Friday, September 7, 2012

My Lazy-Ass Lost 40 Pounds

A few days ago, someone once again said to me, "I wish I could just be naturally skinny like you".  So here comes the rant...

I've shared this with you before, but few things piss me off more than when a lazy, unmotivated, out of shape cupcake pounder blames their fat-ass on everyone else's perceived good fortune and good genes.  They're such a victim.   I know there are some folks who work incredibly hard in the weight loss battle and just can't make any headway because of a lot of factors out of their control ... and I'm not talking about them in this post.  I ABSOLUTELY have compassion for those who struggle with weight loss ... however, not much for someone who just wants to sit back and criticize those who take care their bodies ... donut after donut after donut -  LIKE I USED TO DO!!!  It's true that some are blessed with faster metabolisms and great genes, but most of us have to work hard at shedding pounds.   And at times, it's almost impossible.  It's the bi-product of our fast-food, highly immobile, everything fried in fat, sugar, and flour society.

About 6 years ago ... headed the wrong way on the scales
Here's something I've never shared on my blog before.  And I don't in anyway mean to minimize those who have accomplished REAL weight loss in their lives.  I was fortunately never obese or out of control, and never really even considered myself overweight.  But up until about 6 years ago, I carried 215 lbs on a daily basis.  (I think 225 was my high-water mark)  I wore 38-42" waist jeans.  Again, I know that's not huge for some, and there are those who would love to be 215 lbs.  But even though I'm about 6'2",  I have a pretty small frame and I noticed the extra weight beginning to take its toll.

I had always been athletic, but over the years I became lazier and lazier.  And most of all, I kept having a ton of lower back pain.  I was tired all the time and stairs would absolutely kick my butt.  I hit bottom in 2005 when I was literally taking 10-12 headache and sinus pills everyday because of migraine headaches.  (Turns out the pills were actually perpetuating the symptoms instead of helping them)  I noticed over the past few months I had become weaker and weaker, and was passing a little blood in my stool.  The night before my son's 16th birthday, I got up to use the bathroom, got dizzy, and nearly passed out.  That's when Michael took me to the hospital where I stayed for the next 3 days for a bleeding ulcer.  All of the pills had literally eaten through the lining of my stomach and I had lost a ton of blood.  And there I was ... my stupid, selfish, self-consumed ass ...  on my back in the hospital on my son's 16th birthday.  The day was supposed to be about him, but my poor health choices and laziness had made it about me.  It was a pretty big wake-up call.

I had ran a little here and there, but had never been serious about it.  So I started running ... and running ... and running.  And the more I ran, the better I felt and the extra weight began to fall off.  But it wasn't just running alone.  I also began quite a bit of core work and tried to eat healthier (although that's still my weakness).  Most importantly I stopped pretty much all medication.  About the only thing I'll take today is occasion ibuprofen for inflammation after a tough run.  Before I knew it I felt better than I had my whole life, and I could do things athletically that I could never do before.

2011 Boston Marathon ... in the best shape of my life
Fast forward to today ... 40 lost pounds later, I'm now about 175-178 on a daily basis.  I feel healthier, stronger, and have more energy than ever.  I get teased here and there at work and with friends about being a tooth-pick, but it's okay.  (I work in the construction industry where you're expected to be built like a linebacker or a snowman - it's just the culture.)  I can tell that I'm 43 years old and don't feel a day over 25!  I just reached the point where enough was enough.  I was going in the wrong direction and decided to do something about it.  I reached a point where making excuses for not being in bad shape just didn't work anymore.

So there's my little story.  It wasn't "good fortune", or "good genes", or "four leaf clover worthy", it was just a commitment to wanting something healthier for myself.  Most of us have it in us ... but it's not found there on the couch.  I'm proof of that.  So the next time you call me "lucky", or "naturally thin", or "fortunate to have good genes" ... you can kiss my ass!  Oh wait, I friggin' worked it off!  Seacrest Out!
... be great today!

26 comments:

  1. Well done! I think there's lots of 'the grass is always greener' syndrome out there.

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  2. Well said sir, well said. Great post, a brilliantly pure and simple tale of change. Thank you for sharing.

