Enough Is Enough, And It's Time For A Change
I’m not sure exactly when I hit 300 pounds, but it certainly wasn’t by design. Honestly, it snuck up on me. I actually used to be a pretty scrawny kid. Of course, that was back when my mom made my meals, I didn’t have a car, and I never had money to buy junk food. I also used to play sports all year round, so even if I was eating worse than usual, I was active enough to make up for it.
Kid thinks he's so cool touching his toes. WHATEVER KID!
Somewhere along the way though, it all kind of fell apart. Looking back, I can pinpoint 3 things that led to me being where I am today. The first was when I was still in high school, when the small town I lived in got a fried chicken restaurant. It was our first real fast food joint, and not only did I eat there a fair amount, I got a job. That meant that when I worked, I ate there. When I was off, I would go in for food because I got a discount. And at the end of a closing shift, I would take leftovers home, because why not? That’s when I went from being a skinny kid, to a heavy kid, but it still wasn’t too bad.
The second hurdle I tripped over was going to college. There’s a reason the term “Freshman Fifteen” exists, and that’s because when you go out on your own, and you’re in full charge of the food in your fridge, you rarely make smart decisions. Not to mention the amount of drinking that you do, as part of the typical college experience. I lived closer to a sub joint and a pizza place than I did to any grocery store, so for me, it was much easier to live off a pizza for a couple days, or get a sub covered in bacon, than it was to go get real food. By the time I left college in 2005, I was definitely not at a point one would call healthy.
What do you mean I need to get a job now?!
The third moment I can look to that brought me to 3 bills was my first job on a Street Team in the radio business. Now I had a car, which meant that any time I wanted food, I would just hit a drive thru while I was out working. And we all know you can’t eat a salad while you’re driving. Also, I worked a lot of events in bars, which meant more drinks, and we all know why they call it a beer gut.
Now, all three of these things can wreak havoc on a physique, but with the proper exercise program, it doesn’t have to be devastating. The problem is, I had all the classic excuses to skip the gym. I didn’t have time, I was always tired after work, I worked so much that I wanted to just relax on my days off, I didn’t have anyone to go with... you know them all, because you’ve probably used them too. When you stand on a scale, and watch it roll all the way around though, the excuses suddenly seem pretty hollow.
I'm currently sitting somewhere between the Hulkster and a giant ape...
So now, no more excuses. I’m terrified of the gym, of the hurt, of pushing myself outside of the comfort zone that is my couch in front of the TV. But I’m also tired of being winded on stairs, tired of having sore knees just from standing up for more than 20 minutes, tired of looking at 18 holes of golf as some sort of marathon. So the time has come to change things, and the people at Motion Fitness are going to help me do just that.
In this blog, I’m going to be completely honest about the process. You’ll read about the successes, and the failures. You’ll know when I’m falling apart from pain, or when I’m feeling on top of my game. We’re going to track my progress, and hopefully we can inspire some of you to make a change for yourself. If you have any questions for me about the process, or if you want me to ask my trainer any questions that might help you at home, e-mail me at drew@borderrock.com, or leave a comment in the box below. First day in the gym is Tuesday.
Drew Dalby - 300 lbs
