Dedication

      So here I am on vacation in Florida.  It's a little rainy at times but that is to be expected.  I find myself relaxing each day and my thoughts rarely return to my life in San Diego.  Family is all around and I am completely enjoying myself.  Even with all of that, I still go to the gym everyday to push my limits and test my mind and body.  There is no relaxation in the gym.  It's all business and staying focused on the ever-evolving prize is a must.  Motivation peaks and adrenaline kicks in to carry me through my torture.  Never give up, never surrender.  This is me punching back at life.  This is my dedication
      No matter where you are or what you are doing, there is no excuse for skipping out on what is important.  You can't succeed in the gym with occasional visits.  Try going to work occasionally, when you feel like it, and see how long the business tolerates it.  There is so much that we do in our daily routine that is trivial and sometimes even counterproductive.  Why can't we take the time to show dedication to ourselves and others by working to become better physically?  A stronger body works in line with a stronger mind and together they create a stronger person. 
       A few words about vacations.  Many people see vacations in different ways.  Some feel that a vacation should be spent in beach chairs under a warm sun, with a cool breeze blowing though.  Others feel that vacations should be spent in parties all day and all night.  Choose your thoughts on this wisely.  One night of binge drinking will set you back about 2 weeks in the gym. Lack of sleep will only compound that effect. 
       When you choose to take a vacation, choose wisely.  It is about easing your tensions of day to day stress but it is also about having time to work on yourself and your own priorities.  Show some dedication and some restraint.  Prove to yourself that fitness is a lifestyle and not an activity that can be foregone on a whim.  A few drinks is fine as long as you don't overdue it.  One or two workouts missed is not a big deal, as long as they aren't consecutive and compounding.  Enjoy yourself,

The Goals to Come

      It's been a busy journey to this point and I have so SO far to go.  In the last 2 months, I have gained 10 lbs and lost 2 inches in my waist.  You read that statement correctly.  I'm gaining weight and losing inches!  Weight lifting has always been an endeavor that I enjoy and over these last couple of months, it has become so much more.
      I can't explain what it is that drives me to be so dedicated to something so simple but it calls to me each and every day.  I can hear the voice of 45 pound plates singing out to me in my sleep and each look in the mirror only reinforces my goals for the future.  My whole world has been changing and my life has become a set of deliberate steps that were created and arranged so that my goals would come to me.  I eat, sleep, and workout for one simple purpose.  To achieve a goal personal goal that ties into a professional one. 
      They say that if you love doing something then learn to do it well.  Do it so well that people eventually pay you for it.  Once you reach that point, you will never work a day in your life.  My goal is simple.  I am going to compete as an Amateur Natural Bodybuilder.  Not only will I change my body and my mind, but I will also use my will to change those around me.  Fitness is more than just a life choice.  It is a never ending journey that will continue to break goal after goal until your dying day.  I have the discipline and dedication to push through any wall to reach my goal and no one will be able to stop my momentum. 
      This is my future and I can't wait to see it come into fruition.