My Story

10 Aug 2014

I was 22 years old, 210 lbs (95 Kg) and couldn't break out of a wet paper bag; a stereotypical computer programmer. My current contract was up and I had a choice of two job offers. First was with a pizza shop, great work, great money, and as much pizza (which I love) and soft drink as I want. Second was with a software company where the development manager was determined to not be a stereotypical programmer and was building a team to reflect that. Each day the team would go to the gym at the lunch hour with a company subsidised membership. However, the pay was less, and the company in start-up phase with unstable revenues.

Since starting full-time work and happily married my weight was on a very clear trajectory. I was determined however to be a not be a stereotypical programmer. I took the lower paid job, for the gym. Within 3 months I had gone down 22 lbs (10 Kg) and moved from 7 Kg dumbbells to 44 lbs (20 Kg) on a bench press. Another 6 months later I was another 22 lbs (10 Kg) down and using 2 x 66 lbs (30 Kg) dumbbells press. During that time I also went from not being able to run half a mile (1 Km) without getting stitches and collapsing out of breath to doing a 6 miles (10 Km) run in an hour.

He's the thing. After this, when people were complementing me on my transformation I would dismiss it. I would say it was nothing, I just did what everyone else did. What I found out later that just participating was a big deal. As the team grew it bought on a few people who refused to go to the gym each lunch hour. The kinks caused others to not want to go. Soon we had a stereotypical programmer team and things became difficult. Going to the gym each day was difficult. Eating right was difficult. My weight and fat began to come back on.

You see, I was always the fat kid. Not huge, but fat. When I meet people now they don't see it. They don't understand how in my head I'm still fat. Although I was going to the gym 5 days a week one thing I still had to do was controlling my eating. I typically ate fairly well, but my quantities were too large. Even now, even going to the gym 5 days a week, if I do not strictly control my quantities I still put on fat easily.

So this is where I come to. I don't have a team that I go to the gym with now. I don't want to squander the work I did. I need to be surrounded by a team that wants the same as me. So I'm building this community. I understand that the biggest part to losing weight is controlling what you are eating. Even just a little activity like walking each day is enough, if the eating is controlled. Going to the gym can give a complete body transformation, but just losing the fat will give you such a liberating feeling. My waist went from 40" (103cm) to 32" (83cm). I needed a whole new wardrobe, twice.

Goodies Bandit will be launching soon. We want to get rid of overeating and excess goodies so that we may have freedom in our bodies. Occasional treats are fine, but what you will see being involved here is that these things are not as occasional as we think. This won't be for everybody. And we won't accept everybody. Sign up now to be involved in the design of this community. This year you can stop being the fat kid, you can get control of your life.

Tell me your story in the comments below.