Reinventing Marc Clarke

F.G.W.U.C.

2012-01-11T22:29:00.001-05:00

This was the photo that finally made me snap out of my food induced stupor. My Beautiful, youthful, sexy wife and me looking like somebody's Daddy. I would not take another fat guy picture next to my wife. Not for my health, or to be around to see my babies grow up, I had to do it for pride. I would not be Sherman Clump, anymore. I never felt like him but this picture sure as hell made me feel like him. This was my F.G.W.U.C. Fat Guy Wake Up Call! Every week I will be snapping a picture of my progress starting 1/14/2012. If you want to submit your pics please do and I will post them (marcclarke@mac.com) In 12 weeks (4/7/2012) we can celebrate our progress with a social mixer! I will award $100 to the person who made the most progress!

Striper

2011-11-04T23:39:00.003-04:00

When I played pee wee football nobody wanted to be a striper. A striper is what they called you when you had a red stripe around your helmet. A red stripe around your helmet indicated that you weighed more that 140 pounds and because of this you could not advance the football in any way. If you came in contact with the ball it was instantly ruled dead. The league did not want your 140 pound pulverizing or maiming the smaller kids all of your dreams of being an offensive superstar went out the window as soon as the scale read 140 pounds or more. As you can see if you look closely at the picture I was a "striper." I hated it. My favorite players were running backs; Franco Harris, O.J. Simpson and Earl Campbell. I wanted to be like them. I wanted to thrill the fans with my break-away speed and shifty moves and if need be, plow over the defenders with my power. With that stripe on my helmet all I could do was plow into the other linemen. So, I approached my coach and asked if I got under 135 pounds the next year could I play running back and he said yes. So this began my first diet and weight loss program. I became the Rocky of my neighborhood. Each evening around 7pm I would put on my sweats and get my run on in addition to push-ups, sit-ups and all the other ups I could do. I trained all winter and when next season rolled around my hard work had paid off. I weighed in at a fit 135 and became the starting fullback. It was the first time I had set a physical goal and achieved it and it felt great. It also started my interest in weightlifting and fitness. I found that I liked the feeling of building my strength and it gave me confidence. I still use this lesson I learned decades ago to motivate me to achieve new goals.

Did we have a great season once I was able to run the ball? No, I was mediocre and we never won a game... but at least I wasn't a striper. Remember, you don't have to be a striper, you have the power within to be that person you've always wanted to be.

I shared my striper story with musician Branford Marsalis when he was in the studio with us years ago and he gave me this picture which I will always treasure.

Husky

2011-11-01T11:25:00.001-04:00

I guess my first brush with chubbiness was as a kid. One memory that I'll never forget happened when I was about ten years old. I needed a suit and I had outgrown my old one. When we went to the store I could not fit the suits that they had for kids. Some members of my family were like "Just get the boy a man's suit and cut it down to size" but Mom did not want to do that. She knew I was sensitive and would not be that comfortable in a grown ass Man's suit. We went to store after store a did not have any luck until we stopped at a store called The Hub. In there we found a young lady I'll call my Lil' fat boy angel. My angel introduced a word into our family's vocabulary that changed my world. My mother described the situation and how we were having problems finding a youth size for me. My angel then said the magical words "Oh, you need a husky." My mother and I looked at each other and said at the same time "husky?". She said the husky size was big enough for a man, but made for a kid. We went to the husky section and sure enough these suits were the perfect size for me. The Hub not only had husky suits, it also had tough skin jeans in all colors! Sometimes at night, I say a prayer for my lil' fat boy angel.

Halloween Fun!

2011-10-31T23:36:00.003-04:00

The kids had all the fun Trick or Treating and getting the candy but me and the wife had fun just being kids for the night!

Workin' DaButt

2011-10-31T11:49:00.001-04:00

Single-Leg Squat with Towel

This targets that messy undies spillover area between the very back of your bum and the lower part of your hips. You don't have that? A double scoop for you then, fitness queen.
Do it:

Stand with your feet together and place your right foot on top of a folded towel.
Shifting your weight to your left leg, slide the towel out slowly to your right.
Then slowly return to the start position.
Work this side for 30 seconds, keeping your elbows bent and your fists together near your chin.
When you squat, your left knee should bend between 45 and 90 degrees.
After 30 seconds, switch legs and do the squats and slides for another 30 seconds.

New Music Added!

2011-10-31T11:31:00.000-04:00

Just added new music...Common, Rihanna, Frank Ocean and the T.I. just outta jail on a Jay Z and Kanye Track. Check it out on my radio station below:

www.live365.com/stations/marcclarkeradio

Fat guys we're on a run away train

2011-10-28T16:11:00.001-04:00

Comedian Patrice Oneal had a stroke earlier this week and we don't know how well he is recovering. Oneal who is an amazing comedian is like many of us, obese. He also suffers from diabetes and in his routine talks about the challenges of living with "Sugar" and the routine is very funny but what is not funny is the alarming rate of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer among African-American and Hispanic men in their 30's, 40's and 50's. Big guys it's time for us to take control of our health before it takes us on out of here.

MC

Remember the Elephant

2011-10-28T15:58:00.000-04:00

"How do you eat an Elephant? One bite at a time" -Old Indian proverb

I have a problem with focus. I set a goal, get started and veer off the path for whatever reason. Today I'm trying something different. I'm gonna take things a day at a time. I won't focus on my goal of losing 100 pounds, I'll focus on my daily diet and exersice goals.

Cocktails & Bites with Uptown Magazine

2011-10-28T01:04:00.002-04:00

Troy Johnson and I hosted fave Uptown Mag's Exclusive Oct/Nov release party at The Park tonight in D.C. Featuring a live performance by our sista Carolyn Malachi and H list hosts and other celebrities including Big Tigger, Cyneee Simpson and D.C's own actor Clifton Powell. DJ Tez did his thing on the ones and two's and I even saw WHUR PD/OM Maxx Myrick creep through with legendary PD Mike Stratford. A grown and sexy time was had by all and other folks we saw mingling included Dr Pierre Vigilance, Guy Lambert and Al Jazeera's Jeff Bellue. Anytime it's an Uptown Mag Jont you have to have your gear on because you want your pic to make the magazine.

Here's a taste of Carolyn rippin':

Breakfast of champions

2011-10-27T07:02:00.001-04:00

It's quick and easy and tastes great. Two boiled eggs with a few drops of Saracha is a high protein low calorie breakfast that wakes up all your flavor buds in the morning.

It keeps pullin' me back in

2011-08-11T20:35:00.000-04:00

As much as I try and run from it, losing one-hundred pounds is my tickets to millions of dollars and the start of a movement. I know how powerful my message of goal setting and achievement becomes when I stand before an audience one-hundred pounds lighter. I know how captivating my presentation of my book "Big Daddy and the Trampoline" a story about how the kids help Big Daddy lose weight so that he can play with them on the trampoline becomes when I stand before the audience at a weight that is well below the trampoline's 250 pound limit. I know how powerful the before and after wall sized photos images will be when I stand before the audience a chiseled five ten two-hundred twenty-five pounds.

All I have to do now is lose the weight.

Dr. Marc Clarke?

2011-07-26T19:16:00.000-04:00

I have not written on the blog for a while which sadly is my pattern. The good news is usually when I return I am excited by yet another hair-brained idea that I believe will change the world. Here is my latest: I will get certified as a personal trainer and I will also return to school and become a board certified physical therapist. I have an interest in working with the senior population, sports rehab and eventually owning a company focusing on in home therapy. When my in-laws were in a car accident and lived with us for eight months I had a chance to see what it was like to assist them. I found it challenging and rewarding. I know the need for this occupation is growing and I can do it anywhere in the world.

New career here I come! I'm still gonna do radio and television, write my books, speak around the world, act, and everything else just adding to the dreams.

Inspired...again

2011-01-31T13:28:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite websites is www.344pounds.com
This guy has lost over 150 pounds in less than a year and every time I read about his progress I get fired up. This is usually after a period where I have stalled or lost focus. Well, one again the site has inspired me and I'm back every week!

I'm comin' Down!!

