One year ago today...

[BoydLabBuck]

I stumbled upon Nerd Fitness, I think I did a google search for "hotel workouts" because I travel for work and also didn't want to pay for a gym.

It was here that I found "The Beginner's Guide to the Paleo Diet" that really smacked me in the face. This lead to a solid week of slacking on the job and instead reading all I could from NF, Mark's Daily Apple, and Robb Wolf. I also watched "Fat Head" on Netflix with my wife, and she got onboard as well. I signed up for the NF email updates, which is how I was able to verify today was the day.

On my 29th birthday 12/22 I decided my New Year's resolution (which never last past Feb, right?) was to be 230lbs on my 30th birthday (12/22/2012). I didn't go all in right away, because that's a recipe for feeling like a failure trying to implement that kind of change right before Christmas and New Year's parties, but for the most part I began the transition before 1/1. I decided to follow a "primal" model, and also signed up for a 3 days a week, 6am "boot camp" class offered by a local CrossFit affiliate.

On 1/1/2012 I tipped the scale at 270 lbs. The first week I lost 4, then another 4, then 3, then 3 more, and just one month into my new primal approach to life I was 95% convinced. That last 5% kicked in 3 months later when I had my annual physical and bloodwork showing everything was good. The brilliant nurse practitioner pulled out her magical BMI scale and pointed out I fell in the low end of the obese range at that point (they weighed me with my steel toed boots still on, or else I would have come in just under that line at that point, it was a milestone no matter how silly the BMI really is). She asked if I had been exercising or lost any weight recently, and I told her I had lost 30lbs to that point by eating more meat and vegetables. She had never heard of paleo, and I could tell it was a lost conversation on her. She showed no interest at all, just an "OK then, keep doing that." But I digress.

About that time I decided I needed a physical challenge to keep me motivated, so being a fan of running and aircraft I decided to sign up for the USAF Half Marathon in Dayton in September. To this point the only running I had done in 6 years was whatever short stuff was incorporated into the boot camp or occasional CF workout. I started running once or twice a week, from 4-6 miles. I never went more than 6 miles in the leadup to the race. On 9/15 I completed the half in a time of 1:58:19, under my 2:00 goal, at a weight of 218lbs. This isn't a blazing pace by any means, but considering I was incapable of running a mile without stopping just 9 months earlier, I was satisfied.

Since that time I've focused more on strength and added a couple pounds back, but in 3 days I will turn 30, well under my New Year's resolution goal of 230. For 2013 I haven't finalized my goals yet, but I'm thinking 210lbs and a GoRuck challenge may be in the cards.

Anyways, that's my story. One year ago my life drastically changed by luck, accident, or fate, whatever you want to call it, all because of a google search for "hotel workout".

[Elastigirl]

Very inspiring.Thanks for sharing

[jimmie65]

Congrats!!