I have a Confession to make......

I have to admit something to you…..

Most of you know me and you know that I’m a health nut. I eat healthy, my wife eats healthy and we exercise a MINIMUM of 3 times a week. I usually do at least 5 to 6 sessions in a week. I’ll do a Krispy Kreme binge about once every 60 to 90 days but other than that we keep it together.

Many of you know that my father had a mild heart attack last year and that I have been diagnosed with hypertension. Well, I’m pleased to say that my father is in good health. He’s been eating right, dropping weight and he’s doing just fine.

Keeping My Blood Pressure Under Control
Is A Daily Battle, It’s A Struggle

As for me, my hypertension is under control until I travel. Every time I travel it gets out of control for a couple of days. It’s so difficult to control the food selection when I travel. At home I eat a lot of zero sodium soups and chicken and fish. I season up my food with no salt seasoners and I eat well. But on the road, there’s more salt and sodium in the food than I take in at home, and while it tastes great (I’m not gonna lie) – it makes my blood pressure skyrocket.

After 2-3 days of staying at home and getting into my regular groove, I’m back to normal. But it is a daily struggle.

For those of you who have this similar problem or if you have the precursors of hypertension, diabetes, and stroke. Please take this message to heart.

Heart Disease Is Like A Person That Sneaks Up On You
In The Parking Lot And Bashes You Over The Head With A Crobar!!
You Never See It Coming!

The number one killer in the world today is heart disease. And the sad thing about it (and my wife says this all the time) is that many of you can simply eliminate this problem and add years to your life.

I don’t drink, I don’t smoke and I exercise on a regular basis and I do it for a number of reasons.
========
Reason #1
========

First, it’s the right thing to do.

I don’t wear my religion on my shoulder but I’m definitely not ashamed to let some of you know that I’m Christian and that I believe in Jesus Christ. Now I’m not saying that to preach to you, because Lord knows that if you catch me on the wrong day of the week, you’d be hard pressed to point your finger at me and say, “That guy’s a Christian.” My tongue still flies off the handle at times, but I’m working on it (I’m actually laughing as I write).

But on a serious note, in Romans 12:1 there’s a scripture that talks about us presenting our bodies as living sacrifices that are holy and acceptable. And the scripture goes on to say that this is our reasonable service.

Now, I’m sure you know like I do (and this ain’t no Jesus-pitch, this is the truth) – that being overweight JUST IS NOT REASONABLE nor acceptable.

Now it is understandable, but it is not REASNONABLE. So when I say that eating healthy is the right thing to do, this is where I’m coming from.

========
Reason #2
========

I have a responsibility and an obligation as long as I’m able-bodied to make my wife’s life a pleasant as possible. I certainly don’t think that my wife would be much too pleased if I put on a whopping 30-40 pounds. It isn’t sexy and it just isn’t fair.

And I feel the same way. Just think how you would feel if you got lured into a car dealership thinking that they were going to sell you one thing and then sold you something else. You’d be pissed! I’m sure you would. As a matter of fact, that same thing that I’m talking about is called the “bait-and-switch” technique. It is illegal and it should be illegal in marriage too.

You just cannot “lure” someone in and then all of a sudden put on 30-40 pounds unnecessarily and not expect them to have some issues with your weight gain. That’s not right to your partner, it not right for yourself and it’s not fair.

========

Reason #3
========

I kinda dig the way that I look naked.

Call it conceited, call it what you want. But that’s the truth (I’m laughing again).

But, let me be serious once again. I ALSO understand that many times it is not your fault that you are in the circumstance which you find yourself. Many times life provides you with a square kick in the pants and you can’t do anything but sit down, lick your wounds, and lick an ice cream cone. That’s about all that you have strength to do.

And many times, the food is your only solace, your lone hiding place, because the food doesn’t talk back, it doesn’t argue and it accepts you for who you are. I understand.

In 1998, I Ballooned Up To A Ripe 238 lbs.!!!!!

When I was living by myself in Southern California in 1998 I ballooned up to a ripe 238 pounds. I had a lucrative Sales job and I was exercising every day but the travel was killing me and the food choices that I was making were absolutely horrible. It seemed like I worked out but the weight just wasn’t coming off. So believe me when I say that I know your frustration.

But Rhadi, I Just Don’t Have The Time……

I also know that time is tight and many of you have a job, some are single parents and some of you are trying to run a home and after you’ve fed and clothed everybody and walked the dog, you’re just too damned tired to do anything else.

