First Frost Challenge: Log Three - Walk Hard

In the second week of my challenge, I must admit that I slipped up a bit. The fourth of July holiday led to a lot of excess eating that I am sure exercise wasn’t enough to counteract. I was also a bit lax regarding exercise. I did a lot of park walking this week but I didn’t submit myself to the cardiovascular exercise that I should be doing.

Don’t get me wrong, I walked hard.

(That is the official theme song of this challenge)

I made sure to keep an elevated heartbeat steady and I pushed through a lot of sweat. In addition to park walking, I played a lot of disc golf this week. Those courses, with varied terrain elevations and long distances can serve as very enjoyable workouts.

I want to show you the mountain trail in the Parkway that I walked a few times this week. I first documented the trail on my Lehigh Parkway part 2 park log. If you go back and compare and contrast the pictures, it shows the amazing transition from spring to high summer.








All in all, I still feel like I am gaining more energy. Let’s see what the scale says:

Wow. Fair enough. Four pounds gone. Maybe things are starting to click. I am going to ramp up the intensity in my workouts this week and hopefully these results continue. There is however a large pink elephant behind all these posts that I am going to have to address soon; the elephant being my smoking habit. In order for me to use these parks to their full potential of exercise I am really going to have to quit. Plans for that will be discussed in next weeks entry.

I have invited my brother Bryan to join my challenge. His goal is to gain weight. If anyone else wants to join up with whatever goals they have, leave a comment. We can all get each others backs. It is easier to do things like this with the support of friends.

Don't forget to try and come out for a walk in the Parkway this Saturday at noon. We are meeting at Bogart's bridge.

First Frost Challenge: Log Two

So, week one… Ouch.

I began the week by going food shopping. I stocked up on pickled beets, bread and butter pickles and carrots for late night healthy (and delicious) snacking. I purchased some blueberries and Clif bars for morning nourishment and I bought wild rice, couscous, and chicken tenderloins for various dinner combinations. The eating has been the easy and honestly refreshing part of this so far.

The exercising, not as much..

My main exercise routine this week took place in Cedar Beach Parkway. I used the fitness course there along the 1.3 mile walk. There are various torture devices, er, equipments along the path that in combination with the walk offer a pretty well rounded workout. I know this because nearly every major muscle in my body ached after. (a lot)











The workout in Cedar Beach Parkway is probably a lot of fun for the physically fit and they probably look good doing it too. The best part of this workout is that it cost me nothing but calories. I may have looked like a fool struggling to do a pull up but I was a fool with a fatter pocket and (hopefully) thinner waist. Speaking of looking like a fool trying to do pull ups; a very pretty lady ran by me three times as I walked my single loop and each time I fiddled with my camera trying to play it cool rather than allow her to see me grunt and try to complete an exercise. That right there is another great motivational device for improving my physical fitness.

So, one week and it is undeniable that I feel more energetic. The scale says:

Dang. At least I didn’t gain any weight… Let’s see if I can drop a few this week.

The First Frost Challenge: Log One

My friends know that I profoundly dislike hot weather. I would easily be satisfied if the temperature never got above sixty degrees. That said, I usually have a countdown to the first day of autumn (87 days by the way) going as soon as the first humid soaked summer afternoon bakes itself into the soil. Our first frost usually occurs around mid October.

It is with these dates in mind that I set for myself a challenge. In order to demonstrate the functionality of our parks I pledge that I will lose thirty-five pounds by walking and using the fitness equipment in the parks by the time of our first frost.

I currently weigh 228 pounds.


At just under six feet tall I am medically considered obese. I need to lose about 40 pounds to be considered healthy. Without question, I feel out of shape. I sure look it too. I will document weekly my progress (or lack there of) here on this blog. Supplementing my exercise in the parks I am going to develop a diet of locally grown sustainable food and I will share this diet here as well.

I am looking forward to my first frost challenge. I am excited to continue to show the wonderful uses of our beautiful city parks. Here, I selfishly wish myself luck. I am going to need it.

Specific details will be provided next week as well as initial results.

Challenge on.