How to stay alive

I was approaching 300 pounds.  I was miserable.  I ate McDonald's food three times a week.  I hated a lot of things, including my job.  I needed something.  A catalyst.  Something to lift me up.

That was over a year ago.  I've come far.  I'm almost closer to 200 than 300.  It's a long process.  It's something that takes effort. 

I don't know if I put as much effort into a year of college as I have into my health in the past year.  I'm not perfect.  I've had setbacks.  I've had plateaus.  I've made mistakes.  I've succeeded.  I've failed.

I've met some great people.  I've made new friends.  I now have a group of people who ask me to hang out.  I have a group of friends to count on.  I have people who sent me random text message telling me that I'm a motivator, that I've impressed them, that I'm making strides.

It's not a bunch of bullshit.  It's an ego boost, yes, but it's also something that builds you up from the inside.  The mental game is just as important as the physical game. 

I've gone from having a 40 inch waist to a 36 inch waist.  I've gone from wearing 2XL shirts to wearing XL shirts.  I can still wear my 2XL shirts, but my wife usually asks how my swim is going when I'm in them.

I like where I'm going.  I like where I've been.  If you don't know where you've come from, you may not know where you're going.

I had it in myself all along.  This program brought it out.  Now that it's out, I never want to put it back in.  I will wear it with pride.