Jeff Ramsey - Iron Phi Progress
This year, I'll be attempting to become an Iron Phi - a distinction given to a small percentage of members within my Fraternity. The mission of Iron Phi is to strengthen the Phi Delta Theta International Fraternity and the impact it has on the fight against Lou Gehrig's disease through the fundraising and athletic efforts of its members. Lou Gehrig was a member of Phi Delta Theta, and our organization has taken an active role in finding a cure.
The net proceeds will support ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) research, education, screening and treatment. It will also help strengthen an organization (Phi Delta Theta) that has had a lasting impact on my life.
So, after stepping on the scale last week and seeing a number that equalled my highest weight ever, I decided it was necessary to do something about it. So, my Iron Phi challenge is to start basic and commit to doing a work-out every day for the month of May. I have found in my life that I tend to be more dedicated to my work-outs when I have an outside force motivating me. Usually that meant my teammates, but this time it will be the Iron Phi team here.
As I continue on this journey, I will post notes each day so you can keep track of my progress:
Day 31 (May 31): I made it!!!! I exercised at least 20 minutes (or more) every single day in the month of May. I ended the month on a VERY high note - I ran for an hour this morning (after having run for about 45 minutes yesterday) and it felt great!! Not only that, but I lost 19 pounds during the month. I am also extremely thankful and humbled with the generosity of my friends and family who helped me achieve Iron Phi status by raising over $1,000 for the ALS Foundation. I know many people who got swept up in the Ice Bucket Challenge last summer and while that was a lot of fun and a great boost to awareness and funding for ALS, their work continues. It is great to see you all be as generous with your support and with your money in support of my efforts to raise money for ALS.
You can continue to support me even after this month - this is a site that is always open and available. I am done with this particular challenge and will certainly wait for another one, but my diet and exercise routine is not complete and I will continue to work out and eat right. My personal weight loss goal is another 60 pounds in the next year. I am also looking to run a 5K sometime this summer. Again, as I shared above, the fight against ALS never ends and I am committed to keeping up with my new lifestyle as well.
Thanks again for all of your support!!
Day 28 (May 28): Long day today... decided to go for a shorter run - only 30 minutes today. While I didn't "clock" my mileage, I felt like my pace was much faster that I have usually done. Obviously I could do that only running 30 minutes (instead of 45 or more), but it was good to know that I could keep the pace going.
Day 27 (May 27): Updates from the last few days - did several runs (all over 40 minutes!) and some yard-work including mowing the lawn (the hill in the backyard is particularly grueling and I got a sweat going doing that portion). I now only have 4 days left of my challenge and am thrilled to say that it looks like I will make it. Barring something totally unforeseen, I will accomplish what I set out to do - both in my physical challenge and in my fundraising goals. Right now, I am at $876 raised in actual donations. And, when I complete my exercise goal, I have pledges totalling $240 with an additional "x-factor" pledge of $3 for every pound I lose during the month. So far, I am down 15 pounds, so at worst, I should bring in an additional $285 at the end of the month for a grand total of $1,161. This money will be valuable in the effort to develop a cure for ALS and to help those afflicted with this disease.
Day 23 (May 23): Again, haven't posted in quite a few days. There has been a lot going on in our lives recently that has taken my attention and time. This was one of those weeks that might have ended my streak of working out since I was so busy and focused on other things. But, thankfully through perserverence and an understanding wife and family, I stuck with it. Some of my exercise wasn't all that great (a less-than-stellar series of push-ups, sit-ups, and leg exercises as well as working at Target, which includes lots of strength and walking, but not very intense cardio), but I did get out for a few runs over the last few days. This included today's run - OVER AN HOUR!! I can't believe that I did it. Most of my runs recently have been 30 minutes. So, today I said I would extend it to 40, but at 25, I still felt pretty good (and was still a ways away from home), so I kept going and in mid-run decided to make it an hour. Couple of things of note about this. First, when I work out, changing my goal in mid-stream has usually been a sign of disaster, but this time I did fine with it. Second, in all of my athletic career, I don't know that I have exercised straight through for an hour. A few Lawrence wrestling practices probably came pretty close, but there were always a few breaks worked in here and there in all of my work-outs (stopping for the play call, taking a breather between periods, resting between sets in the weight room, etc.). Ask me how I feel tomorrow, but for now, I feel really good about it.
Day 18 (May 18): I haven't posted in awhile, but I am still on track. I can't remember which specific work-outs I did each of the past three days, so, in no particular order here is what I did over the weekend: two 3-mile runs, a "cross-fit" work-out, along with some strenuous gardening work and about 2 hours in the pool (playing with Timothy, so the "work-out" was negligible, but it was still exercise). Today, I started a run and went about half a mile before deciding to "flash-back" to football. The rest of my work-out consisted of 10 "sprints" of about 70-75 yards in a field. To start fall practice each year we ran 10, 100-yard runs and each position group had to finish under a certain time. I think the linemen were under 19 seconds for each. This wasn't a long or great work-out, but it had been a while since I "sprinted," so that was fun. Dieting is still going well too. I weighed myself yesterday and had maintained my pound loss since the end of my cleanse, so that was good.
