My friend Tom in Australia sent me an interesting article the other night about a woman who has lost a lot of weight in a short time without the assistance of any surgery, diet aids or gimmicks. She has simply made the choice to not be obese anymore and has changed her eating habits and lifestyle to help her attain her goals. Does this sound like anyone you might know? No, me silly!
But what was interesting was something I hadn't really considered and that's the reaction of friends, family and old acquaintances who have been kind enough to notice and make mention of my changes.
The intentions are meant well and the feedback has been some serious positive reinforcement but how some comments are received might not be as intended, no matter how sincere the sentiment.
Losing over 177 pounds will obviously be noticed by folks who know you. Sure the fat is vanishing but when it comes right down to it, I'm still the same happy, loving and kind smart-ass I've always been. Yet when people see me for the first time they react as though I'm someone entirely different.
"You must be so happy" is one comment I hear a lot. I suppose it's meant as a compliment but I'm not sure it really is. Are you assuming I wasn't happy before. Many obese or over weight people are unbelievably happy. Losing the weight didn't make me more or less happy but I suppose I'm not bummed out being thinner.
Some people assume I'm sick. Granted, having been a large man my entire life, the shock of seeing me now might cause people to wonder if I have some disease that is eating away at me from the inside. Luckily that isn't the case but thanks for the concern.
It's also interesting how people focus on the actual amount of weight. "How much have you lost now?", is one I hear a lot. I suppose I have myself to blame for that one with my online updates and regular visits to the scale but does it really matter how much? Some people are hung up on weight and don't like to reveal how much they've lost for fear of people knowing where they started. Personally I couldn't care less who knows how much I weighed at my heaviest. Hell, I don't even know for sure. I just know that the last time I was able to get on a scale at a factory capable of reading my weight, I was a svelte 418.8 pounds. But I'm no fool. I know I was heavier than that at one point.
"How did you lose all that weight?" That's one I get more often than you might think. I never volunteer this information unless someone specifically asks me. I would never tell someone that this is what they need to do. But if someone does inquire, I'm more than happy to share my methods with them. Everyone is different and not all plans work the same but it's really no secret. Stop overeating and start exercising. It's not rocket science people. Once you get the weight going in the right direction, just stick with the plan and adjust as you go. I make it sound simple but if it really was, nobody would be obese. You have to change your lifestyle and stick with it. If you fall back into your old habits you've just wasted all that hard work. It's okay to falter but recover quickly and keep moving forward.
When it comes to food, I think a lot of people think I had to starve myself and give up eating everything I like. That couldn't be further from the truth. Sure, I could have gone vegan or paleo or juicing myself to a lighter me. I'm still eating pizza, burgers, fast food and all that stuff I probably shouldn't. The difference is, I don't eat it every day like the old me did. And I don't stuff myself until my sides are about to burst. You can eat what you want, just make sure you don't exceed your daily calorie allowance by too much. Some people will actually say my method isn't right or what they do. Great! Do what you need to do. Obviously my plan has worked for me. I still love food and will never stop eating what I like.
I never started this with the intention of being a role model or inspiration for others. This was a completely selfish endeavour for me. However, despite my original intentions, it has become clear that my transformation struck a chord with many others. Perhaps it was seeing someone who has struggled with their weight their entire life like them or maybe they've added a few pounds recently. If my journey has been a positive influence on others then fantastic. I know I've had role models and inspiration along the way also so every little bit of extra push helps. My only advice, be patient. Don't expect miracles to happen over night. This is something you have to stick with and trust the process, even when it seems like you've reached your limit. Keep working at it and don't ever stop.
Believe me when I say I don't take offense to any of the kudos or comments. Quite the opposite actually. I just found it interesting the reactions of people who have known me all my life. Not everyone of course but some look at me or talk to me as if I'm a completely different person. Anyone that knows me well can tell them, I'm still the same adorable and sexy man I've always been.
Showing posts with label Overweight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Overweight. Show all posts
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Friday, February 28, 2014
A Year Already! Well, Almost.
Although my weight loss journey really kinda sorta maybe began in the Fall of 2012, the real work began nearly one year ago and it still seems like a dream to me that this is really happening.
It was March 2013 when I was officially diagnosed with Diabetes and placed on oral medication to help bring my blood sugars under control. That’s not to say they were completely insane but certainly elevated and worthy of concern. My doctor at the time had me on a couple of different pills to quickly bring my numbers down. I was posting readings of 14 to 16 mmol/L which is a far cry from the range of 4.5 to 6.0 readings I’m getting now. My usual readings are right around 5.1 mmol/L which I’m very happy with.
My doctor eventually was pleased with my weight loss and reduced my daily pill intake which made me happy. I want to avoid insulin if possible just because to me that seems like a warning sign that things aren’t getting better. That’s my uneducated diagnosis any way.
But it was right after my doctor gave me the bad news that the alarms went off in my head. It was time to stop being such a wimp, grow some balls and get serious about changing and improving my life.You might think that going from eating whatever and whenever I wanted to counting calories and downsizing my portions would be a tough thing to do. Let me tell you, you’re right!
I love food. And not the leafy green, low calorie stuff. I like fried foods, fast food, greasy food, bread, butter…basically anything you can think of that isn’t considered healthy, that’s what I liked to eat. I’ve never sat down and calculated what a typical day of calories would have been for the old me when I didn’t try to keep an eye on things but I can imagine I was pushing anywhere from 5000 to 7000 calories in a day without trying. Now I shoot for around 1800 calories a day…give or take.
But it wasn’t just the calories that were an issue. After spending my youth, teens and 20’s being pretty active, that all changed and I found myself spending more time in front of the computer or the TV. I stopped being active and if you’re not doing anything to burn the calories, well, the resulting obese mess I became spoke volumes.
Yes, its been nearly a year since I finally got a clue and decided to get healthy. That isn’t to say I was then or am now expecting to become a GQ model and have six pack abs and a rock hard body. Come on! I’m not living in a fantasy world. After decades of abusing myself, I knew the best case scenario was likely going to be getting into the mid-200’s if I was lucky. I’d still have a flabby stomach and thighs but dropping my weight from 420 pounds to that would be a huge game changer.
So here I am today, 11 months into my determined effort to shape a new and improved version of myself and I think I’ve done a pretty decent job so far.
My current weight sits around 261 pounds. Now it would likely be even lower than that but I’m doing a fair bet of weight lifting and building muscle which adds weight. So I’m happy to break even there. If I’m adding muscle and my weight isn’t going up, then I must still be burning fat. Truth is, I know I am. I can still see my waistline shrinking as I can nearly get into another smaller pair of jeans. Even my watch and my Fitbit bracelet on my wrists can be done up to a tighter spot now. The separation between my thighs continues to grow. Truth be told, I just wish my ass looked better. I wish I had an ass!
I never thought I’d be a gym guy but I really like going. I try to work out five days a week using the treadmill and elliptical machines for cardio and of course the weights for muscle building. I don’t have any work out buddies and stick mainly to myself which is kind of boring but at the same time I can focus on what I’m doing and get the job done without distractions. People at the gym seem friendly although most seem to keep to themselves. We do a lot of head nodding and smiles as greetings. Not a lot of talking. Of course most people wear headphones to listen to music while working up a sweat. I’m no different but will gladly turn the tunes off if anyone wants to chit chat. I can think of a few ladies worth taking the time to converse with.
It was March 2013 when I was officially diagnosed with Diabetes and placed on oral medication to help bring my blood sugars under control. That’s not to say they were completely insane but certainly elevated and worthy of concern. My doctor at the time had me on a couple of different pills to quickly bring my numbers down. I was posting readings of 14 to 16 mmol/L which is a far cry from the range of 4.5 to 6.0 readings I’m getting now. My usual readings are right around 5.1 mmol/L which I’m very happy with.
My doctor eventually was pleased with my weight loss and reduced my daily pill intake which made me happy. I want to avoid insulin if possible just because to me that seems like a warning sign that things aren’t getting better. That’s my uneducated diagnosis any way.
But it was right after my doctor gave me the bad news that the alarms went off in my head. It was time to stop being such a wimp, grow some balls and get serious about changing and improving my life.You might think that going from eating whatever and whenever I wanted to counting calories and downsizing my portions would be a tough thing to do. Let me tell you, you’re right! I love food. And not the leafy green, low calorie stuff. I like fried foods, fast food, greasy food, bread, butter…basically anything you can think of that isn’t considered healthy, that’s what I liked to eat. I’ve never sat down and calculated what a typical day of calories would have been for the old me when I didn’t try to keep an eye on things but I can imagine I was pushing anywhere from 5000 to 7000 calories in a day without trying. Now I shoot for around 1800 calories a day…give or take.
But it wasn’t just the calories that were an issue. After spending my youth, teens and 20’s being pretty active, that all changed and I found myself spending more time in front of the computer or the TV. I stopped being active and if you’re not doing anything to burn the calories, well, the resulting obese mess I became spoke volumes.
