Declaring War

This morning, standing in my bathroom for my morning weigh in, a whole host of things became clear. It’s time to wage war. War against the fat that body has acumulated over the past few years. Inactivity, over eating, laziness , injury and indifference have contributed to getting me to this spot over the last few years. Hard work, determination, focus and stubborness are going to get me back to where I wanna be.

After a rash of good results over the first few weeks of Leanness Lifestyle this past week I have hit a stumbling block. It’s been subtle and its not been catostrophic but its there. I am not going to let it get me down, or let this stalemate get me down. I am going to charge forward, renew my focus and get to work. I do not want to be this large mass of inactivity and body fat any more. I want to be lean, strong, active and energetic.

I have tried many different “tricks” over the past few years to try and guilt or force me into action. Another thing that came to me this am is I can no longer worry about how others see me, or make bets or challenges with others etc. These things in themselves are not bad, or a problem, but I need to do this for me. Yes I want to look better for Nat. Yes I want to be healthier and be around a long time for my family. But ultimately, I need to do this for me.
Today, I renew my focus, and renew the fight.

Lifetime Best Shape Goal

So yesterday I am sitting around thinking about how things are going fitness wise, and health wise and I started thinking about my birthday at the end of the year. On my last birthday, Dec 31st I was in my absolute all time worst shape. I was at my alltime heaviest, 239 lbs with a 47 inch waist! How crazy is that!?! I also got to thinking, you know with my 35th birthday being this year, maybe its time to go worst to best.

So that is my goal now. To go from my absolute worst shape to my absolute best ever inside one year. I am off to an ok start and I am down approximately 15-17 lbs depending on fluid intake etc. I have a long ways to go but I think it is doable over the next 8 and a half 9 months.
So even before the How am I going to do this question comes up, I have another more important question. My favorite personal development coach Jim Rohn says that with a strong enough Why, you can come up with any how, or defeat any obstacle. Sure my why has an aspect of pure vanity. I simply do not want to look like a beached whale any more. A pregnant one at that. But approaching my 35th birthday I have passed the invincible feelings of my youth and have now started to worry about my health. I am tired of the sick and tired feeling. The feeling lazy feeling. It’s time to get to work and be proactive.

I am currently following The Leanness Lifestyle and this will continue. I see no reason to switch from this and I am enjoying the process. I am going to use this way of approaching fitness to bring me from worst to first. I am going to have a transformation inside and out over the next 9 months, but having started litterally January 1st that I can be proud of, and one that I can continue going forward even after I reach my lifetime best shape by my 35th birthday. I am excited about the possibilities!

More

This is a continuation of the ideas expressed in my post earlier today.

I grew up playing sports. Hockey, soccer (my best sport), baseball (my
favorite), basketball, tennis etc. I was never the best player on any
field of play, although I was a good soccer player. But seldom did I get
outworked, or out desired to win. I have always been a very competitive
person. Maybe this is why I love poker so much. I need to channel that
part of me in my transformation journey that hates to lose.

I have been fighting an internal battle the past couple years between the
guy who loves the gym, and loves to exercise vs the guy who has grown up
responsibilities, tonnes of demands on his time, and a body full of
injuries. But you know what all these things are? Excuses. There are
people that work twice as much as me in a month. There are people missing
limbs or has their back fused, that still train. I have no problems, and I
have no valid excuses.

That guy buried inside of me that HATES to lose, that will outwork any
opponant has to be let out of his 10 year long nap. Anthony Robbins, one
of my favorite personal development coaches, talks about how a decision is
intstant, and once you make a TRUE DECISION, theres no going back. That’s
what I feel I did last Wednesday. Each day since then I have been gaining
momentum and feeling more confident in this decision. I feel different.

Some of you reading this have heard me talk like this before. Hell I have
made dozens of posts like this. Well, I assure you, this is in fact a
genuine, different feeling I have this time. This feels right. It feels
different. It feels like this time I am going to follow thru and get it
done regardless of what gets thrown in my way, in the form of challenges
such as, a slip up with my eating, a missed workout, long hours at work, an
injury flare up. This feels like I am standing at the bottom of a ladder,
looking up to the top where my goal is, and although its not going to be an
easy climb, I know that if I just take one step at a time, one rung at a
time, I will get where i want to go.

So as I have been talking about in my bodyblog pos…

So as I have been talking about in my bodyblog posts that I have

crossposted over here to my personal fitness blog, I have started the

Leanness Lifestyle. I made the decision last week, and basically started

last Wednesday. I have not been perfect but I have been better than I have

been in months. The past 2 or 3 days I have felt different and couldn’t

really put my finger on what it was. Walking to the kitchen to get some

ice for my water (my 4th 20 ounce bottle of the day) it hit me, “You seem

more confident”. I am walking with a purpose, instead of just walking

around like the world is against me. I really noticed the last two days

that there was something different.

When I have truly decided in the past, not half assed it, but truly decided

to transform physically, the results have come quick, and in waves. But I

haven’t been truly motivated in years. Again, I know that right now I am in

the honeymoon stage, a new program, starting out fresh. I have been

through this part dozens of times. However, it has been a decade since I

made a truly great transformation. This will be one of those times. I am

going to hammer this 12 weeks. I am going to work my butt off, take a week

off, and do it again. I will let up a little my week in vegas, but other

than that, this challenge, I guarantee it will be the best I have had since

I lost 60 lbs in 4 months after leaving university in 1995. I kept that

weight off for 5 years. I know I can do this. I will do this.

