Don't Start On Monday!

Ok, this is purely a personal preference but, I think starting anything on Monday makes it even more challenging. Whether it's a new exercise program, new meal plan or both, Mondays are just not the optimal day (in my opinion) to start. Why?  For a large number of us, Mondays are the beginning of the work week. You are already stressed about what the week will hold even before it starts. Adding the extra stress of new meals or starting an exercise regimen tends to make Monday even more stressful. If you are stressed, you'll be less likely to follow through and more likely to not see the value in what you are trying to do, especially on day 1. Remove that possibility!  

I prefer starting something new on Sundays. That's the true beginning of the week and, by Monday, you're already feeling accomplished because you've made it past day 1!  Also, many of the exercise programs that I use follow the pattern of having the fourth day as a recovery day. Starting on Sunday will cause that day to fall on Wednesday, which is normally what we consider our "hump day". The rest day is usually on the seventh day. That will fall on Saturday and who doesn't like a break on Saturday, right?

I realize that this isn't a cookie cutter solution, but if you take these concepts and apply them to your schedule, it may be this small change that can make a big difference in you staying motivated. If you can keep your motivation level elevated, you've already won half the battle! 

Why Am I Here?

Welcome to my blog!  This first post will focus on the purpose of this blog.  On January 15, 2012, I started a fabulous journey.  It wasn't to an exotic island or some picturesque location.  It was a journey to a new life. 

Throughout my life, I have struggled with weight problems.  My weight has gone up and down so much over the past 20 years, sometimes I felt like a yo-yo.  I was never an athletic person growing up.  Just a regular kid with a weight problem.  I used to make the statement that I was born wearing "husky" pants.  The first time I ever lost a substantial amount of weight was between my junior and senior years of high school.  I weighed 188lbs going into the summer and lost 40 pounds by fall, weighing in at 148lbs.  Sounds pretty good, huh?  Wrong!  I did it the completely wrong way. I ate only one meal per day and that meal wasn't even a healthy one.  I justified myself by saying that I could "eat what I wanted" for that one meal, since it was all I was eating.  With the metabolism of a 17 year-old, it was an effective plan--not healthy, but effective.  At least, it was for a little while.   

After high school graduation, I started college.  By the end of my freshman year, I had gained 20 pounds.  I attributed it all to stress, of course.  Over three years, I gained another 15 pounds or so.  Getting me up past the 180 pound mark by college graduation.  Over the summer, I lost about 15 pounds, putting me back down to 170 for my wedding.  I thought I finally had it under control.

Over the next five years, I would go on "diets" to lose weight when I thought I needed to.  Up fifteen pounds, down ten; up 18, down 20.  The roller coaster dieting became a way of life.  Diet this month, but blow it next month.  When I learned that my wife was pregnant with our first child, I decided at that point that I wasn't going to be a "fat daddy".  So, I started the process again--this time, for good. 

I had a strong start and actually lost my magic number again--40 pounds.  My starting weight was 208lbs (20lbs heavier than I had ever started from in the past).  I brought it back down to 168lbs, which I felt good about.  I mean, hey, I'm back down to my "wedding weight".  Why not feel good about that, right?

After the baby came, so did the old ways.  Again, trying to be concious of my weight, I would go on and off diets thinking that each one would be the last time that I would have to do that.  Each time, I was met with failure.

By the time our second child arrived, I had relinquished to the thought that I was just going to live out the rest of my life as a heavy person.  Obviously, it was just my genetics or I wouldn't have this life-long struggle.  I just decided to accept that I would always have a weight problem.  "I'm gonna eat what I want, when I want it because it doesn't make a difference anyway!", I would say. And that was the mentality that I embraced for the next few years.

Fast forward to January 2012.  I am now 35 years old, a beautiful, loving wife, two lovely daughters, a great job, nice home--yep, I was living the dream.  Now, here's where you probably think I'm going throw out the heart attack story or something devastating like that.  Sorry if you have been building up to that. I don't have anything like that to give you, but please read on.  I think you'll like how the story ends.

