FatManChronicles

OK. Enough of this dieting only tactic. You know, a fatty tries hard to not exercise throughout his day…. much less go to an actual gym.

We find excuses to not exercise.

Too cold.
Too early.
Too busy.
Too much money for a membership.
I can’t afford it.
I’m not comfortable.

And then this apathy toward not staying active spills into our everyday life habits. Steve Candler spoke of a study in his book 17 Lies That Hold You Back & The Truth That Will Set You Free, a book I highly recommend,”

… there was a study done of people’s differences in energy when making a bed. The heavier the person, the more economy of movement he or she would exhibit in the making of the bed. They captured it on videotape. The heavy person would make the fewest and shortest movements around the bed, as if subconsciously trying not to exercise.

“The lighter person would move around and around the bed in a whirlwind of motion and movement. Therefore, the lighter person would expend more calories and burn more fat doing the same task. The point of the study, and of the hidden video in the bedroom, was to find out if we subconsciously conspire to keep our weight from going down. It seemed to suggest we do.

“We secretly try to keep our body fat the same as it is and to keep our metabolic set point constant. Therefore, the trick to losing weight is to raise that set point by consciously overriding the subconscious system so that we burn more and more fat until our body assigns itself a new set point and a new weight.”

Fatty goes to the gym.

So I joined a gym. I am refocusing my life because the small habits in my life support my poor health. I realized, however, that I not only have to change my diet and my exercise, but I also have to change my day and how I use my time. I have done a lot of “wanting” in my life. I want to be healthy. I want to run. I want to be there for my life. I want to have financial success. Oh how I want hard…. I disguise it and call them longings of my heart.

I have been “doing” a lot as well. I have been parking close. I have been the lazy bed maker. I have been the guy that sneaks a bite. I have been avoiding the gym. I have been pacifying myself by not pushing myself.

What I have been “doing” does not support what I want. We don’t stop and evaluate our day to day life enough. Sometimes we just need to stop and say “Is the way that I am living my life going to get me what I want?” and if there answer is “no” then we need to reevaluate how we are doing things.

So who is the gym of choice you ask for a fatty? Well I knew it needed to be close by. I don’t feel like being with a bunch of Ken and Barbie dolls so I looked around and found the best gym possible for me and my goals.  I found The Wellness Center at DeKalb Medical. The Wellness Center is an 18,000-square-foot fully-equipped fitness facility complete with an indoor pool and indoor track.

They are connected with Dekalb Medical Hospital and have a variety of programs and services in the area of fitness, lifestyle education, and integrative medicine. Everything I need. I like Dekalb Medical Wellness Center because it is more than just a gym for it’s membership fee. They focus on having resources to help you reach your goal versus just having equipment, some jocks and a cleaning crew.

I noticed as soon as I walked in that it was a place for “the rest of us”. I walked in and felt normal…which is challenging to anyone walking through the door at 530 pounds.

I started my Membership on Monday, and by Tuesday evening I have already completed three workout sessions, worn “fatty boy shorts” and called them swimming trunks, had an aerobics bike tell me to “Pedal Faster”, worked out in my “Official Before Picture” outfit, and learned how water aerobics can be a fun, complete, and challenging workout.  Water Aerobics isn’t just for little old ladies.  It’s great for fatties, too.

Yes, I did wear my Timb's to the Gym

Right now I am doing what “I think” I should do. But within the week, I’ll be meeting a personal trainer and a nutritionist to help me along the way. In fact, I will be sitting down with Alice the Nutritionist on Thursday and I will tell you all about it.

I am changing my life, by changing my day-to-day.  You have goals. You have dreams. What can you change in your daily habits than can get you back on the path to the life you want?

PEDAL FASTER FATTY!!! Hey... I am trying here!

This is what FatManChronicles is going to be about. Taking you along for the journey back to health, back to life.  Let’s see what we can learn together.