Ask the Readers resumes next week. Today, I must update you on my fitness goals. I even included a titillating video. Here’s a juicy pic to warm you up (or more likely, click away forever):
Terrible Idea
In hindsight, offering to give one of you $100 if I couldn’t do 10 pull-ups or get my weight under 160 by the end of September was a bad, bad idea. Kind of like the time I went to Taco Bell at 1:30 am after a healthy visit to the Great American Beer Festival. And by healthy, I mean that I drank unhealthy quantities of beer. I know, that doesn’t make sense. Probably because I just consumed some beer.
The next day was unpleasant. And by unpleasant, I mean completely shitty. Literally.
The Dhiarrito, Goo-dita, Big Beefy Super Cheesy Extra Greasy Stuft Crunch Wrap and a gallon of beer played an 8 hour-long rugby match in my lower GI tract. Most of the day was spent on the porcelain throne:
- Mrs. 1500: What the hell is going on in there? You’ve been in the bathroom for an hour! Are you dead? What are those noises? Is that moaning?
- Me: Odfjkldfkdf… Taaaaaacoooo Bell. Pppthmrakldfmdhhhtt…
- Mrs. 1500: Finish up already.
Four years later, it’s still too painful to discuss any further.
Pull-Ups (the opposite of anything fun)
Also painful are pull-ups. Physically, but mostly emotionally.
I remember the humiliation in high-school. Every year, all the boys would line up for:
The Pull-Up Test
With the class watching, I’d jump up to grab the bar. And then, not much would happen. Except for the cute girls laughing at me.
Up until the 10th grade, I could do this many pull-ups:
0
Something amazing happened my junior year of high-school. I grabbed the bar and did this many pull-ups:
1
The girls were still laughing, but I was so damn proud, I couldn’t have cared less.
Twenty-seven years later, I finally figured out how to build strength and I can now do more than 1.
Before I tell you the results of the pull-up test, I’m happy to report that I achieved my weight-loss goal. I’m still trailing Mr. WoW, but at least I’m dropping the pounds:
Avert Your Eyes (The Results)
In the interest of transparency, you get to see my futile attempt. In the video, I do not have a shirt on. Don’t interpret this as severely misguided vanity. It is quite the opposite. I hope that you’ll be so horrified/repulsed/disgusted by the thought of my skinny white torso that you won’t watch it. If you must, here it is for your viewing displeasure:
https://youtu.be/Dl5U97lXNFU
Are you done laughing yet? Please stop, I’m sensitive.
So, I succeeded! And I can hardly believe it. See, I wrote all of the above words before I filmed this video earlier today. I was convinced that I would fail.
Before today, I had never done more than 8 pull-ups at once. And then (somehow and miraculously):
10
My form wasn’t perfect. I was tired. My elbow hurt from slipping yesterday and falling on it. But I still did it.
I have no idea how. Maybe I was angry at the kids fighting (could you hear them?). Maybe I was motivated not to give one of you $100.
Or maybe it was that I had a cute girl cheering me on instead of jeering me this time.
Hhahahaha…congrats on the 10 pull ups. Money/pride can be a powerful motivator!!! I’m ready to hear what the next goal is…20 🙂
Mustard Seed Money recently posted…The Most Common First Job of the World’s Top 100 Billionaires
Yep, 20. I’d also like to do 100 push-ups at one time.
Any specific training plan for getting from 10 to 20, or are you just planning on doing a lot of pull ups?
Cheers
Lots and lot and lots and lots of pull-ups. Losing my dead weight (cut) will help too!
As a parent, I’m going to go with the anger at the kids fighting 😉 But I will give it to your wife, it could have been her cheering!!
That’s awesome though! I can do 0… none… nada. So more power to you! Keep going on the weight loss though! Getting healthy is not easy, sometimes it even sucks, but dang it feels good at the end!!
Haha love it! Nicely done, sir. It’s all about that motivation!
Matt @ Optimize Your Life recently posted…When Clickbait Kills
Nice! Awesome read. Good job meeting your weight goal and hitting 10 pull-ups!
Whatever it was, you were motivated! What’s next? (and please put your shirt on, or warn next time to wear sunglasses!)
Team CF recently posted…731 Days Old
Next time, I’m going Full Monty. Oh yeah… Just kidding. Maybe…
HaHa, “maybe I was angry at the kids fighting”. Yah, that tends to give me motivation to do a few more pull ups or push ups too.
Great job!
They never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever stop.
Lol. THIS!!
