The Quiet Joy Of The ThriveLife

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Hey Brothers,

Welcome back to the LenDentonThrive Letter. This is where I write every week about the ThriveLife - my food-first, gym-optional approach to help you lose weight, get fit and stay fit for life!

This newsletter is all about strategies and tips to help you build your ThriveLife. But, I’m taking a slight detour in this week's edition of the Letter. I want to talk about what it feels like as the ThriveLife transformation starts to take hold in your life! 

I’ll share three specific moments of quiet joy that I experienced as I went from being a 248-pound “too-busy business guy” to a 178-pound ThriveGuy!

Moment #1 - Enhanced Personal Confidence

I was very quiet about the start of my weight loss and fitness journey. I didn’t want to make a big deal about it. Based on all of my previous experiences, I was concerned that I might not succeed. And, I didn’t want to draw a lot of attention to another failed attempt at losing weight.

But, this time it was different! The weight loss was real.

And, people started noticing! First, a church friend. Then, my work buddies. Then, my boss. 

It felt like people were seeing me differently…more positively. And, they wanted to know what I was doing that was making such a noticeable difference.

In one particular instance, I encountered an old friend from a previous job at a business conference. He hadn’t seen me in five years and was really surprised at how different I looked. That was a really encouraging experience for me!

With each encounter, my confidence went up a bit. I felt more positive about myself.

As time went on, my weight continued to go down. My confidence went up! It felt good, and obviously, people could tell. 

About three months into my journey, three work friends asked me to help them start their own weight loss journey. We teamed up, and each of us lost at least 50 pounds!  Their experiences were similar to mine. As we became healthier, people noticed and responded to us more positively!

Moment #2 - Smaller Pants!

As my weight dropped, my clothes felt too big. Over a seven month period, I dropped four pant sizes. I eventually had to replace my whole wardrobe because my old clothes looked comically large on me. 

One of my favorite memories is how good it felt to slip into a new, smaller pair of jeans that fit just right! Those were great moments of confirmation and encouragement to keep going. 

Other similar memories involved what I call my Goal-Shirt Hack. This hack involved buying a nice new athletic shirt that was one-size too small for my current situation. This was my goal-shirt.  Then, I hung my goal-shirt in a conspicuous place in my closet so I would see it every time I changed clothes. 

And, each time I saw the shirt hanging there, it reminded me that I was on a journey to make that shirt fit me. The goal shirt was a daily re-commitment to the journey. Now, twelve years later, I still have all of those old goal shirts. It’s a good reminder of how far I’ve come.

The Goal Shirt Hack is a great motivational tool that could help you on your journey. I recommend that you give it a try!

Moment #3 - A Better Example

A third moment of quiet joy was when I realized that I was becoming a better example for my family. 

For years, I was that super-busy business guy who was too focused on work to care about my personal fitness. But, a few months into the journey, my kids started to notice my weight loss. They’re all grown-ups, busy in their own lives and families - often giving more priority to their work than their health. 

But, my transformation gave us a reason to discuss our priorities and health. I think the changes I made had a positive impact on them, and how they’ve managed their priorities.

12 Years Later

 I’ve now been on my ThriveLife journey for more than twelve years. I’m still living a food-first, gym-optional life. And it’s still helping me stay fit without crazy diets, counting calories or doing grueling workouts. It can work for you, too!

Here’s two ways I can help you build your own ThriveLife:

1 - Subscribe to the LDT Letter for weekly tips and strategies

2 - Join the wait list for my upcoming new book ThriveLife Transformation, where I’ll show you how to build a healthier version of YOU with 6 Smart Daily Habits that you can do in 30 minutes a day. 

To join the waitlist, just reply to this newsletter and say “Sign me up!” I’ll send you an email when the book is available.

Thanks for reading today.

And remember, God loves us. He wants us to thrive. So, let’s go!

All the best… Len

Healthy dads raise healthy families!

My mission is to help 1 million men raise healthy families for the Kingdom of God. So, I write this newsletter to make a positive impact on the lives of men and their families. If you found this information useful, please consider subscribing to receive new editions each week. And, please share this with friends or family that would benefit from the ThriveLife!

If you’d like to share a thought, a question or comment with me, you can simply reply to this email. I’d love to hear from you!

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