There Are No Limits and There Are No Excuses...

A mantra that I have adopted over the past year, as you can tell by my blog name, is "The Power to do." Many of us do not realize we all possess the power to do many things in our lives. Some of us come to this realization more quickly than others. Some may not realize this power, but we all have it. Health is powerful and becoming healthy is contagious. This has been the case in my family. I have two brothers who have both lost a substantial amount of weight, an active husband who became 25 lbs lighter due to healthier eating and three daughters who are willing to try new things. This post is about my brother who has experienced the most drastic weight loss out of everyone in my family.

My middle brother, Darren who is 44 years old, has gone up and down with his weight over the last decade or so. In our family, the males have a history of heart issues. My grandfather, great uncles and my dad have all had problems with their hearts. When Darren's weight skyrocketed to approximately 275 lbs, he decided that something had to be done. He slowly started to lose weight by eating in moderation and being more mindful of what he was eating. As the weight started coming off, he made a discovery. He found that he could MOVE again. He began cycling on a regular basis and using the treadmill as well. It would be no shock to anyone these days to find Darren riding 35 miles in a single day and stopping mid-way for a morning yoga class (taught by his sister, of course). While vacationing in Hawaii, and without a bike, he decided to run. That day he ran an amazing six miles. He has now added some road runs to his routine, even though cycling is his first love. He may be taking on the role as cross country coach at a local high school. His main fitness goals are improving his cardiorespiratory endurance in order to maintain a healthy weight and a healthy heart.

He has cut fast food from his diet which once was what sustained him. He has a fabulous garden with chickens that roam through it and produce high quality free range eggs. Fruit and lean protein are now a mainstream part of his diet. He now eats to live instead of living to eat and truly feels that moderation in one's diet is key. Food is his fuel and not his comfort. He commented that losing weight is painful but now he is through it and he is finally living. He also commented recently that "There are no limits and there are no excuses." This is a motto we should all focus on each and every day.

Now, be inspired and "get living." :)

Darren- before his weight loss.

Darren today. More than 100 pounds lighter.