Life is about choices

This past week my family took a wonderful road trip.  We drove over 1800 miles through three states in 6 days.  We went to Phoenix to visit with my trainer Bill Sienerth and also to cheer on and see  IFBB Pro Sara Kovach win the Phoenix Europa.  We had such an amazing experience. We got to see and experience things that I never thought possible. Things that I would have never dreamed of before I decided to Choosefitness. 

Dinner with Bill, Sara Nancy and the kids after Sara Europa win in Phoenix

   Sometimes I am amazed on how making one little decision in life can have such a huge impact on not just myself but others around me.  Over two years ago I made the decision to Choosefitness.  I literally felt like I had one foot in the grave.  It is like so many other vices or addictions out there. I lived in complete and total denial.  I figured if I avoided taking pictures or going out much i would not have to face the fact that i had let myself become morbidly obese. I use the term morbidly obese instead of overweight due to the fact that I weighed in at 390 lbs.  I am almost positive I weighed more since i started walking and cutting out junk food two weeks prior to my doctors appointment,  I had several health issues sleep apnea being the worst.  During one of my sleep studies I stopped breathing for almost 45 seconds. The nurse came into wake me up and switch me to a different machine.  I avoided looking at myself in the mirror because frankly I did not like what I saw looking back at me. Life is about choices.  It is about living with the choices we make good or bad.  I had chosen to let my health spiral out of control.  I chose to sit and eat a whole large pizza in one sitting.  I chose to drink a 12 pack of Pepsi in a day.  All these bad choices led me to hit finally hit my rock bottom.  I am husband and a father of two wonderful children and I had no energy to play with them.  I would get winded trying to walk across the yard to get a ball or to chase them.  It took an amazing friend to literally scare the hell out of me.  I will never forget what he said to me that night.  He told me when you die from a heart attack I will tell your kids you where a great guy.  To this day those words still get me a little choked up.  The very next day I chose to start trying to make a difference in my life.  It started with by making different choices in what I ate and drank.  It started by choosing to go walking.  I never forget the first day having to have my wife come pick me up because I was literally exhausted. I thought i had walked for ever turned out to be less than an 1/2 mile.  Every day I made the choice to walk further and further everyday.  Even if it was just a few steps more than the day before.

  

Day 1 March 10,2012  390 lbs

    In July I made my next huge choice.  I chose to attend the San Jose Fit Expo.  I felt so out of place walking around all these fit people. I had lost weight but was still about 350 lbs.  I felt like people Would look right past me.  I felt so uncomfortable and was ready to leave.  On my way out I stopped off at the Gnc booth.   A guy turned around and started talking to me. He asked me if i worked out.  My first response was great here we go another muscle head going to lecture me.  I told him I started working out and losing weight.  He asked me if i had a trainer and i told him no.  That's when Bill Sienerth handed me his card and said he wanted to train me. I was thinking no way this guy really wants train me.  As I turned to walk away he told me something i will never forget.   he told me I WILL HELP YOU CHANGE YOUR LIFE.  I was thinking that a bold statement.  We kept in contact Via twitter and Facebook until November when again I made another choice.  I decided to finally sign with Bill.  It has to be the best decision I have made when it comes to my health.  He did what he said he was going to do.  He helped me change my life mentally and physically. ON the first month I was down almost thirty lbs.  He put together a healthy life plan that was taylor made for my weight loss.  I had a goal of losing a 100lbs in a year.  With Bills help i crushed that goal by 25 lbs.  Since I decided to Choosefitness I have been able to live life in a whole new perspective.  

Crossing the finish line at my first 5k race.

Jumping over the fire at the Warrior Dash

   

I am doing things I thought never possible before.  I have ran my first 5k in March.  I just completed a major goal of a Warrior Dash.  The Warrior Dash was a goal Bill and I had set two years before.  I am competing in the Men's Health Urbanarathon in San Francisco in less than three weeks.   During our vacation we hiked down Bright Angel trail for a few miles with my kids.  These are all things that are all made possible by deciding to Choosefitness to change my life for the better.  None of these things would have been possible with out making a choice. 

Bill And I holding up my old size 56 waist pants

I have been asked if i regret not starting sooner.  My answer is no.  I believe I started when i was ready to choose the right time. Although my decision might have been out of desperation and fear.  I honestly believe i was not ready before even though i had tried and failed in the past.  I am not saying I have been perfect over the past two or so years.  I struggle like everyone else does. I sometimes get caught up on how far others are coming along and not seeing changed fast enough in myself.  I will have a pity party and falter for few days.  This again is a choice that I make.  I then make the choice to pick my self up and continue on.  I need to remember I'm not competing with others but with myself.  Each day making the choice to be better than I was the day before.  I focus on how far I have come and not on far I have to go.  I Choosefitness to change my life so I can experience and enjoy life in a whole new way.  If you want more info on how or where to start your journey click on the Choosefitness link to contact my trainer Bill Sienerth or feel free to contact me as well.