I started this blog in 2007 as way for me to track my journey of fitness, to share with others some of my thoughts and struggles, and to receive support.
The day after I turned 38, I began this journey. The previous summer, I learned my mother was diagnosed with cancer. By the end of that summer, she was with Jesus. She had been taking care of my father who had Alzheimer's. I had to take over running his finances, medical, and 2 homes (both of which were over 150 miles away). So, he came to live with my family. At the time, my family consisted of my wife, four children, and myself. By Christmas, we learned that our fifth child was on the way. I was working 50-60 hrs. a week.
I found myself depressed. I wasn't diagnosed with depression, but I was down. I felt like everything was out of control in my life. The only thing I felt I was in control of was what I eat. I exercised that control by having no control. Now, I always have had a problem with excess weight and eating healthy. However, I got to the point where I was not physically active at all. That, combined with excessive amounts of high fat, high sugar foods took me to 380 lbs. Even being 6' 2'" I was very round. Even though I thought I was in control of what I ate, I was really out of control and the evidence was all the extra fat on my body.
I started to think about all the problems I would cause for my family. I felt they were all embarrassed of my weight. I knew that I could end up with all sorts of health problems. What would I be doing to my family, my father, and all the people that count on me if I become sick, incapacitated, or die? I decided to do something. Even though I didn't have the time, I decided that I had more time for getting fit than I did for a trip to the hospital or for death.
The day after my 38th birthday, I started one of those low-carb diets that was popular at the time. Actually, my also started it as well. By the second week, my wife and I were cranky, irritable, nasty people to be around. We dumped that diet plan. I started my own plan.
My plan was not complicated. I only ate at meal times. I drank 16 oz. of water before each meal. No caffeine. I didn't drink pop, so I didn't need to give that up. I had vegetables and fruit at every meal. I ate one serving, no more. And absolutely, no sweets!
Eventually, I began to exercise. Weight training and aerobics videos were my main exercises. Eventually, I began running. I did a LOT of running (if you are interested in that, you should look at my older blog posts).
I got much healthier. While my original diet served me well, it had to change with my changing fitness. I lost quite a bit of weight.
Two things happened to me. I got so much into running that I quit the weight training. Then, I hurt my Achilles' tendon. Eventually, I had to quit running all together. That depressed me. I knew I could have biked, swam, lifted weights, but I just didn't. Eventually, my eating started to return to my old habits.
I hadn't given up all together. There would be spurts of eating healthy and exercise. But, they were short lived.
In 2013, two of my kids told me they wanted to start running. In the beginning of April, we started running. I figured my tendon would start troubling me, and I would just coach from the side lines. I decided to weigh myself. I was 326 lbs. Disappointed, but not surprised, I was glad there was at least 54 lbs. I didn't need to lose again. But, I am not just running. I am back to weight training, and I just added biking.
I think my diet is more sensible and purposeful. Each day, my goal is to live fit not matter what happened yesterday. While I certainly want to get to a healthy weight, that will be a by-product of my goal, not the end game. Look at my goal again. There is no end game. Yet, I can accomplish it. Every day, I get a new chance. My motto has been and will continue to be:
Living Fit Is My #1 Job!
6/21/13
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