What did you do yesterday? What are your plans for today? How about tomorrow? Can you afford to sit around and wait for something to happen in your life? We all have to be players in our own game.
Look I totally understand pain, lack of energy, inability to “exercise” and just general loss of seeing any light at the end of the tunnel. Yet my friends, I can tell you there is light in that tunnel, there is always light there. Sometimes it takes a little longer to get to it, find it or even see it. Many times some of us have been in the dark for so long, that when we are standing in the light, we don’t even know it!
I cannot tell you how many times I have been in the “Pits”. Things have been so dark, so painful, so lonely, it all seemed so hopeless, that all I could think, was “I want to die”. I can remember feeling that way as early as the age of five years old. In the last twenty years I have been successful in taking off the weight; several times…I have also had “tons” of problems keeping it off!
Have any of you, lost weight in the past, then put it back, plus a little more. Do you remember how you felt? How about how your loved ones, friends and family looked when they saw you, after you gained the weight back? How did that make you feel?
Well now multiply that feeling by millions because every pound that I lost and gained in the last twenty years has been journalized, televised, blogged about and analyzed. Believe me when I tell you, the same as it has been for you it has not been easy for me. What do we do?
Do we roll ourselves up in a big ball and die? (I got that line from a song “That’s Life”). Do we give up? Throw our hands up and say I can’t do it anymore; I don’t want to do it anymore?
We all can be “weighed” down for all kinds of reasons. They may be physical and/or emotional. Yours may be weight related or have nothing to do with your weight or your body at all.
The point is if you want to get to the chance to be a player in your own game of life, then you have to start playing now!
If you did nothing yesterday but sat around and felt sorry for yourself then…
Today you have to do something a little different!
If there are physical limitations, then try to do some kind of movement. Try to lift your legs a bit or maybe lift your arms as high as you can, even if for only a couple of minutes at a time.
I was bed bound and over 800 pounds and I use to do arm work outs, upper body stuff, that is why I have a “six pack” today…..okay maybe not a “six pack” more like a “case”!
Seriously I would lie there and do ankle pumps all day. You have to keep the blood flowing.
You can do things today for you. If you can, go outside for a while. Enjoy nature, call a friend, or try saying hi to a neighbor.
DO SOMETHING TODAY FOR YOU!
Make plans for tomorrow. You must have something to look forward to. Plan a healthy food day, visit someone, or invite a family member over to your home. Maybe go to a museum, sit on the porch.
YOU MUST HAVE A REASON FOR TOMORROW!
There is hope, always hope! You got to believe!
If we let life “weigh” us down too much and for too long, then it makes it more difficult to get up!
Does it make it impossible? No, just a little harder.
You can do it! You should want to do it! Why not? Why not? Are you not worth the effort?
Sure you are! You have been your best friend your whole life, you have been through so much with yourself. You have laughed, cried, celebrated and loved. All the time having yourself to get through and share it all.
Therefore taking care of you now, makes sense!
Here is a new concept for some of you...that is to “Love Yourself”! It’s okay! It was a hard one for me and one that I work on constantly. It is the basis to my survival
Okay so let’s make those plans; let’s do the things we need to do. Let’s make life work for you. No more sitting back.
Up, Up and away, and you will begin to sore. You will see the light, all kinds of light. Life is full of light. Play the game…
Pick yourself up and get back in the race……
Have a great day, plan for tomorrow
Love ya
Mike
Nice to smile
Mr. & Mrs. H
Me and My Boot
Taking in the Sun
08/2008
About Me
- Mike Hebranko
- Iam a guy who loves life. I have struggled with my weight my whole life. My long battle has taking it's toll on myself, my friends and most of all my family. I am blessed to have a great support team, with God being at the top of that list!!