A Weekend for the ages

2010-11-24T07:09:00.000-05:00

This should have been week seven of P90X but since I missed most of my workouts it's do over time and I'll start again the Monday following Thanksgiving. Normally I would have been pissed and disappointed at myself for making excuses for not getting my work in this week but I had a lot of good things going on so I gave myself a pass. This week I was preparing for one of the biggest weeks in my career. I was to start my new job at WHUR on Saturday after being off the air for about two years and on Sunday do a show on WBLS in New York something I have always dreamed of. In this very challenging world of media I actually landed a job in radio at WHUR one of the most respected stations in the country and not just a job but part of the General Managers pet projects and this GM is a visionary and is rebuilding studios and making changes for the future and I'm on the ground level.

I did the first show and less than twenty four hours later I was on the airwaves on WBLS New York from 12p to 3p. You have to understand I grew up in a small town of a little over one hundred thousand that didn't even have an Urban radio station and still does not. I dreamed of being heard on the radio in a city with millions of listeners and it happened. The cherry on top was that my show preceded the legendary Hal Jackson's Sunday Classics and I met the ninety-six year old Jackson who not only co-founded Inner City Broadcasting Corporation with Percy Sutton which owns the station and others but was also the first African American radio sports announcer and still does his show live.

Is there any doubt that dreams come true? Not in my world!

P90X Week 6

2010-11-14T21:30:00.000-05:00

I have to get re-energized. I gained a pound this week but I'm not worried about that. I need to get re-focused on my workouts this week and also my eating(I said the same thing last week). I have good things happening in my work life and I think I'm a little distracted. I start a new job this Saturday(9p-12a) at WHUR radio 96.3 www.whur.com and I'm also sitting in this Sunday on WBLS in New York(12p-3p) and I think maybe these two good things may have me a little distracted but it is still not acceptable so I have to get back on track this week.

I finished reading a book this week that I really enjoyed called "The Alchemist" and in this book it speaks of us all having a "Personal Legend" that we must pursue. A character says "To realize one's destiny is a person's only obligation....and when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you achieve it." I believe this and I believe that me getting control of my fitness level and health is a part of my Personal Legend.

I'm comin' down!!

Here's a preview of the new gig on WHUR:

P90X week 5

2010-11-07T07:13:00.000-05:00

This week has proven to be a challenge but I am keeping the party going. I am also learning about myself and how to keep the fire burning. In the last two weeks it seems like it has been harder for me to get my workouts in and stay focused on my eating plan. I know the colder weather has had some effect just because I work out in my garage and it's a little uncomfortable since it's cold and this gives me a built in excuse but also the extra candy that was around for Halloween and the holiday work events that feature all the tempting drinks and food have had me on the ropes. This year I haven't avoided eating the bad foods I've had them in moderation. I had candy on Halloween but I had the minis and kept in mind that each mini candy bar was around 100 calories. I don't drink alcohol very often but when I do I have a tonic and Grey Goose or Goose on the rocks with a twist. This week my P90X workouts were inconsistent and for the first time I missed two workouts this week which was disappointing. I am definitely at a crossroad and I have to get refocused this week and make up for my lack of intensity this week.

Away from the workout I had a good week shooting the first episode of a web series I am creating and getting a start date for a freelance radio opportunity at WHUR. Even though it was not the best week for my fitness plan I did lose 2 pounds which now puts me at 296! I'll get it together this week and look forward week 6!

I'm comin' down!!

P90X Week 4

2010-10-31T07:18:00.000-04:00

This week was a little different in the P90X world it was week 4 and this week you focus on the cardio exercises and give the resistance work a rest. I realized that I enjoy the resistance work more that just cardio but many of the workouts are fun. The big story was my goal of getting under 300lbs this week I was primed and ready and when I stepped on the scale it read 298lbs!! a two pound loss for the week and more motivation to keep this party rollin'! There were many obstacles this week also including a college football game (Duke vs Navy) Hot dogs, funnel cakes, popcorn, Halloween parties, homemade cookies, candy, drinks..and a few other parties but I survived by indulging in moderation and adding an extra half hour of cardio when I got home. I also added a great fat burning exercise...sprinting! There is a hill in our neighborhood and I would sprint up the hill and walk down. I would do this about 10 or 15 times and work on getting my heart rate really high. When you get your heart rate up that high you really start burning fat.

I', comin' down!

P90X Week 3

2010-10-24T08:35:00.000-04:00

I was excited about my weigh in today because I felt like I was going to finally dip under 300 pounds and after a good week of working out and eating well I knew if would happen. I did not. Last week I weighed in at 300.6 lbs and lost a whopping 8.4 lbs but this week the scale read 300.8lbs a gain of .2 lbs. I was disappointed but not surprised. I understand that you can not measure your overall fitness just by what the scale says. Since I am doing resistance exercises and lifting weights there will be weeks when I do not lose weight but possibly gain muscle or even lose inches and gain weight. This is still a slight let down when you feel like you have worked hard and it doesn't show on the scale.

Well I don't have time to worry about it I have Yoga X today which will kick my butt and start off week four which is different from the first three weeks and focuses on more cardio which I'm sure will result in me getting under 300 lbs for next week.

I can feel my flexibility improving and the variety of the P90X workout is great. I still have a long way to go on the yoga and ab series but I am making progress.

I'm comin' down!

P90X week 2

2010-10-18T00:44:00.000-04:00

What an exciting day. I actually looked forward to the weigh in this morning because I knew I had stayed faithful to the P90X workout and also ate according to the Weight Watchers points limits. I knew that the scale was gonna reflect my hard work and as I climbed on the scale this morning at 8am it read 300.6...an 8.4 pound loss for the week..This isn't normal but I knew that the combination of consistent workouts and diet would be successful. I can hardly wait to weigh in next week and be under 300lbs. I don't want to ever see 300lbs again!! I've said this before and unfortunately I let myself come back to the 300 club but as I approach 45 years of age I am not going backwards.

I also started another aspect of controlling my weight at the start of the week. I sat down with a psychiatrist friend who is starting a new weight loss program that focuses on getting to the root of the problem of food addiction and why we eat. In addition to a weekly therapy session the treatment also includes herbs, and supplements that help move you towards your goal. I am armed with the weapons to get me where I want to be.

I'm comin' down!!

P90X the first week

2010-10-09T11:45:00.000-04:00

I just finished Kempo X and the first official week of P90X. In the past I have tried a few of the different workouts but I did not follow through...well, it's a new day and I going all the way! The first week felt good and I know I can do it...Yoga was challenging and also the pull ups were too. I've got a long way to go but I'm excited about getting my old body back. I remember when I could do 15 to 20 reps of pull ups now I'm around 3 or 4 reps but it's tougher to pull up over 300lbs that it is to pull up 245.

My training is going well but my eating has not been under control this week. I really believe that when I'm doing a challenging workout like this one my minds gives me the OK to overeat. I will get this under control for this next week. I'm logging my meals on www.weightwatchers.com and I have had more that a few days this week where I went over my designated points(calories). This stops today and with the combination of P90X and WW I will finally slay the dragon!! Flat abs here I come!!

I'm comin' down!!

P90x day 3

2010-10-05T22:23:00.000-04:00

I’m excited about the possibility of actually completing the p90x program this time. I feel that this challenge represents a change in me that has been a long time coming and that change is to complete the tasks that I start. I think I have to start doing this to be in position to move on with my career and personal relationships. Making this statement on the third day of the program is premature but you know this is my style. I’m stepping out there and claiming the victory early in the game! I was gonna wait until I finished at least the first week but I could not wait. I feel good physically and realize my challenge will be in my mind and once you train the mind the body follows behind. I’ll see you in a few days after day 7 to let you know how the first full week feels. I feel energized and on the path.

I’m comin’ down!!

P90X

2010-10-03T09:29:00.000-04:00

While listening to my favorite sports station I heard the announcer say that there are about 90 days left in this year and it would be a great time to start P90X. I purchased P90X maybe a year ago and after a few workouts I put it aside and let it collect dust like I do with most of my excise videos, machines,etc...But this day the announcer sparked a new challenge for me and as those who follow this blog know I've started and stopped about a million challenges in this past year so why not add another one before the year is out. Yes, starting today I will be on my P90X regiment and the goal is to kick it all the way until the end of the year. I will spare you the "before" picture even though you know I love to show my fat body on the internet(look at the archives is you want to see the glory) I now vow to only show the "after" picture and that will be on January 1 2011. I'm actually fired up because I've made my garage into my workout den and I actually have enough space to really give this P90X a try this time(though I do need a pull up bar).

