Life 2.0

StarGeezer

Hi all,

I'm a 47 year-old male who has battled obesity (and morbid obesity at that) for much of my adult life. I've been out on permanent disability for 7 years, due in no small part to the excess weight. I was only too willing to wallow in my own little world, just marking time and content to watch life pass me by.

Earlier this year, I found a dear childhood friend whom I lost contact with almost 27 years ago. We were teens when we last saw each other, and as we caught up it was discovered we both had a huge crush on each other back as kids. She's grown into an incredible woman, with a near other-worldly capacity for love and acceptance. In many ways it was like picking up where we left off nearly three decades ago.

Well, long story short, we've decided to meld our lives together. She has 3 lovely boys, one adult on his own and two teens still at home. We're both still young enough that the notion of one last child isn't beyond the realm of possibility. She's had her own battle with extra weight, although nowhere near to the extent that I have. She's lost 50 pounds in the past year, goes running with her 15 year-old at night, and is quite attractive. Far more than I could have ever hoped for or dreamed, given my previous proclivity of solitude.

I've managed to shed over 50 pounds myself, but still have a very long way to go. I'm still looking at a 200 lb. uphill battle, but I'm up to the challenge. I've already dropped a couple of pant sizes and have increased my stamina considerably. Now, I'm nowhere near ready to join her on those evening runs, but at some point I'm going to get a bike to ride along with them both.

What's going to see me through to my goal is the love and acceptance of this amazing woman and her two remarkable teen boys (who think I'm "cool"... me... cool... at 47! Can you even imagine that?! )

Well, that should suffice for an introduction. Glad to be here, looking forward to being motivated and inspired by all of you. :glasses:

JulieSD

You made me smile. Good luck on your journey and congrats about the future!

jmelyan23

That is a really awesome story. Good luck--I know you can do it!

glockster972

That is an awesome story. I wish you well on your journey. Feel free to add me as a friend, and I will help you as much as I can.

StarGeezer

Thanks for the warm welcome, all. I do believe I'm going to like it here.

StarGeezer

I should add an important point: while I attribute the love and acceptance of this woman as the catalyst for putting me back on track, I'm doing this primarily for me. This is an important distinction, and can't be over-emphasized.

While she and the boys will indirectly benefit from having me fit and active and able to enjoy activities with them, the effort has to be aimed inward primarily. While I have every reason to believe this new relationship will not only work but prosper and thrive, if for some reason it did not, I would *STILL* commit to this necessary change. As one friend of mine recently put it, I was in something of a self-induced "coma" for the past number of years, and having awoken, I can never go back to the way it was. It was, quite simply, a matter of me waiting to die a slow and lingering death, alone. This can't happen. It won't happen.

I already feel much better just over the Summer while embarking on this change. I started this journey in the upper 400's, and am now poised to leave them if I remain on track by the end of the year. Again, it's a long, arduous journey. But the benefits, both physically and emotionally, are totally worth the effort.

The hardest part has actually been getting my mind around the notion that I have to actually eat MORE than I was accustomed to in order to lose weight! Learning to approach food as being fuel and not simply something I self-medicate with has been life-altering.

The future is looking very bright indeed. Thanks and God bless!