Now, I realize that most of my recent posts have been personal in nature. However, I hope that I don't lose sight of the cause that this money is going towards. Thanks to those of you who have donated recently including my Aunt Debbie, Grandma Beals, Ross Hubbard, and Joel Bogenschuetz. I really appreciate the support. When combining these donations and others with the pledges that I have for finishing my goal I will meet my $1,000 goal and become an "Iron Phi." But, again, more importantly, the money that you have donated and pledged is going to further research efforts and support for people living with ALS. I hope that we can continue to move forward to eradicating this disease. Thanks all!
Day 14 (May 14): Well, as Christina said when I started the cleanse - "this is a good way to jump start your weight loss." And, boy was it ever! I LOST 10 POUNDS IN THREE DAYS!! I realize that a lot of that had to do with drastically reducing my calorie intake and I'm sure I'll put a few back on when I get back to a regular diet, but this was a great start. Not only did it help get my weight down, but by doing this I am more careful about what I am eating. By having the will-power to get through those three days, I know I can have the will-power to eat my healthy on a regular basis. Plus I also received a pledge of $3 for each pound I lost this month. Very exciting!!
Day 13 (May 13): Last day of my cleanse. I thought yesterday was going to be the day I quit my work-out, but I came much closer tonight. I couldn't get a work-out in during the day and Samuel was up super late tonight, so when I finally got him to sleep, I had very little motivation. But, again, I pushed through. I did one of Christina's videos again. I know that I don't like those, but they are good work-outs. I think my problem is that I have trouble keeping up with the moves so I get frustrated when I am "off" the video. Plus there is more complexity and coordination required than I usually like in my work-outs. However, they are nice to have there when I don't have the opportunity to get out and run or do something else.
Day 12 (May 12): Day 2 of the cleanse - definitely the hardest. It was a long day with the kids and then I taught at night - and had to work out when I got home - if I was going to quit, today was the day - but thankfully I pushed through. My work-out was not great and was only about 25 minutes, but at least I did it.
Day 11 (May 11): Dealing with Stress: For anyone who knows me, I am not someone who gets stressed out very often (if at all). But, today was super stressful. Samuel barely napped, which made for a busy day. Also, we had multiple people in the house doing multiple things and we had to drive up to Mequon for a specialist to see Samuel. Added to this was the fact that Samuel was up last night for at least 2 hours. I had this great plan to get up early and run and when that didn't happen, I was going to do a video work-out during the day, but couldn't squeeze it in. So, at the end of a very long day, involving my first "cleanse" day (meaning I was very hungry!) and after teaching my first class of the summer term, I came home at about 9:00 with ZERO motivation to work-out. I did of course (one of Christina's PiYO workout videos), but it was not something I wanted to do. I'm proud that I pushed through, but all in all a very frustrating day...
Day 10 (May 10): Making Changes: After realizing that exercise along wasn't going to be enough to get my weight loss started, I decided to join Christina in her new diet and exercise routine. She is part of a program called "Beach Body." This includes both a work-out regimine called "PiYO" (lots of core, balance, strength activities all shown on a video) and a newer stricter diet. What it also includes is a 3 or 5 day cleanse. I decided to do the 3-day (like Christina did). Fortunately, this is not like some other cleanses I have seen where you basically starve yourself for a few days. But, it is similar in that the only real "meal" you eat is at dinner (and that is just a salad with some chicken on top). The rest of the day includes lots of water, a few snacks (fruit), and specially made shakes. I'm hoping this will get me going.
Day 9 (May 9): Adjustment: I ran again today. Wasn't bad, but made me realize that if I am going to run this month, I need to be a bit more consistent with it. I guess any work-out is fine, but when I don't run for a couple of days, I can definitely tell. We'll see what happens.
Day 8 (May 8): A Lesson in Disappointment: Instead of timing my work-out today, I just set number goals - 100 push-ups, 200 crunches, 100 squats, and 150 calf raises. I also did some heavy lifting at work this morning. The disappointment came when I stepped on the scale for the first time in a week and discovered no change. I know getting in shape and staying fit is a life-long endeavor and getting my metabolism going again will take time, but I was really upset that I didn't see ANY change at all. Even just a pound would have been nice. This won't deter me from continuing this month (and hopefully thereafter), but it was definitely a downer. On the plus side, my wife has lost 4 pounds in the first week of her new diet and exercise routine. That is exciting - I am so proud of her!
