Music Monday: Jason Mraz - I Won't Give Up

When I look into your eyes
It's like watching the night sky
Or a beautiful sunrise
There's so much they hold
And just like them old stars
I see that you've come so far
To be right where you are
How old is your soul?

I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up

And when you're needing your space
To do some navigating
I'll be here patiently waiting
To see what you find

'Cause even the stars they burn
Some even fall to the earth
We've got a lot to learn
God knows we're worth it
No, I won't give up

I don't wanna be someone who walks away so easily
I'm here to stay and make the difference that I can make
Our differences they do a lot to teach us how to use
The tools and gifts we got yeah, we got a lot at stake
And in the end, you're still my friend at least we did intend
For us to work we didn't break, we didn't burn
We had to learn how to bend without the world caving in
I had to learn what I've got, and what I'm not
And who I am

I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up
Still looking up.

I won't give up on us (no I'm not giving up)
God knows I'm tough enough (I am tough, I am loved)
We've got a lot to learn (we're alive, we are loved)
God knows we're worth it (and we're worth it)

I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up 

We all go through things. Stuff happens. It makes us question who we are and what we want to be. Who we really are is the person who makes it out of those doubts. The person who is left standing and if we let doubts and fears end us then we end up being a shell of who we are really meant to be. 

I am lucky enough to know I am exactly where I want to be. I'm not saying my life is perfect. I tolerate my job but I don't love it. I wish I had a better schedule and could see my wife more. I wish it was easier to quit eating bad food and lose the weight that I allowed myself to gain. 

The key is to see the sunlight at the other end. I'm helping my wife achieve her dream at university and someday I'll get to see her change the world. It makes me so proud to see her going for it. I see the hardships and frustrations she has but she keeps pushing for it. Soon she'll be half way there. 

There is sunlight at the end if you keep yourself focused and fight through the dirty stuff. I am just happy I am alive. I have a wife I love. I have a job. I have a roof over my head. There is a lot of things I need to fix in myself to make things better but I aim to do it with a smile on my face.

If you let all the small things weigh you down it'll eventually hold you down and things will fall apart. I wish everyone could be happy with what they have. If it makes you truly miserable then change it. Life is too short to live with the status quo if it makes you unhappy.

If it makes you happy then don't give up. Fight to fix what is wrong and try to enjoy the good things while you can.

Fitness Update 1

So last month I started going to the Dartmouth Sportsplex. I wasn't exactly excited to start but have come to actually enjoy it. Not so much the weight lifting exercises but I get through them.

Since starting last month I have lost 4 pounds. I think it would have been more but I still have to push myself to stop eating junk. I know the occasional treat is OK but I eat more then the occasional treat so I really need to cut down the snacks. I have been able to stop eating after 9 for the most part and I'd like to knock this down to no eating after 8 soon.

I started using this bike that uses a website to track your records:

Expresso

I love it because it feeds into my competitive spirit easily by allowing me to not only try to beat my own scores but also try to beat the scores of other users in Dartmouth. I also enjoy the treadmills but I have always enjoyed them so that is nothing different. I still do not like the steppers. If I wanted to run stairs I`d go run real stairs. 

The Sportsplex also offers some great fitness classes. In the near future I want to try a spinning class and some of the aqua classes but I have tried Zumba and love it. Anyone that knows me knows I love dancing. I played the Wii version of Zumba and it was fun but frustrating because it scores your movements and sometimes I just want to move to the music. I`m the only guy that attends the class but that`s OK. It`s really fun and I wish more guys would become comfortable and try it out because it`s a good workout and you`re having fun so you don`t even notice. Here`s a video of my favorite dance I`ve done so far mostly because I really like the song. 

Starting next week I`m gonna try one of the morning aqua classes as well as Zumba at night. I haven`t used the pool there as much as I would like and I`ll have to change that in the future. 

That`s it for this month. I`ll keep it going so wish me luck.

What they should have told me before I left for university.

I have recently joined the gym. Nessa wanted to join and it was only $24 extra to add me so we both got memberships.

I went for the first time this week and then remembered how out of shape I am. I use to be able to swim laps without having to use the doggie paddle as I struggled to reach the edge of the pool (I'm pretty sure the lifeguard had an extra eye in me as I struggled from side to side). I also use to be able to run a mile without wanting to lay down and die.

As I struggled to finish a mile I was trying to run I wondered how I reached this point. It all goes back to my first semester of university.

I was on my own for the first time (if you can call sharing a dorm with 80-100 people on my own). I grew up a skinny kid never over eating.  Now I had access to a full cafeteria that was always all you can eat. I was also walking distance from McDonald's and a really good pizza place and had money to spare. I also discovered a love for rum and cokes. Since I had nothing to spend my money on (other the VHS movies and CDs ... God I'm old) I spent a lot of money on eating and drinking.

I knew what I was doing was unhealthy. I told myself to just have fun and enjoy myself. I'd get back in shape at some point. I convinced myself that I'd turn it around. That was over 12 years ago. Now I'm an out of shape 30 year old who is finally really trying to turn it around.

The thing I wish someone would have pointed out to me was to not overdue the food and drink. To make sure you fit physical activity into your life. To be careful what you do now that you are on your own. No one wants to be overweight and out of shape at 30. Or maybe they do but I don't.

That's way I decided that I'll post weight loss updates online. I know only like 3 people regularly look at this blog (3 people is a slightly optimistic number) but at least it'll be out there for anyone to see. It'll hopefully keep me pushing toward my goal of losing 30-40 pounds this year.

Wish me luck.