Day #30: The Natural Tummy Tuck

I really needed Day 30!

I hadn't ran since Wednesday due to sick children & the fatigue of traveling & the demand on my services!

I woke up today like "I'm not going to let 1 more day go by where I don't work out like how I been working out"

Before jogging, I weighed myself & I was very confident that I lost weight b/c when I look in the mirror, I noticed my stomach didn't hang over my pants like last week or the week before. So needless to say, I was optimistic.

I stood on the scale and it read 236.8! WOW! In 30 days, I lost 11 pounds on my own with God's help and support from my community of friends and associates! No P90x, no insanity, no program. No diss (pun intended) but good ol will & discipline did the job. I actually exceeded my goal for what I wanted to lose this month. I wanted to lose 10 pounds! I beat that by 1 pound!

Also, I jogged a mile in 11 minutes & 36 seconds. This is my fastest time by 1 second! And I'll take it!

Today is been a good day. All the HARD WORK truly does pay off. Going to continue to watch my sugar, watch my carbs, watch my salt, eat healthy, drink plenty of water & of course, NO SODA!

Day 17: An Effortless 11:42

Day 17 challenged me in such a good way.

I didn't know if I was going to be able to run today b/c I woke up a hour late and I still needed to spend time in God's Word & pack my bags for my 6 day trip to San Antonio/Austin, TX for the SXSW festival!

Nevertheless, I have became a pro at travel b/c I pack my bags so much. It has became automatic. So I had 30 extra minutes! I went in the bedroom & told my wife "I'ma go run real quick"

I grabbed my iPod out the car and went for a mile. Usually I gradually increase in speed as I run. This time I didn't. I wasn't mentally prepared to run. I haven't ran a mile since Day 12 (Friday). It's been 5 days.

However, when I crossed the invisible finish line, I noticed that my time was 11 minutes and 42 seconds. That's my 2nd fastest time,beating Day 12 by 10 seconds. I was only 5 seconds away from smashing my fastest time!

DO YOU KNOW HOW ENCOURAGING THAT WAS!!!???

So imagined if I would have gradually increased my speed! I probably would've beat my record by at least 15 seconds. Plus I haven't ran in 5 days and did that!!!??? OH I'm excited about running Friday (Day 19). I'ma have to map out somewhere to run b/c I'll still be in San Antonio.

Well be encouraged today. Don't underestimate yourself! Go hard by faith!

Day 16: Am I Making Progress?

Day 16 was a tab bit discouraging. Not too much. Just a tab bit.

I pulled out the scale, eager to find out what my new weight was. The results were somewhat disappointing b/c my weight didn't change. I still weigh 244. That's how much I weighed last week.

I'm happy that I didn't gain weight, but not losing weight doesn't help with my 3 month, 30 lbs lost challenge.

After I weighed myself, several thoughts went through my head on how I can tighten up my regime. So many things I need to chisel in order to get "chiseled." So many things I relaxed in which at the end only took away from my goal.

So I no longer look behind, but I look ahead. This week will be a major challenge for me b/c tomorrow I leave for San Antonio, I can't cook, and I won't be back until next Tuesday. But God will give me the grace not to be overcame by the temptations of food.

Hopeful for next week.

And oh yeah, my new mixtape "For the Longest Time" drops today. So go pick that up at www.k-dramamusic.com, www.soundclick.com/kdrama, www.thebus-shop.com or www.holyculturedownload.com

peace!

Day 12: Not inspired, yet I finished

Day 12 started in a way saying "be lazy...all day"

I normally wake up somewhere in the 6AM ballpark. Today I woke up at 7:30.

I had fell asleep on the couch watching ABDC & woke up sleeping on my daughter's pink miniture pillow. My head was hurting & my body just wanted to chill.

But God reminded me that in life not to live by feelings. Feelings get you in trouble. These 2 scriptures convict me on the regular...

James 1:8 (King James Version)

⁸A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Proverbs 14:12 (New International Version)

¹² There is a way that seems right to a man,
but in the end it leads to death.

If I'm unstable, then I'll never reach my goal, though I'm satisfied at the moment. Though the way of laziness may seem right at the time, it'll lead to the death of my dream (and even possibly the physical death of me if I don't stay in shape).

So I slowly got my clothes on, stretched, pulled my iPod off the charger, grabbed my stopwatch & went for it.

