My Story...

[usfbull22]

So, I've respawned in the respawn forum, but I feel as though I've been out of the game so long that I don't know my surroundings anymore. I have a vague idea of what to do, but it looks as though my initial guild has moved on and I feel kind of alone.  I guess the best place to start is in the past..

 

My history:

 

From a very young age I was heavy. I look back on pictures from elementary school and see where I started to eat and put on weight. I started to balloon around 5th grade or so based on past pictures that I could find.  I gained a lot of weight over the years and topped out at 240lbs (I'm only ~5'5").  At times over the course of my life I tried to diet, I tried exercise, but nothing seemed to stick. I always fell right back into old habits and eventually gave up.

 

My first success:

 

In 2006 I was living at home with my parents and going to graduate school.  I was 240lbs, pushing a 40" waist and miserable.  All I did every day was go to school, come home and play video games. I decided there needed to be a big change in my lifestyle when my size 40" jeans were just about ready to give on me. I didn't want to get to a size 42". I started on the fourth of July with writing down anything and everything I ate. I stuck to a very strict diet of ~1500 calories. I think I dropped 10lbs the first week! I then went out and bought a stationary recumbent bike and used that often while watching tv shows on DVD. I eventually started working out with a personal trainer.  He got me in the gym lifting. Through about 2-3months of training with him I think I lost 25-30lbs. I felt I could do it on my own, so I branched out and started working out on my own.  Fast forward to mid-2007, about a year later, I had gone from 240lbs and a size 40" waist to 160lbs and 30-32" waist.  I was pushing 13% body fat and loving it!

 

My fall:

 

In 2007 I graduated and got a full time job. No longer was the work part time/school par time and gym schedule feasible. A 30min commute plus a full 8hr work day was crushing my momentum. Factor in new coworkers, eating out for lunches and general "need to socialize" mentality and I don't think I stood a chance. I kept the weight off for a while but slowly it crept back on. Multiple times from around 2011 onward I tried to lose weight back down to 160. In 2013 I was pushing 185lbs, I didn't think it was that bad. Only 15-20lbs from where I was maintaining! Then I started dating more, met my future wife in 2011, kept eating and going out. Gym time went to the bottom of the list of priorities. Fast forward to 2014, I am now sitting at approximately 215lbs. Only a short 25lbs from my heaviest weight ever.

 

My injuries:

 

I lost a lot of weight in the past, and put it back on.  Over the last year I've been having some major issues with my lower back. I have some stress fractures in my back which are really putting a damper on me trying to get back down to a more manageable weight. Seems every time I try to kick it back into gear (since my wife 100% supports my goals), I end up getting hurt. This in turn spirals me back into depression which leads to me eating freely and gaining.  Right now im contending with plantar fasciitis.  It sucks because I've paid for a 10k race in January which I wont be able to train or participate in.

 

If you made it this far (TL:DR)

 

I really need a support group, someone to check in with daily or weekly to help keep me sane and provide encouragement along the way.  My journey is going to be a long one. Food issues have plagued me my entire life, they will never leave. I have to come to terms with this.  I don't know where to begin, but here are some of my goals and things ive done in the past.

 

Earlier this year I trained for and completed a sprint triathlon.  It was 1/4mile swim, 11mile bike and 5k run.  I finished in 1hr 37mins (I crushed my personal 2hr time goal and felt AMAZING). This was before my wedding in August and was approximately 190lbs for it.  I really enjoyed it but since the wedding I've had a REALLY hard time getting consistent in training again. My food habits have gone down the toilet and im miserable because of it.

 

I want to participate in more races (I bought a very expensive bike for it), so that is a goal.  I also want to lose weight before my wife and I have our first child. This gives me over a year easy, so there's plenty of time there.  I am posting pictures here (be honored because I NEVER post my fat picture anywhere).  Its a before and after and a more "current" picture as of a few months ago. 

 

I hope to become very active on this message board!

 

Thanks for reading!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BeamofTheTurtle]

Welcome (back)! I'm new here too, but I've noticed no matter where you stop and look- people are going to be supportive.

 

The biggest positive thing I think you should take from your journey (or something that I would take from it, if it were mine)- is that you've made it once. You've been where you want to be at least one time- how many people, who are overweight, can say that?! I bet the number is shockingly low.

 

So, you've been where you want to be once- and? That means you know where you can be. I think that's a huge thing for us struggling with weight.

 

My advice, in my limited experience, is to make yourself accountable. Every. Single. Opportunity. I, personally, went out and bought a pair of jeans that are my "goal" size, and an adorable t-shirt that is also in my goal size. It's hanging up on the outside of my closet so I have to look at it, every morning. I've also posted pictures of myself that I'm embarrassed by, all throughout the house (mostly in the kitchen- since I love food). This means that I can never forget. And, if I can never forget, I cannot be tempted to grab a bag of cookies (though, now, there aren't any in the house anyway- ridding myself of temptation is another hack). When I look at those pictures, I cringe, but I also know that I'm no longer that person. I may still be living in her chubby body, but I'm not her any more-and in order to never be her again, I can NOT forget who made her that way. Me. Accountability.

 

Overall, I wish you the best of luck! You CAN do this!