Healthy Living in Connecticut Blog

Look at this picture. I'm embarrassed of it. I don't know when it was taken but it had to be over six years ago, as I reached my lowest weight in Dec. of 2012. I almost didn't want to share this photo as I can't believe how I ate back then.

I thought of this photo because when I was at the gym today, the channel happened to be set to the Coney Island Hot Dog Eating contest. This is especially troublesome for me to watch. I know I overindulged in the past and never felt good about it. I never ate 75 hot dogs but still it was a repulsive amount of food.

1. Why’d I Wait So Long? This was the question a plastic surgeon asked me during my consultation for an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck). This question resonated in my mind.

For the past 5 years, I had been trying everything to tighten my abs to no avail. I was stubborn, thinking every doctor was wrong. Any consultation or doctor appointment I had, the doctor would always state the same thing...

“This is just skin. You have very little fat in there. Once skin stretches, it doesn’t bounce back. You were 350 pounds... there’s no way you wouldn’t be left with loose skin.”

I think the attached picture explains why I don't cheat, but I thought I would write about it anyway.

Back in 2011, I was over 350 pounds, having tried many different diet plans and feeling hopeless. I was addicted to unhealthy foods. I was eating fast food everyday, eating candy in huge quantities and not feeling very healthy.

I should listen to my own advice. As someone who got my certificate in personal training, I should know better. But the other day, I had a reminder of how important proper form is... I got back pain. Thankfully, it has since healed but it served as a good learning experience, but a painful one too.

I was actually doing upward rows, not the deadlift that so many people seem to injure their backs with. I was trying to hurry and I also was going a bit too heavy. Instead of slowing down and taking some weight off, I pushed myself and because it was too heavy, threw off my form. The result? I felt my muscle in my back pull. I knew it wasn't good but I felt alright the rest of the day. It wasn't until the next day that I noticed the pain.

The question is everywhere for vegans... "where do you get your protein from?" But vegans along with meat eaters, junk food eaters, low carb dieters, high carb dieters, whatever, they all get enough protein. It's the one thing Americans don't need to worry about and in fact, their obsession with it might be leading them down a road of disease and obesity.

Do you know how much protein the average person needs? Only .8 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight. I am 210 pounds... that comes out to be about 76 grams. My personal trainer years ago told me to have 200 grams per day. If I listened to him, not only would I have gotten nowhere with my goals but I'm sure I'd be sick. Personal trainers are not supposed to give out nutritional advice, but I have yet to meet a trainer that will follow this rule.