2020 / 2021 – Two Years of Kicking Ass

I was unhealthy and out of shape. Having a child really brought this into perspective. How was I supposed to intimidate her boyfriend if I couldn’t make it up the steps without breaking a sweat? More importantly, how would I look and feel when I turn 50 and she turns 20? 60 and she turns 30? I wanted to make sure I did everything in MY power to make sure I was around to watch her grow up AND be able to experience it with her (and now her sister too!) Leading by example was important to me. I didn’t want her to grow up unhealthy, and I wanted to be around as long as possible, so I had to make a change.

I would not have been able to do what I did without the people around me. I’d like to thank God, my manager, my stylist, the director…oh wait, wrong speech. This post specifically mentions four earthly beings who helped me on my weight loss journey. They aren’t the only ones, there have been so, so, so many more people who have helped me over the past two years, but I wanted this to be concise and not take forever. To those unmentioned, you know who you are, and I love you and appreciate everything you have done for me and my family. You are all so selfless. Kudos.

My Wonderful Wife – My wife is a straight badass and superhero. Somehow, she deals with me, my nonsense AND both of our kids. To change myself, I needed to change what I ate and how I exercised. Our breakfast, lunch and dinners were all flipped upside down. My wife supported me through this by making our meals mostly vegetarian and she dealt with my need to workout 5 days a week. Those who know me well know that when I get into something, it normally consumes me and my every waking moment until I reach my goal. I was 240lbs and I made a goal of 170lbs. It would not have been possible without my her. Jess selflessly adapted to my needs to accomplish my goal without skipping a beat. She also was a straight badass and ended up training for and running a 5k (while pregnant unbeknownst to her and I).

Cody and Eric – Sorry bros, you get a combined paragraph even though I learned a lot from you. Cody and Eric were my go to buddies I talked to when I hit a new milestone or just needed to selfishly talk about my accomplishments. They had constant words of encouragement and were both people I looked up to in my journey. They offered perspective and knowledge in the areas I was looking to improve. Cody pushed me out of my comfort zone and got me to sign up for my first organized run too. Among other things, I learned that I needed to get out of my comfort zone and say yes to things that scared me. Sorry Wolkie, I don’t have any good photos with you except for the Fun Run from 2020, we need to change this in 2022.

Al – Dude, you killed it. It means so much to me that we did this together. It was awesome to have you going through the same experience. Our morning commutes chatting about our routines and changes we were making definitely helped me make it through. I love how we both found different routes to achieve our goals. I’m super proud that you did the 5k with Cody and I. You crushed it and you really pushed yourself and you set a great example.

Without all of these people (and more) I would not have been able to accomplish what I did. I thank you all, from the bottom and top of my heart. I learned a lot along the way, one thing in particular stands out. You are only as strong as your support network. If you are looking to accomplish something, surround yourself with like-minded individuals who will lift you up and support you. They most likely have invaluable advice from their experiences.

This post isn’t all about me or the people who helped me reach my goals either. This post is about YOU. What are YOU looking to achieve in 2022? What goals do YOU want to smash? I want to let YOU know, that I am here for YOU. Let’s do this, together. The past two years have been rough on many people and I want to let you know that I am here and I’m willing to help. Please, reach out to me if you need something. The people around me are great because they give selflessly, 2022 is my year of giving back. I have certain gifts that I need to use to make a positive change. I’m putting my money where my mouth is. I have experience in many areas that could be beneficial to you! Hit me up. Let’s talk about your goals and how to achieve them. Breakfast, lunch or dinner are on me.

Note: my website is not finished. I used a template and haven’t had the chance to change everything yet. Some of my posts are just straight word vomit. I am working on this as well this year.