My Weight, My Life: Part 2 (1992 - 1999)
"Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe." ~ H. G. Wells
The story continues......its long.....and quite personal, but I'm willing to share it.
I t starts back in August of 1993. I was 20 yrs old (single) & just starting my 2nd year at Georgian College for 'Law & Security'. I was in the best shape of my life at a husky, but fit 202 lbs. I was able to run 1.5 miles in just under 11 mins which put me in the top half of my class. I had always dreamed of being a Police Officer and I was on the right path to succeed. I still struggled with my weight, but I managed to maintain it by eating healthy & exercising regularly.
In late September of 1993 everything came crashing down. I had a severe knee injury while playing road hockey of all things that was brought on by years of sport related stress. I almost completely severed my ACL and badly injured my MCL, while managing to destroy the better part of the menisci. Apparently in the professional sports world this knee injury is referred to as the 'Terrible Triad' and is usually career ending.
This injury was going to require 2 surgeries and meant that I wasn't going to be able to complete the physical requirement of my course which meant I would be able to complete the school year. I dropped out hoping to continue the following year.
I started to slowly put on weight due to my inactivity. Sometime after my first surgery.....in or around Jan. 94 (while on crutches) I met a girl and began what seemed like the beginning of a great relationship. Later on in July of 94 things were progressing between us just fine and I had completed my second surgery and was on the road to recovery.
My girlfriend moved to Ottawa to start her first year at Carleton University and as it turns out I wasn't even close to being ready to return to Georgian to complete my second year.....I had to put it off for yet another year. In early December of 94 I went up to Ottawa for what was my 3rd or 4th visit to see my girlfriend since August. I ended up moving there shortly after New Years in January of 1995.
Things started out well enough. I decided to forget about returning to college. I figured that even if I was able to complete my course and successfully get on the police force, there was a high probability that I would re-injure my knee and end up pushing paper for the rest of my life. I instead decided to start university during the summer of 95 and ended up enrolling full-time in the fall.
My relationship started to go downhill fast a few months after moving in, but we persevered and moved into a joint lease closer to the university in the fall. After this point all hell broke loose. Somewhere along the way my girlfriend changed.....Drastically. It would take far too long to explain.... I could probably write a whole novel on that point in my life.
To make this long story shorter the period of time between Dec. of 94 & April of 96 represents the worst period of my life. At the hands of my girlfriend I suffered abuse on every level; mentally/emotionally, verbally & physically. I took emotional eating to an all new high which included binge eating & eating in secret. I became depressed and my self image/worth dropped off the face of the earth. I even contemplated suicide, although I knew that I would never choose that option as a way out.
In April of 96 I ended the school year, permanently severed my relationship and moved back home with my parents.
At that time in my life I was broken and exhausted. I spent much of the next year trying to put back the shattered pieces of my life. Then one day in late April of 97' I just decided enough was enough and set off determined to change my life.
I started off by reading a pile of self help books. I did a lot of research on nutrition and weight loss. At the beginning of June of 97 I joined a gym & implemented a very strict eating/exercising program. I exercised 6 times a week, up to 3hrs a day sometimes. I ate tons of egg whites for breakfast, chicken with lunch & dinner. I ate more fruits and vegetables, drank tons of water, had protein shakes after workouts. I over did every aspect in both my nutrition and my training and my calorie intake was very low.
In the first week I lost nearly 10 lbs. which only pushed me harder and harder. After only 8 short weeks I had lost 36 lbs. and at 189 lbs I was lighter than I had been in nearly 9 years.
My weight loss came far too quickly.....it wasn't healthy. Try as I might I wasn't able to maintain this weight for long and I crept back up to 204 lbs by early Oct. 1997. My resolve to remain healthy by eating better & exercising didn't let up though. I took on a less extreme approach and managed to maintain my weight at 204 lbs for 2 full years. I fluctuated by +/- 5lbs........I was still squishy....but I was happier than I had been in sometime.
I'll continue this story in Part 3.
The story continues......its long.....and quite personal, but I'm willing to share it.
In late September of 1993 everything came crashing down. I had a severe knee injury while playing road hockey of all things that was brought on by years of sport related stress. I almost completely severed my ACL and badly injured my MCL, while managing to destroy the better part of the menisci. Apparently in the professional sports world this knee injury is referred to as the 'Terrible Triad' and is usually career ending.
This injury was going to require 2 surgeries and meant that I wasn't going to be able to complete the physical requirement of my course which meant I would be able to complete the school year. I dropped out hoping to continue the following year.
I started to slowly put on weight due to my inactivity. Sometime after my first surgery.....in or around Jan. 94 (while on crutches) I met a girl and began what seemed like the beginning of a great relationship. Later on in July of 94 things were progressing between us just fine and I had completed my second surgery and was on the road to recovery.
My girlfriend moved to Ottawa to start her first year at Carleton University and as it turns out I wasn't even close to being ready to return to Georgian to complete my second year.....I had to put it off for yet another year. In early December of 94 I went up to Ottawa for what was my 3rd or 4th visit to see my girlfriend since August. I ended up moving there shortly after New Years in January of 1995.
Things started out well enough. I decided to forget about returning to college. I figured that even if I was able to complete my course and successfully get on the police force, there was a high probability that I would re-injure my knee and end up pushing paper for the rest of my life. I instead decided to start university during the summer of 95 and ended up enrolling full-time in the fall.
My relationship started to go downhill fast a few months after moving in, but we persevered and moved into a joint lease closer to the university in the fall. After this point all hell broke loose. Somewhere along the way my girlfriend changed.....Drastically. It would take far too long to explain.... I could probably write a whole novel on that point in my life.
To make this long story shorter the period of time between Dec. of 94 & April of 96 represents the worst period of my life. At the hands of my girlfriend I suffered abuse on every level; mentally/emotionally, verbally & physically. I took emotional eating to an all new high which included binge eating & eating in secret. I became depressed and my self image/worth dropped off the face of the earth. I even contemplated suicide, although I knew that I would never choose that option as a way out.
In April of 96 I ended the school year, permanently severed my relationship and moved back home with my parents.
At that time in my life I was broken and exhausted. I spent much of the next year trying to put back the shattered pieces of my life. Then one day in late April of 97' I just decided enough was enough and set off determined to change my life.
I started off by reading a pile of self help books. I did a lot of research on nutrition and weight loss. At the beginning of June of 97 I joined a gym & implemented a very strict eating/exercising program. I exercised 6 times a week, up to 3hrs a day sometimes. I ate tons of egg whites for breakfast, chicken with lunch & dinner. I ate more fruits and vegetables, drank tons of water, had protein shakes after workouts. I over did every aspect in both my nutrition and my training and my calorie intake was very low.
In the first week I lost nearly 10 lbs. which only pushed me harder and harder. After only 8 short weeks I had lost 36 lbs. and at 189 lbs I was lighter than I had been in nearly 9 years.
My weight loss came far too quickly.....it wasn't healthy. Try as I might I wasn't able to maintain this weight for long and I crept back up to 204 lbs by early Oct. 1997. My resolve to remain healthy by eating better & exercising didn't let up though. I took on a less extreme approach and managed to maintain my weight at 204 lbs for 2 full years. I fluctuated by +/- 5lbs........I was still squishy....but I was happier than I had been in sometime.
I'll continue this story in Part 3.
Labels: About Me
1 Comments:
Interesting read. thanks for taking the time to write it down
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