Hank’s blog for 2/18/09

I’m off to the slopes of the White Mountains for some skiing with my family. I’m very excited about it, since I’ve skied once this year and have been looking forward to this for a long time.

In my last blog I talked about my embarrassing night at the TD BankNorth Garden when I couldn’t fit in the seat and was put in the handicapped section because I was so fat.

Now, here are 10 POSITIVE things that have come with losing 110 pounds.

1. I can shop for clothes anywhere. No longer do I have to shop at in the BIG MEN section or the big and tall stores.
2. I can fit in the seats at the TD BankNorth Garden.
3. I can sit in a restaurant booth.
4. I can walk five miles.
5. My feet don’t hurt.
6. I never go to bed feeling badly about how I’ve eaten.
7. I have energy I never thought I could feel again.
8. When I sweat, it’s from working out, not just being fat.
9. I can do multiple physical activities in a day.
10.I never feel like going to sleep after I eat.

These are just some of the positive changes that have become possible by losing weight. Of course, I could not have done it without the help of Mike Boyle and Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning in Winchester, MA. They are the best in the world at what they do. Please check out www.bodybyboyle.com and www.strengthcoach.com. They have changed my life and can help you change yours. It’s amazing what being around positive forces can do for your health.

I’ll report on my ski trip when I get back next week.

Best,
Hank

Blog 2/13/09

Hi folks. I’m down to 265 pounds from my high of 375 about a year ago. I continue to work out at Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning in Winchester and I’ve got my eating under control. I still struggle, but I win more than I lose.

I went to the Beanpot hockey tournament with my daughter Charlotte and my dad, the great Al Morse, this past Monday. I’m happy to report that Boston University, the number one college hockey team in the country, won AGAIN, beating Northeastern 5-2. What do I have in common with the BU hockey team? We are both fortunate to be clients of Mike Boyle, the greatest in the land. Check out his websites…….www.bodybyboyle.com and www.strengthcoach.com.

As I wandered around the TD BankNorth Garden during the hockey game, I was reminded about a rather embarrassing event that occurred a few years ago. My dad and I went to a Bruins game and had seats up in the balcony. For those of you who’ve never sat in the balcony, the seats aren’t as big as they are in the loge section.

I was too fat to fit in the seat. I couldn’t completely fit my large frame into the seat. I was spilling over on both sides, trying the fold my arms and position my legs to find a comfortable spot. It didn’t happen. I went down to customer service and had to request a a stand alone seat. They gave us two seats in the handicapped section. I was humiliated that I was SO FAT and felt worse for my father, who was supposed to be enjoying the game……not worrying about his monstrous offspring fitting into the seat.

This past Monday…..not only did my team win the game…….I fit perfectly comfortably into the seat…my dad on my left, my daughter Charlotte on my right. Just one of the benefits of losing weight.

My blog next week will be a top 10 list of good things that have happened to me since I began losing weight. I’m down about 110 pounds, but still need to lose more. If you ever have any questions, please send me an email at hmorse@wror.com.

January 26, 2009

Hi folks…..we’re almost one-twelfth of the way through the year and have you made your commitment to improving your health? Before you drop some expletives in my direction (who like’s to be questioned by a fat guy?), let me share my weekend.

Friday night, I deejayed a school function for my daughters, where they and their friends got up and sang on stage, danced with their friends, goofed off a lot and had a blast.

Saturday morning, I jumped into the frigid Atlantic at Wollaston Beach in Quincy as part of the John Hancock Birthday Plunge, to raise money for Interfaith Social Services. ISS serves needy families and individuals on the South Shore. Saturday night, I emceed an auction/fundraiser for a three month old baby girl, whose mother died during childbirth last October. You can go to the website www.helpbabyelise.com , if you’d like to donate to her fund.

