Day 114 of the new Journey: See less of Bo: The Cape Fear Heart Walk Journey with Adam Freeman and O2 Fitness!

well its wed and already I feel both good but also like it has been a full week!

last night I had a great time with J working out. She and I are now both being trained by Adam and so we decided to play together on cardio day! It really felt like that too for me and that was the fun part. After work, when I rushed home to get ready..I threw on my tennis shoes and shorts like i did when I was a kid, and rushed to my bike like I was going to go play with the others in the neighborhood! I loved that feeling. I did not feel like I was going to "work"...
I hopped on my bike and headed over to the gym..it was so brish out  and while I noticed the dark clouds towards downtown..it was blue skies towards Mayfaire adn the beach where I was headed.
I got there adn she and I did some work on the elliptical and then she prefers the tredmill, so we did that. It was fun to talk along the way..and Adam was doing a fitness assessment with a new client and we were not too brutal about our worker outer! :) We actually hopefully inspired her with how great he is for us!
Anyhoo..I was leaving and it looked like sprinkles, but I thought it would be ok..we had such a great time..then about the time I hit Parkside..a little community on the way home..it POURED down on me...and I mean BONE chilling cold rain...the first cold shower I have had in years...and yes..let me tell you..being 51 pounds lighter DOES make a difference in the pouring cold rain with wind whipping you! LOL!  The ironic thing was the whole time it was raining, the sun was in front of me...(I once had a fight with my kindergarten teacher who said that my picture that had both the sun and the rain in it could not happen..I begged to differ becuase i had seen it!..but then again it was a baptist kindergarten on Ephesus Church Road in Chapel hill...so what did she know!..so there!)....but I digress....LOL
I made it home and I got enought sympathy when I walked in the house that I we got hibachi for dinner and I did not have to cook! (bring on the rain anytime!)

Today was the speedy gonzales day for Adam..he wanted to see how fast I could go without dropping dead from machine to machine and doing 15 reps in the process! LOL! seriously..it was good and I probably should not whine..at 6'1 and 280 whinning looks a little out of sorts! But he had me on a bike for the first time doing sprints as well on that in between sets. My arms gave out a little this morning during sets (ok..so he had me on the bozo ball..balancing doing squats with weights..then curls..then over my head...I was pretty proud I did not fall and bust my tail!)..but that was the working to exhaustion and I did most of what he asked. I got out the pushups that he had me do. The pushups mean a lot..and as much as I hate them..they make me feel like i am doing something special and I feel so accomplished..

Good day so far with eating and..well, good day!
thanks be for all of it!

Day 112: See Less of Bo: The Cape Fear Heart Walk Journey withy s Adam Freeman and O2 Fitness!

My wonderful friend Melisa making me look wonderful by standing next to me had this taken when I crashed my friend Jimmy's Parade of Homes party as I was biking over to the gym on Thursday (and missing my friend Ed's opening because I thought it was this week). But...folks..I gotta say..it was amazing to get this picture..I have not been this thin...well..in a long time! It makes me feel so good and wanting to do so much more! I am so grateful to my friends and my family and all the support! The unconditional love is amazing! I am truly a blessed, blessed man!

This is the other picture of me and dearest Jenna..the go to amazing wonder at Flash Promotions/McColl and Associates..she is awesome (Jimmy the wonderful is behind  us with his hand on his hip! LOL!).

Today, Monday was a great day with a start training with Adam. Michael went with this morning and did time on the treadmill as well which was an added bonus. I did 15 full out on the elliptical and then I had a slow start for some reason when we started our training. I was a little out of it...Adam had me do squats with one 20 pound weight in between this time. I kept form and was able to do this with pretty good ease. But then he had me on the chin up machine, and I thought he just wanted to see that I could do it again. NOOOOO..he wanted me to now do this as a part of my work out with 12 reps and 3 sets! Well, I did it and it was only a few of the reps where I needed assistance from him...it was amazing! Then he added some new crunches with 10 pounder and I got to play with a new ball! I have seen guys at the gym sitting and leaning back and then taking what looked like a basketball and going from side to side placing the ball on each side, twisting as they moved along. Well, today, it was my turn..and while the first attempt was not as successful. I was able to get into and do it. Also the more I worked out the better the morning got and by the end and what he had for me with the rocket launcher, chest press, and the pull toward thingy to boot..I was ready to go for the rest of the day! 

