Adapting to New Training Conditions

basic equipment that results in a great burn

When I am at home I have a regimented program that I use to keep track of my fitness activity and results.  I keep a daily log recording the number of minutes and type of training I do, I weigh in every Saturday and I track my protein, fat and carbohydrate intake.

free pass on line

fun to ride

a mega gym

The program can be followed while I travel however it is very difficult to consistently integrate the two. My recipe for touring is to put an impetus on my reason for being away from home, spiced with a dash of pleasure; a good meal, drinks and movies.  I typically allow myself to drop my fitness regiment and rely on my healthy habits to keep me on track. 

simple and free

beautiful beach

 60 days on the road has presented a number of challenges and required adaptations regarding my daily training regiment and weight control mechanisms.  

·         Making time:  Staying busy with everything but physical movement results in fewer burned calories.

·         Finding the right equipment: living in unfamiliar surroundings presents the challenge of locating recognizable apparatus to use for achieving my normal training results and regiment.

·         Getting the best results in the shortest amount of time:  I need to be flexible if I am going to get the most out of the time, space and gear I have available to me.

·         Breaking Barriers: Being open minded to new and different equipment and routines and turning a foreign situation into an effective, productive, enjoyable experience.

stadiums are great places to walk and have fun

I have found that long term travel with the changing of locations every two or three days presents the greatest challenge in controlling my food intake and accomplishing any type of fitness goals.

The first 30 days of this trip I only managed an average of 30 minutes per week of training.  The results were not pretty; I gained a whopping 7kg./15.4lb and ballooned out of a pair of my favorite shorts.

spanking some balls is fun and cheap

 PIAF

I am unwilling to accept the negative growth and results of my poor choices over the last month.  There are no short cuts and dropping gains is always slower than putting them on.  Getting started after a long layoff requires as much follow through as intent.  The only axiom for me regarding weight control is all movement is good movement and the journey begins with the first step.   

Plan: This is as simple as setting a guideline on the number of minutes or target muscle groups I want to train each day. 

Intention: Commit to achieving my immediate training goal.

Action: Think outside of the box, keep an eye on the prize and take the steps required to reach training objective set out by the plan.  While traveling this could be a few laps around the rest area, or a mall walk, a swim in the hotel pool, or meandering the local neighborhood for 30 minutes in each direction.

Follow through:  Movement is the physical element in health and fitness.  Self control and making the smart food choices is the mental part of the game plan.   Exercise and diet are equally important; the intestinal fortitude to follow the plan and reach the goal is where success is found.

I recommitted myself to a healthy lifestyle a week ago and in that time I have had fun, explored new areas and willed myself to stay on track more than the previous 30 days combined.  Here are a few ways I have burned calories.

·         Went on line and got a free 3 day gym pass to a mega gym and used it.

·         Went to the movies in a super mall and did a mall walk

·         Stopped at a road side park and used the fitness trail

·         Went to the beach and did a long beach walk

·         Walked to the baseball stadium and did a couple of laps around the stadium while I watched the game

·         Strolled through a neighborhood near my motel

·         Parked my car as far away from the store entrance as possible

·         Opted out of the shuttle bus and walked to my terminal.

·         went to the driving range and hit a bucket of balls

·         Focused on eating smart and cut back on my alcohol intake by 90%

public fitness trail

stop the car

All so simple and effective

At the end of the day success and failure in health and fitness is an individual sport.  I get frustrated with the yo-yoing; every gain is a loss and with every loss there is a victory.  Success all comes down to intention, the way is found in many techniques and the will is only from within.  

Go have some fun,

Clearwater beach

Geo

 

Transition Step 1



putting my toe to the sand

Change typically accompanies unexpected and unplanned challenges and pleasure.  It has been proven that during times of transformation our minds are more alert and creativity comes more easily.  Life altering paths also have the tendency to create a great deal of stress and instigate fright, flight and fight mechanisms. Change is a challenge for even the strongest of spirits.

