How I got started in working out was mostly vanity. Why I do it now is simple: Because I want to live a long life and enjoy what time I have left. Below, you will find (as Paul Harvey was famous for saying), the rest of the story.

In mid-2015, while out of town at a soccer tournament with my 16 y/o daughter, we were killing down-time shopping when I had a bit of a very rude awakening. I was walking past a row of plate glass windows and was struck by my reflection. How did I get this fat and out of shape? What happened to the guy who kept himself in pretty decent shape? As I got to thinking, I had realized that for the last 20+ years, in trying to be the best husband and father I could be. I ignored my own needs and put aside my dreams and desires - and by doing so, I let life pass by without really living in it. Not only did I ignore my own wants, needs and desires, I let myself get terribly out of shape. And as these thoughts continued, I also realized a very simple reality: I was sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. It took some time (and my reading a book that changed my outlook) for me to decide to put my own needs first. Selfish? Sure. But if I didn't make theses changes, I won't be around to walk my daughter down the aisle or meet my grandchildren.

What I didn't realize when I wrote the above in the autumn of 2015 was how prophetic my words would be: My use of the gym would literally save my life. From the autumn of 2015 through mid-summer 2016, I worked out almost religiously (3x-4x per week). During this time, I lost about 40 lbs, and really built up my strength – physical and cardiovascular. One of my go-to workouts included 70 minutes on the stairmaster. This came to an abrupt end when I encountered a number of setbacks with injuries, work-related commitments, three graduations, moving two kids...the list goes on.

Fast forward to late summer, 2017. I helped move my daughter 600+ miles from. The long ride home was uneventful (so I thought); but I made what almost was a fatal mistake. I drove for over six hours straight without stopping (and without adequate fluid intake). Unknown to me, a clot was forming in my leg. Fast forward to late October and I found myself in the Emergency Room. The picture was pretty grim. By the time I got to the ER, my O2 was down to 80% & my heart rate was up to 150 bpm (and even after resting, would drop to 120 bpm). A CT scan revealed that I had massive, bilateral pulmonary embolisms. The team of doctors chose to take a very aggressive approach & perform a catheter directed thrombolysis with EKOS.

After the danger had passed, I asked my doctor “On a scale of 1 to 10; with 1 being ‘normal deep vein thrombosis’ and 10 being ‘worst case scenario’, how bad was I?” his response: “About an 8. Most people never make it to the hospital, heart attack." This whole episode hit me like a ton of bricks. What I experienced typically has a mortality rate of 70-80%.

The doctor continued "What we can’t understand is why/how your heart was able to withstand the strain as long as it did.” I went into detail and explained that although it had been nearly a year since I went to the gym with any regularity, my workout routine included 70 minutes per day on the stairmaster. The doctor had an ‘ah-hah’ moment & said that my cardiovascular fitness most likely saved my life.

When I first set foot in the gym, the idea of achieving a 'complete transformation' seems more like a dream than a possibility. My biggest mistake was waiting all these years before getting started. I can't change what I didn't do then - I can only change what I do NOW. I didn't get to my max weight overnight - to expect it to go away overnight is not realistic. What I've learned is: Anything I do helps - and the effects last longer than you think. I've changed from having a mindset of 'past regrets' and 'would have, could have, should have' to a mindset of 'learn from yesterday, live for today, and prepare for tomorrow'.

To that end: With each trip to the gym, I am closer today to achieving my dreams than I was yesterday. And tomorrow, I'll be closer still. For the time being, my time at the gym isn't as much about 'bodybuilding' as it is about lifestyle changes & improved overall fitness. And now, more than ever, it is about being able to live a long, healthy life.

The impact of working out has been so profound. Greater mental clarity, improved decisiveness, improved level of energy and an unprecedented level of self confidence. I'm far more willing to stand up for myself and what I want. I am far more willing to make a decision (despite the potential negative consequences) and stand by it/defend it. These changes have also opened my eyes to how toxic the relationship I'm in has been to me. I'm met daily with roadblock after roadblock at home -- and yet at the gym, I'm surrounded by people who share a common desire to improve oneself - and support each other along the way. That camaraderie, that mutual support and respect is why I love working out.