Hi,
My name is Jim, and here is my story.
I’m 46 years old, and have struggled with weight issues all my life. I am currently 6’4” and 301 pounds.
I’ve always been a bit on the ‘husky’ side, but there have been periods in my life where it wasn’t quite so bad. There are pictures of me running when I was 21; how I wish I could look like that again! I weighed around 205 lbs and at that time, ate and drank whatever I wanted, in whatever quantities I desired. I was into running and that seemed to burn off all the extra calories and then some. I also was more physically active in other ways; I had a job that required a lot of movement, played hockey and softball. Walked a lot more.
In my late 20’s, my average weight did go up, despite the fact that I continued to run and workout quite regularly. I was typically between 235-245, started working with weights at that time. I weighed in at 247 during one visit with my doctor, and he said “Don’t worry, most of what you have is lean muscle mass”. That stuck in my head, as you’ll later discover.
In my 30s, I dieted (pure calorie restriction) and exercised moderately, and got myself into the 220-230 range for a while. Then it spiked right back up as soon as I became less restrictive on the dietary choices. I was also drinking quite a bit more at that time (mostly beer). Before I knew it, I was up around 260 and beginning to get concerned. Tried to do some dieting again; it seemed like I could lose a belt notch or two in just a week in my 20s; now, it seemed like I needed a month to make ½ inch improvement. Time management was also a problem. I was working a full 40 hour week and commuting 1 hour each way. Seemed there was no time, or energy, left for me to be as physically involved as I was in my 20s. “Baseline” weight in my 30s was between 260-270 and did not fluctuate much.
I got divorced in my late 30s, and found the will power to drop about 20-25 pounds before getting back into dating. I had two fairly long term relationships, one for about 1 ½ years and one for about 3 years. Although I continued to run and work out with weights, and my food choices stayed about the same as always, my weight crept up into the 280s. It seemed like I was putting as much effort as ever into the exercise, but all that was happening was my knees were taking a beating and I was adding some muscle. Just getting "big", not lean, not fit, just "big".
I got married to my second wife in 2003. Not long after meeting her, I discovered my weight was an astounding 290 pounds. Still running. Still working out. Now trying to eat better and eat less, but the weight was VERY stubborn and coming off in amounts WAY too small to make a real difference. Later that year, I discovered the Atkins Diet. It seemed to have some very attractive aspects to it; no calorie counting, only carbs (which I found easier). I enjoyed being able to eat without guilt, feel full, and lose weight in the process. I stuck to it quite well, started running more as my weight went down, and after 8 months, I had lost a total of 60 pounds! I was running up around 40 miles per week, and was training for a marathon. In the process, I introduced some of the ‘bad’ foods back into the mold, but because I was running so much, I continued to lose. I wanted to lose 20 more or so, and felt like I finally found ‘the answer’.
Well, I developed some running injuries, and discovered I had some bone spurs in both feet. I had to back off the running in a major way, but did not go back to the super-low carb restriction that got me on the right track to begin with. Net result; I was back up around 270 or 280 within a year or so. Still running at that point, but without the carb restriction, it felt like I was just beating up my body with no real benefit derived.
Over the next couple of years, I went back on a low-carb routine a few times, and lost about 30 pounds one time and 25 or so the next. But my knees did not permit me to go back to the running, so I seemed to level off faster and couldn't seem to get any lower. Net result #2: got frustrated, went back to eating the old, horrible way and pushed my weight up to the magical weight of 300 lbs at the age of 44. Chairs broke. Floors creaked. Instead of hearing people say “wow, you really are tall, aren’t you?”, it became “hey there big guy!”. “Big guy” appeared to have officially replaced “tall”, and I knew exactly what it meant. I hate "big guy" with a passion, because I did not hear it when I weighed 230. I was still 6'4" then!!
Although I have a happy marriage, and my wife is supportive in whatever I choose to do, I always appreciated getting ‘glances’ from other women. Sometimes ‘double takes’. Sometimes a bit of flirtation. I don’t care how happily married you are; when you are in your mid 40’s, those things mean a LOT when you get them! Last year or two, women find me to be absolutely invisible. Where I would ‘catch’ their eye in the past in the store or mall, they now appear to not see me at all! Not at all!! And although I can be quite critical of myself, I do appear to be about 10 years younger than my chronological age; no hair loss, very few grays, no wrinkes except for some barely visible ‘crows feet’ around my eyes. I have been told that I am actually quite handsome, but damn, that extra weight COMPLETELY ruins it.
One more important thing to mention before I get to the present: about 3 years ago, I joined a gym for the first time. And I discovered that genetically, my body is very receptive to rapid increase of muscle mass and very likely to sustain it (even if I skip the gym for weeks, it is as if I didn’t miss a beat). So, I added some considerable muscle, thinking “Don’t they say that muscle burns a tremendous amount of calories?” If I’ve added 30 pounds of muscle, that will surely burn off the remaining fat just by maintaining the same approximate calorie count and same amount of muscle, right? Answer: nope. What appears to have happened is that I added the 30 pounds of muscle PLUS 10 extra pounds of fat. The next result is I look like one of those kinda fat guys with some considerable muscle underneath. Think ‘offensive lineman’ for you football fans out there! The extra muscle did not ‘shred’ me like I thought it would, and I did some pretty extreme cardio at the same time.
