Three Weeks from the Day

February 6, 2010

Today is Friday February 5th 2010.

Today is three weeks from the day that I had last gone for a run.

Today is three weeks from the day that I had last been in the gym.

Today is three weeks from the day I received the call from my cardiologist that there was an abnormal finding on my stress test and we would need to do a more invasive test.

Yesterday, I was given the okay from my doctor to go back to the gym. I was to go easy for the first two weeks, but I have healed up from my procedure and there were no restrictions, just words of caution — take it easy.

The alarm was set for six a.m., but I was awake by five; my heart was pounding, it was beating with excitement — today was the day I was going to workout.

I entered the gym doors, gym bag  tight in hand. I swiped my card, greeted the woman working the desk and headed to my locker.

I put my gear away, went up stairs to the cardio area and hopped up on the treadmill, in my head I heard the words, take it easy. I did, an easy 1/2 mile run. I was barely breathing heavy and I wasn’t even sweating, but I took it easy.

I went down to the weight area. I made a bee line to the shoulder press machine. I loaded it up, one 45 pound plate on each side, three weeks ago there were two +25, but I was to take it easy. The weights rose up and down with little effort, I did my supersets and fought the urge to add more weight.

I moved from exercise to exercise, resisting the desire to increase the poundage. I barely worked up a sweat, but I took it easy.

It was three weeks ago today I was last in the gym.

It was three weeks ago today I last felt cold, unrelenting iron in my hands.

It was three weeks ago today — I wasn’t sure if I would ever be back.

If all goes well, two weeks from today, I will no longer be taking it easy.

If all goes well, two weeks from today, I will no longer fight the urge to add more weight.

If all goes well, two weeks from today, I will be running further and harder.

If all goes well, two weeks from today, at the end of my workout  my clothes will be soaked in sweat.

Today is three weeks from the day that my life changed.

Today is three weeks for the day I promised to help others avoid the pitfalls of obesity.

Today is three weeks from the day that I knew my life’s work was to spread the word of fitness.

Today is the day I start that work.

“I was asked recently that if now that I lost the weight, I thought I was going to live longer. For a moment I pondered the question then answered, I honestly don’t know, however I do know one thing, I am living better.”

The above paragraph was how I ended a column in the August 30, 2009 edition of the Dispatch. Those same words were quoted back to me when I appeared on WVIA’s “Call the Doctor” on January 12, 2010.

Three days later I was slapped in the face with the realization of those thoughts.

During a scheduled follow up with my cardiologist all appeared well. Good EKG, blood pressure, heart sounds and pulse rate. The doctor told me he would see me in a year. I advised my cardiologist of my plans to compete in the Leigh Valley Half Marathon in April, The Boyertown YMCA Strongman contest in May and the Wilkes-Barre Triathlon in the summer. I asked if it would be reasonable, considering my previous morbid obesity, to have a stress test. He agreed, so we set up an appointment for January. The stress test went fine. Compared to my previous test in March of 2008 I was on the treadmill nearly four times longer to get my heart rate up, I didn’t have any chest pains, my blood pressure didn’t rise to above the normal range, recovered quickly and the EKG looked good throughout. I finished up and was told I would receive a call in a day or two. I left the doctor’s office and went for a run. The next two mornings I arose at my usual time, ran 2 miles hit the weights and then ran another mile — I was full into training for my upcoming events, increasing my run distance and I hadn’t lifted such heavy weights since I was in my twenties. I went through my workouts at a fast pace, barely resting between each heavy set and finished up with sweat drenched workout attire. I arrived at my office on Friday morning in great spirits. Linda, my office manger, commented on my good mood. I told her the extra bulk I mistakenly and needlessly added for the strongman contest was coming off and I was getting stronger with each workout — nothing was going to ruin my day.

The proverbial famous last words. About an hour later my cardiologist called.

I answered the phone expecting good results. My jovial spirit was quickly gone. The voice on the other end told me there was an abnormality on my stress test, he didn’t understand it because everything else looked good. However, on the exercise portion there was a problem. I asked him my options and he told me that the best way to be sure was a cardiac catheterization. I said I would call him back. Those that saw me after the call tell me that my face was ashen. I could understand because I was quite shaken up.

