Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Hovering and Learning No

I’m still at 240 and I know exactly why. My dieting skills stink. Let me rephrase that, my dieting skills are non-existent. Even though I have put together the most solid month yet of working out, I am more or less stuck, and I only have my inability to tell myself no to blame. So, I am going to try to change. That is what this entire documentary thing is about, right? I am still 35 pounds down but I need to at least lose another 40 and the only way I can do that is by dieting, while continuing the workout regimen. Beginning Monday this is what most days will taste like.

Breakfast: Smoothie consisting of fresh kale, spinach, banana, orange juice, mixed frozen berries and ice

Morning Snack: raw almonds and cheese stick

Lunch: tuna and granola bar

Afternoon Snack: yogurt and apple

Dinner: something grilled and appropriately sized (sorry T-Bones and New Yorks) veggies and salad

I will blog next week about how the meals worked Monday-Friday, and why am I starting on Monday and not today. That is what I do, procrastinate.

The video below is me throwing a 50 yard pass because my boy Jeff Maynick said I couldn’t. While dunking a basketball is not remotely the same as throwing a 50 yard pass, it’s still super difficult. Not a lot of people think I will dunk, but I do.

Friday, May 13, 2011

Guest Speaker Time



Below is Frank Davis’ story, just like mine, just like millions of others who were once athletes and then life or their bellies got in their way. Frank is the first person to reach out to me and over the last month or so we have sent many emails and texts back and forth about where we are on this journey towards a healthier lifestyle and what we are doing to stay motivated. After Frank’s story I have a request. And, just like the pictures in Esquire of me in my high school uni’s, check out Frank’s pictures above, slim, fit, ready to ball.

It was matter of timing and opportunity that my new Esquire subscription came in the mail when it did. I usually throw away these subscription offers. What a waste of money, right? But a couple of months ago the offer did not reach the trash bin only because the cheap two-year subscription met my price point.

Extreme Health was the theme of the first issue I received. The first
article I read: The Regimen by Charles Spannagel. Seeing some guy’s
old high school pictures intrigued me. I hoped the story would be
about some fat guy like me. A guy who wanted to, in some small way,
resemble the man he had the potential to be.

I googled Charles in hopes of finding some back-story. What I found
was a blog and a twitter page. I realized this guy wanted to produce a
documentary called “Dunk?” and I instantly felt it was a great idea. A
30 something year old, overweight, former athlete who wanted to dunk?
The question was: Could he do it? But more intriguing to me was
another question: Is this about dunking a basketball or is it about
something more? I was unexpectedly inspired to do something.

Charles’ article and blog inspired me to contact him. I wanted to give
him the encouragement to continue the great idea of Dunk? and to let
him know he as the power to inspire guys like us to get back to our
physical and mental potential and better our lives. His positive
response to my email was encouraging. His story and the potential of
his project inspired me, so why can’t he help to encourage millions
more?

My wife is encouraging. We both agreed to chase our dreams. I watched
her overcome challenges and accomplish her goals. She has grown
tremendously, but that hasn’t been the same story for me. I didn’t
keep up my end of our bargain. At some point within the past seven
years I forgot about continuing my aspirations. I got married, but
then I was hit with a bunch of serious health problems and was fearful
of what I would put my wife through. I can make excuses using personal
challenges, numerous surgeries and illnesses, or I could blame the
shame of not keeping it together under those pressures. Excuses are
most useful for me when I don’t step up to challenges when I
definitely should and I surely can.

This past week I joined a gym. I’m back at it and going hard. Everyday
is training day for me now. I’ve lost ten pounds. Hitting the breaks
on my old lifestyle of fast food burgers, a plethora of deliciously
fried quesadillas, tacos, burritos, frozen pizzas and not taking care
of my health is, even after just a few days, a distant memory. It
wasn’t instant of course. I’ve been mentally preparing myself for
years to regain something I’ve lost. I never seemed to quite get it
going. That was until I read about another 290 plus pound dude with
the same goals who was getting it done.

What inspired me most was Charles’ depiction of the physical weakness
he felt while holding his child. I’m not as brave as Charles. I’m too
afraid to become a father. I don’t want to have those feeling Charles
shared. I’m terrified of dying of a heart attack before a son or
daughter makes it to kindergarten. I am definitely terrified of
feeling weakness around my child because honestly, it would be more
terrifying to me than anything. I would never be able to share that
feeling as Charles did, certainly not in an internationally
distributed magazine. Charles and his idea are an inspiration. Who’s
he gonna inspire next?

By Frank L Davis
Follow at: twitter.com/frankldavis & twitter.com/frankldavismma

So far this project has brought me closer to my wife, closer to my children, and now I have a friend in San Fran who is on the same journey. My request is that you send this blog out to everyone. I want as much pressure as I can get on myself from here on out. I need it. Please forward on to your family, friends, colleagues, enemies, who ever. Let’s get as many people involved in this production as possible.

Down to 240, 50 pounds to go before 12-18-2011.