Like father, like son?

My dear dad, God rest his soul, struggled with weight since his childhood.  He was a chubby kid that turned into a big man - big belly, that is.  He, like me, was tall so he could carry a lot of weight, but he was always older than his age.

This photo was taken in 1995 (that's not me with him, that's my cousin).  At 6'4", he was probably about 280 in this picture.  This is how I remember my dad and when I conjure up memories, this is who, and the image, I remember (he passed in 2001).

It's amazing, but not surprising, the influence our parents have on every aspect of our lives.  That's why there exists such cliches as "like father, like son".  We are often a product and version of our parents.  This includes, in many cases, the way we eat, the value we place towards activity, and how we treat our bodies.  It's no wonder then why I loved fast food, fried food, big portions, and other habits that were potentially detrimental to my health.

The resemblance is uncanny, and, sadly, predictable.

But.

You are your own person.

You have the power to change.

For me, it's being a dad myself that was one of the major influences.  When my son thinks of me in 5, 10, 20, 30 years, I want the image to be of a fit, active, healthy dad, instead of the me in the picture above.  The fight against childhood (and adult) obesity starts with us as parents, role models, mentors, etc.  If my son (and daughter) sees the image below (and future images as I keep on my transformation), rather than the image above, then "like father, like son" will be a good thing.

Plus PLAY everyday.  When you're ready for help, I'm here for you.


http://beachbodycoach.com/coachlesser
http://myshakeology.com/coachlesser
http://myultimatereset.com/coachlesser