Well I am starting off this year in a very similar spot as I did last year. I am about the same in terms of my shape give or take a pound or two. I had lost 29 pounds at one point to get to 202 but I am right back up to 227-230 depending on the time of day. So now it's time to put all the BS excuses, and real obsticles behind me and just get it done.

When I was younger all I wanted is to be bigger. Now what I want is to be lean. For my weight and height my waist is rediculously large. I am talking nearly 47 inches. This is not healthy and if I do not get control of it once and for all I will be in trouble. Dropping 12 inches off my waist and getting down to 180 or under is my immediate goal. I am aiming to do this in 6 months of concentrated work. I have done it before, it can and will be done again.

I see the males in my family (dad, stepdad, FIL) who are all 57-62 and see the health problems they are having and I could be in the same boat at 40 let alone 60 if I do not gain control of my health and fitness condition right away. I turned 32 yesterday (Dec 31, 1972) and I have never been this fat. It's time to gain control right now. I have the knowlege (20 years of reading magazines, internet, weight training) and its time to walk the walk. I eventually want to make my living in the fitness and health industry so its time I look like someone you would want to get advice from and to train you!!!


I am taking the positive aspects of the shape I am in such as I have lost the weight before and maintained that for 5 years, I have alot of knowledge on training and exercise and accepting that I got to where I am on my own accord, by the decisions I made, and its up to me to take control and get back in shape!!

Been talking for a long time, time to take action.

Back in the game

And so it starts tommorrow. When I think about how many frigging before pictures I have taken and how many unfinished challenges and how many frigging excuses I have made over the years ! Man I should have competed in 5 shows in the 18 years I have been lifting. Woulda shoulda coulda eh?

Well I am not going to make a bunch of bold statements and all that stuff. I have done it before and its time for action and to put the words behind me. I have done it before, I will do it again. The banter has already started for 2005 BBOTY (Tom and Brian) , well lets just say this is my entry for that title.

I did not workout today, that is to say I did not lift weights or do a structured workout. However I did rearange my basement to make it a better place for me to workout in. I took my computers from downstairs and brought them to the spare bedroom thus taking away my music (doh), but also removing the distraction of the internet (smart move for me). I have one whole side of my basement dedicated to whipping this fat butt into shape. I went looking at fitness equipment today and will fill out my equipment list slowly but surely throughout the year. I am looking at more dumbells, more standard plates, a 315 pound olympic set possibly a treadmill, maybe a full cage, and some other goodies. This will come slowly but surely throughout the year as I can save for it.


The main reason I decided to start training at home is the time it will save me. I need to get my workout done in the am as later in the day after work I have family time, side business stuff and its easier to put off. So I am going to look at training at home as a plus and not as a detriment that will hold me back due to less equipment whatever.

Well I have had a long day between rearanging two floors in my house, a family get together, and not much sleep last night. I look forward to the next 12 weeks and working hard to getting my body back

Day 1

Up 6am
workout
flat bench sets of 12,12,12, 10,10
Incl d, sets of 8,8
flyes sets of 10 10

ex bike 15 min 7.16 km

Eats (according to fitday)
cal 1893
fat 33
carbs 263
prot 140

Hey guys! Had a great first day today. I was a bit hungry, and craving some junk but I plowed thru staying away from vending machines, coffee and other stuff that I shouldn't eat. I know I am not going to get where I want to go in a week or a month. I am concentrating on making today a good day, and then follow that up tommorrow with another. If I do that over and over I will get where I want to go.

Keeping this post short as I want to get to bed. Only had 5 hours sleep, got up at 6 trained then worked 11 hours. So I am keeping this short and headed to bed. Great to see this place jumping! Lets build on this momemtum and make it a huge year!

http://www.fitday.com/WebFit/PublicJournals.html?Owner=ShaneLeighton

Week 1 of 12, Day 2 of 84
Got a good night sleep finally, have been running on about 5 hours sleep a night for a couple weeks. Woke up rested.

weights
front pulldowns sets of 12/12/10/10/10/10
cable row sets of 10/10/10
good mornings sets of 12/12

15 min on bike

nutrition according to fitday

cal 1435
fat 32
carbs 201
prot 89


Another good day. Calories a little low as well as protein, but all in all I am happy. My back is a little tender today so I was unable to do bent rows but just the same I had a good little workout. I am off to a good start.