Yes, its been nearly a year since I finally got a clue and decided to get healthy. That isn’t to say I was then or am now expecting to become a GQ model and have six pack abs and a rock hard body. Come on! I’m not living in a fantasy world. After decades of abusing myself, I knew the best case scenario was likely going to be getting into the mid-200’s if I was lucky. I’d still have a flabby stomach and thighs but dropping my weight from 420 pounds to that would be a huge game changer.
So here I am today, 11 months into my determined effort to shape a new and improved version of myself and I think I’ve done a pretty decent job so far.
My current weight sits around 261 pounds. Now it would likely be even lower than that but I’m doing a fair bet of weight lifting and building muscle which adds weight. So I’m happy to break even there. If I’m adding muscle and my weight isn’t going up, then I must still be burning fat. Truth is, I know I am. I can still see my waistline shrinking as I can nearly get into another smaller pair of jeans. Even my watch and my Fitbit bracelet on my wrists can be done up to a tighter spot now. The separation between my thighs continues to grow. Truth be told, I just wish my ass looked better. I wish I had an ass!
I never thought I’d be a gym guy but I really like going. I try to work out five days a week using the treadmill and elliptical machines for cardio and of course the weights for muscle building. I don’t have any work out buddies and stick mainly to myself which is kind of boring but at the same time I can focus on what I’m doing and get the job done without distractions. People at the gym seem friendly although most seem to keep to themselves. We do a lot of head nodding and smiles as greetings. Not a lot of talking. Of course most people wear headphones to listen to music while working up a sweat. I’m no different but will gladly turn the tunes off if anyone wants to chit chat. I can think of a few ladies worth taking the time to converse with.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Thanks For Terrifying Me Bro!
As this amazing journey of mine continues and I keep working towards the healthiest me possible, I had a moment today to sit and reflect on how far I've come.
I guess I've been so focused on the fight to drop the pounds each day for the last year that I never took the time to appreciate fully what I've accomplished. Don't get me wrong, this isn't about me bragging or flaunting my healthy changes. It's about reflecting on what it has taken to reach my current status on this quest.
My frustration has been building over the last month as my weight loss has stalled. I continue to maintain my weight which is certainly a positive but with my original goal so close, the irritation of not progressing further has had me feeling a bit defeated.
Of course this is completely ridiculous thinking on my part. The fact I've lost 153 pounds so far really can't be considered anything but a success. Sure I would love to drop those last 15 pounds to reach my goal weight of 250 lbs but at this stage it might take a bit more effort and determination. In other words, I have to take my game to another level to overcome my opponent.
When I think back to a little over a year ago when I began this process, I started to ruminate on what lead me to finally start down the road to a healthier me. Not only that but why did I succeed this time after failing countless times in the past?
It all came down to one conversation I had with my brother Scott.
Visiting Scott and his family in Florida in March of 2012 I was pushing at least 420 pounds. The exact maximum weight I was carrying is up for debate. I hadn't weighed myself in almost two years and at that time I came in at 418 pounds. In all likely hood it's plausible I was weighing closer to 430 or more at this time.
I hadn't yet been officially diagnosed as diabetic but I had been taking my blood sugar readings and they had spiked in recent weeks. We all knew the truth, even me, although I was trying to deny it. Diabetes is quite common in my family so deep down I knew the odds were high I would eventually be hit with the disease as well.
Being in denial it took some eye opening, straight, no bullshit confrontation from my brother to wake me up. It just took me another six months of coming to grips with it before I finally wised up and made the effort to change.
Scott pulled no punches. It was almost like an intervention. My parents were there as well as my sister-in-law Erin. I should mention that Erin is a nurse and my brother in a Nurse Practitioner among other things. He has worked in busy hospital Emergency Rooms and currently oversees the training of Nurses, EMT's and Firefighters. To be honest, he has so many fancy letter combinations after his name I don't know what all he is. PhD is one of them. Long story short, they know what they're talking about when it comes to the medical field.
So there I am sitting there when the onslaught of concern, truth and love began. A lot of things were said but the one thing that stuck with me the most was being told I would most likely be dead within a matter of years and not decades. Being told that your feet, legs and more could be amputated as a result of the combination of obesity and diabetes has a way of grabbing one's attention.
I'm sure at the time I probably brushed it off but I knew there was genuine concern there and with good reason. Scott's intent was to scare me and he had succeeded even if he didn't know it at the time. I'm not sure he realized how much his talk hit me. It did sink in and stuck with me. It's still with me to this day and that fear of death really is quite the motivating tool. The fact that it's the truth just makes it even more powerful.
There are no certainties in life. I could be hit by a bus tomorrow but to sit by and eat myself to death and let my health deteriorate to a point that I can no longer look after myself is something I wasn't prepared to let happen.
So today, thanks to having the crap scared out of me, I'm 153 pounds lighter and the healthiest I've been in decades. I've been going to the gym five times a week for the last month. I'm now using the treadmill and even jogging intervals. I'm lifting weights and strengthening my body. I'm not trying to look like Mr. Olympia, I just want to feel more fit overall.
Being open with my emotions isn't something I'm comfortable with. Don't get me wrong, I'm a very emotional person and have been known to shed tears at weddings or watching movies but when it comes to expressing my feelings to others, I could be better at it. I'm sure my family knows I love them even though I don't say it. I would lay down my life for any of them if I had to but speaking the words in person is something I just don't do. I'll have to work on that.
But I needed to say thanks to my brother for caring enough to give it to me straight. Sure I did all the work to reach this point but without his push, my future would have been grim at best. Perhaps the next time I visit him we can talk about the progress I've made and I can thank him in person. Most likely I'll just buy him lunch instead and we can talk about something more interesting.
I guess I've been so focused on the fight to drop the pounds each day for the last year that I never took the time to appreciate fully what I've accomplished. Don't get me wrong, this isn't about me bragging or flaunting my healthy changes. It's about reflecting on what it has taken to reach my current status on this quest.
My frustration has been building over the last month as my weight loss has stalled. I continue to maintain my weight which is certainly a positive but with my original goal so close, the irritation of not progressing further has had me feeling a bit defeated.
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| Change Can Be A Good Thing |
When I think back to a little over a year ago when I began this process, I started to ruminate on what lead me to finally start down the road to a healthier me. Not only that but why did I succeed this time after failing countless times in the past?
It all came down to one conversation I had with my brother Scott.
Visiting Scott and his family in Florida in March of 2012 I was pushing at least 420 pounds. The exact maximum weight I was carrying is up for debate. I hadn't weighed myself in almost two years and at that time I came in at 418 pounds. In all likely hood it's plausible I was weighing closer to 430 or more at this time.
I hadn't yet been officially diagnosed as diabetic but I had been taking my blood sugar readings and they had spiked in recent weeks. We all knew the truth, even me, although I was trying to deny it. Diabetes is quite common in my family so deep down I knew the odds were high I would eventually be hit with the disease as well.
Being in denial it took some eye opening, straight, no bullshit confrontation from my brother to wake me up. It just took me another six months of coming to grips with it before I finally wised up and made the effort to change.
Scott pulled no punches. It was almost like an intervention. My parents were there as well as my sister-in-law Erin. I should mention that Erin is a nurse and my brother in a Nurse Practitioner among other things. He has worked in busy hospital Emergency Rooms and currently oversees the training of Nurses, EMT's and Firefighters. To be honest, he has so many fancy letter combinations after his name I don't know what all he is. PhD is one of them. Long story short, they know what they're talking about when it comes to the medical field.
So there I am sitting there when the onslaught of concern, truth and love began. A lot of things were said but the one thing that stuck with me the most was being told I would most likely be dead within a matter of years and not decades. Being told that your feet, legs and more could be amputated as a result of the combination of obesity and diabetes has a way of grabbing one's attention.
I'm sure at the time I probably brushed it off but I knew there was genuine concern there and with good reason. Scott's intent was to scare me and he had succeeded even if he didn't know it at the time. I'm not sure he realized how much his talk hit me. It did sink in and stuck with me. It's still with me to this day and that fear of death really is quite the motivating tool. The fact that it's the truth just makes it even more powerful.
There are no certainties in life. I could be hit by a bus tomorrow but to sit by and eat myself to death and let my health deteriorate to a point that I can no longer look after myself is something I wasn't prepared to let happen.
So today, thanks to having the crap scared out of me, I'm 153 pounds lighter and the healthiest I've been in decades. I've been going to the gym five times a week for the last month. I'm now using the treadmill and even jogging intervals. I'm lifting weights and strengthening my body. I'm not trying to look like Mr. Olympia, I just want to feel more fit overall.
Being open with my emotions isn't something I'm comfortable with. Don't get me wrong, I'm a very emotional person and have been known to shed tears at weddings or watching movies but when it comes to expressing my feelings to others, I could be better at it. I'm sure my family knows I love them even though I don't say it. I would lay down my life for any of them if I had to but speaking the words in person is something I just don't do. I'll have to work on that.
