Every day that goes by I am learning that I waited way too long to do something about this weight problem that I have had for so many years. Every time that I walk and my back doesn't burn with pain, every time that I run and then half way through my stride realize "Hey I am running" I get this little smile that I can't do anything about and get a feeling of accomplishment. Just think, because my back doesn't hurt, or because I am running and not worrying about shattering my ankles is enough to bring a smile to my face, these are things that someone that has not been over weight takes for granted and should! Dropping this weight has made me appreciate small things that most people would never think could be taken away simply by gaining weight.
Imagine waking up multiple times per night because of discomfort or limbs falling asleep and tingling you awake, or having to sleep with a bottle of Tums next to the bed because of the heart burn that comes almost every night, all because of weight. Then there are the simple things like just being able to walk around the block with your son or daughter when they get a new bike and having to say things like "Daddy will be right here on the porch when you get back, Mommy will take you" or never going to a movie because the seats are just too uncomfortable, yeah that's just part of the daily life of a 500 pound guy.
I get emails sometimes and a lot of times they say things like, "How do I start? how did you just start the way that you did?" "How do I just stop eating enough for 3 people and start exercising?" "I am 500 pounds its hard to just do those things!" "but I am always hungry" and to those things I can only say what has worked for me, just do it, just make the decision and start eating less, start moving more and the hunger will go away on its own, I have said it before and I will say it again, aside from an athlete that burns through thousands of calories in a day working out no one NEEDS a 2500 calorie breakfast! no one NEEDS to feel stuffed after EVERY meal, no one. "but I can only make it 10 minutes before my knees start hurting" then do it for 10 minutes and work your way up its what I did. "But I don't like the way *insert excuse food here* tastes" You will! when your body adjusts to eating things that are good for you instead of 3/4 pound burgers with melted cheese and bacon on them you will, in fact I despised wheat bread and stated so back on Day 10 of this blog and here I am the fella that won't eat anything but whole wheat bread now!
I was that guy that could not walk for more than 10 minutes and now I can walk 3 miles without batting a lash, I was that guy that woke up multiple times per night with discomfort of one kind or the next and now sleeps through the night contrary to popular belief unlike a baby! I was that guy that thought about how hard it was to eat correctly and moderately when the drive through window was so easy and accessible and I was that guy eating thousands of calories per day for no reason more than the love of the taste of it, I AM the guy that changed his entire life by eating better and moving more. That other guy is gone, if I have something to say about it, and I do, he will never be back.
That will end another bone chilling episode of as the fat guy turns kids and now you know that Nike was right, Just do it! You have also just earned a big ol glass of H2O for reading this post! and its time for me to get a ride in on the good ol stationary bike as we have a mixture of snow and rain coming down right now as I type there will not likely be a walk today. I will resume the mini update posts tonight so look out for that.
Imagine waking up multiple times per night because of discomfort or limbs falling asleep and tingling you awake, or having to sleep with a bottle of Tums next to the bed because of the heart burn that comes almost every night, all because of weight. Then there are the simple things like just being able to walk around the block with your son or daughter when they get a new bike and having to say things like "Daddy will be right here on the porch when you get back, Mommy will take you" or never going to a movie because the seats are just too uncomfortable, yeah that's just part of the daily life of a 500 pound guy.
I get emails sometimes and a lot of times they say things like, "How do I start? how did you just start the way that you did?" "How do I just stop eating enough for 3 people and start exercising?" "I am 500 pounds its hard to just do those things!" "but I am always hungry" and to those things I can only say what has worked for me, just do it, just make the decision and start eating less, start moving more and the hunger will go away on its own, I have said it before and I will say it again, aside from an athlete that burns through thousands of calories in a day working out no one NEEDS a 2500 calorie breakfast! no one NEEDS to feel stuffed after EVERY meal, no one. "but I can only make it 10 minutes before my knees start hurting" then do it for 10 minutes and work your way up its what I did. "But I don't like the way *insert excuse food here* tastes" You will! when your body adjusts to eating things that are good for you instead of 3/4 pound burgers with melted cheese and bacon on them you will, in fact I despised wheat bread and stated so back on Day 10 of this blog and here I am the fella that won't eat anything but whole wheat bread now!
I was that guy that could not walk for more than 10 minutes and now I can walk 3 miles without batting a lash, I was that guy that woke up multiple times per night with discomfort of one kind or the next and now sleeps through the night contrary to popular belief unlike a baby! I was that guy that thought about how hard it was to eat correctly and moderately when the drive through window was so easy and accessible and I was that guy eating thousands of calories per day for no reason more than the love of the taste of it, I AM the guy that changed his entire life by eating better and moving more. That other guy is gone, if I have something to say about it, and I do, he will never be back.
That will end another bone chilling episode of as the fat guy turns kids and now you know that Nike was right, Just do it! You have also just earned a big ol glass of H2O for reading this post! and its time for me to get a ride in on the good ol stationary bike as we have a mixture of snow and rain coming down right now as I type there will not likely be a walk today. I will resume the mini update posts tonight so look out for that.
Carry on...
As Ever
Me
I completely agree with everything you say in this post!
ReplyDeleteLike Nike says, "just do it!"
I am actually thinking about making a post like this on my blog about exercise because I get comments from people asking how I got started/keep it up 5 or 6 days a week.
I agree too.
ReplyDeleteMy friend Dennis calls it "flipping the switch". If you can flip the switch on, you can flip it off. This applies to eating and exercising.
Also, thank you for responding to my email. I really appreciate it.
Great post!
ReplyDeleteI agree- great post- I have so many friends who say "but I don't like water" and "but I don't like veggies" and so on- I'm like oh well then just stay fat. Course I say that part in my head or I'd probably lose a lot of my friends lol! I don't talk to them about my weightloss anymore cuz they all want to lose weight- but instead of going the right way about it they complain or starve themselves then binge. Drives me crazy, even though my weight loss is slow as heck I'm still happy overall :)
ReplyDeleteGood post, it is about just doing it. It really is all in the mind. If we can just keep the switch flipped permanently.
ReplyDeleteYour blog is so inspiring. I've just discovered it. You have transformed yourself already. You will keep going I'm sure. So inspiring seeing your before and after photos. I'll be showing them to my partner too (we both have a lot to lose as well).
ReplyDeleteno doubt you continue to do it, and i bet you hit 200 pounds lost by April
ReplyDeleteI recently posted on my blog an entry titled 'it's the little things'. In there, I described the greatest things I'm seeing as a result of eating better and getting regular exercise. The pounds are coming off slowly but these 'little' things really are the best rewards. IN FACT, I also used the Just do it motto! The creative Nike advertising employee got a nice paycheck for that one.
ReplyDeletehttp://3fatchicks.com/diet-blogs/inkheartmeg/2009/02/24/its-the-little-things/