What We Can Learn from the Greatest Video Game Series of All Time
The Legend of Zelda has to be the greatest video game series of all time, right?
If you’ve never played a single Zelda game in your life, allow me to quickly explain: you’re a young boy named Link whose only possession is a wooden sword, and you’re tasked with defeating the evil Gannon and rescuing Princess Zelda. Don’t worry, you’ll still be able to relate if you have no clue what I’m talking about. Just remember this: “a seemingly average kid sets out to become great, rescue the princess, and save the world.”
Think back to that very first game that came out in the 80′s, the one that started it all: the Legend of Zelda for the NES (bonus points if you had the gold cartridge). Here are some important lessons about getting in shape that we can glean from this 8-bit masterpiece.
Be Wary of Shortcuts
After beating this game a few times, I came to the realization that entire levels can be bypassed! What kind of sucker goes through all of the levels in order when you can just jump ahead and use the shortcut, right!?
Well, I tried my hand at Level 8 with a wooden sword and a few hearts. I got my ass kicked.
In the Legend of Zelda, all levels exist for a reason: You need to get stronger and build momentum off the early levels to allow you to survive in the later ones. Sure, it certainly takes a lot longer to go through all the levels in order, but you’ll be far better prepared for battle and have a greater chance of success down the road.
- If you’re building strength – Don’t be a hero and lift more than you should without learning the proper techniques first. I spent a few weeks doing squats with just the bar to make sure I was doing them properly, and only then did I start adding weight (5 pounds a week).
- If you’re losing weight – Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts, despite what you hear on TV and see in advertisements. No magic pills you can take, no special machine to give you abs, no ‘secret diet’ that gets better results than others. It’s hard work, healthy eating, and exercise.
- If you want to run a marathon - Don’t just go sign up for one. Try running a 5k first and see if you survive, then a 10k, then a half-marathon, and THEN conquer that full marathon (like Tony did this past weekend, congrats Endorphin Dude!).
Burn Every Bush, Bomb Every Wall
Back before the Internet and strategy guides, us kids had to figure out how to beat video games from trial and error. How do you kill that guy? Turns out you had to shoot him in the eye three times with an arrow. Did you know there was a secret heart container in a cave if you burned a certain nondescript bush? How about that secret passageway if you bombed a hole in a specific wall that looked like every other freakin’ wall?
How did we learn about any of this stuff?
Because we TRIED IT OUT!
- Before you go deciding you don’t like lifting weights, or that you think barefoot running is stupid, or that eating like a cavemen doesn’t make sense, TRY IT.
- Before you make fun of Ultimate Frisbee, LARPing, or geocaching, TRY IT.
- Before you tell yourself that it’s too hard or too far or not something you’re interested in, TRY IT.
Sure, you might fail, or you might fall down. You also might LOVE it and succeed.
Only one way to find out…
Reward Yourself With Things That Can Reward You Back
I love the concept of awards and achievements. I’m not talking about eating a dozen cookies because “hey, I went to the gym!” either. I’m talking about good rewards that actually help you push harder and live better.
Every time you beat a new level in a Legend of Zelda game, you generally receive a heart container (upping your health meter), a piece of the Triforce (which you need put back together in order to succeed), and a new weapon or item that allows you to advance further.
Add some real life prizes and achievements to your life, but make sure they’re prizes that take you closer to your goals, not farther away:
- Once you lose 50 pounds, reward yourself with new workout clothes; you’ll feel better about yourself and actually WANT to go to the gym.
- Once you complete 10 inverted rows for the first time, go buy yourself a pull up bar and work towards 10 of those.
- Once you’ve completed your first 5k race, treat yourself to a new pair of shoes (or Vibrams) that will allow you to run faster next time.
Momentum is a powerful thing. Enjoy each victory, celebrate your success, and use that momentum as stepping stone for your next goal.
The Impossible Is Possible
We play video games because they give us a chance to step into a fantasy world, doing impossible things like killing zombies and slaying dragons all from the comfort of our couches.
