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Name: Keith Moore
Age: 33
Height: 5'10"
Before Weight: 293 pounds
How I Gained It: I was never careful of what I ate my entire life. I didn't know what a portion was, I did not know what the right foods were to eat. I wanted to get the best value for my money, so I'd go to a buffet and eat and eat and eat. I would get the most food for the best value and with that I found my weight increasing exponentially.
I was working 80 hours a week in retail, and I would just grab a candy bar to keep me on my feet to keep my energy up. I would eat horrible junk food like chips, soda and fast food in the small time allotted for a break. I would fast all day and then compress thousands of calories into nighttime eating.
I was terribly unhealthy. My doctor told me I was morbidly obese, but for years I didn't believe him. I was in denial. He said that obesity was linked to conditions that run in my family, like heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure, so he really wanted me to get a handle on my weight before I got older and these things started becoming more serious issues.
Breaking Point: I had recently been laid off. If I was bored, I ate. I watched TV and snacked. I had nothing to do ... I was eating, eating and eating more.
I didn't have a breaking point until I saw my wife Jen start to lose weight with Hoopnotica. I thought, "Okay, here's another one of Jen's wacky ideas," but this time she was absolutely serious. We started to team up; she found a healthier food plan to fit with my likes and dislikes.
I never saw the weight go on, I was in denial. I thought realistically that I could stand to lose 20 pounds, but after three weeks and 20 pounds were gone, I was still pretty much the same. That's when I got serious about weight loss and changing my lifestyle to a healthier life for my wife and children.
How I Lost It: I kept to my meal plan, and I still do. Jen and I say we have a "condition" that we will have for the rest of our lives. I regulate myself. When I'm not careful, I can put weight back on very quickly.
We don't eat out anymore. I felt especially horrible after the last time we did. We cook for ourselves and eat healthy, organic food whenever possible.
I started losing weight by hooping and took off a ton of pure fat. I didn't want to put on muscle yet; it's extra weight that I did not want to carry around. I wasn't healthy at the time, so I felt like bulking up would be counter-intuitive. I wanted to keep thin and healthy. I did endurance-style exercises like running to complement my Hoopnotica training. I really worried about my health and my heart, so I kept up the cardio.
After I lost an initial 90 pounds or so, I started to think about muscle. I do weight train now, but I still don't want to be too big. Right now it's all about maintenance. I never feel deprived; I feel very satisfied. I hit the gym five, sometimes six days a week.
The best part about losing weight was that it gave me an opportunity to have time with my kids and my wife. I don't want to miss another landmark in my children's lives. I really hope that Jen and I can instill In our children the same urgency to stamp out obesity from their lives. Jen and I ate horribly for years. We tell our children this is what we used to look like, we don't want you to end up like we were. We make sure to remind them how important whole foods are, instead of processed junk.
I am now a Hoopnotica instructor and I am on my way to getting a degree in health/exercise science. I want to use my newfound love to pay it forward -- spread the hoop love and healthy living!
After Weight: 195 Pounds
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Posted: 04/ 4/2012 8:33 am