I pushed my bike out and and loaded it in my truck. As I drove away is then the buyer's remorse hit me, not for the $60 dollars but for the way I was left feeling. I felt bad about my bike and not having money. I bought this bike when I was in graduate school and after saving up all winter for a snow board. By the time I had the money winter was over, so I went to a bike shop and bought the best bike I could afford. I have the pedals I have because all of my friends and my first two bike shops swore by this brand. It led me to ask: When did mountain biking become so elitist? When I first started cycling a guy I worked with named Jeff talked shit to me about my bike and about how only Giant bikes were good and specialized is crap, blah blah, blah. Jeff was a spoiled brat who had never had to work for anything in his life to the point that he even killed someone in a car accident in high school and his family paid his way out of it. On the other hand, a good friend who I did my first few cross country rides with, Dustin Wilson, was kind a of hippie and was a part time national park ranger. Dustin was very mellow, never talked down about brands, just here and there giving me advice about good equipment or additions I could make like a bike computer, clipless peddles, or lighter saddle. This is what I think of when I think of mountain bikers. This was a sport started by outsiders that could turn a wrench themselves, grunge guys that were on the fringe and didn't care. Has the pretentious road cycling attitude taken over? It sure feels like it! If I don't have the best gear then I should stick to running, oh wait runners don't want to be seen with me because I am too fat. As someone who grew up on food stamps and medicaid, put himself through undergrad and grad school, and then turned around and went to work making barely more than minimum wage because I work for state government I buy, serving and Protecting or at least that what the patch on my uniform says, so due to limited income I buy the best I can afford, I often save for parts. In the past I have had to go months without riding because I needed new cranks and bottom bracket that I could not afford. I had to wait until Christmas and asked for one part as a gift and buy the other myself.
I leave these questions to ponder:
1- When, why and how did elitism make its way into mountain biking?
2- Since you can't be a cyclist if you have a budget, what hobbies should poor people have?
3- What hobbies should fat people have since outdoor sports get you an awkward eye?
Note: If you are curious what I ride I have a 2006 Specialized Hard Rock, Bontrager Big Earl Cranks, Bontrager Howitzer Bottom Brackets, Bontrager Saddle, Crank Brothers Mallet Pedals, and Forte Shoes (got them on sale at performance and sales items are probably looked down on). Although most if this is down hill or free ride designed I like how it stands up to big boy weight and fun with technical obstacles.
Showing posts with label Super fatlete. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Super fatlete. Show all posts
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
Daily Report
Goal: AM- High Intensity Strength Training. Lunch- Strength. PM- Swim or bike ride. Healthy Eating.
Results: PM- 500m swim in t-shirt and 2 pairs of shorts, yesterdays Crossfit Endurance WOD. followed by 1 mile hill run 9:59.
Diet Setbacks: what diet? Burger King for breakfast, Diner for lunch, KFC for dinner. About 2 Mountain Dews.
Thoughts: My diet sucked today. I feel bloated and weighed out at 228 lbs. Disgusting. Overslept this morning so I had to stop for breakfast, therefore no workout either. Alarm clock never went off. Planned salad and workout for lunch but my boss decided to take me out to lunch. I could have ordered a salad or egg whites but I went with a poor choice. On the way home from work I was informed by wife that we were going to KFC for buffet with her family. Nothing other than crap on the buffet. Although I missed two workouts I came home before dinner and swam. The shirt slowed me down enough that it made working on my breathing easier. I was again motivated so I decided to run to my in-laws house instead of driving. It sucked, I was barely moving but I got there, it is an interesting run as it is mostly up hill.
Results: PM- 500m swim in t-shirt and 2 pairs of shorts, yesterdays Crossfit Endurance WOD. followed by 1 mile hill run 9:59.
Diet Setbacks: what diet? Burger King for breakfast, Diner for lunch, KFC for dinner. About 2 Mountain Dews.
