More before and after pictures are available.
How did he do it? His story is below:
My Goal: To be half the man I used to be
From 400 lbs to 200 lbs.
I have literally tried it all. Here's the list:
- Weight Watchers (3 times)
- Weightlifting at gyms (7 memberships at different gyms)
- Physical Trainer (2 times)
- Atkins (2 times)
- Blood Type Diet
- Diet Pills (2 times)
- Fasting w/ water (2 times)
- Vegetarian (2 times)
- Vegan (2 times)
- Hypnotism for weight loss (2 times)
- Guided Imagery
- Hospital Nutritionist
- Nutrition Counselor (2 times)
- Juicing
- Martial Arts Classes (2 times)
- Exercise videos (countless)
I have either tried or bought every fat caliper, elliptical machine, trampoline, and weight bench set I could find. I had more weight lifting magazines than you can shake a stick at, and still nothing, until...
RAW LIVING FOODS!!!
I know what you are thinking... How did this all start? What is this all about? It is truly my pleasure to share with you what worked for me.
It started with my first International trip, to Germany and Amsterdam. In Berlin people were constantly staring at me, even tugging on a friends shirt and pointing. Berlin is a fashion capital, and I am not concerned with the latest trends so I thought that was the cause for attention. What, plaid shirts aren't in style anymore?
It was only after an older lady who worked down stairs from our Amsterdam apartment asked me "How did you get so big?" I realized what the staring was all about. It came crashing down on me all at once - I hadn't seen one person even 30 lbs overweight in my two weeks of travel in Germany or Holland, except of course the occasional American tourist. They weren't staring at me because of my clothes, they were staring at me because I was 400 lbs. It has become increasingly common in the U.S. to see morbid obesity, but I just had no idea how uncommon this was for the rest of the world until traveling overseas.
Needless to say I felt fairly uncomfortable. My first response was to get angry, but deep down inside I was in pain. And, with all the pressure of the stares, maneuvering with difficulty my suitcases from trains, hotels, and airports, and not knowing the language, I became utterly overwhelmed. When I got home I had a panic attack / nervous breakdown. This was my rock bottom. I no longer wanted to live that way - things has to change.
I had never before experienced those feelings. I was always the calm and cool guy - the guy in control. I mean I use to do my bills in my head while laying in bed at night. I had everything under control... or so I thought.
Now you may be thinking, "What does this have to do with raw food?" Be patient... this is the build-up! Every great decision you make in your life and every change in your path starts with you realizing were you're at, and what you have become, right? I was a well planned-out, organized, control-freak, who had every string pulled so tight they were all bound to snap. When I went to Las Vegas for vacation I had just about every minute of the trip planned out for a full week. I mean if I took too long brushing my teeth in the morning I was getting panicky because it might throw off my schedule. That sure is no way to live. Some of you may be able to relate...
Dealing with depression, the next weeks and months felt like hell - I was stuck in a revolving door with no exit. I had no control over my life - which was rushing at me all at once and didn't feel able to push pause. It was tough - it was the hardest thing I have ever gone through. Despite the pain and hard times, something was born within me I never knew was there. Actually it was always there... I just forgotten it. Something new, something wonderful, something so unexpected...
My hard times morphed into something so amazingly wonderful. My eyes were opened to a world I couldn't see before - or at least one I didn't want to see. Eating raw living uncooked organic vegan food (veggies, fruit, nuts, seeds) was just the beginning. It lead into so many other changes in me - I began caring for the planet, becoming green conscious, learning to love all over again, releasing control, exercising and liking it, trusting more in myself, realizing the importance of prayer and meditation, discovering nature like a child, and beyond.
The best thing is that I have lost weight for the first time in my life, and I couldn't be happier. Do I miss processed foods, nope! Do I miss colds and drained energy, nope! Do I miss being an emotional wreck because I looked through the entire Big & Tall store and could not find one pair of size 58 pants that look good on me, nope! Do I miss not being able to squeeze behind the wheel in my car because my stomach touched the wheel, nope! Do I miss having to give up my $150pp 4th row seat tickets to Cirque Du Soleil at the Bellagio in Las Vegas that I was waiting to see because I couldn't fit in the theater seats, nope!
And I sure as heck don't miss a slice of pizza!
I started this raw foods journey on May 1st 2006. In about 5 months I had lost 75 lbs and was down to 325 lbs, then lost an additional 25lbs over the next 6 months. I really could have done more but I honestly didn't start to exercise until I lost about 100 lbs. That's right, I lost 100lbs and hadn't even started to exercise yet.