Another good one and VERY grateful!

Thanks be!

Day 111: See Less of Bo: The Cape Fear Heart Walk Journey withy s Adam Freeman and O2 Fitness!

Friday was a great day....Adam worked me out in 35 minutes usually what takes an hour. I am able to do squats and keep my form! For a lot of you reading this, that may not sound like a lot, but for me it is huge improvement. I have a long torso and short legs. When we first started, Adam would try and get me to do free standing squats (not on any of my favorite machines: the birther, the horse, and now the rocket launcher). Getting me to stay on my heels, keep my back straight, put my butt out and squat was very difficult and it actually took for a while, putting a cirque de sobo ball on the wall and I would slide down on it. Now I am able to do them, with 20 pound weights in each hand and keep my form. It felt good..well, at least it felt good to have improved! LOL! Friday as about doing more reps...and I did what I was told as fast as he went at me and I can assure you when I left, I knew I had worked out! As usual Adam is helping me get to the next level at a rate I can do and push me only enough to ensure my success.   I have to add an aside here because I have definitely learned some things that i need to repeat here and I need to repeat for myself. It is a good thing to exhaust myself when I am doing my reps. It is NEVER ok to break form or to do something that changes the motion of the exercise in order to finish the number of reps that I am doing. NEVER. I got caught twisting my should to push out a few weeks ago when my arms were just noodles during a set. Adam got VERY serious and told me that losing form could cost serious injury and/or not be effective at all. By working to exhaustion, I am building and it is a good thing. I can't be so obssessed with the numbers..but focus on the progress and keep working at it.   Still, i hear him on days when he is not say saying "push, push, push push"...like I am some pregnant women during natural childbirth...but what he is doing is encouraging me to use, with the right form, every bit I can, and focus. As a result, I am doing more than I ever thought I could and..knock wood...I am not hurting myself. In fact, I see the things he is trying to teach me in so many others and I understand how important it is..like:
1/) when using free weights, don't use the "bounce" of the rep to do the next rep...momentum is not helping me work my muscles are build my strength
2.) don't limit the range of motion on the machines. If I do not extend fully, I will limit the growth to the range I am limiting the motion to  and not allowing for a full development.
3.) get my feet, hands, body or whatever in postion before I begin an exercise on a machine as I can pull a rotator cuff or hurt something else from trying to readust with the weights engaged.
these are just a few things..but it is paying off so far.

Friday night after work we went to the north end of Carolina beach and had a great time with Michael's colleagues and our friends. It was so nice to just relax around a fire and enjoy some time together. 

Saturday was the day "off" this week and we did somethings around town, saw Mom and Harold and just had a nice day.

Sunday, I biked to church, then biked to get us lunch, then biked to the gym and did 30 on the ellipitcal and biked home. It was great!
Now, I am having a BIG time increased appetite this weekend. Perhaps from the stress of the end of the end of the semester and a little from the exercise. I am just saying it outloud becuase It helps to keep it out there so that I stay focused on my eating too.  I am proud to say I have not fallen off the wagon as it were and ordered a pizza or anything (although, I had my first "pizza dream" the other night where I ate all sorts of crap in a dream..this was so wild as it is likened to a "drunk dream" for alcoholism"..seems the incidiouness of additiction and unhealthy behaviors are like freddy kruger sometimes..but unlike Freddy..these dreams cannot hurt me!). I am still surrounding us with healthy foods at home and I have healthy foods and alternatives at work. I would really have to go out of my way to do something not good for me.

