This day was coming

Our son is moving out on his own for the first time this coming September. He's focusing on finishing his University degree in which we are immensely proud of.  

I'm beyond proud of him for the man he's become.  I'm also sad because this marks the end of HUGE chapter and the start of another one for both him and I. 

When my son was born I was 19 years old and still a kid myself. I don't think I was mature enough to raise a family but we did it and continue to. I was barely old enough to legally drink in a bar let alone start a family. Those early years were tough, I was still growing up myself while trying to figure out how to be a father and a husband. I made some huge mistakes over the years and our relationship was good but wasn't very close until about a year ago.  This past year I believe (in our own ways) we forgave each other for the mistakes we both made.  We started to really develop a close relationship that I cherish everyday. In a lot of ways I'm sad because of all the time I wasted, missed opportunities to develop that realtiobships with my son.  This is something that I can't stop thinking about as he takes this step.  It saddens me because I can't go back in time and do things over. He's an amazing young man that I'm so immensely proud of.  He's intelligent, empathetic and has a huge heart with his family at the center of it. 

All I can and will do is love him, support him and continue to develop our relationship while I continue to gently wipe the tears from my eyes.

Mr. Repay   

Day 9 - When you don’t feel like training

 Theme of today has been when you don’t feel like training, go train.  I had a really good day at work today.  I got out and saw a bunch of important clients such as Mr. Bjorquist =). I got a lot accomplished and it was so good to see these people.  

My food was back on point today.  I didn’t over eat and had a great balance of foods from all of the food groups.  My body reacts positively to a diet higher in lean protein, natural sugars derived from fresh fruits (also high in insoluble fibre) and vegetables.  I’m not restricting anything from my diet with the exception of added refined sugars.  I’m finding my blood sugar has stabilized and I’m feeling full for a much longer period.  I still crave sugar from time to time but when I do feel these cravings I’ve suppressed them with drinking lots of water and adding some fresh fruit.  The benefit of fresh fruit is that I’m consuming nutritious raw foods along with a lot of fibre.  Great for stabilizing my gut and levelling out my blood sugar.

I didn’t feel like training this evening even though I told myself that I needed to get some in to support consistency.  I was battling with my mind tonight, it telling me that I really didn’t need to as I had a great class last nigh so why not take the evening off?  I didn’t listen and went downstairs to my training hall and put in some time.  It wasn’t high intensity sort training but I did review what we did at class last night.  I used my hanging heavy bag to feel what that strike would feel like.  We obviously didn’t strike our partners in class so it was great to feel the power on the bag.  I also realized the two handed part of the technique that I didn’t really notice last night.  I also took some time with Da Mu Sing and worked on a part that I knew I was forgetting part of.  After working through it I remembered what was missing and added it back in.  In total I spent around 20 minutes but the payoff was huge in more ways than one.

Mr. Repay

Day 7 & 8

 Sunday was day seven and I chose to use it as a rest day.  I spent two really good hours on Saturday at open training and my body needed some recovery time.  What I failed to capitalize on was the mental side of my training.  I may have taken a physical day of rest but I failed to work on the non physical aspects of my Kung Fu.  Learning opportunity for myself as I need to refocus on things like Mastery and a couple of my personal non physical I Ho Chuan requirements.  

I did record all of my meals and snacks on Sunday and I’m really feeling good because of it both physically and mentally.  The tracking is helping me stave off mediocrity and my wife and I both screen share each other’s meals through out the day.  It helps us stay accountable to ourselves and each other.

Monday has been a really good day for training.  Class was excellent and the discussion and training around intensity was perfect.  It brought me back to my days as a kid playing hockey.  My Dad would talk to me about intensity.  He would discuss this with me a lot but I just couldn’t grasp the concept then and or I didn’t pay it enough attention.  I think it was more the latter.  

Today wasn’t the best food day.  I recorded everything but I over ate and ate some things that I shouldn’t have eaten.  Nothing terribly unhealthy just too much of a few things.  The positive is that I recorded everything and being aware is so important.  I also know that what I ate today was a good third to half of what I would eaten if I wasn’t mindfully tracking it.  I do notice that I’m eating too fast.  I need to slow down and take more time.  This will only help with digestion as well as the amount of food that I’m eating.  Overall I’m extremely happy with the changes we’ve made to our diet.

