About
- 4th of July 2009
I used to be obese and very out of shape–stairs were not my friend and playing with my kids was way more difficult than it should have been. Over two years later, I’m still slightly overweight but I’m probably in the best shape of my life. I’m still working (slowly) on shedding those last few pounds to reach my goal weight of 175. I’m a stay at home dad of 2 wonderful kids, so you’d think I’d be able to find the time to write more. I just seem to put if off. When I do get in the mood to write, it is usually about my everyday struggles with food and exercise. I strive to make healthy choices and set good examples for both me and my family.
I also struggle a lot with this blog and its direction. I spend a lot more time thinking about the blog than actually writing on it. So much so, that I often paralyze my brain and can’t actually get anything out worth publishing. One of my top priorities is to get it back to where it was before all the problems with the hacking. I think we’re running a secure and stable version of wordpress now. But, if we get hacked again, I’m probably shutting down for good.
One of the many reasons I decided to create this blog with my partner, J.D., is that I’m very concerned with what people think of me. My own fear of not being liked or respected because of the way I used to look is a very motivational tool for me. I hated like the way I looked and the life I was living. There was no way I would let myself fail if I had people watching me. For me, it’s much easier to handle disappointment in myself than it is to handle other peoples’ disappointment of me.
Now that I’ve suffered some setbacks, I’m ready to get back on track. I can see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, or probably more appropriate for me, the finish line at the end of the race. I’m very excited to be close to my goals. I still haven’t forgotten my two New Year’s Resolutions to run a sub 2-hour 1/2 marathon and to get down to my goal weight. The year is more than 1/2 over and I’m still working on the latter goal. It will happen. I know it will because I have the support of my friends, family, and readers. Thank you.
Also featured on this blog are the writings of J.D. Roth. One of my best friends, who also happens to struggle with making good diet and exercise choices (no wonder we’re good friends huh?), J.D. was the one who suggested that we start this blog. I have no doubts that it has been helpful to both of us and will continue to be so in the future. J.D. can add anything else that he feels is pertinent to his bio when he feels like it.
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey bro, can you create a site called getfitquickly.com. I need to get on that bus. HAHAHAHA! Started back in the gym on monday so im ready to go. weighed in at 225 and im hoping to be 205 in the next 6-8 weeks. I will let you know how that goes. See you guys soon. Give my love to my sister in law and my niece and nephew. Love ya.
Thanks for stopping by Dave! Get Fit Quickly doesn’t work for me…though I’m sure there is already that site
Getting fit quickly typically doesn’t work for anybody in the long run. Healthy habits developed over time produce extraordinary results. Keep up the good work Mac!
You can lose weight quickly but most likely not get fit. Oh and if you lose weight quickly you will most likely gain it all back even quicker.
“Becoming” fit is all about changing how you think and act and that is not easy.
Hi, Im fairly new to the exercise scene and was wondering if someone could help me. I joined the gym in January this year although I generally only go twice a week but because i enjoy the eliptical trainer at the gym Ive now bought one for home. I admit that I was not the most motivated person but why have my weight and measurements not changed since January? – I would expected a slight drop. As ive bought the eliptical I am now taking things a bit more seriosly. Being 3 years off forty and one and a half stone over weight is not a good thing! Ive taken some advice that Ive found on this sight and started putting it into practice, joined dailyburn and bought a heart rate monitor and I do realise its going to be a long process but how long will it be before I see any slight changes as the fact that there has been no change since January is very disheartening. Im now doing the gym twice a week and the eliptical for 20min 3 other days – I know this isnt much but my goal is to build up to 30 min within two months. (smoking doesnt help either) I am also on some anti-depressant meds and am wondering if these could be causing the issue. Ive searched the site and couldnt find any info on weight not decreasing and just wondered if someone could help please. Thanks
Safely losing weight tends to take time, and it’s surprisingly easy to self-sabotage while trying to do it. A generally accepted safe rate of weight loss is about 2 pounds/week. It’s possible to lose weight faster, but doing so without extremely careful monitoring might result in loss where you don’t want it, e.g., muscle loss. For this reason alone checking with your doctor is probably a good idea.
Self-sabotage is easy to do for a couple reasons. First, it’s very easy to get too focused on what your weight is at the moment. Tracking this measurement can easily lead to disappointment, if only because the number tends to vary. One of the big reasons for varying weight is water, as you don’t really have an easy way to determine how much your water content varies from day to day. Weighing yourself is therefore like standing on the scale with a gallon jug into which someone puts some amount of water that varies each day. This is why using something like a moving average is a better way to track weight, as it tends to smooth the numbers out.
