TheRedWriter

Thanks to all the people who have commented and offered their kind words and their congratulations. Making my validation internal has been a large part of being able to succeed at this, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy hearing the praise from other people, my peers, who have gone through similar challenges and struggles. You guys are awesome. Thank you again.

Hey boys and girls, I'm not here as often as I used to be or as often as I like, but I'm still crazy busy and active in my life with my exercise regime and regulating what I eat. The heaviest I've ever been was 300 pounds. That was about six years ago. When I was that heavy, my spider sense started tingling fiercely, and I was able to loose some weight , about 25 pounds over the course of a few months and lowering portion size. After that, I didn't care too much for a few years, and fluctuated between 260 and 275 regularly, when my recommended body weight is 180 pounds. Even though much of the time I'd be extremely active, practicing martial arts an hour a day, running a mile a day, I'd never loose weight because I didn't feel that was something I should have to change. I wanted the easy route and the montage solution. Two years ago, I decided to get serious with my health, shortly after my (now) wife accepted my proposal. I was going to get married and I needed to get healthy as to have a long life to spend with her. I saw a dietician and started watching what I was eating more strictly, cutting out lots of junk food and including more healthy choices, (Spoiler: lots of veggies). I lost more weight, and with regular exercise got down to around 230 pounds. Still chunky, still high body fat (measured at 28% from a high of 33%), but an improvement. Nine months ago, I was turned on to Nerd Fitness by a good friend of mine. I did a little reading on the articles, and then a little more, and then (unsurprisingly) I read through at least fifty articles in the first week. I began using paleo and exercising my little amounts of willpower as effectively as I could, trying to level up my will power more then anything else and evolve something approaching discipline into a feasible skill I could utilize, a weapon I could wield against 30 years of bad habits. I also started using some applications for my iPhone that have proved invaluable: the "C25K", couch to 5K runner application for the iPhone App store, totally free, (Designed by Zen Labs), as well as Steve's own, "Is It Paleo?" app. In conjunction with the lessons learned on Steve's articles, I started doing paleo six days a week, running twice a week, heavy weight lifting twice a week, and body weight exercises through out. I've never been a runner, nor have I ever been very strong; I've never been able to run more then half a mile without having to stop, and even though I'm 6 feet tall, I've never been a strong guy. Using the C25K application to get my running and using Steve's recommendations for weight training, I slowly progressed, feeling like I was cleaning a dirty mountain with an old tooth brush. Like eating an elephant, it's taken some time. Nine months after discovering Nerd Fitness, I am very proud to share the following results: I’ve lost 100 pounds from a high of 300, currently at 200. I’ve lost 13% body fat, from a high of 32% to a current of 19%. I can run five miles without stopping, and am currently on week 11, day 3 of the 10K trainer application trainer from Zen Labs. I can do ten pull-ups without stopping and I can bench press two-hundred pounds. I have lost 8 inches off my waist, and have had to donate all of my old clothes to homeless shelters (I had a collection of shirts from rock concerts that were all 2XL or XL, and now they all look like parachutes when I wear them!), and slowly acquire a whole new wardrobe. These are all things I never once thought I’d be able to do if you’d asked me a year ago. For the first time in 30 years of life, though I’ve still got a (small) gut, I feel good about myself when I look in the mirror. I’m healthier then I’ve ever been, and I feel great. It’s a point of pride for me that even while during some of my toughest runs, I’ve never once stopped before I was at a designated walking point. My toughest challenge is still controlling myself with food. Beyond all the normal temptations and challenges of living in a society that’s basic diet is over-processed grain products with sides of dairy and meat, my arch enemy from days of yore is Taco Bell. It’s siren call lures this foolish soul into it’s corridors far more often them I’m comfortable admitting. Now I recognize it more fully not as a trusted lover, but a creature that shall surely drown me should I enter it’s embrace enough times. While I’ll never slay the beast, I can strengthen my heart, look into it’s eyes, breath in it’s cheesy gordita scent, and turn away with no fear in my heart. At the moment, I’m less interested in weight loss and more interested in loosing more body fat. Current goals: Reducing to 15% body fat. Bench press 220 lbs. Complete 10K. Perform 15 pull-ups without stopping. Stretch goals: Reducing to 10% body fat Bench press 250 lbs. Complete half-marathon (13.1 miles). Perform 30 pull-ups without stopping. That’s the story. My hat’s off to anyone who’s here and trying to better themselves. Cheers!

