Greetings, I am not sure if anyone even reads these updates but I post them anyway. Started my new job this month, was such an odd thing going from Help Desk to Data Security but VERY NICE. People in my department are great, the boss is great, really enjoying learning alot of new stuff that I haven't done before. The company is fantastic, I work for Bayer (yeah the aspirin people) the benefits there are freaking amazing, and part of the prescription drug program is that any Bayer drugs are covered to 100% so no co-pay on drugs the company makes. But so far so good, I have been there for 2 weeks and just keep trying to absorb as much as possible, I think I might have to map out where I live so I can forget that info and make room for more learning :)
Weight Loss Program:
I have been doing my 5k a Day weight loss program. :) I jog/run 5k every dammed day. Some days I slow down some and go a little longer but typically I go around 38-42 minutes for a 5k which for me is dammed fast but not so much perhaps for someone who really runs alot. I would like to get around a 35 minute 5k on a regular basis and I keep kinda trimming a little time here and there but haven't gotten there yet. The main idea is to just do it EVERY DAY, NO EXCUSES! WEIGHT CHECK 270.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Sidebar: Guillain Barre Syndrome
Just wanted to make sure that if someone did a google search for my blog that it would hit on some items and some things about me that make for some interesting reading.
About 9 years ago I had Guillian Barre Syndrome, it's a really long story here is a link to an article detailing what happens with the syndrome. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/gbs/gbs.htm
My case it started with tingling in my feet and ended up with me in ICU having to have immuniglobin therapy so I could walk again, followed by a month or so of physical therapy. I was in the hospital a total of 27 days going from riding my bike to not being able to lift a cup of water was dammed scary. While I was in the hospital the first couple weeks I couldn't stand up, lift my arms/legs, feel my fingers/toes, was a crazy and very scary thing. The illness effects are paralysis, starting in extremities and moving into the chest, face, possibly lungs, so it can certainly get to be more severe than my case, I never had to go on the ventilator and had respitory therapists working with me while I was in the hospital to help. I understand that my being young and catching it early helped a great deal from having more lingering effects.
The odds of it coming back are very slim and if it did, the effects would likely be no where near the original lapse of it. I think i get tired more easily because of it still but that isn't a medical fact. There are some older people who get this illness and die from it due to the fact that it effects the muscles that contract and expand the lungs. When I was in ICU they told me that as they wheeled a ventilator into my room in case that happened. As you can tell if you know me or if you read my blog I have been walking/jogging/etc. My balance isn't perfect but typically I can jog without tripping over myself. If anyone wants to help the cause please give to the Guillian Barre Foundation http://gbs-cidp.org/ They are a great educational and support resource for this illness.
I know when I had this syndrome I was REALLY depressed a great deal not knowing what the future held and the folks at the hospital offered to have a past GBS patient come in and speak with me to reassure me that things would be alright, and that never materialized, so if you know someone who has this illness and has questions for someone who has been there please feel free to pass along my email address or email me their phone number/hospital info and I will be glad to give them a call or if they are in the Pittsburgh area, stop in and visit.
About 9 years ago I had Guillian Barre Syndrome, it's a really long story here is a link to an article detailing what happens with the syndrome. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/gbs/gbs.htm
My case it started with tingling in my feet and ended up with me in ICU having to have immuniglobin therapy so I could walk again, followed by a month or so of physical therapy. I was in the hospital a total of 27 days going from riding my bike to not being able to lift a cup of water was dammed scary. While I was in the hospital the first couple weeks I couldn't stand up, lift my arms/legs, feel my fingers/toes, was a crazy and very scary thing. The illness effects are paralysis, starting in extremities and moving into the chest, face, possibly lungs, so it can certainly get to be more severe than my case, I never had to go on the ventilator and had respitory therapists working with me while I was in the hospital to help. I understand that my being young and catching it early helped a great deal from having more lingering effects.
