What an amazing time getting to see everyone at the 5K. You all did an incredible job and you should feel proud of your weight loss. What an honor it was to have this amazing opportunity with everyone. I want to thank His Radio, Rob Dempsey and the Greenville County YMCA for providing this journey for us. I also want to thank my trainer Misty Beacham and Tamika Pollard for your encouragement to keep pressing on. To all my Eastside RBL family, let’s keep it going and finished what we started. I am still working towards my goal to lose 40 more pounds. I just want to encourage each of you to keep going and let’s help each other. This is not the end, it’s just the beginning of a new healthy life. We must make a constant effort every day to keep using the tools we have learned during this 12-week challenge. When I started twelve weeks ago, I had trouble breathing, I had trouble sleeping, I didn’t have any energy and all my clothes felt uncomfortable. Since losing the weight I cannot tell you how much better I feel. I am sore from workouts and I have trouble with my knee but it’s a good feeling to breathe better, to sleep better and to feel comfortable in my own skin. Let’s keep it going!
Author: TimBryant2017RBL
I am 45 years old. I have been married for 25 years and have 3 kids and one grandson. I am self employed.
I can’t believe I did it!
Well, it’s almost the end. I can’t believe it’s been 12 weeks since I started this journey. Three things come to mind as I look back at the last 12 weeks: pain, frustration, and accomplishment. Pain: I remember the first day that I worked out. I barely made it a mile and was so out of breath, I thought I was going to pass out. The pain I felt the next day was horrible. I could barely make it out of bed. I have been through a lot of pain over the last 12 weeks. Frustration: This competition was not easy. It took a lot of time and effort to work out every day and that feeling you get when you thought you should have lost more weight for the effort you put in that week. There was also the frustration of injuries. Each week I pushed myself a little more. I had multiple issues with my feet, legs and worst of all my knee, which I am still dealing with. Accomplishment: I had a few goals when I started this competition, one was I was going to work out every single day, no exceptions and that I wanted to lose at least 50lbs. Finding time to work out every single day was rough but I did it, even when I went on vacation. I well surpassed my goal of 50Ibs. I honestly didn’t know if I could do it. When I started, I had so much doubt, heck every week that went by I doubted that I could make it another week. At times, even though I losing weight on a consistent basis, I wanted to quit because I didn’t think I could make it to the end. I can’t believe I make it and lost weight too.
The person that started this competition is not the same person that is ending the competition. I’ll see you at the 5k this Saturday. I will be the one limping across the finish line.
Eating is important
My biggest problem throughout this whole competition has been eating enough food during the day. I drive a lot and never have time to eat and when I do, I never have good quick choice. The one question the trainers ask me almost every time they see me is, “did you eat? Most of the time I would say no. One night before a group workout, I was in the Y’s employees break room eating one of my trainer’s dinners because I didn’t eat. I have found an item that is quick, easy, and inexpensive. I go to QT every day and get me a breakfast bowl from their kitchen. It’s awesome, you can make it any way you want. I love that I have control of what I put in it. Plus, it gives me a great boost right before a work out.
I’m still here
I’m back, it’s been a little while since my last blog. Life has seemed to smack me right in the face. Between longer work hours and a lot more pain, it’s been tough. On my last blog I said I was working through the pain, well the pain increased a whole lot more from the rigorous exercise routine that I had been doing. With a strained lower back and a leg muscle on the verge of ripping, I had to scale down my exercise, which has been frustrating. The good news is that over the last two days, I have increased the intensity of my workouts again and hope I can go full force on Monday. I decided when I started this journey that I would exercise everyday no matter what and I have kept that promise to myself. It’s nice to see all your hard work and effect show results. My clothes are loose; I have dropped one pant size; and I can sleep better at night. The best part is other people are starting to notice my weight loss. My wife and I have started new recipes to eat healthier and reduce our bread intake and to give me more options besides grilled chicken. She made spaghetti squash with turkey meatballs in a spicy sauce and it was amazing. She also made a healthier version of chili with lean ground beef, squash, green beans, carrots. It’s been awesome.
Pushing Beyond The Pain
What a week it has been. The excuse not to work out seems to be getting easier as I get busier at work and life seems to get in the way. Most of the week I have been having to work out later than normal, which is putting me home well after 9pm. I have work reports to finish because I worked out instead, not to mention being so tired, I can’t even think about blogging. 
