Who I am (Jan 2008)
David, 51 year old male, with a nice big tummy and acid
reflux every evening, 210 lbs (40 lbs. gained in the last
4-5 years)
I typically ate when I wanted, consuming burgers, pizza,
tacos, candy, ice cream, an occasional salad, but never a
soda that was not a diet soda.
I received this class as a Christmas gift from wife. The
class began in early January 2008 and it ended in early
March 2008 (Read on to see why this was my best gift ever.)
What I thought might
happen
I thought I would be hungry and tired all the time, having
to eat food that tasted bad, and was hard to prepare. In
short I thought I would hate it. I was not overly excited.
What Happened
I took the program on immediately, weighed and measured my
food most of the time, read labels, and began working out 2
days a week. At the end of the 10 weeks I had lost 20
pounds, lowered my fat percent from 27.5% to 20.3%, lost 2.8
BMI points, reduced my waist by 2” (7 total inches in all
measurements). Most importantly I look better and feel
better. My co-workers noticed my weight loss and how much
better I looked. (Some of them even have started eating
salads). I have lost most of the big gut. This gave me a
self-esteem boost. Most importantly my energy level has
become constant. I used get very tired at times, now that
does not happen. This is good because I must drive a lot. My
acid reflux has virtually disappeared. I really enjoy the
wholesome mix of foods and things actually taste better. As
I have lost weight my clothes fit better and I now buy large
instead of extra large in some my shirt sizes. At the gym I
learned enough to get confidence to work out on the weekends
without instruction. (I used the Internet for ideas and some
body building books). In conclusion this was well worth it.
The fee is small compared to the benefit and commitment was
not insurmountable.
What I could have done
better
I should have worked out more. My lean muscle mass is the
area I want to improve.
|
|
I had tried some other avenues – And there I was, closing
in on the big 4-0, ready to go to size 12 pants instead of
the 10’s that I was in and at 5’3-1/2” tall, there was no
excuse! I had been more fit most of my life. In
fact, I had been much, MUCH lighter. So I came back to the
gym and took a few classes. Then spotted the Total Health
flyer on the bulletin board. Hmmm...small group, registered
dietitian, certified instructors. So, I called and decided
to sign up! I was actually getting excited. I was DOING
SOMETHING about how I was feeling, not just complaining
about it. I felt better already and the class hadn’t even
started yet! Gail - Bally Total
Fitness Wilsonville
So here we are 10 weeks later and although we women
tend to be obsessed with the scale, it is the other results
I am so thrilled with. I have dropped 20 heart beats per
minute (wow!) in a simple cardiovascular test, gone from 43
to 77 push-ups in 2 minutes (strength training) and
increased my flexibility by 3”! My toes are actually within
reach. Who knew?!
Now for the good stuff – I am down to a size 8, some
6’s, and down 2 spots on my belts. I am sleeping better, am
more even-tempered and am down 10 lbs. The unexpected thing
– my eating and grocery shopping habits have totally
changed. My goal is another 15 lbs, 100 push ups and a
solid size 6. I know I can do it. So do Dana and Tanya. They
are great cheerleaders, too.
"I have already signed up for the
next Total Health session. Have you?" - Gail.
|
