Today, I'm going to get a little off topic. My mind is just pushing me to share some things. Some are random thoughts. Some are pretty serious.
Today I was diagnosed with high cholesterol....including the bad kind (LDL). My mind isn't really about the tour. It's thinking about my health and my choices. I know a blog is a strange place to share, but in reality, it helps me with my accountability. I need help. I've got some bad habits. I need to get healthier. I need to deal with some things. I need to make better choices. So...to my friends, please help me stay honest.
This leads me to part two. They are sort of related. Many folks have asked where Gnat comes from? Well, first you must learn a few things about me. My motivation for most of my choices is that I want to provide some specific things to my kids, including somethings I did not have. Sounds pretty simple huh? So here goes.
1) A dad that loves them, is part of their lives for a long time and shows them unconditional love.
2) Freedom. My kids need to learn and earn, but at some point if they are truly passionate about something, I want to be able to support it even if it involves considerable financial support.
So, how does Gnat fit into this? Well, I didn't plan to share this until later, but Gnat is pretty simple. It's about me and my beliefs. G = God first. N, A, T are the first 3 letters of my twins names. Gnat. Gnat is who I am as a person and as a father. Truthfully, it means something else to me...Hope. I could write so much about how Gnat = Hope, but this isn't the time nor the place.
There you have it. Not that clever. Certainly isn't the norm in the free spirited industry I work in. But, with the mood I'm in tonight, I thought I'd put it all out there.
So, stay tuned as I get back to the tour. Denali is just over the horizon AND the Alaska Range. We've got some big days ahead of us with some fun stories.
Ride on.
8 comments:
You may not think GNAT that clever, but noble indeed. Plus it was clever enough for most of us to wonder what the heck does GNAT mean???
Don't let the cholesterol thing get you down. You'll get in under control! Sometimes we just need not so subtle reminders to motivate us to watch our diets, make the right choices for better health. Good luck!
Thanks Jason.
I'm trying not to get too down. I've got another test and physical next week...and you are right.
While I've made improvements this year regarding riding, I never quite made the needed changes I knew I needed. Now, this not so subtle reminder is a good kick in the ass to get to work.
Thanks Jason. I am sorry if I was pressuring you with my comments about what "Gnat" was all about. I didn't mean for that if I was.
That said, I think it's very admirable and I also aspire to the same ideal. I respect you even more for sharing that.
The cholesterol thing can be beaten, I agree with mg there.
The dad thing: I come from a similar place. Sometime maybe we can share about that.
You have your priorities all correct, my friend. God bless you and your family.
I especially appreciate the desire to provide a stable and caring father image, something I lacked as well and want for my son.
Check out homeopathic/natural aids for the health aspects.
Salsa cycles makes some cool stuff by the way. Love to see their version of an FS 29er (Not the Dos.)
Gnat... It's who you are. You are that clever, but true to form, you give yourself too little credit my friend. You are brilliant and blessed by God in so many ways. I echo Laird's admiration for your desire to support your childrens' passions. They're only kids once. and they take their childhood experiences with them for a lifetime. The more they do, see, experience now, the better perspective they'll have to impact meaningful change on the world as adults. You're grooming the world's future leaders!
I believe you can and will overcome the cholesterol issues you face today Jason. Discipline, understanding, persistence and faith that it can happen are what it will take. I understand how hard it is to make hard changes to diet... it's hard not being 18 anymore, isn't it?!
Faith and Hope. If it wasn't for those two things, would it be worth getting out of bed in the morning?
Ride on brother,
MG
Thanks for all the kind words. Both for the encouragement and for the support of what I do and who I am. I am thankful and I am humbled.
Just letting folks know my spirits are good. As I told a few of my friends today, all I can say as I loose more weight in 2008 and ride more, I should finally get pretty fast again.
Hold on.
Back to blogging in the morning. I need some rest.
Gnat - have faith. I dropped my total cholesterol from the high 200s down to approx. 110 with dietary changes and a small dose of a chloesterol drug prescribed by my Dr. About 80% of cholesterol comes from the liver/about 20% from diet. If diet itself doesn't do it, there are many wonder drugs to help.
Don't worry, this is just an awakening that many of us have. I was in the same boat just over a year ago. Diet and cholesterol med will help some, but have God on your side as well. I did do one of the popular diets to start to ball rolling, but exercise and eating smart did the rest. Check out the SansAuto blog and search back to this spring/early summer. He has some very interesting information about eating healthy. Good luck and great blog, should be an interesting trip you are taking us on.
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