n00b to this Forum

[SuiteStuff]

Hey everyone, my names Mike Suite, 25, from California and I have a pretty interesting story. Just found you guys by accident. And lurked for the last hour to get a feel of what you guys are about, and loving everything I seen thus far. I am retired from the Army. Medical Discharge due to a freak parachute accident back in 09 when I was with 82nd. I was infantry and ended up breaking over 14 bones. Got addicted to the pain killers and next thing I know I am 280 and didnt know how I got there. Well anyways back in August 2012 I decided it was time for a change, and that my body had enough time to heal already (thats what my excuse was, to give my body more time to heal). I quit cold turkey all the pills and started to go to the local gym. Started with cardio only for 3 months and dropped around 30 pounds. Than started to use weights, unfortunately with my bones and plates and tons of screws in my ankle I cant do free weights as easily. Causes my ankle to swell, so I started hitting the weight machines rather than free weight it. I know it sucks, but its something I have come to terms and coped with. Now I am 215 (my original weight when I was in the army, prior to my accident) and have been helping my fellow gamer friends (LoL, WoW) and mentor them over webcam and helping them achieve their own weightloss goals. I saw your 6 week challenge, and would love to start it, but I think I will have to sit this one out for now, as I got a pretty busy schedule. Job searching and trying to get myself back out there in the employment field. I do diet and cook my own foods, and go to gym 4 times a week. I still cant run, and thats one my goals is to be able to get my ankle in a shape to where it can run again. I really love to help others, and hope I can help inspire some people with their own goals and weight loss. Anyways thats the jist of it things and uploaded some pics to show you where I am at now and where I was at. 

 

Me with the cane I had to live on for 3 years

 

 

Me 1 year ago to the month!

 

Me just the other weekend, when I did a Road March for the first time in  years!

 

 

And me being happy back to my old self

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Welcome to the rebellion, thank you for your service!  That's an amazing story of recovery. Don't sweat the machine thing when there's a legitimate injury like yours machines are what you need. We denigrate them on here because too many people in our opinion recommend them as a superior alternative to free weights for healthy people.  That's really cool about you mentoring people on gaming communities, maybe you can funnel some of them our way.  Let us know if we can help you at all.

[SuiteStuff]

Yeah not sweating the machine thing too bad, I still achieve a healthier body in mean time with it. That involves a lot of work though to hit the same muscle groups where free weights would of cut down that time in half. But its definitely one thing I want to work towards is to be able to do the free weights again, not really need to rush into it just yet. I do do yoga and acupuncture also, and I like to think I am a special circumstance for the machines. Hell without them I'd still be at 280 lol. I am thick skinned too so not worried about the downgrading of them, and I wouldnt want to push my workouts for the machines on others unless someone has an injury and would need advice on it. I am actually looking forward to start school as a Physical Therapist Assistant in August. I love free weights, always had and do try and promote them when I can. I have been active in sports majority my life and would love to just pass my knowledge and insight on to others.  Thanks Renegade for the warm welcome and it was my pleasure to serve. 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

I find accupuncture helpful for various things as well. It sounds like you will make a great PT assistant, have you considered using the GI bill to become a full blown PT or is PT assistant a stepping stone to that? With your story you'd have an amazing ability to cut through people's BS. It sounds like mentoring/ helping is a big passion of yours, I encourage you to continue pursuing it.  Have you thought about joining in on the current six week challenge?