My Run To Success and Happiness
Grategatsby lost 92 pounds over the course of a year by overhauling his eating habits and adding exercise. He’s now an active, healthy, energetic man who loves to exercise. His story is an inspiration to all of us and demonstrates how dramatically we can all improve our health, fitness and enjoyment of life with the right approach and the right attitude.
He contacted us through our Share Your Story feature and provided the following answers to our questionnaire.
1. What made you decide to lose weight this time?
I spent a weekend in New York City with my mom, and she just could not enjoy the World's Greatest City. We couldn't walk two blocks without stopping, we'd have to go back to the hotel every 2 hours for her to cool down, and she was rarely happy. I knew I couldn't keep living a life that would lead me to that type of place.
I was also staring down the end of my 20s, and I felt if I didn't make changes before my 30th birthday, I probably never would.
2. What other "diets" (programs, products, plans, or services) had you tried in the past?
I had great success a few years back with Atkins, but it all came back. In college I messed around with over the counter and prescription diet pills, but I never made any life changing decisions, so I'd "improperly" get rid of the pounds, but I didn't get rid of how I got the poundage, so it'd come right back - and normally worse.
3. What changes did you make to your usual diet, activity, lifestyle, and attitude?
I took my options away. I live on a college campus, so I eat 80% of my calories in the campus dining center. I do not buy bad food anymore, so once the dining center is closed, I have nothing to choose from now except for the fruits and nuts in my apartment.
I took up running with the Couch To 5k program. I will always be an advocate for that system, because I know how much it helped me. Running got me back into the weight room, got me back on my bike, got me to go to aerobics classes, and got me into yoga. Once you've been the fat guy running around your neighborhood in broad daylight, how much more embarrassing can any other physical pursuit be? I keep a blog now of my workouts at http://365to30.tumblr.com/ where I'm hoping to track 365 workouts between my 29th & 30th birthdays.
I like to always say "If you want people to see the results, they've got to see the work," and I'd definitely say the lifestyle I keep now shows off the stark change between what I am and what I used to be.
4. How did Calorie Count help you to lose weight?
I first found this place by constantly googling how many calories were in this item or that food, and it must have been months before I realized this was a place, not just a tool! Once I joined I found a welcoming and supportive community, and I've found great ideas and options.
I'm fortunate to still have a very high maintenance calorie requirement, so I'm not counting every calorie (yet), but I do value the ability to come to Calorie Count and see a grade and the details when I'm considering what to put into my body.
5. What was most challenging about losing weight?
Starting. I don't want to jinx myself or brag, but once my mind and my will decided this is full-blown-war against the fat that has overtaken my body, I haven't had a "challenge" yet. I honestly have fallen in love with this process, and I know that was because my mind bought into it and my body followed suit; like General Patton said, "If you are going to win any battle, you have to do one thing. You have to make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do... the body is never tired if the mind is not tired."
6. How long did it take you to see results?
I felt results after a week. It took me about a month to really see changes in the mirrors, and within 3 months I was already proud.
7. When did you realize that you were a success?
I see pictures now and wonder who that guy is. Last month I competed in our school's "Dancing with the Staff" and one of the judges basically said it would have been a much different performance if I hadn't lost the weight, and the crowd of students just gave me a round of applause. How many people actually have had hundreds of people clapping for their success?
8. How do you prevent relapse?
I still have miles to go. But I'm not too afraid because my mind has changed, my tastes are different, and my idea of "fun" is different. I'm signing up for my first triathlon this summer. I love yoga now. I couldn't imagine giving up these things to go back to candy bars and gallons of milk.
9. How has your life changed now that you've lost weight?
The problem with being that kind of obese is that you feel both Invisible and Always On Display. Now when I go out I'm not worried about who is looking at me, and now I'm also proud of who is looking over in my direction.
I've always been a "Free Spirit" but now I don't feel like a punchline.
10. What five tips do you have for other dieters?
- Set goals. If you don't know where you're going, you'll never get there. And even if you don't meet your goal exactly, you'll still be better off than if you never tried.
