Thread: Hey Folks

Hey Everybody. I've actually been visiting this forum for about 7 years now...on and off. So, I'll get started by telling you little about myself and why I have decided to spend some time here. I'm a married man with two beautiful baby girls. I'm 23 years old and have been married for 3 years now. I've did nothing since I’ve been married. I have allowed myself to get into the worst shape of my life. This makes me very depressed b/c I fear this is limiting my ability to enjoy life with my kids. It has definitely taken a tole on my marriage in every area.

Before I got married I was in the military and experienced the best health that a person could enjoy. I could run for miles and I became surprisingly strong even through I had lost a quite obit of weight coming out of boot camp. It was so amazing to be able to crank out hundreds of pushups and sit-ups on a daily basis. Anyway, that’s all in the past now. Before I went into the military at 17 I was 185lbs at about 5'8 (just a little chucky). After completing basic training I was a healthy and lean 155lbs.

Here's were my outlook went south. After I got home from basic training I had the attitude that I wasn't going to let people tell me what to do, taking into consideration I was exhausted from being told what to do from dawn till dusk in the military. I know, shame on me. Trust me when I say' I have defiantly learned the hard way about having a care free attitude.

Shortly after getting out of boot camp I gave up everything that had to do with exercise. From the age 18-20; the two years before I was married I had gained 45lbs. So when I got married at 20 I weighed 200lps (very pudgy at my height).

So, here may be shock or not so much, considering what I have already said.
Since I have been married I have packed on a dangerous amount of weight. I have went from 200lbs at 20 to a whopping 290lbs at only 23. I know my life is in danger. I have taken pathophysiolgy in college and I completely understand the danger that I'm in. My blood pressure is off the chart. I have absolutely no energy. I am becoming more and more depressed.

I'm at a point in my life were I'm starting to believe that if I don’t do something to get myself headed in the right direction that It will soon be to late. I hope this doesn’t come off as a pity introduction of myself and a plea for life altering magical advice that will somehow cause me to just start changing. I know it's not easy and I know that even with everybody's helpful advice that at the end of the day its all up to me and my self-control and discipline to get me were I want to be.

For the last 3 years I haven't really concerned myself with my health and weight. I woke up this morning for the first time in a long time and said to myself that there’s got be CHANGE. I'm not only hurting myself. It's selfish for me to put myself in this shape. I have a wonderful wife and to amazing girls who rely on me. I don't want them to lose me. So, here I am.

I'm hoping to gain valuable knowledge and support here at the forum. I know it helps to here people struggling with the same kind of issues, but for me it really helps to hear how disciplined some folks are here. The people here really inspire me. Again, I'm not asking for sympathy. I just want to take something away from spending time with you guys. I also hope that I can inspire a few people someday. So I'm really looking forward to getting to know some of you. Thank you all for listening. Damn, that feels good to get off my chest.

Biz welcome to IM!