How I
Lost Weight:
In Thomas Day’s Own Words
Source: VA Affair
Office
Posted on February 1, 2011
Your feedback is
welcome. Please
send your comments to
or
Click Here to post on our Facebook Page
|
Ever since I turned 40, I have been
overweight or obese. I am 6' 2" tall and
over the last 26 years my weight has
seesawed between 220 pounds to 250
pounds. Even though I didn’t realize it,
this made it more difficult for me to
get
around with my disability. In January of
2009 I met with my primary care
physician at VA — Dr. Richard Rose. Over
the years my blood pressure has been
edging up, as well as my cholesterol.
Dr. Rose challenged me to lose weight
and I took the challenge. Within a week,
he had enrolled me in the MOVE program
at the VA. |
Thomas Day: Before |
Our guidance
counselor is Joan Heusser, a nutritionist at the
medical center. She did a great job of convincing me
that it was possible to lose weight even though I
had been trying to do so for 25 years. Her arguments
made sense.
The concept,
to me, did not seem to require a great deal of
sacrifice — only a commitment of trust, patience and
time. This is not an overnight weight-loss program.
I caught on quickly with a passion. I faithfully
count calories every day. I am always aware of what
I am eating and what I can eat. I avoid too much
salt in my diet and as a result I try to eat more
elemental foods. I find that as I have gotten used
to less salt, prepared foods seem way too salty
especially those coming out of a can. I also try to
eat a healthy balance of grains, fruits and
vegetables. I avoid grease and fat and instead take
in healthy oils such as fish oil, flax oil and olive
oil. At one time, I suffered from severe heartburn.
My entire life I have suffered from irritable bowel
syndrome. These have completely disappeared along
with a host of other annoying health problems.
|
Joan convinced me that daily exercise is
an essential part of a weight-loss
program. I also took hold of that with
great enthusiasm. This is interesting
because I have always felt my disability
prevented me from doing any kind of
physical activity. The mindset sounds
sort of like this: “I’m not normal,
therefore I can’t do things other people
do.” But, in an effort to be supportive
for the entire program I forced myself
to exercise. We had to invest in a
treadmill and an elliptical because I
can’t drive and it’s too difficult to
get to the gym every day. |
Thomas Day: After |
We have no
room in our condo for weight equipment so I
compromise by doing calisthenics. It was not easy at
first.
I have
always suffered from a very bad left knee which
caused pain just to move around, let alone exercise.
At the start of my exercise program, I could only do
the treadmill and elliptical for short periods
before the knee started hurting with pain. I would
take several days off to recuperate because the knee
would get stiff and swollen. But I persevered.
Even though
it’s very difficult for me to walk — believe it or
not, 20 months later — I can do nine miles a week on
the treadmill and the equivalent of 14 miles a week
on my elliptical with absolutely no pain or
discomfort in any of my joints including the bad
knee — which no longer gives me any problems. I try
to exercise at least an hour and 20 minutes each
day, six days a week. Over time, I have worked up to
a daily routine of 100 sit-ups, 60 push-ups, 60
chairlifts and 40 chin-ups.
I hope my
experience and my discussion of personal feelings
and insights will help each of you in your struggle
to maintain your ideal weight. I’m certainly not an
expert and I don’t purport to be such, but I am
pleased that it has worked for me personally. I
appreciate that VA has allowed me to share this with
you.
Thomas Day,
Veteran
Editor's Note:
If you
find this story helpful and would like to share your
thought,
Please
send your comments to
or
Click Here to post on our Facebook Page
Share
