Bodfather: More Than What I Seem

Subject #5 in the "Bodfather"
Witness Reduction Program: Billie

 Height: 5’4”
Starting weight: 411 

Current weight: 397
Loss: +3.2

Total Loss: 14.0 lbs.

I was getting a little worried about Billie, the fifth and final participant in my “Bodfather” program. To those just joining us, I’m playing the “Bodfather” to five individuals who’ve agreed to share their weight-loss stories over a six-month period here on JSGF. Since I’m not a personal trainer, dietician, medical doctor or gifted motivator, my assistance is somewhat limited; however, I do provide email encouragement and support and have hooked each of them up with a free Philips DirectLife activity monitor. It’s the least I can do, and I’m always about doing the least I can do…

So anyway…

I knew Billie was having a rough month. While she’s still down from her starting weight, the past few weeks on the scale haven’t been all that kind to her. To Billie’s credit, she’s recognized that some of that is due to her fat-to-muscle transformation.

“I know I've built muscle (my arms are most certainly stronger), and oddly, pants fit that weren't fitting before. But I can tell you this--no matter what muscle I'm building, I still need to see a downward movement on that scale.”

Then I didn’t hear from her for a while. Just like with bloggers, when things go dark, it’s rare that anything positive is happening.

But Billie’s not your average weight-loss warrior. Here’s her message to me yesterday:

How am I doing?? Well, let me just tell you...

This morning's workout:

20 minutes, Treadmill. 2.5-2.6 mph. Upped that incline, 2, 3, 4...man. Nothing adds intensity like incline.

Elliptical: 40 minutes. Incline, 10-11. Resistance: 8-10, RPMS 94-132

I felt VERY STRONG today.

The sun is shining.

I am a ninja.

Not to say that I am an undercover mercenary. What I mean by that, is this:

If you would pass me on the street, you would have NO idea that I just did an hour of cardio, or that I would be remotely capable of doing so. I can barely believe it myself. 

Ninja literally means, "One who is concealed." I think that there are a lot of ninjas running around--those of us that you would look at and assume are incapable or unfit, when really, they are superstars incognito!! 

It reminds me of a hefty guy I saw at the beginning of the Ironman triathlon in Kona a few years ago--I saw him in the water, and I thought, "Oh man, how could he possibly finish?" I mean, this guy was definitely in the Clydesdale category (and I'm not being insulting--it used to be an actual category for this triathlon). The camera panned in on him, and the announcer said something like "...and for some, you wonder why they even came out at all..."  I watched the highlights from the race, and all the jubilant people who made it to the end. The very last shot of the program, was him walking across the finish line with his wife and two young children. =) Ninja!!

I even wrote a haiku.

The sun is shining
I'm much more than what I seem
I am a ninja

Billie, I’m still going to worry when you go into stealth mode on me, but I promise you one thing: I’m not going to doubt you anymore.

One Thin Soldier (The Legend of Billy Jack Sh*t)

Listen, children, to a story

That was written just last night,

‘Bout a blogger on a mission

To make his weight right for his height.



On his blog there was a section
Situated on the side
That included weigh-in numbers,

Starting when he was too wide.
 


Go ahead and eat a salad.
Go ahead and exercise.

 Do it for self-preservation,
You can justify at your size.
There won’t be any friends praising you
.
Come your weigh-in day,

On a bright day a few months later....

One thin soul will have his way.


So the people stoppin' at his blog
Wrote some comments on his site.
Tell him that he can do it,
That his future is so bright.

So he kept on pushing forward.
“With my friends, we’ll preservere.
Eating right and drinking water,
Instead of having chips and beer.”
 


Go ahead and eat some yogurt.

Go ahead and lift some weights.

Do it for a healthy future,

We are redefining our own fates.

There won't be any trumpets blowing

On the day you start.
Check back six months later…

One thin soul has shown some heart.



Now the blogger cries with pleasure,

 “Check the scale! I’m at goal weight!”
And the commenters commented,
Tell him that he looks so great.


Now he looks for other bloggers,
Their weight loss stories, he has read
At every stop, he leaves a comment,

"You can do it" is all he said.



Go ahead and eat some oatmeal,

Go ahead and run a mile.

Do it in the name of fitness,

In the end it’s gonna make you smile.

Keep up with the way you’re going and

Come your weigh-in day,

You’ll be a better person after.

One thin soul is here to stay.