Why am I here and how I got here.
I was born June 8th 1975. My father was a feed salesman and a farmer. My mother worked off an on as an nurse. I grew up in a lower middle class family where money was always hard to come by and you worked hard for what you did earn. My father grew up on a farm and was the oldest of 6 children. He grew up milking cows for milk, gathering eggs for breakfast in the morning, and butchering their own beef and pork.
I grew up in a very similar lifestyle as my father although things werent quite as basic. We got out milk and eggs from the grocery. I worked hard and I learned from my Dad everything his father taught him. Including how to eat...
My whole family, both immediate and extended, is overweight and unhealthy. I dont blame my father or my mother for how I got fat. I didnt really start putting on weight until I was Senior in high school. I put it on little by little until I realized that I was fat. I told myself I was too out of shape to make any changes and I wasnt about to change my eating habits and give up all my favorite things. So I just kept on being lazy and eating what I wanted. Luckily I worked a factory job for the first 8 years of my adult life and I burned lots of calories so I pretty well maintained gaining only minimum weight but my habits got worse and when I switched careers to IT work in an office environment. My weight began to escalate at a much higher rate. I became obese and it was so far gone. I just didn't care. I wasn't exercising at all and I was eating fast food everyday at least once. I had quit eating breakfast when I left home after high school. I'd been smoking since I was in high school and now I felt truly beyond hope. I was so addicted to cigarettes that I convinced myself there was NO reason to even attempt to get healthy as long as I smoked.
In the spring of 2006 I was diagnosed pre-diabetic with borderline AC-1 levels. I had gone to the Doctor about sleep apnea and night sweats. He ran some blood tests and reported that I was borderline diabetic and that If I didnt get this under control it would progress. They also preformed an ultrasound and found my liver to be encased with fat and that my internal organ were very unhealthy because the fat had grown around them and in some cases like my liver the fat had grown into it. I found Couch to 5K and tried to get healthy by running I made it about 3-4 weeks and had shin splints so bad I couldn't continue I also was still smoking and couldn't break myself free of that. So I gave up trying to get healthy.
On Dec 25th 2006 I smoked my last cigarette and promised my wife and family that I would never smoke again. I've not had a single puff since that day. 4 months later In April 2007 I was determined to get healthy and picked back up on the Couch to 5k program. I had quit smoking which was hard so I knew I could do this. I knew if I could just get myself to exercise and make it a habit that I would begin to drop weight without changing my diet. I didn't want to give up anything. I knew it was possible so I was determined to make it work. My weight was around 280lbs. I ran the C25k program for 2 months and the early posts in this blog show that determination. I got distracted with a family vacation and a knee injury and because I wasn't eating right and now couldn't exercise I fell back into a state of failure, doubt, and apathy about my health. Despite my health problems I just ignored them. I knew they weren't going away but I felt helpless that I couldn't do anything.
A year passed .
Another year passed .
In Sept of 2009 My wife was seriously depressed with her weight and health and got involved with a program at our local YMCA called the ultimate weight loss revolution. It was kind of like "The Biggest Loser" They had class time where they learned about how to eat properly how to cook healthy meals, Basic nutrition, how to exercise, just basic over all physical health and how to take care of yourself with exercise and a good diet. They also did group workouts together twice a week. The 13 week program was a contest with the winner determined by weight lost and % of body fat lowered.
I encouraged my wife throughout the entire program. I knew she needed it and she needed to know that nothing was going to stop her. I supported her in every part all the way to the end. I was so proud of her. She really gave it her all. She started at over 200lbs and finished the 13 week program down like 38lbs. She won the contest but more importantly she is now with in 15 lbs of her goal weight AND she motivated me.
The Massive Changes begin
In January of of 2010 I signed up for the same program to jump start getting myself back on track. I started Jan 12th 2010 at 297lbs I told myself I wasn't about to weigh over 300lbs I couldn't stand to think about weighing over 300. I had to do something and my wife had been very successful. This could work for me...
I had a Body composition test done ( image to the Right). The program had been shortened to 10 weeks and so I started on my journey at 297 lbs.
10 weeks later my life had changed. I finished the 10 week program in 3rd place with a loss of 22lbs. That was just a start. I had changed my entire diet and was exercising a minimum of 3 days per week. I made it a habit and with the help of my wife we made it a life style change together.
I didn't quit after the 10 week program I kept going I increased my workouts and stepped up my discipline of eating.