I weighed in today and I'm at 305.8 and that was down a few pounds from last week. I'm on weight watchers and I really enjoy the ease of counting calories on the internet. I tell you what when I lose this weight I will be whoring myself out to the highest bidder...lol...just kidding(wink)

I'm comin' down!!

Think thin!

2010-09-26T21:34:00.004-04:00

How do thin people think? Do they realize they do "Thin People" things? what are thin people things? crossing your legs, not finishing a meal and having the leftovers for lunch the next day, asking for the smallest piece of cake at a birthday party, saying "this is really rich" when eating potato salad, cheese cake,etc...realizing it's the evening and you haven't eaten anything all day...In an effort to become thin I am now thinking thin....

I'm comin' down!

Out with the old, In with the new

2010-09-06T22:05:00.003-04:00

Does your wardrobe represent who you are? Mine did not , but it will. When you can't go to the mall or boutique and buy off the rack because they don't have your size your wardrobe doesn't really represent who you are it just kinda reflects an assortment of clothes that will do because they fit. I have always dreamed about being able to go into Banana Republic and get a shirt in plumb or mint or one of those tapered suits. I would dress totally different if I were another size. This weekend I made a move. I got rid of all the clothes in my closet that I did not absolutely love. I got rid of the suits, shirts, tuxedos, and slacks that Allison always gave me the lukewarm response on. The clothes that I just settled for but did not feel like best represented who I am. I also created a section in my closet where I have clothes that I could fit in the past and will fit again. This is the section I am working to get back to and also in this section I will put clothes that I can't currently fit but will fit in the future.

I am motivated by my new closet and using this as motivation. I will not buy any clothes in my current size it must be smaller to add to my wardrobe. For the next six months I will not weigh myself each week I will instead try on my suit that I used to wear when I had lost 40lbs and use this to gauge my progress. I am determined to add only killer pieces to my new wardrobe and love each item.

My new mindset is to live my life as the new me. Who is the new me? The new me is a fitness fanatic so I am aware of everything I put in my body and work out daily. The new me is aware of how I look at all times so I am always well groomed and well dressed. I can't tell you all my secrets but the new me starts today.

I'm comin' down!!

You are what you drink

2010-08-07T10:47:00.003-04:00

I've always known that I should drink more water but this week I'm actually doing it. Most experts say that we should drink half our body weight in ounces of water every day and for me that's at least 150 oz. a day which is a lot of water. This past week I have cut out the diet soda and all other drinks and I'm trying to only drink water. I'm not concentrating on how many ounces a day I'm drinking but when I get thirsty or bored or hungry I drink a twenty four ounce bottle of water and see what happens. The first thing I noticed was I have to pee all the time and since I'm forty plus this is just par for the course but I notice my urine is clearer and I have more force. I can almost feel the impurities coming out of my body. I also notice my skin look clearer already and I has only been a week. I weigh myself every Sunday and I already know I'll be down a few extra pounds and this feels good(I weighed at mid week just to check.) You know me though...the real test is can I stay focused and stick with this plan. I obviously have follow through issues and I will not let this 30 experiment fail. I'm also cutting out carbs, and fried foods for thirty days then for forty five days I'll be cutting out carbs and sugar (including fruit). If you're a heavy water drinker comment and let me know some of your secrets and also the benefits of guzzling water.

Are you interested or committed?

2010-07-18T08:09:00.004-04:00

At a recent Toastmasters meeting one of the speakers a quote from Tony Robbins that asks the questions "Are you interested or committed." This resonated with me because it made me think of my weight loss journey. Based on how I have pursued this so called goal I would have to say I have been an interested party but not a committed one. My eating habits have been inconsistent as well as my work outs. I've started over a million times but if I were committed I would not have to start over I would succeed. Well, this week I stared running again and got in a few good workouts. It's time to stop being interested in losing weight and living healthy but being committed to it.

Weight Watchers week 4

2010-06-22T08:02:00.002-04:00

My WW experience so far has been good. I've been up and down in the past for weeks but I feel like I'm making progress. I've been experimenting with my work out program while on this plan and I've had mixed results. I've been lifting heavy and what I found was when I keep my calories under control following the WW plan I do loose weight....about a pound or two a week. If I don't stay within the calorie boundaries I will gain weight about one or two pounds a week. The plan this week is to stay within my calories and add more cardio and on the days I lift I will cut down the rest time between set to one minute so I keep my heart rate up and when I'm lifting heavy don't do any fewer reps that eight. I'll post my weight for this week on Sunday.

On the Bike again

2010-05-23T08:28:00.005-04:00

This is my first week on WW and I'm really enjoying it. I've been on before but the updated website tools and even the plan make doing it so much easier that I really feel that I'm coming all the way down this time. Starting weight was 317 and this week I'm at 314.2...My wife is on the plan and having that common ground is also great. I don't even look at it as a diet I look at it as my eating plan for my life. Like a crackhead needs crack I am a foodhead and I need food and if I don't have a plan I will careen out of control. Weight Watchers is my plan. This is the first week for me and I've said these same things many times before. Let's see if I will actually still be on this same page in a year. How glorious it will be!

Age is no excuse: week 39

2010-05-06T21:58:00.003-04:00

I've recently been a regular at the YMCA and during the mornings and afternoons when I go workout, there are a lot of retired people among the regulars and many of them are in their 60's 70's and even eighties. I'm learning valuable life lessons working out with this group of regulars. My man Ed is in his sixties and regularly leg presses over six-hundred pounds and has the flat stomach and endurance of a man half his age. He lifts regularly and runs about three and a half miles every other day. He is always telling me to cut sugar out of my diet. He says sugar is the devil and in fact if you take sugar out of your diet your excess weight will just fall off your body. He recommends books about this for me and he has no doubt that taking sugar out of the diet would cure most illnesses especially those like MS. Just being in Ed's presence is inspiring. He's in great shape has a full head of hair, very little body fat with decent muscle development and he's sixty! Then there's my man Henri. Henri was a white house chef and at eighty four years old is a known by everyone and a work out beast. You can catch Henri in the weight room everyday like clockwork doing a variety of lifts, stretches, both strength and cardio workouts and all of this with the energy of a young man. I recently learned that Henri had a stroke a few years ago and he shook it off and six months later was back at the old routine....I did say he was eighty-four right? So in those moments when I don't feel like working out or even going to the gym I think about my friends the senior warriors and I'm inspired. I also think about how it's never too late to pursue the body of my dreams complete with a six pack, even if I'm seventy!

week 38

2010-04-01T20:19:00.000-04:00

Well after listening to " You on a diet" I've decided to change my strategy and not weigh in but measure my waist..,The goal is to get the waist under 37 inches a number I have not been near since high school...The experts say having a waist over 40 inches increases your chance of heart attack by like 12 times. I'm at 51 inches...just 15 inches to go.

I'm comin' down!

Week 37

2010-03-14T23:11:00.002-04:00

Well this week I gained another 1.5 pounds and figured it was time to
re-commit. I picked up a book called "The 4 day diet" by Dr. Ian Smith and started doing that program along with listening to a book on tape called "You:On a Diet the owners manual for waist management" which hit me with some
info that finally spoke to me in a way that I feel will change my life.

It talked about the hormone adiponectin and how people with a lot of
fat around their waist have low levels of adiponectin and because of this have high
blood pressure, high blood sugar levels and increased chance of heart
attack...oh and high cholesterol. If you don't have a lot of fat around
your waist you probably have more adiponectin and all those levels are
decreased.

You know how when you have a big beer belly it feels hard? And you
didn't know why ? Well the hardness you are feeling is your stomach
muscles the fat is underneath it and the worst kind of fat because it's
getting in your blood stream and effecting your organs.

That did it for me. Flat abs not just for the beach but to save my life.

