Part 1 - How did i get here?
We'll start out by saying that I am pretty lazy. I am not a morning person. If i wake up before 10am I feel as though i deserve a medal. For the most part I hate cardio because it is a million degrees in Thailand and if you decide to go for a run you need to start your run towards the direction of the hospital to increase the chances that the ambulance will get to you before you die of heat stroke once you collapse. I also don't really pay any attention to what I eat. If i want pizza, i eat a pizza, period.
I never really got fat from any of this until the past 3 years or so.
The reason why I am this way is because i suppose i was very lucky. I was always one of those people that was fit without really trying. When i was in college, with very little effort, i was able to acquire 6-pack abs whilst maintaining a diet of beer, pizza, and chicken pot pies. However, I suppose that it goes without saying that age tends to change things.
I moved to Thailand weighing about 175 lbs (80kg or so) and I believe this to be my ideal weight. I was 27. I lived my life the same nonchalant way once I was over here as I began working in scuba diving.
Some people might be thinking that this means you get to exercise every day! You could not be more wrong. The idea behind scuba is to exert as little effort as possible in order to extend the time you can spend underwater by not using much air. The equipment is also very technologically advanced to limit the amount of work you do. You plan your dives so if there is any current at all that you are swimming with it, never against. Plus nearly everyone in the dive industry likes to unwind after a not at all difficult day of diving by recharging with 12 beers or so. A lot of the instructors (at least around here) were fat.
my greatest enemy and my best friend
not too bad, but still younger
My life carried on like this for a while and later I ended up owning a bar and restaurant. I had also become one of the best customers of both. The local expat community liked to come by my place because they knew that I was always up for a beer - which to be honest is still true today. However, the bad thing for me was that they got to leave after a few beers and i was stuck there for the rest of the night and normally kept on drinking until we closed. I can handle my booze so don't think i was staggering around annoying the customers. I had this position in some capacity for the next 7 years or so and every single day was exactly like this. Let's just say I made a lot of friends. :)
noticeably larger, and sitting at the same table
I know it just seems dumb to not realize this but I didn't really notice that this obviously self-destructive lifestyle was making me a chubby-butt. It happens so gradually that you can't really see it coming until it has already become a problem. The expat culture of Thailand is very much one of drinking.... a lot... when you meet someone who doesn't drink or just has a few drinks and then go home it is very rare. I would imagine this is true in much of the rest of the world but I think we live lives of perpetual youth over here and don't really "grow up." Like the old saying goes:
The first 40 years of childhood are the toughest*
About a year ago a 5-year relationship ended for me and I suddenly found myself alone. I hadn't really paid that much attention to how big I had become because these things happen gradually, you don't just eat a bunch of pizza one night and wake up 20 lbs heavier. The person I was with never said that my size was a problem. Quite the opposite - she said she liked it so this was a bit destructive.
I looked in the mirror, newly single, at 235 lbs (106kg), big bushy beard, and hadn't had a haircut in months. Basically I had the same appearance as a fat homeless guy. At that moment in my life there was no one in the world that hated me more than I hated myself - which is not a good place to be.
I'd like to say that I immediately jumped up and strapped on my running shoes and changed my life that day but no, that is not what happened. What first happened was a period of self-loathing and depression that simply lead to partying more and then feeling worse the next day and then partying EVEN MORE to make that feeling go away. This is a vicious cycle and I am not trying to blame Thailand, the ex gf, or anything else. I knew I had only me to blame and that is a far more awful situation to find yourself in.
still not at full capacity fatness in this pic but getting close
Then one day something happened that changed my life for the better and is still part of me today.
A local friend of mine that knew was once a competition swimmer in high school from a conversation that we had years ago. He also knew I was a dive instructor for many years. He contacted me out of the blue and asked me to join him and a another friend (one of these guys was also fat) in a team competition for the Phuket Triathlon in November. I would be doing the swim portion. It was August when he asked me. I had 2 months to train.
I said "yes"
And this is where we will pick up the story later on this afternoon when i feel like writing again.