As of this posting Ive lost 70lbs I'm 35 lbs from my goal weight and well on my way. My losses have slowed down a little but I'm only getting leaner and more muscular and my diet is on track. I still struggle sometimes with some of the old habits that caused me to gain so much weight.
Ive obviously made Massive Changes in my life. The biggest are eating and exercise habits. I finally wanted it bad enough to do something about it. Now I cant imagine going back. I eat lots more fruits and vegetables than I ate before. I eat fish chicken and turkey almost exclusively. I very rarely eat pork and even less often beef. I love beef and once I get to a point where maintenance is my goal rather then losing weight I will adjust my diet to include more beef. I rarely drink anything other than water. No pop/soda occasionally ill drink coffee or tea. I haven't eaten McDonalds or Burger King fast food since January and Ive never felt better.
Your probably saying "Look you had to give up all the things you loved so much." Some of that is true. However; I don't really miss the soda or fast food at all. I occasionally splurge and the wife and I eat out (never Fast food burger joints) and eat somethings we really shouldn't but that's what keeps us going. Its kind of a treat for staying so consistent.
In the spring of 2006 I was diagnosed pre-diabetic with borderline AC-1 levels. I had gone to the Doctor about sleep apnea and night sweats. He ran some blood tests and reported that I was borderline diabetic and that If I didnt get this under control it would progress. They also preformed an ultrasound and found my liver to be encased with fat and that my internal organ were very unhealthy because the fat had grown around them and in some cases like my liver the fat had grown into it. I found Couch to 5K and tried to get healthy by running I made it about 3-4 weeks and had shin splints so bad I couldn't continue I also was still smoking and couldn't break myself free of that. So I gave up trying to get healthy.
On Dec 25th 2006 I smoked my last cigarette and promised my wife and family that I would never smoke again. I've not had a single puff since that day. 4 months later In April 2007 I was determined to get healthy and picked back up on the Couch to 5k program. I had quit smoking which was hard so I knew I could do this. I knew if I could just get myself to exercise and make it a habit that I would begin to drop weight without changing my diet. I didn't want to give up anything. I knew it was possible so I was determined to make it work. My weight was around 280lbs. I ran the C25k program for 2 months and the early posts in this blog show that determination. I got distracted with a family vacation and a knee injury and because I wasn't eating right and now couldn't exercise I fell back into a state of failure, doubt, and apathy about my health. Despite my health problems I just ignored them. I knew they weren't going away but I felt helpless that I couldn't do anything.
A year passed .
Another year passed .
 |
The Massive Changes begin
In January of of 2010 I signed up for the same program to jump start getting myself back on track. I started Jan 12th 2010 at 297lbs I told myself I wasn't about to weigh over 300lbs I couldn't stand to think about weighing over 300. I had to do something and my wife had been very successful. This could work for me...  |
| First day of the rest of my life |
10 weeks later my life had changed. I finished the 10 week program in 3rd place with a loss of 22lbs. That was just a start. I had changed my entire diet and was exercising a minimum of 3 days per week. I made it a habit and with the help of my wife we made it a life style change together.
I didn't quit after the 10 week program I kept going I increased my workouts and stepped up my discipline of eating.
As of this posting Ive lost 70lbs I'm 35 lbs from my goal weight and well on my way. My losses have slowed down a little but I'm only getting leaner and more muscular and my diet is on track. I still struggle sometimes with some of the old habits that caused me to gain so much weight.
Ive obviously made Massive Changes in my life. The biggest are eating and exercise habits. I finally wanted it bad enough to do something about it. Now I cant imagine going back. I eat lots more fruits and vegetables than I ate before. I eat fish chicken and turkey almost exclusively. I very rarely eat pork and even less often beef. I love beef and once I get to a point where maintenance is my goal rather then losing weight I will adjust my diet to include more beef. I rarely drink anything other than water. No pop/soda occasionally ill drink coffee or tea. I haven't eaten McDonalds or Burger King fast food since January and Ive never felt better.
Your probably saying "Look you had to give up all the things you loved so much." Some of that is true. However; I don't really miss the soda or fast food at all. I occasionally splurge and the wife and I eat out (never Fast food burger joints) and eat somethings we really shouldn't but that's what keeps us going. Its kind of a treat for staying so consistent.
 Check out my goals page to see where Im going!  |
| Sept 2010 - Jacob Krumm Trail run |
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| Sept 25th 2011 - About to finish my first Triathlon |
