I don't write or share too much about my job on this blog. It's not very appealing to those that read the thing. I've had the blog for 5 1/2 years. I've worked for Chick-fil-A for over 9 years. I don't think I've ever really shared anything about my job on Goats & Barley.
I think part of it is because my work is only a part of my life. I think another part is that I want to err on the side of professionalism about what I share publicly as a person who represents the company in some form or fashion. The reality is that if I never share anything on my blog, then it's impossible to say something stupid.
But I'm feeling confident about sharing my feelings about this subject - the feeling of a restless dissatisfaction.
I've been a part of some pretty cool things with Chick-fil-A. Numbers that may or may not seem staggering to the common person who only goes through for a sandwich and a sweet tea. I've traveled to 6 different states to train at Grand Openings. I've been a part of assembling lunch/dinner for literally thousands of people @ one time. I've worked in a drive-thru that put 207 cars through in a single hour - a personal record for sure and one, that I know of, no other Chick-fil-A has accomplished (though I know they could have). With all of that being said, statistically at least 1 of those 207 orders will not have been exactly what the customer wanted. At least one of those sandwiches has only 1 pickle instead of the perfect "2." These things aren't done on purpose, they just happen. We live in an imperfect world full of imperfect people.
Deep within me, I have this restless dissatisfaction when things aren't perfect. As the general manager of the restaurant I work at, I teach; I coach; I train; I work. Mistakes are still made. Things still happen. As the leader of a team of about 40 people, I am just as flawed of a person as the men and women that I lead. As a man who wants his entire career to be in this field, I've been humbled by the idea that I will never be in an environment that I can control completely. I want every customer to have a perfect experience when they walk through the doors of our restaurant.
I know deep down nothing will ever be 100% perfect, but I still get disappointed when things don't go the way they should. But I think that's a good thing. I think it's good that I get dissatisfied because that's what keeps me hungry. That's what drives me to always be getting better and to never allow myself to think I've "arrived". Just when I think I've got it figured out, something comes along to prove me wrong.
Thursday, February 02, 2012
Thursday, January 19, 2012
How I lost 23 Pounds
6 Months later. I had no idea that this thing would be a 6 month endeavor. I just decided to start counting how much food I ate, and then it happened to be 40 days later that I counted it up. So then I decided to do better the next 40 days, and so forth. Starting on July 12th of 2011, it's been barely over 6 months and I've lost 23 pounds. I weigh less than I did when I got married over 2 years ago, and arguably as little as I have since I graduated from college. This just goes to show you that a couple small changes go a long way over time.Looking at the 6 months as whole, I lost the weight even during a time in which many people find excuses to stay unhealthy.
I lost weight during the hot summer months (hot, humid, muggy).
I lost weight during the time of my first child's birth (stress, hospital visits, out of routine)
I lost weight during Thanksgiving and Christmas (holiday traveling out of state for a week at a time, lots of food temptations that are bad for you)
I lost weight during a job change (different working hours, different meal times)
I lost weight during the cold, winter months (cold, windy, short days)
The bottom line is that anyone who wants to lose a few pounds just needs to make small, sustainable, healthy decisions and have the self discipline to follow through on these minor goals. In reality, I didn't really change much about my life, I just started paying attention and keeping track of what I did that could affect my health.
First I lost 7 pounds,
Then I lost 4 pounds,
I followed that up with 5 pounds,
Then I lost 3 pounds,
And below is how I lost the last 3 pounds:
(Green means I improved that category over the previous 40 days, Red means I regressed):
Dates and Pounds
Start date: December 20th
End date: January 18th
Starting Weight: 177.6 pounds
Ending Weight: 174.2 pounds
Total weight loss in 40 days: 3.4 pounds
Total weight loss in 200 days: 22.6 pounds
What food did I track?
I ate ice cream once every 40 days
I ate french fries once every 20 days
I ate after 9pm once every 20 days
I drank a soft drink/sweet tea once every 4.4 days
I ate fruit once every 2.5 days
Exercise:
I ran an average of .1 miles/day
I did an average of 2.2 squats/day
I did an average of 2.1 pushups/day
I did an average of 1.4 crunches/day
My goal is to be at 170 or less by the end of 2012. Realistically, I would like to keep losing a lot of the body fat (which means I would drop to the 160's, and then hopefully build back up a little muscle to the upper 160's, maybe 170. Let's see where this healthy lifestyle continues to take me!
