someone i follow on twitter posted the link to this article…interesting read

A long time ago, I pinpointed Sept. 18th as the day I would start focusing on getting ready to pursue my goal of running a marathon. I’m a day late, but the Texas Longhorns took my focus yesterday, so Sunday it is. Besides, who’s really paying attention, I made this promise to myself and nobody else. :)

But here it is. Day 1 of preparing for the big day, February 20th, 2011.

Nothing really exciting happened. No ribbon cutting ceremony, no press conference, no fireworks. But I did spend alot of time looking up workout plans, motivational stories, stretching techniques, etc.

I also made a few pledges that I think will give me a great foundation in preparing.

• Giving up Alcohol - This is perhaps the most important, and admittedly difficult, initiative. Giving up alcohol (almost) completely will allow me to drop a few extra pounds as I train. Reducing how much weight my body carries will give me an advantage against my opponent (my mind, nature, the number 26). I say “Almost” because I would still like to reward myself with a beer or 2 on football Sundays, especially if I do well throughout the week in terms of eating right AND working out. But it is important to say goodbye to the “drinking till i’m drunk” mentality.
• Cooking all meals - Not only will I save alot of money, but i already shop intelligent, so if I only eat what I make, I should see the extra pounds melt off. It is also important to fuel your body properly. “You are what you eat” is more than just a catchy phrase

From what I’ve looked up, 16 weeks is solid time frame to properly prepare for the extraordinary task of running 26.2 miles in one day. If I start mid-October, I should be solidly prepared by the time February 20th rolls around.

As far as my workouts go, making sure I have a solid base entering the 16-week program is important. So a shift in focus in the weightroom is definitely in order. Here is what I plan to focus on:

• Strengthening legs and core. Running so many miles will require muscle endurance, so making sure I have strong legs going into this is very important. Injuries scare me. Core strength is important overall, so continuing the focus there couldn’t hurt.
• Running, Running, Running. At one point near the end of summer, I was running 8 miles. And then….I stopped. The goal now is to be able to run 4 miles easily by the time it’s appropriate to start. Doing so will make the long journey much better.

So there it is. A very rough plan, but there’s still time to revise it. My main goal is to continue to prepare my body for the rigors ahead, so until then im continuing my weightroom plan, which includes full body workouts and cardio work. The only changes will be more time being spent at Townlake, getting reaquainted with the trails again.

Until I start this program mid-October, I’ll probably update this blog, once or twice a week. I’ll save the day-to-day stuff for when it’s really needed. This is a difficult goal, and I plan to use everything at my disposal to help myself out. Till next time…

“I’m need to start working out”…its an epiphany that many people say as they look in the mirror, upset that they don’t look like the fake images on TV. I also like

“I want to lose X pounds by (insert date here)”…or

“I going on a diet”…

The problem with all these statements is they don’t address the REAL problem that many of us need to address if we want to drop weight…”Going on a diet” already sets you up for failure, because most diets are designed for you to fail…what the fuck kind of psycho “health expert” said it was a good idea to give up carbs, eat cookies (seriously), eat green foods only…etc…

Setting such a rigid deadline is good for the “rah rah” aspect of the beginning of a routine, but what happens when life happens and you have to miss a couple of days in the gym, and all of a sudden you put your goal in jeopardy..(Hint: you’re gonna quit)..

Instead, if you really want to see a change in your appearance, and really find success in your health goals, you need to change up your LIFESTYLE…and nope, its not easy..in fact its one of the most difficult things you will ever do. We’re talking about changing how you eat, sometimes you’re changing a diet you’ve had all your life.

So if you’ve reached this point in the post, you’re either too bored to read anything else, or you haven’t been discouraged by my scary words.(My motivation style doesn’t involve babying and cheerleading…either you want it or you don’t, I’m there for moral support but the desire and motivation is all on you) for this, I thank you, and congratulate you for having the desire to find the new and improved you…

So what’s the point of this post? everything I’ve talked about, I’ve struggled with in my journey, and mostly I’ve done it alone. I feel I have a little knowledge to share, and hopefully this reaches a few ears. Even if I only inspire one person,”I’m batting 1.000”. What follows is my “Ten Commandments”…things that have guided me on my journey, which I am still on. They’re not the holy grail of changing your lifestyle, but you can take what you like, ignore what you don’t, and apply it to your life and your journey…and without further delay…

