SGJR8860’s BodyBlog

Well, it’s the start of another week. I’m going to try and put recent events behind me (see my last post) and just move forward with the training. I’m back on the Hydroxycut Hardcore, and although I haven’t noticed any severe reactions, I will definitely have to get a lot better about the meals and keeping hydrated. I’m going to step up to getting back on the stick with the training, too, in spite of still going to the pool and my sessions with Scott on Wednesdays (got another one coming up this week, and we’re supposed to be taping parts of it!)

I really miss how I felt right after the Leanness Lifestyle Boot Camp, when I was really at the lower end of my weight (around 305-307). My short-term goal for the next 30 days is not to return to that weight, but to surpass it…Hopefully, the things I’m doing with my supplementation, plus adding more resistance training back into the mix will get me there…

I really wish I had something more positive to post, since I haven’t been here in a while. But I needed to put this up as a "caveat" to those who have not yet experienced something like this. Learn from my mistakes and DON’T FLY AIRTRAN…
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My 30th Year High School Reunion…I planned for this about three months in advance, booked my flight, got my room reservations, I was all set. And that was even with a few mixed feelings about how it would be, seeing people I hadn’t had contact with for the most part since 1978. So it was going to prove to be an interesting weekend to say the least. I left bright and early at 5:30 this morning to make sure to allow for plenty of time to make my flight.

FADE TO: 9:17 p.m., sitting at home and posting this message. Somewhere in Florida, my former classmates are lounging by the pool, reconnecting and sipping cocktails, while I am still at home. How is this possible? Here’s my letter to my airline of choice - unfortunately for me. I’m sure everyone has a recent horror story like this one, but if you don’t, be sure you knock on wood once you’ve read this. You are VERY fortunate.

I would like to congratulate you for reaching a milestone this morning. I have had many experiences with airlines before, some bad, some good, some only so-so. But on this date, July 25th, 2008, Airtran has managed to allow me to experience The Single Worst Customer Service Event of my life. And that’s saying something.

It was bad enough that I had to cab from my home in Arlington at 5:30 a.m. to Union Station, so I could catch one of the first MARC trains to the BWI station, take the shuttle and then arrive at BWI Airport to check in with Airtran. I made it in at 6:45 for my flight scheduled at 8:50 - plenty of time, I thought, to make it into the 45-minute time window according to your rules, before my flight "closed."

Obviously, you don’t play by your own rules. I would say that when I arrived at the ticket counters, there was anywhere from 200-300 customers in line, easily. And how many agents did you have manning the counter, which had spots for at least six agents? THREE. Half the number for all of those people, most of whom met the same fate I did when their flights "closed" before they were able to check in.

I was informed tersely by one of your agents, that the best they could do was put me on a stand-by list for another flight that wouldn’t leave until THREE THIRTY in the afternoon, and even then there was no guarantee of a seat. THAT was doubly confirmed later, when I was told that on a plane with confirmed seating for 117 passengers, 121 were already booked.

And then to add insult to injury, after purchasing trip insurance in case of an event like this morning’s, that the insurance only covers cancellations due to bad weather and "technical difficulties." In other words - I am now expected to eat the cost of this trip because of YOUR incompetence at maintaining satisfactory customer service. And I say that because I have no wish whatsoever to obtain a "flight credit" from you. That’s the equivalent of finding a rat hair in your hamburger, then having the restaurant apologize by giving you a coupon book for a dozen more hamburgers. At this point in time, with my weekend ruined, and no chance of making my 30th High School Reunion, nothing less than a full chargeback to my credit card will bring about satisfactory resolution of this matter for me.

Even though I was told when I gave my consent to be placed on the stand-by list that my luggage might arrive at my destination without me, why was I not surprised when, at wit’s end, I went to your baggage claim office to check on my bag to discover that it hadn’t even left the airport? That smacks of intentional deceit - as if you cut your losses regarding the percentage of customers who would be displaced from their flights, and pocketed the proceeds.

I hope your happy with this unscrupulous practice, because even though I am only one person, if enough word-of-mouth gets around, fewer and fewer people will be inclined to avail themselves of your dubious services when they shop around to fulfill their travel needs. And I fully intend to the best of my ability, through blogging, vlogging and telling my friends, family and neighbors, that even if their only alternative method of transport is a horse-and-buggy, that would still be a better deal than using AirTran.

Haven’t posted in a while, so I thought I’d do a post-4th of July catch-up.  The swimming continues, though it’s been more at noontime lately than early in the morning. That will have to change back to normal next week, once the holiday weekend is over. Oh, yeah, and how did I do diet-wise? Not bad. The three-hamburger-four-hot-dog-three-chicken-b
reasts-and-a-shitload-of-carbs-habit has REALLY dwindled down from fourscore and a dozen Independence Days ago. Yesterday I had a taste of this, a little of that and two burgers, and I started to feel like I’d eaten half a Mayflower moving truck. So I stopped. No seconds, no thirds, no having to unbuckle my belt to "make more room." It felt GREAT.

