I WILL WIN!

For those of you that do not follow my thoughts/comments on LoseIt.com, I have achieved a milestone in my path to greater health. I reached my goal weight! This means that since May 25th, I have lost more than 76 pounds. Since I first began my path to better health, I have lost more than 100 pounds (since July 28, 2008) and more than 125 pounds from my greatest weight in 2006.

I now will begin the more difficult phase of weight management. I will keep it off, while increasing my strength and running endurance. It turns out that weight loss was only my first goal, although I thought it would be the only goal when I started this. As my success has progressed, my outlook has changed accordingly.

I do not listen to a lot of opera, in fact almost none, but I have developed a belief that every musical genre has value in the right setting. Everything fills a niche. The following is the late Luciano Pavarotti, performing one of the greatest tenor arias in all of the art, Nessun Dorma, from Puccini's Turandot. It is in Italian, but I have included the translation below. Please indulge me and listen to a master at his craft, as he performs his signature aria:

Italian Text

Nessun dorma! Nessun dorma!
Tu pure, o, Principessa,
nella tua fredda stanza,
guardi le stelle
che tremano d'amore
e di speranza.
Ma il mio mistero è chiuso in me,
il nome mio nessun saprà!
No, no, sulla tua bocca lo dirò
quando la luce splenderà!
Ed il mio bacio scioglierà il silenzio
che ti fa mia!
(Il nome suo nessun saprà!...
e noi dovrem, ahime, morir!)
Dilegua, o notte!
Tramontate, stelle!
Tramontate, stelle!
All'alba vincerò!
vincerò, vincerò!

English Translation of "Nessun Dorma"

Nobody shall sleep!...
Nobody shall sleep!
Even you, o Princess,
in your cold room,
watch the stars,
that tremble with love and with hope.
But my secret is hidden within me,
my name no one shall know...
No!...No!...
On your mouth I will tell it when the light shines.
And my kiss will dissolve the silence that makes you mine!...
(No one will know his name and we must, alas, die.)
Vanish, o night!
Set, stars! Set, stars!
At dawn, I will win! I will win! I WILL WIN!

This aria was used in the 2006 Winter Olympic in Turino, which was "sung" by Pavarotti in his last performance (actually lip-synched due to grave illness.) I have adopted "Vincerò" (I will win) as my theme and motto for life. It is forward-looking and assumptive of success. I think that in any endeavor, if you do not assume success, you will not achieve it.

I have come a long way since 2006. I am not done yet. Future goals include maintaining my weight, building running and biking endurance, and increase strength. And to keep this blog fresh and active with my thoughts and recipes. Stay with me as I continue on this journey.