Friday flex!

"Train your legs like you mean it—because life doesn't skip stairs."

Getting the legs ready for summer!

Just home from the gym. Got to the gym and wasn’t feeling 100% but I still did an hour of cardio on the treadmill, worked my core and did my lifting with the free weights. if I can at least make it to the gym and do at least something, for me it just helps me mentally get through the day.

You! Yes you! Keep going! You’re doing great!

Saturday shopping! It’s a cold one today!

Yikes! As if it wasn’t already bad enough for chubby guys with pot bellies, now they have an “EXTRA” slim size in men’s clothing to play upon our insecurities and make us feel ever more self conscious about our size.

Friday flex! I started increasing my protein intake and taking creatinine daily which is supposed to help build muscle. As much as I’d like the numbers on the scale to be smaller I’m basing my success on how I feel, how are my clothes fitting and am I ok with what I’m seeing in the mirror.

Throwback Thursday. 93 pounds difference. Still struggle with wanting to snack on favorites treats & winter is really tough getting up in the AM & going to the gym 5 days a week in the dark, cold and rainy weather but in these unpredictable times, it’s one of the only things I am NEVER sorry I do.

Stopping to do a quick check on my progress this morning!

Serving up dad bod realness at the gym this morning!

Fresh hair cut. Perfect for the gym. And now that I am “openly gray”, it’s always nice to see some of that silver, white and salt and pepper hair fall to the ground and get swept away. Now if only the weather outside was a bit more summer like. 🌴

Monday morning gym time. Always glad I went.

Just a quick selfie going into 2026. Not a sexy provocative pose. Just me. Older, yes. Wiser? Who knows. More confused as ever. I’ll keep on trying to take care of myself physically and mentally. Fighting off old age as ferociously as possible but within reason.

Goals for 2026. Leave the man on the left in the past & be confident. you can receive all the compliments & praise from others in the world but if YOU, personally, do not believe the positive words others are saying, it will never matter until YOU can say those same things to YOURSELF and believe it

Last day of the year and last day at the gym for 2025. In 2025 I reached my lowest weight on the scales, 189. Never thought I’d ever be below 200 pounds. Lost 32 pounds in 2025 . A total of 93 overall since I started. Jeans went from 36 to 30. I’m looking up and outwards to new adventures in 2026.

I COULD have stayed in bed because hey, it’s the end of the year and everyone is waiting until the first of the year to get healthier but you know, if this is really a lifestyle it doesn’t matter what day or year it is. If you know it will make you feel better mentally and physically, JUST DO IT!

Feeling flirty!

They say the first place you lose your weight is in your face. That was definitely the case with me. Now wouldn’t it be nice if the first place you lost weight was your belly?

Most people wait until January 1st to self reflect, I’m starting early. My jeans are looser & those surprise glances in the mirror when I do a double take & say, “wow, look at you!” Also help. But my ultimate goal is ALWAYS becoming more confidence & being comfortable in the skin I am in.

Tuesday flex

Monday morning. 4 AM. I couldn’t wait to get up and get to the gym this morning. sometimes it’s the best part of my day. It takes away my anxiety and I love listening to my favorite songs and thinking no matter what I might have to deal with today, I at least got up and did something good for ME.

Shopping early to beat the crowds!

I know it’s not Friday flex yet but I’m feeling it today!

There is something in this post for everyone. Be kind to yourself. Sometimes our biggest enemy can be ourselves so if you needed to hear this today, “You are beautiful, in every single way.”

One of the best things about losing weight for me is being able to buy clothes in a regular store, not a big and tall, got these both on sale under $10 at Macys and they are both slim fit too! Score!

First day back at the gym after my Palm Springs trip. Those guys around the pool put me to shame. I’ve got a lot of work to do before I go back in February.

Thank you Palm Springs. You are the best therapy I could ever ask for during these ever changing times. "To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." — Ralph Waldo Emerson

This is my, “well, I’m leaving absolutely beautiful weather and returning to soggy wet Portland” face. At least I made it on the plane and I didn’t crash my rental car into a cement light post when I returned to the rental lot like last time. That’s a positive thing, right?

Afternoon sun. I will be going home all toasty brown.

8:30 AM and already by the pool. Today it’s all about the tan!

Saturday morning. A little breakfast and then a whole lotta sunshine.

It does get a little chillier when the sun goes down. I mean, it is winter after all. Glad I bought this long sleeve fabulous shirt at destination Palm Springs this morning.

Flirty Friday! Front and back!

I live for this. Heaven on earth. Palm Springs.

The sun goes down over the mountains by 3:30 but it’s still light out and mid 70’s. Looking forward to tomorrow with a lot of shopping and a lot of sunshine.

82 degrees and sunny in Palm Springs!

Well I heard that rain on the window all night and said to myself, you know, you can just sleep in but I got up at my usual time (4 AM) drove to the gym, through a TON of small lakes and rivers and went to the gym and walked my 1 hour 3 miles and then picked up and put down a few things.

Pitch black outside. Rainy. Bed head! Time to show this body who’s boss!

Repeat after me….

It is so gray rainy and miserable outside I drove up to the mall on my lunch break and did a little shopping and picked up my MMM arsenal. “Mature Man Maintenance” paraphernalia. "Honey, time marches on, and eventually you realize it is marchin' across your face"

Friday flex!

And people wonder why I go to Palm Springs so often. Ugh!

Trying to decide what swim wear to wear to Palm Springs.

4 AM. 35 degrees outside. Ice covering the windshields. Scraped the ice and got to the gym. After a long weekend of eating every known treat to mankind, I need to be here. Burn baby burn!

Well, the sun is out but it’s freezing outside. Did a little Saturday morning shopping and believe it or not, the stores were pretty dead and empty. Always good to get out of the house and do a little running around.

Well I did a tiny bit of running around this morning but didn’t want to fight with the crowds so that’s on tap for tomorrow.