Jake

by Jacob Workman
(West Virginia)

I'm a SGT in the US Army and also a family man. I have always been a little on the bigger side. I never thought myself to be fat, just big boned (ha!).

Then I had orders to go to school that must be completed in order of me to get promoted. I was denied enrollment because my body fat% was to high.

That just made me feel worse about myself but still i did nothing about it.

Then about six months later i started need bigger pants. So i bought them and thought nothing about it, cause heck, alot of people wear 38s right? This is what I thought to myself.

By now, my son which turned two in Dec. is more active than ever. So i take him out to play one day, and find myself way to out breath for someone my age. I hadn't even really done much, just chased him around the once or twice and i was tired.

Later that night I was thinking, I really need to get healthy. Not just for my son and wife, but for myself and my career. So totally changed my eating habits, and started exercising or lifting five days a week.

The hard part was diet. I thought I was starving myself, but in no way was. But I stayed motivated, and at last when I started noticing results, and everyone did as well, that motivated me even more. Now I'll never go back my old habits.

I feel so much better, my life has changed for the better. Tons of energy, and just I can't explain in words how it feels to be able do things without having to take it easy.

I began my dieting and working out on 5 Nov 2008. I was 265 pounds, and sitting on 30% body fat. As of 9 March 2009, I'm 215 and 23% body fat. I still have a good hike ahead of me, but I'm 100% ready for the challenge. My goal is to be below 200lbs and body fat around 17 to 19 %.

If you're using this site to look for motivation, its not really going to help you. You are the only person who can make it happen. If you need some tips on how I have been doing it, by all means ask, I'll help in way I can. I know how hard it is. I'll do the best I can to help you, or you can do your best to help me reach my goal.

Either way good luck.

Jake