I was fat. No, seriously… I was fat. As a 6’1” man, I was weighing in at damn near 300lbs. My pants were several sizes too big because my damn belly was too big.
I was just stupid fat.
Sure, we have the “dad bod” craze in place right now, which to be honest, was one of the biggest things holding me back! I could have the extra weight and still “look good” – well, good enough, anyway. But, I was still fat.
Being fat meant I couldn’t do a whole lot.
- I couldn’t walk very long without needing to sit down.
- I couldn’t run for shit, and no one would ever make me!
- Hiking – that wasn’t a thing for me, as I would never get past a mile without nearly passing out.
- Sex – well, guys… let’s be honest… When you’re fat, sex just isn’t all that great. Half your manhood is covered by fat, you feel ugly as hell when you’re naked, and stamina just isn’t a reality.
Something Had to Change!
Finally, at the ripe old age of 50, I decided it was time to stop with the excuses and actually do something that mattered. My lifestyle had to change.
I had tried a few of the craze diets, spent hours at the gym and even tried a few prescription pills. The problem is that the diets are temporary and the weight comes back, the gym can really hurt your joints at a certain age, and well… those prescription pills really steal away what’s left of your libido.
So, what do you do when all else fails? Truthfully… you get freaking honest.
Diet plans, insane gym routines and pills are the “shortcuts” that are also filled with all the excuses you could ever want or need. We all know that the shortcuts don’t actually work, but by trying them, we can tell ourselves that “we’ve tried everything” and find a way to be ok with the failure.
Don’t Do Be Ok With Failure!
Life is made for the living. Living is done in moving. So get your fat ass up and move!
And that was the thing… I had to change my life, and that meant I needed to move.
In order to move, I needed fuel. That meant I needed to do a bit of research into what the hell a 50 year old man of my height should actually be eating. I needed to pay attention to the crap I was putting in my mouth and get serious about making changes I could actually live with. So, my eating habits changed.
I still needed to move though, and so that meant going somewhere and doing something. I started with what I already knew, and that was the gym. After a few months struggling to keep both motivation and consistency in place, I bought some dumbbells and a bench for the garage, and a good pair of walking shoes. A couple hundred dollars later, and I was actually moving. No more excuses.
Over several months, the weight started to come off. Even in the weeks where it slowed down, or I may have even gained a pound or two back, I didn’t stop. This was no longer just an attempt to “try everything” – this was now how I was approaching my life and health.
“If I Can Do It”
Yeah, you’ve heard that shit before, haven’t you? “If I can do it, anyone can do it.” – Well, I’m gonna say this as direct as I can:
Not “anyone” can do it.
In order to actually do it, you have to make that decision. Not the BS one where you tell yourself that “you’re gonna try” – but the decision that says, I will find a way.
Trust me when I say it’s tough. In the beginning, you will feel it… all of it. The aches of moving for the first time in what feels like forever. The hunger from not eating the extra 1000 calories each day that you don’t actually need (and made you fat in the first place.) The frustration of having to figure out what to actually do and eat, when so much competing information is all over the place.
That’s the thing… you have to want it. You have some work that needs to be done, and until you’re willing to do that, you will not get anywhere. Well, you’ll have more excuses to use, if that’s what you want. However, excuses are not going to get your fat ass up the trail to find that awesome waterfall, and they’re not going to boost your sex drive or appeal. No, you have to have more than excuses to do that.
Cheat Sheets
Yes, you can find some cheats along the way. You can find trainers to help push you. You can pay nutritionists that will help craft your meals. Hell, you can even connect with me as a Personal Coach, and I can help you sort through this stuff.
But no matter what cheats you find along the way, you still have to do the work.
No, not “anyone” can do it… But I do believe that YOU can.
Make the decision, set your goals, and let go of the excuses.
Besides the extra weight… what the hell have you got to lose?