My point is this: Family and friends are so important, life is short and you have to take advantage of any opportunity that comes your way in life. I was fortunate that, despite my lifetime of fatness, I didn’t have any serious illnesses. I did lose a gallbladder, though. Luckily for me, Mike Boyle offered to help me lose weight and the one thing I’ve done right during the last decade was take him up on his offer and take advantage of the help he offered. I’ve lost about 105 pounds……I tip the scale at 270….and I’ve got a long way to go. My wife, my daughters, my friends….they are all very important to me. YOU are important to your family and friends. Put yourself first, for one. Spend the money on your fitness NOW….not when your relegated to some long term care facility with disabling physical limitations.

When I first started working out, I used to visualize skiing with my daughters, whenever I’d be struggling on the treadmill, or doubting myself. Last winter, while Abbey and Charlotte skied, I sat on my size 54s in the lodge, lamenting how I’d let myself balloon to 375 pounds.

Yesterday, I skied at Wachusett Mountain in Princeton on a glorious, sunny winter day. The girls both brought a friend. The girls glided down the mountain with their friends, I wiped a tear from my eye as I got to the top of the lift, and felt like Bobby Orr soaring through the air as I made my way down the mountain to the lodge.

I want to thank Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning in Winchester for helping me attain one of my many goals. If I can do it, you can too.

Go get ‘em……TODAY!!!!

Best,Hank

Happy New Year! & Back to the Basics!

Here we are in the new year, 2009, and I’m into my ninth month of my “Big Adventure”.
I’ve been trying to get myself back into shape since last May, when I started working out with Mike Boyle at Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning in Winchester, www.bodybyboyle.com.

I’ve lost 103 pounds. I’m down from 375 to 272 and I feel a million times better. Maybe more than a million times. But…I’m still 272 and need to lose 50-75 pounds more. I’ve been approximately the same weight since Thanksgiving. Why? Well, I’m still eating well, but haven’t been as strict as I had been when I first began losing weight. I haven’t been quite as diligent about my exercise, although I’m still exercising going to Boyle’s on a regular basis.

So, looking forward to the next phase of improving my health, I decided to look back. I went back to my first blog on May 22, 2008 and read it over. Back to basics is always the way to go when you struggle with anything.

So, for the New Year, here are my suggestions, mostly culled from discussions with the great Mike Boyle.

Drink lots of water, eat lean protein at every meal and absolutely get enough sleep. Sleep is HUGE in the weight loss battle. Also, cut down on refined flour and sugar products. You’d be amazed at what eliminating pasta and bread will do for your weight loss. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Make sure you exercise at least three or four times a week. It revs up your metabolism, oxygenates your blood and can even fight depression.

Of course, check with your doctor before you do anything. Even at 375 pounds, I made sure to go to the doctor on a regular basis. I knew he’d tell me I was fat, but I wanted to know if anything way wrong.

Mike said something to me when I began working out with him. If your parents gave you a new car when you were 16 and told you it was the only car you would ever have……..then you’d probably take good care of it.

Happy New Year. If you ever have any questions, you can always email me at hmorse@wror.com.

Best,
Hank

12/2/08

There are 29 days left in the year and December is traditionally the toughest month of the year when it comes to eating. There are holiday parties, goodies around the office, sweet smells in the air, Christmas Eve celebrations, Christmas dinner and of course, the leftovers. Then there's New Year's Eve and for many of us, Chinese food on New Year's Day.

It comes as no surprise that the scale registers higher than it did after even Thanksgiving during such a gluttonous season. I just decided yesterday, that I'm giving myself the gift of exercise for Christmas. I made a committment to exercise every day for the rest of the year and the reasons are simple. I've lost 100 pounds and want to wrap up the year on a high note. I want to ski this winter with my daughters. I still need to lose 50-75 pounds and the momentum from an active month will propel me in that direction. Lastly, I ALWAYS feel better after I've exercised. ALWAYS!

I've fought a stomach bug and then a bad cold over the last three weeks and haven't exercised as much as usual. I worked out today, Tuesday, at Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning in Winchester, www.bodybyboyle.com and I feel SO energized. I love the Nike slogan....."Just Do It".........you'll always feel better if you "Just Do It".

