Humble Beginnings

Today, I made my motivational speaking debut. I'd have to say, I rocked the house. Those older gents where hanging onto my every word. Afterwards, 99 year old, Dominic said: Your message is a gift from God."

Dominic - 99 years old

I'm humbled, proud, and full of joy. This is just the very beginning my friends. 

The American Dream

Tomorrow, I'll make my motivational speaking debut. I'm super-excited as this is something I've always wanted to do. My girlfriend and I, have long said that I would make a great motivational speaker. We just  never knew what capacity I would motivate folks, but here it is! I'm grateful, proud, and honored. 

The five themes I'll follow:                                 

1. Hard work
2. Making adjustments
3. Staying the course
4. Believing in self
5. Never giving up

Here's a snippet of my speech:


"...This time around I knew the changes I sought would not come without hard work. I know you, can appreciate hard work. The American Dream – your generation is probably the last that believed in and worked for it.  America was built on hard work, companies like: Ford Motor and GE were booming and you were a part of that movement. Hard work comes in all forms and sometimes emotional  and mental hard work can be equally if not more taxing than physical...."


So there it is friends. Tomorrow morning, I'll have the pleasure of sharing my story in a totally different medium - speaking. I so love my life! Maybe this is my version of "The American Dream."

Nothing owns me

There I was on the stationary bike, butt throbbing thinking, "Why do they have to make these seats so narrow and hard?" I was only about two minutes into the ride and my mind started racing with reasons to get off. The biggest reason: My butt hurt. Yet all the scenarios I came up with in my head -- there was not one valid reason to get off the bike. Getting off the first time makes it so much easier to get off the next time. And so I stayed. I gently moved my tush around for a small amount of relief and kept pedaling...10, 15, 20 minutes into the ride and with every interval I was inching closer to my goal.

Throughout this journey, there have been plenty of instances when an exercise or an exercise class has been challenging for me. I've found myself in some pretty compromising positions in exercise classes and just out doing my own thing in the gym, but I never let that come between me and my goal.  There I was in boot camp -- probably in retrospect, I was way too out of shape to really be there. Anyway,  I was out of breath, the whole room spinning. I had to walk away. Regroup. I went to the locker room, cried and went back in class for the second half. Sure, it's one thing to walk away from something if it's challenging but to completely give up and quit is just not an option for me. Like Vince Lombardi, said: "Once you learn to quit, it becomes a habit." 

I'm pleased to say last week after just a week I was able to ride for an hour. So now that I can go the distance - it's the mental thing. Coach now has moved me into intervals - the more intensity the more calories you burn. So today, I done 25 minutes with 10 burst of speed for 30 seconds with an incline of 7.  Since, I'm still rehabbing my leg. Coach feels the bike is the best bang for my buck. He doesn't want me jumping, jogging just yet too risky - don't want to re-injure. So for now I'm just riding hard. Nothing owns me.

Fat for a reason

While talking with my speaking coach and soon to be co-author of my book. She feels the time for me to make my mark (blogging, speaking) is so very timely. With obesity being such a huge health concern and shows like "Biggest Loser" at the forefront of our minds. She feels that my story is so relevant, inspiring, refreshing.

As I reflected on our conversation, the answer to my life long burning question came to me. Aha! If I wouldn't have lived my life as an obese person, struggled with my identity and self-worth.  I wouldn't be able to share my amazing story, reach people, and change lives. There would be no Farewell Fatso!, motivational speaking, and book. In retrospect, all the pain and struggles make me who I am. I can't even imagine my life any other way.  I'm fat for a reason. Aren't you glad I'm fat?

Hello, August!

Oh, sweet August, I greet you with great enthusiasm and quite the to-do-list. I'm partial to August because it's the month I was born.  In nineteen days, I'll celebrate my 39th birthday. One year away from my big "Fit By Forty," goal.  But, let me not get ahead of myself -- I have a way of doing that - plenty to do before that date.

This August really is going to trump others because there are some positive life changing events happening this month. I hate to be so secretive with y'all I just want to make sure I have all the details firmed up before I share the news about the changes forthcoming - y'all understand, right? Although I anticipate certain things to happen I realize the Universe will work them out or not. With that said, I will do my part to work on the things that I directly have control over - diet and exercise routine. So this month it's time to up the ante. I'm so sick of being stuck in this body. Enough said. Anyhoo, I have two meetings today and may be able to share at least some news tomorrow. I declare August 2011 as SPECTAULAR!