I had an incredible feat of willpower last night.

My wife wanted me to pickup dinner for us on my home from work last night.  She wanted me to stop at Ye Ole Fashioned, a local burger joint with big, juicy burgers, thick french fries, Blue Bell ice cream, etc.  It’s been a favorite of ours for years.  Being the husband I am, I couldn’t say no to my loving wife two weeks away from our 5-year anniversary.

So, I went to Ye Ole Fashioned.

Let me set the scene for you.  I’ve been at work all day, tired, exhausted, ready to go home and relax.  My wife calls me at the office shortly before 4 to tell me she wants some Ye Ole Fashioned — that sounds delicious.  I told myself that I had been a good boy all week, progressing well, I deserve a treat.  It won’t hurt, I’ll just earn most of it back at the gym tonight.

That was my mindset until I left work, at least.

As I drove to the restaurant I struggled with whether or not I should order something for myself.  I have had good gains all week, my muscles are coming along nicely, and I’ve had a perfect balance of burning/consuming calories.  On the other hand, I was tired, hungry, and I deserved to splurge.  I argued with myself from the time I got into my car at work to literally the counter at Ye Ole Fashioned on what I should do.  At the last second, after I was done ordering for my wife, I was asked if “that was all I wanted to order today?”

I said yes.

While I thought I would feel remorse for not ordering anything for myself, I felt none.  Zero.  I immediately had a sense of empowerment wash over me.  Boy, it felt good.  I had said no to food.  Not just any food, but my favorite food.  I was standing in the lion’s den ordering food, taking in all the familiar sights, sounds, and smells that came with all my favorite food.

And I was able to walk away.

After waiting a few minutes for my wife’s food to cook I left and went to Chipotle.  It was out of the way, but the drive was worth it.  I ordered a fajita bowl, around 620 calories, and enjoyed my dinner without guilt.  I knew that I wasn’t negating any of the work I had done, only fueling it with 40 plus grams of protein!  Dinner was soon to be followed by a great workout at the gym last night.  It was a great workout because I wasn’t trying to earn anything back or undo something I had done earlier, I was just moving forward.

I was just moving forward.

I need to be more of an influence to those around me.

I appreciate the amount of people I’ve been to reach through the blog.  I admit that I’ve probably influenced at least a few people through the pictures and posts I’ve written since January of 2009.  As I’ve always said, it’s been humbling that I’ve been able to help so many by essentially helping myself.

But I’m not talking about that kind of influence, the kind of influence that is associated with building a big, known brand, going on television, being a movie star, musician, etc., and reaching thousands/millions.  I’m talking about reaching and influencing just a handful of people.

People directly around us.  Friends, family, co-workers, etc.

If you’re looking for more motivation to lose weight, consider losing weight for those around you.  Unless you’re an exception, more than likely you have people around you that need to lose weight.  And, if not lose weight, do something that requires an incredible amount of willpower.  Your actions, not words, will influence them.  Since I started losing weight, watching what I eat, and going to the gym 4-5 days a week, a fairly high percentage of people around me have started changing their lives well.  Many of these people don’t even read the blog regularly.  They don’t see my cunning, clever posts, or newest tips for losing weight.

They just see my actions and what I get out of them.

Of course, there’s no way to know if I influenced any of these people whatsoever.  I don’t know if me leaving for the gym almost every weeknight encouraged other people to do the same.  If I influenced them, that’s wonderful.   If not, the result is the same.

I’ve changed my life.  They’re changing their lives.  Everybody wins.

I challenge you to be influential.  So many people wait to change, thinking it’ll be easier after X date (wedding, vacation, school, something), but don’t wait.  Do it now.  If you want it, take it.  Stop going with the flow and go against the grain.  Stop eating the upsized combo #1 with your co-workers every day at lunch, stop watching three hours of television when you get home from work, and stop being content with you are and what your life looks like.

You can lose weight and change your life today.  Not only will it make your life better, but those around you as well.

You’ll find that in influencing others, you’ll influence yourself.

I was driving home from the gym last night practicing the speech I would give to my Biggest Loser team.  Anne (owner of my gym) briefly mentioned a while ago that it might be a good idea for me to be a team trainer of a group this fall.  It would by job to motivate my team, train with them, and try to get them to lose the most weight, much like you see on The Biggest Loser television show.