- Plan, but don't lose your flexibility. I can tell you what my focus is for every month this year. Can I tell you exactly what workout I'm going to do on July 18th? No, but I know what my focus is going to be that month.
- Take things away from yourself. Go a month without eating meat, you'll discover all sorts of veggies and fruits you never would have thought to eat. Go a month without eating sweets, when you get back to them you'll be SHOCKED at just how strong those Little Debbies are, and maybe you'll only eat 1 instead of 4 next time.
- Diversify and have fun. If you have 100 pounds to lose, you're going to be fighting this for at least a year, more realistically 2 years. You probably already have one job you hate, so do whatever you can to spend the next year or two enjoying your weight loss.
- Give all you've got. Then take 5 deep breaths and give some more.
If you would like us to feature your success story, you can submit it here. The most insightful stories will be featured on this blog and in the weekly "Success Stories" newsletter.
Comments
Thanks for sharing your story. It is an inspiration, and a really positive view of the weight-loss process and lifestyles that go along with it. I love the quote you used from Patton, too. Attitude and mental orientation have so much to do with success. Learning to enjoy the journey, and knowing your next goal make a huge difference, and you said it so well!
What a great idea to give up something for a month to get yourself to eat other foods. I am going to try that one.
Wow! I don't know you, but I am so proud of you. I like the idea of taking something away for a month. I don't know if I can do meat lol I'm a meat and potatoes kind of girl. But what I can do is try to eat at least 2 veggies at lunch and dinner. I've made nuts and fruits my snacks for the past month, so I'm making changes. I guess it just takes time. Anyway, congrats to you!!!
Great story. Like your idea of cutting out a food for a month. I just ran my first 5K this weekend. Was hoping for a sub 30 time, but I did 31 minutes. That had been my best, but I had hoped the adrenaline would kick in. Nonetheless, pretty excited about it. Last year I lost 40 lbs, had a triple bypass in July, so I'm pretty thrilled where I'm at today. I will keep going and next year at this time, will report a much better time. Keep up the good effort!!
I've lost 10 pound in less than 2 months. I recently started a job as a valet.
Now I have to be active on the job and get paid for it. I decided to take this job for the simple benefit I'd get of losing weight. It was hard for the first couple of weeks; when I had to run 5 flights of stairs to pull a car, I was exhausted when I got to the car, and that was actually what I need to get my system in the right direction. Now I can keep up with my friends at soccer field, before, I was tired after the first five minutes. I still get tired, but I can keep going, and I don't feel like I can't take in enough air. And I've seen the change in the gym also, and now that I'm more fit, I'm not afraid of the effort physical activity takes. Being at this job has made capable of building the endurance I need to sustain an exercise program, now I think I can incorporate a fitting program into my life, and it won't be hard to sustain it.
I still need to focus on a better nutrition program to complement what I've achieved physically. This site provides good tools for it and I'm planning to use them
Thank guys.
Excellent - although I have to disagree that if you had waited you would not have done it. The real cost to waiting is the amount you have to lose and the degree of difficulty. I was 20 lbs over at 30, and 60 over at 40, finally at 50 I was starting back at “only” 50 lbs overweight. I told myself that, given that smoking had pinned me to the ground many times, I had to address it all and if not, knew at 60 it would be getting mentally impossible. I have been at 13-14% body fat for 8 months now and a non-smoker for 150 days.
How you did it (eating change, pills, exercise, all of the above), how fast you did it (a month, 6 months, a year), really has little impact unless the critical commitment to change in your life for you. no one else, is embedded in your psyche. I watch friends want to look better, which is external, and fail 100%. Your commitment was to feel better, which is entirely you. My final internalization was after i heard from close friends about the 6th person they had some association with (friends, siblings of friends etc) roughly my age had a heart attack or stroke. The worst fear I had is to have either and not die, rather live in a diminished state for the balance of my life over things I can control. That I look better is a plus. 40 inch waist on a 6'1" 52 year old man is nothing special; a 33 inch waist is, or so I have been told.
Congratulations. Wait until you see what other differences this internalization makes. At 30, you have an entire life ahead.
You are an inspiration! I love your approach to weight loss...seems very planned and focused. Congratulations, and best of luck! :)
thanks for the kind words everybody, thats what i love about this place
keep up the good fight!
