Left: Before (over 320 lbs). Middle: After (200 lbs). Right: AfterAfter (over 260 lbs)
It was 2007 and I had been struggling with a drinking problem for a couple of years. I was drinking far too much and I couldn't seem to stop. I became depressed and I just wasn't happy with the way my life was going. One night, when I was 3/4 of the way through a fifth of Bacardi, I just felt like I had come to the edge of a cliff; if I drank another night I was going over into complete alcoholism and hopelessness or I could quit and salvage my life. I called my friend, Aaron Brooks and admitted that I had a problem with alcohol and that I desperately wanted to quit. Aaron was understanding and he was there for me. He prayed with me that night and I quit drinking, completely. It was a great relief and began a difficult and very rewarding journey of not drinking and losing weight.
I had been overweight since 6th grade. I graduated high school in 1998 weighing around 275 lbs. I continued to gain after high school all the way up to 2007 where I weighed in at over 320 pounds! But I felt like I was a thinner man trapped in a fat guy's body. To keep my mind off of drinking I figured I would head to the small gym at my apartment complex and do a little walking/jogging on the treadmill. My guess was, that getting ready, exercising, showering and eating would eat up a big chunk of my night and make it easier to keep my mind off of drinking. And, IT WORKED! I started off with just 20 minutes on the treadmill, but that eventually grew to more time. I, then, added lifting weights three times a week and a year and a half later, I ran a half marathon with my friends in Lake Placid, NY. I began to eat healthier and the weight kept coming off. And I managed to keep it off for a little over six years.
After not having a drink for six years, I decided that I was managing things fine and that I could balance a few drinks with friends. Nine months after that decision I was drinking far too much AGAIN and I had put 60 pounds back on. I wasn't very happy with myself for gaining the weight and for the main reason of that being a dependency on alcohol.
After a particularly bad day and night of drinking, I knew that I needed to make a change. With the help and encouragement of my girlfriend, I stopped drinking, again, at the end of December, 2014.
Since then I have been working on getting back into shape and dropping the fat that I gained during my nine months of boozing it up and eating like a goat. Losing weight and getting into shape can be very difficult but I am setting small, attainable goals and being very realistic about my timelines.
If you're dealing with problems due to your drinking, I encourage you to find someone you trust that you can talk to about it. It can be very tough having a problem that you can't deal with on your own and even more difficult admitting it and seeking help. However, the sooner you humble yourself and face reality, the sooner it can begin to get better.
I'll continue to post updates on my goals and my progress to this blog. Please, follow along if you're interested or share with someone.
Thanks,
Jamen