I hope you will indulge this extremely self-centered post. On June 24, 2008 I decided to make a commitment to myself, and I wanted to document the results. On that day the County held a “health screening” for employees and I thought it would be worthwhile to go downtown and get a free cholesterol reading. I knew my weight was up, considering a month earlier I had to buy size 40 pants for a new outfit to wear at my best friend’s wedding, a size over the 38’s which had become standard since 2006; and I had recently visited the doctor for some back pain issues and saw that my weight had been up to 255 lbs.
In 2004/05, possibly in preparation for my high school reunion, I shaved about 30 pounds off my then-260-pound girth. But as soon as I went back to school for my grad degree, and had a second carpal-tunnel surgery, I gave up the gym and the weight was back. How could this be possible? I still thought of myself as “in—shape,” I mean, come on, I went to the gym every once in a while, and played softball WEEKLY! I did not eat “bad” foods. I just ate too much of everything – including the occasional cookie and all of its wholesome ingredients.
So why now? There were many planets aligning, and for some reason, I noticed. In February of last year I bought a cane. My lower back troubles had become so debilitating that I needed a cane to get in and out of my car and office chair. My doctor ordered physical therapy and recommended yoga. The PT was helpful, but a temporary fix. In March I started to go the Y for Saturday yoga classes. In very little time my cane was retired. But my back was just one symptom of a bigger problem.
My doctor is a wonderful guy. He has always focused on the positives of my health, while suggesting simple weight loss and exercise. He had often recommended a reasonable goal to lose 10% of my body weight. My blood pressure had climbed along with my cholesterol, however, and his comfort with putting me on meds was just one more way turning 40 was letting me down.
Around the time I was rocking the cane look, a bunch of folks at work were finding success with Weight Watchers and I began to think about another dip into the weight-loss world. But the math involved seemed too much of an obstacle. Work was also becoming increasingly busy beyond my control – so joining a structured plan like that seemed a set-up for failure. In April I saw my fit friend Jeremy and he looked FIT! He told me he had just taken advantage of his time to make running a priority. I didn’t start running – but his logic got to me. In May of last year my friends John and Eileen really lit the fuse. John had recently dropped a noticeable amount of weight and, considering he also did not need to do so, he looked great. And, happy. He had used the points system of Weight Watchers, and dropped the weight he wanted. But it was Eileen’s birthday party “fun-run” that resonated the most. I had fun, but couldn’t do much of the run. Another planet aligned.
Colin’s wedding and my involvement in a big work event each yielded another major siren – photos of me. A student took a picture of me at a meeting that scared me to death. I looked so tired and distant, and not at all healthy. I saw so many friends at the wedding I had not seen in many years – and when I came home to see the pictures I took with them, I was ashamed at how unkempt I appeared. Although, to be honest, I did not make any drastic plans to change at that point.
But at the Government Center on June 24th I came face-to-face with the tipping point. There, after weighing in at 250 and having my blood taken, a stranger sat me down behind a closed curtain. As she began going through her scripted review of my results, she became increasingly alarming. “Because your weight is this and your height is that, you are considered ‘obese.’” Well, I know that. I’m 5’8” and have been obese by all standards since I was in junior high. When she said, “Now, because your blood pressure is this, and your cholesterol is that, we must recommend that you see a doctor immediately,” I felt a cold heft of seriousness in her voice. She looked at me and asked if I could do that. "Soon."
That evening I came home, sat in my chair, and made a plan that I did not really know would lead me here. Lose 25 lbs. - 10% of my body weight. First, I thought about 2005 and recalled that I had liked workouts I subscribed to online by Men’s Health magazine’s website. As I surfed that site again and contemplated spending the $9.99 per month, I decided this time I would also use their diet recommendations to provide some discipline. I signed up for the “Belly-Off” plan and immediately had a workout regimen and a diet. But, within minutes I knew I would never be able to do the diet.
I am “the cooker” in the family, as Campbell once named me. I have to consider my girls whenever I think about making changes to the groceries and the meals. To contemplate what I needed to change – you see, I ate healthy – lots of whole grain bread and things cooked in olive oil! – I sat down and listed everything I had to eat in the two days previous. I learned that I was consuming over 2200 calories. Between my healthy Balance Bar for breakfast, and my pasta leftovers for lunch and grilled dinners and rice, topped off with only a cookie or three, I recognized it wasn’t about what foods to change – but how much. I noticed the MH recommendations called for me to reduce my calories to about 1900, with a split between Fat, Carbs and Protein of 30%, 30%, and 40%, respectively. I recalled my dad had turned me on to CalorieKing a few years back which, as of last June, provided a humongous database of foods broken down by percentages in those exact categories (sadly, the site moved to only report grams a few months back – so now I have to do math…ugh).