 Dom and Tingyu enjoying the sun

My wife and I are following a 10 year plan and over the last 5 years we have gradually begun making the mental transition to American.   Our first step was taking Popee to the states for four months.  This trip was an opportunity for me to introduce him to the country.  Our first month was spent in northern California; from there we stayed in the Colorado Rockies.  After a month of mountain life we made a road trip down to Florida, up to Maine, north to Niagara Falls and west to Kansas City for a family visit and then finished off the trip with a hard push through the Dakotas and into Yellowstone and Washington State before returning south to San Francisco for our departure to Thailand. We clocked just over 15,000 miles on our drive and for the most part our mission was accomplished; Popee was exposed to the beauty America has to offer and the first step of our plan had been taken.

Savannah Ga. board walk

The following year, Popee, Phoenix, Donya and I returned and during the 30 days we were here we went to Southern California, the Rockies and to visited the Family in Kansas City.  D and I were not only vacationing we were also looking for possible homesteads.  After this trip D was leaning towards KC because it is where our family is and I was pro Colorado because it is beautiful and where family is.

following the sun

Our next step was to send Popee to KC for a full summer holiday with his cousins. There was a dual purpose in this move.  Many of our associates send their children abroad to boarding schools; Donya and I agreed that if Popee wanted to stay with his cousins we would consider that as an alternative plan. The boy had a great summer but was not willing to live without us in KC.

branching out

Realizing that time was of the essence Donya and I visited the east coast; NYC, NJ, VA, Florida and Kansas City and Colorado that autumn with the intent of locating our new base of operation. Our parameters became clear; good schools with smaller class sizes in or near a large population base.

Phoenix in the Hua Hin garden

2012 arrived and we were now only 8 months away from seeing a 120 month plan come together.  The final leg had arrived and we had not decided where we would root.  Breaking away from Samui was not going to be easy, our other business projects were beginning to gain momentum and we were comfortable.

leaving home

Experience has taught me that discomfort can results in great beginnings.  I booked my flights to the States with the intent that I would not return without locating our new homestead.  I searched each area with a critical eye and I tried to imagine what daily living would be for an 8 and 14 yr old boy.  At times I honestly felt like I was out of my depth; I am 56 yrs old, how can I comprehend what it is to be an 8yr old in 2012?    I released myself to faith and was led to Hilton Head Island in South Carolina where the schools are great, the beaches are long and white, the sun shines bright and the pace moves slow; it feels like a Fat Man’s Paradise.

New Beginnings

Operating in two continents at the same time presents more questions than answers and requires undoubting faith and responsible, pragmatic behavior. 

                                             papa was a rolling stone

Walking in faith lead me to Hilton Head Island, 3,665 days has ticked down to a matter of hours. There is no way to stop time, it keeps moving even when we don’t.  When we know what we want, living in faith will lead us to all our dreams.

Reality is what we choose to believe and nothing happens without movement.  Dream big dreams; roll up your sleeves, put on your boots, thank God for life and go make something happen.  It is your life, own it.  

Dom and Ting

Go have some fun,

Geo

   

Pigeon Holed

Enjoying the sun at Hilton Head Island South Carolina

A person’s mental well being is equally important as the physical well being and over the last month I have been put through a considerable amount of undue stress which has affected my physical fitness and weight control.

The Old Grey Mare ain’t What She Used to Be

Moving to a country that is automated, credit generated and in financial decline presents issues that I did not anticipate. 

“Caveat Emptor” is no longer the way business is done in America.  The United States has become the poster child for litigious societies and “Seller Beware” is the situation today.  This may seem innocuous and simply suggest consumer protection however fear of loss is a very negative mind set to begin any business relationship and is not a healthy attitude. 

found this on Hilton Head but no idea of it's name, I call it pretty

Coming Home

I was attempting to have a friendly conversation with a rental agent and was unable to get a simple answer to a simple question such as; do many children live here?  This situation was repeated from coast to coast.  The fear of being sued for discrimination has paralyzed and traumatized the business community.

I have the benefit of nearly 20 years of self employment history in the United States and 16 years of business in S.E. Asia to surmise my opinion. 

The last 30 days in the USA has been a shocking revelation of how government has affected business in the United States.  The restraints put upon the sellers as to what they can and cannot say has reached the point of absurd. Fear has resulted in an effort to remove the human element consequently the process has become automated.   The human discretionary factor has been superseded by an automated scoring system.   Creative thinking which the basis of American business was is now the exception rather than the norm.

