My Story, My Opportunity, My Journey, My Choice, My Time, My Life

What keeps me pressing forward?  What’s my purpose?  Do I want a like minded community, meeting new people and making new friends?  Do I do this to compete, for athleticism, to improve my quality of life, to have fun?  Do I want to look better and have more self esteem and confidence?  Is my purpose to gain more out of life, to have more energy, a stronger mind and body?  What is your purpose and what is your reason?   In the next few minutes, I share with you my story, my opportunity, my journey, my choice, my time and my life. 

I was out of shape and I felt bad about myself.  So why then was I so out of shape?  Here are some of the excuses I played over and over like bad reruns:  Too tired after work, I’m always too busy, there aren’t enough hours in the day, I can’t get to the gym, why should I work out when my family and friends don’t, I’m not in that bad of shape, I’ll have to spend money to buy new clothes, and my list went on and on.  What’s your excuse?   I had many excuses and this is the body it got me! ----------->



You don’t have to choose to make bad choices over and over again at breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Be a little open minded here and willing to try new things and you’ll soon discover how easy it gets to make healthy choices.  My results did not happen by tearing up a few moves from a muscle magazine.  It happened by using a system that told me exactly what to do, everyday for 90 days.  That’s MY P90X!  It seriously challenged me, but with the challenge came an amazing transformation.   My hope is that what I've achieved and this blog will inspire you to find your purpose, your reason.

I’ve gotten into the best shape of my life simply by working out at home!  I did it in 90 days and now I’m consistent with my fitness and health!  The coined phrase that practice makes perfect is true when combined with variety, which is the spice of life.  When you realize how quickly you can transform your body in your own home, with very little gear, you’ll be surprised by how easy it is to make the time.  Time flies when you start to see rapid results like I did in 90 days, in 180 days and so on, so I simply keep on pushing play.  My life will never be the same again! <-------- I hardly recognize myself

Let me give you a glimpse into my life as I write candidly here and share with you the reason for my wanting to make a major change.  Before P90X I took life one day at a time, on the couch, watching TV, in front of the computer living in virtual reality games, being plain old lazy.  I had no interest in outside sports, no gym activity and a very sedentary lifestyle.  I tried a couple of times to get inspired and motivated to change my bad habits, but kept making excuses and going back to the lazy routine.  It was easier.  I didn’t like the hard workouts.  I felt alone without any real support or encouragement.  I didn’t have a lot of hope.  It just didn’t seem like I could climb out of that rut on my own and I didn’t know who I could turn to for help.  So I found comfort in what I ate and drank.  It just didn’t feel like my health mattered anymore to me.  My quality of life was deteriorating.  I’d get up in the morning tired, go to work and struggle to feel energized to make it through the day, come home to pass out on the couch and rely on my wife and children to pick up my slack.  I was sacrificing for things in life that really didn’t matter, when all along what was most important was right at home, my family.  In short, I was going nowhere fast and the tracks of life were running out!  I was at a tipping point.   Do I sacrifice about one hour of my time per day or do I sacrifice what I care about most?  The choice was pretty clear.

"Do or do not, there is no try" as Yoda explained to a non-believing Luke Skywalker in the epic movie Star Wars when Luke was attempting to lift a massive object.  Our mind is indeed a very powerful force.  Our thoughts and words unleash the power of our mind into our actions.  I have been through the phase of TRY and I most certainly failed time and time again.  Trying anticipates failure.  By changing the words, we change our mindset and although there is still the chance of failure, we don’t program ourselves for it.  Instead when I say I will DO this, it focuses on success!   DECIDE, COMMIT, SUCCEED. That’s the mantra of the P90X Fitness Program and it has become my motto.  I was ready to change my life.  So I dug in and I trusted the routine and nutrition guide and went for it!  The journey starts with that first step, one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind!  Imagine how different the world would be if we each took that first step to ending the fat trend.  

My reason for changing is simple, I had a choice to make.  You have a choice too.  Were you expecting a more complicated answer? How do you choose what to be or not to be?  Do you want to be better than before?  Who do you surround yourself with? How long do your better choices last?  I had to decide whether to continue to be a slacker or finally get my act together. I’m not getting any younger.  No one else could do this for me.  I had to make the choice to stop making it about me all the time and be an example to people in my life who need a role model, a father and a dad.  I would no longer allow these external forces and my own weak mindset to control my life.  At the age of 48 some might call this a mid-life crisis.  I call it a miracle and am grateful for the gifts and time that I have in my life.  How we use these to help each other is the true measure of our success.

 

Be the change you want to see in the world.  Take that step today.  If you need help, please ask.  I’m not in this for the contests.  I’m not in this to sell you something you don’t need.  I’m not here to recruit you for any business opportunity.  This is simply my way of starting to give back instead of continually taking from everyone else.  I would like you to have what I’ve gained.  I made the switch and life is returning with vitality, with greater confidence, self-esteem, energy, love and new friends.  I’ve gained so much more than what I lost.  I’m so very grateful to my family and friends who have been a huge support for me.  Honestly, I don’t know where I’d be today without P90X and the nutrition guidance I gained from my personal trainer Tony Horton.  He got me out of my comfort zone and helped me to get real with life instead of living in a virtual reality. 

I promise if you make a decision and make that commitment, it can happen for you too!  Give yourself a gift, you deserve it!  It will transform every aspect of your life, from the way you think about fitness to the way you think about your health and what you eat.  If you too will commit to exercising and eating healthy, you too can go confidently in the direction of your dreams and really live the life you’ve imagined!