Adversity is your Advantage

I jotted this down while listening to my morning mentoring and it has been on my mind ever since. I have been reflecting on some of my biggest challenges in life and how they have shaped me into the person I am now. By far, the most glaring to me is my struggle with weight. For as long as I can remember I considered myself to be heavy.

My struggle with weight helped me learn the meaning of true friendship.

In high school I thought people didn’t want to hang out with me because I was not thin. I felt like all they saw was a fat person. In hindsight, I realized that the friends I had like me for who I was, blind to my size. I strive to accept all people no matter who they are, how they struggle or where they are in their journey in life. I know that each person has something special to offer that you may or may not see on the surface. I have made it my mission to be as genuine as possible and know that my kind of people will love me for it. I’m not really interested in spending time with anyone who doesn’t like me for who I am.

My struggle with weight helped me learn the meaning of hard work.

In college I started playing rugby. The position I played is called “prop” and basically it was my job to help keep the rest of the pack stable. It was a good thing to be big and I was so happy to have found a place where my size was an advantage. Deep down I wanted to get to the ball and be the one tackling and scoring, but I couldn’t run fast enough because I was so heavy. That didn’t stop me from working hard and playing with all my heart. My fondest memory is the day I scored the only try in the first ever victory for our rugby club. I developed a work ethic that would serve me well. I’ve lost about 65 pounds since then and changed sports.  I’m still not the fastest or fittest triathlete out there, but I’ll work my hardest and never give up. And I will enjoy every moment. I will show everyone (including myself) that anything is possible.

My struggle with weight has helped me inspire others.

Finding a balance between food and fitness has been an ongoing battle for as long as I can remember. I was the perfect example of the saying “you can’t out train a poor diet.” I would workout more so I could eat more, but there was no balance. I’m sure I will be searching for this balance as long as I live. I continue to monitor what I eat and strive to eat a healthy balance of real foods every day to support my athletic goals and dreams. I’m not perfect, but I’m making progress. I’ve learned that sharing my experiences can help others make progress, too. So I have made it my mission to help all the busy people in my life find balance in food, fitness and family. I want everyone who has ever struggled with food or weight to know that they are not alone. There is a solution for you to find a healthy lifestyle and be happy with who you are. Your solution may not be the same as mine, but I’m committed to helping you get there. With every person I help, we both learn and grow. Together we become stronger, healthier, happier.

To look at me now, you can not see the struggles. They may appear to be long gone. But they continue to shape my life and push me to be the best version of myself. I will continue to move forward and glance back once in awhile to remember where I once was and how far I’ve come.