The other easy way to self-sabotage is with food. It’s very, very easy (and I speak from experience) to tell yourself things like, “Hey, I went an extra ten minutes on the treadmill today. I deserve that extra scoop of ice cream!” People generally tend to underestimate their caloric intake, and overestimate their caloric burn rate. To be certain you’re not doing this, take a few weeks to log EVERYTHING you eat, and use a calorie calculator to help determine how much you’re actually taking in. This will help considerably in determining how much you need to do to offset that.
Good luck!
Don’t be disheartened by the fact that your weight isn’t dropping, or that your measurements are staying the same.
The weight thing, particularly if you have done very little in the way of exercise before, could simply be a case of fat being replaced by muscle. I know that with a simple exercise programme my love handles started to disappear, but my weight stayed the same!
As for measurements- this may be merely one of those odd things that happens as fat is replaced by muscle. You may be losing fat, just not in the places you are measuring, or the muscle underneath is adding a little width under the fat.
Keep at it, eat sensibly, and as you get fitter, and you can do more and more, your body will respond.
Set some short-term goals to keep up your motivation (the choice is yours- whether it be able to get five or ten minutes more on the trainer by date x, or whatever, is entirely up to you).
Speak to your doctor about the anti-depressants too- many medicines do have side effects, as we all know, and perhaps it is a contributing factor. Try to knock smoking on the head (it can be hard I know- I’ve been fighting with the addiction for years myself, but think I’ve finally cracked it), but don’t replace cigarettes with snacking- some people do, and that’s why giving up smoking is often equated with weight gain!
I’m sure your doctor will also be impressed with your efforts to get fitter (doctors love their patients when they take charge of their own health and well being in this way), and as you have probably discovered,exercise is a great stress-buster and mood elevator, so in time, perhaps you can be free of the anti-depressants altogether.
Anyways, I’m digressing. Keep up the good work, and don’t be discouraged either by the scales or the tape measure.!
I have had good success on a VERY gradual program: about 1 pound a week. I have successfully lost 14 pounds over about 13 weeks. The trick for me has been scrupulously monitoring BOTH my calorie consumption AND my calorie burn. I’m trying for a 500 calorie gap each day, which over a week is 500 x 7 = 3500 calorie deficit, or one pound.
Mac, congrats on the amazing transformation you’ve made to a healthier life! There are a lot of people out their struggling with their weight and you’re an inspiration.
The thing is, if you’re a parent, the effects of obesity go beyond your personal health. In fact, obese parents are the leading predictor of childhood obesity.
September is Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. Thought you’d be interested in what we’re doing to help parents be healthier role models: The Coalition of Angry Kids (COAK) – http://COAK.org.
MacDaddy,
I just found this site through “Get Rich Slowly” and I’m glad I stopped by. Your commitment is admirable and your openness and honesty is to be commended. I’m in a different situation; a one time martial artist who loved to exercise, I blew out my back and have been physically disabled since Sep 2004. For a while I was in a wheelchair, but surgery in March of 2010 has me back on my feet! Not a total cure, but better.
One thing you said did concern me though. You talked about being concerned with how people felt about you, or maybe saw you. May I give you three reasons to be healthy that don’t include how others see you? I know it’s not your only or main issue, but it did catch my attention.
1. If you can’t take care of yourself, how can you take care of your spouse or kids?
2. As a former paramedic and trauma nurse, I can tell you that those who are fit can handle emergencies better than those who are not. Although obvious, not many think it can happen to them, until it does. being prepared starts with a prepared body.
3. A healthy body doesn’t show up in the doctor’s office nearly as much as a sick one. Again, obvious, but I can’t tell you the type of folks I meet at the doctor’s (and I have to go–a lot) and I wonder why they bother. So many people don’t do what the can or even suppose to do. It’s a shame, and it’s a sign of self-disrespect.
You seem like a great guy and I wish you all the best. I hope hackers don’t shut you down, this appears good for you and a lot of others here. Maybe someday we can also discuss why weight is the worst indicator of health, but that’s for another time. I’ll pray for your continued success.
Tom
Dude, I cannot believe that you were ever obese or out of shape. Where are your before photos? Show us!
Mac –
Congratulations on your big improvements through small steps. I like to say at MeYou Health – small actions matter. Our Daily Challenge users receive one small action a day to improve their well-being, and it’s really working.
It’s not about setting out to lose 50 lbs or running a marathon – it’s the little choices we make to be healthier every day!
Hi! Stopped by your blog for the first time today. Very nice blog! I too spend more time thinking about my blog than writing posts! And I often have fear of not being respected either. But most of the time, it is just a mind game and not really true. I think you’re very sincere and I do respect you for that.