Moving up in the world...

Good Afternoon,

I was recently approached by friends and asked a simple question, "What's your story?" Of course, beings that I had no idea as to what they where asking about, I go, "about what?" They hardly recognized me, hardly knew who I was. They hadn't saw me in well over a year. I was well groomed, clean shaving, and skinny and buff compared to who I was when they last saw me.

Backing up a few years ago, as they knew me when I was in college at Michigan State University, I really wasn't active, except for playing video games, and I was pretty heavy set. While in college, I was around 285 pounds, 5'10", a 44 pant size, 2XL, scruffy/hillbilly looking, and pretty much the epitome of being the stay in doors computer gamer during the day and the drink all night with friends type of guy, usually landing me either in someone's lawn, deck, or bush in the morning. I look back on those days and wonder, "What the heck were you thinking in those day?" I answered my own question with a, "you probably weren't thinking!"

Let progress forward, September 2009, I thought it was time to make some changes and the doctors agreed. I was having some chest issues, hip issues, knee issues, and sleep issues. The biggest hit came when my orthopedist, Dr. Sudhir Rao, gave me an ultimatum. Backing up again, I broke my hips when I was 12, slipped the capitol femoral epiphysis on both sides. It healed, however, between the way it healed and my weight, a bone spur grew across the top leading to the joint. It was pinching nerves and the hip capsule. The choices I was left with were to either shed the weight and get more flexible or undergo a complicated and dangerous surgery, leaving me on crutches for a year, possibly longer. I already knew how it is to be down for a year plus, I decided to make the badly needed changes to become fit and healthy. At this time, I got a hold of Beachbody, and chose to commit to the change through P90X... However that is another story.

The beginning of the new year 2011, I made a resolution to make it through INSANITY and further push for that above goal of becoming the healthiest I can be. It must have paid off, cleaning myself up a bit and have got into the best shape I have ever been in. I'm down to 210 pounds, a 38 or 36 pant size, XL shirts (Large UA), however I'm still 5'10"(I haven't quite figured out how to make that one go up). I Succeeded!

Going back to the beginning, I shared my transformation story with them and which acted in a way to inspire them to go for their goals and become more healthy. After sharing this with them, one person asked why I don't share this with more people. "Why don't you share your story and insight with others?" This got me thinking and with a little extra kick from another friend (Thanks Caterina!), why not blog about my experiences and observations in the world of health & fitness?

I look forward to sharing my experiences with everyone! Good luck on your journey....

Decide, Commit, Succeed!