Michael Jackson said it best, ‘IM STARTING WITH THE MAN IN THE MIRROR, IM ASKING HIM TO CHANGE HIS WAYS’. ‘ IF YOU WANNA MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE YOU GOTTA CHANGE YOUR WAYS.
So as the new year rolled in, like everyone, the big thing to do is go on some diet or hit the gym hard then give up after 5 or 6 weeks and head right back to somewhere further away from square one than when you started. This has happened to me a few times, joined a gym 6 years ago have been 9 times since joining, cancelled that, tried Herbalife … got hungry, weight watchers . . . wanted to food, joined slimming world . . . lost 2.5 stone in 3 month, then left after a change in the person that led the session.
What I’m getting at is, we all need that thing, that goal, that motivation, that desire and drive to make a change, but what we don’t realise we need is the support, regardless who you are, we all need support, pro athletes have the support of physios, nutritionists, trainers, coaches, etc, but for those of us mere mortals there is little or no support or we feel we can go it alone, never go it alone (it’s easier to give up) be accountable to some one/ group, you deserve it to yourself.
My moment came when down at my parents I found a picture of myself from when i was maybe 16/17 years old, and I felt like I was in my prime, unstoppable, and from the picture I was doing well for myself, tanned, athletic, playing basketball 5/6 time a week, never at home during the summer, confidence was high, I could wear whatever i wanted and not feel self-conscious.
Fast forward 16 years, poor life choices, an insatiable appetite, long-term relationships, sports injuries, and we have this behemoth,
21 stone (300 lbs) of sheer unadulterated vulgarity (opinions of self), take aways, late nights beers, and not forgetting the eating you children’s meals and then your own.
My shock came on New Years Day when I stepped on the scales, I once vowed never to get like this but lone behold I have let myself down and just be come lazy and ashamed of myself, I have let my self down.
I owe it to my wife, my kids, my health, my joints and myself to make some changes and do something about this.
Now I have this athlete bravado thing where I still think I look awesome and I’m the mutts nuts, truth is I’m the polar opposite, I have self-doubt, low self-esteem, low self-confidence, this is only something recent that has come about in my mindset, and because of this, I choose not to step into a gym until I’M ready. So I recently purchased the BeachBody on Demand catalogue, this gives me programs such as P90X, Insanity, Shift shop, etc. This will hopefully allow me to get a decent sweat on and shift some pounds of weight from my knees and other joints.
Since the turn of the year ive been getting up at 5am, or close to it and following the 21day yoga retreat program, I was more than happy to do this on my own in the early hours of the morning, but each morning so far ive had two little spectators, my boys, now they say kids are like sponges, taking on board anything and everything that you do, so if they are watching me at 5 am then I hope they are taking something on board, turns out I need to learn from them.
Oscar doing his best downward dog.
so this is the drive and motivation I need,
I can’t disappoint my kids, they need me here for as long as possible, I’ve millions of memories more to make with them, we have so much fun to have running around the park playing all sorts of games where they tell me their tired, not the other way around, they shouldnt suffer for my poor choices in the past.
I OWE IT TO THEM.
Rossdawk 