What Team Potato Means To Me - My Story - Part 1 of 2 (Pre-Potato)

Getting Off The Couch, Potato

The Background

It was back in 2011 that I weighed in at 275lbs and realized I needed to do something about it because I was closer to 300 than 220. I've been "big boned" ever since middle school... probably weighed over 200 by the time I was 12. I played racquetball, kickball and rode a bike now and again, but I had never exercised on a regular basis. 

So, in 2011, I joined a weight loss group that was $25 to join and the person who lost the most at the end of 8 weeks won cash. I won $250. (here's that story).

My "Before" Photo in 2011 - 275 lbs

What I learned then...

I knew some things... like a diet of fast food burger combos and fried food was bad for me. Not exercising at all didn't help. Buffets are bad for me because I have this thing in my head that it's "All you CAN eat.. not All You NEED TO eat" so I gorge myself until I almost feel sick because I didn't get my $10 worth if I don't (I know... but it made sense to ME).

I learned some things... like diets by-and-large are worthless because most diets aren't sustainable. They are designed for a quick weight loss, but don't teach you how to eat right. Example? I lost 50lbs in 2 months when I was in college on the Atkins Diet...but gained 40 of it back in the 2 months after I reintroduced carbs to my diet. I also learned how to look at the things I eat more closely and concentrate on good foods that are not processed. 

Probably the biggest thing I took with me about weight loss is, if you're losing more than 3-4lbs a week, you're not being healthy. It should be gradual and not shocking or starving your body.

...so by September 2012 I'd lost 75 pounds.
Here's something I've posted about that journey (with before and after photos) in March 2013 - link.

"After" Photo 2013

Running Enters the Scene

In September 2012 I ran my first 5k. I'd never run one before and ended up coming in just under 28 minutes (see my results here). I did a few 5ks in the next few years but didn't really get "into" it until February 2014 when friends of mine and I formed RUN DMC 3PO as a joke and to win the "Best Team Name" award in the first ever Run For The Love Of It race in Buda.

Folks that do 5ks are kind of a family. I realized I was seeing a lot of the same people at each run I did. So, I kept doing 5ks. In 2014 or so I by-and-large had stopped exercising and certainly had stopped eating well but I kept running 5ks. I think between 2016-2018 the ONLY time I exercised was at 5ks. 

But I kept running 5ks because of the family. To date I've run 57 of them... I've not seen an under 30 minute 5k in about 5 years. I average between 40-50 minutes the last few years... but I haven't stopped running. 

In November 2018 I decided to listen to my family and actually begin to eat well and exercise again.... that story is next.

Me on January 1, 2019 - Back to 250lbs... where #TeamPotato Begins

Part 2 to come - Will link to it when completed.