Before we dive in. I’d like everyone to check out my boy Matt Madeiro over at “Make Every Day Count.”
He has a (free I believe) book available on his site called “Happiness is.” I was lucky enough to be able to contribute (page 14 😀 ) and am super stoked about his work. He’s an amazing writer and this book will surely put a smile on you face. That I promise you.
A few other quick notes.
One big launch is about to happen real soon!
A makeover on the site is underway (it’s going to kick ass…trust me!)
The dynamic on the site will evolve very soon as well. Details forthcoming. Hehehe… I am one sneaky MOFO! Love you guys and the support!
With that said… on with the show!
Wk 2: Posse In Effect
Sadly, this past week, Adam Yauch aka “MCA” of the Beastie Boys, lost his battle with cancer. In honor of him, my blog entry this week is entitled “Posse In Effect”.
Not only is this one of my all time favorite Beastie Boys tunes, but it’s very befitting to my fitness update for the week. You’ll read later how I escaped hotdog heaven/hell with a little help from my “posse”!
INTRO
My wife loves to talk about the past. She loves to take a stroll down memory lane from time to time and ask me detailed questions about our time together.
And by ask of course I mean quiz!
“Honey, do you remember what I wore the first time you took me to the movies?” She’ll ask.
Now I do my best to remember, because I know it makes her happy, but keeping track of her wardrobe in correlation to, well… every occasion, is virtually impossible!
My replies are generally wrong, but my goal is to sell them with enough confidence so that maybe, just maybe, she’ll doubt herself and think I’m right.
“Oh absolutely honey, you looked beautiful in that white top, and don’t even get me started on the way you looked in those jeans.”
SMACK!! Her hand blasts my shoulder.
In that moment I always wish my Dad’s salesmen gene made it’s way into my DNA.
“Happy wife, Happy Life”, was the one “WARNING” he gave me before I got married. It was something I took to heart. Now I make sure to keep track of as many of those little things my brain will allow. As it generally works for me, these little talks my wife likes to have about our past sparked an idea.
A while back we were discussing the past few years; the ways in which our lives had changed, the obstacles we’ve faced, the curve balls life has thrown our way. And “Someone Could’ve Warned Me” was born. As you follow my fitness journey now, I’d love to share with you some stories from my past. Whether it is to learn from or just for laughs. Hope you enjoy!
“Someone Could’ve Warned Me” warning of the week:
Hey guys! Your girlfriend, wife, or whatever she is, wants you to pay attention to the little things! $2 buys you a notebook and a pen; write down all the things that really matter to her. This is an inexpensive way to avoid a sore shoulder. Consider yourselves warned.
AND THEN THERE WERE 3
Now, unless you’re taking the proper steps to start a family, I’m not sure you’re ever really prepared to hear the phrase, “I’m pregnant”. A little over two years ago my girlfriend, who is now my wife, uttered those life-altering words to me, changing the course of our lives forever.
Someone could’ve warned me!
After the initial shock subsided, and reality sunk in, I have to admit I was kind of excited about the idea of becoming a Dad. I’d always wanted kids and I’d found the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, so why not? Life’s an adventure right!?
My wife on the other hand took a little longer to warm up to the idea.
See my wife, unlike myself, is more of a “planner”, and having a baby was simply not on her calendar for years to come. We had been planning our engagement and chatting “dream wedding” scenarios for months, but a baby? Now? That would change everything! Having a baby also meant reveling to her parents we weren’t exactly the poster children for celibacy. I mean, I was going to have to face her Dad and basically admit I was a scoundrel. It’s a pretty tough thing to face your girl’s Father with that kind of news, especially when I hadn’t even asked him for her hand in marriage.
Prior to finding out Naomi was prego, following a church service one Sunday that spoke of the importance of abstinence till marriage, Naomi and I vowed to knock of the bedroom shenanigans, if you catch my drift, until we were married. I let my family know of our decision, wanting to be an example for my sister and younger cousins.
We also spoke with my Uncle Grant, because we had wanted him to marry us. Being a man of great faith, his approval and blessing was very important to us. Well I guess God thought our “premonition of purity” came a little too late, because a few days later I came home after work to find a terrified Naomi hovering over three pregnancy tests in the bathroom, all positive. Two of the tests were sort of faded, but the third was crystal clear!
Just to confirm and because emotions were running a tad bit high, I was sent on a mission to find tests that were digital so we could actually see it in writing.
