A "Weighs" to Go!

Train Your Brain

2012-02-29T14:53:00.000-08:00

Our brains are crazy things. It's amazing what they're capable of! Just think of all the functions it performs every single second of your life! But did you know that you can train your brain to increase your will power?

According this this article from the Boston Globe, it is possible to train the decision-making portion of your brain in an area called the prefrontal cortex:

"Those striving to complete a marathon, a diet or a doctoral dissertation can gain the willpower to help reach their goals by doing little self-control tasks throughout the day, like fixing their posture, avoiding curse words, or controlling their temper at home.... Neuroscientists believe these acts reinforce neural pathways in the brain’s prefrontal cortex that help us say “yes’’ to our goals and “no’’ to procrastination and temptation."

What?!? So you're saying that I can train myself and my brain to say "yes" when I need to say "yes" and "no" when I need to say "no?" Get me on that training program pronto! In my case, I need to be saying "no" to a lot of the bad food choices I make and "yes" to getting my butt to the gym first thing in the morning!

The article also goes on to say that your brain is more or less has a holding tank for will power. Exerting yourself with a morning workout and a long, decision-filled day at work could leave you depleted, exhausted and ornery by the time you get home at night. However, an extra dose of sweets can help you power through the rest of the day.

I find this fascinating and encourage all of you to check out that article. It also obviously makes me wonder what I can do to increase my will power. Since the article says that those who exert self-control in dieting and weight loss usually excel in other areas of life, I wonder if those who excel in other areas of life succeed in weight loss as a result...

But just like training your legs and lungs to run longer and be stronger, it's going to take one decision at a time to train your brain to aid you in making the decisions it needs to help get you where you want to be. So I'm going to try to focus on the self-control it takes to do the little things every day. Of course I'm going to continue striving to accomplish my health and fitness goals, but I'm going to pay more attention to the little, minute decisions that will train my prefrontal cortex.

What do you think about this article?

I Need a Plan!

2012-02-28T13:56:00.000-08:00

I like having a plan. I like schedules. I enjoy check lists and spreadsheets. Call me weird. I don't even care. It's how I stay sane and on the straight and narrow. If I ever finished all my lists and plans I don't know what I'd do with myself.... Probably think up a NEW plan!

Anyway, as I try to get my running legs back and slim down, I need a plan. While I was training for my half marathons, training plans were a no-brainer. If I didn't have a plan, I'd be sure to fail. Or at least be forced to clutch my aching side and limp to the finish line. But I don't have any races scheduled so far this year...so what plan should I follow?!?

So I've decided to try one of those "Couch to 5k" programs. It may not be the 'official' program, but I'm guessing they're all pretty similar. The one I'm doing is "5k 101" and can be found online here or as a podcast on iTunes. I just started yesterday and am looking forward to doing it each Monday, Wednesday & Friday. (They also have a 10k program!)

Now I think that it took some sort of pride-swallowing before I was able to start a 5k program. I look at the running schedule and think, "I've run four half marathons...I don't have to start from square one with a 5k plan! Run for 2 minutes at a time then walk? That's for baby beginners!" Well...unfortunately that's where I've regressed back to at the moment. And it's something I have to accept.

So I'm going to own the program and do it perfectly. I really want to get back up and running by the time spring rolls around so I can just strap on my shoes and hit the road for hours at a time.

I've also started putting together the foundation and frame of some sort of weight lifting program as well that I can do on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays when I'm not doing the 5k program. I'm hoping to focus on two muscle groups a day with 2-3 exercises per group. That's about where I'm at now...lots of work to do! Any advice/tips you have on lifting programs would be much appreciated!

I also just finished a YouTube video letting my subscribers know that I've been doing all this fun blogging as of late. Also want to give a big "thank you" to everyone who's been reading these past few weeks and giving me feedback - I'm having so much fun!

Knowledge vs. Action

2012-02-24T13:26:00.002-08:00

I'm a sucker for knowledge. I enjoy learning new things about topics I love or at least have an elevated interested in.

I have endless sports statistics, players and games in my head. I know music lyrics that I don't even WANT to know - just turn on any Will Smith song and it will automatically start coming out of my mouth. I went to two men's conferences on back-to-back Saturdays this last month and enjoy reading books on how to be a good leader and husband. And I also read endless websites, articles and blogs on running, losing weight, training schedules and whatever else I think I can use to further my journey to 199 pounds.

But my problem comes whenever I try to APPLY all of this information.

Why does this happen? Why can't I follow the simple process of learning and then doing? Does the hard work and dedication scare me off? Do I feel like I need to finish other things before focusing on this? Do I just love fast food and soda that much?

It's tough having all these questions and not knowing what the answers are.

All I know today is that I have two, great days under my belt and I'm feeling confident. And I think that's the important thing for me - confidence. If I don't believe that I can actually lose all this weight, then I never will. If I get down on myself for having a bad food day and therefore skip the gym and get all down on myself, I'll just keep yo-yoing like I have been for the last three years.

Even though my actions don't always communicate it, losing this weight is very important to me - probably too much, to be honest. I get very hard on myself when I slip up which, instead of motivating me and getting me to the gym, actually sends me to the fridge or to the grocery store. I need to learn how to take small failures and turn them into positive actions.

And I promise not just to KNOW that, but to DO it as well!

Are my mindless wanderings getting annoying yet? :)

The Secret to Success

2012-02-23T14:25:00.001-08:00

Efficiency

It's something that I used to spend WAY too much energy on (and still do, to a point). I make checklists, make plans, make schedules, make spreadsheets only to end up remaking plans, remaking schedules, etc. This goes for work, for chores around the house and especially for setting a plan to lose weight.

But should I be focusing on being the most EFFICIENT I can be?

Instead of trying to be perfectly efficient and not waste any time, I think it may just be more important to be perfectly consistent instead. If you consistently keep the same routine and discipline yourself to get to the gym in the morning, make it to work on time, have your meals at similar times of the day and get enough sleep every night, the efficiency will come as a result of your consistency.

If you form good habits, only good results can come from it. This has been an issue for me over the past year or so. I can have spurts of greatness, but can't hold myself to a consistent schedule and plan for more than a couple of weeks.

So that's my goal. One day at a time, one meal at a time, one decision at a time. Get enough sleep every night and get to the gym on time in the morning. Eat a good breakfast before work and keep the snacking at bay while sitting at my desk all day. (The latter point is my biggest downfall.) But I'm also going to be putting together a plan of sorts so I know what I'm supposed to be doing at the gym every morning.

