The Immigrant Song

My Brooklyn Bridge run

On Saturday, a day that was ridiculousy hot, I ran from my apartment across the Brooklyn Bridge.  According to Google Maps, the trip was about 3.6 miles total, but I think the last bit I walked after picking up milk, eggs, and a melon assortment.  I am pleased with having done it, and I will now be willing to run more- I am glad I'm now in good enough shape for this.

On a logistical level, this was a challenge.  I was holding on to my keys for dear life, and I succeeded in not letting them slip through my fingers and onto the roadway or into the east river.  I probably need some easy way to carry a few things (stuffing a $20 bill in my sock seemed needlessly cruel to the cashier who accepted my money). 

I think I also need new shoes (cue my mom singing the new shoes song). 

The Ferrari Diet

I've really done well in the last 7 months.  As of last Saturday (my un-celebrated 7-month anniversary of my personal fitness odyssey), I've lost about 40lbs.

I know that I'm stronger, look and feel better, and have a plan for how to keep going.  I'm on my way.

I didn't really plan to post this info, but it's nice segue to a video I've been meaning to upload and post: an interview I gave on the floor of the Detroit Auto Show back in January.  We're looking at the Ferrari stand and wondering, "Can you fit in that?"

The Ferrari Diet from Benjamin Bloom on Vimeo.

Back in the saddle

I'm now back at work after holiday break, and realizing it was a real perturbance of my daily routine.  I was sick for a couple days, and then the holidays started, so I was also away from the gym.  Today was my first day at the gym in a little over a week, and it feels great to have started the morning at the gym.

That being said, I feel like I never get to the movies anymore, and always regret not seeing more of the movies that come out in the theatres.  I tend to wait until they come out on DVD, but not because I strictly prefer that. 

I also saw a lot of movies on a bootleg movie site which I won;t link to for fear of contributing to its inevitable downfall, but I did see I Am Legend-  I need to find the book.   I also saw 28 Weeks Later on that site, and no sooner had I rolled my eyes and thought "oh great, I bet 28 Months later Is going to be super"

In the theatres:

Charlie Wilson's War- excellent and no wonder we've made a mess of postwar Iraq- we had practice in Afghanistan.

No Country for Old Men- Brutal, beautiful, insightful, and totally entertaining.

The Bucket List- while NY mag called it a typecast Jack Nicholson flick crossed with a typecast Morgan Freeman flick, I thought this was pretty entertaining.  Emotional ending.

Walk Hard- Hilarious.  A send-up of Ray and Walk the Line, the Dewey Cox story made me laugh hysterically a number of times.  Nice perfromance from Tim Meadows.

A good break!

Personal Fitness Odyssey Update

Took a moment to look up some of this unpleasantness at Columbia-wait, um,  Noose Gate?- and checked out the irreverent "Bwog" (which actually is an interesting source for breaking Columbia Universty news, from a student perspective.  Found a link to this Columbia Spectator article, which I think speaks for me, in my quest:

Basically, I felt like writing about working out because I’m proud of myself. A little shameless self-promotion never hurt anybody.

 

Link: Watching Chin-ups at Dodge | Columbia Spectator.

When I get back to NY, on the advice of MH, I am going to start doing resistance training.  I could probably also use the gym at the Amerisuites.  Interesting.  Thanks also to RM for suggestions about some fitness books.  Have to check those out.

Open is the new closed, so they say

In the sprit of open is the new closed, public is the new private, I'm going to be making regular updates to my blog about my quest for personal Fitness.  I'm going to try to lose about 40-50 pounds.  I used scales in two different New York Sports Clubs locations, and they didn't come out the same at all- so I'm not even sure where I stand.  That said, I will attempt to track my progress in this shared Google spreadsheet.  I don't really want to become a health nut, I still want to enjoy the food this  city has to offer  and have fun with my friends.

What's wrong
My lifestyle is wrong.  I don't exercise enough, and I don't acknowledge this often enough.  I avoid exercise  or strenuous activities.  I make unhealthy choices, whether it's drinking, or eating, or one then the other.  My long term health is at stake and I need to make some changes

What I tried
I essentially tried the subway diet for lunch and swore off egg sandwiches for breakfast.  Subway got kind of repetitive, but I think I could live with it.  Probably need to  get 6 inch and not footlong subs, and eat fruit instead of bagels/breakfast sandwiches.

What I am doing now
I have been to the gym 5 times in the last 7 days (including going this morning).  I'm just doing cardio right now, but I ultimately will be doing weight training as well.   I would like to do this without a personal trainer, and try to  wok on the discipline of  going to the gym rather than  having someone kick the crap out of me (and pay them to do it).  I'm trying to do 40 minutes of elliptical (it is not so strenuous on my knees and feet) or some such every time I go to the gym. 

I hope that I have the drive and the willpower to accomplish my goal, to look and feel better.  I welcome comments, encouragement, tips or other advice.