But I needed to say thanks to my brother for caring enough to give it to me straight. Sure I did all the work to reach this point but without his push, my future would have been grim at best. Perhaps the next time I visit him we can talk about the progress I've made and I can thank him in person. Most likely I'll just buy him lunch instead and we can talk about something more interesting.
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Now The Pain Begins
I have mixed feelings today.
I finally bit the bullet, opened my wallet and joined the local YMCA. It's an expense I'd rather not have but it's also something that I don't think I can go without.
Having lost over 150 pounds so far I'm thrilled with my results but simply cutting back on my food intake and walking many kilometres will only do so much. I needed to take that next step towards shaping the new me.
With that knowledge I joined the gym today. I'm not a fan of winter and the cold so this will allow me an opportunity to workout and walk inside. The treadmill is foreign to me but in time I'm sure I'll get a grasp of how to use it.
I've never been a "gym guy" so to speak. This goes back to my late teens when I used to visit another local fitness club semi-regularly and always found it to be kinda snobby. I always felt like people were looking at me and wondering why I was infringing on their gym experience and social group. The truth of the matter is I rarely talked to anyone when I was there other than people I knew or worked out with. So maybe those snobby people thought I was a snob as well. But I certainly didn't come from money like they did. We didn't travel in the same social or economic circles
But having visited the YMCA a couple of times to check it out before joining I don't think that will be much of a concern. The people I've seen for the most part are just average everyday folks like myself and I think I'll fit right in.
My other concern was something that has always been an issue for me and that's acceptance. By this I mean having people looking at my large body and talking about me or pointing at me. Eventually this stopped bothering me because I stopped caring what others thought. Again, I don't think this will be a problem here. For one thing, I'm not quite as big as I used to be and I think people today in general are more accepting of overweight individuals making an effort to get healthy. The snobs are in the minority now. Kind of like Caucasians in Canada.
Even though its been over 20 years since I last used free weights or did any kind of real weight lifting and exercise of that type, I still remember the pain associated with using muscles I haven't strained in some time. That pain is not something I'm looking forward to but I know that eventually it will pass as I work through it. The thought of not being able to get out of bed without Advil doesn't excite me but what lies beyond that pain threshold does. The results of toning and tightening my ever shrinking and sagging body is something I look forward to.
So what do I hope to achieve?
One thing I don't care about is having big muscles although losing some of the flab and seeing some of the results would be nice. What I really want is to gain strength and hopefully continue to lose body fat both inside around my organs and on the visible surface.
During my walk through the gym today I spotted a couple of fit guys running on the treadmills. I'm a long way from being able to do that but perhaps one day I'll be able to increase the speed of my walk to a jog.
The facility also has a couple of pools which were busy today with it being a Sunday. I'm not sporting much of a beach body but I might be willing to try my hand at a few lengths of the pool if there aren't too many people around to begin with. A few of the girls in bikini's there today seemed comfortable so I suppose eventually I'll get more comfortable at some point.
Now it's just a matter of making the time to get to the gym for an hour or two each day or as often as possible and to begin the next step of my weight loss journey. My hope is that it will eventually become a routine and a regular part of my day that I plan my schedule around. It would be nice to have a workout buddy to help motivate me and keep me honest but I don't know anyone yet. But who knows, maybe I'll meet someone and we'll help push each other to reach our goals. Either way, I'm going to get the job done.
I finally bit the bullet, opened my wallet and joined the local YMCA. It's an expense I'd rather not have but it's also something that I don't think I can go without.
Having lost over 150 pounds so far I'm thrilled with my results but simply cutting back on my food intake and walking many kilometres will only do so much. I needed to take that next step towards shaping the new me.
With that knowledge I joined the gym today. I'm not a fan of winter and the cold so this will allow me an opportunity to workout and walk inside. The treadmill is foreign to me but in time I'm sure I'll get a grasp of how to use it.
I've never been a "gym guy" so to speak. This goes back to my late teens when I used to visit another local fitness club semi-regularly and always found it to be kinda snobby. I always felt like people were looking at me and wondering why I was infringing on their gym experience and social group. The truth of the matter is I rarely talked to anyone when I was there other than people I knew or worked out with. So maybe those snobby people thought I was a snob as well. But I certainly didn't come from money like they did. We didn't travel in the same social or economic circles
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| New Under Armour Workout Gear |
My other concern was something that has always been an issue for me and that's acceptance. By this I mean having people looking at my large body and talking about me or pointing at me. Eventually this stopped bothering me because I stopped caring what others thought. Again, I don't think this will be a problem here. For one thing, I'm not quite as big as I used to be and I think people today in general are more accepting of overweight individuals making an effort to get healthy. The snobs are in the minority now. Kind of like Caucasians in Canada.
Even though its been over 20 years since I last used free weights or did any kind of real weight lifting and exercise of that type, I still remember the pain associated with using muscles I haven't strained in some time. That pain is not something I'm looking forward to but I know that eventually it will pass as I work through it. The thought of not being able to get out of bed without Advil doesn't excite me but what lies beyond that pain threshold does. The results of toning and tightening my ever shrinking and sagging body is something I look forward to.
So what do I hope to achieve?
One thing I don't care about is having big muscles although losing some of the flab and seeing some of the results would be nice. What I really want is to gain strength and hopefully continue to lose body fat both inside around my organs and on the visible surface.
During my walk through the gym today I spotted a couple of fit guys running on the treadmills. I'm a long way from being able to do that but perhaps one day I'll be able to increase the speed of my walk to a jog.
The facility also has a couple of pools which were busy today with it being a Sunday. I'm not sporting much of a beach body but I might be willing to try my hand at a few lengths of the pool if there aren't too many people around to begin with. A few of the girls in bikini's there today seemed comfortable so I suppose eventually I'll get more comfortable at some point.
Now it's just a matter of making the time to get to the gym for an hour or two each day or as often as possible and to begin the next step of my weight loss journey. My hope is that it will eventually become a routine and a regular part of my day that I plan my schedule around. It would be nice to have a workout buddy to help motivate me and keep me honest but I don't know anyone yet. But who knows, maybe I'll meet someone and we'll help push each other to reach our goals. Either way, I'm going to get the job done.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Closing In On My Goal
Time for another quick weight loss update.
After over 25 years of trying and failing to lose weight, this time things are going well.
I was asked by someone, what's the difference this time as opposed to my previous attempts? I don't have a clear cut answer but if I had to try and narrow it down it would probably just be my ability to stick to my plan. It's a simple plan and has worked for me.
My daily calorie intake that I allow myself is 2000. That's not a lot compared to what I used to eat. The old me could easily eat 5000 or more calories a day. Heck, I could still do it today if I allowed myself to but that's where the willpower comes in. As I said, there are still days that I'll eat slightly more than 2000 calories but as long as I'm close and don't do it every day I can live with it.
I also try to cut out or at the very least cut down on the late night eating. When you work nights and sleep days, that isn't always possible. I'll have supper before I go to work and then I'll have a sandwich and snack at 1am. Not the greatest but it's still better than having fast food for lunch. Plus, you have to eat or your body will try to store fat because it thinks you need it. That's why it's better to eat several small meals and drink lots of water rather than one big meal a day.
The exercise I get is usually just in the form of walking. A typical walk could be anything from 3 to 12 kilometres depending on where I am and how energetic I feel. Plus in the summer I'm back to walking the golf course instead of taking golf carts. I'm proud of the fact that this summer I golfed over 40 times and not once did I rent a golf cart.
I've been talking about joining the local YMCA or a gym but as of yet haven't made that move. I want to but the membership fees have kept me from taking the plunge but I'm leaning towards biting the bullet and taking the financial hit soon. It's not a huge amount but $50 a month is still something I'm not thrilled about spending. But I suppose if I think about how much money I used to spend on fast food each month, it's probably a lot less. Plus, I'm still a big guy and have that big guy mentality that only fit people go to the gym and look down on bigger people. Perhaps times have changed.
As far as eliminating all regular pop from my diet, that was huge. I've talked about it before that I would drink a lot of pop every day and now that I think about how much sugar I was consuming, that change alone has gone a long way towards helping me to try and reach my goal.
And speaking of my goal, I'm getting closer to it. The whole point of this update was to just keep everyone that has been following and supporting my journey towards a healthier me up to date on my progress. So here are the numbers folks:
Starting Weight: 418.8 pounds
Current Weight: 266.4 pounds
Weight Lost To Date: 152.4 pounds
Original Goal: 250 pounds
So I'm only 16.4 pounds away from reaching the original goal I set when I began this quest. I am also now just 4.4 pounds away from reaching my high school football / rugby weight when I played my last year of Senior ball. And for the record, I have no plans to get back into a scrum anytime soon. I don't miss the ear biting and nipple pinching.
After over 25 years of trying and failing to lose weight, this time things are going well.
