Weight Loss Success: Anthony Masiello Made A New Year's Resolution And Lost 160 Pounds

Name: Anthony Masiello
Age: 39
Height: 6'4"
Before Weight: 360 pounds

How I Gained It: I remember starting the fifth grade after gaining weight over the summer and kids at school asking me how I became fat. I have no idea how I gained weight that summer, but I do know that it stayed with me. I struggled with my weight for the rest of elementary school and through high school and college. I went through short phases at different points in my life where I would lose some weight, but somehow it always came right back. The situation got even worse when I started working at a sedentary job. Even though I was heavy, I was still a relatively active person; I could skateboard, snowboard, hike, bicycle and ride motorcycles all pretty well. However, I gained a few extra pounds every year, and, before I knew it, I couldn't sit in an armchair or fit in small cars. I had to ask for a seat belt extension when flying on an airplane. I started taking medication for high blood pressure; my weight was having a negative impact on my life.

Breaking Point: At age 33, and with my second son on the way, I applied for a 20-year term life insurance policy and was denied. This was a huge wakeup call for me. The thought of not living to see my unborn son's 20th birthday was really scary. At that point I knew I had to lose weight and become healthy, I just had no idea how to do that. By that point in my life I had already tried and failed at almost every weight loss diet or strategy that I was aware of. I knew I needed to try again, I knew I needed to do something, I just had no idea what that should be.

How I Lost It: I started at the beginning of 2006, like many others, with a New Year's resolution. I vowed to give up soda and sweets and set a goal to lose 50 pounds by the end of the year. I knew I would have to figure out how to lose the weight as I went but thought this would be a good start. After almost three months of sticking to the plan and not having a sip of soda or a taste of sweets, I still had not lost a single pound. I was frustrated and becoming depressed, but I was determined to find something that would work. I eventually found a book titled Eat to Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. I began following the guidelines and changing my diet immediately. I ate more fruits and vegetables than I thought possible and not much else, and I started losing weight! By the time my son was born -- only two months later -- I had already lost 30 pounds! I continued to increase the amounts of vegetables and fruit in my diet, and also cut back on processed food, and sustained a steady weight loss of almost exactly eight pounds a month for the next 17 months.

In January of 2007, after losing almost 100 pounds, I decided to try running. I began with a combination of walking and jogging until I was able to complete one mile, then two, then three. I continued eating well and increasing my running. Nine months later, I ran a half-marathon in one hour and 48 minutes. Even with my increased exercising, I continued to lose almost exactly eight pounds a month until September 2007, when the weight loss stopped almost as suddenly as it began.

Weight is no longer an issue for me. I have been steady now at 200 pounds for more than four years! I still run regularly, and skateboarding, snowboarding, hiking, biking and riding motorcycles are all so much more enjoyable now. In addition to losing weight, I am off blood pressure medication, have more energy than ever and wake up every day feeling absolutely great!

After Weight: 200 pounds

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Comments

[MsIrisMG]

11:15 PM on 09/13/2012

Doing Eat to Live now - am about half way through the 6 week detox period. VERY slow progress, but I'm seeing difference in my waist more than my scale. It's interesting. I have a 40 year old book in my library written by comedian/activist Dick Gregory called Dick Gregory's Natural Diet for Folks Who Eat: Cookin' With Mother Nature. I revisited his largely fruitarian diet and have to shake my head. He's in his 80s now - and apparently way before his time! Dr. Fuhrman could have saved some research just reading Mr. Gregory's book, which was written in 1974 and still relevant today. Dr. Fuhrman has merely changed the language to fit today's audiences. Whatever works! I enjoy fruit, am learning to tolerate lettuce and am enjoying life without wheat or sugar. Best of all, no portions! Even if I don't lose as fast as I want to I feel good, and my blood sugar seems OK even with all the sweet fruit I'm eating. By the time I re-introduce some meat in my diet (and I do want to) by Thanksgiving I hope to see the results I'm working hard for.

[Matt7678]

02:17 PM on 08/10/2012

First photo looks like the guy's dad. Congratulations you look at least 10 years younger if not more!

[rparker1]

12:15 PM on 01/16/2012

It is motivating stories like these that help so many people including myself get to grips with our weight issue and take the plunge for a better and healthier life.

I've personally lost 180lbs since Dec 2009. My blood pressure was 160/110, now its 120/80. My cholesterol was 256 mg/Ld, now its 176mg/dL. I'm no longer Pre-Diabetic and I'm in the best shape of my life.

If you're interested in my story please head over to Zdiets.net

Cheers.