What kind of routine actions do you do every day to make sure

you're as healthy and fit as you can be?

Why I Want to Do This

2012-02-22T19:28:00.000-08:00

When you're in a rut when trying to lose weight (or in my case, a 3-year rut), it's important to sometimes revisit the reasons that you're trying to slim down. Are they valid reasons? Are they logical reasons? Are they selfish reasons?

I was spitballing with a fellow YouTube Weight Loss Community member about the motivations and reasons behind our desire to lose the weight. While some may sound selfish, there are others complementing them which are completely unselfish. While some seem illogical and stupid, there are plenty others that make complete sense.

I feel that you need a variety of motivators in your journey to keep you looking where you need to look. If you only had one reason to hang your hat on, it may be easier to eventually put it on the back burner because it's "only that one reason" and go back to your semi-destructive habits. But if you're constantly reminded of your motivators, it's hard to shake off the feeling and ditch your goals.

So that being said, here is a list of some of the motivators and goals that I have corresponding to my weight loss:

To gain self-confidence
To have to buy all new clothes
To dress in nice clothes rather than big jeans and sweatshirts
To run a marathon
To look (and feel) good
To not have to worry about genetic heart disease
To live a healthy and active lifestyle
To be able to have a story I can share to inspire others
To be able to say "I did it!"
To attempt some level of triathlon
To feel comfortable and have fun playing team sports again
I'll add more as I think of them

What are YOUR reasons for your goals? And your goals definitely don't have to be just to lose weight - I mean ANYTHING!

Change Is Hard

2012-02-14T15:55:00.000-08:00

Tonight I've had an epiphany of sorts.

I've made it a habit of trying to breakdown my screwy mindset with this whole losing weight process. I know that I can achieve my goal physically (because I got went from 240-215 during the summer of 2005), but I feel that something needs to click mentally before I can get back to that.

Summer of '05 after my first 10k race (215 lbs)

Do I need to have my world rocked by scary, physical statistics about unhealthy I am? Oh wait, I've been there and done that. Maybe I need to do some physical accomplishment so I can realize what I'm capable of if I put my mind to it. What? I've run four half marathons? Darn...

Sometimes I just sit back, throw up my arms and wonder, "So what needs to click?!?"

Well after talking with my wonderful wife this evening, I think I've narrowed down some things. Maybe I'm scared and intimidated by the lifestyle changes I'd have to endure in order to reach my goal. Could it be that my innate desire to be comfortable and inconvenienced supersedes my desire to put in the work to lose 75 pounds?

Let's hope not.

Does the bad food really taste that good? Nope. Do I lack support and encouragement not only from family members, but also from those who have accomplished last weight loss before me? Not at all! Am I just being a lazy wuss who doesn't want to "work too hard" to accomplish not only a wanted goal, but a NEEDED one? Now we might be onto something...

Every day that passes is one day closer to my 'goal date' - I need to be making better use of these days!

Me. Gym. 6 a.m. tomorrow morning.

Now Where Were We?

2012-02-11T19:19:00.000-08:00

Lately, (especially in the area of weight loss) I've been really good at starting things gung-ho only to fizzle out or give up after a week or two. A recent health & fitness endeavor fell into this category, but it's time to resurrect it and give it new life!

I've actually TWICE tried to do the "90-Day Fitness Challenge" by former Biggest Loser contestants Phil & Amy Parham. If you glance back a handful of posts, you'll actually see some entries pertaining to said challenge. I made it through a solid week of the challenges, but probably only put about 45% of my effort into it.

Before Jason Bourne, I wanted to be Michael Scofield

I'm also the kind of person who likes to begin unfinished tasks from the BEGINNING again. Even though I've seen 3 seasons of the show "Prison Break," I recently started from the very genesis of the series and watch it all the way through to completion. Even though I've already read "The Bourne Identity" as well as "The Bourne Supremacy," I had to re-read them before moving on to "The Bourne Ultimatum" once I got it.

Okay, maybe I'm slightly O.C.D. So sue me.

Either way, I'm giving the Parham's a second chance. And since it's par for the course, I'm starting again from the beginning. But instead of trying to post every day about the challenge, I'll just post once a week showcasing my favorite or most helpful challenges from the previous week.

Sound like a deal? Raise your hand if you care. Yeah, that's what I thought...but it's not for your benefit anyway. Just please read along - because I love watching that little view counter on the right-hand side move in the positive direction. Savvy?

Also, I'll now be posting my weight loss progress in the column on the right of the page. (In case you were curious).

Yours Truly,
Jordan

Post Blog Thought (P.B.T.): Maybe I continue to fall back to my heaviest because of this nagging urge to always start failed projects over from the beginning...

"Obese" & "Poor"

2012-02-08T12:54:00.000-08:00

I have a history of thinking that certain things don't apply to me. When I was in 6th and 7th grade, I unfortunately didn't think that my teachers' or parents' rules were things I needed to follow. As a cameraman at sporting events, I figure that regulations and boundaries on regular spectators don't include me, so I can walk all over the football field.

And for the last couple of years, I thought that the BMI Scale didn't apply to me.

But after visiting Trinity Christian College's new Human Performance Lab and getting some vital statistics tested, I think I need to take off my blinders and face the music...

I'm a big guy.

At Trinity, I found out my Body Fat % (41.7%) and my VO2 Max score (33).

Body Fat % Categories

VO2 Max Norms for Men

After looking at these charts, you can see that my Body Fat % puts me WELL into the "obese" category, and my measly score of 33 for my VO2 Max puts me on the border of "poor" and "very poor."

But...but...I've run four half marathons! How can I find myself labeled obese and poor?!

I think either I've been lied to all these years, or I've just refused to believe it.

So what does that mean for today? Tomorrow? 6 months from now? It means that every decision of every day is valuable. It means that my health should be near the top of my list of priorities (behind finding a job and loving my wife), and that it should be a focal point of every day - and especially every meal.

So here goes nothing!

Reasons to Lose Weight

2012-01-24T12:08:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Okay, so I know it's almost the end of January already, but this is my first post since late December. Whoops? Anyway, needless to say, my New Year's resolution is still the same as in 2009, 2010 and 2011 - lose weight and get fit. But why am I so persistent on accomplishing this?

