Today I had to go to the bank to cash a few checks. I purposely did not include my driver's license, but gave them my bank ID with my name and account number. The teller asked that I also submit my driver's license for further identification. So I sent that in the little tube and from that point, I could have recited the chain of events verbatim before it took place....she asked it if was really me on my driver's license and then commented that I've really changed over the last few years.
You see, my driver's license was last renewed in January 2006 and is valid for 6 years, and on May 7, 2005, I decided to make a life altering decision to get healthy and get into shape. I remember the day clearly, I went to put on summer clothes from the previous year and none of my capris or shorts fit. I was sad, frustrated and feeling like the biggest blob in the world. I decided from that day forward I would do what I could to get the body I wanted.
I visited Attilio's (a former supplement and health store here in St. Louis) to see what I could do to lose the weight. The good thing about Attilio's is that they were also getting into personal training and I decided to take them up on their new services. My first appointment was the following week and come to find out my trainer was a former friend of mine from high school. I weighed in that first night at 205 lbs and wearing a size 18. My goal was to lose 20-25 lbs and be what I thought of as average size.
I busted butt all that summer with my trainer and then was forced to take on the weight loss challenge myself after he left to go back to active duty in the military. By January 2006, I weighed 175 lbs...quite a difference from my high weight but still not exactly where I wanted to be. I told the DMV that I weighed 165 lbs and that's what went on my driver's license.
Over the past 5 years, I've continued my fitness and weight loss and at this exact point in time, I weigh 122 lbs and wear a size 2-4. That's right, I've lost 83 lbs in 5 years. My BMI is excellent and I'm actually starting to see muscles pop out. I love the gym and continue to eat very healthy (ie, mostly home-cooked lean meals, a lot of water and no fast food). My friends and co-workers all make fun of me for my food and diet discipline and for the countless hours I spend at the gym or trying to get exercise other ways. Most of them did not know me when I weighed my heaviest and some of them probably barely knew me when I started losing the weight and while it does bother me that they give me so much trouble for being a health nut, I know most of them will never know how much work at becoming a better me, physically. Every day is a challenge of keeping the weight off and staying on track and remembering how far I've come.
The funny part of course is when I have to show ID, which happens more now that I'm 27 rather than when I was 21 or 22. Most people look at it numerous times and then still question it. A few weeks ago I tried going to the casino and they actually were not going to let me in because they said I couldn't prove that the person in the license was really me. After producing credit cards, insurance cards, my check book and frequent purchase cards, I finally was let in with some hesitation. In 2012, yes, I will get my new license but in the meantime I'm going to look at my current one as a measure of my hard work.
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