Hard Core Swimming!

So I can't remember that last time I really swam for a long period of time with an end goal in mind. Recently though, a couple of the cadets from the AF that I'm working out with during the break wanted to swim, so, I suggested swimming thunder (it is a play off one of our regular PT workouts). But, the jist is that you swim one length, get out, do 20 pushups, swim back, do 20 situps, and continue until you get to one! I only got to 9 today but by the time you hit 10, you have done 165 push ups and sit ups as well as swimming a 1/4 mile. That is after we have already done weights for about an hour. Needless to say, it is a way hard workout but fun to do. I'm currently hovering around 214 or 213...I will meet weight sometime next week. Once I do, I will post my before and after picture. Also, I am totally fine with training for like a 5k or something. We should find out when there is one during the summer and see if we can.

Hey Mrs. Dalton - check me out!!

Okay, so I did something this morning that I couldn't even do in grade school...I ran 1.5 miles. I know that Julie and Nate and Tom could all kick my butt at this...but this is HUGE for me. Oh, I should mention that I walked for 25 steps...but that's it! Yay! I was feeling inspired after last night's Biggest Loser episode. I totally want to train for a 5K now. Maybe even a 10K.

Tuesdays with Nate: Walk to Zion

So, I think maybe I should change the name of this column from Tuesdays with Nate to Sometime during the week with Nate. I haven't been real good about writing this on Tuesday. Anyway...

So, I really want to get going on this Walk to Zion thing. I think it's a really fun idea. What do we need to do to take this to the next step? Can we try to plan to have our pedometers by Christmas? I think earlier would be better but I guess that may not be possible for us. Julie and I will be in Logan on the weekend of the 12th maybe we could try to plan something out then and start keeping track during Christmas. Either way we should get on this soon.

I'm really excited to see all of you guys soon! It has been a while and I miss you! Especially the kids, I mean I miss all of you but I have spent a lot more time with the "adults" just based on the fact that you guys have been alive a little longer than the kids. Well, I love you guys! See you soon!

Tuesdays with Nate: Gimme a break!

I know I have slacked off a little on the Tuesdays with Nate column, but I'm on my break! I need to relax with my wife. So, you can stop sending the hate mail and no more car bombs, please. Tuesdays with Nate will return shortly.

So, even though I haven't been blogging like I should, Julie and I have had extra time to exercise together. Well, extra time to do everything, like sleep. I don't think we've gotten out of bed before 10 in the past week! It has been awesome! Today, we decided to make the most out of our extra time and go for a little longer run than normal. We got on GoogleMaps and drew out a course for ourselves. About a mile of the run, maybe a little more, was supposed to be along a canal on the far west side of our neighborhood. When we got there we realized that it was all private property of the Arizona Canal Project and we couldn't run on it. So, we turned around and decided to take a short cut. The map we had drawn was supposed to be about 4 miles. So we figured we could take another road and it would just be a little shorter. Well, apparently we had both drawn out the map differently in our heads. When we got home and went back to GoogleMaps to map our route, we discovered we had actually run 5.3 miles. We were both pretty surprised but very happy with ourselves!

Anyway, stay awesome and I'm really looking forward to this walk to Zion thing! I think it will be super awesome! Love you guys!

A Challenge to you All!!

So, I walk a lot. I don't know if you've noticed, but with that crazy dog...I rack up some miles. And I've been thinking about that. And about this blog. And I've come up with a challenge...should you choose to accept it. And there are some details to work out, I'm sure...but here it is. What if our family all got pedometers and we "walked to Zion?" Basically, we all get a pedometer that measures distance, as well as steps. Then we wear them and track our distance each day. And let's see how long it takes us to walk from Nauvoo, IL to Salt Lake City, UT (approx. 1300 miles).

In thinking about this, I haven't quite decided how to go about it. Should we race? Should we make a goal for ourselves of when we need to make it by? Let me know your thoughts! And what you think of the idea. I just thought it would be kind of cool. :)

Okay - love your guts people. Peace out. Kakes.

Tuesdays with Nate on Thursday: My new exercise equipment

Well, this has been kind of a weird week with Julie being gone and what not. I have been studying quite a bit, and watching a lot of Lost. The whole TV show is based around cliff-hanger endings and it makes it extremely difficult to only watch one episode at a time. So, as dumb as it sounds, TV kept me from riding my bike this week. Never to happen again!

My new exercise equipment:
I know you guys will think this is ridiculous but I think I'm about ready for a new bike, rather I will be ready for a new bike come next summer. The bike I have my eye on is the Bianchi Infinito (pictured above). Thomas and I have decided to do the MS 150 together next summer and my goal is to have the bike before then. Thomas' goal is to have a bike by then. Right, Thomas?

I really enjoy riding my bike, the problem with it is that it's not a great full body work out. I mean the benefits of increasing my heart rate, increasing my cardiorespiratory health, decreasing blood pressure, etc. are all there but I have noticed a marked decrease in upper body strength (FYI when your muscles, or any tissue for that fact, decreases in size it's called atrophy).

So, here's my fitness tip for the week: perform exercises that work out your entire body. Exercises that work out larger muscle groups (i.e. legs, back, chest) or more muscle groups at a time, will increase your metabolism and help you burn calories faster. For example, doing a squat (doesn't have to be with weight) will work your legs, your butt, your stomack, and your back. Doing a pushup instead of bench press will not only work out your chest and shoulders but will also include stomach and back muscles in order to stabilize your body.

Well, that's it. And if anyone wants to join Thomas and I in the MS 150, that would be super awesome and I/we would really love it! I love you guys and I hope you're being healthy and stuff!

Just as a little follow-up to last week's Tuesdays with Nate, Julie and I have been trying to get more lutein and zeaxanthin and DHA in our diet. I don't think it's super hard. I had a tuna fish sandwhich, which is a pretty good source for omega-3 fatty acids and DHA. Also, we bought some fresh spinach, we put it in a salad with mandarin oranges, almond slivers, parmesean cheese, and chow mein noodles with some kind of sesame seed dressing. It was pretty tasty! Okay, I'm done.

Workouts with Tom Bro

So I have been working a lot to meet weight for the Air Force. It has been hard, sometimes extremely aggravating, but fun nonetheless. I generally workout about 1.5 to 2 hrs a day aside from our morning workouts three days a week. Today was a good day, it was my max out day on bench and curls as well as with tri's. I benched 165 four times on the bench and 195 twice on the machine. I was pretty stoked about that. I curled 40 lbs four times and did 50 lbs with the french curl/skull crusher workout. It was a good day, and I also ran two miles. Tomorrow will be my weekly weigh in to track my progress. Since September 2 I've lost over 15 pounds. The main contributing factor, I cut my calorie intake by half, at least. Over the past month and a half my stomach has shrunk so I don't eat as much, I get fuller faster and I've learned portion control. Also, my decisions as to what I eat has changed. I don't eat as much bread, I stay more towards chicken, tuna, and red meat every so often. It has been great to see the change...when I meet weight next month, which is 210, I am going to take a picture and post it up. The change will be from the summer some time when I was still in the high 240's to low 250's. Along with that picture will be a picture of me in uniform because until I meet weight, I cannot wear a uniform. So, I continue to trudge along with the support of an amazing wife who is amazing and that I love and adore.