Hello fellow rebels, A quick progress report here. In bullet point for quickness of reading, In the past six months, I've... - Dropped 16 pounds. Originally at 228, now at 211. And 6 months before that, I was at 246! - Dropped 5 1/2 inches off my waist. - Dropped 4% body fat from 23% to 19%. - Lost the ability to wear any of my old clothing without appearing like I'm reminiscing about 90's hip-hop groups who popularized oversized clothing. - Worked on my life quest: I've finished a series of writings that, along with other collected work from some amazing writers, is being published in a novel! It's been difficult through much of the journey, but it's been worth it. The stuff that was difficult then is easy now. Perspective is everything, I've learned, as I evolve and grow. All in all, I think the most important lesson I've learned is this: Life is good. Cheers, ~ Ben Cheek, "The Red Writer".

Thanks a bunch, guys! I'm running in the "Superhero 5K" in Sacramento, CA in June, and I'm considering some other runs happening around the area as well. Cheers!

Just to avoid putting up two, "Woot!" Posts in one day, one after another, I'll also throw in that when I measured my pants size two days ago, I have lost 7 inches off my waist, and I'm comfortably wearing a size 36 mens pants now. I literally do not own a single pair of pants that fits me any longer. I pretty much wear my comfy workout shorts all the time. Funny enough, I'm almost more excited about that then the 5K. =D

Hey guys. I've been training using the C25K iOS application for the past several months. I'm thrilled to report that I completed the course of training, and I completed my very first 5K non-stop run in a little over 30 minutes on my lunch at work today. My immediate focus now is to jump on the 10K trainer. Life is grand, everyone. Don't give up on what you want, ever, no matter how difficult those goals may become to achieve. Enjoy the challenge, and remember; the more difficult the challenge, the more achievements you have to show when finished. I'll see you at the finish line; cheers! ~ Ben, "The Red Writer" Cheek.

Mmmm.... Bacon, or a year of life? Sadly, I'll die happy with my bacon at 74. 'Nuff Said.

Hey rebels, Big milestone for me. As of last week, I can wear "large" size men's shirts. Two years ago, I was wearing XXL; about a year ago, I was wearing XL. This is the first time I've been able to do this since I was a freshman in high school, or roughly, fourteen years ago. This is a pretty big deal for me. I've been working towards this for a long, long time and it feels pretty damn good. Cheers!

Comic-con is going to be FANTASTIC! I'm really looking forward to it!

Alright, here I go weighing in (so to speak) at the end of the challenge: Current Physical Stats : Ht: 6'0" Wt: 220 Lbs. Body Fat Percentage: 23% - While I don't see my height shrinking or growing, I'm pretty damn pleased to see my weight shift so dramatically. As far as my body fat percentage goes, my original estimate had, in all fairness, been taken about six months before this six week challenge began; odds are it was floating around 27% to 28%. A 9% drop in 6 weeks would be pretty dramatic and possibly unhealthy. Still a net loss of fifteen pounds and a dramatic drop in body fat are two benefits I'll take to the bank. 1.) Walking in Circles: Maintain current workout schedule (4 days a week, 30 minutes minimum, never more then two days between workouts). GRADE: A+. - Even on days where I couldn't work out during my lunch time, (which happened once), I still made it after work instead. Though some workouts felt better then others, even the ones that felt terrible helped reinforce good habits that I've grown quite proud of. - Points awarded: Strength: 3 points, Constitution: 2 points. 2.) He's Going the Distance: Be able to run a mile without stopping by the end of the six week challenge. GRADE: A. - I have been kicking ass on the "C25K" program. I have been running twice a week, and thus far have been able to successfully complete each day, currently making it to Week 4, day 2. Not that it's not kicking my ass as well, but thus far, each day two have gone in, and one has come out (spoiler - I was the one who came out). While my original goal was to run a mile without stopping, I have gotten extremely close, and furthermore, my goal evolved quickly into being able to complete a 5K without stopping OR complete it under 32 minutes, either one. All things considered, I feel quite good about the outcome of this goal. - Points awarded: Stamina: 3 points, Dexterity: 2 points 3.) Just Eat It: Have diet be at least 90% Paleo six days a week. GRADE: A. - I have had a very difficult time with this challenge, but though my willpower may have bent badly, it did not break, and I weathered the storm. The only variation was that I changed my, "Eat whatever I want" time from all day Sunday to Saturday night, Sunday morning, Sunday afternoon. Otherwise, I stuck WELL within my 90% of the time; maybe once or twice I ate something not Paleo, and even then, only in extremely small portions or completely by accident (Last night I discovered, to my sadness, that Sriracha sauce isn't Paleo but only after it was smothering my chicken. ). - Points awarded: Charisma: 3 points, Wisdom: 2 points 4.) Leveling up on Life: Complete 10,000 words of writing in serious writing projects - Life goal - I have failed at this, badly. I did write about 600 words for a new, short piece, and even that was difficult, but for that I wrote at all, I feel some degree of pride. I badly underestimated my ability in this goal, and learned some limitations. I need to start more slowly, maybe start for 2,000 words in 6 weeks, something more manageable. I'm using the 600 words progress as a stepping stone to continue writing, even if I wasn't able to complete 10,000 words within the bounds of the 6 week challenge.

