So Steve? What's up with the Batman Thing?

   

"Tune in Tomorrow same Bat-Time, same Bat-Channel". And these were the words that sent me scurrying to the next room. After looking around to make sure the cost was clear and that no one was watching, I would take my homemade Batman costume from its hiding spot. Hurriedly I would put it on to re enact the adventures I had just witnessed on the TV, with my brothers acting out the parts of villains. I secretly wish I could see that old costume today. I remember it being a Batman shirt, a pair of gray sweatpants (Later, tights that my Dad gave me. Yeah he was cool) with Batman underoos over them.  A pair of blue dress socks pulled up as boots, a pair of kitchen gloves my Nani gave me, and one of my moms favorite big blue bath towels I had cut up to make the cape. Topping it all of was my belt and a Batman Halloween mask. Obviously I have always been a slave to fashion. Then I would race around defending the streets of Gotham, until my Mom told me " For the love of God Steve please stop." My Dad would take on the role of Alfred and help me put the costume away, explaining that if Batman was seen all the time then the villains wouldn't be as afraid of him. Dad encourage imagination like that. He got it.
     Tomorrow is National Batman Day. This character who turns 75 this year has inspired a lot of people over the years. Me (as you well know) being one of them. I get asked often "What's the deal with the whole Batman thing"? My friend Brad once asked " Is it a sexual thing?" No it isn't. (Although I will say that for those who it is, there are at least two adult movies I'm aware of that they should see. For me it was just way too weird. Porn based on the Adam West Batman is just.......wrong.) For me, as a kid my love of Batman started because I could be Batman. He had no superpowers, just some really cool toys. I didn't need to be from another planet, I didn't need to be bitten by a spider. I could be a guy who runs around doing cool things in an awesome costume. As I got older the character changed and so did I. He got darker, edgier. And I liked that. I enjoyed the fact that he was as crazy as his villains. Something about it spoke to me. I also loved the fact that Bruce Wayne was the secret identity, not Batman. As someone who has always hidden my true self in the past I understood this.  Hey we all wear masks.
     So what made me use Batman as motivation for weight loss? Its easy. Batman is just a dude. A dude who worked his ass off to attain physical perfection. Sure he is loaded, and can afford the best toys. But that doesnt matter.My reasons are the same as when I was a child. I can be Batman. With an incredible amount of hard work I too can become more than I am. (There is even a book about what it would take to be Batman, what you would have to be able to do and such. ) Batman has cool toys in his cave that help him fight crime. I have cool toys at the gym that help me fight my own battle. He has an awesome costume that causes fear to criminals. I have some cool shirts that inspire me, and help me conquer my fear of being seen lifting in public. Batman has assistants that aide him in his quest. I have some amazing friends who support me as I embark on mine. Batman is a great example that when you put your mind to something and give it your all. Surrender your body, heart and soul to your goal and you can succeed. This gives me hope and an example to follow. I used Batman as an inspiration just yesterday. I was running on the elliptical and was trying to get a 5k in 30 minutes. I was getting tired and kinda just wanted to stop. I looked down at the Bat Symbol on my shirt and thought " What would Batman Do?" He would keep at it. So I played a game with myself and ran as if I was chasing a criminal. And you know what I ran a 5k in 29.02 minutes. That is my new best time. I felt amazing. Use what inspires you. I hope you all have a great National Batman Day tomorrow. Do something you think you can't, be your own hero.

Fatman and The Frustration Conundrum.