34 comments:
Not many times do i feel like a blog is talking to me .. well this one certainly did...i feel like this has been my life the past couple of weeks.. the poor why me ... why cant i do anything .. im not good enough...but now its time to turn around and say Why not me .. i can do things.. i can walk from here to the porch.. yes my chair can fit out there.. why don't i do it... well yes its time to unlock myself from being locked away ad when i mean locked away i mean locked away inside myself and allow myself to live again....i feel like i have been trapped inside my head not so much body for way too long...but now how to keep it going and keep myself motivated enough to do it i dont know how i will but i know i have to try ..
Thank you Mike for speaking these words and for making me realize i can finally do it once again..
Love you
Carol
Ok im back lolol... but i was listening to music and thinking of this blog and this song came on so i had to post it as it just says so much and goes with what you wrote Mike .. hope you dont mind....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13cgEA6TRLQ&feature=related
Love
Carol
Dear Mike
What a blog. You once agin have got me. You wrote this one for me, sorry Carol. You are an amazing guy who knows how to get to me and I bet others. thank you and I am planning for tomorrow and the day after that.
Cindi
Michael
You have been there for me over the years and you do not even know it. I agree with this current blog post. We have to make plans. We have to get our lives to work.
Well thanks for this and all you have done
Bob Marks
Ok Cindi we can share it hows that .. it was written for us both and so many others
I think that one of the hardest things in life is to understand that it's ok to love yourself. If you love yourself, all other doors will open.
Thanks for another wonderful blog, Mike. ;)
MaryLeigh
Dear Michael
You top yourself again.. Mayrleigh your right and Carol thans for sharing. I agree with Bob. I come here and feel like we are a family with Mike as the big brother.
Mike keep blogging and I will be returning and learning.
Mindy
Mike
I read this blog and it got to me. I sat down and began to write. I wrote what I wanted to do today, this week and the next two years. I weigh 500 pounds but you made me want to do something. I am going to do things. The first is to eat at least one good meal a day for a week or two then try twice aday and then three times etc. I started to move my legs and arms like you said. It hurts but I am doing it. In two year I going to Disney.
Thanks for the start.
Ralph T
"It's never been true, not anywhere at any time, that the value of a soul, of a human spirit is dependent on a number on a scale."
Nobody reminds us of that more than you do Mike. I know the depths that I have been to in my problem, and I think to myself, just imagine what Michael has gone through. And look at what he has come back from. You always will be an inspiration. I've been struggling a lot for the past few years, started to feel a little better the beginning of this year but I've found myself having a hard time breaking out of unhealthy behavior.
"The obsession will end because you care enough about yourself to stop damaging yourself with food. Because you love yourself enough to stop hurting yourself. Who doesn't want to take care of what they love?"
I love all of you guys, especially you Mike. And Ralph T, you come on down here to Florida and Disney when you're ready, but let me tell you something brother, you'd better start saving MONEY now as well as working on the pounds because Mickey ain't cheap! :) :)
Thanks Kathy, I be working on both
Ralph
Hi Mike
This is my first time here but wont be my last. I read this blog and had to go back to some old ones. I have now read ten of them. I want to read them al and I will. You are not real. I feel so honored to even have read these. I have 74 pouns to go and now know I will do it. Thanks so much.
Rachel Johnson
Great blo, great people.
Love you Mike
Hi Michael
This blog was very interesting to me. I am over 500 pounds and each day I feel as if I am sinking. Until the other day. I read your blog and I thought about it. I heard a lot of it before but coming from you a person who has been there a few times really gets it. I read what you said about moving my arms and even my feet. Something snapped and I began to do it. It is only four days but I am not sinking today. As a matter of fact I feel as if I am floating to the surface and AI will be seeing that light you talk about all the time.
Michael you are the best, I love the blog and the community of people who leave comments, it helps.
Todd
Mike
You got me too. I am now moving planning. I am going to have a future.
Larry
Are there anyone out there that hates themself like I do? I can not believe this guy Mike, he has to be a phoney. I weigh only 100 pounds over weight and can't stand the days I wake up. Am I alone?
