New Conversations

Its funny to me how much conversations change once you have kids. Great topics like the weather and sports are great starters to most friendly encounters. However, once you have kids this definitely changes!! Anything from bowel movements or anything bathroom related, corny and crazy cartoons and kid programming, and deciding exactly how long you will continue to tell people how many months your child is, are all acceptable conversation topics! By the way - Kevin will be 2 in May and not 24 months! People without kids must look at us like we are crazy people when we answer a simple, "how are you" with "Great, Kevin is in big boy undies now!"

It's hard for most parents, myself included, to wrap our heads around the fact that some people don't really care about your kid peeing in a frog potty that is located in the living room because you are training your child to use it! Equally as disturbing to listening to grunts in the living room while eating breakfast is the way we congratulate Kevin each time he successfully achieves his goals of filling up said frog! I have seen Super Bowl celebrations that do not compare to Christine and I as we go crazy celebrating the act of being a "Big Boy!" The confetti is a bit much at times, but I like to think it is helping Kevin! To be honest, I am pretty sure I speak for all parents...I DON'T CARE whether you think its weird that we do what we do! I am happy to say that my weekends, weekdays, and my life revolve around that kid! There is nothing better than seeing that smile as we pour Gatorade on his head when he goes #2! Of course I'm kidding, but i think I just gave Christine some ideas!

I am happy to report that I had another awesome week with the weight loss and life changing program that I am blessed to be a part of. I lost 4 pounds in week 18 for a total of 96 pounds!!!Equal to all my accomplishments is the fact that I am able to help others get on that same path that has literally changed my life! It is easy to help out those you know and care about when you have had such a great journey has been an extremely rewarding and overwhelming experience.

It is important to keep track of what is important in life in all situations. That is one of the many life lessons I have learned in the last 18 weeks. Life is full of temptations, and full of distractions. Keeping your focus on those things that truly mean everything to you is the key to success. There is no Big Mac, loaded fries, or Five Guys Burger that is going to get me lost on my path to a healthier life. Being honest to myself and those crazy and hungry voices in my head is what separates this experience from the others. I know how my weight got out of control, and I accept that - what I wont accept is leaving my son without a father and my wife without a partner. This is not going to happen because I decided not to choose food over them, and did not choose temptations over love! Many of us deal with demons - whether its stress, alcohol abuse, drug addictions, or other obstacles. In all of these situations you need to remember how you got to that point, how to overcome that obstacle, and making sure it doesn't haunt you again! To me, obesity was every bit as addicting and life threatening than any drug out there. I was a ticking time bomb, and I was relying on that Hollywood actor to cut the right wire to defuse it. It turns out that I was the one that needed to cut that wire - and lucky i picked the right one because of the love and support of those around me!

If I told you that the most influential music artist on my journey has been Eminem, I bet a lot of you would be shocked - but its true! The song in general that has really touched me in a strange way is, "I'm Not Afraid." Now, there are some explicit lyrics to this one, but you know what - its 2012, and I can look passed a few F bombs to get to the true meaning behind the song...

"I'm not afraid To take a stand

Everybody come take my hand

We'll walk this road together, through the storm

Whatever weather, cold or warm

Just lettin you know that, you're not alone

Holla if you feel like you've been down the same road"

That is some powerful stuff and has really inspired me. Now, it may be ironic that I used to eat M&Ms and now I am using Eminem to inspire me! I never gave M&Ms time to melt in my hand because they weren't there long enough....I challenge you all to find something inspiring and have it melt in you in some way.

As always thanks for reading and thanks for the support!

Been a while....

Let me first apologize for the lack of blogs, but I have been fairly busy!! My last blog was April of 2010, which was right before the birth of our amazing son Kevin, and every time I went to write a new entry there seemed to be a diaper to change, a bottle to wash, or clothes to turn back to their original color! Not complaining one bit, and I never complained about anything to do with my buddy!

Kevin James was born on May 25, 2010 and with that made my dream of becoming a dad a reality. Many people chase dreams for their entire life - I was lucky enough to achieve this at the age of 30. He is seriously the best kid in the world - tells us when he needs to eat, sleep and use the potty...he is a smart one!! The last 21 months have been fabulous as a family, and Christine and I are constantly learning how to be great parents. We have a new appreciation for adult TV, thanks in large part to the Wiggles! I don't know what it is about those 5 crazy dudes from OZ, but Kevin loves them...and that's all the matters! He has truly completed my life, and I love him more and more everyday!

In part with my dream coming true, the next phase of live has been dedicated to that dream not turning into a nightmare. My battle with weight was always a constant, and I knew I needed to begin my journey towards a healthier life. I don't know all the answers to life, but I know a few things...and one of the most important things in life that I have learned is that when you say you are going to do something - DO IT! Luckily for me, in the last 2 years, I have been surrounded by people that follow this mantra. These people will be thanked personally at a later date, and not by blog, but in person where I will probably break down like the emotional wreck that I am. There are definitely people that have helped to prolong my life and my time with my family, and for that I am most appreciative.

The newest phase of my journey started 17 weeks ago and to date I have lost 92 pounds! I have learned how to eat, and how make healthier decisions. The program I am on has also given me an opportunity to help others in their journey, and that is an amazing feeling. If someone told me that one day I would get my health on track, and help others achieve their goals I would have not believed it - - but this is as real as my love for my family, and by now you should all know how real that is! Let me know if I can help you or someone you love get healthy! I recently got rid of 7 Lawn and Leaf trash bags full of clothing that is now too big - - I say "got rid of" because they are gone forever, much like the pounds I have lost! I have lost weight before and FOUND it....but this plan is a game changer forever! I owe it to myself, my wife and my son to be around for a long time! Its hard to be a great dad when you you're not around, and I'm not going anywhere!

I plan to post a blog every week (at least) and continue to document the happenings of fatherhood and my weight loss journey! As always, I hope to make you laugh at times, and cry at others! But most importantly to me, I hope to be able to stress to you all how special each and every step in life is to me, in hopes I can inspire others! Will I inspire others?? Maybe, or maybe not...But you're reading, and that's a start!

Til next time.....