A New Relationship with Food

shillyburg

Good evening!

My name is Brian, and since I was 5 I was a chunk. I was always athletic, playing baseball, soccer, football, etc...but I still struggled with my weight. My sophmore year in college, I was up towards 300 pounds, and I had to break the cycle. I quit my girlfriend, quit college, basically wiping my slate clean. I hired a trainer to get me in shape and I did it. For four months I worked out twice a day, drank a gallon of water, consumed a high protein, low carb diet. I was a lean/mean 220 lbs. I had never felt better about myself.
I started working at GNC, a good choice I thought to help keep me accountable. I then started school again, found my wife...and it started again. I gained it all back, plus another 50 lbs. At my graduation I was a stout 350 lbs, where I've fluctuated at the last 8 years. I've had small successes, minor victories, but nothing significant as I did in college. In the past 6 months, I stepped into a much more stressful job, sold my home, moved my family, took 18 hrs of grad school, and I found myself pushing 400. At New Years, I saw my future cut short with my family from the extreme weight. Something had to change.
About a year ago, I had some success with exercise and using this website. I fell off the wagon for some random excuse I can't remember. When I plateaued I attributed to another failed attempt. It's interesting how things change. From pressure of great friends I realized they wanted to start keeping me accountable through this website. I grumbled, but in the last week, I'm proud to say that a major change has occurred in my mind. I have an unhealthy relationship with food.
I need to improve my approach to cooking, dieting, and eating in general. My past successes came from something completely unrealistic in life. No one can cut everything from their life to just be healthy. No one can eat protein all day and maintain a realistic diet. There has to be a balance. I'm slowly realizing there needs to be an appreciation for food as a fuel for my body. I've also begun to workout in the gym. I know that's only a small percentage of what drops the weight, but I've realized how incredible walking makes me feel. There is hope for me yet.
I'm hopeful for 2011. I know the Lord has a plan for me to finally overcome my struggle with eating. It starts right now with healthy fuel for my body. Food will no longer be something negative. Eating will not be a chore, but a discovery into new flavors and tastes. Today, I am new. Who's with me?