Day 7 (May 7): A Lesson in "Keeping On" Nothing spectacular today - just another "cross-fit" style work out for about 35-40 minutes (1 minute of an exercise followed immediately by another, etc.). Fortunately did it in the morning when Timothy was still sleeping. I remember doing these kinds of routines in boot camp a couple of years ago. I haven't yet pushed myself to do burpees yet - but I probably should :-)!
Day 6 (May 6): A Lesson in Overcoming Obstacles: Again, not comparing my work here to the obstacles that people living with ALS go through, but today's run was a big one for me. Not once, not twice, but three times I found myself facing an incline and each time I ran up it and continued my run afterwards. My first run I purposefully avoided any hill. My second and third runs, I took on the hills, but either walked part of them or started walking when I got to the top. But, today I conquered the hills and kept going. Oh, and before the run, I started doing a video work-out and Timothy kept trying to "help." His favorite trick is to climb on my back when I am trying to do a plank or downward dog. Made it a bit more challenging :-)!
Day 5 (May 5): A Lesson in Family... So my wife is doing her own exercise and diet routine which includes several work-out DVDs. I am super proud of her and want to encourage her work, so I tried the first in the series. Two things happened while doing the routine. First, I realized that simply aligning properly and using the right form gives you a much better work-out than I had anticipated. Throughout football I was always used to doing more weight or more reps. But, this helped me realize that even simple moves, when done right, can really cause a burn. And, second, our oldest son, Timothy joined me for the last ten minutes of the work-out. Not only did he try to copy the moves, but he also called out "up" and "down" when the video instructor did too. Nice to know he is there to motivate me :-)!!
Day 4 (May 4): A Lesson in Generosity... Could finally feel my legs again!! Went for another run tonight and, while not anything exciting yet, it was definitely better than yesterday's. More importantly, I received my first two donations thanks to my parents and my cousin Larry (thanks all!). I also wanted to share a pledge I got from a friend (who will remain nameless for now). This is a great template if you would prefer to donate based on the days that I actually work out and it has already been a motivator for me. Here are the "rules" for their pledge:
- Must do some kind of physical exercise for at least 20 minutes per day (on the honor system)
- This person will donate $5 for ALS for each day that I work out between May 1 and May 25 ($125 if I do it all)
- This person will donate $10 for ALS for each day that I work out between May 26 and May 31 ($60)
- This person will finally donate an additional $15 kicker if I successfully make it the entire month ($15)
Day 3 (May 3): A Lesson in Perserverence - Went for a run today and quite possibly worse than Day 1. Was quite sore when I started and the soreness only grew. By the end I found myself shuffling rather than running and was pretty sure that a senior citizen going for an afternoon stroll would have passed me quite easily. But, here's the kicker... After walking for a bit, I kicked it in gear and ran the last half mile or so on the way home. I am a fan of the Sports Illustrated football writer, Peter King. A few years back, he introduced me to Steve Gleason, the former Saint now living with ALS. If you want a true example of perserverence, check him out: http://www.teamgleason.org/ - Not only is he fighting the disease and working to raise money to find a cure, but he has done some amazing things since his diagnosis with a group of amazing friends and family. He is not letting this disease beat him. It is quite inspiring.
Day 2 (May 2): A Lesson in Timing... So, we had a wedding to attend on Saturday. We had to leave at 11:00 am. I normally don't get off of my part-time job at Target until 10:00. This would have left very little time to get in a work-out, possibly derailing this whole thing on only the second day. But, what do I discover when I get to work? A small truck!! Translation - I was done by 8:30 and into my workout by 9:00. I "performed" for Samuel today, doing a mini cross-fit kind of routine in the living room while he watched from his exer-saucer. i did 1 minute of a particular exercise, then a different exercise for 1 minute and so on for about 40 minutes. Still couldn't feel my legs, but now with push-ups and other arm-related work, I couldn't feel my arms either!
Day 1 (May 1) - A Lesson in Humilty... I have always been fairly athletic. I played sports all through school including being a collegiate football player. Back then if I took some time off from working out regularly, it was always relatively easy to get back into it. My run today (first work-out of the month) was horrific. I could barely move afterwards. It made me appreciate that I COULD move - ALS victims slowly lose all physical strength and ability. After just one day I can clearly see why this challenge is to do something physical - since those living with ALS increasingly struggle with the physical.
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How Does My Donation Make a Difference?
Your donation towards an Iron Phi athlete equally supports two very important things: Supporting ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) through research and support of ALS families and leadership development for undergraduate members of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity.
At the end of each year calendar year, the LiveLikeLou Foundation grants dollars raised through Iron Phi to fund its initiatives that support ALS research, scholarships to support the higher education goals of ALS dependents, and summer camp experiences for children who have a parent or grandparent with ALS.
Dollars used for undergraduate leadership development have and continue to help Phi Delta Theta educate more of its undergraduate members as they work to “Become the Greatest Version of Themselves.”