been here awhile, but new to the forums

crudolph76

Hello all.

I'm 35 years old...happily married and a father to two great kids.

I used to be an electrician for about the past 20 or so years. I worked for myself; got plenty of exercise...never really worried too much about my weight. I've worked out off and on over the years and I'm no stranger to the gym or exercise. I've just never gotten into a long-term routine. My last routine ended 4 years ago when I had an appendectomy and the muscles in my abdomen took a long time to heal.. and I more or less lost interest due to frustration.

The economy took its toll on my business. I had to make a career change in order to remain viable. The work I do now pays the same or better (thankfully) but the work is more "sit and use the computer and software" more so than up and down a ladder...etc.

I started working for the new company last December. My routine changed, I got less exercise, I got lazy, and I began to gain weight.

I'm 5'11". When I was in high school I weighed 135 pounds. I lifted weights in gym class and worked out in a gym outside school three times a week early in the mornings. I started packing on the muscle mass and weighed around 145 by the time I graduated. By the time I ended up in the gym again when I was 23, I was around 155-160 pounds and in great shape... taking supplements and protein and working out 3-4 times a week.

Married once... got lazy and started packing on the pounds again. In 2004 I weighed around 215 pounds. I divorced in 2005, went through a round of depression and lost a ton of weight walking the streets late at night. I went back to a reasonable 170 pounds.

I met my now current wife in 2006...and we started back in the gym in 2007...where I weighed around 175 pounds and was lifting and exercising every other day. Once again, I was in great shape... but the surgery changed everything. Then we had another child... my baby girl Emma.

A couple years ago during a beach trip I found myself in a near-drowning incident with a riptide. I was so out of shape and overweight that I couldn't swim away from it. I promised myself I'd lose the weight. But I didn't.

This year... another beach trip came and went and I weighed myself when I got home and saw the number 205.5 show up on the scale. I don't know what happened...but it flipped a switch. I've been dieting and exercising ever since.

I started counting calories. Drinking only water and unsweetened tea. No soda. No snacks. No candy. NO fructose whatsoever. I've pushed breads and non-whole grains away. I read ingredients of everything I eat before I eat it. I walk or run or hike every other day 1-3 miles.

Last saturday I was 187.5 pounds. I haven't weighed myself since then...but I've been losing anywhere from 1-2 pounds a week since I started dieting and exercising. the Myfitnesspal app has been a major part of this.

My body is back where I want it to be now... but the work is far from over. Just wanted to introduce myself to the group...hopefully I'll find time to post and reply to threads on occasion when I'm not being active.

ohwhataday

good job, man! [=