Hello everyone! Ironically, the more time that I put into my workouts and weight loss, and the more time that goes by as I work towards this, the less that I have to be posting here or reading articles. In a way it feels sad, but in another it feels normal and natural. The quick story for updates in the past two weeks: - I weighed in at the lowest weight I've been in my adult life thus far. I am now at 222 lbs; the last time I can remember weighing this much was in high school, probably freshman year. Feels pretty damn good. - Conversely, I am more fit then I was four months ago. I can perform up to 10 pull-ups or ten chin-ups, and when I started I could not perform more then two. I just finished the third week of "C25K" successfully, not missing any days and finishing each day successfully, feeling pretty good about each day. - Pride in accomplishment: Many people lately that have known me for years have come up to me, remarking that I have "shrunk". Each time, it feels good. From being at my worst weight of 300 lbs, I have lost just shy of 80 pounds. This makes me feel good each and every time I think about it. - Goals Reporting: I have not missed a single workout, and if anything my workouts are becoming even more focused and more intense. At home, my wife and I installed a pull-up bar and now at home, several times a day I practice my pull-ups and chin-ups. I am also quite happy that I have not slipped up in my dietary restrictions; I have continued to keep my caloric intake below 1,500 and virtually every single meal, six days a week, is pure paleo. The one day of the week that I eat whatever I want I have also grown quite good at shrugging off my guilt and not beating up on myself for the day that I, myself, allowed in order to maintain and replenish my will power. - Life goal - I have failed at this, badly. I didn't write more then about 600 words in the past six weeks, and I see no chance of writing 10,000 words in the next three days. However, I did write about 600 words for a new, short piece, and even that was difficult, and for that I feel some degree of pride. I'm using that as a stepping stone to continue writing, even if I wasn't able to do so within the bounds of the 6 week challenge. That's it. I hope everyone's six week challenge was as successful as mine, and I hope that everyone is well and happy. Kick ass and lift heavy.

