On a Mission to Get Fit, Down 137 pounds (with pics)

Good afternoon everyone. I started using My Fitness Pal a few months ago to better get a handle on what I was eating. Prior to that I sort of used the nutrition section in MapMyWalk. I still use MapMyWalk to log all my workouts. It's nice that the two sync data.

I'm at an intetesting point in my life. For my entire adult life I've been basically obese or morbidly obese. My first year of college I gained 100 pounds and basically hovered in between 240lbs to 270lbs the rest of my life. I've also dealt with an alcohol problem for quite some time and, following my divorce, this worsened and I found myself on October 1st of 2015 weighing in at 331lbs without really understanding or caring how I got there. I went to see a doctor that day, which is why I know the exact weight, because my employer started offering health insurance and it started on this day. I knew the news about me wasn't good but something was directing me to make small moves and I guess seeing a doctor was the first one for me. Everything at this time in my life just seemed so overwhelming and miserable. I was living in a world of self loathing and really had come to hate who I was in every way - mentally, physically, and spiritually. I was completely bankrupt in more ways than one.

I wish I could say that that visit to the doctor motivated me to start on my journey but it didn't. I continued to eat and drink way too much until I found myself in the hospital on December 1st with some serious health issues, pneumonia and an inability to breath due to fluid building up in my lungs being a couple of these issues. I was put on an oxygen machine because I couldn't fully breath on my own and stayed in the hospital for over a week before they released me.

I wish I could say that that hospital stay motivated me, but that was just the start. I started to eat a little healthier and kicked the booze for a couple of months but it slowly started to creep back in. Finding myself on an oxygen machine and barely able to walk up a stair was not where I wanted to be but, again, the path to where I wanted to get to seemed overwhelming and insurmountable. I started in January to try to walk up my road. Then my road and the road connected to it. It was not an easy task and I had to carry an oxygen tank with me but it was a start. However, before I knew it I was eating not so great again and drinking again. This led to a total emotional collapse and I sought additional help. This was on February 9th, 2016. Something changed in me that day and I got this ever so tiny spark of hope.

Ever so slowly and painfully I began walking a little more, trying very hard to get in a couple miles a week and at least be conscious of the foods I was eating. My parents were an incredible help and motivating force for me through this time (and still are now). I am very lucky to have them in my life. Over February and March weight started to come off and I was comfortably under 300lbs. I was off the oxygen machine at this point. That small spark of hope started to turn into a small spark of motivation. Over the course of the next couple of months I started walking more and more until, eventually, I was able to get 10 miles a week in.

I started to do a little bit of yoga. I started to do a beginner weight program (with practically no weight involved because I could hardly lift anything) and just try to do a few reps. I was also working diligently to stay sober and change my attitude and perspective on life in general. The walking increased to 15 miles a week, 20 miles a week and I was able to do almost full sets of the beginner weight program I found online, with very minimal weight (about 5 lbs).

I continued on this course, starting to add ab workouts to the mix because that was (and still is) my major trouble point. I could hardly do 10 crunches and could only do one leg lift when I began that step. It was around this point that I started using MapMyWalk's nutrition feature to try and get an understanding of where my calories were going. Even still, I did not use it every day and know I was still overeating. About two months ago that app suggested I use MyFitnessPal and I'm glad I did. I started using it every day to track every food I eat and calorie I take in. It's really helped me to start to fuel, rather than feed, my body. Believe me, I love to eat but I've noticed now I've been able to substitute substantial, yet healthy, items in place of something like pizza. I do still eat a good amount of pizza - I'm not trying to diet or limit myself - I'm trying to develop an entirely new life and lifestyle. I just don't eat a whole large pizza, order of mozzarella sticks, and chicken wings anymore. Just a couple slices of pizza.



Over this period I found myself going from 331lbs on October 1st, 2015 to 231lbs by April 19th, 2016. On July 26th I weighed in at 218lbs. August 10th I was down to 210lbs. This past Saturday, September 17th, I weighed in at just under 194lbs. I have lost a total of 137lbs so far and feel better than I ever have in my life. My goal this year was to reach under 200lbs by the end of the year and 175lbs by the end of next year. The way I've been going I have a chance at hitting that goal before the year is out.

I'm writing this in here because I was prompted to by my friend, Aimee. When she mentioned it I said "success story?" I sure don't feel like one. I still feel like a fat slob. Skinny, to me, is most definitely not a feeling. That being said, I am happy with my progress. I'm starting to like the person I'm giving myself the opportunity to be. I don't want to curl up in a ball and hide when I look at myself in the mirror now.

So... I'm going to continue my mission to get fit physically, mentally, and spiritually. I've been trying to walk on every street in my town as part of this mission and I've probably covered 75-80% of them so far. I'm not a gym guy - I like the outdoors too much. For me, taking the smallest step and shortest walk and then trying to do just one tiny bit more the next time is what did it for me. The same with watching my food - the first thing I had to do was understand what and how I was eating and that knowledge allowed me to slowly make changes. Eat a wrap or pita pocket instead of bread. Cut back on so much pasta and pizza. Eat more fruit and vegetables and good (decent size instead of mammoth size) portions of protein.

I wrote this rather hastily on a whim so I'm sure I left out a lot of details. I guess that's all I've got for now, though. I'm going to be testing out my new level of fitness and am going with a couple friends to hike up Mt. Washington in New Hampshire this weekend. I post pictures of my walks every day on Facebook and Instagram so check me out there for mountain pictures this weekend. Wish me luck!

I've attached a picture of my progress from 331 to 231 to the day I was 198.6. I also attached my picture from the rainy beach this morning - I'm under 194 today.