Get out of the rain, John Cusack

Yesterday was as perfect of an example as to how this road to health should be done, as well as why, as I could possibly imagine. Yesterday was Comicon Wizard World, or something… I can never remember the exact title (and is it Comicon, or ComicCon). The fact that I am writing a post about my experience at this event, yet I have a complete unwillingness to stop and google the exact name, shows you how little I care about comics, or sci-fi, or any of related topics. In fact, while I am at it, here is a list of stuff I have never seen… I think you will be shocked

-          Any of the Alien Movies

-          Predator

-          Any of the Iron Man movies

-          Terminator

-          And I have never read a single comic book from front to back

I am stopping there because you get the point. I have little to no interest in science fiction or comic book related materials. So why did I spend 3-4 hours and close to $200 touring a giant exhibit hall dedicated to science fiction and comic book nostalgia and education? Because I have 3 little boys, ages 4-8-11, who have made comic books and science fiction the center of their known universes. I have 3 sons… 3.. and I have a HEALTHY love of all things sports. You would think even ONE of my kids would give one ounce of attention to baseball or football or basketball or wrestling, but nope, fucking zilch.. not a single ounce of fuck is given to anything athletic or competition based. Oh well, it’s not their job to like what I am interested in, it’s my job to find enjoyment in what they enjoy.

How does Comicon impact health? Well, I spent 3-4 hours chasing 3 of the skinniest, most energetic kids in the universe, around a 200,000 square foot convention center. 17,000 steps later, I was exhausted (I wore a fitbit and actually monitored my step count). This is what all the work and lifestyle change is for. This is functional health at its best. I am not working out and fighting to change my dietary habits so that I can spend the summer in a tiny speedo, rubbing tanning oil on my body in an inappropriate but irresistibly sensual manner. I mean, I will be doing that, but the bigger goal is to be able to spend my life enjoying shit I don’t enjoy. I have an inherent ability to enjoy anything. I make life fun, regardless of the tools I am given… It is what I like most about me. I was once told by a good friend "fun sort of follows you". Thats total bullshit. I just can McGyver the fun out of anything. Yesterday I got dressed in costume right alongside my kids. I wasn’t there to secretly judge the nerds who were gathered in the nerdery. I was there to have fun with my kids. My costume was from a non sci-fi movie, but my kids didn’t care. They were just happy dad was playing along. But as I get older, and if I don’t get my health in line, the ability to run and chase the boys around will deteriorate. Dad won’t be able to play along if he doesn’t get his shit together now (I just third personed the shit out of that sentence… my smugness is off the charts today).

Side note: I am writing this while watching “High Fidelity” and it hit me…. My views toward weight loss and health, and the very point I am trying to make out of this post, perfectly parallel John Cusack’s cinematic dating experiences. John Cusack has spent more time heartbroken in the rain than anyone else in movie history. I understand the heartbreak is set to a backdrop of rain storms to deepen the visual of misery. The director is showing the audience how John’s heartbreak is feeling on the inside by using external visuals. For me, I have a tendency to pout and feel that getting fit is hopeless. I wish I had a dime for every time I ate a slice of pizza during my internal rain storms. My mood and mental fortitude have such a strong impact on my success. I also tend to compound misery with more misery… if I hate myself today, I am going to eat and drink and pout in the rain. And yesterday at comicon, I was happy. I was happy the boys were having so much fun. I was happy that I found a Big Lebowski candle to buy for myself. I was happy that my health was being created by the very reasons I care to get healthy. Compounding happiness, is every bit as possible and effective as compounding sadness. I need to spend more time McGyver'ing the fun out of healthy habits. 

The point being… Finding purpose is the key.  I am my only barrier. So finding a bigger reason for why I am getting my health back has been all the difference in this process. Nothing snaps me out of my thunderstorm of self-pity faster than having a bigger purpose for my goals. I want to chase my boys around. I want to have years and years and decades of watching how happy they get at the mundane activities that most adults are too cynical to enjoy. It’s a double sided sword too. These activities add to my health as well. 17,000 steps is 6.5 miles. While walking 6.5 miles one morning wont get me in amazing shape, it is the positive daily activity that will help keep me motivated as well as aid in my journey to good health. 3-4 hours of walking 6.5 miles is a hell of a lot healthier than laying on the couch watching Iron Man 23 or some other mindless activity.

 I spent the day in physical activity with my kids. The why was the how. The why I want to get in shape, was the method of how I improved my health yesterday. Ain’t that some shit.