1. “Fast Food Makes You Slow”
This is the ultimate rule. If you follow only one thing I say, please choose this one. There is NOTHING GOOD…let me repeat NOTHING GOOD…ABSOLUTELY NOTHING GOOD about fast food. Give up fast food and you’ll notice some things: you’re not tired all the time, you have more money, and it’ll start grossing you out..after a long hiatus, I gave in and ate a fast food meal, and I was lethargic and sick for the entire day afterwards…food should NEVER make you feel that way…NEVER!!!

2. “Homemade is better than restaurant made”
You can workout like a beast, but if you don’t eat right, you won’t see results. That’s a fact of life, and there’s absolutely no way around it. Sorry…cook more, eat out less. Just be wary of what ingredients you use, there’s plenty of bad food at the supermarket..buy good ingredients, eat wisely, and magical things will happen

3. “Lose The Scale”
First and Foremost, working out should be about one thing, challenging yourself. If you keep looking at the scale, you’ll feel like you’re never making progress…do this…pick a 4-6 week workout program, and weigh yourself ONLY before you start it and after you finish…plus changing things up every 6 weeks keeps your body guessing

4. “It’s ok to cheat”
Its VERY IMPORTANT to eat well.You must eat at least 3 times a day, and never stuff yourself.That’s a horrible habit to have…with that being said,have 1 cheat day a week to eat whatever you want, but ONLY honor it if you meeting weekly goals (workout 4 out of 7 days, for example).

5. “Buy Smaller Clothes”
They may not fit you right at the moment, but they’ll serve as motivation…cause if you work hard enough, there will be a moment when they fit you perfectly. :)

6. “Don’t work out for a female” (women lovers only)
My experience tells me women will drop you at the drop of a dime, regardless of what you do for them (bitter much?! Lol)..but seriously, this journey should be about you, not anyone else. Don’t do it for the admiration of the opposite sex, that will happen by itself…trust me ;)

7. “Look at yourself often”
When I first started, I took a picture of myself without a shirt and kept it within eyesight in my bathroom as motivation…its visual proof of where you started, and it’ll keep you from wanting to go back to the old you

8. “Music Is My Savior…and my cell phone is the devil”
Invest in a music player if you don’t have one. Throw on some headphones and zone out. Ignore your surroundings and think of nothing but your workout and the tunes in your head..and for the love of god put your cell phone away when you workout…working out should be personal YOU time…fuck the world…its just you and the jams

9. “Alcohol is bad…really, it is”
If you get drunk 2-3 times a week, you’re wasting your time and you should probably just quit working out..or you can cut back…sip on some wine during dinner, or limit yourself…try this: give up booze completely for 1 month…you’ll easily drop 7-10 pounds and you’ll be happy at how good you feel, you may not chug that booze with the same enthusiasm.

10. “Listen to your body”
Working out is hard, especially when you first start. But once you get a good routine going, you’ll start noticing good things. You’ll no longer need coffee to wake you up in the morning. You won’t feel sleeply after eating, cause you’re not stuffing your face.
A sound body means a sound mind, and a sound mind AND body means you’ll be able to take on and change the world with greater ease.

There it is.advice better than every wonderpill, surgery, “full proof diet” and exercise machine ever invented. Stop listening to magazines and the television, telling you to be thin (ladies) or super swole (gentlemen)…workout to feel good, and the results will show, and you’ll like what you see, and hopefully it’ll lead you to become addicted to the great lifestyle you are now living…

Good Luck :)

Something me and my coworkers made….enjoy

I’m hooked to this song…vintage UGK + 2pac pimp shit..

This post may or may not make any sense…that may be the point. I got a few thoughts I need to spew out so that I can SLEEP! So whether anyone reads this or not, the least this blog can do is serve as some therapy…

I read someones post the other day that simply said..if money wasn’t an issue, what would you do with your life? Now this question was asked in two different ways. It sparked two different conversations with two different people. I had different answers..

