Teach your children well

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a parent we always want the best for our children.  We as parents set an example for our children.  They are like little recorders watching our every move and listening to everything we say. They learn at an early age habits that set them up for life time of success or failure.  We as parents pay attention to what they watch on television or listen to on the radio.  We make sure that there friends are not a bad influence on them.  We make sure they know the dangers or drugs and alcohol.  I know for me I worried about all these things when my wife was pregnant with our first child.  I made a checklist in my mind. Make sure they respect there elders.  Make sure we teach them right from wrong.  I wanted to make surei showed them by being an example. I was going to start cleaning up my language.  I even went as far as to quit drinking.  I wanted to make sure that my children didn't fall into the same traps and vices i did as an teenager and adult.  The one thing i never thought about was what they eat.
We need to educate our children about food the same way we educate them about any other addictive vice they may come in contact with.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You see I was around 320 lbs or more when my daughter was born. I ate what i wanted when i wanted to.  It would not be uncommon for me to kill a large pizza and a 2 liter of Pepsi in one sitting.  I would have soda for breakfast with donuts or some sort of fast food.  I had no idea about nutrition or eating healthy.  As far as i knew it was normal to eat what ever i wanted.  As a child growing up we never had limitations on what we could or couldn't eat.  We ate until we were didn't want to eat anymore. See just like any other habit such as alcoholism or drug abuse  I was falling into a cycle.  I was learning my eating habits from my parents.  I don't blame them for being overweight or obese.  I struggled with more demons than just eating pizza lol.  I found comfort in food at an early age.  If I got hurt or didn't feel well mom would make me something or buy get ma treat.  If we were good we were rewarded with candy or an ice cream. Are these bad things to be rewarded with not at all.  the one thing I was never taught was nutrition or portion control.  As my children grew older I noticed they ate what I ate.  So if was having chips they would be eating chips as well.  As i became more educated about nutrition through my lifestyle change i know that it is up to us as parents we also need to teach our kids about portion control and nutritional value in the foods we eat. I am not saying that candy or an occasional trip to Mcdonalds is out of the question but we have to teach them it has to be in moderation.






 I live in Merced County and according to a study done by Ucla Center For Health Policy found that 34.3% of  Merced County residents are obese.  An article in the Merced Sun star stated that it was estimated that 43% of the children are overweight or obese. Things are different now than when i was a kid.  WE could go out at sunrise ride bikes play out front as long as we are home by dark.  In today's society we can't just let our kids run around outside like we use to.  Instead they are inside playing video games or watching TV.  We as parents need to encourage our children to be active.  We have to lead by example.  Get them involved at an early age with sports or other activities that keep them busy.  My daughter is and my son is 4.  They both are in Tball this spring.  My wife and i are already looking into soccer in the fall.

The Race!!!!

The alarm went off early like any other day, but today was not like any other day.  Today was a day i had been anticipating for a while.  It was the day I signed up to run my first 5k. This does not seem like a long distance to much but to me it was more than the distance. It was what the run symbolized.  It was the culmination of two years of hard work and determination.  I felt a sense of nervousness i had not felt sine my wrestling days.  It was that competitive edge that i had lost so long ago.  I packed my stuff up and headed off to the run.  I got there and sat in my car and listened to my google play to get pumped for the next 30 min or  so.  I got out and mingled with the crowd a little.  I saw on old friend from high school and one of my best friends wife and sister.   I started to feel my stomach turn a little more.  I stepped  away from the crowd and gathered my thoughts as i stretched.  My mind went back to my wrestling days.  I uses to listen to the hardest rock or metal music i could find at that time.  I switched to google play to Hatebreed radio.  I stopped long enough to listen to the national anthem an watch the marathon and half marathon runners take off.  It was almost go time.  I felt my heart rate accelerate from the adrenaline rush.  There use to be no better rush than waiting for a big match and getting called out to take the mat.  I heard the announcer call out and tell everyone to get ready to start.  He directed the speedsters to come up front and the slower people to stay in the back.  I had  no idea what to expect since this was my first run.  So i opted to stay towards  the back.  As i stood there waiting for them to finish the countdown all i could think about was my wrestling days stepping on the line waiting for the whistle to blow for .  My coach would always have us visualize the match before it started.  We would always have our first three to four moves planned out ahead of time.  It was so crazy because i hadn't even moved yet and my heart was pounding.  Then the time had come.  The horn sounded and we where off.  

