Chris Does Anything

So back in November I was pretty depressed. I was having a hard time with life in general and it was starting to hinder multiple areas of my life. I was out having a few beers with a friend when he said to me after listening to my woes “Have you ever tried not being fat?” Now some would consider that pretty harsh but coming from this friend it was something I would expect. He is blunt and honest. I appreciate that honesty.

I had to to think for a moment. I answered honestly “No.” I am 35 years old and for 25 years of my life I can say I have been overweight. Since I was 10 I was unreasonably heavy for my age. I was also pretty tall but tall and fat is still fat. By the time I hit high school I averaged out at 6’2” and 250lbs. I graduated wearing a 40-42 waist. I maintained that a couple of years.

At some point in my life without paying attention I hit a total of 320lbs. I was wearing a 52in waist. The strange thing was I didnt even notice. I was happy with my life and just ok with it. I mean really at no point in my life was I ever like “Man, I hate being fat.” I was just ok with it. But when I did see I had hit 320lbs and saw it on a scale I did decide to do something about it.

So I became a Vegetarian and did Yoga regularly(3-5 times a week). I lost 50lbs in about 6 months and kept it off for a long time. I was a vegetarian for about 4 years. Really all being vegetarian did for me was keep me from eating fast food as much but that was a huge help. Problem is even as a vegetarian I was still eating lots of other unhealthy crap and lots of it. I was still able to cut down to about 250-260. Still at no point did I do it to not be fat. I was just doing it.

When I moved to Vegas I eventually went back to eating meat. I still was able to maintain my weight but it went up a little. I eventually moved to Quebec and when I got here I lost a little weight but then eventually started to gain and went back up to the 265-270 range. But then my friend said “Have you ever tried not being fat?”

So I looked into it. I was like what would it take for me to really not be fat any more. Exercise? Diet? Motivation? Why would I be doing it? I was depressed and looking for anything that would make me happy. I had plans but I wasn’t putting them into action until all these other things went into place. Why? I finally realized I didn’t need anything else to be in place to start making changes that could and would end up making my life happier.

So after much hesitation I just took the plunge and did it. That was 3 months ago. I have lost 25lbs so far doing paleo and limited exercise. I am about to be the lowest weight in my adult life. I am not in the best shape of my adult life. I need to incorporate more exercise but I am really happy with my results so far and encouraged to keep going. I have a lifestyle now that will help be healthier, happier and not fat.

So if you have never been asked the question “Have you ever tried not being fat?” ask yourself. And if your answer is No. The all I have to say is Why not? The hardest thing I learned to do was stop saying and thinking “I Can’t”. Once I did the possibilities became endless.