Where has the year gone?!?!? We have six months left in 2013. As I mentioned in the July update, June was an okay month. I regained focus in July. I think this month’s update reflects that.
Click to see the August update.
fyi – Click on the picture to enlarge it.
Okay, We’re in July! The 2nd half of 2013 is upon us! June was an okay month. Definitely not my best month. I completed another 5k and decreased my time. I admit I coasted quite a bit in June. But I’ve refocused and set goals. I have two weddings in October to attend. (I’m in one.) So that provided a goal for me to work towards.
Click to see July’s update.
fyi – Click on the picture to enlarge it.
This week has been one of the best weeks I’ve had. Thinking back to when I first toyed with the idea of starting a blog, I didn’t want to do it. I didn’t want to open up and be transparent. In retrospect, that was probably one of the best decisions I made. I was nervous about the first entry. It took me almost an hour to hit the Publish button. It seems like it was yesterday. My hands were shaking, my heart had exceeded its normal pace. I sat there staring at the screen reading and re-reading the words I had written. Finally, I got a surge of courage and hit “publish” and quickly closed the laptop. I often wonder if this is helping anybody besides me. I think of the impact it is having on others. Is it even having an impact? The last few days have confirmed its impact. I once heard a statement that resonates with me to this day. “You have to understand who wins when you win.” That statement repeatedly plays in my mind. This blog has become much more than a place where I document my trials and triumphs. It’s a piece of me that I’m giving to others to let them know they could do it too. Weight-loss or any other goal or dream you have. You can do it. Don’t believe it? Just read some of the blog entries. I have no idea who reads my entries. However, I was blessed to find out that a special group of people have been following me on my journey. I haven’t met this special group but I know them. I know them because we are all overcoming things and becoming better people. I was so humbled to find out that this blog was impacting their lives. I was told that I inspire them but I want them to know that they inspire me. 
I remember one of my favorite analogies because of them. The ripples of success. What is that? Well if you take a rock and drop it in a stream or lake. There are ripples that spread out from the point of impact. The place where the water meets the rock represents the impact you have on someone’s life. The ripples? They represent the spreading of your impact to others indirectly. That’s what’s happening with my blog. I’m impacting others and one of the ripples has reached a special group of friends. To those friends, I say thank you. Thank you for reading my blog. Thank you for encouraging me. Thank you for letting me know the blog is helping. Do me a favor please. When you all go to the pond, take a second to drop a rock in the water and watch the ripples. Look at them to see how far they travel from the place of impact. Resolve to be the rock and let your impact have far-reaching ripples of success.
3980. What is that? That’s my race number for my first 5k. A 5k that starts in less than two hours. Who would’ve thought I’d be running (yes running!) a 5k! My goal isn’t to come in first. My goal is to run the complete 3.1 miles and not come in last(hopefully). I’m excited, nervous, anxious, proud all at the same time.
I’ve trained for this so I’ll be fine. For the past 8 or 9 weeks, I’ve been building up endurance and destroying the “I can’t” monster weekly. These last few weeks I’ve had quite a few accomplishments – Running for 5 minutes straight, running a mile, two miles, three miles…
Proving to myself that I can do anything I set my mind to. So now it all culminates in an hour and 26 minutes. I can’t wait to check another item off my list.
See you at the finish line……
Okay, April has come and gone. Here’s the second set of pictures for the Monthly updates in pictures. I think this was a good idea.
Why? Well, for one I absolutely abhor taking these pictures. Why is that good? That means I’m uncomfortable and outside of my comfort zone.
Another reason it’s good is because it pushes me to work harder and be more accountable because I know I have to take another picture in four weeks.
Click to see May’s Monthly update.
fyi – Click on the picture to enlarge it.
Okay, I’ve been thinking how to make this blog more. More what you may ask? Just more in general. More helpful. More inspiring. More accountable for me.
One of the things requested in e-mails was more pictures. I’m working on that. In the mean time, what I’ve decided to do is post monthly updates in pictures. It’ll be a picture of me at the beginning of each month. The picture will be taken in the same clothes so you follow my progress monthly.
I chose a shirt that is painted on. (for the time being) Out of all my too big and loose-fitting shirts, why did I choose this one? Well, #1 I need the motivation to do more. #2 It would be difficult to see that I’m actually making progress in an already loose shirt. So I chose a shirt that was already a size smaller than what I wear and has shrunk quite a bit because I threw it in the dryer. Once again being vulnerable and forcing myself to be accountable. (Hey it worked the first time. So here goes!)
Click to see April’s Monthly update.
fyi – Click on the picture to enlarge it.
I had a break in my work week yesterday and normally that is cause for concern. I have to be extra careful food choice wise. There’s something about the work week routine that helps me make great food decisions. Anyway, I was reminded how important planning & preparation is.
Here I was completely out of my normal routine. In the past, that would have made making wrong decisions easier. (Well making a wrong decision is just as easy as making a good one. But that’s a different blog) But not this time. I prepared ahead of time. I plan my meals ahead of time for the work week. So instead of having to exhaust mental energy on what to eat yesterday – Good choice?…bad choice? -, I simply ate what I prepared earlier. That removed any excuses, any temptations to make a bad decision.
What did I learn from all that? What thought was I reminded of? Victory loves preparation. My brother says that all the time. It’s so true. Victory, success (in weight loss or anything else) doesn’t just happen. You have to prepare for it. You have to plan for it. If not, surprises (like yesterday’s departure from my normal routine) can set you back.
Preparation isn’t just planning and cooking meals in advance. Preparation is packing your gym clothes and putting them in your car night before. Preparation is looking at the menu and deciding the best choice prior to getting to that restaurant. It may appear small and trivial but preparation goes a long way to ensure success.
Remember the will to win is not nearly as important as the will to prepare to win. (Not my quote but I absolutely love it)
I’m so excited! I found the secret to weight loss success. It’s not a pill that melts belly fat or makes your legs smaller. It’s not a specially formulated juice. Nope it’s not even sold for $19.99. So you don’t have to act now or hurry before the offer expires.
As a matter of fact, the secret to weight loss is not found in stores. Nor a pill bottle, nor a beverage bottle. I didn’t find it in the health food store. Nor did I stumble across it in a special extract from some exotic flower.
This secret to weight loss is extremely powerful! Drastically altering the lives of those who have it. It allows you to overcome all obstacles that stand in your way. When properly used, the secret to weight loss can lead to success in other areas of life. The best part about the secret? No list of things that could go wrong if you take it. You know, “Warning this may cause drowsiness,diarrhea, vomiting, night time sickness, day time sickness…. blah blah blah” It’s 100% fail proof!!!! I’m so confident in the miraculous powers of this secret to weight loss, that I’ll personally give you your money back if you’re not satisfied with the results!!!!!
By now you shouldn’t be wondering how much it cost? Or how much is shipping? Hopefully you’re so anxious to know what is that you’re about to go crazy because I’m dragging this out. Okay Okay… For those who want to know the secret, I’ll tell you and I’ll even tell you where to get it.
If you’re sitting down, I need you to get up. If you’re standing, I need you to make your way to the nearest mirror. Close your eyes. Open them. Look deeply in the mirror. Take a deep breath and realize that what you see in the mirror is the secret to weight loss.
BOOM! There it is! Right in front of you. The secret is YOU!!
You have everything already in you to be successful. You just need to discover it inside you. There are no gimmicks. No shortcuts. All you have is you. Your will, your drive, your passion, your commitment to you. You know what? That’s the real secret key to your success. It’s completely up to you.
Take full advantage of the secret. I know I am….
Brand New Antuan 