After the military, I was in great shape. I stayed healthy by going to the gym and playing basketball. Life goes on and a few years later I was working, going to school and married with kids. I did some walking and yoga here or there but I really fell off the wagon. I went from 152 to 200 lbs at one point. Fast forward a few years later and I had gone through a breakup and was feeling really bad about myself. I figured I had a lot of free time and my energy would be best spent improving myself rather than mulling around feeling sorry for myself. I started P90X in 2009 and have been more or less exercising ever since.

At my age, I feel I need to exercise to just feel normal. When I don't exercise I feel tired and worn out - genuinely like an old man. As with most people, sticking with it day after day is a mental challenge. I find routine boring. When I get bored, I don't stick with things. Mixing things up helps me keep going.