Wow, Member of the Month! A few thoughts ran through my head when Kerry told me. 1) what a surprising honor 2) a bunch of people must have turned Kerry down for it to get to me 3) I'll probably turn it down myself and 4) I hope this isn't like the SI cover jinx.
I've been coming to 212 and its predecessor for about 10 years now. The more appropriate description would probably be that I've paid dues at the gym for about 10 years. I would normally go to the gym about 3 times a week and take off long periods of time. The slightest ache or pain would be excuse enough for me to not get to the gym for weeks or months.
Having been a police officer going on 19 years, I always tried to keep myself in relatively decent shape, but about 4 years ago I transitioned into a more administrative role with the department. Although I enjoy the new position (OIC of the Training Division) the job requires a lot less physical activity. Add in my atrocious eating habits and I began putting on more weight than I should have.
At the beginning of this year something finally clicked. I think it was a combination of a few factors. Watching my wife's inspirational battle with breast cancer and how tough she was in fighting it; turning 45 and my kids frequently reminding me that I'm "halfway to 90"; my brother's daily motivating Instagram workout posts (Dennis is the slightly more outgoing and talkative Driscoll at 212); and just being generally fed up with how I felt every day. So on January 2nd I began to change my diet and increased my 212 schedule. It was tough at first but as I saw my weight go down and my strength and energy go up, it motivated me even more. So far I've been able to stick with the plan and I've lost about 40 pounds to date.
Of course, none of this would have been possible without Kerry and the rest of the 212 crew. Kerry's texts and emails of encouragement and the not so subtle push to lift more weight or do more reps keeps me going. Sean, Steve, and Kim checking in keeps me focused on my progress. I also draw a lot of motivation from watching the rest of the class. I frequently find myself thinking, "if he/she can lift that I should too" or "I should be doing as many reps as..." So, although I haven't yet reached my goal I know I'm better than where I started. All-in-all, Kerry has built a great 212 community and I'm proud to be a part of it.