My Story

I never comment on the forums but I told myself one day I would feel comfortable telling my story here. Today is that day. I had been heavy for some time. I really starting gaining weight when I hit 15. My biggest weight gains were after I graduated high school, during college, and during my first professional job. I liked to hide with food. Suffering through multiple traumatic events in my life, food was a way for me to hide my feelings and not deal. A little over 2 years ago I went to the hospital thinking I was having a heart attack (grandfather had one, dad had one, 2 aunts, an uncle and a brother). It ended up just being a panic attack but the doctor told me why blood sugar "was a little high." That was enough to scare me (grandfather had been diabetic). The next day I stopped drinking pop. I use to drink one or two 2 liters in a day. Within 3 months I had lost around 20 pounds and gone down a pant size.

The next step, 2 years ago this January 7th, I was told by a friend to stop saying I was going to join a gym. Either do it or stop talking about it. I bought a scale that day. That night I weighed 369.9 pounds. I balled my eyes out knowing I had lost around 20 pounds already. I had been close to 400 pounds. At 6'6" I had always told myself I carried my weight well. No one believed I was that heavy. I knew it was time. That same night I joined PF. I also cut out all fast food and pizza and started using MyFitnessPal. I stuck with a strict regime of going to the gym 6 days a week and eating better (but also indulging every now and again). I also wanted to run my first 5k that March. In training for that 5k 2 months later I had lost 48 pounds and ran the entire 5k in 38 minutes.

To make a long story short, I got addicted. I have done 10 5ks, 2 8ks, 2 10ks, walked the Detroit International 1/2 marathon in October of 2015 and I RAN THE ENTIRE 1/2 marathon this past year. Throughout the entire process I have lost around 160 pounds as I am now at 232 pounds. I would like to lose another 33 and hit Onderland but that is more a long long long term goal. I have been able to sustain my weight loss for a year. When I started I was a 50" waist and wore 4xl shirts. I now am a 36 waist and wear Large.XL. I enjoy shopping again. I can wear my 6th grade science camp shirt! Was this an easy process? Hell no. Anyone that tells you it is is lying to you. Is it worth it? 1,000%! I can play with my nephew and nieces now.

Throughout my weight loss, there were days I left to go to the gym and sat in the parking lot crying asking myself why am I doing this when I know it won't work. I looked to this thread for hope and it is where I found my strength. That is, until I realized I had the strength in me all along. In losing the weight, I let go of the years of pain I held onto. I learned to love and care about myself. If I can be a motivation to one person to find their inner strength then this post is worth it. You can do this. You matter. Do it for yourself.

I am still working on accepting I have lost my weight. I definitely suffered from phantom fat and still have trouble seeing my weight loss some days...but regardless I will never go back. Everything has been worth it.