Thanks!

I found some motivating advice I wrote someone else who was in the position I am in now. I wrote this when I was at the pinnacle of my own fitness, and the difference in my mentality back then and now is huge.

Here is what I wrote:

Id walk a lap or two around the track at Langley, then Id stretch out pretty good, then pullups, then run for 30-45 minutes, then pushups and situps, then hit the pool for 500-1500 meter swim. When I got home after work that night Id change, run 2 more miles on the treadmill, then do 3 miles on the elliptical, followed by pushups, situps, and the occasional dumbbell curls. Id do 2 back to back workouts, then take 1 workout off. So, Monday morning, Monday night, skip Tuesday morning, workout Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, etc.

All in all 1.5-2 hour workout.

As others said, take it slow. I was embarrassed when I started to get back in shape. I was only able to do 1.5-2 pullups. I burned out after 20 pushups. I couldnt run more than a half mile without stopping. But I remember one defining day when I was at the gym at Langley, all the way in the back hallway around the corner because I was so shy and embarrassed to be in the state I was in, sitting there trying to do 3 sets of 20 pushups for God's sake, and I looked out the window at the same moment it started to snow. I looked around and there was hardly anyone in the gym. The ones who were there were the truly dedicated; those who wanted to be better tomorrow than they were that day, and that just takes work. I told myself at that moment that I was going to make it; I would see this through. I put my head back down and kept on going. You see, thats the key in all of this. Just. Keep. Going.

An old timer spoke to me later that day in the locker room - something to the effect of "Dont look so down. Youre doing more than everyone else sitting at home right now". Its like dude was reading my mind or something.

From that point forward my life consisted of gym, work, and reading books. This was the same time I was going through the Navy OCS application process.

When summer came around I got to a point where they'd black flag PT the same time I showed up for workouts. One of the trainers said hey, black flag is a warning. I laughed and said no, that Sir is an invitation. The heat kicked my A$$ on the track that day but not before I gave it 4 miles of hell.