I began the endeavor by using NutriSystem. From August through the end of February I ate nothing but NS foods (except for Thanksgiving and Xmas). It was the easiest thing I've ever done. Simple eating plan and it worked great. NS wasn't the only thing I was doing. I was working out as well. I had been working out for a year or so before beginning the diet, but I hadn't lost a pound.
When the diet began I thought I was really doing a lot of cardio. I was walking on the treadmill for about 30 minutes a day, and a couple of nights a week I was walking the dogs with Kim. As I started to lose weight I started to enjoy the cardio more and more. I joked with Kim one evening that maybe a good goal would be for me to get into good enough shape to run around the lake one day. The urge to attempt to run kept getting stronger and stronger and after a few days of running on the treadmill I ran a little one evening outside. 2 nights later I ran the entire route I'd hoped to complete one day. Before this I couldn't run from the living room to the kitchen. Now I could run ~2 miles! Today I run at least 3.5 everyday. Some days I run 6. To celebrate the one year anniversary of the diet I'm gonna run 10 miles. Along with the weight training and running I now also typically ride a spin bike around 30 minutes a day. For the past month and a half I've been doing Insanity Workouts as well. All that plus a 2 miles walking of the dogs most evenings makes up my daily workout.
I no longer drive myself crazy with trying to weigh and make sure I'm still losing weight. I've slowly transitioned from being all about losing weight each week to being healthy, fit, active, and happy. Now if I miss a day of training or eat unhealthy I feel bad. I feel almost sick. I can't eat the way/things I used to either. I've become a part time accidental vegetarian. Kim doesn't eat meat, and when I was eating only very restrictive foods it was easier to eat fake meats with her and I kinda grew to like them. Before the diet I would eat multiple steaks each week, maybe some BBQ ribs, and lots of fast food. I can't really eat steak anymore. It makes me sick. I haven't had ribs in over a year (sorry Dubs). About once a month, or while on vacation we'll have a bite of fast food. I'm never happy afterward, usually looking forward to getting back to my healthy eating. My diet is pretty clean and any greasy fatty food doesn't sit well with me. That's ok. I really don't miss it at all. I now enjoy lots of fish, grilled chicken, turkey, some salads, cereals, protein shakes, etc.
During the past year my body fat has dropped around 13%. Total pounds lost are somewhere around 80. I wore a size 40 waist, now a 32-33. I was having to buy XX-XXXL shirts. Now I wear L or XL. Crazy. I've gone from my workouts being mainly resistance (lifting) to now a good variety of intense cardio, pretty intense lifting, INSANE interval training, and enjoyable outdoor activities (like walking the dogs in the summer heat).
One of the main things that motivated me to start a diet was when Kim and I were on vacation in San Francisco last summer and she had to help carry some of my camera gear up a trail. She was afraid I was gonna have a heart attack. That along with the fact I saw a photo I was in and didn't recognize myself. Now I'm confident I can outlast Kim hiking and playing around outdoors. I'm really amazed at how much happier I am doing anything outside in the summer now. Last summer I just simply stayed indoors. This summer has been different. I'm not saying I love the crazy hot humid days we've been having, but I'm ok with it. When fall gets here I may go outside, start running and playing out with the dogs, and not come in until winter.
This spring Kim and ran in the South East Warrior Dash. I NEVER, EVER thought I'd run in any kinda race. Now I'd like to find a few different 5k or 10k races to run just so I can have something to motivate myself to train for. The Tough Mudder, USMC Mud Run, and Black Foot Mud Run (night run) all look fun too. Well, the Tough Mudder looks awful, but something to shoot for.
Here's a few more before/after photos.
And the after...
But here is my favorite new photo....
Of all the things that have happened over the past year that I'm so happy with (losing weight, running, being more fit, more healthy, etc.) the one that blows them all away is of course our engagement. Maybe when the wedding rolls around I'll push harder and "dig deeper" and get in even better shape! I'm so thankful that I'm in better overall health and look forward to a long, happy, healthy life with Kim!
So to any of you that are just starting your journey to better health, it can be done. If you're interested in following my daily exercise blog (and all of my past posts over the past year of eating and training) check it out here.