     The other day I hit a point where I was SO angry that it wasn't even funny. As I am trying to give the Fatman to Batman movement my best I decided that it was time I switched over to free weights so I could harness all the benefits they had to offer. Before that I used the machines. And man do I feel a difference. Im also proud of the fact that I have been doing amazing with the diet aspect of my endeavour.
     So I was feeling a bit proud because I have been getting some great compliments about how I look. And because I know I've lost some weight because my clothes fit me a lot better. So feeling like a million bucks I hopped up on the scale to see where I was at, in just a towel to get a fair reading. I have a wager with friends and needed to see where I was. I expected to see at least a 5 pound weight loss. I fiddled with the machine until it needle rested. 291! WHAT? 291? According to the scale not only did I not lose any weight from the last weigh, but I gained a pound. NOT POSSIBLE! I said to myself. I was livid. I knew that I had done very well. I did everything right. Yes I had the occasional food from the naughty list but not to the effect I was seeing here. I went out and still did my workout but my enthusiasm for the day was shot.
     I sat on the bench in the locker room livid texting my best friend before I showered. I was still so mad that I was legit holding back tears. I felt like I was failing hardcore. I am working so hard to not fail at this. I have tried before, done well and then slipped back to bad habits.To his credit, (and this is why he is my best friend) he let me fume for a while, bitch, rant whine and moan at him, then he told me to stop being so damn negative. Rob assured me that I'm not failing, that I'm just packing on muscle. I told him that I was giving this almost everything I had in me. " Then give it everything!" he responded. After I had my manic meltdown I paused and realized he was right. Muscle is heavier than fat. I don't how much FAT, but I know for sure that I have lost a lot. Rob is right I havent failed I have been succeeding the whole time. Just last night he and my friends Brad and Steph even looked at me and remarked at tmy slimming down.
     My point to this is don't beat yourself up like I did. Your body is going to fluctuate. you will have days where its up and where its down. Also educate yourself a bit more than I did about what happens during weight loss and weight lifting. I have turned my anger into rededication and educating myself on nutrition and how to get the most out of my workouts. Let your anger fuel you in cases like this. DONT GIVE IN TO YOUR INNER FATMAN. Times when you are weak are when he is strongest. Do what I did and get in touch with you team and get some back up. I wanna thank my team for always being there. Also the lovely ladies I work with because they reassured me as well that I'm not failing.  Peace out friends.

Something New.

     So Im trying something a little different. Taking on two of my goals I set for myself. Traveling and running in more 5ks. A couple of my friends and I are making plans to travel to Montreal next month.Its going to be a blast. We are going to go see some of the sites, try some of the local dishes, try to meet some cool people and just all in all have a fun time. While there I was hoping to maybe do a 5k, but much to my disappointment there were none.
     Then my friend suggested we make our own 5k. This idea appealed to me instantly. The three of us will be wearing our own Fatman to Batman custom made shirts while we run. So now we are working on a course to run our last day there. We are looking at having our run finish at the Mount Royal Summit which is a famous overlook in the Mount Royal Park in Montreal.
     As money has been tight, I'm using Go Fund Me to try to get some of the money to go. It all goes to covering the expenses of the trip. I'm putting a link to the page below please take some time and check it out. Any contributions are appreciated. Pics of the shirts as well as of the course will be posted soon. Please feel free to share the page as well. Thanks guys, it you who make this journey Im on fun.
Fatman to Batman Montreal

Update.

     Got some great ideas brewing, please stay tuned.  Until then here is a piece of advice for you. If you ever feel like you wanna skip the gym, go for just 10 minutes. Bust your butt was your there, and I will bet you find yourself there longer than you intended.

He shoots, He scores, He made the game winning goal.

     Been looking at goals recently. Not the World Cup kind, but fitness goals. I think (as does everyone in the fitness community it would seem) its vital to your success to have clearly defined goals set when you start your fitness journey. For myself I have a list of long term, short term and ongoing goals. You can even think of them as challenges. These goals are all about you, and what you want, what you're looking to do. They should be obtainable yet challenging. So here are my goals.

     Short Term :  (within 30 days) 

- Increase my overall time spent at the gym. Do more sets and reps. Going to shoot for 3 sets 15 reps, of different weight exercises.

- Lose 8-10 pounds in a month Roughly 2 pounds a week. 

- Increase my cardio to 45 minutes. As well as how far I go on the machine. For example do the equivalent of a 5k in 30 minutes.

- Clean up my diet, making it as healthy as possible, but not doing any fad diets. Organic and real food.

- Use the free weights at the gym more and the machines less.

- Hike.