My first instinct was to take off like a bat out of hell lol.  Only problem was i couldn't.  There where so many people that from the time the race started to the actual time that i crossed the start line was almost two minutes.  It seemed like the longest walk ever.  As i got closer and closer to the start line the first stage of my emotional roller coaster began.  I started to think about how a little over two years ago I had to have my wife come pick me up from a 1/2 mile walk.  I thought back to the day i stood on that scale and saw 386 lbs flash back at me.  I thought about how i wasn't able to play with my kids without getting winded.  All these emotions hit me at one time.  I hadn't even crossed the start line yet lol.  Once i stepped over that line i began to run at a pace that was comfortable for me. As we headed down M st i felt like everything was going so fast.  I tried to focus on my breathing and not get to far ahead of myself.  I  was trying to just take in everything as it was happening in front of me.  I heard my Nike App say 1 mile 11:09.  I thought holy crap that 1st mile went by fast.  Old habits die hard first thing that popped in my head was wrestling.  Round one was over time for round two.  We headed out of downtown and into the residential area.  I was amazed on how many people were in front of there homes cheering us on as we passed by them.  Some homes even had water for us if we wanted it.  As we wound past Enselen Park they had a music group playing .  I don't know what they were playing because I had my ear buds in blasting my play list i had set up.  

I heard my app say 2 miles.  My time had gotten better by almost a minute.  Did that mile in 10:13.  This past mile was in the tree lined neighborhoods and the cold was making my legs stiffen up.  As we came around past the Great Valley Museum all i could think was round three lets finish strong.  So i picked up the pace a little bit and as we turned the corner the sun was finally on us.  I started to sweat more than i was before and decided to take off my wind breaker. I only regret this because it slowed me down some.  We came around and ended up on Ninth St.  They had a band playing under the bridge as we came through.  I didn't realize that the finish line was so close or i would not have messed with my jacket lol.  I also never realized that there where mile markers on the side of the road to let us know how much further we had.  I heard my app say 3 miles.  As i turned off ninth onto N st i could see the finish line.  I kicked it into what i would call high Gear (probably most peoples trot lol) I sprinted to the finish line.  The feeling of accomplishment was overwhelming.  My mind was filled with so many emotions.  My eyes began to swell up a little.  I walked past the water station grabbed a water bottle and went off to the side by myself to collect my thoughts.  I had accomplished my first official 5k Race.  I looked at my phone cause i forgot to turn off my app.  It said 34 minutes.  I was happy with that time.  I waited around for my friend Lupe and her sister at the finish line.  We made our way through grabbing our goodie bags and checking our finish times.  I was surprised that i finished two minutes faster than i had thought.  

I am super proud of not only my time but of finishing in the top 12 out of 32 in my age group.  The run was almost like a a summary of my life so far.  The first mile was the past. The 2nd mile being my present and the third mile being my future.  I was amazed on how much the running community is like the wrestling community that i have loved for so long.  There were many different runner from many different levels.  You had your distance runners your speedsters and your walkers.  All with one common goal to cross that finish line.  Not only did i find that competitive fire again but i also found a new love for running.  I cant wait to sign up for the next one.  I challenge anyone who hasn't done a run to give it try.  You just might surprise yourself and fall in love with it.

My Chocolate Tea Experience

Ok so who doesn't love chocolate?  Chocolate and I have had a long lasting love affair for some time now. I have also always had a love for tea as well.  So to say I was excited when I found out I could have both in one cup is an understatement! Have you heard of Tisano Tea? Well if not, you have NO idea what you’re missing out on!

This tea brings me back to my childhood, on cold mornings my mom would brew mint tea for us before school.  This tea gives you the “burst” of natural energy to tell your mind “Good Morning World”.  It combines the Organic Egyptian Peppermint and the refreshing organic cacao which creates a rich yet refreshing chocolate experience that lingers on your lips and brings me back to those cold mornings when I was growing up.