That’s it for now.

Mr. Repay

Day 5 & 6

 Yesterday was my birthday and it was a fantastic day.  Spent it fairly simply with my family and two of our closest friends.  I enjoyed the moment of just being with family.

I recorded my food and activity for both days and so far I haven’t missed a day.  I feel a routine starting develop.  I had a good conversation with Sifu Langer today during open training.  We talked about the Black Belt cycle and how things like consistent training and recording have a profound impact.  I’ve been inspired by Sifu Langer for a very long time.  I got to know him when he came back and before he was a black belt.  I saw him kick and claw his way on his way to earning his black belt.  Then the accident happened…. To see him today smiling and well on his way to recovery is nothing but awe inspiring.  The advice he gave me and the feedback on my forms was pure gold.  

Working with both Sifu Lindstrom and Sifu Ward was also amazing.  The opportunity that open training gives is un measurable.  There’s the opportunity to for some “one on one” feedback but I also value the informal time with everyone there.  The casual conversation, the jokes, the laughs are all part of it.  

My diet is also starting to show some results.  I’m down almost six pounds in the past week.  I do realize that this mostly water that I was retaining based on a poor diet high in salt and processed foods.  However I’ll take it!  Seeing the progress is all extremely motivating and helps me make the right choices.  

Mr. Repay

Day four

 Tougher day as I twisted my right knee and aggravated my sciatica nerve at last nights class.  I didn’t sleep much last night as there was no way to get comfortable with my leg fully extended in bed.  

Food wise, I’ve tracked my diet and over indulged a little but the tracking is the key regardless of what I eat.  Sifu Brinker and I had a great conversation about food and inflammation.  He peaked my curiosity to do some more digging.

Training wasn’t that great today but what I did I tracked.

The meeting this evening was amazing.  It’s alway awesome to hear where everyone is and how they’re doing.  It’s hard not to come away from these in person meetings even the tiniest more energized and engaged.

That’s it for now.

Mr. Repay

Three days in a row

 Yup it’s been three days in row and I’m starting to feel just a little like I felt a year ago.  What I’m keeping in mind this time is my mini goal that I set for myself.  This goal is achievable and it’s what I keep thinking about when I don’t feel like training or I feel like eating poorly. 

    My diet today was pretty good.  I switched it up to some raw overnight oats with Greek yogurt, skim milk, splash of maple syrup and some whole frozen strawberries.  I made it last night so that everything had time to get happy and thick for this morning’s breakfast.  I liked the change but It didn’t fill me up and I found myself reaching for a hard boiled egg and some protein about 10:30am.  I really find that if I in corporate a diet with whole eggs I stay full longer and my blood sugar levels stay very steady.

    Lunch was a quick thin crust pizza on a high fibre, high protein crust.  Tasty and filling and a nice break from eggs.  Only downside was heating up my oven on a very hot day.

    I’ve stayed on top of my tracking both food and training.  I almost missed tracking breakfast but I got a friendly reminder from my wife =)  I also updated the tracking on my I Ho Chuan requirements.  Not going to sugar coat this, my numbers are awe full.  What else should I expect considering my training hasn’t been where it needs to be for the last couple of months.  However I’m not dwelling on negative, but focusing on just getting back to that routine.  Consistent training and more importantly consistent with logging my numbers.  I can honestly say that when I’m logging my food and or my physical requirements I can fell myself pushing back on mediocrity.  

    Class tonight was amazing.  It seemed like every exercise Sifu had us do was the very same things I’ve been working on at home!  I think I need to check my training room for a hidden camera LOL!  At the end of class Sifu Brinker told us that there is going to be a boot camp on Sept 18th as long as things remain the same with the pandemic.  I was soooooo excited to hear this as I have very fond memories of the boot camp I attended almost 8 years ago.  What a cool experience and I have to believe that this will be the same.  Finally I heard that this Saturday we are getting our open training slot back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

That it’s for now.

Mr. Repay

Day two - updates

 Well it’s been two days and these are some things I’ve added to my plan and some general observations.

