Inspiration Found.

It’s been a long time. I’m so sorry, I truly have been slacking with this commitment. But I’m back, and I’m sticking to this. I’ve been incredibly busy the last several weeks, so please don’t think that I was putting this off as a means of not wanting to confess my ‘sins’—life has just been incredibly busy.

For those of you who don’t know me, let me bring you up to speed a bit. I’ve been working consistently to get healthy for the last two years. I grew up in a tiny town in the middle of Missouri where it didn’t seem like a big deal for me to be fat, it was an acceptable part of our community. But by the time I was 22 and weighed almost 500 pounds, I knew that being morbidly obese wasn’t the way I wanted to live, and I decided to do something about it.

I’ve lost over 230 pounds (over 50% of myself!) in the last two years, through diet and exercise. I’m living a completely different life, doing things that I never thought were possible. I ran the Indianapolis Mini Marathon in May—which was a dream come true—I’m hiking with friends, and I’m really happy with the person I’ve become. I can walk into a store in the mall and clothes that will fit me, I believe in myself more. I may have to deal with extra skin and embracing the fact that I don’t have an athlete’s body, but I’m okay with that. What I’ve gained by losing weight is overwhelming, and I couldn’t be more thankful for the journey.

In March I had the amazing opportunity to travel to Cote d’Ivoire, West Africa, and I had one of the best experiences, it was one of those trips that I really needed, and that I learned so much on. The things that I saw and the realizations that I had made for a really great trip that I’m so grateful to have taken.

In Yamoussoukro, Cote D'Ivoire

One thing I did learn is that traveling and living a healthy lifestyle are really hard to put together. We flew Air France, and the french love to serve up rich yogurts, cheeses, breads and butters at any opportunity they have. Everything was slathered in rich cream and while it was among the best airplane food I’ve had, I didn’t even want to think about the calories I was ingesting. Add to that the 90+ degree heat we experienced every day (which made working out impossible), and you’ll find me eating more calories than I’m burning. joy. I’m not quite sure how much weight I gained on the trip, but it was at least six pounds. It was annoying to say the least, but my mentality with weight gain is that I’ve seen that number before, and I know I can see it go down again.

As I set out to lose those pounds that I found, I went back to my daily routine, eating what I should, training for the Indy Mini — living my normal life. And then, on April 27, at 12:17 a.m., I got the call that I’d been waiting on for months. My nephew was on his way into this world—I was going to be an uncle.

As I rushed home to Missouri to experience the birth of my nephew, I kept thinking how excited I was to simply meet this little boy. I think kids are generally a lot of fun, but this was the first baby for our family, and is also the child of my little sister. Add to all of those things the excitement I had for the fact that this little boy was going to meet me as I am today, and needless to say I couldn’t get there quick enough.

Later that night, as I looked into his eyes I couldn’t help but think how he’d never know a ‘big’ Uncle Dane, an Uncle Dane who couldn’t chase him around the park, an Uncle Dane who was addicted to over eating. He was meeting a thin, active and happy Uncle Dane, an Uncle Dane who wants to be his example of those things for the rest of my life.

I tell you all of this to say that sometimes you have to find something in your life that will keep you going. I like to call these “Non-scale victories”. Need some ideas of what these may be? I’ve got ideas:

• Some people will hang a piece of clothing up to remind them of what they used to look like (or what they want to look like).
• Keep a photo of yourself on your fridge so you are reminded of your hard work when you really want to splurge.
• Take your measurements. You wouldn’t believe how much your body changes ALL OVER as you’re losing weight.

I'm proud of this Kid.

Personally, my nephew is my motivation to stay the course, he reminds me that I’m worth it and that others are depending on me to stay healthy. I’m closer to my goal weight than I’ve ever been, but I also know that when I get there, I have to maintain that weight. But my nephew is more than motivation for right now, he’s a motivation for my life, and even though he cries and poops his pants, I’m excited to see where life takes us. If there are a few things I know about the future, it’s this: It’s going to be happy, healthy and full of fun, because I’m finally living the life I’ve always wanted.