Put yourself in Link’s shoes for a second: you’re an ten year old kid with a crappy sword, and it’s your job to save the world and rescue a princess from an evil monster. When I was ten, I played baseball and struggled with long division (that was 4th grade, right?).
So how did this little dude achieve greatness?
By putting one foot in front of the other.
Starting out, the thought of saving the world would be overwhelming to anybody, let alone a kid in a green tunic. However, rather than concentrating on the big scary goal, Link focused on getting through the smaller ones, beating Level 1, then Level 2, then Level 3, and so on. With each passing level, his strength and health grew, giving Link enough confidence to attack the next one.
Before all was said and done, this pre-teen from the forest was kicking ass and taking names, swinging the Master Sword and firing silver arrows like nobody’s business!
As Robert Heinlein famously remarked: “Everything is theoretically impossible until it is done.”
One day, I hope to attempt the Ninja Warrior course in Japan. It certainly seems impossible to me right now, but I know I can eventually get there if I take it one step at a time and stay focused.
What seems impossible to you right now? It might be 10 pull ups, losing 200 pounds, climbing a mountain, or completing a triathlon. Whatever your “impossible” goal is, focus on finding smaller “levels” that you can conquer first.
What’s your “impossible” goal, and what’s one step you’re going to take today to get closer?
-Steve
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The Rebel Fitness Guide is NO LONGER AVAILABLE
Holy crap I wrote an e-book!
Well, a bunch of small books actually. Today marks the official quasi-release of the NF Rebel Fitness Guide, and I couldn’t be more excited about it. As you hopefully know, I quit my day job back in June and have since been tirelessly working to put this guide together for the Nerd Fitness Community. Whether you’re just getting started on your fitness journey and don’t know where to begin, or you’re well on your way to a healthy lifestyle and you’re looking for some new challenging workouts, this might be just the thing you’re looking for.
This is a beta-release of the Nerd Fitness Rebel Fitness Guide which is why it’s only available for download until Thursday at midnight. I want to work closely with the people who buy it to make sure it kicks ass. I want to make sure the four levels of workout guides are the right amount of difficulty, that the Fitness Guide and Diet Guide exceed expectations, and I want readers to email me, skype me, gchat me, and instant message me with their questions, comments, and suggestions on how to make it even better.
I’ll then relaunch it in mid-August at a higher price point with all of the updates and suggestions implemented.
Here’s a quick video of me talking about the guide, check it out:
Rebel Fitness Guide Announcement Video
This is my first attempt at writing sales copy, so bear with me. Below is all of the cool stuff that you get when you buy the Rebel Fitness Guide. Check it out!
Note: THIS IS AN E-BOOK. It’s a product you download to your computer, there will be no physical products shipped to you!
39-page Rebel Fitness Guide
-
The Nerd Fitness Training Philosophy – Burn calories and build muscle with effective, efficient routines that don’t require hours in the gym (or even a gym at all). - How to Succeed - Prepare mentally and physically for the challenges that await you on your journey.
- How to Get Started - Definitive steps that you can take to make sure you get started on the right foot.
- What You Need in Your Inventory -What kind of equipment you can acquire to improve your chances at success.
32-page Rebel Diet Guide
Diet 101 – Learn the basics of food, nutrition, and nutrients, and why your diet is 80% of the battle.- The Nerd Fitness Diet Philosophy – Learn what to eat, what not to eat, and what to eat in moderation.
- How to Succeed – The battle with your diet is often a mental one – here are techniques and tactics that you can use to free your mind and free your stomach.
- How to Get Started – Definitive steps you can starting today to start living healthier today.
6 Separate Workout Exercise Books
-
Enough routines for over six months of exercise – designed in conjunction with Mike Rickett, a fitness professional with over 20 years of training experience.
- Workouts that only require 30-45 minutes of your time and some dumbbells – We all have lives, so I’ve designed challenging workouts that don’t require a huge commitment.
- Four separate experience levels of workouts – Advance at your own pace and build up your fitness level with workouts that become more challenging.
- Excel files and printable PDFs for each workout so that you can track your progress by hand or online.
- Descriptions and videos for every exercise.
What kind of results can I expect to see with the Rebel Fitness Guide?