I created a spreadsheet and, remembering one of those tips I read in one of those “Get In Shape Before Summer” articles, began writing down everything I ate based on calories: fat, carbs, and protein. And I have done it every day since. It has become my nightly game – to see how close I can come to my targets without “dieting.” In fact, I would say I have eaten pretty well this past year. I just got smart. I love vegetables and fruit – but the simple act of taking in more of those while cutting that meat or carb portion down just a little makes a huge difference. That’s the extent of the diet. Sure, I tried to cut down on the sugar and processed foods, but those weren’t heavy staples of my diet before. Watching serving portions, oatmeal for breakfast (Quaker Weight Control – good stuff!), only one meal with bread, and no more midnight grazing were the things it took for me to make a big change.
As much as the diet did not change drastically, my physical activity had to. I began making the gym a daily routine on June 25, 2008. I have been a member of the nearby YMCA for many years, having even served on their Board, and yet, I was basically donating $33 per month to not take advantage of the facility. Campbell had begun swimming more competitively and was in the pool working out every day – I had to buck up and realize I could do the same. I have always liked weightlifting and the cardio was tolerable. The MH workout plans gave me great mixes of aerobic and resistance training, using interval methods to spark weight loss. The first ten pounds were off in a few weeks.
The first critical point came in late August. Jeff, a counselor at work, commented at a training that I looked like I had lost weight. This was the first time it got said out loud, and it felt great. And then Jenna, the manager at Peet’s said something during one of my weekly Friday morning stops. Those little moments (and there were more along the way from others) made a huge difference in keeping me on target.
In 2004/05, possibly in preparation for my high school reunion, I shaved about 30 pounds off my then-260-pound girth. But as soon as I went back to school for my grad degree, and had a second carpal-tunnel surgery, I gave up the gym and the weight was back. How could this be possible? I still thought of myself as “in—shape,” I mean, come on, I went to the gym every once in a while, and played softball WEEKLY! I did not eat “bad” foods. I just ate too much of everything – including the occasional cookie and all of its wholesome ingredients.
So why now? There were many planets aligning, and for some reason, I noticed. In February of last year I bought a cane. My lower back troubles had become so debilitating that I needed a cane to get in and out of my car and office chair. My doctor ordered physical therapy and recommended yoga. The PT was helpful, but a temporary fix. In March I started to go the Y for Saturday yoga classes. In very little time my cane was retired. But my back was just one symptom of a bigger problem.
My doctor is a wonderful guy. He has always focused on the positives of my health, while suggesting simple weight loss and exercise. He had often recommended a reasonable goal to lose 10% of my body weight. My blood pressure had climbed along with my cholesterol, however, and his comfort with putting me on meds was just one more way turning 40 was letting me down.Around the time I was rocking the cane look, a bunch of folks at work were finding success with Weight Watchers and I began to think about another dip into the weight-loss world. But the math involved seemed too much of an obstacle. Work was also becoming increasingly busy beyond my control – so joining a structured plan like that seemed a set-up for failure. In April I saw my fit friend Jeremy and he looked FIT! He told me he had just taken advantage of his time to make running a priority. I didn’t start running – but his logic got to me. In May of last year my friends John and Eileen really lit the fuse. John had recently dropped a noticeable amount of weight and, considering he also did not need to do so, he looked great. And, happy. He had used the points system of Weight Watchers, and dropped the weight he wanted. But it was Eileen’s birthday party “fun-run” that resonated the most. I had fun, but couldn’t do much of the run. Another planet aligned.
Colin’s wedding and my involvement in a big work event each yielded another major siren – photos of me. A student took a picture of me at a meeting that scared me to death. I looked so tired and distant, and not at all healthy. I saw so many friends at the wedding I had not seen in many years – and when I came home to see the pictures I took with them, I was ashamed at how unkempt I appeared. Although, to be honest, I did not make any drastic plans to change at that point.