As I was running, I gained inspiration. I started to notice that I was making good time. My fastest time was 11 minutes & 37 seconds. I saw my house in the distance. I looked at my stopwatch and it read 11 minutes. As "Far Away" by Lecrae played, I started running as hard as I could. However, when I crossed the finish line, it read 11 minutes and 52 seconds (16 seconds shy of beating my record).

Though I didn't beat my record, I was fine. I was just happy that I finished the race.

Finish the race today my friends. Finish the race. And in order to finish it, you must start the race and maintain pace.

Day 10: Mockery

Day 10 was funny!

For the 5th time in my working out thus far I have jogged 1 mile. Today felt good as I came out the gate. I ran with grace!

Suddenly, I was greeted by a group of teens & their ringleader taunting me as I ran. She started running in motion while laughing at me.

And I did something unexpected...

I looked directly at her for maybe 2-3 seconds & gave her the most pleasant yet serious look known to man. Her smirk slowly melted off her face.

When you are that serious about something and are in the moment of doing it, you could careless what people have to say. I kept it moving without 1 discouraging thought.

In fact, I ran my fastest time ever of 11 minutes & 37 seconds.

When homegirl mocked me, it reminded me of our lives as Christians. When you "run" for the Lord, some won't understand it and will talk about you & poke fun of you for following Jesus. When they do that, you gotta keep it moving b/c think about it; they caught a glimpse of your Light, didn't they?

Acts 17:32 (King James Version)

³²And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.

Day 9: The Results are In

Day 9 is what I needed.

I was so nervous about today. I woke up, pulled out the scale, stood on it for 15 seconds & it read...

244.4 lbs

I LOST 3 POUNDS!!! I was so happy, relieved & 30 other emotions at the same time. Throughout the week I had to battle some negative thoughts like "oh this working out stuff isn't working" & "look at your waist, you still look the same." So when I saw that I'm making progress, I started dancing in front of my wife while she was sleep!

I was encouraged on so many levels. My favorite thing I learned is just because it doesn't look like you're making progress doesn't mean you aren't "progressing."

In the mirror, I look the same. But the scale doesn't lie. If I keep shedding 3 pounds here and there, it will only be a matter of time before I lose 30 & reach my goal :)

Whatever situation you are in, as long as you are working towards how God wants that situation to look, you are making progress no matter how unchanged it looks.

Be encouraged...

Day 8: Slow

Hey Ya'll!

You may have noticed that I didn't blog on day 6 & day 7!

Well, that's because I did NOTHING on Day 6 & 7. Ahhhh, how now I regret not doing at least "something"

I jogged today for 1 mile & felt okay, but I ran slower today :( My ending time was 12 minutes and 4 seconds. Friday's ending time was 11 minutes and 46 seconds. So I was 18 seconds slower! NOOOO! Maybe it was because I added a new song to my iPod. I was grooving to "Far Away" too much :D

I regret not doing something light on day 6 & 7. I don't want to lift weights or jog a mile on the weekend to give my body rest from more intense training, but I don't want to totally not work out.

Good thing is I at least (for the most part) kept my calories & carbs in check. Only questionable thing I ate was that Penn Station sub.

Well, tomorrow is the big day. The "MOMENT OF TRUTH". We'll see if this working out stuff is paying off.

Signing off...

Bless God,
K

Day 5: Stretching to Stretch

Day 5 was hopeful!

Today was the 1st day out of 5 that I didn't fight with myself about working out. I actually was looking forward to running today. This was my 3rd time jogging this week. I alternate days between weightlifting & jogging.

Monday it took me 22 minutes to run 1 mile. Wednesday I ran a mile in 12 minutes & 53 seconds. Today has been my fastest time @ 11 minutes 46 seconds.

I learned today that preparation is very vital in your success! We can consistently do something, but if we don't prepare ourselves the way we need to before each task, then we will either consistently not reach our potential or we will consistently fail. You can try to freestyle it, but it's not as effective as when preparation is in the equation.

Before I jogged today, I looked up a few stretches because my calf muscle got tight real quick when I start running. I can run through a burning chest, but it's a burning calf that's hardest to run through for me. Today I ran significantly longer without my calves bothering me & b/c of that, I ran at a harder pace.

It's when you "stretch" yourself that you can reach things you normally couldn't reach.

I learned something practical that I can apply to my walk with Christ. As a Christian, you may "get the job done" without preparation from stuff you have learned along the way, but when you prepared, you're flesh can't compete with you! Selah.