June 2011
January 2012
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
My 2011 Year in Review
What a fun year 2011 was for the Morgans! Mindy and I spent our 2nd year of marriage very much in a place of transition. By nature, Mindy and I are planners and like to be on top of things, but the year 2011 gave our family plenty to handle.
1 Year ago today Mindy and I were somewhere between the borders of Arizona and Texas, making our way to Athens from Phoenix. My brother, Adam, and I were driving a giant Penske truck all the way across the country on I-10 with a 70mph governor. Inside of our Honda Element was a 3 month old puppy, a 2 year old cat, and a 4 year old snake. The dog slept for 33 of 34 hours in the car. Surprisingly, traveling 2,000 miles with 3 animals wasn't so difficult.
Our second week in town, on January 10th, we were met with 9 inches of snow! Starting my new job as the Talent Director for Chick-fil-A in Athens was only slightly delayed by the blizzard shutting down the city.
Fast forward two weeks. Mindy gets a job! This one involved helping overweight adults lose weight. Not as gratifying as a job as her previous one, but a relatively easy gig compared to her last one of of performing bone marrow transplants.
That same week, we find out we're pregnant! Baby Morgan on the way!
In March, our family grows even more as Cupid's arrow hits hard and deep as Adam and Megan, a childhood friend of mine from middle & high school, get married. I've got a new sister-in-law that is absolutely perfect for my brother!
Not too late after that, Dave Ramsey's words are sinking in and it's obvious that it's time to sell my truck - a 2007 GMC Canyon. We can afford the payments, but if Mindy is going to stay home after our baby comes, then we know we could use the extra cash. I downgrade to a car 10 years older - a 1997 Honda Accord. We wiped out $8,000 in debt and now I'm driving a sedan with a sun roof...and transmission problems. (I miss you, sometimes, Big Red).
April comes around, and we find out that it is Everett Nolan Morgan who is on his way. Let the shopping begin!
As pregnancy progresses and we are looking to get what we need for Everett, Mindy and I take Dave Ramsey's advice again and create our own Saturday morning hobby of going to garage sales! We found some great deals and it was fun to spend 3 quality hours together each morning.
In June, it might have been the closest I have ever been to being struck by lightning as a bolt struck a tree just outside of our house. We still have problems with our TV thanks to this force of nature.
In July, we had to find a new home for our cat, Marley. It was just a matter of too many living creatures in our small home, and we felt like Marley might have the toughest adjustment to the new baby. It was a tough decision as Marley was a birthday gift for Mindy back in 2009, but it was the right decision. For Paws adoption was able to take him in and find a good home for him.
In August, I had the honor of being the best man for Adam and Megan as they had their service and reception for friends and family to celebrate their marriage. What a special time. Unforgettable.
In September, Everett arrived! 7lbs 15 oz. 20 1/2". A Beautiful, healthy baby boy who seems to never nap and is always wide-eyed and looking around. He's just like his daddy-curious and active. This kid is going to be a handful.
In November, the family traveled for a week to Arizona to see family for Thanksgiving. It was Everett's first visit to Arizona to see his Aunt and Uncle and cousins.
In December, we spent Christmas with my family in Peachtree City, Georgia. This was the first time that my entire family has been together at one time - and the first time that Everett got to meet Aunt Nicole face to face!
Looking ahead to January, I will be the General Manager of a Chick-fil-A, yet again. It's another amazing opportunity that God has blessed me with in preparing me for my future career.
Other Highlights from the Year:
-I had a project of getting a postcard mailed to me from every single state. As of this day, I am so close to reaching my goal with 90 postcards from 42 states and 5 countries!
-A renewed focus on being healthy saw me go from my all-time high weight in October of 2010 @ 199.6 pounds down to 177.6 pounds this year. According to RunKeeper, I ran over 179 miles this calendar year.
-Financially, it was a bit of a challenging year as Mindy and I both took paycuts, we financed a cross-country move, had a baby, and Mindy's position was eliminated at her job. But all in all, we were still able to make progress and knock out over $12,000 in debt. In 2012, we'll be calling Dave Ramsey to tell him that we're debt free!