I found a blog that lists a few reader-submitted "reasons to be fit" every week. And even though it's geared more towards females, a lot of their reasons ring true for me too. Here are a few examples:

To be able to run a marathon
To show all that've doubted what's possible
To be able to inspire others
To be able to say, "I did it!"
To prove that I finish what I start

But outside of these, I see one reason that stands above the rest. It's quite simple and practical really...

If you're trying to lose weight too, what are some of YOUR reasons for wanting to lose the weight? What are some of the goals you've set for yourself? You never know when the Zombie-pocalypse will be upon us!

Goal Picture!

2011-12-29T09:07:00.000-08:00

So I was trying to organize my pictures the other day when I came across one from 2003 (I think). It's a picture of me and my triplet cousins at a family wedding. I want to say that I was under 200 pounds in this picture. It would be the summer after I graduated from high school.

Since I think I look pretty decent in this picture, I'm going to officially label this as my 'goal picture.' If I could look like this again I think life would be pretty sweet. Now to find a piece of 'goal clothing' to try to fit into!

Believing vs. Doing

2011-12-07T14:10:00.000-08:00

I thought about making a video on this topic, but figured I was due for a blog post anyway, so here I am! I know some of you may be wondering what happened to my posts about the 90-Day Challenge...well, Thanksgiving happened and threw off my posting schedule, but they will be back in full force soon!

But anyway, the topic of 'belief vs. action' came up in our church small group last night and someone used the example of knowing that eating right and exercising is good for you, but doing those things doesn't always follow right behind. Logically it should, but that's rarely the case.

I've actually been beating myself up a lot lately because I do the same thing. I have the knowledge and know-how to lose weight and eat right, but day in and day out I still make mistakes and bad choices that keep me treading water rather than moving towards my goal. And it frustrates me to no end knowing what I'm capable of, yet squandering my days away and making no progress. Unfortunately the frustration and and anger of failing time after time really knocks down my confidence and self-esteem and leaves me wondering (or doubting) if I'll ever be able to accomplish this.

That thinking then turns itself into a self-fulfilling a prophecy and what do you know? I'm left with regret for the day that I've wasted and the pounds I've not lost (or even have gained). That then translates into eating poorly and skipping workouts due to the bad moods. It seems to be a vicious cycle I can't seem to shake myself out of.

I've determined that I have a hard time focusing on the next step I have to take and am distracted by the big, overall goal. I always have "lose 80 pounds" looming over my head while I should be focusing on eating healthy for my next meal, or making my next day's workout count. I know I want to run a marathon, but have a hard time making sure I can run 2 miles at a time. But I just can't get myself to consistently do so without slip ups, collapses and failures.

I have many questions as to how I can be able to change my mindset or focus, and not nearly enough answers. What works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another. I've thought time and time again that I've found the motivation to get my mind focused, but it fizzles out quickly. So I'm left wondering what's wrong. What do I need to do to finally get my mind in the right place to accomplish my goals? I'm open to any suggestions you may have, but I feel it's just something that I need to keep working at.

90-Day Challenge: Day 8

2011-11-23T09:02:00.000-08:00

One of Amy's Biggest Loser 'before' pictures

In today's challenge, Amy talks about how embarrassing it was to take their Biggest Loser "before" pictures when they arrived on the ranch. "It was an intimidating moment having to walk in front of a photographer and pose with all your fat hanging out everywhere. I was quite embarrassed, but knew it had to be done."

She went on to talk about how, even thought it was embarrassing and humbling for everyone to see how much she'd let herself go, it was important to take an inventory of where she was and HOW she got there. The same goes for all of us - even if it's not weight loss! If you're trying to change bad habits, they only gain more power the more you attempt to keep them hidden. Amy goes on to say, "I believe that showing the world my faults is what allowed me to recognize the poor health and more toward healing."

Therefore, the challenge for today focuses on getting a bearing of where you are currently. Before starting the challenge, I measured all my body stats to get an idea of where I'm at. The book goes one step further and encourages you to get a physical as well just to get a comprehensive picture of your health. Along with my measurements I also got some blood work done in September which also gave me a picture of my inner health. I still have yet to take my 'before' pictures...I'm nervous, I won't lie. I'll take those next week. *GULP*

Since I have them available, here are some of my "starting stats" as far as measurements go. I'll take these measurements again towards the middle of December to see my progress and every month from here on out. The blood work numbers will be up here soon too.

Shoulders: 24 inches Chest: 47 inches Waist: 45 inches Hips: 48 inches

Thighs: 28 inches Biceps: 16.5 inches Abdomen: 51.5 inches

90-Day Challenge - Day 7

2011-11-22T09:04:00.000-08:00

Day 7 - the end of week one! For today's challenge, Phil & Amy title it "You Can Do It!" In this challenge, they tell the story of Esther, a girl who was 85 pounds overweight and was constantly finding herself in tears when seeing pictures of herself or being unable to play at the playground with her kids.

I don't know these people...I hope they don't read my blog...

After attending one of Phil & Amy's events, she did the 90-Day Challenge and learned how to face her habits head on and turn her life around. Since then, she's lost 40 pounds and is running many 5ks and 10ks today. Here's today's challenge:

Find a child to play with for thirty minutes. Run and jump with them, take them to a park and chase them around. If you can't find a child, borrow a pet and do the same thing.

Me and Jazz

Unfortunately (or fortunately, I guess) I don't have any kids of my own to play with at this time of my life. I also am without any sort of pet (thanks to the rules of my landlord), so I'm not sure I can fulfill today's challenge. I would maybe consider playing with the in-laws' beagle, but he's getting pretty old (and chubby) and isn't the real active type. It also makes me miss my old dog Jazz...it'd be nice to be able to play with her this weekend when I go up to my parents' house for Thanksgiving.

But if I ever get the opportunity to fulfill this challenge at any time in the next 90 days, I'll make sure to let you know about it! What child or pet are you going to spend some active time with?

90-Day Challenge - Days 4-6

2011-11-21T14:05:00.000-08:00

So apparently I'm taking weekends off in documenting the 90-Day challenge. If you're new to the program, check out the Day 1 post to see where I'm coming from. Anywho, over the weekend I didn't really read the Days 4 & 5 challenges, so I'm taking them all on today! Let's join the action.

Day #4: "Dreams & Visions" - Take time to devise a plan for reaching your goal. What things do you plan to do daily to make that dream a reality? Write down five mini-goals you will achieve on your way to your overall goal.

