philipatx
Okay, here goes. I think I've always had trouble with weight, ever since I was in elementary school. The first time I had real success with weight loss was in the Army, I joined the Reserves in my junior year of high school and went to boot camp in the summer between my junior and senior year. I lost like 30 pounds that summer, and came back about 155 pounds. Over my senior year, I gained the lost weight back and had a real tough time making it through advanced training - I was training with people straight out of basic. So during my military career, I struggled with the weight, and upon discharge, between my ignoring exercise and quitting smoking, I put on a lot of weight in college. Upon getting my degree, I was 300 pounds.
I got a job in a town that had nothing to do but exercise, and there I lost about 35 pounds. Gained it back over the years and when I moved to Austin in 2000, I was again at 300 pounds. Over the course of 4 years at a sedentary job, I put on another 80 at least, perhaps 100. I was diagnosed with diabetes and was taking 3 medications for this at the worst point. At my wits end and no longer able to do much to help my situation, I considered weight loss surgery, but my insurance would not touch it. Thanks to my grandmother, rest in peace, I was able to get the money to pay for my lap-band and hospital stay.
Since then I have lost about 90 pounds. I had a setback in 2005 when a hit and run driver shattered my right upper arm. Luckily, I healed up fine and did not gain weight back over the course of a year that I was limited in exercise.
I have recently started weight lifting again after almost 13 months. I also walk my dogs when I can and play disc golf as often as possible.