But at the Government Center on June 24th I came face-to-face with the tipping point. There, after weighing in at 250 and having my blood taken, a stranger sat me down behind a closed curtain. As she began going through her scripted review of my results, she became increasingly alarming. “Because your weight is this and your height is that, you are considered ‘obese.’” Well, I know that. I’m 5’8” and have been obese by all standards since I was in junior high. When she said, “Now, because your blood pressure is this, and your cholesterol is that, we must recommend that you see a doctor immediately,” I felt a cold heft of seriousness in her voice. She looked at me and asked if I could do that. "Soon."
That evening I came home, sat in my chair, and made a plan that I did not really know would lead me here. Lose 25 lbs. - 10% of my body weight. First, I thought about 2005 and recalled that I had liked workouts I subscribed to online by Men’s Health magazine’s website. As I surfed that site again and contemplated spending the $9.99 per month, I decided this time I would also use their diet recommendations to provide some discipline. I signed up for the “Belly-Off” plan and immediately had a workout regimen and a diet. But, within minutes I knew I would never be able to do the diet.
I am “the cooker” in the family, as Campbell once named me. I have to consider my girls whenever I think about making changes to the groceries and the meals. To contemplate what I needed to change – you see, I ate healthy – lots of whole grain bread and things cooked in olive oil! – I sat down and listed everything I had to eat in the two days previous. I learned that I was consuming over 2200 calories. Between my healthy Balance Bar for breakfast, and my pasta leftovers for lunch and grilled dinners and rice, topped off with only a cookie or three, I recognized it wasn’t about what foods to change – but how much. I noticed the MH recommendations called for me to reduce my calories to about 1900, with a split between Fat, Carbs and Protein of 30%, 30%, and 40%, respectively. I recalled my dad had turned me on to CalorieKing a few years back which, as of last June, provided a humongous database of foods broken down by percentages in those exact categories (sadly, the site moved to only report grams a few months back – so now I have to do math…ugh).I created a spreadsheet and, remembering one of those tips I read in one of those “Get In Shape Before Summer” articles, began writing down everything I ate based on calories: fat, carbs, and protein. And I have done it every day since. It has become my nightly game – to see how close I can come to my targets without “dieting.” In fact, I would say I have eaten pretty well this past year. I just got smart. I love vegetables and fruit – but the simple act of taking in more of those while cutting that meat or carb portion down just a little makes a huge difference. That’s the extent of the diet. Sure, I tried to cut down on the sugar and processed foods, but those weren’t heavy staples of my diet before. Watching serving portions, oatmeal for breakfast (Quaker Weight Control – good stuff!), only one meal with bread, and no more midnight grazing were the things it took for me to make a big change.
As much as the diet did not change drastically, my physical activity had to. I began making the gym a daily routine on June 25, 2008. I have been a member of the nearby YMCA for many years, having even served on their Board, and yet, I was basically donating $33 per month to not take advantage of the facility. Campbell had begun swimming more competitively and was in the pool working out every day – I had to buck up and realize I could do the same. I have always liked weightlifting and the cardio was tolerable. The MH workout plans gave me great mixes of aerobic and resistance training, using interval methods to spark weight loss. The first ten pounds were off in a few weeks.
The first critical point came in late August. Jeff, a counselor at work, commented at a training that I looked like I had lost weight. This was the first time it got said out loud, and it felt great. And then Jenna, the manager at Peet’s said something during one of my weekly Friday morning stops. Those little moments (and there were more along the way from others) made a huge difference in keeping me on target.
I hit the 25 pound mark in September and knew I could keep going. It was never hard. Sure there were, and continue to be, annoying plateaus; but a plateau with 30 pounds off sure isn’t a big deal when you are buying new clothes! I changed my goal to “41x41” and attempted to drop 41 pounds by my late October birthday. I made it in November. It was then I realized that I felt different. We went to Disneyland before Christmas and for the first time I could recall, I was comfortable. I could fit in ride seats…I wasn’t sweating…I did not shy away from a run across the park to get to a new adventure. I was really happy.
And, for the first time in my life, I was cold. Xtina even knitted me a scarf and wool socks for the winter as I could not for the life of me get warm. I was having withdrawals from insulation! I also lost weight in my fingers (of course not where I had hoped) and my wedding ring slips off dangerously these days. And who knew my shoes would get loose too?!
In November my friend Patty at the Y suggested I could run a 5k, based on how much I had improved running on the treadmill. But I hate running, I said…and there are cars out there. But I did it, and came in with a respectable time of 31:42 (21st place amongst men). That led me to run outside a few more times. I just ran my second this past weekend and came in 17th, while dropping my time to 28:39. I only got beat by one dog and three kids. This year I plan to get on my bike, in the water, and playing tennis.
