Helping two boys become the best men they can be.

[dshale]

I have two boys. Alex is 5 and Noah is 3. I am amazed the way they learn. They have different personalities and respond differently to things. The one thing that is consistant is that they will pickup on things my wife and I do. In some cases that is not a good thing. I am making strides to correct this. Today I weighed myself and I am below 282 lbs. This is the lightest that either has ever seen me. I didn't start tracking my weight until I was close to 325 and I am guessing I was 350+ at my highest. I have came a long way and still have much work to do. As much as I would like to not worry about my weight and health, I am sort of glad that I can show them what hard work and resisting temptation can do. Showing them that set back don't hold you down forever. I hope they will get that making the right decisions will lead to an easier path. It saddens me that the lighter I am the more I can do with them which means I have missed out in so much. I don't want to see them take the path I did only to have the same regrets in the future. They have so much potential and I don't want to be a stumbling block for them. I just wanted to share this. This is why my success means so much. It is not because I am vain or have anything to prove to the outside world. It is two silly boys that will grow up one day.

[Pat G]

I have came a long way and still have much work to do. As much as I would like to not worry about my weight and health, I am sort of glad that I can show them what hard work and resisting temptation can do. Showing them that set back don't hold you down forever. I hope they will get that making the right decisions will lead to an easier path. It saddens me that the lighter I am the more I can do with them which means I have missed out in so much. I don't want to see them take the path I did only to have the same regrets in the future. They have so much potential and I don't want to be a stumbling block for them. I just wanted to share this. This is why my success means so much. It is not because I am vain or have anything to prove to the outside world. It is two silly boys that will grow up one day.

Yeah man. Thats it, as dad you have the best opportunity to show them how to live. Good to see you making that change!

[Bean]

This is why my success means so much. It is not because I am vain or have anything to prove to the outside world. It is two silly boys that will grow up one day.

this has been my motivation too. My boys are a bit older and it is an incredible feeling to know that they are learning good stuff from you. This year, I even swam in the paren't event at their swimming gala - it meant the world to them that their Dad was doing it.

Congratulations on making the change. Keep it going and, although they will probably forget in a few years that you were the big guy once, they will always be watching their dad and wanting to emulate him.

[IfItPlugsIn]

Good for you!! I have 2 boys (4 and 2), and I already love to see the healthy things that become part of their lives. My oldest is the most inspiring for me - would rather have fruit than candy most days, chooses applesauce instead of french fries at restaurants, eats veggies like a champ, tries a few bites of anything we put in front of him before deciding if he likes it or not, asked for dumbbells for Christmas (so he could workout like mommy), does pushups while watching TV, and begs to come to Zumba with me. Little one, not so much, but I'm hoping he starts picking up on big brother's good habits. As a parent, I know I make mistakes, but seeing positive influences on my kids, especially ones that will set them up for success in the future, reinforces that I'm at least doing something right.

Keep at it, dshale, and you and your whole family will continue to benefit from your success!

[Elastigirl]

This is so terrific! Our kids do watch what we do. Your kids will grow up making healthy chocies because of the example you are setting.

[AuroraNorth]

Go you!

My brother and I grew up making healthy choices because that's what our parents did.

[bgvanbur]

I bet they help you become the best man you can be too!

I have two boys (6 and 3). I do things like walks (with bursts of running) all the time now with my two boys (and they can go so far, we easily do 3 mile walks, and even did a 7.2 mile walk over four hours with several built in breaks). They also see me do bodyweight exercises (such as pushups, squats, and planks) and do them with me or at random times of the day. They even like to try exercising with dumbbells (I only let them have the 2lb ones) and the barbell (a 7 lb bar with no weight or clamps). Kids are so energetic at this age and it is great to be a part of that energy.

[dshale]

Go you!

My brother and I grew up making healthy choices because that's what our parents did.

My boys have an advantage over me growing up. A lot of time we couldn't afford too much and had pinto beans a lot. After college, when I started making a decent living, I spent a lot of money on food eating stuff that I never ate growing up. Even if times get hard I hope to never do that to them. I want to teach them it is fine to eat things that are not the best for them, but not everyday. I don't want them resenting how they grew up.

[Archer]

It's great that you want to break the cycle rather than pass it on. Now is when they learn how and what to eat, and how to either play outside or sit in front of a TV. You can give them lifelong healthy habits. Keep dropping those pounds and they won't even remember how big you were.

[Hildagaard]

I'm very excited to find some other parents on here. I have two boys 9 and 5. My oldest is growing like a weed right now and somedays I feel like I never leave the kitchen! It's really hard to watch them eat all day while trying not too .

[Timmy M]

teach em my sig and you won't go far wrong

[Waldo]

This year, I even swam in the paren't event at their swimming gala - it meant the world to them that their Dad was doing it.

The pool and other summer related shirtless play times was definitely my primary motivation for losing and getting in shape.

Just this last week we went to the splash park, dad was in his swim trunks running through the sprinklers with the kids; the only parent there at the time willing to brave it.