So, it is getting cold here!  I know that all these places across the Midwest and the East coast are getting slammed with crazy amounts of snow. (Hey, we had enough snow last year in Maryland to last us 5 years…and we still have gotten snow this year!)  Trust me, I feel your pain.  I haven’t experienced winter in many other places, at least not cold climate places, but the thing that really separates Maryland from other places is how much freakin’ wind we get.  I don’t dare complain too much, since one of my closest friends lives in Chicago, but in Maryland we get blazingly humid summers and then these ridiculous wind-chilled winters.  Maryland would be perfect if it weren’t for these extremes that we seem to get religiously.

It is below freezing every morning when I go out to the bus.  Last year, it got so bad one day that everything iced over and I actually had to slide on my butt across the school bus circle AND slide down a little hill to get to the street where my bus was.  The bus actually came, but the snow and ice hit so hard that the guy who opens the gym was late and I BEAT HIM to the gym.  Sometimes determination can go a little far…but I did have a great workout that day, if I do remember =)

But it has indeed gotten to that frigid, freezing point again this year.  No ice storm yet though…which I can frankly do without.  I pulled out my thicker, black hoodie, piled up all my cotton sweats (the nylon or whatever material gets cold), mom bought me new gloves and I have enough beanies to get me through each day of the week if I so choose.

Needless to say, this will not keep me from going to the gym.  I still wait for the bus and stop at the gym on my way to work.  The president of my company passes me in the opposite direction as I am waiting in the cold on his way to his gym.  He told me he would give me a ride, but that I was going the wrong way.  Even though it gets cold, I love the schedule and though it is annoying to contend with, you forget about it all once you get to the gym…and so far this wintery season, I’ve had some of my best workouts yet.  More milestones to come sooner rather than later in posts, I believe…especially if the soles of my shoes remain intact ;)

Have a great day everyone…and don’t let the weather keep you from being productive!  That is unless you are snowed in, but you can always shovel yourself out.  Trust me, that’s the best workout you can give yourself.  And if it keeps snowing, the workout never ends.  (Always staying positive!)  Good luck everyone and enjoy the winter!

With all the baked goodies still around my house that were made for Christmas and with treats being brought in daily by various coworkers at my work, there really is no reason to strictly get back on my diet until after the New Year.  New Year’s Eve is on a Friday anyway, so there is going to be food and partying galore.  I don’t drink considering my brain has been through enough trauma as is, but that doesn’t stop me from appreciating delicious food.

At some point, I need to realize that I have figured out what I need to do to maintain my weight.  As I said previously, it’s been 4 years since I lost my 50+ pounds, and while I am heavier than I was 4 years ago, my body fat is considerably lower.  I don’t think anyone will complain about putting more muscle on their body and reducing their body fat percentage :)

Just with all the leftover food sitting around and being brought in, there’s no reason to be hardcore about my normal dietary schedule right now.  Doing that will just lead to me getting stressed every time someone sends an email about the Greek treats on the IT table or the cookies on my side, not to mention the heath bar treats and reese’s chocolate chip bars still at home that I’m looking forward to having today.  As hard as I workout, I can eat a lot of food and maintain my weight.  I’m fine with continuing to work my butt off as I have been doing for years at this point, and doing so for the mere purpose of maintaining my weight this week.

Some people workout and torture themselves to have this “chiseled” physique.  Let’s face it, people…food is delicious and now that I’m so lean body fat wise, I workout so that I can eat.  Yes, my personal goal is to keep shedding weight a teeny bit at a time, but I love food.  Christmas and new year’s are when people let go of their strict mindsets and actually make food.  If you workout and stay disciplined, then you deserve to reward yourself every now and then, and at this time of the year I don’t, if ever, have to buy the food because it seems to be in abundance wherever you go…even at work.

