My Story.

DemonicWombat · February 2013

About 10 months ago, at the young age of 35 I was 340 pounds, back pain, fatigue and drinking about a 12 pack of coke a day. I didn't watch what I ate, and felt miserable. I also hadn't been to a Dr. in about 10 years. My girlfriend convinced me I needed to see a Dr. and while things could have been worse, I was put under Dr.'s orders to walk every day. 15 minutes one way, fifteen minutes the other.

It sucked.

The first month was pain, and frustration and anger. I was angry at my Dr. for pushing me to do this, I was angry at my girlfriend for encouraging me to do this, I was angry at those damn squirrels who chattered at me as I sloughed past them.

But mostly I was angry at myself.

I have never been athletic. I played sports when I was younger (because that's what young suburban kids did.) but I come from the Nintendo generation. I spent most of my preteen years through my 20's playing video games and generally not exercising. a I also have a medical condition called Hypothyroidism. Basically when I hit Puberty my thyroid shut off. If you don't know, your Thyroid is what fuels your metabolism and thus contributes to your weight.
I ballooned up to 360 at my heaviest. Being 5'7" it was as if a large basketball had grown appendages and waddled down the road. But enough about the old me, I refuse to dwell on him and give him any more power over me.

After the first month, it still sucked but I was angry less. my body hurt a little less and I started eating healthier. Not much, but a little. then one day a few months in I realized I had walked almost five miles and I didn't hurt. At all.

Fast forward to now, my longest walk has been 10 miles. I have ran my first 5k, I jogged a complete mile, I cut the Coke out of my life, and most of the junk, I'm not angry anymore, I jog, I do yoga and am taking Fencing lessons. Still not an athlete but damnt I'm active.

Oh, and I've lost about 60 pounds. (As a Point of reference I tell people I've lost 240 sticks of butter.)

I still mess up, I still have bad days, days where I don't care, where I eat the wrong things and refuse to exercise. but I realized this isn't a race, it's a journey. One that is going to take me the rest of my life. But now, hopefully it will be a longer journey than it was a year ago.

IamLoriJ · February 2013

Congratulations on your loss but more on your lifestyle change! It really is all the little changes that add up to a bigger and better life! Great job!

blouitr · February 2013

Great job...thanks for sharing your story. You are well on your way!

wikitbikit · February 2013

You are doing a great job! So many of us really just need to *start moving* and fight through the initial discomfort to discover that it really isn't so bad. I know that's what I needed

Also? WOMBAT! I'm not sure there is a better word in the world. It's like a power word.