No More I Used To Be

Have you ever said or heard "I used to be..."? The common thing I hear from people who get trainers is: "I used to be good shape and I can't let myself be like this anymore."


We all were good at something at some point. I always say to people: "I used to be leaner." -Of course I'm talking about this past August when I had my competition- But guess what? Even though it's only less than two months ago, the past is the past. What matters is the present. "I used to" means "I'm not anymore." So does it matter whether you were in good shape or you worked out everyday? No. We need to stop saying "I used to."

I recently met my old friend Chris who I've known since 2005 when I got here in the states. He was one of my first American friends and he was also the one who motivated me to be fit. Chris and Minh, another old friend of mine worked out so hard and stayed on strict diets when we were at UTA. No drinking, no cheating for them. I loved working out with them because even looking at them motivated me. At that time, I was just one of girls who used the elliptical machine once a day and no weight lifting.

Three years later, I heard from Chris, and we had a chance to meet each other again. I was so excited to see him because I wanted to show him how different I am. I didn't know anything about nutrition or exercise when I met him, and now I could talk to him about what I like to do and what I like to eat.

I was surprised when I saw him. He looked very different than before. He gained lots of weight and lost muscle. I didnt see any of the old Chris in him. Don't get me wrong. He is still a good friend of mine whether he looks good or not, but I didn't expect that he wouldhave changed like that. I found that his life style has been changed in the past couple years for different reasons. He was also surprised about how I changed and I got into bodybuilding and fitness just like him 5 year ago.

I told him how he and Minh inspired me in the past, and I've always wanted to be fit. I told him how it's good to feel fit and healthy. I told him he should get back into shape again not only because of the look, but also because of the benefits he gets from living healthy life style. He seemed a little bit disappointed about himself but then he decided to start working out again. How amazing!!!

Two weeks from our reunion, Chris lost 15 lbs. Now he is catching up to me super quick! We encourage each other when we want to have "bad" food. Sometimes we cheat, but we work hard to be better than we were in the past.

Good thing about this is that it's never too late. You say I used to be a good shape. Don't you wanna be like that again? It's so easy. You already know what you gotta do. The only thing you need to do this time is to make a strong commitment and take the action. Tell your friends and family that what your commitments are. Losing weight? Going back to school? Being a good son or daughter? One of my favorite quotes is: "The bad news is time flies, but the good news is you are the pilot." You can do whatever you want to do. Move forward. Don't let the past to hold you back.

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