I hear this one all the time. I see it in memes, I hear it from people who question why I workout all the time, and if I’m being honest, I used to say it, too. While it’s true that we’re all gonna die, there’s no reason for us to give up and live a life of discomfort and poor health. Then, there’s also the fact that when you’re in good shape, you can do amazing things without hurting yourself. Case in point: I had to do a 4-mile foot march with a 55 lbs rucksack on my back within 17 minutes/mile. I completed it with a pace of 14:22/mile.

In less than two weeks, I have to do another of these foot marches for 6.2 miles. It’s hard, it’s somewhat painful, but do you know what? I know I can do it. I’m confident that I can meet the time hack required to complete this requirement. How do I know this? Because I prepare through lots of training.

Not all of us are in the military, but there’s a lot out there to enjoy: biking, hiking, kayaking, walking long distances, zip-lining, camping, to name a few (all things I’ve been able to do since losing weight and getting fit). Heck, just normal day-to-day living is easier when you’re fit. Going upstairs no longer wind me. Working on projects in the house no longer leave me sore for days. Lifting a 25 lbs bag of pellets for my smoker is no longer difficult.

Do I miss eating without a care in the world for my health? In a weird way, there was a definite feeling of freedom when I was able to eat as much of anything I wanted to. Since I loved not only the taste of food, but eating large quantities of it, I was not unhappy while eating. But the problem was when I wasn’t eating; everything else was difficult. EVERYTHING. When it got to the point that I could no longer tie my own shoes without holding my breath, I knew something had to change.

We are all going to die, but I’m not going to spend my life waiting around for that day in discomfort. I am going to do everything I can to make sure I stay as fit and as healthy as I possibly can. I have far too many adventures left to exerience, and I want to ensure that the time I have left on this Earth with my wife are as fun and fulfilling as possible.