Tag: before and during

So … this happened:

A couple of days ago the owner and head coach at my Crossfit box emailed and asked if they could use my before and now pictures for a post in their social media.  I agreed – I don’t like my fat picture, but, as I told him, if I didn’t want it out there I shouldn’t have put it out there.  I offered to take a current “now” picture, so I did that this morning and sent the pictures over.  The post below is the one they made on Instagram – they also posted this on Facebook.

I never dreamed I’d be the guy getting air time on a Crossfit gym’s social media, but it is happening.  I kind of don’t even know what to think – it feels surreal.  The best part has been the comments, both from my peers at the box as well as complete strangers.  The universal positivity and happy-for-me-ness is very gratifying.  Crossfit is a group effort, and I feel that more now than ever.  It makes a difference knowing all of those people are really rooting for me. Continue reading “So … this happened:”

More “During” Photos

Holy shit, it has been a month since I posted anything.  Life gets in the way sometimes. You’ll be forgiven for thinking so, but I have not – repeat, have NOT – fallen off the wagon.  Things have slowed down considerably.  I’m going to have to start getting more formal with my food plan.  And I still have a ways to go.  BUT:

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I have lost just under 60 pounds, and I’m now smaller than I’ve been in over 10 years.  For reference:

before-after-front

before-after-side

Pictures are funny things.  There is some definition in my shoulders and arms (and even maybe just a little (a little – little) in my chest, squee!) that doesn’t really show up here.  And I still think the pictures today make me look like an enormous fat guy, though compared to those original ones, holy moly.

I can buy clothes in the regular person’s part of the store now.  I just had to buy a new belt – my third since I started this.  I’m running a half marathon on Sunday.  And this morning I squatted 325# for two reps.  We’re getting there – we are absolutely getting there.

Progress Pictures

Finally busted through a little plateau in my weigh-in this morning.  I’ve now lost 53.6 pounds, and I’m three weeks ahead of where my schedule says I need to be.  I’m also now officially smaller than the smallest I got when I was training for the Ragnar & half marathons in 2013 / 2014.  So I’m smaller than I’ve been in 10 years.  The next goal is another 15 pounds and I’ll be smaller than I’ve been in probably 15 – 20 years.  This is 269 pounds.

The progress, it is happening.  Woot!

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For reference:

Initial Pictures – about 320 pounds

 

Progress Pictures – about 20 weeks

Hi there!  It has been awhile, and you probably thought I had fallen off the wagon.  That would have been a fair thought – it has happened before.  BUT – nope.  Just got busy.  And yesterday, for the first time in awhile, I took some pictures.

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So, as of Saturday morning I’ve lost 43 pounds, and things have been going well – more on that later this week.  So my first reaction when I looked at the front-facing picture here was disappointment.  I still look like a really fat guy.

But then it hit me – this isn’t the end, this is the middle.  And this is also why we take pictures.  So I went back to the original set I took and:

compare

YIKES I WAS FREAKING ENORMOUS

No, seriously – wow.

So, obviously, you can see that my gut is significantly smaller.  The overhang at the bottom is more pronounced, largely because there is less pressure to hold the whole thing up.  My boobs haven’t changed much – I’m very self-conscious about my boobs – and that little roll under my arm is still there.  You can really see it in my face, and particularly my cheeks.

So … progress is being made.  These pictures both make me feel good about what I’ve done and also let me know that I’m still enormous and have a lot of work to do. Which is what they are designed for.

I deliberately don’t suck anything in on these pictures, though I do a lot of sucking in in my clothes.  And my wife doesn’t like that I don’t smile in these pictures, even though that could make them cheesy as hell.  So, for reference, and until next time:

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