Have a Plan

Sick Burn!   Then the next day! Sicker Burn!  These are the words from one of my MyFitnessPal friends after seeing my results from my Friday and Saturday swims, and I can't say I disagree. The YMCA has begun a Master's Swim.  Currently it is just a glorified lap swim with a workout posted to follow if you so choose.  Eventually they hope to have a coach and possibly a team.  Here is the workout from yesterday.

Yes that is 1 and 1/2 miles in the water.  That's like swimming from my house to my daughter school and back then back to school.  MyRunKeeper said I burned 2000+ calories (I believe they are generous, but that is still a lot).  Since following this program the last two weeks I have lost 4 lbs. I feel stronger, much stronger.  The workouts keep my body guessing as to what is coming, they keep me from getting bored with "Just going to swim." Most importantly I have a plan to follow.  When I am in the heat of the moment, I don't have to think; I just have to do!  Because of this I have seen more improvement in my swimming.  

I see this in other parts of my life.  The days of teaching were my planning is stronger is a stronger day of teaching.  The financial goals that I have a plan for and stick to the plan tend to be more successful.  So I am going to have to develop  a more detailed eating plan.  The last three weeks I have done well with me eating, but I know if I develop a plan and follow it, my goals will be achieved more efficiently.  

Therefore my goal for the next 4 weeks is to enter my MyFitnessPal food for the upcoming day prior to going to bed the night before.  I will then eat only what is entered staying within the 1800 - 2000 calorie range with up to 500 calories off plan available.  If I have used my 500 calories for the day I will  forgo the extra.  That way when I am in the heat of the moment I don't have to think, just do!

Where do you need a plan to go on auto pilot.  I challenge you to plan your week this week.  

Here is my Week

                             This Week                       Since Jan 2013

Swimming:               3.5 mi                               54 miles

Walking:                     0                                   128 miles   

Cycling:                      0                                   196 miles

Totals                        3.5 mi                            380.5 miles 

Weight Lost                2 lbs                                  65 lbs

Live More - Check in

Two things sparked contemplation on my part this week.  First, We watched Randy Pausch's "Last Lecture" in my 8th grade elective course and I got my new Triathlete Magazine.  For those who don't know Randy Pausch was a professor at Carnegie Mellon who was asked to present at the University's lecture series called The Last Lecture, where professors were to work on the premise "What would you say to your students if you new it would be your last lecture."  In Randy's case this premise hit a little closer to home.  Had just been given the news that he had Pancreatic cancer with a prognosis of 3 to 6 months to live.  In his "lecture" he discussed how he fulfilled his childhood dreams and the importance of helping others do the same as well as life lessons learned.  He said everyone should have fun, work to knock down or go around the walls in our life.  We should find mentors and support and tell the truth and be willing to hear it.  You have to decide. Will you be an Eeyore or will you be a Tigger.  I was struck by Randy's attitude for life, an attitude I once held and have let slip over the last few years.  On this journey, I am now coming closer and closer to returning to this attitude of living.  This attitude was distilled in the article of my Triathlete Magazine, where the editor was running an offroad race in Hawaii.  It was an Xterra race, where the series motto is "Live More!" This motto along with Randy's Lecture really got my wheels turning.  I have decided to be a Tigger!

So my New Years resolution is to Live More!  I will put down the cell phone and remote and be focused on my girls.  I will push my self harder in workouts to reach health goals more quickly and I will use food as fuel more than pleasure which will not only add years to my life, but life to my years.  I will Live More:  I will have More Fun!  I will have More Adventures!  I will have More Love!  I will Give More!  I will Try More!  And my sincere wish is that you will join me!

To that End I had a good week!

Lost: 1 pound  Total Down:  63 #
Swim:  2.3 miles
Walk:  4.3 miles
Total:  6.6 miles
Total Miles Journey: 358 miles

2013 A Look Back - Look Out 2014

I know, I know, post like these should come on the last day of the year, and today's post should look into the future, but I would sick yesterday.

2013, Wow! This was a great year.  I feel better about myself and life than I have is many years.  Thanks to Health Choice offering the Weight Loss Surgery pilot I am now on a great non-surgical journey.  I have lost a total of 68# this year.  I exercised a lot this summer and consistently this fall.  I finished the Tulsa Run 5k meeting my goal of a sub 50 minute finish. If I can do that again this year and next I will be very close to what I would consider myself at a good Ironman weight.

I am now teaching my favorite subject at a great school with great students and an awesome administrative staff and fellow teachers, including my awesome wife. The oldest daughter also attends this school.  I also have dropped my daily commute from 70 minutes a day to 16 minutes a day.  Hello work out time!!!

