In the begining .....

Thank You Jungle Club !

In the beginning, I embarked on what I refer to as “The Fat Hair Guy Project”  as a way to compete with one of my co-workers Jolene Grant.

Jolene (The Challenger)

You see, she challenged me to a foot race, but I don’t run. Jolene said it was for charity, for the American Cancer Society run in October and the Jungle Club Run also in October. Little did I know that my dear Co-worker in her sneaky little way was changing my life in ways she could not have foreseen. I think she just wanted to keep me healthy and alive to make sure our Salon stayed alive thus preserving all of our jobs, all the while helping out our fellow man by giving back, because she is good like that.  Instead she pushed my buttons (as she always does) and changed my life and the life of my family forever. I would like to start by saying Thank You to all of those people behind the scenes of this mighty transformation.

Thank You Jolene Grant for pushing me off the edge.

Thank You Laurie Hoover for ratting me out to your sister. You are always looking out.

Thank You Katie Smith at Jungle Club for calling the first meeting.

Thank You Meggin and Andrea at Jungle Club and Total Solutions for the humiliation (Most folks don’t get your photo taken in front of a pretty girl shirtless as a fat old guy, an aggravation that keeps me fit. You kick my butt and somehow I like it!)

 Ok, stop your giggling, we all start someplace!!!!

Day one: After my first super successful season as Vero’s “Ask The Hair Guy” as seen in Vero Beach 32963 News Magazine

 and the opening of my new Salon & Boutique Mark’s At The Pointe,

I found out I was not 20 years old any more. The 12 and 13 hour days and public appearances had dragged me down to exhaustion. All the Fast Food and skipped meals were literally killing me. As a Dietetic, Cancer survivor, Father of 2 boys 3 and 4 years old and Small business owner, I needed help and NOW! 

That’s me the overweight guy in the tourist floral shirt. What am I, a pale tourist from the midwest? Wow, really? Did we have to publish this one?

Enter Andrea Phillips (Jungle Club & Total Solutions),

with kind words and the expectation that I might be listening, she measured and poked and prodded me to become a part of what I saw as Hell on earth. 

I mean really, this young hot girl is gonna tell me how to eat and what to eat and what ever?….. Like Charlie Brown’s teacher all I could hear was Blah Blah Blah Wha Wha Wha…. I have a wife at home if I wanted to be lectured.

Like I needed this! Everyone knows diets are a set up for failure right? Soon I was to find out just how wrong I was.

The next thing they neglected to tell me or maybe I was just not paying attention, was that now they wanted me to decaffeinate? Are You Kidding Me?! The 1 plus liters of Diet Mountain Dew that I have been drinking daily since my first child’s birth is the glue that keeps me together! None the less, I don’t like to fail. I promised I would comply. THANK YOU Pepsi bottling group for Diet Caffeine Free Mountain Dew!

 Look, when you weigh in at 206 lbs and have body fat of like 26%, bmi of 30 plus and a morning fasting blood sugar read out of 120 to 130, you need help. 

Smart as I think I am, I am smart enough to know when I’m loosing. I believe they call this rock bottom.     

My first running experiment looked a little like Big Foot sightings, old people and small children crying as I approached from down the street. This was neither pretty nor nice. 

Look I don’t want to offend any Sasquatch Americans, but this was ugly! This whole bit about the runners high? I am running about 3 miles every other day or so, but not so much as a stinking buzz! I hate running, however I will comply.

Ok, week one and 2 were hard. I was famished and I still hate to work out but I will admit, loosing my first few pounds and 6 plus inches FEELS GOOD! 

My numbers are coming down! Woohoo!!

I could not have done this with out my Hot Wife that packed my lunch everyday for the first 2 weeks. MMMMMM… Grass and Protein shakes, just like mom used to make.

My favorite Peach Mango! 

Real dude!

Inches are coming off ! This is crazy................................

I am starting to enjoy my meeting with Andrea, I almost believe she cares and what guy wouldn’t like the close encounters with a pretty girl.

 You get used to it. Sort of !

 I call this one the lasso! Not sure what she is looking for, but thank you. 

I will check in soon and let you know how its going...........