I'm comin Down!

Week 36

2010-03-08T19:28:00.002-05:00

This week proved to be very difficult but I had the false sense that I would still lose weight. I didn't work out consistently, traveled to Memphis for a funeral and even had a slice of red velvet cake and really thought I would lose this week. I lost around one pound, coming in at 305.5. It could have been worse but with the break in the weather now is the time to step up the game and get in fat kill mode. That ain't happenin' if I keep falling to red velvet cake...(It was delicious though.)

I'm excited about this week and have a goal of four pounds inspired by the projected good weather for the week!

I'm comin' down!!

week 35

2010-02-27T19:48:00.002-05:00

This week's weigh in could be the beginning of a good thing. My wife is trying to lose about twenty pounds and I've been preparing her lunch and breakfast and she's been losing the last few weeks. We got into a discussion about being ready for the beach this year and we challenged each other to a weight loss contest so this is even more incentive for me to stay on track. This week I experimented with making better food choices and when I couldn't make it to the gym I worked around the house staying active instead doing stuff like mopping the floor or sweeping and vacuuming the floors.

I think it worked because this week I came in at 306.8 down around two pounds and fired up now I'm competing with the wife. Beach weather will be here before you know it and now is the time to work on that body you have always wanted. I also had a chance to walk two miles while I waited for Sydney to finish her ballet class another way to burn calories instead of sitting down for an hour at Starbucks and sipping on a high calorie drink.

Beach body here I come...

I'm comin' down!

Week 34

2010-02-21T22:32:00.002-05:00

My five year old daughter's question was just a confirmation of the lack of success I've had over the last few weeks in my so called pursuit of losing weight. I just stepped out of the shower with a towel around my waist and she said "Daddy why are your boobies so flappy?" I heard my wife quietly say she should say things like that but hey she was just being honest. My boobies are so "flappy" because they are fat.

I weighed in at 308. I've be inconsistent this week with the diet and the workout. No pain=weight gain. Well, me and my flappy boobies have next week.

I'm comin' down

week 33

2010-02-14T10:11:00.002-05:00

Well there is good news and bad news. The good news is I did not gain the weight I thought I would this week. I've been shoveling snow each day because of the worst blizzard in one hundred years and it is quite a workout but the problem has been me eating out of control. I really have been having a problem with binging this week and I guess it's because of being trapped in the house. I was sure I picked up a few pounds this week. I weighed in at 307.2 which is almost just a pound less than last week. The bad news is I really ate out of control this past week and I need to figure what the hell is going on. It feels like my body is trying to keep me at this weight. Ok, that sounds like some whack excuse let me just get focused and quit eatin' bad food...no excuses!

Just think if I had stayed on the program I would be around my goal weight now...damn!

That's alright my goal is three pounds this week I'll see you Saturday....I'm comin' down!

Saturday weigh in 2/6/2010

2010-02-06T17:40:00.002-05:00

My first official weigh-in since I got off track was supposed to be a new beginning and I was looking forward to it with anticipation but instead when I stepped off the scale I was disappointed and know that I have a lot of work to do. I weighed 308 five pounds up from 303 just a week ago. I know the problem. Inconsistency in working out and diet and if this does not change I am just lying to myself. Tomorrow I'll be going to a huge Superbowl party. Will I stay in control or will I lose my damn mind? I'm looking at it as a challenge. I will have a good time but be in control.

I did 45 min. of cardio on my exercise bike and shoveled snow today and I plan to do the same tomorrow before the party. This is a crucial week for me and I need to show progress in my weigh in next week.

I'm comin' down (but last week I was goin' up)

Live Daddy!

2010-02-03T10:59:00.003-05:00

Just finished watching a great episode of Men of a certain age where the character played by Andre Braugher is eating out of control and his family is concerned about his health. He is overweight and has sleep apnea and diabetes. His son is so concerned that he secretly videotapes his father raiding the refrigerator and eating unhealthy snacks and when He finds out he has to confront his lack of control over his eating. He also promises his son that he will get it under control.

This episode really grabbed my attention because my kids really need me to be here for the and I realize I have a control issue with eating and I can also see the concern in the eyes of my wife. My family's history of high blood pressure and diabetes should be enough to stop me from losing control but it does not. The thought of not being around to see my girls grow up or not being here to enjoy the planned retirement with my wonderful wife in South Carolina seems not to be enough to stop my out of control eating. I have to do it. Like any addict, I have to take full control of my health and I am committed to doing it by any means necessary.

My kids have a trampoline with a weight limit of 225 and my goal is to be able to jump on it before the end of the year. The girls are always excited when they talk about me playing on it with them so Daddy has to make it happen...

I'm comin' down!

A set back is a set up, for a come back

2010-02-02T19:49:00.002-05:00

My last official weigh in around week 12 of my plan was September 4th and I was down to a blazin' 286. Now, almost five months later I weigh 303. If I had maintained that pace I would weigh around 230 and I would be pounds away from my original goal of losing one-hundred pounds but instead I've gained seventeen pounds and my progress has stalled. I could give a million excuses as I have my whole life but at the end of the day I failed and my only option is to get back on the horse and make this happen.

Every Saturday for the rest of the year I will weigh in and I invite you to join me. I'm disappointed in myself but I forgive myself and I'm ready to re-commit. I am in a fight for the quality of my life and I will not lose. I've talked enough, it's time to put up.

I will be blogging more regularly 'cause I find this keeps me more focused and I am going to keep it real even when I mess up and go on my binges. Feel free to join me in this deal as we get ready for the summer of the rest of our lives.

I'm comin down!

Make me work!!

2010-01-27T08:23:00.002-05:00

If you are trying to get down this year for the beach now is the time to make it happen. When I look in the windows of my favorite stores I see the spring wear coming out and I feel like I need to get focused if I want to look good in my speedos this summer.

I stole this from a great site www.344pounds.com
But it's a great motivator for me so here we go. Your chance to kick my butt in a workout.

Since most of you are new to the site, here’s how workout pledges go. Basically, I allow my readers (that’s you!) to determine how long I sweat at the gym. It isn’t as simple as you telling me to workout (hey jerk, workout for 3 hours!), you have to complete one (or all) of the small tasks I outline below:

1. Post a comment: +15 seconds. Just comment to this post. It can be a “Good luck!” or it could be your life story. I’d be happy to read both.

2. Follow me on twitter: +30 seconds. I like to tweet.

3. Follow me on Facebook: +30 seconds. Join my new Facebook page and get absolutely nothing of value other than adding 30 seconds to my workout.

4. Subscribe to RSS feed: +45 seconds. I’m not really sure what RSS means.

5. Link to www.mcfat2fit.blogspot.com = +1 minute. You can link to me from your blog, Facebook, Twitter page, Digg, Plenty of Fish profile, etc. For every link I receive, I’ll workout 45 seconds.

Unlike previous workout pledges, this is not just for one machine — this is for two, the elliptical and the treadmill. If the total time for this pledge comes to 75 minutes for example, I’ll spend that time on both machines. I’ll complete 75 minutes on the treadmill, take a short break, then get on the elliptical!

I’ll upload pictures to twitter as I workout, too. I’ll go through with the pledge Saturday morning in case anybody wants to be online to cheer me on.

Or not. I’d be sleeping, personally.

You have until 7 PM (Eastern) Wednesday to add time to my workout. So, if you want to add me to your blogroll, RSS feed, Facebook, etc and make me earn your friendship, you have about 30 hours to do so.

It’s up to you. How long will I workout Saturday?

I am excited about your participation and I look forward to the workout!

I'm comin' down!

Old school

2010-01-23T09:43:00.005-05:00

I'm writing this as I ride on the Boltbus from Washington, D.C. to New York. I just finished eating a baked chicken breast that I made last night and I laughed at myself as I saw my reflection in the window of the bus... Yes, a big black man eating chicken on the bus and it's 2010. I made my food for the trip last night and the menu included baked chicken and boiled eggs.

