I missed this. Being away at basic training and technical school, I realized what I missed most. My wife, my dogs, my family, and the iron. Most people don't have the hunger to better themselves physically. Maybe hit the elliptical twice a week, eat a salad at lunch, drink Crystal Light instead of Diet Coke. It's rare in society to want more than that, though. To want to sculpt yourself out of the marble slab you are. To follow in the steps of our forefathers who would break their backs in the field, plow through the earth to provide food for their families, and chop away at trees in the summer to prepare for the winter. We don't have to live that life anymore, but we should all aspire to improve ourselves daily. I'm just grateful to have been bitten by the iron bug. I long for the gym every single day. I long to be bigger, stronger, and more efficient. And in that pursuit, I've built myself up mentally. The iron is a teacher, and I am a lifetime student.
With the recent news of my wife being pregnant, I want to be able to pass these lessons down to my child. And to prepare for that, I'm trying to spin the wheels faster to push myself beyond the limits. I've hit a stalling point in my growth, and I feel that being active on the FORVM again is going to motivate me to break those boundaries. I want my child to see me and think "wow, that's my dad. A guy who works really hard to get what he wants. I want to be like him."
My starting point is going to be hitting my diet and overloading my strength training again. I'm trying to work my way up from 168 to 190-200 over the next year. With that, I want to increase my total to 1300+. I'll try to be as active as I can on here to keep myself accountable. My schedule is hectic, and it will continue to get busier with the birth of my child, but all with the goal of growth in mind. I'm glad to be back, and I'll see you all around the boards.