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| Never forget the past, all while focusing on the future! |
2012 has officially closed and that chapter of my life is now in the past. With the New Year comes a fresh start for many, a time where mentally, people are rejuvenated. In the past it’s often been a time for me that gave me hope, but hope along with a new gym membership, some nifty new work out gear is all that I got. What I lacked was the want or desire to truly make the necessary changes needed as well as a long term plan was never a thought for me. I wanted it to be easy, make a resolution, buy the clothes and gym membership and poof the weight should fall off, right? I would often get about two – three months in lose 20-60 pounds and the motivation quickly subsided and over the course of the next few months those familiar faces at the gym would no longer see me and the guy at McDonalds drive-thru window would often welcome back my business. I look back and remember telling myself that I will only do this once a week and that quickly turned into once a day and before I knew it I would be eating fast food for almost every meal. I would even go so far as to hide it from loved ones who constantly worried. I should have known I had a major problem when I took cash out of an ATM so that my wife wouldn’t know how many times I reached for my addiction in a day. With the failure came added stress, stress on my relationships, myself and my body. I was a ticking time bomb at 28 years old. There would not have been many that would have been surprised if they heard that I had passed away due to being overweight. The words morbidly obese didn’t even scare me, I was and some might say that I still am young, but the denial was strong and the feelings of invisibility existed. Today I am alive, more alive than ever before. While 2012 was by far one of the best years of my life, 2013 will hail in comparison.
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| From last week at the Gym |
While a lot of me has changed, there still exist the feelings of hope at the New Year. It’s just what I now hope for has changed. I know that I will accomplish my goals because I have made a plan to do so and nothing will stop me. I know that I will have many more setbacks but will rebound and move forward never again going backwards. My hope for the New Year is simply to inspire others to achieve their goals. A New Year’s resolution in my eyes is just a goal, but if you lack planning, don’t plan on reaching that goal. Something that was told to me from a young age was the phrase “Show me, don’t tell me” it was and is an expression that means so much to me as my grandfather constantly said it to me with regard to any challenge in life. My hope is that my actions will inspire along with words of motivation. We all are in need of a push, along my journey there have been many that have pushed me and I am forever grateful. Dig deep and find exactly what you are looking to achieve, how you can improve your life and what needs to be done to achieve that goal? This doesn’t just apply to weight loss, but all things in life. If you are not happy with your career, perhaps you require education to do what you love to do, there is nothing stopping you from getting to that place that you desire except excuses. I know this all to well because I could write a best seller that is loaded with some great ones. My change in health has had a major impact on my life and while I never want to live in the past I think it’s important to remember what I have accomplished, where I once was and the life I used to live. Last night, my wife and I walked into a tattoo shop to see a familiar face, one that I had not seen for a few years, my tattoo artist. We chatted and caught up on the past and she placed the ultimate reminder on my left wrist of who I once was and who I have become.
Weigh in update will be coming next Tuesday January 8th…
Until Next Time – Warrior, Training for Wildflower!
Mario
Great ink! Perhaps when I reach my goal I need to consider some new ink to commemorate.