With that said, I know where I’m at and I have been maintaining it this long that I should just stop stressing about it and, for one week between Christmas and New Years, not worry about what I put in my mouth as microscopically as I have been since I lost my weight 4 years ago.  This could be the start of a new, less stressful Greg.  (And those of you who really know me, yes I actually get stressed!  I just hide it well.)  After 4 years, I should realize that I have a grip on my situation and not worry about every little snack or free treat that comes my way.  I’m not saying no this week and, come next year, I’m finally going to start saying yes more often.  I deserve it and now I can’t wait to help others reach a point where they feel that they deserve it too.  New Year’s resolution maybe?  We’ll have to wait a few days to find out, but as long as I can help others feel better about their situations and where they are heading, is there really a better way to live your life?

I sure can’t think of one.  Looks like good and laid back things are coming very soon.  Look out people and enjoy the rest of your 2010 because you certainly deserve it!

My mom bought me new shoes for Christmas.  I always have had to wear wide shoes, and there was no ifs ands or buts about it when I was in elementary school because I had t wear orthotics to correct my limp.

After 4 years of running, there must have been some sort of impact on my feet because I had noticed over the last 6 months or so that my shoes have been fitting loosely on my feet.  For the first time that I can remember, I am wearing significantly smaller width shoes.

Not only do I love these black new balance shoes, but the soles are thicker on this shoe are thicker.  I decided I would break them in right by leg pressing on Sunday, and I was shocked to find out that the thicker (unbroken) soles actually make leg pressing weight easier.  I’m not saying I am going to leg press more than 900 pounds anytime soon, but it feels so awesome being able to lower the weight even further than I could just a few days ago.  …It must be the shoes.

Now I guess everyone can go out and buy black new balance shoes and be able to do the exact same thing…proportionately of course ;)  But hey, it’s a good marketing strategy, right?  Maybe I’ll pitch it to my agent when I get signed.  I’ll let you know when the shoes breakdown too much and it gets harder again, but hopefully I’ll be stronger by then that I won’t notice!

Merry Christmas everyone!

I hope you have a great weekend with family and loved ones =)

I have a pretty regimented routine Monday through Friday.  I wake up, do some sort of ab/push up workout to wake up, finishing in time to catch the 5:45 bus.  My workouts at the gym are close enough in length that I will catch the 7:15 bus each day after I have showered and gotten dressed for work.  While I recognize my own determination and persistent drive with my routine, I never realized how much other people recognize it too.

Sure, the front desk attendants at the gym know me and I see the same bus drivers and people on the bus every day.  One day someone was talking to me in the locker room after I finished showering.  I looked at my phone to check the time and thought I was fine as I left the locker room.  I walk to the front of the gym and see the bus stopped at the stop in front of the gym.  The bus driver was waiting for me!  Not only that, he jokingly teased me about having a longer workout that day, haha.

I’ve never had a bus driver wait for me before.  He knew my routine and recognized how dedicated I have been.  Apparently my determination shows to people who don’t even know me.  With today being the last day I would ride the bus before Christmas, I wanted to do something for the bus driver.  He never had to wait for me.  He could have simply continued on his route per normal.  Yeah, he totally gets a Christmas present.

He told me yesterday how he lost 45 pounds 7 years ago and he has continued to keep it off.  Everyone deserves a break during the holidays, so I figured I would give him a tin of cookies.  When I saw him on the bus today, he told me he was going to Hooters after work and getting a beer with his friends.  When I told him that’s a great way to celebrate, he said “S%*! yeah!”  At the end of the route, I gave him the tin of cookies and he was definitely touched.  Not a lot of people realize how difficult his job is, sitting in the same seat and driving the same route all quarter.

Anyone who does something as considerate as waiting a minute or two so that I can get to work on time deserves to be acknowledged.  Character matters more than anything else because character is the foundation of everything that we do.  You give and you receive.  As hard as I push myself, I truly believe that the time comes for everyone who pursues something fully.  The least I could do at Christmas time is give one of the best bus drivers I could have a gift for Christmas.  As hard as he has worked, both in his job and in life, he deserves a treat and nothing beats a tin full of cookies and chocolates at Christmas !

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend.  Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and I will hopefully have a blog or two up this weekend as well.  I’m off work tomorrow so my priority #1 is to sleep in.  Hopefully everyone else gets the same luxury tomorrow, too!