Before I get into an update on how my non-updated Quest for 50 is going, I’d like to announce the winner of the Quest for 50 Logo Challenge! Partially by virtue of being the only entry in the challenge, and partially because I like it, the winner is:
By Chris Donald of the Inbox Group.
For Chris’ trouble, every update from now on about the Quest for 50 will include this logo and a link to the Inbox Group website.
And now for an update…
It’s been 7 months since I launched this Quest for 50 campaign, and sadly I’m right where I started. It started off well, with me losing 5 pounds in the first month, but then the excuses of work, family, etc. won out. If I had set a time limit (which I was smart enough not to do), I would have called this an abject failure. But it’s not. Just a delay.
It’s time for me to get healthy and gain perspective.
For those of you who follow me on Twitter or are friends with me on Facebook, you know that I’m two weeks away from having shoulder surgery. It’s a pain I’ve been dealing with off and on for three years (and mainly on for the past six months) that’s become one of those excuses.
The perspective I’ve been gaining over the past few weeks (since the surgery plan was set in motion) is that my Quest for 50 isn’t just about the pounds I want to lose, it’s about achieving the healthy lifestyle (both in physical and mental health) that I’ve been lacking for a lot longer than my daughter’s been alive.
So what’s my Quest for 50 look like now?
- Be patient with and get better at my job. It’s a good gig to be largely autonomous with a growing company in this recession. And besides, I can’t create years of experience and qualifications out of thin air. Who do you think I am, George O’Leary?
- Remember that I’m only 26 (turning 27 in a month). I don’t have to have everything figured out. In fact, it’s probably better that I don’t. That way, I let things happen when they’re meant to happen. In the meantime, I can continue to enjoy being a rare client-side voice on email marketing, a snarky sports and politics opiner, and a devoted dad.
- Once I recover from shoulder surgery (a 3-month extravaganza from what the doctor says), it’s time to get serious about exercise. I can start the eating better again anytime, but the pain is too much for most exercise. The 50 pounds will come off eventually, but health is more important.
- Finding what makes me happy, and what makes my family happy. Is it a joint project with my wife? Is it something else altogether? I don’t know. But I’m committed to finding out.
We all have our own Quest for 50. Or multiple quests for 50.
What’s yours?
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey Man…
Go for it…and you are right…the best place to start is the diet. That part…from what I’ve found is all mental. Yeah you could grab a soda…but why…what’s the need? It is definitely a struggle to fight the urge…and yeah…we all have our missteps…but that is ok. The key is to not get down on yourself when you do. Identify that you’ve fallen…pick yourself up…dust yourself off…and get going. No one is going to do it for you.
My quest for 50…a good question…mine would be to keep up with my Crossfit training and still be able to manage with work and family. It has been a tough go…fighting fatigue…but you are right…it is a quest…
George: Thanks for the support. Once I get the shoulder taken care of (tough to work out with a torn labrum after all), I’ll be back on the horse.
Good luck with the Crossfit. From the looks of it on your blog, you’re getting your butt kicked pretty good. Hope you’re able to maintain the balance.
Scott Cohen´s last [type] ..Quest for 50- A New Perspective
Scott, Good luck with your Quest for 50! It really is all about changing habits. I lost 45lbs last year and have managed to keep it off. I changed my eating habits. No soda, just juice and water. I also ate cereal (Special-K not Fruit Loops) 4-nights a week for dinner. And of course the dreaded exercise which really just consited of walking with my wife each evening which also gave us time to talk more than we would have normally. I wish you nothing but success and appreciate being the winner, even if I was the only one.
Cheers and good luck! Chris
Chris Donald´s last [type] ..The Number 1 Social Network for customer retention and your probably not using it
Chris: Thanks again for the logo. Also thanks for the ideas. Not sure I could go cereal four nights a week, but I can certainly tone the fat down. Once the weather cools down a bit, my wife and I will be walking with our daughter. But right now, 98 degrees at 6:30 is a just a bit much, especially for our nearly nine-month-old. (But ultimately, that’s a great idea.)
Scott Cohen´s last [type] ..Quest for 50- A New Perspective
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