Amazing story and truly inspirational. I decided that I needed to make the change before I hit 40 so I understand that motivation. I count calories, but I'm not one to completely deprive myself. I believe that making a life change to eat a healthier diet and to exercise should not be punishment.
Keep up the great work. Sounds like you are truly on a path to success.
Congratulations and thanks for sharing your story. I've been thinking about taking up running and I was so glad to see the Couch to 5K information. I can't wait to get started!
" a full blown war against Fat". That is awesome....I took the same approach. I had it out for the fat guy in the mirror and set out to "take him out". It was all out war....
Absolutely agree with the mind being the key to success! You have to want to do it.
Also, it has to be a life style change, not a fad diet. I have seen many people lose weight with various strategies, only to see them later with all the weight back on plus more.
I love your approach and your excitement about the process. It really makes a difference in how you treat yourself when you are committed to taking good care of your nutrition and your body.
Thanks for sharing your inspiration!
Keep up the good work!
Wow that is brilliant for him!!!!!!!!!!!! t proves that a healthy diet along with the right attitude makes all the difference! one thing though, what about people who have eating disorders, let that be anorexia, bulimia, overeating etc. How do we go about overhauling our attitude? i have mostly done it, but stil i occasionally binge and then starve, obviously i now this is not the natural way, but i trymy best, and my fave thing is vegetables, fruit and pulses (vegetarian).
I love this website - I am currently doing some work around my food and starting to exercise. I have lost 20pounds so far. I want to loose 100 pounds and get off all of my diabetes medicine. I am short and have been overweight all of my life. any suggestions or words of support would be very helpfull. danababy50
Excellent advice!!! You should be my motivational coach!!!
Congratulations...keep up the hard work.
I am truly inspired by your story, thank you for sharing it! I am 31 years old and found the beginning of my 30's bringing about a startling shock; I realized I was 100 pounds overweight. At the age of 21, only ten years ago, I was happy/healthy and a runner too. Then life & your mind gets in the way until you wake up one day and everything sort of comes into focus. I am glad it did for you too. I am only four weeks into my exercise and calorie counting program and have lost 8 lbs. With another 90 or so to go, it seems daunting but reading a story like yours inspires me to hang in there. With dedication and hard work, anything is possible! And I think it is time for me to start jogging again, to tell my body we will be running soon enough! Thank you!!
Loved your story! Thanks for sharing. I also believe that part of it is enjoying the journey. That is how I feel too- Yes, I have a goal. But it can't just be all about the goal it also has to be about the journey itself; Gaining that mind-body connection. Good for you!
Encouraging and inspirational! I believe you have to make up your mind first, visualize and then act in accord with it. Our subconscious mind cannot tell the difference between what is real and what is imagined (ever had a dream you were being chased or falling and woke up with your heart pounding or your hand on the floor to stop the fall?). Since that is true, visualize your "future state" and will become a reality.
thanks for sharing your story i was inspired by it. congrats on your successful weight loss.
You brought up a very painful memory...
I finally got to see the Grand Canyon!!! Life long dream! IT....WAS....BREATHTAKING!
The sad, sad part of the story? My whole extended family went...everyone running around having a blast.... But,....my mother, whom I love dearly, could not keep up...overweight, bad knees, couldn't take the heat... I felt so badly for her that I STAYED BEHIND...IN THE HOTEL...with her, so she wouldn't feel left out.
I MISSED FLOATING ON THE BEAUTIFUL COLORADO RIVER...BECAUSE I COULDN'T TAKE SEEING THE PAIN AND LONELINESS IN MY MOM'S EYES.
You made me realize how hard you have to fight to break that family cycle....
GOAL: HIKE THE GRAND CANYON ON MY 50 th AND 60 th BIRTHDAYS!!!!!
Even better?....with my Mom..... (Hey, if you're gonna dream, dream big.)
I am extremely grateful that you shared your story.
Invisible and always on display. That is exactly how I feel. Thanks for the encouraging story. Congrats on your life change!
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It's true what they say - the mind is a wonderful servant, but a terrible master!