Down 160 - maintained for 15 years!

FROM FAT TO FIT A LIFE-LONG STRUGGLE TO BE THIN

What would it be like to be thin? I asked myself this question everyday of my life. My weight was always been my biggest problem. I was a big baby-who turned into an even bigger kid. As time went by, the scale went up. At the age of thirteen I weighted 205 lbs. In high school I wore a 54-inch waist! By this time in my life, I refused to step on a scale. I was always known as “the fat kid”. As I got older, I learned to accept obesity. Being thin was only a dream. Each attempt at grasping my dream turned into miserable failure. I felt as though my weight could never be controlled.

During the summer of 2000, my father passed away at the age of 52. Obesity had plagued him his whole life-just as it was plaguing me. Was I destined to follow in his footsteps? Out of fear, I made an appointment with my doctor. I had avoided the doctor for the longest time-not wanting to hear the truth of my health and not wanting to know how much I really weighted. Following through, I heard everything I didn’t want to hear. At the age of 22 I weighted 350 lbs. Not only was my weight high, but my cholesterol level was almost triple the average for a person my age. I was NOT following in my father’s footsteps-I was ahead of him! Again, I attempted to lose the weight-with no results-only failed attempts.

In October, later that year, my life hit a turning point. Being big my entire life, I dealt with my weight, and did not let it stop me from doing anything I wanted to do-until, while at an amusement park with my girlfriend, I found out the hard way that roller coasters are not made to fit the “nutritionally challenged”. After waiting over two and a half hours to get on one of the rides, my girlfriend ended up riding by herself. I was too big to fit on the ride! It was the most embarrassing experience of my life. My weight had stopped me from accompanying her on the ride. As she rode away by herself my embarrassment turned to anger- anger at myself for being too big, anger for letting my weight stop me from being with her. I would no longer accept obesity as I took upon the biggest challenge of my life.
After the holidays in January of 2001 I did not make a New Year’s resolution. Resolutions are seldom kept. For me to overcome my life-long struggle against being overweight, I needed a total lifestyle change. I decided to join a local gym. Being big, and never working out a day in my life, made me very uncomfortable in the gym atmosphere. I hid myself on a treadmill and began walking. I walked an hour each morning, on an incline, at a constant pace, gradually increasing the resistance or speed each day. I began getting bored with just doing cardio, so I started experimenting with weights. Using the weights, I was able to bring my workout sessions to the next level. I started with a circuit-type program, and eventually went on to a traditional three sets per exercise program, never neglecting my hour of cardio.

Along with my workouts, I also began eating smart. Going against the traditional three meals a day, I began eating five to six smaller meals-every three to four hours. To accomplish this it was extremely important to be prepared. There are so many unhealthy choices to make throughout a busy day. I began meal planning and grocery shopping, which made it easier for me to keep on track. Items such as chicken and vegetables made their way into my shopping cart. With the right food around, I began cooking! My workdays were long, and time was limited. Waking up a half hour early each day, I would prepare and plan each meal. To make things easy, I would prepare four near identical meals making sure to include one to two servings of protein, one serving of carbohydrates and either a fruit or vegetable. Starting my day with a backpack filled with food, I always had a healthy choice to make.

By November, for the first time in my life I knew what it felt like to be thin. In ten months I lost over 100 lbs. As my love for fitness grew, I began studying and reading anything I could get my hands on to teach me new exercises and diet techniques. By July of 2002 I had reach my goal weight of 185 pounds, losing a total of 165 pounds! I had finally conquered my life-long struggle to be thin.

My passion and love for fitness turned into a career when in 2002 I became a Certified Personal Trainer. Dedicating myself to help conquer individualized struggles with obesity, I composed a success story to show others that if I can do it ANYONE can. The accounts of my life experiences have been featured in the national publications Muscle and Fitness, Mens Fitness, Ironman; and local publications The Chicago Tribune, Daily Herald, Elk Grove Times and Palatine Countryside. Training for the last eight years, I have inspired thousands to pursue a lifestyle change and better themselves through health and wellness. The Illinois Jaycees acknowledged my work in the fitness industry and desire to help others by awarding me the honor of being recognized as one of Illinois’s Ten Outstanding Young People of 2005. Dedicating my career to fitness, I am able to individually change lives through personal training lifestyle coaching and motivational speaking.

My whole life people had told me to lose weight. People can tell you that all they want, but unless YOU want to do it for yourself, it will not happen. With the right motivation anyone can accomplish his or her goals-no matter how big or small. I am the perfect example, and have the pictures and success story to prove it!