1) I always found it intimidating to look at my goal as "losing 80 pounds." This time around, I plan to take it in 10 pound increments and climb this mountain with smaller steps. 2) I also plan to make changes in my diet - no more soda or fast food! Those were two of the culprits in my weight gain. 3) In order to achieve these goals I can't be idle - I need to be active everyday! 4) I want to learn about what I'm trying to achieve. Whether that means watching documentaries or reading magazines, I want to expand my knowledge in the realm of health and fitness. 5) I feel that documenting and keeping track of my accomplishments will keep my morale and motivation up. So I'm logging my weight every week so I can see my progress.

Day #5: "Faith Matters" - You may not know what your body will look like after dropping 30 or 50 pounds, but let faith fuel you to picture yourself a skinnier person or fitting into your old clothes. "Faith works by love, so if you have unforgiveness in your heart toward anyone, release that burden so God can work in your life.... Whether it's writing a letter/email or calling someone on the phone, the less emotional baggage you have, the easier it will be to focus on losing the physical weight."

Off the top of my head, I don't think I have anyone that I really need to forgive - I'm pretty solid in that department. My faith in myself, on the other hand, is what needs to be strengthened. After coming up short so many times, my confidence in my ability to finish this journey grows less and less...
Day #6: "New Thrills" - Write down on activity you have avoided because of your weight or other insecurities. Describe why you avoided it and how it made you feel. Now imagine how you would feel doing that activity as the new, thinner you - full of energy!

Despite LOVING sports, I've felt quite insecure and self-conscious participating in sports with friends. Whether it's a pick-up game of football or just going for a run, I think too much about how big I might look and sometimes shy away from joining in the fun. When I lose the weight, I can't WAIT to run circles around people and not have to worry about what's jiggling around! :)

Alright, I think we're all caught up! These are some pretty important things to think about while trying to lose weight. Forget about what other people may think of you - this is YOUR time to make these changes and get healthy! What are some of your responses to these challenges?

90-Day Fitness Challenge - Day 3

2011-11-18T09:56:00.000-08:00

It's Day #3 and already I'm so excited to see the progress I can make over these three months! I've already achieved a milestone today - my wife and I went out for breakfast and I made a healthy choice! Even though Panera Bread lists the calories of each item on the wall (which is an amazing idea), I researched their breakfast options ahead of time online and already chose what I wanted before I got there! I wound up having a ham and egg sandwich on whole grain bread - only 340 calories. Yeah, I'm pretty proud of myself - didn't even look at the donuts and other pastries!

Anyway, in today's challenge, Phil & Amy stress the idea of making yourself a priority:

"As children we dream of what we're going to do or be when we grow up. As we get older we have so much to do that sometimes our dreams get lost in the shuffle. Don't let this happen to you. Realize that taking time for you is a good thing.... Block out at least three to four times a week for exercise. Put it in your calendar and organize your day around this time. You have to find the time to make working out a priority. It just might save your life."

I'll be honest, putting myself first is not part of my nature. I find it important to care for and love those around me before I think about what I want to do. Well, I may think about what I want to do, but I'll mostly just default to what they want to do or to their schedule. Probably not the best approach...

For that reason I've started getting up around 6:00am and heading into the gym before work. That way, I get my "me time" in bright and early and can still spend all night with my wife after getting home from work! So far it's been working out really well - especially since we're usually in bed and asleep between 10:30 and 11.

Three days down, 87 to go!

90-Day Fitness Challenge: Day 2

2011-11-17T07:54:00.000-08:00

Many times I look back at the last 2.5 years of my weight loss journey and kick myself because I know that if I had just stuck with it, I'd be where I want to be! Imagine the damage and progress I could have made if I would have just kept my eyes on the prize - I'd look great!

But alas, that is not the case. Today I still find myself overweight and looking intently into the future dreaming about what I may or may not accomplish by next summer. But I'll never reach my goal if I don't focus on TODAY.

That's actually the point of Phil & Amy's Day 2 challenge. Here's what their book says:

"Often, we don't rise to meet challenges because of the time it will take to finish the task. Many things we want to do take a lot of work and usually more time than we anticipate. This can be very frustrating. Here's a little secret: time moves on with or without you.... Promise yourself to live one day at a time. (On some days it'll be one hour at a time.) If you do this, eventually you will reach your goals."

They also suggest maybe finding a positive Bible verse or quote that is inspiring and/or meaningful to you. Memorize it and repeat it to yourself whenever your day is getting tough and you're being tempted to stray from your goals.

SIDE NOTE: In the introduction of the book, it encouraged the idea of taking "before stats": measurements, pictures, etc. So I busted out the measuring tape and recorded all my stats. After 30 days I will take my measurements again and let you know my progress!

- J

90 Day Fitness Challenge - Day 1

2011-11-16T13:23:00.000-08:00

I've started and re-started this book many times, but I've decided to give it a go once again. Now I understand that it may not be the best idea to start some sort of health and fitness challenge right before Thanksgiving and Christmas, but maybe some challenges are what I need to keep my mindset and self-control in line with all that holiday food staring me in the face!

So for the next 90 days I will be attempting the "90 Day Fitness Challenge." It's created by Phil & Amy Parham - two former contestants on the popular reality show, "The Biggest Loser." They begin the book by telling their journey and telling you tips on what helped them not only while on the BL ranch, but also once they got home and didn't have the help of Bob & Jillian.

Each day I will try to post the day's challenge, and if I forget, I'll catch up with my next post. Some of them will be easy or be something I've already accomplished in my weight loss journey, and others will be quite difficult or impossible to do. Other daily challenges may deal with mindset, relationships or faith.

If you're interested in learning more about Phil & Amy or the challenge you can visit their website.

Challenge #1:

Before embarking on any journey, it's important to plan it out. Losing weight is no different. The first challenge is to write out your goals on a Post It Note or sheet of paper and post it somewhere you'll see it everyday. I'll probably put one on my computer at home and one at work. For starters, I listed my overall goal of losing 80 pounds. I also want to be strong over the holidays! Eliminating soda and fast food are also goals that I need to accomplish if I want to reach my goal.

What are some of your goals?

REBOOT

2011-11-08T14:04:00.000-08:00

After a weekend filled with pizza and soda, I think it's time to take a step back and gather myself (since I put on a few pounds, especially) and just write a little post about where I am and where I am aiming to be by next summer. Now I know some of you are probably thinking "okay, here goes Jordan once again 'recommitting' to this - I bet he'll forget all about this in a couple of weeks."