Anyway...I am so grateful today...and look forward, if I am granted it, to tomorrow building on today

Day 108: See Less of Bo: The Cape Fear Heart Walk Journey with Adam Freeman and O2 Fitness!

what a perfect day...got up this morning and went to work early so that I could get somethings done and feel some of the stress releived a little. It was a beautiful day.

Aside form totally screwing up a committee meeting this afternoon, the day was very productive, I ate well, and I was so ready to work out and do cardio this evening. I got home and after setting off the alarm on the house (which was a LOT of fun), i got dressed and on my bike and headed out. I stopped by Jimmy's parade of home's party at Autumn Hall and it was spectacular and I felt WAY out of place in my shorts and t-shirt, but it was so nice to see folks and even nice to be out on this perfect afternoon on my bike. I left there without eating any of MOI's fab food and biked over to the Gym, got in and did my 30 on the elliptical....7 plus miles and hour, in my zone, and then biked back home. It was so wonderful! Michael and i went to an outdoor restaurant and I had salmon on spinach and now I am down for the evening and getting ready for, if i am granted it, a new day...after we enjoy some 30 rock and some time to just be.
Life is good....and it is good without a bag of cheetos...a 12 pack of little debbie's....a "treat" of a piece of carrott cake...life is good because we are living our life and feeling it in new and healthier ways each day! God, I love this more and more the longer we do this.
Thanks be to God!

Day 107 of the new Journey: See less of Bo: The Cape Fear Heart Walk Journey with Adam Freeman and O2 Fitness!

Weigh in today....280...oh yeah..tht is 50 pounds folks!...and in all fairness, if the scales that are wack at the gym, vs. the scales at the doctor..it is a little over 51 pounds all together! Lord have MERCY!
The other good news is that I forgot to includ in Monday's post was the jeans saga: So, when I began this journey I was pushing past a 54 waist! As I have worked out I have been getting better and last week I had gotten, very comfortably into 46's and was so happy. Well. for the Carousel Center fundraiser we needed boots and jeans and a black t-shirt. I knew the jeans I had would be too big and so I went to get boots at Kohls and they did not have them, but while I was there, I looked at the Levi's. Now mind you..it has been years since I bought anythiong that did not come from Polo Big and Tall on line...I mean..years...so, I looked to see if they had 46's and they did not..so I looked for 44's and they were out. I was desperate for time and grabbed a pair of 42's and thought I woudl just see. Then i grabbed a 2x black t-shirt and checked out. I got my boots from belks and wehn I got to the dress rehearsal, i went to put them on...I was so nervous..but low and behold..I was able to button them!! Now, mind you, they were tight..but I was able to button them!!! I had tears coming down my face...it had been so long since i have been in 42's...and while I still have a ways to go..this was a freaking miracle...Don't tell me this is not worth it folks. Cause, I promise you that it is!

Back to today..this morning's work out was good. Actually it too was pretty spectacular. I did four sets of 12 pushups and probably could have done more. I have met my goal with my push ups just like I set out and now i want to do more! Adam got me in the new squat machine..this one you sit in facing up and push the weight with your legs away from you..so unlike the horse..where you are harnassed on your shoulders..or the birthing machine where you are seatd and like you are in stirrups, theins one is like you are in a rocket and pushing up and away...I had a name for this one, but it is entirley inappropriate for a general blog..so I am still working on it..but give that he put 270 pounds on it..it will still be a doozy, I assure you!

Life is good and looking forward to the rest of today!

Day 105: See Less of Bo: The Cape Fear Heart Walk Journey with Adam Freeman and O2 Fitness!