I was asked by someone, what's the difference this time as opposed to my previous attempts? I don't have a clear cut answer but if I had to try and narrow it down it would probably just be my ability to stick to my plan. It's a simple plan and has worked for me.
- Limit my daily calorie intake.
- Remove all regular pop from my diet.
- Exercise at least 5 days a week.
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| Latest progress comparison photo - profile view. |
I also try to cut out or at the very least cut down on the late night eating. When you work nights and sleep days, that isn't always possible. I'll have supper before I go to work and then I'll have a sandwich and snack at 1am. Not the greatest but it's still better than having fast food for lunch. Plus, you have to eat or your body will try to store fat because it thinks you need it. That's why it's better to eat several small meals and drink lots of water rather than one big meal a day.
The exercise I get is usually just in the form of walking. A typical walk could be anything from 3 to 12 kilometres depending on where I am and how energetic I feel. Plus in the summer I'm back to walking the golf course instead of taking golf carts. I'm proud of the fact that this summer I golfed over 40 times and not once did I rent a golf cart.
I've been talking about joining the local YMCA or a gym but as of yet haven't made that move. I want to but the membership fees have kept me from taking the plunge but I'm leaning towards biting the bullet and taking the financial hit soon. It's not a huge amount but $50 a month is still something I'm not thrilled about spending. But I suppose if I think about how much money I used to spend on fast food each month, it's probably a lot less. Plus, I'm still a big guy and have that big guy mentality that only fit people go to the gym and look down on bigger people. Perhaps times have changed.
As far as eliminating all regular pop from my diet, that was huge. I've talked about it before that I would drink a lot of pop every day and now that I think about how much sugar I was consuming, that change alone has gone a long way towards helping me to try and reach my goal.
And speaking of my goal, I'm getting closer to it. The whole point of this update was to just keep everyone that has been following and supporting my journey towards a healthier me up to date on my progress. So here are the numbers folks:
Starting Weight: 418.8 pounds
Current Weight: 266.4 pounds
Weight Lost To Date: 152.4 pounds
Original Goal: 250 pounds
So I'm only 16.4 pounds away from reaching the original goal I set when I began this quest. I am also now just 4.4 pounds away from reaching my high school football / rugby weight when I played my last year of Senior ball. And for the record, I have no plans to get back into a scrum anytime soon. I don't miss the ear biting and nipple pinching.
Wednesday, October 09, 2013
Pound by Pound & Inch by Inch
It's been almost a month since my last quick update on my progress in the battle to shrink myself to a respectable size. So I figured I'd take a few moments today to bring you up to speed on where things stand as of today.
The last month I've actually done a pretty good job of staying active and walking almost every day which hasn't necessarily resulted in pleasant results during my visits to the scale but I have been noticing some changes in my body.
For example my thighs have started to shrink. I hadn't measured them in quite some time but the last time I lashed the tape measure around them the other day they had decreased by four inches each. I used to be 32 inches around the thighs and I'm currently at 28 inches and can actually start to see some separation between them which I'm thrilled about. Less chaffing is a good thing. I've always been big in the legs, both my thighs and calves, even as a child so I'm not expecting miracles to happen there but any reduction will be a positive result.
I haven't measured around my waist lately but I can tell you those size 46 jeans I purchased several weeks back are already feeling loose on me and my belt has already had one new hole punched in it and will likely need another one very soon or my pants will be around my ankles as I'm reaching for something on a high shelf at Walmart.
When it comes to my eating, which is what got me in the mess I was in to begin with, every day continues to be a struggle but I win the battle most days. I still limit myself to 2000 calories per day which I think is pretty reasonable. I'm still eating what I like but one thing I have tried to change in my daily routine is not counting my calories burned towards my calorie intake. For example, if I walked 8 kilometres and burned 1000 calories, I would look at that and say I have an extra 1000 calories I can eat that day. So in fact, I would be eating a total of 3000 calories a day instead of my allotted 2000. Now I'm only eating up to or around the 2000 calories a day no matter what I burn exercising. I think this will help aid my weight loss more and hopefully diminish the frequency of plateaus. We'll see how that works.
So where do I stand with my overall weight loss?
My starting weight was 418.8 pounds and as of today's trip to the scale, my current weight stands at 269.5 pounds. That's a total of 149.3 pounds lost so far.
My goal weight when I started was and still is 250 pounds so I'm currently 19.5 pounds away from reaching it. Surprisingly I am also just 7.5 pounds away from getting back to the weight I was when I played high school football many many years ago. I'm thrilled by this progress and the idea of actually attaining my goal but when I began my journey I jokingly stated that I would run naked in the street if I ever reached that goal. My neighbours should be on alert that as I get closer they might want to keep their blinds closed and children inside.
The last month I've actually done a pretty good job of staying active and walking almost every day which hasn't necessarily resulted in pleasant results during my visits to the scale but I have been noticing some changes in my body.
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| I'm still big but my body shape is changing. |
I haven't measured around my waist lately but I can tell you those size 46 jeans I purchased several weeks back are already feeling loose on me and my belt has already had one new hole punched in it and will likely need another one very soon or my pants will be around my ankles as I'm reaching for something on a high shelf at Walmart.
When it comes to my eating, which is what got me in the mess I was in to begin with, every day continues to be a struggle but I win the battle most days. I still limit myself to 2000 calories per day which I think is pretty reasonable. I'm still eating what I like but one thing I have tried to change in my daily routine is not counting my calories burned towards my calorie intake. For example, if I walked 8 kilometres and burned 1000 calories, I would look at that and say I have an extra 1000 calories I can eat that day. So in fact, I would be eating a total of 3000 calories a day instead of my allotted 2000. Now I'm only eating up to or around the 2000 calories a day no matter what I burn exercising. I think this will help aid my weight loss more and hopefully diminish the frequency of plateaus. We'll see how that works.
So where do I stand with my overall weight loss?
My starting weight was 418.8 pounds and as of today's trip to the scale, my current weight stands at 269.5 pounds. That's a total of 149.3 pounds lost so far.
My goal weight when I started was and still is 250 pounds so I'm currently 19.5 pounds away from reaching it. Surprisingly I am also just 7.5 pounds away from getting back to the weight I was when I played high school football many many years ago. I'm thrilled by this progress and the idea of actually attaining my goal but when I began my journey I jokingly stated that I would run naked in the street if I ever reached that goal. My neighbours should be on alert that as I get closer they might want to keep their blinds closed and children inside.
Sunday, September 01, 2013
Bye Bye Belly
So here I am approaching one year since I honestly started to make an effort to shed my massive amounts of fat and reduce the weight I had been carrying around for 20 plus years. Actually, in reality I've been carrying around too much weight most of my entire life. Even as child I was big but after college was when I really started to pack on the pounds.
Fast forward to September 2012 when I decided to give an honest effort to shed some of my excess weight. Topping out at 418 pounds I knew my health and life depended on it. Being as large as I was and having so much weight on my joints I had to ease into the diet. I actually hate calling it a diet as it's more of a lifestyle change but it's just easier to say "diet".
I began reducing my calorie intake per day which automatically reversed my upward trend in weight. I stopped drinking regular pop like Coke and Pepsi which I would easily drink 3-6 cans per day. That equalled a lot of sugar. I switched to diet pop which still isn't ideal but I have no doubt that one move alone was a major factor in getting to a lighter version of myself.
Eventually I got below 400 pounds and began to go for short walks and increase my activity. This continued all winter and my walks gradually got longer and more intense. As my weight continued the downward spiral I would reduce my daily calorie allowance. I would guess at my top weight I was eating well over 5000 calories per day. Today at this current moment I allow myself 2000 calories. If I exercise that will allow me more if I desire it. But to be honest, I have rarely had moments where I felt as though I was starving or ill for lack of food. Sure I have days where I might go over my goal and perhaps eat 100-300 more calories than I would have liked but it balances out because there are days when I might only have 1600 calories.
From time to time and probably more often than I should some cheat meals will take place. I might stop at Tim Horton's and pick up a couple of chocolate chip cookies or I might have lunch at A&W and eat a Papa Burger and fries. But usually when this occurs I will make a point of going for a long walk or go golfing to offset those calories by burning a bunch as well. When it comes to snacking I've really cut down on that vice. My typical night would consist of me sitting in front of the TV watching my beloved Montreal Canadiens playing hockey while devouring an entire large bag of potato chips. Night time snacking is rare for me now but from time to time I will enjoy some chips. The difference is I'll make a bag last 3 or 4 nights or go weeks without any chips at all. I have to allow myself to snack every now and then just to keep my sane.
Whatever I've been doing the last 12 months has worked and eventually I hope to make even more changes. The biggest change I'd like to make is to train myself to eat healthier foods. You know the foods I'm talking about...the food I never eat or hate eating. But if I can learn to like even a few of them and add them to my diet I hope that will propel me to even more success. I'd also like to get a membership at a local fitness club for the winter months. As much as I enjoy walking in the snow and cold, sometimes I just can't will myself out the door to walk on icy roads and sidewalks while braving temperatures of minus 15 or worse.
