Today is Dues-Day

 

I will plan what I do and do what I plan.

I will remember that instant gratification is over
in… well… an instant, and that perseverance has
a bigger payday, even if that payday is not today.

Sometimes this is about making small changes
and trusting that they will reap benefits
down the road.

I am making an investment
in my future and in myself.

Today is Mundane-Day

I will go about the business of eating mindfully
and putting my body through it’s paces,
even if my heart isn’t in it one hundred percent.

To be honest, my heart is seldom in it one hundred
percent, but I will recognize that sometimes the
matter-of-fact days are the ones
that make all the difference.

This is not a race, after all… it is a march.

And as long as I continue along the path in
the right direction, I will eventually
get where I’m going.

Today is Funday

I will keep my body moving even if I’m not
counting out reps or watching a countdown clock.

I will recognize that sweat sweated without purpose
can be every bit as beneficial as a
precisely planned workout.

I will make every effort to keep a smile on my face,
a spring in my step and a bright attitude
as I go through my day.

I will try to keep in mind that routine
doesn’t necessarily have to be… routine. 


THE DAILY SCALEY

Out of town again this weekend; hope internet 
doesn't run out of pictures of cute baby animals.

Take a Big W.I.D.T.H. of This...

There are seemingly a million reasons why we're on this journey,
from the frivolous to the serious, from fun and games to life and death.
Some of us want it for ourselves and others for those around us.
Some because they want more out of this life and some because
they expect more out of themselves. What's your reason?
What drives you down this path to living a more healthy life?
What's your motivation?

That's not a rhetorical question, dumbass!
Jot down your answer on a card, a scrap of paper, your hand...
and find some way to electronically deliver it to jacksh.tgettinfit@gmail.com.
Be sure to include a blog link if you'd like it included.

Kevin @ The Jogging Clydesdale





THE DAILY SCALEY

Out of town again this weekend; hope internet 
doesn't run out of pictures of cute baby animals.

Insert Compelling Headline Here...

Weight drops keep showin’ on my scale,

And now I’m a guy who’s feelin’ less like a huge whale. 

Pants are gonna fit.

Those weight drops keep showin’ on my scale, they keep showin’…



So I just did me some talkin’ out on Twitter,

And I said I really like the way I’m getting fitter

‘Stead of just a blob.

Those weight drops are showin’ on my scale, they keep showin’…



But there’s one thing I know…
The times I’m feelin’ eat-y won’t defeat me.
Now you don’t need a chair reinforced with steel to seat me.
 


Weight drops keep showin’ on my scale.

But that doesn’t mean the only thing I eat is kale.

Well, a little more kale for me
‘Cause I’m never gonna stop the gains by complainin’
I just eat clean.

And nothin’s worryin’ me/

[trumpet]

It won’t be long till healthiness steps up to greet me.

Weight drops keep showin’ on my scale.

But that doesn’t that I’m not scared to fail.

But failin’s not for me.
‘Cause I’m never gonna stop the gains by complainin’

Because I’m free
.
Nothin’s worryin’ me
(Except possibly a vacation where I overdo it and gain a bunch back).

THE DAILY SCALEY

New routine for morning weigh-in: stop, drop and roll!

I Am Health Tip!

• If you’re having s’mores, make certain that they are s’morganic.



• Exercise is more fun when you make a game out of it, so go ahead and give yourself $200 each time you pass “Go”.



• One way to tell if you have good running shoes is to answer a simple question: “Did these shoes cost more than my first car?”

• Work out for 30 minutes at least two times per week or for two minutes at least 30 times a week.

• Signing up for a 5K race is a great way to stay healthy, but an even better way is to actually run a 5K race.

• Instead of squirting mayonnaise into your mouth with each bite of your sandwich, try spreading a thin layer of it on the bread instead.

• Starbucks will give you a free beverage of your choice if you do the “Little Teapot” song and dance when you order (wait… let me get my video camera…)

• Instead of perchloroethylene, the solvent that most dry cleaners use and which is a known carcinogen in animals, ask your dry cleaner to simply hug your clothes clean.

• Playing a harmonica as loudly as you can is a fun way to exercise your mouth muscles and annoy the hell out of your coworkers.

