My Story and how I regained my own health!

My Story and how I regained my own health!

Before & After:

 

 

I am 44 years old, a father of five wonderful children and I have been married for almost 28 years.  Like many others, my story is about a guy who went from a somewhat healthy 25 year old to being a 75 lb overweight old guy at 43, unable to keep up with my kids and finding it very difficult to keep up with life.

About 2 ½ years ago I decided that I needed to change.  Nothing magical happened; I just decided I was tired of being tired.  I started with small incremental changes - eating healthier, natural foods and jogging/walking.  Right away I started to see positive results.  I did not follow any diets or take any magic pills!  As I made small changes and saw positive results, it motivated me to do more!  I also started reading books, listening to audio books, and following endurance athletes.  After a year I was down 65 lbs.

Fast forward another year, I ran my first marathon (Dec 2012) and it felt great!  I was so overwhelmed by my results that I decided to step up my game because it really was not that hard.  Looking back, I know a lot changed, but because it was small changes over time it never seemed like a big deal!

Now I have run three marathons, I have lost additional weight, and I am leaner that I have ever been.  I have not had any injuries and my energy is through the roof!  I have two more marathons to complete and my first ultra this season. 

The key is to decide to make changes!  The other challenge is many people fall into the trap of quick fixes.  There are no quick fixes - it takes work, it takes time, and you have to be committed!  Most people fail because the motivation to do something wears off shortly after a decision is made to change.  You have to view this as a lifestyle change.  If you make changes to reach some weight goal and then go back to the same old habits then you have gained - or in this case lost - nothing long term.

Now what are the specifics of my changes?  First, just because I run does not mean it made me skinny!  The fact is the dietary changes allowed me to run faster and farther while remaining injury-free.  You must change dietary behaviors! 

I am plant powered, which means I eat very little animal products and I do not consume any meat.  I gave up alcohol.  I found this to be critical for me because alcohol was preventing some of my weight loss and it caused me to not stick to my plan while I was drinking.  I focus on eating real whole foods, I limit my sugar and grains, and I eat a ton of fruits and veggies! 

I do not believe you need to eat meat to be healthy; however, if you do eat meat or dairy, you can be healthy, but you must be aware of the dangers.  It is very difficult to find clean natural sources of animal products, just be aware.

As a result of my experience, I now work to help others with their fitness journey.  I am not a certified “anything” nor do I have any credentials outside of my own experience.  In fact, many people have been misled by the industry giants, whether it is with food, health or fitness.  Be sure to use your own judgment when making changes or pursuing future goals.  There is a lot of bad information out there and it can be overwhelming.  I have set up a few resources if you want to follow me or see more details.

Good luck and I would love to hear from you!

Originally posted at:
http://www.allupanja.com/my-story-and-how-i-regained-my-health-guest-blog-post/