rustypants speaks

Beach Daydreams, my man? from scott rust on Vimeo.

“So, what do you DO out there while you sit on Pensacola Beach?” they ask me.

“Daydream, usually,” is my reply.

“Daydream about WHAT?”

Here’s the answer.

Every year, without fail, several students will ask, “Mr. Rust, are we having a classroom Christmas party?” and every year, without fail, I stare at them incredulously, and sputter, “A classroom Christmas party?? Dudes, YOU GUYS ARE IN HIGH SCHOOL!!!”

Every year, I produce a new picture in an attempt at heading off the question.

This year’s entry:

Several students still had to ask. *sigh*

I’ve been commuting by bike for a little over 3 weeks now. I park my bike in my classroom on the days I ride in for a number of reasons, not the least of which is paranoia about what will happen to it parked elsewhere.

The comments I receive from students & staff are frequently funny or incredulous. The best exchange so far was both.

Student: “You mean you rode that bike into school?”
Me: “Yeah.”
Student: “Wait. You rode that thru Wedgewood [poor neighborhood near PFHS]??”
Me: “Well, yeah.”
Student: [after looking me up & down] “And you didn’t get JUMPED?”

*we all had a good laugh at this point*

Me: “Would you have been the one doing the jumping?”
Student: “Naw, I don’t do that no more.”

my latest change in habits on the road to continued good health (mine as well as the environment’s)?

that, my friends, is a 2004 Klein Aura V road bike. she’s taking the place of that clunky old mongoose mountain bike i’ve been riding the last several years. she comes courtesy of chris baskind, a car-free, cycling-enthusiast, cool dude here in Pensacola who maintains www.ecominima.com. i had been looking at bikes, chris mentioned on Twitter that he was selling his Klein, we talked, he made me an offer i couldn’t pass up, and i’m now rockin’ the road on this sweet thang.

and let me just say this: i figured that a high-end road bike would ride nicer than a $150 wal-mart bike, but holy crap! i had no idea it would make this much of a difference!! i have had so much difficulty reining myself in sometimes while out riding – it’s so much more fun, comfortable, smooth, exhilarating… i could go riding on and on!

i’ve been cycling to and from work (7.5 miles each way) several times a week for the past few weeks and am LOVING it! i’m committing to commuting by bike at least 3 days a week (the other two days i cannot due to other obligations).

more on the rationale and motivation soon.

i look at myself in the mirror some days and say, “Whoa! WTF!?”

in 2006, after avoiding the scale for years, a routine doctor’s appt forced me to get weighed at check-in. when it hit 320lbs, i was floored. i made some surface changes over the next year and lost 30lbs by 2007. then stopped.

the past 18 months have brought many changes in lifestyle and attitude. i’m still getting used to some of the results.

all changes were made gradually and with much research and testing.

what did i do?

• started biking (up to 20 miles a day)
• made dietary & eating habit changes
• started cross-training & aerobic exercise
• started lifting weights
• started running
• switched to  minimalist running (Vibram Five Fingers)
• added Chi Running
• started yoga
• became a vegetarian
• started commuting to work via bicycle
• promised NOT to become religious about most of the above

i’m down to 230lbs now and continue to feel better than i’ve ever felt. i continue to look for ways to eat, live, and think healthier.

fad diets don’t work, friends. we’ve got to get off our fat asses, get active, really assess the decisions we make about our eating, and make some gradual lifestyle adjustments! it’s not an easy task, but for many of us, it’s a necessary one!

commit to making one change today!

and make contact with me for some encouragement.