The odds of it coming back are very slim and if it did, the effects would likely be no where near the original lapse of it. I think i get tired more easily because of it still but that isn't a medical fact. There are some older people who get this illness and die from it due to the fact that it effects the muscles that contract and expand the lungs. When I was in ICU they told me that as they wheeled a ventilator into my room in case that happened. As you can tell if you know me or if you read my blog I have been walking/jogging/etc. My balance isn't perfect but typically I can jog without tripping over myself. If anyone wants to help the cause please give to the Guillian Barre Foundation http://gbs-cidp.org/ They are a great educational and support resource for this illness.
I know when I had this syndrome I was REALLY depressed a great deal not knowing what the future held and the folks at the hospital offered to have a past GBS patient come in and speak with me to reassure me that things would be alright, and that never materialized, so if you know someone who has this illness and has questions for someone who has been there please feel free to pass along my email address or email me their phone number/hospital info and I will be glad to give them a call or if they are in the Pittsburgh area, stop in and visit.
March Update WTF HAVE I BEEN! :)
Ok figured it was about time to update this thing since i have a link in some of my signature files. DAMMIT it is tough loosing weight. If there was a weight loss grammy award I would have to thank my mother for EVERYTHING, including birthing me but for support in my weight loss too. I was having the HARDEST time keeping on my excersize program and put a decent amount of weight back on from where I was. Finally i am back to 275 so down a pound from my last weigh in!
My parents went out and got me a powered treadmill! So now it is smack in the middle of my living room and it is REAL hard to make an excuse not to go out and run when the treadmill is RIGHT THERE. I am also trying to do some weight lifting but I have a 30 pound dumbell and 2 10 pounders, not really alot of weight for BUILDING muscle but it has done ok for maintaining. Well....mom went out and bought me a weight bench, full set of plates and a curl bar! So, watch out ARHHHNAOLD!! :) No delusions of grandure really just hoping to continue my weight loss and build some muscle up.
On the personal front, I start my new job on the 28th of March! Leaving my post at Dick's Sporting Goods and moving out of Help Desk and into Data Security at a new company.
SUPPORT:
Anyone that is looking for support, needs some encouragement or just wants someone to go walk with them, if you are out in the Robinson Township area or willing to come out to the Montour Trail to do some walking I have no issues with walking with ya. Often if I am walking and not jogging I am openly carrying my firearm so don't be shocked by that! DROP ME AN EMAIL! EGENLAUF@MSN.COM
My parents went out and got me a powered treadmill! So now it is smack in the middle of my living room and it is REAL hard to make an excuse not to go out and run when the treadmill is RIGHT THERE. I am also trying to do some weight lifting but I have a 30 pound dumbell and 2 10 pounders, not really alot of weight for BUILDING muscle but it has done ok for maintaining. Well....mom went out and bought me a weight bench, full set of plates and a curl bar! So, watch out ARHHHNAOLD!! :) No delusions of grandure really just hoping to continue my weight loss and build some muscle up.
On the personal front, I start my new job on the 28th of March! Leaving my post at Dick's Sporting Goods and moving out of Help Desk and into Data Security at a new company.
SUPPORT:
Anyone that is looking for support, needs some encouragement or just wants someone to go walk with them, if you are out in the Robinson Township area or willing to come out to the Montour Trail to do some walking I have no issues with walking with ya. Often if I am walking and not jogging I am openly carrying my firearm so don't be shocked by that! DROP ME AN EMAIL! EGENLAUF@MSN.COM
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
HAPPY 2008
Well time for the new year and trying to remember to put 2008 when I am filling out things with dates in them! I am gonna cross-post my new years resolutions here and on the pafoa.com site since I don't wanna retype. 2007 has been BRUTAL for me, and I am sure 2008 will bring many challenges and rewards. The end of 2007 was hard on my diet, new medication, new challenges, so hopefully I can get back on track in 2008!
1: Lose weight (Goes without saying but I have to remind myself!)