Jeremy asked me today what makes it different this time for me. I have talked s#$% before and not followed thru, so why is it different this time? This is what I responded with.

Jeremy,
Thanks for commenting. I don't take offence or see comments like that to be rude from you as I know the intent they are being made with. Also I don't blame you or anyone else for saying them to me cause yes I have been talking the talk for a long time and not backed it up.

For me, the difference is I am starting to seriously worry about my health, not neccessarily the status of my health now, but what it will be if I do not change my ways right now. As I said in an earlier post I see the father figures in my life at 60 and they are a mess. I will be that way at 40 if I don't gain control of my life right now.

Secondly, I want to motivate people to achieve their best health and fitness goals. Would you take advice from me at 230 35 percent bodyfat?) Didn't think so.

I want to be a poster boy for the health and fitness lifestyle, for our company and for my eventual training clients. I do not feel 100 percent comfortable promoting a health product when I am in the shape I am in.

I have made positive steps so far. I have gotten up 6 times in the last 9 days and trained at 6 am (twice on less than 5 hours sleep). Since I haven't been able to fit in fitness with 12 hour work days, USANA, family, etc, I have cleaned out my basement and rearanged my house (taking 9 hours on Sunday, rearanging basement, bringing stuff upstairs, throwing stuff away etc) to make training down stairs more easily accomplished as their was too much clutter down there. I removed the computers from the basement to elimanate distraction. So that takes away the "can't get to teh gym excuse.

Being winded simply walking up 5 flights of stairs is another reason this time is different. THe fact that I had a hard time keeping up in my ball hockey league last year and I am now 20 lbs heavier 4 months before the season starts. Although we are under a few feet of snow right now, golf season will be here shortly. Up until this past few weeks I was using the excuse of 60 hour weeks to not watch what I ate or to not exercise. Not to others but to myself. Well I got to the point where I was not buying my own excuses!!! You've known me a while J, so you have heard it before. I will not try to "convince" you, as that does neither of us any good. Instead I will show you. When I shake your hand at convention in September I will be 50 lbs lighter than I am as I write this . And If I am not you can point back to this post, and say "So what was the difference again? "

Thank you Jeremy for asking the fantastic questions! That is why you are a great leader!


I do not blame anyone for asking me what is different about this time. I have mentioned to Tom a couple times that if it were someone else I would be skeptical too. Jeremy asks the tough questions. This is why he is a great leader, a great trainer, and a great friend to me. Thanks again J if you are reading this.

THis update will be short and too the point

exercise went well
Standing mil sets of 12\12\10\8\7
sidelats sets of 12/12/12/12
front lats sets of 12/12/12
bent over c lats sets of 12/12 done in one continous set back and forth alt arms

an hour of walking
18 min on bike

nutrition according to fitday

cal 1997
fat 55
carbs 236
prot 140

Today was a tough one nutritionally and I wanted to cheat but I stayed the course. I am happy this far that I have not had any breads as breads are a huge weakspot that i really overeat. It was not and is not my intention to cut them out completely, just how it has gone so far this week. Also I have had no butter or sweets of any kind. I have had some portions of meat that are not the leanest but I am keeping to appropriate portions so in my book its all good. i have not eaten over 2000 calories yet this week but I am not hungry. So far so good.

No workout today, planned day off from weights.

cardio 1.5 hours walking.

nutrition according to fitday

cal 1729
fat 48
carbs 193
prot 132

Friday's coming. Its been a long week at work, 3 out of 4 days have been 10.5 hours at work, with another one coming tommorow. And yay, I am working Saturday as well (roll eyes).

Well a week (and a little bit I guess as I actually started exercising again last Tuesday) into it and I am very happy with the start. I am happy with how I ate, adn I took a planned free day today with no watching what I eat, tracking calories or whatever and I kept it to a minimum. I worked alot again this week 58 hours, but even with the long hours sitting in a chair I made sure to get up often to refill water bottle, using my 2 fifteen minute breaks and my 30 minute lunch to go for a walk to keep moving. I trained before work 4 times and I kept to plan.Was not a perfect week but I am very happy with the start.