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  3. Hey Jim--I do think you are my running twin (except you are more talented). I too have never been grossly overweight, but I did gain 50 pounds with my pregnancy and had back issues due to all of that when I started getting serious about my running two years ago. Now the weight is gone...still dealing with the back sometimes...but at almost 40 I too feel 25 (better than I did at 25 actually). I have to work hard at running, too, but I *love* it. I agree that staying healthy is a choice, and it's one I'm glad I made, too.

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  4. your story and mine are similar... I weighed between 205 and 225 for a couple of decades... and then lost 40#

    I'm not as fast as you are though... yet!

    thanks for the post.

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  5. Awesome story! Isn't it amazing how blind we are to things like this until we end up like you in the hospital or on a cocktail of medication. Just crazy that being overweight causes about 99% of health problems yet people are dang naive!

    Also forget project 3:09.....you need to jump on project sub-3! You friggin knocked that 5k out of the water. Seriously Jim you are so ready for a sub-3 marathon this year.

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  6. Love the rant! I so very much dislike when people comment on my thinness. Like you, I train hard, love to run, but I also have Crohn's and people never think that maybe there's a health issue ... nope it's just their bad genes and bad luck!

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  7. Very impressive work on losing that much weight. But like you say, you really didn't look overweight in those earlier photos - just maybe average size. You looked more like a football player in those pics. And you have been a monster on the running trail.

    And lol on the line about being built like a linebacker or snowman! I'm now picturing a snowman in my head haha

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  8. Well said Jim. People always say the same to me. Then I tell them I ran 50 miles last week AND eat healthy. Everyone wants the weight gone but will not put forth the effort. How did you do it? No magic there - people hate my answers and then go eat their McDonalds. Ha!

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  9. Same here.... people always tell me they wish they can lose the weight like I did. I always tell them it wasn't easy. I work damn hard at this and it wasn't over night. I chipped at it everyday. That's what it took. 3 years later I am 50 pounds lighter than I was back then. I'm happier too.
    I owe it all to my dedicating to eating healthier and my running.

    Great post!!!!

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  10. True. Overweight people complain to me that I'm "lucky" to be thin or I don't understand how hard it is. The truth is that I had thyroid cancer as a teenager, and while I choose to maintain my weight by eating a clean diet and exercising regularly, I could easily gain weight thanks to my now very sluggish metabolism. We all have choices to make that shape our health.

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  11. Well done Jim - in cleaning up your act and telling your story. I love seeing before and after pictures - you're only just recognisable in yours. And being a former fatty myself I know how much hard work and discipline you put into getting where you are today - a lean, mean, running machine.

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  12. This is a great post! I've always struggled with being over weight but it reminds all of us that what you see is not always the reality of the way things have always been.

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  13. Well I am in the same boat as you..without the BQ and the marathons and the speed...but I lost some weight (75 lbs) and now at 43 also I feel better than I did at 35. I also have friends who will comment about my current weight and "how lucky" I am. I want to punch them all. These are all lazy women who are looking for a pill to fix their weight problems instead of moving a little and stop eating taco bell for lunch with a XL frappuchino !
    the worst part is most of them met me when I was bigger. they know I had to do something to loose the weight and they know it was not a pill or a Dr who did it for me. Bill is about the same height and weight you were in the pictures and your ulcer story is now worrying me...I try to not NAG too much but ...may have to make the chicken wings dissapear!!!

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  14. I have never been overweight either, but I have worked HARD at not getting that way, starting in college. My weight is up and down a few lbs (like 10 or so), but I have a stopping point where, thankfully, I say no more, and correct my issues before they get too far out of hand. as I get older, each year, the battle sadly increases, but each year I feel better because as I battle to maintain, I increase my healthy eating each year. totally agree with ya!

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  15. Well done is right. I am battling some weight issues right now - since my injury. However, the comments that I have been getting are "You needed some weight. Stop b*tch*ng." Well, all I can say is that I feel worse with this extra stuff and it is emotionally crushing.

    You posted this very well and GREAT JOB!!!!

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  16. My husbands best advice to me ever about my weight
    "If you aren't going to do anything about it quite complaining about it."

    I am not at my goal weight yet but I definitely kicked up my efforts by several notches.

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  17. From one former fata$$ to another: This is the best thing I've read in a long time!

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