By joining a gym I also hope to get back to lifting weights and building muscle and toning my body. Believe me, there's plenty to tone. I haven't lifted weights since my days of playing football and rugby in high school. Sadly that's more than a few years ago now.
So as I approach one year of busting my butt to get healthier, I'm proud of the fact that I've lost 136 pounds so far and at the same time I know that losing the next 32 pounds to reach my initial ultimate goal will not be easy. In fact, it might be harder to lose those last 32 pounds than what I lost in the first 12 months but nothing worth having is ever easy and I hope and plan to keep charging ahead with this mission. I may stumble along the way but I won't be denied this if I can help it.
Someone asked me once, "what will you do when you reach your goal?" My usual smartass answer was, "I'm going to run naked downtown to celebrate!" That actually might be a good idea. I hear the food in jail is awful so not eating would help even more. I suppose if and when I reach my long term goal I'll celebrate briefly in some manner and then quickly create another goal to work towards.
Fast forward to September 2012 when I decided to give an honest effort to shed some of my excess weight. Topping out at 418 pounds I knew my health and life depended on it. Being as large as I was and having so much weight on my joints I had to ease into the diet. I actually hate calling it a diet as it's more of a lifestyle change but it's just easier to say "diet".
I began reducing my calorie intake per day which automatically reversed my upward trend in weight. I stopped drinking regular pop like Coke and Pepsi which I would easily drink 3-6 cans per day. That equalled a lot of sugar. I switched to diet pop which still isn't ideal but I have no doubt that one move alone was a major factor in getting to a lighter version of myself.
 |
| Same jacket fitting differently. Left: 2003 On a cruise. Right: 2013 Too big. |
From time to time and probably more often than I should some cheat meals will take place. I might stop at Tim Horton's and pick up a couple of chocolate chip cookies or I might have lunch at A&W and eat a Papa Burger and fries. But usually when this occurs I will make a point of going for a long walk or go golfing to offset those calories by burning a bunch as well. When it comes to snacking I've really cut down on that vice. My typical night would consist of me sitting in front of the TV watching my beloved Montreal Canadiens playing hockey while devouring an entire large bag of potato chips. Night time snacking is rare for me now but from time to time I will enjoy some chips. The difference is I'll make a bag last 3 or 4 nights or go weeks without any chips at all. I have to allow myself to snack every now and then just to keep my sane.
Whatever I've been doing the last 12 months has worked and eventually I hope to make even more changes. The biggest change I'd like to make is to train myself to eat healthier foods. You know the foods I'm talking about...the food I never eat or hate eating. But if I can learn to like even a few of them and add them to my diet I hope that will propel me to even more success. I'd also like to get a membership at a local fitness club for the winter months. As much as I enjoy walking in the snow and cold, sometimes I just can't will myself out the door to walk on icy roads and sidewalks while braving temperatures of minus 15 or worse.
By joining a gym I also hope to get back to lifting weights and building muscle and toning my body. Believe me, there's plenty to tone. I haven't lifted weights since my days of playing football and rugby in high school. Sadly that's more than a few years ago now.
So as I approach one year of busting my butt to get healthier, I'm proud of the fact that I've lost 136 pounds so far and at the same time I know that losing the next 32 pounds to reach my initial ultimate goal will not be easy. In fact, it might be harder to lose those last 32 pounds than what I lost in the first 12 months but nothing worth having is ever easy and I hope and plan to keep charging ahead with this mission. I may stumble along the way but I won't be denied this if I can help it.
Someone asked me once, "what will you do when you reach your goal?" My usual smartass answer was, "I'm going to run naked downtown to celebrate!" That actually might be a good idea. I hear the food in jail is awful so not eating would help even more. I suppose if and when I reach my long term goal I'll celebrate briefly in some manner and then quickly create another goal to work towards.
Saturday, August 03, 2013
Regaining My Life
As I travel down this weight-loss road I continue to receive amazing support from so many friends and family. Even complete strangers who know me have made comments about the changes they've seen in my appearance. Feed back like that does two things for me. It makes me feel great knowing that all of the hard work, exercise and changes I've made to my lifestyle are making a difference. It also motivates me to keep going because while I don't want to let myself down, I also feel as though I'd be letting a lot of other people down as well.
I've also heard from so many people following my journey, witnessing what I've accomplished and continue to strive for and they come to the realization that they can also make the changes necessary to work towards their own weight-loss goals. By no means did I set out to become a role model of any kind but I will certainly take that as a compliment.
If my updates here and on Facebook ignite something in you or give you hope then I only feel that much better about what I'm doing. Believe me when I say the encouragement I've received can never be repaid. It has propelled me in the right direction towards a healthier me. My life will only be richer if more of my friends feel motivated to make changes to ensure they're around for many more years as well.
Before I talk about the changes I've noticed so far since I began dropping the pounds, let me give you a quick update on where I stand.
Starting Weight: 418.8 pounds
Current Weight: 289.7 pounds
Weight Lost To Date: 129.1 pounds
Next Goal: 260 pounds
So as you can see, it's going pretty well. I think if you look at the comparison photo I posted of my stomach you can clearly notice how much it has shrunk so far. I admit it looks ugly with the skin getting loose and sagging at the bottom of the belly but after a lifetime of obesity and in recent years having the skin stretch the furthest it ever had, asking it to tighten up quickly is probably a pipe dream. But hopefully as I continue to shed the weight, I'll hit the gym this fall and start lifting weights and exercising to tone all of my problem areas. Trust me, I have plenty of those. My biggest concerns are the stomach, arms and thighs. I've always had huge thighs so anything I can do to shrink them down would be a bonus.
So let me get back to my original idea for this blog update, which is to mention a few of the changes I've noticed in my day to day life. These are things that all healthy people take for granted and might not even consider an issue for people who are overweight.
WALKING - It doesn't sound like much but if you've ever watched an obese person walk, it almost looks painful. In many cases it is. That's a lot of weight on the ankles and joints. For me I hated walking prior to dropping some pounds. Just the thought of having to walk put me in a bad mood because I knew even if I made it to where I was going, I would almost certainly pay for it the next day with a lot of pain. Today, I went for a 4km brisk walk and felt great. The only pain I have is in my right foot which suffered a lot of minor fractures over the years from supporting so much weight. But it isn't nearly as bad as it used to be. And my ankles feel fantastic. I had to give up a job working at a good friends golf course because my ankles couldn't handle working on the hills and uneven ground. I'm pretty sure that wouldn't be the case today.
RESTAURANTS - You're probably thinking, "what the heck could the issue be in restaurants?" Imagine being a size 60+ waist and having to squeeze into a booth. It can't be done. That was the dilemma I was faced with every time I went out to eat with family. I know this annoyed some people because there would be booths open and the hostess could have seated us but because of me and my girth, we were forced to wait until a table with chairs came open. And if all they had were booths and they weren't big enough to accommodate me, then I had to go to a different place. I recall one time at a local place in Brighton there was only a booth available and the owner said she could place a chair at the end of the table for me. While I'm sure she thought she was helping, I was insulted and humiliated. I didn't want to be sitting out in a traffic area with patrons and waitresses trying to manoeuvre around me. I was already a big target for insults and stares, I didn't need a flashing neon arrow pointing at me saying, "Look at this fat bastard who can't fit in the booth!" Now, while I still prefer tables and chairs, I have found some restaurants where I couldn't sit on the bench or in a booth before, I can now. And in some others I can at least make it work. Hopefully in the near future this won't even be an issue for me.
DRIVING - This was more of a minor annoyance than anything else. As you can imagine the problem was fitting my stomach behind the wheel of the car or truck. When I bought my last car in 2007, I had to purchase a vehicle based on which one actually allowed me to drive it without having to steer with my belly. There were other vehicles I liked better but they just weren't an option. Today, I have plenty of room behind that same wheel and I've driven other vehicles that I used to rub against but now have lots of space to work. I look forward to getting my next mode of transportation. Maybe I'll get a Mini Cooper.
SHOWERING - Do you have any idea how difficult it is to shower when you can't reach every nook and cranny? I like to be clean and sometimes this was difficult to achieve properly when I was larger than I am now. I'm happy to report today that I am spic & span from top to bottom and all places in between. Also, some showers just aren't as roomy as others. I remember trying to shower on a cruise and spent more time bouncing off the walls as the ship rocked on the waves.
BATHROOM - I'll spare you the details. Lets just say I found some interesting ways to complete the job. This is something we deal with several times a day and most people wouldn't even give it consideration. I often thought about trying to invent something to assist obese people in similar situations. But I'll leave that up to someone more creative.
DRESSING - Again, this is something we have to do every day unless we vacation in a nude resort. When was the last time you got winded putting on socks or tying your shoe laces? I'm ashamed to admit this was the case at times. Straining to reach my feet was made all the more difficult with a huge belly in the way. Lifting my legs up to get my underwear or pants on was also a challenge at times. I could get the leg up but only keep it there momentarily and had to work quickly to try and get the leg of my pants under my foot to slide them on. It wasn't a pretty sight. It's not even an issue today.
