A race to believe in

Lake Lanier residents, I hope you’re reading this column. If you’re not, you’re probably going to be terrified come tomorrow morning.

The “Ache Around the Lake” is finally here and I’m dreading it. Between my second kidney stone of the year and an incredibly busy Fall sports season, I haven’t had a lot of time to train with Katie Malone. Sorry, Katie.

Either way, it’s time for all the runners, walkers, and in my case, crawlers, to get ready to make the trek around Lake Lanier to raise money for cancer.

But first, I need to warn the residents of Lake Lanier. I wouldn’t want to cause any heart attacks tomorrow morning.

If you happen to look out your window and see what looks like a beached whale flapping down your street, don’t be alarmed.

Avoid any phone calls to the local vets or PETA or whatever other place you might think of to call. That will be no whale flapping down your street.

It’ll be me.

If you don’t look out your window but you suddenly feel what seems to be an earthquake, don’t be alarmed.

That’ll just be me doing the fat dance.

I’m just kidding.

I’m really not as fat as I often portray myself. It’s just that self opinions are generally a lot harsher than reality.

You all know what I mean.

I look at myself in the mirror and I just know that I’m the fattest man on Earth. Then I turn on Jerry Springer and I realize that that is not the case.

In my mind, however, it doesn’t matter that there are people out there who weigh a lot more than I do. Those people don’t help my self esteem. Don’t get me wrong. I sympathize with anyone who is overweight, just as you might sympathize with me because I am still overweight.

The difference is that while I may be on your coffee table in the form of a newspaper, I am not a part of your reflection in the mirror.

The same here.

You are not in the reflection I see in my mirror. No one else is in that reflection.
It’s very symbolic if you think about it. Our journey to the mirror every morning or night is solitary. No matter what other people in the world look like, we are alone in our journey.

We need to be self-inspired.

Joe Fat Guy and Jill Fat Girl don’t lie in our beds at night, wishing that our bellies were a little smaller. It’s just us lying in our beds, perhaps with a husband or wife, of course, but really it’s just us.

The decision to change your waistline is your decision. While I have been a backslider in recent weeks, I have reaffirmed my faith and my commitment.

I decided that I need to be a little more diligent in my efforts to erase this thing I call a belly.

In case some of you have noticed, there have been some Joey sightings at Tryon Health and Fitness. Yes, that’s right. I’m back.

Tina Durbin was definitely a happy camper. It feels good to get back in the swing of doing things. I have been hitting the treadmill pretty good. Just in case you’re wondering, I even have a name for my treadmill.

Charlie Treadmill is my friend. Hopefully, with some consistency, he’ll help me get this world championship belt that I call a belly out from around my waist.

It’s all about personal decisions people. That’s something that I have learned.

After I got a kidney stone, I just didn’t feel like getting into the gym or running around the track. It’s hard to motivate yourself when you just don’t feel like you can be motivated.

That’s the thing about this journey to healthiness and weight loss. It may come in flurries. It may come in spurts.

The key is to jump on the train when it comes through your town and ride for as long as you can.

The key is that you’ve got to ride the train for a little while. If you don’t, there won’t be any results.

Take me for example. I broke the cycle of not being motivated by forcing myself to go to the gym.

I’m thankful that my will allowed me to do that because now I’m motivated again. Sometimes it takes forcing yourself to do that.

While motivation may come in flurries and spurts, you need to use those to push yourself. Sometimes you need a reminder of what you want to do. Take a glance in the mirror. Jump on a treadmill. Sweat.

Whatever it is that breaks that cycle is what you need to do.

It’s important. For your life and your health, it is vital that you shed some pounds if you’re overweight.

This race on Saturday is a motivator for me. I’m going to get into this race and do the best that I can. I may not finish this at John Cash or Katie Malone speed, but I will finish it.

I will finish it because I believe I can finish it.

It’s that simple.

You just have to believe in yourself. Believe that you can change. Believe that you have the ability and the determination to work off those pounds.

Just a little diligence and commitment people.

That’s all I ask.

I won’t be doing the fat dance forever and You won’t either if you believe you won’t.

I promise.