With 10 pull-ups you can officially be my hero. I don’t think that I ever was able to do more than 2-3 properly.
Oh, those school days. We had this exercise when they helped you with the initial pull-up, then left you hanging and counting the seconds while you can keep your chin above the beam. I think I made the negative record with 3 seconds. And yes, even girls did more. After years this improved to 7 so I can relate to your success on this field. 🙂
[HCF] recently posted…Funny Friday – Cars Edition
Great job… next round, one handed push-ups! 🙂
In all seriousness it’s a great example of setting goals, measuring oneself, and motivating one self. Keep up the great progress.
FullTimeFinance recently posted…RMD and Choosing between a 401K and a Roth
I used to be able to do one handed push-ups and will get back to them before end of year.
Will you give me $100 if you can’t do them by the end of the year? 😉
Haha! No.
The proper motivation combined with some well timed leg swings and you did it! Nobody can fake their way to 10 pull ups, obviously there was some consistent practice and effort leading up to your break through – Well Done!
PedalsforPennies recently posted…Real Estate Income Report – June, July, Aug, Sept. 2017
Yep, my form was subpar there at the end.
Hey, that’s truly impressive – congrats on reaching the goal!!
I had a similar goal a while back with chin-ups and was able to pull it off, but pull-ups way harder than chin-ups… nice job!!
— Jim
PS Yo quiero Taco Bell!
Jim @ Route To Retire recently posted…Backpacking Trip… Cross It Off the Bucket List!
Wow, I hope you didn’t hurt your neck by tilting your head so far back. 🙂
I notice the Dinosaur above the chin-up bar. How much of your progress has been due to Dinosaur power?
Mr. Freaky Frugal recently posted…Fearless downsizing
Nice job! 10 isn’t too shabby! Hey, even if you do lose (I gotta admit I’m on team wow but only because I know them in person and they live down the street), you still have hit some great fitness goals for yourself! Congrats! You both are winners! 🙂
Glad to see some rooting for me. Sheesh.
Mrwow recently posted…Taking a Chance
That is more than I can do and I can bench press over 250 pounds of course I have about 80 pounds on you…..trade ya 🙂
Jason recently posted…Another Housing Blues Post
Nicely done! I completely understand that pride in this accomplishment – pulls up are HARD! I too, can do 1- and I actually had tears in my eyes the day I accomplished that 1. I’ve built up to 2 with some chaotic leg kicking involved. Maybe you will inspire me to work at it more and get to that nice round rep volume of 10. Maybe. Maybe you’ll inspire me to drink copius amounts of beer and make a Taco Bell run….it’s kinda a toss up at this point.
I’m not sure we really know what happened here — there are just too many unknowns. We don’t see the ground, we don’t see the cheerleader, we don’t even see the face of the pull up man. What’s the more likely explanation? That Mr. 1500 did 10 pull ups for the first time in his life while Mrs. 1500 encouraged him without a single disagreement over the thermostat? Or that Mr. 1500 paid the neighbor kids $10 to film the back of some dude doing pull ups?
Let me sum up my arguments: send me that $100.
Ha ha. Did you see my poor from towards the end (legs thrashing)?
In any case, maybe I won’t be so shy next time and will show my face. Maybe…
Well done!!! The pull ups is what I was really concerned about. You know with you going on a liquid diet and all.
The home stretch… We have 3 weeks!?! That’s nuts.
When I was 12 I did 19 pull ups as part of the presidential fitness test in PE class. It’s been all downhill since then. 35 years later I’m not sure I can do 10, but you have inspired me to find out.
19, whoah!
And yeah, go for it! Let me know how many you can do!
Surprised myself and cranked out 10 pull ups – sorry no video – and I might’ve had enough gas in the tank to do 11 but there were no cute girls cheering me on.
I’ve actually been working on the pull ups a bit lately and have found a couple things to be useful:
1 – Work in some negatives. Pull yourself up quickly and then very slowly lower yourself down.
2 – build strength by doing several sets of lower reps. I heard this on the Tim Ferriss podcast with Pavel Tsatsouline and it seems to work. Try doing 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps of pull ups a few times a week.
Chipping away at the fitness goal, great progress. I’m 157ish, starting to get more serious about the strength training. Something about being frugal and working at being fit/healthy go hand in hand. I think maybe because they’re both versions of improving yourself.