Well, my wife and I understand all of that and we’ve actually tried to help out as many people as we possibly can so that they will save time and still be able to live healthy.
It is actually our passion. We've constructed several workouts in order to save you time and money and most recently we've constructed The Backyard Workout which provides you with some excellent and easy diet advice and a workout that is easy-to-do and hard to mess up.

Well, here's The Solution To Your Problems....

Well, this Father’s Day we actually are doing something special for the Dad’s and future dads out there. It is my desire to be around as long as I can for my son and I’m really trying to govern myself accordingly. And I’m sure its your desire to be around as long as you can for your children and/or your loved ones.

Now, I’m sure there are a few girlfriends and wives that would like to have their husbands or significant others fall dead, BUT I hope none of those people are reading this at this time. If they are then I ask for God to please turn their hearts. And if their hearts still don’t turn, then I ask God to turn their feet, so that we may know them by their limping. :-)

All jokes aside…… The week of Father’s Day, Traci and I are going to do something special for the Dad’s and we would like EVERYBODY to get involved, not just the Fathers.

Take care,

Rhadi Ferguson

P.S. If you don't yet have The Backyard Workout. I would suggest that you get it IMMEDIATELY at least give it a try. If you don't like it, we'll give you your old body back, we guarantee it. :-)

Father's Day is coming soon!

Father's day is coming soon and in my home when I was growing up we would celebrate Father's Day by FIRST and foremost, giving honor to The Father by attending church and honoring my earthly father, my pop, by either going out to dinner or providing him with gifts and pampering him around the house.

When I was growing up, I never knew what my father wanted for Father's Day. There just aren't an array of goodies to provide Dad like there are for mom. (I guess real Dad's don't worry about what they need, but about what you need. That was very apparent in my home.)

I mean after buying a couple bottles of cheap cologne year after year and getting pop the oh-so-ugly fat tie. What's left? Try as hard as we might, there is no card, gift, phone call or amount of money that can actually amount to all the things that many of our fathers have done for us.

As I play with my son on some mornings I wonder if he'll do the same for his son and I often wonder what was going through my dad's head when he was bouncing me up and down on his chest. Because a mere smile or giggle from my son just puts me on cloud 9 (and sometimes 10).

To be completely honest with you, you never really think about death and/or dying like you do when you have children. And I don't mean it in a negative way but in a positive one.

You really start to search in the cracks and crevices of your mind - the things that you must and need to instill in the mind of this little person that you've been blessed with so that he or she will become a good citizen, a good person. You start to catalog the pieces of wisdom that you must impart and then you provide those issuances accordingly.

You also want to create a platform from which they can survive if you had to "leave" here. You really get your priorities in order -BIG TIME!!

Well, I couldn't really tell you all of the things my pop provided me with when I was growing up but I can tell you this - I love my ole man som'n serious. He and I have a great time and a bunch of laughs together. My mom always tells me that when he "leaves" here, I'm going to have it a lot rougher than her. And you know what, she may be right. But right now he's here and I love him and call him everytime time permits. And he's the main reason why I named my son after him.

So as Father's Day nears, I would encourage you to take some time out and reflect on all the things that your Father has done for you and that your father has done for you ;-)

And I'd like to share this video with you below. It's quite a tear jerker. It got me and I'm not the cryin' type.

Take care,

Rhadi Ferguson (a.k.a. Rufus' son and Rufus' dad)

The Judo Crusader...also known as my husband....is BACK!!!!

Rhadi arrived back in South Florida early this afternoon as I was driving back to work. I woke up at 4 am this morning so I could get to work early....see most of my patients....and head off to our cousin's graduation this morning at 10 am. I arrived just in time to see him walk in the processional as Pomp and Circumstance played in the background.

This graduation brought back fond memories of graduations past--both mine and Rhadi's. I still remember sitting next to my soon to be in-laws as Rhadi received his Master's degree in 2002. When he walked across the stage he gave a shout out to his fraternity brothers sitting in the audience and he was so full of energy, excitement and relief! This graduation also brought up thoughts of our next graduation less than two years away when Rhadi will be conferred with his doctorate degree!! I know he can't wait to get started on the research for his dissertation because once he starts he'll be able to see the finish line ahead.

With Rhadi out of town and my 12 hour shifts in the hospital, Rufus has been staying with our cousin....and oh, how I missed him. I did get the chance to see Rufus today after the graduation ceremony just long enough to take a few pictures, change his diaper and then head back to work to finish out my shift. We're on a roller coaster over here but I'm looking forward to the end of June when Rhadi and I can take a much needed rest from our busy schedules and celebrate our 5 year anniversary!

Well, I'll be leaving work soon to pick up Rufus.....

Take care,

Traci....better known as Rufus' mommy!