Keep it up Joey!

All good things must come to an end ... and alas, my run with discipline is OVER!

In doing this, I've definitely improved in numerous ways --- lost weight, body fat, gotten faster --- but most importantly, I've learned that I am capable of pushing myself in ways I never thought I could.

More importantly, Joey is still in this for the long haul. And his determination, discipline, and kickass-ness needs to be recognized. Eight months ago Joey and I were chit chatting at a potluck. Looking back, I didn't really know the guy all that well. I knew he was one of the most 'tenacious' basketball players I've ever seen (meaning that he played like a reckless crazy big dude out there...) and that he enjoyed breaking glass at all hours of the day (his rotation in packaging engineering where he would work 16 hour days). So when we were chatting about new year's resolutions and Joey mentioned how he was giving up a food group each month after reading a book about Christ....the first thing that came to my mind was 'man this crazy-basketball-playing-glass-breaking dude is a religious nutjob too'. The conversation progressed and being a proud sonofabitch, I wanted to show Joey I could give up food groups and exercise discipline as well. This blog was made that night and as an awkward sportscaster eloquently put it, "boom goes the dynamite."

I could have never done any of this without Joey. Sure it may have started as a rivalry (at least for me), it quickly turned into a team effort. Joey would push me to keep going and would definitely root for my success. When there were months that Joey's body fat would plummet while mine would decrease only by a small percentage, he'd give me some ideas towards how to get on the fat-burning trajectory he was on. Joey also championed the pre-discipline potluck as a ritual before giving something up, inviting friends to enjoy the foods we would no longer be eating. Throughout this time, Joey has ben subtly encouraging others to exercise discipline. And above all, what's impressed me the most is that Joey has been doing this for himself (and maybe for Jesus, but really I think it's for himself...for Jesus???). Bottom line is that he'd still be doing this if the blog didn't exist --- this blog is purely a vehicle to encourage others to get on board (and some already have).

My hat is off to you, Joey, for keeping this going. I'm impressed by how much progress you've made (more so than me!), how your basketball skills have gotten immensely better (keep dominating out there), and how determined you continue to be. Oh, and you're still a religious nutjob (oh I kid --- I've even been to Joey's church and everyone is quite nice and not nut-jobby in any way shape or form).

And let's not forget this was a competition --- and Joey is definitely the winner.

I'll join the masses now who read this blog (in awe? admiration? ha, that may describe...none of you out there). And because of it I'll think twice about eating that twinkie after dinner.

Signing off!

F

Oh, and this video was also inspiration during my discipline off days. I hope it inspires you too.