PG1: 5% Weight Loss 0/12/238
PG2: 8/48 3:00 AM Wake-up

I’m still hanging in there. I have a three day weekend coming up and can’t wait. I need to regroup.

I’m also meeting with a dietitian on Friday. I need to get more serious about eating clean and this will be an added source of motivation/information.

PG1: 5% weight loss 0/12/238
PG2: 7/48 3:00 AM wake-up

I hope that yesterday was a turning point. I’ve been really stressed over a conference call at work that took place yesterday and went (surprisingly) very well. I’ve been up and down over the 52DC but this put me back in a good attitude and more focused on sticking with it and building healthy habits. I know the payoff will be worth it but have to accept it’s going to take some work to get there.

PG1: 5% weight loss 0/12/238
PG2: 6/48 3:00 AM Wake-up

I’m struggling with the 52DC and spent the last two days debating if I should throw in the towel or not (which is why I’m posting my day 6 update so late). Eventually I realized that even though I’ve been struggling with the main goals of CE, RT and CT I have been getting up at 3:00 AM every day without fail, and it’s getting easier to do so now that I’ve been doing it for a week. So at least that is something to build upon. I very much want to make a habit of healthy eating, RT’s and CT’s…so I decided if it takes me the entire 52DC to get those areas on track it’ll still be a success even if I don’t hit my numbers.

PG1: 5% weight loss 0/12/238 (updated today)
PG2: 5/48 3:00 AM wake-up

Well, I’m thrilled the Steelers won yesterday, but I really dropped the ball. I did eat healthy for breakfast but my friend’s girlfriend made a ton of food for the game and I totally pigged out. Consequently, I went from down two pounds yesterday to break even this morning for the 5% challenge.

It’s also becoming obvious to me that I probably set my RT goal too high. It’s frustrating because I’m only doing a very basic body weight workout right now, but I’m still very sore for a couple days after each workout. It ends up being really difficult to do a workout 3x a week which is what I need to do to hit my goal. For example, I already struggle to do push-ups to begin with, but when I’m sore they’re basically impossible (and I’m already doing them on my knees to start, ugh).

PG1: 5% weight loss 0/12/238 (next update on 10/26)
PG2: 4/48 3:00 AM wake-up

I had a good day on day 4 and made up some ground. Today is a rest day (man do I need it) and probably will lose a CE as I watch the Steelers bring an end to Farve’s unbeaten streak.

PG1: 5% weight loss 0/12/238 (next update on 10/26)
PG2: 3/48 3:00 AM wake-up

Ok, I’m officially behind now. Need to play catch-up today. I’m planning both a RT and CT to get me back on track.

PG1: 5% Weight Loss 0/12/238 starting weight (next update on 10/26)
PG2: 2/48 3:00 AM Wake-up

Day 2 was a semi-planned cheat for one of my CE’s. We had awesome weather and I decided to wash & wax my car since it was probably one of the last opportunities to do so in nice weather before winter. I ended up grabbing a dinner out with a friend afterward that wasn’t clean.

PG1: 5% weight loss 0/12/238 starting weight
PG2: 1/48 3:00 AM wake-up

In a rush this morning because I had to go run some errands and still need to make my lunch. Was very hungry yesterday (probably not eating enough calories) so I bumped things up this morning to try and add some calories today. Still eating clean, just more food.

“Do, or do not.  There is no try.”
- Yoda

It’s the first day of the 52 Day Challenge (52DC).  I was out of bed at 3:00 AM and had a bowl of oatmeal.  I did some tidying in my workout room and cooked some beans for my salad at lunch.  I’ll grab a small meal before I head out to work, probably a smoothie and an apple, maybe some natural PB.   I’ve also had about 40 oz of water so far this morning.  I’m shooting for around a gallon (128 oz) each day, but that is not a goal I’m tracking for the 52DC, just informally on my own.

I decided to take some “before” pics.  That was tough.  I really didn’t want to do it which is why I kept putting it off.  We’re great at fooling ourselves about how we look, but taking your shirt off and standing in front of a camera at five in the morning tends to cut through the bullshit.

Ultimately, the reason I decided to take the pics is because I believe this will be the last time I “try” to get in shape.  I’m done “trying.”  This time I’m going to actually DO it.  Since I’m going to be successful I’d really regret not having those pics a year or two from now when I look awesome to show everyone how far I’ve traveled and maybe be able to encourage someone else to do the same thing.

That said, they will stay locked away for the time being…

The 52DC is just something we run around here to help “light a fire” underneath us. It is about discipline; it is about having other people to be accountable to; it is NOT about dropping out; it is about being DETERMINED TO FINISH! – The 52DC Challenge FAQ

The 52DC is about everything I want but have struggled to develop on my own.  I’m great at making plans but in the past I’ve always struggled at carrying them out.  Having a supportive group backing me may very well be the missing piece.

More importantly, I have goals for my life beyond fitness.  I haven’t been making progress on those goals because I lack discipline.  My life has basically been in a holding pattern for the last three years and I’ve finally reached the point I’m ready to do something about it.

I see the 52DC as a way to plant the flag and declare that starting in this one part of my life I’m going to build discipline that will carry over to the other parts of my life.  It’s about taking control and making positive changes.  It’s about actually doing something instead of sitting in front of the stupid TV.

From what I’ve read it takes four to six weeks to build a new habit.  The 52DC is about seven and a half weeks.  By the end of the challenge I will have built a number of new habits I currently lack; healthy eating, exercise, waking up early consistently.   Those habits will give tremendous benefits; more energy and focus because I’m eating right and exercising, more productive time in the mornings to work on what I consider important, more money because I’m not eating expensive fast food/take-out all the time.

I see this as the beginning and then everything will build upon what I do over the next 52 days.  It’s an investment in the rest of my life, and a cheap one at that considering the time involved.  I can’t afford to slack off.

One day until the 52DC starts.  Can’t wait.