    Made and executed two days of meal planning.  We’ve made a conscience effort to reduce the sugar in our diets.  We don’t drink soda or eat a lot of sugar heavy desserts.  However there is a TON of added sugar that we don’t realize we’re eating if were not mindful.  Our current diet is a throw back to what worked for us a year ago.  A balanced diet of lean protein and high fibre foods such as fruit and veggies and whole grains and lots of eggs.  Increased our water intake to around two litres per day from about one.  Feeling full for longer periods is the goal and what we are eating is getting us there.

    Diet tracking has been a big thing.  It’s as important as recorded my push ups and sit-ups.  It helps me understand what I’m putting in my body.  Also by recording what I’m eating it helping me resist those late evening snacks.

    I’ve found that I enjoy training in the evenings at the same time that my class starts at.  I’ve tried mornings but I prefer to enjoy the quiet time with my espresso and breakfast. 

    The push up challenge is fun and I’m enjoying participating.  It’s also something that gives me a target and or a purpose for training.  I start my evening training by warming up with the goal of completing the days challenge.  I’ve found that with this goal in mind I’m accomplishing way more that initially set out to do.

    I Ho Chuan recording.  It’s only been two days but I’ve recorded and totalled them up.  

    Spinning back kicks have been one kick that I’ve chosen to spend a little extra time on.  This evening I’ve noticed that if I move my lead leg across the centre line (slightly) it's helping with my rotation.

    Hand combinations have been a favourite and I’ve been playing with my jab and fade.  I’ve really enjoyed using the jab not to make heavy contact but to feel out my distance and to set up my reverse hand.  I’ve been playing with my fade as well.  Keeping my chin tucked in and rotating the lead shoulder over to allow the jab to glance off and create some distance without moving my feet.  This allows me to quickly counter.

We’ll that’s it for now.

Mr. Repay

Fail to plan, plan to fail

 I’m not a planner, it’s not in my DNA.  I do plan but It’s an effort all of the time.  I like to float along, see where things take me which hasn’t been the best approach for my life at times.  When I have been successful it’s because I’ve put in the planning AND the effort to see it through.  This is one of those “a ha” moments for me.  It’s not always lack of planning and it’s not always lack of effort but these two are my nemesis.  When I do plan the effort and follow through seem to make an appearance.  When I have effort with out planning I still get “stuff done” but it normally isn’t what I needed to get done I just got “stuff”done.  What I’ve come to realize is that this approach isn’t one that will consistently bear fruit for me.  Sure, I’ll progress and I’ll get stuff done but It won’t get me where I want to be very quickly and most importantly WHERE I want to be.  You know the old adage “any road will take you someone where” well that’s kinda me.  

So where if any road will take you somewhere which road will take me where I want to go?  That road is the one that has lot’s of pot holes, overgrown with weeds and basically the “road less travelled”.  But on this road I’m going to find the things that will serve me for the rest of my life.  Things like fitness, good physical and mental health, a solid relationship with my family, empathy towards others.  So why are all of these things found on the less travelled road?  Because for everyone the road is unique to thier own journey.  For me these are the things at this point in my life that are important to me but require consistent effort to achieve.  I’ve let my physical health deteriorate over the past number of years.  Because of this my fitness isn’t where I need it to be.  Because of this my mental health has suffered etc etc.  Where I want to be requires me to bring myself back to the moment and ask myself “am I where I want to be”?  “Am I the best version of myself?”.  The answer is absolutely not.  

So here I am deciding that I want to be that absolute best version of myself.  I also realize that the approach I’ve taken to this point doesn’t work.  I realize that I need help, help with the journey, and help with the planning.  I need someone to pull me along when I don’t want to go any further, someone to help me be accountable and give a little pep talk, some extra motivation.  In steps my best friend to lend me that hand.  Together we’ll hold each other accountable and pull each other along when the other doesn’t want to.  In steps my I Ho Chuan team, they’ve always lent their hands and pulled me along when I’ve needed.  And now I have to step up and put the consistent effort out there.  I’m the only one that can do the push ups, sit ups and the requirements that I’ve signed up for and made that promise.

Mr. Repay