I am going to 3 days a week with weights. My split will be as follows

Sunday legs
Tues chest, delts tris
Thur back, traps and bis

Saturday will be a free day with no scheduled weights or times/measured cardio but I will be sure to do something fun, like take kids sliding/skating/swimming or go on a long walk/snow shoe with dog. Timed/measured cardio will be done 4 days a week, maybe if I am feeling good more. I am being careful to allow enough rest and not overdo things. This past week I got 4 cardio sessions in plus my daily walks and a few walks of dogs.

I have been perusing running websites all week, and my 2 best friends biggest friendly competition buddies are also running now so that has pushed my curiousity a little more. I am thinking about looking into some 5 k or 10 k run/walks for charities and maybe training for one. We'll see, how that plays out.

Training legs on Sunday gives me the easiest access for me to get to my family fitness center to train legs to off set the limited exercises I can do for legs home. So I am looking forward to training legs tommorrow.

My buddy was over this afternoon and was saying that he and his wife have decided to get into shape. SHe is training at her work gym and going to the local Running Room. They won a trip to Vegas and are going in April and his goal is to get to 200 lbs. He started New Years day at 222 and weighed 216 this am. I have not weighed myself since the 1st, and I was 229. I will weigh in next Friday to check my progress. But I told him I will beat him to 200, and he said "We'll see, I likely got 10 lbs headstart on ya" So a little extra motivation there.

I am starting to ramble now so I will sign off. I am excited to get week 2 under way tommorrow and train legs. Will check in then.

Day 8 in review

Things are going well. I am eating clean and exercise is going well. I think I am going to like the 3 day a week weights as I am trying to fit in some other stuff such as working on flexiblilty and starting to run, along with hopefully playing some ball hockey once a week. We are going to give it a try Wednesday night, and if there is enough interest we are going to play once a week. Will be good warm up for my ball hockey league this summer.

As far as the running I am doing the walk run thing to start. I am having some shint splint issues with my first two attempts but have started some front calf work that will hopefully eliviate that problem. I told my buddy Cory I like the Rocky 4 vibe of running in the snow! lol

I haven’t had much appetite last couple days, not sure why. I am drinking 2.5-4 litres of water a day and just doing my best to eat 5-7 small meals. So far today:

nutrition according to fitday

cal 1506
fat 36
carbs 215
prot 82

may have a protein drink later not sure. Anyway thats it for now, got to get up early tommorrow for chest, tris and delts before 7 oclock shift at work so I best get moving. Have a great week everyone and will be checking in tommorrow!

Well yesterday I had 3 cookies to ruin my cheat free run. But after beating myself up a little bit about it I got back on track. Trained chest delts and tris yesterday as well as an hour and 20 minutes of walking. Tonight I played an hour and a half of hockey and rode the bike this morning.

I haven't weighed in since the 1st and I am looking forward to checking my progress on Friday. The pants are getting looser and I feel like I am tightening up. May be my imagination, but we'll see come Friday.

I realize that I got to up my calories a little as I have been in the 1500's a few times now. I am not aiming to do so, just trying to eat small properly portioned meals. I am not hungry and the lower calories isn't bothering me, but just the same I am going to aim to get closer to 2000.


nutrition according to fitday for yesterday

cal 1407
fat 39
carbs 204
prot 70


nutrition according to fitday for today

cal 1493
fat 34
carbs 175
prot 132

Week 2 of 12, Day 14 of 84
Hey guys. I am enjoying my three day weekend, the first in 6 months where I didn't work at some point in the weekend. Had a staff party last night which I was late too because I was watching the Steelers squeek one out against the Jets. Jeez that was close.

Fitness wise, things are going well. I am doing a tonne of walking, and enjoying the 3 days a week weights. I will be sticking with it for a while, I want to give it minimally a month and see how it goes. As for the running, that is going ok, I am doing the 1-2 min running then walking repeat thing right now. I am enjoying the process and determined to make it a lifestyle finally and not look at it as 12 weeks or back to back 12 weeks. This will be the way I live now. Period.

