You know it crazy how I became such a big fan of the treadmill. While on my unhealthy journey to 305lbs. My wife said she was joining the gym, know that I think about it, I believe she mainly joined so I would join with her. She not only thought of her self, she thought we can become healthy together. As a matter of fact, in the mist of writing this blog post I stopped and asked my wife about joining snaps gym. I wanted to know and she confirmed she only joined in the hopes I would join with her and lose weight.
I digress, I just opened a can of worms by asking her that question. Lol. I have to laugh right now because I thought as much. This has been a battle for years with me eating out of control where my wife would go to the restaurants and pay them in advance for my lunch and they would only serve me what was on her menu she had chosen from their main menu. Believe it or not, she has done this on several occasions and I am not kidding you or exaggerating.
Back to my story. The first day I went to snaps gym I hit the weights for about five minutes. It felt like I was working out for about an hour and when I looked at the clock on the wall five minutes only past. That was it for the weights, so I looked around to see what else I could do until my wife was ready and that when it hit me. My wife is on the treadmill. I will go try the treadmill and see how that pans out for me. I asked my wife how does the treadmill work? One of the instructors over heard me and quickly came over and provide me with instruction and an overview of how to operate the treadmill.
I thought to myself; “I got this.” and hopped on the treadmill and started to walk slowly like my wife was. Then, an amazing idea hit me, I thought to myself; “let me bump up the speed some and really burn some calories.” Before I knew it, I was flew off the treadmill and landed right on the floor and the edge of the treadmill making a spectacle of myself while hearing the laughs and giggles of so many who happen to have a ring side seat of me flying off the treadmill at what appeared to be at break-neck speed.
Yes! I was embarrassed to say the leased. But guess what? I got back on the treadmill and went much slower until I was tired and left with my wife. The best moment of that day was eating lunch with my wife when we got home that day. Time went by, we moved to a different city in Texas. Well, my family was at it again, trying to help me lose weight three years after my infamous treadmill spectacle. This time it was my wife’s daughter who decided it would be fun for the entire family to get fit together. I only went with them on a guess pass three times and never went back.
One day I was coming from work with my wife’s nephew who asked if I would make a stop by a new gym that opened up just one block away from my house. It was blazing hot and my van at the time did not have a working air conditioner. I really didn’t feel like stopping but what the heck they had an air conditioner and I thought I could cool off. I was right, as soon as we opened the door to the gym that cool air felt great. The name of that gym was called Just Fitness.
I would never forget how the person who was giving us the tour to the gym. They were so personable and knowledgeable about all the machines and even fitness in general. At the end of their spiel my wife’s nephew decline joining the gym. I on the other hand, decided it was time for me to do something for me. The price of ten dollars is what over-threw my rebellion of losing weight. In fact, my laziness did not have a chance of surviving at that moment.
I was excited and when I got home I informed my family I was turning over a new leaf and wanted to start to eat healthy and get into shape. My wife was thrilled!!! She was more excited than I was and went out and purchase new sneakers, a gym bag, and water bottle to help me make that transitions to working out that the gym go as smooth as possible.
On the way to take my kids to seminary class, I dropped them of about 5:50 AM and arrived at the gym around two minutes to six in the morning. It took me about one minute to get dress. I had mentally prepared myself to workout for at least twenty minutes. The treadmill was the first thing I had plan to master. I hopped on with anticipation and knew this time it was right. I started walking and I felt great listening to music. On my way out the gym the front desk clerk had asked me had I forgot something? I replied no, that is all I have for today. It was two minutes after six.
You guess it, I worked out for one minute and broke a sweat too. Don’t laugh at me, it was a powerful one minute workout. I have worked out in the same gym franchise for five years and mastered the treadmill by staying on it for one hour a day. Despite that, I still gained weight to the toon of 305lbs.
I would go on and jog and walk high speed for four to six days a week for three years and never loss a pound, in fact, I gain muscle and fat. In February of 2018 my sister called me and indicated she had ovarian cancer and I went out to be by her side for almost a year. During that time I ate healthy and prepare healthy meals for my sister. They had a gym where she was staying and I made perfect use of it and worked out on the treadmill for one hour a day, along with various exercises and lost massive weight.
Look at the picture below and you can quickly see the difference.
My sister started doing well in November 2018. We decided it was time for me to go back home to be with my family because the treatment appeared to be working.
The picture to the left here is my sister. Once I arrived home it was great to be home with my family. I quickly found a job and went to work. I worked for about six months until I received a call from my cousin who had informed me my sister was in the hospital and didn’t want me to know because she did not want me to leave my family again.
Every time I would call my sister she would indicate she was at the movies or out shopping and she was doing good. That was furthest from the truth and when I think about it, I cannot imagine what she had gone through not being able to walk and stuck in the house by herself. One of her friends happen to knock on the door and my sister crawled to the door and manager to open it. To make a long story short. My sister pasted away July 25, 2019.
What I have learned during that time with my sister is; you need a combination of healthy eating and some form of exercise to really make a difference in you weight loss journey. It is ninety percent what you put into your body and ten percent of exercise. that is why I never lost the weight prior to going to live with my sister.
Where Am I Now?
I am back to square one. I have grieved several family members and the almost lost of my wife and throw covid-19 into the mix. I ballooned back up to 189.7lbs. Just two weeks ago I purchase a treadmill and started walking again. I am now down seven pounds and counting.
My journey has just begun. What journey in life are you on? Thank you for reading this incredible long post. I didn’t mean to make it that long but sometimes when you need to write, it’s best to keep going with your thought.
Below are some pictures of my amazing wife and family.
