I worked hard in boot camp this morning - and I was motivated. I was thinking about my dad. There are countless lessons he has taught me in life. I have two today I'm embracing. One is hug your dad - reach out and tell him you love him - he won't be around forever. Second is to take care of your body - it's the only one you get. Dad was an army pilot, fought in Vietnam, then flew commercial. He was (and still is) a damn good pilot - the kind you'd want in the cockpit when you are onboard. He's really pretty darn good at most everying he puts his mind to. One thing he failed to do (so far...) - as so many of us do - and I certainly failed to do from about age 18 to 38, was take care of your body. Dad is now 67 and in pretty poor shape. Carrying 250-350lbs on his body since his 30's has taken a toll. He's type 2 diabetic, with bad knees and an extremely bad hip. He's currently flat on his back in a hospital bed, fighting a nasty staph infection, compromised kidneys and all of the complications there in. Surgeons are shying away from him because of these complications and his size. He has had heart surgery, back surgery, circulation issues - more white coats have come at him in the last 20 years than he can count. So - you can likely see how this translates into motivation for me. "...if you can't be a good example, be a horrible warning..." is one of my favorite sarcastic saying... Bluntly put, I don't want this to be his fate... or mine.
I want to be around for my husband, my girls, my family. I want to go from living a healthy, active life to one day, when the time has come - to just be gone -- not to suffer, languish or in the case of my dad, lose his mobility, his freedom. Say a prayer for him -- I'd appreciate it. And if you are looking to change your life - I'm proof you can do it. I went from 210 to 140. I can eat on the Zone. I can show up to work out, compete in triathalons and will do FGB tomorrow, and I will run a 5k and bike 40M for the LiveStrong Challenge end of October. And I'll keep going to boot camp and the CrossFit gym. You just have to decide you want it bad enough and stop all the excuses. I really think it's that simple.
