A tad long, but it sums up the last two years...
In December of 2009, I went out to eat for my birthday. When I was lead to my booth, I couldn't even start to fit inside. It was extremely embarrassing, and I realized this had gone on far too long. I had been a very solid 280lbs, here is a pic from around the "Thinner" time.
Here is a few days after my birthday, at Christmas in 2009.
I decided this was enough. I was gonna make a change. The problem was, I had no way to weigh myself. Commercial scales only go up to 300lbs normally, some models would do 400, but I maxed them all out. I finally got weighed in a metal fabrication shop, using a scale that weighs turbine parts. I was 530lbs.
So in January 2010, I started my diet. I had become an alcoholic after breaking my back wrestling, and that was my main hindrance. I would work out as best I could, eat right, but come home and drink 30 beers a night. Still through it all, I managed to lose almost 80lbs that year.
December 2010 would change my life forever. I was somewhere around 460lbs, and right before Christmas, I had gotten into my sauna, and when I got out, my heart was beating so hard, it was making my chest jiggle with each beat. I couldn't breathe, and I thought I was having a heart attack. The feeling went away after awhile, but I was scared, and made an appointment with a doctor. At the same time, my mother begged me to quit drinking, so on Christmas night 2010, I took my last sip of alcohol.
I weighed in at the doctors at 454 I believe it was. They did an EKG and blood work, and I was actually very healthy for someone of my size and habits. It turns out I had developed a severe anxiety problem, and my doctor put me on medicine for that, encouraged me to stay sober, and told me to lose more weight.
Starting out 2011, I put it into overdrive. Now sober, I biked 10 miles a day after work, ate 1,000 calories or less a day, joined a gym with a friend (got him from 260 to 190 in 3 months on my program) and did my sauna daily. By March 2011, I was around 360lbs.
Then I found out my mother had cancer, and she died in May 2011. Throughout the summer and fall, I just couldn't bring myself to work out. I was trying to convince myself life was even worth living, and I didn't dedicate any time to weight loss. Somehow I stayed sober through it all.
Fall turned into winter, and I knew I had to keep going. I gave up biking, and didn't want to go back to the gym, so I bought a Weider home gym, a new sauna, and got back on my 1,000 calorie a day diet.
As I write this on January 22, 2012, I weigh in at 323lbs. That's 207lbs lost in 24 months. I am only 43lbs from my goal. My pants have dropped from a size 70 to a size 48. A 6X shirt to a 2x shirt. For the first time in 7 years, I am not ashamed to be me.
I am doing this to share my story, and to help others who would like to try my program. I have one guy at work who is supposed to start with me Monday to get into shape for his wedding. I've already helped one friend lose 70lbs. My wife just started my program and in her first week, lost 6lbs.
I will try to update this weekly. Feel free to email me for the diet for the workout program. I would love to help you.
