By Gideon Haile
I am an Ethiopian who is residing in the Washington Metro Area. I hope my story below will inspire other Ethiopians.
I could have DIED at the age of the age of 22 from being UNHEALTY and OVERWEIGHT. I have read that you all are looking for an inspiring story about weight loss. On November 1st, 2008 I decided to start doing something about my weight problem. I decided to take what Obama said seriously, “A TIME FOR CHANGE.”
On November 4, 2008, I was 345 lbs and got down to 185 lbs on Sept 30, 2009 (My birthday). So for 10 months, all I did was walk seven days a week, no matter what and I never missed a day. I started off walking 3 miles a day (1.5 miles going, and coming back.) I progressed little by little — up to the point where I was jogging 5 miles a day.
I learned how to cook my own food. I always kept a balanced diet by eating breakfast, lunch and dinner. I normally had whole wheat cereal and omelet for breakfast. For lunch I always ate pasta with my own spaghetti sauce I cooked from scratch, with vegetables on the side. For dinner, I usually have some kind of chicken, steak, or fish. My problem was that I loved to eat junk food — fast food, candy, cookies, pizza, you name it and I ate it. I made a lifestyle change that I have not regretted since.
It has been 551 days since I started, and now I am in the gym everyday maintaining my weight of 170 lbs and building muscle. All together I have lost a total of 175 lbs. I still stick to the same types of food, and I have continued to stay away from junk food.
In my situation, I had to literally reach the bottom, to get back to the top. I am in school, maintaining my grades and will be graduating in December, 2011.
(The writer can be reached at [email protected])