I became a
runner in 2011, ran a race after 6 weeks, ran a marathon a year and a half
later. I got my first book deal in 2012,
got in the newspaper, magazines, television, got a 2nd book deal in 2013. I have wanted and I have gotten. I have taken on challenges and I have
succeeded. Now as I sit here at the end
of the Summer of 2014 I find myself restless, listless and without
motivation. I am in need of some sort of
new challenge, a new goal. I want to get
into the best shape of my life by the time my birthday rolls around. How do I do that? No miracle pills, just hard work and
sacrifice. That means giving up things I
love for the greater good.
Tonight I literally indulged in all
of my food and drink vices this afternoon as a sort of last hurrah. Chinese food, 5-Hour Energy, fried chicken,
vodka, yup I had it all and now that’s it.
My goal, my challenge like I said is to give all of these up at least
until my birthday November 2nd.
Out? Alcohol, caffeine, bad foods, probably other
things I’m not thinking of.
In?
Healthier foods, getting up earlier, hitting the gym 6 days a week. No, I’m not training for any sort of
competition per se, this is more for myself in general, a test of my will
power. I think that 10 weeks of living
basically ‘straight edge’ can only be good for me as I approach Age 37. I am certain that this is not going to be
easy. I love my coffee, my 5-Hour
Energy, my stimulant-filled pre-workout drinks, but these have got to go for
the time being. I need to see just how I
function without them. Except for very
brief attempts I have lived on high doses of caffeine and stimulants since Age
21.
I don’t
know how far I can go with this.
Although making it public increases my own accountability. I will do my best to keep people who care
posted about how this process goes but it is going to be a lot of careful
research about what I can eat that’s good for me, something that I am not an
expert on. Running was the way I
initially dropped 40 pounds in 2011-12, my diet did not change in any extreme
sort of way. I am thinking that maybe if
I add the diet to my workouts I can get that ‘magazine cover’ body I have been
close to at times.
Tomorrow is
Day 1, my birthday on November 2nd would be Day 77. So let me sleep on it and get started in the
morning.
