Paleo Marine

As of this morning, I’ve lost more than 135 lbs since I weighed my heaviest in 2014. Of that 135 lbs, 113 lbs of it has been lost since September 1 of last year. Of that 113 lbs, 110 lbs of it was lost without exercise. Since I began running on September 10th of this year, I’ve only lost 3 lbs.

When people find out that I’ve lost over 100 lbs in a year, they immediately assume that I’ve been working out like a madman. They couldn’t be more wrong. When I tell them that I did it through a change in lifestyle alone, they seem almost disappointed. They would rather learn that I did it through exercise than through diet alone, because then, they have no excuse. Changing what you put into your mouth to fuel your body is something we each have 100% control over (unless you’re in a coma, and in that case, how are you reading this?).

135 lbs.

I have a hard time getting my head around that. I have lost more than 1/3 of my former weight, and I did it safely and improved my health and blood chemistry at the same time. I did it all without anything more than eating smart. If I can do this, anyone can. I feel like I really did stumble upon the secret to weight loss, and while it’s not easy or painless, it’s doable with some perseverance.

We sacrifice for those we love. We sacrifice to reach goals. We sacrifice for others all the time. Isn’t it time you sacrifice a little for your self? Aren’t you worth it?

I’ve been saying for months now that I eat more protein and meats than vegetables and fruits, and I’ve achieved some great weight loss while doing so. It turns out that a few studies and this article may explain why this has been the case.

I have been eating at least one or two sides of vegetables with my meals which consist of at least a main portion of some kind of meat, but rarely have I been eating fruits due to the sugars contained in them.

I’m not saying eat protein only. I’m just saying that a diet heavy in protein may be better in reducing hunger between meals and help your body process the food better and aid in weight loss. The link is worth taking a look at.

You know those commercials on TV that tell you that if you buy their ab-roller, it’ll flatten your stomach by removing fat? How about those who think that using dumbbells will take the fat off their arms? I have bad news for them; it’s all a myth. You cannot exercise a certain part of your body to reduce the fat there. You WILL build muscle, but you will not remove fat there. That’s not how it works.

Your body burns away, or more precisely, flushes away the fat after the fat cells are no longer needed and the fat content of the cells are depleted for a period of time (around 45 days). Exercising a certain muscle doesn’t necessarily draw the fat from these storage cells directly adjacent to the muscles. That’s just not how the body works. The body pulls energy from all the cells on a pretty much equal basis from your entire body at the same time. The energy in these cells is drawn into the blood which then carries the energy where its needed. Muscles can’t directly pull from the fat cells.

Problem area with lots of fat? Sorry; you have to continue to lose the fat and let the body use up the fat there on its own. Nothing you do will make that one target area lose its fat. Nothing. No pill, no specific exercise, nothing. Now, exercise WILL build muscle, and building good, strong muscles under fat areas will help that area look better, and once the fat goes away, you will have glorious and beautiful muscles to show, but you won’t get rid of the fat on your arms by using dumbbells all day. It just doesn’t work that way.

In my weight loss and fitness journey, I’ve been fortunate to have my people who have inspired me to be better, eat better, and run more.

Sherry

Most importantly, there’s my partner, my best friend, and my wife, Sherry. Without her, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Without her, I would have failed a long time ago. She’s a big part of the reason I stuck with it. There are times I had to lean on her, and other times I needed to be strong for both of us while she leaned on me. Together, we’ve made it this far, and I’m excited for what the future holds in terms of our health and fitness. We’ve been able to undertake many new adventures together as fit people; things we couldn’t have ever done before. It’s like we are living in new bodies now!

Sarah

She’s my amazing cousin, and were it not for her, I likely wouldn’t have learned about Whole30 or Paleo. It was at her suggestion and urging that I looked into them and finally undertook this journey that has led me to where I am today. She’s been a total inspiration, and early on, a source of motivation and support. I am forever grateful for her help.

Matt

He’s a good friend who has been telling me about the evils of sugar for a long time. It finally clicked when I read about Whole30 and Paleo, and now I’m 100% on board. He is super-fit and is very health conscious. I hope to be able to do some of the more physical activities he takes part in soon.

Julie

My sister is the picture of motivation, dedication, and hard work. She’s always been amazing, but when it comes to fitness, she’s a super hero. I used to think that it was impossible for me to get fit. While I may never match her intensity or her results, I look to her as a motivator and as inspiration for working hard and never giving up.

Hanna

She’s an old friend who has been working at improving her health for a long time. She has been relentless and tireless in her efforts, and even in the face of adversity, just keeps on going. Her tenacity and perseverance are inspiring, and whenever I feel like I might not run because I’m too tired, I think of her and pull myself out of bed and just go.

Tracy

She’s a friend from High School that overcame some significant health battles and came out on top. She’s been running and engaging in fitness activities for five years now, and has an indomitable spirit. She’s like Hanna: don’t let anything get in her way. She’s the other half of my getting going in the mornings when the going is tough.

Janice

We’ve only met once, but we’re related in a round-about way. She’s relentless when it comes to her workouts, and pushes herself to the limits. She’s far more intense than I could ever be, but her enthusiasm for working out is inspiring and motivating.

Who inspires you? Have you thanked them today?