Before moving forward, I need to look back at where I was before I started this fitness journey.
As a kid, I never really played organized sports or had much interest in athletics. I had a great childhood—being outside during the day, riding bikes, playing pickup games, and just doing fun kid things. But anytime I tried a team sport in school, I did the bare minimum, it lasted maybe one season, and I never went back. Even in gym class, I gave the least effort possible; instead of signing up for an actual activity, I would choose to “walk the perimeter” of the school grounds. I really didn’t try.
After high school and through college, I’d have little bursts of interest, but nothing I would lock into. I still did light activities like hiking, but nothing beyond that. Once I left college, I kept gaining weight and eating poorly. I was acting like I had all the time in the world. Years passed, and I had flirtations at best with running and the gym, but nothing stuck. I just kept coasting and gaining weight. I spoke with my doctor about different things to try, but I knew I needed to get my mental state sorted out before I could move ahead physically.
Then we get to December 2016.
I was really starting to feel the weight on me. I had turned 42 earlier that year, and I felt the strain on my back, knees, and ankles. I would consistently sprain my ankles because of the lack of strength and the weight I was carrying. December 2016 was also significant because it marked ten years since my mother had passed. She died too young, having lived many years with Multiple Sclerosis. She had plans...
That month was also my annual physical. During the visit, my doctor suggested bariatric surgery—something he would only recommend as a last resort. It shocked me. I told him, “That’s fine, but if I don’t get my head straight, it won’t make any difference.” I was at my heaviest known weight of 349 pounds, and we anticipated my pending labs would be pretty bad.
Another week or so passed, and it was Christmas. I attempted to snowshoe for the first time, but I couldn’t even make it a quarter of a mile. I had to turn back and wait for everyone else to return. Sitting in the car, occasionally running the heat, it was dark, cold, and I was alone with my thoughts. I looked back at the wasted time and opportunities. I knew I couldn’t change the past, but I had to decide how I was going to move forward.
As we closed in on the New Year, I saw it as the moment to start making changes. New year, new me, right? Look, I never make New Year’s resolutions. I don’t fault anyone who does, but I know they never stick for me. I had to figure out how to make this time work.
So, I posted to Facebook—a message very similar to this one—and made a promise to post weekly updates, good and bad, along with a photo to track my progress. I was forcing myself into public accountability. This was entirely new ground for me, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made.
The photo below is what I posted on Facebook the day I committed to this journey.
Two weeks later, I found out my A1C was pre-diabetic.
Yes, Michael, I can read it. I am so glad you did that post on Facebook. I know it has helped you. I did not know your mother had MS. I am struggling with my older daughter Christine having MS and she is now becoming worse. It’s progressing from relaxing remitting to secondary progressive and it is my heartbreak. I do have faith that God will heal her and I profess it constantly, but I can imagine how it was for you to lose your mom. I don’t know how young she was. Anyway, I just wanna say to you you keep doing this till you get it right and you will. Persist at it. I could not stop smoking I wanted to, but I couldn’t and then a friend of mine said the exact same thing to me I’m saying to you he said set a date to quit and if you quit and then go back set another date set another date set another date. I quit 32 times before I said quit, but I did and my last cigarette was in 1991. I think it was between 1990 and 1991 when I first moved to Ned Paltz. I remembered what he said and I did exactly that he said I don’t care how many times you quit and go back just set another date soon like within a week you know whatever and quit again and quit again and quit again and I quit 32 times. Of course there were times I thought I’ll never get this right but like I said, I have not had a cigarette since 1990 or 91 I can’t remember exactly the date as I said so many lol. Michael just keep doing it till you get it right. You’ve already done such great work. Don’t let anything stop you not any thing.! I think I told you once before that little golden book the little red caboose who had to make it up the hill and he kept saying I think I can. I think I can. I know I can. That’s you you’re a little red caboose lol hugs and love to you. Keep us all up-to-date.