Health Watch ‘08

I'm not quite back, but I'm better than ever …

I went to the Surgeon on Monday. He gave me two big thumbs up on my progress. There was some localized swelling, but he pretty much dismissed it. I was hoping for good news regarding my sports-related future. He seems pretty confident for the long term, but in the short term I was benched. Nothing more strenuous than walking for the next six weeks until I go back to see him. That kind of sucks with all the summer activities going on right now. I did get permission to use my exercise bike, so now it is back to Ridetown for Daddy. Before the injury, I was working out pretty faithfully. My cousin Mike got me into doing a Spartan workout which is a lot of reps with light weight. He also convinced me to keep a journal (not to be confused with a diary) of exercises that I was doing. It keeps you honest and you can see the days you fall short and the days you completely blow it out of the water. I was working on 2-a-days with the bike and occasionally with the workout. I would do a light workout in the morning. Then I would go about my day and do a tougher workout in the evening. I was pretty excited about all aspects of the results. I had more energy. I could think clearer. I could eat anything I wanted and was still able to lose weight. That last claim may not be as true as it sounds. I did not deprive myself, but at the same time once I started working out I was more careful of what I ate. I didn't weigh my food or write down what and when I was eating or count points or starve myself, but I did look at labels and try to make some good decisions about my diet. I love food too much to kill myself in the gym and go overboard on what I eat or don't eat. In my opinion, you should reward yourself with food. It is okay to have a piece of chocolate cake from time to time as long as you do it in moderation. I did go a little crazy with the lean pockets, especially when I was laid up in the bed. I had already lost over 30 pounds and there was no way a stupid ruptured Achilles was going to set me back. Plus when you are hobbling down a narrow hallway on crutches it is easy to carry a lean pocket wrapped in a napkin in your mouth. So that long winded explanation gets us to what point you ask? I also weighed in on Monday morning since I am trying to get back into my regular routine from before the Achilles thing. The digital scale read 286.4 pounds. A lot of you (most of the dozens and dozens of the Daddy's fans) are thinking that that is a lot for someone less than six feet tall. And you would be right. The fact remains that right after the Super Bowl (beginning of February for the uninitiated), I tipped the scales at 334.6 pounds. I'm not a math whiz (okay that's a lie – I am a math whiz), but that's almost 50 pounds while fighting back from an injury. That's pretty darn awesome if I do say so myself. Now that the Doctor has given me the okay, I'll be back on my bike and getting back to the upper body portion of the my workout starting next week. Stay tuned for a glimpse at the Spartan workout and my all new Dojo where I will train to become a cage fighter/jedi.