Heads up, I’m leaving for Colorado tomorrow, I really am worried about your terrible beer/Taco Bell incident happening to me because my friend convinced me to volunteer and attend all 3 days instead of just 1… And I usually drink enough to need a ultra lazy recovery day the next day. I need to somehow make sure I don’t over drink any of the days. Probably just stick to the rare beers only.
We’re coming in a day early so if you’re available, we could hang out Wednesday or stick to Saturday night if you’re still available.
Just take it slow and drink lots of water. Chart out your beers! Hit up the important ones ASAP because there will run out.
I’ll see what I can do about Saturday. Hit me up then if you’re still up for it.
Nice work and congrats on hitting your goals. Having read on your site and a couple of others, I have started setting health goals myself, currently at 60 crunches, 60 push-ups, 60 legs lifts and a 60 second plank each morning and I am in week 3 of 8 for a couch to 5K run training. Feeling good!
FIbythecommonguy recently posted…Net Worth Update #5 – Aug ’17
Colour me, my noodle arms and my ability to do zero pull ups impressed. I’d trade some of my abundant colour for 2 pull ups.
Mrs. BITA recently posted…The BITAs in Beautiful Lisbon
There’s a pull-up competition happening at Camp FI Florida this January. I think I was entered into the contest? But uh yeah… definitely haven’t trained for it yet. I’ve got time! Mad props to 10!!
Gwen @ Fire Drill Podcast recently posted…FIRE 012 – How Travis Retired at 25 to Travel the World and Start a Student Loan Business
I heard about that! Scary!
Haha I’ve been tempted to set myself some sort of fitness goal on my blog but I’m not as brave as you and don’t want to face the shame of failing. Maybe on day when I’m more motivated. Congrats on the 10 pull ups!
Money Miser recently posted…How to Convince Your Spouse to Pursue Financial Freedom
Great job with the pull ups! I was thinking – good form!, when I started the video. 🙂
Keep at it. Really good job losing the pounds too.
BTW, I gave up on my pull ups. I hurt my elbows from doing too many. 10 is a good goal.
Joe recently posted…September 2017 Goals and Financial Update
I’m convinced that we’re all at least a little extroverted at heart.
It’s not always a good thing. But it’s why deadlines work. It’s why we all find a way to post on Mondays (usually). And why 10 pullups can happen in front of a camera, when a blog post is due, and you know eyes will be on both.
Kudos, friend.
Done by Forty recently posted…Budget Porn: September 2017
Was there an adjustable char underneath to help you in the video? :p
I kid I kid. 10 pull ups is a great milestone. I usually start my gym workout with 10. Is 20 the next big milestone?
Just of recent, I discovered that I was feeling some pain/ache around my waist due to long hours of sitting. But since I have started having a morning exercise, I can see a big difference. Exercise is good for healthy living
Myfinancekits recently posted…How to Trade Stock Futures Profitably
Can I at least have a free beer?
Pasty whiteness is not bad, it is smart.
Great job, Carl! You are 900% better than me in those pull-ups! The key to happiness is to choosing the right benchmark that makes you look great. So, choose wisely! Comparing with a guy doing just one pull-up makes you look like Tarzan in comparison. Sorry for the Jungle Book character, seeing you without the shirt reminded me 🙂
Ten Factorial Rocks recently posted…An Ode To The Cubicle Worker
Woohooo! I love your progress, Mr. 1500! And congrats on getting on target with your weight loss goals! Shoot for 100 pull-ups and you’ll get there with the work. 🙂
Mrs. Picky Pincher recently posted…The Picky Pincher September Budget Report
Pull ups were never my thing either. It’d be interesting to see if I could train to do a few now. Maybe an idea.
As far as things I hated from back in school, mine was climbing the rope. I hated that go**amn thing. I don’t think they do it anymore.
Money Beagle recently posted…6 Items On Our Money Checklist
Congrats on the weight loss and the pull-ups!
Your motivation had probably a lot to do with not giving anybody $100. My kids fights all the time and I wouldn’t do 10 pull-ups:)
Yeah, -$100 is big-time motivation!
Haha, good job Mr. 1500! It’s been quite a few years since I could do $10 pull-ups! I could perhaps manage 6 or 7 today.
Mr. Tako recently posted…Mr. Tako’s Best Recipes (2017)
That’s it.
I challenge you to a pull-up contest at FinCon.
Namaste.
TheHappyPhilosopher recently posted…Death of a Colleague
Ummmmm. Now that sounds like a terrible idea.
Thanks to this guy, I learned that it’s not just about having muscles and lifting weights. today it made me open my head that training goes through another side, it is being able to control your weight and enjoy what you do.