This is my first time seriously posting to /r/loseit. I've got to get this off my chest so I can truly move forward with my commitment to my health and my happiness, so I hope you'll humor me a listen to this fisherman's (true) tale.
I grew up an angler as long as I can remember on the coast of Virginia, taking offshore trips into the Atlantic very often to chase big game fish with my dad. Between an unusually high metabolism, spending full days on the seas, and catching fish pushing 50-100lbs each, I grew up as a fit kid who never had to think about exercise or weight. My family often called me the "human garbage disposal", because I could eat anything in any amount and gain nothing. When I got into high school, I joined the high school marching band and stepped up to more serious fishing, joining my dad in billfish tournaments up and down the east coast. During this time I regularly hauled in personal records for tuna, wahoo, mahi, king mackerel, blue & white marlin, and even won some trophies along the way. I never spent a day in the gym, and graduated high school at 6'0" and 175 lbs (i think).
To say I was (and/or still am) privileged is an understatement. When I moved to California for college, it was a privilege I took for granted and neglected.
I kept up with marching band in college, but couldn't do any of the fishing I was used to. I couldn't afford to spend the time or money on that hobby while studying aerospace engineering, so my regular fishing habits practically ended. During my first year at school, I gained 25 lbs and hit the 200's. I didn't take that seriously (why should I? 18 year old me thought) and progressively continued gaining weight without a care. I eventually dropped marching band as my classes got tougher and required more time, and the stress of school continued building into more and more weight. At this point, nothing about my appearance mattered to me as long as it meant I could graduate and get my degree.
In June 2017, a 23 year old me finally did graduate. I was lucky to find a job in my field and started work 2 days after graduation. At the time, I weighed 250 lbs. It took about a month for me to look in the mirror, after all of the stress that was lifted from college, and finally see who I had become. I decided I needed to become the best version of myself, and attempted to begin my journey.
Attempted, because up until today I had repeatedly failed to make meaningful progress.
I've lived my whole life eating a certain way, exerting myself a certain way (before college), and thinking a certain way that all together was hurting any progress I made. I thought I had the discipline to change all of these habits on my own, and boy was I wrong. I would regularly fall off the horse of counting calories at every piece of food, or weighing myself, or taking daily walks to meet step targets, or keeping up with Couch to 5k, because of a lifetime of habits built for a lifestyle I just don't have access to anymore and my total disrespect for the challenge before me. I am now back where I started, 250 lbs, with only ever getting down to 235 lbs in the past year.
Today, however, I am done letting habits win. Its time to reel myself in, unhook 60 lbs of the years of fat I've built up, and reach my goal weight of 190 lbs. I absolutely know that I can do this, but this time I know better - I know that I don't have to do it alone.
Why today? Because yesterday, I took a charter boat out of Avila Beach, CA and fished a whole day of rock cod and ling cod on a medium-light rod and reel, and I am still exhausted. While doing laundry as I've typed this out, I've really noticed how hard it is for me to go up and down a flight of stairs. But its not just weak muscles, it's my shortness of breath. It's my heart picking up a decent pace. It's ultimately not healthy, and I have had enough.
Today, I am a 24 year old man at 250 lbs. Tomorrow and every day thereafter, I will be someone different. Someone better. And I hope that whoever's left reading at the end of my story has gained something from it for their own journey. I look forward to being a more permanent part of this community, as I build an extensive support network to keep myself on the mark and driven to push forward.
Tight lines,
-SlowAssociate
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