Back in the day when I was a kid this is something that my Mom did all the time especially on the driving trips we would take annually to Detroit. Yes the wonderful vacation destination Detroit where we would go and have lunch across the bridge in Canada, go to Bell Isle park and ride the Bobalo boat and of course visit with family and friends and I always remembered the visits with the old people that would really just be me sitting on a hot porch and Mom talking endlessly to someone who probably didn't remember who she was. On these trips though, the best moments involved eating the delicious foil wrapped fried chicken which was cold because it had been in the refrigerator the previous night, a few deviled eggs, some potato salad and the ice cold lemonade that was in that yellow and white canteen that you had to push the button and tip it to the side to get out the delicious nectar.

So on my way to New York I don't have the fried chicken I have the baked chicken and I don't have the deviled eggs just a few boiled eggs and no lemonade but a bottle of water...but I do have the old school memories... and they make me smile.

I found a great site where you can log your calories called www.caloriecount.com...it's free and really great.

I'm comin' down!

Food addict

2010-01-17T11:22:00.001-05:00

It must be how an alcoholic feels when he spots an ice cold bottle of beer for sale for a ridiculously low price in the window of a liquor store the way I feel when I see a double cheeseburger for one dollar. Are you kidding me?

Off the wagon

2010-01-13T15:35:00.005-05:00

It took me awhile to admit I fell off the wagon. I was doing so well and then I stopped training in Baltimore and the holidays came and the next thing I knew I was off the wagon. Not all the way off I mean I've been working out consistently but I haven't been getting my cardio in like I need to and my diet has been terrible. I have been afraid to weigh myself because I don't want to be disappointed but you know it's time to get it crackin'. I have decided to compromise and I will weigh myself on February 1st. I started my cardio program up again this week along with weight training and I'm back.

I have discovered a great site I want to share with you called www.papayaHead.com and this site helps you create recipes from scratch, save and share those recipes with others and you can compose printable shopping lists on the fly to take with you to the grocery store. It gives you the calories, protein, carbs and fats and other great info on all the food that you consume. I have to admit I found this info on another great site I've discovered called www.344Pounds.com.

I need to send some love to my cousin Valencia who has shed 30 pounds and is just 30 pounds shy of her goal. You Go Girl! Those who reads this blog let me know how you are progressing and we'll get there together!

I'm comin'down!
If I can do it, you can do it!

Are you hearing the words comin' out your body's mouth?

2009-12-31T01:37:00.001-05:00

I’m 43 and my body is talking loudly. Just three months ago I was so proud that my blood pressure medicine controlled blood pressure was below 120/80 and now all of a sudden it’s up again. I have one of those home monitors and it has shown that the BP is up. What am I doing that I was not doing three months ago? well, I’m not monitoring my diet as well as I was three months ago when I was working with a trainer and you know the holidays and stuff but also since I’ve trained myself I’ve started lifting heavier weights and doctors in the past have mentioned that my system is sensitive to heavy lifting. Of course you know I love the feel of lifting heavy but I better listen to the body. I’ve also been noticing more frequent trips to the bathroom at night hmm what is this? Is the prostate enlarged? Is it diabetes? you know it runs in my family, my prostate was enlarged before I hope it’s not anything serious better listen to the body and go see the doctor. When I eat sweet foods I’ve noticed some sensitivity on the right side of my teeth probably not anything serious but I just had the wisdom teeth on that side pulled and there should not be any cavities over there right? I better listen to my body and go see the doctor…I mean dentist.

The Hunger

2009-12-26T19:53:00.000-05:00

I experimented with hunger today. Not actual I haven’t eaten in days hunger but what you feel when you haven’t eaten in about three hours and you start to get the cravings. I took the girls to the movie and since I am eating clean I didn’t want to get any movie food like the massive soft drinks, diet in my case, and the huge crates of candy and especially the delicious buttery popcorn. I waited in line to get the girls their junk and of course the popcorn popper started and the buttery fragrance of the fresh popcorn had my mouth-watering and since I was hungry I almost gave into the want but I got their stuff and resisted. The moment was a great example of how and when I usually give in to temptation. The factors were I was hungry and in a hostile environment. Yes, a movie theater is a hostile environment for those of us who have a weakness for sugar, carbs, butter, soda, chocolate and anything salty, sugary, and in a vat or crate. So again what I learned was I need to make sure I eat about every three hours so I’m never really in a state of hunger where I easily give into temptation and also I learned to stay away from hostile environments like movie theaters, fast food restaurants that are offering delicious unhealthy food for bargain basement prices, bars/clubs, parties, New York Fried chicken, etc.

Today I start my 90 day drive. This will be a life changing drive focusing on discipline in all aspects of my life including health/diet/fitness, career, spirituality and artistry. I will expand myself in all aspects and in 90 day feel like a new man. I am open and ready to hear what the universe is saying to me and excited about all the possibilities. I have reached a point in my career where I have the confidence to know that I have the skill set of someone who is at the masters level of his trade and I am ready use my expertise in other related areas so I face the every increasing unceasing flow of good that is on the way in 2010 and beyond. I pulled out the guitar so I’ll be practising on that and also my sax. I’m reading some of the classics including the bible and the koran. I’m exploring new ways of looking at things and solving problems.

Ninety days of expansion, I’m excited about the journey.

Fit for your life

2009-12-19T12:56:00.003-05:00

I got up this morning at 4:30am so that I would have time to shovel the driveway and clean off the car for the wife. As I pushed the snow off to the side, my lower back was still feeling a little tight from the previous day's workout and in the back of my mind I thought about how each year it seems like at least twenty or thirty husbands drop dead from heart attacks shoveling snow. I felt good about the fact that I actually have a work out regiment and even though my back was feeling tight, the more I worked the more I warmed up and actually felt pretty good clearing off the driveway. My life fitness level felt pretty good. What I mean by life fitness level is how one feels physically while performing tasks that just pop up in your life that may cause you to exert energy like shoveling snow, having to climb an additional three flights of stairs when the elevator goes out, running to the gate at the airport to catch a plane with a few bags in your hand. Your quality of life is tied to your life fitness level and when you have kids you never know when you may have to get it poppin', it might be a foot race or sledding down a snowy hill and climbing back up, and even when they're asleep you might have to lift them out of the car and take them to the comfort of their beds.

I go to the YMCA almost each weekday and I see seventy and eighty year old men and women working hard on staying fit and they show me that not only can we live long lives but there is no reason to stop doing any of the activities we do in our twenties, thirties and forties when we get in our later years.

I'm comin' down!!
If I can do it, you can do it!!

Our history in the housework

2009-11-29T11:54:00.005-05:00

After a wonderful dinner on Thanksgiving I was washing the dishes, about a million of them, and I thought about how the washing of the dishes after a holiday meal was as much a tradition in my family and many others as the meal is. In fact washing the dishes has always been a big deal in my family. The task has taken on many forms over the years. when I was a kid and we would eat over my Aunt's house the dish washing would be broken down to a platoon system a few aunts would wash and a few would dry. At these special holiday events the "Good" China would come out and only the skilled would be allowed to wash and dry this china. Oftentimes this china came from a wealthy family that one of my aunt's worked for as a domestic. The china and silverware was given as a gift for years sometimes a lifetime of dedicated service and when the family shared it's special moments it was brought out and we celebrated with it. As I washed the dishes I thought about how my Mother and family were serious when it came to making sure the dishes were clean. That would make sense because it was our ancestors who worked in the kitchens of the wealthy and were in a sense the experts who handled the housework.

We learned from the best. In my family the legacy of working in the homes of others was never an embarrassment but was considered a job that was to be done with professionalism and pride and this approach to working was passed down.

Keep it movin'

2009-11-15T19:31:00.003-05:00

As I celebrated my one year of unemployment this past week, I had to make a few changes to my work-out situation to deal with the economic crunch. I had to temporarily part ways with my personal trainer until I get my cake up and trust myself to get my workouts in and watch my diet. This is always a challenge and it's always easier to have a trainer working with you but I have to do what I have to do and I will stay focused.

I heard Al Roker on the radio the other day pushing his latest book which is actually a murder mystery and I had the thought; what makes some people make things happen and others watch things happen? I have watched Al be a top weatherman over the years and then he addressed his weight issue by having the gastric bypass surgery and since then he has written many books some on fatherhood, others on cooking and now his latest. He is doing it. What makes some people do it and others just watch? I am trying to do it but it feels like I'm just watching. In these moments I try and refocus and keep pushing through. I know I have a goal of losing one hundred pounds by my birthday in June and also I want to complete my first book by this date also so my hands are full.

