Finally found the bread crumbs!

[Goofyfoot]

Hey everyone, super glad I found the bread crumbs leading out of the forest and to this outstanding community.  I was a man of many excuses, and have bolded them for reader convenience.

 

About me.  I am 25 years old. 312 lbs, 6'5" tall.  I want to lose a lot of weight, and with the excellent companionship and motivation that everyone seems to bring to the table from what I have seen in just a few hours of browsing the community...I don't see why it will be any problem at all!

 

*The Backstory

I was always a bigger kid, I was 5'10 by the time I was only 14, and continued to grow.  Unfortunately my high school didn't require much for physical fitness to graduate (only half a semester of P.E. , and half a semester of nutritional class work) so I just slowly gained weight, especially since I picked up a full time job at only 16, on top of school work. (Lots of telling myself there was no time to exercise)

 

When I went to college it only got worse.  The cafeteria hours were terrible, and 4 out of days a week, my classes ran past closing time, so (having no car) I went to the after hours fast-foodish place on campus and got my meals there. (Burgers, fries, pop, etc.)

 

i became very unhappy with myself and eventually dropped out of school.  I had no friends (except my guildmates in WoW) and basically let myself get completely immersed in the video game, eating what I wanted when I wanted it, because I didn't care.  You're thinking, alright this is where he hit rock bottom.  Incorrect  I found a shovel friends, and I knew how to use it.

 

Part of my problem is that I am a v-card holding guy at 25 (Not that there is anything wrong with it, I just THOUGHT there was at the time).  With this in my mind, after being a college drop-out, I completely dove back into the work I had started in high-school. (Fast-food).  Being that I got free/cheap meals from work, I ate nothing but fast-food 3, maybe four times a day, every day...for the last 6 years (sans not too long ago).  Using this shovel, to dig deeper into a hole of self-doubt and hate I looked at myself every day in the mirror and told myself "You'll never have somebody to love, so why bother doing anything to make yourself worth having." And I lived by a quote that, too many people I am afraid live by, defined me for that time. 'Eat right, Exercise, Die Anyway'.    This, is where I found my rock-bottom and existed for about 4 years...of absolute hate for myself.

 

Finally, good things started to happen.  I met three key people in my life. (Not like that!)  Lets call them for comic relief sake, Larry, Moe, and Curly.  I met Larry.  He was a fun guy, and started working for me.  A bit judgmental of folks to start, but very friendly once you get to know him.  Moe and I had been friends since high school, but he went off to college and then trade-school, and finally made up his mind and moved back to town.  Curly, is the most important of all three, and I will explain in just a moment.

 

Moe knew me best, and saw where I was when he moved back to town.  He forced me out of my apartment into the world.  I went on walks with him and his fiance and their dog, I had game nights with his family...I was discovering this "RL" people were always mentioning in trade chat of WoW.  Unfortunately, he received a job offer he would be stupid to refuse (Sorry for the long post but my fingers won't stop typing!) and had to move. About 2 days later, Curly showed up and started working for me as well.  Curly is the cool guy that everyone loves, wants to be his best friend, etc.  Well Curly and I forged a bond that to this day is still very strong.  He REALLY forced me into the world, I discovered things that I could have never dreamed of without him.  Paintball, guitar lessons, and so much more.  (Wrapping up, I promise).  I decided to start taking healthy strides and Larry volunteered to be my gym buddy.  Unfortunately, as with Moe, he had a job offer, a family, and had to take off.   Not too long after, Life hit me for an uppercut straight to the chin and Curly had to move away with his wife, daughter, and newborn-to-be son.

 

So here I am, friendless, hopeless...and I had the shovel in my hand...but like the life-saver he was, Curly calls at the precise right moment.  After the call, I stared in the mirror.  I put down the proverbial shovel, and said no more excuses.  10/01/2013.  I decided that I want to do more with my life than be a fast-food manager.

 

My Mission is this:  - Lose enough weight to qualify and join the US Army, and eventually qualify and pass Ranger School.

Mission Specs- Meet my qualifying weight for my height by August 1, 2014. (232 lbs)

 - During Boot Camp, Qualify in exercise standards to meet Ranger School requirements.

 - More to come.

 

*Accomplishments so far

-Drastically cut down soda intake, and the cravings are gone

-Walking to work aprox (2.3 miles one way) four out of 5 days a week.

-Stopped eating fries/deep fried products

-Weight at 10/01/2013 was 330.  Now 312.

 

Again, sorry for the long post...I really wasn't expecting to let that much of myself out into the open...but it felt good and was hard to stop typing.  

Sucks that I missed my first challenge by a day, oh well...more time to forum crawl and get warmed up for it.

 

I realize this goal is nearly impossible, but I am a man of extremes, with nothing but time (outside of 40 working hours a week) to make the changes necessary, and the guides I am finding (and will probably continue to find) it is in my cross-hairs.

 

-Nerd Specs

Counterstrike 1.4-1.6 played in some leagues, did ok.

Starcraft II - Masters 1v1, Diamond multiplayers...addicted to Phantom Custom Game

Tiberian Sun Command and Conquer

World of Warcraft - Release to current (although I have managed to cutdown playtime a LOT)  in the US top 100 for achievements and raiding current heroic tier (6/14, woo!.

-Huge fan of Family Guy, Castle, Arrow, Criminal Minds, Bones, as well as an avid Movie Goer.

[Elastigirl]

Welcome!Looks like you have made some great progress so far. Can't wait to see all the awesomeness as your life journey unfolds

[_Haplo_]

Hi and welcome!
Thats a story worth telling to the grandchildren right there... now you just need the perfect ending

i play SC2 too... though not that much, so i'm not that good..

[breezy_bay]

It sounds like you're off to a great start thus far! Keep going for it! I have seen some amazing transformations over the last several months in my quest to absorb all things health/fitness related. From what I have seen, all/any fitness goals are achievable! You just have to stay motivated and remember that it is a bumpy road and one bad day does not mean you should give up!

I would love to follow your progress.

[Goofyfoot]

Awesome, I love this community.  I've made it thru 3 days of interval training and alternating with the beginner body weight circuit.  I'm eating better and feeling better.    Not there yet, but I am damn closer than I was a week ago.   Thanks for the support!

[brendon_small]

...And I lived by a quote that, too many people I am afraid live by, defined me for that time. 'Eat right, Exercise, Die Anyway'.    This, is where I found my rock-bottom and existed for about 4 years...of absolute hate for myself.

 

I completely get this. I did the same thing for a long time, and honestly, I had a huge issue with it. My assumption was that I only get to live once, so I know I should take care of the body I have. Of course, I also told myself that if I only get to live once, I might as well eat whatever I want whenever I want. I was angry with myself for years before I started trying to change for real. Way to go with all the changes so far, and I love the attitude in the last post - none of us are there yet, we're just getting closer and closer.

 

- Brendon

[kimtoslim]

Hey there. Your post was very honest, and I think you'll reach all your goals. Just keep getting out into the real world and getting out of your comfort zone. Good luck!

[Beast]

First off, welcome. You're now among friends, so put the shovel down and walk away.

 

Thanks for sharing your story. It's forced me to join in as well. I've been a lurker on the site for a little over a week and have finally decided to take the plunge and join in.

 

Your goals are not impossible.

 

You just have to commit that you want to hit your goal more than you want to give in to your cravings. You have a plan, you have a deadline, and now you have a community around you.

 

You are now unstoppable!

 

Now it's my turn to get started and tell my own story. Thank you!