Thoughts: My diet sucked today. I feel bloated and weighed out at 228 lbs. Disgusting. Overslept this morning so I had to stop for breakfast, therefore no workout either. Alarm clock never went off. Planned salad and workout for lunch but my boss decided to take me out to lunch. I could have ordered a salad or egg whites but I went with a poor choice. On the way home from work I was informed by wife that we were going to KFC for buffet with her family. Nothing other than crap on the buffet. Although I missed two workouts I came home before dinner and swam. The shirt slowed me down enough that it made working on my breathing easier. I was again motivated so I decided to run to my in-laws house instead of driving. It sucked, I was barely moving but I got there, it is an interesting run as it is mostly up hill.
Background: College and Beyond
My last few background entries have shown my interest in fitness since I was a child. This one should sum up how I got big. After this I will have real posts about current shit.
After graduating high school I continued on to Western Carolina University (Go CATS!). Once in college I continued my all day eating habits. Not in a good way though. Many days I had chick-fil-a three times a day, and often a three thousand calories dinners. In addition to about 2000 liquid calories via Coca Cola per day, I continued this habit for four years though undergrad. Many students gain the freshmen 10 or 15 from beer, I gained mine in chicken nuggets. I ate them until I was sick of them. I still feel like a larger part of abusing them was because growing up Chick-fil-a was so expensive we could only have it on special occasions.
Although I was not as active as in high school, I still wasn't sedentary in undergrad. I worked out religiously on and off, usually for the first few weeks of every semester. Spring of freshman and fall of sophomore years I practiced with the rugby team, it was a lot like football practice but not quite as hard a practice. I also suck at this, a lot. I learned I can't run and catch a ball. For some reason I have to stop, this makes me easier to hit by the way and I don't like being hit; I like being the one who hits. I must also note that I still think rugby is a great sport and if you aren't familiar with it you should learn about the game. You can really tell it is the root of football, but I like rugby better. Freshmen year I also joined the WCU karate club and made the karate team. Junior year a found another instructor, one I feel was a little less political and began getting private lessons. With both instructors I was working out at least once a week and often more. I competed in many local and regional tournaments and never placed less than 4th and took home several 1st place titles. I also competed in 1 international circuit tournament and placed 8th in the world in sparring for my age (under 39) and weight (heavyweight). I even took the school over for a while when my instructor became ill. When I first started school I managed to lose weight back down to 140 pounds but didn't keep it off and ballooned up.
Grad School brought on another unique set of problems. I decided to complete a masters of public affairs (political science), a two year program that I was going to complete in 13 months. This meant taking twice the class load. I didn't mention I was also working a full time job. I was so busy that I would go days without eating and once I finally got hungry enough I would eat 10 tacos, or 2 pizzas, or a bucket of chicken. I was too busy to train in martial arts at the time. In December I got up to 220 pounds. from 140 pounds to 220 in five years that is 16 pounds a year ( granted I did fill out some, shoulders. etc. but it was mostly fat) A friend of mine was having the same issue so we pledged to get up and meet each other at the campus gym at 0530 every morning. He made it for 3 days. I however continued for the rest of the fall semester and through out the spring. I also changed my diet slightly and several days a weeks ate healthier. this was hard but I stuck too it may typically day schedule was int he gym at 0530, work at 0800, leave for school (an hour away) at 1600, get home at 2230,and then back to work or do homework until 0230. Go to sleep, get up, and do it again.By the end of semester I celebrated 199 pounds. This was done purely through hard work.
Shortly after reaching this goal I finished school and went into the workforce. While I looked for a job in the criminal justice or political science fields I worked construction as I have many times since I was 11 years old. We worked sun up to sun down 6 days a week and usually didn't stop for meal breaks. Everyday I packed bags full of rabbit food and grazed through out the day. Many days I even lifted or went for mountain bike rides when I got home. OnSeptember 21st I got my first real job and went to work for the North Carolina Department of Corrections at Central Prison.I was placed on third shift 11pm to 7am. My diet was so-so, at the beginning of every month I would go shopping and get healthy foods. toward the middle of the month when I was out of food and money I tended to just picked up fast food when and where I could. I also got into the bad habit of many Correctional Officers on 3rd shift: eating to stay awake. Nothing like sitting in a tower for 8 hours and eating an entire pizza and an order of sesame chicken. It was good and bad that Central Prison is so close to NC State University, being that close meant numerous options of all night delivery. After a few years I was promoted to a Parole and Probation Officer and started working out and dieting like I tend to do when I have a change in life I dropped 20 pounds from 140 to 120. This too was short lived as I got into the trap of going out with the team for all you can eat beer, wings, and the like.