What kept me going this week that I was able to move a notch in the belt, which was good because I was at my last one. That was motivation enough to keep going. This was a very tough and exhausting week for me at the Y. I pushed myself harder than I had before in any of the previous weeks. I am happy to say I went farther and burnt more calories than I ever had, but I did pay a price. My feet are swollen, blisters, feet pain and not sure if I can walk one more step much less the work out I am about to do. A big thank you to my wife for the foot rubs and applying muscle cream to my feet to help the pain. At the end of this week, I was able to wear a pair of pants I had bought a smaller size by accident and I couldn’t take back…. YES!!! Plus, another notch in the belt. It looks like another week of pain, but it couldn’t feel better.
Weigh In Time
This week is going pretty good. I have tried to double my work outs this week in preparation for my weigh in, which was tonight. I’ve noticed I’ve gotten a little faster on the treadmill and increased the incline. I also added another cardio and more weight training. I was pushing for double digit weight loss this week, but I didn’t quite make it. I have lost inches. My pants are feeling looser, I’m not breathing as heavy after a workout and I’m sleeping much better at night.
For this week, I will be pushing it a little more than this past week. I’m shooting for a double digit weight loss for the next weigh in. We will see. I have not allowed the thought of giving in to temptation to enter my mind, I think that would set me back. I’m focused on eating right and getting creative with food. I have been blending frozen strawberries and fresh blueberries together with coconut milk when I get a craving for something sweet. The one thing I cannot do without is coffee. I can drink water, give up soda but the smell of coffee has me weak. I use a couple packs of low calorie sweetener and a small dash of powder creamer in my coffee now and it taste great. My goal is to stop using any artificial sugar at all but one step at a time.
Pressing On!
I had a good result when I weighed in this past Thursday, but I have been warned by my trainers that the week two and three could be the toughest to shed the pounds. My body will be fighting everything that is going on with my workouts and diet. I feel like my body has been fighting me from day one, but I have been pushing through the pain and getting it done. I have even got out of my comfort zone to take a few classes to switch it up a bit. One class was Zumba, which was very different, but lucky for me 3 other guys were in there and I just did the best I could to keep up.
The next class I want to take is kettle bells and a cycling class. My wife is going to join me working out so we can motivate each other. I have noticed a few things already, just after the first week. My weight training doesn’t hurt as bad as it did, and my stamina on the treadmill is getting better.
The best part is that I have lost inches in my stomach. When I first received my workout shirts, they were a little snug, but now they actually fit. Seeing the results of hard work and better eating habits have given me the motivation to push it a little harder this week. My son has been going to the gym with me during my weight lifting exercises, to help me with weights and encourage me to go further.
My Biggest Challenge So Far
I officially started Tuesday with my assessment and weigh in. The weigh in was as bad as I was expecting. I was in shock and embarrassed that I had let myself get so out of control. Well I started my first workout right after. Let me say for the next three days, I could barley walk and muscles were spasming throughout the night. I have worked out for six straight days. I don’t want to stop. I am afraid I will not start back again. So I can say my workouts are going well, but I was very worried about the weekend. Anytime I cheat on my diet, normally its on the weekend. It was really tough not getting my favorite Chinese plate this Friday. Being home on Saturday and worst yet the Super Bowl. I am happy to say I have weathered the storm of temptation and stayed on my diet. I don’t think I have ever had vegetable soup and apple slices during a Super Bowl before, but I did and it was pretty good. I’m glad tomorrow is Monday and I am looking forward to a new week.
On my way to a healthier me
I was really excited to start this program. I wanted to give it my all so I decided I will go to the gym everyday even if its just to walk on the treadmill. I have been doing the workouts that my trainer gave me and I am working muscles that have not been used in a while. I am so sore but I am pushing through the pain. I know that if I want to see change I have to put in the effort. No one can help me loose weight and change my lifestyle but me. I am motivated to keep going. I have done really well with food and learning how to eating healthier types of food that will give me energy and fill me up. The hardest part is sweets. I am trying to find good alternatives when I have a sugar craving. I appreciate all the support and I have met alot of great people. Looking forward to seeing some progress for all my hard work in the coming weeks.
Rob's Big Losers 