CLOTHING - Along the same lines as dressing is trying to purchase clothes that fit. There is only one Big & Tall store in the area and unless you've stepped inside one you have no idea how expensive it is to buy clothing for large people. In fact, it's so bad here, I usually make two or three trips to the Casual Male location near my brothers place in Florida when I visit. Not only can I get clothes that fit and are cheaper but they have a much wider variety and nicer styles. The only bad thing so far with losing weight, other than not eating as much, is having a bunch of new clothes that I bought a year and a half ago that are now way too big for me. I bought a golf jacket that's a 6X and only wore it once. It's like a tent on me now. At this point I'd need a 3X and I'm almost into 2X size clothing. But it's a small price to pay to not have to spend a small fortune on a pair of pants or a new shirt.
Again, these are the challenges of being obese and I see people every day who I know struggle with the same things I did. That's right, I said "did." I'm thrilled by the little things now that have changed in my every day life that I have no doubt you wouldn't even bat an eye at. My goals are still a lot of hard work away but knowing how much I've accomplished so far will make achieving that goal easier. Not because it will be easy or because I'll get to my next goal quickly. It will be easier because I feel like a whole new person inside and out.
I've also heard from so many people following my journey, witnessing what I've accomplished and continue to strive for and they come to the realization that they can also make the changes necessary to work towards their own weight-loss goals. By no means did I set out to become a role model of any kind but I will certainly take that as a compliment.
If my updates here and on Facebook ignite something in you or give you hope then I only feel that much better about what I'm doing. Believe me when I say the encouragement I've received can never be repaid. It has propelled me in the right direction towards a healthier me. My life will only be richer if more of my friends feel motivated to make changes to ensure they're around for many more years as well.
Before I talk about the changes I've noticed so far since I began dropping the pounds, let me give you a quick update on where I stand.
Starting Weight: 418.8 pounds
Current Weight: 289.7 pounds
Weight Lost To Date: 129.1 pounds
Next Goal: 260 pounds
 |
| Can you see a difference? I think progress is being made. |
So let me get back to my original idea for this blog update, which is to mention a few of the changes I've noticed in my day to day life. These are things that all healthy people take for granted and might not even consider an issue for people who are overweight.
WALKING - It doesn't sound like much but if you've ever watched an obese person walk, it almost looks painful. In many cases it is. That's a lot of weight on the ankles and joints. For me I hated walking prior to dropping some pounds. Just the thought of having to walk put me in a bad mood because I knew even if I made it to where I was going, I would almost certainly pay for it the next day with a lot of pain. Today, I went for a 4km brisk walk and felt great. The only pain I have is in my right foot which suffered a lot of minor fractures over the years from supporting so much weight. But it isn't nearly as bad as it used to be. And my ankles feel fantastic. I had to give up a job working at a good friends golf course because my ankles couldn't handle working on the hills and uneven ground. I'm pretty sure that wouldn't be the case today.
RESTAURANTS - You're probably thinking, "what the heck could the issue be in restaurants?" Imagine being a size 60+ waist and having to squeeze into a booth. It can't be done. That was the dilemma I was faced with every time I went out to eat with family. I know this annoyed some people because there would be booths open and the hostess could have seated us but because of me and my girth, we were forced to wait until a table with chairs came open. And if all they had were booths and they weren't big enough to accommodate me, then I had to go to a different place. I recall one time at a local place in Brighton there was only a booth available and the owner said she could place a chair at the end of the table for me. While I'm sure she thought she was helping, I was insulted and humiliated. I didn't want to be sitting out in a traffic area with patrons and waitresses trying to manoeuvre around me. I was already a big target for insults and stares, I didn't need a flashing neon arrow pointing at me saying, "Look at this fat bastard who can't fit in the booth!" Now, while I still prefer tables and chairs, I have found some restaurants where I couldn't sit on the bench or in a booth before, I can now. And in some others I can at least make it work. Hopefully in the near future this won't even be an issue for me.
 |
| I was offered a job at Sea World in 2007. |
SHOWERING - Do you have any idea how difficult it is to shower when you can't reach every nook and cranny? I like to be clean and sometimes this was difficult to achieve properly when I was larger than I am now. I'm happy to report today that I am spic & span from top to bottom and all places in between. Also, some showers just aren't as roomy as others. I remember trying to shower on a cruise and spent more time bouncing off the walls as the ship rocked on the waves.
BATHROOM - I'll spare you the details. Lets just say I found some interesting ways to complete the job. This is something we deal with several times a day and most people wouldn't even give it consideration. I often thought about trying to invent something to assist obese people in similar situations. But I'll leave that up to someone more creative.
DRESSING - Again, this is something we have to do every day unless we vacation in a nude resort. When was the last time you got winded putting on socks or tying your shoe laces? I'm ashamed to admit this was the case at times. Straining to reach my feet was made all the more difficult with a huge belly in the way. Lifting my legs up to get my underwear or pants on was also a challenge at times. I could get the leg up but only keep it there momentarily and had to work quickly to try and get the leg of my pants under my foot to slide them on. It wasn't a pretty sight. It's not even an issue today.
CLOTHING - Along the same lines as dressing is trying to purchase clothes that fit. There is only one Big & Tall store in the area and unless you've stepped inside one you have no idea how expensive it is to buy clothing for large people. In fact, it's so bad here, I usually make two or three trips to the Casual Male location near my brothers place in Florida when I visit. Not only can I get clothes that fit and are cheaper but they have a much wider variety and nicer styles. The only bad thing so far with losing weight, other than not eating as much, is having a bunch of new clothes that I bought a year and a half ago that are now way too big for me. I bought a golf jacket that's a 6X and only wore it once. It's like a tent on me now. At this point I'd need a 3X and I'm almost into 2X size clothing. But it's a small price to pay to not have to spend a small fortune on a pair of pants or a new shirt.
Again, these are the challenges of being obese and I see people every day who I know struggle with the same things I did. That's right, I said "did." I'm thrilled by the little things now that have changed in my every day life that I have no doubt you wouldn't even bat an eye at. My goals are still a lot of hard work away but knowing how much I've accomplished so far will make achieving that goal easier. Not because it will be easy or because I'll get to my next goal quickly. It will be easier because I feel like a whole new person inside and out.
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Losing Weight is Hard Work
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| The changes are happening slowly. |
I'm posting some photos here that are slightly embarrassing but I think they'll illustrate where I've come from and how I'm progressing. I've made a point of documenting my progress to have a visual reference of the transformation. I've never been comfortable in my own massive skin but I want to be as open and honest about this journey as possible and I'm glad so many people are taking the trip with me and supporting me.
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| June 2007 - Likely heavier than 418 lbs. |
although some weeks I do seem to run into a brick wall and my dropping weight stalls. I guess this is normal as my body continues to adjust to the changes taking place but I will admit it's frustrating stepping on the scale and not seeing the results I think should be looking up at me.
But I continue to make an effort to improve my life and my health by eating less and exercising more. I try to get in at least four types of cardio exercise each week. This could be anything from a three hour round of golf to a 30 minute walk around the neighbourhood. I feel if I can continue to stay vigilant of my food intake and keep burning calories on a regular basis, positive results will happen.
A good college and radio friend of mine wanted to know what changes I've made to my diet and if I've embraced new and healthier foods that I wouldn't have normally eaten in the past. To answer your question Scott (Freddy), I'm still pretty much eating the same foods I used to eat when I weighed 418 pounds. The difference of course is that I'm not eating nearly as much of it even though some days I really want to.
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| On July 3, 2013 I finally dropped below 300 lbs. |
Fruits are not something I enjoy at all. I wish I did like them because that would make finding healthy snacks much easier. Instead, I usually end up not having snacks or only on rare occasions and certainly not something that would be considered healthy. Lets just say it's a work in progress and I hope to make more changes at some point.
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| Wearing a ball jacket that hadn't fit for 20 years. |
One thing that I'm quite proud of is how I've kept my promise to myself to exercise. When I first started this journey to a new me I thought I'd probably exercise twice a week for maybe 10 minutes but I've been doing much more than that. One thing that's helped me to be more active like I was 20 years ago was dropping the weight. That's right, I had to lose weight in order to be more active and lose even more. The more weight I lose, the more energy I seem to have and the more willing I am to get out and wear out my running shoes. I enjoy my walks and if sweating is a sign of progress than I've been making plenty of progress this summer. And between you and me, I think losing weight makes you feel more horny. Maybe it's more testosterone or something. I'll have to do more research on that. I just need to find a research partner.
So where do I stand on my road to a new and improved me you might be wondering. As I mentioned previously, my goal was to get below 300 pounds by my birthday on July 17th. I'm happy to report that I was able to reach that goal two weeks ahead of schedule.