After weight gain, problems sleeping, an unusually high amount of stress, and an upcoming wedding, on September 24, 2009 I quit my job and moved to Statesville, NC. Of the first few weeks I spent my days looking for work and doing repairs on the house we were renting (landlord was a slumlord). On October 17th, 2009 I was married and went on cruise to the Bahamas. Upon my return I got back on the scale and was 255 pounds!!! This was my breaking point. Honestly, I already hated the way I looked, I had 2 chins in my wedding photos and looked pregnant in my honeymoon photo's. enough is enough!
At this point I went back to the diet that I had attempted the previous spring. I should mention that due to my BMI, in the spring of 2009 I went to a doctor seeking weight loss help since I was Obese. He did not feel I needed assistance because I was too fit (compared to most obese people). But suggested the Protein Power Diet. I read up on the structure of this diet plan and began a diet of 33 carbs per day. Hard at first but once the headaches pass and you learn what you can eat it becomes pretty easy. I then tried to trim calories and fat from the diet as well. I also set another goal. I needed a motivator, so I sign up for I 5k for new years eve. This wasn't just any 5k it was a run at midnight on new year's eve/new year's day through the Christmas light display that back traffic up for miles starting in November. I even got my mother in law to run it with me, she also fights to stay healthy. In preparation I was running from a plan from runners world and lifting weights. In November I ran 22.5 miles and in December I ran 93 miles, these included regular runs, long runs up to 7 miles, and speed work. When it was all said and done I ran the race and completed in just over 33 minutes and lost 35 pounds making me 220 pounds. This is big but was still a victory, I finally felt good about something. Tt has been long time since the last time I felt good about myself.
So that brings us up to this year, 26 years in 3 entries and about 12 paragraphs. Seemed long to me but I guess that is pretty short in the long run. Long run......that sounds like a fun thing to do tonight.
After graduating high school I continued on to Western Carolina University (Go CATS!). Once in college I continued my all day eating habits. Not in a good way though. Many days I had chick-fil-a three times a day, and often a three thousand calories dinners. In addition to about 2000 liquid calories via Coca Cola per day, I continued this habit for four years though undergrad. Many students gain the freshmen 10 or 15 from beer, I gained mine in chicken nuggets. I ate them until I was sick of them. I still feel like a larger part of abusing them was because growing up Chick-fil-a was so expensive we could only have it on special occasions.
Although I was not as active as in high school, I still wasn't sedentary in undergrad. I worked out religiously on and off, usually for the first few weeks of every semester. Spring of freshman and fall of sophomore years I practiced with the rugby team, it was a lot like football practice but not quite as hard a practice. I also suck at this, a lot. I learned I can't run and catch a ball. For some reason I have to stop, this makes me easier to hit by the way and I don't like being hit; I like being the one who hits. I must also note that I still think rugby is a great sport and if you aren't familiar with it you should learn about the game. You can really tell it is the root of football, but I like rugby better. Freshmen year I also joined the WCU karate club and made the karate team. Junior year a found another instructor, one I feel was a little less political and began getting private lessons. With both instructors I was working out at least once a week and often more. I competed in many local and regional tournaments and never placed less than 4th and took home several 1st place titles. I also competed in 1 international circuit tournament and placed 8th in the world in sparring for my age (under 39) and weight (heavyweight). I even took the school over for a while when my instructor became ill. When I first started school I managed to lose weight back down to 140 pounds but didn't keep it off and ballooned up.
Grad School brought on another unique set of problems. I decided to complete a masters of public affairs (political science), a two year program that I was going to complete in 13 months. This meant taking twice the class load. I didn't mention I was also working a full time job. I was so busy that I would go days without eating and once I finally got hungry enough I would eat 10 tacos, or 2 pizzas, or a bucket of chicken. I was too busy to train in martial arts at the time. In December I got up to 220 pounds. from 140 pounds to 220 in five years that is 16 pounds a year ( granted I did fill out some, shoulders. etc. but it was mostly fat) A friend of mine was having the same issue so we pledged to get up and meet each other at the campus gym at 0530 every morning. He made it for 3 days. I however continued for the rest of the fall semester and through out the spring. I also changed my diet slightly and several days a weeks ate healthier. this was hard but I stuck too it may typically day schedule was int he gym at 0530, work at 0800, leave for school (an hour away) at 1600, get home at 2230,and then back to work or do homework until 0230. Go to sleep, get up, and do it again.By the end of semester I celebrated 199 pounds. This was done purely through hard work.
