My name is Gerry and I am a 37 year old (damn I feel old)
Network Security Engineer, AKA GEEK for a living. I am also an avid Scuba Diver, Amateur
Photographer, and am entering the world of Competition BBQ. I have always been pretty active and love to
travel. I’ve been blessed to travel all
over the world from Scotland to Italy to the Philippines, and more. Through all of this though, I have always
struggled with my weight. I’ve never let
it get way out of control but I am definitely not happy about my current
298lbs.
*As you can see I'm a bit round around the middle ;) I want to be Superman to my son as he is a Superman to me.
My wife and I watch TV at night (part of the reason I’m
hefty) and over the past year have come to enjoy watching Extreme Makeover - Weight
Loss Edition. It has been motivational
and has also caused my wife to ask me if I am going to get off my butt and get
healthy. This, as some of you are aware
is much easier said than done. There is
no cure all, get skinny quick or permanently fix. I know, I’ve looked and done some trial and
error.
To quote Shawshank Redemption “get busy living or get busy
dying…” and I think I’ve lived with excuses long enough.
Motivating Factors:
With everything that has happened to my family the past couple years I can no
longer afford to let those excuses determine my port of destination. My mom passed way in September of 2009 at the
age of 58 from congestive heart failure that was caused from obesity and
diabetes. My father passed way in
January of 2013 at the age of 62 after battling Colon Cancer for 2 long
years. Having spoken with both of their
doctors and lots of reading, I know had my parents lived healthier lives, eaten
better, and been more physically active they would still be here today.
My son was born 3 days after his grandfather passed away,
something that still weighs on me to this day.
I want to be around much longer than that for my children. I want to be able to play catch and get down
on the floor and wrestle with them. I
don’t want to end up being a dad that sits on the side line and watch life pass
me buy.
“…across the plains of time bleach the bones of countless
thousands, who, while upon the threshold of victory sat down to rest. And
resting they died.” - Paul H. Dunn
At 5’8”and 298lbs my knees hurt, I have some back pain, and
my feet get sore. Oh let us not forget
how tired and groggy we can be! That is no way to live! I don’t see how my twin or kid brother manage. My twin probably has a good 50lbs on me and
my kid brother even though he is 6’0” he still tops the scales near 325lbs or
better. All three of us have different
pains and health issues and all three of us have different excuses.
In this blog I hope to squash my excuses and totally grind
them in to oblivion! It will hold me
accountable and let me see my successes and failures along the way. It will let me learn and grown.
How am I going to do this? Well, I chose Chris Powell’s book
“Choose More, Lose More for Life” and am going to take it 90 days at a
time. I didn’t come to this choice
lightly or just because of his amazing success and accomplishments on his TV
show, Extreme Makeover but because even with as busy as he gets, and even with
the success that he has, Chris keeps it real and he responds to messages. I never expected responses to my posts or messages that I sent him but I got them. Someone that takes that time out of their
busy and successful life to keep motivating and helping everyone in a positive
way to me deserves my time.
Plus in his book, he doesn’t just throw diet and workout
routines at you, he focuses on the core change requirement. Over hauling your mental attitude on life,
weeding out the bag, and amplifying the good.
So to Chris I say thank you and more importantly CHALLENGE
EXCEPTED! I do hope Chris and others will follow me through this journey of
learning and change. I know 100lbs isn’t
a huge number but to me it is and it means a healthier, longer life.
More to come!
Gerry
