Determined To Succeed

Have you guys seen the Vin Diesel movie “XXX?” For the uninitiated it is actually one of the best PG-13-rated action movies I’ve ever seen. Loved it beginning to end, including the end credits because of a song by Gavin Rossdale called “Adrenaline.” It’s a rock song I actually added to my workout music playlist because it pumps me up and gets my adrenaline pumping to fuel my workouts…

…it also just happens to be what I was feeling last night during the Black Enterprise Magazine Elevator Pitch Competition.

You’ve heard me mention over the past few days about being selected to attend the Black Enterprise Entrepreneur Conference and Expo here in Atlanta (Hot-lanta seems to be the prevalent joke, although th weather is quite agreeable right now) and how, despite thinking I was not selected to compete, I was a finalist in the magazine’s Elevator Pitch Contest.

I have to tell you I now know what it feels like to be an American Idol contestant. Ten of us were backstage prepping our speeches, nervously talking and wishing each other well just waiting for the moment when we got to turn our adrenaline into energy (or throw up) and give our best 60-second presentation to an audience of about 200 or so people and a three person panel of judges seated like a certain panel on TV’s certain number one reality show.

There was round one, then round two then a half-hour (HALF-HOUR!) deliberation on winners and the adrenaline kept pumping, even after yours truly gave his best after an afternoon of practicing and practicing some more.

What does this have to do with weight loss? Two things. One, when the competition was over that adrenaline left me so tired but so freaking famished I was scared I was going to order one of everything on the hotel restaurant menu and 2) because of the contest I spoke to so many wonderful people about weight loss, my journey and all things food.

Yeah. All that adrenaline made me hungry, and as I was out walking I could smell all the tempting bad-for-you-foods from so many restaurants and bars. However I settled on just having a few buffalo wings and a couple of very tasty strawberry daquiries (all shared and split with some awesome new friends). So that was my dinner. And thank God I split the order. I could have eaten a house after the contest. That’s what adrenaline does to me. And while I didn’t have chicken that was grilled I did have a few wings and didn’t have tons of them, didn’t order anything else and walked away satisfied and full. And that was after a lunch of really tasty grilled salmon and asparagus over a small bed of rice. Very healthy, indeed.

Whew. Just a couple more days to go on my trip and a couple more days of trying my best to avoid breaking down completely and seeking out a plate of deep fried and tasty southern food – real southern fried chicken, greens, mac and cheese, grits…my mouth waters just thinking about it.

Oh, and what happened in the contest? Well, all that adrenaline paid off and I won third place which is incredibly awesome. Not too shabby for thinking as late as Thursday morning last week I wasn’t even going to make it as a finalist.

So now it’s off to the conference, a granola bar, fruit and coffee for breakfast and the enjoyment of knowing the pressure’s off and my adrenaline is now back to normal levels. I don’t think I could stand that kind of rush (and hunger) every week like they do on a certain singing and performance-based, three-person-judged talent show on FOX.