I don’t have some secret muscle building or weight loss formula (hint: nobody does), so I won’t try to make any outrageous promises. Your success will completely depend on your dedication to the exercises and diets (along with your genetics, experience level, outside factors, and so on).
What I WILL promise is a program that breaks down the whole “get in shape” process into simple concepts and digestible pieces so everything is easy to understand and enjoyable to learn, making it FUN to get started.
If you’re willing to put in the time and effort, you will see results that make you happy.
I have a huge desire to see you accomplish your goals, and I’m willing to do what it takes for you to get there.
Try out this program and see for yourself if it’s something that can help you level up your life, no strings attached, no pressure.
Who Shouldn’t Buy the Guide?
Who puts a “who shouldn’t buy” section into their sales article? This guy.
I’m going to be completely honest with you: if you’re in fantastic shape, know what you’re doing in the gym, a hardcore CrossFit fanatic, and/or a power-lifting Starting Strength disciple, this probably isn’t the guide for you (but my NEXT book might be…). You’re more than welcome to buy it and see if there’s something in here that you’ll like, but I just want to put that out there. Instead, consider buying it for your friend who wants to get started, your folks who need to get in shape, or the bum down the street who dances at cars as they pass by.
100% 90-Day Money Back Guarantee
I’ve poured my heart and soul into this fitness guide, and I’m confident it will help you get in great shape. If you’re on the fence about buying it, I want you to know that you can email me at any point within 90 days of purchase and let me know that you’re not happy with it or you aren’t seeing the results you expected and I’ll gladly issue you a 100% refund, no questions asked.
Really, I just want to help you be happy and live healthy. If this guide isn’t doing it for you, I’ll help you find one that will. Why not give it a chance?
How Much Does it Cost?
I’m selling the Rebel Fitness Guide for $??? in Mid-August.
When you purchase the guide, you’ll get instant access to:
- Rebel Fitness Guide
- Rebel Diet Guide
- Level 1 Workout – Rookie
- Level 2 Workout – Recruit
- Level 3 Workout – Outcast
- Level 3 Workout – Outsider
- Level 4 Workout – Rebel
- Level 4 Workout – Renegade
Each routine will provide 4-8 weeks worth of exercise, depending on your progress and experience. As you level up, you can choose different workouts to keep things fresh and keep your body guessing! My friend Joe (who did all the design for the guide) was nice enough to put together this fancy flow chart to show how things work.
When Will It Be Available Again?
After working with this first class over the next few weeks, I’ll be officially launching the guide to the public in mid-August at a higher price point (to be determined).
How Does this Change Nerd Fitness?
It doesn’t!
I’ll still be writing two free articles a week, every week, until the end of time (approximately). This is just one way that I hope to support myself so I can continue devoting all of my time to this site and this community.
Whether or not you buy the guide, thanks so much for reading Nerd Fitness!
Note: THIS IS AN E-BOOK. It’s a product you download to your computer, there will be no physical products shipped to you, no shipping cost, just a quick download and you’re ready to go!
If you enjoyed this article, sign up for blog updates and free giveaways by joining the Rebel Army Email Newsletter! You can also subscribe via RSS feed and visit the Nerd Fitness Message Boards. Join the rebellion!
A Free Workout and a Free Background = win.
Purdy lookin’ cover, ain’t it?
Since quitting my day job a month ago to devote my full time to this site and this community, I’ve been busting my ass to put together the Rebel Fitness Guide, my first product for sale on Nerd Fitness.
Next week, I’ll finally get a chance to launch this sucker, and I can’t wait. It contains a full-blown fitness guide, diet guide, and 6+ months of exercise routines with descriptions and videos of each. I’ll get into all of the details and good stuff next week, because today is devoted to something that everybody loves: free stuff!
Free Workout
I’ve gotten a bunch of emails in the past from people who want to start lifting weights but don’t know where to get started.
Although I’m hoping these guys and girls considering buying the guide next week, I wanted to put together a free workout today that you can do at home with just your yourself and a set of dumbbells or some resistance bands. This workout is similar to one of the Level 2 workouts that you’ll find in the Rebel Fitness Guide, but you can adjust this to be easier or harder based on your ability.
