I Always Wanted Long Hair: The Six Pack and all That Stuff is Nice too...

2018. Before I started a consistent fitness routine.

2022. Two years into my fitness regimen. I was a hardcore “cardio bunny” at this time, running seven miles every other day.

2023. I started to balance out my cardio with a very dedicated strength training program.

2024. Making significant progress with strength training and calisthenics.

2025. A selfie from a week ago..

Before and after photos are commonly at the forefront of advertisements for gyms and fitness programs. I’m not opposed to this method, but I’ve personally refrained from posting such comparisons…Until now. After several years of intense fitness and wellness training, I deserve some validation. I feel good physically, and I also look really good. I’m proud to share the results.

Sharing images of personal transformation is a work in progress. Our looks fluctuate over time, based on several factors, some of which we can’t control. But the things that I can dictate are indicative of my growth and success. It takes hard work and commitment, but you can absolutely determine the way you look and feel. The proof is in my photographs, as well as things like my daily workout logs and this Substack, which document the physical and emotional results of my endeavors.

As an artist, educator and fitness trainer, documenting my process is the most essential part of each practice. It enables me to reflect on how things are going, where I am with my goals and how I could or should continue to progress, revise or re-direct. These things are not exactly linear. Skills are enacted, embodied, realized, applied and put into practice. Exercise is an excellent way to assess the overarching goals I have in life.

What kind of human being do I want to be?

My intent is to be compassionate and assertive. Both of these characteristics are being strengthened through physical fitness, because I’m engaging in an initiative to be kind to myself.

Getting in tune with my body and learning what it’s capable of doing has been a real eye opening experience. It’s fostered a sense of corporeal custodianship that I hadn’t honestly (and consistently) focused on prior to 2020. How I condition and fuel my body has a direct result on my emotional and cognitive well-being. It impacts my role in the world. I take pride in my wellness journey, and I want to share the good vibes with others and help them get to their desired destination(s).

Keeping documentation of my process has been affirming because it reveals the fruits of my labor. Staying committed to something, no matter how challenging, pays dividends. I never imagined I could do this, but the proof is in the photographs.

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