Shortly after reaching this goal I finished school and went into the workforce. While I looked for a job in the criminal justice or political science fields I worked construction as I have many times since I was 11 years old. We worked sun up to sun down 6 days a week and usually didn't stop for meal breaks. Everyday I packed bags full of rabbit food and grazed through out the day. Many days I even lifted or went for mountain bike rides when I got home. OnSeptember 21st I got my first real job and went to work for the North Carolina Department of Corrections at Central Prison.I was placed on third shift 11pm to 7am. My diet was so-so, at the beginning of every month I would go shopping and get healthy foods. toward the middle of the month when I was out of food and money I tended to just picked up fast food when and where I could. I also got into the bad habit of many Correctional Officers on 3rd shift: eating to stay awake. Nothing like sitting in a tower for 8 hours and eating an entire pizza and an order of sesame chicken. It was good and bad that Central Prison is so close to NC State University, being that close meant numerous options of all night delivery. After a few years I was promoted to a Parole and Probation Officer and started working out and dieting like I tend to do when I have a change in life I dropped 20 pounds from 140 to 120. This too was short lived as I got into the trap of going out with the team for all you can eat beer, wings, and the like.
After weight gain, problems sleeping, an unusually high amount of stress, and an upcoming wedding, on September 24, 2009 I quit my job and moved to Statesville, NC. Of the first few weeks I spent my days looking for work and doing repairs on the house we were renting (landlord was a slumlord). On October 17th, 2009 I was married and went on cruise to the Bahamas. Upon my return I got back on the scale and was 255 pounds!!! This was my breaking point. Honestly, I already hated the way I looked, I had 2 chins in my wedding photos and looked pregnant in my honeymoon photo's. enough is enough!
At this point I went back to the diet that I had attempted the previous spring. I should mention that due to my BMI, in the spring of 2009 I went to a doctor seeking weight loss help since I was Obese. He did not feel I needed assistance because I was too fit (compared to most obese people). But suggested the Protein Power Diet. I read up on the structure of this diet plan and began a diet of 33 carbs per day. Hard at first but once the headaches pass and you learn what you can eat it becomes pretty easy. I then tried to trim calories and fat from the diet as well. I also set another goal. I needed a motivator, so I sign up for I 5k for new years eve. This wasn't just any 5k it was a run at midnight on new year's eve/new year's day through the Christmas light display that back traffic up for miles starting in November. I even got my mother in law to run it with me, she also fights to stay healthy. In preparation I was running from a plan from runners world and lifting weights. In November I ran 22.5 miles and in December I ran 93 miles, these included regular runs, long runs up to 7 miles, and speed work. When it was all said and done I ran the race and completed in just over 33 minutes and lost 35 pounds making me 220 pounds. This is big but was still a victory, I finally felt good about something. Tt has been long time since the last time I felt good about myself.
So that brings us up to this year, 26 years in 3 entries and about 12 paragraphs. Seemed long to me but I guess that is pretty short in the long run. Long run......that sounds like a fun thing to do tonight.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Background: High School
NOTE: I promise this blog will not be an autobiography of my childhood but this series of entries are my hopes to explain my love of an active life and what took me to my breaking point. Basically, what built a fatlete.
In the spring of 9th grade, after being a chubby introvert for a few years I got my first piece of motivation. After my third high school change of the year I landed with my step-grand parents for the rest of the school year and was enrolled in Air Force JROTC at Fike High School in Wilson, NC. As a part of the program there was a monthly Physical Fitness Test. It was at this time I learned some weaknesses and some strengths. The PFT consisted of max pull ups, max push ups, 2 minute sit ups, broad jump, and something like a 550 meter run. I learned I sucked at the run and jump. I didn't know how to fix it at the time. I struggled to do push ups and pulls ups, but I worked at it and improved them by doing them daily. I never had good results during the test because I didn't realize that maxing out in the exercises the day before the test was not a good idea. However, sit ups were my bread and butter with 80 in 2 minutes. The max score. After the school year ended, I went back to live with my mom and step-dad and was given my first issue of men's health which began a love of fitness knowledge. I started following a boot camp workout, running and doing push ups and I took myself from 140lbs of lard to 140lbs of half muscle, half love handles but I had visible abs.
