John's Inspiring 250 Pound Weight Loss

I was always big. As the years went on, I just got bigger by eating anything and everything.

Unfortunately, my health got worse as the years went by as well. I had my first child at the age of 23 and as the pregnancy went on I kept getting bigger and bigger. After my 3rd child came along, I was closing in on 350lbs.

I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and was put on numerous medications. After my 4th child, I topped out at a whopping 400lbs! My health was so bad that I couldn't even take 3 steps without losing my breath and feeling like I was going to die.

My life changed one day when I got a call when I was at work. My wife at the time said that my dad had a massive heart attack and had passed away. I went to see my doctor a week later because I was having chest pains. She said one thing that completely changed my mindset. She said, "John if you want to live to see your kids have their own kids, then you have to lose weight, if not there was a space next to your dad."

I started by changing my diet. I went from the white rice, white bread, all the oily and greasy foods to salads, wheat bread, and brown rice. After 6 months, I started to walk. I went down from 400lbs to 375lbs. I started feeling good about the weight loss and told myself that I could do this. After a year, I dropped to 325lbs and went from a 62 waist to a 48. I felt better and decided to go for 25 more pounds. After 20 months, I was down to 270lbs and I was walking over a mile a day. I started to get addicted to dieting and exercising.

I went through a divorce and started to get depressed. I started to eat unhealthy again and I soon found myself lonely and depressed. Food was my only source of happiness. Then one day I went to the mall and I ran into my first true love from school. We talked and went out to dinner. She was going through the same thing as me. Her son's dad had left her and she was raising her son alone. We started dating and spending alot of time together. I started to diet hard again.

I went walking about 3 times a day and started my salad and browns again. I got myself down to 225lbs and thought that was enough, but I was wrong, I was now hooked on dieting and exercising. I soon had my 5th child and was down to 175lbs and running a full 6-7 miles twice a day. I looked in the mirror and said, "damn I got this, I can lose another 25lbs"! I was on a strict 1100 calorie diet, which involved no sodas or sugar. Strictly water or if I wanted a little taste, I had some crystal light.

After 3 years and many trials, I hit my all time low weight, 132lbs. My doctor said the funniest thing I ever heard. She said, "John, you have to gain a little weight"! After all the years of being called all the fat words in the book and being the brunt of everyone's fat jokes, I had someone tell me that I had to gain weight. My doctor told me she was amazed when she did my diabetes test, as it was like I never had diabetes.

Now I'm holding a weight of 147-150lbs and 11% body fat. My life has changed, my health is great, and I have a new lease on life. I'm never tired like I was before and my cardio levels have become unreal. It's like God gave me a new me.

My words of wisdom: Anything can be accomplished if you put your mind and soul into it. If I can do it, anyone can! Always remember that life is precious and that life starts with you!!!!

The 3 most important things that I would like to say to everyone who is struggling with their weight and health.

Set a goal, start with a small goal, then work from there.Get support from loved ones, if it wasn't for my wife and kids, I would have never got to this point. Make them understand that you are doing it for yourself, so you can be around for them.Love yourself... because I found out that if you don't love yourself, then you won't care enough to to help yourself.

By John Toledo III

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