So the new year is here and I set my goals and resolutions. I’m back on the weight loss journey and ready to kick this extra weight once and for all! I set some big goals and I made them public, no turning back now!

Have you set any goals or resolutions for 2013?

I’ve been here before, I know what I have to do but there’s a minor problem: I LOVE sweets. I don’t know why but I get cravings for sweets at the oddest times and the cravings come on strong. Just ask my wife

The problem I have with sweets, besides them not being healthy, is that I can’t eat them in moderation. Once I start it’s hard to stop! The first time I lost the weight I was going strong for two weeks and had kicked sweets. I went into work and the managers wanted to thank the drivers so they got us a FULL spread of donuts, every variety you could ever imagine.

As I was loading the truck (took about an hour) I was fighting the urge to go over to the table and just pig out. I almost made it out of there but as I was walking out the door I had to go over there and talk to one of the managers. The whole time talking to him I was looking and thinking about the donuts.

In the end I gave in and grabbed two of them on the way out, that was the beginning. I tried hard but once that first taste of sweets hit my mouth, I just wanted more and more. It was three weeks later before I finally realized how fast and far I had fallen. I woke up and got back on track and lost the weight.

The thing that kept me getting the sweets, not hitting the gym, and not working on any of my other goals was the lie I was telling myself. As I would carry on with the bad behavior and I felt guilty, I would tell myself that I could get back on track on Monday. (more…)

Several years ago my wife and I were going through a really rough patch. As a result we would argue all the time, it didn’t take much to start World War 3. During this time I developed a really bad habit that I’m still working on breaking.

When she would start arguing, I would completely tune her out, focusing on something else to the point I didn’t hear what she was saying.

A couple of weeks ago I had a revelation, I saw things in the light I needed to see them in. At the Brendon Burchard conference several weeks ago, he mentioned something: the idea of being fully present.

He talked about whatever you do, be totally and completely focused on that task, block out all the normal distractions. When it’s family time, then it’s family time. Being fully present means you turn your phone off, you don’t check your emails or social media updates. You give them the your undivided attention, nothing else in the world exists at that moment but them.

When you are working, then you focus on work and tune out the distractions. When you’re working on your dreams, then especially turn off all the distractions, don’t have the TV on in the background. Give that time your full attention for the specific amount of time you set. (more…)

There has been something I’ve been ashamed and scared to say out loud: I’m over-weight.

More than that, I have never been able to tell anyone how much I actually weigh. I hope by me getting over my pride that this will help someone: I weigh 333 pounds. It makes me cringe to even write that number!

Here the one silvering lining, I lost 6 pounds last week, Yeah!

Two years ago I weighed 332 pounds and I made every excuse in the book why I gained the weight: the stress of a job I hate, the stress of raising a family, depression, my love of food and one thousand other reasons.

It wasn’t until I was the best man at my brothers wedding and I saw myself in the wedding pictures before I realized how far I had fallen. When I saw those pictures, all I could do was cry.

I got fed up enough to do something about it and I started working out for 4 hours a day, and only ate one meal a day. I lost 132 pounds in 6 months.

Here’s the problem: I didn’t really learn the more important lesson than actually losing the weight, I didn’t learn how to truly change. After the weight was gone, I was proud and told myself I could ease up a little bit, and I did.

It started slow at first, eating sweets, and hitting the gym a little less. Then it started spinning out of control, since I didn’t truly learn how to change my eating habits, and change my life, the weight kept getting added on. (more…)

Welcome to those visiting from weeklyhustle.com where I have the honor of guest posting, please enjoy Tales of Work!

Note from Kimanzi: I am out-of-town speaking at WordCamp Fayetteville in Fayetteville, Arkansas . While I’m away I’ve asked several bloggers to guest post in my place, enjoy! This is a guest post from Ben Dempsey who is a health/wellness coach that has went from 360 pounds to triathlete.  He wants to help others defy obesity and reach their goals.  He blogs about his journey and how to win the battle against obesity.  You can follow him on Twitter. If you would like to guest post on this blog, email a post to kimanzi@talesofwork.com

Whenever you start something new, no matter what it consists of there will be a battle that takes place. Where you ask? In your mind. Change is 80% mental and 20% physical.

The battle consists of changing the beaten path you have been on to turning down a new road with endless possibilities. On July 22, 2009 I weighed in at 360 pounds and was on the path of destruction.  I had to take a stand.  I began to implement the 3 steps I list below and over the last few years I have found who I am, I’ve lost 160 pounds and completed my first marathon.  I hope that you find these steps helpful as I have.

Three steps to help you WIN the battle of change.

• Believe in yourself:  This can be one of the hardest things to do, especially if you are like me and have failed so many times.  Sometimes we don’t ever think we can win, change or succeed.  But, that is not the case.  You can do it, it won’t be easy but with hard work and perseverance you can overcome the defeat.  Simply let the past be what it is, learn from it and move on.  Don’t let it HOLD you down any longer.
•  Understand that there will be plateaus:  We are not perfect, things will happen that will cause us to plateau and it’s ok.  It doesn’t matter who you are, this will be a punch in the gut and make you feel that you have lost.  That is not the case, use it as a reflective period, learn from it and use it to catapult you to your next objective..          (more…)