Your Journey To….YOU!
January 4, 2016Before you read this article on your journey, I want you to ponder this statement and determine if it is true or false to YOU. “If I were thin, I would be happy!”
My Journey is More Than My Weight Loss and Accomplishments
Eight years ago, I was laying on a hospital bed that didn't fit me. I weighed over 400 pounds, and had 60% body fat waiting to have my WLS. Looking back, currently weighing 215 pounds, and 11 % body fat, my journey to HAPPINESS was NOT about the weight at all! Buying clothes in a regular store, fitting into restaurant booths, not having seatbelt extenders on planes, not getting kicked off of rides at amusement parks, and not hearing people make fun of me because of my size anymore did not bring me happiness. What has brought me happiness is finding within myself, my real worth.
Nine months after my bariatric surgery, I ran my first Triathlon and won my division. Two months later, I ran my first Marathon in under five hours. The following year, I completed 4 x 70.3 Mile Ironman Triathlons and 1 x 140.6 mile Ironman Triathlon, along with multiple marathons. The following year I became an Ultra Distance runner and completed running 76 miles straight in 19 Hours. Since then, I have competed in 10 running races greater than 100 miles in distance, the longest being 164 miles straight. These feats brought me a tremendous amount of happy moments and tremendous feelings of accomplishment… But happiness? NO!
In the last seven years, I have coached both of my sons' soccer teams, baseball teams, helped with their football endeavors, taken them running, swimming, biking, frequently visit amusement parks, perform acts of service together with neighbors and those in need, traveled, and have instilled in my beautiful children, that ANYTHING is possible! THIS is true happiness to me!
Find Your Answer to the Question of "Why"
Wherever you are at in your journey, a valid question to always ask yourself is “WHY?” What is your WHY?
- Why did you think about having WLS?
- Why did you go ahead and have the surgery?
- Why are you at, or not at your goal?
- If applicable, why have you regained weight?
- Why are you committed to making this a lifelong change?
- The title of this article is “Your Journey To…”. WHERE are you going?
- WHY are you going there?
- WHAT are you going to do when you get there?
- MOST importantly in YOUR journey: Did you FIND yourself or LOSE yourself along the way?
I Ate Over Emotions and Low Self-Worth
I buried a lifetime of hurt, rejection, abandonment, and of disappointment both in myself and others in every pound I was carrying. I bottled up my emotions. I let people walk over me, take advantage of me, and NEVER stood up for myself or the things that were important to me. I did not pursue friendships, or interactions with others because I was ashamed of myself and had no self worth.
I ate in the dark, in the shadows, alone, and much of the time shed tears not because of my weight, but because I felt hopeless. So, in short, my sadness, hopelessness, and misery did not lie in my weight or size either.
The difference between where I was at 400 pounds, and where I am now is that before, I would look in the mirror, and had no clue who was looking back at me. Even if I had, I despised what I saw looking back at me.
Today - I Love Myself and Have Gratitude
Today, and everyday, I wake up, look in the mirror and LOVE the person I see looking back. My eyes don’t float to my stomach, legs or any imperfect areas, my eyes look back into themselves, and THAT is where I have found my happiness. People can look in my eyes and see that I am happy. My journey was not to “become thin”… my journey was to “Happiness”.
HOW? How do you find Happiness? It’s a secret word… One we forget all too often! Easy to forget when times are tough… Easy to remember when times are good! GRATITUDE! “GRATEFUL + ATTITUDE” Folks! Happiness is a choice! Celebrate yourself! Celebrate every footstep you take AWAY from the person you were, and embrace EVERY step, whether easy or difficult, towards the person you were meant to become!
This article was not written for the sake of providing simple antidotes, cutesy sayings or magic tricks. It was simply written in hopes that you will find a peace and love within yourself, for yourself, and realize that you are meant to succeed. Success does NOT come in the form of the number on a scale, success comes in the form of a HAPPY person looking back in the mirror, a smile, and a continual resolve to better yourself every day.
YOU are worth this…
YOU are destined for greatness…
YOU have read this entire article for a purpose.
As you contemplate these thoughts, and what you will do with them, I wish you all the best on “Your Journey To… YOU”.
 | ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dan Benintendi had been obese since his early 20's. He steadily put on 10-20 pounds a year and struggled to try to get it off each year. He decided to have Gastric Bypass on January 14th, 2008. He lost 201 pounds in 14 monthsand has completed dozens of Triathlons including 3 FULL 140.6 mile IRONMAN Triathlons, 6 IRONMAN 70.3 mile Triathlons,multiple ULTRA Marathons ranging from 50K, 50 Miles, 75 Miles, and as of October 2011, completed his personal Mt. Everest... 104 Miles ran in 28.5 hours continuous! He has also completed multiple 10k (6.2 mile) Swims. |
