Weight Loss Stories – Greg Lost 20 Pounds and Gained Muscle

Name: Greg
Age: 49
Family Status: Married
Occupation: Telephone Technician
Hometown: Chino Hills, California
Pounds or Inches Lost: I was 220 pounds with a 38 inch waist. Exercise and proper diet took me down to 187 pounds and then I built up muscle mass. Now at 200 pounds, I’m a brick house!
Starting Weight: 220 pounds
Current Weight: 200 pounds

Greg’s Weight Loss Story!

When did you become unhappy with your weight?
In my mid 30’s.

What made you decide to lose weight?
Poor self image, arthritis and bursitis in my knees and ankles. My work requires climbing poles, ladders, attics and under homes. This was increasingly difficult being overweight.

What were the most important changes you made to lose weight?
My attitude and I developed determination. This led to lifestyle changes in my diet. I ate less processed foods and focused on more fiber by eating home cooked and fresh foods.

What was most challenging about losing weight?
Occasional setbacks from vacations, family emergencies and work would put me behind. Then I’d have to build back up to where I was.

How long did it take you to start to see results?
After one month my pants began to fit loose. When I first started working out I was running 1-2 miles before or after each workout. At 6 months, my 12 year old daughter noticed my triceps showing and complimented me. That was a big high for me because my daughter doesn’t lie.

How long did it take for you to reach your current weight?
I’ve always taken my time with my fitness goals. Within one year I went from 220 down to 187. After that I set out to gradually build up muscle mass. I reached 200 pounds about 5 years ago and have maintained that weight ever since.

How long have you maintained your weight loss and how do you do it?
15 years. I’m always trying to change and adjust my workouts for development and interest. My daughter now works at 24-Hour Fitness and she signed me up for the stationary bike classes. They are fun and I burn way more calories in a short amount of time versus doing regular aerobics. I exercise 6 days a week. I lift weights one day and do cardio the next.

How has your life changed now that you’ve lost weight?
My daughter’s friends and the young guys check me out. Lifting weights is the only activity that puts me in the zone. I lose myself and feel great about myself. I am now starting a business in the fitness industry. At my age I sometimes forget an exercise, rep, set or weight. Log books, magazines, fold-outs and charts are too big and hard to use. So I developed a compact, at-a-glance and easy to use tool for tracking exercises.

How did ShapeFit help you reach your weight loss goals?
Through their helpful information, stories and resources that helped me understand and learn about my body and how to optimize my health. I am currently studying for the ACE Personal Trainer exam. ShapeFit.com is one of the best sources for fitness information about a healthy lifestyle. Their weight loss success stories and articles are diverse and interesting. It is great that ShapeFit gives us the story behind how the beautiful and famous go about staying in shape. That is as close as you can get to working with the same personal trainer as them.

Greg’s Weight Loss Tips!

Weight loss tip #1:
Attitude equals a lifestyle change.

Weight loss tip #2:
Exercise slow and deliberate.

Weight loss tip #3:
Always include cardio.

Weight loss tip #4:
Eat a balanced diet with small portions.

Weight loss tip #5:
Learn to listen to your body.

Greg’s Weight Loss Eating Plan!

Breakfast:
One poached egg, one slice of toast or a small bowl of oatmeal with small glass of orange juice, milk or coffee.

Lunch:
Half a turkey sandwich or salad. Plenty of snacks of seasonal fruit like mangos, strawberries, bananas, apples oranges, jicama. I drink only water throughout the day.

Dinner:
Meat (poached fish, roast, chicken, lamb) and vegetables. Some rice. Sushi.

Snacks or Mini Meals:
Fresh fruit, dried fruit, popsicles and an occasional cookie or two.

Greg’s Weight Loss Workouts!

Weight Training:
Three days per week weight training. Each workout focuses on different parts of the body. I perform about 5-6 exercises each workout. I do 5 minutes of stretching, then 5 minutes of jump rope, then 40 minutes of weight lifting and finally 5-10 minutes of aerobics (running or the elliptical machine).

Cardiovascular:
Bicycle class two times a week for 45 minutes. I also run 1-2 times a week for 30 minutes each session.

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