My Fit2Fat2Fit Blog is the journal of an awkward, unnatural “athlete” who is trying to live a healthier life for his wife, kids and community. Yes, that’s me. I write about my nearly daily struggles to stay fit.
I guess I should tell how it all got started.
I have been an on-and-off athlete nearly my whole life. In my early 40’s, I got serious about exercise after a family member had heart surgery. I even trained for and ran The Marine Corps Marathon in 2010 (and raised $13,000 for melanoma research). I weighed 195 lbs. and had a 36-inch waist. At 42, I was in the best shape of my life.
Then the wheels came off.
When I got home, I was made part-time and had to take a second job to survive. I was required to come into the office before 6 a.m. and didn’t get off from my other job until 7 p.m. that night. I was depressed and exhausted. So I ate fast food and drank soda for the cheap energy to keep me going. In less than a year, I had gone from running a marathon to not being able to walk up a flight of stairs. I had gained over 50 lbs. and my waist had ballooned to 42 inches.
I was the poster child for a heart attack — and was stressed, angry, fat and miserable.
That’s when Paul Lacoste and my wife did an intervention on me. Paul’s son went to Amy’s school and one day in carpool, he told her he really wanted to train me. She since she really didn’t want to bury me, she encouraged me to sign up for his bootcamp. So within a week, I was at Jackson State, in line 8 and thinking I was going to die anyway. (When Paul said train, I think he meant make me feel like I had been hit by a train.) To get through it, I began writing a daily blog about my PLS misadventures. I was brutally honest and talked about my failures as well as my successes. Within two weeks, Paul moved me to Line 2. I died another death. But my body began to respond. And the weight melted off.
By the end of the 12 weeks, I had lost the 50 lbs. I was back.
Life didn’t get any easier. But it got better. I was fired from the radio job (I now have a new one I enjoy). I have written a couple of books. I travel. And I have a good relationship at my morning job. I am now busier than ever. But now I am ready for it. I eat better. I gave up sugary sodas. My mood is better. And I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in — even better than when I ran the marathon.
Yes, I’m still writing about it. Running and PLS allow me the opportunity to not only train for fitness, they also provide me a level of mental toughness I’ve never had before. I also see more of life’s wisdom. My fitness has opened up new worlds for me.
Paul talks about the Next Level a lot. I’ve tried to define it a few times but let me just say this, the Next Level is when you have the strength and friends to handle anything life throws at you. Like Paul said this morning, “Tough times don’t last. Tough people do.” Life occasionally punches me in the mouth. But I have the strength to get back up and keep going.
That’s why I exercise and write about it. Because I never want a Fit2Fat2Fit2Fat blog. (And I enjoy having a 34-waist.)
You can read my blogs at marshallramsey.com