This was really my first experience making “loose leaf tea” I’ve always used the tea in a “filter bag” so this was a new experience for myself.  I would mix 1 tsp of the Tisano Mint Cacao Tea in my “Tea Infuser” with 8 ounces of boiling water, I’d let it steep for 3 to 4 minutes (as it suggests on the can),  As it steeps in the water you can really smell the mint, it literally “wakes UP your senses”.  When you’re drinking this tea you can actually taste the mint and chocolate, they blend well together for that minty chocolaty goodness that we all crave.

In India tea has its roots in Ayurveda, a holistic approach to medicine focusing on food and lifestyle.  From there, India’s most popular beverage – Masala Chai, “Spiced Tea” was born.  Tisano takes this 5,000 year old tradition into the 21^st Century.

Once again the Tisano teas have taken me back to my childhood.  The Chai Cacao Tea reminded me of the Mexican hot chocolate my mom would makes us after dinner.  As I was steeping and drinking this tea the aromas of cinnamon, cloves, and the chocolate filled my senses and reminded me of those evenings of my childhood. 

My recommendation would be that the Tisano Mint Cacao Tea would be a morning wake me up tea, something you drink in the morning to start your day in place of the usual coffee.  The Tisano Chai Cacao Tea is more of a mid-afternoon/evening, after dinner type of tea to soothe your senses before bed.

Both blends that I’ve had the opportunity to try were great but I would have to say the Tisano Mint Cacao Tea would have to be my favorite of the two. 

So you too can experience these greats teas too, Tisano allowed me to share the 15% discount with my readers and followers, use this code Tisanolicious15% when ordering your own wonderful tea from their website at www.tisano.com  

Also, use the following link for a chance to WIN a 4oz tin and two 12g samples of Tisano tea.

http://www.imfitpossible.com/#!Brands-We-Love-Tisano-Tea/cds9/CD480D3D-3CEA-4F46-8780-400405D6A9A1

My two year anniversary

Its hard to believe two years has passed since I started my journey. On march 10,2012  I decided to take back control of my life. I had went to my doctor after my best friend told me he was worried about me weight. I never realized how much my weight had gotten out of control. I avoided taking picture except from the neck up. I avoided scales and would rarely look in the mirror.  I figured if i didn't see the number on the scale or me in the mirror that i could avoid how unhappy i was with my weight.  It wasn't until my best friend told me that i was going to die young and leave my kids with no father that i really opened my eyes to what i had created. I was suffering from depression lack of self esteem.   I drank and ate thinking it would make me feel better.  But it never seemed to work.  The food or alcohol would only numb the pain i felt inside for a short period of time.  I went to the doctor the final time and when i saw 390 lbs flash i knew i had to do something.  The next day i told my wife Nancy i was going to walk a mile. She had a look of surprise and said OK.  i made it maybe a half mile down the road and had to call her to pick me up. every day i would walk a little further than the day before even it was just a step. I took me almost 28 min to walk that first mile.  I continued walking everyday building up to 3 miles day after a few short months.  The weight was coming off and i joined in shape city in turlock after seeing a friend of from high school worked there. i started weight training and continued walking. i still had no clue on what i was doing. I logged my food on the app my fitness pal.  It was hard for me to go to the gym.  I was intimidated and felt embarrassed because i saw all these ripped guys walking around throwing up a bunch of weight. I finally went as far as i could and had to ask for help.