Lord its Monday...I can hardly believe that I have made it to today through all that happened last week..but I did and frankly if was pretty wonderful..but as the saying goes.."when it rains" and in this instance, the rain brought good things, just LOTS of them! From tuesday, which was the last time I blogged until today, there has been a visit from our Group Exchange from the Carribean from Rotary International, dress rehearsal for The Carousel Center Show fundraiser and then the show itself, lots of activity at work and lots of visting students (who are amazing in and of themselves..looking at what college they want to attend..and we hope they will attend UNCW!), the preparation for the Public Health Foundation Golf Tournament and then the actual tournament itself, and much much more! It was a world wind week..but so full and wonderful and through it all...
1.)Well, I never ate fast food because I got so busy I just had to grab and go.
2.) I stuck to my exercise routine, even though Adam was out of town on Friday...and I self guided on that day (I did 3 sets on the standing squat machine at 220lbs, 3 sets on the chest press at 120lbs, 3 sets on the pull down at 130, 3 sets on the merry go round (crunch=150lb, back=190lb, twist=130), and a set of 15 push ups with 15 full minutes on the elliptical).
3.) got sleep when it was all said and done on saturday night
4.) made sure to spend time with Michael
5.) called my mom! :)
6.) and tried to keep in touch with folks and say thanks each day!

It was a great week over all and while it was, in all honesty, too much, it was what it was and I did not have to give up being healthy or taking care of me to get through or to enjoy it.

Today I did the same routine as Friday and now I am ready to hit the sack....tomorrow morning I am going to take care of another thing in my health by going to have my teeth worked on. I have the best dentist and she is one of my inspirations for weight loss as she is a cross fitter and a great friend...and while I am scared to death of the dentist and HATE going..she and her staff make it ok....and it is somehting that makes my life better overall!

I love this life and I am grateful for it!
Thanks be!

Day 99: See Less of Bo: The Cape Fear Heart Walk Journey with Adam Freeman and O2 Fitness!

yep, its tuesday! I skipped monday because I was out sick...and I really was. I really did over do on saturday with this congestion still plaguing me and sunday was not enough. I woke up every hour on the hour with this mess..but I am getting better. So, one day missed of training and the world did not end....but I plan not to make a habit of it! LOL!
I went in for cardio tonight and got the full 30 on the elliptical and am hopeful that tomorrow's training will go well. I still sound congested and I am pretty wiped, but I am getting better...I feel it.

Now as far as my eating, I did not do anything out wack while being sick..but I did eat pretty casually during it and have to not feed my misery when I am down. It is so easy to slip into trying to comfort myself with food when I am either stressed or not feeling well. Old behaviors are easy to come back quickly. The nice thing about our house now is that if the old stuff rears its head, there is not much in the house other than healthy foods ot seek that comfort...so I overdid on the salad, had an extra lean hamburger patty...a piece of ciabatta bread...oh..and I have a peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat this weekend! :) But all in all, I survived and am back to move forward the rest of the week. See, the thing is, I like feeling healthier....wanna keep that going......thanks be!

Day 97: See Less of Bo: The Cape Fear Heart Walk Journey with Adam Freeman and O2 Fitness!

Its Sunday and I am still congested...probably worse than I have been all week. I am glad that I have tried to push through this week, but last night I literally was waking up every hour on the hour until I finally got to sleep for good sometime around day break.

Still, it has been quite a week! Friday Adam was out of town and I was on my own for training. With my congestion and not sleeping as well, I did not go in in the am for training, but after work, I went in and did 15 full minutes on the elliptical and then I did three sets of 10 on the horse (squat thing) at 180, 3 sets of each on the merry go round (150 on the cruncher, 190 on the back roll thingy, and 110 on the twist), then I did three sets of 10 each on the chest press (at 110), 3 sets of 10 on the pull down at 130, and three sets of 110 on the pull back machine of 10...and 6 chin ups at 180.  I felt pretty good but I was worn out and not breathing all that good. Michael went with me so we went on to have dinner and I had grilled salmn on spinach! It was amazing!

