I have a choice!
 

It was almost one year ago now that I got started on trying to get my body back into shape through diet and exercise. I've had some successes and some failures. When I began this journey I weighed 240 lbs. @ a height of 6' 3". I smoked for 28 years and couldn't run a city block without being completely spent. While I had stopped smoking for a year prior to the weight loss journey I still was in poor shape, from a cardio perspective.

In my early going I had not yet found FitDay. I was simply winging it, so to speak. I was very close to becoming a vegetarian and very interested in the raw food diet. I never did it but it intrigued me quite a bit. I'd say I lost close to 25 lbs. by eating mostly fresh fruits and vegetables. Although I never tracked it, I'd say my carb intake was close to 75%. They were the good carbs though. I never ate breads or pasta. This, plus a very drastic drop in sugar consumption (had a 2 liter/day Pepsi addiction) was what worked in those early days.

When the loss began to slow down and become more difficult I sought out other ideas and that's when I found FitDay. I decided to track my intake and burn. What an eye-opener! I also was dealing with my first plateau back then decided that the zone diet looked like it might work well for me. I set a goal of 40/30/30 protein, fat and carbs. This broke the plateau and I proceeded to lose another 25 lbs. I was also exercising more by walking daily. I slowly increased this to include some running.

Being 50 lbs. lighter I decided it was time to start adding some muscle while continuing to lose more of the fat. It was time to hit the exercise routines to add to my walking and running. I started doing Power 90 and Couch to 5K. I got to the point where I could do 10 decline push ups with no problems, when I couldn't do one regular when I started. I even got to where I jogged non-stop for 5k and did it in 36 mins.

My weight loss had slowed considerably by this time, but it was to be expected. I was nearing my goal of 178 lbs. I got down to 184 lbs. and was adding muscle definition that was visibly noticeable.

This is where it all went south. I hurt my back and stopped exercising. Even walking a half mile was aggravating my back so I stopped. The lack of exercise and the winter months led to an increase in depression. I started skipping days of coming onto FitDay to log my food. One or two skipped days slowly became one or two skipped weeks, then months. With foods prices skyrocketing I slowly started adding cheaper and poorer quality foods to the shopping cart.

I'm now gaining weight, I can no longer run a 5K without walking and I never restarted Power 90. Yesterday I went for a walk and I can't even come close to the stretches I was doing just a few months ago. When I returned my hip was hurting something awful. I've let myself return to hell. Like falling dominoes in motion one thing triggers the next in line. Where will it stop?

But wait a minute...I have a choice! I choose the lighted path.

"Maintaining focus, motivation and drive" was another thread I started several months ago. I think my subconscious knew at that time what my conscious did not. I was already returning to failure. But why did I turn to the darkened path away from the lighted one? If I could answer that I'd write a book and get rich! :rolleyes:

Congrats to you for turning that ship around. We've all had those slips, good for you in not letting it run on any longer. BTW, for back injuries I've heard that gravity bench workouts not only help to keep you shape they can reduce the pain. I keep looking at them for DH, but haven't committed to the purchase of one yet.

One thing I have come to realize is that fitness comes in cycles. You work up to a peak of fitness - whatever that is for you - and then you let go for a while. Often it is because of an injury, sometimes it is an unavoidable lifestyle change, or occassionally people just get bored with being perfect ;).

So then one morning you wake up... just as you did... realize, hey time to get going again and off you go! Even professional atheletes have an off season.

Outstanding decision, Mark! See you around as you peel off those pounds again - 'cuz I know you will!

Pam

I've been there. I've fallen off the fitness wagon. I've also been fat for a long time and lost and regained, lost and regained, with various diets (all of them worked, by the way).

Guess which was harder to pick up again: diet or fitness? Diet was easy. Fitness, not so easy.

When you have the smallest spark of success, restarting physical activity, fan that flame!

This is inspirational, It's so important to remember that we have choices! My DH began his 100 lb (and continuing) journey when he realized the consequences of not deciding to do so "if I become diabetic" (he was pre-diabetic), I won't be able to eat what I want, so why don't I prevent that. "If my blood pressure gets worse, I will have to go on more serious meds which will make me impotent" listing all the things he would give up that weren't going to be choices later, made him begin, and I've been rejoicing in the man he is now!

Thank you for your words. It reassures me how important it is to take care of your body, not only to diet. I see you gained 8 lbs from all that you lost, is does not seem like much, but then you gave me the description of how your fitness level dropped, then ..oh then ... that really makes a difference in your lifestyle and it hit me to the core.

You are such an inspiration. Thanks!

No, 8 lbs. doesn't seem like a lot, but it's actually 15% of total weight that I had lost and it was going back on just as fast as I was taking it off, if not a little faster. Had I continued on that path I would have been right back to 240 lbs. (likely more) within 12 months.

My Dad (the most negative man I know) told me I'd just regain it so I shouldn't even be trying to lose it. Now that I've lost most of it he keeps saying "you don't need to lose anymore". He doesn't know it but he's only fueling my desire to lose it all! Plus, I already bought new pants, size 34 waist, and I'm not about to let them go unused. :D