I had met Bill Sienerth at the San Jose Fit expo in July 2012.  Hew was the only person who actually talked to me and that actually listened to what i had to say.I will never forget when he told me he could train me.I was thinking yeah right. The one thing that stuck in my mind was when he said i will change your life.  We stayed in contact over the next few months via twitter and facebook. It took me a few months but i finally took that step of faith and signed up with Bill. he told me to get ready cause he was going to help me change my life.  I was a little over 310 when i started the program.   he designed a program for me and my goals.  The first month i lost over 25 lbs.  the weight continued to come off.  At my one year Weigh in i lost 125 lbs in the first year.  But it wasn't just the weight loss that was victory.  It was the start of a whole new lifestyle.  I knew that in order for the weight to stay off it couldn't be a diet it had to be a lifestyle change.  The second year was about not just losing weight but also growing mentally.  I have had the opportunity to do things i never would have been able to do if i hadn't gone for that walk that day.  I had the opportunity to be on stage with Bill at the la fit expo. I had the opportunity to be a brand ambassador for Gnc. I think the greatest thing i have gotten is a better quality of life not just for myself but for my children,. The past year has had its up and downs.  Its Victories and its failures.  I take the failures as lessons to learn from.  I still struggle like everyone else does.  I have my good days and my bad days.  the key is not allowing those bad days turn into weeks or months.  I struggled in December after getting denied for skin removal surgery.  I sometimes  would look in the mirror and still the fat guy looking back at me. I don't see the physical results as much as i would like but i know that i am not the same person i was yesterday and wont be the same person tomorrow.  I continue to press forward and try to focus on the now.  I take the tools I've learned and try to apply them on a daily basis.  Sometimes it takes more than one try to get it correct but the key is to never give up.




So today marked my two year anniversary of my journey.   i hit some am cardio and them the scale.   i weighed in at 230 lbs.  I am proud of what i have been able to do over the past two years. I know that there is no end to the process just new beginnings and will continue to learn new things everyday.  Here is to a great 2014 filled with new adventures and new opportunities.  I was so excited to find out today that i was accepted as as FitFluential Ambassador. It was  like a birthday present for my two year birthday lol.






I would like to thank my wife Nancy for supporting me over the past two years with my journey.  I would not have been able to do it with out you and your support.  Here is to a great 2014 filled with new adventures and new opportunities.

The struggle is worth the benefits

So I had an awesome day today. Not only did I get the news that I am an Imfitpossible ambassador but I had the pleasure of taking my children to there first t ball practice. It was so fun to see them so excited to try something new. The highlight for me was being able to be out there being an able to help ad participate. I know that if I wouldn't have made the decision to change my life and get healthy I would not have been able to have this and more opportunities. I was kind f an emotional mess in my mind lol. I thought back to almost two years ago at 390 lbs. I probably would not have been able to participate with them. If I did it would have been very limited on what I could and couldn't do. I look back and so thankful that my friend Matt cared enough to step  up and finally say something to me that day.  days like today make all the long days in the gym all worth the effort.

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Sometimes life gets so busy that we take things for granted. I do things today that I couldn't do back then. I can touch my toes, tie my shoes, run and play with my kids.  days like today really validate that I made the right decision not just for me but for my family.  I'm far from being down and look forward to what the future brings me and my family.

Encourage & Empower

I have been wondering why its so hard for people to encourage one another no matter what road they choose with getting fit. It shouldn't matter if your a power lifter, runner or whether you choose to follow a pescatarian or your a vegetarian.  It shouldn't matter if you are using Body By Vi  or Herbalife.  All that should matter is that the end result is we are healthy and happy.

It amazes me how once you try to find something new that fits you better how quick people are to judge you or what your doing.  I believe that any program you choose will work for each individual person as long as they work hard at it.  i know a family who has done amazing things with there health through Herbalife & Body By Vi.  I believe it boils down to what you find the most rewarding for yourself.

 I use to feel the need to justify the path I have chosen but now honestly i don't feel the need to anymore.  It works for me and I am in the best Shape of my life.  I have an awesome support group that starts with my wife Nancy.  I have an awesome trainer in Bill Sienerth who challenges me daily with my personalized healthy life plan.  I get daily motivation and inspiration from Kelly Olexa and the rest of the FitFluential community.  I am inspired daily by seeing every day people sharing there journeys of accomplishments as well as failures.  Is there a right way or wrong way to to get fit and stay fit.  I really don't think so as long as you do it in a healthy and safe manner.There will always be people who will questions what you do and why you do it. In the end all that matters is that you can look yourself in the mirror and be happy with what you have done and who you are.

This morning I gave shaker cup and shirt I got from the expo to a guy in my gym.  He has a similar story to mine. He was overweight and decided to change his life through fitness.  He did it all through exercise Body By Vi and healthy eating.  Even though we took different paths the end result is we are both healthy and living life at a whole new level.  I encourage you to find someone during your day and give a smile a hand shake buy them a coffee or even just a hello its good to see you.  You never know how much you can impact someone day or even life.

