Do it for yourself.

by Jon
(Dallas, TX, USA)

My motivation for losing weight was pretty simple. I looked in the mirror after taking a shower and couldn’t take it anymore.

Progressively putting on pounds, slowly but ever so steadily, just inching towards some intangible point of no return entitled “you are now fat.” I didn’t want to be on this path any more. I was about twenty pounds overweight and I thought I wore it well in my clothes, but I just couldn’t ignore the bathroom mirror again.


The first few days were the hardest. I asked a few healthy friends what to do, read some information online, got my old running shoes out of the closet. I figure I keep my focus narrow and drop pounds before working on muscle development or anything complex. Run (or try to) for a period of time and increase the intensity and speed throughout the jog based on information I found online.

Not wanting to wake up earlier, the run was for scheduled for the evening. Not a good idea. I dreaded the run the whole day. Got home late, everything was out of schedule in my head. I ran in the end. It was pretty ugly but I was glad I did it. The next day my body hated me and so I didn’t run. I kept thinking about how I would have to run the next day after work and made a decision which changed everything. I would run before work.

I feel so much better now it’s like waking up from a bad dream. I’m technically in the weight range I “should” be in after three months and I’m learning about more advanced exercise techniques with a friend.

I look forward to my morning runs, and they keep me pumped in the early day when normally I would be struggling not to fall asleep. I eat a big breakfast and a light dinner now, instead of no breakfast and a big dinner before bed.

I did all of this and I’ll keep doing it for me. Working out is my time, and despite anything work or family or friends bring my way, I have thirty minutes of my time to look forward to.