Rule number one

Rule number 1: Do not lose ground!  I am finally back down to weighing 232 lbs.  I dropped 8 lbs, then gained it around Christmas.  At the beginning of the college football season it is said that if a team is going to lose a game, if the loss comes early in the season it won't affect their national rankings as much as a loss late in the season.  This is my attitude regarding this set back. 

Another lesson for me is to never let up.  One day after losing the initial weight I thought I should eat a little more to bring my calories up, so my body won't adjust to a lower caloric intake.  One day turned into a week.  I'll be more careful this time.  

I started taking swimming lessons with a triathlon training group at the Brentwood Recreation center.  Ashley and Dee are the coaches.  Ashley won a gold medal in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics as part of the 800 meter relay team.  They told us we need to learn to swim efficient and fast, efficient first.  Also, our mantra is, "I swim on my side".  They will teach us proper breathing, I think it is breath in quickly on a one count, then exhale slowly on a four count.

They said some amazing things that people need to hear when starting any new endeavor.  They said it will be awkward, we will make mistakes, they will yell at us and don't take it personal because most of the class will be making the same mistakes.  They said it takes a couple of months to train the mind and muscles.  A couple of months of repetition.  It then becomes more effortless.  It becomes a habit, just they way you do something.   

Also, very important, they said swimming is a solitary sport.  You are by yourself in the water and once you get into a rhythm everything becomes automatic and you don't have to think about what you're doing.  They said negative thoughts can come in at this time and pretty much screw you.  You need to learn to think positive.

I'm and leaning piano and I can apply these lesson to leaning to play the piano.  In fact, this whole triathlon deal seems to be a way of life.  Eating, training, and thinking.  

How about the millions of people in the world with new years' resolutions to change for the better.  Or the people with addictions.  "Every thing your doing is going to be awkward, it takes a couple of months to train the mind and muscles, think positively".