Just in case you’re not familiar with the term, a “superset” is when you do the two listed exercises without resting in between. So, a superset of squats and push ups means you’ll do a set of squats, then IMMEDIATELY do a set of push ups, and then rest for 60 seconds before starting over again with the squats.
The Warm Up:
- 10 Jumping Jacks
- 10 Lunges
- 10 incline push ups
- 10 chops
- 5 hip raises
- 10 rotational chops
The Workout (rest 60 seconds between supersets, and 60 seconds between regular sets)
- Do these two exercises in a SUPERSET, 3 total “circuits.”
- 1A) Overhead Squats (3 sets of 10 reps)
- 1B) Walking Push Ups (3 sets of 10 reps)
- Do these two exercises in a SUPERSET, 3 total “circuits.”
- 2A) Step Up with Knee (3 sets of 10 reps for each side)
- 2B) Bent Over DB Row (3 sets of 10 reps)
- 3) Hip raises (3 sets of 10 reps)
- 4) Planks (3 sets x 40 seconds)
Now, after you’re done with the lifting, you could do some interval sprints if you’re up for it, or save those for the next day. This is your routine for the Interval training – you can do it on a treadmill, elliptical, bike, rowing machine, whatever.
- Warm up for 4-5 minutes.
- Alternate 5 sessions of jogging for two minutes and running hard for one minute.
Whether you did the intervals or not, it’s important to stretch after every workout. Here’s a basic stretch closer that I do to end my workouts.
- 10 Titanic Stretches.
- 10 Back Stretches.
- 10 Ballet Stretches (5 each side).
- 10 Full Body Stretch (5 each side).
If the workout above is too hard – You can make some simple adjustments to make it easier, like switching out regular squats for overhead squats, doing incline push ups instead of walking push ups, and/or giving yourself 90 seconds instead of 60 seconds between exercises.
If the workout above is too easy – Put some dumbbells in your hands while doing the overhead squats and step ups, go with divebomber push ups instead of walking push ups, do pull ups instead of dumbbell rows, and hold that plank for as long as you can.
Mix it up - This is just one way to do this routine. If you want to work your heart harder and sweat more, do ALL of the exercises in a circuit, where you do each one without stopping until you get to the end where you can rest for 60 seconds before starting from the beginning again. If you want to make it more of a strength building workout, don’t worry about supersets and instead do 4 sets of 8 or 6 reps with heavy weights for each exercise.
That’s pretty much how a workout comes together – a few leg exercises, a push exercise, a pull exercise, and some core work. Make sure you don’t do this workout two days in a row, because your muscles need time to recover.
This is a pretty good example of what you’ll find in a Level 2 workout in the Rebel Fitness Guide, with more introductory routines in Level 1 and tougher/more challenging routines in Level 3 and Level 4.
Onto the next free thing!
Free Desktop Background
My friend Joe is one hell of a graphic designer. He designed all the artwork for the Rebel Fitness Guide, all of the cool graphics for the site, and just for fun he put together a subtle (but kick-ass) desktop background for me that is currently occupying my laptop screen. In case your computer is in need of a makeover, try this on for size.
Oh, and if you’re looking to get some graphic work done for your site, shoot me an email and I’ll put you in touch with Joe – he’s damn good.
The click on the image to download the widescreen version, or go with the 4:3 version instead.
Join the Rebel Army
If you enjoyed any of the free stuff above and you want to stay up to date with Nerd Fitness, go ahead and sign up for the Rebel Army. You’ll get updates when I post a new article here on the site, have the chance to win cool stuff when I have things to give away, and special treatment when it comes to the stuff that I’ll sell through the site.
And if you don’t want to sign up, that’s totally fine too; we can still be friends. Whether or not you buy the Rebel Fitness Guide next week, thanks for reading Nerd Fitness. I have such a blast writing for this site and connecting with so many great people; it’s pretty awesome. So, thank you.
Have a great weekend; next week is gonna be a big one over here at NF Rebel Headquarters.