Last year, I tried P90X, but could only get about 3 weeks into it because the plyo and leg exercises were absolutely killing my knees. Went to the doctor, who said I had pretty severe arthritis on each site, and gave me Synvisc injections. That enabled me to go back to some of the cardio machines at the gym, but running is too much because I’m just too heavy. I continued to do the weights, thinking, “All this muscle eventually IS going to start burning off the fat, RIGHT??!” Answer so far: nope. Still look the same; mostly muscle with just enough hideous fat to render me utterly unattractive, and breaking chairs at a record rate, and as invisible to women in an almost 'ghost like' fashion.
So here is where I am today; back to low carb. It is the only thing that has consistently worked over the past 10 years, and this time, I want to give more thought to maintenance and realize that I can never go back to eating carbs in abundance anymore. Atkins has gotten slammed pretty hard in the media over the last few years, but if you read the book and follow it’s suggestions, you realize that you are not eating bacon and cheese forever. The ongoing weight loss and maintenance phases include many healthy recipes, including fresh veggies, lean meats, nuts, and a moderate amount of low-glycemic carbs eventually introduced. In fact, the P90X nutrition guide and the Atkins low carb maintenance diet are VERY similar in some respects!
But right now, I’m down. I feel very depressed about having worked SO damn hard at the gym, to end up with TOTALLY NOT the look I wanted. I wanted the lean and mean look, not the strip club bouncer look! Based on my past history, I think there is a fair chance I will just go back to eating the old way; fried foods, junk, snacks, and then I will be right back on the offensive line.
I don’t know why I’m reaching out like this. I have never done anything like this before. All I know is I feel AWFUL, look AWFUL, and am frustrated as hell that all my hard work at the gym did not nearly produce the desired result. What I do have going for me is a supportive wife, a new venture back into the low-carb lifestyle, and the thought that maybe, someone can relate and offer meaningful advice.
Oh, and a 3 pound weight loss in the first 5 days of low-carbing! A big resounding "YAY"
That’s my story, and it’s sticking to me.
Nice to meet you.
Jim
My name is Jim, and here is my story.
I’m 46 years old, and have struggled with weight issues all my life. I am currently 6’4” and 301 pounds.
I’ve always been a bit on the ‘husky’ side, but there have been periods in my life where it wasn’t quite so bad. There are pictures of me running when I was 21; how I wish I could look like that again! I weighed around 205 lbs and at that time, ate and drank whatever I wanted, in whatever quantities I desired. I was into running and that seemed to burn off all the extra calories and then some. I also was more physically active in other ways; I had a job that required a lot of movement, played hockey and softball. Walked a lot more.
In my late 20’s, my average weight did go up, despite the fact that I continued to run and workout quite regularly. I was typically between 235-245, started working with weights at that time. I weighed in at 247 during one visit with my doctor, and he said “Don’t worry, most of what you have is lean muscle mass”. That stuck in my head, as you’ll later discover.
In my 30s, I dieted (pure calorie restriction) and exercised moderately, and got myself into the 220-230 range for a while. Then it spiked right back up as soon as I became less restrictive on the dietary choices. I was also drinking quite a bit more at that time (mostly beer). Before I knew it, I was up around 260 and beginning to get concerned. Tried to do some dieting again; it seemed like I could lose a belt notch or two in just a week in my 20s; now, it seemed like I needed a month to make ½ inch improvement. Time management was also a problem. I was working a full 40 hour week and commuting 1 hour each way. Seemed there was no time, or energy, left for me to be as physically involved as I was in my 20s. “Baseline” weight in my 30s was between 260-270 and did not fluctuate much.
I got divorced in my late 30s, and found the will power to drop about 20-25 pounds before getting back into dating. I had two fairly long term relationships, one for about 1 ½ years and one for about 3 years. Although I continued to run and work out with weights, and my food choices stayed about the same as always, my weight crept up into the 280s. It seemed like I was putting as much effort as ever into the exercise, but all that was happening was my knees were taking a beating and I was adding some muscle. Just getting "big", not lean, not fit, just "big".
I got married to my second wife in 2003. Not long after meeting her, I discovered my weight was an astounding 290 pounds. Still running. Still working out. Now trying to eat better and eat less, but the weight was VERY stubborn and coming off in amounts WAY too small to make a real difference. Later that year, I discovered the Atkins Diet. It seemed to have some very attractive aspects to it; no calorie counting, only carbs (which I found easier). I enjoyed being able to eat without guilt, feel full, and lose weight in the process. I stuck to it quite well, started running more as my weight went down, and after 8 months, I had lost a total of 60 pounds! I was running up around 40 miles per week, and was training for a marathon. In the process, I introduced some of the ‘bad’ foods back into the mold, but because I was running so much, I continued to lose. I wanted to lose 20 more or so, and felt like I finally found ‘the answer’.