It is all good

The Pigeon Hole

I arrived in the USA with monies in hand and in the bank ready to do business yet for many of the agents I have met, international credit lines and currencies mean nothing.  In a credit driven society with an automated scoring system, cash is no longer king.  The impetus for most of the representatives I have spoken with has been trying to pigeon hole my lifestyle into something they can comprehend.

I have owned and operated a rental business in Asia for nearly a decade.   My residents originated from Europe, Australia, the USA and different parts of Asia.  When I interviewed prospective tenants  my only concern was their ability to commit to a long term contract and pay the deposits and rents I required.  If they had the funds and I felt I would enjoy their pool side company; I’d rent to them.  This system worked for me.  My hands were not tied by any legal issues preventing me from doing straight business. I could tell them what behavior I allowed and did not allow on my property.  I had the right to discriminate; and I did.  The rental terms were simple; pay as agreed or move.   In all the years I had tenants I only had two occasions where I asked people to leave and they left before absorbing their deposits.

Global Society

Most Americans I know are smart, clever, quick witted, hard working and self employed.  The simple minded Americans I have met seem to believe that credit and monies originated outside of the USA is not worthy of recognition within the States.  I find this naive and arrogant; these people simply do not understand what has happened to the value of the Green Back.  I have watched the US Dollar devalue against the Canadian Dollar, Australian Dollar, South African Rand, The Euro, the British Pound, and the Thai Baht, the Indian Rupee and the Indonesian Rupiah.

Wise Investors know they can get a better return in the Asian money market than in the USA; I can get a minimum of 3% on 18 mo deposits in Thailand; a 5 yr deposit in the USA won’t pay 1%.  The United States financial system is huge which makes its problems all the greater.  

In my opinion it is time for Americans to open their minds to alternative international life choice and embrace the value of cash; it’s all good and it all spends.  Look beyond the borders, invest globally and spend locally.

 Buyer Beware

Do not fall for all the propaganda promoting a paperless society.  There are alternative motives at play when paper currency is no longer looked at as an acceptable negotiable instrument.  The entities promoting Plastic cards as a way of tracking and doing your business are the true forces of evil.

Go have some fun,

taking a break on Virginia Beach boardwalk

Geo

hotovost je král

Field of Dreams

the untouchables

I left Thailand a couple of weeks ago and it feels like I have been going  nonstop since arriving in LA.;  14 hour days have become normal and in the process my perception has blurred. Once again I am so focused I cannot see.

time to stop and smell the roses

Memorial weekend in the USA has arrived and I have made the conscious decision to take a break with my son who lives just outside of Savannah Ga.  He lives on a military base and his home is next to a football field and a base ball park. I took a stroll to get a feel of the Georgia air and found myself standing at the fence of the gridiron. The grass was cut and green.  The spectator stands flanked the left and right and the uprights butted each end zone the scene touched my emotions and brought back many memories. 

lifes memories are spun like web

The arena was empty and the only person present was me and for a moment in my mind’s eye the stands filled with cajoling fans; parents and students all rooting for the home team.  The cheer leaders danced and shook their pomp pomes and for an instant I was there; 40 some years earlier and I feeling the thrill of being number 74. I was wearing the armor that made me invincible; cleats, over sized shoulder pads, hip, knee and thigh pads,  I was ready for war and ready to lose and I remembered what it was to be a gladiator.

The strong survive

Still feeling a bit high and walking with pep in my step I strolled over to the baseball diamond.  The dug outs were empty but the wood planks were waiting to be warmed. The bases were set, the batters plate was white and the batter’s box was in need of painting.  I took my place by the plate and surveyed the field; everyone was present; the pitcher was on the mound, the fielders were in making noise and the bases were empty.  I was at the plate, waiting to spank the white orbital sphere of glory. Oh what a feeling, I was 12 yrs old and able to do whatever physical feat I challenged my body to do.

 The Quandary.

 Why after knowing the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat do I allow myself to self destruct?

A binge

I am a rational man yet my behavior far too often is irrational and being emotionally connected to food is not healthy; eating comforts me and leads to binging.

