I am currently a Personal Trainer and soon-to-be Nutrition and Wellness Specialist. I work out 5-6 days a week, do yoga and try to eat very clean. I have had a passion for all things health and fitness related for many years, but certainly not all my life. Actually, I used to live my life in the complete opposite way of how I do now. I smoked cigarettes for maybe 7 years, smoked pot and did other drugs (yes, it's true, can you believe it ?) for about the same amount of time, ate the most unhealthy junk foods and didn't exercise for about the first 20 years of my life.Growing up, a typical diet for me was a case of pop I kept in my closet (and drank about 4-5 a day), giant bags of ketchup chips and 6 packs of donuts, the white powdery kind with the jelly filling. Sometimes that would be all I would eat in a day. I never ate breakfast. I remember my stomach growling in school every morning as a child. In grade school a typical lunch was a chocolate bar, bag of chips and a soda. Or sometimes Mary Browns (east coast version of Kentucky Fried Chicken, but much better ;)) The closest thing to vegetables I ever ate were french fries. I'm pretty sure Chef Boyardee is my uncle. I didn't play any sports in high school. I was too busy hanging out, driving around and going for "coffees" every nite with friends (I always drank Pepsi. Never liked coffee) In college I lived about 200 meters from school yet I paid $75 dollars a month for a parking permit and I drove my car everyday! I guess you could say I didn't have much of a solid foundation to start out with.
My first year of college introduced me to someone who ignited a passion in me for working out. I had a Phys Ed teacher - Louis Paul aka LP who encouraged me to lift weights and push myself hard; he was a stern man, much like a drill sergeant, and I wanted to please him. At that time I smoked cigs, copious amounts of weed and lived on ramen noodle soup (ahh college :)), but slowly I began to make changes. By the end of the year, I had quit smoking everything and started working out in the gym which was ever so conveniently located below my apartment in a shopping-center-type building. The first semester I wasn't doing so good. I barely passed. I was lazy and I didn't care. But with LP's encouragement, I worked my butt off, achieved the goals I had set for myself and I ended up getting an excellent grade in his class. I never forgot the things I learned.
Now, don't get me wrong, that certainly was not the end of all my debauchery. I continued this healthy lifestyle for about another year after that, and then gave it up, started smoking again, and eating all those terrible but tasty foods that had comforted me for years
but were slowly killing my body. I was lucky, I was never overweight (good genes I guess) but I was incredibly unhealthy - I had no energy, slept 10-12 hour days and lacked any motivation to do anything about it. I was borderline anemic and vitamin deficient and if I had continued to live this way for a long time, there is no doubt that I would have a host of other health issues.I have been exercising consistantly and eating healthy (for the most part) for about 8 years now. Why am I telling you all this? Well, there is a perfectly good reason. Did you hear the recent news story about the Personal Trainer in Australia who gained 90 lbs to better empathize with his clients? http://www.trainwithmeonline.com/63/fitness/blog/General/Fitness/Paul_James_Weight_Gain_Experiment.htmls_Weight_Gain_Experiment.html
He wanted to show people he understood what they were going through. Now, I'm not gonna gain 90lbs, (hmmm maybe 10 would be fun...nah :)) but I do want to show people that it wasn't always easy for me. I wasn't "born this way", into a family of athletes who ran marathons or health nuts who fed me organic home-made baby food. I struggled. I still struggle. Most importantly, I want to show you it's not just about the weight or the physical appearance. It's about building a better body. Getting the blood pumping for a stronger, healthier heart. Developing muscle that protect your bones as you get older. To lower cholesterol, have a normal blood pressure, and energy to play with your kids or grandkids. It's about a better quality of life. It's never too late to start. The best time to plant an oak tree was 50 years ago. The second best time is today.
I welcome your thoughts, questions, comments and I hope you come back to read my blog again.
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