I’m just as much inspired by your stories. I was thinking, “Who ever said life was supposed to be easy anyways?”

I’m starting to think when life is going well I think, ‘Wait… this is NOT normal…”

I totally resonate with you on your blog posting. Your body is like one big gigantic muscle, if you aren’t challenging it, you’ll grow weak and pathetic. It is only by trial that we can really test ourselves to see what we are truly made of. After all, no one ever won a marathon by sitting at home on an EZ-Chair.

As an artist, I know all too well that if I never challenge myself, I will never progress in skill with my art. Comfort just leads to stagnation.

Stay strong

What a great message! I used to lived my life in a comfort zone that got me out of shape in every aspect of my life. Spirtiually, intillectually and physically I was failing. I was 36 years old and needed to change. It all started to turn around when I made the commitment to read through the enitre Bible in January 2007, something I had never done. It ws not easy but I formulated a plan and executed that plan everyday. In March of the same year my Mother died unexpectedly from complications with type 2 diabetes. This was a hugh blow and without my faith in the Lord would have devastated me. I weighed 286 lbs at the time and was a ticking time bomb to follow in my Mothers footsteps. However, I used her death as a catlyst to begin living a healthy lifestyle. I have two beautiful daughers and needed to get healthy so I could be around to watch them grow up.

It started small making healthier food choices as well as walking every morning. After a couple months of walking I tried running, which I really enjoyed. I continued to lose weight which made the running easier. I decided in January of 2008 that I would run a marathon in memorial of my mother, not an easy task for someone who had been used to living life in the EZ chair. I began an 18 week training program the end of June 2008 and completed the Kansas City Marathon on October 18 of this year.

After achieving that goal, I set a new goal for myself to become a body builder. So far so good, I’m seeing great progress!

I guess I just wanted to say your message hit home with me, because in order to live the life I always wanted, took me getting out of my comfort zone and pushing beyond my minds limitations for myself. Great news my wife also got out of her comfort zone and has lost 58lbs and looks fabulous. Another great benefit is both our daughters are seeing our healthy life style and are already developing healthy habits themselves.

I want to take time out to just give you a shout to thank you and craig and the rest of the boys that have been an encouragement to me (46yrs old) to keep working out and eating better… i have a young wife and four young kids and needless to say they keep me busy with the amount of energy they require(and i want to give)… the last few months i had been on a quest to get six pack by thanksgiving, and though i had worked out consistently the last couple of years, i had not been able to make any fat loss gains until i took some of your free advise(only cause I’m cheap) and followed your turbulence training advice and diet recommendations… unfortunately only made it to a four pack, but my wife has commented that she never has seen me thinner and more fit… thanks for
all the generosity with the info….

Now, it’s my turn to give back to you, to have you sit an ponder this life that we have been given temporarily… we should know that physical exercise is good, but spiritual exercise is better… i was were you were at age 29, reflecting on the truth, the purpose of this life, observing the constant physical, mental and spiritual attacks that we face from entertainment(TV, creature comforts, foods, etc..) and how, for the most part, marketting of most of the these products that attack our health, mental and spiritual well being, involves the lust for more $$ without the thoughtful consideration of anyones health or person… (ie food additives, bogus workout machines, fake diets, bogus mental health advise, false religions, etc, etc, etc…) not to mention the ones that are being invented as we speak….

With all these attacks we, who are the leaders of this world, are called to do something, right??? and even though we step up to the plate and lead by example, and teach, there seems to be more and something missing, right??? if you haven’t felt that feeling, then wait a few years, some folk feel it earlier others later… however, this does not define our purpose, for we know that this life is fleeting, then what??? what assurance do you have at the most inevitable, most unavoidable, most definite moment of your life, your eventual demise?… after all no amount of physical work and good treatment of our
body can keep that from occurring, right??? even if you prolong it, you are still going to die, then what???

Like i said, i have been there, and considered myself quite the philosopher , more than most of my friends anyway… but could not get any permanent assurance of my purpose, no matter how successful i was with whatever i tried… Now, here is the kicker, no matter what we do during this life, we will never be truly good people, we can become better than others, but never truly good.. hard to admit, but true… only because in order to be good there has to be a line between good and evil… if we try to draw that line and relatively apply it to ourselves and others, than how do we know we are right??? who has the
perfect knowledge, the perfect standard to decide what is good and what is not??? why do we want to be good, anyway?? so that others can think we are good?? so that we can feel better???

here is the secret that people try to argue over and over again, but will all realize is the truth, either today because they ask, or after they die, when they will not have that choice… We were all made in God’s image, to reflect His love to each other and to worship Him… however, most of us choose to get caught up
in this temporary life, which gains us little as far as eternal comfort, and gains us nothing in eternal knowledge… if, you have begun to make an argument against this fact, as many do, there is one easy solution to find out the truth… seek and you shall find, ask and it shall be given to you, this knowledge you seek… if there is in fact only one GOD(by fact and definition), then this God would have to be perfect and have perfect love… all you have to do is understand
and admit that we are not good people and have ALL sinned(as i still do) and need God’s forgiveness to have this eternal life that He promises to give me
after I die…Sin is sin no matter how small or seemingly insignificant… (ie we all have lied, making us liars, we all have been selfish, angry, hurtful, at some point in our lives, and once we do something we are guilty of having done it forever…. no matter if we have stopped, you can’t take it back, right?) Since God made all of us and wants to be with ALL of us when we die, which is also why He made us, He needs us to be perfect to… well, guess
what, none of us are!!! so what do we do, or more importantly, what did this perfect, loving God do? He sent His Son to die on the cross to pay for all our
sins(I don’t yet understand why the shedding of blood is needed, but it is) and instead of us paying for our wretchedness, He paid for it for us, …

kinda like a judge finding us guilty, but then someone comes and pays the fine or imprisonment for us…. All we have to do is believe, if you don’t then
ask God to help you believe… if you can’t, ask God to help you ask…. This is the truth… the only truth… I didn’t believe it until I asked.. until God answered and He gave me His Holy Spirit(it’s real)… they Holy Spirit is necessary to understand the bible and get all the answers to every question you have asked
all the questions you will ever ask about this life and the one after… You will understand your need for Jesus Christ to be living inside you…

Vince, I hope you have taken the advise of this fan who wishes to give back, you have helped me with this life here on earth, i only wish to help you with the life beyond, both lives are inevitable… both lives are worth considering, knowledge is always free, but like you have said, if you don’t do anything with
it, what good is it? I would ask that you would please share this with others as i have your advise…

thanks for everything…

for the true kingdom come.

I’m sorry I only came across this post today. You’ve done more in your 29 years than most 45-year-olds could ever dream of. Congrats on your reflections and realizations…and your success!

Happy Belated Birthday, big man.

Chris Lopez

WELL SAID! My B`-day is on Dec 3, and I´m turning great 43. The best thing this year was getting out of my Confort Zone and becoming fit in 8 months. Setting goals every single day for exercise and healthy eating, and now looking 10 years younger. I`m grateful every day for taking the right desicion. You have been part of my inspiration, thank you again Vince!

XXXXXXXXXXXOOOOOO
Rosie

It’s rare that a guy will give others a gift on his birthday but that is exactly what you did. Thanks. This blog post kicked my ass out of my comfort zone on many fronts. Life is meant to be lived, not watched. You help me and other people live.

Live hard, work hard, play hard!

Scott