A life changing event The Fit Expo

Who knew attending attending the San Jose Fit Expo would have such an impact on my life. In July of 2012  I attended the my first fit expo with only one intention to meet Ufc fighter Tito Ortiz.  I walked around all day not knowing what anything about supplements or who any of the athletes were. In my mind I felt like everyone was watching me. I was close to 350 lbs when I attended my first fit expo. I felt awkward and out of place. I wandered around waiting for the Q&A and meet and greet with My UFC hero Tito Ortiz. As I sat listening to him speak he said something that hit home. He woke up one morning and looked in the mirror and did not like what he saw looking back. I had that feeling a few month before when I started my weight loss journey in march tipping the scale at 386 lbs. on the way out I saw the only booth I recognized which was the Gnc booth. The one thing I have noticed about the athletes at Gnc are how encouraging and interactive they are with the people who attend the events. This is also where I met my trainer Bill Sienerth.  Not knowing anything about supplements I tossed my bag full of samples away on my way out. Knowing what I know I now I kick myself for that choice lol. 

      My next fit expo was the La Fit Expo 2014. I was about two months into working with Bill when he invited e down to La. He was giving a seminar on Sunday and asked if I would attend and speak a little about my journey. Once again the vent was amazing. I was a little more in tune with what was going on and who some of the athletes where. I got meet a ton of awesome people like  4x Mr Olympia Jay Cutler, Tito Ortiz, Duane Ludwig and Many others. I got to meet more of the Gnc athletes. Wade & Karl Gillingham, 8x Ms Fitness Olympia Adela Garcia. These athletes where very encouraging and supportive of not just me but everyone they came in contact with. On Sunday Bill took the stage for the seminar. As I sat there and listened I got nervous knowing eventually he would call me up on stage with him.  Even though  wasn't going to say much I had to face my fear of getting up in front of people I didn't know. He called me up and put up my before picture. As I began to answer his picture it clicked in my mind that I would eventually want to speak and tell my story to inspire others. We came off the stage and Mr Natural Olympia (1998) shook my hand and gave me some words of encouragement. I got to meet Tito Ortiz again and show him my picture from when I met him 6 months before. I asked him to sign my 5 xl punishment shirt. I came away from this event with a dream and goal of motivational speaking. My weight was about 260 at this time.

I attended the San Jose fit expo for the second time in July 2013. It had been a year since I had attend this event that had had impacted my so much. I meet new athletes that I had not met before and some that I had meet from the previous year.  I went with some of my former wrestlers who had me show my before picture to some of the athletes we met. I remember meeting Greg Plitt an showing him my before picture. He was blown away by my before picture. His exact words were omg lol.he grabbed his video camera and did a small interview of me right there in his line. I told him why I started and how my trainer Bill had made my personal healthy life plan. We talked for what seemed like for ever lol. He was very supportive and encouraging. I was a walking around the expo and ran into Mark "Flex" Anthony. He was such an amazing person to talk to. I had on my Bill Sienerth shirt and he knew right away who I was lol. The event was full of reflection of where I had been the year before and how far I had come. This year I knew not to throw my goodie bag of supplements away lol. 

This years La Fit Expo was awesome. I got to meet and see new and old faces from my previous visits to the expo. I got into town others day before the event itching to do some sort of workout. So I rented a bike at the he Santa Monica pier and met up with Bill. We took off and headed north towards Malibu.  We biked for a while and headed back. I started thinking that at this time last year I never would have been physically able to do the ride. I got to the expo early on Saturday and stood I the massive line to get in. My first booth to visit was 360 cut. I wanted to meet Dean "the freak of physique" Fazzolari. He was such a great person to meet in person. I follow him on Instagram and love his motivating posts and new workout ideas. I got some 360 cut sample and could not wait to get home and try there preworkout called activator. I showed him my before picture and got picture with him. My next stop was to see 4x Mr O Jay Cutler.  I had taken my son Nathan a few weeks before to meet him in San Jose. Nathan stood in line for almost two hrs to meet him. He got a picture with him that jay later posted on Facebook and Instagram. He called him his new bodyguard bat boy. As we left he said that muscle man bill had bigger muscles than Jay Cutler lol. I made a copy of the picture he got with Jay and Nathan signed it so I could give it to him. As always Jay was great to meet. He loved the picture Nathan autographed for him. I went to hear Jillian Michaels speak at her seminar. She was amazing to listen to.. I made stops at Evogen nutrition booth to meet Steve Kucklo as well as virus athletic wear to meet Cub Swanson. One of my great healthy snack food finds from day one had to be the ratio bar. Every time I hear all natural,gluten free, gmo free I think of something with no flavor and tastes like cardboard lol.  This is not the case with this protein bar. It tastes amazing. I tried the cake batter flavor and it literally tasted like a spoon full of cake batter. I tried several others through the out the day and in my opinion no other bar came close to it in flavor or even in its texture. I highly recommend grabbing some from your local Gnc. 

