The bike swayed side to side as each lean pulled more pavement beneath my wheels, eating away at the grade ahead. Every breath I drew came in laced with scent of corn dogs and french fries. I laughed to myself and wondered if it wouldn’t be better to just give up the whole “fit” thing.

That was tonight, grinding up the twisty and tall Allenton Rd. just behind the insanity of Six Flags St. Louis on a summer day. Nine years into this lifestyle and the mental game persists on a daily basis. As my quads burned from the climb, I questioned if I could live with myself if I were to just turn around, coast into the parking lot and order an elephant ear.

I took another shot of water and kept spinning.

This Defattening series has been an opportunity for me to look back and reflect on the past nine years. To wrap it up, I thought I’d pull together some of the conclusions and observations I’ve arrived at. Hopefully they prove helpful as you consider what fitness looks like for yourself.

A Life Sentence

I used to think that if I got in shape I’d just stay that way. I would have arrived, but the reality is much different. It’s really more of a life sentence. Some folks think I can afford to eat anything I want because I work so hard. I wish that were the case, but it’s not. We were amazingly designed by our Creator to have efficient bodies. If I overindulge, those calories will be converted to fat in short order. To give some perspective, to burn off a single can of Coke, I’d have to run just over a mile. Yikes! Is it really that tasty?

Also, as the body gets into better shape, it becomes even more efficient so that the eight mile run I do these days doesn’t boost my metabolism like it would have eight years ago. While this is a great survival factor, it can easily lull a person into a fitness rut, causing them to wonder why they do the same workout but don’t get the results they used to. I have to ensure I’m doing different things so I don’t go down that path.

Ultimately, staying fit is a daily decision and though I’m in good shape, I’m always having to convince myself to stay this way.

I Can’t Get No

Another thing I’ve learned on this journey is that we’re never fully satisfied with what we have. Fat Tim would have killed someone to be in the shape I am now, but I still see things I’d like to change. Getting healthy does impact your life, but it won’t satiate that inner void universal to the human condition. It’s nice, but it’s not perfection.

I’m not saying that you shouldn’t have goals or continue to strive for a particular condition, just that you shouldn’t depend on those achievements for meaning and self-worth. The people who do end up chasing the wind and become insufferable company. “Yes, we know you went to the gym this morning.” “Yes, you’ve told us your PR for the marathon.”

The Fats of Life

I didn’t realize until some point in my transformation, but my subconscious idea of what a fit guy looked like was largely informed by movies and magazine covers. Those guys all have rippling muscles, no fat and no body hair.  There are two things wrong with that:

1. 95% of those guys have been photoshopped in some way so that even they don’t look like they do. They’re a false target to shoot for. A little erasing here. Some augmenting there, all with the goal of selling you that magazine and the program inside to get that coveted “V” shape. That’s just not a realistic fitness. It also takes us back to my original point about what fitness truly is: The state of being in a condition to accomplish the things you want to in life.

2. They may be fit for the gym, but not strong and durable for the real world. I wonder how one of those gym citizen cover models would fair during a late season hunt, sitting motionless on a tree stand for nine hours. Or how they’d feel after taking a spill on a rocky hillside. Fat is villified in our culture but it’s so important to our durability. Not only does it serve as insulation, but also as energy storage and impact absorption. It took me a while to be okay with a little cushion still on me, but now I’ve experienced how critical it is to real life.

Strong Like Me

In high school we read the book, “Black Like Me” about a white guy who dyed his skin dark to experience life as a black person. Having lived a portion of my life as a fat guy and now as a fit guy, I can say that unfortunately, people definitely treat me differently.

Strangers are friendlier. You get invited to more events. They laugh more readily at your jokes. Customer service is generally better. People just seem to trust and gravitate to you faster. I’m the same guy I used to be…I just weigh a lot less.

But there are those former fat people who become terrible and judgemental about those who are still overweight. They’ve gotten fit, but they’ve not grown from the experience. In fact, they may be worse off than before. We just don’t know the circumstances individuals face, but we do know that shaming them is not an effective motivator. Love and encourage them. When they find the right motivations and methods, it’ll be up to them to take that first step.

Life is certainly better and more enjoyable when you’re healthy, just remember that everyone is on their own journey. Treat people with love and respect regardless of their station.

That’s it! That’s nine years of conscious decisions and determination. I love my life. I can pick Sofie up and spin her around while she squeals and giggles. I can climb a tree and draw my bow on a deer then drag it out of the woods. I can protect my family if called to do so. I’m able to do the things I want and need to.

So what about you? What do you want to do that you aren’t able to now? What are you going to do about it?