I wish you all the best as you work towards a better you.

keep moving,
dane.

Adding to the List.

Six months ago I made this crazy decision to run a 5k with a friend who had taken on running. I’d gone from my usual workout on the elliptical to running on a treadmill, and I (surprisingly) really liked the challenge I was presenting my body with. I ran the 5k in a little over 30 minutes, but never really stopped running after it was over. About a month later I got a postcard in the mail promoting a training program called Team in Training, and a couple of weeks later I was at the first group training session, running through the snow for a lofty goal: to run my first half marathon.

I loved the training—my goal-oriented personality loved that I was checking things off of a list and that I had a plan to follow. Team in Training held deep meaning for me personally, as it’s an initiative of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, whose mission is to eliminate blood-related cancers. I was training in honor of my Dad, who is a Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma survivor, and I met a lot of great people along the way. Reminding myself that the pain that I was feeling was nothing compared to the pain he experienced fighting cancer kept me in check when I wanted to stop, and participating with a team whose interests were similar made waking up at 6:30 a.m. every Saturday even more worthwhile.

As I trained for the race I couldn’t help but think about where I’ve come from in the last ten years to get to where I am today. One day, just a couple of days before the race, I was challenged by a friend to look at old photos of myself, to remind myself of where I’ve come from. It wasn’t easy, and it was a bit painful, but I’d like to introduce you (further) to the guy who finished his first half marathon last weekend in 2:27:46.

This is me in high school, around my sophomore or junior year. I weighed over 300 lbs, but I’m not sure how much I weighed exactly because I wouldn’t let the doctor’s office weigh me. I didn’t want to face the reality of my size. But I can tell you that the pants I’m wearing in this photo are at least a size 52.

Jump forward a few years, and you’ll find me as a junior in college at Anderson University. I continued to ignore the fact that I needed to lose weight, but I’d always wear this jacket because I thought it somehow helped mask the fact that I was wearing at least a size 58 pant.

November, 2007

Then.. this photo happened. This was taken of me one day while myself and some colleagues were working on a design show we were a part of. I knew I was big. I knew I needed to lose weight, but I guess I didn’t realize that my belly was as huge as it was. When I saw this photo I was disgusted by myself. I knew that a change was necessary, but I didn’t know how or when or how long any of it would take.

April, 2008

I joined Weight Watchers on Jan. 21, 2008, and while it was one of the most frightening things I’ve done, it’s become the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. I’ve been surrounded by amazing people who have inspired, encouraged and celebrated with me every step of the way, no matter what road blocks I may hit.

This photo was taken after I’d lost about 60 lbs. I remember getting an overwhelming response as to how great I looked. At the time I didn’t realize how different I did look, but those words still motivate me when I’m having a rough day.

Fast forward to last Saturday, May 8th, 2010, and you’ll find me in downtown Indianapolis, packed into a line-up more than five blocks long, with over 30,000 other runners. Four months of preparation, training and fundraising for Team in Training had come down to this moment, and while I’m now just a shadow of the man I used to be, the big guy in me wondered if I could really do this. 10.6 miles was the longest I’d ever run, all kinds of people were depending on me, what if I messed it up when I was this close to fulfilling a dream.

I crossed the starting line, and other than stopping for water a couple of times and a few bathroom breaks, I didn’t stop running. I loved running the race. I felt strong, I was energetic, the crowd support was awesome. I cried a couple of times along the course, in disbelief that I was actually doing it. I couldn’t help but think the entire time that two years ago, even after losing the 73 lbs that I had at that point, I couldn’t ever imagine doing what I was doing. I ran, and ran, and ran. And before I knew it, I was into my last mile.

I crossed the 12.75 mile line and a group of friends were right there, cheering and encouraging me. Another .25 miles up the way were my parents, cheering and waving as I crossed the 13 mile line. And right at the finish were another group of friends, cheering loudly and proudly for me as I added a new photo to my list:

2:27:46 | That's me in the purple TNT jersey.