Day two went by faster than day one. Even though the crowd wasn't as big I was passing time with one of my former wrestlers Phil Tubera. My first stop was the bodybuilding.com booth. Was in and out in no time. We went back later and the line was at least a 2 hr wait. Next stop was the optimum nutrition booth. I wanted to meet Steve Cook again and have him sign my picture I had taken with him from the San Jose Fit Expo. He noticed right away that I had lost more weight since we had last taken a picture. Phil said out load show him your before picture coach. I showed him and he couldn't believe it. He asked me how I had achieved my weight loss so far. I explained to him that I was on a healthy life plan designed by my Trainer Bill. He asked if he could ask me a few more questions and I happily said yes. He called over his swoldier nation video camera guy an started to do a mini interview asking my why I started and how stay motivated. He asked me what advice I would give to other obese people just starting out. It was a very cool experience because I was there to meet him and he spun the tables around and was more interested in me story. As I left I thanked him for his time and the autograph I got for Nathan. He said the pleasure was all his and thanked me for sharing my inspirational story.  I had to meet Maria Kang (aka the fit mom). She came under fire for posting a picture of her an her three kids with the subtitle what's your excuse. I shared my story with her and showed her my before picture.she was so humble and her message is not one of fat bashing mom butt what I took from her was even as parents we need to take the time to set an example for our children and live a healthy life. We we moved onto the next booth which was Dana Linn Bailey( 1st ever ms physique Olympia winner) Dana and her husband rob where amazing people to meet.  Once again Phil told me to show here my before picture and the response I got from Rob and Dana was awesome. I explained how I had lost the weight and they were very encouraging as well. We went on to meet one of Bills friends Mark (flex) Anthony. The first ever men's physique Mr Olympia.. He is such a down to earth great person to meet. It seemed like day two flew by so fast lol. Another great expo in the books and can't wait to hit the San Jose fit expo in July. Bill and I wrapped up the weekend with an awesome upper body workout at the iconic Golds gym in Venice,ca.

  We ventured home on Monday stopping a long the way to enjoy the beautiful pacific coast. It was time of reflection for me as we drove I thought back on the past two years. I never would have been able to hike ride or experience all that I have if I had not taken that step of faith to change my life. With the amazing support of my wife Nancy I am experiencing life like I never have before.  If you ever have a chance to attend a Fit Expo event I encourage you to do so.  it may change your life the way it changed mine.I encourage anyone who reads this and is thinking about starting a healthier lifestyle to not wait till tomorrow or next week. Start today.  It's as easy as going for a walk or bike ride. Make simple changes in your eating habits. Don't bite off more than you can chew.  Make it fun set small goals for yourself. Daily goals that turn into weekly goals that then turn into bigger goals. I look back and don't regret not starting earlier. I know that the path I took before now sets my path for the future. I take my past defeats and learn from them.  I think the highlight of the trip was having Bill meet my family.  He got meet my why. My family is what keeps me going. I want to lead by example for my children. I want them to see that leading a healthy lifestyle can be fun as well as taste good. I also want to inspire people along the way and show them that it is possible to lose weight with out any surgery or crazy diets.  Hard work and dedication pay off. If your thinking of starting your weight loss journey click on the tab to my trainer Bill Sienerth's website at the top of my page.  If your looking for encouragement and accountability I urge you to follow and join FitFluential on Facebook and Instagram as well as follow there CEO and founder Kelly Olexa.