And one more thing...

I guess it's the height of arrogance to post to one's blog twice in one day, but I've just been out for a walk and I had some time to contemplate. I found myself composing things to put in this journal, so here they are.

I try to walk in the evening most every day. Usually, Cheryl goes with me, but she's working right now and her calves are too sore to walk anyway. So I was out walking by myself and I noticed a tightness in my abdomen. I was actually concerned about it until I realized that it was just my body reacting to all the new activity. This is how this works. You ask more of your body and it adapts. I know this intellectually, but it was still a little startling. I guess deep down I've been afraid that I would make all these lifestyle changes and nothing would happen. Well, it's happening.

I went to my tae kwon do class this morning. Today, my instructor had us do a rather brutal abdominal workout. I basically blew right through it. My instructor was my workout partner for this torture, and I must have impressed him because he mentioned it to the rest of the school when we were finished. Later, after I landed a couple of backfists during a sparring match against one of the green belts, he told her that it was no dishonor to have me land a backfist on her because I had even landed one on him once or twice. He went on to say I had backfisted most of the school at one time or another. I'm pretty humble about my martial arts. I don't do it for egotistical reasons. But I felt pretty good about being given a few props. By the way, we also did a pretty intense pushup workout, including the dreaded wheelbarrow pushups (someone holds your legs like the handles of a wheelbarrow and you do pushups). Once again, I did better than usual. I guess I am making progress even if it doesn't show in the mirror yet.

This is my danger. I'm impatient. I want things now. I'm worried about burnout. Not real worried because I'm having fun and that will keep me going. But, ultimately, I want results. I'm planning on doing photos again at four weeks. I will be dissappointed if there is not a visible change from my before pictures.

While I was walking, I strolled by the new tanning salon that just opened up the street. It's very classy looking inside. I thought about going in and seeing what plans were available, but I felt sort of apprehensive. I've never been in a tanning salon before and I was worried I might give myself away as a newbie or that they would look at this middle-aged guy and think, "why would this guy bother getting a tan." After a minute of thinking this, I stopped and started laughing. Omigod, I've run a marathon, I have a second degree blackbelt in tae kwon do, I've been an engineer on combat helicopters for the army, I've acted and sung in front of thousands of people, and I'm scared of a tanning salon. Geez...

Oh, and for the record, the Myoplex tropical flavors are not what I would call great. I was only going to use them on weight training days anyway and I have no plans to deviate from that idea. But Cheryl bought a whole bunch of new food items yesterday, including some veggie hot dogs that are actually pretty good (and very high in protein and low in fat). So things are coming together and I'm having fun. I'm impatient for those four week photos though!