I’d actually done it. I immediately started crying, because I just couldn’t believe it. I had set my mind to something, I’d worked to accomplish that goal, and it had really happened. It was truly a dream come true. It was a big week in other ways, too. To date, I’ve lost 231.5 lbs. I weigh less than what I’ve lost, and according to the BMI, I’m finally overweight… not OBESE!

Dad and I after the Mini

If there’s one thing I hope you get from this post, it’s this: If you believe in yourself, you can do anything you put your mind to. It seems like such a simple concept, but we continuously build walls around our hopes, goals and dreams because we’re afraid. Stop carrying around your fear. Accept the challenges that are before you, believe in yourself, and start living. I wish you all the best as you work towards a better you.

keep moving,
dane.

Pardon the Interruption…

Greetings! I hope that this post finds you doing well and enjoying your day. After receiving a message from a reader asking where I’d been and hoping I hadn’t fallen off of the wagon, I wanted to check in and update you on what’s going on.

I’m writing today from Cote d’Ivoire, Africa. I’m visiting here on a mission trip with the church that I attended as a college student. I’ll be doing an entire update once I get home about traveling and the difficulties it can provide as you attempt to live a healthy lifestyle, but I wanted to check in and give a short update none the less.

Because I’ve been very busy at work leading up to my travels and now that I’ve been gone for a bit, I’ve not been to Weight Watchers for a weigh-in in nearly three weeks. But I’m still following the weight watchers plan as best as possible, even being half-way around the world. It’s immensely hot here, so I’ve been eating a lot of fiber, fresh fruit and lean meats, but I’ve not gone overboard by any means. And, when it’s 90 degrees in the shade, you tend to sweat a lot of those calories off anyhow.

Thanks to each of you for your support and encouragement. I’m thankful for the accountability this space provides, and I appreciate knowing that this is more than a blog, but that it’s also a space for me to stay accountable to the progress I’ve made. I’ll be updating once I return home, but until then, I wish you all the best as you work towards a better you.

keep moving,
dane.

The Long Haul

Have you ever found yourself so immersed in a task that you don’t quite realize how much time you’ve spent on it and how much further you have to go? For me, the last couple of weeks have been very insightful. While I’m still dropping weight and excelling at the things that I’m challenging myself with, sometimes I forget that this whole eating right, exercising and taking care of myself thing isn’t just a phase or a quick fix—this is a task that is going to require my attention and focus for the rest of my life.

Last week I had a huge loss. Over 7 lbs. I’ve been running a lot more as I train for the Indianapolis Mini Marathon in May, and even though I’m eating the right foods and plenty of them, my body reacted to the increased activity by letting go. I decided that since I had lost so much that it would be okay to indulge in something ‘extra’ last week as a means of rewarding myself.

In general, I plan my weeks out so I know what to expect on many levels: how much activity I’ll be getting, how often I’ll be eating out, where I’ll be eating out, and what I’ll be doing to stay focused. Tuesday is the night of my weigh in, and is usually set aside for any sort of reward as I normally have a large amount of points to use up, and it all equals itself out. Wednesday I knew I was meeting friends for lunch at a restaurant that doesn’t have the healthiest of fare, so I was being attentive to that, as well. What I didn’t expect was walking into work on Wednesday and being told that I’d be going to an event that evening where the food served wouldn’t be health-concsious whatsoever.

While I’m a pretty flexible person, and have learned a lot about adjusting my food intake to my schedule, that evening was a complete disaster for my efforts. I find myself “snapping back” into the life I used to live sometimes, and so when the restaurant where the event was at had a sign touting “The Best Burgers in Town” I signed up on the spot to challenge that distinction. And why wouldn’t I have the house-cut french fries while I was at it? Oh, wait, someone didn’t finish their chicken strips and they’re sharing them with the table?! Of course I’ll have some of those, too. It hadn’t taken too long, and I was already back to my over-indulgent, all-you-can-eat self.