During the holiday season, make sure to follow your conscience and get in your exercise, even if you've pigged out grossly, been gluttonous and out of control. Youl feel better if you "Just Do It."

Happy Holidays!

Hank

Top Workout Songs

It's November and most people figure that the last two months of the year should be reserved for self indulgence, what with Halloween having just passed, Thanskgiving a few weeks away and the gluttonous holiday season closing in. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day used to be my Super Bowl of food. Not this year, though.

I've mentioned in the past, that I've adopted George Costanza's theory of doing the exact opposite of what I would normally do, when it comes to my health. So, I'm kicking it in and getting ready to really workout hard and eat right during the last two months of the year. That way, when January 1st rolls around, I'll already have a head start on 2009.

That being said.....Here is my list of 10 great songs from the 60s, 70s and 80s, to work out to:

Centerfold by J. Geils
Maniac by Michael Sembello
You Dropped a Bomb on Me by The Gap Band
You're My First, My Last, My Everthing by Barry White
Paradise City by Guns and Roses
Walk This Way by Aerosmith/Run DMC
Superfreak by Rick James
Smooth by Santana and Rob Thomas
Pride and Joy by Stevie Ray Vaughn
Living on a Prayer by Bon Jovi

Coming up next week......My five most embarassing fat guy moments and the five best things about losing weight.

Happy November!!!!!

Best,
Hank

GETTING READY FOR THE HOLIDAYS!!!

Go shopping at any mall, shopping center or even on-line and there it is: Christmas and the holidays.

Holidays are steeped in traditions surrounding food. Halloween kicks off the gluttonous 62 day stretch between October 31st and New Year's Eve. Thanksgiving rolls right in three weeks later and then it's off to the races for Christmas, Channukah, holiday parties and their respective leftovers.

I started my big weight loss adventure a little over five months ago and I've gone from 375 pounds down to 285. As the catalogs started to pile up and I began to notice the approaching holiday season, it reminded me about one of the dangers of celebrating the season: FOOD and FAT.

Most people look at January 2nd as the date when they'll get back on track with better eating and exercise. They have a lot of time until the warm weather rolls around and that security blanket gives them a false sense of hope. How many times have you asked yourself in April - "Why didn't I work out over the winter?"

This year will be different for me. I'm planning ahead to give myself the opportunity to succeed during the holidays, instead of sabbotaging myself with poor decisions. Having good food around is the only way to succeed. I've gotten into the habit of eating healthy snacks when I want to binge. I'll eat a couple of protein bars and a couple pieces of fruit. Once I'm full, I'm thrilled it wasn't two Snickers, a half bag of oreos and a pint of Ben and Jerry's. I've really struggled the last two weeks, but I feel I've gotten through the rough patch and still lost weight. Some days, I'm really hungry. I've been able to go back to the basics and they continue to be the backbone to better health. Drink lots of water, eat a lot of protein, fruits and vegetables and continue to exercise. If you do this on a regular basis, you lose the up and down sugar highs and lows that sap your energy.

Remember on Seinfeld when George Costanza starts to do the opposite of what he normally does in certain situations? Well, that's what I'm trying to do. When I'd ordinarily fall off the wagon and get away from the basics, falling into an endless cycle of bingeing, I'm now regrouping much quicker. It's the Costanza way. I'm doing the opposite of what I used to do. The old way NEVER worked. The new way does and even if I don't FEEL like doing it.....I DO. When those bingey feelings pass, I feel better physically and, especially, mentally.

If you feel like you're losing control, jump in the car, drive to Whole Foods and get some water, a container of fresh fruit and some grilled chicken, turkey, beef, pork, whatever. The lean protein, fresh fruit and water will fill you up and satisfy you. HONESTLY. IT WILL.

Set your self up to succeed during the holidays and it will be the best present you could ever receive. Stock your house with good options, so you'll be able to make good choices during weak moments.

The gift of health can be yours this holiday. Jingle all they to the gym and those smaller jeans will be under the Christmas tree.

Best,
Hank