The 53.5 lb fanny pack...

March 5, 2008

I've always struggled with my weight. When I was a child, I was very overweight. (Puerto Rican food will do that to you.) When I moved to Philadelphia from Brooklyn, NY, I was finally able to get out and play like all the other kids did. It was a bit too late, though, as I began to get into video games and warped right back into being a couch potato. Either way, I did drop a considerable amount of weight and the threat of high cholesterol was no more.

In high school I dropped the weight I put on and got into weight lifting. When I went off to college I packed on the pounds again and after I dropped out I beefed up even more. I dropped a considerable amount of weight after I moved back to Philadelphia, but packed it back on (big time!) after our engangement and throughout our marriage. (Ahhh... the love pounds.)

In June of last year I made a decision. I decided it was time to lose the weight. It was time to look as good as I knew I could. I was tired all the time. I was huffing and puffing just by walking up the stairs. We moved into our new house and was working on it around that time. I got winded even after small projects. I was absolutely disgusted with and embarrassed by my appearance. It was time. It was time for a change and the change needed to be made then and there.

With my wonderful wife as my influence (completely inspired and driven by her successes), I made a commitment. I decided that I wanted to drop the lbs and drop them in as healthy a way as possible. I wanted to sculpt the way I wanted to look and create a leaner, healthier me along the way. This wasn't just about losing weight. This was about a change of lifestyle. A change in my way of thinking all around.

See... my rationale is the better I feel about myself, my health, my appearance, etc. - the better I will feel about and perform in all the other aspects of my life... relationships, work, money, matters with the home, etc.

On June 26, 2007 I set a goal to lose 20 lbs by the end of summer that year. At the "unofficial" end of summer I dropped 25 lbs total. I have continued to hit up the gym since then. I've been very religious about my routine dragging ass in there on average 4 times a week.

I've dropped a total of 53.5 lbs to date, lost about 6 inches on my waist (from a size 40 or 42 to a size 34 or 35) and have (here's a biggie!) started wearing a large instead of an extra large in T-shirts (there were even times when I had to wear an XXL). All in all I've gone from weighing 265 lbs to 211.5. (I have a goal of 180.)

In addition to the exercise, we've altered our eating habits, but I'll get into that another time.

I'm fairly happy with the progress so far. I feel better. I look better and, yeah, it's trickling over into other areas, as predicted. I have a ways to go until I reach my goal, but at least I've taken steps to get me there and have stuck to those decisions throughout this process. We all have our good days and bad when it comes to the "battle of the bulge". (I have plenty of bad days.) But you live, learn and stick with it. You'll get there. And then one day you can step back and admire the drive and determination that got you there.

Losing weight is no different than any other goal or achievement in life. Treat it as such and success is guaranteed.