Coming Up in 2012:
-Mindy and I are praying for bigger opportunities with Chick-fil-A. We believe God has a special plan for our future with that company and we're excited to see where we go.
-I am kind of digging this health-thing. My goal is to get down to 170 pounds by the end of 2012.
-Financially, Mindy and I will have all of our debts paid this year, as well as a 3 to 6 month, fully funded emergency fund. Lord willing, we'll have a down-payment on a house started.
-I want to quit biting my fingernails.
It will be fun to look back in 1 year, 5 years, or 10 years to see just how big of a year this was for us. Thank you, God - for such a wonderful year of growth. We are so blessed with the life you've given us!
1 Year ago today Mindy and I were somewhere between the borders of Arizona and Texas, making our way to Athens from Phoenix. My brother, Adam, and I were driving a giant Penske truck all the way across the country on I-10 with a 70mph governor. Inside of our Honda Element was a 3 month old puppy, a 2 year old cat, and a 4 year old snake. The dog slept for 33 of 34 hours in the car. Surprisingly, traveling 2,000 miles with 3 animals wasn't so difficult.
Our second week in town, on January 10th, we were met with 9 inches of snow! Starting my new job as the Talent Director for Chick-fil-A in Athens was only slightly delayed by the blizzard shutting down the city.
Fast forward two weeks. Mindy gets a job! This one involved helping overweight adults lose weight. Not as gratifying as a job as her previous one, but a relatively easy gig compared to her last one of of performing bone marrow transplants.
That same week, we find out we're pregnant! Baby Morgan on the way!
Not too late after that, Dave Ramsey's words are sinking in and it's obvious that it's time to sell my truck - a 2007 GMC Canyon. We can afford the payments, but if Mindy is going to stay home after our baby comes, then we know we could use the extra cash. I downgrade to a car 10 years older - a 1997 Honda Accord. We wiped out $8,000 in debt and now I'm driving a sedan with a sun roof...and transmission problems. (I miss you, sometimes, Big Red).
April comes around, and we find out that it is Everett Nolan Morgan who is on his way. Let the shopping begin!
As pregnancy progresses and we are looking to get what we need for Everett, Mindy and I take Dave Ramsey's advice again and create our own Saturday morning hobby of going to garage sales! We found some great deals and it was fun to spend 3 quality hours together each morning.
In June, it might have been the closest I have ever been to being struck by lightning as a bolt struck a tree just outside of our house. We still have problems with our TV thanks to this force of nature.
In July, we had to find a new home for our cat, Marley. It was just a matter of too many living creatures in our small home, and we felt like Marley might have the toughest adjustment to the new baby. It was a tough decision as Marley was a birthday gift for Mindy back in 2009, but it was the right decision. For Paws adoption was able to take him in and find a good home for him.
In September, Everett arrived! 7lbs 15 oz. 20 1/2". A Beautiful, healthy baby boy who seems to never nap and is always wide-eyed and looking around. He's just like his daddy-curious and active. This kid is going to be a handful.
In November, the family traveled for a week to Arizona to see family for Thanksgiving. It was Everett's first visit to Arizona to see his Aunt and Uncle and cousins.
In December, we spent Christmas with my family in Peachtree City, Georgia. This was the first time that my entire family has been together at one time - and the first time that Everett got to meet Aunt Nicole face to face!
Looking ahead to January, I will be the General Manager of a Chick-fil-A, yet again. It's another amazing opportunity that God has blessed me with in preparing me for my future career.
Other Highlights from the Year:
-I had a project of getting a postcard mailed to me from every single state. As of this day, I am so close to reaching my goal with 90 postcards from 42 states and 5 countries!
-A renewed focus on being healthy saw me go from my all-time high weight in October of 2010 @ 199.6 pounds down to 177.6 pounds this year. According to RunKeeper, I ran over 179 miles this calendar year.
-Financially, it was a bit of a challenging year as Mindy and I both took paycuts, we financed a cross-country move, had a baby, and Mindy's position was eliminated at her job. But all in all, we were still able to make progress and knock out over $12,000 in debt. In 2012, we'll be calling Dave Ramsey to tell him that we're debt free!