Get ready…
-Steve
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If you enjoyed this article, sign up for blog updates and free giveaways by joining the Rebel Army Email Newsletter! You can also subscribe via RSS feed and visit the Nerd Fitness Message Boards. Join the rebellion!
43 Ways to Level Up Your Life, Starting Right Now.
Today, you’re going to level up your life.
If you’re anything like me, you’re big on the whole “come up with ideas” part of life and slightly lacking in the “JUST DO IT” part. You’ve told yourself for days, weeks, months, years that you’re going to get in shape one day – enough with the excuses, procrastination, and delays.
It’s time for action!
Here are 43 different ways to improve your life right now. I’m a huge fan of momentum, and I’m confident that picking a thing or two off of this list and following through with it could help you turn that little snowball of yours into an avalanche of awesome. While most of these are fitness related, some have nothing to do with fitness but will help you either feel better, look better, or help make this world a slightly better place.
Let’s do this!
1) Write down everything you eat today. Every calorie, every bite of a donut, every sip of a soda. Everything. I’ll bet you eat more calories than you think…unless you’re trying to gain weight, in which case I bet you eat less than you think.
2) Eat less. If you want to lose weight, you have to burn more calories than you consume. If you want to gain weight, you need to burn less calories than you consume.
3) Try a new vegetable. They won’t hurt, I promise.
4) Stop slouching! Pull your shoulder blades back and pick your chin up. You’ll look thinner, project more confidence, and your lower back will stop hurting from sitting improperly all day.
5) Write down three goals. Write down three things right now that you need to accomplish in order for your day to feel productive. Do the first thing, and then then second, and then the third. Simple.
6) Stop drinking soda. Even the diet kind.
7) Start lifting weights. I don’t care who you are or what your goals are: they should involve some sort of weight training if you want to see legitimate results (here’s why). If you’re a woman, you should be lifting weights too. Lift HEAVY too (while staying safe).
8 ) Run one second faster today than you did yesterday.
9) Lift one more pound today in the gym than you did last time.
10) Drink more water.
11) Eat breakfast. Eggs and old fashioned oatmeal, good. Sugary cereal with a big glass of OJ (pretty much sugar water), bad.
12) Learn how to do a proper squat. No squat machine, no leg press…a REAL ACTUAL SQUAT with a bar across your shoulders.
13) Don’t eat fast food for lunch.
14) Write down what you’re going to do in the gym. Don’t walk in there blindly, know exactly which exercises you’ll do and how much you’re going to lift. And then, write down your results as you do them.
15) Stretch after you exercise. All of your muscles are sore and broken down…kick-start the recovery process by stretching out your muscles after working out. Look at the stretching channel on the Nerd Fitness YouTube page if you need examples of some stretches.
16) Start a weight-loss contest at work – Everybody throws in 20 bucks, whoever loses the highest percentage of body weight in a month gets to keep the cash. Money is one hell of a motivator.
17) Go for a brisk walk on your lunch break.
18) Ride your bike to work.
19) Download new workout music.
20) Stop making excuses – Matt lost 157 pounds in only one year because he stopped making excuses and started taking action.
21) Stop using weight machines – They suck and they’re dangerous. Be a big boy/girl, go to the free weight section, and pick up some dumbbells.
22) Try interval training. Only have 20 minutes? Try 20 minutes of high-intensity interval training. Kick your ass, burn extra calories, and build up your oxygen capacity in a short amount of time.
23) Sign up for that class you’ve always wanted to go to but haven’t. I signed up for a Capoeira class last week, after putting it off for months. There’s never going to be a “perfect” time for anything. Call them today.
24) Do one thing that scares you. Ask out the cute girl at the coffee shop, speak in public (gasp), volunteer for a difficult task at work. It’s time to step out of your comfort zone, and grow some bal…confidence. This is one of the most important things you can do for yourself today.
25) Sign up for a race two months from now, and pay in advance. Once you’ve put the money down, it’s going to be tough for you to avoid training unless you want to get beat by a 10-year old girl.