As I drove home that night I thought to myself “YOU HAVE NO SELF CONTROL!” and as if the horrible pains in my stomach weren’t enough, the guilt that surrounded the thousands of calories I had ingested didn’t make me feel any better. So right then and there, I decided that as soon as I got home, I would strap on my running shoes, and hit the pavement.

I ran hard that night, and the whole time I thought about the mess I had gotten myself into. I was the only person who had made myself eat that food. I was the only person who had decided to over-indulge. And while I had had a great week with my weight loss, this was merely a portion of the journey that I continue to travel, it wasn’t time to celebrate the end just yet.

Through the pains of overindulging and remembering what it was like to feel that way all the time, I’ve been reminded of the importance of staying the course. This lifestyle isn’t a whim, I’ve worked far too hard and diligently to simply go back to the way I used to be. So this week it’s been my goal to stay balanced, to monitor portion size, and remember that this is a life-long journey that I’m on. There will be plenty of times to celebrate, but none of them are an excuse to simply throw the towel in without a plan for recovery.

One of the major things I was reminded of through this happening is the importance of finding small reminders in your day-to-day life that will help you celebrate the achievements you’ve made. For me, it was fitting into a smaller pair of jeans, but I’m also reminded by being able to fit my hand around my wrist, feeling my hip bones and other seemingly insignificant things that I would’ve never been able to enjoy otherwise.

No matter what the lifestyle change that you’re engaging may be, remember to find small rewards in your day-to-day life that will continue to motivate and encourage you to stay the course. I may have forgotten this myself, but it only took one painful night of stomach cramps to remember why the life I lead is absolutely worth it. I wish you all the best as you work towards a better you.

keep moving,
dane.

PS: A small reminder that if you have any questions that you’d like to ask me about my journey and the things that I’ve learned, click on the ‘ASK AWAY’ tab up at the top, where you can use the formspring.me account that’s been created for that purpose. All the best!

Adopting The New

About two hours ago I was sitting in the dentist’s chair, having my normal six-month check-up and teeth cleaning. I’m new to this office, so no one knows anything about me, my background or what I do. While they know I was referred by a co-worker, and that I’m a graphic designer, they have no knowledge of my past, my weight loss journey, or how hard I’ve worked to become the man I am today.

My hygienist, Becky, was talking with me about what I do in my extra time and I told her I liked to read and run. She, too, loves to do both of these things, so we started talking about the books we’ve been reading. Last night I finished Ali Vincent’s (who was the first female Biggest Loser) book “Believe It, Be It” and I generally enjoyed every aspect of the read. Talking about The Biggest Loser automatically launched into a discussion about health and wellness, and the constant struggle most people have to maintain their weight loss when they’re at their goal.

The whole time we were having this discussion I was arguing with myself as to whether or not I should say anything to Becky about my own journey and the things that have filled my experiences the last two years. But the more I considered the idea, I decided not to. This life that I live is the only one I know how to live, and the things that I’ve been blessed to do to change my life are merely notches in my belt. Losing 200+ lbs does not define who I am—It has helped me rediscover who I am, to reach for the huge goals that I never thought possible—but the guy who could eat an entire large pizza if he wanted to is still buried deep within my being.

So I find myself being a bit conflicted now. This new life that I’ve embraced is wonderful. I feel better than I’ve ever felt, I weigh less than I ever remember weighing, but I don’t always want to be the guy who used to be morbidly obese. I’m entering a new time in life, unafraid of what’s ahead, and armed with the confidence that no matter what challenges arise, I’ll be victorious, because the guy who tipped the scales at more than 460 lbs is the same guy who now weighs nearly half that.

As I’ve been thinking about embracing this new life whole heartedly, I did something crazy last week. I signed up to be a part of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training, and I’ve committed to running the Indianapolis Mini Marathon this May. That’s 13.1 miles! As a component of the training, and to be a part of the team, I have to raise donations that benefit LLS as they continue to work towards curing blood-born cancers. This organization really hits close to home as my own Dad is a survivor of non-hodgkin lymphoma, and it’s only through research, medicines and a lot of prayer  that he’s been cancer-free for almost four years now. I’m running in his honor this May, and I can’t wait to greet him at the finish line, signifying the huge accomplishments both of us have made in our lives.

