On July 10, 2014, I knew my life had to change, or I wouldn’t be alive for much longer. I suffered from sleep apnea and had some complications, so I made an appointment to see my doctor. We went through the usual routine, and then I was asked to step on the scale. I knew I was overweight, but I had avoided weighing myself, and now I was confronted with the scary reality that I was 423lbs. At that moment, I decided it was time to make some drastic changes to my lifestyle.
I had no one to blame for my weight except myself. From as young as I can remember, junk food has been my passion. I loved chips, candy, burgers, and soda; I often ate myself to sleep. I would wake up surrounded by food wrappers and continue eating. The first and most difficult step I took was to modify my diet. After doing a lot of research, I decided to try Dr. Jim Stoppani’s dieting 101. There was no way I would succeed on a traditional diet. I needed something realistic and sustainable that would allow me to continue eating but in a way that would benefit me. Dr. Stoppani put together a meal plan for six weeks so I knew exactly what I was eating for breakfast lunch and dinner. A typical day of eating included:
- Breakfast: Eggs, turkey, low fat cheese, whole wheat English muffin
- Lunch: Shrimp salad
- Dinner: Chicken breast, zucchini
- Snacks: Walnuts, peanut butter in yogurt, roasted flax seeds
A good friend had just started Dr. Jim’s six-week Super-Man program and asked me to join him. It took me a while to say yes because I was so embarrassed about my weight. Although I had shed a few pounds, I was still extremely heavy, and the thought of going to the gym terrified me. I knew I would get laughed at, but at the same time, I knew I had to build muscle to compliment the weight loss. So I bit the bullet and joined the program. It was the most difficult thing I had ever done in my life, but I got through it. However, I still wasn’t happy with my weight.
I set a goal to be at or below seven percent body fat by September 18, 2016. To begin with, I got really discouraged because people were telling me it wasn’t possible. I was hurt and disappointed that those closest to me didn’t believe in me. They thought I’d lost enough weight and didn’t need to lose anymore. But the more they told me I couldn’t do it, the more determined I became to do it, and that’s exactly what I did. I reached my goal by the date I set, and I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy.
Losing weight has transformed my life. I can’t believe I wasted so many years just existing. Now I am truly living and fulfilling my purpose. I want to inspire as many people as possible with my story because eight years ago, I weighed 423lbs; today, at 250lbs, I’ve lost almost half my body weight. It seemed like an impossible task at the beginning, but I chose not to quit. It doesn’t matter how far you think you’ve let yourself go; you can do it too.
