Fin!

I'm done! I went back to Fundamental Fitness in Denver to have my body fat measured. The measurement came out at 16% body fat with a weight of 212 lbs. That means I lost 26 lbs and 9.5% of body fat. ACE defines fitness as anywhere between 14%-19%, so I'm well within the range of fit.
One thing that I have recognized is that fitness is more of a journey than a destination. I think a true fitness program should be a lifestyle choice and not just a passing fad in one's life. Also, I think that if I had a specific goal to meet again, I would give myself 6 months next time. That allows for things like travelling, being sick, or unexpected circumstances. That being said, I'm going to keep going on my journey in fitness. My long term goal is to stay in the range of "fit" closer to 14% than 19% body fat. I think my ideal weight will be somewhere around 210.
Things I've learned:
It doesn't matter if you fall off, only how fast you get back on the horse.
Fitness is a journey, not a destination.
Objects at rest tend to stay at rest. Objects in motion tend to stay in motion.
I'll never regret working out.
Fitness is more about how you feel than how you look. A more chiseled physique is just a bonus.
The practice of being active can be enlightening.
I can get fit and save money on gas by biking.
Endorphins are good!

As promised I will be donating some money to Augie's Quest. I lost 9.5% and pledged $10 for each percentage lost. I'll be donating $95, and Body Bar Systems is going to match that. Also, I got some other pledges of support to the tune of $150. All together the donation will be $440.

The last two weeks. . .

The last two weeks have been good to me :)
My need to work out to stay on track, coupled with the beautiful weather and wonderful snow has had me spending a great deal of time outdoors. Biking, hiking, snowboarding have been my cardio.
I've taken on biking to work every day that I can. I take the long way, which is nice because I can ride on a bike trail the entire way downtown to work. Boulder did a fantastic job planning that accessibility. Also, its been the perfect weather in my opinion. Its been pretty warm down here on the front range, but snowing just 25 miles West. That means I get to hike here in Boulder and drive 1/2 hour to go snowboarding at Eldora. The snow has been incredible.
My Body Bar workouts have progressed and I'm really in a rhythm now. I've found bilateral or one hand work to be particularly effective as I have to balance the full four feet of the bar in my hand. It makes for a much greater balance challenge, and therefore engages the core.
I will note that with the coming measurement I've been slightly neurotic, sometimes thinking that I haven't made any progress at all. However, I know how I feel, which is exponentially better than the way I felt in my body before starting the challenge.

Week 10

I've found that the more trips I do, the harder it is to stay on target. I was away for almost five days and during that time I got one cardio and one Body Bar workout in. Also, eating out all the time, its hard to find something that is on my eating plan. A little frustrating, but I think I can pick up some steam now that I'm home and have no more trips in the near future.

Week 9

This week was truly a busy week. I got right back into it biking and doing body bar workouts. My aunt was visiting and she was inspired by my Body Bar workouts and wanted to buy a Body Bar. I had a rueben and Guinness with my brother on Sunday night in celebration of St. Patrick's day - I've found that sometimes things like family traditions trump the eating plan. Was nice to be home for a while and get back into a routine. Alas, no rest for the weary - I leave for my last tradeshow of the season tomorrow.

Week 8

This week I was traveling a lot. I went to IHRSA - our biggest convention of the year. Surprisingly enough I found it difficult to make time for working out, even at a fitness convention. I'm feeling pretty good about my progress though, weighing in at 220 lbs. At the convention I had Kent McCurdy do another Body Fat Measurement and I came in at 18.5%. given that I began at 238 lbs and 25.5% body fat, I am pleased. I still have a ways to go though, and I have more traveling to do. The thing about traveling is that it throws you out of your routine both with your workout schedule and eating habits. I'm finding traveling to be the most challenging part of the journey thus far.

Week 7

This week's challenge came in the form of illness. On Monday I began to have a sore throat. I went for a run anyhow, which felt good, however not long after that I began to feel progressively worse. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to slow down at all. By Tuesday I was full-on sick. Sherry Catlin was coming to town and she and I and Jean-Paul were going to head down to Colorado Springs for the AAAI convention. I was really excited to take the Body Bar workshop that we hosted at One Boulder Fitness so I took some DayQuil and pushed on through. I think it was actually really good to sweat, it felt cleansing. I weighed myself and I weighed 221 lbs, meaning I've lost 17 lbs. Over the weekend we attending AAAI and I did as much as I could at Sherry's precon workshop and also a Body Bar Flex class. Not feeling well it was pretty difficult to stay motivated to work out and obviously the intensity of the workouts was not as great. However, I think that the movement actually helped my recovery.

Week 6 thoughts

Today was a stressful day. I was noticing that my old way of doing things would have been to ease the stress by self-soothing with "comfort foods" and beer. Instead I exercised and I can't tell you how much of a difference it makes. Instead of stealing energy from me, my activity re-energizes me. I am really thankful that I am doing this, that this industry exists, and that there is support for people who want to change their lives.