Third time is the charm?

So, here I am again. Feeling like I’m back at Square One. When COVID first started and the world shut down and everyone was stuck at home wondering how the fuck we were going to pass the time, I decided to get into better shape.

Which was funny, because:

A) I already worked out multiple days a week at that time, but wasn’t seeing the results I wanted, and; 

B) part of the world being shut down meant gyms were also closed. So I only had a pair of dumbbells and a yoga mat to use at home.

But somehow, it worked. After gyms reopened and I went back, I ended up losing around 25 pounds and was in the best shape of my life at that point.

Fast forward more than a year later. I kept off most of the weight I lost, but some of it slowly came back. I’m just not happy with where I am right now. I know I can do better and be better than this. Today is New Year’s Day, so I indulged in the same cliché so many others do – I decided to commit myself to getting in better shape. Again.

Which brings me to this blog. This is the third iteration of this, after I used it for the longest time to write about MMA and then used it briefly to write about pro wrestling. But I want to keep those parts of my life separate and not intertwine either one with my writing. The purpose of this blog now is fairly simple – to track my progress with the changes I want to make and hold myself accountable so I don’t slack off like so many others do when making New Year’s “resolutions.”

But I don’t look at the changes I want to make as “resolutions,” but just changes which revolve around the same two topics: Discipline and focusing inward.

I want to focus on improving myself and just doing what makes me happy as I do it. But the discipline part is much more important. I want to improve my discipline in multiple ways; how I eat, sleep, exercise, spend my time, working toward improving my future, etc.

I already started with a few things. I did a cardio workout this morning, which I don’t usually do on Sundays but will do from now on. I decided to stop drinking alcohol, except for very rare occasions. I’m going to improve my diet too. I’m staring down 40 and realizing I can’t eat like I used to. Which sucks, because I still very much want to eat like I used to. There are other changes I will make, but it’s too many to list here. I will list those over time, however.

I’m not questioning my commitment this time and it’s all up to me. I just know there is still a better version of me I can achieve and I shouldn’t feel like I already hit my peak or feel like “it’s all downhill from here.” I just need something to hold myself accountable, and this is the best thing I could think of.

Another philosophy I’m following right now is just taking things one day at a time. So it’s been one day so far in the new year, and I think I’m doing OK so far with these changes I want to make.

So let’s see how it goes with the remaining 364 days.