Comments on The Journal of Joe The Peacock. Yay.: How football saved my life

Chronicbliss, that's a tricky one, because no matt...

2008-11-23T18:16:00.000-05:00

Chronicbliss, that's a tricky one, because no matter how you say it, it's only going to come out sounding bad to him.

The only thing you can really do is start encouraging activities that require physical movement and activity, and slowly build it up.

Really, it takes self-realization, OR a marriage so strong and honest that he won't be offended if you do say something :)

Dude, that's great David! Glad to hear my rantings...

2008-11-23T18:13:00.000-05:00

Dude, that's great David! Glad to hear my rantings are of some use :)

Keep it up!

Joe,I read your gym advice blog this summer. I sta...

2008-11-22T16:06:00.000-05:00

Joe,

I read your gym advice blog this summer. I started at the gym in June and have gone from 215 lbs to 179 lbs. You inspired me to get in shape and I just wanted to say thanks.

My husband was a jock in high school. He had a 32...

2008-11-21T23:50:00.000-05:00

My husband was a jock in high school. He had a 32 inch waist and ran track and played football, baseball, and basketball. Then he became a truck driver, forced to sit on his ass for 14 hours a day. Now he's 250 pounds (and only 5' 10") and has a 38 inch waist. Not huge yet, but how do you tell someone who still sees that jock in the mirror that he has high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and that it worries you?

So true. At 26, I was 210 pounds. . . which is no...

2008-11-21T23:28:00.000-05:00

So true. At 26, I was 210 pounds. . . which is not at all attractive on a 5'6" frame. When I was moving from Nebraska to Iowa (which is somewhat like moving from a run-down shack to a different run-down shack), I realized I was getting much more tired than I should have just moving furniture into the house.

I weighed myself for the first time in years, and found I had gained more than 70 pounds, which, again, ain't pretty on a guy my size. I ended up working it all off (quit drinking, ate actual food rather than fast food, hit the gym again) and four years later, I'm much, much stronger than I was in high school.

You're right -- you really don't see it coming, and when you do, you manage to rationalize it to yourself. It's much harder to get it back than it is to maintain it, so I agree with you, Joe -- if you have it, do everything you can to keep it. Your mid-20s sneak up on you before you know it.

Back in highschool I got bugged about joining the ...

2008-11-21T18:52:00.000-05:00

Back in highschool I got bugged about joining the football team every week. I was a big guy, but most of it was fat. I turned them down because I was lazy. Back then I was only 50lbs overweight. Damn near a decade later and I'm 200lbs overweight. I wish I would joined the football team back then, it may have helped prevent the situation I'm in now. I like your story Joe, it's inspiring. I may have never been in shape like you were, but I'm sure I can get there. Thanks for the push of inspiration.

I was once in decent shape in high school, did foo...

2008-11-21T17:22:00.000-05:00

I was once in decent shape in high school, did football and wrestled, with lacrosse thrown in there for a few years, but joe's right. use it or lose it.

I've never had washboard abs, but i could run a 6 minute mile, and i don't remember any of my other stats, and even more than that, i could leave wrestling practice, go home and have 2 hamburgers, a plate full of fries, and ice cream and go to the wrestling match the next day weighing the exact same amount as the night before. IT was awesome.

I've never been a health freak food wise, but luckily, when you're in high school and have a coach pushing you like a mother fucker it didn't matter. Yeah, then you go to college, go to work, whatever, it's VERY hard to break those eating habits and if you're not working out for 3 hours a day, it gains on quick. I didn't notice it. like sure I'm a little bigger, but I didn't see it. You never do until it's too late.

Where I'm at now, eating right is SO FUCKING EXPENSIVE. It's a $120 grocery bill every week for just myself for 5 or 6 meals a day of health lean protein and lots of greens and whatnot, or a $5 value meal. It's a tough thing to do, but I've been going to the gym a lot and can certainly see changes, I still don't have my eating down enough which would really get my metabolism going again, but I'm working out and working towards it.

But I must say I do wish I went to play football in college, cause I'm on of those types that really needs someone riding my ass to get in shape.