not yet a success...

Yaxomoxay

SW: 180+lbs

CW: 153-156lbs

H: 5ft 7in

Age: 32 going 33.

I don’t consider myself a successful story (yet), however I’d like to chip in.

Last spring I ended up with plantar fasciitis because I was overweight (180+lbs, I am 5ft7) and doing some martial arts barefooted. Result was that the doctor told me to avoid sport for a while. At first I was depressed, so I stopped doing any activity. Obviously I started to inflate.

One day I was camping with my kids and my wife made a picture of me (I was without a shirt) taken from behind. I saw that picture after we went back home. Since it was taken from a perspective I don’t see often (=never) it really surprised me how big I was becoming.

I was at a crossroad: give up, try hard. I decided to try hard. First thing I decided to forget about what the doc told me. It’s stupid, but I did it. Second, I decided – under my wife’s advice – to join a local boxing club. She told me not to go to a regular gym because she knew that I would get bored after one week.

Well, her suggestion was amazing. In one month I lost about 15lbs, and so far I lost about 30lbs. (I am fluctuating between 153 and 156) but, more importantly, I feel better, I look better, I have more energy and I am back in the martial arts training. In addition I am starting to see abs. My routine has become intensive: boxing 3 times a week and martial arts 3 times a week and I am planning to modify it so that I can add some weights.

You know what is funny? That now people ask me for suggestion! Seriously, they talk to me as if they were talking to their personal trainer. However, I never BS them: more exercise, check your calories. It surprises me how many people think there is a shortcut. There is not.

My plan is to weight between 145 and 150lbs and be able to do more boxing (w/ fights… at least once!) and more martial arts (I am 1 and a half year away from my black belt). In addition I want some more muscles…

FYI my wife is also dieting, and doing A LOT of excercise. She lost a lot of weight and she’s doing a great job.

Now I understand what is meant by saying that it’s not just a diet but a lifestyle change.

Another funny thing is that now even my two kids (6 and 11) are “careful” with their calorie intake. They are underweight and do sports so I don’t mind if they eat a little bit more (they are children after all) but I want them to understand that knowledge of food intake will help them in the future. I try to explain about calories, junk food etc.

My 11 yr. old hates McDonald’s (went ONCE last year and ended up so sick he’ll never forget it) and the 6 yrs old now checks the calories at every single meal, at Subway he asks me what are the healthiest chips. Once we were in a restaurant and the little one asked me “How many calories is this place?”. Again, I am not obsessed, they can have their fries and sodas. Just on special occasions and once in a while.

Mens sana in corpore sano.

cynbreau

Sounds like a success to me! Congrats on your new healthy life!!