Who's out to kill you?

[MarcS]

Some daily motivation for you all:

Well, I'm getting ready to spend an a long weekend of training down in North Carolina and I'm coming down on 200 lbs fast, at the beginning of February i was 250lbs. Eating 2500-3000 calories per day on a carefully balanced diet and doing a half hour of calisthenics dropped me 40 lbs in under 3 months. Hitting that mark, I've been maintaining about 206 lbs since then with a combination of mountain climbing and Judo. I've lost a good bit of body fat and replaced it with lean mass. With this semester coming to a close, i'm looking to to crush the plateau, working out 5 days a week and going back on an careful diet all month hoping to drop to 196 where i was junior year of high school, then into the 180's for an optimal weight for my frame. I sleep better, i have more energy, I'm way lighter on my feet, my anemia disappeared, my cholesterol is in the 140's. Last time I trained down in NC I was at my former weight, it's going to be fun to see how i perform.

Anyway, to my point. You've seen these guys on the range and in gun shops. Fat guy with a gun, maybe smoking a cigarette, preaching the need to defend oneself, telling you about his bug out plan and how he practices for the day the shit hits the fan and he has to kill all the bad guys coming to kill him.

Seriously though, who's out to kill you?

Is your weight and height proportional? is your cholesterol in check? Do you get regular checkups? Do you eat right and exercise?

Too often we forget that the number one killer of us is us, not other people.

[phillyd2]

LOL, good post and great point. I have seen the enemy and it is us!

[Zef_66]

Well put Marc. and this is something that many people don't want to hear. I know I should eat more healthy and shed some pounds by working out more (I am trying...eating an apple and carrots right now). I think it was you that stated before that making the choice to carry a firearm should be a life choice. It is a choice to protect your life and the ones you love. If you are going to the means of carrying a firearm to do so, why not try and shed some weight, drop that cholesterol, and feel better about yourself knowing you are going to live longer.

On the other hand, I think people often get discouraged. Meaning that recently we had a health screening here at work for our insurance. I am 6'3" and weigh 205lbs or so (fully dressed). Unclothed (and unholstered) I weight down near 195lbs. None the less, I was told I was overweight and borderline obese (because of my BMI). They said my target weight should be 156-189 lbs. I said there was no way in hell I would get down to 156lbs. Maybe dropping a few pounds wouldn't hurt, and I realize that everyone's body type is different (as I am fairly muscular), but they suggested that I aim for the middle of my range. Even dropping to 172lbs would make me skin and bones. I think I look fine. And telling me I am borderline obese I think is ridiculous. Doc should realize people need realistic goals to aim to. Loose 1 pound a week to start. Then work from there.

But congrats on the weight loss. Keep it up!

[djturnz]

+1 I have seen the enemy, and he is currently keeping me from seeing my feet.

[dnar]

+1 I have seen the enemy, and he is currently keeping me from seeing my feet.

That's funny, and I'd better watch out because I can now pinch about an inch around my waistline.

rand

[BearTitan]

We should write Harrisburg and have them make Big Macs and Marlboro's illegal. Most of us are all only interested in the freedoms that we, personally, want to excercise.

Seriously, though, it is easy to be a little self righteous after an accomplishment like the weight loss you have accomplished this year. You have earned that. Before you go getting all Richard Simmons, keep in mind that, statistically, you are likely to be back at 250 inside two years.

Beat the odds!

Best of luck with the goal

[mauser]

That's funny, and I'd better watch out because I can now pinch about an inch around my waistline.

rand

I'd love to be able to honestly say that I can pinch about an inch around my waistline.
I can grab two hands full and have plenty left over.

Good post MarcS.

It's lunch time, now what am I going to do?

[dnar]

I failed to mention, I hope you do well in your training, MarcS. I'm sure you will. I was just there myself three weeks ago for training.

rand

[BradC]

Good post. I need to slim down again as well. Just got done jogging 2 miles and now waiting for my soup to heat up.

It is depressing; I went from 247 lbs to 195 lbs three years ago, and now am back hovering around 240 lbs. I am 6'2" and would like to get back down around 195. Long ways away...

What kind of foods are you eating MarcS?

[Cheeseybacon]

+1 for exercise.

I just finished up Tony Horton's Power 90 program a little bit less than a month ago and I'm a much better man for it. I was a definite fatass when I started it (~278 lbs) and while I'm still a fatass (231 lbs), it's definitely been a big boost in my life. I sleep better, I have more energy during the day, I'm mentally more clear and alert and I need to go shopping for new pants! I've lost almost 6 inches from my waist and now I look like I'm only 8 months pregnant as opposed to 9 months.

It's interesting the way my body has been losing weight. I have been losing weight from the extremites inward. The first thing to trim up was my face, neck, forarms and calves. As I kept working out I started losing more weight on my back, biceps and thighs. My gut is still huge as ever but I know eventually it will go down because my body honestly looks like it's beginning to run out of other places to take away fat. I'm actually pretty comical looking right now, thin spindly arms and legs but a huge massive gut.

A side-effect of exercise that I was not expecting was the amount of strength that I gained. I honestly feel twice as strong as I was before, although that really isn't saying much because I wasn't too strong to begin with. Amazingly this has translated into an incredible improvement in my shooting accuracy. I bought a Smith and Wesson 629 a few weeks ago and was certain that .44 magnum was gonna be rough, but I was surprised that I was able to handle it with way WAY greater ease than I had anticipated.

So start losing weight if it's beginning to become a problem, folks. If nothing else you'll shoot better! If that isn't motivation, I don't know what is!