“The part can never be well unless the whole is well.” ~Plato

Thirteen years ago, almost exactly to the day that I am writing this, I quit smoking.  I didn’t quit because I got sick.  I was a very fit smoker; I would jog four miles at a nice eight minute per mile pace and then light up a cigarette as soon as I finished.  I quit for other reasons.

It had been obvious to me for years that I needed to quit.  The smell, the expense, the increased risk of cancer – all of these bothered me – but they weren’t enough.  I finally stopped because my career as a public speaker, and my beliefs about what it truly meant to live a successful life, and the habit of smoking had become completely incompatible.  I just could not continue to talk about success when I was addicted to a substance that I knew was not good for me.  So, I quit.  It was a horrific process, but I made it thru.  Thirteen years later and I have never smoked again.

I did however gain weight after I quit smoking; I gained lots of weight.  In the year after I quit smoking I gained nearly ninety pounds of bodyweight and I still carry most of this excess today.

So, I find myself back in a very similar situation to the one that I found myself in thirteen years ago: being overweight and the health consequences of that are no longer compatible with the rest of my life.  I have committed to returning to my ideal bodyweight and body-fat percentage within the next twelve months.  I don’t know all of how I will accomplish this yet, but I am going to make it happen.  Wish me the best and follow along as I travel back in time to a much younger and fitter body.  I will be updating my blog weekly with my efforts and my results.

Also, since I am releasing a book about goals and achievement next year, this seemed like a great time and place to use this leverage on myself for myself!  More about this process next time.

Till next time faithful reader…Jack

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“The greatest wealth is health.” ~Virgil