To the X-treme!

Well, it was my birthday a week ago.  February 16th I turned a whopping 27 years old!  Every time I see that number in print I sit and ask myself something like, "Have a I really made it this far?" or "27?  Really?  Where did all that time go?"  Times like that I hearken to the advice a senior missionary gave me once while serving in the Baltics.  As Elder Stevenson told me, "Age is just a state of mind, you're only as old as you feel."  So yes, numbers-wise I'm a little weirded out...I mean, I'm closer to 30 than I am to 20!!  That's never happened before.  Except when I turned 25 and 26 I suppose, but those were in the middle enough not to stand out that much.  27 is well on my way to the big 3-0.  But overall, my state of mind is great right now.  So in general I still feel young and full of energy!
I think there are many reasons for that.  First, in case you didn't read, I have an amazing girlfriend.  She's sweet, caring, spiritual, smokin hot!  Seriously, I couldn't ask for anything better.  But as if that weren't enough, school is going well and I'm excited about the prospects of becoming a pharmacist.  In my studies I've found a pattern that prompted me to give myself a rather extreme birthday gift.
Being overweight or obese is a risk factor for just about every chronic condition that you hear about on the news.  Hypertension, type II diabetes, heart problems of several varieties, just to name a few.  All count having an unhealthy weight as a major risk factor.  Now I'm not writing this to condemn anyone, their weight, or their habits-eating or otherwise.  I also realize that there will be a certain incidence of these diseases no matter what we do to stop them.  But sitting in class after class and hearing about the problems that being overweight can cause to your personal health and the burdens that these chronic diseases put on our health care system and ultimately on taxpayers (us), I decided that I needed to make a change.  Preventive health care is the best kind.  It saves people from physical suffering, time spent on treatment, and most of all expenses for doctor bills.  I realized that if I was going to preach the benefits of healthy lifestyle and preventative measures to patients, I needed to lead by example. 
When I first got to Butler I was 6'3" and about 280 pounds.  Now I've always been into sports and lifting weights, so some of that was muscle.  And it should be noted that weight in and of itself is simply a number and doesn't tell the whole story.  But I won't kid myself because I also had about 30% body fat.  That's classified as overweight, just outside of becoming obese.  I started going to the gym a little bit and at the Christmas break I weighed about 275.  That's okay improvement, but this semester I've decided it's time to really get focused in.  So, on my birthday I started the workout program P90-X.  For those who don't know what it is, it is a 90 day diet and exercise program that is designed to cut fat and convert it to lean muscle at a quick pace.  No gimmicks, just intense workouts and a healthy diet, targeted at the goal of burning fat while gaining muscle.  
I don't know yet exactly what the results will be, but I can say this.  After one week of workouts and strict monitoring of my daily diet I have more energy, my body, although sore, feels great and I can feel a real change in where my health is headed.  Now, I'm not going to sit here and give you an infomercial for P90-X (I guess in some ways I already have.)  However, I do like one of the phrases used in some of the workouts.  "Do your best and forget the rest."  That means that if you've been reading this and saying to yourself, "you know, I could use some healthier habits myself."  the good news is You Can Do It!  It doesn't matter if you are already pretty fit and just want to take it to the next level or if you have been out of shape forever and need baby steps in the gym or on the diet at first.  What is important in this, or really any positive change is not to compare yourself to others or become discouraged by small gains.  Just do your best, the change will happen.  I was sitting in institute tonight and we read a verse from the Doctrine and Covenants.  Section 98:12 says "For he will give unto the faithful line upon line, precept upon precept..."  I have found this to be true when it comes to studying the gospel, but it hit me tonight that this line could have a broader meaning in our lives.  Most positive changes come gradually, but if we are faithful and stick to whatever cause it may be that we are striving for, then we can achieve our goals.   
I'll update from time to time my progress for the next 3 months, I'm looking forward to it.  So that is my X-treme birthday gift to myself.  A healthier body and a continued youthful state of mind.