December 26, 2010 marked my four year fitness anniversary.  On that day in 2006 I made the conscious decision to give up my couch potato tendencies and pick up and develop the new habit of aerobic activity and strength training.  I made the decision out of the desire to look better but mostly to prevent looking bad.  I didn’t want to be one of the people going to my high school reunion and have people thinking what is never said aloud, “OMG what happened, you look terrible”?  After all, it’s easy for us to gain weight with all the sugar and high fructose corn syrup laden goodies or more appropriately said, badies that are readily available where ever we go.  I wasn’t looking to be the most ripped man in the gym I really just wanted to see what I could do, to just do something.  After a few weeks I had started to see very small but to me were very big changes, and I loved it!  I wanted more and if I wanted more I knew I would have to do more and that’s what I did.  

The principal of having to do what I’d never done before to get what I’d never had before is not new to me, but applying this revolutionary principal to all aspects of my life is.  In doing so I’ve experience the great truth that anything we seek can be had and that anything we seek to accomplish can be done and so it is with great amazement, excitement and joy that I begin the 2011 year with a commitment to personal fitness challenges to take my mind and physical preparedness to the next level only I’m bringing the city of Omaha with me and with the support and prayers of the community I and the Omaha Dream team will be a success.  

From my fitness activities I’ve come to know very well that planning and dedication in abundance can and will lead to incredible outcomes.  Dedication is yet even more important than planning.  A well organized idea with supportive outlines and structure is part of the prerequisite to success but the determining factors are persistence and dedication.  Planning is important, necessary and the right thing to do but nothing can take the place of massive action and being dedicated to it.  Prior to starting my regular fitness routine I’d looked at fitness magazines and websites waiting to discover the secret to rapid weight loss and big muscle gains and while I did learn valuable facts that have helped my workouts, I never discovered the magic bullet so-to-speak because there aren’t any. What I learned was that the secret to fitness success is simply to start and keep doing it.  No dietary supplement, exercise gadget or magic beans will do for you what basic physical action will do for you.  All those things will help but they won’t work at all unless you do. 

My fitness goals are going to be difficult to achieve.  They’re going to be really difficult because they are goals I’ve always dreamed of reaching but have never achieved even one time in all my many days, weeks and years exercising.  This year will be different.  This year is the year I do what was thus far been just out of my reach.  My fitness goals are:

• Run my 1^st marathon (many others as well)
• Drop from 22% body fat to 10%
• Drop from 209 lbs to 190 lbs
• Bench Press 315 lbs (3 plates)
• Get a 6-Pack

Everyone’s got to know their own reasons motivating them to commit to a lifestyle change that includes physical fitness on a regular basis.  Maybe you want to lose a few pounds, maybe you want a personal challenge as I do and seek whole body transformation, others may want simply to start doing what their doctor has advised them to do; exercise or die sooner due to the onset of illness.  Maybe you want to look in the mirror one day and see a sexy person staring back at you (I know I do).  Perhaps you’ve got something to prove or you want to live as long as you can to see your kids grow up.  No matter your reasons there has to be one.  Find it and get moving.  My goals are good goals but they are MY goals.  Your goals belong to YOU and as long as they are important and have some special meaning for your life that’s all you need to make the best decision you’ve yet to make.

This is a New Year.  This is YOUR year.  Take charge of your life and your lungs and commit to live well.  After four years of trial and errors, triumphs and setbacks, no blood or tears but certainly sweat by the gallons, I’ve proved to myself if no one else, that anything we seek to do can be done.  This is your chance to seize the moment so that this time next year you can tell others of your fitness anniversary.  We can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13) including get in shape!

To your Health, Wealth & Happiness,

Joseph G. Smith, II

Founder

OmahasFinest.com

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Joseph G. Smith, II
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