A very, very close friend of mine sent me an Elgato Wave 3 microphone for my birthday. It’s a $130 microphone that I wanted for my YouTube channel and podcasts. It actually put tears in my eyes. So, I figured I’d do something special for her in the form of posing for a calendar in 10 weeks.
Why is this significant? Because that’s the kind of relationship we have. There is something there between us, just not enough to form the basis of a strong relationship.
Still, we are a big part of each other’s life. And anyone who knows me well understands that getting in front of a camera to pose in any fashion, especially with my shirt off, is extremely rare.
I’m talking that you’d have a better chance of winning the Power Ball lottery.
So, it’s something special to convince me to do something like this. And since it coincides with when I am wrapping up my fitness challenge, it may even be worth the effort from a visual perspective.
Am I Serious About Posing for a Calendar?
It’s no secret that I have quite a low opinion of myself physically. So, if it wasn’t because of this person and who she is, I wouldn’t even consider the idea. But, I want to do something special for her and she’s always had a thing for me.
Even when I weighed 260+, she thought I was very attractive. Knowing her as I do, I know she’ll get a kick out of seeing 12 months of poses from me.
They’ll be tasteful and classy. I’m not going to strip nude or anything like that. Think of those firefighter calendars that some precincts sell at charity events. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, Google it.
Instead of fighting fires, though, they’ll be more centric to writing.
She’s Not the Only One
I have quite the fan base growing on YouTube for WriterSanctuary. In fact, I can think of three women right now who would love to see me on a calendar. One, in particular, wants to see me in a hot tub stream.
So, I know there is a bit of interest there. And if they’re interested in seeing me at 235 pounds, imagine what I’ll look like at 200.
Not to mention how my friend Sam now wants a calendar of that as well…since I brought the idea up to her yesterday.
The Original Idea of the Calendar
I figured I would professionally print out five in total. One for my very good friend, one for her sister (because we’re close, too), one for Sam, one for me as part of my portfolio, and then one to auction off for charity.
Not that I’m some hot stud or celebrity, but I figured if some of the audience members like what they see, then we can auction that last autographed calendar.
Then, all the proceeds from the auction go to Extra Life, a charity organization that supports Children’s Miracle Network.
Granted, this doesn’t really have a lot to do with gaming for the charity, but it’s one that I am passionate about. And, I am using the Xbox Kinect to get into shape. So in a way, it is related to gaming.
What the Hell Am I Doing?
With every sentence of this blog post, my heart beats faster and faster. I’m about to have a full-blown anxiety attack. You don’t understand just how much of a leap this is.
Let me put it this way, I can’t remember the last time I went to a pool or beach without at least wearing a tank top. I haven’t been shirtless in public since I was a teenager. And even then, it was extremely rare.
Well, I always said I wanted to “Magic Mike” myself to see if I could do it. I guess this is a more practical way to get me motivated. Because I really do want to do something special for my friend. And she knows how I feel about this kind of stuff.
Sam also thinks I’m a bit of a prude.
I mean, being creative and writing Despair on YouTube is one thing. But this is stepping WAY outside of my comfort zone. We’re talking in a completely different area code altogether. I’m both excited and scared shitless, though.
But, perhaps maybe that is what’s been missing from my life. I am an introvert to the Nth degree, and I wanted to be more social and put myself out there. Well, this is definitely going in that direction.
Seriously, it’s not like I’m mass producing a calendar with the idea of getting rich. I just wanted to do something nice for my friend that I know she’d love. It’s not like I’ll be walking through Target and see my calendar all over the damn store.
So, why am I freaking out so bad? It’s more than two months away and I’m already nervous as hell.
What Kind of a Strategy Do I Have Planned?
Since I’ve already started my 12-week fitness challenge, it pretty much just means I’ll have to really turn up the heat if I want to lose the weight. Based on the data I collect about myself in a spreadsheet, I know I can do it.
But, there is a bit more at stake now. I’m not just trying to lose weight. I need to also add a bit more muscle definition if I want the calendar to really “pop.”