“How could this be?” I asked myself. I just ran 3 miles and moved over one ton of weights. I had been having regular testing. My blood work showed improved cholesterol readings, a stress test, a coronary CT scan and an echo cardiogram were all good. I even had a test to look for calcium deposits in my coronary arteries which revealed the best reading of zero. After consulting with my medical doctor cousins I opted to have the procedure.

The test was scheduled for the following Thursday and I was not to exercise until we knew what was going on. My heart sunk and I went from being shaken to being down right scared. The health care provider in me knew that if it were very serious I would be going directly to the hospital, the human being in me suddenly felt like there was now a time bomb in my chest.

Pre-procedure testing revealed another baffling piece to the puzzle — my cholesterol levels had improved even more. According to the test results my risk factor ratio was 2.86; below 3.4 decreases your risk factor by one half. Anxiety filled days and nights passed until the morning of the procedure.

My skilled physician did his thing and told me that all looked good.

Relief!

Now I have to wait to heal from the procedure before I get back to exercise. I am chomping at the bit because, you see, I had been guilty of two of the seven deadly sins, gluttony and sloth. Now I am guilty of one; greed.

The greed to maintain my fitness, to spread the word and help as many of those who lost their way as I did.

Exercise is the fountain of youth and weight loss is a side effect of fitness. I want to help as many people as I can get fit.

2010 let the fun begin!

January 8, 2010

This is the first week I have been training with a goal of entering a strongman contest in May and a ½ marathon in April. As soon as registration opens for the Wilkes-Barre Triathlon I will be registering for that.
I had decided at the end of last year that I was going to do a distance run, a strongman contest and a triathlon in 2010. With those goals in mind I bulked up to a little over 225  pounds at the end of 2009.  My only exposure to strongman contests was The World’s Strongest Man on ESPN, so I thought I would be going up against some heavyweights, maybe tipping the scales over 300 pounds. At the end of December, I found a contest to enter, printed out the entry form and noticed “weight classes,” another example of me jumping and looking for the net later. So now I can let my weight drop back down making the April 25th,  13 mile run a tad bit easier.
Anyway, back to the training. I took whatever weights I was using last week and added 20 – 40  pounds to my heaviest set. It has been one brutal week, but I love it. I am rediscovering muscles that haven’t been sore since I started back at Danko’s in 2008.  I invested in some Meeko Power Straps to take the stress away from my forearms and grip during heavy back sets and let me tell you I was able to use about 40 more pounds on  my heaviest back sets. The feel through the large back muscles is more intense than anything I have experienced in years. I am not neglecting grip work though, I do that on my arm day, but later on with what I think are the best grippers around; Iron Mind’s Captain of Crush grippers.
I am attacking all of my workouts with even more passion, and more vigor than I had back in my youth. I am also discovering that being fit at 45 years old is much more enjoyable and younger than being obese at 40.
I haven’t neglected my running. I am doing about 2 miles before my weight training workouts and 1 – 2 miles after, with 3-5 miles on Sundays. Right now because of my disdain for the cold weather I am running on the treadmill. I can’t wait for it to warm up just a bit more and the snow and ice to dissipate so I can get back outdoors. I skip rope several days per week.
In the past month I have ordered some past Strongman  contest DVD’s. Watching the pioneers of the sport is not only enjoyable; it is motivational. I think we forget before he became a commentator the Kaz was intensity personified and watching the energetic Jon Pall Sigmarsson before leaving this earth way too young is awe inspiring.
If you are a strongman fan I highly recommend the videos available on the www.theworldsstrongestman.com. So far I have purchased and watched Thirty Years of Pain DVD and WSM 80’s 3 Disc DVD. I also managed to find on Amazon.com the DVDs Larger Than Life: The Story of Jon Pall Sigmarsson the Icelandic Viking and Strongman (2006) all great viewing.
I haven’t neglected my other goals. I also purchased and watched: Triathlon; through the eyes of the elite and Running on the Sun (a documentary about he Badwater 135 mile Ultramarathon beginning in Death Valley). All very motivational, inspirational and telling of the capacity of human strength and endurance.

