Operation Find My Abs: Day 1

Day 1: 184.0 pounds
Here we go...

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

In writing this blog and sharing the pictures, I expect some snarky comments, eye rolling, and other negative vibes from some people. But I'm not doing this for them.  I'm doing this for me, and I'm sharing my story for those who want to read it.

Earlier this year I declared 2014 "The Year of the Abs."  It's now late July and I am no closer to finding mine than OJ is to finding the real killer.  Recently, my buddy Chad sent me a message challenging me.  I like the idea of having an "Operation Find My Abs" Challenge.  We're both middle age and a little crazy (wrestling fans will get that), so here we are.

Me and my BowFlex

I don't expect to get ripped and look like someone from the pages of Muscle and Fitness magazine.  But it's my hope to have some definable abs, loss the love handles, and build up my pecs.  I'm running more and increasing my workouts with DDP Yoga.  I've also dusted off my BowFlex and plan to start a regular workout program.

One last treat

For me the hardest thing is going to be watching what I eat.  I've always read the first step to finding your abs is in the kitchen.  I have a big sweet tooth.  I've recently cut back sweets to just the weekends.  But starting now, I will eliminate them totally, at least for this initial phase of the program and then I'll have them sparingly on a cheat day.  Last night was my first and last Chocodile for a long time.

I hope that by going public with this, I'll take it more serious. I've said hundreds of times, I'm going to do this to myself, but never got very far.  

The other reason I'm doing this is to hopefully inspire some others along the way.  I'm not a fitness or nutrition expert.  I'm a 41 year old husband and father who is still not 100% positive this is going to work.  Part of me thinks I'm too old to transform my body, while the other part of me is worried I'm biting off more than I can chew.  

My first half-marathon back in February

If you want to join us on the journey, please do.  We can all support each other along the way and if you've already found your abs, feel free to share advice.  It's not going to be easy, but I'm determined that now is the time to make this happen.  Thanks for the support.

Chad's Story:

Chad's before pics

Sixteen months ago, I wrote a blog about trying to get in shape. In typical fashion, shortly after the blog was posted I stopped doing anything type of workout. I blamed it on the annual Geek Week traveling and not having the time. Honestly though it was because I was lazy.  It was easier to sit around watching TV eating fast food then it was to exercise and go to the grocery store to buy healthier food.

During the past year of inactivity I managed to undo any positive steps I’d taken during the six-seven weeks of working out last year. I was back to almost 200 pounds, which wouldn’t have been that bad had it been 200 pounds of muscle. In May I started telling myself it was time to cut the excuses and get back to trying to get in shape. Kevin has been talking about #OperationFindMyAbs for a while and I started using that as my motivation.

This time would be different. I wouldn’t accept defeat and was more committed to an overall lifestyle change. Last year I was doing DDPYoga but fast food was still the main part of my diet.  Not this time. If I was going to do this, it had to be serious.

While I started prepping for the restart back in May, due to trips to Philadelphia over Memorial Day weekend and a trip to Dallas a week and a half later, I decided to wait until I was back in LA to start the search.  I consider June 9 to be the official first day of changing my life.

Surprisingly for me, I have managed to continue to stick with the workouts and healthier eating to about a 90% success rate. This past week has been an off week due to severe sunburn that caused pain when I moved my shoulders. Even without doing DDPYoga this week, I continued to be active. I have a daily goal of taking at least 10,000 steps and walking at least 5 miles.

Before I changed my eating habits, I thought it would be harder than it’s been. I don’t cook. That’s the main reason I relied heavily on fast food as my source of nourishment. I’ve managed to start doing some basically cooking, but most of my meals are prepackaged salads or frozen meals which can either be quickly microwaved or thrown in a skillet for a few minutes.  While technically not as bad as fast food, I know these aren’t the healthiest options either and need to start to actually cook. Seriously, have you ever looked at the sodium content of a lot of prepackaged food? It’s ridiculous.

It’s been six weeks since I started this phase of working out and so far I’ve managed to lose 21 pounds. Still trying to figure out how to lose the stubborn belly fat and find my abs. Even if I don’t get the six-pack, at least I’ve made positive changes that I can see the results. That’s good enough for me.

As Kevin stated, if anyone reading this wants to join us on this trip, we’d like you to come along and have a circle of encouragement.

*The pictures included in this blog are from 2013 when I started working out. Wanted to represent where I was at the beginning. 

