I was contacted by 4all to try out to be a brand ambassador. I was encouraged to write a post about…

As I was running tonight on the treadmill, my mind kept coming back to the question of who or what inspired me.

To be honest, my first motivation is vanity. When I weighed 263 pounds, the first thing that motivated me to move more, eat healthier, was because I wanted to be thin. I wanted to buy cute clothes. I wanted to look good. I had the brains, I wanted the bod.

But as time passed, I realized that vanity is not enough. The pounds may shed quickly in the beginning, but the quest for health is a process that spans over a lifetime. When you focus on looking good, well, that “inspiration” fades quickly.

My real inspiration comes from my parents.

At my heaviest, I was always quarreling with my mom about my weight. Always. It seemed like the only thing she could do was pick on me about how fat I was. Even though I was huge, my mom had a way of making me feel small and inferior based on my appearance.

It took me a long time to understand that my mom wasn’t concerned about my appearance so much as she was concerned about my health. She wanted me to be healthy, not thin. She could care less what I weighed, but she didn’t want me to get type II diabetes. She didn’t want me to die from a heart attack at an early age. She wanted me to live long so I could accomplish great things.

As I’ve become more fit, as I’ve continued on my quest for health, I can see the brightness and joy in my parents’ eyes. They’re proud of me for all that I have accomplished, not just academically, but also physically and mentally. Seeing my parents genuinely beam with pride is priceless. They don’t boast about my weight loss. Rather, they’re proud that I have learned to set and achieve my goals. They’re happy that I no longer have sleep apnea. They’re in awe that I ran a half marathon.

And knowing that they want the best for me, that they want to see me healthy and fit, that they want to see me hit new milestones in life, motivates and inspires me to train every day.

As an only child, I have a lot of pressure to perform well, and knowing that my weight and health no longer trouble my parents at night, knowing that my mom doesn’t have to fret about my fitness, gives me a sense of peace and satisfaction.

What started out as a plain old quest for beauty turned into a journey towards health with a focus on family. I feel as if I can connect with my parents more now. I can communicate with them and I know when to stick up for myself.

I am gaining power in 2011 by learning how to budget my time better. It sounds so simple, but it isn’t. People make time for things that are important to them, no matter how busy they claim to be.

Do I want to skip the gym after a long day of class? Yes, sometimes, but I keep in mind the sense of accomplishment I feel after a great workout.

I finally ran my first 5K in 2011, which is also my first 5K in a few months. It felt good. I felt strong. And that is something money can’t buy.

I am planning to gain power by running a marathon sometime in 2011. And hopefully a triathlon. This all takes time, but with a training schedule, determination and diligence, I can do it.

I will gain power in 2011 by not succumbing to that nagging voice in the back of my mind telling me to give up. I will not find excuses to skip the gym. I will not use excuses to eat like crap. Because I’ve got big things to strive for, big milestones to accomplish.

 
What inspires you to move?

How will you achieve these goals?