Keep training and remember: being fit isn’t simply about living longer, it is about living better!

2010

January 5, 2010

Hi Everyone,

Now that I have registered and paid the fees for the Leigh Valley half  marathon and Boyerstown YMCA strongman, 2 of the 3, (possible 4) events I am competing in this year, I will be documenting my training, eating and generally how I am feeling by updating my blog  at least once a week starting this week.

The Wilkes Barre Triathalon is the other I will enter and possibly the Steamtown Marathon.

Someday perhaps I will change my philosophy in life: Jump and look for the net later… Nah I have way too much fun this way.

Keep me in your thoughts and prayers. I think I need my head examined. I am 45 years old and in March of 2008 I weighed 340 ponderous pounds, but it is time to show all the so called experts that you can in fact not only lose weight on a low carb lifestyle, but be athletic and active.

Happy New Year and a great 2010.

Joe

Below are the 2 events that I have registered for.

http://www.nastrongmaninc.com/upcoming/upcoming_item.asp?UpcomingID=459

http://www.lehighvalleyhalfmarathon.com/index.html

The following begins registering in Feb.

http://www.wilkesbarretriathlon.com/

Happy Thanksgiving

November 26, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. Today is a day to give thanks.

Enjoy your day. Eat well.

Last night I was at a bodybuilding event/fundraiser for the incredible young woman I first saw last year around this time. Here is the much requested follow up:

“Handicapped is a mental state!”
by: Joe Leonardi

Last December, I wrote a column describing a very inspirational moment.  I saw a young person who was missing her left arm and leg ferociously training with the look and intensity of many champion athletes I have met over the years. At the time I didn’t know her story. I didn’t even know her name.

Since that column appeared, I have had many people tell me about the incredible Stephanie Jallen. During a meeting with Senator Ray Musto and his wife, Frances, I was encouraged to have a face to face with Stephanie. I made a phone call to the Senator’s Pittston office and within hours I received a return phone call from Stephanie’s proud and supportive mother Deborah Jallen.

In the course of my life, I have had the chance to train with champion bodybuilders and strength athletes, I have broken bread with multi-millionaires, talked politics with national and state elected politicos and I even had the chance to campaign with the great Lynn Swann. The people I have met are all impressive in their own right, however compared to Stephanie Jallen, well, there is no comparison — Stephanie is in a league all her own.

This impressive person will make you forget that she has just embarked on her teenage years. She answers questions and discusses her life with the poise and confidence of someone who has spent eternity in the limelight.

I asked Stephanie how I should refer to her in this column.

Should I say she is handicapped?

A special needs person?

I wasn’t sure what term to use.

She told me I should refer to her as normal and that is when she uttered the title of this column.

Prior to skiing, Stephanie had been involved in basketball and soccer. Then a little over four years ago, she received a letter inviting her to a PA Center for Adapted Sports Clinic. There she discovered skiing. Instructors wanted Stephanie to ski in the seated position, but the nine year old Miss Jallen would not hear of it. She insisted and obviously got her way — she would ski standing up.

A chance meeting with personal trainer Ernie Baul occurred at a fundraiser that would impact her future training. Stephanie’s congenital condition caused her left side to be underdeveloped, leaving her arm very short, tapering down to one digit. Her left leg had to be amputated when she was an infant. Ernie focuses her training on underused muscles and works especially hard on keeping her hip, leg, knee and ankle strong and stable.

Stephanie told me that Ernie’s training program has translated into a dramatic improvement in her performance.

In the last year, the fiercely competitive athlete entered her first international competition — the Huntsman Cup in Utah.

How did she do?
How does three gold medals and a bronze sound?

Stephanie is a talented skier who is on track for the 2014 Paralympics to be held in Russia. Her ability has led her to be competing above her age level.

She is not limited by her lack of a full left arm, nor by her lack of a left leg.
She can, however, be limited by funding.

It is not an inexpensive endeavor Stephanie has undertaken. Unlike the professionals, USOC and corporate sponsors that dominate the Olympic games, the Paralympics have no such financial backing in place. Several fundraisers have been held, but money can become a limiting factor.

