“You don't choose your future. We choose our habits and these habits decide our future. »F.M Alexander

In February 2015, I made a very big decision in my life. I got on the scale and saw 248 pounds appear. For a 5 foot 8 inch person that's a lot, I felt bad about myself. Having a "background" as a football player, I continued to eat as such, but without playing sports. Let's say I was careless. I had lost control of who I wanted to be - that is, a healthy person, both physically and cognitively.

Tying my shoes had already become a chore. When I walked 20 or more minutes in a row, my thighs were itchy from rubbing against each other. I was out of breath as I walked up the stairs. Anyway, I wasn't the person I wanted to be and I've had enough!

I made the decision to change and took action. I changed my diet and got back to sport. I can assure you that five years later, the findings are clear. All of these lifestyle changes have allowed me to lose over 60 pounds. It is a source of pride for me, however, the most striking thing is that I realized that losing weight is really just a side effect of a healthy lifestyle.

For me, having a healthy lifestyle goes beyond eating well, sleeping well and being active. I am convinced that having a good lifestyle also means moving forward in the things that fascinate us. Besides, indulging in your passions gives a certain meaning to our life.

Unfortunately, before February 2015. I had none of this. I was oblivious to the harmful effects of the bad habits I had adopted on a daily basis. In fact, I was living on autopilot. I didn't have a routine. I would wake up in the morning not knowing what to do with my day. I went to bed in the evening, without planning anything for the next day. I was not eating optimally. I didn't have a specific goal. I was not aware of what I wanted in my life. I had never really wondered what really excites me and what I wanted to accomplish in my life. Basically, I didn't have control over my life. Life was taking over me!

Today I was able to identify my passions through soul-searching. Every day, I work, use or do something that fascinates me because it gives meaning to my day and gives me happiness.

A while ago I listened to a speech by Arnold Schwarzenegger which helped me change my outlook on life and change my outlook in general. He said in his pitch that if there are 24 hours in a day and you sleep 6 hours, then you only have 18 hours left. He adds that people work around 8-10 hours a day. So, we only have 8 hours left to do what we really want. So how are you going to use those 8 hours? Imagine taking an hour a day to read about the story. After 5 years, you will be an expert on the subject.

The mentality that Arnold describes made me realize that to (re) take control over your life is, in reality, to be aware of the impact that our daily actions have on us and the people around us.Now I see that repeated action becomes a habit, but the important thing is to see if our actions are good or bad before they become our habits of tomorrow

Over the past 5 years, I have observed that to take control over your life is to be aware that you are only in control of your mind and our actions. You can't control others. When a situation arises, it is unlikely that you will have any real control over the situation. We can only manage our way of dealing with the event. For example, your girlfriend breaks up with you. In this case, you have no control over what your girlfriend has decided, but you are responsible for the words, actions and decisions that you will take in the face of this new reality.

Over the past 5 years, I have worked hard to take control of my life and maintain the changes I have made. I have also done a lot of introspection on a daily basis to always maintain a healthy lifestyle. Am I successful in maintaining good habits every moment of my life? Absolutely not, but the important thing is to constantly work on yourself and never give up.

Dany