Coming Up in 2012:
-Mindy and I are praying for bigger opportunities with Chick-fil-A. We believe God has a special plan for our future with that company and we're excited to see where we go.
-I am kind of digging this health-thing. My goal is to get down to 170 pounds by the end of 2012.
-Financially, Mindy and I will have all of our debts paid this year, as well as a 3 to 6 month, fully funded emergency fund. Lord willing, we'll have a down-payment on a house started.
-I want to quit biting my fingernails.
It will be fun to look back in 1 year, 5 years, or 10 years to see just how big of a year this was for us. Thank you, God - for such a wonderful year of growth. We are so blessed with the life you've given us!
Monday, December 19, 2011
How I lost 19 Pounds
Way back in July I decided that I needed to be healthier if I was going to be a father. So it started with just me making some subtle changes in my diet and exercise to start losing some weight and being healthier. Well, wouldn't you know it? Momentum has caught on and I've lost 19 pounds in just under 6 months. The biggest challenges these last 40 days were holidays and the traveling that came with it. It's tough a lot of times to eat healthy and exercise while on the road, especially while flying. And of course, Thanksgiving get-togethers with family usually means a lot of goodies, sweets, and soft drinks. A lot of temptation! Throw in the cold, rainy weather and days getting shorter, and my exercise has seriously slipped this past 40 days.
Anyways, long story short - I still lost weight!
This is how I lost the first 7 pounds.
Then I lost 4 more pounds.
I knocked off 5 more pounds.
And below talks about the next 4 pounds!
(Green means I improved that category, Red means I regressed):
Dates and Pounds
Start date: November 10th
End date: December 19th
Starting Weight: 181.2 pounds
Ending Weight: 177.6 pounds
Total weight loss in 40 days: 4 pounds
Total weight loss in 160 days: 19.2 pounds
What food did I track?
I ate after 9 pm once every 8 days
I ate french fries once every 5.7 days
I ate ice cream once every 5.7 days
I drank a soft drink/sweet tea once every 2.9 days
I ate fruit once every 2.4 days
Exercise:
I ran an average of .5 miles/day
I did an average of 4.0 squats/day
I did an average of 2.8 crunches/day
I did an average of 2.6 pushups/day
Goals for the next 40 days:
I will have a renewed focus on reducing the poor diet intake
Increase each of the 4 exercises from the previous month
Keep the weight down beneath 177 through the Holidays and New Year
Anyways, long story short - I still lost weight!
This is how I lost the first 7 pounds.
Then I lost 4 more pounds.
I knocked off 5 more pounds.
And below talks about the next 4 pounds!
(Green means I improved that category, Red means I regressed):
Dates and Pounds
Start date: November 10th
End date: December 19th
Starting Weight: 181.2 pounds
Ending Weight: 177.6 pounds
Total weight loss in 40 days: 4 pounds
Total weight loss in 160 days: 19.2 pounds
What food did I track?
I ate after 9 pm once every 8 days
I ate french fries once every 5.7 days
I ate ice cream once every 5.7 days
I drank a soft drink/sweet tea once every 2.9 days
I ate fruit once every 2.4 days
Exercise:
I ran an average of .5 miles/day
I did an average of 4.0 squats/day
I did an average of 2.8 crunches/day
I did an average of 2.6 pushups/day
Goals for the next 40 days:
I will have a renewed focus on reducing the poor diet intake
Increase each of the 4 exercises from the previous month
Keep the weight down beneath 177 through the Holidays and New Year
Thursday, November 10, 2011
How I lost 16 pounds
I am becoming a huge fan of momentum. I can tell that like most machines, our body is one of momentum. Once you get it moving in one direction, it takes a lot to change that momentum, and it's a lot easier to keep it going. So, even though my healthy habits weren't as intense this past 40 days, I actually lost a little more weight than the time before.
A major challenge for me for this past 40 days was the last week of it. I spent that week on a business trip - eating out for every meal (high sodium) and around a lot of temptations (soft drinks, sweet tea, ice cream, eating after 9 PM). I also have been working later at work - causing my normal meal times to shift. All in all, I'm glad I had a lot of momentum going into the last week - because I made ZERO progress the last week. The good news is that I didn't go backwards.