My Goals for this year are to complete the Woolaroc Run (8K) and if I can handle an upright bike the Owasso Sprint Triathlon.  This year I am putting more emphasis on the food.  I am starting by limiting my sugar and increase fruit and vegetable consumption.  I am going to be phasing out diet soda.  Cold turkey just hurt too much.  Hopefully I will be diet soda free by spring break.  I my big goal this year is to track everything that goes into my mouth.  Looking back on this year, the times I did the best were the times I was tracking religiously.  It is the one thing that I think makes the biggest difference for me.  Knowing I ate a little too much, makes me stay on the bike longer or swim a few extra laps.  2014 is going to rock!!!!!

My wife is making her dreams happen.  She has had two books published (and another with the editor and the last one is about 1/3 done) with Buzz Books, USA, three stories published in Chicken Soup for the Soul, writes monthly articles for Metro Family News, and biweekly articles for the Examiner Enterprise and is a regular guest on Fox23 Great Day Green Country.  On top of all of that she was co-producer of Listen To Your Mother - OKC, and btw I was a mother this year at Listen To Your Mother - NWA as well.

The older daughter has work extremely hard and will be taking a trip to Washington DC for Spring Break.  She is in the Orchestra at school playing the Cello.  Is making straight A's  and is really becoming quite the writer and artist as well.  She has submitted a few stories to Chicken Soup as well some that we thought were better than Heather's submissions that were chosen.  Just goes to show you how fickled the  publishing world can be.  2013 also saw the older daughter win her first golf trophy.  She placed 2nd in her age division at the city golf tournament. If I kept track correctly she actually tied for 1st.  She got to practice with the golf team last year, but will actually get to go to tournaments this year, and while at NWA LPGA tournament she got a glove from her fav golfer Kristina Kim.

The younger daughter this year was invited to be a part of the Duke University Talent search. Probably because she only missed 2 questions on her state math test.  She was also in beast mode this year. She completed her 5k with the Girls Rock and Run program and completed the Fit Kids Triathlon in Owasso.  She played up on 4th grade basketball team and then played 10U softball this year.  Started pitching a little and is now pitching a lot because she will be playing for the Oklahoma Bedlam in 2014.

So as you can see 2013 was an awesome year for the Davises.  We can't wait to see what 2014 has in store for us!!!!!

My Favorite Things - A Post for My Most Favorite Thing!

As some of you may know, I am married to a fairly well known blogger that once made a appearance on the Dr. Oz show because of the wisdom of her publisher to change the title of her series of books.  The original title was going to be Amateur Mom vs Professional Kids  but when you Google search amateur mom some not very nice thing come up, and while my wife is known for oversharing, she does not go THAT far.

Anyways, Minivan Momma is doing a series called "My Favorite Things."  She has asked some of her favorite bloggers to share some of their favorite things, and since I sleep with her she considers me one of her favorite things/bloggers.  So here's my FAVORITE THINGS....

Sports, all sports and not really just sports, competition, games etc.  I will watch bowling or darts on TV because there is a competition and I just have to see who wins. I love board games and card games, but most of all, I love to play golf.  It is the ultimate competition with yourself.  That little white ball just sits there daring you to hit it where you want it to go, and on top of that you get to play with good friends or many times strangers that become good friends after a few hours together on that spoiled walk.  It is also a way I commune with nature.  I love the variety of the courses and the unique challenges each brings. I especially love that is gives me a chance to share this love with a couple of my other favorite things below.


                                


I also love basketball.  Watching, playing, it doesn't matter.  It doesn't matter if it is Fredrick State v Al's Beauty College if there is a  ball and two hoops at the end of a lined floor I will watch.  I love the athleticism, the teamwork it takes to do well, the creativity in defenses and offense that coach dream up.  I love that a good game plan can level the playing field.  When playing, I love the contact.  I love the gamesmanship, the chess match of moves and passes that one can make to throw the defense off.  I looooooove a good passing team.  There is no more fun to be had then playing with a good passer or more fun to be had than to watch a team that passes well.  Because of that love I have put pics of a few the the greats!

  



I looooooove baseball and now softball (I probably actually enjoy watching softball a little more, it is a much faster paced game) the smell of the grass, the crack (ping) of the bat, the slap of a ball hitting a leather glove. The power, the finesse, the speed, the nuance of the game, how a simple thing like hitting the cut-off can make or break a game, seeing an outfielder steal a homer or take away a hit in the gap or a first baseman digging one out of the dirt or a pitcher completely fooling a batter with change up. See a team perfectly execute the hidden ball trick. It's all good! And of all baseball and softball there are two things I love the most!

My Texas Rangers

Watching my girls play!

           


A few of my other favorite physical endeavors include racquetball, biking and swimming.  I am also running some, but I can't say that it is my favorite.

I love my job.  I get to teach the future citizens of this planet how to be effective, creative, critical thinkers that will hopefully be inspired to change the world in which we live.  I get to share the wonders of our world with a new generation of its citizens!