We needed a “YES”! No lines, no stupid plus signs, just a “YES YOU’RE PREGNANT, BEST OF LUCK IN THE FUTURE, STOP PEEING ON ME NOW”!
Five tests later, we began calling everyone to let them all know there had been a change in plans. My family was surprised but supportive as always.
My brother Zac most excited saying, “that’s so dope, if it’s a boy you should name him Zac, and if it’s a girl, well you should name her Zac”!
Ok back to my wife’s parents.
If I could give anyone reading this some advice that may not yet be married, get yourself some amazing in-laws like mine. As we sat there in the kitchen ready to drop the bomb, my heart was beating out of my chest, I had sweat dripping down my forehead, and I’m sure I was talking in this weird voice, sounding more like “that” guy from a late night infomercial.
I mysteriously transition into this voice when I’m nervous to speak or faced with conflict. I guess it’s my cover for my slight lack in confidence in those moments.
We let them know we were expecting a baby and then I asked for their blessing to marry their daughter. I remember very well what my now father-in-law said to me, “You two have been dating for some time now, and you’ve been working towards a life together, I already consider you family, and you have my blessing.”
Naomi was balling. I was balling. HELL EVERYONE WAS BALLING!!
It was shortly after that, that I proposed to my wife, and all the blessings along with all the “someone could have warned me” moments began to enter the fray…
Till next week y’all!
FITNESS UPDATE
Week 1 is over with and I.AM.SORE! Sitting down and standing up has become a time where Limitless365’s meditation blog has come in handy, purely for motivation.
If you haven’t read it, do so now.
The first thing I noticed other than my constant cravings for all things not on my diet, was how weak I’ve become.
One thing I failed to mention last week was that 4 months ago, on New Years Eve to be exact, I injured my back while working. Part of my job entails lifting heavy chemical containers repeatedly. On that day in particular I was lifting a 150lb acid tank onto a containment platform. Someone could’ve warned me what all this repeated lifting does to your body, especially when using your legs is out of the question. Someone could’ve also warned me what intense nerve pain in your legs feels like.
Add it all up, one herniated disk, two damaged nerves, and a horrible diet; in the last 4 months I have added 20lbs to my already struggling frame. As a result, I found this week that the lifts that used to come so easy to me in the gym had become very difficult, and extensive cardio was out of the question. This was all the more reason for me to keep my diet on point, since nutrition truly is 80% of the battle.
At one point while catching my breath at the gym I walked over and grabbed a 65lb dumbbell just to feel exactly what I wanted to lose. To think I have been walking around with that extra weight this whole time. I couldn’t carry that dumbbell around for 5 minutes even if you paid me in Papa Johns pizzas-my favorite.
My toughest challenge came this last Wednesday.
Back in the fall we purchased Coldplay tickets at the best venue in LA, The Hollywood Bowl. It just so happened that day of the concert was also my toughest day in regards to cravings and pain. My mood was somewhere in between excited and extremely irritable. Thankfully I had my “POSSE” which consisted of my wife, brother and a couple good friends.
Now under other circumstances I would have entered the venue and made my way over to get one of my favorite BBQ pulled pork sandwiches accompanied by a tall beer.
Not today, I kept my head down, held my wife’s hand, and marched to my seat. Coldplay killed it, it was awesome, and we stood the whole time so my mind didn’t even have a chance to think about food, cause my back was hurting so bad.
The concert ended and what happened following, for dieters, is most definitely cruel and unusual punishment. If the crowd wasn’t bad enough getting out I had to endure walking past at least a hundred food carts cooking bacon wrapped hotdogs.
BACON WRAPPED HOT DOGS PEOPLE!!!
That’s like the worst parts of the pig wrapped in the best part of the pig producing nothing short of awesomeness. To add to my pain as we made our way to the car, the people running the carts basically stood there wafting the smell at me. This sounds exaggerated, but to this hefty starving man I literally heard those vendors chanting in unison,
“Tyler… come and get it, hotdog heaven waiting”.
More like hotdog hell!!
While crowds gathered around to gorge on the delectable dogs, I managed to escape unharmed! Resisting temptation thanks to support of my “Posse”! No one broke ranks and succumbed to the pressure and we stood strong together.
When I weighed myself at the end of the week it was all worth it.
I have lost 8lbs and am energized to step up my game even more, pushing myself even harder. Good luck with your goals this week, and make sure the “Posse” you roll with, supports you to the max.
Cheers,
Tyler @poortyler