Let's Do....not Watch other Do!

I'm comin' down!

The Same 40 pounds

2009-10-23T06:47:00.001-04:00

I have lost and gained the same forty pounds at least six times in my short life (I'm still a spring chicken). What I mean by this is I've been on various diets or weight loss programs and have been successful but when I start nearing the 35 to 40 weight loss range something always happens to slow down or stop my progress. Usually it's a life event that I let get me off track. I might have a money crunch so I can no longer pay my gym or trainer. I might get so busy I can't make it to the gym and recently I've been unfocused because I've been auditioning and having meetings with prospective employers so my diet and training schedule have been thrown off. It started with me missing one week and then the next thing I know I miss another few days and then a death in the family so I had to go home so that was another few days of missed workouts and after I had a few positive meetings and auditions I had to celebrate so I ate and drank some foods that were not on my plan and when I was traveling I was not as focused on my eating plan as I should have been...What I realize is I can go on making excuses for why I seem to get off track around the same same 40 pounds or I can see it for what it is...an excuse for lack of focus...after having some success I start to get less focused. I start to fit some of those old clothes and start to think I can go back to my old bad habits but if I want to continue to lose and get to my 100 pound weight loss goal I can't go back to the bad habits. I have to shake this complacency and get re-focused...I am re-energized and ready to go! No more excuses. I was letting life control me not taking control of my life...
I'm coming down!
If I can do it, you can do it!

12 week results!

2009-09-23T15:52:00.003-04:00

With all the turmoil going on in my life as far as the career is concerned I really have been able to focus on my health and that has been great. Here are my week 12 results:

Fitness fallout

2009-09-10T06:22:00.004-04:00

Last week I had a doctors appointment to check on some blood work and overall health and had a few pleasant surprises. Because of my fitness program and weight loss, my numbers are starting to look good. My blood pressure which I control with meds was 110 over 70 and the goal there is to eventually get off the meds(notice how it seems like when you start taking high blood pressure medicine the average person never gets off of it? is that the plan? not mine). My LDL cholesterol was 111 which put me in the near optimal range and my testosterone was normal (watch out Allison!). My goal is to get all the health numbers where they should be a keep them there for the rest of my life.

Make sure you join my Fat 2 Fit team (Marc Clarke's fat 2 fit team)on facebook.

If I can do it, you can do it...
I'm comin' down!!

Pleasant surprise

2009-09-06T16:46:00.000-04:00

I thought this week's weigh in would be bad but it turned out to be all good. I was not as focused as I should have been these past two weeks eating off the plan at times and having a wrap a few times instead of the salad. I even had a candy binge one day(Don't tell Tynese) and and some bread. I did increase the cardio on those days that I slipped up but I didn't know if it was enough. When I stepped on the scale I expected to see no change or at the worst a gain of a pound or two. So I was overjoyed when the scale read 292.5 lbs down about five pounds from the previous weigh in. I started this program at 322lbs and now I'm at 292.5 heading towards that goal of losing one-hundred pounds with only about seventy to go.

I just started the Marc Clarke fat 2 fit team on facebook join today and get on-board the weightloss/fitness train!

This week I learned to stay focused and get back on task even when you go crazy (and have a candy binge.)

If I can do it, you can do it
I'm comin' down!

Goodbye 300lbs.

2009-08-27T20:51:00.002-04:00

You remain a mystery for those who have never met you. In fact, you are not known by many. You count NFL linemen and Sumo Wrestlers and even Big Mamma's as your associates but most look at you with disdain. Even those that know you well are always trying to leave you but usually don't succeed. Well, old friend I am bidding you farewell for the last time. You first arrived in my life around the birth of my first daughter Sydney and I remember being at the doctor's office and being shocked to see you in my life. I had been playing near you for a few years and fueled by my bad eating habits, crazy schedule and lack of my normal gym workouts starred at the 301 on the scale and didn't think it was possible. Well, after that I left you for months at a time over the years and I would always find myself back in your company and beyond.

I am saying goodbye for the last time. I will not be in your presence ever again. I am going to be a hundred or so pounds away from you and never see you in my life again. I know this sounds harsh but I can't have you in my life and accomplish the goals I have set for the future. I can't lie, we had some really enjoyable times together; late night pizza, a Big Bite and coke from 7 eleven and who could forget the chicken box and half and half in the truck as I drove home after the club.

300 pounds I have two things to say to you. Kick Rocks!

If I can do it, You can do it
I comin' down!

Six Miles!

2009-08-23T16:10:00.002-04:00

Today I stepped my game up into the big leagues! As I was riding my bike to the running/biking trail I was trying to decide how long I wanted to run. The last time I ran a few days ago the knee didn't feel well and I cut it it short so I wanted to make up for that and also the last few days I attended two parties and even though I didn't go crazy on the food I ate some things that were not on the plan. I decided to go for it and do six miles. For some reason my Ipod was not working right so I just had my heart rate monitor and myself to keep me entertained for my six mile journey. I actually enjoyed not having the music with me and really getting a chance to think about life and everything else. How often to you get a chance to just think for a few hours with no interruptions? I thought about my progress on the fitness plan, I thought about my finances I thought about my TV show, I thought about the family and what I wanted out of life. Over the next few hours that it took me to run the six miles and ride my bike home I decided that my goals include but are not limited to:

Losing over one-hundred pounds.

Body fat at 10% or lower.

Goals achieved by the age of 45.

maintaining and bettering this goal into my 90's.

living to be at least 95 years of age in good health.

enjoying the journey.

I notice that I am getting more physically active as I get into better shape and this is bringing my swagger quotient up again. I rode my bike to the trail instead of driving, I take the steps more instead of the elevator, I'm more active with the girls picking them up and racing them more. I pick Allison up more in the bedroom...Sike..lol...The swagger had been a little down these few years as the waist line expanded. By the way, I weighed in on Friday and I'm no longer in the three hundred pound club I'll post the results and the report from my trainer tomorrow.

If I can do it, You can do it...I'm comin' down!!

Holiding it together!

2009-08-12T17:25:00.002-04:00

I have had a good week on vacation getting in my workouts and eating properly. I was feeling good about everything until I saw a picture of myself chillin' on the beach. In my minds eye I visualized the fat melting from my waist and in the mirror I could see a difference in my clothes but when the reality of a shirts- off swimsuit picture hit me it was almost more than I could stand. If you have never struggled with your weight you may not understand what I'm talking about. Losing weight is one thing, but looking good with your shirt off is another thing all together. My goal is to lose the weight and look good shirtless. Seeing myself made me realize how far away from the the goal I am. In the past this dose of reality would give me an excuse to go on one of my famous food binges and "treat" myself to something good and fattening thinking "what the hell I'll never get a six pack anyway."

Those days are over! I realize that I'm on my way and this is just a bit of reality that will keep me motivated. In fact, I'm gonna post that picture of me on the beach shirtless on my fridge to keep me focused. I often compare the current me to the in- shape me of twenty years ago and this is not necessarily a good thing. I need to live in the now, be happy with the progress I'm making now and keep it going.

I'm comin' down!

South Carolina Sunrise!

2009-08-09T23:34:00.006-04:00

I ran for an hour today and there was a moment when I had reached the beach and the sunrise was in full effect and the waves were rumbling and the sea gulls were cawing and my ipod was jammin' Sylvester( Don't judge me) and I just had to stop the music and say a prayer of thanks....I had to thank the universe for this wonderful life and family. I had to thank God for the opportunity to reshape my body and my life...an opportunity to get a wake up call called unemployment and turn that into something called taking control of my life. It was a beautiful moment and inspired me throughout the day to stay focused.

When we took are break from the beach for late lunch instead of having my usual grilled cheese or hamburger that have become a yearly tradition instead I had a salad with grilled chicken on it and a diet coke. After burning off the 600 calories in the morning I was not gonna waste that effort with eating some junk. This is how the first day in Hilton Head went down. I ran in the morning and did my crunches and push ups throughout the day. The goal for this week is to either run for an hour or swim for an hour each day in addition to my crunches and push ups.