So here’s where I could really use some help… Up at the right side of the page is a ‘support me’ badge with a woman running with her arms up. If you are able, click that little button and make a donation as I set out to accomplish this huge task. I can’t tell you how grateful I would be if you could help me out, and better yet, you could be helping someone else say that their parent is now cancer-free, too. I’ll be reporting on my progress as I move ahead, but if you can give, it would mean the world to me and thousands of others affected by cancer across the globe.

I wish you all the best as you work towards a better you.
keep moving,
dane.

Harnessing Your Motivation

For the last couple of days I’ve been reading a memoir of a woman who lost over 200 lbs. through diet and exercise. It’s been good to connect with her story, allowing me to reflect upon my own journey and compare her experience with my own. While she now operates a weight loss blog with several thousand readers, she had a rough start blogging about her lifestyle change. In one chapter she talks about her habit of inconsistently blogging, and says something to the effect that when you’re blogging on weight loss and you don’t update for a couple of weeks it probably means you’ve gained weight.

Reading those words a couple of nights ago, it struck something within me. My internal dialogue went something like this: “Wow, I haven’t been updating my blog as consistently as I’ve been wanting to, does this mean my readers assume that I’ve gained weight these past few weeks, too? No, no.. there’s a progress page, where readers can see how I do each week. But what if they don’t know about the progress page, they could think I’m falling off the wagon again…”

To put any wondering aside, I’ve not gained any weight since the holidays (and it was a small gain at that). I sometimes struggle, though, with what is relevant to others as they incorporate healthy choices into their life, sometimes leaving me without an updated blog. I started this blog to share my entire journey, and with that, I’ve decided to start sharing more of where I’m at right now, not always pulling from what it was like when I first started. But I can still use your help—so if you’re looking for my insight or thoughts related to weight loss and lifestyle change, email me, and I’ll be sure to use it in an upcoming entry.

Last night I was really shocked after stepping on the scale at my Weight Watchers meeting. Last week, I lost over 8 lbs., (it was a big week), and I was really excited. Wanting to break free from the ten pound category I’ve been sitting in for the last month, though, I pushed things up a notch this week. I made the best food decisions I could, I pushed myself at the gym, I took the stairs in my parking garage every day, I walked different routes to work to get more steps in—I did as much as I possibly could to get another big loss in.

According to my bathroom scale, I’d done just what I wanted to do—I was so excited that the hard work had paid off. I arrived at my WW meeting early, I approached the scale with excitement and tried to contain my smile as the receptionist recorded my weight. But then she said something that completely surprised me: “Great! You lost two pounds this week!” My internal dialogue went something like this: “WHAT?! TWO POUNDS?! I BURNED OVER 5,000 CALORIES THIS WEEK AND STAYED WITHIN PLAN EVERY SINGLE DAY—ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!” Please note that in reality, however, I didn’t stomp, whine or complain, I said thank you and took my seat. Now, before you start hating on me because I’m not appreciative of losing two pounds, let me explain.

I’m having to do a lot of positive self talk these days. You see, tomorrow, January 21, will be my two year anniversary of starting weight watchers, of adopting a healthy lifestyle that has changed my life, of dragging myself to the gym five times a week. And quite frankly, I’m ready to be done. Don’t get me wrong—I love where I’m at, I love what I’ve accomplished and I’m excited to be at goal, but when one has lost over 210 lbs. and the reality is that they still have a bit more to lose, it can get a bit tiring. This last week was just another part of that frustration. When you have made nearly every decision in your day in hopes of helping the pounds lost go up and it’s not as good as you think it’ll be, it’s really disheartening.