On saturday I may have overdone it with my bike ride over to 02 and back with shopping at the grocery store and I stopped off to get me a helmet and a thing to put on the bike that would hold my bags, (so around 7 miles in all) then 30 minutes on the elliptical...but when I was doing it it felt so very good. It was just after that I felt like someone was standing on my chest! LOL! oh well...as things go I just have to take care of my self and take it a day at a time this coming week. All will be well! I am spewing congetive mess right now, so I am trying to just work on the computer and rest today. It is really not fun.

Regardless, It is better than it was before! So, will make it through and look forward to the next day if I am granted one!

Day 93 of the new Journey: See less of Bo: The Cape Fear Heart Walk Journey with Adam Freeman and O2 Fitness!

So passed the 90 day hump and doing well! this has been one hell of a busy week and frankly I know that from now until the first of May it is just going to be wide open..but I am ok and the very cool part is that this life is intergrated now..and there is an expectation that I am going to treat myself with health and wellness! :) Low and behold, becasuse of that expectation..so far this week, that is exactly what has happened!
I remember a long time ago, there were people that would say "act as if" and "change a thought, move a muscle"...I did those things and i prayed..and things did change and more importantly my outlook and actions changed.
This week, I am hit with sinus and cough and congestion to stop a bull..but I push through..went to training on wed and did my cardio on thursday! I had to breathe a little harder.but by showing up and working with what I had..it made me feel better actually and I got a great deal accomplished. In fact, Adam pushed me hard on wed, actually having me do running sprints outside in the parking lot. It was actually kind of exhilirating! I have not run since I was a kid! Of course if I had not joked around with him and said "alright..let's go..I don't have all day" he might not have been so hard on me! LOL! but, really, it was great!
The hardest part was that squats he had me do until I could do no more on the wall with the cirqu de se boball on the wall and me using it as a cushion to go up and down. My thighs still ring with the pleasure that was the work out from that!
OH..and I was able to get to 15 push ups before I collapses by the end of that work out on wed!!!!!

Anyway...I did see Heidi Kaufman, my dietician for the first time again since this started. She was ellated to say the least and we tweaked my diet and I will go back to see her in 30 days. I have to keep checking my sugar levels..but..are you ready...if I keep this up...I am off the diabetes medicine, the heart medicince, and i am off the cholesterol medicine for good!!!! Now that is a good day!

Day 90 of the new Journey: See less of Bo: The Cape Fear Heart Walk Journey with Adam Freeman and O2 Fitness!

sunday was easter sunday and it was one of the most special easter's I can remember in some time. we got up and went to the sunrise vigil on wrightville beach. It was so moving and beautiful. The whole day just moved at a pace and in a day that was beautiful. But, by 6 p.m, I was in bed and drifted off to sleep...it was heavenly.

As a result, I got up at 5:00 am. I went off to the gym at 6 and got in a full 30 minutes on the elliptical and started my workout on my own. Adam came in and we finished with training. It was great. But today was a small milestone on the rest of my life. Today was and is 90 days since i began this journey! in some ways it feels like a long time, but in more ways it feels like, "is that all?"...I am in such love of this new way that it is amazing it has only been 90 days..so many great things have come my way and I am looking forward to so many more! 45 pounds GONE! Eating fast food GONE! Eating pizza GONE! not eating veg and fruit GONE! heart medicine GONE! size 54 pants GONE! indigestion and acid reflux GONE! struggling to get up stairs GONE! lack of energy GONE!
Push ups...up to 11!
Pull ups...up to 8!
30 plus minutes on the ellitpical at shot
increased weight on all machines in my work out
Biking over 6 miles at a time
increase on my cardio
over all feeling better than I have felt in years!
Eating fish!
Learning how to cook without oil and butter
Hell, NO butter in 90 days!
and while I have been allowed a free meal or a "treat" each week of whatever I want, I have not taken it becuase frankly I just don't want it! this feels too good!
No Pasta, whole wheat breads, no other breads...if you had told me that I could do this at the begining I would have said no..but it has been and continues to be a day at a time!

I am so grateful....here's to 90 more and 90 more if I am granted those days...one day at a time!

