Before the day I heard “get your fat ass off this couch and do something!” All I did was sleep, eat and work.  I started this trek November 1, 2010 at the insane weight of 272 pounds.  For the women reading this, I was a size 24 pant and an “I have to suck it in so much I might pass out” TIGHT 2XL top.

I decided I needed to move farther than the depths of the refrigerator if I was going to make a REAL change, without fad diets or surgery.  Here are the 4 decisions I made to lose 100+ pounds since November 1, 2010.  (YES, you read that right, my dumb ass started thinking about weight loss at the beginning of the holiday season!)  Jumping in head first into a whole new healthier lifestyle may sound extreme but it worked for me and will hopefully not only inspire you but work for you too!

1)  EAT RIGHT, OBVIOUSLY

I measured and recorded my food like a crack dealer! I have a scale endorsed by the Biggest Loser in my kitchen that I used for every stem of broccoli, every piece of meat, every piece of fruit, every piece of brownie, cupcake, etc.  I found the program My Fitness Pal to be the easiest. I was just getting over being lazy had to start with something I could do (plus added bonus: it’s available online OR via mobile phone).

2)  JUST MOVE!

I still didn’t have any faith that this weight loss crap was working, my clothes were still tight, albeit not AS BAD as they were just a few months before. I needed to take the next step and ….. wait for it……MOVE MY ASS!  I was not in the mindset to spend a whole lot of money on exercise but I knew I was going to have to spend something because I was obviously not motivated to do workout in the comfort of my own home; unless you call walking from couch to fridge to bed a workout.  (At 272 pounds, it was!) I had seen exercise stuff on Groupon before so I decided to check there and BAM!  There it was glaring at me…a Groupon for $45 for 6 Outdoor Boot camp Sessions, I bought it!  That was January 8, 2011.   After the boot camp experience (which I actually paid full price for 2 additional weeks, talk about crazy) I continued on the cheap track and found additional fitness classes that I was interested in on Groupon and tried those out. I learned early on that Groupon allowed me to try so many things without paying full price and I could find a program that worked for me. I did the boot camps, I joined a gym, I tried Zumba, and then I tried Crossfit, I was in love and the Groupon was only $25 for 12 classes!

3) Stick to WHATEVER YOU LIKE and  ENJOY!

If it is water aerobics, pilates, yoga, Crossfit, Zumba, or P90x; it doesn’t matter….be like Nike and JUST DO IT.  Remember, it took more than a night to get your fat ass to where it is now, it’s going to take a few less to get your fat ass moving but TAKE THE FIRST STEPS, those are ALWAYS the hardest ones!!! All the articles I remember reading said something about it taking 21 days to create a “habit.” When you begin your lifestyle change, jump on a scale just to have an idea of the number that glares at you BUT DO NOT focus on that.  Focus on HOW your clothes fit!!  I started Crossfit at 191 pounds and I am at 166 pounds today, not a HUGE difference BUT I went from a size 16/18 to a 10/12 and gained A LOT of muscle which weighs more than fat.

4) REMEMBER WHERE YOU STARTED

Once you are on track, REMEMBER WHERE YOU STARTED!!!! Take lots and lots and lots of pictures and I mean BEFORE, DURING, and AFTER! When you start doubting your motivation and purpose, these will serve as great reminders and keep you focused on your goals. I even kept an old pair of my size 24 pants that I carry in my car! I will NEVER go back to that size OR that mentality.

Changing everything about the way I live has given me a confidence I haven’t had in 17 years and it is STILL a work in progress. I wish anyone the best of luck because it really can be done without surgery, pills, or liquid diets. If you want something bad enough, you can achieve the results! It took a lot less time for me to reverse my habits than it did to reinforce them.

 

And P.S. : The voice telling me to get my FAT ASS off the couch…..it was the skinny me that wanted to be SEEN and HEARD!

WRITTEN BY OUR NEW HERO, SHALLAN DE LOS SANTOS

Related articles

• What Does It Take To Start CrossFit? (crossfiteverett.com)
• To Crossfit or Not to Crossfit…That is the Question (runningatdisney.com)
• Crossfit Update (runningrandy.wordpress.com)