Hello Friends,
This is my first post here as I wanted to get to a milestone I’ve had in mind for 2 years before I jumped into the public light. Social anxiety, even behind a keyboard, is a bitch. But anyway, it’s nice to meet you all and reading posts here and listening to The Dudes has changed my life. I’ll give the quick version for people who like brevity (wall of text below my pics):
I’ve reduced my weight from 272 pounds (possibly weighed more but this was the highest actual weigh-in) to my initial goal of below 200. I weight in at 199.6 this morning. I’ve completely cured depression and anxiety. It appears I’m in the process of curing fatty liver disease (probably alcoholic and non-alcoholic combo-punch).
Here’s my new face and new haircut after 20 years of the same.
Before
After
Now for the long part. I’m male, 6’ tall, 34 years old and feeling better than I ever have I’ve struggled with weight since about the 8th grade and extreme shyness and social anxiety for life. The weight was never anything crazy, but I was always pudgy and I never really did, or know, what I needed to do in order to control it. But in all reality, even though I’m excited about meeting my weight loss goal, it’s become secondary to my mental gains.
About 13-14 years ago I started developing an affinity for beer, socially. My paternal family has a penchant for drinking. Some can control it or remain casual, and others like my father couldn’t. A couple years after I started to drink socially I got married. I made my father, who was an extreme alcoholic, promise me he wouldn’t come to my wedding drinking or drunk. He promised me, but showed up drunk anyway. I was furious. I refused to talk to him after the wedding and didn’t for 11 months. During the 12th month of silence he took his own life. There were lots of factors that influenced this and I won’t go into them. I stood up tall and told myself it wasn’t my fault and that I wouldn’t let it drag me down, etc. But deep down I let it hurt me.
I started drinking more. 12 packs or more a day, sometimes a 30 pack. Allowing my short temper to come back. All the while denying any of it was really a problem. Jump forward to 3 years ago and finally my best friend and wife gave me a huge reality check and I sought help for my problems. I started working through them with help and got 95% sober. I can drink rarely and socially without any issues now. But would occasionally let mental stress drag me in.
Two years and a few months ago I started eating a low carb diet at 272 pounds. I didn’t understand the science on that try so it wasn’t really keto, but bacon and eggs tasted great. I started going to the gym but a couple months in I was struck with appendicitis and sidelined. During the downtime I fell off the wagon and didn’t try to get on again for 6 months. This time, 3 weeks in I got Pneumonia. Sidelined for another two months because I couldn’t breath, I gave up eating good even though I didn’t have to. I let that two months doctor ordered physical light duty turn into a couple more months and didn’t return to a good diet yet. I tried yet again to get started, but got immediately hit with a diverticulitis attack and found out I have diverticulosis. I wondered it something was trying to tell me to be a fat lazy slob, haha. My weight after all of these false starts was yo-yo’ing between 240-255.
Starting on May 16 of this year I put my foot down and started keto seriously at 242 pounds (and promptly got a case of the shingles but that didn’t stop me). I dove headfirst off the high dive into the science. Started listening to The Dudes and then branching out into reading everything their guests write on their blogs/sites. I’ve only had a couple “cheat days” and been pretty strict. 43 pounds in just over 3 months. But the real winner is that I’m the most energetic, clear-minded, happy, even-mooded and outgoing person I’ve ever been. And people around me have taken notice. I’ve started coaching a couple people at work who have asked for advice and I feel so optimistic and full-filled about the future. I’m a keto freight train with an unlimited supply of fuel on an endless track, and there ain’t no reverse.
Sorry for the wall of text.
Thank you to everyone on this forum.
And most of all, Thank You to Carl and Richard for the most amazing resource, the podcast. I wouldn’t be where I am without it.
I’m glad you’re feeling fantastic enough to pay it forward too. Kudos!