Instance #1… If money wasn’t an object, what would you do? Translation: if you were wealthy, and had money to do whatever you wanted, what would you create?
My answer off the top of the head, would be to create an “empire” of sports leagues, fields, programs for youth in the hood…

In my time working with youth on the east side of austin, I have seen some of the most talented young athletes, male and female. Part of this may be due to the fact that I come from south texas, pharr texas to be specific. Besides that fact, the point I wanted to make is that I don’t see enough being done about this talent, and I would contribute my “endless funds” towards programs that emphasize academic and athletic growth…I am a strong believer in the power of sport…it has the ability to uplift communities and individuals, and teach valuable life lessons that are crucial in improving society…not enough is being done to improve the lives of those living by underprivileged means…sports can bring much needed attention, and therapy to their realities..

I could probably go on, but at this time, I’m getting tired…

What I drew from my conversation was where my heart was, and gave me insight on the mission I hope to embark on as life continues

Next post: Instance #2

don’t you just hate when you need to be asleep but you’re wide awake. you know you’re messing up, but there isn’t a damn thing you can do about it. a good night’s sleep is crucial to having a sound mind and body.
having a cloudy mind certainly contributes to restlessness. lord know my brain is littered with so many random thoughts right about now. good thing the internet is here to save me.
what if someone asked me right now..”good sir ram, what’s keeping you from falling asleep?” ..what would I say? hmmm…where should I begin?
first of all my ceiling fan is loud as hell,but if I turn it off it gets way to warm in my room.perhaps I have too much energy. a four mile run wasn’t enough to make me sleepy at a normal time.
sometimes I think about the people I have in my life and I feel lonely. I’ve become afraid to get too close, emotionally, with anyone. I’ve always been a loner, but it seems now it just doesn’t interest me to even keep casual connections strong.funny that I think about that at an hour when there is nothing I could possibly do about it.all my world is sleeping.
I’m regretful of things I’ve done in the past. everyone is. jay-z says it best “In order to survive gotta learn to live with regrets”.perhaps I haven’t learned to do so very well.
hopefully this doesn’t read as an long ass collection of emo thoughts…this is just some free flow writing…temporary emo feelings.I’m only human..
perhaps a great way to end this post is to finish with some positive thoughts.
I’m enthusiastically looking forward to a brighter future.things seem to be getting clearer by the day, and I know what I want to do with my life moving forward. I’m getting closer to being truly happy with myself.I want to make the best of what I’ve been blessed with, and it feels better to be happy with oneself.still got a ways to go, its a long journey, but that’s part of the fun, and a reason why goals feel so good when you accomplish them, because part of celebrating is remembering.

Good night

I don’t think I was this excited about a new artist since Kanye West came out of nowhere and hit me upside the head with “Through The Wire”. When that shit came out, I remember being taken away by how soulful and original the beat was, and how honest and witty Kanye was on that song. It spoke about a real situation that happened in his life. Dude had his mouth wired shut after a car accident and rapped about it, WHILE IT WAS STILL WIRED SHUT!! at that time, his music was a breath of fresh air, and I can still listen to it today and love it like I did the first time I heard it.

Back to the rapper at hand. J.Cole’s music gives me that same feeling as a music fan. He’s rapping on beats that you may not hear on radio right now, but that doesn’t mean the music isn’t hot. Something that happens alot in entertainment is everyone gets the “copycat” bug. If a particular artist blows up, everyone rushes to collaborate with them, use their same producers, or make songs similar to the “hottest” artist at the time. Cole hasn’t done that. To me this is a prime example of ”groundwork”.

My favorite artists have always been those that create a balance between fun music and introspective music. It’s good to have fun, and to make songs to cater to fun environments, but club jams are a dime a dozen. Anyone can make one and find some success and make a little money (and when I say “anyone” i really do mean anyone. Don’t believe me, turn on your radio). The music that I pay attention to and that I appreciate is the music I will be inclined to play 6 months from when it was first released. Music with feeling, that can provide a soundtrack to my journey through life. That’s what the art is all about, and to me, this cat is definitely on his way.

I’m sure there are more important issues that can be highlighted in relation to the World Cup, a global sporting event, in South Africa, but this story is pretty intriguing. Even though this story is about HORNS, there are still some amusing social observations one can make. Enjoy the article.

To start off my lil’ tumblr blog….a song that i’m currently hooked to…enjoy