I know that this is a change that I’ve made for the rest of my life.
I know that in order to sustain this loss I’ll need to continue to workout at least three times a week, I know I’ll have to monitor everything that I eat, I know that I’ll continue to struggle with wanting to eat things like unhealthy, greasy, covered-in-sauce chinese food. But right now, in this time of realization (and frustration), I’m having to keep my eyes on the prize to keep myself on track. I had my time of frustration last night, but I’m already over that—my head is in the game, and I’m focused on what’s ahead of me.

Personally, my motivation is hitting my weight loss goal this year. I’ve decided that 2010 is my year (THIN IN 2010!) and I’m going to be working my hardest to make that goal a reality. But I’ve also been able to find things that motivate me in my day-to-day life like fitting in smaller sized clothes, sitting comfortably in a restaurant booth or walking to the grocery store rather than driving. There are always things around you that can serve as incredible forms of motivation, you just have to be the one who decides what they may be.

Need more to fuel your fire? Try these tips:

1. Ask a close friend or family member to help keep you accountable as you go about this change in your life. Check in with them once a week or call them when you’re struggling. If they’re the right person, they’ll keep you grounded and on-track, acting as your biggest supporter as you embrace change.
2. Look at old photos of yourself or an old pair of pants and visually reinforce the change that you’re making for yourself. Remind yourself what it felt like to be that person and turn that emotion into motivation to stay the course.
3. Remind yourself that this is something you can do. Starting was the hardest step, so keep going when you’re ready to quit, and remember that you can do absolutely anything you put your mind to.

As much as I hope you’ll find motivation in these words, know that this is just as much a reminder to me as I move forward, as well. Sometimes it’s hearing the things that we already know to keep moving, and while I hope you’ll believe these things and implement them into your routine, know that I’m doing them right along with you. This is something we can finish! I wish you all the best as you work towards a better you.

keep moving,
dane.

ps: I like to ask a lot of questions, and maybe you do, too. Thanks to the internet, I’ve found a nifty way for you to ask me your questions, and for me to respond to them, too, so head over to my page and ask away, because I’m excited to answer your questions!

What’ll It Be?

Greetings, Friends! Happy 2010. It seems nearly impossible that it’s already January, and even more so that it’s been five months since I started working on this blog. But here we are—and I’m glad to walk this journey alongside you. Whether this is your first stop here or you’ve been reading my entries since the start, I hope that you’ll find my story helpful in whatever lifestyle change you’re pursuing.

As I’ve gone about losing the weight I have, a lot of people have made comments about how hard losing weight is, how difficult it must be. While there is some reality to those comments, making this change in my life has been one of the easiest things I’ve ever done. Sure, there were adjustments that had to be made, I had to learn a few things about myself along the way and I’ve had to remind myself why I drag myself to the gym five times a week. But then I look at old photos of myself and I remember how much worse it felt to be the overweight person that I was, to be detached from the physically demanding activities I longed to be a part of—to feel like I was out of control.

With the new year, there are many individuals who have made the decision to pursue weight loss as a resolution. I remember what it was like to decide (nearly) every new year that I wanted to lose weight for an occasion in the coming year, yet every year I would fail at making that resolution a reality. Studies have shown that most diet and exercise resolutions last a mere four weeks before most individuals slip back into their previous routines. But this year could be your year to break that statistic! So that leads me to challenge you with a simple question:

What will you change in 2010?

When you make the decision to change your life in whatever ways you desire, trust that you can accomplish your goals—that you can do whatever you put your mind to. And remember that if I can do what I’ve done, you can do absolutely ANYTHING you put your mind to. Make 2010 your year for change—and believe it. I wish you all the best as you work towards a better you.

keep moving,
dane.

PS: I apologize for the lack of updates the last couple of weeks—but please stop by every Thursday for updated content, I’ve got big plans!

{author’s note: the photo above is me with a pair of the jeans I used to wear. If you’re getting started on your own weight loss journey I highly encourage you to keep a piece of clothing that will be a reminder of the progress you make, you’d be surprised how good a huge pair of pants can make you feel!}

Ask Away.

