30 Day Health challenge Progress

Everyday we wake up and have a choice, we can wake up and go out and conquer the day and everything that comes with it, or we can let it defeat us and beat us down until we quit or break. That being said I congratulate you on creating your lifestyle on this 30 day health challenge, we are past half way. This is where most people leave us, Or this is where people show their true selves, dig deep and get out there and kill it. For me it has almost become to easy. 10000 steps has become second nature to a degree, eating healthy isn’t a choice anymore its just a way of life. I personally challenge everyone reading this to evaluate your goals. Not to say they are bad or easy. But you have changed, you have gotten better and progressed, so generally your goals need to advance with you “if it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you” Also without changing and advancing your goals you will hit a plateau. Plateaus are dangerous places to be. For me the scale has stopped moving. However, I can do 15 pull ups now, I can do 15 dips with a 25# weight on my waist, I can curl more, bench more, my cardio is way higher than it has been in years, my energy is through the roof, and I feel overall great. So we cant base all our success on a number on a scale. Keep doing what you are doing. Keep driving one step at a time, change your goals and advance to success. Create a LIFESTYLE not a Daystyle or a monthstyle. Habits are created in 21 days, we all have 21 days in us. There will be some days that we mess up a little, all is not lost. I see this as a learning experience. Learn and grow it’s the only way to change.

I was asked to put up a few progress pics. They aren’t my greatest results, but its only been a week, and I have many, many more weeks to keep getting better.

One of my personal goals is to meditate everyday. I am keeping a log of thoughts during meditation also. There  are so many great studies on meditation. Getting to know yourself and getting in touch with your inner self is so important. Mental toughness will pull you through any obstacle in your life, and meditation is one way to create mental toughness. I challenge you all to put this into your lives. I have just started but I feel it already to be so peaceful, and such a good time to get to know myself.  We spend so much time with other people, we try to impress them, be like them, etc. Why no impress yourself, why not share your own thoughts with yourself. Who knows you better than you know you? To that I would say your brain. But we rarely listen to it cause we are so caught up in everyday life.  Take time, get to know YOU. I love the name of this challenge, it is a HEALTH challenge. It is challenging us to create overall health. Not just physical, but mental as well. I promise meditation will change your life and getting to know you will make you realize how strong you really are. Friends, go out there and be better each day, make better choices each minute and create a better you. Go out and #ownyourlife.

Final thought:

Inspire

Inspirational, Helpful, Fun, Nice, Charitable, Loving, Caring, a winner. These are all attributes I try to fulfill every day that way maybe I can one day inspire someone, even one person to be their best. I especially want my two beautiful daughters to be successful in life and be able to say, at home they taught me ...... thats why I'm successful, thats why I am who I am.

Inspiration comes in so many different ways. We are so lucky here in America especially to be able to have choice. We are blessed but so many of us just let the opportunities roll by us or even worse we run from them. Sometimes opportunity for success is hidden in hard work and sacrifice, most people aren't willing to work for what they want in life. They will talk about it and say they want it but when it comes down to it they really don't, they aren't willing to give what it takes to be successful. Some will even say "I never had the opportunity offered to me" WHAT.... are people suppose to hand you everything you have? Go get it, Get out there and work for it. Stop feeling sorry for yourself.

How often are we so worried about impressing people we miss whats really important. One of my favorite phrases is. "Stop spending money you don't have to impress people you don't like." why get into debt just to impress someone that doesn't give a care in the world about you. One example would be Warren Buffet he has lived in the same Omaha house for years and years, its a nice house, but it isn't a millionaire status house. The first point of failure is when you feel you need to start having nice things cause you "deserve it." This is when greed starts taking over and instead of investing your money or doing good with it you buy yourself items you "deserve." Im not impinge that you should always drive your 1990 Toyota Corolla, but I am saying don't go into debt for something that is a liability. A car could be here today and gone tomorrow and have nothing to show for it. Be wise with the way you spend your hard earned money and greater things will come to you and people will look up to you. Imagine not being able to pay or help pay for you kids college cause you were so worried about what the Jones would thing about you. Sorry kids good luck on your own. 

In the end we all have choices each day that we must live with. We also have choices each day that we only have seconds to decide. As you make better choices each day it becomes a lifestyle to make better choices which is much easier than stressing over every choice. Impulse buying would be the first thing that I suggest you get rid of. I have recently put this out of my life and it has made everything so much better, I don't buy dumb stuff I don't need and am able to put it towards things that are more important for my family. Save for things, even if you have the money, put money aways then buy it with your next check or with your next point of income. The greatest advice I have ever heard or received is Pay Yourself First. ( The Richest Man in Babylon) It is advised that you pay your self 10% off the top as you as you receive any money, I have upped that to 15% for me. I guess I feel I am worth more than 10%. But start this practice and you will see money start rolling into your bank account or wherever you store your money. 