Now we come to my most favorite things of all:


                        

My girls!  I love that Briley is so silly and happy.  I love that she loves to be active. She runs, she flips, she swims, she throws, she has to be moving at all times.  She is so tender hearted, she loves to help others and will sacrifice her needs to help others.  Hadley is also a creative kind heart.  She writes wonderful stories, draws beautiful pictures and looks for ways she can make to world a better place for humans and animals alike.

My beautiful, smart, strong, creative, loving, funny wife.  I am married to  the most awesomest woman on the planet ya'll.  She is raising our daughters to be caring, independent thinkers.  She loves with her whole being, makes me laugh on a daily, if not, hourly basis. Is tender when she needs to be and tough as nails if she has to be.  I promise that I would not be the man I am without her.  To quote a sappy mid nineties movie, "she completes me!"  She my friends IS my most favorite thing of all.

Attitude and Effort - Attitude and Effort - Attitude and Effort

There is a quote that I may have even mentioned here before that I tell my students all the time:

"The only thing that you can truly control in your life is your Attitude and your Effort."

                                                                                                             Unknown

I say unknown but I think that was a Brian Davis original.  It may not be, but I have been saying to so long that I claim it now.  It has been my mantra today.  I have not been doing a good job controlling either of these.  I have not been consistently tracking my food intake, therefore I am sure I have overeaten.  I know this because I have gained weight this past month.  Too Much Weight!  I have not exercised consistently.  I know this because I feel like crap.

In the past this is where I would have thrown my hands up and said, "It's Too Hard!" or "I just don't have time! or "I'm too tired." or "I'll never be able to do this!", but now, now I have a steely resolve.  I have you to whom I am accountable.  I will persevere this time.  I will never go back. This morning I got up and swam before school.  I ate a healthy breakfast.  I have track my food today to the bite and for me this is the key I am finding out.(My preferred tracking method is MyFitnessPal) I have had more than half of my water intake for the day, and I already feel better.  Mentally! and Physically!  I will vow to keep this up throughout the next 24 hour, the next day and this week and this Year and next year and every year beyond that.  I will succeed!

I will control my ATTITUDE and my EFFORT!


My Runkeeper messed up this week so no knew stats!  I think i have it figured out.   I am currently 65 pounds down from my heaviest known weight as of this week.


 

Thanksgiving Strategically! Nov. 30 Check In

I have not participated in the 30 days of Thankfulness, but have been humbled by the outpouring of thankfulness I have witnessed this month.  So I will take this opportunity to tell you what I'm Thankful for:

I get to wake up next to my best friend everyday and partake of her beauty and humor.  I am thankful she keeps me grounded and sane.  I have two smart, beautiful, caring and talented girls.  I am thankful I get to watch them grow and learn everyday.  I get to help mold the world we live in.  I am thankful for a job that is rewarding and challenging.  There is never a dull moment when teaching 12 and 13 year olds how to become effective citizens of the World in which we live.   I am thankful for a roof over my head and the fact that God has provided so much that I have to battle with my weight.  I am thankful for the support and encouragement I have received from family, friends and new friends I have encountered on the journey of a life time.

Now about my week!!!

I went into this week with two goals.  Do at least one day of training in each of the Tri disciplines (done) and not gain any more weight (done).   I actually lost 3 pounds this week.  I did this by avoiding the kitchen and finally following the rules that got me this far.  On the sweets three bites of something I really wanted.  Chew, chew, Chew - eating much slower allowed me to get by with one plate of turkey and dressing/3 bites of mashed potatoes/3 bites of Granny Collins casserole and stayed away from the rolls!!! and drink lots of water.  Follow that up with playing with the kids in the yard and there you have it:  3 pound weight loss Thanksgiving Week.  Now I must keep these strategies going through December.  

December goal:  Lose 10 pounds and start training for the Shamrock the Ville in March -  Who's in with me!!!!!!

Kona - Harriett Anderson - Weekly Checkin

Back on track this week.  I lost 1 lb but that is after a gain of 5 lbs the week and a half before.  Walking, Swimming and catching a lot of softball pitching has helped immensely.  I feel soooo much better mentally and physically.

I also got a real boost also tonight.  I just watched the NBC coverage of the Kona Ironman.  I love watching the last 2 hours of the finish line coverage.  This year I teared up at several of them.  The dad who lost a daughter at Sandy Hook and his positive attitude on life along with watching Harriett Anderson (77 years old) finish 21st Ironman. Yes you read that correctly 21!

I am spurred on to push myself on to the next phase of my training.  I will be doing the St. Paddy's Day Run in Bartlesville with a goal of sub 45 min.  I will also complete the Woolaroc Run this year and the Tulsa Tri Clubs Sprint Triathlon.  I can't wait for these events.
Thank you Harriett for the extra Motivation!!!!!!