It's January 2012, post holiday season and I'm scrolling through my phone, looking at FaceBook.  As I'm scrolling down through the posts, I see part of a picture.  I see that there is someone who has a sweatshirt that looks just like mine.  In my mind, the only difference is, this guy is much larger than I am.  Then, I scroll down to till I can see the face of the fine gentlemen.  Guess who I came face-to-face with?  Yes, it was me.  I couldn't believe that I had let myself go so far.  I weighed 236 pounds.  If you are thinking, "That's not bad for a man", please keep in mind I'm only 5'8".  Also, this was the heaviest I had ever been in my life.  It was seeing that guy face-to-face, eyeball-to-eyeball that made me wake-up.

I began this story by stating on January 15, 2012 I started a journey.  That was day 1.  I set a goal to lose 70 pounds.  Within that large goal, I broke that up in to 7 small goals.  All I had to do was lose 10 pounds, 7 times.  70 pounds sounded rediculously hard.  10 pounds, 7 times sounded achievable!

I started getting up at 4:00 a.m. and doing workouts with Tony Horton.  For those of you who don't know him by name, he's the creator of the great fitness program called P90X.  Every day, I "met" with Tony in my living room and he put me through an awesome workout.  By the end of the first 90 days, I had lost 40 pounds.  Not bad, for a start.  That meant I was now down to 196.  I still had 30 pounds to go. Over the next 180 days, I continued my regimen of diet and exercise. I exercised six days each week, an average of about an hour each day.  By the time I had finished up my third round (9 months later), I had met my initial weight loss goal!  Needless to say, I WAS PUMPED!  As exciting as that is, this is where the story actually starts getting good. 

Upon reaching my weight loss goal, I decided to write a note of thanks on Tony Horton's FaceBook page. I wasn't expecting any type of feedback or anything like that, it was just an outlet for me to express my thanks for the program. A day or so later, to my surprise, I received a response!  No, it wasn't from Tony, but it was from a BeachBody coach!  (BeachBody is the company that makes P90x.)  Coach April invited me to be a part of her team, a group of great people who were there for one reason--get healthy and encourage others who are doing the same. I joined the team (Empowered 4 Life), made several new friends, and realized that there was a great support group available to help people who wanted to get healthy. Over the next few months, i dropped another 20 pounds through the Insanity program. That's when I decided to get actively involved. 

I decided to also become a BeachBody coach so that I, too, could help people who were on the same journey as me. I knew that there had to be other people who were struggling with the same issues that I struggled with and I wanted to help. I created my own team, consisting of just a few friends and family members who were also interested in bettering their health. Over time, that team has grown. It's still pretty small, but definitely growing.  

That brings me, finally, to the answer of my question:  Why am I here?  It's actually quite easy. I'M HERE FOR YOU!  That's it. I'm here to help you. I'm not a fitness guru or a personal trainer, although I may be working toward that in the near future. I'm a coach, plain and simple. I'm here to help motivate you and keep you accountable. As a BeachBody coach, I have access to several resources that will help answer questions that you may have.  I can recommend exercise programs, assist you with things like determining your recommended calorie intake and help you with some healthy meal options.  I can also introduce you to my team, Restored For Purpose.  I chose that name because I feel like my life and body have been restored for a true purpose. So many times, we feel like we have no purpose in this life.  I place all of my trust in God. He has provided me this opportunity to help others and I want to do the best that I can to fulfill this mission.  

Here is where you come in.  If this interests you, follow my blog. If you would like to be a part of my team, email me at darrenrcline@beachbody.com. I'd love to have you on board.  If you know of someone who would be interested, share a link to the blog with them. I'll be posting motivational messages, program reviews and information that can help you in your journey.  I'll share my theories on exercise, diet, life changes, etc.  Like I said, I'm just a regular guy who is doing his best to live a healthy life and help others do the same. I'm looking forward to meeting you.  Will you go in this journey with me?