Daryl
Dear Michael
You just are wonderful.
Tami
Hey My Friends
First I would like to say that I would love to respond to each comment that is posted here but between emails and other commitments it becomes an almost impossible task. I do want to thank each and every one of you who come here and share so generously and to those of you that come often and even try to encourage. That is what this blog is all about one helping another. Helping ourselves as we help each other. Again thank you!
In reading some of the comments I find it necessary to respond to one in particular and that is the one Daryl wrote. I am not responding to the remark of me being “real or not”. If he doubts this I invite him to spend a couple of years walking in my simple shoes and see how real or phony I may be.
What I do want to respond to is cry out for help, understanding and yes love, a self sought of love. You have a hundred pounds to lose on the scale but by the burden you are putting on yourself that hundred pounds is 400 pounds in your mind! Just try to wake up one day and say “wow, I made another day” and “no matter what tomorrow I will know that I did better yesterday and will try just as hard today.
Daryl it is about life, the willingness to want to live. I have a surprise for you and I am no doctor or professional but my guess is you want to live. Just as I did on the day I sat seriously ready to end it all. You as I did wrote a note. We don’t reach out for help if we do not want to survive!
Sometimes you may need more than just the help of a blog. Sometimes we need professional help (I have been there and done that), nothing wrong with it. Nothing wrong with living and being a winner!
So Daryl fight even when you think you want to lose, fight to win. If you need help to see how important you are then go get it, wherever it may be. Keep in touch and you can always email me at michaelhebranko@yahoo.com. Good luck, living is the greatest gift for all because we never know what great stuff there might be in the next moment!
Love Ya
Mike
That was nice Mike and I dont think you are a phony in no means. I love this site and appreciate it more than I can say.
Wendy
Happy Birthday Mike
I remembered from the day at the meetings in Brooklyn. You were helpful then and still inspire me today.
P.H.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY............SENDS UP BALLOOONNNNNNNNNSSSSSSS
lOVE YOU
CAROL
Mike
Happy Birthday deep respect to you
Gerald
Mike
Once again you have written some powerful stuff that has gotten to me. You have this way of being so honest in what you have to say and share. Thank you for the love and the caring.
Cynthia B
Hi Michael
I haven't been to this site for a while and I must say it has benn my loss. I forget how you inspire me. Thank you
Gina
Hi Mike
I am doing something for myself and I want you to know you are directly responsible for it. Thank you for the push and the willingness not to give up.
Inez Williams
I love this blog but Mike I come here everyday too read what you have to say and also the comments. I asking for some new postings, Please
Randi
HI Mike,
Boy I have not been here in a while and it shows and to come back to read such a powerful blog makes me realize how much you need people to help you get by a little easier for yourself. I just do not understand why I find it so hard to reach out. Maybe I am afraid of people saying I am a failure or to see disappointment on their faces but the truth is here I need to love me and make plans so that this will work for me. Thanks again and a week has gone by since I read this blog and I have gone down 4 pounds
Chubby
Dear Chubby
It are people like you and Mike and the others who comment that make this blog work. Thanks for sharing you have helped me. Congratulations on your 4 pounds and good luck to you. Please keep commenting to us
Lori
Hi Michael
I knew you ferom Winthrop Street and then you were a cute (Fat) little kid. Always willing to help people even then. My mother was one of those people you helped on a regular basis and she loved you for that. She felt that wshe always had to bake you cookies and it was always Michale this and Michael that. She also use to say you would grow into being a great man and I see what she has meant. You have inspired so many including myself not to give up. I thank you for taking such good care of my mom and caring for so many.
Sue
I hate holiday weekends! Cookouts, company, eating and eating what to do???
Just take one Hot Dog at a time. You can really make heaalthy choices and work hard to devert your attention.
you are wonderful...thank you for your insight. Ann :)
Love you Mike
Doreen Peters
Loved your blog, it was so right on. Looking forward to you next. <3
Post a Comment