• One study found that an unhappy marriage increases your chances of getting sick by 35% and shortens your lifespan by four years. An easy way to instantly improve a marriage (and your health) is to regularly tell your spouse what you admire and respect about him or her. DID YOU HEAR THAT, ANITA? What? You don’t read my stupid blog? That is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard, and… WHERE ARE YOU GOING? COME BACK HERE RIGHT THIS INSTANT!

THE DAILY SCALEY

Perseverance is the hard work you do after you
get tired of doing the hard work you already did.

Quitting Time

I joke and josh here more often than not because I know that this weight-loss journey we’re on is a long, hard haul and, let’s face it, it helps to smile, to chuckle, to laugh a little along the way.

None of us are going to get to where we’re headed overnight. We’re going to have good weeks and bad weeks. We’re going to hit milestones and suffer setbacks. That's just the way it is.

We’re going to have times when Life hits us with more than we can possibly handle and… let us be honest with one another… we’re going to have times when we disappoint ourselves.

Some of us are even going to give up. I hate to say that but it’s just something I’ve noticed along the way. Maybe we won’t even actively decide to give up… it’s just something that will sort of happen. That’s just the way it goes sometimes...

A few years ago, I might even be one of those folks who quietly slipped away… just dropped off the scene and inexplicably porked back up. That’s been my history, after all. That's been all I've ever known.

Maybe you would have thrown in the towel, too, in days gone by. Just slipped away and decided that reclaiming your body was too big of a project to take on at this point in your life. Perhaps you would lost your way back in the day…

But this isn’t back in the day.

Far from it…

I’m happy to report that while giving up may seem to be what’s on my mind today, giving up is really the last thing on my mind today. I will keep chugging along, keep making the best choices I can, keep doing what I can to bend my body to my will and keep my head in the game.

I hope you’re in a good place today, too – eating mindfully and finding some way to get your body moving. I hope you have a plan and that you’re sticking to it as best you can.

Feel like quitting some days? Yeah, me too.

Gonna make dead level certain that today’s not that day?

Yeah, me too.

THE DAILY SCALEY

Engaging emergency brakes... NOW.

Prepare for Take-Off...

Attention all passengers:

Be certain you have stowed your gym bag under a seat or in an overhead bin. Use caution if you’re planning on working out today due to the fact that your schedule may shift because of work, school or family issues.



If you are seated behind a desk, please be aware that you should be prepared to get up and move about occasionally. You should do this without blocking the exit, causing harm to yourself or distracting your co-workers. Cartwheels down the hallway is a good example of something you could do to increase circulation. If you are seated behind a desk and do not wish to sit there, please notify the blog attendant at this time.



Cellular phones may be used at any time during your workout, but please be advised that the person on the treadmill next to you will probably stare at you in disgust if you yak-yak-yak loud enough for everyone in the room to hear your conversation. Actually, I changed my mind: all cellular phones should be turned off and stowed for the duration of the workout. 



Please discontinue the use of all electronic communications at this time, including Facebook status updating, Twitter twittering, LinkedIn linking, Tumblr tumblring, Digg digging, Stumbleupon stumbling and email checking. Smoking is not allowed on any health living plan, and Federal law prohibits tampering with scale during official weigh-in.

To hasten your weight-loss, place the metal tip of the fork onto the proper amount of healthy food, place it in your mouth-hole area and chew slowly. Be prepared to tighten the straps of belt soon so that pants fit low and tight across your hips. During the diet, the “eat right” sign may be turned off from time to time; however, for your safety, we require that you keep your eating plan in place at all times.



If your appetite should increase, take the emergency mask and place it over your mouth, securing with the elastic band and adjusting to ensure a snug fit so that no food can get through. Secure your own mask first before helping others.

 We recommend reviewing all of the health information, which can be found in the passenger health information blog, located in your computer browser. 

To prepare for takeoff, please store your tray table, bring your seat upright, and discontinue the use of all electronic devices (well, you can use whatever device you’re using to read this, I suppose).

We appreciate your attention. On behalf of all JSGF employees worldwide, thank you for flying with us.

And, buckle up… it’s gonna be a crazy ride.

THE DAILY SCALEY

One more cute pic to distract you while I wrap up 

long weekend with my wife Anita. I missed you, scale (NOT). 

Cooking With Jack: Son of a Peach!

 

What time is it? It's time for everyone's favorite cooking non-show "Cooking with Jack!"

 

 That's right, "Cooking with Jack!"... where the motto is "Fish Sticks Are... Fish-A-Licious!"

