When I went to college at 18, I weighed just shy of 200 pounds and wore a size 2XL shirt. My parents and extended family are mostly bigger people. In fact, at 5’10”, I’m one of the shorter males! Most people experience their “freshman 15” in college, well mine was more like 35 pounds. A bad diet, an increasingly sedentary lifestyle, and the social changes that come with college meant that I ballooned up nearly 100 pounds.
By 2010, I weighed 385 pounds and could barely fit into size 4XL clothes. I had enough. Thinking there was no help for me, I sought out weight loss surgeons and was considering gastric bypass surgery. Even though I decided not to pursue this, I had several more failed attempts to lose weight. By August 2011, I had become fed up with my weight and then made a steadfast resolve to improve my health and wellness.
I began working out with a personal trainer twice a week and began the Couch to 5K plan. I also made incremental changes to my diet, and by the end of 2011 had lost 60 pounds. In 2012, I ramped up my training. I first tackled a 10K, then a sprint triathlon, then a half marathon, and eventually completed a full marathon in December 2012. My total weight loss stands at 135 pounds. Today, I wear a size XL and actively participate in races and CrossFit.
In early 2012, I decided to keep a blog about my experiences losing weight and becoming a healthier person. I saw my personal relationships vastly improve, along with my energy and general outlook on life. So I decided to begin documenting this in a no-holds-barred format. Soon, I found people contacting me and telling me how inspiring my story was to them. Talk about strange! I’m just a normal guy. I write when I’m happy. I write when I’m stressed or upset. I fail…all the time. I write because it helps me to decompress and organize my thoughts. Fortunately, others began letting me know that they too found value in my writing. I’ve been featured in Sam’s Club Healthy Living Made Simple magazine, Dallas/Fort Worth television stations WFAA and KXAS, KLIF radio in Dallas/Fort Worth, and the University of North Texas Health Science Center Solutions magazine.
Andy Axsom 