Losing weight is not an easy task for many people, it takes time and it takes a lot of patience but if the time and effort is put in better health can happen for just about anyone if it can happen for me. I consider myself lucky to have what I do, I have a great family and I am afforded the opportunity to spend loads of time with my daughter for whom without I may not have started down the path that I have. I happen to be 211 pounds down the road but it wasn't always like that for me as I started off at over 500 pounds and unable to walk for more than 10 minutes at a time without pain, but I did it. Turning down treats such as Aunties peanut butter fudge, or my mother in laws plates of experimental cakes or cookies was once a difficult task but again, I did it. I am in the opinion that anyone can lose weight and I came to that conclusion because if I can do it the apparent slacker video game addict calling "I'm base" when a game of tag came up as a child, disk injury havin once 534 pound guy can do it why can't the next guy or gal?
I mentioned that I feel lucky to have what I have but that's the end of where I feel lucky, when my weight loss is the subject I don't feel lucky at all because luck had not an ounce of sway on the results that I've had thus far, I busted my ass for every one of those 211 pounds lost. This is the part that I believe fails to get through to many people that attempt weight loss, I have been guilty of it myself and I see it all too many times when someone tries to lose some pounds, much of my family has struggled with weight throughout my lifetime so I have seen lots of "diets" started. The gun shot goes off and off to a great start! a couple pounds come off and almost immediately slacking starts, "nah I won't exercise today" or "It's just one peanut butter cookie" and before you know it the "start" of the next "diet" is coming to a Monday near you, its just not going to happen without the effort.
All of that thought came from my off day that I had because of "stress" and I began thinking about when I was 500 plus pounds and I was walking with my wife to a park that was literally less than 2 blocks from our house at the time and how I felt. It was Jan 2008, I had just begun eating better and couldn't believe that I was sticking with this for 2 weeks so far, I had an apple in my hand and walking slowly towards the playground I felt like a new person. We got to the play ground and I said to my wife something along the lines of "I got my walk in for the day" and I was red faced and out of breath from walking less than 2 blocks, but I had my apple in hand and DID walk to the playground and at that point it was what I could do. Was it a little embarrassing that all I could walk was such a short distance? it was a lot embarrassing! and I played it off like I could have done more but the truth is that if I had to go any further I would have needed a break which in fact stopping to let the kids play was the break I needed to make it back home.
Currently I think that I am in the best shape of my life and that's kind of bad considering that I am still above 300 pounds but it is what it is, I have worked hard to get here and no one can take that from me, not even a bad day of stress eating. I am leaps and bounds ahead of where I once was physically and mentally because once upon a time I would be looking for the next Monday start date for my next attempt, but here I am. Tomorrow I will hop on the scale for the official blog weight and with the week that I have had eating wise and missing the gym for this past weekend in its entirety I am not really expecting much in the way of a new low in the am but I will report in what the scale says none the less. A trip to the gym this afternoon and some good choices with my intake for the day along with another 2.5-3 gallons of fluid should help me along with tomorrow weigh in but in the grand scheme my fumble will not make a difference at all.
You can lose weight, you can get healthy, you can stop dropping pity on yourself and get that ass up and do something about but YOU have to do the work, and YOU have to realize that its not a picnic to do so and there will be times that just plain old sucks ass but if YOU stop doing what needs to be done for your own health then there is only one person to blame...
I mentioned that I feel lucky to have what I have but that's the end of where I feel lucky, when my weight loss is the subject I don't feel lucky at all because luck had not an ounce of sway on the results that I've had thus far, I busted my ass for every one of those 211 pounds lost. This is the part that I believe fails to get through to many people that attempt weight loss, I have been guilty of it myself and I see it all too many times when someone tries to lose some pounds, much of my family has struggled with weight throughout my lifetime so I have seen lots of "diets" started. The gun shot goes off and off to a great start! a couple pounds come off and almost immediately slacking starts, "nah I won't exercise today" or "It's just one peanut butter cookie" and before you know it the "start" of the next "diet" is coming to a Monday near you, its just not going to happen without the effort.
All of that thought came from my off day that I had because of "stress" and I began thinking about when I was 500 plus pounds and I was walking with my wife to a park that was literally less than 2 blocks from our house at the time and how I felt. It was Jan 2008, I had just begun eating better and couldn't believe that I was sticking with this for 2 weeks so far, I had an apple in my hand and walking slowly towards the playground I felt like a new person. We got to the play ground and I said to my wife something along the lines of "I got my walk in for the day" and I was red faced and out of breath from walking less than 2 blocks, but I had my apple in hand and DID walk to the playground and at that point it was what I could do. Was it a little embarrassing that all I could walk was such a short distance? it was a lot embarrassing! and I played it off like I could have done more but the truth is that if I had to go any further I would have needed a break which in fact stopping to let the kids play was the break I needed to make it back home.
Currently I think that I am in the best shape of my life and that's kind of bad considering that I am still above 300 pounds but it is what it is, I have worked hard to get here and no one can take that from me, not even a bad day of stress eating. I am leaps and bounds ahead of where I once was physically and mentally because once upon a time I would be looking for the next Monday start date for my next attempt, but here I am. Tomorrow I will hop on the scale for the official blog weight and with the week that I have had eating wise and missing the gym for this past weekend in its entirety I am not really expecting much in the way of a new low in the am but I will report in what the scale says none the less. A trip to the gym this afternoon and some good choices with my intake for the day along with another 2.5-3 gallons of fluid should help me along with tomorrow weigh in but in the grand scheme my fumble will not make a difference at all.
You can lose weight, you can get healthy, you can stop dropping pity on yourself and get that ass up and do something about but YOU have to do the work, and YOU have to realize that its not a picnic to do so and there will be times that just plain old sucks ass but if YOU stop doing what needs to be done for your own health then there is only one person to blame...
YOU..
Fini
As Ever
Me
All true. You're starting to sound like that other Tony - you know, "Anti-Jared" Posnaski!
ReplyDeleteYou constantly keep me inspired!!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes it's not easy, you can't sit back and watch it happen. You have to get off your butt and work on it :)
You are so right!! Great post. You are an inspiration to me.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it matters if you are 500 pounds or 300 pounds. There comes a point where YOU have to decide that enough is enough and take action. I know it was hard when I was 308 pounds and I can only imagine how much harder it was for you. Well done my friend. Your discipline is the cause of your success.
ReplyDeleteI agree! I gained back 39 lbs the last 15 months after loosing 151lbs off my 5ft 3 and starting weight 380 frame. It was ME... each day I chose not to workout or eat more than I should or poorly counted at the end of those months and I felt it BIGTIME in my knees, in my back, in my head and emotional though process. I slacked and felt it. I am back to weight loss mode now and the only person who can do this is me. None of this is dependant on what other do or don't do. Its all ME>
ReplyDeleteCan I hear an "AMEN" for our brother??!!?? Tony, very well written and jam-packed with the truth!!!!
ReplyDeleteSo true!
ReplyDeletegreat post! and inspiring. in a strange way i am actually thankful sometimes to be on this *journey* as I am given the chance to do something great - and loosing a little bit every week makes me feel great and successful. I can feel my health and strength coming back - i even fell in love with my gym - a place I have been scared of and avoiding for the biggest part of my life. it's beautiful to see the change. all the hard work really pays off, and it's really me doing it - no luck involved - but i'm still lucky to be where i am right now.
ReplyDelete