Progress, and some NSVs
l3ugjuice
Posts: 233
Hi. I'm surprised I'm posting one of these but since reading everyone else's progress posts helped me so much I decided I need to return the favor...so I hope this helps someone else, too.
Anyway, brief story. I've been overweight for a while, but I really hadnt noticed it. I was pretty athletic and always in great shape when I was a kid/young adult...but I kinda stopped exercising, and kept eating. Bad combination. Anyway, last year my wife and I went to the fair with our daughter. We looove going to fairs, amusement parks, etc...so it's really a treat for us. So we waited in line for about 30 minutes to get on this one ride that looked really cool. I cant remember what it was, but it looked fun. Anyway, we get in the ride finally, and when the bars go to close down....mine wont close, because I'm too fat. I'd never had that happen before, and it was pretty embarrasing to have the operator tell me I was too big to ride it...then have to do that walk of shame down the exit ramp in front of hundreds of people. That was sometime in October last year, and that was really the first time I'd noticed I was overweight. It's not that I thought I was in shape or anything, I'd just never given it any thought before.
Anyway, the next day I bought a scale...and I weight 310 pounds. What???????????? That was pretty shocking, but not QUITE shocking enough to make me actually get serious about losing weight. It got me to be unserious about it, which turned out to be a good thing because it got me started on processing it mentally. I'm a horrible procrastinator, it takes me forever to finally decide to do something. I have no problem sticking with things once I make that decision, but it takes me a while to get there.
So sometime after that, I was watching that biggest loser show thing, and saw Rulon Gardner on it....and saw he weighed like 500 pounds. Most of you probably dont know who Rulon Gardner is, so for those that dont he's the guy that won a greco gold medal in 2004 by beating Alexandr Kerelin ...which, if you dont know who THAT is, it's hard to understand what an accomplishment that was. Gardner is a little older than me, but he's someone I really looked up to. I wrestled in highschool and for a couple of years in college, so he was one of those guys that I'd see at the open greco tournaments that was basically just light years better than I was. Seeing him on that show so enormously overweight and going through all the work to lose it was really motivating for me.
So started dieting a bit, which basically means I just started cutting back on things, in around November 2010. Bought an eliptical machine in December. I used it every day for a few months. When I first started, I could only make it for about 10 minutes at a time. Around February or so, I'd gotten to where I could go on the elliptical for about 45 minutes at a good pace and I'd gotten down to about 285/290...and then I broke the elliptical (I guess they were serious when they gave it a 250 lbs weight limit, oh well). So I started walking every day. Then I found myfitnesspal and had an easy way to really track my calories, then the weight started coming off. I've been pretty good this whole time as far as my dieting is concerned. I havent been a nazi about it or anything, but I've been good at keeping my daily calories between 1500-2000, and my ratios at around 30/30/40 (though I havent been all that picky about the ratios, they just sorta work themselves out). Now I'm down to 222 lbs, I run 5 miles M,W & F, then run 2 miles and lift weights Tu,Thur,Sat. I've done the C25K program. I've done the 1HR program. I've run a couple of half marathons, now I'm hoping I can finish my first marathon in February when the Mercedees rolls around. So here's my progress pics, if it works:
Me at the beginning. I'm the fat guy on the right, the one on the left is my uncle. This was in 2009, I think...on vacation in Gatlinburg. I have no earthly idea how much I weigh in that picture. I guess maybe 280-300...it's just the biggest one I have of me.
This next one is in April, after being on my diet and exercising for a good 5 months & down to 260 lbs from the 310 I was in Oct/Nov 2010
This next one is today, at 222 lbs right after running 11.2 miles (which is one of the NSV's I was talking about...go me!). I cant really see that much of a difference, but my wife says it's alot and none of my clothes fit anymore. So I guess it's noticeable.
When I first started, I had no weight loss goal. I had no idea how much I could lose, if any, so I had absolutely no idea how much i WANTED to lose. My goal was just "Uh, I'm too fat and I need to fix it". After doing it for a while my goal was to get to 'around' 220 lbs. Now that I'm "around" 220 lbs, I think I want to shoot for around 180. So I'm still a work in progress, but I feel GREAT. I'm about to turn 40, but I dont feel my age anymore (boy, did I feel old when I was 300 lbs).
OH, almost forgot. My NSV. The fair came back yesterday, and we went again. I didnt have any problems getting on that ride this time. Hoorah.
Anyway, brief story. I've been overweight for a while, but I really hadnt noticed it. I was pretty athletic and always in great shape when I was a kid/young adult...but I kinda stopped exercising, and kept eating. Bad combination. Anyway, last year my wife and I went to the fair with our daughter. We looove going to fairs, amusement parks, etc...so it's really a treat for us. So we waited in line for about 30 minutes to get on this one ride that looked really cool. I cant remember what it was, but it looked fun. Anyway, we get in the ride finally, and when the bars go to close down....mine wont close, because I'm too fat. I'd never had that happen before, and it was pretty embarrasing to have the operator tell me I was too big to ride it...then have to do that walk of shame down the exit ramp in front of hundreds of people. That was sometime in October last year, and that was really the first time I'd noticed I was overweight. It's not that I thought I was in shape or anything, I'd just never given it any thought before.
Anyway, the next day I bought a scale...and I weight 310 pounds. What???????????? That was pretty shocking, but not QUITE shocking enough to make me actually get serious about losing weight. It got me to be unserious about it, which turned out to be a good thing because it got me started on processing it mentally. I'm a horrible procrastinator, it takes me forever to finally decide to do something. I have no problem sticking with things once I make that decision, but it takes me a while to get there.