This is how I lost the first 7 pounds.
Then I lost 4 more pounds.
And now I lost 5 more pounds (see below).
Here are the stats from the 3rd 40 day period (Green means I improved that category, Red means I regressed):
Dates and Pounds
Start date: October 1st
End date: November 9th
Starting Weight: 186.2 pounds
Ending Weight: 181.2 pounds
Total weight loss in 40 days: 5 pounds
Total weight loss in 120 days: 15.6 pounds
What food did I track?
I ate ice cream once every 13.3 days
I ate after 9 pm once every 8 days
I ate french fries once every 3.6 days
I drank a soft drink/sweet tea once every 3.1 days
I ate fruit once every 2.1 days
Exercise:
I ran an average of 1.0 miles/day
I did an average of 3.8 squats/day
I did an average of 2.4 pushups/day
I did an average of 1.6 crunches/day
Goals for the next 40 days:
I will have a renewed focus on reducing the poor diet intake
Increase each of the 4 exercises from the previous month
Keep the weight down beneath 180 through the Holidays
A major challenge for me for this past 40 days was the last week of it. I spent that week on a business trip - eating out for every meal (high sodium) and around a lot of temptations (soft drinks, sweet tea, ice cream, eating after 9 PM). I also have been working later at work - causing my normal meal times to shift. All in all, I'm glad I had a lot of momentum going into the last week - because I made ZERO progress the last week. The good news is that I didn't go backwards.
This is how I lost the first 7 pounds.
Then I lost 4 more pounds.
And now I lost 5 more pounds (see below).
Here are the stats from the 3rd 40 day period (Green means I improved that category, Red means I regressed):
Dates and Pounds
Start date: October 1st
End date: November 9th
Starting Weight: 186.2 pounds
Ending Weight: 181.2 pounds
Total weight loss in 40 days: 5 pounds
Total weight loss in 120 days: 15.6 pounds
What food did I track?
I ate ice cream once every 13.3 days
I ate after 9 pm once every 8 days
I ate french fries once every 3.6 days
I drank a soft drink/sweet tea once every 3.1 days
I ate fruit once every 2.1 days
Exercise:
I ran an average of 1.0 miles/day
I did an average of 3.8 squats/day
I did an average of 2.4 pushups/day
I did an average of 1.6 crunches/day
Goals for the next 40 days:
I will have a renewed focus on reducing the poor diet intake
Increase each of the 4 exercises from the previous month
Keep the weight down beneath 180 through the Holidays
Sunday, October 02, 2011
How I lost 11 pounds
That weight is just slowly dropping. This second 40 day period was a little tougher than the first. In the first 40 days, I lost 7 of the 11 pounds. My diet was better and I just had more to lose. During the 2nd 40 days, I eased up a little on my diet restrictions, and added a little more exercise and healthy-food tracking. I had some good momentum going, and then the last week of my 40 days, Everett arrived. 
Spending 4 days in the hospital is not typically the best way to get exercise and eat healthy. Fast food options for meals and lack of sleep probably didn't help. But the good news is that I still lost weight at the end of the period, and I'm on the right track!
The idea behind this goal of slowly losing weight is that I don't want to make drastic changes that are not sustainable. A baby and work is enough change for me that I need something that is simple and sustainable so that my weight loss will be a lifestyle and stay permanent.
Here are the stats from the 2nd 40 day period:
Dates and Pounds
Start date: August 22nd
End date: September 30th
Starting Weight: 190.2 pounds
Ending Weight: 186.2 pounds
Total weight loss in 40 days: 4 pounds
Total weight loss in 80 days: 10.6 pounds
What food did I track?
I ate after 9 pm once every 20 days
I had ice cream once every 10 days
I had a soft drink once every 6.7 days
I ate french fries once every 3.6 days
I ate fruit once every 1.8 days
Exercise:
I ran an average of 1.1 miles/day
I did an average of 5.2 pushups/day
I did an average of 2.0 squats/day
Goals for the next 40 days:
I will have a renewed focus on reducing the poor diet intake
I will now include sweet tea as a soft drink*
I will increase the pushups and squats/day
I will add crunches to workout routine
My goal is to get down to 180 pounds before the end of the year. Realistically, I could probably get that by the end of the next 40 day period (November 9th). But I know the cold weather might hinder my running and the holidays are never good for the calories. Let's do this!