Not my feet, I promise

Now I don't blame the nay-sayers since I've really never given anyone any reason to believe that I'm actually going to go through with this at any point, but I do thank those of you who still believe that I'm capable of finishing what I keep starting! But anywhere, where do I begin?

Monday morning I weighed in back up at 272 pounds again - right up there with my heaviest I've ever been. I wasn't happy to see that number creep back onto my scale, but I wasn't completely surprised since I've been around there for the last couple of months, unfortunately. But I also made a decision that I can't let that number get any higher. So here's my tentative schedule/game plan.

Over the years I've tried too hard to lose the weight. I'd try to work out everyday and eat perfectly only to burn out after a couple weeks. So I'm trying to take it a little slower this time. I'm aiming to lose an average of 10 pounds a month. Doing so would put me at goal in June or July (goal being 190 lbs). But I don't want to get too ahead of myself. Gotta take things one day at a time!

On a daily basis, I'm aiming to get to the gym nice and early in the morning (6am), eat less than 2,000 calories a day and drink TONS of water. I'll have to say 'no' to soda for a while too...bummer. Along with these things, I hope that healthy choices make all the difference as I attempt to do this. It's usually the saying-no-to-food part that trips me up every time!

So here goes! Feel free to stay up-to-date with my progress on the Weight Loss page where I update my weight and graph a few times a week. Also feel free to visit my YouTube channel where I'll be making weigh in videos every Monday.

Couch to 5k

2011-11-04T12:06:00.000-07:00

Since it's been a little rough getting my running legs back, I thought I'd check out the ever-popular "Couch to 5k" program. Sure, I've run a handful of races in the past, but it's amazing how quickly your endurance and stamina can take a nose dive after even a month or two of not running!

This program advertises that it can "transform couch potatoes into runners" who are capable of running a non-stop three miles "on a regular basis" in nine weeks. It has you running three times a week for 20-30 minutes at a time. While mostly walking at first, it slowly incorporates running more and more each week until the participant reaches the three mile mark in Week 9.

Now I don't doubt that this program could get Joe Schmoe running a 5k in a couple months, but with how much I want to be on the treadmill and burning calories, it's just not quite enough for me. The site that I found has you logging 60-90 minutes a WEEK at the gym. My goal is to be at the gym five times a week for an hour at a time. I'm looking to burn some calories! And to be honest, I'm pretty sure I could be back in 5k shape in half the time. (Do I smell a challenge?)

So after checking this program out, I think I'm going to take a pass. But don't get me wrong, I think this is a GREAT program for someone looking to get off of their couch and into their running shoes. I've included the link to the program for anyone interested in giving it a try. You can also download the iPhone app of this program that can talk you through your workouts while at the gym or on the pavement.

Do I Smell a Podcast?

2011-11-03T10:44:00.000-07:00

So I'm not exactly sure why this idea crept into my head today, but I just wanted to gauge people's reactions before I move forward with it. Now that I've really kicked things into gear with this whole weight loss and get healthy thing, I've toyed with the idea of starting a podcast.

My initial thought is to kind of break it up into two segments - the first of which I just shoot the breeze, talk about recent happenings and just random stuff. In the second segment I'd talk health and fitness - pull articles and topics to discuss and give my two sense on them. I'd also talk about my progress in my weight loss journey - what's worked/not worked for me. And who knows, maybe even have a guest or two!

I've dabbled in the world of podcasting before, but really didn't have a plan going into it. I just clicked "REC" and jabbered about virtually nothing. I'm hoping that by focusing this podcast a little more one one topic, I can gear it towards a specific audience who will keep coming back each episode, participating and even giving feedback!

I don't know, what do you guys think? Think this is something I should try to pursue, or should I give it a while and wait to do it?

Lunchtime Walking

2011-11-02T09:09:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I decided that I better take advantage of the remaining warm weather and head outside to take a lunchtime stroll on the bike patch behind City Hall. It was about 65 degrees and sunny, so I grabbed my iPhone, cranked up some Dave Matthews Band (since I didn't have my headphones, I just let it play) and grabbed my phone to use as a stopwatch.

However, I didn't find a stopwatch function on my phone. Instead I found this program/application called "Eco Walk" which counted the number of steps I took as well as the amount of CO2 emissions I saved by walking instead of driving. Pretty cool! It also keeps a history of your walks so you can try to beat your previous "high score" each time you go for a walk! Here's just a little video from my walk yesterday:

Today I plan to get out and do some more walking for sure! Not only do I get to leave my desk/computer and stretch my legs, but I also get to enjoy the fresh, autumn air and hear the sounds of nature. Unfortunately, there's a hospital construction project going on nearby, so that sometimes drowns out the birds... What are some little ways that you burn calories throughout the day?

No-Nonsense November!

2011-11-01T09:29:00.000-07:00

I've been pretty good lately about getting up early during the week to head over to the gym. Notice I said that I'm good at the 'getting up' part...not necessarily the 'going to the gym' part. I don't know why, but it takes me at least a half hour to muster up the energy and willpower to get my butt down the stairs, into my car, and to the gym - if I make it at all!

I blame the internet. Don't point fingers at my lack of self-discipline or my laziness - I blame the interwebs! Ok, so maybe I'm a tad slow in the morning, but who isn't?!? I always like to have a nice time waking up before bolting off to the day's first appointment. I want to be awake so I don't trip over my feet and eat the treadmill belt. Not the breakfast of champions...

6:00am is early for a gym visit, but I gotta make it happen!

But in all honesty, it's going to come down to me being able to say 'No!' to Facebook and YouTube at 6:00am and "Yes!" to lacing up my running shoes and making my way to the gym. My fantasy football rosters can wait a couple of hours; those pictures on Facebook will still be there when I get home; and my body could sure use the extra 25 minutes of calorie burning!

November and December are going to be make-or-break months for me, I can smell it already. October? Forget about October - I've already left it in the past! I only managed to lose a measly four net pounds over the last 31 days (it was an up-and-down month) . I could lose that in two day if I actually tried! But looking forward over the next 60 days I see Thanksgiving and Christmas staring me in the face - along with all of the delicious food that comes along with them. Over the next 3 weeks, I've made it my goal to lose 15-20 pounds before the dreaded Thanksgiving feast rears its ugly head. And don't worry, I haven't made it my goal to put those 15-20 pounds back on with turkey, stuffing and cider!