I'm comin down!!

Here are some images of the fam from vacation:

Vacation goals!

2009-08-07T22:55:00.004-04:00

This week is one of my family's favorites. It's summer vacation time in Hilton Head, South Carolina and this year in addition to having a great time I have fitness goals that will be accomplished. I will be weighing in and getting measured on the Monday when I return and I want to weigh no more than 293lbs and I want my waist to be no more than 46 inches. I used to use my vacation as an excuse to get off of my eating plan but it's a new day and I'm focused on hitting my goals so no fried food, cheese, or milk shakes this year. I'm still gonna have a great time but when I get back instead of feeling guilt I'll be feeling proud of my accomplishments.

I'm comin' down!!

2009-08-07T22:55:00.001-04:00

The results show week 4!

2009-08-05T01:07:00.005-04:00

My Trainer Tynese Daniels Breaks down the results of week four of training:
Training start date: June 26, 2009
starting weight: 323

weight after week 4: 303 loss: 20 lbs

starting waist: 53 3/4

4 weeks: 50 1/2

starting chest: 53 3/4

4 weeks: 54 3/4

starting arms: 20

4 weeks: 19 3/4
I'm comin' down!

Tynese Daniels: owner/trainer Elite Physiques

Week 4 weigh in

2009-08-01T02:48:00.002-04:00

Well I'm gonna keep it brief...I weighed in at 303...down 10 pounds from two weeks ago bringing my 4 week total to about 19 pounds. I've lost inches and my trainer will be checking in next week with the official measurements. I'm trying to get under 300 pounds before I go on vacation next Friday so I'll be gettin' it in this weekend. I understand weight is not the most important thing. Overall fitness is my main goal.

I'll have video footage on Monday. I'm comin' down!!

Gettin' it in!

2009-07-29T22:46:00.002-04:00

Today my trainer Tynese Daniels put it down! She had big daddy feelin' like summer camp had just begun...she had me doin' supersets and really getting that heart rate up. She pulled out the trampoline and had me keepin' that heart rate up between sets. On the leg press she was like" you are gonna do high reps" and I was like "how high"?... She said sets of fifty! Between the push ups and leg raises and leg presses and triceps extensions and core work I was beastin'.

I realized today I'm locked in and there ain't no turnin' back! I'm lucky because I actually enjoy working out so the work isn't the problem. The challenge is to stay on the workout plan consistently and that's what I'm gonna do this time. Our workouts are just like life...you get out of them what you put it and today I put in a lot.

I'm comin' down!

Runnin' for life

2009-07-28T21:28:00.002-04:00

I ran twice around Lake Montebello today and I guess that's about 2.6 miles and as I ran I was quite impressed with myself. I am in week three of my new plan to lose over one hundred pounds and I remember a few weeks ago when I was hesitant to run because I thought I would damage my knee even more after having a few surgeries on it over the years. I'm being smart about it so if I feel any pain more than the usual I stop and walk it off. Today I got into that space where you actually get into a rhythm and feel a "runner's high". I know that usually happens when you are putting in some heavy mileage but for me two miles is pretty heavy. I remember about twelve years ago when I used to run about six miles every other day but I think this is also when my knee problems began. So, I'll take my two or three miles every other day and enjoy the high that I get when I see that I'm slowly but surely getting to my goals. Shout out to all those who are gettin' it in at Montebello and Druid Hill Park and everywhere else!!

I'm comin' down!

Maintainin'

2009-07-25T16:52:00.000-04:00

It's about 5 hours after I finished my two mile run for the day and I'm feeling some tightness in my knee so as I write this I'm icing the front and the back of my right knee. It's a hassle but hey if the pros do it why can't I. I realize that this comes with the territory. If I want to be fit in my old age I have to workout consistently and smart and try to prevent injuries but another important factor is how to deal with the aches and pains so that I can run another day. I don't enjoy icing the joints but in the long run it's gonna get me to my goal of living a healthier life. This mindset is new for me. I am more conscious now of doing maintenance on my body from using ice and soaking in Epsom salt to getting massages and acupuncture. This is a commitment to a better life and I'm all in.

I'm comin' down!

It's different this time

2009-07-24T20:22:00.000-04:00

As I wrap up week three of my new life plan it feels a little different that the other one hundred times I said to myself I was gonna get control of my eating. This time feels for real. I think I finally realize that eating properly just like managing your money properly and managing your spiritual life properly, is something you do if you want to get the most out of your life. You don't have to do it. If you want to live the most productive life, you need to do it though.

It has been about nine months since I was released from my job at the radio station and as we work out the kinks of the television show and I visualize how I am going to raise my income level back to what it used to be I have started to use the power of my mind more by meditating and speaking affirmations. The blessing of losing my job is that I feel like I am like a live wire now not lulled to mediocrity or complacency by a six-figure income. Now I can go for all the possibilities that I always said I didn't have time for and the first one is to lose the weight. Since the weight loss is the first step in the plan for the big picture it makes me more focused than in the past. This doesn't mean I don't fail sometimes but the failure may be a bigger than allowed portion size or a few m&m's not an all day binge.

I'm comin' down!

Ocean City temptation

2009-07-19T13:38:00.000-04:00

This weekend I proved to myself I could resist the most taunting temptations. We walked along the boardwalk and I stared down temptation like a man on a mission...funnel cakes, no thanks...pizza, hot dogs, ice cream; no thanks...fried cheesecake bites and shakes could not get to me. I didn't eat between meals the whole weekend and came to the conclusion that if I can resist these super snacks I am ready for anything.

I'm comin' down!

Week 2 weigh in

2009-07-17T22:23:00.000-04:00

Well, I started two weeks ago and for my first Friday weigh in I have lost 9 pounds!!..313 down from 322. I gotta stay focused this weekend as we ride up to Ocean City but I'm on my way...Join me on this journey!

I'm comin' down!!

A whole 'nother level!

2009-07-16T22:12:00.000-04:00

As I was pushed to the limit today by my trainer Tynese I thought about how pro athletes basically train their bodies for a living. The more they train off the field or court prepares them for when they are in competition. Some train all year long and train hard. Some just rely on their natural talent. When I taped a segment of Ray Lewis training I checked out how Ray jumped on a trampoline between sets during the whole strenuous work out. This was natural for him to push as much as he could with each workout so that during the game in the fourth quarter he still has some left in the tank.

I decided today to push as hard as I can with each workout. This doesn't mean I will succeed each time. Today I fell way short of my goals but what it does mean is that I will not waste any time while I'm in the gym not trying my best. I'm in the second half of my life and the plays I run now prepare me for the third and fourth quarters.

I'm comin' down!

Can you ever go home again?

2009-07-15T18:34:00.000-04:00

As I jogged around Druid Hill park today on my 48 minute walk/run I had thoughts of how I used to look when I was in good shape. I'm trying to lose over 100 pounds but I am also trying to look as fit as I did twenty years ago. Is this possible? When I lose the weight will I have to deal with loose and saggy skin? Will I regain the muscle tone I had back then? I am sure these are questions than many people have when they are trying to lose a lot of weight. Since we all are different the questions will not be answered until the weight is gone so it's a good thing I like surprises.

I wonder if it's harder to lose weight/get fit if you have never been at your desired weight or is it harder if you are trying to get back to a certain weight or fitness level. I can see how both situations can be tough. If you have never been at that desired weight or fitness level you probably wonder if you can really do it. If you have been there before you probably struggle with always comparing your new self with your old one and get frustrated. It's not easy but it is possible.

I'm comin' down!

Trial and error

2009-07-14T12:46:00.000-04:00

Today I ran for about 40 minutes and it felt great. I'm a turtle slow but steady on the grind but after about 40 minutes and a few miles I was glad I decided to jog instead of walk. I thought that the pounding my knees would take would be bad for my body but I just modified my running to cut down on the bouncing movement and it seems to work for me. I am increasing my daily activity levels anyway I can. I hit the steps instead of taking the elevator. I try to get at least 45min of activity in with the kids and they need it just as bad as I do. Activity makes you youthful. Have you noticed that you see more women being active as they get older that men. Men, we are taking ourselves out of the game with bad diets and bad habits. Let's change the game. I am dedicating myself to doing it! I'm comin' down!!

