Responsibility 199, what is it?

Responsibility 199 is a belief; I believe that to be healthy and to increase my longevity I need to weigh 199 pounds or less...
Responsibility 199 is a need; I need to reduce my weight, reduce my percentage of body fat, and the elevated threat of disease my present condition presents...
Responsibility 199 is a mission; I recognize that achieving 199 will be a challenge, perhaps the hardest I have ever undertaken...
Responsibility 199 is a commitment; I acknowledge that I must commit to action, commit to change, commit to myself and those I love to achieve this mission, to increase my longevity...
Responsibility 199 is ME.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Day 172 - Experience This Jack

As a kid I didn't receive allot of nutritional guidance. Sure I received some but I didn't shape any life long beliefs or habits. Scratch that, I developed a belief in butter cookies & a habit for eating them a package at a time.

As a teenager, well; let's keep those years out of this.

As a young adult I was the benefactor of a youthful engine and an active lifestyle. Even though I ate horrifically I was fit. For much of my 20's the fat cells awaiting their debut lay dormant.

When I got married (1st time), took a corporate desk flying job, hit my 30's, and gave up my active pursuits for the couch & increased time with my face glued to electronic screens (curse you AOL!); when I chose those changes I traded my health & sex drive for obesity & drive thru. Those fat cells erupted around my belly, under my chin, and filled those chick repellents called moobs.

Why, why did I become obese? Simple. I didn't know what I needed to know when young. I blame nobody but myself; the lessons of healthier ways were all around me. If only I had chose to realized them.

Now in my mid-40's I am wiser thanks to time and it's gift of hind-sight. Upon realization we have experience, or dare I say wisdom, mid-lifer's like me tear this gift open like toddlers on Christmas morning. And we should, for inside is the means to forge healthy lives.

So what wisdom do I have? Well Jack asked me to share just that recently & I obliged. My thoughts on "What I wish I knew at 25 that I know now" and the thoughts of a handful of other 'experienced' soles can be read HERE.

Enjoy those pearls Jack so graciously threaded for us. If by chance you haven't already done so there, let me ask you your thoughts here; What do YOU wish YOU knew at 25 that YOU know now?

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

15 comments:

  1. I wish I woulda known to buy stock in microsoft, and when to sell it, too.

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  2. Lanie Painie already hit the nail square on the head. lol

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  3. Actually much of the time, to quote Bob Seger, "I wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then!"

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  4. Your posts are always so real! I am part of that Jack post & lots of great bits of insight!!!

    As for the weight stuff.. well, I gained young. I suppose as hard as it was, at least I got it off & learned that I was gonna have to work at this life long.. I learned that early rather than late.. although I learned much more about the whole process as I aged.. always more to learn!

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  5. I wish I knew how much work kids really are. I wish I knew how to appreciate not living paycheck to paycheck. Ahhh...so many things. I'm not quite 30 yet and it still amazes me how much we learn year after year. You're practically an old wise man...up on a mountain...gifting us with wisdom each passing day on our way to healthful nirvana...not quite? Eh...close enough.

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  6. That picture is hilarious!
    I have given my theories before but to some them up in a nutshell here they are
    1. Weight loss and ANY health based goal should be done for the right reason. To me that reason if for YOURSELF and your health. There can be very important people that benefit but you will benefit the most.
    2. Desire and Motivation!
    3. Energy – place the right energy around you and have a positive energy inside.

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  7. Patrick,
    You are such a good writer. I laugh, and relate exactly what you are trying to say. moobs....so funny. You have the best attitude.

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  8. Hmmmm I'm turning 24 tomorrow. not sure, I wish I knew what career path to take....maybe I'll know that when I'm 25.

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  9. I wish I knew how hard it would be to lose those extra pounds - incentive enough to not let them creep up there.

    Love the David photo. We all know what is under THAT belly. Makes me wonder how Venus-like I may actually be, hiding under this one. (Sigh)

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  10. I'm so jealous that Jack asked you to contribute a little to his site!!! Jack is wonderful; what a lovely honor for you.

    As for me, what do I wish I knew at 25? I would have warned myself against prioritizing work as more important than family, that all the hard work I put into that job at 25 years old would land me exactly nowhere, so my energy would have been better focused--and prioritized--elsewhere.

    As for weight loss, I knew all the principles. I didn't lack for effort. And still the weight piled on. I would have told myself to hang in there and don't give up, don't dismay, that I WOULD eventually figure out how to lose the weight, in the end.

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  11. If I knew at age 25 that the habits I created for myself would serve me later for better or worse-I would have made more good habits & less "bad"

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  12. Not yet 25 :) But I was just wishing -last night in fact- that I had learned healthy habits before just these last couple of years. It has been a hard road to teach myself and while it is clearly so worthwhile, how much easier would it have been if I had practiced them all along?!

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  13. Great article Jack put together with great people like you Patrick. I think the one big thing at that age was "you can't change anyone but yourself". I sure should have been working on myself way back then. But I try not to have regrets, my journey made me who I am today and I kind of like me *smile*.

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  14. hmmmm. So many years ago I can't remember what I didn't know.

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  15. great post Patrick...oh...there are so many things...and I wish I knew them at 15 ---more so than 25.

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