Current Situation:
- When I started: 235 pounds
- My lowest: 195
- Current: 205
The Change
Five years ago, at the age of 37, I embarked on a quest to lose weight and become more fit. I wasn’t fat at the time. However, I knew that if I didn’t make a lifestyle change, health problems may occur as I got into my forties.
What I didn’t realize was how hard it would be. I enjoy working out. Making my body stronger gives me pride and satisfaction, so that was the easy part. What proved to be difficult, and still does, is my craving for sugary and unhealthy ‘foods’. They usually hit hard and are very difficult to master. I have been improving lately, but I’ve made that claim many times before. As a result, it’s taken me over five years to reach my current weight of 205.
Go harder
At the beginning of this past calendar year, I was at my lowest weight of 195. Since then, I have dramatically increased my weight training. I have traded the gym for home. I purchased a weight bench and extra plates, dumbbells, resistance bands, a rebounder, etc.
Now I am at 205 pounds. The ten pound increase is all muscle. I can see it all over my body. The fat pockets that once dotted every region are now fading, being replaced by dense muscle. The transformation is somewhat miraculous. It gives me a constant motivation to stay focused.
I recently lost my job and so now I’m always doing some kind of workout, whether it be weight training or simple stretching. I’m in a constant state of fat burning (I guess that is called ketosis), so the fat loss is even more evident. I hope to maintain this weight without surpassing 210 ever again.
New person
Overall, I feel so much better than I did when I first started this trek five years ago. I have more energy now, regardless of what I’m doing or how I feel when I get up in the morning. I feel lighter and my body is more stabilized as my muscles have increased in size and strength. Even the normal act of walking seems more fluid and easier.
Benefits gained in past year
- Better mobility. Simple acts like walking and climbing stairs are easier.
- Increased flexibility. I can bend over and touch the ground and a range of motions that I could not perform five years ago.
- Decreased dizziness and light headedness. I don’t know the medical term for this, but I’m sure it’s a thing.
- More energy. I have better stamina and can still be very productive when I do feel tired.
- Confidence and higher self esteem. This is the most important one. There is no better feeling than to look at your improved physique in the mirror after a hard workout. The compliments don’t hurt either!
I’m 42 years old now so it’s too late to go back to an unhealthy lifestyle. I love the way I look and feel. And I will only get leaner and stronger as I head into my fifties later on down the road.
Jay Owens 