Best Life Challenge: The Best of Bill's Blog

I am the Daddy, or at least a much better Daddy. As proven by the Circle of Life exercise we did with Bob, I feel like I need to—or at least have room to—improve in every area of my life. I'm happy to report that now I am already a much better father. Julia, Liam and Ella have a new Daddy, a Daddy who has more energy for physical play and creative bedtime stories; a Daddy who is focused on them when we are together instead of being distracted by the mobile phone, the text messages and e-mail. I have been making many little changes in every aspect of my life and I can see them paying off. This journey, Bob's Best Life Journey (not diet) is much more than just losing weight if you open yourself to the opportunity.

I have been very frustrated that I have not been continuing the rapid weight loss I started with. And then I look at other areas of my life (love life, fatherhood, business partner, etc.) and with some reflection realize I have made great strides in improving these areas in my life while continuing to lose weight. If you take a little time for yourself every day, it will improve every area of your life. I have said this to hundreds of people over the past five years and truly believed it every time I said it. I just didn't realize that I was selling the "Do as I say, not as I do." I didn't realize I could have the same success I'd had before and the same success my members experienced.

Let's shed the protective "fat coat" so I can admit to the fact that I like the coat because it lowers my expectations. I am afraid to have my health and fitness in order, as I am not confident that I will be satisfied with who I am if I have everything together. My "fat coat" also protects me from guilt. In many respects I feel like if I am healthy and fit I will have it all, and have more than many others. Does it make any sense that I would sabotage my own health to avoid judgment from family, friends and complete strangers? Yes, and many times it still does. "I do not deserve to have it all"—this has always been my mentality and it leads to many issues I am struggling with while attempting to achieve my Best Life.

Guilt, guilt, guilt, guilt, guilt! Can anyone say self-imposed? It is ironic that I am so concerned about being judged by others as happy, successful and secure and would rather they see/feel that I suffer the same pains that they do. Which I do. Why do I continue to strive for things that I continue to achieve only to discount them to diminish the success?

I am growing and shrinking at the same time. Thank you for reading my innermost thoughts and not judging me. Or if you are judging me, who really cares at this point as long as it is beneficial for all of us.

Keep moving forward,

Bill