Meet my husband Jeremy at 272 pounds! Once an avid hiker, (1000 Hikes in 1000 Days), his struggle resisting food temptations and absence of exercise depleted his well-being and consumed him into the overweight oblivion. His excuse was; age, work, energy, motivation and convenience.
My response; "We can all say that!" Life, Kids, Money, Time - I completely get it. But whether you are 42-years-old like he was, which is young by the way, or age 72, health & fitness should always be your first priority. Over the years, as he gradually packed on the pounds, I have tried identifying unique ways to find my man. He finally took the initiative and assumed accountability when we landed on the hit TV Show, Fit To Fat To Fit!
Here I am at my heaviest with the show's creator, Drew Manning. In just four months, I went from a healthy weight of 131 pounds to a staggering 181! My daily routine of good diet and exercise shifted to overeating and laziness, much like my husband and so many others. People have often told me that you have the thin gene and you wouldn't understand. Apparently that so-called thin gene is a scam because look at what happened to me! I reprogrammed my body to go against everything that I ever believed in; to save my husband's life!
On Day one, all the trainers met up for a round robin array of eating. We went to four different restaurants and ate food that I generally do not touch. It's not that I completely dislike heavy, fatty foods, however to eat four meals in fours hours, a bit extreme, wouldn't you say?!
I had several medical problems throughout this journey. During my weight gain, I actually lost my period. After several doctor visits and tests, it was determined that I was not pregnant but had a hormone imbalance.
After five months (a month back into my Fat To Fit journey), my period finally came back. However, the medical issues did not end there. Where I had previously ran a mile in the mid 6-minute range, I could not even keep up a stride for more than 20 seconds. Carrying around all this weight created a hairline fracture in my shin and a calcaneal bone spur in my heal. For the next five weeks I was working out in a boot, none of which was shown or discussed on air.
Workouts with Jeremy became promising. He really started picking up good habits and despite the majority of what was seen on the show, we worked out together in harmony. When I finally got the boot unstrapped, we would run together for many miles and at the end, he would sprint ahead of me to the finish. I was so impressed!
As the conclusion, my husband lost 93 pounds, dropping all the way down to 179 pounds! He was in the best shape of his life. Most importantly, he felt great - He is alive! More Energy - More Life to Live. He no longer holds his breath tying his shoes. He even stopped snoring - no need for that CPAP machine!
As for me, I dug deep and whittled my middle. I lost the 50 pounds that I gained in just four months! I can honestly say that I know what it feels like being fat. And let me tell you, I do not desire to be that way again. Believe it or not, I have a major sweet tooth. I still crave foods from my fit to fat stage, but through discipline: Moderation = Privilege!
Do you Want Jessi J. to HIIT you up?
