So - I turned 40 over the weekend - smaller than I've been probably since I turned 14 or so.  I was dreading it, but it turned out not to be a big deal.  I did over-indulge in birthday cake, etc... but now that's behind us and I'm moving on towards the goal!    Incredible changes since last year - even more incredible when viewed against my life when I turned 38 two years ago!

Generally, I feel really good, but have been less than motivated to make more change lately.  Just kind of coasting along, my scale wobbling up and down over about a 4-5 pound range, just cruising through...  BUT - deep down, I don't feel content at this point.  I am smaller, but not as healthy and fit as I want to be, so I've decided to take action to make some changes and get moving on to an even better place.

I've committed to my son that we are going to start working out after September 1.  We are going to be walking/jogging/running, lifting some weights and doing regular calisthenics.  There are a couple of people at my office who are working the P90X exercise program (you know - from the infomercials...)  Well, I had never seen this thing before these guys started doing it, but now I'm kind of excited about it and the results that I can see in the people here and the (largely unbelievable) changes that you see in the people online and in the commercials.  I plan to take the next 90 days to get into shape good enough to try this thing out after the first of the new year.  It's kind of scary - two of the big things in the program seem to be push-ups and pull-ups - two things that can summon fear from a fat boy's deepest memories.  (the only thing that might be worse is if someone said "climbing rope!")  Anyhow, I think I can figure out enough basic work for us to do between now and the holidays that we can try that sucker out after the first of January.  Maybe I'll put it on my Christmas list.   Keep an eye out for the new before and after pics...  Not sure they will be nearly so dramatic "as seen on TV," because I expect I'm still going to have rolls of skin hanging on even if I get rid of virtually all the body fat underneath... ewwww - that sounds like it might be ugly - maybe there won't be so many pictures, but I'll let you know how the progress goes.

On a slightly different note - I was out to dinner last week, and saw a teen age version of me having dinner across the way.  He seemed to be a very nice young man - roughly 16-18 years old, probably right around 300 pounds - eating out with his mother.  He ordered Coke and sucked down a couple of big glasses full before his salad showed up.  He ate through the salad and got a big pasta entree.  He ate through that with a couple more Cokes, and then they shared a desert.  It was all too familiar too me...  I wanted SOO badly to go over and talk to him and his mother and let them know that there was a way out.  He could avoid all the pain and be able to take advantage of all the experiences that are available for him in the next few years...I could see all the sadness coming his way, all the things he would choose to skip out on, all the things his friends would be doing that he would take a pass on...but, of course, I didn't go over and say anything... What is the right thing to do?  It's so hard for me, sometimes, to see people who could change their future and do nothing...  I try to realize that this is a decision that everyone has to come to for themselves, but it's still hard.  I just keep working to make sure that my own child doesn't have to go down the hard road that so many of us here on this site have travel led.  I have to realize that this is enough.  If you want to change the world, you have to start by making small changes in your own little corner... I'm owning up to that responsibility and moving forward.   Hope everyone else will do their part as well!

YES!!! - my son and I spent the (long) day at Six Flags over Texas today - we rode everything we could find, and not once did I have a bit of trouble with the restraints or worry that he was going to fly out because something was just barely buckled around me, leaving it too loose on him.   We had such fun together.  I felt great all day - it's amazing how much easier and more rewarding it is to take on the amusement park at 205 than it was at 378!   It's one of those victories along the way that makes all the work worth while.

On the darker side - I had to watch a lady in the park climb off one of the rides because she obviously had trouble with the restraints closing.  It made me so sad to see, and I wanted to go up and talk to her about the wonders that can be brought about with WLS, but, of course, I didn't.  I know how I would have reacted to such a thing two years ago, and I certainly didn't want to add to the stress she was already having by adding in my two cents.  I also saw benches full of people sitting outside the rides - many of whom would NOT have fit on - and wondered if that was the only reason they were sitting there, and felt bad for them that they were missing out on the experiences their loved ones were sharing at the time.

I also found out that there is virtually no good food to be had at an amusement park.  I tried to eat part of a burger there, and had to walk it off for about half an hour before the pain went away.   I decided to go back to just water for the rest of the day and settle for something better for dinner.

Anyhow - I need to be in bed now, but just had to share the victory with everyone first.  Keep up the great work and keep on moving towards all those small victories that will make your life so much richer.  

John