Feathers. Fishing. And 75 lbs.

Damn. It’s been awhile.

I took a hiatus from the blog to dedicate my time to losing weight. It’s ironic because writing and the outdoors motivated me to make serious changes in my life. Yet writing about the outdoors has fallen off my time-pressed list of things to do.

Last September I drafted three simple goals. A short-term goal. To feel comfortable in my own clothes. A mid-term goal. To see the scale read below 200 for the first time in my adult life. And the long-shot. To look back at the pictures from Bert’s wedding and not lament my weight. This contract with my conscious was easily the most powerful document I’ve ever written.

The decision to write these goals was made for me. A sleepy morning photo on the banks of the Snake River in Idaho. Johnny captured my then-bison-like-frame soaking in the moment. I was sore. Out-of-shape. But I was exactly where I wanted to be. A weekend float trip with the guys in remote country isn’t something I’d be able to if I continued to weigh 260 lbs.

I wanted to enjoy the life I want to live. With the goals written down, I had to honor them.

It hasn’t been easy. I went all in on a high-dollar weight loss program. I’ve battled years of ingrained negative self-perceptions. But I’ve slowly changed everything. I don’t drink that much anymore. My evenings are spent at the gym or working, instead of writing. My single point of consistency has been the outdoors. My weekends remained dedicated to upland bird hunting, ice fishing, camping, bass fishing in Georgia and Kentucky, hooking Michigan crappies and jigging for Detroit River walleyes.

Between September 24, 2012, and February 24, 2013, I lost 75 lbs. I’ve kept the weight off for over two months. Bert gets married on Friday and I’ve never been happier with how I look.

I’m not here to preach. But I encourage you to think about something you can do that’s nice for yourself. I’ve erased a massive pile of credit card debt. I’ve hunted and fished in distant destinations that I dreamed of visiting for years. And now this. Being open to change is important. I resisted it for years before realizing the only thing standing between me and fixing my weight problem was…well….me.

If your goal is to shed a few pounds and you love outdoor gear as much as I do then consider it this way. None of my stuff fits me anymore. The only thing keeping me from buying all new gear is that silly thing called a mortgage. Mackspw.com, Bass Pro and Cabela’s are going to be real happy by hunting season.

Stop talking. Start doing. This is my mantra for 2013. It’s good to get back to writing. I have a lot of trips that I’ll get to relive by writing. I’m thankful for that. And thankful that I’ve again been inspired by the wilderness in a way that most people will never understand.

Right now, it’s pretty cool to be Pete.

Before: Aug. 2012

After: Early March, 2013

After: April, 2013

After: May, 2013