The next year I landed at Chapel hill High School and in the winter of that year started competitive fencing although not too strenuous (or at least not our program) half the team was made up of cross country runners so we ran several miles a day as a warm up. It was at this point, the first time I ran in the woods that I realized I loved running. I realized it clears my mind and makes me feel happier when I am done. At the end of the season many of the XC runners were also Pole vaulters on the track team. They hyped it up so much that I had to try it. I sucked, a lot. Despite that, I competed in both sports sophomore and junior year. Personal bests included attending the North Carolina High School Championships, U.S. High School championships, and the Junior Olympic Qualifiers in fencing. My PR in track was clearing 13 feet one time, only time I made it over 8 feet. At the end of junior year I made friends with the kicker from the football team and started kicking with him after school twice a week. Fall of senior year I went out for the football team and made the team as a kicker. The next day I went to the coach and told I didn't want to be a kicker I wanted to play line. He told me pick a position and go out for it. I picked center, that day the offensive line coach told me I was too small and moved me to tight end. In an entire season I only played in a 1 game. For the majority of high school I was 140 pounds with love handles but not huge being active probably helped me from getting too fat despite not being any good. Football was a big change. The most work I had ever had to put into athletics. I got into the the habit of eating all day in order to have enough energy to finish the day. Thanks to that I was 160 by the end of the season. Unfortunately I kept the habit but didn't play anymore sports and graduate at 180 lbs. I still wasn't big though. This started a eating trend that continued and I will discuss more in depth in my next entry.
In the spring of 9th grade, after being a chubby introvert for a few years I got my first piece of motivation. After my third high school change of the year I landed with my step-grand parents for the rest of the school year and was enrolled in Air Force JROTC at Fike High School in Wilson, NC. As a part of the program there was a monthly Physical Fitness Test. It was at this time I learned some weaknesses and some strengths. The PFT consisted of max pull ups, max push ups, 2 minute sit ups, broad jump, and something like a 550 meter run. I learned I sucked at the run and jump. I didn't know how to fix it at the time. I struggled to do push ups and pulls ups, but I worked at it and improved them by doing them daily. I never had good results during the test because I didn't realize that maxing out in the exercises the day before the test was not a good idea. However, sit ups were my bread and butter with 80 in 2 minutes. The max score. After the school year ended, I went back to live with my mom and step-dad and was given my first issue of men's health which began a love of fitness knowledge. I started following a boot camp workout, running and doing push ups and I took myself from 140lbs of lard to 140lbs of half muscle, half love handles but I had visible abs.
The next year I landed at Chapel hill High School and in the winter of that year started competitive fencing although not too strenuous (or at least not our program) half the team was made up of cross country runners so we ran several miles a day as a warm up. It was at this point, the first time I ran in the woods that I realized I loved running. I realized it clears my mind and makes me feel happier when I am done. At the end of the season many of the XC runners were also Pole vaulters on the track team. They hyped it up so much that I had to try it. I sucked, a lot. Despite that, I competed in both sports sophomore and junior year. Personal bests included attending the North Carolina High School Championships, U.S. High School championships, and the Junior Olympic Qualifiers in fencing. My PR in track was clearing 13 feet one time, only time I made it over 8 feet. At the end of junior year I made friends with the kicker from the football team and started kicking with him after school twice a week. Fall of senior year I went out for the football team and made the team as a kicker. The next day I went to the coach and told I didn't want to be a kicker I wanted to play line. He told me pick a position and go out for it. I picked center, that day the offensive line coach told me I was too small and moved me to tight end. In an entire season I only played in a 1 game. For the majority of high school I was 140 pounds with love handles but not huge being active probably helped me from getting too fat despite not being any good. Football was a big change. The most work I had ever had to put into athletics. I got into the the habit of eating all day in order to have enough energy to finish the day. Thanks to that I was 160 by the end of the season. Unfortunately I kept the habit but didn't play anymore sports and graduate at 180 lbs. I still wasn't big though. This started a eating trend that continued and I will discuss more in depth in my next entry.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Today's Workouts
Goal: morning workout, lunch time workout, healthy eating
Results: Am- rode 4.58 miles in 20 minutes. Lunch (4pm/2nd shift today)- cross fit WOD 150lbs squat, 10 pull ups, 20 double-unders (I substituted box jumps) as many circuits in 12 minutes. i completed 4.