26) Take 15 minutes to clean off your office desk/bedroom. Clutter can cause all kinds of stress and makes life way more complicated than it needs to be. Get rid of the crap, unclutter your desk, unclutter your mind.
27) Sign up for your local library! I’ve rediscovered the library in my town, which has a surprisingly great collection of fitness and diet books. Just last week I picked up The End of Overeating and The New Rules of Lifting.
28) Start working towards a pull up. You should be doing an exercise that works your ‘pull muscles’ with every workout. If you can’t do pull ups, try doing body weight rows on a smith machine (or your kitchen table), and if you can’t do those yet, do some lat pull downs. Your goal should be to do a few sets up pull ups eventually, so get stronger with each workout.
29) Chuck your junk food. I don’t care if you just bought it – get rid of the cookies, crackers, ice cream, soda, Ho-Hos, Twinkies, sugary cereal, whatever. GET RID OF IT, so you won’t be tempted.
30) Sign up for a free fitness class. Find a Crossfit gym in your area, and sign up for your free class. Sure, you might puke and you’ll be sore as hell, but it’s a free ass-kicking…and who knows, you might like it!
31) Give yourself 15 minutes of “me time.” Lock yourself in your room, put on your favorite song, turn off your phone, and just do NOTHING.
32) Run. Stop by the park on the way home, strap on a pair of sneakers, and just start running. Feeling crazy? Try it barefoot.
33) Shake the hand of any person you see that is/was in the military. These brave men and women don’t get enough recognition, and you’ll be surprised how far a “thank you for your service” and a handshake will go towards making their day and making you feel better. Random? Yup. Good for the world? Yes.
34) Do some push ups! Puff up that chest a little bit. Do incline push ups if regular ones are too hard, and try some dive bombers if they’re too easy.
35) Smile more. Not a creepy smile either, but a genuine one.
36) Stop thinking so much. We tend to over-analyze every situation until it’s far more complicated and stressful than it needs to be. Sometimes you just need to shut off your brain and go for it.
37) Stop spending thirty minutes sculpting your abs. Add some planks, bird dogs, or knee tucks to your routine to work your core at the end of your routine for no more than five minutes. Your abs are a direct result of your diet anyways, so clean THAT up first, and then worry about abs.
38) Call somebody and tell them that you love them. Your wife/husband, boyfriend/girlfriend, kids, parents, grandparents, whoever. You probably don’t say it enough, and you know how great it is to hear it. Spread the love!
39) Sign up for the Nerd Fitness Rebel Army (don’t worry, it’s free). Get these blog updates delivered to your e-mail inbox, win free stuff if I have things to give away, and get insider info about any cool Rebellion-type stuff going down.
40) Sign up for the Nerd Fitness Message Boards. Join the 280 other people who are posting on there already, and start holding yourself accountable. Plus, then we can discuss the ending to Inception.
41) Get ready for the Rebel Fitness Guide. That’s right, this sucker is going to be officially released to the Nerd Fitness population next week! I’ve poured my heart and soul into this sucker and I’m excited to finally publish it. Check back here next Monday for all the details.
42) Share this article with somebody you care about.
43) ???? What else would you stick on this list? How else can people level up their lives starting today?
Add your suggestions in the comments!
-Steve
PS – Today marks the end of the 4th Nerd Fitness 28-Day Challenge! How did you do? Post on the NF boards how ya did, and start preparing for the next challenge starting next Monday, July 26th!
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If you enjoyed this article, sign up for blog updates and free giveaways by joining the Rebel Army Email Newsletter! You can also subscribe via RSS feed and visit the Nerd Fitness Message Boards. Join the rebellion!
Reader Spotlight: Learn How Matt Lost 157 Pounds in One Year.
In this edition of the Nerd Fitness Reader Spotlight, I had to opportunity to interview Matt (67Alecto on the NF Message Boards), a guy who has lost 157 pounds in ONE YEAR. Yup, Matt is the man. I love his story because it wasn’t just “running on a treadmill for four hours a day,” it was an adjustment in his diet, mindset, and weight training!
Steve: Hey Matt! Thanks for the interview man. If you could, describe a typical day before you decided to change your life.
