Run FatBoy Run!

#30/71 Create your own group.

OK this is going to be a long blog in part because I've also included an excerpt from a story I had read ages ago that I have to keep me motivated. It's a story pertaining to martial arts training, but it easily translates to weight loss or anything you may be doing to better yourself.

By: Fariborz Azhakh

The air on the Santa Monica pier is usually alive with the
emissions of countless biological organisms, giving it that fresh,
faintly fish-smelling sourness that lets you know that you’re in
the midst of life. And this despite the fact that tons of raw
sewage are dumped there into the Pacific every day. So, it was a
natural choice a few Saturdays ago to head down to the sea for some
lunch and some air.

As I got toward the end of the pier, I noticed a large barrel by
the door of one of the restaurants. As I got closer I could see
that the barrel was full of live crabs, clawing, clanking, crawling
all over each other. I looked around and saw no one near the barrel
and I thought to myself how could anyone leave a barrel full of
crabs outside? Wouldn’t more than one of them with aspirations of
sweet freedom crawl out and take a headlong dive a la Greg Louganis
into the deep blue? This was bad business practice I said and I
went inside to tell the manager I thought so.

I found the honcho and began laying it down. What were you
thinking? A bucket full of live crabs near the water? I told him he
was a fool for leaving so much of his business to chance, and at
the sound of these words, the man perked up and began to fire back.

“You’re the fool,” he told me calmly. “Go outside and watch those
crabs!”

I wondered what he was talking about. Perhaps there was someone
outside watching the beasts to make sure they wouldn’t crawl away;
some young teenager perhaps in need of a summer job to pay for his
martial arts classes. Or perhaps there was a clear lid on top of
the barrel I had missed in my earlier observation.

But as I got outside, I looked and there was no one watching and no
lid over them. But what I did see was remarkable. In the orgiastic
clambering, if one of the animals attempted to crawl over the side
of the barrel, the others around it would latch on and pull it back
down into the abyss of crab Hades. None of the crabs could get out
because the others made sure to it; it’s in their nature.

There was a lesson to be learned there on that pier. There are crab
equivalents in my life, I thought. There are those around me that
try to pull me back down when I have my eye on the prize; the kind
of people who, not always intentionally, draw me away from the
goals I’ve set for myself.

We all want out of the bucket; in fact we go through great lengths
to make sure that someday we will. But we all have crabs around us;
boyfriend or girlfriend crabs, mother, father crabs, best friend
crabs; the people who call us up to go out to a movie when it’s
time to train. And maybe it’s in people’s nature as well, after
all, no one wants to go to a movie alone.

Then I realized there isn’t much I can do to minimize my contact
with some of those people around me because they’re so close to me,
but what I can do is keep my eye on the prize, stay focused on my
vision and stick to the flight plan like I talked about before. The
crabs may get their claws on my body, but if my mind can escape
their grip, then the body will soon follow.

The grip of prying claws may not be easy to escape, but there are
great rewards beyond the boundaries of the confining barrel. If you
are able to identify those who are keeping you back, and free
yourself from the allure of slacking off, you will find a vast
ocean waiting for you to escape into as well.

First the Friday weigh-in. I was at 207lb. If I was on schedule it should be 206lb. As I said, from my last weigh-in 205lb was a freak occurrence considering I had a cold and didn't exercise at all. I literally just started on the exercise part this week, but have reduced my calorie intake. So we should start seeing results by next week. Of course I was a bit disappointed, but remember guys it's not a short term deal, its a lifestyle choice.

In the last couple of weeks I've had the good fortune and blessing of meeting new friends and reacquainting with old friends on this weight lost journey. If you follow me on twitter(@watchfrog) my friends @Bonitasmokeshop and @cigarsmokingman have been telling me the exciting news of their weight loss and it's inspiring. Hence my diet tip blog this week of creating your own group. Just as I may inspire you through my blog you guys inspire me as a group with your positive comments and emails. In fact, I just accepted a new student on Saturday Aimee whose been following the blog. She has plenty of motivation and clear set goals of what she wants to achieve. Aimee has already lost a ton of weight(no pun intended) and she's hungry to lose more! I'm excited for her and with what she brings to the table!

The reason why I started this blog with the crab story is to just remind everyone that a group or a good partner can help boost your confidence and hold you accountable to your goals but at the same time there will be friends, family and coworkers that may also deter you. Much like the crabs in the story. I dont think anyone wants you to be fat or obese. It's just easier to keep the status quo. Ie. Your fat and I'm not. God forbid you look better than me?!! Dont laugh, I've had stories from readers that as soon there was a noticeable body change there were people who would actually say under their breathe, "I hate you!" I mean seriously? Isn't there enough Clothes on the skinny clothes rack for me too?! Guys have it easy we can always go to the X-large or even XXX large. After that, I'm pushing for the MooMoo(sp) like the one Homer wore on the Simpsons. Women have it waaaay harder! Outside of wearing large "loose" shirts/blouses and anything that stretches the choice are very limited. And if you are a professional? Good Luck! I admit besides being fat I'm also short(5'5"). Ie. Long torso(someone whose 5'8") with short(Carnie) legs. So, I have to get all my pants hemmed. I can't just buy pants off the rack. And at $10/hemm. That just sucks! Did I mention I'm balding too? Like Friar tuck bald...like my forehead has become a fivehead. Anyway enough about my issues this blog is about weight loss otherwise it would be diary of fat short bald guy. Yeah I'm fat but I'm working on it...so stop trying to feed me that Friday morning Doughnut with Jelly filling. I'll opt for the Whole grain toasted bagel with minimal cream cheese(dont deprive yourself too much). Dont let the critics hold you down. You're better than that!

Just Live,


Anthony

PS I just found out I'll be auditioning to be a Vampire Slayer on a Comedy/Action Web Series The Hunted. Auditions will be on Jan 30th. So you will see improvements in the next couple of weeks if not, just loss I'll also have work on my strength and flexibility. Wish me luck! Below is the link to one of the episodes. Enjoy!