UPDATE: 14 Goals in 2014

Half marathon: Check

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

At the end of 2013, I posted a blog with 14 goals for 2014.  Since we're halfway through the year, I decided to go back and see how I've been doing.  As always, I'm sharing it with you, hopefully to be motivated to work harder.

1.  Run a Half Marathon:  Check.  I did it in February.  It was a huge challenge, but I did it.  I also boosted my goal for milage in 2014 to 600.  As of today (July 1), I'm 34% of the way there. Obviously I've got some work to do...

2.  Do DDP Yoga 3 times a week:  I started off strong on this, but have fallen short in recent months. Refocusing my efforts and going to try to at least do it twice a week now.

3. Reach 750,000 page views on this blog: A work in progress.  I'm up to 495,501 as of this moment.  When I posted that goal six months ago I was at 405,000.  So I've got a long way to go and not a whole lot of time to get there, so share this website.  It seems blogs about my failures in life bringing in the page views.  What do you like reading about?

4. Reach 500,000 video views on my YouTube Channel: Another work in progress.  Right now I'm at 304,293 views.  When I made this goal I was at 269,000.  Long way to go, so share this channel please and thank you.  Wrestling interviews are my most viewed videos, but what do you want to see?

5.  Start a Podcast:  When we can add more hours in a day, that'll happen.  It's something I still want to do before the close of the year.

Let's juice

6.  Eat at least five servings of fruits & vegetables everyday:  Pretty sure I've been consistent with this.  We bought a juicer a while back, and I'm getting at least three or four servings a day with just that.  I supplement throughout the day with apples, bananas, carrots, and a variety of peppers. 

7.  Give up extra sodas during the week:  I'm doing well with this.  I still have a vanilla diet Coke on Fridays at CrossRoads Coffee Company.  I also drink diet soda on the weekend, but I've stopped drinking it during the week.

8.  Watch more wrestling:  I haven't really done much of that, despite having access to the WWE Network.  I catch Raw each week and I do get to watch the pay per view events.  I still need to be consistent with catching Ring of Honor, Chikara, and TNA.

Our trip ziplining back in January

9.  Spend more time doing family things:  We're doing well with this one too. We kicked off the year zip lining to celebrate my son's birthday.  We have also done more through the summer with road trips to baseball tournaments.  Plus, we're hitting Disney World in the fall.

10.  Sleep at least six hours a night:  See number 5.

11.  Help more with the finances:  My wife balances the books here, and mostly still does.  Gotta step that up, and get more cash flow going here too.  Again, share this website! 

12.  Read three books:  See number 10.

An evening at the theater

13.  Have more date nights with my wife:  We've had some fun outings with each other and our friends. Karaoke, wine drinking, and a big extended weekend getaway to New York for a wedding.  It was an awesome time, and I look forward to more nights out soon.

14.  Focus more time on anchoring the news:  A work in progress.  I am putting more prep time into each show, and I think it's beginning to show.  I'm not gonna win an Emmy anytime soon, but I feel like am improving.

Six months from today we'll start 2015 and new goals will be in place.  My hope is that many of these goals from 2014 have a check mark by them when the clock strikes midnight.

14 Goals for 2014

Running the Carterville Twilight 5K

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

As 2013 comes to a close, it's time to look ahead to a new year.  I had some fun and success in 2013, with the biggest milestone being turning 40.  I also reached my running goal of hitting 500 miles.  Now, I'm writing up 14 goals for 2014.  I hope by doing this I will be more accountable.  I've learned when setting goals or making resolutions, remember KISS (keep it simple and specific).

When December 31, 2014 rolls around, I don't fully expect to have accomplished everything on this list, but I hope to have at least tried.  So if you haven't written down your goals for the new year, join me in doing it.  You don't have to share it with the world, but at least have something to track your progress.  And before I forget, thanks for reading this blog and showing your support through the years.

1.  Run a half marathon.  Since 2011 I've started running again.  In high school I kinda ran Cross Country.  Some 20+ years later, I'm running more than I ever have before.  In 2013 I hit my goal of running 500 miles.  I've competed in two Warrior Dashes, a color run, and multiple 5Ks.  It seems the next logical step is a half marathon.  My plan as of right now (December 30, 2013) is to run the "Fly With The Eagles" half marathon in February.