Now I can’t say I did as well on desserts and drinks. I scarfed down quite a few Smirnoff Mojitos and "queer-beers" (aka Smirnoff ICE), and did the warm-apple-pie-ala-mode thing with a vengeance. It was only one helping, but it was one of those Beverly Hillbillies’ "heapin’ helpin’s". (A HUGE pie slice, topped with about two and a half scoops of vanilla ice cream, splashed with Wild Turkey American Honey liqueur!) In other words - my entire freakin’ carb allowance for THE NEXT MONTH.

But as a VIP in my life reminded me to "fail forward," I’m not going to beat myself up for it. Too many important strides were made this week.

This morning, I finally gave myself a swift kick in the ass and started a long-neglected project: ditching the fat clothes. Now I’m not talking about clothes that are just a little too "loose." I’m talking about anything size 3X and above (mostly 4X). The psychological weight of having all that crap still stuffed into my closet is another insidious method of sabotaging my own efforts, because getting healthier is about 99% mind power, isn’t it? Having that stuff around is like keeping the little voice inside your head that sneers: "You better keep those clothes, son, because you KNOW that one day you’re gonna need them again." Sh-yeah, RIGHT. And just like I was telling my partner this morning about that voice, I warned myself that if I DID need those clothes again, I would also need to pick out a shiny new casket for myself, too.

So I’m really glad I got that started, because it will put me in the right frame of mind next week to start working out with my new trainer. Yeah, I hired another one: Scott Blume, who used to be based at the Gold’s closest to the apartment. He transferred to another Gold’s about three train stops down from the one I usually go to, but making the trip to see him was worth it last Wednesday, when I met him for a trial session.

I know that our first go-round was modified by him just to see what I could handle, but what I COULD handle astounded me! We worked on a circuit of machine-free exercises: timed stairstepping, push-ups, leg-lifts, back rows, bicep curls, side-step squats and then about fifteen minutes of moderate to vigorous walking on the treadmill at varied speeds and inclines. The entire workout took just over forty-five minutes, but it felt like I’d gotten twice the work done in half the time! So he sold me. Our first REAL session is next Wednesday, which is probably the only day I won’t be going to the pool. Scott’s promised me that if I can follow his plan to the letter, I can drop at least ten more pounds by Labor Day. I can deal with that!

There’s also been a big change with the supplements, BTW. I broke the cardinal rule of not reading the labels when I bought those ProMax bars, and now I know why half of them taste so damn good: HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP. Nope, it wasn’t the first ingredient, but it’s STILLL in there, and it’s a no-no for successful weight loss. So I’m not giving the remainder away, and I’m certainly not going to throw them out. But when they’re gone, they’re gone for good and as you probably saw already, they’re off my Supplements list. I may replace them with something better, or just stick to protein shakes for now.

I also stopped the cycle of Hydroxycut Hardcore I’d started. I was starting to feel dizzy and woozy during some of the pool and gym workouts, and at first I chalked it up to my diet being way off and not eating enough at the proper times.  But since I stopped taking the capsules right after those first signs, a lot of that has just stopped as well. I don’t know…maybe I’m still too heavy to be on fat-burners of any kind, or maybe the shit is just as bad as a lot of people warn it is, and I’m better off without it - even after I get below the 300 lb. mark. So I think I’ll wait till I get to 295, try the HH again at that point and see what happens. Who knows? I probably won’t need them, nor be interested in taking them at that time.

Oh, and one more thing: since Scott is promising results and we are taking my measurements next Wednesday, I’m going to start posting some weekly progress pics beginning tomorrow night. I have a nice, shiny new digital camera I get to play around with, so I don’t have to haul those crappy CVS One-Shot cameras in anymore to waste money on getting bad film processed. Plus, it will motivate me to keep doing it and keep honest about my progress…or lack of it.

So June 3rd is a distant memory now, and I didn’t hit my original goal of losing 140 lbs. by that date. But I am still light years away from where I used to be, and that does count for something. I have to put the perfectionist within me on blast and constantly remind him that this is a MARATHON, NOT A RACE. Starting the journey was a massive step, and continuing on that journey to whatever rewards lie ahead is what matters, instead of stopping to count all the "bumps in the road" I hit - and the ones I know I probably will going onward (and upward).

EDIT: How the hell could I have forgotten the most IMPORTANT development of late? Woody went to Amazon.com and ordered our first George Foreman, which arrived just in time to use for the 4th. Although I do miss that charcoal taste, the food we cooked on the grill was still pretty good. And that’s aside from the fact that it was a really good investment. Cooking all the chicken and turkey breasts and omelettes now is going to be a walk in the park…