I remember looking in the mirror one day booty butt naked and thinking… What in the hell have you done to us? How did you let this happen? How did you let yourself go like this? I was embarrassed but more than anything I was pissed. I remember telling myself I will NEVER look or feel this way again. I’m about to get in the best shape of my life! LETS GO REEF!
I was in my early to mid 30s and I had let myself go. I mean I wasn’t professor Klump but I had turned into the dude in the cafeteria that has the little pooch and always has the mustard stain on his shirt. My energy level was low and I just didn’t care. I carry my weight very well so you would’ve never guessed that under my big baggy clothes, I really did have a bit of a gut and my once defined, chiseled chest was turning into man boobs. On top of being heavier than ever before… I was in the midst of a separation which later lead to a divorce. That was it, I had my reason! I was like hell to the naw! You think I’m about to be in my mid 30s, alone and overweight? Please. You got me messed up! I had to get my groove back, had to get my sexy back. Hell, I had to make a lifestyle change.
How did I let this happen? The first step was acknowledging that I’d gotten comfortable. I’d always been a person that had gone to the gym, been an athlete and been pretty active all my life. But going to the gym while indulging in too much vodka, wings, chips, dip... too many excuses of "I'll do it tomorrow", "I’m too tired from work to hang with the kids and then workout", excuse, excuse, excuse. You get the point. TOO many excuses and lack of drive to actually want to work out don’t mix well. Once I acknowledged the excuses and the lack of self discipline, I was ready to get it together.
So it began. I’m an all or nothing person. Sometimes that works to my benefit, like in this case. Like I mentioned, I was already going to the gym but honestly, I really didn’t know what the hell I was doing. So, I started stalking a trainer whose name I won’t mention. Every time ( I was very cheap) I’d see him training someone I was right there peeping around the corner taking mental notes. Then the trainer and I became friends (now like brothers) so I’d always ask him little tips and eventually I asked him if he wanted to start working out with me. It WORKED! We became workout partners. I would tell him what I was doing on my own like running, jumping rope, jumping jacks, which were good but my diet… My diet was trash. So, I cut back. I stopped drinking my vodka as much and increased my water, stopped the wings and pizza 4 nights a week and started eating veggies and more grilled or baked chicken and fish. Results didn’t come right away and I would get frustrated but I was determined not to be the old, lonely big dude in the club with hot wings and beer on my breath licking my fingers. So I stuck with it.
Boy after about a good 6-7 months I’d lost a good 20 pounds. I was sleeping better, my confidence was through the roof. And I wanted more of that feeling. I have to admit, I became a little obsessed. I was getting up every day and running before work at like 4 am and then go lift. Then after work I’d go back to the gym and ride the stationary bike and get another workout in. Those results! I was seeing them. Prior to this I’d got big enough that I’d lost site of family jewels. I think they call it a dicky do. Then one day there he was… I was back dammit!
So, my reason for getting into shape was because of fear of being the old, single, big dude in the club. Whatever your reason is, you must find it. We all have that "AH HA" moment it’s just a matter of when we listen to it. My reason and my why for staying in shape now is simple. I want to live longer and I want to see my kids and grand kids grow up to be amazing, productive human beings.
What I've learned from this experience is that it certainly isn’t easy, especially if you're doing it alone. Becoming aware changes need to be made is the first step, and the most important. But holding yourself accountable and sticking to it aint' easy. Especially if you don't have a best friend / personal trainer to stalk / steal workouts from and persuade to be your workout partner. I said becoming aware is the most important step to start, but to keep things going, the most important thing is finding your "why", that reason, that drive, to keep at it. I was going through a huge transition… a divorce, that was my initial why. But that was temporary, I mean SURELY with this new body I won't stay divorced forever! As I've grown and developed many of the tools I now use in my coaching, I learned to replace more "temporary whys" with "solid whys", ones that will give me that drive yesterday, today and tomorrow.
It doesn’t have to take a life changing event to turn your ember into a fire. You don't have to wait till you're walking around out of shape, overweight, divorced, lost your job and HOMELESS to find it... Because here's a secret (SHHHHHH), it's in you right now. You have to really listen to that inner voice to understand it and "ting" that lightbulb comes on. So ask yourself, what's holding you back from turning on that lightbulb today?
Today my "why" is pretty simple and solid and gets me going even on the toughest mornings after too much vodka. My mantra after too much is literally this, "Nobody told your old ass to be up all night trying to hang out drinking and eating bad! Get yo ass up and get to the gym." I repeat it over and over AND IT WORKS for me. It wasn't always this easy, it was a journey for me. But hey, let me help you find your why, the real why. Not the one that will get you in shape for a week or a month, but for life. These are the types of tools I use in my coaching. Helping people find their reason and commitment to want to do it.
In conclusion, I hope you enjoyed my story and got a few laughs. But seriously, listen to that inner voice, it knows what you need to get you where you really want to be (The angel voice one on your right shoulder, not the devil one on your left).
If you’re feeling like something needs to change, let your self down or know you're not where you're supposed to be, make a move. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain! If you want help finding that "why",that's what I do. Click book now, first session is on me!