Action 375 – Be More Colorful.

With the marathon less than 30 days away, I am thinking more and more about how I am going to keep my running fun post-Pasadena. I’ve decided that I will incorporate shorter runs if they offer something unique and fun. And I’ve definitely found one that fits the bill.

Action 375 – Be More Colorful. And there’s no better way to do it than to sign up for The Color Run.

The Color Run

It’s a 5k, yes, but it looks like a lot of fun. And since it is a shorter distance, I think I can get some non-distance running friends to join me.

Bring on the color!

Action 374 – Eat Whatever I Want.

For many of us, the first thing we think about when we want to lose weight is dieting. We start thinking about all the food we have to give up and all the wonderful things we can no longer have. Cake, candy, sweets and treats. All of it has to go.

And then a week later, we snap. We are tired of telling ourselves no. We crack under the pressure. We decide, “I can’t go my whole life without having the things I want, so why even try?”

Obviously, then, that doesn’t work for most of us as a weight loss tool. Instead, I’m taking a completely different approach.

Action 374 – Eat Whatever I Want.

BUT… I have to stop and ask myself, before every bite and every snack… do I REALLY want it? Sure, I’ll enjoy the bites and tastes. But what do I really want?

I want to fit into smaller clothes and I want to have more energy and I want to feel healthier and stronger. I want to look and feel lean and trim. I want to be able to walk up stairs without feeling out of breath. I want to walk by a mirror and not feel ashamed or embarrassed. I want to live a long and wonderful life with the ones I love. I want to experience every moment of life and I want to do it in a body that is healthy and strong.

I want these good things for myself. And I deserve to have them. So why settle for anything less? Why have something I don’t really want?

Right now, this moment, I am faced with a choice. And I know that I could have either the Snickers Bar or the pint of Chunky Monkey Ice Cream in the freezer. If I really want one or the other (or both), I can have it. I am in control and I am in charge. But I don’t want either of those things more than I want to feel lean and strong when I run the Pasadena Marathon. So I will make a better choice for myself.

I am not deprived and I am not going without. I can have anything I want. And right now, what I want more than any high-calorie snack is to stay on track with my nutrition and training goals.

And so I shall.

(Image courtesy of thelegacybuilder.wordpress.com.)

Action 373 – Make It Simple.

There’s a lot of talk out there about what it takes to lose weight. There are diets and eating plans, gyms and training schedules. And none of us know for certain which is the right path. But I have good news. It really doesn’t matter.

Unless you are an elite athlete, the difference in results from different programs is negligible. If you are like most people in this country and are working to drop a few pounds, there is really only one thing you need to know.

Action 373 – Keep It Simple. And it is.

And that’s all there is to it.

Action 372 – Keep My Mouth Shut.

It’s been less than a month at my new job, and I already have a reputation. I’m the guy who always brings his lunch, eats healthy food, is always snacking, and doesn’t eat junk food. Yeah, I like that. But that reputation is not without a possible downside.

Today, a co-worker brought a bag of fresh veggies as a snack. Our boss noticed and asked, “what, are you eating like John now?” It was said in jest to my co-worker and that’s just how she took it, so that was all fine. But she then said, “I saw the carrots John brought last week and thought they looked good, so I picked some up to bring this week.” And then she proceeded to eat all of the veggies… each of them covered in ranch dressing.

I knew better than to say anything about all the calories in the dressing. It isn’t my business, I don’t get an opinion, and it’s just rude. But, I did think about telling her about a great low-calorie ranch dressing I found. I wasn’t being judgmental or snotty, just honestly thinking that she might want to know.

Action 372 – Keep My Mouth Shut. I decided to say nothing. It’s one thing to have people observe my actions. It’s another thing altogether to preach at other people about their food choices. I never want to be the second guy.

If my co-worker sees me eating veggies and dressing and asks about it, I’ll let her know about the low-calorie brand I found. Otherwise, no, I’ll just butt out. No one likes a show-off or know-it-all.

(Image courtesy of abottleoflife.blogspot.com)

Action 371 – Make It Fit.

If you’ve ever been seriously overweight, you understand that losing the weight is only the beginning. Just as difficult is the process of losing the negative self-image.

For me, It’s been tough. I know what I weigh, and I know my body measurements, but the numbers don’t reconcile with my perception of my size. I still think of myself as much, much bigger.

But it’s time. I am done listening to self-doubts and insecurity. I am ready to say, once and for all, that I do not wear Extra Large t-shirts and dress shirts. I do not fit into Large dress shirts. I am no longer that heavy person.

Today, I’m taking a dozen shirts to the tailors and having them taken in. Because I deserve to wear clothes that fit. I’ve worked very hard to drop several sizes, and I’m not going to wear shirts that are so large, I get lost in them.

This is me today wearing one of my few Medium shirts. From now on, I will only wear shirts that are flattering and not over-sized.