Charging Elephant Blog

Three things that have helped in my improvements are as followed. UTA bus pass, walking stick, swimming work out days. I have to explain what my pain points have been to help you understand what the improvements have been and why I feel that these three items have helped me out. Lately it has been very hard to walk or bend my knees. With the added weight I gained back, my knees are noticing the load. My back is another critical issue and last couple of weeks it has felt like my body is just so weak and no energy. Doing normal chores like doing the dishes, going to the park, waking the dog is like walking with weights on my legs. I also have to wear compression socks and I only have one pair. So on days I am running behind, my legs are literally like jello. Last week we decided to go to swim every night regardless or at least as much as I can. We go for only an hour or so and I do my best to keep my legs busy, and also it helps keep them elevated. The hot pool is nice to. It does d...

Since I had MRSA, I wanted to make sure that I was healed up to go back swimming and luckily I was able to get in one swim session this week. I posted the same picture some time ago last year as we went every day almost and even in the bitter cold. Going through the challenges we have faced, a crazy schedule with my concert event, camping trips and the tragedy of last couple weeks and the hospital, swimming has been placed in the back. I did go this past Wednesday and I swam the laps over 20 times and I was there for over an hour just doing the lapse. My knees have been giving be some issues, so swimming is a heaven sent. I felt so much better and lighter and it always makes it better for me to fall asleep the night of swimming. I weighed myself at Linda's doctor appointment and I was up from 431 to 433 prior to my swimming. I have committed to do my best to track what I eat and do my best to eat clean. The only problem is I am still facing the depression of loosing the child and...

I recently changed the name of this blog from pickleshealth to charging elephant blog, and really nothing else changed but the name. I created a podcast that can be found on iTunes and on anchor.fm - I want to be open and real, and raw on my brutal journey to losing weight. This blog will be the foundation of the podcast and provide behind the scenes to speak to challenges, and the highs of eating a better lifestyle. At this time the plan was to start on June 1st and start eating and living a clean eating lifestyle, search for a life or health coach and a program that I can stay on the rest of my life. However the title to this might give you the sad reality that something went way bad. I had wanted to have this thing, this goal to work towards of loosing weight and the news of having a child was just what the doctor ordered. This would give me the "umph" I need and the WHY to my sail. I supposed doing it for pure health reasons was just not enough. Let me tell you that the...

Well as you can see we have a little one on week 7 here and today we heard it's heart beat for the first time. It was so epic!!! The long road to this monumental day has been one I will never forget, but just in case I have put it down in this blog (hopefully they have blogs in the future when this kid's 16) Linda and I have been going down a hopeless road for the past 14 years wondering if or when we might have a child in our own. Of course the road started way back when we got married and during all the crazy things we have been through we have stuck it out in the hardest of times. Ramen diners, endless phone jobs, wondering where rent will come from and what is going to happen if we can not make the car payment... type of fears. I recently came across a country song titled "We were legends" by Kelsea Ballerini and it is a song that hold certain meanings to us. https://youtu.be/nGa2-kOW810   ... Linda and I have been warriors through it all. It seems just li...

Thanks goodness for those days it is cold, grey and not green and blue. Wait, what... yeah that means you can find me at the pool working out indoors!!! (But seriously, can it be Spring already?) In my last post I stated that we were going to get a gym membership, and I can happily report that we have gone almost every night these past couple of weeks or so. You can see in the image that there is the lanes for those that want to do laps and Linda and I have been doing about 8 laps or so and then they have water aerobics with this fun lady and it has been great! I really have to watch my knees and joints so that I do not damage them more until I get to a healthier weight. So swimming is awesome!! The place we go is about 2 or 3 blocks away from our apartment and it comes with classes, gym, running laps, pool, and all the usual stuff. At the first I was getting so tired and bogged down after we went swimming that I would fall right to sleep. I have noticed that my back is not hurting...

I realized that it has been since September that I have kept up with this blog. From Sept. until now it really has been a fast paced, life changing and very challenging blur. We hit some health issues, some time schedule issues and travel issues. Having one car has made our crazy lives even crazier. I suppose the last thing that I remember around that time is I got sick a lot with MRSA and was dealing with Comcast and trying not to get fired with the little bit I could be there. I remember they sent me home with the fear of God when they found out what MRSA is. I got to go back to work for a little while but the points were adding up fast and trying to work out with HR and filing crazy reports to keep it alive was getting more and more challenging. I do not want to go to much in detail over these long few months, however I really want to touch base on some highlights and lows for you the reader. I left Comcast and was given the option to work part time as contractor for Vutilit...

This will be a quick catch up for all you that follow this blog and sorry for the delay. I was able to hike a huge mountain, and then to saying goodbye at Comcast. I am on a new journey of working on many projects. Some days I wonder if I am doing too much. I currently work as a contracted freelance designer for a Tech Start up and they have stretched my abilities tons and have helped build my confidence that I still have the chops to design in today's tech world climate, doing key presentation graphics and brand management helping the sales team reach out to potential clients, investors on million dollar deals. As for my health and where things stand. We are not following a strict guideline of food regimented. We are on a new discovery path that basically involves more exercise less carbs, and better grocery items and snack ideas. I am maintaining at around 377 and I walk most every day and swim at our pool almost 5 days a week. With one car and my crazy freelance business, ho...