So here's to a solid month of hard work, no cheating and losing weight! Who's with me? What are your goals from now until Thanksgiving? What are you going to do to stick to them?

A Real Eye-Opener

2011-10-25T13:59:00.000-07:00

Have you ever watched those weight loss reality shows where they take overweight contestants to the supermarket and tell them to run through a "normal" grocery-buying session? They're pulling donuts and candy and chips and soda off the shelves left and right - and smiling obliviously the entire time. The host then turns around and calculates all the calories of the items or shows them how unhealthy the items are.

Well today I visited TacoBell.com to take a peek at what my usual, drive-thru order from my favorite fast food joint would cost me health-wise. Take a look at these numbers! And this isn't eve including the 42-oz. Mountain Dew (with no ice) I would have along with it!

If the picture is too small to read, that graphic reads that my meal of one crunchy taco, one chili cheese burrito and two chalupas would supply me with 1,280 calories! (And like I mentioned, the Mountain Dew - at least another 500!) That kind of knocked me back in my seat when I read that today.

And that's only one meal! Now of course, I'd feel gross and lethargic after that, but sometimes it wouldn't stop me from hitting up ANOTHER fast food place for dinner! (Usually McDonald's or Panda Express) I can't believe the number of calories I'm capable of consuming! It's frightening, to be honest.

It's also healthy to see these numbers and realize the negative impact they had on my body, but it's MORE important to learn from this and make much healthier choices. Now I can't say that I won't ever eat at Taco Bell ever again, but I can tell you that I won't be consuming 1,280 calories if I do! Mostly because I wouldn't want to run the two hours it would take to burn that all off!

What are some of the unhealthy things you've eaten that helped you gain weight? I encourage you to check the calories and see how much damage it costs you

I'm Baack!

2011-10-24T08:27:00.000-07:00

As you can see in the posts below, I'm one to make guarantees and then not follow through on them - classy, I know. I didn't read the books I wanted to, I didn't finish my summer home video project, I didn't watch all the movies I wanted to, and I haven't been on point in my weight loss efforts.

But the beauty of life is that every day is a new day. Every morning is a new opportunity to redeem yourself, make the right choices and see the changes. And that has to be your mentality when tackling weight loss. Because you're not going to eat perfectly everyday, you're not going to get to the gym everyday. But if you learn from your mistakes and pick yourself back up, you'll get to where you want to be eventually.

And sure, it's easy to type this in a blog - but it's more difficult to actually believe and live out daily. I've gone through some rough stretches in the recent past due to my failed attempts at weight loss. Entire days would be lost emotionally, and those bad emotions would drive me to make poor eating choices and I wouldn't go anywhere but backwards.

But recently I've felt a renewed strength in this department. The motivation is really strong, my support system is growing and my desire to make this change is finally clicking. But I still want to prove to myself that I can stay on task for longer than two weeks. And prove to all my cheerleaders who are still waiting for me to break out of my shell.

So here's to an amazing week to get this ball rolling a bit faster! Best of luck to all of you this week who are in the same situation!

Summer Project

2011-06-21T08:27:00.000-07:00

As if my summer wasn't already busy enough, I've decided to take up another small project to pass the extra time (which may or may not be existent). After copying over some old tapes for the future father in-law, I thought it'd be a fun idea to do the same for my parents. Not only can they have DVDs that'd last longer, I can also edit some of the memories together to make something nice.

So far I've found some dandy things on these tapes! High school band concerts, grade school musicals (where I'm bald), our family vacation to South Dakota, a recreation of Monty Python and my grade school basketball games are just a small sample of some of the treasures I've now unearthed from these ancient tapes. When I get some of these onto my computer I'll share them with you! For now, you'll just have to strain your eyes to read the labels on the tapes.

Summer Movie List

2011-06-07T14:00:00.000-07:00

Since I've already managed to knock one of my books off my Summer Reading List (Welcoming the Stranger), I think it's time to submit a short list of movies that I want to check out over the next couple months too.

I borrowed a few movies from my buddy Mike (~~The Kingdom~~, ~~The Host~~ and ~~How to Train Your Dragon~~) which I should probably check out and mail back to him. Karin and I also have a list we want to watch together too (Australia, Breakfast Club, Chariots of Fire and Wolverine).

How can I NOT watch this?? Matt Damon is in it!

And then there's a handful of movies I just want to see because they look interesting. Mind you, this is an abbreviated list, but these are ones I intend to watch over the next few months.

- ~~Battle: Los Angeles~~
- ~~Super 8~~
- ~~Source Code~~
- ~~The Adjustment Bureau~~
- Unknown
- 127 Hours
- ~~True Grit~~
- The Fighter
- The King's Speech
- Unstoppable
- The Social Network
- The Town

I think that's a good enough list for now. These are mostly recent movies which I've wanted to watch and not had time or ones that friends/family have seen and recommended. Have you seen any of these? Any additional ones you think I should check out?

My Summer Reading List

2011-05-26T20:00:00.000-07:00

I admit, I'm stealing the idea for this post from Mark and his blog post from today. But to be honest (and Karin can back me up on this), I've had a list of books in the works for a while now - I've just never really attempted to make time to work through some books efficiently. Here's to hoping that this summer I can peel myself away from my computer in my free time (since I'm on one all day at work) and take a bite out of these knowledge pies known as books. Here's a handful I have on my list:

"~~Welcoming the Stranger" - Matt Soerens (my cousin) & Jenny Hwang~~
"Unlimited" - Jillian Michaels
"Growing Up Yanomamo" - Michael Dawson
"The Barbarian Way" - Erwin Raphael McManus

"Anchor Man" - Steve Farrar
"Dead or Alive" - Tom Clancy

That's a good place to start. A good variety as well. I also have a short stack of Men's Health and Runner's World magazines to work on. I think I'm set for the next few months!

Mark...My...Words

2011-05-07T21:55:00.000-07:00

Last November I embarked on a challenge with a few other men in my church to see who could be the first to lose 20 pounds. All four of us had weight loss goals and all strived (strove?) to slim down and improve our health. As I sit here and write you in the first week of May, I'm still at the weight I was when we started this challenge.

Now it's a little bit of a consolation knowing that the other three men made about as much progress (or less) than I did, but it still makes me think. Makes me think about where I could have been TODAY had I stuck with things since November. But I try not to think about that for too long since it just gets me all bummed out and angry at myself and my lack of self-motivation.