Day 88 of the new Journey: See less of Bo: The Cape Fear Heart Walk Journey with Adam Freeman and O2 Fitness!

yesterday was good friday and it was absolutely perfect. Michael went with me to the gym and I was able to get a full 15 in on the elliptical before Adam and I started our training session. He had me doing push-ups and other things and it felt great to be halfway to my goal of 25 pushups without stopping...i can knock out 11 before I have to stop! and I am not doing them from the knee and I can get down too! :) So awesome! But the best part of the morning was that I have a childhood trauma from Glenwood Elementary school when Mrs. Womble made us all do a chin up. No matter how hard I tried, I just could not do it. It was a seriousl source of embarassment for me at the time and I took it seriously to heart. Well, when I started training , Adam asked me about my goals and I said I wanted to do one damn chin up before I die. So, he took me over to the chin up machine to see what I could do. I was not able to even get half way up. Well, today...I said I wanted to try again...adn not only did I do one...I did 6 the first time and eight the second time!!!! It was such and AMAZING feeling. With Adams steady hand and encouragment I have built up to be able to do things I never dreamed of...and it is so awesome! I am very grateful!

We left the gym and went to breakfast and then walked for hours in Airlie Gardens. It was stunning to walk in an area of the Garden we have actually never been before in all these years. Typically when we would go I would get to tired, or my back would start to heart. Today....well, we kept walking and never tired and discovered even more beauty in the Garden...I think I should start a list of all the things I am begining to benifit from from this change of health..seeing more of the beauty of the Garden was a wonderful perk!


Today, I slept in a little then got going by BICYCLING to the gym..yep..I got my butt on my bike...pelligrino bottle of water, ipod, and phone and took off. It was AWESOME! Got the gym and saw my friend C., the fiance of one of the two who got this gift that I am experiencing going, and he and I talked a little about the blessings....It was great! I jumped on the elliptical and the 30 just flew by. I cycled back...and by the time I got home, I was not overwhelmed. It was ok! What an awesome experience and somethign I plan on doing more and more!

Anyway..today is also a special day for me...21 years ago another major change came into my life. I am remined each and every day that God gives us no more than we can handle in a single say and everything that we need is right in front of us, we just have to be willing to accept it and show up! For these 21 years, I have been and continue to be blown away with a life that...well, is just one gift...one day at a time. Thanks be to GOD!

Day 86 of the new Journey: See less of Bo: The Cape Fear Heart Walk Journey with Adam Freeman and O2 Fitness!

got going this morning and felt good and did my 30 on the elliptical with 20 minutes of sprints...actually got to 22 minutes of the sprints which felt good and stayed in my fat burning zone.
I had a good day at work and got a lot done..but for some reason today I felt fat for the first time in a while. Not sure why..but it was just weird. No biggie..but guess I just have those days. It was a beautiful day and when I got home we put together the new 10 foot patio umbrella out back and sat out and enjoyed the eveing after dinner. I decided instead of doing a round two at the gym I would go for a bicycle ride. It was a great idea. I got on my bike and took off...God it was great! I went through the neighborhood and headed straight for the bike trail that we worked so hard in making happen through the years I spent on the parks and rec board. I am so proud to have been a part of that, but now, being heathier, there was this feeling of..i don't know...life that made me so happy being out on that trail tonight..I was like, 10 again...speeding along on that path, dodging around...it was pure JOY! I had on my heart monitor and I stayed in my zone, but what was amazing was I never spiked and even when I was heading home, I was having to peddle to keep it up! :) It was not that long ago that i tried to run that same distance on that same bike and when I returned I had to get off the bike and walk it part fo the way becuase I could not peddle that far!  I got home and could have gone so much farther!!
I ran in the house exhilirated! I asked michael to go with me and we traced the path. It was 4.5 miles in total and I had been gone for about 20-25 minutes. It was awesome! I can see this happening a lot in the future!
Blessed be!