Friends, people are always watching you. People want to be like you. People Idolize you. Be you. You are a winner. You can Ownyourlife. You don't always have control of what happens to you but you do have control of how you will react to it. React wise, be an example. Be a creator of circumstances, not a creature of them. Don't let the waves of life throw you around. You have the power, you are more powerful than anything else around you. Choose everyday to be and inspiration. No matter what you do keep smiling and winning in everything you do. Share your success with others and don't for get to give back when you receive. Be charitable and serve others. Service will make you more successful that any amount of money. Get out there and OWNYOURLIFE. 

Measurements

    Measuring my body is always a big disappointment. However, I know it is important to be able to truly track progress. Where weight is just a number it really isn't that important. I haven't been able to find a place to get a fat scan yet, but when I do I will document that and follow that more than anything. That being said it has been a couple weeks without the gym but I have been eating in a way to support my weight pretty good and maintain without gaining any back. You can't out work a bad diet. My diet still needs work but it is getting much better. So now my measurements.
at 271lbs and 6'3":
Neck: 17"
Chest: 49"
Left Bi: 16"
Right Bi: 16.5"
Belly: 43"
Waist: 45"
Left Forearm: 13.25"
Right Forearm: 14"
Left Thigh: 28.75"
Right Thigh: 28.25"
Left Calf:18.5"
Right Calf: 18"

     As you can see all of my body needs work. I have a lot of areas of focus to help even out my arms and legs to one another. These numbers are no where near where I want to be, but I am glad to document them so that I can record my progress on different levels. Cant wait until the day I am proud of the numbers I am, since I will know where I came from. I urge everyone to record your numbers so you know where you are at and where you are going. It is a process and it has to begin somewhere... Go out and #ownyourlife and get what you dream for.

30 day challenge

I am very excited to be apart of the 30 Day Health Challenge. the30dayhealthchallenge.blogspot.com It is being put together by the wonder Stacy Reed and her husband. This is the second round of the challenge and the first was an amazing success. They have already inspired so many people to be healthy.

I love the challenge because it doesn't focus on 1500 calories or no carbs or no sugar or running a mile a day. It is just about moving and being a little healthier each day. It is literally for everyone. The main focus is on the pedometer. just walking, getting steps in. Then the rest is up to you, your goals and desires that are personal. You get points for reaching your own goals not ones that are generic but ones that are specific. Its so simple and wonderful.

So here i would like to put my goals for this 30 days.
1) 10000 steps a day. this shouldn't be hard since I work 14 hours a day and rarely get off my feet.
2) 2000 calories a day. This is a healthy range but also a deficit
3) Food journal. This I'm sure will be my most difficult feat.
4) No soda, or energy drinks,
5) Lose inches more than weight.

I will be posting a before picture and all my measurements tomorrow to help me keep track. This is such a wonderful challenge to help me own my life healthy wise. Its great to be able to do it as a group and as friends and family. Anyone who reads this is very welcome to join and to follow the wonder blogs. Lots of stuff will be added like recipes, before and afters, and inspirational posts. Many wonderful people will be adding posts too. Come be part of this movement of health. We are here to help everyone. Go out and own your life. 10000 is a lot go steps, but there is only one way to get there, Take the first step.... Go OWN YOUR LIFE...

New Adventure

   My family and I have finally started our new adventure. I have been living in Colorado for almost 2 months now, well as of Tuesday we are finally here as a family. This is a very special and important step for us. We will miss everything we had in Vernal but we also know it will always be close to our hearts. We have learned so much from living there that we hope to put into play here and to learn more everyday.

   We have so much to learn, but we are so excited to meet new people and to become new people. We have lots of goals as we are here to progress with life. We hope to become better people in all aspects of life and to Own our Life. We hope to grow ever closer as a family and have a lot of adventures together and explore beautiful Colorado.