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| It may look ugly but my stomach is shrinking. |
I fully expect the amount of weight and the ease in which I lose it to slow down and I'm okay with that. The way I feel now compared to a year ago is like night and day. If I didn't lose another pound I wouldn't be happy but with the daily aches and pains I grew accustomed to and endured for all those years now gone I feel so much happier about myself.
But my hope is to continue to shed as much weight as I can and hopefully find myself in a gym this winter lifting weights and toning the now sagging skin that is developing from losing the fat. At my age and after decades of abuse my body just won't bounce back like other people I see. At least not quickly.
I'll never have six-pack abs or tightly toned legs, butt or arms, however I'd like to get to the point where I don't step out of the shower and scare myself. It would be nice to look in the mirror one day and say, "damn, where have you been all my life?"
Monday, May 06, 2013
It's Either Gravy or the Grave
You don't have to be a rocket scientist to take one look at me and know I'm overweight. Okay, not just overweight, I'm freaking obese. No point in sugar coating it.
I don't know if it's hereditary or what but even as a young boy I was "big boned". I hate that term so I'm just going to use the word fat from here on in. I was called fat all my life so it must be the right word to use. And by the way, just a note to those who called me fat behind my back growing up, I know who you are and I've never forgotten. I guess you could say I'm like an elephant. Insert your own joke there.
But this isn't about who I was. This is about who I hope to be and in fact, who I am becoming. Now I have no grand illusions about what my future holds. I never have been thin and I never will be but I am trying to get healthier. I'm 45 this year and I would like nothing better than to be around in another 20-30 years see my niece get married and be in good enough shape that I don't require a forklift to load me on to the plane to get there.
I've had nothing but bad luck with diets in the past so I try to avoid using that word. What I'm doing isn't really a "diet" it's more of a lifestyle change. And that is not something I ever thought I'd be able to do.
Food is a weakness of mine. I love food. Even more to the point, I love food that is not good for me. Potatoes, bread, pizza, fast food...you know the yummy goodness of which I'm referring to. I like all the foods that are usually forbidden on any weight-loss plan. Long story short, I love those fatty calorie filled goodies but obviously they don't like me. Correction...the amount that passes by my lips disagrees with me. And sadly I'm a finicky eater which means either I eat what I like or I don't eat at all.
This brings me to the situation that I was confronted with in the Fall of 2012. After having been diagnosed as a diabetic in March of that same year I knew that unless I made some kind of change to my eating habits and lifestyle it was possible that body parts might soon be surgically removed from my body until I eventually found myself with only a head and a big fat torso.
My doctor recommended to me that I was a prime candidate for gastric bypass surgery. And while I've never ruled that out, it wasn't something I was willing to do right away. I wanted to try and lose weight on my own. It's not that I'm afraid of the operation. I know people who have had it done and they've lost a great amount of weight and their lives have drastically improved. I just felt I could find enough will power inside of me to get the job done and at the very least get to a more manageable weight.
I've always been active in sports but in recent years my weight gain has pretty much ended that. All except golfing but even there I was forced to use a motorized golf cart to get me around the course instead of walking due to the pain associated with walking. My ankles and other joints would ache for days. But back to my original train of thought.
When I played football in high school I weighed 260 pounds. That's pretty big but I was a solid and well proportioned 260. I could run short distances pretty quickly. I played baseball 5-6 nights a week in my 20's but all the time I kept adding on the pounds. Fast forward to 2011. I hadn't been to my doctor in years except to be diagnosed with Sleep Apnea, another common condition for obese people. I also hadn't weighed myself in nearly 20 years so I had no idea what damage had been done from the decades of overeating and the sedentary lifestyle I had adopted simply because I didn't like being sore from getting exercise.
One day on a job site I spotted an industrial scale used to weigh large heavy loads before they were packed into trucks for shipping. I knew most household scales would be useless for me at this point. I knew I wasn't going to like the results if I stepped on but the curiosity was killing me. I had to know what damage I had done. Lets face it, nobody ever looks in the mirror and actually sees what others see. I stepped on expecting it to come back with a shocking reading of something like 350 pounds or so. My heart nearly stopped when the reading settled on 420 pounds. That wasn't possible I thought, but the numbers didn't lie.
The next day I started trying to eat better and smarter but as in the past, it didn't last long and I fell back into my old habits. It wasn't until I was diagnosed with the diabetes and knowing what that can lead to that I realized this was my life I was wasting and possibly eating away. I had to make a change or at the very least die trying.
I began my changing immediately. It wasn't easy and I had to ease into it because the damage had been done and in order to get active and walking again I had to lose some initial weight. And I did. By the Fall of 2012 I was starting to walk short distances and eventually several kilometres at a time working up a good sweat and getting my heart rate up enough to start burning calories. I won't lie and say my food choices changed much but I did make some changes.
The biggest change I made was to stop drinking regular Coke and Pepsi. I would drink a lot every day. I didn't like the switch to diet pop but I have acquired a taste for it now. The foods I eat for meals are more or less the same however instead of filling my plate up 2 or 3 times for supper I'll fill it once and maybe get a tiny bit more if I haven't had much else during the day. I've cut way back on my night time snacking as well which I know has had a major impact on things. I've also started using the MyFitnessPal App on my iPad and iPhone to track everything that I eat and drink each day. I only allow myself a certain number of calories which allows my body to change and shed the pounds.
Along with the change in my eating I've also been walking regularly. I have another app called MapMyWalk which uses GPS and calculations based on my age and weight to determine how many calories I burn during my walks. I can see maps of where I've been and how many calories I burned during my trip. These two apps have really proven to be great motivators for me.
So where do I stand you might be wondering after starting at 418 pounds and feeling like there was no hope of ever breaking out of a nose dive towards an early death? As of today, eight months into an honest effort towards weight-loss, I am sitting at 321 pounds. I'm happy with what I've achieved so far but still not satisfied with my weight. I'm approaching the 100 pound milestone and mini-goal I set for myself. Ultimately I'd like to lose as much as I can but the goal I set for myself when I began was to try and get below my football playing weight. My goal is 250 pounds. If I'm able to make that weight, I'm sure I'll set a new goal. But I don't want to get ahead of myself. I take it day by day and week by week.
I feel great walking and I no longer ride a cart when I'm golfing. I walk the course and carry my clubs. Sure when I climb the big hills I get huffing and puffing but everyone does and it's a good sign that I'm working my body, raising my heart-rate and dropping more calories. Best of all, the feeling I get every time I finish a round of golf knowing that where I was just a year ago, gives me a great sense of pride in myself.
So here I sit feeling healthier and lighter but my journey is long from over. My diabetes is under control with my lowest blood sugar readings ever and my aches and pains are no longer weight related; they're exercise related. While I'm still single I hold on to the hope that perhaps the changes I'm making will eventually lead to some new relationship down the road. Every day is a challenge but I've had a lot of wonderful support from family, friends and even complete strangers. I know that I can get the job done. After all, my life depends on it.
I don't know if it's hereditary or what but even as a young boy I was "big boned". I hate that term so I'm just going to use the word fat from here on in. I was called fat all my life so it must be the right word to use. And by the way, just a note to those who called me fat behind my back growing up, I know who you are and I've never forgotten. I guess you could say I'm like an elephant. Insert your own joke there.
 |
| Me at my heaviest. Christmas 2009 |
I've had nothing but bad luck with diets in the past so I try to avoid using that word. What I'm doing isn't really a "diet" it's more of a lifestyle change. And that is not something I ever thought I'd be able to do.
Food is a weakness of mine. I love food. Even more to the point, I love food that is not good for me. Potatoes, bread, pizza, fast food...you know the yummy goodness of which I'm referring to. I like all the foods that are usually forbidden on any weight-loss plan. Long story short, I love those fatty calorie filled goodies but obviously they don't like me. Correction...the amount that passes by my lips disagrees with me. And sadly I'm a finicky eater which means either I eat what I like or I don't eat at all.
This brings me to the situation that I was confronted with in the Fall of 2012. After having been diagnosed as a diabetic in March of that same year I knew that unless I made some kind of change to my eating habits and lifestyle it was possible that body parts might soon be surgically removed from my body until I eventually found myself with only a head and a big fat torso.
My doctor recommended to me that I was a prime candidate for gastric bypass surgery. And while I've never ruled that out, it wasn't something I was willing to do right away. I wanted to try and lose weight on my own. It's not that I'm afraid of the operation. I know people who have had it done and they've lost a great amount of weight and their lives have drastically improved. I just felt I could find enough will power inside of me to get the job done and at the very least get to a more manageable weight.
I've always been active in sports but in recent years my weight gain has pretty much ended that. All except golfing but even there I was forced to use a motorized golf cart to get me around the course instead of walking due to the pain associated with walking. My ankles and other joints would ache for days. But back to my original train of thought.
