Growing Stronger and Living Longer!

I recently changed the title of this blog to:

Growing Stronger and Living Longer!

It better represents the journey I have been travelling over the past year and a half!   When I decided to say yes to the nutrition system, I had NO IDEA that it would be life changing.  As I have documented in past blogs, I just wanted to give it a try to see if I could lose the spare tire around my waist!   That occurred in the first 16 weeks….

So you might be wondering, what the heck have I been doing for the past year and a half then?

I have been growing, working on personal development, and learning how I can inspire others to step outside of their comfort zone, live life and reach their full potential!

My problem was fear!  In fact, I was living most of my life in fear.  I kept doing the same things I always did day by day, week by week, month by month.   Playing it safe and staying in my comfort zone.  In some ways, life itself had become mundane almost to the point of boredom.  Maybe that is what they mean by "settling down" as it is so often referred to for people in their late 20's or 30's.  Of course, there were many high lights, and wonderful memories I would never trade like getting married and having children!  However, I was not growing as a person, my outward appearance was growing older, but inwardly I had stopped growing.   I had long forgotten my dreams, and my true purpose in life still seemed like something I would never discover.

The reason I had never discovered my purpose was because I had stopped looking!

Then an opportunity was presented to me that was based on a simple concept.  A concept so simple but yet so powerful it compelled me to take a closer look.   Anyone that knows me knows I am a numbers guy, and I instantly recognized the potential of the opportunity.  It compelled me to step outside of my comfort zone just a little bit.  It was scary but I did it, and boy was it exciting!  If I could take the first step, that means I could take a second step, and maybe a 3rd, and fourth.  What could my life look like?

So I took another step, I shared the system with some close family and friends and the results were amazing!  That compelled me to step further away from my comfort zone and start sharing with everyone I know.   Then amazing things started to happen.  People I had shared the system with also began to change.  Some changed quickly, some changed slowly, some have still not reached their initial goal, and some decided it was not for them.

Embrace life and Live!

The point is, we are ALL on a journey.  The important thing is to

KEEP TRAVELING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. 

This journey has inspired me to realize there is so much more I can achieve in this life, and I do not want to do it alone.  I have learned that my purpose in life is to inspire people to seek out their true potential and live life with all the passion, joy and love they have been given!!

The greatest thing I have learned is that it is okay to be me.  I am a masterpiece of creation, created by the architect of the universe and so is every other person on this planet!  So lets all begin working to help each other grow stronger and live longer!

So Proud of my Big Brother! George's amazing transformation!

For this post I am going to talk about someone I have known all my life!   In fact, we shared womb together for 8 months -but he was evicted 2 minutes before me!    My twin brother George!  

George and me back in December 2012

George has gone through some tough times in the past few years!   Here is the story of his amazing 100 pound transformation in his own words:

Time had taken its toll on my health and family. The daily grind had left me tired and sore every day. The last 12 years had seen me grow bigger and bigger and old injuries have made it harder to exercise and to play sports with my boys. My body was breaking down and I was staring diabetes and heart disease right in the face. I know something had to change but what?

George in September 2013

My twin brother John told me about a system that helped him lose weight and gave him more energy.   I rolled my eyes and said "I’ve heard all about these wonderful fad diets that sound great but never work". He said try it for 30 days and you will see that it’s will help you feel better and lose weight as a side effect!   I thought "okay I will show you, this system won’t work, I had a nutritionist before and I know how much work it takes to lose weight.  No way can it be this easy and work." I thought 30 days would prove him wrong, but it was amazing, I was wrong, Isagenix works!!

In the first 30 days I lost 27lbs and lost 2 inches around my waist, but the biggest thing I noticed was my knees no longer hurt, I could bend down with no pain. I got very excited and emotional. I could now help my boys learn to ride their bikes and teach the family sport of soccer, best of all I could pick them up and give them a hug. I have been on the system now for over 12 months and have lost a total of 100lbs, 39 inches and I am no longer worried about heart disease or diabetics anymore.  I have gotten my health and energy back. 

Most of all this transformation has given my boys a father that will have the privilege to see what great men they will grow up to be!!

Before (March 2014)                                                    After (April 2015)

I am so proud of you George!   You have inspired me to keep moving forward despite the obstacles, and to reach for goals I never dreamed were possible!

Guilty No More!

Wow, it is already approaching the end of March 2015.   I haven't written in this blog for about five months!   Where has the time Gone?

I had mentioned in my previous posts about how I struggled all my life to maintain a healthy weight.  I felt like a yo-yo.  I would get close to my target weight (within 15 pounds), then go back to about 40 pounds above target.  Back and forth since I was a child.   I would feel guilty after a holiday like Christmas, I would feel guilty after a vacation.  I would feel guilty if I missed a workout at the Gym!   I ran marathons, I tried lemon aid cleanses, I went gluten free, wheat free.. You get the picture.   If I had one little slip up I knew I would be on the way back up the yo-yo.  I never had control over the yo-yo, it had control over me!

I tried to accept that there was no alternative to the yo-yo, I would never have control.  I thought I needed to spend all my spare time in the gym to compensate for a poor nutritional choice.  I knew I needed to stop feeling guilty for indulging once in a while.  I should have prayed about it, but it was such a mental block that I didn't even realize it was there until the guilt was gone!

15 months ago a friend blessed me any my family by sharing a simple superfood nutritional system and I jumped in with both feet.  I figured I had nothing to lose.  As I have mentioned in this blog, I was blown away by the results:   In a few days and weeks I easily lost the weight and achieved my lifetime goal of optimal weight.  However, I didn't realize I would also sleep better and have more energy!  To my amazement, I continued to feel better and better.  A major anxiety issue I was dealing went way (thank you Ionix supreme), and ultimately the guilt was gone!

No more guilt about making the occasional bad food choice, or even a few days of over indulgence.  I can enjoy Pizza.  I can enjoy going out to a restaurant and ordering a burger once in a while.  If I notice the yo-yo starting to move up, I do a cleanse day or two.

I maintained my optimal weight (155-158) for a year, and decided to change my goal.  Since November 2014, I have been more serious about using an Energy and Performance system to build lean muscle, and have entered a fitness competition!  I am purposefully gaining weight for the first time in my life.  It is still a bit of a mental struggle for me when I see the numbers on the scale go up, but I know I have the ultimate nutrition plan, and a solid muscle building workout thanks to a good friend.    The contest ends Mid may, so I will post a picture when it is complete.   At this point I have gained 15 pounds and I am able to lift much heaver weights than 4 months ago!

I love being in control of the yoyo.