My buddy and I were walking our dogs yesterday and came across a puppy. My guess would be 3 months old or so. Its a black lab with huge paws. My friend and I both wanted to bring him home and keep him if we could not find the owner but both our wives overruled us. We called the SPCA and the local radio stations and so far we have not heard anything. I just keep thinking theres a little kid out there that has lost their puppy. I hope that the dog was not abbandoned. Anyway we fed him and he stayed at my buddies last night. We think he was loose for at least a night as he was cold, and very hungry. Whipped though a can and a half of dogfood in no time. Anyway hes at the spca right now, and hopefully he is microchipped and he can be returned to his owner. Meanwhile, I am still working on the wife to take him to our home if no owner can be found.

Anyway I am off to watch football. Great to see the progress made by everyone here. Work hard everyone and lets keep reaching for those goals! Summer will be here (for those of us in NA) before we know it!!

Well today was a long day. 13 hour work day that started with a belt breaking on the car that makes turning the wheel quite an adventure. Second time in a month that has happened. Joy.

On tap for today was cardio, abs, and I also got in 20 min of stretching tonight. I am really working on my stretching and flexibility to try and help the back.

Eats was up a little today to about 2000 calories. I am not concerned about calories at all and i am not shooting for any magic number. I am aiming for 5-7 small proper portion size meals a day. I am keeping track on Fit day just for the heck of it. My only concern is losing weight too fast. But I am sure that "problem" will ease off. I don't want to or expect to drop 5-6.5 half more pounds this week.

Anyway heres todays eats acording to fitday.

Calories 2001
Fat 69
carbs 217
prot 130

Chest, delts and tris tommorrow

This will be a quick update as I have spent 40 hours in front of a computer the past three days at work and I don't want to spend one second longer that I have to in front of a pc.

I am doing well eating and fitness wise and staying the course. I trained back and bis on Tues, 2 hours of hockey and an hour and a half walking yesterday, and chest, delts tris today. The eating remains 1700-2100 cal and I am staying away from what I shouldn't. Sorry this isn't an in depth post but I am pooped. Going to go rest, as I got a 13 hour day tommorrow and I am working the weekend as well! Need to catch up on some sleep!


Talk to you soon!!

Have not kept up to date with this journal but I have not fallen off the wagon. I am continuing to work hard and am making progress. I am down 10 lbs and 4 inches off my waist in 4 weeks.

Well week 5 is underway. My legs were a little tight today from yesterday's leg workout. I slept in today all the way to 6 am, hehe so no workout before work. I worked an extra hour before my shift (7am-8) and then just worked my regular shift til 4:30. At 4:30 I went down and joined the gym in my building and did cardio and abs.

15 min bike
5 min rowing machine

crunches 20/20/20
leg raises 10/10/10
trunk rotation machine 12/12

treadmill 12 min ran for 9 min 30 staight, might not sound like much but most I have done at once in a long time

I have been looking alot into triathlon training. I am not saying I want to do one as that would be a long ways away as I am not a very good swimmer. But I am interested in the training. Been reading alot on tri sites and found a great one www.beginnertriathlete.com . A fantastic site.

I think the triathlon interest (again the training part, I am not looking to do one ) is part of my shift away in mindset as to what my goals are. I want to be lean and athletic again. Getting back into hockey, improve my golf game, be able to play soccer with the kids. I am taking an increasing interest in running and I am enjoying it very much. This year is all about getting rid of the belly, healing my back (which is doing great by the way) and getting lean. I am only concerned with one measurement and thats my waist and having it go down. Once I hit my bodyfat and waist meaurement goals, then and only then will I consider a muscle building or bulking program. So much of my thoughts for years was a bigger chest bigger arms , getting stronger. Now that all falls to the back burner until I get properly lean. Yes I want to maintain and even build lean muscle but fatloss is Numero Uno priority.

It's back and bis tommorrow. Going to train at the new gym. May throw in some light cardio as well we shall see. Well I am off to stretch for a bit. I have been stretching more and more and my back is loving me for it. Have a great night and will check in tommorrow.