My Wake-Up Call

“Sterling, you are going to die if you do not make a change in your life.” Those were the words from my doctor when I visited him to get a prescription for a sinus infection in the spring of 2016.  He was referring to my resting heart rate, which was now pushing well over 90, and a blood pressure, which fluttered around 180/120. “Your body is a ticking time bomb” he followed up. All I could do was mumble, “yeah, I know” staring at the skeleton in the corner. I weighed in well over 300 LBS in a 6-foot-tall frame. But this wasn’t my wake-up call.  

I wasn’t always a big guy. In high school I played Varsity in 5 different sports. But in college, the “Freshmen 15” turned into the 30,40, 50+. 10 years after college I still carried the weight and gained even more after getting married. When my wife and I would go out to dinner we always opted for the table, instead of the booth. I knew I’d never fit into the booth. We never went to Disneyland because we’d never fit on the rides. Even my office chair had become terribly uncomfortable and too small. Our eating habits were terrible. We loved “window food”, especially Taco Bell. Drive right up, don’t get out of the car. 

Six months after my doctor visit, I was at a concert in Oakland, CA. I felt weird all day, super drained. A flight of stairs took my breath away. When the headliner hit the stage, I began to feel dizzy. Next thing I know I’m laying in the concert venue medical room hooked up to a blood pressure machine and being asked, “has your blood pressure always been this high?” This, right here, was my wake-up call. The person who was attending to me was a friend of over 5 years. Having a friend provide medical attention to you when you are at your weakest and most vulnerable really puts things into perspective. A lot of things flashed through my head. Things like: I never saw Yosemite, I love my wife and don’t want to lose her, I’ll never see my mother’s face again.  

On January 9th, 2017 I decided to do something about. Something was different this time. My wife and I had tried diets in the past, but they never lasted very long. We needed a real change, a lifestyle change. That change only needed to be two simple things: Healthy food and burning calories and fat through movement. I reminded myself, and her, this isn’t rocket science. Keep it simple.

Over the next few installments, I’ll explain my plan on how I will go from my “wake-up call” to hopefully finishing my first marathon this December. I’ll detail my “couch to 5K” experience, meal prep and healthy choices, and extended training strategies.

Watch for updates on my progress here on Proozy.com and on social media @SFWeightlossguy