I love running

So today was a pretty a pretty awesome day for me in the gym. I told myself that I was going to do three miles in 30 minutes or less.  Some of you may think that is not very fast but, for me it would be a huge accomplishment. You have to know my story to understand that almost two years ago walking half a mile was a struggle. I was morbidly obese and depressed. I felt like a complete failure and was not liking myself at all. I have a beautiful wife and two beautiful children but still there was a void. I had  always put up a front of not caring what others thought but always longed to feel accepted. I used my sense of humor to hide the fact that I was hurting inside. I would drown my sorrows in food drugs & alcohol. I had thoughts of suicide before I got married. I curbed my drug abuse with drinking and my drinking with over eating. Before I knew it I was 386 lbs with one foot in the grave. I had sleep apnea high cholesterol high blood pressures and a slew of other medical problems I was dealing with. It all changed by attending the San Jose fit expo.  This one event changed my life forever.

    So that's a little background of why today was so awesome for me. I got up and decided I was going to run 3 miles in 30 minutes or less.  I stretched a little probably not enough lol. I set my google play to Hatebred and was off.  I felt good the first mile and new I had to pick up the pace in the second mile.  I was cruising along at a steady pace feeling good. I hit my second mile and picked the pace up to 6 mph.  Now mind you it's might not seem fast but for me this was a mental barrier that I have had for such a long time. I had never truly let go and actually believed that I can run at 6 mph. I knew in my mind that I would have to kick the speed up a little more to meet my goal.  I hit it up to 6.5 mph and was starting to labor a little more or at least that's what my mind was telling me. I hit the last minute and a half at 7 mph and ended my 3miles at 30:45 seconds. The feeling of accomplishment was a little overwhelming for me. I have to admit I actually became a little emotional. I thought back to that day in march of 2012 when I had to call nancy to come pick me up cause I couldn't make it back from my mile walk.  I thought back to not being able to bend over and tie my own shoes. I thought back to having to go to the big and tall section to buy my clothes. It finally clicked I am not who I use to be. I am better today than I was yesterday and tomorrow I will be better than I was today.  Even though I missed my mark by 45 seconds I knew that I could do it.   It was that split second that I started to listen to sliver of doubt that cost me my 30 min or less.  Even though it might seem like a defeat it's a victory cause I can recognize where my need for improvement is.

 I sat on the row machine and had all these emotions going through my mind. As the typical male I was just happy that I was soaked with sweat and no one could see my misty eyes lol. I finished my workout with a light 15 minutes on the row machine. As I was a walking down stairs from the cardio area another gym member introduced himself to me and told me that he was impressed with my effort. He aid he remembers seeing me before and can tell how far I've come. It made my morning even that much better. I have never been a runner. Even in high school when I wrestled I would never go out and run. This week I hit two pb one in distance 5.75 miles on 65 minutes and today's 3 miles in 30:45. I will continue to build on these milestones. Next stop for distance is my 10 k and for what I call speed is 30 minutes or less for my 5k. I will not be denied. I am through living in self doubt. I will set a mark and I will achieve it. It may not be the first time but I will keep going until I get it. I love this quote below from Arnold.  I've been asked by many people of I regret not starting sooner. I have few regrets in my life. I don't regret not starting sooner. My struggles have helped make me who I am today. I will learn from my past and apply what I've learned to make myself better each day. I will run my first timed 5k in march.  If your in the Modesto California area come on out and givea cheer lol. I won't be the fastest but on race day I will own my race.

     

Inspiration

In July 2012 I was a at cross roads in the journey I had started. I was still worried about what other thought and how they saw me. I attended the San Jose fit expo and felt completely out of place. I felt like everyone was starting at the fat guy walking around. I was ready to leave when I saw the Gnc booth. I went over to see what kind of samples I could get. I never knew that making the decision to swing by this one last booth would make my whole journey make a 180 degree turn. This is where I meet Bill Sienerth. I remember our conversation and unlike many of the others I had met that day Bill seemed genuinely interested in what I was saying.  He offered tons of encouragement and said he was personal trainer.  I think the thing that stuck with me the most was when he told me that he would change my life. We kept in touch over Facebook and Twitter and he kept asking me when I was going too let him change my life. His charisma and desire to help others better  themselves is infectious. I started his healthy life program in nov 2012 and was he right lol he changed life as I knew it. He has helped me not only go from 386 lbs to 230 lbs but to also believe that I can do what ever I choose to do. He continues to inspire me to be the greatest version of myself that I can be. I have wanted to quit. I have told him I was quitting and he told me no your not. He continues to believe in me even when I don't believe in myself. I want to continue to not only be inspired by Bill but to return the favor and inspire others around me. He is an article he was featured in last summer.