 

However, no fish sticks today, my friend. Today it's all about summer, and summer ain't summer without fresh peaches. Today's masterecipiece is a Navajo Peach Crumble. Little known fact about the Navajo people: they were Native Americans.

 

You know what I always say: "I will cut a peach!"

 

So cut up some fresh ripe peaches. How many? I dunno. Five or six. Seven or eight. C'mon, man... think for yourself!

 

Okay, after you get done cutting, go back and peel each slice. I probably should have told you that first, but shame on you for not reading entire recipe beforehand.

 

Be prepared to cut up some more peaches because everyone who walks through the kitchen is going to sneak pieces out of your bowl. I SAW THAT, PISA!

 

Now you need to add a third of a cup of sugar.

 

This is a problem because my measuring cups were made before the "third of a cup" measurement was invented. So I have to utilize my math skills... let's see 1/3 minus 1/4... arrrrrgggghhhh... where's that knife?!?

 

Why did the lemon disapprove of his daughter? Because she was a little tart!

 

That's the kind of clever stuff you get here at ... HEY! WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?

Get back here! Now add all the juice of half a lemon (or half the juice of all of a lemon).

 Add a third of a teaspoon of cinnamon.

Make sure you don't get mixed up and add black pepper. My daughter Pisa is still giving me a hard time about mashed potatoes I made that I dumped load of cinnamon into. THEY WERE CINNAMON MASHED POTATOES, OKAY? 

 

Set the peaches aside and get yourself a fresh clean bowl. Add half a cup of all-purpose flour. Ha! I have a half cup cup!

 

Plus one-third cup of cornmeal (mine's blue... guess it didn't hear my funny lemon joke) and sugar. GRRRR! More math!

 

Dashlet of salt.

 

Is there any food that takes being measured more seriously than butter? I don't think so! We're using 1/3 of a cup today for our crumble-making purposes.

 

Cut the butter into the flour mixture until it looks like a big nasty mess.

 

Did I mention to preheat the oven to 375° already? Geez, I really should have mentioned that...

Now toast some pine nuts... about... oh, I don't know. There's a picture there... can't you count them yourself? The Navajo believe that pine nuts have magic powers and are very, very overpriced. Anyway, toast them for about five minutes and then mix them in with the flour and stuff.

 

Now take an oiled pie plate and wipe all the oil off of it (or start with an unoiled pie plate if that seems easier), and dump the peach mixture in there.

 

Now cover with the floury mixture. Isn't that pretty? No, I didn't think so either...

 

Cook on 375° for 30 minutes (or 1,125° for 10 minutes if you're really in a hurry).

 

Voilá! (which is Navajo for "peach crumble"). Top with vanilla ice cream and be prepared for compliments aplenty!

Next on "Cooking with Jack!": One of my Grandpa Noah's favorites...

THE DAILY SCALEY

Cute animal picture to distract you from fact that
I'm taking my wife Anita away for a long weekend
(scale NOT invited).

For God's Sake, Do Not Click This Link!

Gonna find my mojo, gonna cease to pout
.
Gonna grab an afternoon workout.
My motto’s always been; no pain, no gain.

Why wait to give my ol’ bod a nice, big strain?

Y’know everything’s a little sorer by the  next day.

But you know you just gotta go and do it anyway.


Not gonna mess about.
Afternoon workout.
Afternoon workout.



Thinkin’ I’m ‘bout ready to go all-out.

Lookin’ forward to a little afternoon workout.

Runnin’ miles and miles together makes my heart rate rise
,
And the thought of runnin’ more is getting’ so excitin’.


Get sweaty throughout.
Afternoon workout.
Afternoon workout.

Started out this morning feeling so damn blah,

So I’m puttin’ all my muscles through a “shock and awe.”

Now I’m gonna shifta liftin’ and I think I might try spinnin’

During a little afternoon workout.


Workin’ hard, no doubt.
Afternoon workout.
Afternoon workout.



Hot bath’ll be waiting for me baby and you know that’s certain,
Cuz I suspect every inch of me will really be hurtin’. 


So sore I wanna shout.
Afternoon workout.
Afternoon workout.

THE DAILY SCALEY

Cute animal picture to distract you from fact that
I'm taking my wife Anita away for a long weekend
(scale NOT invited).

Rage and Burn

THE DAILY SCALEY

I'm fighting the scale, but it's fighting back!