Greetings everyone.

At around this same time last year, I was in the best shape of my life. I was going to the gym six days a week, doing intense cardio, and was even training at a local MMA gym. I've posted here before (can't find them at the moment), and know that this is the best place get help in getting back to where I was.

Well, everything changed last summer when I left for my two-week army reserve training. We had little to keep us entertained during that time and spent most of our days sitting around waiting in the intense summer heat. I made perhaps one of the biggest mistakes of my life during that time, and started smoking! At the time I saw it as just a temporary distraction to help me pass the time until I got back home. I thought I'd just kick the habit and get back into the gym in no time. I promised myself I'd stop smoking and start traing as soon as I got home.

Two days or so after I got home, I left to Peru for a month and a half. My fiancee (now wife) was told at the American embassy in Lima that I would have to go down myself for an interview. Well, since sometimes you have more than one interview, I planned the trip so that I would have a month extra to deal with any problems that might arise. Thankfully everything went well and my wife was given her visa at our first interview. We were married about three weeks after getting back to the U.S. Again, I told myself I'd stop smoking and start traing when I got back home.

I was never able to get back into my workout routine. At first it was because we were rushing to get on our feet financially. Later, I actually signed up at a gym but would only go irregularly. It's been that way ever since. The last time I tried to work out I ended up leaving the gym early and collapsing on my bed for a few hours. I'm smoking almost half a pack every day. even thinking about trying to smoke makes me want to go outside and light one up immediately!

I really feel like crap right now. While I'm not really 'fat', I'm in terrible shape and feel like an obese tub of lard. I'm not being dramatic when I say it hurts to look at old photos of myself from last summer, right before my downfall began.

To get to my point: I need to get back in shape! I'm constantly in a bad mood, always feel down, and have almost no motivation to do anything. My self-esteem is suffering tremendously, especially when I look back at all I accomplished with my body only to throw it all away.

I would like to ask for help in keeping me in check. From reading past threads, I can see that many of you have been in my situation and have made a comeback. I plan to keep myself accountable here in the JSF forums. In the near future I'll be posting progress pics and updates.

Thanks for bearing through this long post. There's just too many things on my mind and too many things I need to start doing.

:)

Starting back is the hardest part but after a few weeks of steady trainind and dieting, it will be like you never stopped. Best of luck to ya!

Glad you're back at it :) Good luck and let us know if we can help in any way.

dude, i see you're from tampa! good stuff, so am i !

welcome to the site, we'll help you get where you want to be.

what gym are you part of right now?

Thanks a lot for the encouragement guys!

matt, I'm going to Total Fitness on Hillsborough and Sheldon here in Tampa. Do you workout in Clearwater?

Welcome Abe. Another Tampa guy here.

Well, if you're 6'2", 185 and 13% BF, then you certainly didn't get too fat! Welcome to the forum!

Croz

Welcome Abe. Another Tampa guy here.

Well, if you're 6'2", 185 and 13% BF, then you certainly didn't get too fat! Welcome to the forum!

Croz


LOL. Those were my stats last year when I first joined the JSF forums. I'll have to update them. Right now I'm at 205lbs, and I can imagine my body fat is definitely over 13%.

You have a luxury. Most people who start out only hope or think maybe they can get lean and fit, but you've done it, so it's obvious that the 100% reason you're not doing this is simply that you're too lazy. Just being candid. There should be no room for self-doubt. No "I cannot get that thin" nonsense. You've done it. Just a year ago, obviously you can do it again.

Instead of getting sad at how pitiful you've become when you look at photos, why are you not using them to infuriate you and energize you through anger and disgust? Those are emotions that will carry you to the gym.

You KNOW you can be where you want to be. You obviously do not want it enough.

I would say first things first, stop smoking, it's more important now than anything. You are a grown adult who started smoking to alleviate boredom and now smoke half a pack a day. That's atrocious. Come on, you're better than that. Stop it.

Perhaps you remember how nice it is to be lean and healthy and perhaps you don't. Let me assure you, it's nice and great. Simply go for it, you have done it before, just do it again.

Feeling sorry for yourself is what happens before going to the gas station for a pack of beer (again).

You can either become a typical indolent American who would die if they tried to run a mile, goes to the doctor complaining about "chest pains" at 40 and is on blood pressure meds, making a terrible example for their kids and fitting in well with their similarly degenerating neighbors and coworkers, or you can become healthy, use the past year as a reminder of how far any of us can fall (because this game requires constant diligence by anybody engaged in it) and do something about it.

Since you know you can get either of these two options, choose whichever seems easier. Or don't choose at all and the indolent option comes to you without putting in any effort.

If I'm harsh, it's because I know you can take it:tucool:

Remember, you're the same person with the same body who used to work out 6 days a week like a gym maniac and looked good. You're merely covered with a layer of shame right now that you can sweat off with some excercise. You've put on 20 lbs. It is May. You can easily be back where you want to be, eradicating a year of sloth, in three months (or less). If you put in consistent effort, three months from now you can re-read this thread and be glad it no longer is an accurate representation of you.

Wow, that was very to the point. You're absolutely right. I definitely remember how good it felt to be in shape. I remember the the confidence I had and the way I used to carry myself alltogether.

I've already ordered protein online and began my old diet today. Sometime soon I'll post pics of my progress. The best thing about the JSF forums is that they keep you accountable in a way. No one in my circle of family or friends works out, so this is the only group of people I have who can keep me in check.