Hello... Again

[NotYAWS]

This isn't my first time in this community; I have been here before. Some of the older crew (Steve, Dante, Spezzy) might remember me (under my old username), but I'm starting this again from scratch. I feel like so much has changed in the last couple of years, I'm essentially a different person than I was before. So, here's to fresh starts.

I'm a 27 year old nerd, living in Brisbane Australia. I like my music heavy, my beer Japanese and my phone running Android. I am engaged to my beautiful fiancee and should have been married in May of this year. Unfortunately, she was diagnosed with MS back in Feb, leading to a few hard decisions and a reshuffling of priorities. We are still going to get married, date TBD, but we have simpler goals for now: it's been 11 months since she's been able to work, or drive a car, or walk for more than 5 minutes without pain. When something like this happens, you tend to go into survival mode pretty fast, and really only focus on the bare basics.

This wasn't helped by the fact we'd just sold our house and bought a new house, right before the diagnosis. Nice new (large) mortgage and down to one salary = fun times. Throw in the fact she really doesn't feel up to a lot of domestic chores, and I work long and hard to keep our heads above water. Throw in part-time uni (I'm doing my Masters in Information Management) and a ridiculous series of promotions (I'm now the Director of Information Management for a 10,000+ person organisation with a team of 20, still trying to wrap my head around how I got there) and I haven't had a lot of free time over the last year or so. These aren't excuses; these are challenges that I've failed to overcome.

As a result of not much time, (my) limited cooking skills and her feeling like crap whenever she stands in front of an oven/stove/bbq/etc, we've eaten a lot of fast food over the last year. I've tried to keep up my swimming (1300-1500m 3/4x a week), but I've seen my weight rise alarmingly over the last year. How bad? Last time I was posting on these forums, I was around 78-80kg. Now I'm 110kg and disgusted with myself. I am on the brink of the heaviest I've ever been, and enough is enough.

So for XMAS this year, I'm doing something for me - working on my health. I've got two weeks (including 2x family xmas dinners, win for no cooking, boo for overindulgence) to put some routines in place that I can maintain over the NEXT year, to slowly reclaim some of the health that I vaguely remember. My xmas presents to myself are:

• An olympic barbell
  
• 77.5kg of plates
  
• A power rack
  
• A willingness to devote time in the kitchen
  

I want to enter the next 6 week challenge. I want to get into the habit of tracking everything. I want to watch progress, overcome plateaus, kick ass. I want to eat right, pump iron, squat 1.5x my body weight again. I want to break a 20 minute km in the pool. I want to turn 110kg of flab into 70kg of lean muscle mass. I want to walk into meetings with General Managers and the Board of Directors and not feel self-conscious. I want to look good in my wedding photos. I want to be ready to help my fiancee when she needs to get a wheelchair. I want to take my dog on runs and play in the park. I want to get through stage one of Sasuke. I want to win another NerdFitness 6 week challenge...

If there's one thing life has taught me, it's that you can do anything you put your mind to as long as you put in the time and measure everything. I know I can do it.

Help me out guys

[littlemiss_g]

I would just like to say congratulations on overcoming what, frankly, look like some massive obstacles to get yourself back in a position where you can focus on your diet and fitness again. Reading your story is staggering, and I think it's less a case of you failing to overcome the new challenges, but having worked hard on them to get back to this point.

It sounds like you've got real determination, and I think that's really inspiring. The very best of luck with your new goals.

[NotYAWS]

Thanks Miss G, guess it's what comes next that really counts:-p

[Laureleye]

Wow, sounds like you lasted through a tidal wave and are coming up for air. Not too surprising that you couldn't dance to keep up with all of the stuff that has been happening. Good Christmas gifts to yourself. Welcome back from your hiatus.

[junk7321]

Looks to me like you are more ready than ever to get going on YOU!

We are here to support and motivate. This kind of story gives me motivation and i live 10,000 miles away!!

Remember every step in the right direction is a step closer to your goals... I think you just took a HUGE step is posting your story and making the decision to get started again.

Keep us all posted on your progress and Good Luck!!

[JessOfAllTrades]

I'm amazed at your determination to come back when dealing with so much. Welcome back and best of luck!

[NotYAWS]

Thanks everyone, really appreciate it

Steely-determination-activate!