So as I have been talking about in my bodyblog pos…

So as I have been talking about in my bodyblog posts that I have

crossposted over here to my personal fitness blog, I have started the

Leanness Lifestyle. I made the decision last week, and basically started

last Wednesday. I have not been perfect but I have been better than I have

been in months. The past 2 or 3 days I have felt different and couldn’t

really put my finger on what it was. Walking to the kitchen to get some

ice for my water (my 4th 20 ounce bottle of the day) it hit me, “You seem

more confident”. I am walking with a purpose, instead of just walking

around like the world is against me. I really noticed the last two days

that there was something different.

When I have truly decided in the past, not half assed it, but truly decided

to transform physically, the results have come quick, and in waves. But I

haven’t been truly motivated in years. Again, I know that right now I am in

the honeymoon stage, a new program, starting out fresh. I have been

through this part dozens of times. However, it has been a decade since I

made a truly great transformation. This will be one of those times. I am

going to hammer this 12 weeks. I am going to work my butt off, take a week

off, and do it again. I will let up a little my week in vegas, but other

than that, this challenge, I guarantee it will be the best I have had since

I lost 60 lbs in 4 months after leaving university in 1995. I kept that

weight off for 5 years. I know I can do this. I will do this.

Get it Done

Hey guys….yesterday was a new start for me. You’ve watched me struggle for what 5 or so years now? I have been a part of this site since Dec 2000 I think now. 2000 or 2001 not sure. I have had a few successes but alot of false starts, alot of talk I didn’t back up, some injuries, some tragedies, and everything in between. All I can promise, is for the next 12 weeks, I am going to bust my butt to put some habits in place that I can follow to make healthy living the norm for me.

I am looking to have my best challenge since I have been on this site. I am looking to have 12 weeks of hard, focused effort. 12 weeks of no excuses just getting it done. Working 20 hours of Overtime a week? Get it done. Come down with a cold ? Get it done. Back sore ? Work around it, but get it done. In vegas for a week during week 8 ? Have fun…eat and drink and do whatever, but get it done.

I want you guys to hold me to this. ( shane @ shaneleighton dot net) I know you have sat back and watched me basically sleepwalk thru the past 6 years. I was at the gym last night for Chest, bis, abs and calves, and quite frankly was disgusted at how weak I am. I was strong 16 years ago then I am right now. But I will get all my strength back and then some. I will finally shed this extra 40 pounds I have been carrying around and I will be able to live the more active life I led for the first 25-28 years of my life. It may take me a year, but I am going to get my active life (hockey, golf, hiking, weights, biking with my kids etc) back.

12 week Goals

1. Sub 200 lbs (currently 229)
2. sub 18 percent body fat (currently 30)
3. Drop 8 inches from waist (currently 45).
4. 84000 measured pedometer steps (10000 avg a day)
5. be able to jog 2 km without stopping. (2 min without stopping right now)

Sunday’s workout
Incl machine 10*45/10*45/10*45
hammer incl 10*50/10*5/10*5
pek dek 10*75/10*90/9*90

seat alt d curl 10*25/10*25/8*25-7*25
preachers 10*55/9*70/9*70

recumb bike 20 min

ab bench 10*10/10*10/10*10
ab ball crunch 10/10/10

No Excuses

Decision

Well I am so very excited to have made a firm decision and I am bound to stick to The Leanness Lifestyle for an absolute MINIMUM of 12 weeks. I am going to pay for the access to the members only site, pick up the book (if there is enough changes in it to merit buying since I bought an earlier edition few years ago) and i am going to do this.

The reason I am starting Sunday and not tommorrow or today is I am giving myself a couple days to get around the site, familiarize myself with the tools, and to really work on my goals, my WHY, which I talked about a few days ago, and what I am prepared to sacrifice in the short term for the long term benifit of my health and well being.

I have made one decision already and I am having my buddies hold me to it. I am not having one ounce of alcohol until minimally March 16th. This is the date of my next months poker tourney (I run a league once a month). Have a few drinks (are a few +10) is something I have really enjoyed and looked forward to over the last year or so during my poker games, but I am going to give myself a break, and for a minimum of one month, not have a drink. None of my friends think I can do it, but I will show them!

I will stay on plan for the full 12 initial week challenge, except for my vegas trip where I will loosen the reigns and relax. I will still do my best to eat/drink within reason, but my for my first trip ever, my first time in vegas, I will not restrict myself. I will make use of the inhouse pool and fitness room, and will likely spend 6 hours a day walking around site seeing, so I don’t think this week will cause too much damage if i keep it within reason.

I will take before/after measurements and pics and post them. I have been dreading this but this is all about accountability and I plan to really give this the best effort I have in years. I will once and for all live a healthy life, make sound decisions, and when I do have the slips I will not get down on myself. I will just pick myself up, dust myself off, and get back to work.

More to come.

Leanness Lifestyle

Hey guys….hate to start a new blog, but I am going to because I have chosen to join Leanness Lifestyle as well as Jason, and as well As our former Blog member Shaun. Seems to me the Sarge was doing Leanness Lifestyle as well was he not. Jeremy Likeness swears by this program, so I took the plunge, paid the monthly fees and I am starting Feb 18th, an official 12 week challenge, complete with goals, pics etc.

I am going to do my best to be active on the LL community but I will not forget the blog! I am going to follow everything “The Coach” says and put myself entirely in his hands for a minimum of 12 weeks. The only week I will not touch base on the LL site or this site will be the week I am in Vegas.

I am not familiar with all the tools the site has, so i will be spending time getting used to them, but I PROMISE, in the days, weeks and months to come, my presence here will be more involved!

More to come!