Someone who I have meet along my journey is Kelly Olexa.  She is the founder and CEO of Fitfluential. Fitfluential is a community of fitness enthusiasts sharing our journey via social media Facebook Twitter Instagram and any other way possible lol. I've learned a lot from beings  member of fitfluential. The community itself Is an amazing resource. Whether your into crossfit, running, bodybuilding triathletes they cover it all. Fitfluential is for anyone interested in fitness no matter what level you are on. The community is as positive as founder Kelly Olexa her self. Her positive attitude is just as contagious as Bill Sienerth's. She posts,interacts and encourages all her followers on a daily basis. I have never meet her personally but she is a huge inspiration for me and for many others that she inspires on a daily basis. Her positive can do attitude and genuine concern for others is amazing.  She always seems to have line on what's what in fitness whether it's new shoes or new fitness gadgets. I encourage you all to follow an join fitfluential and to follow Kelly Olexa on twitter and Instagram.

One of the greatest compliments I have gotten are when people have told me that I have Inspired them.  I want to live my life to not only inspire my children but to have them inspire others as well along the way. When we leave this world we don't take anything with us. How will we be remembered. I don't want to be on my death bed regretting things I wished I had done. I would rather fail at something and know that I tried to do it. I want my children to learn from me and live there lives to the fullest.  We need to encourage and inspire others on a daily basis. You never know how you will effect someone when you meet them.  Don't be the reason that they decide to quit rather encourage each other and be the reason that they didn't quit. One of the things I have learned and try to remember from Bill is " We are who we choose to be" this couldn't be more true. In the end we have no one to blame but ourselves for our own happiness or sadness.  We make the choice to be happy or sad. We choose how we react to what life throws at us. One thing I have learned is life goes on no matter what so why not make the decision to try and be as positive as possible no matter what. Surround yourself with like minded people that have the same goals or ideals as we do. Surround yourself with people who inspire you and want the best for you. I encourage you to follow My trainer Bill Sienerth on Facebook Twitter & Instagram as well as Kelly Olexa and Fitfluential.

If your looking to start your fitness journey or take it to the next level I encourage you to contact Bill about a healthy living program. He can personalize your plan no matter if it's for weight loss or for getting prepped for taking the stage fora competion. His link is here on my blog as well as the link to Fitfluential.

We all started somewhere

The new year is upon us and we have all made resolutions goals or promises to ourselves. Whether it's a start to a new journey or just an extension of it, we have to remember that we all started somewhere.

I hear a lot of people saying they hope to do this or hope to accomplish that. I feel that saying "I wish" or "I hope" is like leaving yourself a way out.  I know this first hand. I had always said in the past that i wish I could do this or hope to do that and nine out of ten times I never did it. The first step for me was realizing that there was a need for change. I was 35 years old and morbidly obese (386lbs). I had no idea what to do or how to do it. I just knew that I had to do something before I killed myself. I started walking. I couldn't walk very far at first but everyday I would walk a step further than I did the day before. Each time I went for a walk I would try and beat my distance and time from the day before. I changed the way I ate. I started logging my food into my fitness pal app on my phone. This made me more aware of what I was putting in my body. Each day it would get easier and easier to go further and further. I turned into a contest.  I was only competing against myself.

     In the beginning I told myself I was going to lose 100 lbs in a year.  This was my major goal. I would give myself smaller goals to attain along the way. I had daily weekly and monthly goals that would lead up to quarterly goals.  I had little rewards along the way that I would for.  It's important to keep yourself motivated.  It can be as  small as a cheat meal a pair of shoes a tattoo anything that will motivate you to keep going.  For me I found motivation in my children. I wanted to come home from work and have the energy to play with them with out getting winded. The thought of of dying at a young age and leaving my children with out a father. 

   On March 10,2013 I had my final weigh in for my year goal.  Not only did I lose the 100 lbs but I exceeded it by 25lbs.  I wasn't the strongest or the fastest in the gym.  I didn't have six pack abs or 20 inch biceps but what I did have was a sense of self accomplishment. I made a promise to myself and stuck to it.  The path was not smooth by any means. It was not just a physical journey I was on but a mental one as well. I had to deal with old demons I had thought I had gotten rid of long ago. There where times I wanted to quit.  There where times where I didn't stick to my meal plans. There were times I hit the snooze button and went back to bed.  There were plenty of times where my mind would say what the hell are you doing to yourself.  But each day is a new beginning.  Each day is a new day to make ourselves better if we choose to do so. You need to make sure that you surround yourself with positive thinking people.  People that want nothing but the best for you.  People that are negative or that try to make you waiver on what you want are not people you want to have on your team.  

    I have surrounded myself with a great support system.  From my wife to my trainer Bill Sienerth to people I consider on my team I have never meet before like Kelly Olexa (fitfluential) I know that they care and want the best for me.  My trainer Bill Sienerth has not only helped me change my physical appreance but also my mental outlook on life.  I believe that this journey is more mental than it is physical.  All we have to do is believe that we can be great.  And being great doesn't necessarily mean that you are the greatest at what we do but just a greater version of who we can be. Allow yourself to dream big and take that first step faith to accomplish the goals you set for 2014. One of my goals is to get my 5k under 38 minutes.  I just recently got my best time to 40:42. I also want to be able bench my body weight by summer time. Considering I'm still losing weight this will be a little easier as time goes on. Set small goals to achieve your big goals and you will eventually hit them. Never give up always remember you are worth the effort.  It not going to happen over night and it will take time and hard work.  The end reward is so worth it and this is just the beginning for me. The picture below was march 10,2012 to dec 30,2013