Ryan E. Parker

[mmbcf]

09:23 PM on 01/14/2012

The exercise was probably the biggest factor. No matter what garbage you eat as long as your burning calories with exercise you will lose weight. When he stopped the soda & sweets, he was probably still eating lots of fats and carbs. Good for him

[Patty Conger Burge]

08:44 PM on 01/14/2012

Way to go Anthony!! Love to hear stories of health and happiness!!

[theroadnowtaken]

08:41 PM on 01/14/2012

Glad these people lost the weight and are healthier BUT it is mainly a plug for these new diets out there. When the diet industry is booming and people are getting 'fatter' what does that tell you? If you look at the Department of Health, Diet and Fitness studies ..... they record that people lost weight by constructing THEIR OWN STYLE of diet....combining what they have learned from previous experiences to do and not to do and then to follow-up with a normal scale of exercise. The key...LISTEN TO WHAT YOUR BODY IS TELLING YOU. See how you feel after you eat something.....jot it down. If you eat something one night and wake up refreshed....check out what you ate the night before and keep that in your regimen. If you wake up and feel sluggish.....get rid of whatever it was you ate the day before. Soon enough by mere deduction you will design the BEST diet for YOUR body. EVERY BODY is different.

[nikkitytom]

07:44 PM on 01/14/2012

Years ago in a meditation class in India we had a neat exercise involving a single strawberry. We had to look at it and describe its colors .... the construction of it, the way the stem met the fruit ... and what many people never knew before or noticed ... that the seeds are outside of the fruit resting like tiny gems on its red skin. We pulled off the stem and looked inside .... a light golden crystalline hole ... then we smelled it and described the aroma. Finally we took a tiny bite and described the texture and the feeling on our tongues.

I have never eaten a strawberry indifferently again. Nor have any of my students to whom I gave this exercise.

I have a chocolate addiction and am presently on a regimen to lose ten pounds, I buy bitter chocolate and put it in the fridge so i have to eat it slowly and let it melt on my tongue. Instead of 3 or 4 ounces a day ....I'm now enjoying an ounce or less and truly savoring it. I also discovered REAL plain yoghurt .... with a dash of sugar ..REAL sugar ( only 16 calories a teaspoon, so don't go nuts about it) And that spaghetti sauce poured over lightly steamed cauliflower is simply delicious!

The three S's Slow Down, Savor .... and STOP eating SO much.

[nursemedina]

07:31 PM on 01/14/2012

Please help me I have alot of fat around my belly. I can lift it up with two hands.What can I do to lost it? I take pills and try green tea green water. I will try the blue moon to lost it.

[bansheeboy]

07:29 PM on 01/14/2012

Dr. Fuhrman's "Eat To Live" plan helped me a lot. The only challenge (for most of us, at least) is the initial few weeks it took for my body to adjust. After that, it was pretty amazing: you get to craving all the good stuff (vegetables, fruits, etc.) and could care less about Big Macs and such.

It's not a quick fix, nor is it for everyone. Though it doesn't have to be completely vegetarian, the eating plan is VERY restrictive when it animal proteins, simple carbs, sodium, sugar, etc. If you've been raised on a diet heavy on steak and potatoes (or even chicken and rice) you've got to re-learn how to eat.

[sonyat1966]

07:19 PM on 01/14/2012

ANTHONY, YOU GO BOY!!!!!! I think that it's GREAT that you took charge of your own health. EVERYONE be encouraged by this man and his story. 160 POUNDS OFF via the old fashion way and without surgery. SO SO SO SO proud of you. Keep up the great work....I'M INSPIRED, thank you.

[davis2012]

07:16 PM on 01/14/2012

I am 54 yrs old and looked at my body (last yr) and wondered where this weight came from. had personal issues also, but never seen this comeing. So I decided to go for the VSG surgery. Yes I was depressed, takeing high blood pressure pills. Ok, In Oct. 2010, I was determend to do this, so I losted almost 30 lbs since then without the sugery.I started eatting right and doing more rideing my bike at home.

[davis2012]

07:21 PM on 01/14/2012

This is davis2012, I had to continue: Now the weight is turning into flab...So how can I tell if I am loseing? It seems like I am at the same weight. Help if you know what I am talking about. I have heard that swimming is the best. Thank you for this page and everyone doing there best to eat heathly and look good doing it..... Good Luck All.....

[evestar]

07:11 PM on 01/14/2012

I wish my hubby would do that

[pequa1988]

07:08 PM on 01/14/2012

and drink a lot of booze

[pequa1988]

07:08 PM on 01/14/2012

he must eat cake

[pequa1988]

07:07 PM on 01/14/2012

he looks silly