Tuesday March 6th, 2012; 8:19AM: Day 120: It seems the further along in this process I progress, the more overwhelmed I become with not just the results, but the support and encouragement I receive. Speaking of results, last night at Fat Camp (Aultman Weight Loss Center) I weighed in at 222.0 pounds for a loss of 2.2 for the week, bringing the total to 53.0 pounds to date, leaving only 17 more to go to hit my goal weight. I'm averaging in 17 total weeks on the program just over a loss of one pound per every two and a quarter days, which is about 2.24 pounds per week. This is right in line with what the "New Outlook" program predicts for a male enrolled. That being said there is something far more overwhelming and emotional about this program than the numbers.
I always post updates on my Facebook page when I weigh in, and always post when this blog is updated for those that choose to follow my progress. I do this because it DOES hold me accountable for my efforts and consistency in adhering to the protocol Fat Camp (Aultman Weight Loss Center) has laid out for me to follow. Secondly, with my new role and career path, it creates honest, fair, and real life experience to the health and wellness industry I am currently working in. In short it demonstrates not only my subscription to the premises of said industry, but the commitment of the Canton Marathon to said subscription.
All this being said, I think I am most blown away by the out-poor of continued and growing support for not only my progress, but for me. Let me drill deeper to paint a clearer picture. I have never considered myself (and still don't) anyone special, with any skill set above the median, apart from my willingness and ability to work very hard and accomplish tasks regardless of any scenario presented. In other words, I am just stubborn and single minded enough in pursuit of task accomplishment, I don't quit until I do so.
But for whatever reason so many people in my life continue to believe in me and my abilities, even when I haven't. As I mentioned above, I always post a status update after weighing in as a means of accountability and to allow those interested to follow the trend. After I posted last night, 40 different people from all different points in my life "liked" my status update and many commented affirmatively to my progress made. I heard from college teammates I haven't seen in between 8-15 years located in Cleveland, Buffalo, Canada, Indiana, Ireland, South Africa, Bulgaria, family and friends from Canton (my hometown in Ohio), Pennsylvania, Florida, West Virginia, Washington DC, and Cincinnati all wishing me well and sending out words of encouragement! ME!!! FOR ME!?!?!?!?!!!! Crazy Huh!
I only mention this for one reason. I have stated many times in this blog how lucky I am to have the support of my wife, mom, in-laws, immediate and extended family, and close circle of friends. But the out-poor of support and the reach with which it is coming from continues to awe, excite, and motivate me to reach all of my goals, not just with weight loss, but beyond with maintenance, the running progression, and all of life's experiences that come with it. I continue to be amazed by the process, the interest in it people as far back as high school and even further have taken in it and me, and the genuine support from all corners that floods in on a daily basis. This experience is demonstrative of one over-arching concept; NO ONE EVER GOES IT ALONE, DOES IT ALONE, AND CERTAINLY NO ONE EVER SUCCEEDS ALONE!!!!!
"All For One" is how I have, continue to do, and will continue to approach this incredibly crazy, stressful, wonderful, and rewarding journey that I am on. You see I have always been a people pleaser to a certain extent. My successes in any case always mean more to me when someone else has a vested interest in that success. I never seem to take letting myself down as hard as letting others down. So the love, support and encouragement from others is the fuel for becoming the "littler" engine that could. I blog about Fat Camp (Aultman Weight Loss Center), its amazing staff, techs, dietitians (who between the two I have gotten to know: Angie - my little blonde friend, and Mareda *spelling??* only combined stand the normal height of one person - gotcha both), and incredible clientele I continue to be motivated and inspired by because I DO NOT want to let them down. I am so proud of what they have taught me I owe it to them not to misrepresent their efforts by not succeeding. I owe it to my two bosses Steve and Julia for giving me this amazing opportunity and consequently motivating me into healthy living. I owe it to my wife, family, and friends who have always and continue to be so supportive of me to be healthy and around long enough to attempt to pay back the favor of their love and support. Hence the response to this post's title: "One For All."
But once again the final lesson I take away from this week's lecture, weigh in, results, and its ripple effect, comes from the one who has amazed me from the moment I met her on August 1, 2009, my wife Jenna. She attended a conference for work yesterday for school counselors. At such, the lecturer asked the constituency to write down everything each of them did for their students, their parents, their school, their communities, and so on. After the partaking in that task, the lecturer then asked the room to write down everything they do for themselves. Clearly the realization came immediately that all of these counselors put the weight (no pun intended) of the world and everyone in it on his or her shoulders all the time, leaving almost no time to take care of themselves. Lesson learned being that unless we take time to care for ourselves we are less effective in helping every one and everything we involve ourselves with in a truly effective manner. The conference was for school counselors, but the lesson is relevant to all of us. Unless we (I) am able to do this for me, and we (I) accept the responsibility of caring for me long after the classes, support systems, out-poor of encouragement subsides and life continues, I cannot be as effective in helping and pleasing of others. Hmmmmm, for someone who claims to not be as worldly, she certainly continues to be most profound to me on a regular basis. So if she refuses to acknowledge her wisdom, I am so lucky and blessed that her "whimsical discovery and absent minded disclosure" continues to put us both on life's better path (Please note the obscene amount of sarcasm in the previous sentence).
All For One And One For All!
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