I put one foot in front of the other…

Posted byM.Posted inPhotography, wordsTags:

Breaking it down

  • In my teens I ate like a bird but usually didn’t eat healthy
  • In my early 20’s I was drinking about 6 cans of soda a day and sneak eating potato chips at night. I was also working out a few times a week at my brother’s home gym.
  • By my late 20’s I had ballooned to 250 lbs from a constant 170 lbs (the only time in my life I was my ideal weight of 140 was between 8th and 10th grade)
  • When my Mom died in my early 30’s my diet went to hell, multiple pizzas, entire boxes of mac and cheese, fast food…although I did join a gym and tried WW while also seeing the first of three therapists in my life.
  • By my mid 30’s after watching Fast Food Nation I never went back to fast food. My weight was at it’s worst at about 360 lbs. I became pre-diabetic and was put on meds to control my blood sugar. It didn’t help that I fell into bankruptcy and had to live with my brother’s family for two years.
  • By my late 30’s I had gone through about three different gyms and decided to just work out with a friend in his home gym.
  • In my early 40’s I managed to get my weight down to about 330 lbs, and my blood sugar was also under control. By then I had left my brother’s house and shared a house with a woman (who I wasn’t dating or friends with) until I met Jess and moved out at 41 to live with my then fiancé. I tried WW again and managed to slim down to about 313 lbs. We also joined St. Luke’s hospital fitness center.
  • By the time I hit 50 in 2020 with Covid happening and lock downs happening, we quit the gym. After getting sick with Covid really bad (but not bad enough to be hospitalized surprisingly) and dropping to 298 lbs I thought I was on the road to recovery.
  • I tried resistance band work outs and a punching bag, but grew disinterested and really started to miss the gym.
  • We then rejoined the gym after a few months away, but my wife quit again. That heightened my anxiety and made it very challenging to lose my work out buddy.
  • After getting the news that I had Klinefelter syndrome that would explain why after 25 years of weight lifting, I never gained muscle mass.
  • Feeling dejected I quit the gym and my weight balloned back up to 330 lbs, but by now it was taking a toll on my body. It was painful to stand and walk. I was miserable and just stopped caring.
  • Now at 52, Jess and I joined a new gym LVHN Hospital Fitness Center yesterday and started working out, tracking what we eat, and generally just eating better. I realize we have traveled the road multiple times on this blog. But I am pushing myself to be determined to be healthy and happy.
Matt Snyder, determined

Published by M.

Artist.

23 thoughts on “I put one foot in front of the other…”

  4. I LOVE Determined Matt’s cute hair! So proud of you for joining the new gym. HR and I go to the local Y (because, of course, “It’s fun to stay at the YMCA!”). Sending encouraging thoughts and energy your way. (Okay, that sounded so very new age-y.)

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  11. Oh, man; do I hear you. I haven’t gotten a heavy as you (so people often think I’m just out of the loop or being rude) but I have food issues and stress issues and whatnot. I gained my most ever with this last pregnancy and wasn’t able to lose it so just kept overeating.

    Then my sister challenged me to a diet challenge and I really buckled down to get perfect points. I guess competition helped. Ha! The blog and the housework and any energy level at all have suffered but I lost 30 lbs!

    … we’ll see if I keep it off. My counselor suggested that my stress eating isn’t a great cope. 😉

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    2. Just got blood work for my yearly and as no surprise my blood sugar spiked. The good news is that I’m remotely close to being full on diabetic but I may end up being put on med to lower it again

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      2. Thanks, my Dad had type 2…I have been within the spectrum of pre diabetes since my early 30’s and yet emotional eating still doesn’t care…and I’m not looking forward to the doc appointment

        Liked by 1 person

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