Barrett Garese

Gratuitous bragging about yourself Wednesday (because I don’t post pics)

About two months ago I stepped on a scale and made a decision. I’m neither the first, nor the last person to have a similar reaction in that situation, so I don’t think that really counts as the interesting part of the story - just the catalyst.

My driver’s license says that I’m 5’9” and 155lbs. I haven’t bothered changing it since I got my driver’s license in High School. I’m obviously still the same height, however throughout college and afterwards my weight has fluctuated between 165 and 175.

The last three years I’ve been better about it, having had May trips to Hawaii as good “first of the year motivators” to get into “beach shape” or at least an approximation therein. I’d hit the gym, lose some weight, and muscle up a bit. Then around fall I’d fall off the wagon, stop caring as much, and go back to my sedentary office shape (which resembles me, wearing a tire as a belt.)

This year, I didn’t have that motivator, but I had that scale.

Feb 2nd, my bathroom scale registered 175.2 That was my motivator. I needed to make a change, and I started doing the research.

After taking a picture on the morning of February 15th, I started a new diet of limiting myself to 20 carbs per day and eating much more eggs, meat and vegetables. Beth and I renewed our gym memberships and planned Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings as dedicated gym days. The first phase was for three weeks, after which I would re-evaluate how the diet was working out. If I decided to continue (i.e. it was working effectively) then I could have a cheat day as a reward and eat anything (and everything) I wanted for a period of 24 hours. My goal was to reflect my actual driver’s license info from 1997 of 155Lbs.

This has been one of the harder things I’ve ever done. I love sweets, breads, and pastas (that’s what you get when you grow up Italian) so giving them up was difficult. For the first three weeks I didn’t let myself drink alcohol or caffeine either. I love coffee and tea, I love beer and wine. I love putting the proper amount of sugar and milk in my coffee and tea and it’s a morning ritual that I take very seriously. I love chocolate, oh lord how I love chocolate.

This morning I stepped on a scale and it registered 157.0 Just as importantly, from my biweekly workouts, I’ve gained what I estimate to be about 5-7 pounds of muscle across my arms, chest, legs and back over the past 6 weeks. Two days ago I saw the outline of my top two abdominal muscles for the first time…ever. Even when I was playing soccer seven days a week, I never saw my abs. I’m down to a 30’ waist, which I haven’t worn since my parents drove me to school.

I never post pics on Tumblr, but I may have to make an exception when I hit my goal. It’s been remarkably difficult, but I’ve stuck to it for 6 week now (I made a brief exception for SXSW, but made sure not to indulge too much), and the results have been worth the effort. I have to thank Beth too, as this wouldn’t have happened without her love and support. She’s been helping out every day, whether it’s fixing meals I can eat, or making sure I have a gym buddy, or doing little things like hitting the grocery store on the way home to make sure I have breakfast. Thank you. :)

I’m two pounds away. I know I’m bragging, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t proud of myself. And despite how happy and excited I’ll be when I hit it, I’m not stopping when I reach that goal. I’ll set new ones.

This is a first step, not the end goal. A big first step, and one I’m tremendously proud of myself for accomplishing, but a step nonetheless. Here’s to the first of many.