Losing 150lbs // Lessons Learned
Junior year of High School. It was the time of the year where we would let a beep determine our aerobic capacity. The Pacer Test.
I had somehow convinced my athletic trainer that I was “injured” and became exempt from the dreaded beep, but that didn’t help me much when it came to standing on a scale for my weight.
I couldn’t recall the last time I had weighed myself, but the voice in my head was saying “just don’t be over 300.” I was in the “denial” stage up until this point. Luckily my mom regularly told me how handsome I was and that I was “just big boned.”
343 lit up on the screen… It may have been 347, I dunno. I did my best to burn many of the memories from that time period from my memory.
After having a silent pity party for myself, It was time to change.
Queue rocky theme song, my knee miraculously heals, and over the next two years and some change I lose over 150 pounds.
This put me just under 200lbs. High fives all around, rocky theme song fades, but what i’d learn about myself over the next decade pales in comparison to changing the number on a screen.
Looking back, I couldn’t be more appreciative of the skills, habits, and relationships I’ve acquired throughout my own story. Here are a few to chew on.
The power of asking for help is what gave me the confidence to initially reach my goal. I was afraid of asking those around me for advice and for help. I felt I was annoying them with incessant questioning and I apologies after each interaction. I didn’t know if I, alone, had what it took to overcome something seemingly insurmountable.
It wasn’t until one of my good friends stopped me and said “You’ve been acting on every bit of information I’ve given you. As long as you keep applying it, you can ask me as many questions as you’d like.”
It hit me like a truck, and I haven’t been afraid to advocate for myself and chase what I’m after. Fitness cannot be bought. We live in a world where bettering yourself is seen as selfish to those around you. No one is going to care about your goals more than you, but including others in the process amplifies the gratitude into those around you. Be selfish. Fill your cup first. Then, watch how much easier it is to fill others.
Similarly to filling your cup, investing in hobbies is a way to create positive momentum that will create discipline and carry throughout the rest of your lifestyle.
We all remember skipping a day of school for whatever reason. Going back to the following day was exponentially harder than the norm. Likewise, eating an unhealthy meal will further perpetuate another, because why not? This is negative momentum.
Luckily, it works equally as well in reverse. Eating a healthy meal makes the next easier, working out leads to anticipating another. They all work together to create a positive trend that you can take advantage of.
Hobbies add to this momentum in a way that disassociates you from your routine. Whether it’s gardening, fishing, photography, cooking, or a new sport. New experiences and new learning creates a new foundation of support, growth, and ultimately a new layer of momentum that can help carry you closer to your goals.
While asking for help and hobbies are amazing investments, your support system is one of the most important components for success.
We’ve all heard that you become the average of the five people you surround yourself with, and the adage is true amongst fitness as well. Accountability is hard. Few of us do this for a living, we’re not getting rich off of eating healthy.
In fact, one of the most well-researched forms of accountability is giving a friend $100 or a comparatively “large” sum of money and sharing a goal. If you don’t see it through they get to keep it. Silly, but surprisingly effective.
Although betting on your fitness isn’t reliable for a decade of growth, the principle remains that surrounding yourself with those that support and encourage you in your growth and hold you accountable are worth their weight in gold. Or donuts, whichever you prefer.
Do something today that future you will thank you for. The best time to grow a tree was 20 years ago, the second best time is now.