Big climb ahead!

cliffyisgonnaloseit

Hey folks

Gonna give MFP a whirl. Back in 2022 I was laid-off from Shopify and immediately started my own business creating corporate training experiences using comedy as a learning tool. I built all the programs from scratch, the company from scratch, and within 15 months I finally had customers and was off to the races.

Well, I'm of course proud of myself for getting there any making the most out of a bad situation, but it's left me with that looming truth that's always hanging over me: If I don't lose the weight I won't get to stick around to see the fruits of my labour. I won't get to see where the company goes, the good it will create for my son, the lives I'll be able to impact positively, and so forth. So, after being morbidly obese since I was 15, at the age of 37, I'm looking to get this done for real.

375 lbs. 6'2. Ideal weight 230 but any weight loss at this point is appreciated. This is me now:

So far I've been attending the YMCA, going to aqua fit, learning weights through their YThrive program, going for short walks and swimming. I have been intermittent fasting kinda but basically just eating 1 meal a day, sometimes 2. I've addressed the things that have held me back in the past. Like all or nothing thinking. If I break a food discipline or exercise discipline - I would give up immediately. Now I'm just trying to start back over without giving up completely. Making daily movement and food intake reduction the priority but I'm also not eating trash.

I have a lot of drive but one of my closest friends put it best: "You can have all the drive in the world but without patience and discipline you'll never get to where you're trying to go." So this entire thing is tied with my ambitions because I very much stand behind what I have been trying to build and the kind of good that I can create not only for the clients I work with but the comedians that I hire to facilitate. That's my community. I've been performing standup for over 14 years and it's what I know and love the most more than anything in the world.

At the end of the day, I want to live longer, build a future for my son and be proud of the risks I took to get there.

Nice to meet ya'll, feel free to add me as a friend if I pass your cool test haha

Suzeli55

Hey Cliff!
My son lost 200 pounds by eating lower carb, walking and using the bike at the gym. He really loves standup comedy too. You sound like you’ve got motivation and a solid plan behind you, and a wonderful son to set a good example for. I’m rooting for you!

zebasschick

I lost my first 40 lb by substituting lower calorie foods for foods I was already eating. Low fat ice cream instead of full fat ice cream, fat free yogurt instead of the regular yogurt and so on. And it turned out there were many tasty choices.

After that I lost more weight simply by walking not walking really fast not pushing myself so I felt bad, just walking without stopping three times a day for 10 minutes and then working up gradually. Eventually I worked up to an exercise bike, which I used on level 1 for as long as I can go without once again pushing myself while keeping track of my heart rate, and gradually I went from 10 minutes to an hour, and my rest of heart rate went from 78 beats per minute to 68 so it's working.

I find when I work out too hard, I get actually hungry or totally exhausted which results in my overeating plus it's very unhealthy. So I'm trying to learn not to push too hard, and that's helping a lot. But I, too, had to start my own business and work it up to where it is now, and I'm used to pushing as hard as I can emotionally and physically, which hasn't worked as far as my health goes, but it's where I always feel like I should be. I've had more longer term success by not pushing too hard then by working out harder and longer. And it'll be sustainable long term, which pushing yourself to your limits can't be.

Best of luck on your journey, and be kind to yourself while you're on the path :-)