¹change

 verb \ˈchānj\

: to become different

: to make (someone or something) different

: to become something else

  Change is to become different or become something else. The word "Change" is also a verb, verbs denote action. This is very important cause this is what we as a family hope to do. We hope to change for the better. We want to become something else. we want to grow. We want growth and change. When making changes in life we are forced to grow no matter what. We force ourselves to become something else, that can be for the better or for the worse, as always we are to choose. What will you choose? Will you choose better? Will you Change? or will you fight change to stay the same? Life isn't about staying the same, it is about change and about Growth? What will you do? You decide... #ownyourlife

Daily choice become a Lifestyle.b

Everyday we are faced with hundreds of choices. We get to choose each one. If we change one everyday, eventually we will make the right choice every time. Then from there it only gets easier. For example at a restaurant, how easy is it to drink a pop. But next time say a lemon water. eventually it becomes a habit and a lifestyle. Diets are restricting, but a lifestyle is simply a way of life.

I have been on a roller coaster fitness journey for most of my life. At the point of my highest weight I hit 292. That was a scary moment for me. I could lift a lot of weight, but we all know almost 300 lbs is never healthy. I slowly cut down. I leveled out at a steady 282 ~ 285. My Family and friends did a 30 day challenge, as i watched their success and me being in the same exact spot, I sat in front of the mirror realizing something has to change. This isn't fair to your beautiful wife or kids.

So I found a 24 hour gym in Greeley, Colorado call Anytime Fitness. I had to have flexible hours cause I work around the clock right now. The gym is very nice and has everything I need.

The Game Plan:
Monday: Legs
Elliptical 20 minutes.
Leg press 6 sets
Straight leg deadlifts 4 sets
Leg curls 4 sets
Leg extensions 4 set
Calf raisers 5 sets
Front Squats 3 sets
25 minute Fusion Yoga

Tuesday: Back
Elliptical 20 minutes High Interval
Pull ups to Failure 4 sets
Seated Rows 5 sets
T-bar rows 4 sets last set to failure
Lat pull downs 3 sets
Nautilaus pull down machine 4 sets
Reverse Grip Barbell Pulls 4 sets

Wednesday: Bi's/tri's
Elliptical
Curl machine 6 sets Last 2 sets negative failures
Hammer curls 4 sets
Barbell curls 4 sets
Dips 4 Sets to failure
Skull Crushers 4 sets
Tri pull down t-bar/rope 4 sets
Push ups to failure 2 sets
25 minute Fusion yoga

Thursday: Chest
Elliptical 20 minutes
Dumb bell press 4 sets
Decline bench press 3 sets
Incline dumbbell press 3 sets
Decline Flys 3 sets
incline flys 3 sets
Fly machine 4 sets
Cable Flys 4 sets

Friday: Legs
Elliptical 20 minutes
Repeat Monday.
Bike to cool down.
Fusion Yoga

Saturday: Cardio/abs
Cycling class
Ab pull downs
Ab wheel
Leg lifts
leg raises
Plank
Yoga

Sunday: REST

It isn't perfect yet. But this is what I'm trying to follow for now, and I will change and perfect it over time. Cardio will hopefully get longer and easier.

                          This was on September 13, 2014. At a solid 282. Lots of work to do.

This was in 2009. I was 200 lbs. So I know it can be done, I just need to get off this roller coaster cause it is not a fun place to be.

Thanks for following my journey. I am also starting instagram hashtagownyourlife. Follow my progress and recipes and everything else on there. #ownyourlife..

I am a champion - the greatest speech ever [ENG SUB]

   What a leader. What an example. WHO AM I? ask yourself. Can you respond? I AM A CHAMPION? It may not be football, it may not be basketball, or any sport. But in life can you look in the mirror, ask your self WHO AM I? Then respond with full honesty I AM A CHAMPION? Yes you can, you can everyday. I was once taught by a great speaker and teacher, Lennon Ledbetter, He taught me the phrase. "Winner Walking." You remember that. Cause you are a CHAMPION, and you are a Winner Walking.

About me.

     I am a complex man trying to take over my own life. I have a beautiful wife that takes great care of me and keeps me on track. I also have 2 beautiful daughters that keep the smile on my face and that push me to Own my life so that I can make theirs better. I am an Entrepreneur, I love money and business. I also love to serve and help others. In serving I want to help others reach their full potential. I just started a fitness program that I have created and am on a fast track to a healthier life. My family and I have just moved to Evans, Co for work and to try out a new adventure. I am very religious and am very proud to say I believe in Jesus Christ.

      I have created this blog to not only help me to learn to Own My Life, but to help others to Own theirs. Life quickly passes us by. Opportunities slipping our hands at every turn. I aspire to be a motivational speaker and writer. This blog is also to help me create a better way of writing and talking. I am open to any comments and feedback. Knowledge is power. Growth comes from criticism. Through reading this blog you will be traveling through inspiration, fitness, diet, family, religion, and Life in general. Thanks to all.