Well, I developed some running injuries, and discovered I had some bone spurs in both feet. I had to back off the running in a major way, but did not go back to the super-low carb restriction that got me on the right track to begin with. Net result; I was back up around 270 or 280 within a year or so. Still running at that point, but without the carb restriction, it felt like I was just beating up my body with no real benefit derived.
Over the next couple of years, I went back on a low-carb routine a few times, and lost about 30 pounds one time and 25 or so the next. But my knees did not permit me to go back to the running, so I seemed to level off faster and couldn't seem to get any lower. Net result #2: got frustrated, went back to eating the old, horrible way and pushed my weight up to the magical weight of 300 lbs at the age of 44. Chairs broke. Floors creaked. Instead of hearing people say “wow, you really are tall, aren’t you?”, it became “hey there big guy!”. “Big guy” appeared to have officially replaced “tall”, and I knew exactly what it meant. I hate "big guy" with a passion, because I did not hear it when I weighed 230. I was still 6'4" then!!
Although I have a happy marriage, and my wife is supportive in whatever I choose to do, I always appreciated getting ‘glances’ from other women. Sometimes ‘double takes’. Sometimes a bit of flirtation. I don’t care how happily married you are; when you are in your mid 40’s, those things mean a LOT when you get them! Last year or two, women find me to be absolutely invisible. Where I would ‘catch’ their eye in the past in the store or mall, they now appear to not see me at all! Not at all!! And although I can be quite critical of myself, I do appear to be about 10 years younger than my chronological age; no hair loss, very few grays, no wrinkes except for some barely visible ‘crows feet’ around my eyes. I have been told that I am actually quite handsome, but damn, that extra weight COMPLETELY ruins it.
One more important thing to mention before I get to the present: about 3 years ago, I joined a gym for the first time. And I discovered that genetically, my body is very receptive to rapid increase of muscle mass and very likely to sustain it (even if I skip the gym for weeks, it is as if I didn’t miss a beat). So, I added some considerable muscle, thinking “Don’t they say that muscle burns a tremendous amount of calories?” If I’ve added 30 pounds of muscle, that will surely burn off the remaining fat just by maintaining the same approximate calorie count and same amount of muscle, right? Answer: nope. What appears to have happened is that I added the 30 pounds of muscle PLUS 10 extra pounds of fat. The next result is I look like one of those kinda fat guys with some considerable muscle underneath. Think ‘offensive lineman’ for you football fans out there! The extra muscle did not ‘shred’ me like I thought it would, and I did some pretty extreme cardio at the same time.
Last year, I tried P90X, but could only get about 3 weeks into it because the plyo and leg exercises were absolutely killing my knees. Went to the doctor, who said I had pretty severe arthritis on each site, and gave me Synvisc injections. That enabled me to go back to some of the cardio machines at the gym, but running is too much because I’m just too heavy. I continued to do the weights, thinking, “All this muscle eventually IS going to start burning off the fat, RIGHT??!” Answer so far: nope. Still look the same; mostly muscle with just enough hideous fat to render me utterly unattractive, and breaking chairs at a record rate, and as invisible to women in an almost 'ghost like' fashion.
So here is where I am today; back to low carb. It is the only thing that has consistently worked over the past 10 years, and this time, I want to give more thought to maintenance and realize that I can never go back to eating carbs in abundance anymore. Atkins has gotten slammed pretty hard in the media over the last few years, but if you read the book and follow it’s suggestions, you realize that you are not eating bacon and cheese forever. The ongoing weight loss and maintenance phases include many healthy recipes, including fresh veggies, lean meats, nuts, and a moderate amount of low-glycemic carbs eventually introduced. In fact, the P90X nutrition guide and the Atkins low carb maintenance diet are VERY similar in some respects!
But right now, I’m down. I feel very depressed about having worked SO damn hard at the gym, to end up with TOTALLY NOT the look I wanted. I wanted the lean and mean look, not the strip club bouncer look! Based on my past history, I think there is a fair chance I will just go back to eating the old way; fried foods, junk, snacks, and then I will be right back on the offensive line.
I don’t know why I’m reaching out like this. I have never done anything like this before. All I know is I feel AWFUL, look AWFUL, and am frustrated as hell that all my hard work at the gym did not nearly produce the desired result. What I do have going for me is a supportive wife, a new venture back into the low-carb lifestyle, and the thought that maybe, someone can relate and offer meaningful advice.
Oh, and a 3 pound weight loss in the first 5 days of low-carbing! A big resounding "YAY"
That’s my story, and it’s sticking to me.
Nice to meet you.
Jim
Hope the low-carb thing works out for you--You've obviously been successful with loosing weight before 