Hey Guys! Quick update #2! Fore thought: I was mentioning to DragnMistriss that the irony here is that I haven't had any problems with the exercise or dietary goals I've set out for myself, not on the last six week challenge, and not on the current one. What I do have very little of is time, so I haven't really felt like jumping on here just to say that I'm doing really great and my progress is proceeding at a steady and strong pace. When I let some time go by, usually about a week, that gives me more to talk about than if I post three times a week. - I'm officially on day two, week two, of Zen Labs, "C25K" program, and going strong. Haven't had to stop and re-do any particular portion of it, though week two is noticeably more difficult then week one, but the scale up is reasonable and doable assuming you didn't cheat on week one. - My left leg (specifically calf) is still sore from when I hurt it swing dancing, so I've only done running once. I walked around constantly for several hours Wednesday night last week, and my leg was right back to useless the next day, thus why I'm still not at full speed now. - Diet wise, I'm kicking ass. It's getting easier and easier to say no to others when they offer me food that, on the surface, looks and smells amazing, but in reality, would cause me more harm then good in relation to my health goals. At my work, someone brought in a platter with over ten pounds of 100% organic homemade lamb and buffalo shepherds pie; that might have been the most difficult test I've ever taken, passing it by. But pass it by I did, and it's screams faded over the past few days, screams of longing as I abandoned it to the hungry maws of my co-workers... One day, I will smile on that memory, of my strength in the face of adversity, but for now... the screams and the shame of abandoning a friend will haunt me. - Exercise wise, each and every week is an improvement. I am a true believer in the, "Baby Steps" mentality. I take that, as well as, "Lift Heavy", and combined I am progressing nicely. My bench press is about 40 lbs heavier then it was four months ago, and I can perform twice as many reps as I used to be able to do. I can do ten pull ups (two sets of five), when starting off I could only perform three total. I can now perform two full sets of 10 pushups, when I could barely get through seven in one set originally. My squats are much improved, as deep as possible, and I can get through two sets of ten each, with a 45 weight, when four months ago I could barely perform five squats without falling over. My lunges still make me sore for a week afterwards, but even those bastards are getting easier, slowly, slowly. - Writing wise, I have been pecking away, a little here and a little there. More time should open up now that most events of January are done, and more time spent writing will occur! That's it! I wish everyone the best. Cheers!

Update time! Life has been incredibly busy for me, thus the late update; for the most part I've been absent from the NF forums altogether. Like the last challenge, I'm only aiming at a once a week schedule for updates, as it's what works best for me. As more time frees up, I'll aim for more updates, though they may be shorter in content. I have been NAILING my goals. Quick bullet points: - Fitness: Running: I'm officially on week two of the "C25K" program. I completed the first week with 100% success, looking forward to week two. Body Weight/Lifting: Better and better. I'm still maintaining the same ammount of exercising, while increasing the ammount of reps and how much weight I'm pressing. Comprehensive update on this coming soon. - Diet: Avoidance: This is extremely difficult, but I'm still keeping around 90% to 95%, depending on the day I've had. I've kept far away from pizza, candy, ice cream and a literal plethora of amazingly tasty foods and goodies. My two great loves, beer and cheese, they call me several times a day, blowing up my phone; they leave me these sexy voicemails, asking where I've been and why I don't come around any more. I don't listen; I've kicked those two leeches to the curb like the home wreckers they are. Eating the right foods: I've discovered there are plenty of paleo foods I like more then others. I've been experimenting with a lot of chicken receipies lately and enjoying the hell out of the results for lunch and dinner much of the week. However, as time goes on I find myself ignoring veggies in my fridge that I know I should be eating; I've had a head of broccoli looking at me in the eyes every time I open the fridge, and I don't know how much longer I can avoid feeling guilty for neglecting the poor guy. My roommate has been a tremendous help in making some healthier veggie dishes, but I feel like I'm loosing some steam when it comes to eating paleo veggies for 50% of my meals. Still, I'd say I'm hanging strong at around 80% here, even if I'm eating paleo 95% of the time. - Writing: Warming up: As predicted, this is already tough. It feels like, to sit down and force myself to write, very similar to when I first started working out. I really do have to get past the fear and ignore all the excuses not to write (even the ones that make me more productive in other ways, like cleaning the house or exercising!), and once I get past that point, I begin writing. I haven't gotten a lot of writing done, predictably. However, my point of pride is that though not much has been written, I successfully stared my fear in the eye and began writing, accepting that I might fail and did it anyway. Week by week, I'm getting more done, and it feels good. More to come. Other updates is that after several years with a boss who is stagnating in the worst way, management was shuffled around and I have a new (to me) boss. She's a hard ass, and this, my friends, is awesome. She's also fair; if I suck, she holds me accountable, and if I kick ass, she makes sure I know she's aware of it and cheering me on. This has had a huge impact on me and I feel much more energized at work, hating my job a lot less. Alright boys and girls. Kick ass, take names, and lift heavy; life's too short for anything less. Here's to the rebellion.

WAY TO GO!