200by40 – Weight Loss the Right Way

My Entry for Automattic’s Worldwide WP 5k

Hello, WordPressers! My name is Dave and this is my blog entry for Automattic’s Worldwide WP 5k dealy thingy. Before I begin giving you the details of tonight’s run/walk, allow me to elaborate on a few things.

If this is your first time visiting 200by40.com I want to welcome you. The short story behind this blog is quite simple: I had set a goal to weigh 200 lbs. by my 40th birthday in 2009. With about 50 lbs. to lose, I decided that I would blog about everything that was going through my mind during that time, and I mean everything. Whether it was frustration with pounds not coming off or a review of a food item or weight loss aid (be it a gadget or otherwise), I wrote about it. I also took progress pictures so readers could see how a normal guy like me went from nearly 300 lbs. and lazy to 193 lbs. (my lowest point) and running, cycling, and just enjoying life.

All this by eating right and exercising without feeling sorry for myself. Like I’ve preached from the beginning, make no excuses and have no regrets. Just turn the switch to ON and don’t let anybody stop you!

It was also my intention that this blog serve as an inspiration to those who may be having trouble losing weight after trying everything short of lap-band or gastric bypass surgery, which I have a strong opinion against.

While I don’t blog here as often as I used to, go ahead and look around and see what it took to lose over 100 lbs. Sure, I’ve gained a few back over the years but I am working on that at the moment and look forward to reaching the elusive goal of 190 lbs. sometime this year.

Okay, so the Automattic Worldwide 5k. I am subscribed to a bunch of RSS feeds with Google Reader with WordPress being one of them. I read about this and figured since I already run or walk nearly 5k every other night, I might as well go for it.

First things first, WordPress is suggesting the Android app MapMyWalk as a tool to help participants track their time and distance. I chose not to since I am already a faithful Endomondo user and even wrote a post about it not that long ago. I figured since I have been uploading all of my stats there that I might as well keep on using it for this event.

So here are the stats from tonight’s run, courtesy of Endomondo:

While I had the app set for Running, I sort of went back and forth between jogging and walking. Either way, I got it done and will take a day off tomorrow and do my alternative exercising: ab crunches, weightlifting, and the punching bag. Gotta have a little variety. And if you’ve never done 5k and are interested in seeing exactly how far it is, here you go:

The numbers represent the mile markers and the other dots are where I started and finished the jog/walk. It may look like a lot but once you get used to it, it’s really nothing. When I was unemployed, it wasn’t uncommon for me to walk 5 miles at a time. Not only was it great exercise, it gave me some peace and quite during a tough time in my life.

Unless I take my dog with me, my walks tend to be uneventful. He makes them as…well, difficult as he possibly can with all his pulling and tugging. (For the record, he failed obedience class .) But tonight I decided to go dog-less and actually came across something interesting.

There is a stretch of dirt pathway that starts a little past the 1 Mile Marker on the image above and since I do this at night, I always have a mini flashlight with me.

I hit the path and came to a point where I felt the need to slow down and drink some water. As I did that, something in the darkness caught my eye. I grabbed the flashlight and pointed it in the direction of what appeared to be a white piece with a hand-written message on it. This paper beautifully and conspicuously placed between two chain link fence segments, its creator obviously wanting people to stop and read it.

Here’s what it read:

“The world is full of shipping clerks who have read the Harvard classics.”
– Charles Bukowski

I had a moment of deep, meaningful thought as I took a sip of water. Then I continued on my way home.

No, this isn’t a picture of me at the finish line as the rules suggest but hey, I thought it was interesting enough to include for this little entry – and possible Freshly Pressed status

At any rate, that’s what I’ve got for this challenge. I’m sure I will run or walk 5k at least a few more times before the April 10th deadline and I hope that you do, too.

And if you haven’t, make now the time to do it and let it be the start of a healthy habit that lasts a lifetime.

Take it from me, that guy who used to eat 3-item combos from a Chinese food restaurant at least 3 times a week and where they knew my name. I haven’t been back since (but still do enjoy Chinese food in moderation, of course).

I also hope you’ve enjoyed your visit here and maybe even found a bit of inspiration to change the way you live and be the thinner person you’ve always wanted to be. Let’s just say that while I still have a pair of size 48 pants somewhere in the house, I definitely enjoy wearing 36 and 38 instead!

Thanks for stopping by and hope you come back!