This blog describes the good, bad, and the ugly details of my personal journey through the Forum's Get Fit Challenge. I was lucky enough to be chosen into this 12-week program...which I hope will help me reach my goal of being more fit by my 45th birthday in August, 2008...

The Last Blog

Well, this is my final blog of the Forum fitness challenge.  The application essay I wrote back in January had several features in it. One of the most important...was that I wanted to serve as an example to people out there just like me...busy, in a food saturated world, but trying to do their best to be fit...but not having a good strategy to do it.

I now have that strategy...thanks to The Forum, Lisa Svaleson and Jennifer Goetz at Meritcare, and Lori Howard a registered dietician at Blue Cross Blue Shield of ND.

I have tried in every blog to be completely open with you about what I am learning and to encourage you to try what I was learning.   Since February, I have had about 4700 hits on my blog...so I hope I have shared some things that will help!! 

As for me, I still have my goal to be fit by 45 (August)...so if your interested in my progress, come visit my blog at ndwellnesscenter.com.

I leave you with a wish for good summer and a challenge to continue the quest for fitness!

Good bye and may God bless you!!!

Randy <><

Posted by: Randy Johnson on 5/02/2008 at 2:37 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink

Lifelong Challenge

This week I have had several people say "I bet you will be glad to have the Forum fitness challenge behind you"...referring to the pictures, blogging, and accountability associated with making one's life public for a period of time.

At first I say "Yeah", but then reality hits....the fitness challenge is never over for me.  The habits I learned over the last 12 weeks have become a part of my life and need to be a part of my post-challenge lifestyle. I have to admit, I had kinda slipped into a "this is just about over" kind of mentality. 

The things I have learned are the most applicable ideas that I have ever experienced. The nutrition and fitness advice I have gained really work into a real... busy... life that many of us lead.

I hope you will make a commitment, along with me to continue these ideas into our futures. Sorry to break it to you, but our fitness challenge is never done!

As a reminder, I will continue my blogging at ndwellnesscenter.com if you are interested in tracking my progress through the summer.

Randy <><

Posted by: Randy Johnson on 5/01/2008 at 3:14 PM | Comments (1) | Permalink

The Nutrition Summary

I want to extend my thanks to Jennifer Goetz at Meritcare. She has walked this journey with me the last 12 weeks. She has combined humor, encouragement and honesty to give me the tools I needed to succeed. I remember her first message to me after she saw my normal daily intake of food..."dude, you eat like a girl".

That was only the start of her practical advice to me. The bottom line....she taught me how to eat..not how to diet.  Once I stopped starving myself, and balanced my meals...I began to see results. Her plan is so workable...I am confident I can make it work.

She taught me how to view food as fuel and to keep my fuel tank between 1/4 and 3/4 full.

I hope I have passed on some of her knowledge effectively to you...Jennifer, thanks for all you did for me.

Posted by: Randy Johnson on 4/29/2008 at 10:06 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink

The Last Workout with Lisa

Whoever raised Lisa Svaleson, my chosen trainer at Meritcare should be proud parents. She is a great personal trainer, and an even better person. She has been such an encouragement to me through this challenge. She has pushed me harder than anyone has ever pushed me, but has done it with encouragement and support (and swearing and yelling when needed).

Some of the main things I learned from her....

1. Have fun while you work out

2. Try something completely different

3. Adopt exercises that are "functional" and mirror real life.

For instance, yesterday she had me sitting on a wheeled stool with weights trailing behind on a rope...and using only my legs...pulled those weights across the floor using my hamstrings. Hard to do...but so effective.  And who can't use that skill??  How many times in my office have I wanted to pull myself around my office in my desk chair...and haven't had the strength to do it!   In fact, I rolled myself down to a meeting earlier this morning.  Stairs were challenging...just had to lean back and hold on tight.

She has worked on the back side of my body from the very start. I can feel/see the results in my back, butt and hamstrings. This focus on my total conditioning has really paid off. My left knee, which has had three surgeries on it over the last 7 years...had been in almost constant pain...especially when I golf.  

Through Lisa's training, my knee has never felt better!   As I understand it, strengthening the muscles around the knee have made all the difference in the world. I walked 18 holes last week with no pain!

My encouragement to those of you that have been doing the same thing for a long time...try something completely different!  I know you will see results.

Next week I have my final evaluation to get a feel for my overall improvements from her efforts.  I will give you the results on my new blog at ndwellnesscenter.com. 

In the meantime, look for me doing some goofy looking exercise at the gym. I would be happy to show you what I have learned...and we can get weird looks together!!!

Posted by: Randy Johnson on 4/29/2008 at 9:31 AM | Comments (1) | Permalink

The Final Week

Well, this is the last week of my blogging...which was meant to communicate my progress in the Forum fitness challenge. In this final week, I plan to give it my absolute best to finish strong.  Friday May 2 is the official end of the 12 week challenge and will be my final blog entry as well.

Even if the challenge were to end today, I would consider it a success...not because of what I have done, necessarily, but because of what I have learned from the many people who poured their time and expertise into me the past 12 weeks. I will achieve my goal to be fit by 45. I will be 200 lbs and in better muscular shape by my August birthday.

I have learned life long lessons in both nutrition and exercise. As I continue beyond the challenge, I will be putting these into practice in my life.

My focus will now transition to the wellness challenge we have going on at work. We are involved in a "biggest loser" kind of competition. I have a partner and a fitness coach that I am accountable to.

I will be writing about this on ndwellnesscenter.com, Blue Cross Blue Shield's new online wellness site. If you want to keep tracking my progress, I will keep bloggin there!!! 

Here's to the last week of the challenge!!  

Randy  <><

Posted by: Randy Johnson on 4/27/2008 at 3:03 PM | Comments (1) | Permalink