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365 Ways To Get Fit… And Counting!
Can you tell any difference in the way I look by viewing the pictures below? The first one was taken on my birthday last June 25th. The second one was taken on my birthday this past week, one year later. The first is what 335lbs on me looks like. The second is what 223lbs looks like. Hmmm, which one do you think I like most?
Just a bit of a difference, eh?
I read a lot on health and fitness these days. I’m often amused at the different tips for losing weight, getting fit, gaining strength, and often am baffled by all of the contradictory stuff that is offered regarding all of the above.
One nutritionist says to drink milk while yet another ‘scientific study’ says to avoid it. Some call for cutting carbs, some argue to add them. There are opinions on what to eat, when to eat, how and how often to eat. There are fad diets, fast diets, easy diets, purging diets and more whacked-out ideas and opinions than you’d hear at…well, just for today we’ll leave religion out of this.
And through the years, I think I’ve tried them all. But now I’ve found “the way, the truth and the life” to better fitness. Are you ready for the answer? The great discovery? The never-before-thought-of-solutions?
Well, here’s what’s worked for me: Every day (every stinking day!) make the decision that your actions will vote for life! This means no shortcuts to better health. It’s going to be a challenge – every day – to make better choices regarding what and how much you eat. It’s also going to be a challenge – every day – as to whether you’re going to make a time to exercise your top priority or not. Do it and you win… it’s a vote for life. Skip it, blow it off, allow yourself to get side-tracked and you lose… by being lazy or undisciplined you vote for weight gain, decreased strength, a lethargic mental status and a plethora of physical problems you don’t even want to think about.
Is it hard? Yep. Does it hurt sometimes? Yep. Are some days great and others impossible? Yep. Are there relapses? Yep. Are there rewards for sticking with it? Well, I think the pictures above could clue you into that answer.
A while back I was doing a conference and spoke about my new commitment to vote for health, fitness and life in general. Afterward a woman came up to me and told me that I was an inspiration to her. Recently I did another conference at the same place. The woman was even heavier than the last time I saw her and she was walking with a cane…I guess I wasn’t an inspiration after all.
I hurt for her. It reminded me of the difficulty that I’ve had through the years coming to the level of consciousness that guides me today. And I honestly don’t think I’ll ever go back. And to make sure I don’t, I’m very careful to write down every day all that I eat for breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner. I also post what I did that day for my strength and fitness.
I do this because I know that if I ever stop doing it, it will be a vote toward a lot of things I never want to go back to again. So, 365 days and counting… 366, 367, 368… yep, it’s hard, no lying, but it’s so worth it.
What about you? Can you do it? Can we do it together?
Let’s vote for life.
And health.
And feeling a whole lot better about ourselves.
25 comments to “365 Ways of Fitness”
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Just read the book “Women, Food and God” By Geneen Roth. She talks about living in the present (sound familiar?)….That is what I am reading here about your weight loss, day by day, minute by minute. “Every day (every stinking day!) make the decision that your actions will vote for life!!” INSPIRING!
Congrats and you look great! -
Thanks for the reminder! I reached a 52lb loss before I left for a cruise a month ago, and after I returned I had hit a brick wall. Between the cruise & my lack of discipline afterward, I managed to put 7lbs back on. This weekend I had to take a hard look at the decision I was making: slowly reverse all of the hard work I’ve put in and disregard my health, or get up and continue to take getting healthy one day at a time. This morning I woke up early to exercise, and then I ate a healthy breakfast before work… and I have a healthy lunch and dinner already set aside. It’s a new day, and I’m choosing to move forward.
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Okay, so you know what I’m going to do? A mini-triathlon in Sept. My first! Wahoo! I’m with you!
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Congratulations, Tim. You’re to be commended over and over and over again. After a rather long hiatus I’m back to nordic walking with my poles and clocking everything I eat via my FitDay program. Thanks for posting aspects of your journey towards health. Way-to-go!!!! I’m so super impressed with your accomplishment.
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Tim –
I am absolutely, 100% amazed by the commitment and success of your weight loss. i know it was not an easy, overnight process, but what you have to show for your hard work is amazing and speaks for itself! the number one thing you can do for your body is love it. respect it and take care of it and it will thank you in return. the topic of what goes into a body is a HUGE one for me and you are proof that all this healthy jibber jab works! Its so important to think about what is going into your body and the effect it can have on your overall health. keep it up man!