When I played football in high school I weighed 260 pounds. That's pretty big but I was a solid and well proportioned 260. I could run short distances pretty quickly. I played baseball 5-6 nights a week in my 20's but all the time I kept adding on the pounds. Fast forward to 2011. I hadn't been to my doctor in years except to be diagnosed with Sleep Apnea, another common condition for obese people. I also hadn't weighed myself in nearly 20 years so I had no idea what damage had been done from the decades of overeating and the sedentary lifestyle I had adopted simply because I didn't like being sore from getting exercise.
One day on a job site I spotted an industrial scale used to weigh large heavy loads before they were packed into trucks for shipping. I knew most household scales would be useless for me at this point. I knew I wasn't going to like the results if I stepped on but the curiosity was killing me. I had to know what damage I had done. Lets face it, nobody ever looks in the mirror and actually sees what others see. I stepped on expecting it to come back with a shocking reading of something like 350 pounds or so. My heart nearly stopped when the reading settled on 420 pounds. That wasn't possible I thought, but the numbers didn't lie.
 |
| Heaviest weight in August 2009 |
I began my changing immediately. It wasn't easy and I had to ease into it because the damage had been done and in order to get active and walking again I had to lose some initial weight. And I did. By the Fall of 2012 I was starting to walk short distances and eventually several kilometres at a time working up a good sweat and getting my heart rate up enough to start burning calories. I won't lie and say my food choices changed much but I did make some changes.
The biggest change I made was to stop drinking regular Coke and Pepsi. I would drink a lot every day. I didn't like the switch to diet pop but I have acquired a taste for it now. The foods I eat for meals are more or less the same however instead of filling my plate up 2 or 3 times for supper I'll fill it once and maybe get a tiny bit more if I haven't had much else during the day. I've cut way back on my night time snacking as well which I know has had a major impact on things. I've also started using the MyFitnessPal App on my iPad and iPhone to track everything that I eat and drink each day. I only allow myself a certain number of calories which allows my body to change and shed the pounds.
Along with the change in my eating I've also been walking regularly. I have another app called MapMyWalk which uses GPS and calculations based on my age and weight to determine how many calories I burn during my walks. I can see maps of where I've been and how many calories I burned during my trip. These two apps have really proven to be great motivators for me.
 |
| Left: December 2009 Right: May 2013 |
I feel great walking and I no longer ride a cart when I'm golfing. I walk the course and carry my clubs. Sure when I climb the big hills I get huffing and puffing but everyone does and it's a good sign that I'm working my body, raising my heart-rate and dropping more calories. Best of all, the feeling I get every time I finish a round of golf knowing that where I was just a year ago, gives me a great sense of pride in myself.
So here I sit feeling healthier and lighter but my journey is long from over. My diabetes is under control with my lowest blood sugar readings ever and my aches and pains are no longer weight related; they're exercise related. While I'm still single I hold on to the hope that perhaps the changes I'm making will eventually lead to some new relationship down the road. Every day is a challenge but I've had a lot of wonderful support from family, friends and even complete strangers. I know that I can get the job done. After all, my life depends on it.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Fatties Fashions Forgotten
If you believe what you read, the world is getting fatter. I think this is probably true judging by what I see every day. I suppose it all depends on what you consider to be overweight.
I’ve been overweight my whole life. It wasn’t easy as a youngster dealing with the name calling and finger pointing. Kids can be cruel but I eventually learned to accept it and ignore it as best I could. It bothered me more when I was just starting out in school but lasted into and through high school to a lesser extent. By that point I had developed some pretty thick skin and had just learned to laugh it off on the outside. Inside was a bit of a different story.
I never slipped into deep depression as I’ve always been a pretty happy person enjoying life and spending time with people who like spending time with me. There were times when I’d feel depressed but it wasn’t something that I’d dwell on for long. I refused to let others make me feel like less of a person because I was different. Of course, as is common for many people like me, I’d eat more when I was feeling low. It’s a comfort thing I guess.
Dealing with being overweight has always been difficult on many levels. Romances were rare, people I considered very close friends were few but that’s probably normal for everyone. I was actually quite active in competitive sports playing football, rugby, badminton and track & field in high school along with all of the intramural sports.
After that I played a lot of baseball, sometimes five or six nights a week and weekend tournaments. I enjoyed it until I broke my hand swinging the bat one night. That was in 2002 I believe and I’ve never picked up a glove since. I did switch to golfing but bad ankles and knees from a combination of size and physical abuse in sports has resulted in my needing to use a golf cart now instead of walking the course. The uneven ground is torture on my joints.
No it isn’t easy being fat and although I’m happy with who I am I’d still prefer to be a bit thinner. I actually don’t eat a whole lot but my activity level has dropped so it’s tough to shed the pounds. I was recently on a ten day mini-holiday and I lost ten pounds without even trying. Don’t ask me how it happened but it would be nice if it continued.
What really infuriates me about being a person of size is the limited selection of clothing available to me. It’s tough to be trendy when you can’t find clothes that fit and the number of places that actually sell plus-size attire is limited to only one store in my area. In Canada I find it to be almost impossible to find clothes I’d be comfortable wearing, and when I do, it costs an arm and a leg to purchase them. You don’t find Wal-Mart prices at the Big and Tall store. The selection leaves a lot to be desired as well and they still barely carry the sizes that I need.
That’s why I love going to Florida. Not only do I get to see family that I don’t see often enough but there’s a store in Sarasota called Casual Male XL which caters to the plus size man and they have a much better selection of clothing to choose from. For the record, they have stores all over the United States but that just happens to be the one I visit.
I can find sporty shirts, shorts, pants and trendy t-shirts that look good. I even found a golf windbreaker by Reebok the last time I was there that was actually too big. Now the prices still aren’t exactly inexpensive but I’d rather pay a bit more for clothing I’ll enjoy wearing then having to settle for something I really don’t like.
Trust me, clothing is only one of many areas where being overweight can be a pain in the ass by getting in the way of things and living life. I’ll always be fat and I’m OK with that. It’s who I am and who I’ve been all my life but it doesn’t define me and I don’t let it control me. If someone sees me and judges me based on their preconceived opinions of overweight people, they’re missing out if they don’t take the time to really find out who I am.
I’ve been overweight my whole life. It wasn’t easy as a youngster dealing with the name calling and finger pointing. Kids can be cruel but I eventually learned to accept it and ignore it as best I could. It bothered me more when I was just starting out in school but lasted into and through high school to a lesser extent. By that point I had developed some pretty thick skin and had just learned to laugh it off on the outside. Inside was a bit of a different story.
I never slipped into deep depression as I’ve always been a pretty happy person enjoying life and spending time with people who like spending time with me. There were times when I’d feel depressed but it wasn’t something that I’d dwell on for long. I refused to let others make me feel like less of a person because I was different. Of course, as is common for many people like me, I’d eat more when I was feeling low. It’s a comfort thing I guess.
Dealing with being overweight has always been difficult on many levels. Romances were rare, people I considered very close friends were few but that’s probably normal for everyone. I was actually quite active in competitive sports playing football, rugby, badminton and track & field in high school along with all of the intramural sports.
After that I played a lot of baseball, sometimes five or six nights a week and weekend tournaments. I enjoyed it until I broke my hand swinging the bat one night. That was in 2002 I believe and I’ve never picked up a glove since. I did switch to golfing but bad ankles and knees from a combination of size and physical abuse in sports has resulted in my needing to use a golf cart now instead of walking the course. The uneven ground is torture on my joints.
No it isn’t easy being fat and although I’m happy with who I am I’d still prefer to be a bit thinner. I actually don’t eat a whole lot but my activity level has dropped so it’s tough to shed the pounds. I was recently on a ten day mini-holiday and I lost ten pounds without even trying. Don’t ask me how it happened but it would be nice if it continued.
What really infuriates me about being a person of size is the limited selection of clothing available to me. It’s tough to be trendy when you can’t find clothes that fit and the number of places that actually sell plus-size attire is limited to only one store in my area. In Canada I find it to be almost impossible to find clothes I’d be comfortable wearing, and when I do, it costs an arm and a leg to purchase them. You don’t find Wal-Mart prices at the Big and Tall store. The selection leaves a lot to be desired as well and they still barely carry the sizes that I need.
That’s why I love going to Florida. Not only do I get to see family that I don’t see often enough but there’s a store in Sarasota called Casual Male XL which caters to the plus size man and they have a much better selection of clothing to choose from. For the record, they have stores all over the United States but that just happens to be the one I visit.
I can find sporty shirts, shorts, pants and trendy t-shirts that look good. I even found a golf windbreaker by Reebok the last time I was there that was actually too big. Now the prices still aren’t exactly inexpensive but I’d rather pay a bit more for clothing I’ll enjoy wearing then having to settle for something I really don’t like.
Trust me, clothing is only one of many areas where being overweight can be a pain in the ass by getting in the way of things and living life. I’ll always be fat and I’m OK with that. It’s who I am and who I’ve been all my life but it doesn’t define me and I don’t let it control me. If someone sees me and judges me based on their preconceived opinions of overweight people, they’re missing out if they don’t take the time to really find out who I am.
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