I have known for quite some time what I need to do to be more fit. The reality is, though, that I've been too lazy to follow the rules and tips that I've learned in my life. I graduated high school a soggy 170-175lb 18 year old. At 5'9" that's not bad, but not super great. I left a week after graduation for Marine Corps boot camp, which got me down to exactly 150 in three months. I was a skinny little bugger, ready to conquer the world. I had a nasty habit, though. I was smoking roughly a pack of cigarettes a day. Didn't hurt me much at the time, but I knew it was bad. About half way through my five year enlistment, I quit smoking and promptly ballooned up to 190lbs. It didn't help that I was stationed in Philadelphia, and could tell you all the best places to get a cheesesteak or a NY style pizza. I was a bachelor at the time, so I indulged every chance I got in the worst food for me.
Flash forward 10 years, and I'm a civilian in Colorado fluctuating at 200-210lbs. I have a wife, two dogs, a degree, and a desk job that I enjoy. I spent a year of classical training at a prestigeous culinary arts school, but had no interest in working in a professional kitchen. I cook for my wife, and she doesn't mind one bit. I've had a few nutrition classes in my time, so I could tell you a ton about complete proteins, good carbs, good fats, and an array of micro-nutrition thingys that can be found through clean eating. I know the rules that one should be moderately active at least 30 minutes a day for five days a week. The question is, what do I do with all this knowledge?
Nothing... I try to cook healthy meals during the week. Some of my favs are chicken breast or tuna steaks with a veg and quinoa. But in reality the call of BBQ and calzones and sitting on my butt watching movies is too strong. We've tried to break the cycle and become more healthy. We made a chart with rewards for pounds lost, and that's still sitting at zero. We've posted motivating pictures of beaches and things on our gym in the basement that never gets used. We've done meal plans for a week or two, only to give in to temptation for a burger and shake. Once that happens, the meal plan is out the window.
I guess the point of this is something has to give. I'm still attracted to my wife, and she's attracted to me most days. We don't feel healthy, though. We feel tired and stressed and frustrated by our current lifestyle. In spite of our lack of effort, to date, we want to do better. I plan to attend a conference in Hawaii the fall of 2016. I want to run the Marine Corps marathon a year later. I want to be able to do those things without worrying about my current physique. In the end, I hate to lose money. Even better, I love to win money. I have strong hopes this will be the key to break the cycle to get my wife and I down the path to a better us.
Thanks for the support.