-kevin b -
Religion and fitness are also big passions of mine, and it’s hiliarious (sometimes in a tragic way) how often the dynamics of those topics’ followers mirror each other!
Way to go on your change! Physical transformations like that always reflect a previous and profound change of the inner self.
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“It’s also going to be a challenge – every day – as to whether you’re going to make a time to exercise your top priority or not. Do it and you win… it’s a vote for life. Skip it, blow it off, allow yourself to get side-tracked and you lose… by being lazy or undisciplined you vote for weight gain, decreased strength, a lethargic mental status and a plethora of physical problems you don’t even want to think about.”
Well thanks Tim for bringing accountability into my consciousness. Now what am I going to do with the cookies and cream in my freezer!? This reminds me of when I quit smoking.. bittersweet. I’m off to have a fit. For me that’s often the first step toward acceptance.
How has your weight loss affected your life?
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Congrats, uncle tim! You look fantastic!!!! Love your realistic approach and reminder that we are only our own faults, not a failed diet or anything else.
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Great job Tim. Enjoyed reading your post here. I have lost 80 pounds myself by hiking/biking/swimming and eating salads for dinner almost every night of the year. I eat salads because of the potential endless variety. I can relate to alot of what you have written here especially about the parts my knees and back feeling better…and…the dramatic improvement in the quality of life which effects all our relationships. Keep up the good work and may we both be able to keep our committment to living healthy one day at a time.
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Tim, I didn’t know the “former Tim”, but I’m sure enjoying getting to know the “new Tim” (and the rest of the King clan). And I love the picture of the “new you”. Who was your photographer (ha!) I should take pictures leaning out the car window more often.
It’s great to see the cummulative results of making the right choice day, after day….after day. You’re so right. That’s the difficult thing to do. Making the initial declaration is easy (New Year’s resolution, marriage vows, declaration of independence, declaration of peace). It’s the continuation of choosing that counts.
Thanks for proving that good choices are worth the “struggle” and the risk.
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Way to go Dad! Your commitment and consistency have been incredible!
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So you’re saying you didn’t really have a back problem but you had a front problem?
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Wow. That’s is an amazing transformation, both physically and mentally. Congratulations.
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I know where you’re coming from Tim. Over the years I allowed myself to get out of shape, which resulted in type !! diabetes. I started martial arts training, as well as daily cardio workouts. 3 months ago I became a vegan. Those changes resulted in losing 20 lbs. so far, dropping my cholesterol from 235 to 170, and lowering my blood sugar averages substantially. What you wrote is the key — it’s in the mind. Discipline and a desire to chose life over death.
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Lookin’ good, dude! How fun to see it before, during, and after. You done yourself proud, my friend!
Got makeovers of my own sort going on here … call some time…!
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Hey Tim, I am a bit late into this conversation. Just wanted to say that you look great. I to can relate to what you said about all these fad diets and endless commentaries and books on wieght loss and so on.
Lots of folks I know (especially guys) hate Dr. Phil and they think he is only for losers, but I happen to like what he says and when it comes to wieght gain and weight loss his words are very sound. First ) clean up your environment, you can’t eat what you don’t have! 2nd these weight loss books and endless commercials on the exact formula for weight loss for me are unnessary. If you can add and subtract you will find the formula to weight loss and gain, consume more calories then you lose, (weight gain) lose more calories then you consume(weight loss). It really isn’t rocket science.
I at one time weighed in at around 225 and for my height I was real fat, for over 5 years now I hover around 175 not by deiting but simply changing my environment, yes I still eat cookies and still eat icecream BUT NOT EVERYDAY!! and certainly not by haiing those things in the house, if I want them I have to drive somewhere to get them.
So anyway Tim now I am real jealous, now you are tall, slim and good looking! The only thing I am is Slim!!. Not fair! -
Looking great! A vote for life here as well. Started a muscular fitness program 12 weeks ago – just 15 minutes a week has given me an average strength increase of 25%, a small but consistent drop in weight, and already a noticeable increase in muscle tone and size. First time I’ve done a weight program in 54 years, but it’s also the first time I’ve found strong science on the topic. I highly recommend the protocol to anyone with 15 minutes a week to spare (Body By Science, Dr. Doug McGuff) — the finest collection of physiology, physical fitness, and health research I’ve ever seen packed into one book. Dispels the old “3 hours at the gym” myth.
Keep it up!!!
Happy Birthday!
What an excellent gift you gave to yourself and your loved ones. Congratulations!
One day and one step at a time … is the way to good health.