Matt: Apathy is a good word. I could detail eating 4000-7000 calories on a regular basis, but what it really came down to was apathy. I’d eat without thinking, eat without even really being hungry, and then snack simply because it was the usual time to have a snack.
My activity level was basically nil. I had torn my rotator cuff a few years ago and it took me from playing tennis 5x a week, playing on softball and flag football teams, plus working out at the company gym to nothing. My shoulder wasn’t much better after finishing physical therapy, and I only made a half-hearted effort the following year to try to workout again. It was “hard”, so I quit.
I went from being active enough to where I could at least keep up with the fork, to zero activity and no change in eating habits. I was already overweight, but over the next 4 years it added 100+lbs.
I’d go to work, come home, play computer games, go to bed sometime after midnight, wake up 6 hours later and start all over again.
Steve: What was your motivation to make that change? What put you over the edge?
Matt: The infamous “Ah hah!” moment that all obese people have when they decide to lose weight – I didn’t have one. I knew I had to lose weight, and that my health was horrible (I was taking 4 medications for cholesterol and bloodsugar). I just always told myself I’d get to it later.
I had been vaguely aware of Tyler over at 344pounds.com starting his weight loss blog. Consumerist had a few updates over the course of 6 months, and I had been curious as to how he would do. When he hit 100lbs lost, my thought was “If some random blogger can do it, I sure as hell can”. I set aside the excuses and got to work. I wasn’t happy, wasn’t feeling good, and it was no longer an option to continue this way.
Steve: So that was you a year ago. What does your life look like now? What’s a typical day for you?
Matt: Instead of letting the day happen to me, I attack it.
I value time I can spend outside being active. I started in July of 2009 and it was a mild summer. I could work in the yard, go walking in the neighborhood, and hiking on the weekends. I went from playing computer games 20+ hours a week to less than half that. It’s not that I’ve felt I had to sacrifice playing on the computer, it’s just that if I’m going to do it, I want it to be a richer experience rather than doing it just to do it.
Oh, and picking clothes out to wear is actually an enjoyable experience…or at least doesn’t suck like it used to. In 1 year, I have lost 157lbs, went from 48″ pants to 34″, and in shirts from 5XL to 2X/XL (depending on the cut of the shirt, I wear either an XL or a 2XL to accommodate my shoulders). Shopping for clothes, needless to say, is much easier.
Steve: Congrats man, that’s a hell of a transformation in just one year. If you could pick, what’s the one thing you think that had the most impact on your weight loss?
Matt: Setting aside all of the bull****. One of my favorite scenes from both the graphic novel and movie “Wanted” is with The Repairman. When asked by Wesley what he repairs, he simply states “A lifetime of bad habits” and then he proceeds to punch him over and over. That’s it right there.
At some point, we all need someone to tie us to a chair and beat the crap out of us (metaphorically speaking) until we realize we have to be accountable for our actions and stop making excuses. [Steve's note: AMEN.]
“I’m tired. I’m hungry. I gained 10lbs after eating a Hershey’s kiss last night. It’s hard. It hurts. I’ll just circle the parking lot one more time to see if that spot opens up. I drank 12 beers and ate 40 wings over the weekend, but I don’t understand how I didn’t lose weight this week. It’s a holiday, so I’m federally required to eat 10,000 calories.”
If you can’t be accountable to yourself…if you can’t stop lying to yourself, then you just aren’t ready to change.
Steve: That’s a helluva attitude Matt, I love it. This is question I couldn’t wait to ask: wow important has weight training been to your success?
Matt: Extremely. I started out walking, and supplemented it with resistance band workouts every other day. Eventually, I discovered the “No Gym, No Problem” post at Nerd Fitness and started doing level 1. I couldn’t do a pushup, but instead of skipping it because it was hard, I tried it on my knees. Nope, not happening. Should I quit? Nope…do them on the stairs. I started about 5 stairs up and was able to do the sets with wide and close grips.
I couldn’t do pullups, nor inverted rows, so I had to skip those. But that didn’t mean I couldn’t do the squats, lunges, and so on.
