At 5’ 8” 282 pounds I decided I had to make a change. Right out of high school I was the most out of shape I have ever been, after going to culinary school that fall semester I realized that being overweight and losing my breath over a couple set of stairs just wasn’t right for me. It is not right for anyone. It’s embarrassing and downright does not make you feel too highly of yourself. So that is when I decided to make a change and that enough was enough. People always tell me you have it easy, and wow your lucky and my response is always the same I had to work for the body that I have now and I continue to work each and every day, not only to maintain my current body but to keep building and improving on it. After around three weeks of improperly dieting I put myself into a sick like state not realizing that eating less is not the only key to the game of survival. I dropped my first twelve pounds quick, but was making myself sick in the process - to the point of passing out in my lunch hour. After the support from my friends around me I realized that I had to research this diet thing a little further. So after a few website views, article reads, as well as a nutrition class that had started that very week, I learned that eating less is not the answer - it is what we eat that makes the difference. So after gaining this knowledge and about five months later I was down fifty-five pounds; I was looking good and feeling good too! At this time though I started to hit a plateau, but I was not quite sure why, I was eating well and jogging around the block, as well as doing some mediocre exercises. It was this time that my old chef at the time told me that I should go to the gym with him and try out a couple of workouts. My first two sessions were down right awful; it really put me into perspective that I still did not look as good as I wanted and that I could do so much better! It was intimidating seeing all these people just look in terrific shape and I could barely run farther than half a mile or even pick up the fifteen pound dumbbells. But I kept pushing forward and after a few weeks in the gym the results started happening and I became hooked on the “gym” lifestyle. After another seven months of working out, I was down another fifty-eight pounds, tallying my total weight loss at one hundred and twelve pounds. This had me at one hundred and seventy pounds, with my original weight being two hundred and eighty-two pounds. I was really feeling good about myself! I was a stronger lifter and running longer. But even then I did not realize that there is always room to grow. I was happy and content with where I was and nothing could change that. After a full year of being thin and “in shape”, I started to wonder why I was not getting any bigger or any stronger, so again I went back to the books and started learning about programs, and constantly changing them to train the body to adapt. At the same time, I was also noticing others in the gym possibly doing things incorrectly or just down right did not know where to even begin and I wanted to help, but did not want to over step my boundaries. This is when I discovered the International Sports Science Association (ISSA) and decided to get my certification in Personal Training. I was finally able to help people while also helping myself and learning various new strategies to help myself as well as others around me! Personally, I put on twenty pounds of pure lean muscle and am not one hundred and ninety pounds now knowing that proper programming and nutrition timing is key! On February 12th, 2016, I enrolled to become a Specialist in Fitness Nutrition, because yet again I realized there was more I can do to help myself and others. After successfully completing this course, I have decided that I am going to start helping others with exercise and nutrition. With the knowledge I have gained I am confident that I can help someone like you reach your goals, and I am willing to reach those goals with you every step of the way!