Walking inspiration

2009-07-10T23:20:00.000-04:00

If you don't know Miss Ernie then you might have heard of her. Mrs. Ernestine Sheppard is 73 and not only trains thirty or so clients a week she works out and runs 10 to 12 miles a day and runs marathons and other runs just to pass her time. She is beautiful and I dare say sexy, she's a wife of fifty years and has one son and when you are in her presence you can't help but be motivated. If this woman can do all this and be in her seventies then there is no excuse for you or I. I had a chance to interview her for my tv show and I've been smitten ever since and when I don't want to work out or get that cardio in I think about Miss Ernie and I get fired up. This is video of her and a friend before the Mayor's 5K on July 4th.

I'm comin' down!

Take a look in the mirror

2009-07-09T07:45:00.000-04:00

Since I've been watching myself on video working out and also seeing myself on television, it really has been easier to resist snacking and eating unhealthy foods. Seeing the gut and the man boobs made me finally "get it" that I needed to wage a war on fat, for real. For some reason how I really looked was not meshing with how I thought I looked. I avoided the mirror and preferred to think even though I had a layer of fat over my body, underneath I still had the well muscled frame of my youth. Well, this was a lie. That well muscled castle was now a tear down that needed to be rebuilt but it took me taking a long hard look in the mirror and at pictures and videos to realize it.

Why did it take so long? Well my theory is that men who have ever been in shape keep that picture of that fit body image in their mind as how they look forever. So, the good news is they have a great body image, the bad news is they are lying to themselves; That's why you'll see a guy my size walking around in a t-shirt(wife beater) in public. Bill Cosby has a great bit about this which talks about how men buy the same size underwear their whole lives no matter how much bigger they get so by the time they are in their fifties their underwear looks like a tourniquet.

When you wake up each morning take off all your clothes and look in the mirror. Take a good look and note what your really like about your body and what you need to work on. This brand of keeping it real will help you resist making bad food choices.

The future so bright i need stunners!

2009-07-08T00:31:00.000-04:00

I told Allison that when we get in our fifties she will want for nothing because we will be so wealthy. I told her the first step is me getting in the best shape of my life and this should take about a year and a half. This was the first time I made a promise of wealth and prosperity out loud to anyone let alone my wife, so it was a very powerful motivational moment and one I have to live up to. Me in shape means expanding my brand as a weight loss advocate which means books, speaking engagements and seminars. This is how I will make my wealth and change the world. I also have a few other publishing projects I see in the near future.

My new goal is sixty push ups a day in addition to my workout schedule. Tynese is a big fan of push ups and so am I. I just hadn't been doing them like I used to.

I'm comin' down!

The Grind

2009-07-06T22:32:00.001-04:00

Good workout today though it seemed I was running low on energy. Tynese, my trainer tried to understand why I didn't have my power and bubbly personality and I had no answers. I did the work but I didn't have my normal zip. I had a breakfast of an egg white omelet and the second meal was a salad with pasta and salmon and veggies. I think the salmon did me in. whatever it was I had low energy and it could have been from the 5K. I am on the grind to get fit. I was in the car and all the ideas started rolling. First book weight loss and how to accomplish your goals. The second book can be branding yourself or changing your most important brand, you. The third book can be about being a black father. The fourth book can be about a successful marriage. Everything is all laid out all I have to do is get in the best shape of my life and look the best I've ever look. This is it!

Dreams of fatlessness

2009-07-05T22:13:00.000-04:00

The day after my 5K I took it easy and enjoyed the soreness of those muscles I had not felt in quite some time. I took a walk and tried to work out the stiffness. I soaked in the tub with some mineral salt and thought about how great I'm gonna look in a year or so. As I looked in the mirror I thought I looked smaller. I though about my workout for Monday and what body parts Tynese would focus on. This is how you get ready to make dreams come true. Six pack abs here I come!

2009-07-05T09:28:00.000-04:00

Saturday, July 4, 2009

The power of the mind

July 4th 2009…Today was a victory for the power of the mind and will power. I was scheduled to host the Mayors 5k run and walk and after talking with the other runners I made up my mind to go ahead and run the 5K. I had not trained and had not even ran for quite some time because of the weight and shaky knees but I made up my mind to do it and did it in a time around 49:00. The time was not important to me what was important was that I finished the race. I believe I was the last person to finish but I was proud of myself because even though I was last I would not let my pride let me quit. I was determined to work through the discomfort in my right knee and shin and keep on moving. I got into the zone where I blocked the pain in my right leg out of my mind and got into a running groove. A slow one but one none the less. I was motivated by Mrs. Ernie who at 73 puts in ten to twelve miles daily. I decided to open up my mind and take on the challenge. I’m trying to change the way I think about things so that I can overcome all challenges and today was a first step and it felt great.

Friday, July 3, 2009

Measuring up!

My trainer Tynese Gettin' out the tape measure and goin' to work!

Real Talk

Day 3 July 1(10:54pm) As I worked out today( a good one by the way) I thought about how my wife Allison asked me seriously if I could lose the weight. The look in her eyes told me she wanted to believe that I could but she wasn’t sure. She had seen me lose up to 40 pounds and then slowly put them on again. She hadn’t seen me around 250 since our first date. I weighed about 270 when we got married and in the past nine years had hovered between 270 and 330. I was hurt by the doubt in her eyes and I had to remember that she did not know the whole history of me and this weight battle. She didn’t know it started a long time ago around the time I was 14 and in order to play running back on the football team I had to get under the 135 pound limit. I did it and in High School and college I became very fit and reached my peak in college when I got my body fat down to about 14 percent which I was very proud of. As I worked out I was motivated to prove for once and for all I could not only lose the weight and become the HARD 44 I had dreamed of becoming I could restore Allison’s pride in me and show her that I could do it for her, for the family and most importantly for ME!

Thursday, July 2, 2009

A new begining

For the past twenty or so years I have lost and gained hundreds of pounds and I'm tired of it. This past year the plan was to lose a hundred pounds write a book about it and along with that would come the speaking engagements and so on and so on. Well I stared off losing thirty pounds and was pretty focused and then Obama won and I was really motivated then I got fired two days later got off track and gained half the weight I lost back. I got a little depressed and unfocused and ended up in a funk.

Well like they say (I've had a million people say this to me since I've been fired) when one door closes another one opens and that door for me is my own television show. The Marc Clarke show is now on every morning on My24 Monday through Friday at 7am. This is my opportunity to lose the weight in front of my television audience. They will see me working out and watching what I eat. They will see me laugh and cry and in the end achieve the goal of not only losing 100 pounds but a go from fat to P.H.A.T(Powerful. Hot.And.Tempting). This will hopefully inspire others and start a fitness movement. Well, from this point on "I'm comin' down."

Around the horn!

Apple Google Microsoft

Video of Apple Store Incident Released; 2 Fatally Shot, 1 Hurt in NE

Washington Post

- Jul 05, 2009

- 9 hours ago

Arlington County police continued to search for the man who shot an Apple store employee in Clarendon on Friday in a backroom while more than three dozen ...

clipped from Google - 7/2009

Apple Fixing Broken iphone Screens In-Store

eWeek

, NY

- Jul 04, 2009

- 21 hours ago

Apple's popular smartphone, the iphone 3GS, is prone to mishandling and subsequent cracks in the screen. Apple is making it easier to fix the screen now by ...

clipped from Google - 7/2009

Apple updates heat advisory for iPhone 3GS

CNET News

, USA

- Jul 02, 2009

by David Martin Last week, Apple revised a support document about iPhone temperature to include the iPhone 3GS. The June 25 document cautions iPhone 3G and ...

clipped from Google - 7/2009

Apple, Acer and…Arrington?

New York Times

- Jul 03, 2009

It will run on an Intel Atom chip and support Flash, which the Apple iPhone cannot. There are pictures of the latest prototype at TechCrunch. ...

clipped from Google - 7/2009