A new (out)look

A new look can come about in a lot of different ways. You can buy new clothes, get a haircut, or change the way you grow your facial hair (this is especially effective if you're female). Of course, the change I've been working towards is more substantial, and ideally more permanent than buying a new shirt.

I've been approaching my body makeover and triathlon training project as one and the same. But they're really different. That "next triathlon" will always be off in the distance, but I ask the question: how does one maintain that enthusiasm for personal health and continued improvement on a daily basis?

I follow Mark Oakes on twitter (@MarkOOakes), and I found one of his personal mantras to be something that I've really started to believe: It's not what I DO, it's who I AM! This type of thinking internalizes behavior, making it more a part of you, rather than just a series of actions to predicate an outcome. I am not a fat guy working out to try and lose some weight so I can have a better finish in a race; rather I am a triathlete and health conscious person doing what it takes to improve myself on a daily basis. It really makes all of the effort so much easier to understand when you put it in the perspective of not changing how you look, but focusing on who you are.

While we're on the topic of new looks, a quick aside: readers will be noticing a few changes to the blog over the next few weeks. I've decided to modify the template to reflect the theme of the blog, and I bought a domain name (becomingtimberman.com), so that over time the blog will be more secure in it's footing on the web. Especially as web services change, having the ability to make your work portable is so key. More on this later.

PS. I've been saving this nugget, but I've now lost 10 pounds since 1/1. I'm not "dieting" or being unhealthy in any way. I'm merely watching my portions/points, and exercising in an intense but sustainable and smart manner. This puts me at 327 this morning. While it's pure science this amount of loss can't be sustained indefinitely without moving to nearly constant exercise or reducing calorie intake to an unhealthy manner; I'm certainly happy with my progress to this point.