Well, Tuesday is the big day. That's when I weigh myself & see how much I've lost. I'm nervous about the day because I hope I lost something to be proud of. So I'm trying not to have my expectations too high, but I don't want them so low that it's not worth anticipating. Gotta know the truth and adjust.

Until next time.

Day 4: R.I.P. iPod

Day 4, wow, all I can say is "Day 4"

I get to the gym to lift some weights. 2 minutes into my workout, my iPod DIES! NOOOOOOOO!!!! I'm a very musically inclined individual, so that was a hard blow! I can't jiggy to the Sport Center anchors!!!

But it was my fault b/c I didn't charge up my iPod.

But it was cool.

I know I'm just getting into the swing of things, so I'm trying to do as much as I can without injuring myself. A lot of times I see people trying to take on more than they can lift & end up hurting themselves because of it (ponder on that thought for a moment and think beyond physical). So I may look weak in the eyes of some because I'm only pushing 90 pounds, but I know that what I'm resisting will increase my strength, muscle & improve my health. I'm not working out for other people, I'm working out for myself that this vessel can glorified God in the best way possible.

So I was doing sit ups on the vertical sit up bench. I was only going to do 10, but in my head I heard "do 15" & once I got to 15, I heard in my head "do 20" So I did 20 AND I WAS HURTING AFTER THAT!!! It literally felt like a Charlie Horse in my GUT & I had to take 5 on em! After that, I used a few more machines & signed out.

At times, I didn't push hard enough while other times, I pushed it to the max. I'm hoping at some point in the midst of this working out that I'll always push to the max!

Time to eat an 100 Tilapia Fish! See ya tomorrow!

Day 3: Go Hard or Go Home!

Each day has been different so far in my working out, but Day 3 has certainly had the most diverse dynamics.

Monday it took me 22 minutes to run 1 mile. Today I ran a mile in 12 minutes & 53 seconds. I almost shaved my time in half! Can somebody say "Progress!!!???"

I definitely felt different today. I ran a little longer today before I got tired. I was feeling a lot of pain in my spine & soreness in my arms & thighes from weight lifting yesterday. After I passed the .5 mile marker (Kroger Grocery Store), I was super winded & was jogging. But I told myself "I am not stopping" & I prayed to God that he would help me finish the course. Halfway between the .5 & .75 mile marker & after "Go Hard" by Lecrae & Tedashii, I felt this certain burst of energy and I almost ran full speed until I finished!!! Yay for me!

My goals are...

1. To lose 32 pounds in 3 months (I currenly weigh 247 and would like to weigh 215)
2. To be able to rap "Air Jordan" while I jog without being tired
3. To be able to rap "Air Jordan" while I run full speed
4. TO LOSE MY GUT & HIPS!!!

So I got a ways to go, but today was a good & encouraging day!

Day #2: "How Much do I Weigh?" & "Why isn't the Gym so Friendly?"

Last night I bought a digital scale & today I dreaded weighing myself! I didn't want to know the truth! But the truth shall make you free, so I went for it.

Tick, tick, tick, tick went in my head until the digital screen read my weight! To my surprise, I wasn't as big as I thought. I still weigh 60 pounds more than I did when I graduated from high school, but I thought I weighed about 265! Thank God I'm nothing close to that.

I found absolutely NO PLEASURE in lifting weight today. However, I do find pleasure in the results it will garner. I still feel fat (LOL), but I have faith that I get into a regular routine of doing this then I will be physically fit. Not just the appearance, but the endurance I need to go as hard as I need to on stage.

I did a lot of arm exercises b/c the gym in my hood seems to have every machine possible for the arms! I really want to work on my GUT & hips and they only had 1 machine for this and a sit up bench. But hey, we'll make the most of it. My arms feel so tingly now! I know that means tomorrow I'll feel Ultra sore when I jog. But I'ma big boy, I can handle it!

Signing off until tomorrow...

Day #1 of Exercise!

Day 1 was tough! Took me 22 minutes to run 1 mile in my hood. About a fourthway through the run, my body gave me a hard time. My calf muscles & chest was BURNING! I had to “ignore my flesh” Took me 2 months to get here. Been wanting to jog since Jan. 2nd, 2010. But hey, you gotta start somewhere!

I wore a "Be Inspired to Live" shirt made by FlyBoy Classics.

A few things I noticed while jogging...

1. People watch you run

2. People will move out of your way when you jog (usually without hesitation). You will not have to move out of their way.

3. Dogs don't sense any fear when you run like that.

Stay tuned. More blogging to come.