So, I end this 365th day weighing under 200 pounds. Blood pressure down. Cholesterol down. Pants and shirts sizes - down. Back pain down. More importantly, I feel great and ready to keep working hard. I am now making the commitment that I will not have to do all of this again. I don’t plan on ever being 165 pounds. But I’ll work towards staying happy and healthy, which I am.
And, for the first time in my life, I was cold. Xtina even knitted me a scarf and wool socks for the winter as I could not for the life of me get warm. I was having withdrawals from insulation! I also lost weight in my fingers (of course not where I had hoped) and my wedding ring slips off dangerously these days. And who knew my shoes would get loose too?!
In November my friend Patty at the Y suggested I could run a 5k, based on how much I had improved running on the treadmill. But I hate running, I said…and there are cars out there. But I did it, and came in with a respectable time of 31:42 (21st place amongst men). That led me to run outside a few more times. I just ran my second this past weekend and came in 17th, while dropping my time to 28:39. I only got beat by one dog and three kids. This year I plan to get on my bike, in the water, and playing tennis.So, I end this 365th day weighing under 200 pounds. Blood pressure down. Cholesterol down. Pants and shirts sizes - down. Back pain down. More importantly, I feel great and ready to keep working hard. I am now making the commitment that I will not have to do all of this again. I don’t plan on ever being 165 pounds. But I’ll work towards staying happy and healthy, which I am.
Some very special expressions of love and gratitude for my amazing wife, Xtina, and daughters Allison, and Campbell – who has been so inspirational. Johnny C, Jason, and Kerry have been so tremendously supportive and motivating. I also have to thank all the awesome people at the Y, everybody there makes me feel welcome and special thanks to Jenifer, Nate and Patty for their support. Finally, all of the people at work who either supported my need to work around my gym schedule, or those who just said something encouraging – it went a long way, thanks.
Posts
12 comments:
Good on ya, Francisco!
Seriously, FW, I'm so proud of you..and all teary eyed reading this!! WAY TO GO. Really, I couldn't be prouder.
Frank! Ashely just shared this with me. OMG! First, it's awesome to see you have a blog, and second, great, great job. You look fantastic. I second ash's comment, I couldn't be prouder either:)
furter! You look amazing! Regardless of much you shrink... your amazing personality is only getting bigger and better. Thank goodness because I need all the help I can get!!
Frank! What an achievement --- you are such a remarkable person, and to make this commitment to yourself, Xtina, your children, and all who love you is a HUGE gift. Thank you for taking care of Frank so he'll be around to spread that wonderful personality and charm!
I use a wonderful online (FREE) food diary from livestrong dot com. it's called The Daily Plate. it allows you to set up meals so you don't have to enter the same combination of foods over and over... and you can find VERY specific foods (brand names, trader joe's stuff, restaurants...). try it!!
xoxox Reed
Wow Frank! I have tears in my ears reading this. I am so happy for you and proud of what you have done for Xtina and your girls. You have given them the gift of you for a few extra years - I truly believe that. Here's to continued success!!! And you must feel so good! It's amazing isn't it?!?!?!
Frank,
What can I say? I'm in awe of your commitment to redesign your body, and define your own personal health and fitness. You look awesome! This post is courageous and beautiful. Thank you for sharing the story. I know you and didn't know all of this. What a gift you've given to yourself and your family. And what a gift and inspiration this is to those who read it. Nice job my friend-Jase
All day I have been thinking, how do I articulate how proud I am of you? There are not words. You have really made this endeavor look effortless, though I know it was not. I love that you have discovered a healthy way of life that influences all of us. You look fantastic and even better, your outlook is inspiring and contagious. And lucky me, now I have someone to knit scarves and socks for! I love you!
This is so wonderful, Frank. Thank you for sharing your thoughts so honestly. It is very, very inspiring!
SO AWESOME! Loved reading about your journey and seeing your fantastic results. Keep running Forrest!
High five to my favorite baseball player. I'm totally encouraged and impressed and glad for you and in the best way--you know, that way where somebody does something great and smart for themselves and then it makes the rest of us want to consider what great and smart things we want and need to do for ourselves. Thanks, Frank.
To the Warren Family!
Congratulations to you all! It has been inspirational watching you Frank! I appreciate your candor and letting us in regarding your shortcomings. Finally, I am realizing it is the little steps to a lifestyle change.
Stephanie Allen
Post a Comment