Next week will be one year since I took my before picture. I’ve had poor eating and drinking habits most of my adult life, and my weight (5’10” man) yo-yo’ed between 170-205 for most of that time. From 2019-2021, the combination of an office job, the pandemic, and my wife and I having our first child really broke down any semblance of healthy habits and I started to tick up toward 200 again.
My sister got married early in 2021. When I saw the pictures from the photographer, things really sunk in, and I committed to make changes. I wanted to be able to keep up with my son as he got older and set a good example for him around healthy eating, responsible drinking, and regular exercise.
At the beginning of June, I took a before picture, and I went for a 1 mile run. I bought a Fitbit, and started weighing and tracking my food. I quickly realized my portion sizes had been out of control. My dinner portions were clocking in at 1500 calories, and with two to three drinks every night, it was easy to see how I’d gained so much weight.
I set a goal to lose two pounds a week, with a daily calorie allowance of 1500 calories. I ran every day, building up my endurance to longer runs of at least 4 miles every day. No surprise, the weight started to fall off. By August I was starting to see my body change. By November I could see my abs for the first time in my life.
By December, my weight dipped close to 150, despite my original weight loss goal being 170. I’d gotten addicted to the euphoric feeling of seeing the number on the scale go down and feeling my clothes fit looser and looser.
In January of this year I bought weights and started eating more (about 2800 calories a day) and lifting a few times a week. I still run every day, and I’ve improved the quality of my diet to support my more active lifestyle.
A lot has changed physically and mentally. I’m much more confident now. I have far fewer random aches and pains and morning stiffness. My physical relationship with my wife has improved tremendously, and she’s been a big supporter and very proud of me along the way. I feel energized and able to keep up with my son, who can zoom around for hours on end.
I’m starting to train for my first marathon later this year, which would have been a laughable idea this time last year. For anyone having trouble committing or getting started, I just want to say, go for it. I’ve surprised myself with how far I’ve come, and I know you can too.
If I can answer any questions or provide encouragement to anyone along the way, drop me a line. Thanks for keeping this community positive and encouraging. It’s really kept me motivated.
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