Weight Loss Success: Jason Barsotti Wanted To Get Healthy For His Daughter And Lost 120 Pounds

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Name: Jason Barsotti
Age: 29
Height: 6'3"
Before Weight: 335 pounds

How I Gained It: I was heavy my entire life. I really got that way by eating and drinking whatever I wanted. I always thought that was the way I was made, so I would never be able to change my weight. I was just lazy about my health.

Breaking Point: When my daughter was born I realized that it's not just about me anymore. I didn't want her to grow up overweight like I was, and I wanted to be able to run around with her. I knew I needed to do something to get healthy for her and myself.

How I Lost It: I lost the weight by using diet and exercise. At first it was really hard, and I never thought I was going to be able to keep it going. Soon I realized a month had passed, and I was down a couple of pounds, and I was still going strong. I started off by limiting my calories to 1,800 to 2,000 a day and eating five small meals throughout the day. I ate mostly things like apples, almonds, grilled chicken, tuna, whole-wheat bread and other fruits and vegetables. After I got down under 300 pounds I started to believe I could do this and enjoyed going to the gym. I started to do two 30-minute cardio sessions a day, seven days a week. Usually I would use the elliptical or a bike so it woudn’t bother my knees, but I would also do some lifting with light weights and high repetitions. I used a "cheat day" at first but quickly realized that I didn't need it.

Now, I do one 30-minute cardio session in the afternoon, six days a week, and spend about 45 minutes lifting heavier weights to focus on building muscle.

I realized that I can do anything that I really want, as long as I work for it. Nothing is easy, but if you keep trying it gets easier. I am so much happier now that I can play sports with my daughter and that I know that I am much healthier. I am confident that I will be able to keep the weight off because of how much I enjoy the way things are now. It's a complete lifestyle change that takes a lot of dedication, but it is in every way worth the struggle.

After Weight: 215 pounds

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Comments

[firststatemate]

02:37 PM on 05/23/2012

Jason, you're amazing, and you are an awesome inspiration to all of us who know how tough your journey was. God bless you and your beautiful daughter. She can be so proud of her handsome Daddy!

[Mon Rodriguez]

02:19 PM on 05/23/2012

Congratulation. All are power of examples.

[The Fosz]

01:17 PM on 05/23/2012

Go ahead an eat up.....It's going to make you feel better.

[stepman123]

01:10 PM on 05/23/2012

And LOL, No excuses. You ate the whole thing dam it. Just like me. I went to W.W. and lost 73 lbs. in six months. I just recently stoped smoking and thought I gained 20 lbs but when my Doctor wieghed me I kept telling him how I gained all this wieght since I stoped smoking and he said you lost 4 more lbs. I was in shock. Good for you,its about health,and abuse one has to take when over wieght. I will never make fun at anyone who is heavy. I was always the brunt of cruel jokes as a kid. I lost this wieght when I was 16 and kept it off all my life thanks to sensible eating. W.W. is the best.

[Janenotdoe]

01:00 PM on 05/23/2012

CONGRATS, Jason!!

[SilliDazi11]

01:00 PM on 05/23/2012

Jason, so happy for you. No one truely understands unless they have walked in your shoes. It is a life time commitment and I hope you can stay with it. Good luck on being a dad too. You will have more to offer your child and much to share. God bless and take care.

[nvdesertdreamer]

11:49 AM on 05/23/2012

To the other 34% of obese people in this country, this is how you do it. Proper diet and exercise.

[randyttt]

11:43 AM on 05/23/2012

I lost 135 lbs of ugly fat....i got a divorce

[ladydrag0n]

11:42 AM on 05/23/2012

You look amazing! Congrats! I hope I can be where you are in a year. Thank you!

[jgamble28]

11:13 AM on 05/23/2012

Wow he looks really good. Keep up the good work.

[CreativebyNature]

11:08 AM on 05/23/2012

29 is where I began to gradually gain weight. having been on mood disorder medications, yet knowing that my moods swings were altered due to a father and crude working colleagues who teased and degraded me as a person. From size 5/6 to a 7 for a young woman, this is where I was very comfortable at. At one point in my life, due to a fascist Christian Church, I labeled as, Anorexic.. Attendance at Modeling Schools, weighing in at one time,105 lbs at 5'7" they told me I need to lose more weight??? ( as my ribs were sticking out), now it has been 28 years later and am twice the size I was comfortable at, and remembering a father who claimed even at the size of 7, that I was fat and here is my dad who has a huge gutt on his belly, has diabetes due to his own weight; In the meantime, I have been physically active in many different types of sports in my life, even at my current weight which I am still on the journey of trying to eliminate some of it. I have been and will always be way more active compared to a Father who does nothing, but tease me as I was maturing and growing up in my younger years; still having to bite my tongue from someone who believes he is fit and trim, yet watches the boob tube all day.

[Ron Bryant]

10:24 AM on 05/23/2012

Jason you look good boy, Take care of your self.

[rav1267]

09:07 AM on 05/23/2012

Congratulation to all for losing weight and reaching your goals

[bmitche]

09:02 AM on 05/23/2012

WOW. Good job Jason. You look handsome.

[whenicyouucme]

06:40 AM on 05/23/2012

It's nice to see a person advocate for a healthy diet and excercise rather than trying to get Americans to spend money on weightloss pills and other crap. For once some one is honest and tells you, 'you have to work hard in order to stay fit'. like people in most other countries do just EAT HEALTHY. Move around problem solved.