Introduction

Greetings, all, and welcome to my PCP blog. My name is Brett Kuhnert, and I shouldn't really be here. Actually, I should be dead.

Just over 36 years ago, I was born with a set of near-fatal birth defects, including a small, pin-sized hole in the wall of my heart; an esophagus that was in two pieces, one of them wrapped around my trachea; a partially-formed left thumb; and a pretty screwed-up lower digestive system. Severe brain damage was also, so my parents were told, highly likely. The only pediatric hospital in the region that could treat what I had didn't want to take me--because they thought I was a lost cause. Luckily, my parents and, more importantly, my very stubborn pediatrician, disagreed--strongly. I got in, I got fixed, I got out--surprisingly healthy. Except, possibly, for the brain damage, depending on who you ask...
(Just kidding).

Since then, I've done my best to pretty much ignore the cautious advice of most of my doctors: "No strenuous work in extreme heat" (I bailed hay each summer as a teenager). "Don't overdo the cardiovascular work" (I ran cross country in high school). Several years after college, I took a leap of faith and applied to become a Peace Corps Volunteer, never really expecting to make it past my physical, given my medical history. Once again, I made it in, and served for almost three years in a rural mountain village in Morocco, North Africa.

I joined the PCP because, as I learned very early on, half-measures often just won't cut it. And that's pretty much what I've been doing fitness-wise since high-school, aside from a few months here and there when I would remain faithful to a gym routine or running regime. As I also learned early on, you can't survive, much less thrive, alone. And so I'm going to be counting on the support of my fellow PCPers; Patrick; my family, friends, and colleagues; and you, dear readers, to keep me honest, and help keep me on the path. For my PCP team members, I promise to do the same, and more. And I promise to keep this blog as engaging--and entertaining--as I can.

My goal is to slim down, lose the fat that has slowly crept onto my frame since I left the hay fields, the mountains, and the gym, and put the muscle back on--to stay. To get into the best possible physical condition I can achieve.

"Do not surround yourself with all manner of comforts. Instead, learn to be comfortable in all manner of surroundings." --Unknown.