Do you ever feel like you just need to press the reset button on your fitness? You’ve slipped a little bit, stopped going to the gym, and just keep creeping up on the scale.

I’m there.

Let’s rewind.

My name's Brian. A few years ago, I lost 40 pounds. I was at 222 lbs, the heaviest I had ever been and could see it in my photos. It didn’t feel good. So I started to elliptical at the gym. That was boring but at least I was doing something. Healthy eating followed and so did running. I loved it.

A 5k led to a 10k led to a half-marathon relay led to the Twin Cities 10 Mile led to closing out my first half marathon!

Fast forward two years.

I’m comfortable, know in the back of my head that I can “get back into it”, enjoy ice cream and enjoy cuddling up on the couch in the winter. That’s a recipe for disaster. It’s terrifying to feel old habits creep back into your life when you felt so confident that you had gotten rid of poor eating choices and being utterly lazy.

Well, I’m going to make a decision today, a declaration to the world, that it’s time to take back my new self and embrace a healthy lifestyle…AGAIN.

Step 1: Track food.

Being healthy 101, I know. But I’m not even concerned about calories. I’m concerned about knowing that I’m putting in my mouth (Prideletics fans, I know what you’re thinking and y’all need get your minds out of the gutter).

Knowing that I’m tracking, makes me think twice about the decisions I make. Just because Helen at the office brings in cookies (Dammit, Helen!) doesn’t mean I have to waste the calories and eat one when I know I’m going to track it.

Step 2: Try something new.

The gym is a very uncomfortable place for me. So instead of forcing myself to go there, I’m going to force myself to try something new…CrossFit.

I need a community, motivation, and fun people. Not attractive buff dudes clearly annoyed with me when I don’t know what I’m doing while wandering around aimlessly trying to figure out what’s next.

Step 3: Shift my thinking.

I enjoy cooking for my partner when he gets home from the gym. So naturally, I make an excuse not to go to the gym so I can head home to make dinner and eat at a normal time. Well, perhaps I need to change the way I think about something like that.

I could leave work a little earlier, do a class a little earlier in the evening and have VERY easy-to-make meals during the week. #amIright

So even though there is never a truly perfect time to start over (AGAIN), I’d say now is as good as it’s going to get.

I’d love to hear how you get back on the band wagon after barely hanging on.

Brian Koenig

No Time Like The Present (Story)

Step 1: Track food.

Step 2: Try something new.

Step 3: Shift my thinking.