The Greatest Inspiration Ever

Angelnrg

I'm sure we all have our own triggers which motivate us but mine was this:

14 years ago I smoked cigarettes, drank and ate recklessly. I was living life large (in every which way). There was always the background inner voice there ("gee that gut is something", "those smokes aren't making the stairs easier") but it was easy to drown out in a busy life.

When kids are born lots changes and we had twins. They say "kids fill the hole in your life you never knew you had." Well, life might have changed - it got busier but my personal health care didn't change much. Even the kids were indulging in a poorer diet than they should have been the first couple years.

Then I read an article somewhere and it all changed.

"The best leading indicator of a teenage girl's fitness is her father's health"

I have never looked back. I have never smoked another cigarette. I got fit. I have run 3 marathons. My daughter at 14 can run for hours. She plays 3 different sports at an elite level. Her twin brother, who is a much mellower character is starting to look ripped without particularly trying. The whole family eats well.

I can't find that article anywhere anymore but whether that article is even true or not doesn't really matter From experience I'd say it's pretty close to the mark - most of the really high performers have super fit parents, particularly dads. And conversely at the bottom end of town, the really overweight kids have got such little chance to escape the family habits they are born into.

PS: It's a journey not a destination! While I've never come close to revisiting the highs of my weight, I'm not always at "race weight" without the complete focus which I don't think I'll ever want to sustain without the occasional time off

geraldaltman

My greatest inspiration was literally surgically implanted into me in January and April of this year; hip replacements! It's an inspiration driven by an insane and probably irrational fear that if I don't find myself back to being the immobile mess I was a year ago. I am just not interested so I have gotten into a routine that has me walking and doing pool exercise several times a week and have lost significant weight. I am feeling better and happier than I have in a long time.
BTW congrats on 86ing cigarettes! I am approaching ten years myself.

riffraff2112

Awesome. thanks for sharing. That is a great reason to get, and stay fit.

ReenieHJ

Nice, very nice!! Lots of changes but well worth it all!