Great job man, i know how hard it can be to stick to it but it pays off :)
So great man sir
First off..I like where this story is going. Second..that’s one cool A$$ table. I would love to down a few pints sitting at that thick piece of craftsmanship. Thirdly..beer is my best friend too. Slowly figuring out that it’s like you say, I’m keeping my enemy closer. Hehe. I’m still keeping fit by walking a ton and regular generic fitness like pushups and pull-ups and planks. Plus I screwed up my metabolism a bit by cutting so much weight in high school for wrestling. I like to think I still have that energy and drive. :-/
good pal. I think it is all about balance. I still have party blowouts on a regular basis but unfortunately I had to kind of remove certain friends from my life because all we did was very destructive stuff. I still see them from time to time but I stopped having that be my defacto activity for every single day.
I believe a lot in the power of just going for a walk for maintaining health. Well, that and watching what you eat of course.
Best two things we got in the habit of doing were going for a walk every evening and cooking at home. The grocery store sucks, but we do it. As far as the walk, we like doing it but really have no choice. Our dog Pepper will whine relentlessly until we put the harness and leash on him and get moving.
I've always been bigger. I had a really difficult home life growing up, and I was an emotional eater. When I was sad, I would eat. When I was scared, I would eat. Pretty much any emotion triggered me to turn to foods, like bags (yes, more than one) of popcorn, ice cream, or hot dogs as a snack. On top of that, I was a total homebody. I loved just hanging out on the couch and watching movies. As an adult, I rarely did any sort of physical activity—probably because I smoked a pack of cigarettes day. My lungs couldn’t even handle a brisk walk @gooddream
have you changed this at all? I have smoked on and off for more than 20 years. I just had a ciggy a little while ago.
It's great to read your post....."Health is the root of all happiness".....It's good to be healthy but not extra....After a boy, after a boy, the weight gradually increased.....Weight should be kept in control because excessive weight is not very good but it is harmful....Fat foods should be avoided. Working day-to-day life, as well as daily exercise, should be involved in various types of sports. Every day 1 to 2 hours walk will be required......If you have good health, mind will be good, then you will be able to sit down and then life will be very beautiful..........
Finally we have something in common - we're both competitive swimmers. My favourite strokes are the breaststroke and backstroke, but my time for the breastroke 50m is 45s(really bad), how about you?
Now to the topic
The habit of drinking alcohol is destructing many lives around the globe. Not only does it make one fat with huge belly, it also destroys one's liver gradually and can eventually lead to the consumer's demise. Alcohol consumption is something that the society has stop frowning upon. In my country for instance, 80% of TV ads are for alcoholic products, and sometimes it really weird to find out that some church programmes on TV are sponsored by alcohol companies. It is great that you're creating awareness on a healthy lifestyle through this Blockchain. Kudos, man.
You see you’re not alone on this my friend. One one of the few that are fit without working for it. I guess I’m just lucky like you lol. But I walk some miles everyday now lol. I can’t wait for the concluding part of the story my friend. Have a wonderful day
I would like to see progress pics
They will be in the later ones.
Hold on a sec, I was already thinking so you know.
I totally know how that feels. For me it was the state when I just stay bored because boredom became fun
Truly, the story we tell ourselves go a long way in getting up. You told yourself the real story.
You must be really fit. Swimmers are fit. Oh, I’m loving it already, can’t wait for the continuation.
Thank you for coming out like this to teach us openly with your experience, you have been claiming to be a teacher since I have been reading from you, but now I know what to as f mean, experience is the best teacher, thank you for teaching us from the experience.
I don't know why you chose to go this direction today, but I have picked some lessons already.
Many young lads out there still want to have their lives go in this direction, but reading from personal experiences like this can go a long way in helping them reshaping their lives.
I hope you have the time, I hope you are inspired to write, because I can't wait to learn more from you.
How you were able loose 40 lbs within that little time is of paramount importance to me, I need to learn to help my brother come out of his big body size too.
Hahah amazing, pictures will be great
Yeah I pretty much hit 40 and got fat
around there seems to be the turning point. I think it is even earlier for women.
They wouldn't tell you
the competition was last year.. hehe. I'll get to that in part 2 :)
Ah I know this struggle. :-) Looking forward to the next installment ....
And you look great friend, in life there is nothing more important than being happy with ourselves and the main one of this is to be well and happy with our body, The body must be in perfect condition. If the body deteriorates, the chess deteriorates. You can not separate the body and the mind.
yes, the pictures of me when i was 175 would have been nice for me to include in this article. I am editing it now.
btw I am 181cm tall or roughly 6 feet