      Short Term:  (within 4 months)

- Visit Montreal with friends for a guys weekend. 

- Run the Insane Inflatables 5k and run it in less time than past 5ks.

- Run the Color Me Rad 5k and run it in less time than past 5ks. 

- Play as much frisbee golf as I possibly can and improve my game. 

- Hike a few trails. looking at doing 5.

     Long Term: 

- Hike the John Muir Trail when I turn 40. Be at the top on my birthday. Take the 25 day hike with friends. 

- Run in as many 5ks as I can and within one year run a 10k. 

- Run the Boston Marathon by the time I'm 45.

- Do an Ironman competition.

- Hike the Appalachian Trail, again with a group of friends.

- Once a year take a trip to somewhere for a hike and backpacking with a group of friends. 

     On Going:

- Constantly improve myself in anyway that I can.

- Look for new challenges.

- Inspire people.

- Write about my progress in this blog. Possibly turning this into a money making venture.

- Have as much fun and enjoy life as much as I possibly can.

     Now you may notice that not all those goals are fitness orientated, but hey they are my goals. Your goal can be to reward yourself with a new pair of shoes. Or a new tattoo, whatever will help you get where you're going. What goals do you have? 

That moment.

       All heroes start their journey to greatness somewhere. Usually in the most extraordinary of circumstances. Pete Parkers started when he geeked out and went to watch a lab experiment. Ned Stark had no way of knowing that welcoming his oldest closest friend into his home would bring complete ruination to his family. He would have lost his head if he knew.....oh .....wait. Young Bruce Wayne could never have imagined the ramifications that going to the movies would have on his life. My point is that little random events can often lead to much bigger life changing events.
     So where did my journey start? Lol to be honest its hard to say. I guess the point that made me think about going to the gym and getting in better shape is when a friend asked me if I wanted to go the gym with him.  Go to the gym? I had made a very successful career in high school of avoiding the gym. Being an extremely overweight shy guy locker rooms were terrifying to me. ( Plus being a teenager you never knew when you would throw a bone. I mean the wind blows the right way and you're excited. I don't know how teenage boys function at all when most of the time there is very little blood in the head.....the one on their shoulders. But I digress.) But I decided to go, shocking even myself.
     When we got there I felt so out of place that it wasn't even funny. In the locker room I made a careful case study of the inside of the locker as I changed, making eye contact with NO ONE. Then when we went into the gym itself, its how Robin must have felt when Batman first showed him the cave. "What are all these machines?" "How do I use them?" "And Jesus I hope I don't make a fool of myself". Were all thoughts that went through my head. I kinda just shadowed my buddy as he went about his routine. It was fun but nerve wracking. I was convinced everyone was looking at me. They had to be thinking "Whats this fatso doing here?" I again avoided eye contact and spoke to one but my bud. I went a few more times with my friend and ended up getting my own membership there. I didn't enjoy it but I still went sometimes. I received a surprise when I took a fitness test and I was told that my bulk was 80% muscle. I showed my friend the results as I was still unsure of what all the fitness mumbo jumbo meant. But yeah I was stronger than I looked. I wont be lifting any cars over my head, nor do I have the proportional strength of a spider but ok.
     I was still unsure of what I was doing and felt out of place but I was assured that everyone felt the same way.  Another friend pointed out that the mirrors in the back weren't so people could watch you, but so they could watch themselves. Turns out we are all vain. l kept feeling like an ill fit. Then out of nowhere it hit me. Just go. Who cares if you don't fit in. You can't be exceptional if you want to be like everyone else.  So I put on my Batman Under Armour shirt hopped on a machine and did some cardio. I stopped worrying what I thought people were thinking about me and just went to it. And I have loved it.
     So thats my turning point. When I agreed to go the gym with my friend, I couldn't have known what it would eventually lead to. Some awesome changes I have taken note of are the following.
-I have a lot more energy. Like I drive myself nuts with looking for things to do to eat up some energy.
-My back is no longer sore all the time.
-Im in a better mood.
-I sleep SOOOOOOOO much better.
-Confidence is way up.
     Try it yourself. Start working out at least 10 minutes each day. And you will notice a change. Also what was the turning point for you in your life? What made you choice to live a healthier lifestyle? I would love to hear from you. Peace out.

