Name: Mark
Age: 36
Family Status: Married
Occupation: Financial Services
Hometown: Arlington, Texas
Height: 6’2″
Waist: 36″
Starting Weight: 354 pounds
Current Weight: 238 pounds
Pounds or Inches Lost: I have lost 116 pounds so far on my way to 140 pounds! I went from a size 56 pants, 3XL shirt, to 36 pants and XL shirt.
Mark’s Weight Loss Story!
When did you become unhappy with your weight?
On March 6th 2010, my daughter and I went to a father daughter dance and we had our picture taken. When I saw the picture, I was shocked at what I looked like and I told my family next year when we go to the dance, I will not look like that.
What made you decide to lose weight?
I really wanted to be able to play with my 2-year-old son on the ground and not be out of breath, hurt my knee, my back and whatever else. I also want to be around for all 3 of my kid’s weddings.
What were the most important changes you made to lose weight?
My diet and my activity. I completely changed the way I eat and the way I view food. I also workout 4-6 days a week without fail and try to find ways outside the gym to burn calories and work up a sweat!
What was most challenging about losing weight?
Getting up at 5am to workout before the kids go to school and staying committed through the plateaus.
How long did it take you to start to see results?
I started seeing results in about 2 weeks.
How long did it take for you to reach your current weight?
10 months. I have been working on adding muscle and losing fat so I will have a muscular, toned body so I have put on about 15 pounds of muscle in the last 4 months and lost about 20 pounds of fat.
How long have you maintained your weight loss and how do you do it?
4 months and counting. I am now in a cutting stage and should start dropping fat again down to my goal weight.
How has your life changed now that you’ve lost weight?
I wish I could describe it to people and let them experience it for just one day so they would be motivated to lose weight. The energy I have now is amazing! Being able to walk into any store and try on clothes and look amazing. The way I am treated in stores (any store) by employees, even other people in general is a big change.
How did ShapeFit help you reach your weight loss goals?
I read articles at least 4 times a week from ShapeFit.com to help teach me about workouts, diet and how the body reacts to certain things. ShapeFit.com has wonderful articles and enough information to teach yourself what you need to know to do whatever you want to do fitness and diet wise. You can do it!
Mark’s Weight Loss Tips!
Weight loss tip #1:
Eat every 3 hours without fail.
Weight loss tip #2:
Workout 5 days a week without fail.
Weight loss tip #3:
Don’t eat out unless you have calories left.
Weight loss tip #4:
Don’t deprive yourself.
Weight loss tip #5:
Lift HEAVY!
Mark’s Weight Loss Eating Plan!
Breakfast:
2 portions of instant oatmeal and 1 to 2 eggs. Unless it was a heavy weightlifting day, then a protein shake.
Lunch:
Tuna fish or a chicken sandwich, 2 slices low-calorie whole wheat bread and a slice of cheese.
Dinner:
Chicken breast, carrots and black beans.
Snacks or Mini Meals:
Protein bars, slice of bread with peanut butter, Grape Nuts cereal with skim milk of course.
Mark’s Weight Loss Workouts!
Weight Training:
Heavy weights always, broken up it into 3 days with legs on Monday, upper body (biceps, shoulders and back) on Tuesday and Friday is upper body (chest, triceps and forearms). I start each session with an intense 10 minute warm-up and end with 20 minute of intense cardio.
Cardiovascular:
Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday are all cardio only days. I do cardio for 45 minutes to 2 hours depending on what I did. General cardio is the Spartacus workout, StairMaster and treadmill. NO RUNNING!