Once winter was truly here, I went ahead and joined a gym since walking outside wasn’t an option. The gym is 24×7, and I started with a mix of dumbbell and machine work. Farmer’s carries, squats on the smith machine, cable rows, bicep curls, tricep extensions, seated shoulder press, and so on. It could have been worse, but it wasn’t as good as it was once I discovered Stronglifts 5×5. I started out doing the overhead, bench, and squats in the smith machine because the freeweights were always being used by these two guys who worked out at the same time.
Like most gym goers they eventually stopped coming, and I switched to the free weights.
I started out with the bar, and have worked up to overhead 115, squats 340, bench 165, and deadlift 235. The ego kicks in every now and then about how my bench and overhead are so far behind, but I remind myself that I am running a calorie deficit and can’t expect big gains. I’ve currently deloaded on bench and deadlift and am working my way back up to ensure my form is good.
Steve: Had you tried losing weight in the past? If you had failed then, what has made you succeed now?
Matt: When the mood would strike me, I could lose weight by portion control and working out 5x a week. About 10 years ago I started working for a company that had an on-site gym, and I lost about 50lbs over the course of 2 years. As my job changed, I’d like to say that I didn’t have time to workout, but really what it was was the apathy…I let it drop down in my priorities. I remember just before I started the new position, I bought a pair of 38″ jeans that I couldn’t quite button. I figured that I’d be in them in the next month. Never happened. Donated those jeans a few years later.***
As a young person, you always think that you’ll have time for everything you want to do. 10 years later, I know that I can’t be wasting my time anymore.
The reason why it is working for me now is because I’ve cut out the excuses.
Steve: Do you have any specific advice for other guys in the same boat, trying to lose a large amount of weight?
Matt: 4 things are essential:
- Figure out what your calorie needs are. There are tons of online calorie calculators out there. The one at http://www.phord.com/cc/ is great. Losing weight is “calories in < calories out.”
- Set your calorie goal at a point where you will lose weight regardless of your activity. Don’t let being sick, or getting an injury be an excuse to shovel food in your mouth.
- Keep a food log and track all of your calories. I use http://caloriecount.about.com/ because they were always coming up near the top of searches when I’d look up calorie information. All free, it has online logs for everything, and a giant database of foods and activities that are easily accessed.
- Be more active. Get at least 30 minutes of some sort of activity a day. I started out walking, and shooting around on the basketball court. But do the little things, too. Take the stairs, park in the first spot you find, walk to the mailbox, and so on.
Steve: Thanks Matt, that’s great advice. Onto the Nerd Stuff: favorite video game of all time?
Matt: Toss-up between Max Payne 1 and 2, and GTA: Vice City.
Max Payne 1 and 2 had amazing writing and great gameplay. I keep them together because the sequel had practically no changes to game play and just extended the story. The user mods for it like Kung Fu 3.0 took it even further. I used to love making gameplay movies since the developer keys enabled you move the camera around, slow things down, and more. Here’s one of my videos that has gotten a lot of attention over the years:
Vice City was such an immersive world. I’m still floored about how much they put into the 80s radio stations. Being the nerd that I am, I have ripped those files out of the game and have MP3s of VROCK, Flash, and Wave 103 that I still listen to regularly. I’d just drive around listening to the radio stations and try insane stunts. A big advantage of playing on the PC vs the consoles is having built-in replay functions which allow you to save out all the insanity.
Steve: Are you playing any game right now?
Matt: Left 4 Dead 1 and 2 are the ones I play on a regular basis.
Steve: If you could have one superpower, what would it be, and why?
Matt: Super strength. Chicks dig it when you can open jars for them.
Steve: Hahahahaha, touche’. What’s your movie to live by?
Matt: They Live. “I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass. And I’m all out of bubblegum.”
Steve: What’s one piece of advice you would give to a random stranger?
Matt: Set a goal and start yesterday.
There ya have it folks – this is what’s possible when you “put aside all the bull****,” start to eat better, and pick up some weights. And if you’re a female reading this article, don’t think weight lifting is only for guys – just ask Moe: the powerlifting gamer-girl you didn’t know existed.
-Steve
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