Life can be cruel when you can’t view your Penis anymore!

Yeah, I have been kind of absent from the blogiverse lately as I have been focused on getting my bloated man-ass back in shape. I had a bit of a wake up call not too long ago that made me realize I needed to embark on a drastic call to action. Well, it was a few things actually. One – when I had to go out and purchase 40 inch waist jeans (yeah, that was demoralizing). Two – when it was becoming uncomfortable to even bend over and pick up my keys when I dropped them (nothing like a fat belly mocking me). Three – when I Looked down and realized I could not see my penis ( Oh Hellz No!).  You would think a missing penis would send up a red flag or something. Alert! Alert! Danger! Danger Will Robinson!

Yet, that was not the Breaking Point.

For a guy who always prided himself on his strength, fitness, and youthful outlook on life I would know better, right? Be more self-aware of what I was doing to my body. I had gained way too much weight, become sluggish, and fairly unhealthy. As a former personal trainer with years of past experience, and constant gym member I was ignoring the blatant signs that my body was signalling to me. Maybe the final straw was participating in the Cupid’s Undie Run on Valentine’s Day weekend and seeing how bad I really looked in pictures taken that afternoon. Sure, I had a blast with a great group of friends, and also drank a lot that day before and after the run as it was for a terrific charity cause, but those pictures were damning.

Maybe I stubbornly ignored the telltale signs, as I labored a bit to complete the running part, and refused to acknowledge how I really looked in the mirror and in those pics. The baseball bat that hit me in the head was when I emailed some of the pictures to my parents, and my dad’s first reaction to me when he called was –

“Hey son, we just saw your pictures. Damn, it looks like you gained some weight. You look chubby in those pics. What happened?”

OUCH! There is nothing worse than when your parents come right out and say it. They can be our harshest critics. We all want our parent’s approval no matter how old we get, as we will always feel as if we are their little kids who don’t want to let them down. On top of this, I felt as if I let my gal down too, who has been through a long recovery from major neck surgery and had gained weight due to all the steroids and drugs she has been on over the past bunch of years. I felt like a failure. I had failed those around me. I had failed myself.

The breaking point had arrived.

I could have went one way or another at that point as many people do when facing a crossroads in life. I could have just accepted the way things were (as most people will often do), or fight back. Make a major life altering decision that changes everything. I know that when I put my mind to something and dedicate myself to a cause I have never given up. What I had become was not who I wanted to be moving forward. I was going to be damned if I had to live an unhealthy life of big man’s fat jeans, high blood pressure and cholesterol, looking older beyond my years, feeling like crap, and never seeing my penis again when looking down. It was time I chose to fight back.

On February 16, 2016 I made the decision to stop eating all red meats, processed foods, junk foods, fried crap, and anything else deemed detrimental to my health. My diet would become high nutrition based – seafood, fresh veggies, salads, fruits, low carb, etc. Not even chicken. Basically a pescatarian diet. More water of course. My gal was on board with this too even though she hates most seafood. I taught myself how to prepare and cook tasty fish meals, and now even surprisingly she enjoys them. I also ramped up the weight training sessions, and added in much more cardio with plenty of outdoors running. 5K runs have become the norm, and now I even compete in actual races earning some cool hardware along the way.

Phil 2.0 is now in full swing. There is no turning back.

The fruits of our labor had become evident as when we stepped on the scale recently I had lost 20 pounds, and my gal lost 12.5 pounds! Total combined loss of over 32 pounds so far! Now considering she is also not cleared to exercise yet this is great progress so far. We only go out once a week as a “cheat meal date” to keep our sanity and it seems to be working. Be bad for that one day then get right back on our horse the next. Our plan is solid and we need to stick with it for the long-term. Failure is not an option. Plus, at our age now staying at optimal health is a must as neither of us want to be looked at as the “old couple” since we do still like to go out, party, and be active. I see way too many people in their 30’s and 40’s who look way older than they are, and have settled into a sedentary unfit lifestyle. They make all kinds of excuses. Life is too short, and we all only go around once, so why not make the best of it with a healthy body and mind? I now refuse to be the old fat dude that rues his life decisions but feels it’s too late to make a change. I already look and feel better. More fit and full of energy. It’s an amazing feeling. Not stopping now.

The only bad thing that has come out of this so far is that we will need to go clothes shopping soon as our pants have become loose and baggy. I’ll need new suits and blazers for work, and an overall wardrobe upgrade. I was due to buy new clothes anyway. Just hated the thought of going shopping and being unhappy knowing I had to purchase larger shirts and pants that didn’t fit right or feel good on me. My vanity, and ego, had taken a beating. Now I’m feeling more confident and empowered. Oh well, there goes the credit cards, but at least we’ll be spending the cash knowing that it’s a reward for the success of our hard work and dedication. Now picking up a few items and trying them on in the dressing room won’t be a miserable ordeal! With Summer coming in a few months we want to be ready to enjoy it.

As the saying goes  – “Living well is the best revenge”.  Yes, it surely is. Especially when I can now see my penis. Hello there big guy! I missed you!