And then there was that time (yesterday) where I went shopping for clothing and had to buy BIGGER sizes that didn't hug my gut like some of my current clothes do. When it gets to a point where you need to buy larger sizes to make you look smaller (interesting logic, eh?), you know that some drastic changes need to be made.

So as the title of this post reads, mark my words. I do not want to be putting on my tuxedo on September 2nd for my wedding and regret that I continued to waste the previous four months drinking gallons of Mountain Dew and ingesting pounds of fast food and Doritos. It's time to stop saying "if I had only..." and start saying "I'm thankful I finally...."

A big problem for me has been saying yes to urges for fast food and computer time rather than healthy meals and visiting Cardinal Fitness. Time for that all to change - for good. Time to start looking more like the magazine cover that Karin made for me and less like...well, like I do now! Time to institute some self-control and discipline and do away with self-loathing and internal disappointment.

This goal reminds me of a verse that was shared with me by my worship pastor, Mark:
"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age." - Titus 2:11-12 (NIV)

Time to implement this endeavor once and for all. I've nicknamed this plan "Project Shock Factor" in hopes of surprising people with my changes who I haven't seen in a while. I'll do my best to keep you all updated. Thanks in advance for your support!

2:28:56

2011-05-03T15:55:00.000-07:00

Sunday marked another milestone in my so-called "athletic career." While it's a career that's seen its share of ups and downs, I feel that it's on the way up once again. The peak of said career came in November of 2002 when I won a Wisconsin state soccer championship - not too shabby. Think I can top that with a complete marathon someday? I don't want to get ahead of myself, so let me back up to what happened this past weekend.

On Sunday I participated in the First Midwest Bank Southwest Half Marathon in Palos Heights, Illinois. My goal going into the race was just to NOT set a personal, slowest time. Back in August of 2009 I ran a 2:33:11 half marathon when I ran the Rock N Roll Half Marathon in downtown Chicago. I trained poorly and struggled for a majority of the race. In the weeks leading up to Sunday's race, I managed to destroy my back doing yard work for the future father in-law (which put me out of commission for almost a week), and I used my "winding down" week before the race to eat whatever my heart desired and only run one day.

Needless to say, I was slightly worried.

But once that gun sounded, my buddy Rick and I hit the road together. Even though I had an entire playlist set up to listen to as we ran, I pulled the earphones out after a couple miles and stuffed them in my pocket - deciding that I'd rather talk to and joke around with Rick. And that's what we just did - we talked with other runners, made jokes about roadkill and just did a great job keeping our minds occupied with things other than how bad our hammies were burning.

Unbeknownst to me, every time I would encounter someone I recognized (fellow runner or enthusiastic fan), my legs would magically move faster! Just seeing familiar faces was a nice break to the pothole-ridden pavement and half dead trees that I saw for the majority of the 13.1 miles. With a little under a mile to go, I turned to Rick and let him know that he was free to release the hounds and finish strong since my legs weren't moving too fast by the time the last mile rolled around. After he took off and I made my way closer to the finish line, the cheering from the crowd and seeing the huge "FINISH" banner stirred up some fire within me and I managed to "sprint" the rest of the way. (It felt like I was finishing quite strong, but it may not have actually happened that way.)

When all was said and done, I beat my worst time and finished at 2:28:56. As I assumed before we even started, my sister Erin smoked me by over 17 minutes. Maybe I'll get her next time :) From here, I plan to stay on task and ride the tidal wave of motivation into this month of May in hopes of chipping away at the number of pounds I want to lose before the wedding. Let's see how it goes!

Tomorrow It Starts

2011-04-24T20:39:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, Easter is a day not only where we celebrate Christ's glorious resurrection, but it is also a day where people gather around a large table with family and/or friends (or in my case today, FUTURE family) to partake in copious (huge) amounts of victuals (num nums). While I'm used to going to grandma's house to scarf down ham, potatoes, Jell-O and chips today I was offered the opportunity to try something I've never eaten before - lamb! And I'm being completely honest when I say that I enjoyed it. :-)

But another custom followed by many around this continuously "expanding" country of ours is what I like to call "The Day After." Some might also refer to this as "Starting Over Day" - a day where people vow to awaken from their food coma in their comfy La-Z-Boy and stumble their way over to the local fitness facility in an attempt not only to lose the weight they just packed on, but also to simply feel better about themselves.

Even though I received an odd amount of compliments on my "slimming" figure today (three or four people told me how thin I look), I haven't lost more than a handful of pounds since I saw each of them last. Since I am privy to this knowledge and they are not, I quickly brush the compliments aside knowing they're just trying to be nice. But it makes me wonder how they'll react when I actually lose weight! With only a week until my half marathon, I am almost looking forward more to the days to follow the race - days where I don't have to focus on training, but can simply visit the gym with one focus in mind - looking great in my tux for my wedding!

Onwards and Upwards!

2011-04-19T14:51:00.000-07:00

So over the last month or so I've been doing some introspective questioning and probing. Trying to figure out what makes me tick - or what makes me WANT to tick, for that matter. A few posts ago I mentioned that I enjoy seeing visual results as fruits of my labor and how that makes it difficult to stick with a weight loss plan for longer than a couple weeks. I may have found a solution...

This week I've stumbled upon the NBC Universal Sports channel on Comcast. This channel is amazing! I originally tuned in yesterday to watch coverage of the Boston Marathon, and I haven't touched the dial since. Watching the marathon yesterday really got me motivated and inspired to go out and punish a 9.4 mile trail in the local forest preserve - and I don't think I've run more than 5 miles at once since my last half marathon...in August! It's just something about seeing others accomplish a race like the Boston Marathon that really makes you want to get up off your butt and do something active.

Since watching the marathon, I've also watched a triathlon in New Zealand, a show called "Human Express" where this guy RUNS the cross-country Pony Express route, and I think an Ironman is coming up in the next hour. Not only does each program make me feel very unaccomplished and lazy, but they all also make me wonder what kind of things I'M capable of doing.

Step one is completing my fourth half marathon coming up on Sunday, May 1st. We'll see where I go from there!

My New Gig

2011-04-07T12:28:00.000-07:00

So most people have something in mind that they would call their "dream job." When I was little I was inspired by Jurassic Park to be an archaeologist. After I grew out of that dream a couple years ago, I decided that being a cameraman at sporting events was the greatest thing ever. I've seen tons and tons of montages (a la "One Shining Moment") that gave me goosebumps and made me think to myself, "I'd love to be behind that camera getting those shots."