Secret Origin of Fatman.

    Shrouded in mystery, cloaked  in myth, an enigma. Who is Fatman? Many have caught a glimpse of him, here and there. In the gyms across town, people whisper when he is seen, " Who is that Fatman"? Well the secret origin of this man of myth can now be told. I, Steven James Belsito am the Fatman. And here is my tale of how I came to be this figure of scorn, and how am now shucking of the cocoon of what I was to become something greater.
    My tale is like that of many others. I was an adolescent when Fatman first came to be. At the tender age 12 or 13 my family moved from the apartment we lived in, where I had many friends my age to play with. And we moved to a place where the were no kids my own age. I had to begin a new school where I didn't fit in. Always shy and quiet my inability to make friends easily made me the target of teasing and bullying. My already weak sense of self worth and confidence didn't allow me to handle this situation. I was forced to turn to food in place of friends. Highly intelligent I knew this was not a good way to handle this, but the momentary rush you receive from a candy bar or cheeseburger had me hooked. If you can't be happy all the time then those stolen moments of joy are worth it right? Well thats what I allowed myself to believe. I soon found my body growing and I gained new abilities. I could now sit on the couch and zone out with a bag of chips and soda for hours. I learned that if I sucked my stomach in I could just squeeze into pants that had fit me before. I soon realized that I didn't know my own strength. I found that if I flopped down onto my bed then I could possibly break the slats underneath. My new gifts scared me. But not enough to give up on my new secret weapon against loneliness. I learned one more ability that I now had. I was functionally invisible. No one looks twice at the fat guy as they pass him in the hall.  He blends in with scenery. Eventually I submerged myself in the hedonistic pleasures of food and thats when Fatman wobbled in and took control of my life.
     For more years than I care to admit I allowed myself to live in such an unhappy state that I eventually fell into a state of depression. I was unable to do any of the things that I wanted. People talked about hiking, sports or even going to a theme park and getting on the rides. And dating? Forget it. None of these were an viable option for me. I drifted, alone and miserable. Then something extraordinary happened. I was working in the cafe in the local bookstore when someone noticed me. Not Fatman but me, Steve. It was shocking. At first it was Zen Master Rockstar. Others soon joined the ranks much to my surprise. Church Boy Guitar Hero, The Mad Vegan Chemist, The Boy Who Loved Ks and
The
Honest
Hombre were just some of  the agents who inspired my metamorphosis. Family members joined in and became reserve members of Team Steve. They showed me that there was more to life than I was allowing myself. Some of these people have moved onto other teams but I still owe them much for the lessons they gave me.
     I soon found myself hiking mountains, both figuratively and literally. I was going out and having fun.  It was amazing to have people who I cared about and whom cared about me. I lost 70 pounds and had changed my eating habits. I was finally learning to Be. I soon found myself doing strange and amazing things. I ran a 5k on a whim. Two months later I ran a 4 mile run through town. I was being active in front of hundreds of people. And I was well known through town. I was greeted by many people as I walked the streets. As with many others who face new challenges I slipped back into old habits and soon entered a depressed state, and gained back some of that weight. But soon found that the bonds of friendship and family were stronger than the death grip that The Fatman had on me. I have come back even stronger now. I have run another 5k and beat my time on the first one I ran. I was cheered on by a crowed as Batman and hugged by a small child for my stellar choice in running attire. Im planning on doing other runs. Im going to the gym and chiseling away the unwanted fat to get to the man underneath that others have seen. I am asking people for help and advice.I have been eating so much better and even cut back on alcohol. I finally see the man I am destined to become. And I am not letting Fatman win anymore. Its a long hard fight between him and I. He is tricky and smart, his voice is loudest when I am weak. But with friends and family whom I want to make proud, Nieces and Nephews I want to be around to inspire and harrass I can't let him win. Most importantly I can't disappoint myself. Goodbye Fatman, Hello Batman.