What Is This All About?

Today is Tuesday, January 5, 2010. Exactly one year has passed since I began my transformation. My life, and not just my body, has been transformed. I feel nothing like the fat man-boy I was 12 months ago:

Physically, I have never felt as strong as I do now. I have a bounce in my step, an erect posture, a slim waist, and solid arms that peek through from underneath short sleeves.

Psychologically, my mental state has never been better. I have never known what genuine confidence is until now. Gone is the arrogant, false bravado borne of insecurities that served only to compensate for my perceived shortcomings. Endorphins now course through my veins all day and the depression and anxiety that I once thought were just part of normal everyday life, are now completely foreign to me. The insecurities that had once crippled me, have melted away.

Emotionally, I have never been better. I feel genuinely happy. My self-confidence has led to successes in all areas of my life. I have several love interests from which to choose from and I no longer feel compelled to "settle" for whatever comes my way. Or, perhaps, I have finally met the love of my life and am involved in a serious long-term relationship? My career, too, has also taken off. I approach my job with more drive, determination, and focus. The lessons learned from setting - and acheiving - fitness goals, have been transferred into the workplace. My job now has purpose and, thus, fulfilment.

But how did I get here? What were the monthly, weekly, and daily goals that gradually led to such a dramatic turn-around in only one year? Who am I now?

Well, that is what this blog is all about. This is an effort to capture every step I take towards making permanent lifestyle changes; changes that have eluded me all of my life. That is, until now.

We all have dragons to slay. My personal dragon has always been my weak, overweight body and, more importantly, my refusal to do anything about it. This blog is but my first step in slaying that elusive dragon.

I will declare my goals, detail my efforts, and monitor my progress within this blog. This will be more than just a simple web log, however. I intend to meticulously track exercise, diet, and any other pertinent aspect of my efforts. Every morsel of food eaten, every pound lifted and repetition made, and every emotional up or down, will be posted. It will detail a path followed towards personal glory, and the many struggles faced along the way.

I have decided to make this very personal struggle very public in the hopes that it will help reinforce my commitment to change. My very life depends on it. My health and wellbeing have suffered through neglect and, if I continue this self-destructive path, I am sure to meet an untimely end. This is where you, the reader, come in. I have enabled unrestricted commenting on all posts in the hopes that your feedback will keep me motivated and on track. I also sincerely hope that my efforts will inspire you to make the changes you wish to make in your life, so that you too will find a way to slay your own dragon.