I was always a skinny guy and could eat what I wanted and not gain weight. I am 31 years old and I spent most of my 20s being lazy, eating terrible and drinking beer. I finally realized that I was a skinny fat guy.

It started at a family reunion. I saw some pictures of myself when we got home and couldn’t believe my eyes. At my heaviest I was about 215 lbs. I lost 45 lbs in about five months by eating better and working out three to six days a week. It’s been a year, I now weigh 170 lbs, and I still love working out and keeping in shape.

It’s tough to stay motivated some days, but then I think about how big I was and I never want to get there again. I always watch what I eat now. I keep track of most of the food I eat and if I go out to eat I always try to find something healthy to eat there. My wife has been a big help. She has lost about 20 lbs as well. We both make a conscious effort to cook with healthier ingredients and eat right as much as we can.

Our kids have also benefited from our lifestyle change, as they are eating healthy most of the time and don’t even know it – it’s just how we eat. They also see my wife and me going to the gym or going for a jog and that is something that they think is a normal part of life.

Losing weight is like anything else you commit to. You just have to change your routine. Once you make a habit of working out, it just becomes something you do. You don’t even think about it – you just make time for it and it becomes part of your day. If I don’t get a workout in for a few days (which doesn’t happen often) it feels weird and I feel lazy. It is hard work and the old saying is very true, “no pain no gain”, but it’s totally worth it in the end. You just have to want it. 

Written by: Jeff P.