In today’s sports environment, we glorify steroid bloated baseball bashers, but sometimes true sports heroes are here at home.

Stephanie is getting help with her training thanks to the generous spirits of the before mentioned Ernie Ball, who trains her at no charge. Larry Danko has shown his heart fills his massive chest by allowing Stephanie pro bono use of his first class facility. We are the valley with a heart and it is my hope that we adopt Stephanie’s journey as our own.

The news continues to give us many people to be ashamed of — Stephanie Jallen is someone of whom we can be very proud!

I do not think of  Stephanie as a handicapped athlete.

I don’t think of  her as a special needs person.

When she wins the gold at the Paralympics, I won’t think of   her as a Paralympic Medalist.

She is — Stephanie Jallen, Athlete; Stephanie Jallen, Champion.

Dr. Joe Leonardi

Inspiration

November 15, 2009

http://www.timesleader.com/pittstondispatch/opinion/Inspiration_12-14-2008.html

I attened the NEPA Natural Bodybuilding Contest last night, and ran into this incredible young woman and her proud family and supporters. At the request of one of her supporters I am reposting the link to th opinion piece I wrote. Please take a moment to click on the above link, read and comment at the bottom of the column.

Thanks!

Joe

Excuses — You have them, I’ve heard them
by: Joe Leonardi
Ten excuses I have heard in the last two weeks.
1 – I just can’t live without ice cream.
2 – I love pasta.
3 – I don’t have the time.
4 – I was going to, but then I got side tracked.
5 – I slept late.
6 – I am stressed out.
7 – I don’t have the will power.
8 – I eat out all the time.
9 – I can’t cook.
10- I WAS going to start on Monday.
Some excuses are from clients of YourNewPhysique.com, some from friends, some from people who have seen my web site and some from those who knew me in my obese days and tell me they have to get in shape, but just ______ fill in the excuse.
There are many excuses not to re-take control of one’s health, but there are few legitimate reasons. Yes, there are actually legitimate reasons, but that is not the topic of this column.
I have heard them all, here is a little secret; I have used them all. I am here to tell you that there is no reason to be obese. As I wrote in a previous column, obesity is not a complex issue. In the absence of a medical or hormonal condition, obesity is a choice. I know, I know the burning of me in effigy is commencing. I can hear the epithets being directed at me now.
Doc, how dare you say I choose to be this way!
How dare you say I want to look and feel like this!
Who do you think you are, do think that if I could, I would control myself?
How can I have the temerity to state that obesity is a choice? What gives me the authority to make such a claim?
That’s easy — I once weighed 340 ponderous, pachydermian pounds and had to squeeze into a tight fitting size 54 pants. I am confident I know a thing or two about becoming obese.
Recently, I have dropped well over one hundred pounds and transformed by rotund shape into a fit physique. So, I also know what it takes to drop the weight.
Jack Lalanne has said that exercise is the king and diet is the queen. How do you argue with a 95 year old person who is still full of vim and vigor?
I tell people to get their own new physique entails a complete commitment. There is even a formula. It is:
100% Exercise + 100%  Eating + 100% Energy
It is not difficult to get in shape, eat the correct foods and stay focused; it requires the three D’s:
Desire; Determination; Discipline

Many excuses such as time or eating out can be overcome with proper planning. I teach an eight o’clock class two days a week. Because I am in my office until seven in the evening, I work out first thing in the morning. Do you think I like setting the alarm for four a.m.? Do you think I am thrilled when it goes off? However, that is when I have the time and that is when I get up.
Throw out the excuses! Say no to obesity! Choose health and fitness!
As far as excuse number 10, the hell with Monday — Get with it!

Interesting!

October 18, 2009

This morning I only had a chance to skim this interesting article. Later this week I will read it in more detail and then, of course, write a commentary.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33336289/ns/politics-washington_post/

Very Interesting

October 18, 2009

I only had a chance to skim over the below article.  I will read it in detail and then comment on it later this week.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33336289/ns/politics-washington_post/