Don’t be fooled by the above image. I, like many other people in this world, battle a raging war with obesity. It is a plague that has stricken the population on a worldwide scale… well mostly. I have known nothing else but the comforts of food from a very young age and just grew up with it. Today, I still have the same bad food habits as I did as a child and I am writing this as a 28 year old whose last time being in a “healthy” weight bracket was probably at 5 years old. So being able to say as an adult I’ve never had a slim healthy body, let alone an average one, is quite striking. I am writing this coming in at approximately 6’3 and 150kgs. I’m a big lad.
I am also like many others who have tried to stick with a diet, a lifestyle change, a promise to myself, different plans and workouts but just don’t seem to stick with it more than 4 weeks. Now most times I end up making excuses for myself, other times something else happens like I’ll get sick or whatever, either way “stuff happens” basically and I just drop the ball. Then follows a low point where you’re beating yourself up about failing and you return to the age old friend, comfort food for your momentary feel good moment while you move on from letting yourself down again. Now all this and some other life situations ended up taking me down a path of severe depression which I would be medicated for over the course of the last 2 years. Also your doctor informing you that you have an under active thyroid. This hasn’t helped my weight situation at all you could imagine.
Before you start going down the road of calling me out as a “cry baby” and that I should just “get over it and get off my fat arse you lazy bum”, it’s just not that easy. When your whole life you’ve known nothing else but these habits, that’s a daunting task to make that change. Getting out there for a walk, doing some weights, lunges and push ups is really the easy part in all this. I can do that stuff. At my best in any fitness regard I was able to bench 110kg 3 sets of 10 reps, standing upright curls 50kgs 3 sets of 10 reps, standing upright rows 3 sets of 10 reps, go jogging with a 20kg vest on with 5kg weight bands on my wrists. I can do the workouts. The real challenge comes from within. Trying to rewire your mind into something that it’s never been is hard, real hard.
This is me at my the best I’ve ever looked, and trust me that’s something.
To change my lifestyle from sedentary to active is difficult as I work at a job where I’m sitting for 8 hours, then when I come home my hobbies either involve a computer or a game console. Now studying I need to dedicate at least 2 hours a night to my learning and assignments. Do every day chores. Spend time with my girlfriend and also somewhere in all that I need to find my personal time to unwind. This last part is the important piece of this puzzle or balancing act if you will. Working a job is a necessity, so are my studies and now I also need to make my health a priority. I know my girlfriend will support that and will accept that managing time around this will require understanding.
So you might be asking yourself now after reading this: “Then what’s the hold up? Why aren’t you out there doing something about it already?”. That is a very good question. I can only answer that by admitting that I’m still guilty of looking for an excuse, or there’s always something or nothing that’s more important. By writing this it is actually helping me sort out my mind frame and start making myself more accountable for my actions and priorities. If I can make putting my thoughts down into my blog I will hope to utilise this as a means to get my thoughts down so I’m not over thinking and when I check in on my site I can see my posts and remind myself about what I need to do.
I want to be healthy in my 30’s. For the first time in my life. I’d like to see a 30 year old me as someone who’s finally comfortable in their self. So tonight I’m going to record myself a little time capsule video to watch on my 30th birthday to give myself a solid remind of where I’ve come from over 2 years. So this is it. Monday morning is just around the corner.
Here goes everything.
-Chunt
Best of luck bro! I started doing something similar a few months back. I called it Steve 2.0 and the entire concept was to become stronger, smarter, faster, and healthier overall both mentally and physically. I started taking photos of myself, my eczema, my teeth (I need work done) etc and documenting it all in my own little “character profile” on my laptop. Every month I update it, and jot down records of any new knowledge acquired, physical changed made, and what not. The goal is to be at the height of my ability, or “max level”, by the time I am 30, and I turn 25 in July.
It probably sounds childish to some, but I actually think you’d get what I mean when I say I view it as if my body is my avatar, life is just a game with no respawns (as far as we know), and I am simply increasing my stats. Afterall, we do just live in first person mode. 😛
Anyways bro, just 5 cents from a fellow adventurer on the path of training. I’ll be rootin for ya dude!
Hey mate! Yeah I can totally understand where you’re coming from them. I’ve actually set up a spreadsheet I have yet to use. I’ve based it around the guise of Xbox Achievements. So I allot daily tasks to be completed and if I complete one I get an achievement to mark off on the spreadsheet. Every day I have the chance to earn 1000 achievement points. The whole levelling up thing is an awesome idea! Like Skyrim in first person mode: the more you do something the fast it levels up to bring your character to a new level. That’s a great idea! Might have to borrow that one!. haha. Well done!
All the best to your efforts and your adventure, man. Sounds like you’ve got a hold of what you’re doing. 🙂
I’m so proud of you admitting this to yourself. You have a big challenge ahead and I will support you in this. I’m looking forward to seeing a healthy new you. Xoxo
Go for it and good luck. I have to confess I am naturally very slim, but probably very unhealthy. While I’m not obese and judged by people, I am very unmotivated and completely empathise with you on how hard it is to commit to a regular exercise routine.
I wish you boundless success 🙂
Hi Rachel, thanks so much for the kind words! So you’re one of the lucky ones! Haha. I’ll be posting in my progress as I go to keep me motivated so see how we go! 🙂