Doing DDP Yoga

2.  Do DDP Yoga at least 3 times a week.  I started doing DDP Yoga about six months ago, but I have yet to find a balance and keep up with it.  It's hard to strike that balance of running and trying to fit in the yoga too.  But along with the yoga comes my desire to really improve not just my health but my appearance too.  I'm going to be 41 in a few months, and I've never really considered myself to be "in shape."  In 2014, that will change.  Even though DDP advises against it, I think I need to hit the gym more often too.

3.  Reach 750,000 page views on this blog. This is quite a lofty goal.  After 3 years and 3 months of blogging, I'm at 405,000 page reads.  Part of my plan for 2014 is to write at least 300 blogs.  Since changing the focus from wrestling to other areas of life, more readers are checking out my writing (and Chad's when he's inspired to post something).

4.  Reach 500,000 views on my YouTube channel. If you haven't already, please subscribe to my YouTube channel.  I'm at just over 269,000 right now.  I know I shouldn't be so focused on the numbers, but it's something I obsess about all the time.  Like the blog, I'm posting about more than just wrestling over there too.

5.  Start a Podcast. Now that From the Rafters Radio has officially wrapped up, I'd love to try to do a podcast.  My biggest worry at this point is having the time to actually do one and do it right.  Stay tuned for more details if this one starts to develop.

An apple a day...

6.  Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.  For the most part, I eat pretty healthy, but there's room for improvement, especially on the weekends.  When we do go out to eat, I'm passing on the twisted potatoes (a weakness of mine) and getting a veggie side instead.  

7.  Give up the extra sodas during the week.  I am obsessed with fountain Coke Zero with a splash of vanilla flavoring.  Earlier in 2013, I had weaned myself off daily sodas and started drinking coffee.  I was only drinking soda on Friday and Saturday.  But then I got to the point where I was grabbing a soda when I was out on a story or having one on Sunday because I'm so addicted to the caffeine.  I know I should give them up completely, and I will work toward that someday, but right now I'm good with cutting myself back to just those two days a week.

8.  Watch more wrestling. I know my wife will not want to hear that one, but really, I only watch Monday Night Raw on a regular basis.  2013 I watched very few episodes of SmackDown!, Impact, or NXT.  I think to be a wrestling blogger, I should broaden my horizons.  I want to see more indy stuff too, but I don't know how realistic that will be in this area.

Holiday World 2012

9.  Spend more time doing family things. I know I'm painting myself in a corner with some of these aspirations and goals.  The good thing is, I get home from work two to three hours before my kids come home from school.  With some improved time management, I can get things knocked out while I'm home alone.  That will free up more time in the evenings and weekends to do more family oriented things.  My oldest son is in 8th grade, and before you know it, he'll be heading off to college.  I don't want him to leave and think "I wish we would have done more together."

10.  Sleep at least six hours a night. Again, I see the conundrum, but I have to make this work.  Right now I get about five hours of sleep a night.  Some nights it's less.  Fewer nights it's more.  I think to be able to tackle all these other lofty goals I'm going to have to be well rested and in turn that will help me to function better.

11.  Help more with the finances.  As I'm writing this, my wife asked "Are you going to add something about helping more with the finances?"  So like any smart man I said yes.  After all, happy wife, happy life.  I am notorious for letting her handle all that stuff.  I did finally figure out how the online banking system works and will be helping more in that regard each month.  Now, if only there was a way to get more green added to that account.

Book worm? Hardly

12. Read three books.  That doesn't sound like much, but I'm addicted to my iPad and iPhone and have not read a book cover to cover since wrapping up the Harry Potter series three years ago.  I think reading more and playing less Song Pop, Words with Friends, and various other apps on my phone will be a good thing.

13. Have more date nights with my wife. Now that are kids are getting older, we don't have the excuse of not wanting to hire a babysitter anymore.  I want to spend more time as a couple.  Family time is important, but I love when we're able to get out just the two of us.  These don't have to be expensive outings either.  I'm thinking of simple things we can do that won't cost an arm and a leg.

14. Focus more time on anchoring the news.  I've been anchoring the morning news for more than nine years now.  Of course through the years, I have improved, but I need to pick up my game.  My stumbles need to go away.  I'm working hard to accomplish this one.

Okay, that's my 14 goals for 2014.  Check back again in a year and hopefully my year in review I'll have checked some of these things of the list.  Thanks again for reading and the support.