"But I Don't Feel Fat..."
I used to tell myself that I didn't feel fat. The truth is, I had probably tricked myself into having such a high self-esteem that I refused to notice that I was overweight. Whenever I looked at myself in the mirror, it never seemed to bother me because I still felt like Kevin Costner, Kevin Spacey, or Kevin Bacon and not Kevin James. I felt like John Travolta or John Stamos and not John Goodman or John Candy. My weight didn't keep me from being productive at work; it didn't keep me from enjoying my hobbies; it didn't keep me from very much at all. I didn't feel like there was anything wrong. Besides, I come from a family full of big people, so I never really felt too big because I was surrounded by other big people."Seatbelt? Who needs that anyway..."
There were always tell-tale signs that I was overweight - seat belts that didn't fit, rides that I couldn't get on, clothes I could only find at the local Big & Tall outlet, always keeping my shirt on when I went swimming (while telling myself it was so I wouldn't get sunburned). I noticed myself being more out of breath than normal on a flight of stairs. I noticed that I couldn't run the bases as quickly as I used to at my softball games. I never felt like I had the energy to accomplish very much more than I was required to. Then I went to my doctor for my annual checkup."The Largest I Have Ever Been"
I went to my doctor a few months ago, and I weighed in at the largest I have ever been. When the scale crossed the 400 mark, I was not happy. I weighed in at 430 lbs. Granted, I'm six feet tall, so I carry it better than some people, but it was something about that number and not wanting to hit 450 that changed my entire attitude. What kind of example was I setting for my daughter by allowing myself to live like this? What kind of example was I setting for those around me when I say that I am a follower of Jesus Christ and I can't even take care of His temple (my body)? If I felt God calling me to go to some remote village, I probably couldn't go because there wouldn't be transportation large enough to get me there! So I started to look for ways to increase my exercise and a meal plan that was rigid enough to change my weight but flexible enough that I wasn't going to fail at the first sign of temptation. That's when I came across this video.I'm sure a lot of you have seen this video of Arthur Boorman. It has over five million views on YouTube. He is a real person, and this story is completely real. He's actually from Maryland, and I happen to have a friend from high school that works with him at his day job. In the evenings, he is an instructor for this new lifestyle that got him back in shape. I watched this video, almost crying, and I said to myself, "If this middle-aged, crippled guy can get it together, what's stopping me?" And I did something that I would typically never do, I spent the money to order a weight loss product. I ordered the DDP Yoga DVDs just over thirty days ago, and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made.
"Dudes Don't Do Yoga."
I know what you're thinking, "Why would a big guy like you want to do yoga? Isn't yoga for women and sissies? Can't you just go walk or run?" Honestly, yes. I could go walk or run. But this is the entire reason that I ordered the DDP Yoga DVDs - this workout is LOW IMPACT. For someone as large as myself, walking is killer on the back, and running is like torture on the knees and other joints. With DDP Yoga, I can get my heart rate into my fat-burning zone by STANDING STILL. That's right, I said standing still. But the workouts don't stop there. Once I have mastered the "easy stuff" there are plenty of challenging moves that I will have to learn and master that will keep me active for years to come. If you still think yoga is for sissies, check out this video of DDP doing extreme psycho push-ups. Does that guy look like a sissy?"It's Not A Diet"
The DDP Yoga nutrition guide has three phases, so I worked at my own pace to make the changes that I needed to make. Phase 1 cut out all extra sugar and processed food. Phase 2 meant going Gluten Free and Dairy Free. Phase 3 added buying organic and using the principles of food combining to keep your metabolism burning fat all day long. I already did Phase 1 before I ever ordered the DVDs. Phase 2 and 3 have been challenging, but there are so many fresh veggies available right now, I have had no problem finding the right foods to eat, and Phase 3 is actually easier than Phase 2 because all that is required is a little extra money for organic. But it's totally worth it! I have lost 27 lbs. in 30 days!"Community of Support"
The best part about DDP Yoga is their online community (you can view my profile there). I can easily log on to see what workouts others are doing and get advice, recipes, encouragement and more. I feel great. I will never go back to the old me. I own my life now.If you, or someone you love, is looking for a way to get healthy, ask me about DDP Yoga, and I will be completely honest with you. Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how your react to it. Live life in the 90% - choose how you want to live and then make it happen!
