On January 8th, I was a miserable 353 pounds. I couldn't do simple things without being out of breath or exhausted. Things like walking up the stairs or even getting dressed were difficult. I have gone through a lot of changes in the last 10 years or so that can be attributed to my weight gain. Probably the main things that have happened were the four deaths in my family and circle of friends, extended periods of unemployment, and chronic issues that we going on in my children's lives that I really didn't know how to solve. I'm not trying to use these events as excuses but merely possible explanations as to why I have put on so much weight since there is no question that I am an emotional eater. I drown my sorrows in food when I am stressed out or depressed, and I celebrate with food when things are going well. I knew this lifestyle had to change in order for me to overcome this dismal situation I put myself into. I also knew I had to forgive myself first before I would be able to move forward and actually do something about my weight and toxic lifestyle.
I am happy to report that after 12 weeks, I feel like a different and better person with a new lease on life. I have lost 51 pounds but I know the fight is not over. I recognize that I will need an extreme amount of patience and persistence but am willing to do whatever it takes from here on out. I have a vision and I know I will be successful. In my opinion, even more important than myself starting down the right path as far as exercise and nutrition is the effect it has had on my immediate family. My wife and two sons ages 10 and 12 have decided they want this lifestyle, and they are doing great as well. It really makes me proud, and it's very motivating as well knowing that my boys and wife are watching my every move which makes me want to do my best, follow my plan and lead by example.
After these 12 weeks, all of these improvements have become a habit, one that I know will last a lifetime. I have applied fundamental like goal setting, positive thinking and actions, and social support to other areas of my life and I am seeing improvements there as well. I am very excited what the future holds for my family and me. I want to express my thanks to Craig for the great product and service delivered, the motivation, and giving me all the tools and tips I needed to succeed in meeting all my goals. My self esteem has never been higher, and I believe in myself again. I cannot wait to see how I look and feel by the end of the year and beyond.
Below, I have listed the main things I believe were the most important in helping me achieve my goals.
Goal Setting
This is where it all starts. It is required to have both short-term and long-term goals, and they need to be both specific and realistic. For this transformation, I had weekly, monthly and quarterly goals and put them in writing and read them daily. One goal of mine was to be able to wear my wedding ring. I gained so much weight that it didn't fit anymore. It was especially embarrassing when I found out that people thought I was having marital problems because they didn’t see the ring. I am proud to say that I can now wear my wedding ring again and it feels unbelievably great. The little goals matter just as much as the big ones.
Social Support
Without a doubt, social support was huge for me. I really underestimated its value and importance. I've read somewhere that you are the average of the five people you hang around most and Craig has said time and time again that by hanging around others who succeed, you will also succeed. There have been several people who have supported me in this effort and I found them irreplaceable. I always tried doing it alone and it got me nowhere. I incorporated a training and nutrition partner in addition to family and friends that provided emotional support when things got tough. Kekich Credos and other inspirational quotes or sayings I found that I liked were very motivating for me and I reviewed them often along with my goals. Additionally, Craig’s daily transformation tips really helped me stay focused and succeed.
Nutrition
A food journal is a must. I used Fitday. I never kept track of what I ate so initially I thought it would really take a lot of time and effort to do. I was wrong. It opened up my eyes to the exorbitant amount of calories I was consuming, and throughout this process allowed me to track my daily and weekly eating habits and make adjustments as needed. Staples in my diet were eggs, oatmeal, fruits and vegetables, chicken breast, tuna, salmon, lean beef, tilapia, turkey, almonds, walnuts, whole grains, cottage cheese, lots of water, yogurt and many more nutritious foods. I took Craig's advice and tried one new fruit and one new vegetable per week. In doing so, I found some really great foods I incorporated into my nutrition plan including spaghetti squash and a sautéed combination of zucchini, squash, green peppers and onions. Being prepared was huge. I found that I spent a lot more time in the kitchen and actually enjoyed it. Having healthy snacks on hand, not bringing junk food into the house in the first place, and having meals already prepared helped keep me on track.
Training
This was perhaps the easiest of all the categories because I used the Turbulence Training Bodyweight Manual verbatim. All I had to do was follow the plan already in place. As instructed, I started with the Prep Phase workouts for 4 weeks, then moved on to Phase 1 and Phase 2 workouts for 4 weeks each. I found it very convenient that there was already a workout sheet in the manual and all I had to do was write in the number of reps for each exercise. I used this training journal to track my progress and found it invaluable. When I couldn't do all the reps for a specific exercise, I kept good form and just did what I could while still pushing myself. My interval training consisted of utilizing the stair stepper and stationary bike which I found to be more beneficial and less tedious than a treadmill. I found that Craig's recommendation of setting a personal best every workout really worked and led to some inspiring gains. Whether it was an extra 10 seconds of interval training or an extra repetition, I found this tip priceless and it helped to really transform my body.
Statistics:
- Age: 38
- Height: 6'2"
- Weight on 1-8-12: 353 lbs.
- Weight on 4-1-12: 302 lbs.