Greetings, friends. I hope this finds you doing well and staying warm! It’s been insanely cold in Indianapolis these last few weeks, which makes it difficult to find the motivation to do anything. But I’m still dragging myself to the gym day after day, and it’s totally worth the sting of the cold.

While this blog does exist to share my story, I also want this space to be an outlet for questions to be asked and advice to be shared for individuals who need it. So with that being said, I invite you to ask away. I’ll work these questions into a future post (or several).

On a side note … If you (or someone you know) are a part of a group that is looking for a speaker on weight loss and healthy lifestyles, please don’t be afraid to contact me. When I started all of this I had a really difficult time learning of others’ weight loss journeys. I’d love to share my story with your group, though, so please contact me with any questions!

I want to hear your questions! I wish you all the best as you work towards a better you.

keep moving,
dane .

Looking to the Future.

Tuesday night was an awesome night. I worked hard last week, trying to meet my goal of hitting the big 200. But I’m a pretty superstitious person when it comes to my weight, and feared that somewhere along the way I’d messed something up.

I stepped onto the scale and my favorite WW receptionist looked at me, a huge smile stretching across her face. “You did it!” she said, as her face lit up with excitement. We high-fived at the counter and she congratulated me on my progress. I made my way back into the meeting room and people all around me started asking if I had met my goal, and the best part was being able to tell them all that yes, in fact, I had.

Three days later, I’m still excited—it’s been an awesome thing to accomplish. But the truth is, I’m not done yet. While there may be 201.3 lbs less of me hanging on this frame, I’m not where I want to be yet—and I’m having to remind myself that it isn’t time to celebrate the end just yet. Truthfully, this is a great time of year for this to happen in. People are getting ready to make the decision after the holidays to do something about their weight. Grocery stores are going to start promoting healthier items with lower prices and with it being the end of the year, I’m able to really reflect on where I want to be a year from now.

A year from today, I want to be at my lifetime goal weight for weight watchers, I want to have hiked the Grand Canyon rim to rim (down and back to the top), I hope to have given my first public speaking session on my weight loss and I hope to be in training to run a half marathon. But more than any of these measurable things, I hope I’m able to look at what I’ve learned, where I’m at in life and realize that this new lifestyle of eating right, working out consistently and taking care of myself is going to be with me for the rest of my life. I will never live a life of obesity again. And while on this day I’m able to feel the accomplishment and excitement of being the thinnest I can remember myself as, I hope a year from now I will not have forgotten the way it feels.

I encourage you to think about your goals for the next year, both measurable and not. Write them down, put them in front of you, make them a part of your life. When you meet one, you can move on to the next one—so start dreaming and thinking of where you want to go from here today. I wish you all the best as you work towards a better you.

keep moving,
dane.

Reflecting on the Journey.

Left: May, 2007 | Right: Dec., 2009

As I write this post, I am a mere five ounces from losing 200 lbs. It’s hard for me to believe that since January of 2008 this has all happened. But with that reality comes the fact that I’m not the same person I was two years ago. My choices are carefully considered, I’m always thinking about what is going to fill my time and I’m always conscious of what my body is saying to me.

For a long time I told myself that I could eat whatever I wanted, because one day I was going to get gastric bypass surgery, making all the weight melt away. But one day something snapped within me, and I knew I couldn’t live a life of obesity anymore.
I sometimes struggle with tempting foods, with eating more than I should and finding the desire to workout five times within a week. But then I remember what it felt like to shop in big and tall stores, to be detached from physical activities, to feel like I wasn’t in control of my body—and I’m instantly refocused and ready to keep going.

No matter where you are in life, no matter what decisions for change you might be making, it’s important to reflect on your journey. Time literally flies by—so as we prepare to embrace a new year (in just a few weeks), look back on where you’ve been and look at all you’ve accomplished. Sure, 200 lbs. is going to be my huge accomplishment for this year, but there have been just as many small victories along the way that have motivated and excited me to get me where I am today.

I encourage you to look deep within and reflect on who you are – there’s always something to be proud of yourself for, so start looking today. I wish you the best as you work towards a better you.

keep moving,
dane.