People often said to me that losing the weight was the easy part ? maintaining it was going to be the hardest part. During my weight loss journey, I realized how true that was.

But if you really put your mind to something and set small goals along the way, you can achieve it and anything is possible. In the last year I have lost over 40kgs and completed a half marathon. Now thanks to Darren Hancock at the RPM Health Club, among others, I can now add to that a triathlon and an Ironman 70.3!

When I stood on the beach at the start of the Ironman 70.3 race at 7am on 5 December about to run into the water, I realised I had my goggles on upside down. I also realised those months of training were finally coming to end and that it had built up to this very moment, and I didn?t know how I really felt about it.

When I did cross the finishing line in 6hrs 57 minutes; after a 1.9km swim, a 90km bike ride followed by a 21k run, with blisters on my feet (on top of the blisters from the triathlon the week before!) and with tears in my eyes, I was overwhelmed at just how far I had come.

I still may not be quite the Adonis lycra-clad man like the other athletes, but I had set the goal and I did it. I can?t even say it?s a dream come true as it was never something I would have ever imagined possible.

Those long and painful hours of training with Darren had really paid off and I even had the pleasure of training alongside world champion athlete Mirinda Carfrae along the way.

I can?t give away too much of the ups and downs and the few close calls as we are filming a documentary about ?Loser to Lycra? with Ginger Swede Productions and as fate would have it the cameraman, Graham Andrews, also filmed me on The Biggest Loser Asia so it?s great to have him on this journey too.

Setting myself these goals over the last year and fulfilling each and every one has given me such a sense of achievement and satisfaction. It is a long cry from the old lazy and lonely fat days to now being surrounded
by such positive people and actually feeling worthy of joining this extraordinary group of athletes and sporting enthusiasts!

It?s almost like I?ve found the missing piece of the jigsaw ? this is where I belong!

So where does this leave me now? Well I?m back in the driving seat of my life for 2011 and in keeping with The Unique Weight Loss Experience in Phuket, www.tuwle.com, I am already working with some clients as a ?training buddy? to help motivate them on their own weight loss journeys.

My New Year?s resolution goals include qualifying as a Personal Trainer and Spin Bike instructor and with my old passion of DJ-ing I hope to create a new style of outdoor spinning classes with a difference and ?pimping? old school exercise - the new IN is OUT! I am also signing up for a full marathon and will definitely be there
next year for the triathlon and Ironman 70.3 week and aim to improve upon this year?s race times!

I never thought these things were achievable for me but hey; never say never, it?s quite surprising what you can actually do if you put your mind to it.

As we move into 2011, if you are thinking of making a positive change in your life, my advice is don?t delay - I waited over 25 years to have a purpose, but I can honestly say my life is now so much more enjoyable.

Thank you so much to everyone who has supported me along this journey, I couldn?t have done it without you.