2: Reinvent myself (Too often we define ourselves by other people or our jobs, I resolve to be more ME and less everyone else's vision of what I should be)
3: Find style (Like most guys I have a HORRID sense of style, I am resolute in learning and applying style)
1: Lose weight (Goes without saying but I have to remind myself!)
2: Reinvent myself (Too often we define ourselves by other people or our jobs, I resolve to be more ME and less everyone else's vision of what I should be)
3: Find style (Like most guys I have a HORRID sense of style, I am resolute in learning and applying style)
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Santaclease the vato with the bony knees....
Well Santa is come and gone. Got lots of clothes (smaller sizes) , some ammo for my guns, some money. Going out tomorrow and gonna probably get a new leather jacket and some other stuff. Current weight 276.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Ok wanted to post my "starting point weight" and where I am at now. I started my recent changes in lifestyle (deliberatly avoiding the "DIEt" word) about 3 month ago. At that point I weighed in at a hefty 315. My current weigh is 280 for a weightloss of 35 pounds.
The good part is my employer has a health club on site that has a full set of weight machines as well as cardio equiptment. I have been going to the gym for like 2 hours during the 4 days a week I work. I typically do either upper or lower body circuit for a couple sets each and then do at least 45 mins on the treadmill. Currently I get the treadmill fired up at around 3.7mph and then gradually work it up to around 4.7 for the majority of my time.
Just got a key to my apartment community health club. It's a bit more people using it and is usually a bit more crowded, the good part about that is unlike the work one I can drag my wife with me!
Goal:
I would like to gradually work up my endurance level in cardio to be able to WALK a marathon 26.2 miles. That is a bit off, right now if I hit the outdoor trail I can usually walk around 12-13 miles, but I think I end up getting bored more than tired and with me driving down to the trail I know I have to walk back to my car to get home so I usually try an estimate on the safe side.
The good part is my employer has a health club on site that has a full set of weight machines as well as cardio equiptment. I have been going to the gym for like 2 hours during the 4 days a week I work. I typically do either upper or lower body circuit for a couple sets each and then do at least 45 mins on the treadmill. Currently I get the treadmill fired up at around 3.7mph and then gradually work it up to around 4.7 for the majority of my time.
Just got a key to my apartment community health club. It's a bit more people using it and is usually a bit more crowded, the good part about that is unlike the work one I can drag my wife with me!
Goal:
I would like to gradually work up my endurance level in cardio to be able to WALK a marathon 26.2 miles. That is a bit off, right now if I hit the outdoor trail I can usually walk around 12-13 miles, but I think I end up getting bored more than tired and with me driving down to the trail I know I have to walk back to my car to get home so I usually try an estimate on the safe side.
Welcome!
Welcome to my blog. The purpose of this blog and the stores on this blog are going to be related to my on-going hellish quest to get in better shape and lose weight. If perhaps one person who reads this finds some words of encouragement or hope, that is all I can ever ask for. For me, the idea is an inspiriation from someone at http://www.pafoa.org/ who was keeping track of their weight loss with a blog. I think it will keep me honest and encourage me to do better.
I am also a HUGE (pun intended) supporter of the 2nd Amendment and the right to keep and bear arms. So no doubt there will be items in my blog from time to time that will hit on those types of issues too.
Any questions/comments etc can email me at egenlauf@msn.com
I am also a HUGE (pun intended) supporter of the 2nd Amendment and the right to keep and bear arms. So no doubt there will be items in my blog from time to time that will hit on those types of issues too.
Any questions/comments etc can email me at egenlauf@msn.com
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Me and Shelley 2001 @ EPCOT
Smaller picture of me from 2001 @ Disney
Me and Shelley Christmas 2006
This is us in front of our old tree 12/06
Aunt Carrie and Me
July 2007 Mount Washington
My Wide Ass 2007
This is from like June 2007 wide load warning :)