Diet Setbacks: 1 Dr.Pepper, 1 mountain dew, 1 Danish, 1 bag of chips.
Thoughts: Dieting sucked today. The guy at the bike shop pissed me off and I resort to comfort foods when I am upset. On a positive note, I drank 32 ounces of water across my 2 workouts today.
Results: Am- rode 4.58 miles in 20 minutes. Lunch (4pm/2nd shift today)- cross fit WOD 150lbs squat, 10 pull ups, 20 double-unders (I substituted box jumps) as many circuits in 12 minutes. i completed 4.
Diet Setbacks: 1 Dr.Pepper, 1 mountain dew, 1 Danish, 1 bag of chips.
Thoughts: Dieting sucked today. The guy at the bike shop pissed me off and I resort to comfort foods when I am upset. On a positive note, I drank 32 ounces of water across my 2 workouts today.
Background: The Early Years
One of my first memories is riding my bike. At the time I lived in the desert outside of Phoenix, AZ. My loves for that time were running outside, riding my bike outside, and climbing the rope ties to the only tree that we had. At the time I was so skinny that the school system wanted to know if my mother was feeding me and then they made sure I was eating my free lunch meals.
Move on to North Carolina and years later my love of running and riding my bike continued, but due to the NC climates allergies began. In third grade I began my first rec. sport league playing baseball, which is still my favorite sport to this day. The next fall I began soccer which I always enjoyed and in the winter I started basketball. At my first basketball game i got very sick and had to go home after the first quarter. I was sick for several days until having to go see a specialist and at that time I was diagnosed with asthma and given both steroid and rescue inhalers. For nearly 20 years I have been given different cocktails of these drugs to help my breathing. I continued playing baseball and soccer until the end of elementary school due to family reasons that i won't get into here, but never played basketball again and still do not know how to play. Baseball was always fun for me because I did decent, although I could not catch well I could hit and run very very well. Every time I changed leagues I was a poor player but the next year would be one of the strongest on the team. Soccer was also fun for me although in fourth grade I was moved to goalkeeper. I always like to think it was because I was too aggressive but I probably wasn't a very good or confident ball handler. throughout this whole time I was average to tall height and weighed 60 pounds.
Sometime between 5th and 6th grade my weight doubled from 60lbs to 120lbs. Apparently, I had a horizontal growth spurt that we later were given information that it may have been caused by the steroid inhalers (many articles like this one exist). I did not play any sports while in 6th grade and in 7th grade was signed up for football but only attended my first practice, again due to the family reasons stated earlier. During the uniform fittings and my first practice the coaches raved that they were glad to have me because of my size. How often do you get to here people want you around because you are fat? Middle school only got worse due to my size and asthma I stopped being active and played inside a lot losing the little athletic abilities I had. I cycle then began and because I of limited abilities I was always picked last in gym which did nothing to encourage me to be active, it just depressed me and drove me inside more often. The only positive thing going for this time was that I found skateboarding in 7th grade and although not very coordinated or very lanky like most skateboarders, I believe it gave me something to do outside again and led to me to some of the things I do now, but more in that later.
Move on to North Carolina and years later my love of running and riding my bike continued, but due to the NC climates allergies began. In third grade I began my first rec. sport league playing baseball, which is still my favorite sport to this day. The next fall I began soccer which I always enjoyed and in the winter I started basketball. At my first basketball game i got very sick and had to go home after the first quarter. I was sick for several days until having to go see a specialist and at that time I was diagnosed with asthma and given both steroid and rescue inhalers. For nearly 20 years I have been given different cocktails of these drugs to help my breathing. I continued playing baseball and soccer until the end of elementary school due to family reasons that i won't get into here, but never played basketball again and still do not know how to play. Baseball was always fun for me because I did decent, although I could not catch well I could hit and run very very well. Every time I changed leagues I was a poor player but the next year would be one of the strongest on the team. Soccer was also fun for me although in fourth grade I was moved to goalkeeper. I always like to think it was because I was too aggressive but I probably wasn't a very good or confident ball handler. throughout this whole time I was average to tall height and weighed 60 pounds.