I’m not sure if it will come to fruition.  I think you actually have to know things to lead a team and give people helpful advice, which pretty much excludes me.  But, if offered to be a team leader (and do the required classes/training that comes along with it), I’d definitely accept the challenge.

Last time I went to watch one of The Biggest Loser sessions at Hampton Hill (my gym) the trainers said a few opening words to the entire group.  Last night I was thinking about what I would say if I were one of them.

I’d say something a little like this:

My name is Tyler and I lost nearly 150 pounds in about 16 months.  Before I lost nearly 150 pounds, I had never lost anything before.  In probably dozens of attempts to lose weight, I had never lost more than a few pounds.  I’m sure most of you are the same.  You’re probably sitting here just going through the motions:  you bought some new workout clothes, some fancy shoes, and membership to a nice gym.  You thought you’d signup to The Biggest Loser to help you lose some weight.

But there’s something inside of you.  It’s always been there.  It’s telling you that you’ve done this charade all before.  It’s telling you that you can’t lose weight and that you’ve failed countless times before to lose 10/50/150 pounds and you’ll fail this time too.  Soon enough your running shoes will be traded for a remote and a bag of Cheetos, and you’ll be right back where you started ten times before.  You’re not supposed to be healthy, it’s nagging you, you’ve already decided the path you’d take in life.

I’m saying it’s wrong.  Ignore it.  This time is different.

Nothing is ever accomplished until it’s accomplished.  Just like past performance doesn’t guarantee future success, your past failures don’t guarantee that you’ll fail forever.  I’m a living, breathing example.  I lived my life like a trainwreck until I was a walking heart attack, failing countless attempts to lose weight.  I was 344 pounds in January of 2009 until I just thought:  “maybe I should give losing weight one more shot?”

January of 2009 was my time.  This is yours.  If you make a plan to lose weight and stick with it, you won’t fail.  I guarantee you will lose weight.

I’ll help you.

I mean, I’m no Suzanne Somers, but what do you think?

Some might call me a little obesessive, but I’m an all or nothing kind of guy.

If I do something, I try to do it well.   Work, play, serious, silly, it doesn’t matter.   I think everyone should find out what they’re good at it in life and become the absolute best at it.  That doesn’t mean you don’t try new things, that simply means whatever you try you do so wholeheartedly.

While it doesn’t matter too much in the grand scheme of things, I try to be the best I can be at softball.  I don’t like to miss practice, I read as much as I can about techniques/strategies when playing my position, and finally I make sure I’m equipped with the tools I need to do my job when I show up to do it.

Softball isn’t so serious, but I still give it my all.  Some things do require more serious attention, though.

I’m not happy with my body.  I’m not.  It may sound ungrateful after accomplishing something so many others would like to already, but I worked hard to lose this weight and wasn’t handed anything.  There’s nothing wrong with demanding and expecting more.  I worked to lose the first 144 pounds and I’ll have to work even harder to earn anything that comes after it.

I’ve given up a lot of the foods I ate just a few weeks ago.  I’m eating a lot more protein, a good amount of carbs, and healthy fats.  I want to build a lot of muscles.  I want biceps that look like they’re suffocating.  I’m making a plan (which I’ll share!) to build a body I can feel proud of revealing at the beach.  I feel and look deflated right now, weighing less but still with a lot of body fat.

That’s all going to change.

I’m not going to just try my best and hope it all works out.  I’m carefully and methodically plotting to make sure everything I do in the kitchen and gym puts me closer to reaching my end goals.  No junk food binges on the weekend.  No days in the gym where I’m on “cruise control.”

I’m prepared to work for the next year to build something amazing.

I’m going to bring everything.  Will you?

Here you go.

Pictures of me at 344 pounds like this one are rare.  I avoided cameras like the plague, those scary little devices that make you face what you’ve become.

Back then I would’ve done anything to dart out of that picture (as you can tell by my face).  Starting with tomorrow’s weigh-in, I will start posting videos showing my entire body in different poses/flexes.  With these new videos we will be able to start closely watching for the next set of changes with my body.

I’m excited about where this journey is heading.  How about you?