Graduation, Birthday, and A New Job.

The past week has been quite a hectic week full of celebrations, surreal times, and new beginnings. With a new job starting tomorrow, I am going to have to figure out a new eating schedule, new workout schedule, and new times to work out with Seth. During the past week, a thought came across my mind, what am I going to do when Seth is no longer there. I mean, I can't possibly work out with him all my life, eventually I will have to go on my own, with the knowledge and skills he's taught me. But not just yet, I still have a long way to go. I guess it's not the fact of how to work out and what to do, but rather needing someone to keep me motivated and to help me push through. Consistently I've seen my weight drop from 240-230-220-210-200- and now it's in the 190's. quite crazy indeed. So with this chapter coming to an end, a new beginning awaits for me, who knows what I will look like a year from now.

Sore, Sore, and Soar.

Even though I was still sore from the work out with Seth two days again, I had a really good work out today. More weight, more reps, and more determination. There were a couple of new exercises that challenged me, all of which will help in reaching my new goals. Lately people have been calling me "an inspiration" and I just don't think it's really hit me yet, how much weight I have lost and how much work I put into working out. I feel great, look great, but I'm no role model, no inspirational leader, nor am I a super hero, but that is just how I feel right now.

Quality over Quantity: Technique

The next thing I need to work on, is choosing a weight that will allow me to do the weight lifting with good technique rather than the amount of weight and the number of repetitions. It's better to have good quality reps/sets than more reps/sets so that you don't risk hurting yourself.

Habits, Future, and My Mindset.

The past night I slept for over 14 hours and I believe I am trying to make up for the lack of sleep I had the past week. I had a good "breakfast" or rather lunch at Subway: 6inch, oven roasted chicken, honey oat, no cheese, red onion, pickles, pepper, and fat free honey mustard. Afterwards I went new cloths shopping and found some amazing stuff at Macy's. After getting some new threads, I went to go get my body measured by Seth, and go over my progress and what are my ultimate goals as well how we are going to get there. Right now we are doing more weights, more reps and eventually do more weight and less reps. After the workout, and buying more protein [which I really needed], I went home, relaxed, and started cleaning out my closet. I am going to donate all my old clothes as well as all my toys. As I enter the work force and adulthood, I want to make sure I look the part, live in the part, and find myself after having lost weight and having a new mindset on life.

Habits to Break: Fast Food & Snacks

I need to realize what fast food had done to me. It got me to the point where I was unhappy, depressed, and fat, and I never want to be there ever again. There is absolutely nothing healthy at fast food places. I need to stop being lazy for those few minutes and simply eat at home or go to the grocery store. In terms of hunger and snacks: the problem I am facing is knowing if I am hungry or just filling time by wanting to snack. I just have to take time to simply think. A few short minutes to get my head straight and focused.

-note to self & Seth- I need to take a "Before" photo again. Front View/Shirtless

Food Focus, Work Driven.

Today was a very long day. I had a school breakfast meeting to attend to this morning, and having little to no sleep last night, I was say to least, very irritable. I had a bad breakfast for the day, lunch consisted of the mall food court, but dinner was not bad. I had a small dinner salad with a black bean soup. I did however, did some cardio today, about 300 calories burned and got to see Alison, who came back to the gym just last week, and I'm glad to have her back. I need to work on my nutrition and my discipline. Today I was also continuing to shop for clothes, and unfortunately I just could not figure out what looks good, what fits right, and what is appropriate for casual and work attire. What really got to me, was my small thing of a gut, I want to get rid of it!

Goal for the Week: Cardio & Nutrition

I need to make sure I do Cardio every other day and make sure I eat right everyday, that way I can reach one of my goals of getting those six pack abdominals.

New Name, New Goals, New Life.

This morning I completed my very first 10K in 1 hour and 19 minutes. Even though I was in the back of the pack, I am just very happy I finished something that ended my goal over a 6 month process. I have now changed this blog in order to bring some more life and motivation for me to post everyday. I am now calling this blog "ello Muscles" after my English friend who calls me this whenever he sees me.

I have new goals for this new journey which are:

1. Weigh 180 pounds
2. Muscle Definition
3. Six Pack Abs [I know...I am very ambitious]

I also want to complete one of my goals from the last goals I had:

1. Weigh under 200 lbs [DONE]
2. Lose my gut [DONE]
3. Do 1 pull-up

So I need to finish that goal as well. After 187 days since I have started I can now see how much work I have put into this crazy journey and am starting to realize that this is a lifestyle. My father today told me that a person recovering from alcoholism will always be surrounded by alcohol, but it's the will power that keeps the person from relapsing. The same goes with food. It's all about will power to keep away from bad food. My mother keeps asking me how much I weigh, and I told her this today, "it doesn't matter how much I weigh, but how I feel" So from now on, this blog has been blessed with a new life.

Self Improvement: Diet Soda

I need to stop drinking Diet Soda. The aspartame [sugar substitute] that is in the soft drink is researched to damage your liver over a long period of time. Not only that but the aspartame also increases your craving sensory in the brain, basically making you want sweet and sugary. So what I need to work on this week is to not drink any soda.