When the diet began I thought I was really doing a lot of cardio. I was walking on the treadmill for about 30 minutes a day, and a couple of nights a week I was walking the dogs with Kim. As I started to lose weight I started to enjoy the cardio more and more. I joked with Kim one evening that maybe a good goal would be for me to get into good enough shape to run around the lake one day. The urge to attempt to run kept getting stronger and stronger and after a few days of running on the treadmill I ran a little one evening outside. 2 nights later I ran the entire route I'd hoped to complete one day. Before this I couldn't run from the living room to the kitchen. Now I could run ~2 miles! Today I run at least 3.5 everyday. Some days I run 6. To celebrate the one year anniversary of the diet I'm gonna run 10 miles. Along with the weight training and running I now also typically ride a spin bike around 30 minutes a day. For the past month and a half I've been doing Insanity Workouts as well. All that plus a 2 miles walking of the dogs most evenings makes up my daily workout.
I no longer drive myself crazy with trying to weigh and make sure I'm still losing weight. I've slowly transitioned from being all about losing weight each week to being healthy, fit, active, and happy. Now if I miss a day of training or eat unhealthy I feel bad. I feel almost sick. I can't eat the way/things I used to either. I've become a part time accidental vegetarian. Kim doesn't eat meat, and when I was eating only very restrictive foods it was easier to eat fake meats with her and I kinda grew to like them. Before the diet I would eat multiple steaks each week, maybe some BBQ ribs, and lots of fast food. I can't really eat steak anymore. It makes me sick. I haven't had ribs in over a year (sorry Dubs). About once a month, or while on vacation we'll have a bite of fast food. I'm never happy afterward, usually looking forward to getting back to my healthy eating. My diet is pretty clean and any greasy fatty food doesn't sit well with me. That's ok. I really don't miss it at all. I now enjoy lots of fish, grilled chicken, turkey, some salads, cereals, protein shakes, etc.
During the past year my body fat has dropped around 13%. Total pounds lost are somewhere around 80. I wore a size 40 waist, now a 32-33. I was having to buy XX-XXXL shirts. Now I wear L or XL. Crazy. I've gone from my workouts being mainly resistance (lifting) to now a good variety of intense cardio, pretty intense lifting, INSANE interval training, and enjoyable outdoor activities (like walking the dogs in the summer heat).
One of the main things that motivated me to start a diet was when Kim and I were on vacation in San Francisco last summer and she had to help carry some of my camera gear up a trail. She was afraid I was gonna have a heart attack. That along with the fact I saw a photo I was in and didn't recognize myself. Now I'm confident I can outlast Kim hiking and playing around outdoors. I'm really amazed at how much happier I am doing anything outside in the summer now. Last summer I just simply stayed indoors. This summer has been different. I'm not saying I love the crazy hot humid days we've been having, but I'm ok with it. When fall gets here I may go outside, start running and playing out with the dogs, and not come in until winter.
This spring Kim and ran in the South East Warrior Dash. I NEVER, EVER thought I'd run in any kinda race. Now I'd like to find a few different 5k or 10k races to run just so I can have something to motivate myself to train for. The Tough Mudder, USMC Mud Run, and Black Foot Mud Run (night run) all look fun too. Well, the Tough Mudder looks awful, but something to shoot for.
Here's a few more before/after photos.
And the after...
But here is my favorite new photo....
Of all the things that have happened over the past year that I'm so happy with (losing weight, running, being more fit, more healthy, etc.) the one that blows them all away is of course our engagement. Maybe when the wedding rolls around I'll push harder and "dig deeper" and get in even better shape! I'm so thankful that I'm in better overall health and look forward to a long, happy, healthy life with Kim!
So to any of you that are just starting your journey to better health, it can be done. If you're interested in following my daily exercise blog (and all of my past posts over the past year of eating and training) check it out here.
Way to go, Zane! That is so awesome. You are most definitely an inspiration.
ReplyDelete@ Connie - Thanks!
ReplyDeleteZane,
ReplyDeleteThat is amazing!!! I'm VERY proud of you. Just reading your story made me want to stand up and cheer for you. Running is a wonderful workout and I've only been doing it for a couple of years myself. So, how was the Warrior Dash? My hubby and I want to do the one in PA this October. It sounds like soooo much fun!
Good luck to you on maintaining your new lifestyle. YOU ROCK!!!
Angela
Angela,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the kind words. Warrior Dash was fun! It was very crowded (overall, 500 people in each group). The only bad thing was the course conditions by the time we ran on the second day. The hill portion was soaked, and dangerously slick. You can read about our Warrior Dash experience (with LOTS of pics) here.