Background: Graduated from the US Naval Nuclear Power Program and served aboard the USS Pargo (SSN 650 – Decommissioning Crew) and the USS Dallas (SSN 700) as a Nuclear Reactor Operator; graduated (9th of 609) from Sacred Heart University with a BS in Finance; employed at JPMorgan Chase Bank for 18 years.
Approximately a decade ago my weight reached a peak of 265 lbs. after my eating habits spun out of control. Since that time, my prettier half (AKA: The Food Police) has supported/driven me to make better food choices. My family’s medical history paints a clear picture of my future without taking action. All of my grandparents passed away due to heart disease and my parents are on the same path. At my peak weight, I started going to the office gym and Planet Fitness primarily using the treadmill and while I lost 30 – 35 lbs. I found it uninspiring. Often, I spent more time trying to decide what muscles to work beyond the cardio than actually working out.
Journey to Guilford CrossFit and Athletic Center: September 2017, I tried another CrossFit after a buddyhad been hounding me. I found the pre-determined warm ups and daily workouts (WODs) to be extremely useful and initially kept me going back. However, the distance from home and the coaching left a lot to be desired. After a full day at the office, driving past your home exit to work out was not invigorating. It didn’t take long for me to search for a box closer to home and found Guilford Athletic Center. The choice to try GuilfordAthletic Center was driven by location as it’s on my way home from work. However, the group’s welcoming, friendly, supportive, driven and fun nature combined with the coaches’ attention and great attitudes made it an easy and clear decision to become a member.
Body Stats:
June 21 August 16 Change (8 weeks)
Gross Weight (lbs.): 202.4 191.6 ↓ 10.8
Lean Weight (lbs.): 157.2 163.5 ↑ 6.3
Fat Weight (lbs.): 45.2 28.1 ↓ 17.1
Body Fat: 22.33% 14.67% ↓ 7.66%
Key to Transformation: I’ve been a Guilford Athletic Center member for over a year and while I lost some additional weight and improved in the various lifts, I wanted to go further combined with the desire to stop my daily Crestor dose. The absolute biggest driver for the change in my body stats was getting a handle on my diet with added support from my girlfriend (AKA: The Food Police). I replaced all processed breads, cereal, desserts, cheese and processed sugars with 80 – 100 oz. of daily water consumption, all-natural fruits and vegetables and frequent snacks versus three meals. I also added one day per week for CrossFit (3x – 4x) and tennis (2x 3x). While the scale occasionally didn’t show what I wanted over the last two months, I had to remind myself it doesn’t tell the whole story and it doesn’t tell me that I feel amazing with much more energy.