Sometime between 5th and 6th grade my weight doubled from 60lbs to 120lbs. Apparently, I had a horizontal growth spurt that we later were given information that it may have been caused by the steroid inhalers (many articles like this one exist). I did not play any sports while in 6th grade and in 7th grade was signed up for football but only attended my first practice, again due to the family reasons stated earlier. During the uniform fittings and my first practice the coaches raved that they were glad to have me because of my size. How often do you get to here people want you around because you are fat? Middle school only got worse due to my size and asthma I stopped being active and played inside a lot losing the little athletic abilities I had. I cycle then began and because I of limited abilities I was always picked last in gym which did nothing to encourage me to be active, it just depressed me and drove me inside more often. The only positive thing going for this time was that I found skateboarding in 7th grade and although not very coordinated or very lanky like most skateboarders, I believe it gave me something to do outside again and led to me to some of the things I do now, but more in that later.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Greetings
Welcome to my new blog. If you are reading this you are probably lost but maybe you'll stick around and have some fun. Maybe even leave a comment. I have created this new blog for several reasons, the first and most important is to hopefully give other overweight/obese men a source of motivation and resources in their fight to become healthy. I also hope to use this as another source of documentation of my workouts and thoughts in order to continue to motivate my change. In addition to listing my workouts I hope to share interesting fitness articles, motivational writing, enter into a variety of competitions and right about a variety of non-traditional sports, personal insights and feelings, and in time gain a decent amount of user feedback.
Now that my purpose is clearly stated I feel I should explain the name. The Super Fatlete is a combination of several concepts. It should be noted that it should not be taken as me seeing myself as a Super Athlete since I am in no way that. I am competitive by nature in almost all things that I do. I have always had a love for sports, but rarely spectator sports, and enjoy competing in order to gauge my abilities against others, to measure areas I can improve, and motivate myself to beat personal records. I rarely enter into a competition thinking I have a chance at winning, but my goal is to finish strong and beat my own expectations. I do this all while being 225 pounds (today), in this body I feel huge but my doctor and and many of my friends disagree. This weight for my height makes me obese per BMI but my doctor thinks I am not Super Fat. Coupling the competitiveness, with love of sports, and 225 pounds of fatty tissue I thought the name Super Fatlete was appropriate (and i couldn't find anyone else using it while fat runner, fat athlete, fat triathlete, and fat cyclist were all taken).
Since I know that I do not have any readers I feel that the next few days will be a great time to discuss my past. This way one day if I do get readers and they are bored, they can read back to beginning an find out more about me. My plan is to share my growing up over a few installments but before I write the first one I am going to go workout.......
Now that my purpose is clearly stated I feel I should explain the name. The Super Fatlete is a combination of several concepts. It should be noted that it should not be taken as me seeing myself as a Super Athlete since I am in no way that. I am competitive by nature in almost all things that I do. I have always had a love for sports, but rarely spectator sports, and enjoy competing in order to gauge my abilities against others, to measure areas I can improve, and motivate myself to beat personal records. I rarely enter into a competition thinking I have a chance at winning, but my goal is to finish strong and beat my own expectations. I do this all while being 225 pounds (today), in this body I feel huge but my doctor and and many of my friends disagree. This weight for my height makes me obese per BMI but my doctor thinks I am not Super Fat. Coupling the competitiveness, with love of sports, and 225 pounds of fatty tissue I thought the name Super Fatlete was appropriate (and i couldn't find anyone else using it while fat runner, fat athlete, fat triathlete, and fat cyclist were all taken).
Since I know that I do not have any readers I feel that the next few days will be a great time to discuss my past. This way one day if I do get readers and they are bored, they can read back to beginning an find out more about me. My plan is to share my growing up over a few installments but before I write the first one I am going to go workout.......
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