Sure, I've grabbed a camera and shot some games at Trinity - soccer, basketball, volleyball and even intramural kickball - but I've never really gotten paid to do it. Recently I contacted The Patch - a web of local, online newspapers - to see if they had any room for someone to cover Trinity sports. They said they weren't interested in covering Trinity, but countered with asking me if I wanted to help with local, high school sports shooting video and writing articles. I agreed!

To date, I have four games under my belt - two baseball games, a softball game and even a water polo game! While I'm only filming the games to get highlights for a 2-minute video recap, I'm still really enjoying going out to games and creating a rapport with coaches and fans. Here's one of the games I shot:

Lirpa Sloof Day!

2011-04-01T15:11:00.000-07:00

At least that's what we at the Huenink household used to call April Fools Day (reverse the letters). Mom would make our name cards by our chair at the dinner table (Jordan became Nadroj, Dennis oddly became Sinned), and we'd eat our dessert first! It was April Fools Day - a day to do things backwards. And I loved it :)

April Fools Day is also known for its pranks. Now I did not pull a trick on anyone today - didn't really come in a lot of contact with many people at the gym or a work today that I would feel comfortable tricking. However, with YouTube being so popular now and everyone wanting to upload videos of themselves doing stupid things, I stumbled upon this prank.

I laughed quite hard. Sounds like something me cousins Matt, Nate or Chris would do to one another :) Did you pull any pranks on anyone today?

Seeing Results

2011-03-28T13:32:00.000-07:00

Yet another personal epiphany struck me this past weekend - one that helped me wrap my mind around why I succeed at some things in life, but then fail to get off the ground in another area. Turns out that it all boils down to me being a visual person.

Just about anyone who really knows me knows that I am a pretty organized person. I make my bed in the mornings, I keep a neat desk and I love checking things off of lists. These things are rewarding to me because I can actually SEE the progress I'm making - a made bed, an organized workspace and a paper full of crossed-off items. It's actually why I enjoy vacuuming too - I can see the instant results!

However, this is also unfortunately the reason that my weight loss journey seems to get derailed after a week or two of hard work. Sure, I can see the number on the scale creep downwards, but not seeing a physical change gets discouraging and eventually knocks me off the exercise and healthy eating horse.

After being hit in the skull with this realization, I've since taken some action to try to combat this urge to quit when I don't see visible results in my own, short timeframe. Let's see how it works! I'll keep you posted.

(mini) SPRING BREAK!

2011-03-24T08:05:00.000-07:00

As a "working adult" with a handful of jobs I don't find myself with many breaks in my schedule other than on or around major holidays. So when I get the opportunity to take a full day off to do a "vacation-y" type of thing, you better believe I'm going to be excited about it. Especially when I get to spend that day with a very special person.

On Tuesday, Karin and I went to the Museum of Science & Industry to spend the day together - a day away from work, school and wedding planning (for the most part). We enjoyed a nice breakfast to start the day then headed downtown. While Karin had been to the museum years ago, I'd never formally been there as a museum patron. I'd had a Trinity formal there and also filmed a documentary there, but I'd never gotten to just walk around and experience it.

A couple videos from the museum - standing under falling, visible CO2 and in a 80 mph wind tunnel.

Despite the slightly painful three hours of walking (Karin had worked out the day before), we enjoyed seeing a lot of pretty cool things like an indoor tornado, baby chickens hatching, a game you could play with your mind and even blocks that you could use to play music. We also attended an OmniMax showing of "Vortex 2" - a documentary all about chasing tornados. All in all, it was a great day where I could get out from behind my desk, away from my computer and spend some quality time with my future wife.

Productivity Amid Distractions

2011-03-18T21:05:00.000-07:00

Well I've certainly found out a lot about myself these last couple weeks. It's interesting because these aren't new situations I'm finding myself in - I've been through this kind of thing before. This isn't the first time in my life that I've felt overwhelmed, stressed and disoriented. It's not the first time I've had an ever-growing list of things to do and had to figure out how to use my time wisely. So why am I realizing new things now as opposed to every other time I've been through this?

I've always known I was an organized, plan-things-out-before-going-forward type of person. It's a trait I'm glad I've inherited from my mother. I make daily lists. I organize my desk before getting staring my work. I schedule my days. It's when I stop doing these things that I start to come apart at the seams. So what does this discovery say about me?

Does it mean that I am fully dependent on a set schedule and shouldn't deviate from it without risking a meltdown? Does it mean I need to learn how to adapt to changes and still be able to accomplish what I set out to? Does it mean I need to scale back on my To Do Lists? I think I'm going to have to go with Door #2, Wayne <---- (click)

Why do small hiccups in my "plan" completely send me into a tail spin of accomplish-lessness? While this pertains to a majority of my assignments for myself, it sadly rears its ugly head the most when I'm in a groove of losing weight. I need to stop having mini self-pity parties and get right back to where I left off, not go on a week-long binge session of Taco Bell, pizza and soda...

September 2nd is getting closer and closer every day, and I made a promise that I'd be down to 199 by then. *GULP* - I can't afford any more time off to feel bad for myself!

Twister's Life Lessons

2011-03-14T11:18:00.000-07:00

So apparently your mid-20s is when your life turns into a tornado of decisions, changes and risks - who knew? While all of these things aren't completely bad in their own right, throwing them together all at once makes for one, stressed Jordan from time to time. I think my brain finally caught up to processing it the other day while I was packing up to move (yet again) for the fourth time in less than four years.

I had one of those moments where I just wanted to blink my eyes, tap the heels of my red shoes together or wiggle my nose and I would be lounging on a tropical beach away from it all without a care in the world. Now I'm not saying that I want to run away from all the work I have to do between now and the wedding (that wouldn't be a good response to have as I approach the responsibilities marriage), but I just think I would really be down for a Spring Break of my own just to catch my breath.

But alas, a working man like myself gets little time to breath during this whirlwind life throws at us. However, I'm pretty sure I've found my pipe that I can latch on to as the storm blows over me (if you haven't seen "Twister" you won't get this reference). Hebrews 13:8 reminds us that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever." (ESV) So what better place to latch onto than a God who promises that He is our Rock, our Solid Foundation and our hope?

So over these next handful of months I know where I'll be in the middle of this storm. And it doesn't hurt that I have an amazing fiancée who's right by my side going through it all with me.