Maybe a Gym Membership After All?
I’m not sure if I want to get a gym membership or not. I could really use some of the weight machines there to build up a bit more muscle. But, I also want to see what I can do with what I have at home.
After all, that’s one of the biggest foci for this blog – what the average Joe can do without leaving the house.
Still, this is kind of a special occasion for a gift. Should I still focus on using what I have here? Seriously, I have a lot of equipment here at the house that can really put my body through the wringer.
I better make up my mind soon, though. Otherwise, I won’t have enough time to really make an incredible visual change.
Adding More Weighted Work Now
Before, I was happy with just focusing mostly on cardio so I can get down to 200 pounds. Now, even if I don’t get a gym membership, I’ll need to add far more weighted work than I had initially planned.
Well, I wanted to get in some reps with the dumbbells here and there because I do want a bit more muscle definition. But now, I think I might have to increase the weights so that I can do some sculpting.
Yeah, listen to me, like I know what I’m talking about.
What I want in size is somewhere between Deadpool and Captain America. And I doubt I’ll be able to get that big on just the Xbox Kinect alone…even with adding weights to each hand.
Probably a good place to start is to set a goal for the number of points I make on Exercise.com. Since the site focuses mostly on lifting weights anyway, I can aim for a specific daily score based on how much I press.
I wanted to start doing this throughout the challenge, but now, I really need to get going. Those 10 weeks are going to go by freakin’ fast.
So, starting tomorrow, because technically it’s my birthday and I’m taking a day off of fitness, I am aiming for at least 1,000 points per day. This means lifting at least half a ton, which really isn’t a lot in the grand scheme of things.
When going to the gym, I would lift several tons throughout the 45 minutes we were there. My point averages on those days ranged around 35,000.
Trying Keto for Two Weeks
One of the things I wanted to do for this blog was an experiment with Keto for a week to see how it works and how well I can adapt. Essentially, it was going to be a review on the diet plan and my personal take on it.
However, Sam talked me into trying it for two weeks so that we get a good amount of personal data to really form an opinion. Then, I’m going to compare it to my Net 600 diet to see which works better for me.
I still don’t know how well it’ll work on a personal level, considering how I have to deal with low blood sugar and low blood pressure. But, who knows, I might wind up shedding everything within two weeks.
At any rate, it’ll be a great blog and video for CrossingColorado.
Proving a Point
Overall, focusing on this calendar is actually helping me to stay motivated to prove a point. That you don’t need supplements, plans, or gimmicks to lose weight and get in shape.
It’s going to give me a slew of content to make for the blog as well as the YouTube channel. And, if all goes well, you bet your ass I’ll be calling out a certain someone for the crap they peddle.
Though, I think Sam is just excited to wax me. She’s been threatening it for years, and I told her that if I got down to my goal weight, she can.
Sometimes, you really need to think ahead before agreeing to shit you didn’t think you’d do.
Perhaps the hardest part for me is staying motivated enough to follow through with anything. I don’t have the best track record over the past few years. But, setting this calendar up is something I really want to do for my friend.
At any rate, I’m going to prove a point throughout this ordeal. Either I prove that you don’t need V Shred or his crap products, or that I’m a fat old guy who can’t seem to care about his health.
One of these two things is happening in 10 weeks.
Here We Go for Calendar Pictures!
To be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever felt so motivated to succeed before. I’m really excited to start working on myself over the next two months. Could putting myself through such an anxiety-driving situation be my catalyst?
Or, does it have more to do with wanting to give my friend a special gift in this calendar?
For me, it’s more than just scantily clad posing in front of a camera. I am putting myself through a ton of anxiety to make this happen. I’ve never done anything like this before, and I doubt I will afterward.
But, it’s something I want to do.
I mean, I don’t even flirt or sex talk on the phone. I guess I am a prude in many ways. Still, I think this is something fun that she’ll really get a kick out of.
Let’s just hope I can follow through!
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