With all the fantasy football content moved, my time spent on T6F has been minimal over the course of the last month. That was to be expected, as this time of year its the fantasy game that dominates my free time. However, change is on the horizon as we look towards the new year. Why this time of year, it seems January is always a nice time to start something new or recommit to something lost.

I took the opportunity to look at myself with a critical eye recently and didn’t like what I saw. This isn’t the first time I have done so, but in the past taken steps to remedy the problem. This time around I find the position similar, but the outcome will hinge on my decisions.

As I saved on Facebook with the Protective Diet Living Group, a closed group of like-minded individuals who follow the plant based lifestyle as put forth by Julie and Jerry Christensen. Both individuals are great people, who moved from the mid west to settle in my hometown of, San Diego. With their active, healthy lifestyle they define San Diego and could honestly be mistaken for California natives.

I’ve known Julie, by way of her Plant Purity website, the precursor to Protective Diet for nearly 7 years. In that time, we have never met face to face, nor that of Jerry but they have remained a driving force on living a healthy lifestyle, more so then Dr. John McDougall, who’s starch solution I followed when I changed my eating habits 7 years ago.

Here’s what I shared with the Facebook group.

It’s the end of the year and time to look back on what has been accomplished (or not). Unfortunately, I have been occupied with my employee shortages at work, working on better my relationship at home and volunteering at school and scouting, which left me with little time for myself. This doesn’t include all those things we, as adult have responsibility for.

I have also struggled for well over a year, while I haven’t completely fell off the PD bicycle, I haven’t been compliaint, but still maintain and animal-free diet. The best health I have ever had came from following what Julie and Jerry promote. It was an amazing feeling, but one I have lost and look to regain.

Excuses are easy to make, but getting re-started is more difficult. Thankfully I remember just how much I missed the PD lifestyle putting together a Christmas dinner for the family, which included green bean casserole and mashed potatoes from the PD site. So good. So filling! Satiated was the first word that came to mind.

However, my eating habits have really been off course, as the running and the thought or doing any physical activity. It’s been a slow, downhill slide that continually has me saying, “I’m still healthy” as weight is put on, pains more noticeable and energy is further drained.

At 48 years old, it’s a different body I had when I started down the plant based road, but never do I feel it’s too late. It’s just time to recommit to what I know is true in order to better my body, my health, my sanity and the overall feeling I once felt.

While I would like to consider Christmas dinner “the start” the holidays are always a challenging time of year. You know what I am talking about. Hopefully I can reclaim my healthy and happiness. I know for a fact this is a great group of people who have seen and felt the benefits. Others who have started and stopped, only to start again. It doesn’t matter. Time to make that commitment to change. Hopefully you all can help push me in the right direction with support to get healthy back in my control.

This testimony is similar to what I wrote when I began “McDougalling” in 2011. Right now, I am not happy with myself and it’s food, not necessarily the PD variety that I turn to in times of anguish. However, making a commitment to myself, to a program that is proven is the best way to start.

I have been very impressed with my wife and her drive and desire to look her best and she’s been inspiring to me following Jenny Craig in hopes of dropping that last bit of weight. She’s back down to her wait the day we got married and looking incredible! She deserves a husband who looks and feels great!

As of last night, I took the first step, getting on the scale that tipped at 208.4 pounds. By far, my heaviest in the last 7 years. Maybe it’s a vicious cycle, but realistically, it was more failure to keep my commitment to myself, my wife and son to maintain “perfect” health in order to be around for them as long as possible.

I do have an order for a blood test, that I have been holding on to since I had a physical some 4 months ago. I guess I am hesitant to go, out of fear for my blood work numbers.

Remember the first step to take is always the hardest.