*I make sweet tea at home using 25% sugar, and 75% splenda. This low-calorie tea will not be included in these statistics
Spending 4 days in the hospital is not typically the best way to get exercise and eat healthy. Fast food options for meals and lack of sleep probably didn't help. But the good news is that I still lost weight at the end of the period, and I'm on the right track!The idea behind this goal of slowly losing weight is that I don't want to make drastic changes that are not sustainable. A baby and work is enough change for me that I need something that is simple and sustainable so that my weight loss will be a lifestyle and stay permanent.
Here are the stats from the 2nd 40 day period:
Dates and Pounds
Start date: August 22nd
End date: September 30th
Starting Weight: 190.2 pounds
Ending Weight: 186.2 pounds
Total weight loss in 40 days: 4 pounds
Total weight loss in 80 days: 10.6 pounds
What food did I track?
I ate after 9 pm once every 20 days
I had ice cream once every 10 days
I had a soft drink once every 6.7 days
I ate french fries once every 3.6 days
I ate fruit once every 1.8 days
Exercise:
I ran an average of 1.1 miles/day
I did an average of 5.2 pushups/day
I did an average of 2.0 squats/day
Goals for the next 40 days:
I will have a renewed focus on reducing the poor diet intake
I will now include sweet tea as a soft drink*
I will increase the pushups and squats/day
I will add crunches to workout routine
My goal is to get down to 180 pounds before the end of the year. Realistically, I could probably get that by the end of the next 40 day period (November 9th). But I know the cold weather might hinder my running and the holidays are never good for the calories. Let's do this!
*I make sweet tea at home using 25% sugar, and 75% splenda. This low-calorie tea will not be included in these statistics
Monday, August 22, 2011
How I lost 7 pounds
I posted this blog about running last October. I lost my rhythm for exercise when I moved to Georgia, but I certainly saw the need for more exercise when we found out Everett was on the way. I did the math in my head and realized that if I wanted more kids, and wanted to be active with them, I needed to start losing weight NOW.
The thing is, I'm not a huge fan of being radical about stuff. I'm passionate, but I'm a long-term thinker. I believe making even small changes over the long run make a big difference. That's the approach I took with my weight loss. I didn't go nuts and get a home gym or get a personal trainer. I'm a believer that what is measured is improved, and so I just started measuring some of my exercise and some of what I eat. The more I kept track of these things, the more weight I seemed to lose. I feel like I have an extra challenge knowing I work fast food 5 days a week and can get free meals. What a temptation!
After 40 days, here are the stats:
Start date: July 12th
End date: August 21st
Starting weight: 196.8 pounds
Ending weight: 190.2 Pounds
Total weight loss in 40 days: 6.6 pounds
What food did I track?
I had a soft drink once every 40 days
I had ice cream once every 13.3 days
I ate after 9 pm once every 13.3 days
I ate french fries once every 4.5 days
Exercise
I ran an average of .92 miles/day
I am looking forward to improving these habits and starting some new ones.
Anyone out there have any other tips that seemed to work well for them for losing a few pounds?
The thing is, I'm not a huge fan of being radical about stuff. I'm passionate, but I'm a long-term thinker. I believe making even small changes over the long run make a big difference. That's the approach I took with my weight loss. I didn't go nuts and get a home gym or get a personal trainer. I'm a believer that what is measured is improved, and so I just started measuring some of my exercise and some of what I eat. The more I kept track of these things, the more weight I seemed to lose. I feel like I have an extra challenge knowing I work fast food 5 days a week and can get free meals. What a temptation!
After 40 days, here are the stats:
Start date: July 12th
End date: August 21st
Starting weight: 196.8 pounds
Ending weight: 190.2 Pounds
Total weight loss in 40 days: 6.6 pounds
What food did I track?
I had a soft drink once every 40 days
I had ice cream once every 13.3 days
I ate after 9 pm once every 13.3 days
I ate french fries once every 4.5 days
Exercise
I ran an average of .92 miles/day
I am looking forward to improving these habits and starting some new ones.
Anyone out there have any other tips that seemed to work well for them for losing a few pounds?
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