Binging undoes all the good work I have done and simply puts me back where I started.  When I binge I am a dog chasing its tail. During the day I make all the right moves, train, control my portions, make smart choices and am on the path to progress only to side step with poor choices and lose control of all rational thinking in the evening hours; eat and drink until I cannot ingest another bite or sip.  The binge undoes all my good work and effort. 

on the rocks

A new day begins, I look at the fallout from the night before and I feel disgust, shame, confused and betrayed.  I am bewildered, why, why, why, how, how, how?  How can I allow myself to lose control?  Why after more than a decade of working on myself do I still struggle with my behavior?  I know what is good and right yet I continue to make false choices.

Can start fresh

The Reprieve

Every new dawn offers new opportunities to work the program and recommit to doing the things I should and staying away from doing the things I shouldn’t.  Each day offers the resolve to be a champion of my own cause and most days I am on point and some days I am not.  In the end as long as I stay aware of my strengths and weaknesses the good days will outnumber the bad and progress will be made.

the good days begin to multiply

Go have some fun

Geo.

fare scelte intelligenti

Fat Man in Paradise Turns One

Empire state building

Twelve years ago I decided I would write my great novel.  I enrolled in an on line writing course and learned all about writing:

1.      Query letter

2.      Synopsis

3.      Word Count

4.      Genre 

5.      Character development

Most importantly I learned

1.      To never send my writings to be reviewed as an attachment,

2.      To make sure all scripts were double spaced

3.      That I must use spell check

4.      Follow the rules of grammar.

There are a few comical aspects to the outcome of my writing course experience:

Jakarta Post article archives from March, 2001 | AccessMyLibrary

1.      I signed up for the course after four years of being published as a weekly children’s health feature for the Jakarta post; “Dr. Donya’s Kid’s Health Corner” Donya would compose the article and I would rewrite them in layman terms and edit them to meet the Newspapers requirements. 

2.      I did not know that the letter I wrote to the Jakarta Post to get published was called a “query”

3.      After taking the course and having my writing critiqued I felt like I was paying to relive 7^th grade English; not a fun time for me.

All my attempts to write my great novel have been complete failures that are painful for even me to read.  I must confess, accepting I am not capable of writing a book worth reading is a tough lesson to learn and a hard fact to swallow. 

FMIP Ghost Writer Chuck

I stopped writing for quite awhile even stopped writing in my journal but one day a good friend who loves to banter suggested that we work together.  He told me I had something worth saying and that he would publish my blog.  My ego got the better of me and in the case of a “Fat Man in Paradise” history has written itself.   Chuck introduced FMIP 52 weeks ago and during this period we have written and published 78 blogs.

The Fat Man has an international readership from countries such as Chili, Brazil, Mexico, and the Philippines, USA, Germany, India, Canada and Indonesia. The top three blogs, year to date:

1.      “Why” posted in July 2011

2.      “I am so focused I do not see” Feb. 2012

3.      “Immortality isn’t easy” Jan 2012

13 yrs flys by popee age 9 mo's

When I share with others that I write a blog I am often times asked if I get paid for it or if I make money from it.  I have written around 60,000 words accumulated in blocks of 700 at a rate of one to two times per week for the last 52 weeks.   I feel proud, I feel accomplished and I feel exposed.  For me the blog is an open journal for public consumption. I write about the issues that I am dealing with in my quest to ideal mental, physical, emotional, spiritual and financial health and fitness.  The Blog is my therapy it allows me to focus on me and hear my body speak. Fat Man In Paradise brings balance to my life and I receive peace and calm from writing it.  To be honest the rewards I receive from exposing myself the way I have over the last year are better than any pay check I could imagine. 

I am only unique in who I am but not in the way I think or live. Writing is great medicine, journaling allows for complete honesty and honesty is a corner stone to success. let’s everyone make this coming year the year of truth;  if you are not keeping  journal begin and if you are continue to do so. Give yourself new material to write about and do something new and different each week even if it means traveling a different route to your neighborhood store, or going to a new market, reading a new book or breaking away from old habits.  You will know you are succeeding when you experience some discomfort from change. Just remember; change is good.

 Go have some fun.

Geo

verandering is goed