Curve Balls, Speeding Tickets, & Death at Disney World

Does life tend to throw you unexpected events, when you least expect them?

Yet, do you find yourself responding to them the same way you always have, yet somehow expect a different outcome? If so, then you should probably read this...

Late last night, I turned on the TV to catch the final bit of ESPN's daily sports summaries. I saw one of my beloved Colorado Rockies baseball players up to bat. Two fast ball pitches, right down the middle, and two whiffed strikes. Next pitch, a curve ball. Swing. Miss. Strike three. Out 'a there!

Driving into the gym, early this morning at 5:45 am, I pass by a familiar car on the side of the rode. It belongs to a bright, young lady that is a personal trainer at the gym I train at. (I'll keep her name anonymous for obvious reasons). She's been pulled over, by a policeman. And she's got her door open, talking to the police offer, while she's signing a ticket (what I'd presume was a speeding ticket, knowing the area).

Then, later that same morning, while doing cardio on the recumbent bike at the gym, I look up to see a news flash on the TV: "Boy Dies after Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Ride at Disney World." A 12 year old boy. Too early to leave this earth. Tragic. Truly devastating for his parents, I'm sure. My thoughts and prayers are with them.

Take a minute to look at the these three examples I've just written about. Completely different, yet at the same time, they are similar. What's similar about them? Unexpectedness.

Each one of these people surely didn't expect to have this happen to them. They were expecting a different outcome.

But, as you and I know, life doesn't work in a straight line. It is full of peaks and valley's. Ups and downs. Curve balls get thrown at us all of the time. Yet, the way I see it, it's the way we go about reacting to these unexpected events that defines who we are, and more important, who we will become.

When life throws you a curve ball, do you react the same way each time? Or, do you look back on the event, learn something from it, and carry that with you? For the next time you're faced with a great challenge, you are much better prepared to handle it with confidence, grace and an unwavering conviction to overcome it.

Ask yourself: What recent event has unexpectedly come your way, and how did you handle it? And more important, what did you learn from it? ---> Click the "comments" link below and add your story... I can wait to read it!

Read my weight training, muscle building, fat burning, & exercise tips from Real SOLUTIONS

How "one" event changed the lives of 54 people

One weekend. 10 well-respected expert presenters. 54 wonderful people.

That's what comprised our first annual "Fitness & Nutrition Boot Camp," on June 9, 10, and 11th -- hosted by my companies -- iSatori and Real SOLUTIONS magazine.

And boy was it a huge success!!

Admittedly, most people who attended confessed they didn't know what to expect when they signed up, but before the weekend was over, make no mistake, they openly made comments that simply blew me away! Like R. Lance Mendenhall, from American Folk, Utah, who stood up and proudly stated...

"I came here selfishly for myself -- to learn how to build a better body, and I'm leaving to go home and take better care of my family... who desperately need healthier habits!"

And Diane Lawrence who, along side her husband Andrew, emphatically stated...

"I came here with my husband for a 'vacation,' thinking it was going to be a bunch of bodybuilders, and what I found was an inspirational weekend, filled with great people, from whom I've learned much more about myself and that I need to start teaching others what I know about living healthy and building a better body."

Then there was the unforgettable, Jeff Hinzman, from Albuquerque New Mexico, who at 350 lbs, vowed to come back "half the [size] man he is now," for next year's Camp.

--> More great stories, told firsthand by those who attended, can be found here on our lively, interactive Real SOLUTIONS' Message Board:

http://www.realsolutionsmag.com/idealbb/view.asp?topicID=5895&pageNo=1

These comments and many, many more like them filled our weekend with a true sense of meaning and purpose and helped us all understand that while we were together to learn from the very best experts in the field of nutrition, exercise and supplementation... we gained a new respect for ourselves and a powerful insight into why we are constantly striving to build a better body and seeking to live a healthier, stronger, richer life -- not only for ourselves but take what we've learned and help others along the way.

I salute you "Boot-Campers."

** If you're interested in attending our next "Fitness & Nutrition Boot Camp," (should we decide to host another one) please send an email to us at info@isatoritech.com and we'll be sure to keep your name on the top of our priority list. Believe me, you don't want to miss it -- it's truly a life-changing experience.

Read my weight training, muscle building, fat burning, & exercise tips from Real SOLUTIONS

Iraq War, Cerebral palsy, & Me

Sorry... missed posting blogs for awhile... busy working on our BIG Fitness & Nutrition Boot Camp coming up in June! Anyway...

Ever like me, and some days you don't feel like going to the gym or working out? Hey, it happens.

Now most days I'm pretty fired up, but I'll admit, there are a few mornings, when my alarm goes off at 5am ... I grumble around, mumbling to myself about not wanting to hit the weights.

It could have been I had a late night working. Or I slept horribly. Or, I'm just flat out too exhausted. Regardless, I'm missing the spark to workout.

Then it clicks. An image comes over me, like an epiphany of sorts. I think to my two friends -- Evan and Tom.

First, Evan. Recently, while at war in Iraq, he was leading a convoy of Hummers (pre-armor doored) and he ran over a land mine. In a flash, he lost both his legs and part of his right hand and lost his vision in one eye. Talk about devastation.

Well, I am happy to say that less than ten months later, and after 27 surgeries, Evan is back on his new "feet", and living life to its fullest. He just got married. And, because of his love for the gym, and staying physically fit, he's back hitting the weights and running track for cardio. Check out the picture here of Evan running track in his hometown of Boulder, Colorado.

Next is Tom. Tom was born with a developmental disability called cerebral palsy.

Tom works out at the same gym I often do. 24 Hour Fitness, in Lakewood. He's there, bright and early, just like I am at 6:00am sharp. I swear, the guy never misses a day!

He even let's me know when he didn't see me, and asks why I wasn't there. In truth, there's absolutely no way I can let him down, and tell him well ... "I didn't feel like it"... I mean, Tom, who doesn't even acknowledge his disability, despite the fact that it literally takes him 10 minutes just to get from his parked car -- and no, as you might have guessed, he doesn't take up a handicap spot either -- to the front door of the gym. Ten minutes. Then, Tom proceeds to work out, with weights. His body barely able to move, but still he slowly works through each lift, meticulously working the muscles and bodypart carefully.

One day I asked Tom, just as a matter of interest, why he works out so religiously everyday. His answer: "because I can!"

Take Away Message: Ever have a day when life's normal aches and pains are bothering you and you feel like complaining? Ever face a challenge you think might not be possible to overcome? Ever feeling like not going to workout. The above stories of inspiration and their imagery should help you through this temporary "mental roadblock." They have for me.

Read my weight training, muscle building, fat burning, & exercise tips from Real SOLUTIONS