So sometime after that, I was watching that biggest loser show thing, and saw Rulon Gardner on it....and saw he weighed like 500 pounds. Most of you probably dont know who Rulon Gardner is, so for those that dont he's the guy that won a greco gold medal in 2004 by beating Alexandr Kerelin ...which, if you dont know who THAT is, it's hard to understand what an accomplishment that was. Gardner is a little older than me, but he's someone I really looked up to. I wrestled in highschool and for a couple of years in college, so he was one of those guys that I'd see at the open greco tournaments that was basically just light years better than I was. Seeing him on that show so enormously overweight and going through all the work to lose it was really motivating for me.
So started dieting a bit, which basically means I just started cutting back on things, in around November 2010. Bought an eliptical machine in December. I used it every day for a few months. When I first started, I could only make it for about 10 minutes at a time. Around February or so, I'd gotten to where I could go on the elliptical for about 45 minutes at a good pace and I'd gotten down to about 285/290...and then I broke the elliptical (I guess they were serious when they gave it a 250 lbs weight limit, oh well). So I started walking every day. Then I found myfitnesspal and had an easy way to really track my calories, then the weight started coming off. I've been pretty good this whole time as far as my dieting is concerned. I havent been a nazi about it or anything, but I've been good at keeping my daily calories between 1500-2000, and my ratios at around 30/30/40 (though I havent been all that picky about the ratios, they just sorta work themselves out). Now I'm down to 222 lbs, I run 5 miles M,W & F, then run 2 miles and lift weights Tu,Thur,Sat. I've done the C25K program. I've done the 1HR program. I've run a couple of half marathons, now I'm hoping I can finish my first marathon in February when the Mercedees rolls around. So here's my progress pics, if it works:
Me at the beginning. I'm the fat guy on the right, the one on the left is my uncle. This was in 2009, I think...on vacation in Gatlinburg. I have no earthly idea how much I weigh in that picture. I guess maybe 280-300...it's just the biggest one I have of me.
This next one is in April, after being on my diet and exercising for a good 5 months & down to 260 lbs from the 310 I was in Oct/Nov 2010
This next one is today, at 222 lbs right after running 11.2 miles (which is one of the NSV's I was talking about...go me!). I cant really see that much of a difference, but my wife says it's alot and none of my clothes fit anymore. So I guess it's noticeable.
When I first started, I had no weight loss goal. I had no idea how much I could lose, if any, so I had absolutely no idea how much i WANTED to lose. My goal was just "Uh, I'm too fat and I need to fix it". After doing it for a while my goal was to get to 'around' 220 lbs. Now that I'm "around" 220 lbs, I think I want to shoot for around 180. So I'm still a work in progress, but I feel GREAT. I'm about to turn 40, but I dont feel my age anymore (boy, did I feel old when I was 300 lbs).
OH, almost forgot. My NSV. The fair came back yesterday, and we went again. I didnt have any problems getting on that ride this time. Hoorah.
0
Replies
-
AWESOME JOB0
-
I totally see a difference. Keep it up!0
-
Wow!!! That is an awesome motivating story. Thanks for sharing.
Best wishes.0 -
Wow, way to go!!!! Great transformation!!0
-
High Five!!!!!! You look great and are doing a great Job.
I too had to do the walk of shame at Cedar Point. Wanted to ride the roller coaster so bad.....waited 20 minutes.....got in the seat.....and it would not lock in.0 -
Great job!! That is so fabulous! Thanks so much for sharing and congratulations on everything! You look amazing!0
-
Your story is so motivating! Thank you for sharing. You rock!0
-
You look awesome! I love that you took your time finding your way to a new lifestyle. Every decision you made brought you closer and just look at you now. Congratulations on all your hard work, perseverance and most of all results. You rock!0
-
WOW, great job! You just look so much more comfortable and confident now versus your "before' pic. I like how your story has so many phases as you kept learning new things and trying new things. very cool! Thanks for the inspiration.0
-
Thanks ya'll. It's been much easier than I expected, so far at least...but I'm not done yet.
Forgot to mention the best part. When I went to the doctor about a week and a half ago to get a checkup, my cholesterol had dropped from 250 to 160, and my blood sugar from 110 to 80...so I'm healthier than I've been in a long time.0 -
you look like a new man. congrats! keep it up
0 -
I see a huge difference in your before and afters. Thanks for the inspiring story! Way to go!0
-
Wow, great work!
Not sure if you have seen this or not, but I love this story about Rulon:
http://joeposnanski.si.com/2008/05/12/i-really-didnt-need-that-stew/
Also, sort of a weight loss inspired follow up:
http://joeposnanski.blogspot.com/2011/03/biggest-winner.html0 -
That is SO awesome! You do not even look like the same person! I find it amazing how once we begin the journey, we become more than we ever thought we could be. Great job!0
-
Congrats! Great job!0
-
Great read - thanks for sharing.0
-
What a awesome story, thanks for sharing and WAY TO GO :drinker:0
-
you look amazing keep up the good work 0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.2K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.1K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 420 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.9K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.7K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.5K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions
Do you Love MyFitnessPal? Have you crushed a goal or improved your life through better nutrition using MyFitnessPal?
Share your success and inspire others. Leave us a review on Apple Or Google Play stores!
Share your success and inspire others. Leave us a review on Apple Or Google Play stores!